As Buffy waited anxiously for the clock to reach 7:00 PM, heralding Spike's arrival and the beginning of her important date, a dark green sedan pulled into the parking garage of the Bell Tower Hotel. A man dressed in a dark jacket, dark denim jeans and black sunglasses got out of the car and took two suitcases out of the trunk. Slamming the trunk door closed, he picked up the luggage and stepped around to the passenger side door.

As Mike Rosales reached for the handle, the car door was shoved roughly open and narrowly missed hitting him in the knees. Without a word, a young woman with Asian features stepped out of the car, brushed past him and headed towards the hotel entrance.

The graceful yet powerful woman was shorter than Mike and had straight, shoulder length black hair. She was dressed in tight, dark pants that revealed every muscle of her slender legs, a light top, a denim jacket and trendy sunglasses. She was extremely beautiful, but her face was emotionless and hard. Even her blood-red painted lips were firmly pursed together and unsmiling.

Her name was Lia Hsu, and she was, unfortunately for Mike, his new partner. It was all Mike could do to resist shouting, but he stifled his anger as he hurried up the sidewalk after her.

"Hey, Lia, think you could lend a hand here?" he asked.

When she stopped and turned to face him, he handed over her suitcase. She took it without a word of thanks, shot him another haughty glance and continued on towards the door that led into the lobby.

"You're welcome!" he snarled and then quietly cursed under his breath, "you conceited bitch!"

Moments later, they were standing at the reception desk.

"I believe we have reservations," Mike said to the receptionist, handing her a credit card.

"Your name, please?"

He told her his name and waited patiently as the woman checked the register.

"Yes, here it is. A double room reserved by phone. Here's your key, sir," she said and started to hand it to him.

Mike's brow furrowed slightly when he saw Lia's confusion. He was about to say something, but his partner beat him to it.

"What? Only one room?" Lia said angrily. "There must be a mistake."

"No," the receptionist replied hesitantly. "There's no mistake. Only one room has been reserved for you, but, if there's a problem, we--"

Lia turned to Mike, obviously upset, and started to protest.

"This is totally unacceptable! I will not share a--"

Mike grabbed her arm roughly and pulled her aside.

"Look, Lia, I don't think you understand," he looked straight into her eyes, warning her to be quiet and not make a scene.

"This is a job, not a vacation! We don't get to pick and choose. The firm calls the shots, and they pay the bills. Maybe tailing this damn vampire has cost the Senior Partners a lot more than they bargained for. Perhaps they're starting to cut their losses and tighten the purse strings, so they're unwilling to pay for a separate room for you. I don't know. Till now, my partners have always been male, so there was never a problem with sharing. At any rate, since we're a team now, we must share. That goes for accommodations, information, responsibilities and anything else they tell us to do. We stay together, work together, and follow our orders. Trust me, if you don't understand that, then you'd better get out now."

She digested his words in silence. Only her dark eyes displayed her disapproval.

"How could they ever expect me to share a room with a man?" she hissed, as she pulled out of his grasp.

Mike laughed.

"Believe me, you have nothing to worry about as far as I'm concerned. You weren't even in the picture when those reservations were made," he sneered. "Hell, nobody told me they were assigning a woman as my new partner. Nobody asked me for my opinion, either. I'm sure there were all kinds of potential candidates for this job, and that most of them were men. But there must have been something about you that made you special, since you were selected over them. Now, whether that's a good thing or not is open to debate."

"The other candidates were useless. Just a group of simpering cowards," she held her head up with contempt. "I didn't even consider them worthy opponents."

Mike was thoroughly pissed off by her arrogance and wished he could just tell her to take her bag and go to hell. But considering that the two of them had to work together, at least for the immediate future, starting off their working relationship at each other's throats would be hell.

In the short time since they had met, he had taken just about all he could stand from her. She was pushing him to his limits, and he decided he wasn't going to let her walk all over him.

"Well, Lia, if you're as good as you claim to be, you should have no problem handling a challenge as trivial as sharing a room with an inferior man," he said with a wicked grin.

"Oh, and if you're worried I might try to come on to you, you'll be sadly disappointed, baby. There is no way in hell I'd ever be interested in you. In fact, with that block of ice inside you that passes for your personality, you could probably have sunk the Titanic. A heart as cold as yours wouldn't light a desperate man's fire, let alone mine."

Lia glared at him in disgust.

"How dare you, you bastard! You could never measure up to my standards," she spat at him. "You're beneath me."

Mike was tempted to haul off and slug her, but he figured it wasn't worth the effort. He was rapidly getting bored with this woman and silently hoped this assignment would be over quickly. It also occurred to him that he hadn't had much luck keeping a partner lately, so maybe she wouldn't last long, either.

He stepped up close to her until he was almost in her face and replied with all the menace he could muster, "Personally, Lia, I don't give a damn what you think of me. We don't have to like each other. We just have to be able to get the job done. Trust me, if we don't, in the Senior Partners eyes, both of us are expendable. So, if I were you, I'd find a way to make this work."

He gave her a moment to let his words sink in, then calmly looked at his watch and added, "Sirk will be contacting us in about half an hour. I strongly suggest that both of us be there when he calls."

Then, flashing her a smug smile, he turned and walked back to the receptionist and took the key to their room.

Lia clenched her fists in frustration, but picked up her suitcase and followed him to the elevator. They exchanged one more venomous look at each other, while waiting for the door to open, then stepped inside and headed for their floor.

After they settled into their room, the animosity between them seemed to subside a bit. Lia simply ignored Mike and sat in an armchair, staring out the window. Mike sat on his bed, turned on the television and casually flipped through the channels. As he waited for Sirk's phone call, he reflected on the situation.

Mike was not at all happy with the current turn of events. Not only did he have to break in a new partner who obviously didn't like him from the moment they met, but he had a new assignment to deal with as well.

The firm's informants had reported that Spike was in Ann Arbor and had taken a room at the Bell Tower Hotel, registering under the name of William S. Goodman. The vampire was with a team of Watchers and Slayers, who were meeting with some expert at the University of Michigan who specialized in both archaeology and the occult.

Apparently, the information they were here to retrieve was of interest both to the Council of Watchers and Wolfram & Hart. For this current assignment, Mike had no reason to keep a low profile or hide from Spike. In fact, from what he could gather, he was to arrange a meeting between representatives from the two agencies, the details of which, Sirk would soon call to provide.

Mike wasn't too keen on meeting Spike face-to-face again, even though the vamp had saved his butt in Chicago. He really wasn't clear on what ultimate plans Wolfram and Hart had in mind for Spike, but he was pretty sure the vamp wanted no part of it. Mike was beginning to think maybe he didn't want any part of it, either.

Suddenly, the cell phone lying on the dresser rang. Mike glanced over at Lia in the chair.

"Care to take this one, sweetheart? Maybe you can score some brownie points with the boss-man."

Lia gave him a withering glance, then walked over and picked up the phone.

"Hello," she replied, "Hsu here."

She listened in silence for a moment and then walked over to Mike.

"He wants to speak to you," she said, glaring at him.

Mike just shrugged as he replied quietly, "Gee, better luck next time, kiddo. Maybe after he gets to know you better."

Stifling his smile, he answered the phone, immediately recognizing Sirk's curt voice. He listened patiently as his superior briefed him on their mission. They were to contact Spike and set up a meeting on neutral ground, in a conference room at the University Law Quad.

Mike was to make sure that Spike took this meeting seriously, and that it was imperative he attend along with the Watchers and Slayers. When he was finished with all the details, Sirk's voice became even more deadly sinister.

"I shouldn't think I need warn you, Rosales, but just to make it perfectly clear -- failure, in this mission, is not an option. The Senior Partners have already given you more than your share of second chances."

Then Sirk promptly hung up without saying another word.

"Yes, sir," Mike replied to the silence on the other end of the line, "We've got it all under control, so don't worry about a thing." Then he switched off the phone and tossed it on the bedside table.

"We're to make contact with the vamp tomorrow afternoon," he said, as he walked past Lia into the bathroom and turned on the shower. "Till then, might as well get comfortable."

He could feel her cold gaze on him as he closed the door, but he wouldn't let her see how he truly felt. Mike was beginning to feel like he was caught in a trap. A trap that offered only a one-way ticket out.

~~~~~~~~

The Raja Rani restaurant turned out to be only a convenient, fifteen-minute walk from the Campus Inn. Rather than being designed within a typical, commercial, business building, the restaurant was in a large, white, historical wooden house. The interior was decorated in an exotic Indian style with bright colors, tapestries and artwork. The exterior of the old house, as well as the surrounding lawn, boasted a profusion of fragrant flowers and herbs.

The gang settled themselves at a comfortable, large table in a quiet corner and studied the extensive menu, wondering what to order.

The cover of the menu bore an inscription in gold print: Welcome to Raja Rani, the premiere Indian restaurant in Ann Arbor! We invite you to enjoy our authentic Indian cuisine. Blended with aromatic spices, and rich exotic flavors, our fare is a feast fit for the maharajah himself.

As Xander read the welcoming message on the first page of the menu, he rolled his eyes uneasily, "With all the choices that we had, I don't know why I let you talk me into this. I can smell all those Indian spices all the way out here. I'm beginning to have second thoughts. Maybe I'm not so hungry after all."

"Oh, come on, Xander, it'll be fun," Vi tried to reassure him. "I'm not usually a big fan of spicy meals either, other than pizza, but I'm giving it a chance this time. Everything looks so beautiful and fancy."

"She's right, Xan-man," Andrew insisted as he joined the 'let's-convince Xander to eat something other than steak or hamburger mission'. "You don't want to miss out on such a gastronomical adventure."

He smiled at Xander's dubious expression and added, "There are so many things in life you can't let slip away. Like those football games you told me about, the annual Oscar awards, Star Wars action figures, and the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Um...oh, yeah, and dining on exotic meals from around the world."

"I've already had an exotic experience, with Indians of the Native American variety, and as far as I'm concerned, that was more than enough for me. I don't care for another encounter right now or any more in the future, either," Xander grumbled, as he remembered a Thanksgiving several years ago that the Scoobies spent with uninvited and restless warrior-spirits. Suffering mystical syphilis and other assorted diseases, thanks to the vengeance of the Chumash tribe, was about as exotic an experience as Xander cared to have.

Vengeance, he thought, as bittersweet memories filled his mind. Anya...

That Thanksgiving dinner had been among their earliest dates, near the beginning of their relationship. Xander smiled wistfully as images of her flooded back through his mind. She was so sweet and unknowledgeable about the human "dating rituals" back then and so determined to win him over. Another memory hit him, and he chuckled to himself as he thought about it.

Anya had liked sex, and she made no attempt to hide it. Xander had to admit that her sexual appetite and candid remarks on the topic, often in public, used to embarrass or even intimidate him. But as their relationship grew, he realized that her spontaneity and honesty were just a few of the things he eventually began to love about her. Although the public sharing of her thoughts continued to make him uncomfortable, he certainly enjoyed her appetites in private.

It was over a year now that she'd been gone, and he found himself missing her more than ever. He had gotten over the grief, but he still couldn't think of her without pain and regret in his heart. Much as he hated to admit it, he could now accept and even sort of understand what Buffy had gone through over Spike. Xander figured that those two were probably well into a romantic reunion by now, and he couldn't help but be jealous.

As he sat there, lost in thought, he suddenly realized that the others were staring at him with clueless expressions. None of them had any idea what Xander was talking about before he zoned out, and Mena was relieved to see that she wasn't the only one that was confused.

Only Giles smirked as he continued to browse the menu. He removed his glasses, wiped them and said to Xander, "I know for a fact that you understand the difference, so why are you now pretending to confuse Native American Indian tribes with the actual Indian Indians of Southeastern Asia? The Indian cusine we're dealing with here is a far cry from corn-cakes and buffalo meat. We British have certainly learned to appreciate tasty Indian food. No one but you wanted to eat another burger."

Xander realized he had just become the butt of Giles' teasing, and he looked sullenly at the older Watcher. As Andrew watched the two men glare at each other, he decided he'd try to lighten the situation or steer it in another direction.

"Hey, hey, hey!" he burst out excitedly, "no fair keeping us in the dark about Xander's exotic Indian experience. It sounds like a memorable occasion, so include us in the fun."

Turning from one Watcher to the other, Andrew looked like a little boy begging for their attention.

"Basking in stories from your glory days that the rest of us weren't around to witness would be really cool," he insisted. "We're a team, remember? That means we share it all -- the good, the bad, the Ripley's believe it or not--"

Right about now, Xander wished he had never opened his mouth about Indians, period, but six pairs of eyes were firmly fixed on him, and they all were waiting for his response. He sure as hell didn't want to talk about that Thanksgiving fiasco.

Mena and Haley just smiled politely and were waiting curiously to see what would happen next.

Like the others, Vi wondered what Xander had been referring to. She had spent a good deal of time with the Scoobies, but she couldn't remember anything that could explain Xander's phobia about Indians.

Dawn didn't know what Xander was talking about, either, but she could sympathize with Andrew and resented being left out of the loop, so to speak. Even though she was the sister of the Slayer, Dawn had usually been sheltered from the serious missions. It had annoyed her to be treated like a little girl then, and it was starting to annoy her to be kept in the dark now. She was almost seventeen years old now, and although she didn't have Slayer powers, she considered herself a very capable member of the team.

"Andrew's right," she said, her firm voice breaking the awkward silence. "We're a team. Hiding anything from your partners is not only unfair, but also impolite."

Giles gave Dawn a surprised, yet amused grin. Even Xander's eyes widened at her sudden display of confident resolve.

"Well, it's really not a big secret, after all -- it was rather more a series of unfortunate and somewhat embarrassing events." Giles chuckled as he glanced at the young Watcher.

Xander immediately responded with a look that pleaded with Giles to abandon this entire topic of conversation.

"No, Giles, you can't be serious -- don't you dare bring this up," he protested, vigorously, as panic filled his eyes. "The point of that story has nothing to do with food."

"Actually, Xander, I think the youngsters' curiousity is quite understandable, and they are right after all. We are a team. It wouldn't be prudent to keep secrets, now that the door has been opened to reveal a glimpse of the subject matter," Giles replied.

"The essence of the story is quite simple really. We had an extremely unpleasant encounter with the spirit of a Chumash Indian warrior. The Chumash are Native Americans, and they have absolutely nothing to do with India, by the way. At any rate, this vengeful spirit decided to punish us for the injustice and cruelty the early settlers had perpetrated upon his tribe, after their burial ground was disturbed by Xander's construction crew. All manner of chaos took place, and I do remember it involved a bear, a continuous onslaught of arrows, and -- oh, yes -- other unusual maladies."

Giles paused for a moment and glanced at Xander, who was literally holding his breath.

"I believe that was probably the worst Thanksgiving any of us ever spent," he grinned as he adjusted his glasses once again. "So, I'm not at all surprised if Xander has less than fond memories of the occasion."

"Huh," Andrew uttered in disappointment. "That's all there is to it? I thought you said it was exotic--"

Giles gave Xander a knowing glance. "I believe that's a rather thorough account, unless of course, Xander has anything to add."

"N-no, no. That's the story in a nutshell," Xander replied. Anxious to change the subject, he quickly added, "Trust me, though. It was exotic by Sunnydale standards."

He silently thanked Giles for not embarrassing him and suggested that they order their dinner.

"Right," Giles nodded and beckoned the waiter over to the table.

"The Lamb Raja Rani Special sounds excellent. I believe, I'll try it," he said.

"Lamb Raja Rani Special?" Vi asked. "What's that?"

"It's a delightful dish of boneless lamb, stir- fried with seasonal vegetables and a lightly spiced curry sauce," Giles replied.

"Curry?" Vi grimaced. "I think I better choose something less spicy."

Noticing her apprehension, Giles suggested that she try the Shrimp Hyderabadi -- a light seafood dish that would appeal to someone unaccustomed to fiery Indian cuisine.

"On the contrary, I like it hot and spicy," Andrew chimed in. "The menu says you can order your meals spiced mild, medium, hot or Indian Hot. As I already said, I don't want to miss such a--"

"--gastronomical experience," Dawn and Mena finished his sentence, laughing in unison.

Andrew rolled his eyes and gave both girls a smug look. "Well,perhaps just to be safe, I'll order only the "hot", rather than the "Indian Hot".

"I think that would be wise, Andrew," advised Haley. "I've eaten and enjoyed a lot of Indian Food, and I'd still never order the "Indian Hot."

Dawn just shook her head and jokingly told Andrew to eat whatever he wanted, as long as his 'gastronomical experience' didn't lead to gastronominal distress. Mena was amused by the friendly banter and continued to joke with Andrew, too, but she sensed that Dawn seemed, for some reason, to be bothered by that.

She was a little puzzled by Dawn's reactions to her, so to escape the awkward situation, she turned to the waiter and asked for some orange juice and some plain broiled fish with saffron rice.

Xander finally convinced himself that none of this Indian food was hazardous to his health, so he caved in to peer pressure, ordered his dinner and tried to put his concerns behind him.

The rest of the youngsters placed their orders and anxiously awaited their meals. Haley still hadn't ordered, and she studied the wine list looking for the perfect accompaniment to her vegetarian dish.

She finally decided on a bottle of Chateau Greysac, a fine French wine with a fruity blend of apple, melon and pineapple.

Giles smiled appreciatively. "You seem to enjoy the finer things in life."

"Of course," Haley replied, with a slightly indignant tone, "I am a Rayne after all."

Giles' smile faded slightly at the mention of the name. Ethan Rayne was a man he no longer considered one of his favorite acquaintances. Giles was genuinely fond of Haley. He didn't want to bring up any bad blood between Haley's uncle and himself, especially over dinner.

"Haley," he replied softly, "I know there are a lot of things we should discuss concerning my relationship with your uncle, but this is hardly the time or the place." He gestured to the young crowd around them and then back to her.

"You're absolutely correct, Rupert," she agreed. "Let's save that discussion for another day. The night is young, and we should be enjoying ourselves. With this mission ahead of us, times like these may become very rare. So let's make the best of it while we can." She smiled at him, and the rest of the faces around her at the table returned her smile.

~~~~~~~~

"God, I'm stuffed!" Andrew groaned as he leaned back in his chair.

"Me, too," Vi added, fanning herself with her napkin. "Think I ate enough for a week."

"I have to admit it was very good; my taste buds are happy and my belly is full," Xander remarked. "I just hope there will be no negative after effects from this meal. No mystical illnesses. No pissed off spirits. No bears. And before you say it, I know they're not the same kind of Indians. Just saying--"

"Don't worry, Xan! Your faithful Slayer is ready to defend her Watcher if angry Hindu deities wish to punish you for your earlier comments about their cuisine," Mena smiled reassuringly as she patted Xander's arm.

Xander smiled warmly at her, "Thanks, Jamani."

"You're welcome," she smiled back.

They sat there, contemplating their options for the rest of the evening and trying desperately to fend off the inevitable post-feast lethargy.

"Hey, what do you say we go out and have a little fun?" Andrew grinned at his young companions, "I doubt these two would even realize we left," he said, glancing at Giles and Haley, who were deeply engrossed in some discussion on archaeology.

Vi looked at him hesitantly. She didn't want to do anything to get into trouble. Mr. Giles had stressed how important this mission was, and she wanted to make a good impression on her first, really major assignment. Not that the typical patrolling duties weren't important, too, but this assignment had been coveted by all of the Slayers. She wanted to prove that selecting her for the team had been the right choice.

"What have you got in mind, geek-boy?" Xander asked warily.

"Nothing too dangerous, Xan-man; don't get worried," Andrew laughed. "Just a little walk around the campus, checking out the place," he grinned. "After all, this is a university town with a lot of students. Lots of students means lots of potential hotties for all of us, right?"

Vi rolled her eyes at Andrew's display of typical 'male-thinking'. Apparently, he figured that was the way to fit in with the group... to encourage succumbing to their hormonal urges. And he was probably right.

Dawn's eyes lit up at the thought of breaking free for a bit of youthful fun and smiled enthusiastically.

"I'm in," she announced.

"Great. Anyone else?" Andrew inquired.

Mena and Vi looked at each other and shrugged, signifying that they were up for whatever everyone else wanted to do.

"Excellent," the young Watcher grinned with satisfaction and turned to Xander. "So what do you say, mate?"

"Mate?" snorted Xander as he looked at Andrew. "Making a habit of channeling Captain Peroxide now, are you?"

