Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, Joss and Co. do. I make nothing from these stories.

Part III

The Watchers Council kept a close eye on what had transpired between the two families. No one in the Council had involved themselves in the matter, but it was a great deal of power that the two families held. So the Council watched, with interest, for the outcome. In his early days with the Council Giles had studied the diaries they had from the two families. When Faith had said that Isabelle was in the house with Willow his heart had nearly stopped beating. He had known then what it all meant, including the recent developments in Willow�s relationship with Spike. Now he would have to explain himself; something he was not looking forward to. Once again the prophesy rang in his ears.

�Good and evil will consummate the bond
Each one will bring forth what they hold dear
Changing forever in the sight of love
Baptized with the fire of a thousand flames
Standing strong, two will come together
Power rooted in the past
Young and old will be intertwined
From grief and failure
Will be born the bond
No man shall break
A binding that was meant to be, will be cast aside
What was never meant to be, will be�

Faith opened the door to find Giles standing there deep in thought, his brow wrinkled in concentration. Faith thought he looked tired, with maybe a little jet lag mixed in. She reached out her hand and placed it gently upon his arm.

"Giles."

When her voice reached his ears he snapped out of his thoughts with a shutter. Now he remembered why he had always tried to keep a distance between Faith and himself. Even after all this time she still affected him the same way. Just the sound of her voice, the gentle touch of her hand, was enough to convert him to Ripper in a second�s time. He had not even looked her in the eyes yet and he was already struggling to control himself.

"Giles?" Faith noticed the moment she touched him that his body had gone instantly ridged. She knew that they had issues; she just wished that they didn�t. Faith could remember every detail of the first time they met. She had always thought that she had a thing for �bad boys�, but then she had been introduced to Giles and everything changed. Giles was smart and at times funny. He was strong and never buckled under the pressure of the slayer/watcher lifestyle. Faith had spent many a night in her lonely hotel room thinking of ways to win Giles over.

Giles was embarrassed to be caught lost in his thoughts by Faith. When he looked up into her eyes he found himself swimming in two pools of desire. He wanted to say something to break the mood, but when Faith�s fingers dug into his arm as a reaction to the sexual tension brewing between the two he couldn�t seem to open his mouth. His tongue seemed to have doubled in size and he struggled to swallow.

Her hair fell in wavy curtain around her shoulders. Her deep brown eyes seemed to engulf him completely. He knew for certain as his eyed drifted down to her slightly moistened lips, then further down to the warm mounds of flesh that peeked out the top of the tank top she wore, that he was a damned man. Because if he spent any time at all with Faith he knew he would have to have her.

"Hey, Giles. Glad you made it." Dawn�s voice broke the mood, and right as Faith was readying herself to kiss him. The sound of Dawn�s voice caused the slayer to step away from Giles.

"Well . . . I . . . yes, I am here." Giles was slightly relieved to see Dawn. If it hadn�t been for her he might have done something he would have hated himself for later.

Faith stepped back and let him in. "Come in, you must be tired from your trip." Her voice was distant and her eyes down cast.

Giles cursed himself for Faith�s reaction to him after Dawn had made her presence known and he stepped in the entree way. He set down his suitcase and turned to Dawn.

"It is good to see you again, Dawn. I came straight from the airport. I was wondering if I could use the phone here to book a hotel room?"

Dawn watched as Faith�s head shot up at Giles�s request. "You could just stay in the basement. There is a small room with a bed. Faith could move upstairs to Buffy�s old room," she offered. Dawn knew the others saw her as a child most of the time, but she was more aware of everyone else�s desires than they themselves seemed to be. Dawn knew that despite the things that had happened between her and Giles, he had every right to be happy. And if his reaction to Faith was any indication of the happiness the two could find together then Dawn would do what she could to help them see what was very apparent to her.

"Yeah, I don�t mind. I�ll get my stuff and move it upstairs." Faith�s voice was soft.

"Faith, you don�t have to. I can�t just as easily get a hotel room." He didn�t want her to feel misplaced just because he was there.

"No." Her voice was strong and sure. "I want . . . you should be here, at the house. So that way you can help out easier." She had blushed when she had almost told him that she wanted him here. That it was part of the reason she had called him so quickly. Something she had always kept to herself was the feelings she had for the watcher. Even when she was younger she had had this crush on him. He was a strong, worldly man.

"If you want to follow me, I will show you down to my . . . your room."

Giles picked up his suitcase and followed Faith.

�I took a walk around the world to ease my troubled mind
I left my body laying somewhere in the sands of time
I watched the world float to the dark side of the moon
I feel there was nothing I could do. Yeah . . .�

*************************************

Jonathan stood, his legs felt weak but his mind was much clearer now. He was starting to understand the images that kept flashing in his mind. He realized that the redhead he kept seeing was someone his host was projecting into his thoughts. She meant a lot something to his host. �Funny, she reminds me of someone,� Jonathan thought as he tested his legs. He felt strong. It was just that it felt so foreign to be inside a container again, or at least that is how the body felt; like it had been contained. He had been nothing more than energy trapped inside a glass sphere for so long, floating endlessly along side Isabelle. �Isabelle.� They had completed the bond, spent decades wrapped around each other. �He needed to find her, soon.

Jonathan could feel his magic weakening. He wasn�t sure why, but he knew something was wrong. Jonathan felt like he should understand the things that had happened better, but with the way Isabelle locked him away he hadn�t really had a chance to understand what was happening to him. All he knew was that right now things were strange. This tiny voice in the back of his head kept telling him that he needed to find Isabelle.

Jonathan walked to the door. He opened it slowly, holding his breath as he listened for movement in the hall. He knew that there were at least two other people inside the building with Amelia. Jonathan slipped into the darkness, quietly making his way to the door at the end of the long hallway. When his fingers touched the knob he felt power surge into his body and he closed his eyes. Isabelle was looking for him. She was searching through the bond. Jonathan knew that if he could just get outside in the fresh air that Isabelle�s pull would be stronger.

