FF: Rewrite Season 6, part 6 - Rated R

["carrkjar" <carrkjar@xxxxxxxxx>]

Rescinded
Season 6 Reset, part 6

Author: Frau Hunter Ash 

Copyright © 2002 by Hunter Ash. All Rights Reserved.
Email: carrkjar@xxxxxxxxx Feedback welcome!!
Homepage Addy: http://www.hunterash.com/ 

Acknowledgments: Note: Plot collaborated on by Hunter Ash and Dark 
Gremlin 
Suggestions from many people and many boards. A special "thank you" 
to them. 
Another special "Thank You" to Joan the English Chick 
(pisces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx) for her transcripts.  

Bargaining, Parts 1 and 2 written by Marti Noxon and David Fury
Afterlife written by Jane Espenson

Disclaimers: The characters and show all belong to Joss Whedon, Fox, 
Mutant Enemy, Kuzui, and God only knows who else. No harm intended.

F/F romance: the story assumes a loving and sexual relationship 
between people of the same gender and opposite gender. If this 
offends or is illegal for you, then please leave. Come back when you 
are older, have an open mind, moved, or changed your laws. 

Spoilers: In my universe here, Season 6 is happening again! Starting 
with Bargaining and taking off from there. Things will be different 
here.  

Rating: Pairings: W/T, X/An, B/S

Summary: Buffy is back but unfocused mentally and ends up looking 
for feelings with Spike. Giles and Willow are at odds over her use 
of magic but someone from the past has some answers.

* * *

Xander found Anya closing up the Magic Box early, after he got off 
work at 5pm and wasn't surprised that his fiancé was upset. Giles 
had called that morning and told Anya to work the store for the day, 
close up early and drag Xander over to the Summers' home at 6 p.m.

The construction worker found Anya bitching about working the store 
by herself all day with no further phone call from Giles and no help 
from Willow or Tara either. Xander wasn't surprised that Willow 
apparently hadn't made it to the Magic Box for the day, she had been 
pretty exhausted the night before.

He patiently waited as Anya locked up and did her daily receipts and 
bookwork. No matter how often he told her it could wait until the 
next morning, Anya insisted on doing it that evening. If she waited, 
she made him crazy the entire night wondering about the money. It 
was one thing he was beginning to accept about Anya, she worshipped 
money now that she was no longer concerned with vengeance.

Xander had long ago learned to tune most of Anya's complaints out 
whenever she started in about working the Magic Box. There was also 
something to complain about, especially since Giles had made the 
decision to leave Sunnydale, it wasn't fast enough for Anya. Now 
Xander wondered if Giles still intended to leave since Buffy was back 
now. 

"Huh?" he asked as Anya repeated his name, her voice sharp. "Sorry, 
babe, I was wondering how you managed to look so beautiful after a 
day of work."

Anya's eyes widened and she smiled a shy smile as Xander grinned, 
pulling her into his arms.  

"What did you say?" he asked.

"I asked if you were ready to go?" Anya repeated.

"Yeah, did Giles say why he wanted us around?" Xander asked. "Other 
than Buffy's been back only two days?"

"No, just that we were to meet over there tonight," Anya grumbled.

"Well, let's see what else has happened," Xander smiled.

* * *

Tara smiled when she opened the door to the bedroom, seeing Willow 
curled up in Buffy's arms, her head resting on Buffy's shoulder. The 
blonde witch hoped that this was a good sign that things might be 
better between her lover and the Slayer. Maybe they could forgive 
each other. Buffy forgiving Willow for pulling her out of a peaceful 
place and Willow forgiving Buffy for not wanting to stay.

Now that the Powers That Be, or whatever they wanted to be called, 
had nearly driven her lover insane with nightmares of Buffy's soul 
suffering and Buffy was back, Tara hoped they could regain something 
of their friendship.

"Hey guys," Tara said softly, entering the room. Buffy shifted 
slightly in her sleep and slowly opened her eyes.  

