Doppelganger

Let Dawn go!” Spike growled at the vampire version of himself.

“Sorry William, but I have a desperate need for this little one at the moment.”

“She isn’t going with you. She stays here. I have no idea what you are, but impersonating a guy is kinda overdone don‘t you think?”

“Who’s impersonating, the way I see it you are still using MY name”

At that moment Dawn regained some of her senses and elbowed the Spike holding her in the stomach, causing him to emit- not a grunt of pain as she had expected- but a laugh. He covered her mouth to prevent her from screaming and alerting her sister, holding her while she tried to twist out of his grasp.

“Vampire love, remember? You’re human you can’t even bruise me.” At this he turned tantalizingly to his other half. “So what are you now? Human again? Poor little weak William who writes poetry and still can’t get the girls. Maybe Xander will take you, if you look sorry enough.”

“Sorry to disappoint you, but I can still kick your ass!”

“Right! I was always your fighting instinct. You are too innocent to kill a fly without me.”

“I don’t know what type of demon you are, but I’ll kill you for touching Dawn!” Spike lunged trying to grab Dawn from the grasp of the vampire, but weeks of lying in a hospital bed had taken its toll on his movements and he wasn’t fast enough. The vampire ran into the main lobby of the store with Dawn being dragged along by the arm. The noise attracted not only the notice of the Slayer and her entourage, but also the notice of the other customers as the lunging Spike crashed into one of the free standing tables knocking it over.

Buffy was on her feet in less then ten seconds, stake in hand and ready to kill the vampire holding her sister. Shock slowed her sown for a moment as she realized who she was facing.

“YOU!” She yelled as she attacked the demon in front of her.

“Back for more love?” Spike taunted her “At least you are more of a challenge this time”

“Well this time you are going to dust so I would save your breath for your last” Buffy shot back as she threw her stake forward at the Vampire, catching him in the chest right in front of his heart.

“trying to kill me?” Spike taunted as he pulled the wooden weapon out of his chest, letting it clatter to the floor. “You’ll have to try a little better then that!”

“Fine, I’ll kill you the old fashioned way.” Buffy said as she took a swing at the vampire‘s open side. This only succeeded in sending the vampire stumbling a couple of steps. Dawn fell, but the vampire still held a tight grasp on her arm.

“Let go!!” Dawn cried in pai, as Spike dragged her back to her feet.

“Willow, some magical assistance could be used at the moment!!” Buffy yelled over the sound of the Vampire laughing.

“I can’t! Not without hurting Dawn!” Willow shouted back, but it was too late the vampire had already dragged Dawn out of the ice cream shop.

Buffy followed just in time to see Dawn disappear down a side street. Following at a run Buffy searched the darkness in vain for her sister.

***

Giles helped the human version of Spike up from the collapsed table.

“That hurts more then I remember” Spike groaned rubbing his ribs where he had landed. “Am I the only one that doesn’t know what the hell just happened there.” Spike asked as Buffy came running back into the shop.

“Where is Dawn?” Xander asked.

“In the hands of a demon that can fade into the night.” Buffy sighed “The worst thing is that I didn’t even know he was in here! I can’t sense him like I can other demons. How could I let this happen to her?”

“It isn’t your fault Buffy” Willow said consolingly looking grim “If anything I think it’s mine.”

“And mine.” Giles sighed.

“What are the two of you talking about?” Spike demanded. “What the hell would you have to do with a demon that is pretending to be me?”

“I think the problem Spike, is that the demon is you.” Giles removed his glasses and sat down in one of the now empty booths that had been occupied by customers a few minutes earlier.

“No I’m me.” Spike muttered “ I know who I bloody am!”

“You are William!” Willow cried almost losing her patience

“Why does everyone insist on calling me that tonight? First that damned demon that took Dawn and now you!” Spike yelled back unable to contain his temper. “I’m Spike I have been for over a hundred years!”

“And before that?” Giles stated quietly from the booth.

“Well ya! I was William then but that time is gone. I was human then. Now I’m, well at the moment I’m not exactly sure what I am because of those bloody bints of goddesses. But…” Spike trailed off unsure of what to say next.

“I think they separated the demon from the human.” Willow stated knowing that this was the unmistakable and most terrifying truth. “That means we have a pure demon, one of the strongest in history, on the run with Dawn.”

“I was that demon for years.” Spike protested “Why is it any different now?”

“Amazingly, Spike I think some part of your human soul always remained within you and that part kept the demon in check. It kept the true power of the demon from showing. You are the only full vampire on record who has ever been able to love, in the true sense of the word that is. The demon was dominant in you that is true, but you loved. I believe that your full soul was only obtainable BECAUSE you already owned part of it.” Giles sighed as he finally admitted the truth he had known for some time. The truth that had kept him from killing Spike long before.

“So what does all this mean?” Xander asked

“It means” Willow sighed “That we have the real William standing before us. The demon is a completely separate entity. An entity, that my spell has brought back from hell.”

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A/N -- REVIEW!!!! PLEASE? *puts on puppy dog eyes and sad face* I know most people have longer chapters then this but i can't help it! The story i want to tell just comes in smaller bits, but maybe more chapters we will see...