Chapter 19

The Slayer of Slayers

A/N: Chapter nineteen of the series. It was obvious Spike would return, but what will he do? Will he be the same?

Disclaimer: All belongs to Joss Whedon and the parties involved in airing the shows. Original characters are mine.

Feedback: Sure, as you wish.

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London, England

The Watcher's Council

December 2017

"Tell me you're kidding."

Buffy had almost fainted when she heard the word Dawn spoke. She took deep breaths and tried to stop her head from spinning. She sat on the floor and ignored the weird looks she received.

"No joke. You still there?"

"Still here, Dawn." She replied, hearing a sigh on the other end.

"Thought you'd faint."

"Nearly did." Buffy said. "Are you completely sure of what you're telling me?"

"If I wasn't I wouldn't be saying it." Dawn answered. "Mom showed me Spike, and said he'd be in this war."

Buffy heard the words again and her heart jumped once more. She had to cool down and think about the matters at hand.

"Did she say...?" Her voice cracked and she cleared her throat. "Did she say whose side he'd fight for?"

"Sorry, no." Dawn said. "But it may explain why Connor brought me in."

"Connor what with who?"

"There's no time for that." Dawn continued. "Giles said he'd have us there soon."

"No longer than twenty minutes, but..."

"No time for this, Buff." Dawn interrupted. "We'll talk as soon as I get there."

"Right." Buffy said. "Stand still and let us take care of it."

"Ok." Dawn huffed. "We can't sit tight all day. Mom told us not to travel at night."

"Don't worry." Buffy replied. "You'll be here in no time."

Buffy turned off her cell after saying goodbye and hugged her knees. Still sitting on the floor, she thought about what her sister had just said.

Spike.

She never thought she'd see him again, or hear from him again. She talked about him once in a while with Dawn, but she never imagined she'd meet him again in war.

She hid her face in her hands, as another thought assaulted her mind. More than a thought, it was a revelation, regarding the events of the past hours.

A slayer had fallen and suddenly her sister warned her about Spike.

She felt a tear run down her face, her mind not wanting to accept the truth.

The slayer of slayers had returned.

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Cleveland, USA

December 2017

Wesley frowned when Spike did not answer.

The ex watcher remembered the vampire liked to talk, even when no one was paying attention to him. The vampire in front of him had not even made eye contact with him, and Wesley was sure the thing could be felt by Spike. Circling around, he inspected the vampire upside down. There seemed to be no difference in him, at least none visible.

Buffy and Angel never talked about Spike, but Wesley remembered the time he'd assisted the soulless vampire in hiding the souled one. He knew the vampire had been killed, much like him, and yet there he stood.

He saw the vampire again, and noticed only one small difference, another scar on the vampire's face. The other one, on Spike's left eyebrow was legendary, been made by a slayer's holy weapon. The new scar ran through Spike's right eye, from above his eyebrow and ended halfway through his cheekbone. Asides from that, there was nothing different in the vampire.

Except for the fact he still hadn't moved and had said not a word.

"Are you even here, Spike?" Wesley asked, thinking he might be facing nothing but an illusion. Hearing no answer, Wesley spoke again.

"Perhaps I was wrong." He said. "You could be simply walking around, which I find doubtful, since there is a dead slayer and here you stand."

Spike remained still, his eyes lost and his posture revealing nothing.

"I may be wrong, but I felt power before." Wesley continued. "Not rare in a vampire as old as you."

Wesley's steps brought him closer to Spike's unmoving form and stopped right in front of the vampire's face.

"But I know I'm not mistaken." Wesley said. "I have felt this power before, and you have felt me as well."

Spike's eyes slowly made contact with Wesley's, and something in them made him take a step back.

"The Styx River."

Wesley nodded.

"We were both in the same place." Wesley said. "Both dead."

"Somethin' not right with you, watcher." Spike said.

"This thing inside." Wesley replied. "A gift. Or a curse, for daring to cross the River back here."

"Thought it couldn't be done." Spike noted.

"Not without assistance." Wesley answered. "Yet here I stand. So do you."

"Paid a price for it." Spike said.

"So did I." Wesley laughed. "Didn't ask for it."

"Neither did I." Spike replied. "Yet here we stand."

"I could say it's funny" Wesley sarcastically said. "We met before, in Hell, and now we meet in this one."

"Indeed." Spike said. Silence appeared and no words were said for large, tense minutes. Wesley broke the silence first.

"You killed Kennedy. Care to tell me why?"

"Not really."

"An act of war?"

"No one said anything about war."

"You won't fight in it?"

"Didn't say anythin' about it, did I?"

Wesley stared into the vampire's eyes, looking for some answers.

"It starts today." He said, not asking.

"On the other side of this world, yes." The vampire replied.

Wesley realized the attack would be centered on the Council.

"A direct hit." Wesley stated. "No quarter given."

"None asked."

Silence stretched again.

"What will you do, watcher?" Spike asked.

"Don't know." Wesley honestly replied. "I'm not sure if fighting is the best choice of action."

"You could try."

"A wasted effort." Wesley said. "Useless."

Spike nodded.

"Be seein' you, then." The vampire said as he walked away from Wesley. As Spike's figure disappeared, Wesley felt again the old power he'd sensed before.

Wesley sighed and took out his cell and dialed home.

He'd have to warn them about Spike.