"Done it. The thing�s dead."
Willow looked up from the book she was reading to see Buffy standing in the entrance to the Magic Box, Spike just behind her. She was grinning, despite the many small cuts and bruises Willow could see on her face and arms, and was clutching a blood stained sword triumphantly.
"You sure?" Willow asked, as her friend came down the steps and sunk into a chair beside her.
"Yep!" Buffy replied, grinning. "It�s amazing what you find on the internet. It said all you had to do was smash the jewel, so I did, and whaddya know? It worked!"
"Good thing too," Spike said with a smirk. "I was sick of researching that bloody thing."
"Spike," Buffy said scathingly, giving him her most fearsome glare, "you didn�t do any research on this thing."
"Yeah, but I had to watch you lot do it, didn�t I? It was so boring."
"No one asked you to help us, Spike," Buffy replied through gritted teeth, trying to keep her temper down. She really wasn�t in the mood for him right now. He�d helped her kill the Mohra demon, and now it was time for him to go. There was no way she wanted to see him after what had happened at the Bronze, and that dream she�d had� she couldn�t remember all of the details, but she remembered sleeping with Spike, spending so much time with him, even loving him! What kind of messed up dream was that?
Spike didn�t reply to her statement, and for a moment she thought he would leave, but then noticed him flopping down in the chair next to her, and sighed deeply.
There was silence for a long time, then when it had all gotten too much for her to bear, Willow said, "Is there something else, Buffy? �Cause you kinda have but-face."
"It�s nothing," Buffy said unconvincingly, shaking her head and refusing to meet Willow�s eyes.
"You have many talents, luv," Spike said with a smirk, "but lying isn�t one of them."
She was about to retaliate then, for some reason, decided not to. Instead, she picked her weapon bag up off the floor, and started rummaging around inside. As she searched, she said, "I was looking in my weapons chest, when I found these." She found what she was looking for and placed it on the table in front of her. Willow�s eyes went wide as she saw what it was. It was a video box-set. A Buffy the Vampire Slayer box set. Shit.
"I thought you might know what the hell this is, since you know so much about books and stuff."
But Willow didn�t reply, instead she just stared at the box. "Oh, God."
"Willow, what is it?" Buffy looked at her friend, concerned.
"This is not good."
"What�s not good? What�s going on?"
"It�s gone wrong. How can it have gone wrong? I did it exactly right! I know I did."
"Willow, what are you talking about?"
Willow looked at her friend, her eyes wide. "I can�t tell you."
"If you don�t tell me what�s going on, I�m going to go home and watch these right this minute, so I can find out what�s going on!"
"Don�t!" Willow said desperately. When her friend gave her a curious look, she sighed. "Fine, I�ll tell you. But you have to promise not to tell the others."
"Ok," Buffy said. "Spike, go away."
But Spike just looked at her indignantly. "You�re not the Slayer of me! I can do what I bloody well please, and I�m staying here."
"Spike. . ."
"Actually," Willow said slowly, trying her hardest not to piss Buffy off in a major way, "it�s probably better if he hears it as well. It involves both of you." Buffy looked exasperated, but nodded, so she continued. "I have something to tell you, and you may not like it, but if you�re going to be finding things like this. . ." She paused and took a deep breath. "It all started when I got this new internet browser. . ."
*******
"And that�s it."
Buffy and Spike stared at her dumbfounded as she finished her tale. She had told them everything that she could remember of what had happened, leaving out the details of them being a couple to stop herself from creeping Buffy out. She was just relieved Buffy had asked her about it before watching those tapes. She�d idly considered that this could happen when she�d created the spell, and just to keep her mind at rest, she�d allowed herself to remember all the details. However, she knew nothing had gone wrong, she *felt* it, so what the hell was going on?
Buffy was still gaping at her as she tried to sort out her thoughts. "So, I�m guessing it went wrong then," she said eventually.
"That�s the thing," Willow said, frowning. "I�m certain it didn�t. I wasn�t doing anything special except turning things back. I wasn�t trying to change time at all. The Powers made a mistake, and I was simply putting back time so they could correct it. I don�t know why something like this was left behind." She paused for a moment, chewing her lower lip.
