Title: Buffy & Spike, Lost in Cyber-Space 
 
Author: Anne Rose
 
Email: anne3rose@yahoo.com
 
URL: http://annerose.cjb.net
http://www.fanfiction.net/profile.php?userid=47579
 
Rating: R (but nothing you haven't seen on the show, at 8pm.)
 
Disclaimer:  Joss and Mutant Enemy, etc. own BtVS.  No infringement
intended.  Any resemblance to people living, dead, or undead, or to
real life events is all in your mind, is downright scary, and means you
seriously need to get a life.
 
Spoilers: Season 6, but story is set after 'Once More With Feeling'
where Buffy lives, and a little later in Fic-land.
 
Summary: S/B, Willow has been using her computer to do a little
inter-dimensional hacking.  Spike finds it and wacky Internet hi-jinks
ensue.  It gets a bit more serious as it goes along.  Answer to
Challenge from Stephanie Honey.  
 
Archive: I would be honored if you want to archive it.  Please let me
know where so I can visit it. 
 
Author's Note: time passes differently in different dimensions.  So it
can be almost end of Season 6 in one place and Season 5 in another.  Oh
wait, that's syndication.  ;-)  And don't get on my case about screen
names.  I'm just keeping them simple.  Thanks to the Buffy Dialog
Database (http://vrya.cstone.net/index.htm) and the Buffy Guide
(http://www.buffyguide.com/episodes.shtml) for help with research and
parts of episodes.  Thanks to Clare009, Dakota, and Hubby for beta
reading.  (c) April 25, 2002
 
---------------------
[Spoiled_Spuffy] fanfiction group challenge from Stephanie Honey
Hey fic writes!  I got a challenge for ya'll!  Here it is:
Requirement 1.  Humorous Fic!!!   
Requirement 2.  Buffy and Spike find a fanfic group.  And can't believe
some of the stuff fans write about them!!!
Requirement 3.   PG-13 or higher 
Requirement 4.  e-mail it to me at honeymajandra@hotmail.com
Option 1.  Try to mention these members:  Honeymajandra (me- Stephanie
Honey), Sophie_limbourg (Sophie), Sarafina120 (Melissa), Lochnoir
(Jerri)
---------------------
 
 
Buffy & Spike, Lost in Cyber-Space 
By Anne Rose
 
 
 
Part 11
~*~*~
 
It had been a peaceful couple of weeks after the nerds had been
arrested.  There were the usual vampires and assorted mix of other
demons to slay.  There was that demon at the Double Meat Palace, but
Spike and Buffy had dispatched her with very little trouble.  The
monster relied on her paralyzing venom, and with victims who were wise
to it, she quickly found herself on the wrong end of Buffy's axe.
 
Between Buffy, Spike, Tara, Willow, and Giles, they were managing to
keep the bills paid while Buffy attended to the slaying.  She was still
looking for a part time, day job, but she hadn't found anything yet. 
Spike seemed unconcerned.  When pressed, he said he had a plan, and she
shouldn't worry.  She found that to be a source of comfort and concern.
 
Buffy could hardly believe it when Spike told her that her 'career' in
a number of the prophecies involved assembling Double Meat Medleys.  At
least she hadn't been wearing one of those awful orange hats when Riley
hit town and asked for her help.  She couldn't imagine anything more
embarrassing.
 
~*~*~
 
The door to the crypt flew open with a bang.  Spike lifted his head
slightly and saw Riley standing holding his weapon out in front of him,
aiming right at Spike's chest.  "You should be careful where you point
that, mate."  Spike said calmly, trying to ease Buffy off his chest and
putting himself between her and Riley.
 
"Stop wiggling," Buffy murmured, trying to pull him back down, and
burrow her face back into his chest.  In doing so, she pulled the
blanket away, uncovering her face.
 
"Buffy?"  Riley exclaimed.
 
Buffy groaned, still not fully awake.  Spike reached over and ruffled
her hair.  "Company's here, Luv.  Rise and shine."
 