"Hey, Spike and I bonded a lot, back when we were saving the world together, and he -- umm -- the way he talks is cool," Andrew replied with a mischievous smile. "If he and Buffy were here, they'd be up for it. Er, well, maybe not so much the looking for hotties part, since they already are each other's hotties, but they'd still want to have fun. I just figured the Xan-man would be all for it, too."

Xander sighed and shrugged. "It's fine by me, 'lord of the nerds', but Giles is the one in charge here. Better run it by him, first."

Andrew's enthusiasm quickly faded, but realizing he had no choice, he agreed. "Okay. Ahemmmm..." He cleared his throat to draw Giles' attention, "Mr. Giles?"

Reluctantly breaking off his discussion with Haley, the older Watcher turned to look at him. "What is it, Andrew?" he asked impatiently.

"Er... we were wondering... that is to say, we thought we might get to know the city a bit. You know, take a walk around the campus. It looks like you and Ms. Rayne have a lot to talk about, and we didn't want to bother you."

"I don't think that's wise, Andrew. Haley and I are going to go back to the Kelsey museum to work for another hour or two. The rest of you ought to spend some more time reading the material that has been prepared for us about the artifacts and then get a good night's rest. We're not here on holiday, after all."

The looks of disappointment on the faces of Andrew, Dawn and Mena were enough to win Xander and Vi over to their side. But before they could add their support, another voice was heard on their behalf.

"Rupert, don't be such an old fuddy duddy," Haley chimed in with a sweet smile. "Let them have some fun. Everyone's been working so hard; they really deserve a break for the evening. Two Slayers should be enough to protect them from the vampire and demon population, which doesn't appear to be all that active here, anyway, according to everyone at the museum. Besides, there's a very capable Watcher with them," she referred to Xander. "I'm sure he'll keep an eye on them."

Andrew beamed at the unexpected support, while Xander nearly choked on his Coke when he heard Haley call Giles 'Rupert'. No one had ever called him that except for Spike.

Giles sighed and reluctantly conceded. "Very well, then, as it appears that I've been outvoted. But, please, I urge you to be careful. Xander, I'm expecting you to maintain control and a clear head, agreed?"

"Don't worry about a thing, Giles," Xander boasted, "I'll keep the situation well in hand."

"See, Giles, Xander will take care of us," Dawn smiled happily, jumping up from her chair. "We promise we won't get into any trouble. Thanks. See you two later."

Giles nodded with amusement as he and Haley watched them leave, then he pulled out his credit card to take care of the bill.

~~~~~~~~

"I don't know how you feel about it," Andrew wondered as they walked along East Williams Street, toward the center of campus, "but I'm really starting to like this new Watcher woman. If we can stay on her good side, she might be really helpful in persuading Giles to see things from our point of view more often."

"Yeah, I like her, too," Vi agreed. "She's so smart and pretty. Beauty and brains, as well as class and an air of mystery."

"Perceptive assessment, my dear Vi," Andrew sighed with admiration. "I think I may have just found my perfect match," he mused.

Xander burst into laughter. "Earth to Andrew! You have less than a 'snowball's chance in the Hellmouth' of ever getting next to her. I'm sure her standards are way out of the reach of us mere mortals, and besides, she's a bit old for you, don't you think? Plus, last time I checked you had a crush on Spike."

The whole group broke out in hysterics with those words, and Andrew scrambled to redeem himself.

"Hey, Spike and me -- we're buds, that's all. And if I hang around him long enough, I might pick up a few pointers on being a ladies' man. So there. And besides, as far as age goes -- age means nothing in the annals of love. Lots of women like younger guys," Andrew argued stubbornly. "I mean, look at Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher."

"I hate to disappoint you, Andrew, but Haley doesn't seem to be that type," Dawn chimed in, giving him a sympathetic look. "I think she goes more for a mature man."

Andrew looked dejected as he sighed. "Ah, life is so cruel sometimes."

"Don't take it so hard," Dawn patted the young Watcher's arm and gave him a supportive smile. "She's not perfect, anyway. Nobody is. We just haven't known her long enough to spot her flaws yet." As they turned the corner on their right onto State Street, she whispered quietly, "You'll find the right someone someday."

"Thanks, Dawnie," Andrew smiled. "I guess Giles is probably more her type. They seemed to be getting along really well at dinner."

Everyone giggled again, picturing Giles and Haley as a romantic couple. That just didn't seem right. Giles was too much like a father to them --and a rather stuffy one, at that -- to imagine as being romantic with anyone.

"Hey guys, that's the Kelsey Museum over there, isn't it?" Mena suddenly exclaimed, pointing to a huge building on the right side of the street. "I remember seeing a picture of it while surfing the net, looking for information about Ann Arbor."

"What do you do, Mena -- write a research paper on every place you visit?" asked Dawn sarcastically.

"Well, no. I -- I just like to get a bit familiar with our destinations before we arrive," Mena replied with confusion. "One never knows when a piece of information might become useful."

"She's right," Xander agreed. "Mena is a real asset on our team. Her insatiable appetite for knowledge has helped Spike and me countless times. I don't know what we would do without her." He smiled at his Slayer, who immediately blushed at the compliment.

Dawn rolled her eyes at Xander's praise for Mena but remained silent. She wasn't too fond of the way both Spike and Xander seemed to be bewitched by the girl's abilities and charm. Not only that, but she could tell that Andrew was impressed with her, too.

"Umm -- you're right, Mena. That is the Kelsey Archaeological Museum," Vi said, breaking the uncomfortable silence that had fallen over them. "If we don't keep walking, Giles and Haley will show up right on our heels."

"So this is where Haley's been working," Dawn remarked, studying the impressive architecture of the building. "It'll take Giles a minute or two to pay the check, so we don't have to run off right away."

"It's nice from the outside, but who knows what's hiding within," Xander said with a mock menacing tone. "Mysterious -- just like Haley."

The others stared at him questioningly.

"Are you implying that her near perfect beauty may be hiding some dark secrets?" Andrew asked timidly.

Xander shrugged. "I'm not implying anything, but I do have to wonder just a little about her. She is Ethan Rayne's neice, after all, and the thought of that doesn't exactly leave me with the 'warm and fuzzies'." He uttered the words very slowly, in an ominous tone that sent shivers down the others' spines.

"Boy, Xander, you'd be great in a classic horror film with that chilling impersonation of the immortal Boris Karloff's voice. I half expect to see the Mummy come lumbering out of the museum's front door." Andrew swallowed hard to emphasize the effect of Xander's spooky speech.

Vi rubbed her arms, Mena's eyes widened, and Dawn chewed her lip nervously. They weren't entirely sure that Andrew and Xander were kidding. Xander watched them all for a moment in amused silence, then laughed heartily. "Come on, guys. I play a role in a horror movie every day, don't you know that? For that matter, all of us are part of the big movie called life, right?"

He followed up that comment with a booming bwah hahahahh, then he turned away from the museum and continued walking down the street.

Andrew's eyes brightened as the meaning of Xander's statement dawned on him, and he hurried his pace to catch up to him.

"Damn, Xan, you're right. I've always kinda thought about it that way. Life is just one big blockbuster movie, except that it's for real, of course, so we have to take things seriously. And we're all bit players in it. Well, not all of us. I mean, some of us are stars -- like Spike or Buffy -- and I think..."

Xander walked faster in an effort to escape Andrew's constant chatter. He knew now he was going to regret ever starting this conversation and hoped that someone would say something soon that would completely change the subject.

The three girls followed behind them. Mena shared her knowledge of the museum with Vi, who was listening with interest, but Dawn walked alone, silently fuming and suddenly feeling like an outsider. She hoped that something would happen soon to distract them all. Maybe they could find a party or somewhere that underage non-drinkers could dance.

Continuing on down the street, the gang soon came to another huge building. In contrast to the Kelsey Museum, which had seemed dark and forbidding, this building's interior was ablaze with light.

"What's this place?" Vi asked, as the group stopped to check it out.

"Maybe we should ask Mena, our resident tour guide," Dawn replied rudely. "I'm sure she's already done thorough research on not only the campus, but also the whole town of Ann Arbor, and probably even the entire state of Michigan."

"Dawn! What's with the snippy voice? And why are you suddenly being all bad moody girl?" Xander asked as he gave her a disapproving frown.

Ignoring his attempt to stand up for her, Mena replied, "Actually, I do know a lot about this place. This is the Michigan Union," she smiled proudly and continued, "It was formed in 1904 as an 'all inclusive organization' focused on promoting feelings of unity among everyone at the university. The founders were adamant about finding a "home" for the organization, so they purchased the former house of Judge Thomas M. Cooley here on State Street. Then they demolished it and began construction of this building."

Mena paused briefly to catch her breath and then continued on with her history lesson, fully aware of the surprised looks on the faces of all of her companions.

"Funds for completion of the interior were secured in pledges, but because of World War I, the money proved difficult to collect. While in its unfinished state, the building served as a barracks and mess hall for the student army training corps. After the war ended, the building's interior was completed, and the Michigan Union officially opened in 1919. It initially operated as a club, with all members paying yearly dues.Today, it hosts a broad array of services, programs, and facilities focused on serving the students and other members of the university and community."

Mena finished her speech and looked at her friends. They all stood there in stunned silence.

"Wow!" Andrew's jaw dropped. "That was pretty much -- incredible! You must have total recall, right? That's got to come in handy."

Vi and Xander also stared at the Slayer with awe, and even Dawn was stunned at the amount of information that Mena had memorized.

"Jamani, you're a walking, breathing travel log," Xander noted with pride.

Mena smiled shyly and looked down at the pavement. "I -- I just like history," she shrugged with a blush. "That's all. And I read it this afternoon, so it was still fresh in my mind."

"I wouldn't have remembered all of that if I'd just read it five minutes ago," marveled Vi. "That's quite a skill, Mena."

"Well, now that we know more than we ever needed to know about its origins, I guess we should take a look," Dawn said, urging Andrew to take her up on the suggestion.

"Sounds good to me," he agreed, then turned to the others. "Come on, guys, let's take a look at it!"

Xander glanced at Vi and Mena. Both of them looked quite interested in exploring the place. He nodded his approval, and they all headed for the entrance.

"My God, this building is huge," Vi remarked with astonishment as they entered the Union. "It looks like it goes on forever."

"Giles would love this place," Xander chuckled as the Union's gigantic bookstore caught his eye.

After spending some time exploring the Union's vast interior and its exhibits, the gang sat down for a little rest at a dining area on the ground floor. Andrew excused himself and made a bee-line for the men's restroom. When he came back some minutes later, he was grinning broadly from ear to ear.

"Well, gentle friends, now I know what path our destiny will take us on tonight," he proclaimed as he waved a piece of paper in their faces.

The others watched him in puzzled amusement.

"Andrew, please don't tell me you found a flyer for a stupid Star Wars convention or worse, a Sci-Fi movie marathon," Dawn pleaded. "We're on a college campus; I want to have some college fun!"

"Nooooo, just a marathon fraternity party that's open to the public," Andrew winked, as he stopped one of the students passing by for directions to the party.

"Hey, mate, could you tell me how to find this frat house?" he asked, as he showed him the flyer.

"Lambda Chi Alpha?" the guy said as he looked at the paper. "Sure. Just walk down South U. till you get to Washtenaw. Turn right, walk down till the next street after 'the Rock' and take a left. You won't have any trouble recognizing the house; just look for the chapter sign with those Greek letters. But I'm sure you'll hear the party from blocks away, so you can't possibly miss it. The Lambda Chi's are famous for their loud parties," he laughed.

"Thanks, mate," Andrew grinned, as Xander rolled his eyes at the nerd's continued use of Spike-speak.

"No problem, dude. Have fun!" The student smiled and continued on his way.

"That's the whole idea," Andrew smirked.

Following the directions the student had provided, the gang left the Union and started walking along South University.

"Oh, look -- the University of Michigan Museum of Art!" Mena indicated with her head as they passed the museum on their left.

"I presume you know some interesting things about that, too," Xander kidded her.

Mena chuckled. "Actually, yes, but I don't want to bore anyone with the details." She glanced sideways at Dawn, who was jabbing Andrew in the ribs and giggling.

"Hey, don't worry about her, Jamani," Xander reassured his Slayer with a warm smile. "Dawn is just more interested in partying than history right now. I, on the other hand, am always interested in your continued attempts to enrich my limited bank of knowledge."

"Me, too," Vi chimed in.

Mena gave them both an appreciative smile and with a slight sigh, she began to speak. "The museum's collections represent 150 years of art collecting. And, of course, they offer many courses to study not only their own extraordinary art collections, but also all of the temporary exhibitions they bring in from time to time."

"Let's try to come back here tomorrow, so that we can check it out," suggested Vi.

"I'd like that very much," agreed Mena.

"Well, I still want to get a look at the inside of the football stadium," said Xander, "so I think I'll do that tomorrow while you guys go to the museum. Sorry, it's just not my thing."

"No problem, Xander. We don't all have to go everywhere together," said Vi and Mena nodded in agreement.

As they passed the University President's House, they saw the Saphiro Undergrad Library on the left, and they noted that a huge and beautiful Law Quadrangle that had begun at the corner of State Street, and covered most of the right side of the block, finally ended.

"I'd also like to see more of the Law Quad in the daylight," said Mena. "That building looks absolutely gorgeous. Reminds me of Cambridge and Oxford, don't you think so, Vi?"

"Oh, yes. Very beautiful. Love the stained glass windows."

"According to the website, they've got a lovely garden area in the center courtyard," Mena added and continued to give them information on surrounding points of interest, while Xander and Vi told her snippets of information about the American campus system.

At the intersection of Washtenaw Avenue and South University, they turned right and walked till they saw the painted rock at the corner of Hill Street.

"The Rock!" Mena exclaimed, running up to the huge chunk of Canadian limestone to take a better look at it. "It looks even more cool than those pictures on the net!"

"I bet it's also a lot bigger than in those photos," Xander laughed, watching her enthusiastically examining the landmark stone.

"Did you know that this rock was deposited by glaciers in a gravel pit on Pontiac Trail and was moved here by Eli Gallup in 1932 to become a memorial honoring George Washington on his 200th birthday?"

Mena looked at her companions, and Vi and Xander shook their heads in wonder. Mena smiled and continued, happy to share some more information she had read on the campus website.

"Buried in the foundation of the rock, there is a box containing its history and origin. Originally, the Rock was painted gray and had a copper plaque and tribute to President Washington."

"Wow, that's like a relic straight out of an adventure story," Andrew said with awe as he and Dawn caught up with the group.

"Calm down, geek-boy," Xander grinned. "It has nothing to do with Indiana Jones or those Romancing the Stone movies."

"No?" Andrew frowned in disappointment. "That's a pity."

"Guys, are we going to spend the whole night getting a history lesson, or are we going to that party?" Dawn pouted impatiently.

Xander sighed; he was getting a bit uneasy over Dawn's attitude towards Mena. "Okay, guys, I guess we'd better get going," he said.

This time, Dawn led the group, dragging a puzzled Andrew along with her.

Xander knew it wasn't the appropriate time to confront Dawn, but he had seen the hurt on Mena's face, and he couldn't understand what she had done to deserve this kind of treatment from Dawn.

Women! he thought to himself, I don't think I'll ever figure them out. Walking behind with Mena and Vi, he was grateful that at least those two were getting along.

Finding the frat house wasn't difficult at all. Loud music blared from every window, and the whole street was full of college kids, just hanging out and having fun. A good many of them had already drunk more than they should have. A few sat on the sidewalk, singing loudly. A group of 'jocks' were showing off a new sports car to some pretty coeds. The girls were obviously impressed with the muscular athletes and appeared ready to take a moonlight drive with them.

"I have never seen so many guys wearing letter jackets," Mena murmured in amazement. "I've also never scene this many hunky guys before all in one place."

"Yeah, there's just something about a letter jacket on a guy. It's kinda like a man in uniform, and you know what they say about that," Vi giggled.

"So, you like a man in uniform or with a letter on his chest, do you, baby?" Andrew asked her slyly with his best attempt at a sexy voice.

"I didn't say that...not exactly," Vi replied in embarrassment.

"Sure," Dawn laughed sarcastically. "Ask Xander about a certain letter jacket we dealt with back in Sunnydale. Come on, Andrew," she said as she hooked her arm through his. "Let's go in."

Andrew gave in to Dawn's persuasion, happy for all the attention she had been giving him all night, and the two of them started up the sidewalk to the front porch of the frat house.

Xander stood behind with Mena and Vi, who seemed a bit more reluctant to move and were looking up at him, waiting for his information about the Sunnydale letter jacket.

"Let's just say that it was enchanted with the power of seduction and leave it at that, okay? We destroyed it. It can no longer work its power over unsuspecting young girls. And no, I never wore it myself. I swear."

Mena and Vi laughed at his last line, imagining that Xander might actually have been tempted to wear it. Of course, they didn't know that he had once had bewitched women chasing him all over Sunnydale, and therefore, seriously had no interest in wearing that magically-enhanced letter jacket. At any rate, they decided to respect his wish to drop the topic.

Xander wasn't sure that Giles would have approved of this particular type of entertainment, but they were here now, and it was obvious that Dawn and Andrew intended to enjoy themselves. He silently prayed that he could keep things under control. There was no way he wanted to let Giles down, especially now that this impressive, new Watcher was thrown into the mix. Xander was sure that everything he did from now on would never measure up to Haley's performance, at least in Giles' eyes.

"Come on, then, girls. Guess it can't hurt to check things out." Xander sighed but reluctantly encouraged them to follow Dawn and Andrew inside.

As soon as they entered the frat house, Dawn and Andrew immediately threw themselves into a metaphorical jungle of party animals.

"Later, dudes," Andrew shouted through the crowd to Xander as Dawn dragged him out on the makeshift dance floor area.

by Cryssie

"Hope they can take care of themselves and stay out of trouble," Xander muttered. "Giles will 'rip me a new one' if anything happens."

"Let's have a Coke or something," Vi suggested as she surveyed the partying masses, "I'm really thirsty after all that spicy food."

Xander and Mena nodded in agreement, and they all walked over to the refreshment table. Since many of the party attendees were imbibing the traditional student drink of rum and Coke, Mena and Vi were able to snag some of the beverage without the liquor.

"Wow, this is some party!" Mena noted, before sipping her glass of Coke.

"First time you've been to a frat party?" asked a tall, dark-haired guy standing on her left.

Mena turned to look at him and shyly answered, "Umm...yes."

"Then, welcome to Lambda Chi Alpha!" the guy smiled. "My name is Nick. What's your name, pretty lady?"

"I -- I'm Mena, and these are my friends Vi and Xander."

"Nice to meet you," Nick said.

"You live here?" Xander asked.

"Yeah," Nick smiled proudly. "I'm a full-fledged Lambda Chi." He took a long drink from his glass and added, "Since I'm assuming you're not from around here, let me just say that, Lambda Chi Alpha is one of the oldest and largest men's fraternities in North America. We have over 227,000 initiated members and have chapters at more than 300 universities. We even have international status."

"Pretty impressive, pal," Xander replied and added with a laugh, "but, this kind of line works best on the ladies. I, myself, could get by without ever processing any of that. The only truly important frat house information is the location of the keg."

Nick gave Xander a good-natured slap on the back and laughed heartily.

"Okay, man. I'm busted on my attempt to impress these lovely ladies, and you're absolutely right. Few things are more important than--"

"Damn! Vampires!" Xander frowned as his eyes caught sight of two burly guys forcing a drunken student toward the front door, right past a large mirror that revealed a reflection of only the drunken student in the middle. "I knew it was no use hoping for a blissfully normal evening."

"What did you say?" Nick asked with confusion. He looked in the direction Xander had indicated, but he didn't notice anything unusual. After all, the house bouncers frequently had to escort rowdy troublemakers off the premises, and this looked like a typical scenario to him.

Mena and Vi sensed trouble and glanced at Xander, waiting for his lead.

"Nick, old pal, you'll have to excuse us. Just saw some guys that we need to catch up with before we lose them," Xander said through gritted teeth, not taking his eyes off the trio that had now reached the doorway. "Maybe we'll see you again later," he excused himself as he looked meaningfully at the girls. "Right now, we really need to get reacquainted with some old friends."

"Uh...sure, that's cool," Nick nodded with a smile. "Think I'll check out the action upstairs. So, later."

"See ya," Mena smiled back then quickly turned to follow Xander and Vi outside.

"You said vamps, Xander? Where did they go?" she inquired as they raced out to the front lawn.

Xander looked around for a moment and then indicated to the left with a nod of his head. The girls followed his gaze and spotted the three men that he had seen struggling in the house. It was a bright moonlit night, but the lawn was full of thick bushes, hedges, and huge trees that diminished a clear view of the surroundings. They heard a weak moan and just made out the vamps and their would-be victim in the yard off to the left side of the house. One man lay struggling on the ground as the other two bent over him.

Mena's eyes widened, and she immediately jumped and ran toward them.

"I would advise you against that," she shouted as she dragged the first vamp, already in game face, away from the frightened student.

The other vampire was so surprised by the sudden turn of events that he never saw Vi's punch before it hit him squarely in the face. Groaning in pain, he nearly dropped to his knees.

"All right, pretty baby! Come to papa now; you'll be a tasty appetizer," the first vamp leered as he lunged at Mena. She easily spun away, avoiding his grasp.

"Sorry to disappoint you, but dinner time is over for you and your friend!" she laughed as she whirled and kicked him in the stomach.

The vamp groaned and snarled, "You little bitch!"

"I think I've had just about all I care to endure of your rudeness!" Mena scolded as she grabbed her stake, jumped at the vamp and dusted him.

Vi was still in the heat of battle. Finally, she knocked her adversary to the ground with a cunning kick where it hurts the most. As the vamp bent forward a bit in response to the groin kick, Vi connected with a powerful uppercut punch to his jaw that brought him upright again. In a flash, Vi used that opportunity to plunge the stake into his chest.

by nmcil

"Have a nice journey to Hell," she said and drove the stake through his heart. The vampire immediately disintegrated.

Vi stood up and looked down at her clothes, hurriedly brushing them with both hands. "Darn," she frowned, "these are my best jeans. Now they'll smell like vamp dust."

"Good job," said Mena as she hugged Vi.

"The same goes for you," Vi smiled, continuing to brush off her jeans.

"That was a thing of beauty," Xander complimented them as he applauded their efforts. He had been calmly watching the fight from under a tree, leaning against its trunk.

"Boy, Xander, thanks for all your help. You remind me of that guy, Boswell? Bosley? You know, the sidekick guy from Charlie's Angels," Vi taunted, still out of breath. "Just standing around, watching the girls do all the work."

Xander laughed. "Come on, now, ladies. After all, that is my job, isn't it? That's why they call us Watchers."

Vi and Mena laughed at Xander's lame attempt at humor and started walking back to the frat house.

"Hope I can find my Coke," Vi sighed, "I'm majorly thirsty now."

"By the way...how did you know?" Mena asked her Watcher.

"Know what?"

"That they were vampires."

"Oh, that!" Xander smirked. "I've been down this road a few times by now, and I just know the warning signs. Those two were just a bit too pale. And the pathetic losers kept flashing the ladies an overly toothsome grin. Guess they thought they were cool - at least, for no-neck, dumb jock, frat boys. Truth is, they weren't very discreet. They walked right past a huge mirror. Spotting them was a piece of cake."

Mena chuckled and looked affectionately at her Watcher. "In other words, you got lucky, right?"

"Um...right. That's probably more accurate," Xander admitted sheepishly. Then he wrapped his arms around both girls' shoulders and led them back towards the entrance. "Come on, girls. I would say both of you deserve a little R and R, so let's go in search of some liquid refreshment. I'm suddenly in a party mood."