Spike had been sitting silently through all of Willow�s story, but now he spoke up. "You might now know," he said thoughtfully, "but I think I know someone who will."
*******
The three of them stood in a dark hallway, with Buffy scanning the walls nervously. There were strange paintings hanging up, all depicting dark battles, so which seemed to be far in the past, some which seemed far in the future, and one which Buffy was certain was a painting of herself fighting Glory the year before. Also, there were shadowy cabinets full of strange items, on which Willow had simply said that they were �powerful�, but powerful how, she hadn�t specified.
"Who is this guy again?" Buffy asked Spike, trying to cover up her nerves.
"A prophet," he said simply. "He knows everything about everything, this guy does. He�ll definitely know what�s going on."
As is Spike�s words had triggered something, the door at the end of the hall swung open, silently inviting them in.
"Ok, that�s in no way creepy," Buffy said to herself as the trio walked through the doorway. In the room to which it led stood a man, who currently had his back to them. He was old, crouched over slightly as he bent on his walking stick, and when he heard them enter, he turned.
Buffy saw instantly that she was mistaken in thinking he was old and frail. There was power in his eyes, and even she could sense there was something dark and potent about the man. When his eyes fell on Willow, he drew himself up to his full height. "You foolish girl! You have no idea what you mess with, do you?!"
Willow took a step back, and whispered, "I�m. . . I�m sorry."
The man surveyed her for another second, then said, "No, child, it is I who is sorry. I did not mean to scare you like that. I was just startled."
"Um. . . that�s alright," Willow said. "We�re here to ask you. . ."
"I know why you�re here," he said wearily. "You are confused. You did a meddlesome spell, and you did not expect it to go wrong."
"Meddlesome? I just fixed things!"
"You cannot fix things which are not broken," he snapped. "Do you really think the Powers would make a mistake as large as a dimensional bleed? You�re so naïve. They *meant* for it to happen."
"They *meant* for the world to be destroyed by the Mohra demons?"
"Don�t be stupid! Of course they didn�t. They had plans for the Slayer and the vampire, which they could see would need a dimensional bleed to come off. However," he said, clenching his jaw as he surveyed the pair, "they did not count on your meddling. Why would they even consider that someone as responsible as a Slayer would watch things that would happen in her future, and *change it*."
Buffy flinched as the man glared at her. "How do you know what the Powers want?"
The man laughed bitterly. "You think I�m a mere prophet? I�m a messenger to the Powers. I know what they know, and feel what they feel, and I can tell you, Miss Summers, that they are very angry that you did not follow their plan. They are even more angry about having to go to great risk to make their plan even more obvious to you. They had to plant one of the videos, in hope that your friend who, who has heard of me, would think to pay me a visit. Luckily their risk was worthwhile, and I must now tell you what you must do."
The man paused for breath, then said, "Of course, I cannot tell you what their exact plan is for you, or why this dimensional bleed is necessary. Your own actions have proved that knowing the future is a very bad thing indeed. However, I can tell you this. At midnight tonight, you and the vampire must take that box set you hold to the Jackson family crypt in Moorhouse cemetery. Once there you will meet a man. Give him the box set, and say these exact words: �We wish to see the truth.� Do exactly as he orders, and hopefully the Powers will be lenient with you."
"So let me get this straight," Buffy said, but was cut off by the man.
"Your question has been answered."
*******
"Are you sure this is the place?" Spike asked as they stopped in front of a mausoleum.
"Yes, I�m sure this is it," Buffy snapped huffily. "I spend half my life in these cemeteries, I think I know which crypt is which by now."
"Fine, luv. There�s no need to get shirty with me."
Buffy rolled her eyes, and pushed the door open. She stepped inside and blinked at the sudden darkness. Once her eyes had got used to it, she noticed a man standing almost completely hidden in the corner.
"You have something for me?" he asked.
"Yes," Buffy said determinedly, and marched across the room to him. When she had reached him, she shoved the box into his hands, and waited for him to speak. But he didn�t. He just stood there, looking at her expectantly.
After a moment, Buffy remembered what the prophet had said. "Oh, right. . . we wish to see the truth."
