Fix You

Author: enigmaticblue

Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: Yeah, I don't own these characters, which is really too bad, since I'm a lot nicer than Joss ever was.

Summary: Desperate times call for desperate measures where the First is involved. In order to prevent the end of the world, Buffy asks Willow to do a spell that's supposed to fix everything, and Spike goes along for the ride.

A/N: Written for effulgent_girl, who requested that S7 Buffy and Spike be sent back to S4, which got me to thinking. Always a dangerous thing.

Chapter 15: Silence Falls

Tara watched as the Wicca meeting broke up, wishing she'd had enough courage to approach Willow, who seemed to know something about magic. She had joined the on-campus Wicca group with the hope that she would find others like her, people like her mom. Tara had wanted reassurance that she wasn't the demon her father had claimed.

She rose and gathered her things, slinging her bag over one shoulder. As lonely as it could be at times, Tara was grateful for the opportunity to go to school, and even more thankful for the chance to get away from her family. She might not be Miss Popular, but at least she didn't have people reminding her that she was going to turn into a demon when she turned twenty.

Thrusting that thought to the back of her mind, Tara hurried out of the student lounge. She had a paper to write and a reading assignment to finish, and she had no time to waste.

She was halfway back to her room when she got the sense that someone was following her. It was just a feeling, and when she glanced back over her shoulder, no one stood out, but Tara trusted her instincts. Her mom had always told her that she should.

Hurrying through the halls of her dorm, she ran right into a rather solid chest, and her bag fell to the floor, dumping her books and other materials all over. "Oh!"

"Sorry about that," a rough voice said. "Should have been watchin' where I was goin'."

Tara glanced up, instantly aware that the man had stopped to help her—and that he wasn't a man at all. And yet—

"Oh..." She'd never seen an aura quite like his before. Tara knew he was a vampire, and yet it was clear that he had a soul, and that he was more than he appeared. It was also clear that he wasn't your typical vampire, since he was walking around in the middle of the day.

He smiled at her uncertainly, tipping his head to the side. "You alright?"

"Yes," Tara managed, not wanting to embarrass herself by stuttering, or by babbling out her observations. Although, as a vampire, he probably wouldn't be that shocked by her mention of the supernatural.

"Here." He handed her bag back to her; while she'd been staring, he'd collected her things and put them away.

"Th-th-thank you." Tara clutched the bag to her chest, unsure of what to say, or whether she should say anything at all.

His blue eyes were kind as he spoke. "I'm Spike."

"T-t-tara," she managed. "Th-thank you. A-a-again."

He shrugged. "Least I could do when I was the klutz who bowled you over in the first place."

Tara nodded, having no idea what to say next, and began heading for her room.

Spike called out behind her, "Tara!"

She turned to look at him, startled. "Y-yes?"

"Look." Spike moved closer and lowered his voice. "You probably know by now that this town has some strange things going on. You need help sometime, go see Willow or her roommate. Buffy'll be able to help you, an' she knows how to find me."

Tara blinked, surprised. It was unusual—to say the least—to have a complete stranger offer that kind of assistance. She might have been suspicious except for his aura, and the clear sense of safety she got from him.

She had to wonder if he knew something she didn't.

"O-okay." He turned to go, and she called out after him, "D-do y-y-you know me?"

Spike turned, lifting one dark eyebrow, then offering a broad grin. "Better than you'd believe."