The Slayer slowly noticed someone warm and comforting in her arms as 
Tara sat down on the edge of the bed. Buffy blinked at the red hair 
and quickly looked to Tara, her expression slightly alarmed.

"We put you both to bed this morning," Tara said calmly. "We thought 
you would both rest better together." 

Tara gently held Buffy's hand reassuringly.  

"Thanks," Buffy said softly. "I did see Mom, didn't I?"

"Yeah, we all did," Tara nodded. "Does it help?"

Buffy stretched and grinned when Willow grumbled, snuggling closer.

"She thinks I'm you," Buffy explained as Tara grinned.

"She knows the difference," Tara said easily. "She loves you, Buffy 
and always has. You're more than a best friend, more like some kind 
of step above that."

Buffy frowned slightly and then shook Willow gently.

"Come on, Will," Buffy said softly, as Tara stroked Willow's red hair.

Willow mumbled and leaned up into Tara's touch and then frowned, 
opening her eyes to see who she was snuggled with.

"Hi, Will," Buffy smiled.  

"Hi, I, uh, was sleeping?" 

Tara laughed gently and leaned over to kiss her mate as Willow sat 
up.  

"I'm making dinner," Tara said softly.

"Dinner?" Buffy repeated, looking at the clock and blinking at the 
numbers reading 5:30 p.m. "How long were we asleep?"

"Since 9 a.m.," Tara explained.

"Wow, I slept longer than four hours without a nightmare?" Willow 
asked in wonder.  

"I slept at all?" Buffy asked with a smile. "And I'm hungry! Wow."

"Me too," Willow smiled and then stretched. "I remember Joyce Mom," 
she suddenly whispered.

"We all do, it wasn't a dream," Buffy said softly with a 
smile. "How's Dawn?" she asked, turning to Tara.

"Doing alright, mostly stunned much of the day and talking about your 
mom the rest of the day," Tara said with a gentle smile. "More than 
she ever has. I think it actually helped her deal with your mother's 
death when she saw her last night."

"Helps me deal with mine," Buffy muttered. "I knew living on a 
hellmouth was insane but dying twice? What the heck am I, a cat?"

"Well, personally, Buffy," Willow grinned, straightening her clothes 
out. "I don't want to go through this again."

"Me either," Buffy smiled. "What's food?"

"Spaghetti, garlic bread, salad and healthy milk all around," Tara 
announced.  

"Cool," Willow announced and Buffy grinned.

"Giles has called a meeting so we can all talk about?about 
everything," Tara said softly.

"I'm okay with that," Buffy said after a moment. "Let's eat and get 
it over with."

Tara kissed Willow and headed out the door as Willow brushed her hair 
and Buffy stood up.

"You okay with me, Buff?" Willow asked softly, not looking at Buffy.

"Yeah," the Slayer said gently, walking up behind her friend. "I'm 
not sure I'm happy with the Powers Whatever demanding I come back and 
picking on you but we're okay. Let's eat."

"Okay," Willow agreed, with a small smile which grew wider when Buffy 
hugged her tightly.

* * *

Xander and Anya showed up in time for dinner and Giles sat back, 
watching his kids. It felt like old times, long before Glory had 
disrupted their lives. Buffy was back and seemed to be better 
emotionally, Willow actually laughed at something Dawn said and the 
teenager looked animated and happy.

"Okay, what's the 411 for the day?" Xander asked after helping clear 
the dishes from the table and thanking Tara once again for cooking 
before settling into desert.

"Well, I did something incredibly stupid last night and started to 
kill myself this morning but Mom came back and stopped me," Buffy 
said easily as Xander dropped his forkful of cake. "She explained 
that I wasn't supposed to die, Willow was supposed to bring me back 
so the spell was okay and Mom will come back occasionally as a ghost. 
Does that cover it?"