"And so you shall." The man muttered some words that she didn�t understand, then said, "It is done. You will fine everything you need at the vampire�s crypt. Consider all you see carefully, for there is a reason the Powers wish you to see it. Do not mess up this time or I can assure you, there will be hell to pay. And I mean that in a literal sense." He turned away from her for a moment, then turned back as if suddenly remembering something. "Oh, and don�t speak a word of what you find to anyone, not even the witch. They are not part of the plan." With that, the man turned and started to walk away. Buffy fixed her eye on him the best she could, but she blinked, and he was gone.
*******
A few minutes later, Buffy and Spike entered his crypt. This was the last place on earth Buffy wanted to be at that moment, but she knew better than to disobey the powers for a second time.
"I don�t know what we�re supposed to find, luv," Spike said as he gazed around the upper floor. There�s nothing new here."
"Maybe downstairs," Buffy said thoughtfully. With that she started to climb down the ladder, with Spike at her heel. When she reached the bottom, she saw what she was certain they were looking for.
"Umm. . . buy any antiques lately, Spike?" she asked innocently.
"What?" Spike said angrily. He hadn�t seen what Buffy had seen yet. "Do you think I�m the sort of nancy boy who. . ." His eyes fell on what she was talking about, and he stopped mid sentence.
On the floor by the foot of his bed was an old chest. There were runes and designs carved intricately into it, and, although he was no expert, Spike was sure it was thousands of years old.
Unsure of what they would find inside, the pair carefully walked over to it and opened the lid. Inside were 6 small DVD box sets, four of which stated across the top �Buffy the Vampire Slayer� and two which said �Angel�. Also tucked inside was a small laptop. Beside it was a small internet disk. Buffy picked it up and studied it carefully. On the front it simply read, �AOL�.
"Let me get this straight," Buffy said, running her hand through her hair as she paced across the room for what must have been the fiftieth time that night. "The Powers That Be have some master plan to save the world, and to pull it off, we have to watch videos?!"
Spike�s voice drifted over from the bed. "And go on the net, luv. Don�t forget that."
She shot him a scathing look, and desperately wished she could sit down too. The only problem was that the only place she could sit down was Spike�s bed, and she really, really didn�t want to go anywhere near there. So, she continued pacing.
"Will you stop moving," Spike said, exasperated. "You�re making me dizzy."
"What do you expect me to do? Sit down and watch the videos with you?"
"Well, yeah! Isn�t that what we�re supposed to be doing right now?"
She rolled her eyes, but then realised that there wasn�t much point in arguing. Those stupid Powers had seen to that. Instead, she leant against the wall, as far away from Spike as possible, and said, "Fine! Put it on then, if it�ll keep you quiet."
"I wasn�t the one making all the noise, luv."
That really pissed Buffy off. "How many times do I have to tell you not to call me that? I�m not your love. I�m not your anything."
Spike looked up, surprised. He�d called Buffy �luv� ever since the day they�d met, when they�d been arch-nemeses, but she hadn�t ever complained about it until recently. Never, until that kiss. That kiss that plagued Spike�s thoughts, and filled his every dream. That kiss which he was so desperate to repeat, and she was so desperate to avoid. That kiss which had been repeated in the Bronze, only a few nights before. That kiss, which he was certain was the reason Buffy was currently standing on the other side of the room, and explained why Buffy was determined not to sit down on his bed beside him.
Already knowing the answer, he asked, "Aren�t you going to sit down then?" Buffy shot him a scathing look. "Suit yourself, luv."
Shaking his head, he started to sort out the DVDs.
*******
Buffy smiled as the opening credits ran. There was a familiarity with the theme music that she just couldn�t put her finger on, but whatever it was, it was comforting to hear. It was even more comforting to see who was in the opening credits - the old gang. Just her, Willow, Xander and Giles, with Cordelia on the side, and definitely no sallow-in-a-hot-way vampires who she wasn�t even supposed to be thinking about.
She came out of her thoughts as she saw herself lying in bed. There was something very off about it...
"Oh my God, my hair!"
Spike frowned. "What about it, luv?"