"I killed the last one," she muttered, "your turn."
 
"Pet, it's Soldier-boy, come to pay his respects," Spike said, jostling
her again.
 
"Oh god," she grimaced.  "I need to get dressed.  At least I was
invisible when Xander broke in."
 
"Sorry to have to say it, but your friends have no manners," he
chuckled.
 
"Oh right, unlike your polite demon friends," she muttered while
fishing around for her clothes.
 
"Clem's very polite."  
 
"Hello," Riley interrupted.  "This is all very nice, but that's not why
I'm here ... Doctor."
 
"Who?"  Spike asked.
 
"Where are they ... Doctor?"  Riley repeated. 
 
"Where are what, and why do you keep calling me that?"  Spike retorted.
 
Buffy looked at Spike, "Why don't you boys get reacquainted," looking
back and forth at them, seeing they weren't moving, "Hello!  Turn
around so I can get dressed, Riley."
 
"Yup, what would the missus think?"  Spike quipped.
 
Riley rolled his eyes, "Fine, but first, you come over here where I can
keep an eye on you."  He said, motioning to Spike.
 
Spike clutched the blanket to his chest in mock horror, "Buffy, help
me, he wants to see me naked," he squeaked.
 
Riley sighed, reached over grabbed Spike's jeans off of the chair, and
threw them at him.  Spike caught them with one hand.  "Thanks mate," he
said, slipping them on and sliding off the crypt.  He collected his
shirts as he walked over to Riley.  "Now, now, eyes this way.  Not
yours anymore."  He said, jerking his head away from Buffy.
 
Riley ignored the taunt and smiled at Spike through gritted teeth. 
"Glad to be back in Sunnydale.  The locals all speak English, and I
know who to beat for information.  It's all brought me here.  Where are
the eggs, Doctor?"
 
"Eggs?"  Buffy asked, popping around Riley and standing by Spike.  "You
made breakfast?"  She chirped to Spike.  He grinned back at her.
 
"Demon eggs, from the Suvolte," said Riley, exasperation replacing his
shock over seeing Buffy and Spike in bed together.  "I know they're
here, and I'm taking this place apart until I find that nest."  Riley
walked to the ladder and started climbing down.
 
"Mind the furniture," Spike called after him.  "I have everything just
so."  
 
Buffy rolled her eyes at him.  They both followed Riley down into the
basement.
 
"You screwed up.  You didn't keep 'em frozen, did you ... Spike?" 
Riley yelled.
 
Buffy stared at the eggs, for a moment with her mouth open.  She turned
and punched Spike in the arm.  
 
"I told you, you were forgetting something," Buffy said, walking over
and tapping one of the eggs.
 
Spike looked over at her and smirked.  He loved it when she was being
playful.  "Not my fault, Luv.  Rupert said we only had to freeze the
live ones."
 
"Hunh?"  Riley grunted, confused.
 
Spike was chuckling now.  "Yeh, the witches did a little spell, sort of
hard boiled this lot.  But, not to worry, we saved two just for you
commando types.  They're in the freezer back at the Magic Box."  He
slid over to Buffy and put his arm around her.
 
"Buffy!"  Riley was glaring at her now.  "When were you going to tell
me about this?"
 
She straightened up and met his glare with her own.  "When were you
going to tell me about Sam?"  She cocked her head, "Can you say,
awkward moment?"
 
Riley sighed, and relaxed his posture, dropping his eyes.  "All right,
fair enough.  I guess I could have handled that a lot better."  He
looked back up at her.  "I'm sorry.  I just didn't know what to say,
'Hi Buffy!  My wife, who you haven't met, and I, need you to help us
hunt a demon.'"
 
She walked forward and slapped him lightly on the arm, "Would that have
been so difficult?"
 
"Yes, actually," Riley answered, shuffling his feet as he shouldered
his weapon.  Spike chuckled, causing Riley to step around Buffy and
advance on him suddenly, jabbing a finger into Spike's chest.  "And
you, if you ever hurt her..."
 