Jonathan reached out for the wall of the hall. When his hand touched the cool block he once again felt his power surge. Wherever he was, the structure was tainted with evil: a kind so strong and powerful that it called to him. Jonathan could feel the power pulsing through every stone. Blood flowing like motor between the cracks. When he closed his eyes, the rivets of blood surged forth out of the stone like a river, wetting his feet and dropping him to his knees. He could think no more of Isabelle as the essence of the structure infused his pores.

That is how Amelia found him: head flung back, arms out stretched as if he was waiting for his god to save him. Amelia felt a cold smile spreading across her face. She knew Jonathan would feel compelled to find Isabelle. That was why she picked this place. The evil here was so strong that it would cloud Jonathan�s mind. That is, after all, that is why Isabelle sealed them in the Dansing Sphere in the first place: Jonathan could never seem to control his powers or his reaction to evil energy. He was now too weak to offer up any resistance to the pull of evil.

�If I go crazy than will you still call me Superman?
If I am alive and well, will you be there to holding my hand?
I�ll keep you by my side with my superhuman might
Kryptonite. . .�

*********************************************

Faith knew something was up. Giles had asked her to call Xander and Anya, telling them to stop over. He had also asked Willow, Dawn and Isabelle to join them in the living room.

While Giles waited for everyone to join him and Faith in the living room he took a moment to compose his thoughts. He knew the prophesy by heart and had extensively researched it. He just wasn�t sure how everything fit together. He knew that Willow was one half of The Pair. But if Spike was the other half then what had happened to him? Right now he should be with Willow, continuing to form the bond. Now that the bond had started between the two of them it had to finish. He was afraid that the longer Willow and Spike were separated the more risk was brought to them. And that was what concerned him the most. It was becoming painfully obvious what would happen to Willow. She was withdrawn and hadn�t been eating. He was concerned for the redhead�s welfare.

Giles shook himself from his thoughts as he heard the front door open and saw Dawn greet Xander and Anya as they arrived. Everyone made there way to the front room and took their seats. Giles stood and began.

"Willow, I know you may not understand this, but Isabelle is your great-aunt," Giles stated.

"Well, isn�t that nice. Even Xander can tell that. They have the same power signature. I may be new to this whole human thing, but I think this is what they called beating around the bush." Anya�s voice was laced with annoyance as she told everyone what she thought.

"Um . . . well." Giles face was flushed with his embarrassment. He opened the book he held in his hands. "Well, then let�s start with this." He found his page and began to read.

"Good and evil will consummate the bond
Each one will bring forth what they hold dear
Changing forever in the sight of love
Baptized with the fire of a thousand flames
Standing strong, two will come together
Power rooted in the past
Young and old will be intertwined
From grief and failure
Will be born the bond
No man shall break
A binding that was meant to be, will be cast aside
What was never meant to be, will be"

After he finished reading the prophesy he watched Willow�s face. He was waiting for her to react. To his surprise it was Isabelle who spoke first. Willow just continued to sit quietly.

"A binding that was meant to be, will be cast aside? What does that mean? I should still have a few days to put Jonathan and I back in the sphere, right?" Isabelle asked

"Wait, what do you mean?" Xander asked, his confusion clear in his voice.

"What Isabelle means is that she only has so many days to put her and Jonathan back behind the wall of the Dansing Sphere." Willow�s voice was deadly calm as she explained. "If for some reason Isabelle doesn�t do that then I will become one half of the pair, taking her place in the sphere. Now all we have to do is find my other half, which are we sure that Spike is my other half?"

"No. This is not happening. I didn�t bite my tongue and try to understand everything that has been happening just so Willow could get locked away with some stranger." Dawn was in tears by the time she finished.

Willow stood and walked over to Dawn. "I understand what you mean." Willow put her arm around Dawn. "We almost had a family."

Dawn turned her face into Willow�s shoulder and released her tears. "I miss Spike. If he was here he would know what to do," Dawn whispered for Willow�s ears only.

"I know Dawnie. Me too." Willow�s agreement brought tears to her eyes as well.

"It won�t be just Willow, will it? That is why Spike is missing: he has the power of the other half of The Pair somehow. And that is why Isabelle can�t reverse what has happened to Jonathan." Faith was quiet as she spoke. She knew she was right. "I dreamt of it last night, her and Spike together, only they weren�t in a sphere. They were here with Dawn."

Giles cleared his throat to gain the attention of the room. "Well, actually Faith, I believe you are partially right. Willow and Spike were fine until they started to share this house. Like the prophecy said, �From grief and failure will be born the bond.� I think that it refers to Buffy�s death; because if Buffy hadn�t died Willow and Spike wouldn�t have ended up together in this house and the process of their bonding would never have started. Once they started having contact everyday, the transformation started. Because they were predestined to become The Pair all they had to do was be near each other. Someone releasing Jonathan from the sphere would explain why Spike may have come up missing. Spike�s body would be the perfect host to hold the energy and magic that is Jonathan."

Isabelle was the first to speak. "No one could ever be strong enough to stand the power that is inside of Jonathan. It would be like good and evil battling over one body. No man could stand that kind of pressure. That is why I sealed us into the Dansing sphere; I didn�t want Jonathan to end up like his grandfather."

"See that is where you are you are wrong," Xander stated with conviction. "You don�t know Spike."

Xander paused and gave a look like he had just been hit with sudden thought. "Wait; what do you mean by �ending up like Jonathan�s grandfather?� "

Isabelle turned and looked at Xander. "When Jonathan�s grandfather received his powers they drove him mad. Shortly thereafter, his wife gave birth to there first child. He murdered her and his new born daughter. I was afraid that Jonathan would react the same way. I didn�t want to die, so I sealed us in the sphere. Once we were inside the sphere he was no longer influenced by the power around him. The Dansing Sphere was made by a warlock to keep his wife sealed away so she could not touch him with her magic and so he could rule her kingdom as he wanted."

