Previously: "For the spell to work, the Slayer whose blood is being shed must… be… having sex… with the vampire."

Part Two

"WHAT?!" Buffy and Xander yelled in unison.

"Buffy has to who with what?"

"My thoughts exactly, Xand." Buffy was shocked. "So to heal Spike I have to sleep with him?"

"There's more." Willow made herself known. "The people performing the spell have to be within ten feet of the couple when the magick happens, or else it won't work."

"So I have to sleep with Spike while you guys watch. What else? Do I have to tap dance naked? Sing the national anthem?"

"We'll put a spell on you as well, so you don't realize that we're there." Willow stepped forward. "It's the only way."

"There aren't any other cures?"

"No."

"I'll do it. But on one condition. What happens in that room never leaves this building." She paused. "Someone go get Angel."

"Why?"

"Well… I… have to get… ready. You know?" Watcher and Wicca both turned beet red, and Xander made gagging noises.

"What's going on, guy-Xander? What are you doing here?" Cordelia dropped her bags and stood still, in a state of shock. "And Buffy! The person who I hoped I'd never see near Angel again, for fear of him going whacko on us again. How are you? And again, what are you doing here? Are those bite marks on your wrist?"

Buffy sighed. "Much too long of a story to tell the whole thing, so I'll summarize. Spike got crinkle-cut by a giant pimple demon, and he was going to die, so I gave him my blood, which as usual, sent me to the hospital. Spike got brain damage, so we came here to get him an MRI. Willow and Wesley are going to do a spell to cure him. Only thing is…"

"Buffy's gonna do the nasty with Spike so he doesn't end up being a regular Joe like the rest of us," Xander blurted.

"Xander!" Willow punched him in the arm.

"So is someone going to get Angel or not?" Buffy asked, slightly impatient.

"Right. I think he's outside." Wesley exited in search of Angel.

Moments later, Angel came inside. Buffy drew him into a corner and said softly, "We have a spell. But there's a problem. I have to… don't get mad… sleep with Spike. And I need you to help me get… ready. Please, Angel?"

"I've wanted to touch you for so long. And now the only reason I'm going to is to heal my idiot childe. Do you know how often I dream of being able to touch you freely?"

"I know, Angel. I dream the same. But we both know that it can't happen." Buffy lay her warm hand on his cool cheek. "I need you to do this, Angel." Her hand smoothed down the front of his black shirt.

"I think I can do this. But Buffy… are you sure?" His eyes were clouded with sadness.

"Positive." She took his hand in hers and began to lead him up the stairs.

She smiled as Cordelia protested. "Wait. If Buffy's going to boink Spike, where's she going with Angel?"

Cordelia started toward the office where she knew there were stakes stashed, but Willow stopped her. "Spike doesn't… you know… turn her on… in this state of mind."

"Oh. Eew."

Angel chuckled softly and they continued to his bedroom, closing the door behind them. She shyly stripped her clothes off and lay on the bed, her body thrumming in anticipation of the delectable caresses that she had only once experienced. He groaned and gathered her into his arms, kissing her fiercely. He trailed kisses down her body, lavishing attention on her breasts. Her body was aching for his touch. She took one of his hands and positioned it above her soft folds. He began to massage her with trembling hands as her body screamed for his.

"Oh, God, Angel… It's been so long..." she breathed.

"What do you want, Buffy?" He dipped his tongue into her navel before continuing down her body to her center. He placed a kiss on her sensitive nubbin before nibbling on the soft flesh there, spearing her on his cool, wet tongue. She drenched his face with her juices, rising off the bed, screaming in passion. As she came down from the plateau, Angel stood, watching her broodingly. He gently, silently, wrapped her in the flat sheet from his bed, handed her clothing to her, and sent her across the hall to Spike's room.

She opened the door to see that Willow and Wesley had already prepared for both spells. Willow held up a small, black plastic square, and it was evident that this was the chip. Buffy nodded, then turned toward the large bed, where a naked blond vampire lay huddled in the center. A quick chant, and her mind was on nothing but Spike. She walked silently to the bed, dropping the sheet and climbing under the covers with him. For a few moments she just snuggled up against him, and then she kissed him awake.

