Spike panted and coughed as he dragged the unconscious Slayer ashore. His body was numb from the icy cold water.

"Buffy?" he asked, hopefully when he heard her groan.

Her eyes blinked open, and Spike let out a breath he didn't know that he'd been holding. He grinned and waved a hand in front of her face.

"How many fingers do you see?"

Buffy began to sob.

Spike's heart ached at her tears, and he gathered the girl up in his lap. Resting his head on top of her own he began to rock while murmuring comforting words in her ear.

"Shh, it's alright now luv. You're gonna be just fine."

"Spike! I can't see!!" she gasped out, before burying her face in his chest.

"What?!" Spike pulled her back to get a look at her eyes. His blood ran cold at the cloudy, unfocused orbs.

"Erousa blinded me when I wouldn't tell her what we were doing. Oh, Spike! What am I going to do? I'm the Slayer! I can't be blind!"

Taking a deep breath, Spike stood up groaning at the pain in his over worked muscles. He then bent down and scooped Buffy up before beginning the journey back to Galatissa's. He only hoped that the sorceress would be able to help.

"He's been gone a long time. Are you sure they'll be okay?" Xander asked for the fifth time in as many minutes.

"The vampire will prevail." this was Galatissa's standard response to his questions.

"Well, how's the spell coming then? What's that stuff your mixing?" Xander indicated the viscous substance the sorceress was stirring and chanting over.

"I'm making eye drops that will cure blindness."

"And how do these eye drops help us stop the plague?" he was getting annoyed with her.

"You'll need these drops tonight. I'll complete the spells tomorrow." as usual Galatissa's response seemed to raise more questions.

"Whatever."

Giving up on her, Xander went in search of Anya, who he found outside sitting on the roof, watching the sun set. After a few ungraceful attempts he finally managed to pull himself up to sit beside her.

"Penny for your thoughts?" he asked her.

"What? You don't have any pennies. And even if you did, they'd be worthless here." Anya stated, snuggling up to him.

"It's an statement. I just want to know what you're thinking about." he explained.

She sighed, "I feel weird. No, that's not right. I feel bad."

"Bad? Bad how?"

"This is all my fault. All these people have died, Buffy's been kidnapped, Giles might die. I get this queasy feeling in my stomach when I think about it."

"Wow! It looks like your humanness is causing you to grow a conscience. I think your feeling guilty." he told her.

"Well, I don't like it! I haven't felt this way in two thousand years, and it hurts!" Anya began to cry. "And look! I'm crying! I never cry!"

"It will be okay, honey. This is just another one of those things that you'll have to get used to." Xander tried to comfort her.

"But what if I can't?"

"You will! I know you, Anya. You're strong. It's what I love most about you. I'm not saying it'll be easy, but I promise that you won't be alone. I'll be right here with you the whole time."

"Okay, now my stomach feels queasy in a good way. This is just to complicated!"

Buffy felt so lost in this world of blackness. She clung tightly to Spike as he carried her.

He had assured her that Galatissa would be able to help her see again, and she believed him.

She had never had to trust someone as much as she was trusting him now. Buffy buried her face in his shoulder again as fresh tears slipped down her face. He was so good to her. What was she going to do? How could she possibly kill him now?

*He does love you.... You'll just have to have faith that love will see you through.* She thought back to what Celia had told her in her dream. *I'll talk to him,* she decided. Maybe love would be enough this time.

"You found her! Is she okay?" Xander anxiously called to Spike, as he scrambled to get down from the roof. He saw Buffy lift her head from Spike's shoulder and turn her it in his direction when he spoke, but she seemed to be looking through him as they approached. "That evil witch did something to her eyes, she...." Spike began.

"Let me guess! She blinded her?" Xander asked.

"How did you know?!"

"He didn't. Galatissa did though. She's been working all day on some eye drops that are supposed to cure blindness. Freaky, huh?" Anya stated, after following Xander down from the roof.

Spike didn't answer her as he hurried inside.

Later that night the group found themselves back in Anaxagoras's home eating dinner. After restoring Buffy's sight Galatissa had sent them away, telling them to return tomorrow afternoon. The four weary friends had quickly returned Œhome' ready to get away from the spooky sorceress and enjoy the remaining time before the time spell would be broken.

"So, Erousa thinks she killed you. That's good, right?" Anya asked.

"Yeah, hopefully we won't have to worry about her anymore." Buffy said.

A comfortable silence settled over the group as they munched on their food.

Buffy's face took on a worried statement as she thought about how evil and powerful Erousa was.

"What's wrong, luv? Sour grape?" Spike asked her.

"No, the food is really good. I just...well, I don't know. The slayer in me wants to go take out Eurosa before she can hurt anyone else. I know this isn't my time, so technically I'm not responsible for the innocent people here, but I can't help but feel a little guilty at just leaving everything the way it is." she confessed.

"It's natural to feel that way, Buff. But like you said, it's not your responsibility. And what if you accidentally save someone who is supposed to die, and it completely changes the future?" Xander tried to reassure her.

"Besides, this time has its own slayer." Anya added.

"What? There is a slayer here? Where is she? Can we meet her?" Buffy asked her in a rush.

"I don't think that's a good idea." She answered nervously.

"Why not?! I want to talk to..." Buffy started.

"She's right, Buffy. The slayers of times past were different. They didn't have friends who helped them. They were lonely, and the best they could've hoped for in life was a quick, meaningful death." Spike looked to Anya.

"It's probably not something you need to see." Anya agreed.

Buffy was quiet for a moment.

"Well, we could at least warn her about Eurosa." she tried again.

"She already knows. If I remember correctly, she will be killed by Eruosa soon, but the next slayer called will be able to defeat her for good." Anya, for the first time in two thousand years, wondered if she should have just stayed quiet and spared Buffy the pain of this revelation.