Willow spoke next, her voice caring just a hint of fear. "Are you telling us that if Jonathan is near a strong reserve of dark magic then that magic can affect him?"

"Yes, he can channel it to a point, but it acts like a drug. It can affect his mind and actions." Isabelle stated. "This is why I am concerned about Spike. What is so special about this man that makes you think he could shoulder the weight of The Pair?" Isabelle asked smugly

"Well, for starters he hasn�t been a just a man in over a hundred years," Dawn shot right back.

"While you all fill her in, I have a special vamp to find." With that Faith grabbed her coat and headed to the door.

As Faith walked out the door she glanced over her shoulder at Willow. The longer Spike was missing the stranger Willow acted. But if what Giles and Isabelle said was true, Faith knew the longer Willow and Spike were a part the harder it would be on the both of them. If the magic in Spike acted like a drug in his system, then what must the bond be like for the both of them?

�I watched the world float to the dark side of the moon
After all I knew it had to be something to do with you
I really don�t mind what happens now and then
As long as you�ll be my friend at the end . . .�

********************************************

Faith had checked every cemetery in town. She had even been down to the warehouse district and then on to Willy�s. Somebody somewhere had the answers she wanted. Faith knew that the sooner they found Spike, the better. She was so consumed by her thoughts that she didn�t noticed where her feet where taking her. When she looked up she found that she was standing in front of the demolished high school.

Feelings Faith thought she had left behind her suddenly rose to the surface. She knew that this was where the Mayor had died. Even though his goals had been twisted, he had still treated her like she was his daughter. Faith knew that it was something she would never experience again: no one would ever be able to forgive her for her mistakes, not whole heartedly. She knew when this was over she was lost. As the tears filled her eyes she knew it didn�t matter: she would die soon. She was the Slayer after all. Right now she had people she had let down in the past counting on her and she would be damned if she would let them down again.

As Faith turned to go she felt her vampire sense started to tingle. Something was off with it though. It felt like it was being suppressed. Faith decided it was worth a closer look.

Faith made into the basement and noticed movement at the end of the hallway.

She paused as she reached out with her slayer senses. She was sure there was one vampire a few feet ahead of her, and it was a minion. It gave off a signature that told her that it was not old, but definitely not fledgling. Faith knew that it wouldn�t pose much of a threat to her. It was the presence she picked up on down in the basement that concerned her most. The signature was strong and then weak, like the energy of the vampire she was sensing was some how being smothered. For something that was so very strong and powerful it didn�t seem possible to subdue it.

Something deep inside her knew that she was close to what she was trying to find. Even from where she was she knew it had to be Spike. Faith slipped down the hall, making her way to the suppressed vampire signature that she had felt outside. Faith saw something unexpected moving off to her right, and she spun and to embed her stake deep within its chest. She never even got to see the minion�s face before it floated past her in a cloud of dust.

�Okay, that leaves three,� she whispered to herself. Faith knew from experience that one of the vampires was moving away from her, but two remained stationary. �No doubt it sensed me coming.� she thought as she moved further into the bowels of the school to investigate the two remaining signatures.

**************************************

Amelia reached for Jonathan�s face. "I know this is hard for you, but time will free you of your need for Isabelle."

Jonathan snorted. "I will never be free of her. And I will never be able to stand the thought of being in this body."

"Please Jonathan, don�t be like that. I know you didn�t ask for any of this. I thought you would want to be free again." Amelia whispered.

Jonathan reached out and took her hand. "I know that you didn�t mean for this to be so hard for me. I spent so many years as just spirit and magic. This body is suffocating me. I can�t seem to control my powers." Jonathan knew that he needed to keep the peace between Amelia and himself. He couldn�t afford to make a mistake. He needed to find Isabelle. Once he was back with Isabelle then he could deal with Amelia. "I am feeling tired again, can you let me rest?"

Amelia stood and nodded. "I will be back in a few hours to check on you." She left without another word, closing the door behind her.

*****************************************

As Faith made her way down the dark, damaged hallway she could feel the signature of the vampire growing stronger. She knew she was close and that the coast was clear. She tried the knob of the door at the end of the hall. It was one of the schools old storage units. The door knob moved smoothly in her grasp. Faith peeked inside the door to find the room lit with a small candle in the corner of the room. Most of the stuff that had been stored in the room no doubt had been stolen long ago. The rest had been pushed to the side to make room for the make shift bedroom.

Faith noticed someone was in the bed. She moved inside the room and closed the door. As she made her way to the bed she knew that her search was over.

�Hmm, even better without the duster and shirt. You are fine for a dead man. Red is a very lucky girl,� she thought as she took in the fact that the sheet lay casually across his hips, revealing the smooth perfection of his chest.

�Maybe if I treated him like Spike that is who I will get to deal with,� she decided as she shook his shoulder. "Spike?" She paused for a moment. "Spike." She reached out and shook his shoulder again. Dealing with Jonathan she was not something she was looking forward to anyway.

His eyes snapped open, startling Faith with the confusion that resided there. Faith noticed the way his eyes were searching her face; he didn�t know her.

"I�m Faith. We haven�t had the pleasure of meeting yet, well at least not face to face . . . not this face anyway." Faith knew that didn�t make much sense, but when he had opened his eyes it hit her and hit her hard. The look in his eyes, she knew that look. It was the look she had in her eyes the night she had become a murderer. Wild, unpredictable, liked a cornered animal, she could see the fear that had made a home in his mind. Faith knew that time was running out; she needed to get him back home. "Anyway, I know someone who has been looking for you." Faith watched his brow crinkle as he tried to understand what she was saying.

"Willow and Dawn sent me to find you, to bring you home." Faith tried to reassure him.

"Willow?" he asked, an image of the sweet redhead flashed in his mind.

"Yeah. Lovely lady, red hair." Faith wasn�t sure why Spike was acting so strange.

