Written as a Long Stand Alone (Was written so it can be read with out reading the first story).

Sequel to Dream Once More (Archived at the Sand lot)

Author: T. Claybourne  (t.claybourne@yahoo.com)

AU And Crossover

Things are different between Buffy and Spike this time. Beforeheand Buffy were reunited Spike experienced real love but through astrangeand tragic set of circumstances he lost the woman he had it with. Who is this woman and what happened toher? Buffy and Spike are starting againbut from the beginning. Will theirbudding new romance survive his old love's re entrance into their lives.

I'd like to thank my Beta Reader Hawera And musesMichelle Branch, Robbie Williams and Evanescence

''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

Chapter 14 Graphic Slayers

Gimme one good reason why I should listen to you I need one good reason why I should do What you want me to Under your thumbain't no place to hide I can't choose and I can't decide Gotta be a better way Oh oh gimmeone I keep making the same mistake No win no lose no give and no take I'm just playing a simple game And I don't wanna ask you again andagain For one good reason why I shouldlisten to you Just one good reason why I should do What you want me to Under your spell ain't no place to be Don't mess around with a fool like me Help me just a little more Oh oh gimmeone, gimme one

Alan Parsons Project

 ''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''\ '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

Miacame into the kitchen dressed in a blue silk suit that,when it caughtthe right light, appeared to be a deep teal, with a navy blue camisole just barely peaking from beneath. She wore a pair of deep teal sling- backs that matched the suit perfectly. The skirt hit just above her knees and the taupe hose gave her legs a misty look. Her hair was dressed in a French twist, a few curls escaping around her face. With the carefully applied make up you couldn't even see the black - and it was now a purply-black - eye.

Xander, dressed in his 'off to the solicitors' suit and tie,leaned on the counter drinking a mug of coffee. He whistled deep and low, like a true construction worker.

"Stop that. I don'tknow if vamps can blush, but if we do it can't be pretty."

"You look good, girl."

"Likewise"

"This old thing."

That made her smile and he was happy to see it. She hadn't smiled much since she'd come home on Sunday night.

Mia made herself a mug of blood, and Willow came in for a cup of coffee. Willow was wearing a forest green sweater set and a tan suede skirt, with matching boots. Against her red hair, the greenof the sweater was quite flattering

"Don't we all look spiffy?

"We'll steal the camera." volunteered Xander.

"What camera?" asked Willow.

"Any that are there, Will," he answered with a grin ~ ~ ~ ~

Mia sat in the conference room as various Watchers and Slayers entered. She knew she'd meet them all later as there was a small reception immediately afterwards. She was nervous. Giles was to announce her appointment to a place on the Council, but there was always the possibility that others might disagree: the fact remained that, soul or no soul, she was a vampire.

She watched as Xander went round the room, shaking hands. He knew these people. Some, like Faith, Robin Wood and Kennedy, she recognized from Willow's web site, and she looked forward to meeting them. The young Slayer, Kennedy, came and sat next to Willow.

The room filled quickly and at the last moment Spike came in. He wore his charcoal suit with deep teal shirt and tie. Mia smiled as she remembered going shopping for it with him. That had been not too long after he'd come back from being a ghost, and Angel had wanted him to look more business-like around Wolfram and Hart. Buffy followed him, looking upset. There weren't any chairs next to Spike, so she sat a few seats down. Giles entered and called the meeting to order. Spike seemed to immerse himself in the meeting, asking good questions, making comments and talking about training Slayers. By the looks he received he had surprised quite a few of them with his obvious intelligence. No one disagreed with Mia's appointment to the Council, which relieved her greatly. It was a fast-paced, interesting meeting.

Refreshments were brought in. As this was happening, the others stood and stretched. Spike came around the tableto Mia. He was met by Faith.

"Snazzy suit, vampire. Get that while you were working with the evil law firm?"

Spike glanced at Mia. "Faith, nice to see you." His voice sounded a little strained, thought Mia.

"So how's it hanging with you, now that you not all burning up from the inside out an' all?"