~~~~~~~~

When Spike knocked on the door of her room at the Campus Inn, Buffy felt a moment of excitement that bordered on panic. She took a deep breath and opened the door to let him in. Her jaw dropped, and her eyes widened at the breathtaking sight of Spike in a fabulous dark gray, pin-striped suit with a mauve shirt and oh, my God, he was wearing a tie!

Spike had one of his hands in his pocket and the other behind his back. His look of apprehension swiftly changed to one of amusement at Buffy's pleased reaction. He brought his arm from behind his back and handed her a single, perfect red rose in a beautiful porcelain budvase.

She suddenly realized her mouth was open, so she snapped it shut and stepped out of the way to let him enter. Then the manners she learned from her mother jumped into action.

"Come on in, Spike. Please make yourself comfortable, while I step back into the bathroom for just a moment. I'm almost ready. Oh, and thank you so much for the rose. I'll place it here in the center of the table. It smells wonderful," she said as she sniffed its fragrance and then set it down.

He smiled and said, "You look lovely, Buffy."

"So do you." Flustered, she corrected herself, "I mean, you look very handsome in that suit. I'll be right back."

Spike chuckled as she scampered off to the bathroom, understanding that she was as nervous about their "first date" as he was. She looked absolutely gorgeous. He was going to be the envy of every bloke in the restaurant. Since he had too much anticipatory energy to sit down, he began to anxiously pace the room, stopping now and then to look out the window.

Buffy leaned back against the bathroom door and took a few deep breaths. He looked absolutely amazing. She was going to be the envy of every woman in the restaurant. Who would have guessed how natural he could look all dressed up? Why, he could easily pass for a lawyer or a businessman. A drop dead hottie of a lawyer, that is.

She calmed herself, fluffed her hair, and took one long, last look in the mirror. She could do this. She knew how to date. At least, she used to know how. It was just like riding a bike, right?

She left the bathroom and joined Spike in the outer room. "I thought I'd bring this wrap, just in case it gets a little chilly," she said, picking it up from the bed along with a small evening bag.

"That's a good idea. Never know how high the air-conditioning might be set. Left the top up on the Viper, so you won't need to worry about your hair blowing in the wind."

"Thank you, Spike. That was very thoughtful as was the rose."

by Cryssie

They exchanged a smile and made their way out of the hotel. He opened the car door for her, and once she was seated, he walked around the car and lowered himself into the driver's seat.

"It's only a few blocks away, pet. We'll be there in no time."

Spike drove down North Division Street and then went a couple blocks out of his way to see what Buffy might think of the unusual pavement. He was rewarded instantly with a comment.

Buffy exclaimed, "Oh, look. A cobblestone street. How neat."

"Actually, it's brick, pet."

"Oh, of course. Too bad it's red. A yellow-brick road would be really cool."

"Right. You're not in Oz or Kansas, Dorothy. This is Michigan. But I always kind of liked how they've kept just a few of the old streets in this part of town like that as a remembrance of times past. Certainly brings back memories for me, but you probably just think it's quaint, right?" He pulled onto Depot Street.

"Nothing wrong with quaint and postcardy now and then. Speaking of which, what a lovely stone building."

"That's our restaurant, love."

"The Grandy Dancer."

"Not quite," he chuckled. "It's the Gandy Dancer. They might have a valet waiting there near that green awning, but don't want a stranger driving my Viper. You don't mind a short walk, do you?"

"Of course not. You know me; if I can slay vampires while wearing heels, I ought to be able to walk a few steps to a restaurant."

"Good. Don't want to park here on the street, either, 'cause drivers always come barreling down these hills. I prefer to park in the lot over by the Amtrak end of the building. It's tucked right ahead here after we pass under the Broadway Bridge."

"Wait a minute, Spike. Even I know that Broadway is in New York," Buffy laughed.

"That so? Quite the traveler, aren't you? Know it's a bit odd to name this particular street and bridge Broadway, since it's no where near Ann Arbor's theatres, but towns can choose whatever street names they want, right?"

This bit of small talk had served them well. Not only were they now parked and about to enter the restaurant, but their nerves had been calmed by the friendly chatting. Spike held out his arm, and Buffy hooked hers through it, continuing to be delighted by his gentlemanly manners.

Spike gave his name to the maitre d', who said, "Right this way, Mr. Goodman."

Spike held the chair out for Buffy, and once they were seated, Buffy said, "Do I get points for not giggling? Actually, I asked Giles what name you gave him for your documents because I was so curious. Gotta say, we all got a kick out of your choice. Will you ever tell me your real name?"

"Never told anyone, pet. Not even Dru. Didn't want Angelus and Darla to be able to track down my relatives, though I did take Dru back to my house just once. Reckoned that part of my life was over when I was turned. That name was no longer mine."

"Okay. I understand, I guess. But if you'd ever like to tell me, I promise I'll keep it a secret."

The waiter approached and announced the specials as he handed them menus. Buffy's eyes widened at the prices on the menu and the fact that everything was ala carte, but Spike appeared unconcerned.

"We'd like a bottle of champagne. If you have Dom, we'd prefer that."

Click image to enlarge
by Cryssie

"Excellent choice, sir. I'll bring that right away."

"Spike, champagne on top of the expensive dinners? Are you sure?"

"It's really not a problem, love. Since the Council's been footing our bills, I've hardly touched the money I left L.A. with, and that was quite a chunk of change. We can afford to indulge ourselves tonight. As long as you don't expect all of our future dates to be this extravagant."

"All of our future dates. I like the sound of that."

"Was just referring to this trial thing we're doing while we're here in Ann Arbor, Buffy. Still not making a commitment. You understand that, right?"

"Yes, Spike. I know," said Buffy, who decided an immediate change of subject was in order. "This is a beautiful restaurant. I really like the decor. Is the food as good?"

"It was, the last time I was here. Do you know what'd you like to order? I'm going to get a steak."

"Yes, I thought the Lake Trout Almondine and rice pilaf with dried Michigan cherries sounded delicious. I've never eaten any fish from the Great Lakes."

After they'd placed their order, Spike poured more champagne into each of their glasses and offered a toast.

"To a fresh start," he said.

"A fresh start," Buffy agreed, as they clinked their glasses lightly and then drank. "So, let's continue getting to know each other, all right? What was it that first brought you here to Ann Arbor?"

"Dru and I heard about it while we were at Woodstock. Kind of a funny story, actually. The Who were supposed to have played at midnight, but for some reason, probably rain, they were delayed. Anyway, the band members were kept up all night to play at dawn instead. Abbie Hoffman, you've heard of him, right?"

"Some kind of 60's radical?"

"That's right. One of that lot that became known as 'The Yippies'. Anyway, he jumped onstage to make a poncy, impassioned plea about the plight of this bloke named John Sinclair -- tell you more about him in a minute -- and Pete Townshend was so tired and pissed off by this point, he hauled off and whacked him with his guitar, sending him flying off the stage into the crowd. It was hilarious. About split a gut, laughing so hard."

"Didn't Pete know who Abbie was?"

"Guess he just saw some unidentified, frantic guy jump onstage and grab his microphone, and so he reacted without thinking about it. Anyway, it became a big topic of conversation among all the hippies. Found out this John Sinclair was a big, political activist in Ann Arbor, speaking at rallies, especially on the University of Michigan campus. He'd been tricked into passing a couple of joints--"

"You mean marijuana cigarettes?"

"Yes, love. That was a big part of the culture back then. Almost everyone, especially the younger people, smoked pot during those years."

"I know that much, Spike. It was all peace, love, rock and roll and marijuana in the 60's -- at least as far as movies and books and magazine articles say. You'll have to tell me all of your Woodstock stories, too. I've seen the documentary film about it."

"Right, then. Woodstock stories are added to the list. But to explain what brought me to Ann Arbor, which was your first question, let me finish this story."

"Sure, Spike. I'm all ears. This is really interesting, picturing you in those times. Did you grow your hair long?"

"Everyone did. Dru and I usually went along with whatever the fashions were of the day. Made it easier to blend in and lure our prey. So, anyway, Sinclair passed a couple of joints to an undercover policewoman, and the pillocks nabbed him. It was all some bloody, big set-up to keep him from being such an influence on the college kids. He ended up being jailed for almost two years, before he was finally released, when Michigan reduced their laws for drug possession -- at least, for small amounts of marijuana, that is."

"Really?"

"Yeah, the city of Ann Arbor even went so far as to pass a law that made minor possession just a misdemeanor with only a $5.00 fine, but I doubt that's true now. Anyway, it was a big deal among political activists to get John Sinclair released. John Lennon even wrote a song about it."

"With the Beatles?"

"No, he was on his own with Yoko Ono by that point. They held this big benefit concert at the Crisler Arena here in Ann Arbor in December of 1971. Sinclair was released just a few days later. Dru and I had a blast at that concert. The arena is huge -- seats 5,000, and the whole bloody place was packed.

"Some really great musicians, with very different styles, played along with Lennon and Yoko. Let's see, there was Stevie Wonder, Commander Cody and the Lost Planet Airmen, the very political folk musician Phil Ochs, and another one of The Yippies, Jerry Rubin, played bongoes. It was wild. Oh, and the poet Allen Ginsberg was there, too."

"Wow, you saw John Lennon play live?"

"Sure. Saw him play when he was with The Beatles, too. I've loved music all my life, Buffy. As the music changed, my tastes just sorta added the new sounds in, without ever dropping the old. Still enjoy Classical music, jazz, blues, Motown, and what they now call Classic Rock. Depends on the mood I'm in."

"Okay, you had me at The Beatles! Add your stories about their concerts to your list, too. I think we're going to need more than our few days here in Ann Arbor for me to listen all the stories I want to hear."

Spike smiled and said, "Just don't let Harris know that I like most kinds of music. It's fun to argue with him about control of the car radio."

"So how are you and Xander getting along? Or is that a sore topic?"

"Again, don't let him know that I admitted this, but we have fun more often than not. Did have a row while we were in Cleveland, but other than that, things have gone surprisingly well."

"Okay, who are you and what have you done with the real Spike?"

Spike laughed. "Don't worry about keeping a lookout for flying pigs, pet. It's not like I'm saying Harris and I are becoming best friends or anything. Too much old baggage for that."

The waiter appeared with their meals, and they began to eat. Buffy decided she didn't want their big date ruined by talk of any old baggage from Sunnydale, so she asked another question to get him talking again about safer, first date kinds of topics.

"So, you came to Ann Arbor because of this John Sinclair guy? I wouldn't have guessed you to be interested in politics."

"Wasn't. But I was interested in music. When the hippies at Woodstock were talking about Sinclair, I found out he wasn't just a political activist, although that's what he was most known for then. Did you ever hear of the White Panther Party?"

"No. I only remember reading and hearing about the Black Panther Party."

"Well, Sinclair was the founder of the White Panther Party and then later, its successor, the Rainbow Peoples Party."

"Okay, that one I think I've heard of."

"But, anyway, what intrigued me was his other activities, which he has continued to this day. He's a poet and a blues & jazz historian. When he performs his poetry, he always has musicians play behind him. He started out as a beat writer, you know, like Kerouac?"

"Yeah, he wrote "On The Road" or something like that, right?"

"Right. Anyway, what excited me and made me want to go to Ann Arbor was when I found out Sinclair managed the MC5. Ever hear of that band?"

"I don't think so. Maybe I know some of their songs?"

"They weren't together very long, but they, along with The New York Dolls, are more or less considered to be the first punk rock bands of the 60's."

"Ah, now I get your fascination."

"Yeah, busted. Punk will always hold a special place in my heart. MC5 came blazing out of Ann Arbor and played all over the whole Detroit area before they made it big. Often opened for bands like The Who and Jimi Hendrix. They were on the cover of Rolling Stone and put out some great albums, while they lasted. Their live album, recorded at Detroit's Grande Ballroom and named for their hit song, "Kick Out The Jams", is considered by some to be the best live recording of all time."

Buffy was enjoying the story, but was even more captivated by Spike's enthusiasm for his subject. His eyes were sparkling, and he was smiling a lot. She couldn't remember ever seeing him this happy and excited over talking about something, then realized that was because she never really gave him the chance to talk about his past. Not before this trip to Ann Arbor. She had been making a point to respond with brief verbal "hmms" and "ohs" to keep him going, and it was really paying off. He was having a great time, and so was she.

"Sinclair thought rock and roll was the way to tie the youth to political activism. The MC5 stage show was really dynamic and intense. They kicked ass! Some of the concerts in Detroit ended up in minor riots. That got Sinclair a couple of nicknames by the media - 'Detroit's Public Enemy #1' and also 'The King of the Hippies'. His mantra was "Rock and Roll, dope, and fucking in the streets" -- pardon my use of the f-word in a classy restaurant, but that was his exact phrase. He thought music could help lead the youth to bring down the military industrial complex that they felt was responsible for the Viet Nam War."

"That's an unusual philosophy. I mean, not the military thing, but that music could lead the youth to radical political activism, rather than just designer fashions like now."

"They were very heady times, pet. Anyway, Sinclair also loved some of the jazz and blues artists that I did, like Muddy Waters, Sonny Boy Williamson and Robert Johnson. He organized events like The Ann Arbor Blues and Jazz Festivals. But, like me, he had very eclectic tastes. He also managed Mitch Ryder and The Detroit Wheels."

"Hey, I think my Dad had one of their albums."

"So does old Rupert. One thing I kinda enjoyed during those weeks I stayed at his apartment was his music collection."

"MC5 seems like an odd name for a band."

"It's actually an abbreviation. Their name was The Motor City Five, but that abbreviation made for a very creative poster. They altered Einstein's formula to read as E=MC5. Poster was a huge hit."

Spike was lost for a moment in his memory and then noticed that Buffy had finished eating her meal. "So, would you like to order some dessert?" Spike asked as he beckoned the waiter over to their table.

Buffy chose the lemon cheesecake and insisted that Spike help her eat it. The pastry chef was apparently very creative. The cheesecake was shaped like a bomb and came with a fruit compote, artfully arranged in a geometric pattern on the plate. As they moaned over the delicious dessert, Buffy decided to try to keep Spike talking about music, which was so obviously a favorite topic.

"So, were there any other interesting musicians from this area back then? I know that Bob Seger came from here, but that was a bit later, wasn't it?"

"Seger didn't become famous until later, but he was already playing at local clubs. Since I was getting into the punk sound so much, I got a bigger kick out of Iggy Pop. He was from a town over along Lake Michigan, on the western side of the state, but he ended up here in Ann Arbor and Detroit, too, because the music scene was really happening here. He was front man for Iggy and the Stooges and was definitely one of the wildest punk rockers ever. Known for his onstage antics, including self-mutilation. Started out with a band called the Iguanas, which is how he adopted the name Iggy."

"Okay, I know he hung out with David Bowie, at some point, didn't he? But I think the only time I ever saw him was in that totally weird, early Johnny Depp movie, Cry Baby. Did you ever see that? Very, very strange. An entire movie of strange."

"Yeah, it was, but that's because it was a John Waters film. He is one bloody odd filmmaker."

Spike fed Buffy the last bite of the lemon cheesecake and then asked if she was ready to leave.

"Oh, yes, I'm stuffed, but I need to excuse myself to use the ladies room before we go."

"Fine, love. I'll take care of our bill and meet you at the front door."

Spike helped her out of her chair and motioned again for the waiter to bring the bill. He left a large tip and went to wait for Buffy by the exit.

"Thank you, Spike," she said as she arrived at the door. "It was a delicious meal and fabulous conversation. I feel like I attended a 60's seminar on music and pop culture."

Spike laughed as they started walking toward the parking lot. "Glad I didn't bore you, pet. Can get a bit long-winded when talking about music."

"Not at all. You described some very interesting people. Spike, do you see those guys under the viaduct -- I mean, the Broadway Bridge. I think they're vampires."

"You're right. Looks like they're planning to feed on those well-fed diners walking just ahead of us. Since you're all dressed up, love, I think I can take them on my own."

"No way you get all the fun. Let me just warn that couple, and I'll be right behind you."

Buffy hurried forward to waylay the middle-aged couple, while Spike sauntered over to the bridge. By the time Buffy joined Spike, however, the two vampires were nothing but dust.

"No fair. You didn't leave me one."

"They were just fledges. Not worthy of your time. But that's all right, pet. I'm sure we can find another one or two if we go on patrol. You up for it?"

"You bet."

Spike and Buffy hurried to the Viper and drove back to the Campus Inn, where Buffy changed her clothes and grabbed her carry-on bag, containing an extra outfit for the next day and a slinky nightgown. She had decided that her pajamas from last night were too boring. Maybe if she wore something a little more enticing and revealing, she'd have better luck tonight when it was time for bed.