"Can't we just... I mean,.. she's really gonna die?" tears began to fall from the Slayer's tired eyes.

Spike slipped an arm around her shoulder.

"Buffy, she's dead. She's been dead for a long time, and there is nothing you can do about it."

Buffy pulled away from him, and stood wrapping her arms around herself.

"I'm not hungry anymore. I think I'll go to bed now. See ya in the morning." she turned and quickly hurried away.

Anya turned to Xander and slapped him on the arm.

"Ow! What was that for?" he demanded.

"How come you never told me how hurtful the things I say are?" Anya had begun to cry again.

"Anya, I never,..."

"No, it doesn't matter. It's been so long I've forgotten how painful words can be." she sighed and looked at Xander hopefully.

"My insides are hurting because I made her cry. How can I make them stop hurting?"

"Why don't you go apologize to her." Spike suggested.

"Good idea! Apologizing might make her feel better, and that will make me feel better, right?"

"Sure, go ahead." Xander told her.

The men watched Anya leave, then turned to each other.

"Women." they said simultaneously before going back to their food.

"Buffy? Can I come in?" Anya asked from the door to Buffy's room.

"No, I'm sleeping." "Tough, I feel bad and the only way I'll stop feeling bad is if you feel better so I'm apologizing whether you like it or not."

Despite herself, Buffy laughed. "That has to be the strangest apology that I've ever gotten." she commented.

Anya took that as a good sign and sat down on the bed beside the slayer. "I'm not going to lie to you. I can't possibly understand how you feel right now. The way I see it, people die."

Buffy just blinked at her in confusion. Anya sighed.

"I mean, people died, people are dying, and people will die. This was a lot easier to understand when I was demon, and not a person. You are the Slayer. You have this burden to protect people. To keep them from dying. But aren't you really just delaying the inevitable?"

"No! I save people so that they can live their lives with more meaning. If you spend you're entire life worrying about death, then you're not living!" Buffy practically shouted.

The Slayer was taken aback at the tears that began to fill Anya's eyes. Shaking her head, Buffy softened her voice. "Maybe, if I can talk to this slayer, tell her about Erousa's capabilities, she can defeat her without having to die. She can live longer, and save more people!" Buffy pleaded.

"But what if she is supposed to die? What if she saves someone who would have died, and that person goes on and has a baby that grows up and kills a whole bunch of people?" Anya tried to reason with her.

"Yeah, but what if that baby makes the world a better place? Anya, recently I've been looking back on my life and all of the unusual circumstances that I've been in. All the really weird freaky stuff seems to have happened for a reason. What if the reason I'm here now is to save this slayer from an early death?"

"No. The reason that you are here now is to find a way to stop the plague."

"The time spell won't be up for another two days! I'm supposed to just sit back and relax all that time? I don't think so! My gut is telling me to seek this slayer out. Please, Anya. I'm usually right about these kinds of things." she implored.

"Okay, okay! Tomorrow morning I'll get Anaxagoras to keep the guys busy. We'll tell them we're going shopping. Then I'll take you to see the Slayer. But, I really don't think you're gonna like what you see." Anya gave in.

"Thank you. You're a true friend." Buffy said and pulled her into a hug.

Anya hesitantly patted Buffy's back, before she smiled and returned the hug. Her insides felt good again.

"Hey. Did I wake you ?" Spike asked a while later as he entered the bedroom.

"No. Anya just left a few minutes ago." Buffy was curled up in the middle of the bed facing away from him.

A pause.

"Did you need something?" "Well unless you want to sleep with demon girl, we're sharing that bed." He shut the door behind him.

"You know, any other guy in your position would offer to take the floor." she slid over to make room for him anyway.

"Yeah, well, I'm not any other guy."

For a while they just lay there staring at the ceiling. Side by side a thick uncomfortable silence enveloped them.

"Spike.."

"Buffy.." They laughed nervously.

"You first." she told him.

He rolled on his side to face her. "When we found out that Erousa had taken you, I was worried. I was determine to get you back. But when I saw her toss you off that cliff , I was scared to death." He lifted his hand and began caressing her cheek as he spoke.

"Spike, I.."

He dropped his hand, and looked intently in her eyes. "Buffy, there is no way this can ever work out. I've been over it again and again in my head. We'll just end up hurting each other, and I think we've both been through enough pain where love is concerned."

She lowered her eyes, not wanting him to see her tears. "Oh, well I guess you're right. I mean, we could never really.."

"But I don't care."

Her eyes snapped up to meet his again. "What?"

"I love you. I'm evil and selfish and I love you, regardless." He pulled her to him and tenderly kissed her lips.

"Spike, when we get back everything will change."

"I know, but we have two days to pretend that it won't." As he kissed her again Buffy eagerly pushed everything else from her mind. He was right. They had two days to do whatever they wanted with no consequences.

"No, no no! That's first base, that's second base, that's third base and that's home!" Xander yelled, exasperated.

Sixteen young boys looked at him, confused.

"This would be so much easier if Anya were here to translate." he complained to Spike.

Anya and Buffy had left Spike and Xander to watch Anaxagoras' students. Anaxagoras had had something to take care of in a nearby town, and the girls had wanted to go with him. At first Xander had been excited about teaching these boys to play baseball, now he was just tired.

Spike had been unusually quiet today, and he wondered just exactly what had happened between him and Buffy since they got here.

"Ok, lets take a break."

They just looked at him.

"Go on! Shoo!" Xander motioned with his hands for them to leave and they all took off, glad to be away from this stranger that their teacher had trusted them to.

Xander threw the make-shift baseball to Spike and the two began playing catch. "So, what's up with you and the Buffster anyway? You do anything I need to kick your ass for?" Xander decided that being straightforward with Spike was the best way to go.

Spike gave him a look that said he couldn't believe Xander would ask such a thing. Then he smirked. "Probably."

