Title: Afterglow 45/57 (not a WIP)

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

Rating: Rated R most chapters for violence and Language, some are NC- 17 for sexual content

A/N I'd like to thank my Beta Reader Hawera And muses Michelle Branch, Robbie Williams and Evanescence

Afterglow Chapter 45: A Really Bad Couple of Days

When you feel all alone
And a loyal friend is hard to find
You're caught in a one way street
With the monsters in your head
When hopes and dreams are far away and
You feel like you can't face the day
Let me be the one you call
If you jump I'll break your fall
Lift you up and fly away with you into the night
If you need to fall apart I can mend a broken heart
If you need to crash then crash and burn
You're not alone

Savage Garden

``````````````````````````````````

Mia pulled up the hood on her hooded sweat shirt jacket and kept to the building shadows until she made it to a pub. She stepped inside and borrowed the phone to call Giles. Mia knew she should call Xander but she was still angry. He'd gone to Buffy. She wasn't so much jealous as put out. The woman was a Slayer, she would recover, and that couldn't be the first time her friends had seen her take a hit.

Mia was sick of it. She'd train with Spike but that would be it. She would go in just for her classes, avoid any socializing and try to stay away from him and Buffy: that was the best she could do: she couldn't afford to let Buffy's issues get her this angry. She would talk to Xander and maybe they could consider moving. Yes, that would work. Maybe to Cleveland: she was sure there was plenty of his type of construction work there and Wood and Faith would welcome her help.

Of course there was the Mot threat to be dealt with but couldn't they commute? Or, even better, leave it to the others. No, she couldn't do that. So where, and how could they do this? She'd have to talk to Giles, there had to be a solution.

Giles was there thirty minutes later. He didn't ask what had happened, and he told her he'd think about her suggestion of moving. He was nice enough to give her some money so she could stay there at the pub until sundown.

Sunset finally came and she headed through Soho toward the Thames. She was passing a dark unlit back street when she smelled a vampire. Mia had no stake, but it didn't matter: this vampire was a kill she needed. She ran and caught it cornering a young man. Mia sprang, pulling it from the man's neck. It landed against some pallets, and then exploded.

"Shit! Fuck! Damn! I wanted to fight and maim that thing until the son of a bitch cried and then I would kill it."

Mia knelt by the man, she could hear a strong heart beat but she wanted to check his wounds. She received a kick to the head. Mia rolled with it springing to her feet and faced a teenaged girl.

"Looking for seconds?" the girl asked

Mia grimaced. "No, please tell me you are not a Slayer."

"Sorry, can't oblige."

"Today is so not my day."

"I can help you with that." The girl pulled a stake.

"I wonder if being quippy, is a Slayer trait?"

"What?"

Mia used her speed and took the stake, then she lifted the girl from the ground and away from her.

"New to the school, are you? I teach there and will be training you. I was hired for my special abilities."

The girl struggled. "I caught you feeding on that guy."

"Try again: he's chock full of blood. I was checking his wounds after I killed the vamp that was feeding on him."

"But you're a vampire."

"Did I have the bumpies?"

"You're a vampire… I can feel it."

"Yes I am."

"I'm supposed to kill them."

"Yes you are. But, if I were a threat to you, wouldn't I have sunk the fangs in by now? Do you have a cell phone?"

The girl nodded. Mia put her down "Call Rupert Giles, he'll explain."

The girl made the call and then hung up. "What's your name?"

"Mia. Mia Taylor."

"Fine, guess it's your lucky night."

Mia was wound pretty tight and that little comment didn't help. She jumped straight up and flipped over the girl, landing behind her, and she stretched her neck tight with one hand and held her body immobile with her other arm.

"No, it's your's. If my patience were stretched any farther you might not make it to tomorrow's class. You don't know me or what I can do. I used to be a Slayer like you, before I became this. Now I'm something even Slayers should fear." Mia pushed the girl away from her.

"Go, get in bed and be ready to get your ass kicked tomorrow by another vampire. Look him up before class, William the Bloody or Spike. You are going to have so much fun."

Mia pocketed the stake and rolled her shoulders before she went in the opposite direction to the Slayer.

Spike was leaning on a streetlight in front of her. Mia turned around and went back the way she had come.

Spike dropped in behind her. "Find anything?"

"A pain in my ass, and you make two. Go away."

"Saw the Slayer action."

"Or inaction, as it actually was. Good luck with that one. Go away, Spike."

"You found a vamp; there might be others."

"Go away, get, skedaddle, adios, be gone."

"So you want me to leave, pet?"