"Look at it! It�s big and poofy and... bleurgh! What was I thinking?"
"It was the bloody 90s! Everyone�s hair was like that."
"Says the guy who�s been living in the 80s for the past 20 years."
Spike didn�t respond, but continued to watch the screen. After a moment, he said, "Don�t you find it weird that your watching yourself on screen?"
"I�m finding it weird that I�m watching myself on screen with hair like that!"
Spike shook his head. If Buffy was this bad about seeing one of her old hairstyles, he could hardly wait to see how she�d react about other stuff. *And,* he thought bitterly, *that�s about as sarcastic as you can get.*
<"Coming through, coming through... not certain how to stop...">
"Since when does the whelp skateboard?" Spike asked.
"I don�t know," Buffy replied, frowning "I�ve never seen him do that. He must have given it up soon after I moved here." She chewed her lip, trying to come up with a explanation. "Does it really matter, anyway? He probably got bruised after that crash and just decided to quit."
"Great," Spike said with a grin. "That�s another thing for me to tease him about then."
The next few minutes passed in silence, with both of them watching the screen intently. Buffy did have to admit that it was a little creepy, but she was just interested in seeing it all happen again. She�d never bothered to keep diaries, and now she almost wished she had, just so she could see if everything was exactly how she remembered it. Except, it wasn�t going to be exactly the same...
"Dawn�s not gonna be there, is she?" she asked, her voice almost a whisper.
"What?"
"Dawn�s not going to be there. I remember her being there, but she wasn�t really, was she? All that stuff that happened with her, it didn�t really happen, so it�s all going to be different."
"What do you mean, different?"
Buffy thought for a moment. "Like, when Angel kidnapped Dawn, and you brought her back to me to prove you were on my side with that whole earth being sucked into hell thing. That never really happened. I mean, I knew it must have happened a different way, but it never really sunk in, you know?"
Spike nodded. He was almost glad that they wouldn�t see stuff like that. The memory of some of the things that had happened to Dawn, that he had done to Dawn, eat him up inside every time he saw her, and he really didn�t want reminding of that.
He heard a faint sniffling noise, and he turned to see that Buffy had tears in her eyes.
"I don�t really have a sister. I don�t have anybody."
"Of course you have a sister," he said, getting to his feet. "So what if what you remember happening never did? She feels like a sister to you, and that�s what matters."
Buffy nodded.
"And you do have somebody. Whatever you do, you�ll always have me."
Buffy stopped nodding then, and eyes narrowed. "I don�t want to have you, Spike. I want you to leave me alone."
"Whatever, Slayer," Spike said, settling himself back down on his bed and turning back to the screen. "I was only trying to help."
Buffy sighed, and settled herself back down against the wall. How come Spike had to be so sweet sometimes? She wanted to hate him so badly, and he made it even harder than it already was when he said things like that. She�d never admit it, not even to herself, but knowing that he�d always be there was comforting in a twisted sort of way. So many people had left her that it was good to know that at least one person would stay with her, even if that person wasn�t actually a person at all.
*******
<The sleeper will wake. The sleeper will wake and the world will bleed.>
"Oh, please." Spike said, rolling his eyes as he watched Luke carrying out his ritual. "Am I the only vampire that�s ever been to Sunnydale who doesn�t go in for all this ritual crap?"
"Probably," Buffy said, from her vantage point on the floor. "Trust you to be different."
"I think that almost counted as a compliment for you, Slayer."
"Don�t count on it."
Spike knew he wasn�t going to win this one, so he looked back at the screen in hope that he might see something knew to tease her about. Luckily for him, that something was there.
<"Hi! Would you like a copy of the Watchtower?">
"You owned a dress like that?" he asked incredulously, looking at the outfit that the TV Buffy was holding up. "That�s got to be the most disgusting thing I�ve ever seen."
"Hey, it was a look!"
"Well, personally I�d have gone with the other dress. I�d definitely have appreciated Slutty Buffy. I just don�t see her enough these days."
"Shut up."
Spike grinned, pleased by the annoyance in her voice. "Then again, I saw her pretty well a few days ago. Tell me, Slayer, do you always do stuff like that to guys you hate, in perfect view of a whole club, no less?"