Xander stopped and looked down at the ball in his hands. "I guess I don't need to give you the don't hurt her speech."

"You know, Xander..." Spike began.

"Wait. There's something I want to say to you. I love Buffy. I have since the first day I met her. But she never thought of me like that. I watched as she went through guy after guy that wasn't me. And recently I realized something. I'm glad. I'm glad that I never had to hurt her like every guy that she's ever been with has. I love her like she's my sister now, and I know that she feels the same."

"Well, that's very touching and all, but what does that have to do with me?"

"I've seen the way she looks at you. She's fallen for you, Spike. That means you can hurt her. If you're not in it for the long haul, get out now because I couldn't stand to see her get hurt again. I don't know if she can stand it. Yes, she's probably one of the strongest people alive, but everybody has a breaking point."

"I do love her, you know."

"Yeah, so did Angel."

The two resumed their game of catch in silence, both thinking of the young slayer who had drastically changed their lives.

"Buffy, I really don't think we should be doing this." Anya said nervously looking around.

Anaxagoras was talking with another old friend of Anya's a few yards away. It had taken them almost two hours to get to this town, where the current slayer made her home. Terle was a great deal smaller than Athens, but was still quite beautiful.

"C'mon, Anya! You said that you'd help me out." Buffy stuck out her lip as she gazed pleadingly at her companion.

"Okay! Sheesh! You don't have to look at me like that." Anya rolled her eyes and began to walk toward the others.

After conversing for a few moments in Ancient Greek, Anya turned toward Buffy, and motioned for her to come over.

"Buffy, this is another friend of mine, Brotanax. He wants to show me something before we leave. Can you wait here a moment?"

Buffy smiled at the handsome brunette that Anya had just introduced her to.

"Sure, but please hurry." she urged.

Anya walked next to Brotanax as they chatted about old times. If she'd had been paying attention, she would have noticed something was off. And that the place that Brotanax had led her to wasn't where he lived.

He opened a door and gestured for her to enter first. As the door shut behind her, she'd realized that this had been a trap. Her heart nearly stopped as her eyes took in the woman standing in front of her.

"Hello, Anya."

"No! You're not supposed to be here!" Anya cried out as she turned to run for the door.

Brotanax was ready for her and knocked her over the head with a large rock.

*I HATE rocks!* Anya thought as the darkness enveloped her, and she sank to the ground.

"What is taking so long?!" Buffy demanded of Anaxagoras even though she knew he couldn't understand her.

"Patience is a virtue, Buffy." Anya called out as she came back to where she'd left her friend.

"Finally, what were you doing?"

"Taking care of a little problem." Anya's smile made Buffy feel a little uneasy.

"Something feels off to me."

The Slayer studied her friend for a moment.

"It's you! Something's different."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Anya said giving Buffy what she hoped was an innocent look.

"It's that necklace! Where did you get it?"

"Oh, this?" Anya caressed the amulet between her fingers. "It's just a gift from an old friend."

"Oh, ok. Can we go now?"

"Sure. Where to?"

Buffy looked at her strangely. "How am I supposed to know? You're the one who knows where the Slayer is."

"You want to see the Slayer?" Anya sounded surprised.

"Anya! Don't act like this. You said you'd take me to see her, now let's go!" Buffy was frustrated at her friend's behavior.

"Very well, but the Slayer, Leaina, isn't home today. Follow me, I can take you to her." Anya turned and began walking away.

Suddenly, Buffy wished that she had left Spike and Xander a note or something. If anything happened to her and Anya, the guys wouldn't know how to find them.

Taking a deep breath, Buffy summoned all of her courage and followed Anya, trying to ignore the nagging voice that was telling her to run to Spike as fast as she could.

"They're still not back yet?" Spike asked Xander some time later that day.

The boy shook his head.

"No. Anya said they'd only be gone for a couple of hours, and it's been six."

Spike tried to hold back his panic at the worried statement on Xander's face. "Well, I'm sure they're okay, probably busy chatting with some of Anya's old friends." Spike wasn't sure whether he was trying to reassure Xander, or himself.

"You're probably right."

"Yeah, and we should probably go ahead and see Galatissa before it gets any later." Spike said as he squinted up at the late afternoon sun.

"Oh, I almost forgot! I'll go tell one of the boys where we're going."

Spike chuckled, "How are you going to do that? Sign language?"

"Good point. I'll leave a note."

Anya groaned as she came to. She held her hand to her bleeding forehead and slowly began to remember what had happened.

She gasped in shock as she remembered who had trapped her.

Herself. Well, her demon self anyway. Anya couldn't understand this. She clearly remembered that during this time period, she'd been granting the wishes of scorned women in Asia. Anaxagoras had been long dead before she ever returned to Athens.

Suddenly, her memories weren't quite so clear. Anya began to feel very light-headed and dizzy. She looked down at her arms and let out a strangled cry. They shimmered and became transparent as she watched.

Upon hearing her cry, Brotanax rushed into the room. He looked down at her with an arrogant smirk.

"Oh, poor helpless Anyanka! Now you are at my mercy."

Anya blinked up at him for a moment, before jumping to her feet. Her blood boiled in anger at this man she had called 'friend.' This was it. She had been pushed too far.

With a loud yell, that even surprised herself, Anya ran over and punched Brotanax in the face. She had put all of her frustration and anger into that punch that he had not been expecting, and so it easily took him down.

Anya smiled down at the now unconscious Brotanax. She felt better, no wonder Buffy enjoyed this so much.

She also was glad to see that her arms had regained their solid form.

Quickly stepping over the man on the floor, Anya hurried to find Leaina. Even if Buffy wasn't with her, Anya knew that she'd probably need this slayer's help.

"Stop!" Buffy panted out as she leaned forward and put her hands on her knees.