Before heading for the Bell Tower Hotel, so Spike could change out of his suit and into clothes more conducive to slaying, they stopped at a party store. They selected a few bottles of wine to put on ice in their room and grabbed some snacks, too. Their purchases would make for a nice little late night party when they returned after patrol.

~~~~~~~~

Spike and Buffy walked up the hills adjacent to Central Campus, still chatting, all the way to the Forest Hill Cemetery entrance off Observatory St. They strolled among the graves, with nary a vampire or demon in sight.

"This is the only cemetery in Ann Arbor that's within walking distance, pet, so if you want to do more patrolling after this, we'll have to either drive to another graveyard or just patrol the streets near some bars and clubs," said Spike.

"So, I suppose they call this one Forest Hill because it's on a hill, and there are trees all over the place," mused Buffy. "Creative, much?" At Spike's look, she added, "Come on. It's really not a very imaginative name. There was one with the same name in the L.A. area, too."

"Right. Like Sunnydale was more creative -- Restfield?" Spike offered, with appropriate sarcasm.

Buffy laughed and conceded the point. "Okay, I give up. I guess it's just a thing, then, that they all have in common. As far as the 'Forest' part is concerned, I guess Ann Arbor has more of a right to that name than L.A. did. This city seems to have trees everywhere."

"Hence, it's nickname," said Spike.

"What's that?"

"Tree City. I know, obvious, much?"

They both laughed at his purposeful use of Buffy-speak. This night had already seen more laughter from the two of them than any other night they'd ever spent together. And Spike didn't want the talking and the pleasant mood to end, so he scrambled for something to keep the conversation going.

"Did you notice that as we drove through the downtown area, they had trees all along the sidewalks in front of all the stores?"

"Yeah. Trees pretty." Since they had reached the back edge of the graveyard with no evil to slay, Buffy asked, "What's beyond the trees here where the cemetery ends?"

"At the bottom of the hill is the Huron River, and, of course, the Arboretum."

"The what-oreet-who?"

"Arboretum, though the locals just call it the Arb. It's a planned-out use of a wooded area, turning it into a sort of nature preserve. The University calls it their "living museum".

"Can we go into it?"

"Sure. It's free and open to the public. The entrance is on Washington Heights, just around the corner from where we came into the cemetery. Let's sweep around near the outer edge of the graves on our way back to the entrance, just to be sure we didn't miss any newly-rising vamps."

"Okay, and you can tell me more about this Arboretum. Is that named after the city or just after any old arbor, which I realize is something to do with plants and trees. I have heard of Arbor Day, after all."

"You're really in a learning mood since we got to Ann Arbor, aren't you? First the music and now nature? Is it some kind of supernatural academic force from being on a University campus, or are you just trying to keep me talking, like you women tend to do with guys on first dates?"

"Maybe a little of both," Buffy laughed. "Actually, I do like listening to you talk. Although I sometimes heard you in my dreams, I've missed the sound of your voice."

"You dreamed about me, pet? Really?" Spike asked, with more than a little surprise mixed with amusement and delight.

"Yes, Spike, often, but I don't think you really want to hear the particulars, since you've outlawed certain aspects of our relationship."

She suddenly found herself unable to think of anything other than their past sexual encounters, which had constituted a major part of her dreams, so she quickly switched gears.

"Anyway, now that we've started this conversation-having thing, I'm finding out that you know a lot about a wide variety of topics. So, that's a plus. But also, I promised that I was going to get to know you better, Spike, and what better way than to listen to you?"

By now, they'd exited the cemetery and turned onto Washington Heights. As they neared the entrance to Nichols Arboretum, Spike decided to share what he knew of the place.

"Right, then. An Arboretum is a place to study and exhibit growing trees and plants. You know the British are famous for their gardens, yeah?

"So I've heard, and Giles once told me about how you Victorians were into the subtle meanings for different kinds of flowers."

"Yeah, that's true. My mother spent a lot of her time in various horticultural pursuits. And Dru and I always shared a love of gardens, so the Arb and the University's Matthei Botanical Gardens were two of our favorite places. Could always find some straggling students or lovers alone late at night, which added to our enjoyment."

"Spike, you said you'd try to stay away from references to your past killing of innocents."

"Did say that, didn't I? Sorry, pet. Just a big part of my former life as an evil vampire, is all. Those memories are bound to crop up, but I'll try harder to avoid speaking of them."

"Thanks. Are the Botanical Gardens nearby, too?"

"No, they're way the hell out on Dixboro Rd. Bit of a drive. Can take you there another day, maybe. They're really lovely. About 300 acres or so, I think, with a variety of different outdoor gardens and miles of year-round nature trails and ponds. And they've got a beautiful, enormous Conservatory. They claim it's the largest university operated greenhouse in the nation, with displays of plants from tropical rainforests, Mediterranean climates and deserts, too. Quite spectacular. They've got things like Banana Trees and Chocolate Trees--"

"Okay, now I know you're teasing me. Chocolate Trees! I wasn't born yesterday," Buffy laughed.

"Were kinda born yesterday compared to me, pet, but not trying to tell you they've got candy bars hanging on the branches or any rot like that. There really are such things as Chocolate Trees. Can look it up later on Dawn's laptop, if you like. The Conservatory has some very exotic plants, too. I liked one called the Lobster Claw. Dru's favorite was the Century Plant -- they bloom only once every ten or twenty years and then die. She preferred the fanciful notion that the name suggests -- that they bloom only once every 100 years. She thought that we should own one, since she and I could always be around to see it bloom."

"The Conservatory sounds fantastic; I would like to see it if we can find the time, but what about this Arb place that we're in now?" She was continuing to have pangs of jealousy about Dru and needed to find a way to get over that.

"Good thing that we've got a full moon and a clear night with the stars shining bright. And, of course, all the ambient light since we're still in the middle of town. You can see pretty well, can't you, even without the advantage of my vampire vision?"

"Fairly well. If you don't mind, though, I might come back in the daylight with Dawn and maybe some of the others. Since it's so near where we're staying, they really should see this place. It's gorgeous and smells great."

"That's why we loved it so much. We vampires really enjoy our sense of smell when in gardens like these. The trees and flowers and plants all smell great, of course, but right now, we're by the huge Herb Garden."

"Oh, that's why it's making me think I'm hungry, even though I'm still so full of my delicious dinner. All the walking is definitely helping me digest it, though."

"The Arb was first created in the early 1900's, but they've modified it and really kept it up beautifully. Once we found it, I did a little reading on it in one of the university libraries. I used to read often on nights when Dru's mind was so consumed with one of her visions that she was pretty much lost to the world for a while."

"Yeah, she sometimes seemed really out of it." At Spike's glance, she covered her dig by adding, "Those times must have been difficult for you."

"Got used to it. Wasn't really her fault, you know." Spike decided that Dru's sanity was not a fun topic for their evening, so he reverted the subject back to their surroundings. "If I remember correctly, the Arb is something like 120-125 acres and has over 5,000 different plants, not just ones that are native to the area, but also plants from all over the world. As you can see, there are flowers everywhere. This Arboretum is particulary known for its Peony collection, its collection of species from the Applachian area, and its Prairie Collection. I read that they planted over 20,000 daffodils here."

"Wow!"

"So you really should come back during the day when you can enjoy all the colors."

When they reached the bank of the Huron River, Spike looked for a place where they might sit for a while, but they heard some voices.

"If there are a couple of young lovers down here, we shouldn't disturb them," Buffy said. "It's just too beautiful a night and too lovely a place to interrupt their romantic evening."

Suddenly, they heard a scream.

They both ran toward the direction the voices and scream had come from and found a dark clad, vamp-faced figure, laughing as he tightened the chokehold he had on one of his two victims. The other, a young coed, was so frightened now, that her screams had become tiny, weak mewling sounds.

The dark clad figure said, "No use strugglin' there, mate. Yer done fer good, you are. Got you just where I bloody well want you, I 'ave. And yer bird ain't long fer this world, neither. Spike's my name and killin's my game. Wot say you just stop yer soddin' squealin', you stupid wench, so's you don't spoil my bloody supper."

Buffy burst into laughter. She couldn't help herself. The vampire who was obviously trying to rip off Spike's persona and reputation was giving such a pitiful performance.

He had dyed his hair to a platinum blond and slicked it back, but he had an obviously receding hairline and a small bald patch, too. He was kind of paunchy and a bit bow-legged, and he was using the most ridiculous imitation of a Cockney accent that she had ever heard. He was dressed in Spike's traditional black jeans and tee shirt, with a red button-down shirt over it, Doc Martens and a black leather duster.

At the sound of Buffy's laughter and Spike's growl, the vampire and both of his victims looked over at Spike and Buffy. Gasping for breath, with tears of laughter streaking down both cheeks, Buffy had the presence of mind to tug the girl toward safety behind Spike and herself and said, "Don't worry. You're safe now."

"Wot's this, then?" asked the Spike-wannabe. "Who the 'ell are you two? Applicants for me dessert? Blimey! The Arb is right full of tasty treats tonight."

"That's enough out of you," said Spike. "Can't stand to hear another bloody word. Don't know what makes you think you can go about pretending to be me, but if you're going to try, don't use a bleedin', piss-poor Cockney accent, you ignorant wanker. I speak with more of a North London sound. And you just haven't got the looks to pull it off, you pillock. No one who knows me will ever believe you're me."

"That's for sure," Buffy said, wiping her eyes. "You got the outfit right, but the rest of you just doesn't measure up."

The vampire looked stunned, and his bravado began to crumble, but he tried to continue his charade. "Well, you-- you've dyed your 'air like mine, b-but you c-can't be William the Bloody because I am. Prefer to use the m-moniker Spike now, b-but--"

"Bollocks! Your ruse is over, mate, so just give it up, and let loose of the bloke you're choking. Maybe we'll let you leave in an un-dusty state."

"You're really him?" The lousy Cockney accent was now completely gone from his voice, replaced by a bland Mid-Western tone. "You're Spike?" His facial expression and body language were wobbling now somewhere between fear and adulation.

"Yes, he is. And didn't he tell you to let go of the guy? It's your only chance for survival," replied Buffy.

"Who are you?"

"My lovely companion is The Slayer, Buffy Summers, you berk. Ever heard of her?" asked Spike.

The vampire's fear increased, and he immediately released the college student he'd been half-strangling. The kid stumbled over to join his girlfriend behind his saviors, despite his utter confusion over what was happening.

"You two should run along now," said Buffy, and after one bewildered yet grateful look, the young couple ran off as fast as their shaking legs could carry them.

"Thank you," the girl called over her shoulder, and Spike heard her grumble to her boyfriend, "We are never coming to the Arb again at night. Only in the daytime, from now on, do you hear me?"

"So," Buffy asked the Michigan vampire, "what do you think is going to happen now? Do you honestly think that a Slayer and a former Big Bad-turned-Hero are going to just let you walk away to find some other victims?"

"Guess we have to duke it out, right? Of course, I realize I don't stand a chance against a Slayer and a vampire of your prowess. How about shaking my hand first, Spike? I've been an admirer of yours ever since I read about you online."

"Not bloody likely," said Spike. "Got no interest whatsoever in shaking the hand of some stupid git doing the world's worst impression of me. But I am interested in this online stuff you mentioned. You mean I'm listed on the web?"

"There's a ton of stuff on you, man. You should Google yourself sometime."

"I should what myself?" Spike asked in outrage.

"He's just talking about a websearch program, Spike. I'll show you later."

"So, that's how you gathered your information on me?" Spike asked.

"Yeah, I didn't know what to do after I was turned. My sire was killed by some big horned demon just a couple of days after he turned me. So I went into the 'UGLY' to look for information."

"The ugly what?" asked Buffy.

"Oh, that's just what we call our Undergraduate Library. I was one of the custodians there. Anyway, I found some books that got me started on my research, and then your story kinda intrigued me, so I went online and found some more stuff -- including a color photo. I never thought you'd ever show up here in Michigan, so I figured I could pretend to be you. It helped me a lot. Made my whole vampire life easier once I could become someone tough rather than just be me."

That rang a bell for Spike, but he certainly wasn't going to tell this berk that he had once created the Spike persona in his own attempt to appear tougher and more ferocious. At least, he created his own image, rather than usurping someone else's.

"So, where's your duster," asked the vampire. "I thought you always wear it."

"Yeah, Spike, I was wondering the same thing," said Buffy.

Spike turned to Buffy to say, "Well, the original was blown to tatters by your buddy The Immortal, who had his goons try to blow Angel and me up when we were in Rome."

"By Angel, do you mean Angelus?" asked the vampire. "Wow!"

Spike ignored him and continued, "Then I was given a few brand new dusters, all fine Italian leather, by the head lawyer at the Rome branch of Wolfram & Hart. Unfortunately, most of them were left behind when I had to get out of L.A., and I gave the one I was wearing to a right loyal young boy named Colin, who helped me out of a tight spot my last night there."

"I kind of miss your duster, Spike," said Buffy.

"Mine is Italian leather, too," the vampire said proudly.

"Take it off," ordered Spike.

"What?"

"Take it off. Now!" he barked.

The vampire took off his coat, very unhappily, saying, "It was really expensive."

"Not going to need it any more," said Spike, as he grabbed the duster from the vampire's unwilling grasp.

"Oh, you mean because I can't pretend to be you any longer."

"Not just that," said Buffy. "We can't let you continue to kill humans, you know." She pulled out her stake and summarily dusted him without another word. "Well, that was a world of weird."

Spike hung the duster over his arm, and they began walking back to the Bell Tower Hotel, their convivial mood now just a bit muted. On the one hand, Spike was glad to have a duster again, and it was a very high quality Italian leather. The Michigan vampire had not lied about that. And there had certainly been no sense in letting such a handsome coat turn to dust along with the imposter who was wearing it.

However, Spike was a bit dismayed to have seen a replica of his former Big Bad self, no matter how lame the imitation had been. It reminded him of the evil life he had once led, and he wasn't entirely sure if he wanted to wear the newly acquired duster or not.

Buffy's mood remained more chipper than his own, so he tried to match it. They chatted some more about the Arboretum flowers they had seen in the moonlight and their lovely fragrance. Buffy reiterated her plan to visit the Arb again in the daytime. They finished up by talking a bit about the upcoming quest.

Once back in Spike's room, Buffy grabbed her overnight bag and headed for the bathroom.

"You don't mind if I take my shower first, do you?" she asked and smiled at Spike.

"Be my guest, pet," Spike smiled back at her and dropped the duster over the back of a chair. "But let me give you a glass of wine to take with you."

When she came out a little later, Spike was sprawled on the bed, watching MTV and drinking wine. His eyes widened and lit up at the sight of Buffy with shiny hair and wearing a lovely silk negligee, and he promised himself one more time that they were going to sleep and not shag, no matter what his body might try to insist. He decided that it might help if he took a shower, too. A cold one! But first, he refilled both of their glasses.

"My turn," he said. "Won't be long, pet, but you needn't wait up for me if you feel sleepy."

"I think I'll keep watching MTV for a while. I need to unwind just a bit more, although that hot shower felt great."

"Right, then. Could really use one, myself. Got a bit of a stiff neck."

"Before you go, Spike, I want to say something that I thought about while showering. I deliberately stuck to 'safe' topics tonight, since we were treating this like a first date, but I did pick up on some things. I noticed your facial reaction when you mentioned your mother and her love of flowers. And as I said earlier, I've known for a few years that you are well educated. Someday, I hope you'll feel comfortable talking with me about your human past."

Spike nodded and replied only, "Someday," before heading into the bathroom.

Buffy crawled under the covers, sipping her wine and waiting for Spike, determined to enjoy a little make-out session before falling asleep. By the time the bathroom door re-opened, however, she was feeling rather languid and sleepy.

Then her eyes caught sight of Spike, whose tousled hair simply demanded her fingers. And he was wearing a beautiful, blue silk robe. Her breath caught, and she felt that familiar butterfly feeling in her stomach. How was she ever going to keep her hands off him again tonight?

That question was answered by Spike. "It was a lovely evening, Buffy. I really enjoyed our 'first date', but I'm still dead serious about sticking to the plan. Let's not ruin it by letting our bodies take control of our minds, right? Just a little cuddle, and then some sleep. We'll need to be alert if Rupert or any of the others need us to do some actual work later this afternoon."

by Alllie

He turned off the television, climbed into bed and shut off the bedside lamp.

"All right," said Buffy. "Another night of holding each other with no straying of the hands. You know that I enjoy sleeping in your arms. I can make do with that."

And after a few minutes of gentle kisses, that's exactly what they did. They slept in each other's arms, comforted by the nearness of the one most dear to them.

~~~~~~~~

The 7:00 am wake up call to the Scoobies came far too early. All three girls slept through it. Andrew simply ignored the persistent ringing. Xander finally managed to answer the phone, although he promptly dropped it on the floor, much to Giles' surprise and consternation.

When they had returned from their 'site seeing' excursion, very late the previous evening, they unfortunately made a bit too much noise in the hallway heading for their rooms. The commotion awakened Giles, who immediately began to admonish them for their inappropriate and reckless behavior, but most of his words had fallen on deaf, or extremely inattentive ears.

"How was I to know all the soft drinks were spiked?" Xander pleaded. "Okay, maybe I should have figured that would happen, but I only drank the beer."

That admission only caused the Head Watcher to launch into another tirade, but as most of the youngsters were suffering major headaches, Giles told them to get to bed, and they'd discuss this matter further in the morning.

Now, as Giles sat sipping tea with Haley in the restaurant where they all were supposed to have met for breakfast, he realized he couldn't expect too much out of his team until a much later hour. Xander had mumbled something incoherent about 'getting the troops together very soon and meeting them at the museum', but Giles decided that he and Haley would simply get started without them.

As he had hung up the phone, he had vowed not to let this matter slide. If they had any hope of succeeding in the task ahead of them, he needed every member of his teams to be fully on board. The situation continued to worry him.

Haley noticed Giles' frown and asked, "What is it, Rupert? You look dreadful."

Giles stared at his cup for a moment, then sighed and answered, "I'm a bit concerned about our teams, Haley. I'm not sure they understand the gravity of the situation we're facing, and their attention has been less than, well, less than dedicated."

She gave him a consolatory smile, but said, "Surely, it's not all that bad?"

"Isn't it?" he replied in frustration. "Not only are Buffy and her vampire paramour off on some romantic interlude, but the rest of the team is suffering from the after effects of some Bacchanalian revelry. At this point, I would say they are far more interested in giving into temptation than focusing on the task at hand."

Haley shook her head and laughed, "Come on, now, Rupert, you can't be serious. First of all, as far as Buffy and Spike are concerned, they are adults, and their relationship is really none of your business. You may not approve of it, but there is precious little you can do to stop it. Besides, from what I've read and seen of William the Bloody, I'd say he has turned out to be quite extraordinary. I can certainly understand the attraction. I'm a bit impressed myself."

Giles rolled his eyes at that remark. "Buffy and Spike's attraction for each other is bordering on obsession, I'm afraid. From both sides."

Haley blushed a bit as she continued, "Perhaps their love is not only passionate, but also deep and long lasting. It did survive a year apart, after all, and despite her belief that he was dust. It might be best if you were to accept that." She then quickly changed the subject, "As for the others, they were simply having a bit of fun. They're still quite young."

"I would hardly consider Xander Harris a youngster anymore," Giles reminded her, "and he should really show a bit more responsibility where his Slayer is concerned."

"You said they destroyed two vampires last evening, so they must have been alert enough to attend to their duty," Haley countered, "and if the worst they have to endure is a bit of a headache and your chiding, I think they'll recover in no time."

"I realize that, but I need them all to be ready to give their best in the difficult days ahead. Our very existence may lie in the balance. If we allow ourselves to be distracted, we could potentially fail, and I shudder to think of the consequences." Giles remained silent for a moment, lost in thought.

"I am certain that when the time comes," Haley assured him, "every one of them will make you proud. But for now, why don't we get a jump on things at the museum ourselves?"

"I suppose you're right, Haley. At least, I hope you are, for all our sakes," Giles said, as he stood up and gathered his papers together. "For now, though, it's a good thing that the two of us are so dedicated to our research."