"Red." It was the clearest thing he has said so far. His voice caressed Willow�s name as it left his lips, letting Faith know he now understood who had sent her.

Faith reached down and helped Spike up. "Come on, I need to get you home to Willow. She is waiting for you to come home."

Faith could see the internal struggle as Spike fought to control his own body. Faith saw his mouth open and close as he struggled to say something. Faith leaned in to hear him better. His lips formed the �W� of Willow�s name, than Faith noticed the change as Spike�s body stiffened.

"Isabelle," Jonathan whispered.

"Yeah, yeah." Faith saw Spike stand and let her know that he would follow. She turned and headed back to Willow and the rest of the gang.

�If I go crazy than will you still call me Superman?
If I am alive and well, will you be there to holding my hand?
I�ll keep you by my side with my superhuman might
Kryptonite. . .�

******************************************

The Summers� house was buzzing with activity. Everyone was tense and waiting for Faith to return. Dawn stood in the front room waiting. She only hoped that this time they would find Spike and bring him home.

*******************************************

Faith had known the moment she had seen him that there was something very wrong with Spike. His face was gray and there was a tenseness about him that she couldn�t understand. As they made their way back to the Summers� home Faith felt Spike stiffen in her arms. Mumbling something under his breath, he pushed Faith away. She looked down and watched as his skin began to bubble and blister. She reached down to him and placed her hands on his face. Before she could react Spike reached up with both hands and shoved Faith away.

Faith had known as soon as she touched his face that she had made a horrible mistake. His skin was hot, as if his body was heating up from the inside. Faith felt his hands pushing her away as they burned his hand prints into her stomach. She hadn�t been able to pull herself away quickly enough. As soon as her hand had touched his forehead, Faith felt like she had been hit by a truck and everything was now in slow motion.

"Isabelle," he whispered.

"Right." Faith took off to the house on a dead run. She made the front porch in a single bound and blew through the door.

Dawn was the first one to see Faith. "Faith, are you okay?" she asked.

"Yeah." Faith was out of breath as she answered Dawn. "Giles?" she asked as she tried to steady her breathing.

"Giles!" Dawn yelled.

Giles came from the kitchen to find Faith standing in the entryway of the door. His breath caught in his throat as he took in her appearance. Her face and hands were covered in dirt and her hair was wild and untamed. Her eyes were wide, her breathing was fast. Giles detected the smell of burnt flesh lingering on the air as Faith moved passed him to sit on the bottom at the stairs.

Once she was seated on the stairs she told Giles where Spike was and that Isabelle should go after him. Xander volunteered to go with Isabelle to help retrieve Spike.

"Are you sure it was Spike?" Willow asked from the corner. Her voice held so many emotions hope, disbelief, desperation and fear. She had been holding herself together with the hope that she would find Spike and set things right. What if what Angel had said was true and things didn�t work out the way she thought they would? What if Spike did leave knowing ahead of time of her feelings for him? What if he didn�t feel the same way?

Faith looked at Willow, "Yes, and if you want to keep him with us than you better go after him. He is not himself."

Giles lifted the bottom of Faith�s shirt to reveal two hand shaped burn marks. "We need to get you clean up. Willow, Isabelle and Xander will go find Spike." He helped Faith up without a glance back at the others.

"Dawn, I need you to get some hot water and clean rags so we can clean Faith�s wounds." He turned around half way up the stairs and looked at the group at the bottom of the stairs. "Well, what are you waiting for? Anya would you bring me some fresh towels?" He turned back to Faith and helped her up to her room. The rest of the group immediately set out to take care of the tasks that lay ahead of them.

*************************************

Willow and Isabelle made their way down one side of the street while Xander walked along the other. Faith had not been real clear on where she left Spike, just that he was somewhere down this street.

As they walked along Willow felt something on the inside of her start to stir; a small feeling that something was tugging at her magic, pulling her to something. She moved with the feeling, letting it lead her to what was waiting. As she turned the corner she felt a painful jolt shutter through her body as the pull stopped and her magic settled back into her core.

Willow gasped as Isabelle touched her shoulder. "That is what it will feel like when you find yourself drawn to him. He is hurt and calling for you. He must be close." Isabelle knew that Jonathan and Spike were fighting for control over the body, but from what she understood it was a battle that Spike was use to considering he had a demon that he battled everyday. If Willow was feeling the pull of the bond between her and Spike that meant Spike was overpowering Jonathan because Spike was stronger. When Isabelle was close enough to Spike�s body she felt Jonathan use the magic bond between him and Isabelle to give him the strength to gain control.

"Isabelle?" a horse voice called from the shadows.

"Jonathan? Is that you?" Isabelle questioned. If Willow felt the pull then why was Jonathan calling for her? Spike should be calling for Willow. Isabelle moved into the shadows.

As soon as she got close enough Jonathan reached for her hand. "Isabelle I thought I had lost you."

"It is okay, Jonathan. I am here." Isabelle could tell as she knelt next to him that Jonathan was already weakening. He was not very strong and was struggling to control the magical storm that was brewing within him.

"I was afraid that I wouldn�t get the chance to say good-bye." Jonathan whispered. "I really messed things up for us again, didn�t I?"

"No, Jonathan. None of this is your fault. But I have a good idea who is," Isabelle said as she tried to comfort Jonathan. "And we are not saying good-bye to each other, just to the power of The Pair."

"It was Amelia," he whispered.

"I know," Isabelle said as she pulled Jonathan into her arms.

Willow stepped up from behind. "Spike?" She didn�t like the way Isabelle was holding her Spike. Willow felt the jealously well up inside of her. It was something that she was not use to feeling, and for a new feeling it was very overwhelming.

Jonathan looked from Isabelle to Willow with a look of confusion, almost as if he didn�t know who she was.

"Spike? I have been looking for you." Willow�s voice was coated with her concern and uncertainty. He had to know her. She couldn�t have found him after all this time only to have him not be Spike.