Anya stopped and turned to look at her. Then realizing that all this walking was making it hard for Buffy to breathe, Anya began to fake panting too.

"Why don't we sit for minute?" Buffy asked.

"Uh, okay." Anya sat down.

After a few moments of silence, Buffy looked over at her.

"This has got to be weird for you. Do you really remember living here?" The Slayer questioned as she stretched her unusually tired muscles.

"Like it was yesterday." *Or today,* she thought.

"Anya, something doesn't make sense to me. Spike became human again because he's not a vampire yet, but you already exist in this time. Why didn't you get your powers back? And where is your other self right now anyway." Buffy had been meaning to ask Anya about this for a while.

"Right now I.., I mean, she, is in Asia, tempting women with the wish. She won't come back for years to come, so you don't have to worry about her. As for the powers thing, I think only one of us can have them at a time." Anyanka explained.

"Oh. But what about the powers of the Slayer?"

"What do you mean?"

Buffy didn't answer as she stood up and walked over to a stone wall. She pulled her fist back and slammed it forward as hard as she could. Bad idea.

She yelped and clutched her hand against her chest. She then looked over at Anya, who was now behind a blurry wall of tears.

"I think I broke it." Buffy blinked as Anya's face began to change.

"No! You're supposed to be in Asia right now!" Buffy yelled at the ugly demon that her friend had transformed into.

"I was, until an old friend of mine summoned me here. I think you two have met. Her name is Erousa."

When Xander and Spike arrived, Galatissa was waiting for them at the door.

"Quickly! Get inside! We haven't much time." the sorceress said as she ushered them in.

"What's going on?" Spike asked feeling the panic he had felt earlier return.

"The girls are in danger. My sister has summoned the evil demon, Anyanka to help her ruin your mission."

"Evil Anya?! We have to fight Eurosa and evil demon Anya?" Xander was very frightened at the thought of seeing his girlfriend as a demon.

"No! You must listen to me very carefully! You are not, under any circumstances, to fight Eurosa or Anyanka. It is not your battle!"

"She's right Xander. If Anyanka gets killed, our time will be significantly altered." Spike was a little worried at how pale Xander had become.

"What do we do?" Xander questioned as both men looked to Galatissa.

"Leaina is on her way to stop Eurosa. I will tell you where to find the girls. You will go there and wait for Leaina to arrive. As soon as she has Eurosa's attention, get the girls, get out of there, and don't look back!"

"You see the future. What will happen tonight?" Spike asked.

"Tonight the Slayer will die."

Buffy uselessly struggled against Anyanka's tight grip, while mentally berating herself. Why had she not tried to use her strength the whole time they had been there? If she had known she didn't have her slayer powers in this time, she'd have never tried to seek the Slayer out.

"I don't know why I didn't realize that you wouldn't have your powers. If I had I wouldn't have gone through the trouble of pretending I was her." Anyanka said.

"But you are her! Or you will be her, one day." Buffy pleaded.

"I know, mortal. Yuck! Eurosa has promised that I won't lose my powers if I help her out now, so you're wrong. I will not be her one day." the demon laughed at the look of despair on Buffy's face, and tightened her grip on the girl's arm.

"I refuse to become a mangy human! I'm very happy with my demon status."

"No, you're not!" Anya called as she finally caught up with them.

"What? How did.." the demon looked at her other self in confusion.

"You're lying! You're not happy being a demon. In fact, you happen to be very lonely."

Anyanka had loosened her grip on Buffy's arm, allowing the girl to pull free.

"And you're happy? As a mortal?" the demon questioned her, no longer caring that Buffy had gotten away from her.

"Yes! I'm in love. I have friends. Life has meaning to me now. I didn't know such satisfaction could exist in life. If I had to choose between getting my powers back and a life with Xander, I would break the amulet myself."

Anyanka nervously fingered the amulet that held her power as she considered Anya's words. "I don't understand." the demon looked at her mortal self with a mixture of trepidation and curiosity.

"You're not supposed to. Not yet anyway. Go back to Asia. Resume your work there and let History play itself out. I promise you won't be disappointed."

"But Eurosa..." the demon protested.

"Erousa will die soon. Besides, she has no power over you." Anya breathed a sigh of relief as she watched Anyanka begin to shimmer and disappear.

"See you later." the demon said and then was gone.

Buffy looked at Anya with a new found respect.

"I'm glad you're on my team." Buffy told Anya as she pulled her into a hug.

"Me too."

Suddenly, a tall blond girl with blue eyes and fair skin, came running toward them.

"Who is that?" Buffy asked.

"It's Leaina, the Vampire Slayer." Anya told her

Anya and Leaina conversed for a moment in ancient Greek.

"What are you talking about?" Buffy asked, feeling a little left out.

"She wanted to know where Eurosa is. So I told her."

"No, wait a minute! Tell her that Eurosa will kill her, she needs to get out of here." Buffy pleaded with Anya.

Anya sighed knowing it would do no good, but told the Slayer what Buffy had said.

Leaina turned and looked at Buffy with a sad smile. Reaching her hand out, Leaina stroked Buffy's cheek where a tear had fallen.

As Buffy stood there looking into the eyes of this Slayer who was about to knowingly go to her death, she was startled by the realization that this girl wanted to die.

Leaina said something that Buffy didn't understand, before turning and marching, head held high, to find Eurosa, and her own death.

"Anya? What did she say?" Buffy asked, although in her heart she already knew.

"I told her that we were from the future, and that she would die at the hands of Eurosa this very night. And all she said was, 'Finally'"

Buffy broke down crying then. She cried for this Slayer whose life had been such a burden that she had welcomed death. Were all of the slayers like this? When it was her time would she be welcoming death as well?

Suddenly Spike was there, and she was in his arms.

"Spike? I want to go home."

"All right. Let's go."