"Are you trying to make me hit you?"

"Maybe."

"Perhaps you and your girl want matching noses, would that work for you?"

In an extremely calm flat voice, Spike said. "Oh right, hey. You sodding hit my girl friend."

Mia turned and looked at him. He smiled.

"Stop it. Go away. This is why she is like that. Giles is at this very moment looking for a place Xander and I can move to."

"Bloody hell, you're runnin…"

"Not running, stepping to the side, getting out of the way, letting people play through. Sorry, Spike. Mia doesn't want to come out and play any more."

"Because of a sodding punch in the nose."

"It's more than that: I wanted to kill her." Mia looked away. She hadn't even admitted that to herself.

"She's a Slayer, you're a vampire, and you taught the little wankers about instinct. That's all it was."

"It was about you and you know it, now you are out here with me while she's nursing her nose. Bet that'll go over well."

"That, well, it seems her mates showed quite a bit of disappointment in her actions and she agreed I was the one with the scent-sifter to find you. When you hit her, was it about me?"

" No. Maybe. Yes, a little. No, mostly about the blood on my hand and that she'd been looking for a reason to do that: she'd planned it since she found us this morning. I got a mental flash after that. The really sad thing is that we don't laugh like that too often anymore. We used to before, when I was …." She sighed. "This all just kind of sums up my life, the one I had before. I was so happy, then BAM… blood and anger. So that's why, this has to be it." Mia turned and sprinted away.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Xander sat against the headboard, Mia lying on his chest.

"You want to move?"

"And I want you to come with me, I know your work here is important and…"

"Yes."

"Yes?"

"I'll move with you, wherever, whenever."

"You're not going to accuse me of running away?"

"Are you?"

"No, it's about other stuff."

"Spike and Buffy."

"Well…."

"Buffy mostly: she has a problem with you."

"Were you in Soho tonight?" Xander chuckled, "Almost: cell phone and Spike. He thinks you need to stay"

"He's being selfish."

"And you, my love, are not. You want to give up this life you carved out for someone like Buffy?"

"Xander, I can't lie. It's for Spike."

"What?" he chuckled. "What did you just say?" He pulled her under him. "I only agreed because it was for Buffy. I am going nowhere for Spike. Well, unless you can make a convincing argument."

"I can try." She kissed him and ran her hand down his pajama bottoms.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Mia walked into the office, dressed in street clothes and her coat. Spike sat writing out something, with a cigarette burning in the ashtray. He looked up as he caught her scent. She sat at her desk and pulled out a cigarette. After a drag she sat back in her chair.

"You sodding missed training this morning."

"I overslept. I'm sure Buffy was happy to fill in for me."

"Not the bleeding point."

"Can you take my class? I have a meeting about the move with Giles."

"No, you'll have to cancel."

"I'll call over to the main building now then."

"I bloody well meant your appointment."

"I can't, it's important. "

She put out her cigarette and picked up the phone.

"I'll take the sodding thing."

"Good. They can start getting used to you now."

She stood and was at the door. "Spike, the new Slayer: be nice to her; it wasn't her fault she didn't know me or that I'd had such a bad day."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Xander sat next to Mia on the bleachers while they waited for Buffy and Spike to come in.

"Xander, you didn't have to come. You yourself said I'm a big girl."

"I wanted to."

"I promise I won't hit her again."

"If she hits you, you're just going to stand there?"

"Probably. Maybe not, but I'll try."

"That's not why I came. It's for when you tell him."

"I won't tell him in front of her."

"Yes you will. She should see exactly the results."

"He…"

"Just tell him, I want to be here for you."

"I'm not going to break down."

"I know that. In fact, if they make me put down money on what will happen, mine is on blood and bruises for both of you."

That brought a grin to her face. "You think you're so smart."

"I know a thing or two about living with a vampire."

They were in the middle of a kiss when the other two came in.

"Oh look, she deigns to grace us with her presence."

Mia hopped from the bleachers. "What weapons? I'll get them."

"Staff," answered Buffy.

"So Harris, what's the word from Giles?"

"That's for Mia to share."

"You just tell."

"I will, Spike," interrupted Mia, coming back with the staffs. "We are going to Manchester, well actually Bolton. They have decided to break up the school and start one also in northern England. Xander will be in charge of getting the facilities ready, and me, I will be teaching like I do here. I'll probably have a few more and varied classes though."

"Xander, you're moving?" asked a surprised Buffy

"Yes, that's what she said. We leave Monday."

"Monday? That's in less than a week." Buffy shook her head.

