AUTHOR: altyronsmaker but you can call me Chelle
PAIRING' S/X pre-slash, but definitely shippy.
SETTING: The day before S6 starts. But definitely AU. Xander doesn’t help bring Buffy back, he and Anya are splitsville. For some funky reason, he and Spike are friends.
SUMMARY: One day changes everything. Spike, Xander, and Dawn are faced with the changes.
RATING: Whole story: PG-13 to R for language, possible sexy situations, but no smut. This chapter? PG
DISCLAIMER: I do not own the characters from BtVS. They are the creations and products of Joss Whedon, ME, WB, Fox and Kazui enterprises. No infringement intended.
FEEDBACK: Absolutely, oh please!!! My muse is hungry, feed her before she eats me!!!!!

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I must really give a shout out to chocgood84's In Sunlight and Shadow. I loved that fic. Honestly I do. If you haven't read it, you really need to and it is HERE. There are unfortunate similarities between that fic and this one, and I just want to reassure him that I did not intend for that to happen, that it is purely coincidental.

Chapter One

The sky was grey. Mean grey. The kind of grey that crept in on peripheral vision and swallowed the light, making everything look dim and translucent. Xander stood staring out his window praying that the day would lighten up again. Dimness was dangerous for a town overrun by the things that go bump in the night. He sighed. Any other place and the false twilight would have been fine, but here? It just wasn’t fit for mortals.

Xander snatched the curtain closed again and turned to sprawl on the dun sofa underneath the window. He knew work was a bust for the day as well. No self respecting contractor was going to have his people working in a situation that could be called on account of rain at any moment. Just wasn’t cost effective. So he was stuck. In the apartment. All. Day. Not good. He briefly wondered if the girls were alright. But then thought there was no way he was venturing across town to check on them. Oh hell. Who was he kidding? If they were in trouble, he’d go. He’d risk life and limb to keep them safe; he only hoped he wouldn’t have to.

So he sat. Staring at the four walls of his apartment, doing absolutely nothing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Across town, Spike leaned against the door frame of his crypt, observing the darkening sky with passionless eyes. The pools of blue reflecting the depth of his misery. Like drowning thoughts, his misery peeked out behind black lashes only to be snatched under again by a stronger sense of stoicism. Tears like lost souls, struggling to free themselves to expression, harnessed at the last possible moment.

The cold blue eyes closed on unshed tears, seeming to imply the impossibility of their existence. The last time he had cried, she had been laying on the cold concrete. Concrete the color of this day’s sky. She had been broken, and he by extension. There was no way in this world, or the next - be it heaven or hell - that he could or would let another tear fall. She was it. Nothing else was important enough.

So he stood, staring at the grey sky, feeling absolutely nothing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

At another site across town, three young women sat, feeling the dull lifelessness of the day seep into their bones. Listless and wanting, they gazed out the window from their perches on the stairs. The youngest snuggled between the legs of the two older. She occasionally would feel the sliding caress of fingers through her silky hair, but they didn’t belong to her, so she barely registered them. Her tears had long exhausted themselves, and her green eyes shone with a determination that belied her youth. Her mouth had long ago ceased to smile, and she looked frozen in an age because of it.

She briefly wondered what, if anything, could be going on in the world, for it all seemed to have stopped for her. The dangers seemed so small compared to what was, and the dull dimness did not frighten her. Nothing could ever frighten her again. She had lost all sense that things could get worse, because there was nothing worse than what was.

So she sat, gazing out the window, fearing absolutely nothing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Some days break with a warning of inclement atmosphere: a drop in pressure that pops the ears, a gentle breeze that kisses the skin, a hint of dampness that flattens the hair. But others break without. Like tiny rises in a tide that fail to warn of tsunami. The suddenness of danger overwhelms and, like that eastern tidal wave, utterly destroys. Those days are the hardest to understand, and the hardest to get over - if you manage to survive.

This grey California day, a day that completely gave lie to the enduring myth of the California sun, was just such a day. Three people, enveloped in their own grief, their own concerns, their own feelings - or lack thereof - never saw the signs that this would be the life changing day. Grey is never a harbinger, and as such is always disregarded. But.

Life moves in shades of grey. Little flecks of black infect the pristine, and no amount of washing will ever get it back. The purity of innocence, once tested, is dead. And this lot had been tested. Tried, tested and tried again. And all? All had been found wanting. Not completely black, but sullied, not pristine. Grey. As was the norm now, no one paid any attention when grey days dawned. Why should they? The world needed to reflect what they were. Why question it?

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Xander had not moved from his position on the sofa all day. Not even to turn on the T.V. Which, had he paused long enough to think about it, would have really freaked him out. SciFi was having a Star Trek Marathon today. How could he miss that? But it seemed the thing to do to sit and ponder his navel. There were times, he reminded himself, that he just liked the quiet. But he had been sitting there for hours, and his butt was getting numb. Darkness had fallen, not with a kerplunk, but with a slow denouement. The night now revealed in all its quiet life, like the lights coming up on a Tennessee Williams play. And was he waxing poetic again? God, he’d really have to do something about that!