Haley laughed as she wound her arm in his, and they headed for the doorway. Either that, or we are both incredibly boring."

by Alllie

Within fifteen minutes, Giles and Haley were waiting outside the 'Dangerous Archaeology' wing of the Kelsey Museum for Professor Fontajohn. Although at first amused by the wing's name and sign, Giles' next thought became a hope that it was not an omen for the assignments ahead of his two teams.

~~~~~~~~

Mike and Lia stood uncomfortably in the hallway outside of room 312. The same Wolfram and Hart spies that had told Mike that Spike had taken a room at the Bell Tower Hotel had called with new information. The vampire had been spotted at one of the city's most exclusive restaurants with a beautiful blonde.

Mike's immediate response had been Damn, Spike. Way to get lucky.

Later, however, he received an urgent phone call from Sirk, who informed him that the beautiful blonde was none other than Buffy Summers, Slayer Extraordinaire, and that she and Spike were romantically involved. Sirk also warned him that dealing with this Slayer would be extremely dangerous, so he needed to be even more vigilant.

This new detail had Mike even more perplexed about Spike. A vampire hooking up with a Slayer was something that he never would have imagined. Spike was just full of surprises.

In the past few weeks, since Mike had been tailing Spike, he had become more intrigued by the vamp. Spike wasn't just your 'garden variety' vampire. He had a soul, and that, in itself, was unique in the demon world. He knew it made Spike special, and maybe that was why he was so important to both the Watchers' Council and the Senior Partners.

But he was sure that Wolfram and Hart's interest in Spike was far from altruistic. The vamp had saved his butt from those werewolves in Chicago, and Mike was grateful. If it was up to him, he would be happy to give up this 'harass Spike' campaign, but then, he didn't give the orders. He was expected to follow them.

This time, though, his orders were a bit mysterious. Sirk had told him that the Senior Partners wanted to enter into negotiations with Spike and his team's top brass, but Mike knew there were always ulterior motives, and that worried him. He admired Spike and even sort of liked him, so Mike was no longer completely comfortable with the deception that was always a big part of his job.

The other thing worrying him was a bit more immediate. Barging in on a guy, when he's shacked up with his woman really wasn't Mike's style. Not to mention the fact that Spike and The Slayer would probably be pretty pissed off, and he really wasn't looking forward to that.

Lia gave him an impatient look and motioned to the door. Mike sighed and started to knock hesitantly. He couldn't afford to screw up this time, or Sirk would surely have him eliminated. Besides, he didn't trust his new partner as far as he could throw her, and he knew she was just waiting for him to make a mistake. There was no way he could let her suspect he was concerned for Spike.

Spike came awake with a start. He wasn't sure if he had been dreaming, or if he had heard someone actually knocking on the door. He was still groggy from his late night out with Buffy. Given the copious quantity of champagne and wine they had consumed at dinner, and then the additional wine before bed, Spike considered himself lucky to be conscious, let alone alert.

He looked down at Buffy, who was fast asleep with her head tucked under his chin. One arm was wrapped tightly around his chest, and her legs were entwined with his. There was no way he could move without disturbing her, or escaping her grasp. Just looking at her, sleeping peacefully in his arms, filled his whole being with an overwhelming surge of love and contentment.

It also fueled his passion, and he could scarcely believe he had made it through two nights in bed with her, without giving into desire. His body, even now, was fighting to betray him, and his arousal was becoming more obvious. Being with her like this was both heaven and hell. Heaven because he never thought he'd be with her again, and hell because his body kept on urging him to give into temptation.

So far, he had clung valiantly to his determination to take things slow and to make this new start perfect in every way, but his resistance was breaking down fast. Every time she brushed against him was exquisite torture. He shifted his hips slightly to ease the tantalizing contact and heard more rapping at the door.

For a moment, he wracked his brain, trying to imagine who it might be. Who knew they were there? Panic registered when he thought it could be Giles.

Oh, dear God. Don't let it be Rupert. I'll never hear the end of it if he finds us this way.

He knew they were supposed to meet the team later this afternoon, but perhaps something was wrong. Maybe Giles had tried to contact them, but their cell phones were turned off. He had no choice. He had to wake her.

"Buffy, love," he whispered as he kissed her hair, "someone's knocking at the door."

"Hmmm?" she murmured as she cuddled closer to him, drawing her leg up his thigh and hip, getting perilously close to his groin. Spike struggled to compose himself and stroked her cheek gently as he said again, "Got to wake up, pet. Need to see who's knocking at the door."

"Just tell them to go away," she pleaded softly as she stretched and yawned.

"Would love to, but they're pretty persistent. Might be important. Besides, we can't sleep the whole day away."

"Why not?" she asked coyly, "I have no problem spending the whole day in a comfy bed...with you."

She caressed his bare chest, and Spike shivered at her touch. His body tensed, but he willed himself to maintain control. Buffy looked up at him, smiling. She drew her finger along his chest up his neck to his face and touched his lips.

"Almost forgot how smooth your skin feels," she whispered as she stared into his eyes. It was impossible for him to look away. Her eyes were emerald pools, and he found himself drowning in them.

Buffy wove her fingers within his unruly curls and pulled him down for a kiss. The kiss was soft and sweet, but grew more urgent as her tongue flicked across his lips, probing. Spike felt himself yielding, falling, going under...and then he was yanked back from the brink by even louder banging on the door.

"Damn!" he gasped, "Buffy, please. I have to get up."

"Uh...I think you already are up, Spike." She giggled as she trailed her hand down his chest and stomach, then began to move below his waist.

"No...I mean...I need to get out of bed," he replied, totally flustered.

"Fine," she shrugged, "I'm not stopping you."

"Well, you're making it awfully hard ...er... difficult to concentrate," he stammered.

"Good! I certainly hope so."

Spike quickly pushed back the covers and got to his feet. Buffy sat up now and leaned back against the headboard, watching in amusement as he adjusted himself and his very atypical yet soft and silky pajama bottoms. As he headed for the door, she couldn't resist making one last comment.

"It's good to see I still have some effect on you," she smiled seductively.

Spike swallowed hard and shook his head, "That you do, you wicked little minx. And you know it."

Outside in the hallway, Mike had just about decided to give up and come back later. He figured Spike and Buffy were in there but didn't want to be disturbed. As he turned to mention it to Lia, he heard noises from inside the room, so he started knocking again.

"Bloody hell! Would you lay off that hammering!" Spike growled, "I'm on my way."

He approached the door and peered out the security peephole. When he recognized who was at the door, he threw up his hands in exasperation.

"I don't believe these sodding wankers," he cursed. "Can't give me a minute's peace."

"Spike?" Buffy asked when she saw how agitated he was. "What is it? Who's there?" Jumping out of bed, she wrapped his robe around her and hurried to his side.

"It's the Senior Partners' lackeys, pet. Not surprised the bloody bastards know where I am, but they usually don't flaunt it right in my face. Wonder what the hell they want this time? Be careful now, in case they're up to something."

Buffy nodded and Spike cautiously opened the door. Standing in the doorway was a slightly nervous, very embarrassed Mike Rosales and an attractive but seemingly emotionless Asian woman.

Recognizing Spike's obvious displeasure, Mike stepped forward and said jokingly, "Mr. and Mrs. William Goodman, I presume? We're from the hotel welcoming committee, and we're just making sure you're enjoying the bridal suite."

Buffy took Spike's arm and looked up at him. He pulled her to him protectively and glared at Mike, clearly not amused.

"Well, well, well, Mike Rosales. I was so not looking forward to seeing you again. Don't tell me the Senior Partners bought you a new partner to play with? If I remember correctly, mate, you broke the last two you had."

"Yeah," Mike answered nervously as he glanced at Lia, "but this one is a bit tougher, I think. Not real chatty, though."

Lia raised an eyebrow but said nothing at all. She continued to stare at Spike and Buffy with cold indifference.

Mike looked at both vampire and Slayer, then continued, "Actually, Spike, I just heard that you were staying here at the hotel, and I thought I'd drop by and say hello. I didn't realize you were uhh...busy."

Spike was running out of patience. He shielded Buffy behind him as he stepped towards Mike, menacingly.

"Cut the crap, Rosales. This isn't a social call, and you know it. Now what the bloody hell is this about?"

Lia tensed and took her fighting stance, but Mike waved her off. He didn't want to make Spike any angrier. He'd already seen what Spike could do when he was angry.

Suddenly, the door to the room next to Spike's opened, and a young couple with two kids stepped into the hallway. They hesitated when they saw the two men arguing. Spike and Mike both nodded and smiled at them. They smiled back with uncertainty and then quickly turned and hurried towards the elevator.

When they were gone, Mike gathered his courage, looked the vamp straight in the eyes and replied, "We need to talk. The Senior Partners want to make a deal, but unless you want to make your private business very public, I suggest you invite us in."

Spike had no intentions of making a deal of any kind with Wolfram and Hart, but something in Mike's anxious expression made him consider hearing what he had to say. He stepped back and allowed Mike and Lia to enter the room. Buffy looked at Spike questioningly, but he just squeezed her hand to assure her everything would be fine.

Lia took a seat in the chair next to the main dresser. She was obviously bored with the entire situation and preferred not to be involved in the discussion. Mike was being too accommodating for her taste. She would have dealt with this vampire much more severely, if her superiors weren't so interested in him.

Mike closed the door and took a long hard look at Spike and then at Buffy. He was stunned by the girl's beauty. As he looked around the room, he noticed the rumpled bed and the half-finished bottle of wine in the ice bucket on the dresser, and he felt even more embarrassed.

"Sorry, if we interrupted anything. It was never my intention to intrude, but the Senior Partners can be a tad impatient at times, as you well know, Spike." He smiled then and extended his hand to Buffy, but she didn't take it.

"I'm Mike, by the way, and that's my partner, Lia. Your boyfriend and I first met when he left L.A., and, unfortunately, Wolfram and Hart has had me chasing him ever since."

Buffy folded her arms across her chest and stared at Mike. "Forgive me if I'm not exactly thrilled to meet you, Mike, but harassing my boyfriend doesn't win you any points with me. As far as Wolfram and Hart goes, I've heard enough to know I'm not impressed."

Spike raised an eyebrow, thinking to himself, Did she just say boyfriend?

He quickly regained his train of thought and voiced his own impatience, "All right, Mike. You said this little visit was of the business variety, so why don't you try a little less of the 'let's get nice and friendly' routine and a lot more 'let's get down to brass tacks.' Starting now!"

"Okay, okay, take it easy. I'll tell you what I know," Mike promised. "or at least, what I've been told."

Mike hesitated for a moment and glanced at Lia, who ignored him. Then he sighed and related the details of their assignment.

"Our resources informed us that your Watchers' Council, and an A list of experts have been gathering some pretty heavy information of the mystical variety. Apparently, this information is something the Senior Partners also have a vested interest in. So much so, that it appears they are willing to cooperate with the Watchers' Council in order to get it. Now, cooperation's the key word here, Spike, and this could be of extreme interest to you and your team."

Mike paused again and studied Spike's and Buffy's faces. They still had dubious expressions but looked a bit more interested.

"My superiors have indicated that they want to negotiate with you and your associates, who we understand include one of the head honchos from the Council. They want to meet on neutral ground at the University Law Quad at 10:00 pm this evening, in respect for your vampire hours of easy mobility."

"How bloody considerate of them. I'm touched!" sneered Spike.

The Senior Partners know you work with the Slayers and their COW, Spike, and they know you'll be involved in whatever this big, mystical, mumbo jumbo mission is as well. I don't think I have to remind you that Wolfram and Hart still claim to have plans for you. Plans you've made perfectly clear that you want no part of."

"So why don't the pillocks just give up their sodding plans and leave me the hell alone?"

"That's just it, Spike. Maybe they'd be willing to back off on their pursuit of the vampire with a soul, if they thought your work for the Watchers' Council would benefit them as well."

"There may be a kernel of truth to that, Spike," suggested Buffy. "Think about what Giles told us. The results of our mission will definitely affect our enemies as well as our friends."

Mike looked expectantly at Spike. "What do you say, Spike, are you willing to meet with them?"

The vampire snorted and shook his head. "You don't honestly expect me to trust anything these wankers have to offer, do you, Mike?"

Mike looked more than a little frustrated as he answered, "No, Spike. I imagine you would be a bit gun shy, after your previous encounters with them, but I swear I'm telling you the truth about this meeting. You have to admit, this is the first time Wolfram and Hart has been willing to communicate, let alone actually deal with the other side. They've never made a peaceful overture before, have they?"

"You mean aside from offering Angel the reins of the L.A. branch, only to thwart his every move?"

"Well, I was working out of the San Francisco offices, so I don't know much of anything about Angel's deal, but I was referring to Wolfram & Hart and the Watchers' Council. From what I understand, they've never even talked, let alone collaborated on anything in the past, since their goals have never been the same before now."

"I doubt that our actual goals are the same this time, either," retorted Buffy.

Mike wasn't about to give up. "Come on, you guys. My bosses are making a real effort here. I mean, they could just crash your party, take what they want and destroy the evidence. Make it look like an unfortunate accident. But instead, they want to arrange a truce in order to have a major power meeting with both sides represented."

"I always like the idea of knowing what we're up against, Spike. There's something to be said for looking your adversary in the eye." Buffy and Spike exchanged a look of understanding.

"Who knows, there could be refreshments involved? Donuts, maybe," Mike laughed nervously, and Buffy had to giggle at the thought of donuts being served at a standoff between Good and Evil.

Buffy's laughter broke the tension in the room, and both Spike and Mike seemed to relax a bit. Lia, however, remained as impassive as ever and continued to scrutinize the others coldly.

Spike looked at Buffy, then back to Mike and said, "I'm still not buying anything the Senior Partners are selling, but I'm willing to listen if our Head Watcher agrees that our team should participate. Not making any promises, though, mate. Not signing any contracts, either. Tell your boss we'll let our boss know, and we'll see what happens. Fair enough?"

Mike finally breathed a sigh of relief. "That sounds reasonable to me, Spike. Can't hurt to at least listen to what they have to say. I'll relay your message, and hopefully, we'll see you and the rest of your team around 10:00 PM tonight. Until then, just go back to doing whatever it is you two were doing before we dropped by uninvited. We'll let ourselves out."

Mike walked over to the dresser as Lia rose to join him. Suddenly, he stopped and turned around again, looking at the wine bottle in the ice bucket.

"Spike," he exclaimed, "Since you've got some pretty expensive wine left in that bottle, what do you say we have a toast to what might be the start of a promising new relationship?"

Spike and Buffy both looked at Mike in shock. They couldn't believe that he was actually suggesting, or more like inviting himself to have a glass of their wine. Lia was also irritated. She was tired of Mike and his benevolent attitude towards this vampire.

About to protest, Spike hesitated when he saw Mike wink at him and give him a very pointed look as he made an almost imperceptible nod in Lia's direction. Puzzled by what Mike could possibly have in mind, but anxious to see him and his partner on their way, Spike simply looked at Buffy, shrugged and said, "Sure, mate. Whatever. Help yourself."

Mike smiled gratefully and began filling the small glasses with the rich red liquid. The first two glasses were nearly overflowing when he picked them up and turned to hand them to Spike and Buffy. Moving too quickly, he bumped into Lia, drenching her blouse with wine. For the first time since she had entered the room, the silent woman became extremely agitated.

She shoved Mike roughly as she screamed, "You clumsy, incompetent fool! How could you be so careless? Have you any idea how much this blouse cost?"

Stunned by the accident and her outburst, Buffy and Spike momentarily stood still, but then rushed to get a hand towel to help clean up the spill. As Lia glared at Mike, Spike noticed an odd look of satisfaction on the man's face, masked by feigned regret.

Mike started to apologize. "Lia," he stammered, "I -- I'm so sorry. I don't know what to say. I guess they were too full. I didn't see you when I turned, and I'm just so sorry!"

Turning to Buffy he looked into her eyes and then shifted his eyes toward the bathroom. Twice. Spike picked up on Mike's lead and urged Buffy to get Lia out of the room.

"Buffy, perhaps some cold water?"

Lia was still flashing angry daggers at Mike with her eyes, but Buffy managed to convince her to move into the bathroom.

"Yes, Lia. Let's go into the bathroom to get your blouse rinsed out before the stain sets."

With the women busy in the bathroom, Mike knelt down to help Spike clean up the mess. He grabbed Spike's arm and whispered hoarsely.

"Spike, listen to me. I only have a minute before Dragon Lady returns to kick my ass all the way back to her native China. I know you don't buy the Senior Partners load of bull, and I don't blame you. I don't buy it, either, but unfortunately, I'm in too deep. Come to this meeting Spike, but come prepared. Bring all the help and muscle you can find, because I can guarantee that Wolfram and Hart will bring their heavy hitters. They're used to negotiations always going their way, if you get my meaning. Just thought I should warn you. Whatever you do, watch your back!"

Spike had immediately pulled out of Mike's grasp, but he had also listened intently. He knew Mike was right.

"I hear you, Mike, but give me one good reason to trust that this meeting will be at all worth our while to attend. How do I know that it's not just your plan to kill us all while we're all together in one place?"

Mike glanced back at the bathroom door as he heard the water shut off. "I assure you that the meeting is real, but my boss wouldn't be planning any negotiations unless he was sure that Wolfram and Hart would also gain something very valuable from it. But I know for a fact that he doesn't want you killed, Spike. He's told me that several times in no uncertain terms. And the reason you can trust me is because I don't give my word lightly, and also because I owe you one. If I ever have an opportunity to save your life, I'll do it. I always pay my debts."

by Alllie

Spike nodded, and Mike moved quickly away toward the door to the hallway as the bathroom door opened. Lia was still livid and wore a soaking wet blouse when she and Buffy returned. Mike knew he was never going to live this down, at least not comfortably. She strode past him and out into the hallway without so much as another word to any of them. Mike stood there looking after her, then shook his head and laughed.

"Sorry for the mess and for the interruption. If I survive, I hope to see you this evening." With that, he turned and closed the door behind him.

Vampire and Slayer stood there for a moment, staring at the wine-soaked spot on the carpet. Then both of them burst into laughter.

"Well, that was definitely of the weird," Buffy giggled.

"Yeah, Mike's a right piece of work," Spike replied, "but I wouldn't want to be in his shoes right now."

"Do you think he was serious about the Senior Partners wanting a deal? I mean, do you trust them?"

Spike thought for a moment, considering the extra information Mike had given him.

"No, love, I don't trust them, but I think Mike's telling the truth. In fact, his whole clumsy act was a plan to get Madame Mandarin out of the way, so he could warn me about the meeting. Seems like Wolfram and Hart will come to this little party loaded for bear. He said we'd better bring some big guns of our own."

"But why would he want to help you? He works for the bad guys."

"Saved his hide in Chicago, though we couldn't rescue his partner, too. He feels he owes us, I guess. Mike isn't a bad bloke, Buffy. He's just a guy caught up in something he can't easily get out of -- not without getting himself or someone he loves killed. Took a lot of courage for him to come clean to me."

Buffy mulled over what Spike had told her. She was suddenly filled with fear for him. Stepping in close, she hugged him tightly. She tilted her face up to his, and he placed a quick kiss on the tip of her nose.

"What is it, love?" he asked softly.

"Spike," she whispered, "I -- I'm worried about this meeting. I don't like these Senior Partners trying to get their hands on you."

"I don't either, pet, but if there's some way to get them off my back through these bloody negotiations, then I'm willing to try. Besides, I'm not going in alone. I'll have you and the Council to back me up. Either way, we need to find out what they're up to."

"But Mike said to bring 'big guns'. For a negotiation, that sounds more like people in powerful positions who can make things happen. Not just a few Slayers and Watchers."

"Don't rightly know about that one. All the more reason we'd better get Rupert on the horn, I guess. It's nearly 2:00 PM now. That doesn't leave us too much time to explain what happened, let alone prepare for any meeting."

Buffy sighed as she followed Spike back over to the bed and sat beside him. She picked up his cell phone and prepared to dial Giles' number. She wished she could lure Spike back to bed and just forget all about this meeting for a while, but she knew he was right. They had to contact Giles immediately.

Mike's information had her worried. Wolfram and Hart was organized evil. The Council's information on them was somewhat limited, despite their centuries of operation. She didn't have any idea how Giles could get enough power-broker kind of help or any kind of reinforcements by this evening.

These past few days had made things painfully clear to her. She couldn't bear the thought of losing Spike again, and now they were going to face off against the very forces that had almost destroyed him back in Los Angeles. As proud as she was of Spike, she couldn't help but be terrified for him.

Slipping her arms around him, she kissed him gently on the lips. Then she looked at him with traces of tears brimming in her eyes.

"Just promise me you'll be careful," she begged. "You've already done enough of the glorious heroics for one man. Okay?"

Spike rested his forehead against hers. "I'll do my best, love. You know that. And with you by my side, I'll have the best back-up in the world."

Reluctantly, she punched in the numbers on the phone's key pad and handed the phone to Spike.

"We do make a great team, don't we? I -- I guess we'd better get ready, then, and go see Giles in person. I don't think he's going to take this call very well."