Robin joined them and Mia didn't say anything, taking on the role of observer.

"Spike." Wood nodded, but didn't reach out to shake his hand.

Itwas then that Mia remembered Spike telling her the story of how this man had tried to kill him and take back his mother's coat, the very coat she now wore on a regular basis.

Meanwhile, Buffy had joined them and was trying to catch Spike's eye.

Robin turned to Mia. "I heard you had some, how did Xander put it, undercover work this weekend. Care to fill us in on it? Both Faith and I have found vampire encounters few and far between in this city since they started the Slayer school."

"It wasn't much, just a nest."

"Don't be so bloody humble." said Spike. "It was a nest of 30 or so. We discovered it because when I came across Em on Friday night, she hadjust finished off three vamps she'd found trying to sire a victim. Witha little detective work and hunting skill we located a nest. Seems this group was organized and planning a war with the Slayers, guns and all. They were building up their numbers and we went in, acting as if we wanted to join up. Em here first intimidated the leader with my reputation, and then dusted him. The others believed I was taking over until she announced something about her sword, taking a few heads as she did. Only trouble we really ran into was one of the blokes who had gone for the guns they had stockpiled and filled me full of lead. He was aiming for Em's heart but only got in a few chest shots. It took her nearly two hours to get all the sodding bullets out of me."

Mia was shocked, first at the blatant public telling of the story, then at the continued use of his old nickname for her. Then she saw the look of horror and rage on Buffy's face. Mia took a step back and tried warn Spike of the danger. The demon in her was in retreat: there was avery angry Slayer nearby. Spike was concentrating on answering a question, and Mia saw that fist fly out and hit him squarely on the nose.

Spike stumbled back. Feeling his nose and checking for blood he looked down at Buffy. Then he shook off the pain and walked out.

Buffy followed closely.

~ ~ ~ ~

Vampire and Slayer stood facing one another across from a small bank of elevators.

"You were in town this whole weekend? And with her?"

"Oh no, Buffy, you bloody well do not get to play the indignant victim here. Twoweeks, you've known for two whole bleeding weeks, and you waited untiltwo minutes before I walked into a meeting to be attended by my lost love to tell me she was here."

"You were in town this weekend, but you chose to stay away."

"Right. Friday,got here, went to check out some of the old demon haunts so as not to have to trouble you with them, and who do I run into? Emma. I was gob- smacked. First sentence out of her mouth was, 'I thought after Buffy told you I was here you might call, not look me up like this.' That would throw any bloke. I needed some time to get a handle on it all."

"You spent the night with her, and I'm not to suppose to feel like the victim here." She pulled back and threw a punch at him again, but he dodged it.

"Don't do that again. I'll fight back."

That seemed to anger her more.

"You can calm down, Slayer. Because of this sodding stunt you pulled.... I'm through. If you think no more of me, or of us than that, it's time for me to change a few things."

Buffy stiffened. "Are you breaking up with me? It's because you're going to get back with her. Well,you deserve each other." She stalked over and pushed the elevator button.

"Mia doesn't want me, but at least she is... up front... about it. Truth is, she is a different woman from the one I knew, and I don't see much more than friendship in the cards for us. I figured that out during this weekend away."

Buffy's eyes widened as she realized the magnitude of what he was saying. He had accepted and knew that this woman wasn't Emma. Shehad just screwed up so royally that she was going to lose Spike. The elevator doors opened, she got in in a daze, and the doors closed.

Willow had drifted into the hallway when she had heard the shouting and made to follow Buffy. Spike watched as she silently waited for the elevators, shrugging her shoulders in his direction. While she waited they both saw a blur open the door to the stairwell and head up the stairs. Giles and Xander followed, just as Willow's elevator left.

"Up the stairs." Spike supplied in a distracted voice, as he punched the elevator button now himself. He needed a drink and he hoped that the gloomy clouds that had been in the sky earlier hadn't cleared yet. He'd seen a pub only a few blocks away and he planned to drown his sorrows over this morning's mess until he sank down into a nice numbness.