Buffy leapt to her feet, and stormed over to where Spike was lying. Spike braced himself, and sure enough, a moment later he felt pain shoot through his nose as it connected with Buffy�s fists.
"If you ever talk about me like that again, I�ll kill you before you even know what�s happening."
"Well, you know, luv," Spike retorted, his temper rising, "that threat�s a bit empty now, seeing as you make it about 3 times a day. Can�t you handle what�s going on between us?"
"There is nothing going on between us, Spike. Never has been, never will be."
Spike grabbed Buffy�s wrist, and pulled her towards him. "Yeah? Then how come you�re so upset about this? And how come your heart�s beating so fast just �cause I�m touching you?"
Buffy looked at him in disgust for a second, unable to think of a response. Then, she pushed him away. "I�m outta here."
"You can�t leave, and you know it. Not until we�ve finished this episode at least."
"Why not?" Buffy snapped. "We were supposed to �see�, and I already do! I see what a bastard you are, and hey? I was already there." She made a step towards the door, but a strong arm grabbed her around the waist and threw her back onto the bed.
"You ever been to hell, Buffy?" Spike asked darkly.
"What the hell are you talking about?"
"I�ll take that as a no. You might not have been, but I know a couple of people who have, your ex-lover boy being one of them. Do you know what happens to people who disobey the Powers? They go there. And they stay there forever. Now, I don�t care whether that sounds like fun compared to spending another half an hour here with me, because there�s no way I�m letting you end up there. You already died once because of me. It�s... I�m not letting it happen again. You�re staying."
He fell silent, and Buffy glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. He was deadly serious. Was he really that concerned about her? For some reason, that thought didn�t make her feel as dirty as it should have. She supposed she could stay for a little longer, as long as he stopped making suggestive comments about her.
"Fine," she said at last. "I�ll stay."
*******
"Oh look," Spike said bitterly a few minutes later. "It�s tall, dark and forehead."
Buffy realised that he was right. She was about to watch her first meeting with Angel. Strangely, she started to feel uncomfortable that Spike was going to watch it with her. She figured that it must be the fact that some moments were private, and this was certainly one of them.
<"Is there a problem, ma�am?">
<"Yes, there�s a problem. Why are you following me?">
"Does he really think that attitude works on girls? He�s so..." What Angel was, Spike never mentioned, because at that moment he saw Buffy�s face. She was staring at the screen intently, a slight smile on her lips, her eyes glazed over.
"Slayer?"
Buffy jumped. "Huh?"
"Are you drooling?"
Buffy wiped her mouth quickly. "What? No! I just... I just forgot how gorgeous he used to be, before he got so darn fat."
Spike studied the screen. "I suppose your right," He said wistfully. "He used to be so..."
"What?!" Buffy squealed, interrupting him. "Do not finish that sentence. Nothing that comes next could possibly be of the good."
If Spike could have blushed, he would have resembled a tomato. "I just meant..."
"Spike, I really don�t want to know. Do me a favour and never tell me."
He wanted to say something in his defence, but he couldn�t think of anything. At least this way she was staying, even if it did mean one of his biggest secrets got out.
*******
Half an hour later, Buffy walked up her drive. They�d finished the first episode, but Buffy was tired, and really didn�t want to end up accidentally falling asleep at Spike�s. What would her friends think the next day if that happened? So, she�d called it a night, after promising Spike that she�d be back tomorrow after patrol to watch some more.
She went inside, and found Willow sitting on the couch, obviously waiting for her.
"So, what happened," the witch asked the minute she was in through the door.
"Oh, nothing," Buffy said. She hated lying to her friends, but no-one was to know about this, not even Willow. "He just gave us some cryptic message about a master plan and seeing the truth. It was very vague."
"Well, maybe we should research it," Willow suggested, her eyes lighting up at the chance to search for new knowledge.
"I don�t know," Buffy said quickly. "I don�t think we�d find anything." At the disappointed look in her friends eyes, she added, "If there�s a new apocalyptic demon, and the guy�s message seems to be important to it then you can research to your hearts content, but for now, let�s just get some sleep."