"Pretty Buffy, what…?"

"Shh." She silenced him with one hand as she reached down and fondled him with the other. His eyes widened and he gasped in pleasure as he became aroused. She knew that his six-year-old mind would be confused. "Don't worry, this will feel good, Spike," she whispered huskily.

She kissed him again, her tongue massaging his own. She straddled his hips quickly, her core still soaking from the attentions that Angel had given it moments ago. She slid effortlessly onto his cool length, rocking above him sensuously. When she could feel his climax approaching, she knicked her wrist with the knife she had placed on the pillow and dripped a few drops of blood onto his bare, muscular chest. The scent of the blood sent him over the edge, and he erupted inside her, whimpering.

A blue glow filled the room, saturated over Spike, and then soaked into his body, pulling Buffy's blood in with it, and disappeared. Wesley and Willow tossed their things together and ran out of the room. Buffy scrambled off him and leapt off the bed, dressing hurriedly. Then she went back over to the edge of the bed, expecting the worst. She sat there for five minutes, while Spike lay unmoving, his eyes closed.

Suddenly, his chest heaved and he began to cough. His eyes opened widely, unfocussed. Buffy pulled him to a sitting position and rubbed his back, massaging the tense muscles there. His coughs dissipated to wheezes, and he pulled back, looking at her scrutinously. He then took in his surroundings. And fell back on the bed, weak. He blinked a few times before asking, "Where am I?"

Confusion was evident in his beautiful eyes, and she asked, "Spike?" softly, placing a gentle hand on his arm.

"Buffy?" He felt strange. He was lying in a strange but very comfortable bed, naked, Buffy hovering over him. God, she's beautiful. And she was touching him gently. Not throwing him across the room, or out a window. He couldn't remember how he had gotten there. He folded his hands on his chest. ::thump thump::

He bolted upright, the covers falling to his waist. "What the hell?! What did you do to me? Why does it smell like sex in here? And why am I naked?"

"What do you remember, Spike?"

"I remember the giant pimple, and getting ripped to shreds, and being thrown against a wall… I'm not dead, am I? Tell me I'm not in Hell."

"After the Tybar demon almost killed you, I gave you my blood and saved your life. But you had brain damage. You were acting like a six-year-old. So we had to do a spell… and it was a healing spell… and when vamps have healing spells done on them, they turn human… so I used some of my blood while they were doing it, actually, we had to do it too… but I'll tell you about that later… and so now you're the first male Slayer ever to be made from a vampire."

"You slept with me?" A wicked look crossed his features.

Never mind the whole you being alive thing, dork. She sighed. "With Angel's help, yes."

"What?!" He asked.

"He got me ready." She lowered her head sheepishly.

"So I don't turn you on, is that it?" Spike looked insulted.

"Not when you're a six-year-old trapped in a man's body, no."

He grinned. "So you're saying that other times I do turn you on, eh?"

"Spike, you're sexy. Don't let it go to your head." She smacked him in the arm.

"Too late, luv." He motioned at the tent that was growing beneath the sheets.

Suddenly his hands shot out and he began tickling her ribs. She squealed in laughter and fell forward onto the bed. Spike used her momentum against her and soon had her pinned beneath him. Her soft laughs soon faded as he leaned over her, a serious expression on his face, his mouth inches from hers. She could feel his warm breath on her lips. That was a new sensation. "Thank you. For curing me. Thank you for caring enough to do that." He brushed his lips across hers softly. A spark of electricity jumped between them, and he kissed her again, his fingers entangling in her silky blond tresses.

After several agonizingly delicious moments, she broke off the kiss. "Spike…"

"What is it luv?" His eyes filled with concern.

"It's all so new… and it's so soon… I… I can't. I'm sorry." She wriggled out from underneath him and sat on the foot of the bed.

"Oh, so you can sleep with me to save my life, but when it comes down to it, when I want to make love with you, you won't have it. That it?" Spike ground out. He was fuming, and he didn't bother concealing it.