~ ~ ~ ~

Mia stood on the top floor of the Council headquarters. It was unfinished, so there were no walls, just a vast open space with a sawhorse, a plywood table and two metal folding chairs. She stared out of the window,down at the street.

Giles approached her first. "Mia, dear. "

"I've screwed up everything between them. I should just leave."

Xander was shocked by what she had said, and reacted. "NO!" he exclaimed. Everyone had heard Buffy and Spike arguing,but that didn't mean that Mia should leave.

Giles looked at Xander then and saw his fear. He held back a smile: Xander had fallen head over heels for Mia. Well, she was lucky. Xander was loyal, and even if she never returned his affection he'd stand by her as a friend. Giles had seen Xander do just that with Buffy.

"Xander, could you go after Spike and make sure he doesn't do anything stupid?" asked Giles.

"Me ? You want... me...to babysit Spike?"

Xander felt a little relief as he saw the corners of Mia's mouth twitch upward. "I'd appreciate it too." she said.

Xander looked at both of them. "Okay, I'll babysit, but not for.... Spike's sake."

After he left, Mia sat down in a metal chair. "If they hadn't had to deal with me this soon in their relationship, then maybe..."

"Something else is going on there. I've never known Buffy to be so afraid of something that she couldn't face it at all, but that's exactly what has happened here. I'm not saying that Spike was correct to come back to town without telling Buffy and then to stay away, but he had reason enough. You are not the cause. Listen, I know their coming here was sprung on you when you arrived here, but you chose to stay and confront it. If it's too overwhelming for you now, we can send you out on assignments until they leave. Promise me you'll give it a week's thought first. I've had so many good reports about your training classes."

"All right, I'll give it some thought but speaking of my class, I've got to get over there and prepare. The Watchers are having some problems. Besides, a little physical exercise will do me good. "

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Xander found Spike in the first pub he came to. The vampire had a bottle of Johnny Walker in front of him, half gone. Xander thought he remembered Spike preferring Jack Daniels but maybe that was just his stateside drink of choice. The vampire's suit jacket lay on the bench next to him along with his tie, and the top 4 buttons of his shirt were undone. Xander walked to the table and slid in on the bench across from Spike.

"Want a glass to join me, Harris?"

"Mia sent me to check up on you."

Spike slammed a glass back and poured another. "That pissed you off, dinn't it"

"No."

Spike raised an eyebrow before he drank down the next glass and set it up again.

"You're lying. Vampire here, I can tell."

"Ok, I wasn't too happy about it."

"You have it bad for her."

"That's so not your business."

"Women... they tie you up in knots. That's why I'm giving up the lot of them."

Xander laughed. "You won't be able to last a month."

"Bollocks, did that as a ghost."

"Doesn't really count when you don't have a body. Try a year."

"It's been that long for you, has it?" Spike stared into his eye for a moment, then threw his drink back.

Xander got up and went to the bar, then came back with adark draught ale. He loosened his tie.

Spike held up his drink in a toast and drank it. "She's afraid, you know."

"What?"

"Emma."

"You mean... MIA"

"Sorry,right. She's afraid of feeling too human, thinks that because she's avampire she deserves any punishment life gives her, or even that she can inflict on herself. She's gonna take a lot of patience."

"You thought the person she was before was worth it."

Xander watched the pain come into Spike's eyes. He'd seen something similar, but not as intense, after Buffy had taken the dive from the tower.

"She was. She was the only woman who loved me right away for who I was, faults, fangs and all. Emma didn't want anything but my love in return. Didn't even try to change me. OK she tried to help me to be a bit more civilized with other people, but it was always in fun. ...... We had so much fun." Spike raised his glass again, as if toasting the woman he spoke of, and drank.

"But what's different now ? I heard you tell Buffy something about friendship being the only possibility."

Spike looked so sad that Xander almost felt guilty about asking any questions.

"Mia is a different creature: but explaining it would take too much thought for a day like today."

Xander looked at the bottle and saw that it was now only a quarter full. "Spike, do you have any really... stupid plans... for today? I mean,when I left there was talk of Mia leaving here and well, I want to."