Willow nodded. "Right. Goodnight, then."
"Goodnight."
Buffy looked at Spike�s door, willing herself to go inside. She�d been standing there for at least ten minutes, and she still couldn�t bring herself to go in. Two hours before, they had been arguing about the fact that she couldn�t leave, with Buffy saying adamantly that she wanted to go home. Now, however, she just wanted to go back in and start watching again.
She�d tried to get some sleep, she really had, but all she could think about was those tapes, and how much she wanted to go back and watch some more. So, she�d got dressed, crept out of her window and headed out there. Now, though, she couldn�t bring herself to go in. He�d just laugh at her. She couldn�t do it.
Decidedly, she turned around and headed for home. She�d barely gone two steps when a voice came from behind her.
"Aren�t you gonna come in, luv?"
She spun around to see Spike smirking at her. "No," she said firmly. "I was just passing."
"Since when did �just passing� mean standing outside my door for a whole bloody hour?"
"It was so not an hour," she shot back scathingly.
"Whatever, Slayer. You�ve never worried about knocking before, why start now?"
He turned and went back inside, leaving the door open for Buffy to follow. She quickly weighed out her options. She could leave now, just go home and never come back. Or, she could swallow her pride and go in.
"Are you coming or what?"
Making a quick decision, she shrugged and followed him inside.
"What are you here for, anyway?" He asked, walking across the room to the fridge.
"I kinda wanted to watch some more videos," she said nervously.
He stopped and stared at her, the fridge door wide open as he searched for blood.
"I thought you desperately didn�t want to do that any more!"
"Well, I changed my mind!" she said defensively, before turning and heading for the steps. "Come on."
*******
Buffy sighed, and snuggled up against the headboard. The first episode had finished, and, after a long internal struggle, she had decided to move up onto the bed with Spike. She had vowed she would never sit on this thing, but the floor was freezing, and really didn�t want to have to stand up again.
"Have you ever considered under floor heating?" she asked conversationally as the credits finished rolling.
"What?!" Spike looked over at her incredulously. What the hell was going through that Slayer�s mind?
"It was just a thought," she said sulkily. "No need to get excited over it."
Spike rolled his eyes, and tried to concentrate on the action on the screen.
<"What can you have been thinking? You are the Slayer, lives depend on you. I make allowances for your youth but I expect a certain amount of responsibility. Instead, you enslave yourself to this... this cult!">
<"You don�t like the colour?">
Spike couldn�t stop himself laughing. "You were a cheerleader?!"
"Yeah!" Buffy blushed. "Well, actually, no. I didn�t make the squad. But I tried out. You got a problem with that? "
"Well," he said, grinning madly, "it kinda finishes the whole dumb blonde look you�ve got going."
Before he could react, she kicked him in the back. "Yeah, a dumb blonde who�ll kick your ass unless you shut up."
"I�d like to see that."
Buffy ignored him. Why did he think he could make fun of her like that? Okay, so cheerleading was lame, but at least it wasn�t slaughtering hundreds of innocent people, unlike a certain person who was sitting next to her.
*******
<"Macho, macho man. I want to be a macho man.">
"Do us a favour, will you, Slayer?"
"What?" Buffy snapped, irritably.
"Never, EVER sing in my presence again. That noise is enough to make me wanna stake myself."
"Oh yeah? Well, what about you?" She rearranged her face into a poor mimic of his scowl, and started groaning in a low voice. "Oh, let me rest in peace, let me get some sleep, please stake me now Buffy cos I can�t sing a noooote!"
"Yeah?" Spike, replied, smirking. "What about �Heeeeeeaaaavvvveeennnn. I think I was in heeeeaaaaavvveeeennnnnnnnnn�? I could�ve sworn I heard some windows cracking after that little ditty."
Buffy frowned at him, then leapt forward and smacked him round the back of the head.
"Bloody hell! What did you do that for?"
"Oh, come off it!" Buffy said indignantly. "I barely touched you."
"Whatever, luv," he replied, clutching the back of his head. "I still didn�t deserve it."
"Spike, you always deserve it."
