The unthinkable happens, but when Spike is gone, Buffy realizes she needs him back. No matter what.

For the Anniversary Art Challenge at EF. Banner by Angelis Amy
Banner story criteria:
Characters: Buffy and Spike obviously, the Scoobies, Drusilla.
Rating: PG-13 and above
Season/Episode: Season 2 - Becoming Part II
Must have:
1. Spike removing Drusilla from the Mansion, but then deciding to go back and help Buffy in her fight against Angelus.
2. Willow's spell to re-ensoul Angel fails. It's Angelus that gets sucked into the hell dimension.
3. Buffy and Spike forming an uneasy friendship (since he helped her save the world and all) and then a relationship developing from there.
Can have:
1. Xander being a jerk to Spike, but coming around eventually. 
2. Willow suggesting to Buffy that she tries the soul spell on him, and Buffy rejecting the idea.
Can’t have:
1.     Angel bashing. 
2. Spike/Drusilla reconciliation.
3. Buffy leaving Sunnyvale for L.A. Either Spike, or one of the Scoobies should bust her trying to escape.

She was a legend. And legends didn’t feel. Legends didn’t cry. Legends didn’t lose—only people did.

After The Writing on the Wall and Epilogue.

Sequel to Wicked. Six months ago, Buffy turned into a vampire at the hands of her greatest enemy and disappeared. Her friends think they finally have found the solution to getting their slayer back…all they need is a witch, an orb, and a soul.

“What is this to you?” Spike asked, long ago. “This thing we have?” Buffy didn’t have a real answer. “We have this,” she said. “That’s all.” Through everything, they’d always had this, whatever this was. Now that Spike has returned from the dead, wasn’t this resurrected with him? Or was this left behind in Sunnydale?
Starts after the final episode of Angel, assuming no comic continuation. Contains many missing scenes from season 7. Complete at twelve chapters; 29,000 words.

Post Chosen/AtS season 5. Buffy and Spike are sent back (separately) to thwart Glory and prevent Buffy's death and resurrection (and subsequent rise of the First Evil). Was supposed to be mostly humorous as they try to pretend to each other that they aren't who they are, but as you'll see, that only worked as long as it took them to get into an argument.... Which changes everything. Especially since they have ended up in fairly early season 4, which means they have to get through a whole year without making any major changes in the world. Tall order when just the fact that they are there has already changed things...

NC17 rating might be a little strong, but you know these two....  No warnings as posted, but it is a wip and I may have to come back and change that as the story develops. It also probably isn't 100% canon, which should be pretty obvious with two very non-canon characters in a time they shouldn't be, but just in case...

2016's Christmas fic. Post NFA, Buffy's first Christmas after losing Spike the second time.

Spike was still and silent, his eyes closed. She wanted to wake him, but... she couldn’t bring herself to do it. He lay there so peaceful, so calm, so content. Still curled on his side as if she were still in his arms, his head on the pillow, breathing gently. The sight of him was perfect. Buffy, preparing to write her farewell note in Touched.

Spike could smell it as he passed through the quiet house. Everyone was sleeping. Even Buffy was sleeping. But he knew she was crying all the same. Set before Touched.

“Well," Spike told Buffy. "You didn’t seem real happy about finding Faith down here." Missing scene from Dirty Girls.

A Spuffy interlude that follows the events in Muzzled.  Almost a Christmas fic if you squint...

"You’re a hypocritical piece of work, watcher," Spike told Giles. "You’ve lied to her, abandoned her, poisoned her, endangered her, and worked behind her back to undermine her, and you think I’m the one who’s bad for her.” Spike confronts Giles after Lies My Parents Told Me.

“I know I’m already destiny’s bitch. If destiny’s really destiny, it can work itself out, can’t it? Doesn’t need a slew of bells and whistles. But I guess Angel’s destiny is special, eh? Needs help and coaxing and lots of praise? Not like us poor ordinary sods.” Buffy is furious at Angel making everyone lie to her in Pangs. So she makes one small decision, which might just change the course of destiny…. Set after Thanksgiving dinner.

  “So, you wanna tell me what really happened down there?”
    “Nothing,” Spike said, annoyed, “it was just stuff. Memories. Nothing important.”
    “Nothing important doesn’t usually make your hands shake,” Buffy said softly.
    Buffy tries to help Spike find the source of the First’s trigger, after she releases him in Lies My Parents Told Me. It is not a short or pleasant journey.

“Every time you show up like this, you risk all of your parts, you know that?” Buffy says. “I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t have a good reason,” Spike replies. Of course Spike had a good reason. Lots of good reasons. All kinds of them.
Season Five, missing late night NO THEY WERE NOT DATES! from between Fool For Love until before Crush.