Willow tried to resist giggling as Giles shook his head. Xander and 
Anya stared at Buffy like she had grown an extra arm or something.  

"Uh, okay, can someone run that by us again, slowly," Xander said 
after a moment. "Real slow."

Giles began the explanations with input from Willow and Tara about 
the morning events and Buffy was grateful no one had caught her 
comment about the night before. She hadn't meant to say anything; 
the last thing she wanted her friends knowing was that she slept with 
Spike.

Xander was stunned when they had finished and looked at Buffy and 
Dawn.

"Your mom explained things?" he asked in a whisper.

"Yeah," Dawn said excitedly. "She was solid and held us and said she 
was proud of us."

"Wow!" Xander muttered and Anya nodded, leaning her head on his 
shoulder.

"This is like major cool," Anya agreed.

"It's?.different," Buffy agreed.  

"Are you okay with being back?" Xander asked softly.  

"Yeah, it's still a little weird," Buffy said slowly. "I know that 
it's cosmic that I'm a Slayer and all but I never thought about the 
Higher Power stuff. Now some cosmic higher ups have decided that I'm 
supposed to be alive. I'm kinda pissed that they picked on Will so 
much."

"It's okay, I?I'm kinda glad I was the one who could bring you back," 
Willow said shyly.  

Giles frowned but nodded.  

"So what happens now?" Dawn asked. "We wait for whatever Mom talked 
about to show up and defeat it?" 

"Yeah, well, I guess we go back to the basics," Buffy 
shrugged. "Will and Giles research prophecies; me and Xan terrorize 
some demon bars and see if anything's brewing; Anya makes money at 
the Magic Box; and Tara researches the rituals that might help."

"Hey what about Spike?" Dawn asked with a pout.

"I?we?I can't work with Spike anymore," Buffy said softly with a 
frown.  

"What?" Dawn demanded. "He took care of me and was part of the group 
while you were gone!"

"Don't, please, Dawnie," Buffy pleaded. "We?I spent time with Spike 
last night and I can't do it. He's not going to change and I can't 
handle it."

"I for one am glad!" Xander declared and glared right back when Dawn 
turned her anger on him. "If it weren't for that chip, he'd rip your 
throat out, Dawn."

"That is so not true!" Dawn yelled. "He's a good guy!"

"Dawn, we argued last night and we fought," Buffy said softly.

"Fought? How is that possible?" Giles questioned, immediately intense.

"I'm not sure," Buffy sighed heavily, hoping she wouldn't have to 
reveal everything. "I thought maybe the spell went wrong, especially 
when I heard you yelling at Willow at how easily things could have 
gone wrong. Now, I don't know."

"You know," Giles pondered for a moment. "Spike has never tried to 
hit you, has he?" 

"No, he always gets a headache when trying to hurt a human," Buffy 
agreed.

"But he's never tested that with you in particular," Giles said.  

"Right, and?" Xander questioned.

"Slayers are different than any other human," Giles muttered, lost in 
thought. "Rapid healing, super strength, natural fighting abilities, 
able to sense vampires, beyond human abilities."

"So Buffy is super human and Spike's chip might not recognize Buffy 
as human?" Tara smiled, seeing where Giles was headed.

"Yes, exactly," Giles smiled, pleased with Tara's intelligence.

"Meaning he might be able to hit Faith as well," Willow deduced.

"Yes, probably," Giles nodded.

"Terrific," Buffy grumbled.  

"You said the two of you fought, what about?" Dawn demanded.

"I was walking, trying to?to think," Buffy stammered. "I ended up in 
the cemetery and we talked, argued about him hanging all over me and 
we fought."

"So, he knows he can hit you," Giles frowned.  

"Yeah," Buffy frowned. "And he's obsessive as ever and he could get 
dangerous about it."

"What happened between you two?" Anya demanded.

"I wasn't thinking straight and I let him kiss me, okay?" Buffy 
snapped. "I don't want a repeat and I so do not want to deal with a 
love-sick demon without a soul!"