"No! Spike, I want you. Do you think that I would've agreed to the spell if I weren't attracted to you? But yesterday you were six years old, and the day before that you were my mortal enemy. If you can't let me have some time to think about all this, then whatever could have happened between us won't." She stood. "I'm sorry that I have to do this. You're probably insulted, or hurt, or a combination of the two. But it's what I have to do."

He leapt from the bed, uncaring of his nudity. "Buffy, what is there to think about? Whatever happened in the past isn't what's happening now. That spark-I know you felt it too. You can't tell me you didn't. There's electricity between us."

"I felt it. But… this is going to crush Angel. He loves me. It would crush him to find out that I had chosen you over him. I need to talk to him about this. I did some research on the ring he gave me-it's an ancient Irish wedding band, Spike! I've been married for over four years and I knew nothing about it. When I get this cleared up, then I can decide whether or not we're fated to be together. But until then, I need time. Lots of time. I hope you can care enough to give me at least that." She walked out of the bedroom, leaving Spike standing nude and confused in front of the lavish bed.

"Angel." Buffy walked out onto the balcony to confront her brooding soulmate. He stood looking down on the street, pensively. He turned at the sound of her voice and attempted a small smile. It was as though he already knew why she was there.

"Hi."

Buffy joined him at the balcony railing, leaning over the wrought iron. "I need to…"

"…talk to me?"

They both smiled, slightly bitter. "Yeah. Funny story, really. I was looking through a book of Irish fairy tales, came across a passage on claddagh rings, and found out that I've been married to you for over four years."

He faltered. "I meant to tell you…"

"I want a divorce." Buffy looked up into Angel's rich brown eyes, trying to discern the warring emotions behind them. She could almost see Angelus telling him to fight for her. Angel felt as though she had impaled him with a sword and sent him to Hell again.

"Spike." Angel swallowed convulsively. "He's the reason, isn't he?"

"Angel, before you go off and do something that someone will inevitably regret, hear me out. I will always love you. You will always be my soulmate. Nothing can change that." She paused, clearing her throat before continuing. "But I need someone who can lead a semi-normal life with me. As selfish as that may sound, I remember you wanting that for me when you left."

"You're right, Buffy. I wanted someone who could take you into the light. Who could give you a home and a family. It hurts so much, Buffy. But I can't do these things for you. Not now, at least." He paused, waiting to see if she caught that last statement.

She caught it. "Not now? What do you mean, not now?"

Angel sighed. "I have something coming. A Shanshu, the prophecy said. After I stop five apocalypses, I'll become human. But who knows how long that will be. It could be one year, or one thousand." His shoulders slumped. "And… I was doing some reading, and found out that if I mix the blood of a Mohra demon with my own, I'll become human."

"Why didn't you tell me?" she asked. "Did you want to keep it hidden? Don't you love me?" A tear slipped down her cheek. "God, I've always dreamed of you being human. Of being able to make love to you without worrying about you becoming psychotic. Of eating ice cream in bed with you."

Angel's eyes widened momentarily. "Oops. I'm dripping." "Don't worry, I'll clean you up…" "I couldn't do that to you, Buffy. If I were human, the powers of good would have one less warrior on their side. I'd be weak. And I'd be one more burden on you. One more helpless being to protect."

"We… we could do the spell that we did on Spike. It would work, wouldn't it?" Her voice trembled.

He shook his head. "Only if I were badly injured, and I'm too careful to let that happen."

"Faith. Could we transfer her powers to you once you were human? She doesn't need them in prison." She was grasping at straws now.

Again, Angel sighed. "The only way that would happen is if you could find some very powerful magicians. I've never dealt with something like that before."

"Willow cursed you. Couldn't she do it?"

"Maybe, but it'd be too dangerous. I don't want anyone to get hurt."

Buffy's stomach clenched as realization hit her. "You don't want to be with me."

"Buffy, I'm not the same man that you fell in love with. I'm afraid that all I'd do is hurt you."

"You can't possibly hurt me more than you did when you packed up and left. You didn't even say goodbye. So you don't want to become human. I can deal with that. It hurts badly right now, but with help, I'll get over you. I have Spike. He's as close to normal as I'm ever going to get. Do you know what happened to all my 'normal' boyfriends? Scott dumped me three weeks into our relationship because I was wigging him out. Parker got turned and I had to kill him. And Riley left for somewhere in South America. I'll never hear from him again." She cleared her throat and squeezed her eyes shut, fighting back the tears that threatened to spill over.