He cradled her to his chest, being mindful of her broken hand, and began carrying her back to Galatissa's.

Anya looked at Xander hopefully as they watched Spike carry Buffy away.

"What the hell did you think you were doing?!" Xander shouted.

"You could have ruined everything! Past, present, future! We could all be dead because of you!"

"I love you, Xander!" Anya told him, her eyes feeling with tears of happiness.

"That's no ex... huh?"

"I'm glad I'm not a demon anymore! If I had my powers then I couldn't be with you. I want to get all old and wrinkly with you, I don't care if that means I have to die as long as I get to die with you."

"Okay, you're not supposed say things like that when I'm trying to be mad at you."

Anya tilted her head and gave him a kiss.

"I love you, too. I'm sorry I yelled at you." Xander wrapped his arm around her as the pair began to follow Buffy and Spike.

"Xander?" Anya asked as she rubbed her hand up and down his chest.

"Yeah?"

"Can we have sex tonight?"

"Defiantly!"

"Are you sure you don't want anything to eat?" Spike asked Buffy as she lay in bed later that night.

Buffy just shook her head as she stared blankly at the ceiling.

Sighing in frustration at her refusal to talk to him, Spike lay down beside her on the bed. Being careful to avoid her newly bandaged hand, he pulled her against him and began massaging her tense neck and shoulders.

A rush of relief went through him when he felt the girl in his arms relax and scoot closer to him.

"You were right, Spike. I should have never tried to find that slayer. I just thought that I could.... that maybe if...." she trailed off , then quickly sat up and turned to face him.

"Why, Spike? Why did she want to die?!" Buffy demanded.

"Buffy, you don't know that.."

"Yes I do! She was relieved when I told her that Eurosa would kill her. Why?"

Spike quietly contemplated what to say to her as her eyes desperately searched his own for an answer.

He took a deep breath.

"According to Galatissa, Leaina had been the slayer for seven years. That's a long time for anyone to carry such a responsibility."

"But I.."

Spike reached out and pulled her back into his arms. Buffy snuggled up against his chest as his hands stroked her back. "I'm going to ask you a question, Buffy, and I want you to really think about your answer."

Buffy nodded.

Spike began to run his fingers through the long golden strands of her hair as he continued to talk. "Don't you ever get tired of it all? The fighting, the evil, the lying, the trying to be normal and knowing that you never will be?" his voice was quiet, and soothing to her ears.

"Sometimes, but then I remember all the people I've saved, and it's worth it."

"Yes, but for how long? What about the people that you can't save, and the evil that you can't kill? Aren't there times when you wish that you could just pass the torch to someone else and not have to worry about the world anymore?"

"Yes, I have." she admitted.

"And what made you change your mind? What made you decide that you couldn't just give up?"

"Well, my friends and family. Different people at different times. If I give up, where does that leave Willow, Xander, Mom, and Giles? The next slayer couldn't possibly feel the need to protect them the way I do."

"There's your answer."

"So you're saying that Leaina wanted to die because she didn't have anyone to live for? What about 'the world' that she is supposed to be protecting?"

"The world is not enough. Well, her world was not enough. It consisted of thousands of nameless, faceless people that would never even know that she was fighting for them. You, however, have a world made up of people with names and faces who love you and fight by your side."

"As long as I have them, I'll never want to give up."

Buffy finally began to understand why Leaina died. But she was not Leaina. She had friends and family that loved her and would never leave her no matter what.

Suddenly, she missed them. She wished that Giles and Willow had been there so that she could give them hugs and tell them how much they meant to her. But they weren't there. They were waiting for her to return and put a stop to the horrible plague that was killing her town. Buffy would not let them down.

Spike noticed a change in her mood.

"Are you feeling a little better about everything?"

"Yes, thank you." She gave him a kiss and pressed herself up against him, causing him to moan.

"Buffy, we should probably get some sleep..." he broke off as she straddled his lap and thrust her tongue into his mouth.

After a few moments, she pulled away and looked deep into his eyes.

"This is our last night here. When we get home, everything is going to change, but I don't want to think about it. I don't want to think at all. I just want to be with you. Please, Spike, make love to me."

She didn't have to tell him twice.

Spike looked around him, confused. He was in the park again, walking toward the swings. Crickets chirped at him as he plopped down in the first swing he came to. Another damn dream! He glared up at the moon, until he heard the sound of footsteps approaching from behind him.

"Angelus, long time no see." he muttered as the dark-haired vampire sat down in the next swing.

Angel sighed and looked at his childe with a tortured statement.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"I love her, Angel. I can't leave her." Spike was looking down at his boots as he rubbed them across the dirt.

"You do now. You're human now, Spike. Once you become a vampire, everything will change."

"No! I've known her for how long? Three years at least! I can't kill her, she can't kill me. We'll work it out." Spike said sounding a lot more convincing than he felt.

"You've tasted the blood of the Slayer, Spike. Do you think you can be by her side every night and every day and still resist the call of her blood? Ever since I told you what a slayer was, you've been obsessed with killing them. That's who you've been for over a century."

"Well, I've changed. I've decided that making love to her is better than killing her." Spike told his sire, wishing that this dream would end so he could go back to loving his Buffy.

Angel shook his head sadly. "I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to get through to you. Now I have to show you."

Angel stood and motioned for Spike to follow him. The two walked on for a few minutes, surrounded by black nothingness. Out of nowhere a house appeared. Angel pointed at one of the front windows and gestured for Spike to look inside.

He saw a living room, richly furnished, with a nice warm fire burning in the fire place. A man a woman were making love on a rug in it's light. Upon closer inspection Spike realized that it was him and Buffy.

"You know, if you're trying to discourage me from being with her, you're doing a lousy job of it." Spike turned to find that Angel was no longer there.

He turned back to look at the couple who lay, spent, in each other's arms.