As soon as Jonathan�s eyes focused on the girl before him he felt something inside the body he shared with the host go wild. Spike�s body stiffened as the battle raged within. This girl was the reason the host kept fighting with him for control. The host was desperately trying to return to this girl. Jonathan spoke the one word that kept repeating in his mind.

"Red."

Willow felt tears come to her eyes at that one word. She nodded. It was a start; Spike was still in there. She didn�t know how but she was going to get him back.

"Jonathan. I know you are weak. We need to get you some place safe. Can you help me do that?" Isabelle asked once Spike�s body had relaxed again, ignoring the exchange between Willow and Spike.

Jonathan looked at Isabelle and nodded. She helped him stand. "Willow, can you get Xander? We need to get Jonathan back to the house."

"His name is Spike." Willow�s voice shook as her tears rolled freely down her face..

Xander stepped up behind Willow, placing his hands on her shoulders. He could feel her body shaking with unreleased sobs. It tore him apart to see Willow�s spirit breaking as she watched Spike�s body clinging to Isabelle for support. Even if there was somebody else in there with Spike, Xander knew it still hurt Willow to see him touch another woman. "Come on Wills. Let�s get him back to the house before we try sorting this out."

Willow could only nod and follow as Xander helped Isabelle move Spike back to the house.

�If I go crazy than will you still call me Superman?
If I am alive and well, will you be there to holding my hand?
I�ll keep you by my side with my superhuman might
Kryptonite. . .�

***********************************************

Back at the house, Giles stood outside of Faith�s bedroom door waiting for the others to return. While he was cleaning her wounds he had noticed that the skin that had been burned was turning almost a bluish hue around the edges. He had seen a lot in his time and he knew one thing for sure Faith had some kind of magical poisoning, no doubt from the burns she had received.

Giles heard the front door open and Dawn call Spike�s name. He turned and headed down the stairs. The others must have returned with Spike. When he turned the corner at the bottom of the step, the reality of the situation hit home. Half of Spike�s face was blistered as well as most of his chest. Giles noticed that Spike�s arms and hands were burned as well; the same type of burns as Faith had on her stomach.

And as far as he could tell the rest of Spike�s body had suffered the same fate. The smell of burning skin stung his nose as he walked further into the front room. Giles could tell that the vampire had not fed for days. His ribs were showing, and what un-blistered portion of his face that showed was gaunt and sunken. They brought Spike in and sat him on the couch.

"Jonathan, I need you to do something for me," Isabelle said as she rested on her knees next to the couch.

Jonathan turned his head to look at her and nodded.

"Remember how I told you that it was necessary to lock us inside of the Dansing Sphere forever?" Isabelle paused and waited for Jonathan to nod. "I was wrong about the forever part. Would you like to rest? No more fighting to keep your magic under control."

Jonathan tried to sit up. He stopped once he could look Isabelle in the eyes. "Tell me what I have to do."

Isabelle now understood that Jonathan had only been human. Maybe he wasn�t strong enough to hold the magic in check in the real world. It was time he rested. Isabelle knew that she was also incapable of holding her magic much longer. She could have done it with a stronger partner, but that was a moot point now because Isabelle could never imagine her journey without Jonathan. Being locked in the sphere had taught her one thing: love the one you�re with. That was what she had done and now it was time for them to relinquish the magic and move on.

"Jonathan, this body you are in, it�s not human. It is the body of a demon and it needs certain things to keep it strong." Dawn came into the front room and set down two cups of warm blood on the coffee table. Isabelle turned to pick one up and handed it to Jonathan. "You need to drink this . . ."

Before Isabelle could finish her statement Spike�s face had shifted and he had downed the first glass and grabbed the second. Once he finished the second glass, wide yellow eyes settled on Willow�s tired frame.

Willow looked up to find the eyes of Spike�s demon boring into hers. Willow watched in stunned silence as Spike moved toward her. Once he was close enough he reached out and grabbed her; pinning her back against his front, one arm wrapped possessively around her waist. The other gently cupped her face and tilted her head back, burying his face in her hair, inhaling her scent.

The demon slammed forward when it smelled the warm fresh blood. But when the demon had felt the invader giving up he had been giddy at the prospect of once again being in control. He was the rightful owner of this body. He had felt like he had been smothered almost into nonexistence with the invader trying so hard to maintain control over the body. But now he was back and desperate with need. That was when the most delicious scent filled his senses. He turned to the redhead sitting just a small distance from him, the scent he detected was her. The scent was intoxicating, like a drug. Once it had invaded his system he was no longer aware of what he was doing. He just knew that the need for her that was rising like a tidal wave inside him and needed to be satisfied. His motions were a blur until she was resting in his arms.

"Mine." His voice was soft but firm. "Mine."

"Yours." Willow was surprised to hear her voice agreeing with Spike�s demon. Because that is what this was; Spike�s demon was recognizing her.

He turned her head exposing her neck even more. Willow could feel a low growl rumbling through his chest as he examined her neck. She felt his grip on her hair tighten as the growl broke past his lips echoing into the room.

Giles knew that the demon was acting on a very basic level. He also knew when he heard Willow hiss that Spike�s demon was about to assert his claim on the redhead. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Xander start to move forward concern for his friend evident on his face.

"Xander, wait." Giles placed a hand on the boys arm.

"But he is gonna hurt Willow," Xander said

"No, I don�t think so. I think he claiming what he feels is his." Giles stated.

Spike leaned into Willow�s neck. He could smell his scent all over the girl. He could tell that they had not been intimate, but his scent was present in her every pore. He was sure she belonged to him, so why was there no mark on her? Bits and pieces of memories were swimming around in his head, but nothing made sense. He would sort those things out later; he had always been a demon that acted first then dealt with the consequences later.

