full 3/4 1/2   skin light dark       
 
Second Youth by Ariel Dawn
 
Tabula Rasa - Tuesday
 
<<     >>
 
Disclaimer: Buffy and Spike aren’t mine, I just make them play out ‘what if’ scenarios
__________________________________________
Tabula Rasa - Tuesday

Buffy smiled and hugged her vampire pillow closer to her. She liked waking up beside her vampire, her gambling vampire. Buffy frowned. Today. Today in her memory Willow would do that Spell.

Buffy had been watching Willow pretty carefully since their almost talk and she hadn’t seen anything to make her worry, but that didn’t mean the worry didn’t exist. Buffy had to admit that she had been slightly caught up in the ‘I’m 20 again thing’ and not really paying a lot of attention to Willow. There was just so much she wanted to get over with; making Giles feel needed so he would stay, making Dawn feel loved, spend time with Spike. She had lots to do but it seemed unfair that Willow’s problems had taken a back seat.

Buffy groaned and stretched. Maybe she could stay in bed forever and Spike could stay with her. She was sure she could find ways to occupy her time.

Buffy planted a kiss on Spike’s chest.

A hundred and two years ago she had been avoiding him for a week. Now she had spent a week in his arms, with him in her bed. This time it would go better, she was determined.

“Must get up,” she said thinking that if she vocalised what she needed to do, her body would comply.
__________________________________________
Twenty minutes later Buffy was dressed and down stairs eating cereal straight out of the box.

“Classy,” noted Dawn as she stomped into the room.

Buffy shrugged her shoulders.

“Willow and Tara had a fight last night,” said Dawn. “Tara thinks Willow has been using too much magic.”

“Crap,” said Buffy.

“You aren’t going to yell at me for eavesdropping?”

“No, you are like my own personal National Enquirer.”

Dawn smiled.

“This is a problem.” Buffy thought for a moment then took out a pen and paper from the junk drawer. She scribbled something and handed it to Dawn. “Carry this with you all day.”

Dawn looked at what was written and frowned.

“Why?”

“Cause it will make our lives easier?”

“Cryptic much?”

“I try.”
__________________________________________
Buffy bounded up the stairs. Tara was already dressed and ready to do, Willow was just getting out of the shower. Buffy could tell that Tara was fuming, not that she blamed her. Buffy smiled sweetly at Tara and waited for Willow to emerge from the bathroom.

“Wills”

Willow jumped. She hadn’t been expecting Buffy just then and now.

“Wills we have to talk.”

“I’m kinda behind, everyone’s already ready.”

“Look I just want to tell you that I know you and Tara are fighting right now, but I know you two will work everything out.”

“Everything is fine Buffy, we have issues but we’re fine.”

“I’d like it to stay that way. Just please don’t do anything that you’ll regret later.”

“Spells. You are going to talk to me about spells again aren’t you?”

“Kinda.”

“I really don’t want to hear it Buffy. I’m not doing anything wrong.”

“I don’t want you to end up hurting yourself and others, Wills.”

“I really need to get dressed Buffy.”

Buffy sighed and left the room. Another failed talk. Buffy trudged down the stairs. If anything, Buffy had given her friend more reason to do that spell.
__________________________________________
Buffy was sitting on the ladder to the second level of books listening to Giles babble about the First Evil. She knew it all already, that wasn’t why she was here. She was here because any second now Spike was going to come in wearing tweed and a hunter’s cap.

Buffy was looking to intently at the door that she missed the arrival of Spike, who had come through the basement.

“Whatcha lookin’ at?” he asked.

“Hey! No Tweed!” she said surprised. “You paid Sharky!”

“I thought I’d better considering all the cryptic yammering you’ve been spouting lately.”

Buffy smiled.

“Aw, now I don’t get to see the tweed,” she pouted, sticking her lip out.

“Look at that lip...”

Giles cleared his throat before Spike could kiss her.

“Sorry Giles, didn’t mean to get all mushy...Please continue.” Buffy hopped down off the ladder and leaned in against Spike.

Then she started to feel woozy.
__________________________________________
When she awoke she had the curious sensation that she didn’t belong here. She rubbed her head and looked around. She was lying on top of a very sexy blonde man. She got up and noticed that she was in a store, a wacky new age magic type store and there were people around her.

She stretched, as the people around her started to greet each other. She didn’t know who any of them were, but she really liked the hottie she had woken up on. As she stretched she felt something scratchy in her bra. Without any modesty she reached into her bra and pulled out a piece of paper.

“Who, who are you people?” asked a brunette teen sitting on the floor and looking scared.

She knelt down beside the girl and placed a hand on her knee.

“Don't worry,” she said.

“Please don't hurt me!”

“Oh, it's okay. I don't know anyone here either.”

“Yeah? Who are you?”

“I, uh....” Her attention returned to the piece of paper in her hands. Slowly she began to unfold it.

“Okay, who are you freaks?” yelled one of the men, not her hottie.

She began to read.