Somehow, she knew he was telling the truth.

~~~~~

Spike was well satisfied with the afternoon's work. He felt as though he'd established a connection, which was enough to start with. Sooner or later, her path would cross Willow's again, or she would run into Buffy.

Of course, he would have to convince Buffy that the change was worth making. She seemed worried about altering things too much after what had happened with Willow and Oz.

He quickened his pace to reach Buffy's dorm in time to meet her after class. Spike had yet to tell her about the soldiers' attack the night before, and he knew that he was taking a chance by coming to the campus again. He'd proven—to himself, at least—that the soldiers couldn't harm him while he had the ring, and Spike wasn't about to let fear keep him away.

Spike hadn't considered the fact that Willow might be the one to answer his knock, rather than Buffy.

"Spike." Her eyes were large and wary, which Spike didn't understand at all. He hadn't hurt her; it was really the other way around.

"Buffy here?"

"She hasn't come back from class yet." Willow stood in the doorway for another second or two before hurriedly stepping aside. "I'm sorry. Come in."

Spike stopped just inside the door, hands shoved deep into his pockets. He had no idea what to say to the girl, but he didn't like the uncomfortable silence that fell.

"I'm really sorry," Willow blurted out.

Spike sighed. "I know."

"Buffy told me what happened," she continued. "I never would have—"

Spike shook his head, cutting her off. "Red, don't. Buffy an' I both know better. Given half a chance, you will do it again, an' the next time, the consequences might be worse."

Willow sank down on the bed. "What's the next time?"

"Don't know that I want to tell you," Spike said. "Know you're blamin' Buffy for Oz leavin'. I don't much want to come under fire for tellin' you what happens next."

Willow was obviously stricken by his remark. "Spike...please. Just tell me."

"Wasn't so bad when Glory came into town," Spike admitted, leaning against the doorframe. "You were about the only one who could hope to match her for power, an' we—Buffy needed you. No doubt about it. But you conjured a troll that nearly killed Harris, then you brought the Slayer back from the dead—ripped her out of heaven an' caused all sorts of problems. You erased—well, you were messin' about with our memories right and left, an' let's not even get into the whole near-apocalypse."

She seemed to be shrinking as he listed a litany of her sins, and seeing the contrite expression on her face, Spike softened his tone. "I'm not sayin' that any of us are or were perfect, pet," he said gently. "But you gotta remember. We've both got baggage—memories of things that happened that maybe will never happen again, but we don't know what to change."

"It's not your fault—Oz leaving," Willow blurted out. "I said that because I was mad."

"Yeah, well..." Spike wanted to forgive her. In a way, he already had, if only because Willow's spell had acted as the catalyst to get Buffy to admit her true feelings for him. Perhaps she still would have done so without it, but he knew it had helped.

Even if it had been a bloody painful awakening.

"Think if you can promise to ask one of us before you try a spell like that again, we can let it go," Spike said finally.

"I already promised Buffy that I would," Willow said.

"Good enough." Spike moved aside as the door opened. He smiled when he saw Buffy. "How's things?"

"Good." Buffy gave him a quick peck on the lips, then looked between him and Willow nervously. "What's going on?"

Willow shrugged. "I just wanted to apologize."

Buffy smiled, although she appeared distracted to Spike's eye. "Good."

"What's wrong?" Spike asked, deciding that revealing his run-in with the soldiers could wait until later.

Buffy sighed. "I had a Slayer dream during class. It was a little disorienting."

Willow frowned. "Was it different than the one you had the last time?"

Buffy blushed. "More than a little."

"When are the Gentlemen supposed to come to town?" Spike asked, wondering about her apparent embarrassment.

Buffy frowned, clearly trying to recall. "Tonight, I think, but they don't start taking hearts until tomorrow night."

Spike shrugged. "Then we'll go tomorrow during the day. They won't be expecting it, and we'll catch them by surprise."

If only it had actually been that easy.

~~~~~

"So what was in that dream of yours that had you blushin'?" Spike asked.

Buffy had been afraid that he would catch her embarrassment, although she was grateful that he'd waited until they were out of earshot of Willow. "It wasn't a big deal," Buffy replied.

Spike lifted an eyebrow, getting that expression that she was coming to know all too well. Now that he was a little more secure in the fact that she loved him, he wasn't quite as hesitant about pushing her. "You were the one who was getting aroused at the very thought."

That observation only caused Buffy to turn a brighter shade of red. "Let's just say that it was all about you until I heard the little girl singing." She frowned. "That's not right."

"What isn't right?" he asked, acknowledging the change in subject.

Buffy shook her head. "I was in Professor Walsh's class the last time I had the Slayer dream. I remember because Riley was in it, and Willow woke me up."

Spike's brow furrowed, although she couldn't tell whether it was at the mention of her ex-boyfriend or at the sudden change in events. "Hard to say if it's because you're not seein' Riley this time around, or if it's because something else is different."

"Would the Gentlemen know?" Buffy asked. "Is it possible?"