~~~~~~~~

Once Spike and Buffy had explained to Giles and the others what Mike had told them about the meeting requested by representatives from the Senior Partners, they all agreed that the best course of action was to attend. Since Wolfram & Hart had managed to discover that they were all in Ann Arbor together and also that the Watchers' Council had plans to search for the mystical artifacts, then they must also know something, if not everything, about the ritual and Offering. In fact, maybe Wolfram & Hart knew something that the Watchers' Council didn't.

They all gathered in the two adjoining rooms that were being shared by Buffy & Dawn and Vi & Mena. As they piled onto the two beds and the two chairs in Buffy and Dawn's room, Giles suggested that if they were all very careful not to reveal anything about their own plans, maybe they could discover not only how much Wolfram & Hart already knew, but possibly also learn some new information from their adversaries. Giles warned everyone to not offer any information whatsoever and to let the law firm take the lead in the meeting.

Everyone agreed to let Giles and Spike do as much as possible of the talking, although Buffy found the idea contrary to her own personal style. She was used to being in charge. But as Giles was the Head Watcher and since it was Spike and the Council that Wolfram & Hart wanted to meet with, she agreed to step out of her usual leadership position during the meeting.

The others promised to remain quiet and carefully observe the Wolfram & Hart delegates in the room to try to pick up on any subtle reactions that might reveal something useful. Then they decided to order in their food for dinner, so that they could continue to talk and plan for the meeting before leaving the Campus Inn.

"Thought you might like to do that," said Spike. "We drove by Zingerman's Deli on the way here, and Buffy ran in to get a few of their take-out menus. This is a world-class Deli. Their sandwiches are as enormous as they are delicious. Even Harris will be full!"

"Hey!" Xander began to protest until he started reading the descriptions of the sandwiches on the menu. He became immediately engrossed in the numerous and very unique choices and forgot that he had wanted to take offense at the implication that he ate a lot.

"You'd really like Zingerman's, Giles," said Buffy as she continued to hand out the menus. "It has all kinds of imported wine and cheese and desserts. And I recognized some of the snack items as the ones you usually buy in London."

"This city is very cosmopolitan," added Haley. "Much more so than its size might indicate. Professor Fontajohn drove me over to The Big Ten Party Store the day before you all arrived. It has all sorts of imported European and Asian delicacies as well as the best quality of American snacks and cheese and nuts. It also has an amazing wine selection, and if you've a hankering for some Guinness or any British Ales, you can definitely find them there."

"I'll keep that in mind, should we end up staying here any longer, but it appears that our work at the Kelsey Museum has virtually concluded," said Giles, "other than a couple of odds and ends that you and I should be able to accomplish on our own tomorrow morning."

By that point in time, everyone had selected their preferred sandwich. They called in their order, adding two types of potato salad, cole slaw and pickles for everyone to share. Xander and Andrew agreed to go pick it up. Even though the Deli was within walking distance from the Inn, they decided to drive since they'd have so much to carry.

After the guys left, Giles revealed an idea he had been considering. "I think it wise to contact the Devon Coven of Witches. I'm sure they could provide us with a more powerful protection spell than I can conjure alone, especially since we have so many of us to safeguard."

"Don't like magic," said Spike. "Things usually end up right dodgy. Might be better off without it."

"I know, Spike," said Buffy, "but these are the white witches who were so much help to Willow. We can trust them."

"I agree that we should protect ourselves as best we can," said Haley. "I met Professor Fontajohn's wife, Chavi, when they invited me to their home for dinner my first night in town. I was surprised to discover that she is one of the leaders of a local coven. If I explain our situation, I imagine her coven would be glad to help out as well."

"Excellent," said Giles. "They could serve as a means to channel the power from Devon. Please call her while I contact the Devon Coven."

By the time Xander and Andrew returned with the Deli order, Chavi Fontajohn had agreed to come to the Campus Inn with her six most advanced friends from the local coven. The seven Ann Arbor witches would join forces with the Devon Coven to provide a powerful protection spell while Giles' two teams were at the Law Quad.

They all greatly enjoyed their sandwiches, salads and beverages. Xander was now a huge fan of the Deli and was delighted to discover that Zingerman's ships orders all over the country. If he ever has a craving for "the best sandwiches in the world", he could get overnight delivery as long as he was willing to shell out the big bucks for the delivery charges.

When Chavi and her Wicca friends arrived, they all met together in the comfortable hotel lobby. Chavi, herself, was a warm and friendly woman of indeterminate middle-age. She told them she was born and raised in Sri Lanka but spent most of her adult life in America.

After all the introductions had been made, they decided that the witches would go with Giles to his room in order to channel some extra mojo into him before he left for the meeting. And the witches would then congregate in the Law Quad courtyard, chanting in a magical connection with their overseas sisters from the Devon Coven. The protection spell should prove very effective against anything that Wolfram & Hart might have in mind.

But first, the witches took a moment to lay hands on each of the members of the team in order to acquaint themselves with the auras of the ones they'd be protecting until they had been assured the danger was over. They were pleased to meet their first Slayers and seemed just a bit in awe of them.

Then they approached Spike. Although he appeared none too pleased, he allowed each of them to place their hands on his face or over his heart for just a moment. All seven of them were impressed with the vampire, looking deeply into his eyes, smiling and sharing approving glances with each other.

Chavi took Spike's hand in hers as she said, "We all agree that it will be an honor to protect you tonight. You have a remarkable aura, young man, and the goodness in your soul is very evident to us. Do not doubt yourself any longer. You are on the right path. Please make every effort not to stray from it."

Spike was very surprised but reacted quite well to Chavi's words. He gallantly raised her hand to his lips, gently kissed it and said, "Thank you. I appreciate that all of you are giving your protection to us tonight. My friends deserve to be safe from harm."

Giles didn't know whether to be more shocked by Chavi's words and the notably positive reactions of her coven to Spike or by Spike's polite, gracious acceptance of their help. For a moment, both he and Xander were too stunned to move. The others in the room were already smiling and adding their thanks. Buffy and Dawn moved closer to Spike and each gave him a hug from either side.

"Like this sandwich even better than Zingerman's," he joked as he smiled down at them.

Chavi turned to Giles and suggested, "I believe we should get started."

"Yes, Mr. Giles," said Andrew, "we want you all powered up before we leave."

"Thank you, Andrew, for that comparison to a computer," replied Giles with sarcasm. "I'm ever so flattered."

"You're welcome," smiled Andrew, oblivious to the intent of Giles' comment. "We'll be ready and waiting for duty when you're all juiced up."

Giles groaned at the second inappropriate remark from Andrew but chose to suffer that one in silence. He and the witches left for his room, while the others remained behind in the lobby.

~~~~~~~~

At 9:30 PM, Giles joined them once again. He was the very powerful yet peaceful eye in the storm of anxiety and excitement that had erupted among the others who had found their wait very difficult. They had taken turns walking around a few of the city blocks near the Campus Inn to burn off some of their impatient energy, while always leaving some of their number behind in the lobby, in case Giles showed up and wondered where everyone was.

Xander, Mena, Andrew and Dawn were very boisterously playing cards, while Vi and Haley chatted animatedly about some of their Slayer and Watcher friends in London. Spike and Buffy were returning through the main entrance, fresh from their walk around the block, when they all noticed Giles striding from the elevator toward the lobby.

"Let's go, troops," called Giles, and those in the lobby jumped immediately to their feet.

They were out the door and piling into the SUV's within seconds, except for Spike who walked over to remove something from his Viper. As he approached the Land Cruiser, he slid his arms into the recently acquired black leather duster and straightened it around his chest.

At their looks, he said, "They're expecting to see the Big Bad, aren't they? A duster has sorta been my warrior's mantle for 30 years. Let's give them the full effect."

"Fine by me, oh, mighty warrior," teased Xander. "You can tell me later how you managed to get your hands on another duster."

"Hold your breath, Harris," said Spike. "Not telling you anything till you've turned blue and keeled over."

"Looks good on you, Spike," said Buffy.

The seven witches had climbed into a Volvo and a Ford Taurus, and all four vehicles drove to a parking lot near the Law Quad. When they arrived at the magnificent stone structure, the witches left for the courtyard after sharing some quick assurances that everyone's safety could be depended upon. They promised that they and the Devon Witches would see to that.

Mike was waiting for the artifact teams at the main entrance. He waved to Spike to make sure that they noticed him. Once they'd all come inside, he made a brief announcement.

"For those who don't know me, I'm Mike Rosales, and I'll be your 'Bunny' for the evening." At their lack of response, he added, "As in Playboy Bunnies? The waitresses at the Playboy Clubs? All right, then, I guess there'll be no more attempts at humor. Okay, the conference room we're using is right this way. Please follow me."

When they reached the door to the conference room, Giles turned to everyone and placed a finger over his lips as a reminder to keep quiet. Everyone nodded, and they entered the room. As soon as Spike got a look at who was in the room, he snorted and shook his head but somehow managed to hold his tongue.

"Hi, Spikey," said Harmony as she played hostess and indicated the coffee and beverages at the end of the room, where there were also platters of bagels, muffins and donuts.

Buffy rolled her eyes at the sight. She had been so sure that Mike was kidding about that; it just seemed so ridiculous for this setting.

No one made a move toward the refreshments. Instead, they seated themselves in the empty chairs along one side of the very long conference room table. Giles and Buffy flanked Spike, and the others took seats further along the table, except for Vi and Mena, who remained standing. The Slayers had been designated as the two who would stand throughout the meeting, ready and alert to respond to any attack that might be made.

Across from them sat former Watcher, Douglas Sirk, who was now, apparently, in charge of the Wolfram & Hart faction, because he spoke first.

"Well, Spike, you led our employees a merry chase across the country, didn't you?"

"Always happy to oblige," smirked Spike.

Sirk turned to the entire group. "Welcome, everyone. I'm glad to see that you made it here safely. And speaking of safety, you really needn't have made such an effort, Rupert. We intend to honor the truce throughout this meeting. None of you are in any danger from us, I assure you."

"Your assurances, Douglas, are nothing that I would ever bank on," said Giles.

"You know this wanker?" asked Spike. "He's the one who sent Angel and me on a bloody wild goose chase one night in pursuit of a phony chalice he called The Cup of Perpetual Torment."

"Oh, yes. Sounds like a name that he might devise," replied Giles. "Douglas Sirk was once a Watcher; one who was never greatly missed, I might add."

"You never were one for niceties, were you, Rupert? Plain-talking, then? Fine. The power boost from your friends in Devon was entirely unnecessary, but if it makes you feel better, then I'm glad that you procured it. Our desire is for you all to feel comfortable tonight as our guests."

"The fact that you're aware of the power protecting us does make me feel comfortable because, now, you won't bother attempting any unpleasantness. Although, I am a tad surprised that you identified it so easily. Of course, I can also detect the power protecting you."

"Yes, well, one or two of us here felt in need of a protection spell of their own," spoke the well dressed woman to Sirk's right. "So our mystics have created a spell to keep them from harm, and were, therefore, able to detect your magicks at work. It's a moot point for most of us, though, since we're already dead."

At the look of surprise on the faces of Giles and the rest, Sirk smirked, "May I introduce my associates? We'll stick with first names, shall we? So much friendlier. This is Lilah."

"Charmed," she said and smiled sardonically.

On my left is Holland. He was in charge of Wolfram & Hart when Angel first moved to L.A. from Sunnydale. Starting from the far end, may I present Linwood, Gavin, Lindsey, and my most recent predecessors as liaison to our Senior Partners -- Eve and Hamilton. They are, as Lilah remarked, all quite dead."

"But as our contracts with Wolfram & Hart dictate, our positions with the firm never end," informed Gavin. "We are called upon, from time to time, to assist with certain business concerns."

"And I believe some of you have already met Mike and Lia," Sirk indicated the two who stood against the wall, similar to Vi and Mena, rather than sitting with the others at the table. "They represent, along with myself, the only live members of our team."

"Hey," interjected Harmony. "Oh, that's right. Never mind. I'm not officially alive, am I? But I am here. Hi, Buffy, Xander, Dawnie and Mr. Giles. And you're Tucker's brother, right? Nice to see you all again."

"Harmony," said Buffy, shaking her head, "that was very polite of you, but since we no longer consider you a friend -- well, we really just have no interest in speaking with you at all."

Before Harmony could respond to the insult, she saw her boss glare at her and was smart enough to keep her mouth shut, despite her hurt feelings.

Meanwhile, Andrew had passed a note to Xander who read it and then passed it along the table. The note read: Not only did this meeting start at 10:00 PM, but he brought 10 members on his team, if we don't count him. Or if we count him, and don't count Harmony, since who would ever consider Harmony as worthy of consideration? Below Andrew's words was a stick figure drawing of Harmony with a big "X" crossed over her.

While the note was being passed, Sirk had begun speaking again. "Ah, yes. My secretary is well known to most of you, but for the few who haven't met her, this is Harmony. She will be checking the video cameras from time to time to make sure that they are running perfectly."

Before he remembered that he was supposed to remain silent, Xander asked, "Why do you need video cameras, and what's with all the laptops?"

"The laptops are in case anyone should desire access to the internet for some information or perhaps to share some research," said Linwood.

"As for the video cameras," added Sirk, "we thought it best to make a formal recording of this momentous occasion -- the first time in history that representatives of Wolfram & Hart and the Watchers' Council sat across the table from one another to discuss how they might work together on a project that could have mutual benefits."

"That remains to be seen," said Buffy.

"Hello, Buffy. That's right, isn't it?" asked Lindsey. "Forgive us, but we made use of research material to acquaint ourselves with all of your faces and your various accomplishments before this meeting. Always wanted to meet The Slayer who tamed both Angel and Spike. Of course, I never would have imagined meeting three Slayers all at once. That was quite a feat you pulled off. No wonder both souled vampires fell so hard for you."

"Bollocks! That's it," said Spike. "There'll be no further personal discussion of any kind and no bloody negotiations until you get rid of that pillock. And before he opens his sodding mouth to say anything, I want him gone, too."

Spike nodded his head to indicate Hamilton and before the large lawyer could respond, Spike continued. He knew that it was important to take the field, so to speak, and make your first power play before your opponents had a chance to do so.

"Since I had a hand in planning their deaths, I'm sure they don't take kindly to me. And I bloody well don't take kindly to either of them. That one," he pointed to Lindsey, "passed himself off as someone else and jerked me around for days."

"Hey, buddy," cajoled Lindsey. "We had some good times together."

"In your dreams," snorted Spike. "Helped get you out of one Hell dimension, and you still consorted against us."

"I was working with you guys!" Lindsey smiled. "Angel just felt threatened around me."

"You're delusional. We knew you were still trying to play both sides at once. Lorne heard you humming while you danced to the radio in the office kitchen with scrawny little Eve over there. Can't trust you an inch. You bloody well deserve to be in Hell."

Spike turned toward Hamilton and continued, "That other big berk's gotta go just on principle. Never liked him. Don't want him around. If they're not outta here immediately, we're walking."

Giles flashed Spike a look but decided to back his play. "You heard him," he said to Sirk.

Sirk looked only slightly irritated. Perhaps he didn't really care one way or another. At any rate, he waved his hand, and both Lindsey and Hamilton faded instantly from view.

"Lindsey," Eve called out in dismay, then threw an icy glare at Spike. But she apparently was in no hurry to return from where she was stationed because she refrained from saying anything that might add herself to Spike's list for banishment.

"That's better," said Spike. "Don't know why you brought all this dead weight with you, anyway," he added with yet another smirk.

That got a laugh from Xander, Andrew and Dawn, but the others restrained themselves, although Buffy couldn't hold back a small snigger.

"It's true that we may not need all of the representatives that we brought," responded Holland. "We were simply trying to match your numbers should we decide to break into smaller work teams when we discuss the matter at hand. Simple boardroom tactics."

"You were the ones who wanted our entire team here," said Buffy.

"And perhaps that was unnecessary," offered Linwood. "Shall we move along to the reason we're all here?"

"Yes, I think our lawyers are eager to get the negotiations underway," said Sirk, and the lawyers from Hell all nodded.

"See, that's another thing that's got me less than willing to cooperate," said Spike. "You've got all these lawyers -- all trained and skilled at arbitrations and such like. Seems a bit unfair."

Sirk sighed. "Who else do you want dismissed?"

Spike smiled. "Reckon the two old guys have the most experience and thus, know the most dirty tricks, but I also don't like the look of that guy," he indicated Gavin Park. "Sorta inscrutable, know what I mean?"

"Fine," said Sirk, "Linwood and Gavin will leave, but that's it. As our most senior member, Holland's presence is desired by our Senior Partners. The rest remain for the duration. I could handle this all on my own, of course, but the Senior Partners prefer that there be a team representing them. And if two more of our lawyers leave, then some of your team must also leave."

"Very well," said Giles. "Xander, will you please take Andrew and Dawn with you down to the courtyard and remain there with our friends until we come for you?"

"Oh, Mr. Giles," whined Andrew. "Is this because we laughed out loud? Or maybe because I passed that note? I'd really prefer to stay. I'll be quiet."

"I'd say it's because he still feels the need to keep all three of his Slayers in the room," observed Lilah. "As well as his most senior Watcher and mystical artifact expert." She gave Haley an appraising look.

"We're dismissing some of our most learned members," said Eve. "You should send out at least one of your Slayers."

"Vi, please go with them," said Giles.

"See, this negotiation stuff isn't so tough, now, is it?" shrugged Spike. "Hope it goes this well when we get down to the nitty gritty."

Although it was obvious that none of Giles' team wanted to leave, they acquiesced without further complaint and headed for the door. Linwood and Gavin were noticeably more put out, but in a flash, their disgruntled faces were no longer present.

"This is much cozier, isn't it?" said Spike. "Only thing is, we still have no lawyer."

"I beg to differ, Spike," said a familiar voice as the air shimmered. Standing at Giles' left was Charles Gunn, in a nicely-tailored suit.

"Charley-boy! Great to see you." Spike introduced Gunn to the others as the former street-tough turned lawyer smiled back at them.

"What are you doing here?" asked Lilah. "And how?"

"Seems our previously laidback Powers That Be have chosen to make their presence known a bit more often these days," smiled Gunn. "Bet you wish, now, that Lindsay and you had chosen the right side, eh, Eve? Hello, Lilah. You're looking as sneaky and underhanded as usual."

"Well, as unexpected as this is, I believe that we can handle it," Sirk said through gritted teeth. "Shall we move along?"

"Yes, we shall," replied Gunn. "It's obvious that the Senior Partners and all of Wolfram & Hart are concerned about the same thing as my buddy here and his friends. So, let's cut to the chase."

"Yes," said Eve, "Wolfram & Hart knows everything the Council knows about the impending Offering and that certain artifacts are required before the necessary ritual can be performed."

"Can we persuade you to enlighten us in regards to your obtaining that information?" asked Giles. "Is there another of our employees who is about to jump ship the way that you did, Douglas?"

"Now, now," said Lilah as Sirk simply smiled knowingly. "There's no need for us to spill all our secrets. We're here to simply volunteer our assistance in obtaining these artifacts. To work in conjunction with your team, rather than continuing as rivals, so to speak. At least, for the time being."

"No way!" said Buffy. "We're perfectly capable of handling this on our own. All you need to do is to stay out of our way and keep your evil hands off Spike."

"You tell them, Slayer," concurred Spike. "There's no way in hell we're ever going to work with you. That was Angel's misguided judgement call. Not going to make the same sodding mistake he did."

"But this time, we both desire the same end," countered Holland. "None of us want to see magic banished from the world and for all humans, and other creatures affected by magic and the supernatural, to be exterminated. It's in all of our best interests to make certain that all the artifacts are obtained and offered and the ritual is performed."

"Exactly," said Gunn. "That's why you're going to agree to give Spike and his associates free rein to complete their task. They don't need your resources to accomplish it. You have nothing to offer them, so there is no need for them to negotiate anything with you."

"The Shanshu-- " Sirk began.

"Is bollocks!" Spike finished.

"Actually," said yet another familiar voice as the air shimmered once more, "Wolfram & Hart has no control whatsoever regarding the Shanshu Prophecy."

Seated in the chair at the end of the table was Angel. "Hello, Buffy," he smiled.

Buffy was too stunned to reply. Spike, on the other hand, had become a bit more used to this sort of thing, especially since his vision quest in the Colorado Vapor Caves.

"Well, if it isn't my own personal guardian Angel. Come calling again, have you?"

"Spike," Angel nodded at him and then also at Giles. "Giles, good to see that you continue to hold Buffy's best interests dear to your heart. Never would have been able to say this if I were still residing in your world, but now that I have a different perspective, I recommend that you stop trying to keep the two of them apart. They're going to be together, or not, regardless of your wishes. Give it up, man."

Giles looked very uncomfortable and could think of no adequate response, so he chose silence and his usual reaction to things that unsettled him. He removed and cleaned his glasses.

Haley remained quiet and wide-eyed, having already been rather stunned by Gunn's arrival. Now, seeing the famous Angel, and infamous Angelus, of course, had her completely gobsmacked. Due to his recent dusting, she had assumed she would never have an opportunity to meet him. Mena was also quite thrilled, but she followed her orders and remained silent.

"Glad to see you've wised up since you joined the ethereal ones," said a grinning Spike. "Although that wasn't actually a ringing endorsement, it's a right sight better than your usual punch to the gut."

"Angel," said Buffy, now that she had recovered from her shock. "I'm sorry I wasn't there to help during your final battle, but I'm glad that I've at least got this chance to let you know that I'm proud of what you did, and I will miss you." Buffy's eyes misted as she added, "I hope you know you really meant a lot to me."

"I know," said Angel sincerely. "But you'll move on with your life because that's just the way things go. I understand that, though I still think you could do better than Spike."

The two vampires exchanged a look, then smiled and nodded at each other in recognition that a changing of the guard had not only taken place but was also acknowledged between them.

Angel continued, "You deserve love and all the happiness you can find, Buffy. I wish you well. You, too, idiot."

"Poof," Spike retorted with a grin.

The Wolfram & Hart team was livid to see Angel once more in their presence. They had hoped they'd never have to deal with him again.

"Hate to break up this Hallmark moment," sneered Lilah, "but can we get back to what really matters? It's certainly more important than the love life of a couple of blondes, no matter how heroic they may or may not be."

"Fine," said Gunn. "Spike will either experience the Shanshu or not. Wolfram & Hart definitely has no control over it. Since that prophecy was so vague, none of us know when it may occur or which apocalypse it refers to, among all the various apocalypses that seem to happen on a fairly regular basis. But unless another vampire regains his soul, Spike's the only one who fits the prophecy. So, it's clear that you're not going to kill him, just in case he turns out to be the one."

"Right," said Angel. "And since the Senior Partners still hold out hopes that something will happen to swing the souled vampire over to fighting on your side in the so-called final apocalypse, you don't want to do anything stupid that might get in the way of him making that decision. So, you're not going to harm or kill his friends and loved ones, either. Spike really doesn't like that."

"Yeah," sneered Spike with a glare. "That would make me angry. And you don't want me angry." He underlined each of those words by speaking them in a deliberate, dangerous and very threatening manner that left no doubt as to his intent.

"Knowing all of this to be true reinforces our argument that you have nothing with which to negotiate," concluded Gunn. "So, let's bring this farce to an end and let these heroes get started on their quest to save the world. Again."

"But," insisted Sirk, "we are quite concerned about this upcoming Offering. Why not allow us to help recover the artifacts? We could send just a few of our own experts and some manual laborers to assist your two teams."

"Haven't you been listening? Don't need your bloody help," countered Spike, "and we sure as hell don't want it. I'd think by now you'd be right familiar with the sureness of Hell."

"Truthfully," added Giles, "we'd find having Wolfram & Hart employees in our midst rather distasteful and disturbing, which would be quite counterproductive to our efforts. Let's leave it at this, shall we? Should we find ourselves at a stumbling block that we cannot surmount on our own, we'll contact someone at the nearest branch of your firm."

Giles offered this tiny concession, knowing full well that it was extremely unlikely that he would ever consider calling upon their assistance. He simply wanted these proceedings to conclude.

"What's to prevent us from sending our own team out, anyway, collecting the artifacts that are currently at the bottom of your two team's lists," asked Eve.

"There's no value in that," said Gunn. "It's always a matter of the bottom line for Wolfram & Hart, isn't it? Why bother expending your resources on something that is already being handled by others? Surely, you'd rather keep acquiring as much money and power and influence as possible during these next few months, and then just reap the benefits of the Watchers' Council having to save your butts along with everyone else's when they perform the ritual on September 22."

"Yes, I'd really be interested in hearing what you expect to gain by participating in the Offering when it's only the final result that actually matters," observed Haley, who glanced quickly at Giles and was relieved to see that he was not upset that she had spoken up.

"Simple peace of mind," Sirk shrugged. "Being on hand to know that all is going well."

"Come on," said Spike. "We all bloody well know that you're going to have your usual eyes and ears snooping around, anyway. You don't need to be directly involved. How about this? Your same watchdog," he nodded toward Mike, "who has been following me since I left L.A., can continue to follow my team. Won't play any more tricks on him, either. As long as he keeps a discreet distance from us, we won't interfere with him spying and reporting back to you about all of our actions."

"Mike and his partner, Lia, you mean," said Sirk.

"No, just the one bloke should be enough for your purposes," replied Spike, and he noticed the tiniest of smiles at the corner of Mike's mouth on his otherwise impassive face.

"Sorry, but we always send a team," said Lilah. "Partners look out for each other and can stand guard while another sleeps or is otherwise indisposed. We never rely on just one employee all on his own. Surely, you all have learned the value of back-up, since you always work as part of a team."

"Coming from such a notoriously good team player as you, Lilah," remarked Angel, "how can we dispute that statement? You always worked so well with your own partners."

"Hey," said Lilah. "You didn't always confide in or work well with your partners either, Angel. Pot. Kettle. Think about it."

"Instead of listening to you two continue this useless bickering, however amusing it might be," said Sirk, "let's just conclude that we're never going to agree. We want to be involved in the artifact gathering, but you don't want our assistance. We've hit an impasse. I imagine that had we been the ones to unearth the scrolls, we would not have wanted your involvement, either, so your position is regrettably understandable."

"We will, however, be sending both Mike and Lia as observers," added Holland. "You really have no say in that. As a measure of good will, we will inform them that they should keep the discreet distance that you requested, but if you should ever require a bit of immediate assistance, we hope that you will look to them for help."

"And our resources will remain available to you should you ever require them," said Eve. "Certainly, you discovered this past year that our resources can sometimes make your work easier. Hope you're enjoying your Viper, Spike."

"You mean my Viper," noted Angel.

"Not any more," smirked Spike. "It's great fun. I'm considering it my parting gift after a year at your company, since my arrival there was the Senior Partners' decision rather than my own."

"Keep it," said Sirk, "as our little contribution to your quest for the artifacts. This meeting is now adjourned." As Eve, Lilah and Holland vanished, Sirk rose from his seat and indicated that Mike, Lia and Harmony should collect the laptops and video cameras, carrying only his own laptop with him as he left the room without another word.

Haley shook hands with Gunn and then moved to Angel, extending her hand to him as well. She said, "My name's Haley. It's quite an honor to make your acquaintance."

"Good luck with your quest," said Angel.

"Excuse me," said Mena as she offered her hand to Angel. "I'm Mena, the Slayer working with Xander Harris. I'm very glad to have had a chance to meet you."

As he shook hands with her, Angel said, "Xander, huh? You've got your work cut out for you. Tell Xander hello from his old friend, Angel. I've got to say that I was very impressed with you remaining quiet this whole time. Neither Buffy nor Faith would have been able to do it."

"Hey, now, I think I did extremely well," argued Buffy. "I didn't say much of anything. I said I'd let Spike and Giles do most of the talking, and I kept my promise."

At that moment, Harmony walked past them with video cameras in both hands. "Oops!" she called out and dipped down to the floor as if she were dropping one of them. When she came back up, she noticed that both Mike and Lia were walking out the door.

"Here, Spike," she whispered, revealing a business card between her fingertips. "If you ever need some information, call me at this number. It's a cell phone that they don't know about. I might be able to help from time to time. I miss being one of the good guys. Honest."

Spike shook his head but grabbed the business card, just in case, and shoved it in his pocket as Harmony scampered out of the room.

"Bye, everyone. It was so nice to see all of you, especially my Blondie Bear" she called over her shoulder.

"Get real, Harmony," said Buffy. Since the would-be double agent was already gone from sight, Buffy turned to Spike to say, "As if we'd ever trust her!" Then she looked at Angel. "Can I -- can I give you a goodbye hug, Angel?"

"I'd be disappointed if you didn't. We'll have to leave soon." As they wrapped their arms around each other, Buffy leaned her head against his chest right under his chin. Angel lowered his lips and kissed her on the top of her head. "Cordy says hello and wishes you the best of luck."

Buffy stepped back a bit to look into his face, and they dropped their arms from around each other. "Cordy, huh?" she smiled. At Angel's nod, an understanding and acceptance passed between them. "Tell her hello from me, too, then, and that I wish happiness for both of you."

"I'll do that. Take care of our girl, Spike. Ready to go, Gunn?"

"Just one thing before you take off," said Spike. "About Fred. We were told that her soul was obliterated during her transformation into Illyria."

"Didn't happen," said Gunn. "It would have, but at the very last second, the Powers That Be swooped in and saved her soul from oblivion. They decided it wasn't a fair ending for a soul that had done so much to help in the good fight. She and Wes spend most of their time together and are quite busy with matters that we can't discuss. I'll just say that one of the matters involves our favorite Blue Girl."

"There's a possibility that you might see either Wes or Fred in this world at some point, but it's more likely that it'll be Gunn or me that gets sent if you guys get in so much trouble that you absolutely can't handle it on your own. The Powers still prefer to keep their hands off as much as possible. I know how frustrating that is," said Angel. "Believe me, I know."

"So why'd they let you come down here for this charade?" asked Spike.

Angel laughed. "It was more or less a reward for all we'd done to screw with Wolfram & Hart in the past. The Powers sorta let us give them the finger one last time as well as giving me the chance to say goodbye to Buffy, since she was the one who helped me finally get moving along my path of redemption."

"Yeah, she's good at that, isn't she?" nodded Spike as Buffy smiled at the two of them. "A right inspirational little motivator." Spike couldn't restrain a stray thought that a selfish part of him was glad that Angel was more or less restricted to another plane of existence.

"We were kinda surprised they let both of us come, but it was a real kick. You know," added Gunn, "they've got such a big thing for 'keeping the balance'. But since Evil has been using more leverage lately, the Powers have finally recognized that they need to step up more often in order to preserve that balance they're so concerned about."

"That's probably the major reason why we were allowed to come tonight," agreed Angel. "It was a chance to put the Senior Partners on notice that times are changing."

"The Powers now have a few new players who like to kick butt and mix it up now and then, if you know what I mean," said Gunn.

"They don't want the Senior Partners getting their bloody hands on this Offering thing, right?" asked Spike.

"Right. It's in your bloody hands, Spike," teased Angel. "Yours and the rest of your team. Good luck. We're being called back." And abruptly, Angel and Gunn were gone.

"Well, I must say," said Giles, "that I never expected to see evidence of the workings of the Powers That Be. I rather assumed they were nothing but mythology, created to ease the minds of humans."

"I often wondered about that, myself," said Haley.

"Nope, they exist," said Spike. "Never seemed to really help Angel much. I usually refer to them as the Powers That Bugger, but if they're finally going to be a little more helpful now and then-- . Well, let's just say that I'm not actually going to count on any help from them, but I'll sure as hell accept it if it's offered."

"Sounds like the right approach to me," agreed Haley.

"Let's go find the rest of our team," said Buffy. "They're going to want to know what happened."

"And we need to thank the Wiccas for their help and let them know they can return to their homes," said Giles.

"I imagine everyone will get a good night's sleep tonight," Haley commented. "And now that our work with Professor Fontajohn is concluded, we can wrap things up tomorrow and take our leave of Ann Arbor."

As they headed down the hallway toward the doors outside, Giles said, "I think we'll allow everyone to sleep in just a bit and maybe do a little shopping or sight-seeing while you and I organize the last of our information, Haley. I'll make our flight arrangements for a late night departure for London, Buffy. We can sleep on the plane. I've always found the red-eye flights to be rather quiet."

Spike and Buffy exchanged a look, acknowledging that this would be their last night together until the artifacts had all been gathered. Then they continued on their way to the courtyard to gather their teammates and thank the witches before heading back to the hotel.