"You kissed Spike?" Xander grimaced and Buffy flinched.

"So, you don't patrol with him, that doesn't mean we have to kick him 
out!" Dawn protested.

"Yes it does," Xander said quickly. "You're part of Buffy, made from 
her and he just might be able to hurt you."

Giles looked surprised and nodded. "Xander is right, actually."

"No! Spike would never hurt me!" Dawn protested as she jumped up and 
ran out of the room.

Everyone shifted uncomfortably.  

"Buffy?" Giles asked softly. "This is your decision."

"I want him out of my life," Buffy said firmly. "We needed him when 
we were facing Glory but things have changed. I think I changed."

"We'd better do a Sacrosanct Spell," Tara said slowly and Willow 
nodded.

"A what?" Xander frowned. "More snakes?"

Willow blushed a deep red.  

"No, it's?it's a good magic thing," Willow muttered.

"It's like revoking the invitation only it includes all undead," Tara 
explained. "It's a little more complicated than revoking the 
invitation but it'll keep zombies, vampires and any kind of undead 
out."

"Cool, no repeats of Buffy's coming home party!" Xander said 
enthusiastically and Tara looked at Willow with a questioning 
expression.

"When Buffy ran away and came back, we threw a party and zombies 
crashed it, like literally," Willow explained.

"Yeah, Buffy had to take out the lead zombie with a shovel to the 
eyes," Xander grinned.

"Oh ewww!" Anya complained. "That is so unpleasant when someone tries 
that!"

"You want to work with us, Giles?" Tara asked.  

"No, I know the spell you're referring to," Giles said 
absently. "It's fine. Just don't put too much of your own energy into 
it, Willow is still weak."

"Got it," Willow nodded, pleased at the approval and trust after the 
shouting match from earlier in the day. Buffy watched as the two 
witches left the room, heading for the stairs.

"It's dark, he'll be here soon," Buffy said softly.

"How about Anya and I hang out on the porch and let him know he's not 
welcome?" Xander suggested. "He can't touch us."

"I don't want you guys involved in this," Buffy frowned.

"Hey, Buff," Xander grinned and stood up with a stretch. "This is 
us! This is what friends do."

He walked around the table and kissed the top of the Slayer's head 
fondly. Anya grinned and nodded her agreement.  

"I'll get some crosses and stakes from the closet," Xander said 
calmly.

"No killing!" Buffy said quickly. "He did help and kept Dawn's secret 
from Glory."

"For that, I won't kill him," Xander nodded. "He touches you again, 
I'll kill him. Just because you're the Slayer doesn't mean that some 
obsessed wanna-be boyfriend can hit you."

Buffy's eyes filled with tears and she leaned into Xander's arms as 
Anya came around and joined in the hug.  

"I never thought of it like that," Buffy admitted.

"Don't buy his line that you belong more with vampires than your 
friends, Buffy," Giles advised.  

"Totally," Xander smiled. "He's been trying to break all of us up 
even when he was working with us."

"Won't work," Buffy said firmly and watched the young couple head for 
the hall closet and turned to her mentor.

"What happened with Spike, Buffy?" Giles asked softly, reaching out 
to hold her hand across the table.

"Something even more stupid than my birthday?" she admitted and saw 
realization in his eyes but not surprise.  

Giles knew which birthday his Slayer was referring to, her 17th 
birthday when she gave her virginity to Angel and tuned him back into 
Angeleus, a vampire without a soul.

"And now?" he asked.

"Like I said, no repeats!" Buffy said firmly. "I?I don't know what 
happened, Giles. I?everything was fuzzy and felt dead inside. When 
Spike and I started fighting, I felt something, the old energy 
returning and?and?I turned to the wrong person to help me through it."

"Not just the wrong person, Buffy, but the wrong vampire," Giles 
corrected, his voice gentle but stern. "Spike wasn't exactly a nice 
guy before he became a vampire, you know."