Suddenly, Spike was there on the carpet holding Buffy in his arms. The first thing he realized was that he was a vampire again. And he was hungry!

Looking down at the sweet neck that had taunted him for so long, he found he could no longer remember why he hadn't killed her yet.

Licking his lips in anticipation, he bent his head and sank his fangs into her neck. Her rich blood spilled into his mouth and down his throat as he drained the life out of her. Her cries of fear and pain only made him drink faster, until she lay unmoving in his arms.

As he tossed her body to the side and stood up, only one thought went through his mind. ŒI wonder if the next one will taste as sweet.'

"No!" Spike sat up in bed, gasping for breath.

Beside him Buffy mumbled something in her sleep before turning away from him on her side. He could still taste her blood in his mouth, only now that he was human again, it made him gag.

Quickly slipping out of bed and into some clothes, he ran outside gulping for fresh air. As he thought again about his dream, he started vomiting. After his stomach was empty he fell to his knees and started sobbing and shaking.

"Spike, are you okay?" Xander had been outside and witnessed the whole scene.

"What are you doing out here?" Spike practically growled as he tried to get a hold of himself.

"Anya's snoring got to me. Thought I'd take a walk, I do that sometimes."

"I dreamed I killed her, Xander. And I didn't even care."

"Spike, it was just a dream..."

"No! It was a sign. Xander, when we get back home, that chip in my head isn't going to work anymore." Spike turned to look the startled young man in the eye.

"Promise me, that you'll kill me before I can do anything!"

"No! Spike, we can try to.. ."

"Promise me?! I can't... I won't hurt her! She'll never kill me, Xander, she never could before."

"Yeah, but you could never kill her either." he pointed out.

"I can't take that chance. Angelus once told me that in order to kill Buffy, I had to love her. I do love her, Xander. Please?! Kill me before I have the chance to hurt her?" Spike looked pleadingly into Xander's eyes.

"Spike, I.. I just can't." Xander turned away confused, and scared.

"If you love her, you'll kill me."

A long moment of silence passed before Xander whispered the one word Spike had pleaded to hear.

"Okay."

After Spike had gone back to bed, Xander remained outside walking around, lost in his thoughts. If Spike had asked Xander to kill him a few weeks ago, he would've have been happy to oblige. One less evil, albeit harmless, vampire in the world to worry about. But things were different now.

Buffy loved Spike, Xander was sure of it. It was also obvious that Spike loved Buffy as well. He'd rather die, than hurt her. But Xander knew that Spike's death would hurt her too. Honestly, he wasn't sure if he himself could go through with it.

He and Spike were not best friends, by any means. But Xander had grown quite found of the companionship that the vampire offered him. Xander hadn't really had a guy friend since Jessie. Sure there was Oz, but he and the werewolf had never really spent any time together after Willow and he had been caught kissing. Of course, he could blame that whole thing on Spike, but Xander had to admit that almost two years later, the whole incident had been basically forgotten.

That was pre-Anya. She had changed his world, for the better. Every day Xander found himself a little more in love with her than the day before. Every time he saw Buffy get her heart broken, he'd thank his lucky stars that he had Anya. He didn't want to think about what his life would be like without her in it.

Thinking about Anya was nice, and definitely made Xander feel better, but it didn't help with the Spike problem.

As he kept walking he tried to think of reasons why he should want Spike dead. To his surprise, he couldn't think of any. It was upon this realization Xander noticed that he'd walked all the way to Galatissa's house.

Well, if anyone could help him, she would be it.

Spike had gone back to bed and just watched Buffy as she slept. He loved the way just looking at her made his heart beat faster, and made him feel a fluttering in his stomach.

Tomorrow they'd be returning home. He felt tears sting his eyes as he thought about how he would no longer be with her. He only hoped Xander would follow through on his promise.

She was light, he was darkness. She was innocent, he was evil. The list went on and on. A devil like him didn't deserve an angel like her. She was the closest to heaven that he would ever come.

And tomorrow after he'd kissed her goodbye. After gazing upon her face for the final time, he could die feeling complete. A peace Spike didn't know existed fell over him as the pure wonder, of his love, for this woman sleeping at his side came to him.

For the first time in one hundred and twenty years, Spike did not fear his own death. Like Leaina, he welcomed it.

Galatissa had been awake, and waiting for Xander to come to her. It hadn't surprised him, that woman seemed to know everything.

He explained exactly what had happened with Spike as she patiently listened. When he was through, she sighed and looked him in the eyes.

"What is it you think I can do, young man?"

"Tell me what to do! Do I really have to kill Spike, or is there another way?" Xander was suddenly afraid that she wouldn't be able to help him.

"His fate has already been decided."

"You mean, he's supposed to die?!" He didn't want to believe that.

Galatissa stared off into space for a moment as if searching for an answer, before deciding to ignore that last question and ask one of her own.

"Can you kill him?"

"I don't know."

She stood and motioned for him to follow her to the door. "Sleep on it. Tomorrow you will know, and everything will be as it should." the sorceress made a dismissing motion with her hands.

"But if I...." Xander began.

"Good night, my child! I shall speak with you about this more in the morning, when you can answer my question."

And that was that.

"Tell him that we're very grateful he took us in." Buffy instructed Anya as the group was leaving Anaxagoras' house the next morning.

Anya did as she was told, and gave her old friend a hug.

"Well, I guess it's off to see the wizard now." Buffy giggled as she looped her arm through Spike's.

Anya watched Spike return Buffy's smile, though it seemed to her as if his mind was elsewhere.

She turned to ask Xander if he knew why Spike seemed so distant this morning, but stopped when she took in her boyfriend's pale complexion.

"Xander? Is something wrong? You're not sick again, are you?" All thoughts of Spike had left Anya's mind immediately.

Xander looked up to meet Spike's hard gaze, and shook his head. "N-No. I'm just ready to get back home." he hoped that he sounded more convincing than he felt.