"Make sure she bloody stays put."

"Exactly."

"Plans for today include finishing this bottle, then starting the next, and continuing until I'm numb. One thing to say to you,boy: you hurt her like you did Anya and I'll drain you and throw your body in the Thames."

"I never meant to hurt Anya. Just like neither of them meant to hurt you."

Spike's eyes narrowed but Xander ignored it. He handed him his phone. "Number 2 is the house, and 5 is Mia's. Call if you change your plans to anything stupid."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ When Xander headed back to Council headquarters Giles explained what had happened, and that Mia was teaching. Xander was so relieved that he went home early. After changing into sweats he decided that he needed a good work out, and then a little time chilling out with his comics. A few hours later Mia came home, looking relaxed and wearing a yoga suit that she used for her training class.

She put her gym bag down. "I caught you; you never told me that you were into the graphic novel."

She shuffled through his collection, stopping and holding one up. "Pray tell, what is this?"

Xander blushed a little. Mia had found his copy of Blade. He knew it was stupid to read about slaying vampires when he had grown up and now lived his life doing it, but Blade was cool, part vamp, part human,awesome weapons and he could kick butt. It was nice to read about a guy vampire-slayer doing massive damage like Blade did.

"That, my dear, is a Marvel comic book."

"It's Blade"

"Look at that: you're right."

"You don't do enough slayage in real life that you want to read about it in a comic?"

"Have you ever read one? It reads better than one of those Watcher journals, I bet."

Mia smiled. "OK, far be it from me to make a judgment without researching the subject properly first." She curled up on the other end of the couch and began reading.

When she had finished, she looked over. "When is the next issue due out?"

Xander chuckled. "But you live the life, and he kills your kind."

"I don't get to use the tools and weapons he does. Now I know why Spike called me Bladette whenI was wearing my back sword-holster. I guess my coat does look a little like his, and I was all in leather. As for killing my kind, he's never met my kind."

"That night you cried, it was because of him, wasn't it?"

"Blade?" smiled Mia.

Xander's eyebrow lifted.

Mia sighed. "I know who you mean." With a sober face she said. "You mean Spike. Yes,I think it was mostly because I was facing up to what I had done to him, but yes."

"The next night, did you sleep with him?"

Mia looked him right in the eye and without hesitation replied. "No, I slept on the couch."

She saw Xander relax a bit. "You're not leaving?"

"No." She shook her head.

"Good, because that would be very bad."

"You're too sweet to me, Xander, I don't deserve it."

"Why not?"

She didn't answer.

"You think that because you have to carry that demon around,you don't deserve anything nice but you're wrong, we all have demons.... Yours just is more obvious than most."

Xander moved some of his comics to the coffee table and scooted across the couch to her.

He cupped her chin, and ran his thumb against her cheek. "You've changed the grey that was my life to sunny skies. That's pretty good for a vampire that can't even go in the sun."

Xander leaned forward and gently touched his lips to hers. She responded, opening hers to him. He was gentle but insistent,expressing some of the feelings bubbling up inside him.

He released her and leaned back to look at her. He saw acceptance and, dare he hope it, that his feelings were returned.

"I really didn't plan that our first kiss would be with me in sweats, surrounded by comics. I thought it would be a bit more romantic." he grinned.

"It was perfect." She emphasized by leaning forward and kissing him again, this time putting some passion into it. When she pulled back she was smiling, and so was he.

Mia started first. "We have to take this..."

"Slowly, that's what you were going to say. The very male part of me is saying no, go fast, fast, fast, very fast, but the other part the, um the more , the..."

"Brain?" she suggested.

"Was I just starting a heartfelt speech and you decided to make a man-bashing joke out of it?" he smiled.

"Maybe." she smiled back.

"Well ok, my brain says slow is better, especially since we are roommates."

The phone rang then.

"I gave my phone to Spike. Maybe we could let the machine get it."

She looked at him and lifted her eyebrow.

"Fine. I'll get it."