Willow knew she should be afraid. This was her Spike, yet he was so raw and venerable right now. When his nose touched her neck she felt her knees weaken. She knew what was about to happen and it thrilled her. She hadn�t been sure whether or not Spike would want her, and now his demon was about to claim her as his.

When Spike grazed his lips across her neck, he could smell her willingness dripping from her core. His body instantly responded to hers. Without another thought he sunk his fangs into her neck, freeing her life�s blood for him to savor. As soon as the exquisite blood touched his lips, the flashes started. Every time in his un-life they had crossed paths: the night in factory basement; the night Spike had wanted to die; the night Buffy had died; the next night and all the others. All the nights that he had laid awake with her in his arms. Willow had belonged to him for some time and neither had known it. But now he knew and he would never let her go.

Spike removed his fangs and purred contentedly as he laved her wounds with his tongue, his arms moving to surround her. Xander stepped forward to make sure Willow was okay and Spike growled.

"It is alright, Xan. I am fine." Willow breathlessly responded.

Spike pulled Willow closer to him. "Mine."

Willow moved her head so she could look Spike in the eyes. "Always."

Spike could see the truth in her words. He let her go as his human mask slid into place. She turned and helped him back to the couch. "You need to rest."

Isabelle spoke up first. "I need to speak with Jonathan before you rest."

Spike looked up at Isabelle. "Speak witch, he is listening."

Isabelle walked over to the couch and sat on the edge facing Spike.

"You have to release the magic within. Give it over to your host. He was meant to wield it. He was meant to be your half of the pair." Isabelle stroked Jonathan�s cheek.

"Is she yours?" Jonathan pointed to Willow. Willow noticed that when he spoke he didn�t tilt his head the way Spike did. He didn�t move with Spike�s grace. She released the breath that had stuck in her throat when Isabelle said Jonathan�s name. It was Spike�s body, but that was definitely not Spike talking.

Isabelle motioned for Willow. Once Willow was next to Isabelle, the older woman spoke. "Jonathan, this is my great-grand daughter, Willow."

Jonathan didn�t speak, just closed his eyes. Isabelle knew that he was preparing to release his magic over to the host. She turned away from Jonathan and back to the remaining gang.

"Let�s go into the dinning room and talk," Isabelle said

The group moved their meeting into the dinning room. Once everyone had settled, Giles spoke. "Isabelle, I think Faith may have gotten some sort of magic poisoning from the burns she suffered."

Isabelle�s face registered no shock. "I was afraid of that. Jonathan was a human man when he underwent The Pair bonding ritual. Then he was ripped from the Dansing Sphere and placed into Spike�s body, which is not altogether human. To make the situation worse for Jonathan, Spike was the one destined to hold the powers. Jonathan is feeling his powers being pulled from him and his spirit is being weakened by the battle over the magic. So he can�t control the effects of the magic. Poisoning Faith could be one of the side effects. We can go up shortly and check on her." Isabelle turned to Willow. "Once Jonathan completes the spell to release his magic he will be Spike again. He will need to stay close to you. Only you can help him heal."

****************************************

Isabelle followed Giles up the stairs and into Faith�s room. Isabelle could feel her body growing tried. She knew her time was nearing an end. Something about it just felt right, knowing that Willow and Spike would be taking her and Jonathan�s place as The Pair. Isabelle had known the first time she laid eyes on her grand-niece that she was indeed stronger and smarter than she herself had ever been. Between Willow and Spike maybe they could do some good with the power of The Pair instead of just locking it away like Isabelle had been forced to do. No, Willow was not the coward that Isabelle had been. Willow would stand strong and face the night, just like she had been doing along.

"Isabelle?" Giles shook her shoulder snapping her from her thoughts.

"Oh, yes." Isabelle walked over to the bed and sat down. Isabelle lifted Faith�s shirt and peeled back the bandage. She knew the moment she saw the blue spider web pattern spanning across Faith�s stomach what she had to do. She removed the rest of the bandage and placed her hands in the blistered hand prints on Faith stomach.

"You were right. She is being poisoned. I will remove what is hurting her, but I can�t give back what it took," Isabelle said.

Before Giles could respond Isabelle�s eyes began to glow and a thousand tiny flames danced along her arms and into Faith�s wound. Giles could see the wounds began to heal.

When Isabelle spoke again her voice was weak. "It took her strength. I did all I could to heal her, but as I said before I can�t put back what was taken. She is lucky that her strength was all it took. If she had not been the slayer she would have been dead before she made it back to the house. If I were you, " Isabelle stood and moved to the door, "when she wakes I would be here for her, tell her your heart�s one true desire. She wants the same things from you."

"How do you know?" Giles�s voice held his surprise

Isabelle smiled as she opened the door. "I read her emotions as I healed her. You however, have it written all over your face. Take this chance as if it were the last one you shall ever have."

Isabelle walked out of the room and closed Giles in with his thoughts and the object of said thoughts.

****************************************

The house had finally settled down after all the excitement. Xander and Anya had gone home after everyone had gotten something to eat. Anya had claimed a headache from all the excitement, and had told Xander to take her home. Dawn had gone up to bed just shortly after they had left. Everyone had gone their separate ways to recharge after the evenings draining experience.

Faith lay awake in bed thinking about all the things that had happened since Willow had showed up in L.A. Faith had known on the drive down that she would not be the same when this was over. But she had thought that it would mean the end of her life. This was not at all what she was expecting to happen. She had a lot to think about keeping her awake.

Faith knew that she wasn�t going back to sleep. She threw her covers back and silently crept down the stairs to the kitchen. Faith looked around in the cupboards until she found some tea. As she waited for the water to heat she noticed the basement door was open and she could see the soft light in Giles�s room illuminating the stair well. She slipped from her chair and moved closer to the door. She could hear the soft hum of a man�s voice. She slipped down a couple of stairs and peeked her head over the banister and into doorway of his room.

He was alone, sitting on his bed with the cordless phone in his hand. Who ever he was talking to, he was upset. But before she had a chance to listen in on the conversation, he hung up the phone.