*******
They�d been watching the videos for ages, but Buffy really didn�t want to leave. She tried to convince herself that it was because she was comfy sitting here, that she didn�t want to have to do the obligatory patrol before she could go home, that she didn�t want to return to a depressed Willow and a hungry Dawn, but she knew that they weren�t the reasons. As much as she hated to admit it, she�d actually been having fun with Spike. He�d made fun of Xander�s crush on her and yeah, he�d said some mean things, but she�d enjoyed herself more here in the last couple of hours than she�d done in all the time since she�d come back.
Reluctantly, she realised that Spike was getting to his feet. "What are you doing?"
"Well," Spike said slowly, "this tapes finished and it�s getting late. You should probably be getting home to the Bit." He said it casually, but the look on his face told her that he didn�t really want her to leave. Not yet, anyway.
"Why don�t I stay a bit?" she asked innocently. "We�re supposed to be going on that computer too, and we. . . um, we haven�t done that yet."
Spike gave her a confused look, trying to figure out why she had decided to stay. He had been sure she would�ve run out of there as fast as she could, and if he hadn�t heard wrong, she was actually asking to stay. After a moment, he said, "Sure, whatever, Slayer. It isn�t set up though."
"Well, how about you do that, and I go find something to drink," she replied cheerfully, getting to her feet and starting towards the ladder.
"Why do I have to set up the sodding thing?"
"Because it�s your crypt," she replied, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "See you in a few."
*******
Buffy giggled as another cry of �bloody thing� drifted upstairs. She could just imagine the scene down there. Spike, sitting on the floor, ripping up the manual in exasperation, kicking the machine when it refused to do what he wanted, and generally causing chaos. The idea of Spike getting stressed out over a machine had almost made her go downstairs to watch, but then she realised that if she did that, he might make her help out, and she had decided it was safer upstairs after all.
She was bored though. Way bored. Why was it taking him so long? She�d been drinking his bourbon to keep herself company, but enough was enough. Grabbing the bottle off the table, she stormed to the ladder and climbed down. What she saw when she reached the bottom, however, was not what she had expected.
Spike was sitting calmly on his bed, the laptop balanced precariously on a small table in front of him. There were no ripped up bits of paper, no bits of wiring on the floor, no furniture he�d broken in his anger. In fact, it looked as organised as if Willow had set it up.
"I thought you were having trouble?" she asked, suspiciously.
"No," he replied casually. "Just put on a bit of a show for you. Wanted to see how long it would take you to try to come down and help me."
"I�d never come down to help you. I only came to tell you to hurry up."
"Well, that�s nice, innit?" Spike said, annoyed. "I do all this for you, and that�s how you repay me!"
"Well, I was bored," Buffy said, taking another gulp of the bourbon. "You should�ve come up to tell me you were done."
"And you should�ve... Hey! Is that my bourbon?!"
"Might be," she replied slyly, taking another gulp.
"Give that back! That�s expensive stuff, that is."
"Why don�t you come and take it from me?" Buffy asked innocently, waving the bottle in the air.
"Are you drunk?"
"Maybe," she said with a giggle, taking another gulp. "Are you gonna stop me?"
"Maybe," he said. They paused, staring each other down for a moment, then Spike growled and lunged for her.
Shrieking, Buffy started scrambling up the ladder. Unfortunately, with her drink addled brain, her co-ordination wasn�t what it should have been, and she fell backwards, tumbling back towards the earth. Strong arms caught her, and she wriggled around to see Spike grinning down at her.
"Looks like I win, luv." He snatched the bottle from her hand, and downed the contents in one gulp.
"Hey! That was mine!" Buffy said indignantly.
"What are you gonna do about it? Take it back?" Spike replied with a laugh.
"Yeah, that�s exactly what I�m gonna do."
And before Spike realised what she was doing, Buffy had leant forwards and captured his lips with hers. He spent a split second wondering what to do, as the obviously drunk Buffy kissed him, licking the inside of his mouth to get any leftover traces of the drink, but then he stopped thinking altogether, deciding to leave worrying about what Buffy would say when she sobered up until the time came. And he was very glad he did.