Your name is Buffy Anne Summers, you are 20 years old. You live at 1630 Revello drive. Right now you are in The Magic Box, a store that sells Magic paraphernalia. The Brunette teen is your sister Dawn Summers. The bleach blonde man is Spike. He’s your boyfriend and you love him and you live together. His real name is William Darlington, only use it if you have to...he doesn’t like it much. You are super strong so don’t get confused when you can pummel vampires. VAMPIRES ARE REAL. Spike is a vampire, but he’s a good vampire and you love him. The blonde girl with the sweet face is Tara, girlfriend of Willow, the red head. The Brunette male is Xander, fiancé of Anya, the other girl in the shop (she should be behind the counter) and the older man is Rupert Giles (you call him Giles) he owns the store. You lost your memory because of a spell that Willow cast. The Spell will centre on a stone or talisman, the focal point on which the spell is centred. FIND the talsiman and destroy it and your memories will go back to normal.

Buffy’s eyes went wide as she looked at all the people in the room.

“Okay, why was I on the ground? And why are you all staring at me? Is this some kind of psych test? Am I getting paid for this?” yelled Xander.

“It's not just you. Does anyone remember anything?”

Buffy shook her head along with everyone else.

“Nope,” said Spike, Buffy’s hottie.

“Well, maybe we all got ... terribly drunk and this is some sort of, uh, blackout.” offered Giles, smiling.

“I don't think I drink.” said Dawn.

“I-I don't see any booze. I don't feel any head bumps. I don't see Allen Funt.” added Anya.

“Who?” asked Giles.

“Okay. I'm not panicking. I'm not. I'm not.” said Xander panicking. “Stop looking at me like I'm panicking!”

“Hey, hey, take it easy, Xander. Okay, no one's hurt, right? And, and none of us look all hatchety-murdery, so ... we're probably safe. Here....“ Buffy looked down at her piece of paper, “At the Magic Box.”

“Is that my name? Xander? How do you know my name?”

Buffy held up the piece of paper. “It looks like I knew this was going to happen.” Buffy handed over the paper to Giles.

“Hey!” said Dawn, “I have a paper too!”

Dawn held up a similarly folded paper and started to read.

You are Dawn Eleanor Summers, you are 15 and live at 1630 Revello drive with your sister Buffy, her live in boyfriend, Spike, Willow, best friend of Buffy and Tara, girlfriend of Willow.

“How come I didn’t get as much detail as you?” whined Dawn.

“I think the important thing is to get our memories back,” said Giles.

“Willow?” Buffy asked the red head.

“Oooh that’s me! It says so on my ID.” Willow proudly displayed her newly found ID.

“Do you have a stone or a medal or something in your pockets?” asked Buffy.

Willow searched.

“Ooh I have this black crystal thing.”

Willow handed it over to Buffy.

“What you doing pet?” asked Spike.

“Fixing us, Spike.”

“Spike? Is that my name? Bloody brilliant that...And I seem to be British...Bugger.”

“Well according to the note, your real name is William Darlington.”

Buffy watched his cocky smile drop from his face.

“But I love you anyway.”

Buffy planted a kiss on his cheek, the dropped the crystal on the ground, raised her foot and smashed it.
__________________________________________
Everyone stared at Willow. For a moment it looked like she was going to cry. Buffy knew that by the end of the night, Willow would be crying. Tara was going to move out. Maybe not today but she knew that Willow was going to be given an ultimatum.

“I just didn’t want anyone to be mad at me anymore. For using magic,” explained Willow.

“So you went right ahead and did a spell!” said Tara.

“I’m a witch it’s what I do!”

“Hey, that’s unfair. Just because you have power doesn’t mean you have to use it!” said Dawn. “Spike is all grr and he doesn’t kill people.”

“Cause he has the chip,” explained Willow.

“Are you saying that we need a chip for you?” asked Anya.

Everyone turned to look at the ex demon.

“What?”

Xander grabbed Anya’s hand. “You don’t have to express every thought you have honey.”

Buffy rolled her eyes. Now Xander was patronizing Anya.

“I’m going on patrol, and then I’m going home,” said Buffy.

“Just a minute Buffy,” said Giles walking towards her. “You knew that Willow was going to do the spell and you didn’t do anything about it.”

“Excuse me? I wrote notes. I didn’t know she was going to do it, I had a hunch.”

“You didn’t stop her.”

“No Giles, not this time...” Buffy turned to leave the shop, only to see someone else enter.

A very dashing young man in a tailored suit and briefcase walked into the room.

“Can I help you?” asked Giles.

Buffy gulped, she had recognised the man. Crap! she thought. She felt the blood drain out of her face.

“Everything ok pet?” asked Spike, coming up behind her.

“Ya, I’m just gonna go.” Buffy turned and made to go out through the back door.

“I’m here to speak with Miss Summers, actually,” said the man.

Buffy smacked her head with her hand and turned around.

“So the council sent you, to deal with my blackmail then?” asked Buffy sweetly.

“Do you know this wanker Slayer?” asked Spike.

“I do...urg... bad phrase. Ok Nate, hit me up with it, what did Mr I’m so mighty in my Tweed Travers have to say.”

“I’m afraid that you have me at a disadvantage Miss Summers,” said Nate moving closer towards her. “I am here to negotiate your salary.”

“Excuse me?” spat Giles.

“Perhaps we can discuss this in the other room,” said Buffy sweetly.

Nate nodded and walked in the direction of the training room, like he knew where to go.

Buffy started to follow, but was held back by Spike.

“Just how do you know him?” asked the Vampire as soon as the watcher was out of the room.

“He’s my first husband.”
__________________________________________
tbc...
 
<<     >>