As Faith leaned forward for a better look the tea kettle up stairs in the kitchen sounded its finish, causing Faith to jump back. Her heart was pounding so hard she almost missed it when Giles spoke.

"If you�re making tea, I would like some too."

"Umm . . . yeah, be right back." Faith was so embarrassed that she had gotten caught peeking in on him that when he suggested she share the tea Faith jumped to get it. Anything to avoid the fact that she had been caught playing the peeping tom.

Giles had heard her come down the stairs and into the kitchen. He had thought that it might be one of the other girls, but when he heard the creek of the basement stairs he knew it was Faith. Then the tea kettle had whistled and he had looked up to find Faith leaning over the rail of the stairs. Her hair hung loosely around her shoulders, her eyes wide with embarrassment.

He knew it was a mistake, but he just had to give her a reason to come all the way down the stairs. Temptation, even for a man of his age and culture, was hard to resist. �Maybe it is time I stopped running from something that has always been there,� he thought.

***************************************************

As Faith slipped down the basement stairs she didn�t notice Dawn standing in the shadows of the hallway. Dawn watched as Faith made tea for her and Giles. When Dawn had heard Faith sneaking down to the kitchen she thought that maybe Faith would want to talk. But now, as she watched Faith trying to hide her smile as she left the kitchen, Dawn realized that Faith had found all the help she would need with Giles and maybe some happiness as well. Dawn yawned and returned to her room upstairs.

***************************************************

Faith walked down into his room with two hot cups of tea balanced gingerly in her hands. Before she could enter the room Giles stood.

"Here, let me help you with those." He reached for the cups and set them on the table. He then turned back around. "Please, come in."

Faith walked into the room and shut the door behind her. She walked over and sat next to Giles on the bed. He sat the phone next to the tea cups and picked up the book on the bed.

"What were you reading?" Faith asked with childlike interest.

"Just something I have been researching," Giles said as he rested his back against the headboard.

Faith thought that it might be a bad move, but this was only a passing thought as she slid up the bed, resting her back against the headboard and reached for the book. Taking it from Giles�s hand she looked at the cover of the book, then back at Giles.

"Why are you reading about magical poisons?" Faith asked

Giles� voice was soft as if he was afraid he might frighten her away. "I wanted to see if there was a way to reverse what happened to you. The only thing I can tell for sure is that the poison has taken your strength. You are still the slayer . . ." He couldn�t finish was he was thinking; how this left Faith vulnerable and Giles was worried that he would loose her before he even had her.

"Good." Faith handed the book back to him. She acted as though it didn�t matter to her one way or another.

"You don�t always have to be so strong about everything, Faith. I would like to be here for you." Giles stated it quietly, but his voice was filled with conviction.

"Really?" Her voice held her surprise.

Giles turned to look at her. As he looked into her eyes he realized that no one had ever taken the time to show her how special she was. No wonder she had such a hard time being the slayer at first. She was given all this power and she had barely had a grasp on who she was as a person. That�s when he decided she was worth a chance. If he didn�t take the chance now, he may never have another opportunity.

"Faith, I would like to be here for you. And when you are ready, I would like to be more," he stated with conviction.

Faith looked away from his eyes. "I come with a lot of baggage. I am not just some young girl for you to play around with; I am more than just a slayer."

"I know. Faith, when you were in prison, didn�t you wonder where all the books came from? I mean the ones about demons and vampires. Did you really think that the prison library had those in stock for you? I had arrangements made for those books and a few other provisions as well. I never walked away. Sometimes I was just in the shadows." He reached out and took her hands in his.

Faith had always wondered who had done the little extras for her. If she was honest with herself she knew that what he was saying was true. Sometimes she would get the feeling like she was being watched as she made her way through her day. She would never have guessed that it had been Giles watching out for her.

"Can I sleep down here?" Faith asked. "I haven�t been able to sleep. All I can think about is how this not over yet and here I am only half of what I need to be," she finished in a whisper.

"Please. I need to finish a little more reading, but please stay." Giles opened the book and began to read. He had only finished a paragraph when Faith slid closer and lifted his arm and tucked it around her shoulders, resting her head on his shoulder as he continued to read.

Giles was having a hard time concentrating on the words of the book. Faith was sleeping next to him with her soft breath tickling his neck. Her breasts were pushed up against his side and he could feel her taunt nipples pressing through the thin material of her night shirt.

He glanced down on Faith�s sleeping face. She had never been more beautiful to him than she was now. All the hard lines in her face were gone and she seemed at peace in her dreams. He laid the book down and just watched her sleep for a moment before deciding that he need to get some rest as well. He turned the light off and moved down on the bed, careful not to wake Faith. As soon as he was settled and had pulled the blankets over their forms Faith moved closer to him, wrapping her arm tighter around his waist. Giles felt his body responding to her nearness and knew he had a long night ahead of him.

*************************************

Willow watched Spike as he rested. As she touched the mark on her neck, she wondered if she would find some sign that when he woke he would be her Spike and not just the demon. She wanted Spike whole, but if she had to she would take just the demon.

Willow felt her eyes becoming heavy as she thought about everything that had come to pass. All those early mornings that she had lain in their bed watching Spike sleep, thinking how lucky she had been to know all the wonderful sides of Spike. He was more then a demon and so much more than a man. When he woke up she wasn�t leaving anything to chance. She would tell him how she feels.

As Willow drifted off to sleep Spike�s eyes snapped open. A red mist poured from his eyes, nose and mouth, pooling to form the body of a young man. The figure floated for a moment before leaving in search of Isabelle. He wandered up the stairs and into Faith�s room.

"Isabelle," Jonathan spoke softly

Isabelle sat up in the bed and smiled when she saw the red mist form of Jonathan floating at the end of the bed.

"You�re free. Then everything went well. You are free to move on." Isabelle knew she should feel better about all of this, but she couldn�t push away the sadness in her heart.