"Gives us just enough time to pack," replied Xander.

"I won't be teaching any more classes here. I'll keep training until Saturday, but then I'll have to go it on my own."

Training was quiet, no teasing or quips and no laughing. They fought hard, but neither seemed to enjoy it.

"Something's wrong, it's too quiet," commented Buffy.

"Amazing you picked up on that Buffy."

"Xander, what was that for?"

"You never asked why we are moving."

"Why?"

"That's for your boyfriend to answer."

"You can't just sit there and say something like that."

"Why not? "

Buffy turned and looked at him.

"Going to punch me too? Won't hurt as bad when I hit back."

"Xander!"

The staffs clanked together a final time.

"Good fight," said Mia.

She handed her staff to Spike, "See ya."

Mia walked over to the bleachers. "Ready, honey?"

"More than."

They weren't out the door yet when Buffy asked Spike, "Just exactly why are they moving?"

"Want the truth, love, or should I lie?"

"Spike."

"You, me, you and me."

"What?"

"Punch in the nose did it. She wanted to kill you, you know. I had to remind her it was that Slayer versus vampire instinct. Her anger always scares her though. You forget that sometimes she knows things you have in your head or heart. She knew you planned that punch. Personally, I think she knows how you feel and doesn't want to come between you and me or you and your mates."

"Spike, I…I didn't mean to…can we talk about…?"

"Not about this," Spike stared at her for a few moments. "In fact, I won't talk about Mia with you ever again, not after this." Spike took a deep unnecessary breath. "I have to put these away." He turned and walked away

Buffy left the facility with her cell phone to her ear. Willow was on the other end. They discussed the situation at length. It was Willow that suggested she needed someone that knew Mia and could figure out a way to make her change her mind about moving.

"Buffy, I just thought of something: the sword and Angel. Maybe he could help."

"You are still the smartest person I know, Will."

Later Buffy dialed Angel's office and Harmony answered. "May I speak to Angel?"

"I'm sorry, he's unavailable at the moment."

"This is Buffy."

"Oh, Buffy, ah…Buffy…ah, let me just check if he wants to speak with you."

The next voice she heard was Angel's. "Buffy, is everything alright? Is everyone… ah…"

"You want to ask about Mia but are afraid to."

"No."

"Yes you did. But that's why I'm calling, it has to do with her."

Buffy explained the situation.

"I've already heard about this. So I've already given it a little thought. You say you don't want Xander to move. I'm also thinking Spike might be a little upset with you over it but you're leaving all that out for my benefit. Mia, she'll want to make Spike happy. I know her; she'll always do what would ensure his happiness. If we had had the type of relationship they have, and we could've been just friends, that's exactly what I would do for you."

"Angel?" Buffy sighed softly.

He went on, ignoring her. "You need to tell her that you'll leave Spike if she leaves. You have to make it very convincing, she has to believe it. Trust me on this, she'll stay. OK then, I think Gunn is your man for the details. I can put you through to him. But before I do, Buffy, this situation doesn't sound like you at all."

"I know. It's just that nothing is the same as before. I thought I'd always be living the life of The Slayer. You know, I thought I'd be hanging out in cemeteries in the dark, all bloody, dusty and bruised. Now that there are all the other Slayers I don't have to carry my destiny. I'm normal girl and my life is totally different. I'm having to figure out a whole new me and now…"

"I recall a girl, she was just a little younger than your age. Just like you, she had been one way her whole life and had that life all planned out. Then one day it all changed. Afterwards she said the same thing about having to figure out a new life and exactly who that new person she had become was. You might remember this girl; we saw her rise as a vampire and a lurker demon put a soul in her.

"Oh," breathed Buffy. She didn't say anything for a moment. "Right."

Angel put her through to Gunn and together they got everything ready.

Angel sat in his chair, looking out of the window at the sun-kissed mountains behind the cityscape. How did this happen? He was giving Buffy advice to make Spike happy. No, actually, if he wanted to be truthful with himself about why he had told her how to put pressure on Mia, it was because he just wanted Buffy to be happy. Strange how things work out and how in a way they never really change, even when it looks from the outside as if they have.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Xander opened the door that evening to find Buffy standing there with a manila envelope.

"Buffy?"

"Hi Xander, can I come in?"

"Sure."

"Is Mia here, I need to talk to her."

"In the kitchen, go on down." He looked at her a little suspiciously but watched as she went towards the kitchen.

As Buffy went downstairs she said the incantation Gunn had given her.

Mia was pulling a bundt cake from the oven. She put it on the cooling rack and turned.