Spike breathed a sigh of relief, glad that Xander had not told the girls what was going on. It would be hard enough for him to do what he had to do. But if Buffy found out, and begged him to stop, no way would Xander be able to do it.

Spike looked at the beautiful, smiling girl on his arm. He wanted to see her happy now in the last few minutes that they had together. It might be a while before she smiled again, and he himself would never again see that smile. The thought depressed him, so he pushed it aside, and pulled her close for a kiss before leading the way to Galatissa's.

Xander had been lagging behind the group, lost in thought. Could he kill Spike? He still didn't know the answer, and already he could see Galatissa's house coming into view.

The sound of Buffy clearing her throat brought him back to reality. He looked up, surprised to see that Spike and Anya we're up ahead while Buffy had dropped back to walk beside him.

She gave Xander a look filled with concern. "Are you sure that everything is okay?"

"Yeah. Like I said, I'm just ready to get home." he gave her what he hoped passed as a smile.

Buffy studied him for a minute before relaxing slightly.

"I guess I'm ready to get back too." she confessed.

"Aren't you worried about what will happen when the others find out about you and Spike?" he asked.

"No. I'm really not." she smiled.

"Why not?"

"Because I know that it's right. Xander, Spike and I are meant to be together, I see that now. Besides, you don't seem to have a problem with it, and if I can get you to accept us together, than I can get anyone too!" she teased.

Xander watched as Buffy looked at Spike the way he always wished she, or anyone for that matter, would look at him. And then, he had his answer.

It all came back to what he had told Spike during their game of catch the day before. Xander had never hurt Buffy, and he wouldn't now.

Buffy was the Slayer. If he killed Spike, she would never forgive him. Not because he killed Spike, but because he took the situation out of her hands and decided for her.

Buffy was strong. When the time came, she would do what had to be done. She'd already proven herself more than capable several different times. Xander would simply be there and stand beside her in whatever decision that she made.

Feeling at ease for the first time since he'd made the promise to Spike, Xander gave Buffy a genuine smile and pull her to him for a quick hug.

"I'm proud of you, Buffy. I know that it doesn't seem that way most of the time, but I am. Meeting you was the best thing that ever happened to me. I love you, don't ever think otherwise."

"Xander! That is so sweet! I love you too. But Xander?"

"Yeah?"

"I think all of this time traveling is messing up your head!"

Galatissa had Buffy, Spike, and Anya setting up for the return spell, while Xander helped her with something in the other room.

"Is everything ready?" she asked as she and Xander finally joined the others.

Buffy approached her, nervously wringing her hands.

"Galatissa? I just wanted to thank you for helping us. I don't know what we'd have done without you." Buffy couldn't resist the impulse to hug this woman who had taken such good care of her and her friends.

"I am honored to be of service to you, Buffy."

"I really wish that we had someone like you back home."

Galatissa smiled. "We must say goodbye now, Slayer, but don't fret. I promise that we will meet again very soon." her eyes twinkled mysteriously.

While Spike and Buffy we're saying goodbye to Galatissa, Xander had pulled Anya to the side to talk to her.

"Anya? I need you to do something for me, okay?"

"What?"

"No questions. Please, just say that you'll do it." he begged her. Anya stared at him curiously for a moment. "Okay, I'll do it."

"As soon as we get back to our own time I need you to grab Buffy and pull her away from Spike, okay?"

"Why?" she asked, warily.

"Anya just do it! Trust me." he pleaded.

"Okay, I trust you, and I'll do it."

And they sealed it with a kiss.

Spike grabbed Buffy's hand as Galatissa began the chant.

"Ruler of the Underworld,
Great Goddess of the Moon,
Goddess of all other Goddesses, Selene!
Charge this circle bathed in candlelight
And it be filled with your power and might!
A time is in mind, the time clear
Allow nothing to interfere
Send them back where they belong,
So they may right this evil wrong!
This is my will, So Mote It Be!"

As Spike felt the spell begin to work, he pulled Buffy to him, and kissed her for all he was worth. Their last kiss.

Sunnydale, CA 2000 AD

As soon as the four materialized in Giles' living room, Anya grabbed Buffy and pulled her away from Spike.

Spike felt Buffy being ripped away from him, and closed his eyes to await his death. What he got instead was a chair being cracked over his head effectively knocking him out. Buffy watched Spike's body crumple to the floor and stared in disbelief as Xander began to tie the vampire up in another chair.

"I'll explain later. First let's cure this plague!" Xander said as he handed the paper with the spell on it to a stunned Willow.

It was time!

"Xander! Why did you do that?!" Buffy glared at him accusingly from Spike's side, trying to wake the vampire up.

"Umm, guys?" Anya said, looking up from her place by an unconscious Giles.

"Buffy, the chip in his head has been deactivated or something. He told me to..." Xander trailed off, unsure of what to tell her.

"To what? Knock him knock him out with a chair?" Buffy was losing it. "Hey guys? I think that we should......" Anya tried again, but was cut off by Xander. "No, he wanted me to kill him before he could hurt you."

"Okay! I am talking here!!!!" Anya suddenly yelled getting everyone's attention.

"What?" Xander and Buffy both asked at the same time, glaring at the ex-demon.

"I just thought you might like to know that Giles isn't breathing." she said matter-of-factly.

"Oh, no!" Buffy cried hurrying over to Giles.

The watcher was lying on the sofa looking very pale. Buffy held a hand over his mouth. Anya was right, he wasn't breathing. "Willow! Do the spell!" Xander called as he and Buffy began CPR.

Willow jolted out of her stunned stupor and looked down at the piece of paper in her hands.

"I can't read this! Is this even a language?" She showed it to Tara who just shook her head.

"Let me see it." Anya snatched it from her.

"It's Ancient Greek." she said.