"I keep hoping that maybe by some strange miracle your soul will become permanent… but that will never happen. So I'm left with Spike. Yes, I'm attracted to him. Yes, I could love him. But I will have always loved you first. And my love for you will always be the most pure and innocent of any." She placed a gentle hand on his arm. "Please understand."

"It hurts more when you're the one getting dumped," he said, smiling painfully.

"If it makes you feel any better, your place in my heart will never be filled by another man." Buffy kissed his cheek softly and turned, walking back into the building, up the stairs, and into her own bedroom, where she curled up into a fetal position on the floor and began to sob silently. She wept bitterly for Angel and the love she had lost, and for the agonizing wait she was putting Spike through.

She awoke in much the same position. She had a cramp in her leg from sleeping on the floor all night, but she shook it off quickly and dressed. She then descended the staircase to find out if food was an option at a hotel owned by a vampire. Everyone was sitting around the table, the mortals eating muffins and drinking orange juice or coffee, or in some cases both. Buffy avoided the eyes of both Spike and Angel. She instead concentrated on the matter at hand.

"So, Wesley, any new information on these Tybar demons?" she asked around a mouthful of muffin.

"Well, we've tracked them to a lair in the warehouse district. But you'll need enchanted swords to kill them." The Watcher straightened his glasses, cleared his throat, and continued, not noticing Angel slipping from the room. "And I have no idea where we'll get enough enchanted swords for the three of you-Spike, Angel, and you, that is."

A black duffel bag clanked to the table, its thrower following it into the room. Wesley peered inside. "Will those do?"

The Watcher was at a momentary loss for words. He stammered, "Wherever did you get those, Angel?"

"I have my sources. Let's just leave it at that." The tall, dark man was once again cryptic. He cringed internally at the torture he had experienced that night. They don't need to know what I went through to get those.

Buffy pulled one long, thin box out of the duffel. She opened it carefully, removing a sword in two parts: long, deadly thin blade and silver hilt gleaming in the light from the overhead lamps. Curious, she connected the two parts of the sword. The three warriors in the room heard a faint whirring sound that was too soft for the mortals. The shining blade began to glow, the metal itself becoming plasmic.

"Willow. Conjure me up a demon." The swirling metals of the blade fascinated her. Willow chanted softly in Romanian, and a medium-sized, scale-covered, green demon appeared. It sniffed the air, then roared in agony as Buffy scalloped it. Another short spell, and the mess was cleaned up. "I like."

She grinned, pressing the tiny button on the hilt that released the blade, then placing the hilt back into the box. She examined the blade for a few more moments, and then it joined its counterpart and she placed the box back into the duffel.

Buffy gathered up the courage to look at Angel. His face was hardened, but in his eyes she saw a deep sadness, and an undying love for her. She shook her head quickly and addressed him. "Angel, you said something about sulfuric acid?"

"Yeah. It blinds them. If you can get your hands on some…"

"Consider it done. I've got connections in the UC Sunnydale chemistry department." Willow piped up, having stayed fairly silent up until then. "How much?"

"A couple gallons aught to do it. We need to put it into fire extinguishers or something like that."

"How about Super Soakers?" Xander piped up. "We can carry those easier than fire extinguishers, and they're more fun."

"Those would work." The Watcher stood. "I'm going to Wal-Mart." The spectacled man walked out the door, car keys in hand. "I'll be back in awhile," he called over his shoulder as he exited.

A few minutes later, Buffy was washing the breakfast dishes in the large kitchen of the Hyperion. Someone entered the room, and she turned to see who it was. Spike stood, leaning against one of the gigantic metal refrigerators, his eyes focused directly on her.

"I was hoping it was you. We need to talk, Spike." Buffy grabbed a dishtowel and wiped her soapy hands on it. She tossed it to the side and hopped up onto the counter so she was eyelevel with him. "I talked to Angel last night."