"I know," Buffy nodded wearily.  

"Well, I'm not sure I'd advise Slayer duty tonight," he said 
thoughtfully. "I'm going to keep watch out back until Willow and 
Tara complete that spell. One thing about that spell, though, that 
you need to take care of."

"What's that?" Buffy asked.

"One invitation can totally undo the spell," Giles pointed out.

"Dawn," Buffy said calmly and Giles nodded.

"You need to be very sure that she won't invite him back in," Giles 
said firmly. "She has a crush on Spike and he can be annoying but 
persuasive."

"I'll talk to her," Buffy agreed.

* * *

Xander sat in the swing on the front porch with Anya snuggled in his 
arms.

"I can't believe they saw Mrs. Summers," Anya said softly as they 
watched the night move slowly across Sunnydale's sky.

"Yeah, you didn't know her really well," Xander smiled sadly. "She 
was the best."

"Well, well, well," a familiar voice reached them from the shadows of 
the tree in Buffy's yard. "If it isn't the lovebirds."

Both Xander and Anya stood up quickly, stakes and crosses in hand.

"Hey, no need for that, just old Spike," the vampire grinned as he 
stepped out of the shadows.

"Yeah, well," Xander smirked. "You're not wanted tonight, okay?"

Spike lost his smile and frowned at the couple.

"What the bloody hell are you talking about?" he demanded.

"Buffy's not patrolling tonight," Anya said quickly. "And you're not 
wanted inside anymore."

"I don't believe you," Spike growled. "I've been here every night 
long before Buffy took a dive off that freaking tower."

"Yeah, and now Buffy has wised up and doesn't want you around," 
Xander growled back and held his cross out when Spike growled and 
moved forward.

"I want to hear that from Buffy herself!" Spike demanded.

"Then here it is," Buffy said from the door.  

Xander and Anya glanced back at the Slayer, Xander pleased Buffy was 
sticking to her decision.

"I can't work with you, Spike," Buffy said firmly. "Last night was a 
mistake I am not going to repeat."

"How many times have I saved you, Slayer?" Spike demanded.

"And I'm grateful, and I'm grateful for helping with Dawn," Buffy 
nodded. "Especially while I was gone but that doesn't mean I want to 
work with you now."

"Why, afraid of what you feel after last night?" Spike smirked.

Xander frowned and glanced at Buffy but she ignored him and Anya for 
the moment, raising her own cross in front of her.

"What I feel is disgust, Spike," Buffy admitted. "I'll get over it. 
Just leave me and the gang alone."

Spike's expression went from smirking to confusion to anger in a 
matter of moments but Buffy held firm, not letting any emotions show 
on her face.

"Disgust, Slayer?" the vampire demanded, his voice low and 
deadly. "You never had it so good and you'll be back."

"You were second best to anyone I've been with, Spike," Buffy 
snapped, her eyes flashing angrily. "Including Angel."

Spike growled and started up the steps only to stumble back when 
Xander moved forward, cross outstretched.  

"Just remember, Slayer," Spike snapped. "I can hurt you as well as 
fuck you."

"You try either and I'll stake you," Buffy said calmly.

Before Spike could retort, Xander stepped down onto the sidewalk with 
a cross in Spike's face.

"Just leave, Spike," Xander said firmly.  

The vampire turned with a snarl and disappeared into the shadows 
across the street.

Buffy ignored Xander and Anya's questioning looks as the door opened 
wider behind her. Giles wrapped his arms around his Slayer as she 
turned, letting her emotions hit.

"Uh, Giles," Xander said softly. "We're gonna go home now, we'll 
regroup tomorrow."

"Xander, what Spike said?" Giles began but Xander held up his hand.

"We didn't hear a thing," Xander said firmly. "Not a thing."

"Right, we didn't hear Buffy had sex with Spike last night," Anya 
agreed as Xander pulled her away from the porch.