"Hello, Buffy."

"May we talk, Mia? I promise, no punches."

Mia motioned to the table.

"I have something to show you." Buffy pulled papers from the envelope. She laid them in front of Mia.

Mia started to go through them.

"You see, this is the situation. If you go, so will I. He will have neither of us."

Mia looked at her. "I don't understand."

"If you leave because of me, he will blame me and eventually our relationship will end. I'm just going to save Spike and me a lot of pain by ending it now. You saw it, enrollment papers, class schedules and plane tickets. Did you notice the letters of employment for Christmas and summer vacations? If I go, I go for good. I mean it. You move to Bolton and I'm going to California permanently."

"You're saying you'll leave Spike if I move."

"That is exactly what I'm saying."

Mia studied her.

"Getting any flashes?" asked Buffy

"I got one before you came in the kitchen: you working with Angel at the Hyperion."

Buffy shifted through the papers and found the letter of projected employment and put it in front of Mia.

"But, Buffy?"

"I won't leave him a note."

"At least I actually told him, I didn't wait until after he had already found out."

"Touché"

Mia sat staring at the table. "No. Take your shit and go. He's yours now, do what you want."

"What? You're kidding me?"

"Do I look like it?" Mia stared at Buffy.

"Fine, I'll go tell him now."

"You do that. I have a feeling he won't be too surprised. It is kind of the way you do things: use him, then kick him to the curb when you're finished."

"Me, you left him."

"Only after I died and became a vampire. That's kind of different. Granted how I left was horrible but I'll crack that up to having a brand new demon inside of me. What was your excuse all those years? You saw him struggling to be better and you just kept beating him down."

"He had no soul."

"And if it had been Angel struggling to be better with no soul?"

Buffy stared at her. She didn't know what to say.

"It doesn't matter now, Buffy. Spike went and got a soul for you, didn't he. It wasn't enough, at first, although I think you cared. How far and how much did he have to do and give up before you could and did love him? But that is in the past; about this, I guess if you want to leave him now, you do that. Thanks for the talk."

Mia turned and walked to the sink and began the dishes.

Buffy turned and walked up the stairs. She felt shell-shocked. The idea had failed. Buffy had been so sure it would work.

She walked slowly through the living room, she stopped briefly to say goodbye to both Xander and Willow and then she went to the front door feeling more defeated than she thought possible.

Opening the front door she found Mia at the bottom of the entrance steps.

"I lied. I'll stay."

"What?"

"It's not because of you, it's for my own benefit. There is no one strong enough to spar or train with if I go to Bolton."

"Alright, I'll stay too." Buffy walked a way with a smile on her face. For her own benefit; no one strong enough. Please, the school is for Slayers.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

After training the next morning, Mia picked up her coat and manila envelope then followed Spike into the office. She sat down put her feet up and lit a cigarette.

"What are you doing, Mia?"

"I didn't hit you in the head that hard: I'm smoking."

"Don't you sodding have to go pack?"

"No."

"Used that vampire speed and you're finished?"

"No."

"Go home."

"How will I teach class?"

"Bloody hell, I give up. You are going to send me around the bend. You said you wouldn't be teaching any longer."

"We're not moving."

He just stared at her a moment then he took a deep breath and sighed loudly, "I swear you are the most infuriating woman, alive, dead, or undead."

"You'd be surprised," grinned Mia

Mia opened the envelope and dumped the papers in front of him. Spike began sifting through them.

"I had a visit from Buffy last night, she brought me these."

"They're enrollment papers for UCLA and class registration, even bloody plane tickets."

"Told me if I moved, she was going to leave you and go to UCLA, not even come home for Christmas or summer breaks. Thing is, I got a flash of her working for Angel at the Hyperion. She was serious. She fucking blackmailed me."

Spike stared at the papers. "What was her reason?"

"That you'd blame her for my leaving and your relationship would end eventually because of it, so she might as well end it now. SHE blackmailed ME.

"Interesting."

"Did you hear me? I'm the vampire and she managed to blackmail ME."

"Devious."

"You like that, don't you?"

"Maybe, I'm just not sure if…."

"You like all the attention too, admit it."

"Oh yes. The two of you rushing to leave, like fleas from a wet dog, that is so endearing."

"Excuse me, no one is leaving; but you should get your metaphor correct; I am a vampire, so it would be a tick from a dead dog."

"Oh yes, that's better, I sodding enjoy being likened to a dead dog."

"You do enjoy being dead."