"I've learned that almost anything is possible," Spike replied. "But it's hard to say. There's some that would theorize that any little change could cause a much bigger one down the road. S'pose the question is what we've changed."

Buffy shook her head. "I don't know. There's you and me, but Oz still left, Xander's still seeing Anya, Giles' friend is still coming into town."

Spike hesitated. "You're forgettin' a big one."

"What's that?"

"I'm not chipped." He then added, "And I thrashed a group of the soldiers the other night."

Buffy glared at him, although she wasn't angry that Spike had hurt a bunch of them, but rather that he hadn't informed her until that moment. "Spike! When were you planning on telling me?"

"Today, when I got a chance. It just happened last night," he said, holding up his hands defensively. "I had an errand to run, an' a bunch of them got the jump on me. You'll be happy to know that the Gem of Amara works just as well against tasers as against sunshine."

"That is a relief," she said, a touch of sarcasm in her tone. "Crap. Do you think they'll be able to recognize you again?"

"Hell if I know," Spike replied. "It was over quick, Buffy."

"How did they know you were a vampire?"

"Same way they knew last time, for all I know," Spike shot back. "This isn't my fault, pet. We knew it could happen."

She sighed, reaching over to take his hand. "I'm not angry at you. I'm just worried."

"There's no need as long as I have the ring," Spike replied, wiggling his ring finger.

Buffy raised an eyebrow. "And if something happens and you lose the ring? I think I have the right to worry about you, Spike."

He smiled. "Wouldn't dream of telling you what to do."

Buffy snorted. "Well, you might dream about it."

"We going to see your Watcher now?" Spike asked. "Since you had that dream."

Buffy thought for a minute, trying to remember when Olivia was supposed to be getting into town. "We probably better. If Olivia isn't there yet, they might not have gotten started."

"Started what?" Spike asked.

Buffy glared at him, knowing that Spike knew exactly what she'd meant. "Don't make me say it."

He just grinned. "Better get over there then."

Buffy grimaced. "I'm making you knock."

"No problem." Spike gave her a mischievous look. "I don't mind the thought of Rupert shaggin' a good lookin' bird."

"Eww, Spike!"

~~~~~

Giles considered Buffy's story, and the description of her dream. "And how was this dream different than the last?"

Buffy looked abashed. "It had Spike in it, for one thing."

"Anything else?"

She grimaced. "Does it matter?"

"It might." Giles gave her his best Watcher look. "Tell me, Buffy."

She sighed. "I was sitting in class, and the lights went dark. There wasn't anybody else there except for me and then Spike. And then we—" She stopped abruptly. "It's not really important. I heard the singing. The little girl and the box was the same, and so was the song."

Giles had a feeling that he knew exactly what Buffy was hesitating to say, and if he was right, he really didn't want the details. "Then nothing had changed except for your location when you had the dream, and the fact that Spike was in the dream?"

"Pretty much." Buffy looked hopeful. "You don't think that much has changed, do you?"

Giles shook his head. He was as much in the dark as Buffy or Spike, and probably even more so. "I honestly don't know, Buffy. Perhaps it means nothing. No one is really sure how Slayer dreams work, although the general theory is that whatever force that provides it moves through the subconscious."

"Then Buffy's memories and knowledge of the future would inform what she's seeing in her dreams, which would explain why she saw me, and not the soldier," Spike said.

Giles and Buffy stared at him. "What?" Spike demanded.

Buffy smiled as though something had been confirmed. "Nothing."

Spike looked at Giles with an eyebrow raised. "Well?"

"I had no idea you had such a good grasp on the situation," Giles finally said mildly. "The fact is, no one has ever been able to time travel, not to the extent that you have, Buffy. Therefore, no one knows how much can be changed, or how far-reaching one alteration might be."

He looked up at the clock. "Olivia should be here soon. You'll come by tomorrow once you've seen to the Gentlemen?"

"We'll call you," Buffy corrected. "Unless something goes horribly wrong. And I'll call everyone tonight and let them know what to expect. With any luck, we'll have this wrapped before anybody can freak out too much."

"Very good." Giles watched as they left. He was still a little surprised at Spike's intelligent summation, although he probably should have known better. After months of close contact with the vampire, it was clear that there was much more to him than met the eye.