Giles pulled Buffy inside the house and closed the door.  

"You okay?" he asked gently as Buffy pulled out of his arms.

"Yeah, I will be," the Slayer nodded. "Thanks, Giles."

"I'm going to stay here with you until Willow and Tara complete that 
spell," Giles announced. "Spike's right, he can hurt you and 
possibly Dawn and he's been invited in."

"Okay, I'll make us some more tea," Buffy said softly.

"I'll make the tea, you talk with Dawn and warn her about inviting 
him in," Giles urged.

Buffy nodded and headed for the stairs.

* * *

Tara chanted as Willow moved the small cross from one quarter point 
to the next, concentrating on the protection symbolism of the 
object. Personally the witches preferred a pentagram for their own 
protection rituals but they knew the cross would work best for Spike 
and Buffy.

They had been focusing for an hour and a half, an unusually long time 
for Willow, Tara knew. The two witches were focusing on the basics 
of doing rituals, channeling energy from the earth, sun and moon 
rather than using their own energy, as Willow was accustomed to doing.

It was longer and took more concentration but it wasn't as dangerous 
as tapping into the negative energy roaming around Sunnydale, 
something Willow had tapped into when taking on Glory after the Hell 
Goddess hurt Tara.

And the darker energies Willow used to bring Buffy back.

Willow glanced over with a smile and Tara chanted to expand the 
circle to encompass the entire house as Willow moved towards the door 
with the crucifix. Tara planned on following her lover in a moment, 
sealing each entrance against vampires, demons, zombies and any thing 
undead.

"Goddess Hlin and God Heimdahl, guard this place against vargs, 
walking or crawling," Tara chanted.

"Protect this home and space," Willow intoned as she walked with the 
cross down the hallway to the window and formed several protective 
sigils and symbols in the air. "From all of the undead race," she 
muttered. "Invite revoke and privacy replace. Let light and love 
this place encase. Let no evil thing without a soul enter this 
place."

Tara walked up behind her and traced a pentagram on the window with 
blessing oil and joined her lover in chanting.

"Protect this home and space,

"from all of the undead race

"invite revoke and privacy replace

"Let light and love this place encase

"Let no evil thing without a soul enter this place," they chanted, 
moving through Buffy's room. Willow forming the sigils and Tara 
blessing the windows and doors.

The witches moved back into the hallway just as Buffy came up the 
stairs. The Slayer hesitated, watching them and taking in the gentle 
and calm expression on Willow's face and smiled as Tara grinned.

Buffy moved around them and knocked on Dawn's door before opening it 
slowly.

"Go away," Dawn muttered, lying on her bed with headphones blaring 
pop music.

"Dawn, Willow and Tara are doing a ritual and need to come through 
the room," Buffy said softly.

The teenager sat up on the bed, suddenly alert. Anything about magic 
made the impressionable teenager curious.

"What kind of ritual?" she asked, forgetting she was mad at her 
sister.

"A protection ritual," Buffy explained. "Now be quiet and let them 
work, okay?"

"Okay," Dawn said softly and Buffy motioned for the two to enter, 
still chanting.

Dawn watched as the Tara smudged the place with sage, sprinkled water 
around and then blessed the windows with oil. Willow intoned and 
formed protection symbols in the air with the cross.

Buffy watched Dawn's eyes widen with realization as the teen heard 
what the chant was and figured out who they were protecting the house 
from. Buffy held a finger to her lips with a stern look and wasn't 
surprised when Dawn crossed her arms, obviously angry.

Willow and Tara ignored her and continued out of the room for the 
rest of the upstairs before moving downstairs.

Buffy turned to face her sister.

"How dare you?" Dawn shouted. "Spike's been good to us!"

"I need to do this, Dawn," Buffy said softly. "I don't want to go 
into it right now but I can't be around Spike. Now that he can hurt 
me, I can't trust him."