"Got me there." He stared at her a moment "Em, there'd be no one to kick around if you went."

"You mean you didn't want me to go."

"No, I didn't." He was quiet for a moment then began again:

"Always, especially with this lot I was on the fringes, on the outside looking in. I was the muscle they needed but not really a part of the group. Even fighting the First I wasn't one of them. If I'm honest, even being with Buffy now and working for the Council, I'm still not. But with you, I don't feel like that. Before you became a vampire, you took me for who I was, even with all my many flaws, and you loved me. You nearly gave your life for me." Spikes eyebrow went up as he grinned, "Even now as a vampire, you bleeding go out of your way to make me feel like a nancy boy and protect me."

He got serious and looked deep in her eyes. " Whether you were human or vampire you have always accepted me for me and that gives me more than you know. When I'm around you I am always on the inside, looking out, and I know without a doubt that I'm a part of something, or rather we have something and I'm a part of our own team."

Mia's eyes were shiny with tears and she blinked a few times.

"You aren't going to cry are you, pet? I don't know if I could take that."

Mia shook her head.

"I gave that up, don't do it anymore. I did so much of that in June it should last me for at least the next sixty to a hundred years," she said with a smile.

Spike chuckled.

With a more serious look she continued. "It's just that you came so close to summing up how you always made me feel. When I first met you I had been the girl that was too smart for high school; nobody knew what to make of me, I was just strange. No matter how hard I tried to shed the nerd or geek status I was always considered one. Then one night you were there, with your leather coat, cool hair and your saving-the-world rep. and, shock of shocks, you wanted to hang with me. You didn't see me like all the others had. You let me show you who I really was and you accepted me for that person." Mia stood and started to pace slowly.

"And now, after all that's happened, even the whole note on the television thing, you're still accepting me, and more importantly you're trying to get me to accept myself, demon and all. It was pointed out to me once that I am stronger and that I fight harder with you around. It's true. They may say we are a part of the Council but that could end as quickly as it began. Neither of us will ever really be a part of the legendary Scoobies. Let's face it, in this world, the one we have chosen to live in, we'll always be used as resource material or muscle. It doesn't really matter, because you were right, we are our own team. As long as that's true, as long as you're on my team, I'm just fine with it all."

Mia stopped looked at him and cocked her head.

"Well," Spike breathed out.

"Yeah," Mia sat back down with a sigh.

"Spike, what we have," Mia spread out her arms dropping them to the sides of her chair, "I don't really understand it but it's there. I think we might be an anomaly of some sort?"

"That sounds like a bloody Star Trek word. You know, it's not going to get me all hot and bothered like Xander." Spike smiled and then it turned to a smirk. "Wait, you aren't trying to are you?"

Mia laughed.

He looked at her seriously. "If I'd asked you to stay for me, would you have?"

"Probably not. I would have said you were being selfish. Buffy was a concern here as well."

"Fair enough, pet. Seems as if Buffy's got your number though. Somehow she figured out you're not the selfish type."

"Only about certain things, and we are so done with this emotional talk in our office. No more for the rest of the year."

Mia went out to the mats. Spike could see her practising flips, jumps and turning kicks from the office door. He was planning a big thank you for his Slayer tonight.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The television was on in the living room. Willow was curled up in the chair. Xander sat on the couch, his feet up on the coffee table, and Mia lay on his chest under his arm. It was dark outside and the flashing of the TV was the only real illumination in the house. Willow had popcorn and tried to pass some to Xander, but he refused.

"Is she asleep?" whispered Willow

"Can you see if she is breathing?"

"She's not. That's how you can tell? Isn't it weird?"

"Was a little, not really weird, but more like surprising at first. It seems normal to me now."

There was a crash downstairs. Mia sat up. "Run upstairs, you two …"

There was another crash through the front door and before she could finish there were four of the very beasts she had been fighting in her living room.

"Go, run!" she screamed. She could only see Willow's eyes, "Seek safety, seek safety."

Mia sprang and vaulted over one of the beasts, trying to reach her sword which was on display. One of the creatures, with a glove on, backhanded her. She hit the wall hard.

She heard Xander moving. "No, Xander, get away."

"Mia!" He was trying to throw her something when one grabbed his arm and threw him all the way to the stairs where he broke through the spindles and hit the wall.

Mia watched as he struggled to get up. Xander had one of the syringes in his hand. He leaned forward and threw it.

Their eyes met. "No pain, no pain, no pain, no pain."

Mia dove, did a summersault, got the syringe and tried to sink it into one of them. Three of them grabbed her and forced her to drop it, then restrained her. The fourth used its fist to hit her until she passed out.