~~~~~~~~

When they returned from the meeting, both Buffy and Spike were emotionally shaken, as well as a bit drained and slightly out of sorts. Seeing old friends and enemies again revived old memories and brought up issues they thought they had already laid to rest.

Neither of them spoke while driving back to the Bell Tower Hotel -- both were lost in their own private thoughts. Once they had entered their room, Buffy flipped on the light and then stopped in the middle of the room while Spike closed the door behind them.

"Buffy, love -- are you all right?" he asked quietly. He came up behind her but was reluctant to touch her.

Biting her lip, she nodded, but she couldn't deceive him. He sensed her uncertainty and vulnerability. Slowly, Spike took her in his arms and held her close, stroking her hair.

"I'm so sorry, Buffy," he murmured softly with honest regret. She looked up at him, her eyes begging him for comfort.

Spike gulped and bowing his head, replied to her unspoken sorrow, hesitantly, "I know--", he sighed deeply and tried once more. "I know that seeing Angel again was painful for you."

"Yes, it was," she agreed quietly. "But not for the reasons you think."

Spike looked at her but didn't reply. He saw the tears brimming in her eyes, and he felt powerless to ease her pain. He feared that anything he might say, now, would somehow come out wrong.

She sighed helplessly and continued, "I know we already discussed this, but after seeing him, I need to say this again. Angel...Angel was my first love, Spike. I can never forget that, and part of me will always love him. Maybe if we had found the courage to stay together and face the difficulties, things would be different today, but Angel made his decision and walked out of my life."

"Can't say that I'm sorry he made that mistake, love."

Buffy nodded and continued. "There were times, over the last few years, when we tried to make another go of it, but every time, it would end the same way. He'd make a decision that was supposed to be in my best interest, and then he'd be gone. I guess when I needed him most, he wasn't really there. You were."

Buffy paused a moment, composing her thoughts as she struggled to suppress the tears.

"When he came back before our final battle with The First, and brought the amulet and the information from his sources, we still hadn't had the chance to determine where our relationship stood, or if we even had one at all."

Spike's eyes narrowed as he tried to figure out what she was trying to say. He really didn't want to revisit the events of that day, but the seeds of jealousy and doubt were once again creeping into his mind.

"Well, love, from where I was standing, it looked as though you determined where you stood pretty well." Spike frowned as he realized his words sounded harsher than he intended, but try as he might, he still couldn't get that kiss she and Angel had shared out of his head.

"Spike!" Buffy snapped. "I thought we had put that behind us. That kiss was just a hello and a goodbye. Nothing more."

He sighed and cursed himself for letting his petty jealousy get the best of him. The past few days with her had been incredible, so why risk saying something stupid to ruin it? The last thing he wanted to do was open up old wounds. Hadn't they both suffered enough?

"Buffy, pet, I'm sorry. It's just that I know how much he meant to you. How much he still means."

"It's okay, Spike," she said softly, taking his face in her hands, "I know we're both upset."

He nodded, "Maybe we should give it a rest and try to calm down."

"I'm sorry, but I need to finish telling you what is on my mind," she insisted.

"Buffy, please," he pleaded, emotionally spent. "We've already been there. I don't want to go back. It's just better left alone."

"Spike, please listen to me. This is important."

"Important?" Spike asked in frustration. "For whom? For you? No, I can't do this." He moved to turn away, but she wouldn't let him go.

"Damn your stubbornness, Spike!" she exclaimed. "It's important for us."

He looked at her questioningly.

"But only if you're willing to give us a chance!" she added.

Spike studied her earnest expression. Reluctantly, he gave in to her. "Say what you need to, then. I'm all ears." She gave him a grateful nod and started to speak.

"Okay, I do admit that seeing him again wasn't easy for me. Part of me found it painful to see him, but another part of me was glad because this encounter gave me a chance to do something that I couldn't do before. I finally could say goodbye to him and my past and shut down that chapter in my life."

Looking up into his blue eyes, she said softly, "I'm ready to start a new chapter, Spike. And I'd be the happiest girl on Earth if it included you."

Spike was overcome with emotion because this time, he actually felt her opening up her heart to him. With great clarity, he sensed that she meant everything she was saying and wasn't holding anything back.

"Buffy, there's nothing I want more than to be part of your life, but I want to get it right this time. That's why I don't want to rush into things. I don't want to -- I can't go back to the way it was."

"I know," she hushed him, placing her finger on his lips, "and I understand why you feel this way. Please believe that I've put the past behind me. Can you do the same?" She moved closer to him so that he could feel her breath on his face. "Do you want to believe me, Spike?"

Spike gulped as she pressed her perfect body against his. Her warmth made him long for her comforting embrace again.

"I do, love -- more than anything," he whispered, gazing at her face.

Buffy stared deep into his mesmerizing blue eyes and begged for his answer, "And you do love me?"

The tension was building between them, and he felt his body responding in its usual manner. The blood was definitely not rushing to his brain. Fighting against the temptation, he closed his eyes and murmured urgently, "You know that I do. I've already told you that."

Placing her arms behind his neck, she pressed herself even harder against him, her breasts brushing against his chest.

"Then tell me again. I need to hear it once more," she whispered, while her hand toyed with the curls at the base of his neck. "Please, Spike, I can never hear it enough."

Opening his eyes, his gaze locked with hers, and he managed a stifled gasp, "I love you, Buffy."

Her heart fluttered when she heard the words. She could see the truth and depth of his emotions in his eyes.

"I love you, too, Spike," Buffy beamed with the most beautiful smile he thought he had ever seen on her face. "And I'll tell you that as often as you want to hear it."

For a moment, he wished they could be frozen in time. Holding her like this, hearing her whisper again the words he had once feared he'd never hear from her lips, was the closest thing to true happiness he had ever felt. He was so lost in the sensation that he didn't resist when her hands sank into his hair, and she pulled his head closer until her lips met his in a tender, loving kiss.

The kiss deepened, and Buffy let herself be carried away by the sweetness of the moment. One hand held his head, while her other slowly slid down his chest to his hip. Spike sensed that this kiss was more intense than any of the others they had shared in the recent days. His mind told him he should slow down, but his body, his heart and the glorious sensation of her eager mouth on his, persuaded him to respond with equal passion.

He kissed her hungrily, tasting her mouth with complete abandon. Feeling his resistance vanishing, Buffy was elated and let her hand wander up and down his hip and thigh, then reached around and caressed his buttock.

Jolted back to his senses by her touch, he realized where this was leading and struggled to pull back from her searing kiss. When he broke contact, Buffy stared at him with confusion and disappointment.

"Please, Buffy, he gasped, "We can't...I can't do this. It's too soon." Backing away from her, he paced the floor nervously, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Damn it, woman! If I cross that sodding line with you, I'll never be able to stop. Not to mention the fact that you just bloody well proved you can't keep your hands to yourself," he snapped.

Buffy continued to look at him in disbelief and sorrow. Suddenly, the tears that had been building up inside spilled down her cheeks. She couldn't contain her anguish, and she sobbed uncontrollably for a few moments.

"Spike, what's wrong?" she finally managed to ask. "Why are you being so stubborn about this? I've been trying for days to show you how I feel, but you -- you act as though you don't want to be with me. I know you want to go slow, and I understand your reasons. I really do, but -- but I've missed you so much. I want you. I want to make love with you."

Stopping for a moment, she grabbed some tissues off the bedside table and started wiping her eyes.

"You say you love me, Spike. I can tell that you want me, so why should we refuse something that we both want? Why do we have to wait? Unless -- you -- you do want me, don't you, Spike?"

Seeing her like this completely unnerved him. He never could stand to see her in pain, and, now, he hated himself for being the cause of it. He crossed the room slowly and took her in his arms. At first she resisted but then melted into his embrace, continuing to sob against his chest.

"Of course, I want you, Buffy, but I don't want to end up where we used to be. I need more than just sex or a good time. I need emotions. A man gets tired of giving all the time and never really receiving anything in return."