Jonathan reached out and tried to offer her comfort, yet he could not. His hand never touched her skin just passed right through her face.

Isabelle looked up at him with unleashed tears in her eyes.

"My dear sweet Isabelle, I may be free of the body, but I can�t move on without you. I will be here right at your side until you are ready to move on with me." Jonathan told his other half.

Isabelle nodded and whispered, "Soon."

*********************************************

When Amelia found that Jonathan was missing she searched the school. When she didn�t find him there, she went back to the room he had stayed in looking for a clue. As she looked around the room she caught a strange scent on the door frame. Amelia smiled. Things were looking up. Something about it was familiar. Then it hit her. There had been a slayer there. Amelia smiled. Now all she had to do was find out where the slayer lived.

**********************************************

Faith awoke to the firmness of a man�s body pressed against her. A hand was gently stroking her leg. Her eyes fluttered open as she felt a firm erection grinding against her leg, and the hand had moving up to tenderly squeeze her butt cheek.

She smiled when she opened her eyes and saw Giles�s light brown hair. His head was buried in her neck, his lips taking tender nips. She loved this dream. It was her favorite. He was so sweet and gentle as they made love. She moved into his caresses as she turned his head to capture his lips in a smoldering kiss.

Giles knew he must have died in his sleep. How else could you explain the voluptuous woman that he held in his arms. She was as sweet as a hundred childhood dreams, touching and teasing him in a way he hadn�t experienced since he was a young man. He leaned into the pleasure the body next to him was offering. It had been too long.

His fingers slipped under the edge of her shirt lifting it over her head to reveal her breasts. His hands expertly cupped them, bringing her nipples to hard nubs with just his finger tips.

Faith moaned into his mouth as she ground harder against his erection. She slid her hands under his tee-shirt, running her finger across the muscled plane of his chest. He helped her remove his shirt breaking the kiss for only a moment.

Her fingers brushed through the fine hair of his chest, touching and teasing as they went. She broke away from his lips, following the path her fingers had made down to the waist band of his pajama pants.

His fingers curled into her chestnut locks. "Faith . . . please." His voice was a husky whisper. "Stop."

Faith dipped her tongue in his belly button before looking up at him.

"Are you sure this is what you want to happen between us? This isn�t a dream." His voice was low.

"Yes, it is always what I have wanted." Her voice was thick with her desire but, the clarity of her words snapped his will power.

"Me too," Giles said as he pulled Faith up his body. Kissing her breathless, he helped her shimmy out of her shorts. As soon as they were gone his fingers began to explore the triangle of curls at the vee of her thighs.

Faith tugged on the waistband of his pants trying to remove the hindrance. She soon found herself frustrated with the turn of events. He was free to touch her body as he pleased. Faith lost her train of thought as Giles fingers slipped into her weeping core.

Giles could feel Faith tugging at the waistband of his pajama bottoms. He broke the kiss and let go of her. Faith sat up on the bed as he pulled away.

"What?" Her mind was a fog as she watched him undo his bottoms.

Once he was naked he looked up at Faith to see her crawling across the bed toward him licking her lips. Even if he had wanted to he couldn�t form a coherent thought once she wrapped her lips around his throbbing cock. Threading his fingers in her hair and he pulled her head back.

"Now, none of that or this will be over before it starts," he stated firmly

Faith backed up and lay down on the bed, spreading her legs wide. She looked up at Giles, her eyes dark with desire. "Come show me what this is then," her voice soft and sultry.

Giles needed no more encouragement then that. He rested himself between her legs, placing his engorged cock at her entrance. He reached up and held her face in his hands, losing himself in her eyes as he sank his member home.

They both moaned their satisfaction as he sunk home for the first time. Releasing her face he lifted himself up on his forearms and began a rhythm. They greedily explored each other bodies; bringing each other pleasure until Giles felt Faith�s walls fluttering around him as she sunk her nails into his back. He didn�t realize it was a distraction until he landed softly on his back. He looked up at Faith. She smiled as she ran her fingers down his chest.

"I need more than soft love," she said as she ran her fingers down the same path on his chest, this time raising welts where her nails dug into the skin.

Giles surged up as Faith broke the skin on his chest. He knew that Faith would accept him as Giles and Ripper; something he had never found before. Jenny had not been able to accept what he had been in the past. Faith would. Giles smiled a pure Ripper smile as he flipped him and Faith over.

"Okay little girl." Giles whispered before he plunged his cock into her weeping core. His touch was no longer gentle. They both needed to find their release. His motions became more aggressive. Now that he knew what she needed, he could certainly give it to her.

Faith could feel the change in Giles. He wasn�t holding back. He wasn�t touching her like she was made of glass. His fingers were more demanding in their pleasurable journey over her body. She knew she was close, so close.

He watched as her head rolled back and her mouth formed a soundless moan. He felt her orgasm as it triggered his and he sunk home one last time before he spilled his seed.

Once they had caught their breath, Giles moved himself to her side and pulled her against him. "I will find a cure for what has happened to you," he whispered in her ear.

Faith could only nod as her eyes filled with tears. He really cared for her. She had finally found what she had been searching for this all time.

�I watched the world float to the dark side of the moon
After all I knew it had to be something to do with you
I really don�t mind what happens now and then
As long as you�ll be my friend at the end . . .�

*******************************************

As Spike�s eyes fluttered open they came to rest on the sleeping form of Willow. He couldn�t remember what had happened, but knew he was responsible. She looked like she hadn�t slept in days. Her face, even in sleep carried a sadness that made his stomach turn. He thought of all the mornings he had woken to the feel of her body pressed against his and known that they were stolen moments.

Willow was something he couldn�t explain. He had felt drawn to her from the first moment he had seen her. When something happened in his un-life that he couldn�t deal with he would find himself with Willow. It never failed; when he was down and out he always found himself with Willow: when Dru had left him, even when he found out about his chip he had found her. It never failed.