Spike batted Riley's hand away, interrupting him.  "Give it a rest, I
know this part.  And you'll have to take your turn behind Giles,
Xander, the witch, and dear old Grandsire."
 
"Hunh, who?"  Riley asked, shaking his head.
 
"Tall, brooding, too much hair gel and totally smitten with ..."
 
"Angel?  He doesn't know about... this... you?"  Riley interrupted,
amazed.
 
"Nope, was saving that one for a rainy day."  Spike's mouth quirked up
in a grin as his eyes danced.
 
Riley chuckled in spite of himself, "Ya, I'd pay to see that."
 
Spike looked thoughtful for a moment, "Suppose I could put the money
toward Niblet's college fund.  While we're at it, I could also sell you
a slot higher up on the list of people who get to stake me."
 
"What?"  Riley was jarred out of visions of Angel's reaction by Spike's
babbling.
 
"Oof!"  Spike exhaled as Buffy jabbed him in the ribs.
 
"This is such fun, but we need to get going.  Now!"  She ordered,
shooing Riley toward the ladder.  
 
He climbed up and waited for Buffy.  "Are you coming?"
 
"I'm taking the tunnels back to the shop with Spike.  Meet you there,"
she answered.  He nodded back.
 
"Hello!  Who's going to clean up this mess.  Those eggs stink!"  Spike
called after him.
 
Buffy grabbed him and kissed him before he could say anything else. 
"You're really enjoying this, aren't you."
 
"I always enjoy this," he said starting to pull on the hem of her
shirt.
 
"I meant taunting Riley."  She slapped at his hands, and started
walking down the tunnel.
 
"Oh ya!  It almost makes up for that novelty stake gag."  He said,
jogging to catch up with her.  "And I noticed you didn't exactly jump
to his defense."  He grinned, catching her arm and slowing to walk with
her.
 
"I was too stunned by the sight of all that male bonding over your
dislike of Angel."
 
"Naw, you've got us all wrong, Luv."  He saw her look up at him,
raising an eyebrow.  "We hate that bloody wanker," he finished with a
smirk.
 
Buffy chuckled, and pulled him closer as they walked.  "But there will
be no telling of Angel."  She said sternly.  "I will tell him."  He
looked at her.  "When the time is right... and I'm ready... and I can't
possibly avoid it any longer...," she trailed off.
 
"Now see, this is the problem, Pet.  You don't want to tell him, and I
do, could save you a big headache."  His laughter trailed off.  "Or is
there something else?"  He asked quietly.
 
Buffy stepped in front of Spike, abruptly halting him.  All the
laughter gone from her face, replaced with grim determination and a
touch of something else... fear possibly.  "I will tell him.  And yes
there's something else - You - dusted.  I won't go through that again."
She searched his eyes.  "Promise me I won't have to go through that
again."  Her lip quivered as she stared up at him.
 
He stroked her face gently, "Shhhhh," he murmured as he pulled her into
his chest.  "What's all this then?"  He was trying to figure out what
she was talking about.  "Did you have another of your Slayer dreams? 
Was I... did I get staked or something?"
 
"No," she moaned.  He pulled her chin up to look at her face.  She
tried to pull away for a second and then gave up.  "Like Angel."  He
pressed his lips together in a tight grimace, as she said that, not
sure at all where she was headed with this, and fearing the worst.  She
saw it and shook her head.  "No, you don't understand.  I can't watch
you die... and... I can't kill the man I love again."  She slapped at
his chest, "Don't ever do anything that makes me have to kill you."  
 
Relief and joy flooded over his face.  Spike stood motionless,
absorbing what she had said.  He was brought back to earth when she
tightened her grip on him.  He said, leaning in to kiss her softly. 
"Not sure I heard you properly, can you say that again?"  
 
"If you didn't hear me, I'm not saying it again," she wrinkled her nose
at him.
 
"I love you too."  He said with a sigh.  "I promise, you'll never go
through that again," he said as he began kissing along her jaw line and
down her neck.
 
...And they were very late getting back to the Magic Box.
 
TBC