"Then why are you pushing me away? Emotions? I'm overflowing with emotions to give you! All you've got to do is receive them. I love you. Let me prove it to you," she cried.

"Loving someone for a night is easy," he spoke quietly. "But loving someone forever is much more difficult."

"But you managed it," she said softly, looking up at him. "You held on to your love for me for years, even though I didn't deserve it. Now you deserve to be loved that way," she continued. "And I'm ready to do that."

"Buffy, I just think we need more time."

"Time for what, Spike? What if there is no more time? Maybe something will happen while we're apart, and we'll just run out of time -- like we did before?"

Buffy's frustration grew stronger, and her tears began anew.

"I know what you're afraid of, and I can't say I blame you," she sobbed bitterly. "You don't trust my heart. But I do. For once in my life, I'm more than sure of my feelings. Just give me a chance to prove them to you. Please."

"Buffy, love," he sighed, stroking her hair. "Shhh...don't cry. Please don't cry. I'm such a stupid git sometimes. I never should have put us in this situation in the first place. Should have known it would be hard for both of us. I'm so sorry."

He tilted her face up to his and wiped away a tear trickling down her cheek.

"There's nothing wrong with us wanting each other, Spike," she sniffed. "It's the most natural thing in the world, and we -- we're incredible together. You know that."

"I know that, love, and I'm not denying it. That was one thing we did get right together. Rocked my world, you did. It's just that this time around, I want to be sure that we have it all. That we're really right for each other. If we have a future together, it has to be because we love each other for who and what we are, not just because we're good in bed. I've changed, Buffy. I'm my own man, now. Don't want to be your sidekick. Don't want to be your sex toy. And I certainly don't want to end up being a liability to you. I want to be your equal. Your partner."

He hesitated a moment and then asked, hopefully, "Why are you so sure that us being together would work?"

"Because we are right for each other, Spike, and you are my equal. I've been trying to convince you of that for days, but you know me, I'm terrible with words. I have the thoughts all planned out up there in my head, but when I go to say them, they just come out wrong. Or sound stupid."

He started to speak, but she continued before he could contradict her.

"Anyway, I woke up last night and couldn't fall asleep again. Watching you sleep, I started to think about us and what might happen tomorrow after our teams split up. So, I kinda wrote you a letter. There were so many things I wanted to say to you, in case we -- before we go off on this mission. I started writing them down last night. Then, after Mike came to see us, I started worrying about the meeting. So, I wrote some more while you were busy talking to Giles. I wanted to give it to you when we say goodbye, but maybe it's better if you read it now. Would you read it, Spike? Maybe then, you'll understand."

Spike was touched and dumbfounded. Never before had he seen Buffy so emotionally open.

"Of course, I'll read it, pet, unless it's one of those 'Dear John' or 'Dear Spike' letters," he grinned. "It's not, right?"

"No, it's not," she smiled as she walked over to the bed and sat down. She reached in her jacket pocket and took out a few sheets of yellow legal pad paper. Motioning him to sit beside her, she handed them to him tentatively.

"Now, no fair making fun of my language or grammar. My words aren't very poetic, but they come from my heart. Do -- do you want me to stay while you read?"

"I'd never make fun of you sharing your feelings, Buffy, and yes, please stay." Slowly, he unfolded the papers and then took her hand as he began to read.

Dear Spike,

When you read this, we'll already be miles away from each other. I don't know what the future holds for us, but maybe that's best. We both need to concentrate on the mission ahead of us, and I guess you could tell that I've had a hard time concentrating on anything except you.

I'm used to apocalypses and the whole saving the world thingy, so the thought of dying during the good fight wouldn't bother me so much if I just knew that you believed me this time. See, I'm scared to talk about my emotions, but I promised myself that I will never hide my feelings for you again.

Spike, I realize what a cruel bitch I was to you for so long. I took advantage of your feelings and pretended that I didn't care. I was weak. I didn't have the courage to admit my feelings even to myself, let alone you, and I don't think I'll ever truly forgive myself for that. So I can understand if you're hesitant about committing to be together. I just wish I could convince you that my intentions are sincere.

Anyway, I've been thinking a lot about us these past few days, and I thought I would try to let you know some of the reasons I think we belong together. All this speculating we've been doing about the significance of the number 10 gave me this idea. I thought I'd give you 10 reasons why we should commit to each other.

I haven't organized these, so they're not in any particular order, but they're things that I have been thinking about, Spike. So, anyway, here's my list. The most important are the first two reasons:

1. I love you. I love you from the bottom of my heart. I know I haven't always been open about it, especially with you, but I hope someday you will believe me.

2. You love me. That's a no-brainer, huh? I can't be grateful enough for that. You always were there for me no matter what I did to you. You never stopped loving me, even when I was less than loving to you.

3. We match perfectly. We're both kinda like superheroes in this world, and we really don't fit well with anyone with normal abilities. No one else could understand us better than we do each other.

4. We're both fighting the good fight, so we have our work in common.

5. We make a good team. We fight so well together because we really know each other's moves and fighting styles. We don't get in each other's way at all. I think we fight even better together than as individuals. Not everyone's all that good at tandem fighting, you know. It's like you always said. It's a dance, and we should dance together. I want to dance with you, Spike. Really dance. Someday, I hope you take me dancing. Really slow, sexy dancing. Okay?

6. We're survivors. We've been through so much together and have survived some really terrible times, including some times when we were really terrible to each other. Especially, when I treated you badly. I want you to know that I realize that's true, and that I'm sorry for it. I really am. I want to make that up to you, but I can't do it, if you won't give me the chance. Will you please give me that chance, Spike?

7. We can count on each other. We've come through for each other when we most needed help, so we know we can continue to depend on each other for comfort and support. I know that sometimes I let you down and wasn't there for you -- like when you first came back after getting your soul. I should have tried harder to understand what was going on, but I was really thrown by your crazy behavior. Please remember, though, that I did finally get you out of that school basement, and I got your chip removed, and I got you out of the cave where the Turok Han and The First were torturing you. So I have saved you, sometimes, Spike, even though I know that you have saved me more often. If we're keeping score, I need you to give me some time to catch up. But I hope that you feel like you can trust me to always do my best to save you if you are ever in trouble and need me. I know that I can count on you to always save me. We've got each other's backs!

8. We can share our innermost selves. Our time together in Ann Arbor has shown me that there is so much more for me to learn about you. You've been around for a long time, Spike, so you have, of course, had a lot of experiences that I know nothing about. But I see that as a major plus. You'll have stories to tell me for years and years, without ever having to repeat yourself. That's really cool! I hope I've proved to you that I can be a good listener, and that I really enjoy your stories, even the gory ones. Please believe that I already know the essence of you -- what's at your core. I know your heart and soul, Spike, and I love that deep and central part of you. I certainly believe that you know me better than anyone else does. You've definitely seen the best and the worst in me, and you loved me, anyway.

9. We can deal with reality. Even though we know each other so well, we haven't scared each other off. We seem to be able to accept our flaws as just being aspects of ourselves that we need to continue to work on, but we can deal with them without feeling the need to give up and run away. At least, not anymore. Somehow, we always seem to find our way back to each other. I wonder if we're just meant to be?

10. We both deserve some happiness. For me, that means having you in my life. I will do everything I can to help provide you with the happiness that you deserve, too, Spike. I think that you and Dawn and I could be a family. A loving, happy family.

So, summing up, if you still feel that you need more time before making your actual commitment to me, then I'll wait until you're ready. But I want you to know that I'm ready right now. I want to be with you, Spike, for as much time as we can have together. Personally, I hope that we will be together for years and years, but if death will be separating us again after only a short time together, then I hope we can make the most of whatever time we're given.

If I've pressured you to get physical, I'm sorry, but I just want you so much, and sometimes I think that's the best way I can show you what I feel for you. And that brings me back to my first and most important reason:

I love you, Spike.

I told you once that I believed in you. Now, I'm asking you to believe in us. We can make this work. I know we can. You might not trust my heart yet, but I hope that soon, you'll realize that I mean every word. I'm waiting.

Love you,
Yours forever,
Buffy

Two big tears streamed down Spike's cheeks when he finished reading. Buffy sat next to him, looking at him nervously.

Folding Buffy's love letter almost reverently, he put it in his pocket and looked at her. Buffy wasn't sure if she read his expression correctly; he looked very upset. Taking his other hand in hers, she gazed directly in his eyes.

In a tiny voice, she asked, "So, what do you think? Did that help to explain how I feel? Or are you more confused than ever?"

"Buffy," he whispered as he choked back the torrent of emotions flowing through him. He was touched, happy, even sad at the same time. There were so many things he wanted to tell her, but now he was at a loss for words.

"I -- I don't know what to say."

Buffy squeezed his hands gently, "You don't need to say anything at all," she said softly.

Suddenly, he pulled her onto his lap and enveloped her in a tender embrace. He buried his face in her neck, kissing her gently as he both caressed and voiced his thoughts into her soft skin.

"I've been such a fool, love, letting all my doubts and fears keep me from taking a chance on the future. I thought if I set rules for myself, I'd be able to understand what I really felt for you. But all I managed to do was to end up punishing both of us." His hands began roaming the contours of her body.

He continued speaking as he peppered her with kisses. "When Fred's spirit came to me in the caves, she told me to let go of my past and get on with my life. Those Wiccas tonight -- they told me I was on the right path, and I just needed the courage to follow it. I need to start living in the present; stop worrying about what never was, or what might be, and start living for what exists now."

He pulled back and looked at her solemnly. Buffy held her breath as she hung on his every word.

"Buffy, I want to believe in us. I want to make a go of it," he said, giving her a hesitant smile as he stroked her cheek. "Don't have much to offer, pet. All I can promise to give you is me. That's all there is. What you see is what you get. Can you love me as I am, the way I love you? And will you give me some more time to figure out who I am and why I'm still here? Can you do that, Buffy?"

Buffy gasped with relief as tears began rolling down her cheeks in earnest now, dropping onto their hands. Hearing him say those words had made all the waiting worthwhile. To her, they were more than simple words; they were a one-way ticket for a long-awaited journey to paradise. Buffy knew Spike always meant what he said. He was the most honest man she had ever known.

"Spike--" she started but couldn't go on as his lips silenced her with a gentle yet passionate kiss. Buffy responded to his kiss with the same intensity. Her mouth eagerly sought his, while her arms wrapped possessively around his neck. Now, more than ever, she needed him as close to her as possible.

Responding to her need, Spike tightened his embrace and eased them both down to lie side by side on the bed, their lips never breaking contact as they both nudged off their shoes. Since those last days in Sunnydale, Spike had spent countless days and nights, questioning her feelings for him, and now, she was giving him the answer.

This Buffy was definitely different from the one that had driven him to incredible heights of passion to satisfy her own pleasure, only to leave him empty and alone, begging for any crumb she would throw him.

The Buffy now in his arms was kissing him like she never had before. Her kisses were sweeter, deeper, more desperate than ever. Intoxicating!

Buffy had to pull back for air. Gasping and flushed, she gazed at Spike, who was staring back at her, overcome with emotion and desire. It amazed her that despite the fact he didn't need to breathe, he was panting heavily. Winding his fingers in her silky, golden hair, he praised her beauty, "My Goldilocks....so beautiful."

"Blondie Bear," she teased softly and leant back down for another kiss.

"That name sounds so different from your lips; it's like I've never heard it before," he murmured and met her kiss.

She ran one hand up and down his back, while the other was lost in his hair. As much as Spike loved her long, silky tresses, Buffy was also bewitched by his platinum locks. She loved the way his unruly curls felt on her neck, her face, her body. She loved the way they looked, fresh from the shower or when he woke up every morning.

Buffy had taken so many things about Spike for granted. The way he looked, the way he smelled, the way his voice could thrill her to her core. She had never really noticed how truly beautiful he was. Now, she found herself noting everything about him and wanting more.

Moving her lips from his mouth, she nuzzled and licked his neck, then nibbled gently up to his earlobe. When he responded with a groan, she tilted her head back and bared her neck to him. Spike started kissing her soft skin, gently tasting her, savoring every moment.

"Spike..." Buffy whispered into his hair as his lips met her throat. Her hand instinctively slid under his shirt, touching his cool skin. She caressed his chest and stomach and moved to his waist. When she realized that she was close to crossing that line again, she anxiously expected him to pull away.

But that didn't happen.

Instead, he continued kissing her neck, pressing himself against her now with an urgency that made her tremble and quake.

"Spike?"

"Hmm?" he purred into her ear.

"Are -- are we okay with this? I, ohhh...I thought you didn't want..." Buffy moaned as he started gently nibbling her earlobe.

Her whole body was begging for his touch, and she was aching with anticipation. Lost in his embrace, she forgot everything. There was no yesterday. No tomorrow. Just this sweet moment.

"I want you," she pleaded, overwhelmed with need, her mouth seeking his hungrily.

His lips crushed against hers with greater intensity, while his hands trailed down to her waist and thigh.

"Make love with me, Spike. Please...oh, God...please," she gasped as they gave into another searing kiss.

Completely aroused, Spike was in desperate need of her now. He couldn't deceive himself anymore, and he couldn't fight it. They wanted each other, and there would be no turning back. Convinced of her love, he knew their coupling tonight would more than satisfy raw sexual desire; it would also bind their souls. They would make no demands or ask for firm commitments. They would simply be grateful for whatever time and pleasure that fate would allow them now.

Now.

His hands wandered under her blouse, fondling her breast. Buffy moaned, and her body arched against his in response to his touch. Urging him to continue his exploration, her hands fumbled with the buttons of his shirt, while Spike started to remove her blouse. Her heart was pounding as she felt that incredible rush of excitement he always brought out in her. Right now, she was the happiest girl on Earth.

Now.

Quickly, he urged her to her feet but maintained the kiss. He helped her unfasten his belt and jeans, then slipped off her pants as well, followed by their socks. With all clothing shed, except for her silky, white camisole, they stood together caressing each other's bodies with both their hands and lips.

by Cryssie.

Buffy momentarily broke the kiss to remove her camisole and then turned Spike so his back was to the bed. Knowing his resistance was completely gone, she seductively smiled up at him, and carefully pushed him down onto the bed, straddling him.

"Let me pleasure and cherish you, Spike," she whispered. "Let me give you the love you deserve."

As he looked up into her eyes, he saw the love there and knew this night was going to be something special. Both would give; both would receive. No more one-way streets.

He wound his fingers in her hair and pulled her down on top of him. Then his lips claimed hers in another gentle kiss as they gave into the passion that was sweeping them away.

by nmcil

~~~~~~~~

The plane for London was scheduled to depart from Detroit Metro Airport at 10:10 PM that evening.

After the meeting with Wolfram and Hart, Giles had told everyone that the next day was theirs to sleep in and then to enjoy as they pleased. The only stipulation was that they must all meet at the Campus Inn by 7:00 PM to finish packing, load the luggage and be ready to head for the airport.

Both teams had their orders and information packets and would proceed on their separate quests as planned. Giles, Buffy and Vi, as well as Andrew and Dawn, would return to England to report back to the Council and make final preparations before starting their search. Spike, Xander, Mena and their new teammate Haley, would leave from Ann Arbor in search of the first artifact on their list.

Haley spent the day with Rupert, going over assorted details and organizing research materials. Xander took the rest of the gang for some last minute shopping and a movie. Andrew insisted that they visit Borders Books Music and Cafe, since Ann Arbor was where the popular chain had originated, and they were still arguing about which film to see as they piled into the Land Cruiser.

Spike and Buffy had much simpler plans. After a glorious night of lovemaking, they both slept as soundly and peacefully as babies. When they did finally awaken later that afternoon, Spike suggested ordering room service for a late lunch, but Buffy insisted she was hungry only for him.

Even when he tried to tempt her with a shopping trip, she assured him she had everything she needed right there in the room, and that no store was ever going to sell anything better than Spike. Deleriously happy, Spike gave in to her whims, and it wasn't much later that they both gave in to desire. Again.

A few hours later, after another session in the shower, they did manage to get packed and dressed and on their way to meet the others at the Campus Inn. When the SUVs were loaded and Spike's Viper was once again securely aboard its trailer, they headed east on I-94 until they reached the airport.

In the waiting area, Spike and Buffy sat off to themselves, hugging and talking quietly. Though they tried not to watch, everyone else's eyes kept straying back to them. The gang knew how difficult it had to be for these two to part again so soon.

At 9:30 PM, the flight attendants gave permission for early boarding, and everyone prepared to say goodbye. There were emotional hugs all around, and though spirits were high, everyone knew the gravity of the task that lay before them all.

Dawn and Andrew supressed tears as they hugged Spike in unison. Even Giles seemed more emotional than usual as he shook hands with Xander, Mena and Haley. When he extended his hand to Spike, Spike set aside any doubts and shook his hand firmly.

"Good luck, Spike," Giles said. "I can't emphasize how much we're counting on you. It's imperative you stay focused. Please be careful and keep in touch."

With that, he nodded and moved away to allow Buffy to have a few more private moments with Spike. Xander, Mena and Haley waited patiently a short distance away.

Buffy stood on her tiptoes and put her arms around Spike's neck. They lingered for a moment, oblivious to everything going on around them. Buffy had promised herself she would be strong and would not cry, but she couldn't stop a tear from spilling down her cheek.

Spike wiped the tear away and then kissed her tenderly. "No tears, love," he whispered. "I'm not saying goodbye."

"I'm not, either, Spike," she sniffled. "I'm just going to say, see you soon. Right?"

"Right as rain, pet," he smiled and kissed her once more. Then they parted slightly and rested their foreheads together. He pulled her letter from his pocket and showed it to her. "This will never leave my presence. It will sustain me till we're together again."

She smiled as she watched him secure her words back in his pocket for safekeeping.

"Love you, Buffy," Spike said as he moved to pull away.

"Love you, too, Spike." She let go of his hand and turned to walk into the tunnel but stopped after a few feet. "Promise you'll come back to me."

"Always have, haven't I?" he laughed. "Seems like it's getting to be a regular habit with me."

"I hope it's a habit you'll never want to break," she said as she bounded back, planted another quick kiss on his lips, then turned and ran off into the boarding tunnel.

Spike stood there for a moment after she left. He wanted to watch her plane take off, but he thought it would feel too much like goodbye. Besides, he could feel his team's eyes on him and knew it was time to be off.

All four of them walked in silence out to the parking lot. When they reached the Land Cruiser, Spike headed for the driver's side, but Xander stopped him.

"Hold on there, Romeo," he smirked. "Looks to me like you could use a few days' sleep, so Mena and I will take the first shift. You and Haley get some shut-eye."

Mena and Haley exchanged an amused look when Spike began to protest, then voiced their agreement with Xander.

"Fine, Harris," Spike snorted. "It seems as though you've organized this coup, so I'll rest up and plot a future insurgence."

He opened the door for Haley, who replied as she climbed in, "Ordinarily, Spike, I don't get in the backseat of a car with just any man. In your case, though, I just might make an exception."

"Is that so, Ms. Rayne?" Spike smiled wickedly as he got in on the other side. "I'd love to entertain you with my quick wit and dazzling conversation, but Harris hit the nail on the head. I am a bit knackered. Promise to astound you another time, deal?"

"Deal!" she laughed heartily.

In the front seat, Xander just shook his head and glanced at Mena as she stifled a giggle. "Some things just never change, do they?" he grumbled as he started the engine, and they set off on their new mission.

~~~~~~~~

End of The Big Ten.

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The Big Ten - Page 1, 2

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What are the mystical artifacts that the two teams are searching for, and where will they go to find them? Do Giles, the Devon Coven, and the Watchers' Council really know all they need to know about the Offering and ritual? Will Wolfram & Hart uphold their hands-off truce, or are they just waiting for another opportunity to jump into the action? What will we learn about Haley, and will her connection to her Uncle Ethan become an issue? Will Spike's team meet up with any more familiar characters during their travels? Will Spike decide to commit himself to a relationship with Buffy once they're back together to perform the ritual, or will he learn something about himself while they're apart that will make him decide against it?

To begin to find out the answers to these questions,
come back to this site on
Tuesday, May 31
for the next episode of
Spike: Soul Survivor.

Due to unforseen real life issues we have had to postpone
the next episode of Spike Soul Survivor. We want to assure
our readers that we WILL return as soon as possible, so
please bear with us. Keep checking the website for further
updates...

~~~~~~~~

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feedback
will be greatly appreciated.