~~~~~

If Willow hadn't been warned, waking up mute would have really freaked her out, instead of only being slightly freaky. She was grateful that Buffy had decided to spend the night at the dorms, rather than with Spike. It was nice to have company in her confusion. Buffy might be able to take it all in stride, but she'd been through this once before.

Upon waking up, Willow took several deep breaths to calm herself. Buffy seemed to catch her incipient panic and immediately came over to hug her. For the first time since casting the spell, Willow felt as though Buffy had forgiven her.

Buffy smiled reassuringly as she pulled back, and then went over to the desk for a pen and pad of paper. "It's okay. Spike's picking us up this morning."

"Where are we going?" Willow scribbled back.

"We'll drop you off at my mom's place, and then go kill the Gentlemen," Buffy wrote. "No problem."

Willow made a face, thinking that Buffy had just jinxed them for sure.

When Spike showed up about half an hour later, Willow could only assume that he and Buffy had arranged the time the day before. He smiled at her, then drove to the Summers' residence. Willow wondered why they were going to see Buffy's mom, but soon realized that it was probably because Joyce would be alone otherwise. After all, Xander had Anya, and Giles had Olivia at the moment, so it only made sense for Willow to keep Joyce company.

Joyce welcomed all three of them warmly, if silently. She hugged both Spike and Buffy, and then put her arm around Willow's shoulders. Not for the first time did Willow envy Buffy her mother. She honestly couldn't remember the last time her mom had hugged her. In truth, she couldn't remember the last time Sheila Rosenberg had paid her any attention at all, except for the time when she'd tried to burn her at the stake.

Willow didn't count that time, however, because it had been produced by a spell.

With a sudden sinking feeling, Willow realized what the spell had done to Spike and Buffy. She remembered what it had felt like to have her mother actually show an interest in her for the first time in years, and what it had meant when she realized that it was just a spell. It had hurt, and Willow knew that it would have been the same for Spike and Buffy, particularly given what Buffy had told her about what had happened between them.

"We're taking off," Buffy wrote on a piece of paper. "You'll stay here?"

Willow nodded, impulsively giving her friend another hug. "Be careful," she mouthed.

Spike and Buffy left, leaving her alone with Joyce. They stared at one another for a moment, and then Joyce headed into the kitchen. It didn't take Willow too long to realize that the woman was planning on making tea, and she willingly joined in.

Willow had to admit that Buffy's idea was a good one. With anyone else on that day, Willow would have felt like a third wheel; with Joyce, she felt like she could actually do some good.

~~~~~

Buffy led the way to the clock tower on campus where the Gentlemen had taken up residence the last time. She could feel Spike just behind her, his presence steadying. As the Slayer, Buffy had faced a lot of enemies, and she'd been scared plenty of times, but the Gentlemen had been one of her creepiest foes. The utter helplessness that had come from being rendered mute, and the knowledge that the only thing that would save her and her friends was screaming like a girl—it hadn't been much fun.

Buffy was just grateful that she and Spike were in a good place, and that they could communicate so well without speaking. They had been prepared to wake up in silence that morning, she had warned Xander to stay at home, and she knew that Giles would likely do the same. Willow would keep her mom company, and thus everyone was safe.

At least until that evening.

"Shit," Buffy said, albeit silently. The clock tower stood empty, and there was no sign of the Gentlemen or their minions. She turned to Spike, but it was clear that he was as much in the dark as she. Perhaps even more so, because Spike had spent most of his time tied up last time.

Spike reached into his jacket pocket for the pad of paper he'd grabbed. "What now?"

Buffy shook her head. "I don't know," she scribbled back. "Where else would they be?"

That was the key question. The fact was that the Gentlemen might have set up shop anywhere in town, and while Buffy certainly had more information than she'd had the last time around, it still wasn't enough.

It might not be enough to prevent the deaths that the night was sure to bring.

"We hunt tonight," Spike wrote out. "Only thing to do."

He was right, of course, but Buffy felt the cold hand of fear clamp down on her heart. So far, nearly everything had been the same, but it appeared that the changes they'd already made were beginning to have a ripple effect.

If that was the case, and they couldn't fix everything, or predict everything, how were they supposed to save the future?