Anger flared in the blond man's eyes, but he remained silent.

"I told him I couldn't be with him." Buffy waited for his reaction, but didn't expect him to rush over to her and embrace her tightly.

She pulled away, loosening his vicelike grip on her for a moment. She looked him in the eyes. "I also told him that no matter what happens, I would always love him."

Anger again. "But I also told him that I'm attracted to you and I could love you. That is, if you're willing to give it a chance."

He was still silent, but he kissed her softly, and when he finally pulled back, tears of joy were filling his beautiful eyes.

A startled yelp brought them back to reality. They ran into the lobby of the building, where Angel, unarmed, was battling a Tybar demon. Willow ran over to them, two sword boxes in her hands.

Buffy and Spike quickly assembled the enchanted swords and attacked the hideous demon from behind. The three of them soon made quick work of the demon, escaping with remarkably little injury, and Willow cleaned up the mess once again.

Angel glanced at the place where the demon had fallen, and noticed a sheet of parchment on the carpet. He unrolled the paper and read it quickly to himself. His eyes widened, and he passed the note to Buffy.

She cleared her throat before reading it aloud. "Slayer- you would do well to deliver any and all favored members of the Order of Aurelius to us before the next full moon if you wish to see your sister alive again." She gasped, before passing out.

Moments later she was revived by Willow, who gently pulled her back to consciousness. Someone-Spike? Angel? -had carried her to the couch and she lay there in shock for a few moments before saying sadly, "They always kidnap Dawnie." She regained her composure quickly, though, and asked, "Willow, when's the next full moon?"

"Today's the seventh, right? Umm… the night of the tenth is the next full moon… which gives us about two and a half days."

"Hmm. Can you do a spell to make everyone in Angel's family not hate me for about two days? Oh, and can you zap them here?"

"Three temporary souls coming up. Angel, I need nicknames for Penn, Darla and Drusilla. And the names of their demons, if you have them." The red-haired witch was quickly taking the initiative and running with it. "Cordy? I'm going to write a list of ingredients that I'll need for the spells. Can you and Xander go and pick them up? Oh, and do we want temporary sanity for Drusilla?"

"Better make that permanent, Red." Spike murmured, still hovering over Buffy protectively. "Oh, and don't bother with Penn. Dusted him myself in a fight few years back."

Willow scrawled a list of herbs and other ingredients that would be needed for the spell. "Don't forget the Orb of Thesula." She handed the list to Xander, who walked out of the building with Cordelia.

Angel walked back into the room, holding a withered and yellowed piece of parchment gingerly in front of him. "It's my family tree. The only one in existence. A few weeks after I… lost my soul… it reached me." Willow walked out of the room with it, into the office, and started up the computer. Buffy stammered, "Wait… wouldn't the Master have had to die in order for it to…"

"After what the Master did to you, I guess even evil me wanted him dead. I killed him. If you hadn't survived, my soul wouldn't have been lost, and my demon doesn't forgive easily."

"That makes you…" Buffy felt faint again.

"Yeah. I'm the Master. I'm the most powerful vampire on the planet, and I'm the laughingstock of the entire race." He laughed bitterly.

"I sent the Master to Hell?" The room was swimming.

Spike chuckled. "Nice going, luv. One Master kills you, you kill another."

"Now I know why you don't want to use the Mohra blood. Drusilla would become the next Master." She shuddered.

"Is my childe that bad?" he asked, smirking.

"Yes!" Buffy rolled her eyes.

That night, when Wesley finally returned from Wal-Mart, with the excuse of not finding the toy section for five hours, and afterwards having to try out the water guns before purchasing them, yet with a look of boyish glee on his face, he immediately noticed two individuals missing. Xander and Cordelia had long since returned from the magick shop. However, the Slayers, both Buffy and Spike, were nowhere in sight.

"Angel? Where are Buffy and Spike?" he asked, once again straightening his glasses.

Angel shrugged. "Dunno. Ask Cordy."

The Watcher scurried over to the aspiring actress and posed the same question.

"Erm… I think they went upstairs about… a half-hour ago. Why?" She didn't bother looking up from the romance novel she was reading.

"Dear God."

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