Buffy’s heart sank. No…he can’t. He wouldn’t… She swallowed hard, her mouth was suddenly dry, “Then I’m going too,” she whispered.

She was amazing, simply amazing. He had no doubt that she would follow him wherever he went in the world. She was strong and, looking into her eyes now, he knew that she did love him. And, he knew that she loved him well, and with her whole heart.

And, that was the problem.

He knew, now, that his existence would be difficult. It would be a life on the run. He would never be able to have a home, or anything to call his.

He couldn’t do that to her. She should have a home, and something that was hers, something that she could count on. And, that wasn’t him, anymore.

He needed family, a place to belong. But, he needed her happiness more. To save her, he would do whatever he had to. To save them, he would disappear.

“Buffy,” he whispered, tracing his fingers lightly up her warm skin, holding her close, trying to protect her from a world that had already been so cruel to her. Her skin hummed and shuddered under his touch, and his knees nearly buckled under the weight of the sadness he felt cascading from her. He could tell that she knew what he meant to do, and he tried to be strong, swallowing back the sob that desperately wanted to escape his throat, “I don’t want to leave you…”

“Then don’t!”
*****************************************************************


“Althenea, one of the things that this coven professes to believe is that everything in the universe is connected,” Giles said, heatedly, his voice raw with controlled rage, “If you truly believe that, then the events of the past few days would serve to prove that! If a human can fall, as Willow did, and as I did, then, conversely, a demon might be able to rise!”

Althenea’s eyes flashed with an indignant light, and her voice was a heated, hateful whisper, “Oh Rupert, do you actually believe that drivel? I would have thought that your experience with Angelus would have disabused you of that notion!”

“My experience with that particular vampire, and his progeny, has only served to contrast the extraordinary strength of will that the vampire who is currently,” Giles crossed his arms, in both a gesture of defiance and protection, at seeing the flash of hatred that sparked in the woman’s hazel eyes, “by the way, the only reason you have the breath in you, that allows you to spew these loathsome words. One could expect that you might be a little more grateful for it,” he smirked at her, his eyes narrowing, “…and for my restraint. Which brings me to a question. Perhaps you can help me? The Council was, at one time- the time that my Grandmother Rachel was left here, as a foundling-headquartered in this very house. Is that not correct?”

“That is correct,” Althenea hissed.

“Then tell me, please,” Giles mused, “Why is it that the Council seems to have exhaustive records on every vampire, and other demon, that they have had the dubious pleasure of encountering, up to, and including demons and Hellgods that are older than both the written and the spoken word…yet seem to be lacking information that pertains to one, ‘William the Bloody’…?”
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He knew that this could be his last few hours with her, and he tried to focus on the present, and on the softness of her skin, and not the sharp, jagged cleft in his soul. A cleft that was widening the longer he listened to her pleas, “No,” Buffy murmured, “please, you can’t…It’s too dangerous. They’ll hunt you. Please stay…”

“I want to, I do,” Spike spoke his heart against her skin, so that it would be a part of her, so that she would know, “But, I can’t just sit here. I put you all in danger by standing still. I won’t wait for them to kill me,” he kissed her lightly, tasting the bitterness of her tears, “If the world doesn’t want me,” he sighed, “then I’ll just have to wait until it’s ready for me.”

“I want you,” Buffy’s voice trembled with sadness, “I don’t know if I can be without you,” she fought to blink back the tears that were threatening to fall.

Bloody Hell…I can’t do this…Not to her. It would tear me apart not to have her. And, if they did find me…it would kill her. But, it’s the only way to keep him, and anyone else that might follow, off of my scent…

Buffy knew there was hope. She was reaching him. She heard him sigh, and felt him hold her tighter. She looked up at his face, and saw that his eyes were closed, his face the calmest she had ever seen it. And, she knew…
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Willow could hear the hatred in Giles’s voice, and she wondered if he was too distracted to notice what was happening.

They were flashes, really, almost subliminal. Like trying to follow the ball in a shell game. If you weren’t looking for them, you would miss them, especially when the images were camouflaged beneath a cloud of powerful emotions.

She was surprised that she saw them at all, and that he would be sending them. She didn’t know he could do this. She knew he didn’t trust magic, so for him to even suggest something like this, after what he’d been through …

She just hoped that she was worthy of his trust.

What she was seeing was jarring, and cruel, but it was perhaps his only chance to become what she knew he could be. And, it was her chance to use the magic, that was a part of her now, to protect instead of destroy.

Spike, are you sure…? This is…risky, not to mention cruel.

*I know that, Red…It’s the only way. Sometimes the cure is worse than the disease. *

Spike, don’t do this! You know what it was like. Why would you even…?

* I know, Red! I KNOW! *

Willow tried to shake off the sadness and nausea she felt, and went to find Dawn and Mouse. For this to work, everyone had to be present, had to see it, and believe it.
***************************************************************************************

…She’d reached him.

He wouldn’t leave her. He would be dust first.

She felt safe as she heard him whisper, “I’ll always love you, Buffy. Always. Please…never forget that.”