"That doesn't mean you can't trust him around me!" Dawn protested.

"What?" Buffy demanded, losing patience. "I'm supposed to risk 
having him rip my throat out while he baby-sits you?"

"He wouldn't do that!" Dawn whined.

"Spike has been trying for years!" Buffy snapped back. "The only 
reason he didn't is that damned chip and now he actually believes he 
has feelings for me. He's killed two Slayers and is obsessed with 
Slayers. Now he knows he can kill me."

"He won't," Dawn continued to protest, tears filling her eyes. "He 
missed you so much when you were gone! He cares about you!"

"Spike is a demon! A vampire without a soul!" Buffy shouted 
back. "All he wants to do is conqueror a Slayer, either by killing 
me or?"

Dawn frowned at her sister's hesitation.

"What? Love you?" Dawn snapped.

"Love?" Buffy laughed bitterly. "Spike wouldn't know what love was, 
he didn't know what love was when he was alive. The demon in him sure 
doesn't know what love is now. Spike is all about obsession. He 
doesn't have Dru so he focused on me. There is nothing about Spike 
that is selfless, Dawn."

"And you're not being selfish?" Dawn countered, throwing a CD case 
across the room. "Just because you suddenly don't like Spike, I 
can't be friends with him?"

"That's right," Buffy nodded, her eyes flashing. "I'm the Slayer, 
he's a vampire. It's simple."

"It's not simple! He's tame!" Dawn argued.

"Only because of that chip, he'd kill you in two seconds without it," 
Buffy said firmly. "Or worse, turn you just for kicks."

"You don't understand him!" Dawn began crying and threw herself into 
her pillow, hugging it tightly.

"You're right, he's a vampire," Buffy agreed. "No soul, just a demon 
that needs blood to survive and a desire to kill Slayers. That's all 
I need to know right now. He's not welcome in this house and I don't 
want you seeing him. He could use you against me."

"I'll see him if I want!" Dawn shouted, sitting back up.

"Dawnie, don't do this," Buffy begged. "If you push this, I swear 
I'll send you away to Dad for the rest of the summer."

Dawn turned pale as her breath caught in her chest.

"You wouldn't dare!" Dawn whispered. "He wouldn't let me come back."

"Dawn, we're meant to be together," Buffy said gently. "Don't push 
this and force me. I don't want to lose you! I died for you!"

Dawn suddenly was in Buffy's arms, sobbing and holding the Slayer 
close.

"I'm sorry!" she wept and Buffy held her tight. "It was supposed to 
be me! Spike made me feel better about that!"

"I know he did," Buffy said softly. "And he tried to make me feel 
better last night but it was a mistake and I can't chance an obsessed 
vampire around us."

"I don't understand but okay," Dawn said reluctantly.

* * *

Dawn and Buffy found Willow and Tara sharing tea with Giles.

"All done?" Buffy asked, noticing how tired Willow still seemed.

"Yeah, safe and sound and protected like," Willow grinned, leaning 
her head on Tara's shoulder.

Buffy's hand darted forward, grabbing a napkin and placing it under 
Willow's nose before anyone had even blinked.

"Oh not again!" Willow complained, taking the napkin from the Slayer 
as she felt her nose beginning to bleed.

"Willow!" Tara cried out and Giles frowned.

"I thought you weren't going to use any of your own energy," he 
scolded.

"I didn't, honest!" Willow whimpered. "I just did chanting and 
focusing of the energy Tara raised."

"Hmmm," Giles muttered as Willow shifted the napkin, looking for a 
non-bloody spot to absorb more of her blood. "Maybe that spell took 
more out of you than we thought."

"What do you mean, Giles?" Buffy demanded. "Is Will okay?"

"I think she will be but we need to keep her out of rituals for a few 
days," Giles pondered. "Give her body a chance to recover. That 
spell she did should have taken a week to perform and a week to 
recover from."

Tara looked down at her lover's head.