"Well, we don't know Ancient Greek, so how do we stop the Plague?" Willow asked as she shot a worried glance toward Giles, who still wasn't breathing.

"I started this mess, I guess it's only fitting that I should be the one to stop it." Anya said before taking a deep breath and beginning.

"Oh Great Galatissa Come!
Be in harmony with me here
Purify this space;
Bring your healing Spirit to aid our body
Bring your presence, as we honor you in this place.
Breathe your healing breath upon us
Ban all harmful things from us and keep us well."

Suddenly bright green smoke began coming out of Giles' mouth and he began to cough.

"That was it?! It took the great sorceress three whole days to come up with that?" Anya complained.

Everyone ignored her as they focused on Giles.

"Giles? Are you okay?" Buffy asked and, upon his nod, launched herself into his arms.

"Buffy, I do need to breath." he gasped out.

"Oh, I'm sorry! Did I hurt you?" she looked him over, worried.

"No, no. I'm fine now. I'm feeling quite well, actually. Good work, as always." he patted her back, then notice the unconscious vampire that was tied up in his favorite chair.

"I guess I missed something?"

"Xander knocked him out because his chip thingy isn't working." Buffy explained, unusually calm about the whole thing.

"Buffy, it's going to be okay. We can help Spike, Galatissa said that..." Xander started.

"Help him? Why would I want to help him?" she asked.

"Because you're in love with him." Anya said very slowly, as if speaking to a child.

"In love with him? My mortal enemy?" Buffy asked with a laugh.

Anya and Xander both nodded. "You're both crazy! I'm the Slayer, he's a vampire, I'm going to slay him." she said, being very careful not to look at Spike, who still hadn't awoke.

"Slay him? After everything that's happened?" Xander didn't believe her.

"Yes, but first I'm going to check on mom."

And with that she headed out the door, leaving a house full of stunned people and one vampire, who was beginning to wake up.

As soon as the door shut behind her, Buffy felt the tears begin to fall. The late afternoon sun was bright, and seemed to mock her pain. She broke into a run, not exactly sure where she was going. Her subconscious mind believing that if she ran fast enough, she could out run the pain of her heart being ripped in half. Again.

"Galatissa gave you a spell that would make Spike human?!" Willow asked, stunned and a little envious that she herself had not been there to meet this amazing sorceress. Oh, the things Galatissa could have taught her!

"Yeah, can you do it?" Xander asked, handing the other spell over.

"Sure. It doesn't look that hard." Tara said, after studying it for a moment.

"I don't understand. Why isn't this spell in Ancient Greek like the other one was?" Anya asked.

"I think that's rather obvious, Anya." Giles said.

"Like you said yourself, you started the whole plague thing. You being the only one who could stop it seems to make things right." Xander explained.

"Oh, well, I guess this makes me officially one of the good guys. Do I get to be a scooby now too?" she asked a large smile on her face.

Xander pulled her close and kissed her deeply.

"I'm proud of you, baby." he whispered.

"What the Bloody Hell is going on?!" an annoyed voice broke their moment.

Spike glared up at Xander with his teeth clenched. "This doesn't look like hell, mate."

"Spike, I couldn't do it. It's okay though, Galatissa gave me a spell to make you human." Xander quickly explained.

"I ask you to do one thing, and you... Did you say human?"

"The Powers That Are be with you,
Remove the darkness from within,
Be the light shining inside you,
And the demon shall reign no more.
Two turns it passes fore dark shall fall
When awful lord returns to reclaim,
Succumb to his lawless call,
And light fades into night."

Buffy sat in the swing, her body swaying gently back and forth. She had run all the way to the park, the same one from her dream. She'd hope to find the peace here that she had before. It was not so.

She was surrounded by children, laughing and playing. Yet she had never felt more alone in her entire life.

Suddenly, she felt a pair of warm hands begin massaging her shoulders.

"What's wrong, luv?" Spike asked as he wiped a tear from her cheek.

Buffy got up out of the swing and wrapped her arms around his neck. Burying her face in his shoulder, she relished the feel of his warm breath on her as she began to sob.

"Buffy! What is the matter with you? I thought you'd want me like this." he told her truly puzzled by her reaction.

"Oh, Spike. I know that this is just a dream, and I don't want to wake up." she said, clinging on to him as tightly as she could.

"A dream?" he asked, astonished.

"Uh, huh." she mumbled.

Sighing, he pulled her away from him and slapped her hard across the face. "If you were dreaming, that wouldn't have hurt." he said.

Buffy just looked at him with her mouth hanging open. Then, she slapped him back, before capturing his lips in a heated kiss.

Spike moaned as her hands began running all over his body, causing her to giggle. "Um, Buffy... luv Stop!" he gasped, grabbing her roaming hands.

"What's wrong?" she asked, suddenly feeling unsure of herself.

"Are you completely oblivious to the rather large audience we have. All under the age of twelve?" he asked.

Buffy blushed as she noticed all of the children had stopped what they were doing, and we're staring.

"Spike?"

"Yes, Buffy?" he asked, chuckling at her red cheeks.

"Can we go home now?"

"Of course, my love."

Then he swooped her up in his arms, and began carrying her home.

"Spike, you don't have to carry me. I can walk, you know."

"I know, pet, but humor me. It makes me feel all manly!"

415 B.C. Athens, Greece

Galatissa watched as the smoke cleared the room. Her spell had been successful, she had known it would be. Sighing she sat down in her favorite chair to wait for what was to come next. She didn't have to wait long.

A bright flash filled the room, and when it was gone, six people were standing in front of her.

Twenty-eight year old, Buffy Summers immediately hugged the woman.

"Galatissa! It's so good to see you again!"

"I'd say the same, my dear, but it has yet to be an hour since I sent you back home." Galatissa said with a smile.

"We need your help."

The End

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