XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Buffy frowned slightly as she headed towards the door to answer it. And nearly died of a sudden heart attack right there on the doorstep. Spike was standing before her, a small crooked smile on his face and a young brunette woman next to him, wearing a red midriff top over black jeans and a black denim jacket, her dark curls falling over her shoulders

“Oh my God! Spike, is that really you?” Buffy asked in shock

“Yeah, love, it’s me,” Spike said, “And this is…Illyria”

“Illyria?” she said in confusion, looking at her

“This is the Slayer whom you’ve told me about?” the form of Fred said in Illyria’s voice, staring at Buffy

“Yeah, this is Buffy”

Smack!

Spike groaned when Buffy’s fist connected with his nose. Illyria took a menacing step towards Buffy, but Spike held her back

“What the bloody hell was that for?” he demanded

“Why the hell didn’t you tell me you were back!” she shot back in the same tone

“Well for one, I was a ghost for like two months. And when I did become corporeal, I didn’t tell you because I wanted you to remember me as a hero”

“You think I cared about that?” Buffy asked, “I would give anything to have you back after you died, Spike. Those last words I told you, I actually meant them”

“Wow and here I was thinking they were just comforting words as I died”

“Is that all they were to you?”

“Spike?”

Their argument was cut short by the arrival of Buffy’s sister, Dawn, who launched herself at Spike, catching him in a hug

“Oh my God, you’re alive!” she squealed in happiness

“Hi there, Nibblet, how have you been?”

Dawn let him go and stepped back

“I’m been good. So, how long have you been alive or undead or whatever?”

“How about we head inside and talk more about it?” Spike suggested

Before Buffy or Dawn could respond, Spike walked into their apartment, with Illyria following closely behind, as the Summers sisters shared similar confused looks

“I thought we had to invite you in,” Buffy said

“No worries about that. Andrew did several weeks back. Invited both me and Angel in. But you weren’t here at the time”

“You and Angel?” Buffy asked, “How is Angel by the way?”

“He’s good. He’s human now. Fulfilled his job as champion and got rewarded by Cordelia, who returned from the Heavens and they’re now living together”

“Angel? Cordelia? Together?” Dawn said

Before they could elaborate further, a man came out of one of the bedrooms into the main living room. He was wearing nothing but jeans, brushing his brown shoulder-length hair back

“I heard raised voices. Is everything okay, B-?”

He stopped his brushing when he saw Spike, who had started growling

“William the Bloody?”

“Immortal”

Spike vamped out and lunged at him

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

“What about this one?” Harmony asked

“No, that one won’t help,” the CEO said

Harmony shrugged and grabbed another book, opening it before the CEO

“One of these books should have it. I know they must”

“What exactly are you looking for?”

“I am incorporeal, Harmony. What do you think?”

“You wanna become solid again?”

“And by doing so, I should be able to leave Los Angeles”

“Isn’t that kinda against what the Senior Partners have told you?”

The CEO looked up from one of his books to glare at Harmony. She held her hands up and looked away, as the CEO returned to his book. God, she could be annoying

“If the Senior Partners want Spike, Illyria and Angel destroyed, I’m going have to be corporeal in order to do that. I do have the power”

“Yeah, but that was only because you absorbed the soul of your killer”

“Which worked out fine. I can make myself corporeal, once I find the right spell”

“Right, so what about this book?”

“Yes, that might be it. Thank you, Harmony”

“No problem, boss,” Harmony grinned

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Spike hit the Immortal hard with his shoulder, knocking him down. They were both holding each other by the throat as they got to their feet, the Immortal’s face changing into that of a vampire’s

“Spike, no, let him go,” Buffy said

“I’ve been wanting to do this for a long time now,” Spike growled

He struck the Immortal in the face and scored a punch in response, as the Immortal kneed him in the stomach, before throwing him against the wall

“Immortal, back off. You too, Spike,” Buffy continued

Both vampires ignored her, as Spike got to his feet and struck the Immortal twice. He responded by kicking Spike in the chest, then driving his elbow into his cheek. Rolling under the Immortal’s fist, Spike kicked him in the back, then grabbed him by the shoulders and threw him across the room. Buffy strode over and struck Spike, forcing him back, as Illyria headed towards Buffy in response, her hair and eyes turning blue as she resumed her normal form

“No, Leery, don’t,” Spike said resuming his human face

“But she struck you,” Illyria protested, “Surely, she must be punished”

“No, it’s fine, really”

The Immortal got up, his game face gone, as Buffy checked him over

“Are you okay?” she asked

“Yeah, I am. What is William doing here?” he asked

“I forgot you were dating this poof,” Spike said

“Spike,” Buffy cried out, “How did you know anyway?”

“Angel and I came to Rome a few weeks back and found out from Andrew”

“I swear when I get my hands on him,” Buffy growled

“Don’t go getting up Andrew now,” Spike said, “I told him not to tell you”

“Okay guys, let’s move on from all this hostility and go somewhere nice,” Dawn said

“That sounds like a good idea, Nibblet”

“So, what brings you to Rome?” the Immortal asked, “I thought you and Angelus were never going to return. Well, until a few weeks ago”

“Oh yeah, I still owe you a punch or three for that,” Spike growled

“Guys, we’re still hostile,” Dawn asked

“I wish to cause some violence,” Illyria announced, “This is giving me a headache”

“One minute, Leery,” said Spike, “Well, it was a pleasure seeing you all again. We should do some time again. Except for you, Immortal”

“Likewise”

“Come on, Leery”

Spike and Illyria left the room, as Buffy turned to the Immortal

“Well, that went swell”

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

“So, what can I do for you?” Ilona Costa Bianchi, the CEO of the Rome branch, asked

“There is a dangerous vampire in your city,” Gunn said, “We’ve been hunting him down for the last couple weeks, but we believe we may need some help”

“If there was a new vamp in town, I would know about it. I know everything”

“Right, well this vampire’s name is Spike. I take it you would know him?”

“Who doesn’t know about Angelus and Spike?” Ilona asked, “I saw them a couple of weeks ago and I have not heard of Spike returning to Rome”

“Well, he’s in the city and if you sight him, let me know, okay?”

“Very well then, Gunn, I shall do that”

Gunn nodded his thanks and left the office

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Spike was down at the pub, having several shots when his phone went off. Frowning, he answered it and was surprised at the caller

“Harmony?”

“Yeah, it’s me again, Spiky”

“Don’t call me that. Alright, what are you calling me about?”

“I’m letting you know that Gunn and that Slayer chick are over in Rome right now”

“They knew where we were going?”

“Well yeah, I guess so. So, I’d keep an eye out for them if I was you”

“No duh, Harm”

“Just letting you know”

“Answer me this. Why the bloody hell are you doing this?”

“I’m not allowed?”

“It’s appreciated at any rate, but I’m just bloody wondering, that’s all”

“I have a soul now, just like you and Angel”

“What? How?”

“Performed a little magic on myself. But anyhow, I know who the CEO is”

“Who?”

“It’s Wesley”

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