"But it only took us about an hour and she recovered quickly," Tara 
said softly.

"I don't think I'm recovered yet," Willow whispered, closing her eyes 
as Buffy handed her another napkin.

"Let's get her to bed, now that we know the house is protected," 
Buffy suggested.

"Okay," Tara nodded.  

"I'm going to sleep on the sofa," Giles announced. "I'm too tired to 
drive and I don't want to run into Spike either. He may not be able 
to hurt the rest of us but he can be a pain."

"Okay," Buffy nodded, a worried expression on her face as Tara helped 
Willow to stand.

"I don't feel so good, guys," Willow muttered and went limp.

Slayer reflexes helped Tara catch the unconscious witch.

"Willow!" Dawn cried out as Buffy lowered Willow to the floor.

Giles quickly knelt beside the red-haired witch, checking her pulse 
and eye response to light.

"Both are good, I think she's just exhausted," he said after a moment.

"She hasn't been eating or sleeping since?since?" Tara stammered.

"Since I died," Buffy interjected for the witch and Tara nodded.

"You'd think the Powers That Whatever would give her a break!" Dawn 
complained.

"Yeah, they helped put her in this condition," Buffy agreed as she 
lifted Willow into her arms as Tara looked worried.

"I suggest rest tonight and tomorrow," Giles admonished.  

"Yeah, I've got a life to put back together," Buffy muttered.  

Tara pulled the bedding down as Buffy gently laid the red-haired 
witch down and softly stroked the hair from Willow's forehead.

"She looks so tired," Buffy commented as Tara bent over and removed 
Willow's house slippers.

"So do you," Tara countered.  

"Sleeping isn't easy," Buffy admitted. "Every time I close my eyes I 
feel like I'm in that box again."

"Sleep here," Tara suggested and began blushing. "Fully clothed, I 
mean, nothing else. You won't wake up alone in the dark again. You 
won't be intruding, honest. She's out like a light for the night."

Buffy felt herself blushing as well and nodded shyly.

"Thanks," Buffy said softly. "Let me get Giles settled in and Dawn 
into bed."

"Okay," Tara nodded and crawled into the large bed, snuggling up 
behind Willow. "I love you, Willow."

Willow mumbled, now in sleep instead of unconsciousness and frowned 
until Tara wrapped an arm over Willow's ribs. The hacker smiled 
slightly and settled into a deeper sleep.

Tara felt Buffy join them a short time later, trying to stay on the 
edge of the bed and not intrude. Tara turned over and curled up 
behind Buffy. She felt the Slayer's intake of surprise but after a 
moment Buffy relaxed and Tara felt Willow turn over, reaching for her.

Soon all three were snuggled together and fast asleep without 
nightmares.

* * *

Spike watched until the lights went out in Willow and Tara's 
bedroom. He hadn't seen Giles leave so he knew the bloody Watcher 
was probably on the sofa with a goddamned cross on his chest.  

"Ready to defend fair Slayer, mate?" Spike growled and moved to the 
side of the house.

The vampire easily climbed the trellis onto the balcony outside the 
Slayer's bedroom. Spike grinned as he reached for the doors.

He knew Buffy was having second thoughts but the vampire planned on 
erasing those thoughts with his body. With a good beating if it took 
that before the sex, he decided.  

Spike hesitated at the door and listened, extending his senses. He 
couldn't hear or sense Buffy inside the room. It was cold and empty.

That didn't matter, he'd find her!

Spike pulled the doors open, breaking the lock and snarled.

The vampire staggered back, refused entry by the invisible barrier of 
a revoked invitation and magic.

"Bloody hell! Oh you'll pay for this, Slayer!" Spike swore and 
dropped off the balcony when Dawn's light clicked on.

He thought about demanding Dawn let him in, appealing to their 
friendship and her crush on him but decided to give it a couple of 
days. When Giles and the witches weren't around.

He'd find a way to hurt them, all of them!