The phone startled him out of his self-reprimand.

“Yello....Hey Willow!....Nah, missed it, just sat here staring at the walls, if ya can believe that. I know! So totally not me to miss that kind of marathon.......Mmm Hmmm. Sure I can take over for the day. You need me to go there, or you gonna drop her off here?.......Nah. Either is fine with me..........Ok, I’ll see ya in a few. Give Dawnie a hug from me, k? Yeah. Talk to ya later, Bye.”

Nothin much to do now but head on over to Buff - No. Not Buffy’s. Willow’s place. Spend the day with Dawnie. Cool, not done that in a while. He moved to the bathroom, washed his face, combed his hair, when a thought struck him. Not seen Spike around for a while, should probably grab him on the way. Think he would like seeing Dawn, his Niblet. The door shut quietly behind him, sealing the apartment in repose.

The trip through the night was not as treacherous as he had anticipated, the local population of nasties seeming to have taken the night off. Xander made his surprisingly easy way through the cemetery to Spike’s crypt. Another surprise greeted him when he found the vampire sitting outside, legs stretched out before him on the damp grass, casually watching the younger man approach.

“Hey fangless.”

“Whelp.”

“Huh. You’d think that would hurt still. But, funnily enough, it doesn’t.” Xander grinned the small grin that transformed his face. “I, sir Bleach A lot, have been called upon for babysitting duty. Apparently, Willow and Tara have late night plans. Some witchy to-do over at the dorms. Figured you might like to come with.”

“Really?” The inflectionless voice gave proof to the expressionless eyes. “Why?”

“Hmmm. Tough one, chippy. You and Dawn seemed to be gettin along pretty damn well, and you were thrown off a tower trying to save her life. That tends to make one think you care. And have you had enough with the silly nicknames? It’s just becoming too hard to think of original ones anymore. I’m thinking of stickin with ‘fangless.’ You know? Just this side of insulting, just that side of endearing. What do ya think?”

“Whatever, pup. Your choice of names don’t mean anything to me. But yeah. I could stand a night with the Bit.” Spike rolled to his feet and turned toward the house on Revello Dr. “Alright, sitter, lead the way.”

They fell into silence, neither willing to break the stillness of the night with aimless chatter. The world was filled with useless chatter, and as much as Xander usually delighted in ending silences, again he was struck with the thought that sometimes he just enjoyed the silence. Besides, it gave him an opportunity to watch Spike without being watched in return. The nagging necessity of eye contact unneeded without conversation.

Spike as this emotionless guy sort of freaked Xander out. If there was one thing about the fangles wonder, it was his zeal for all the trappings of life: passion, gluttony, poetry and don’t let the vampire know you know that one Xander. He just might kill you!, even sex, though that was one that Xander thankfully didn’t have actual firsthand knowledge of.

Ok, thankfully was maybe a bit too strong a word. Gladly? No, not right either. Ahh, hell. The vampire was a walking orgasm just waiting to happen, and even perfectly!straight!Xander could see it. Did he want to test it out himself? Only in weaker moments, like when he totally got Buffy’s affection for Riley. Or when he absently commented on Angel’s good looks. Pretty is as pretty is, and who could ever accuse Xander of not seeing something pretty? What with all the ugliness of his world, any beautiful thing ought to be appreciated. Spike was no exception.

And that was how he found himself watching Spike as they walked to the Summers house. It was also how he was shocked into almost stillness by the voice.

“I know I’m hot to look at, pet, but do ya hafta stare? You’re worrying a bloke, here, alright?”

“Umm, sure, Spike. Eyes forward, no more staring. Though I didn’t realize I was. Staring that is. I knew I was looking, but it wasn’t like I was leering or anything, just watching something beau-” He cut off abruptly, and Spike smiled.

“Ta, pet. Beautiful is a good thing to be in your world, I’m thinkin.”

“Uh, yeah. I guess, Spike.”

“‘S alright, pet. You ain’t godawful to look at yourself.” Spike smiled a little.

Finally. Xander smiled back, a little bit shyly, and didn’t that make him feel like a girl. So he punched Spike in that manly bonding sort of way on the shoulder. “Thanks, Spike, us human guys like to be thought of as ‘not godawful.’ Just makes our day, ya know.”

“Yeah.” Silence reigned on the rest of the way to Buffy’s, each of them thinking things they never thought before.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Spike couldn’t believe the boy. Calling him beautiful? Well, almost calling him beautiful. What was that? Thank the gods for a little bit of misdirection. The talent and experience of over one hundred years coming to a vampire’s aid in the moment of desperation. Cuz, what kind of fool would he be? To let a mere whelp of a boy affect him. Master Vampire here, right? Don’t need some Slayer scooby hanger on to validate his existence.

But Spike was nothing if not honest. Eternity was too short to go around lying to anyone, including oneself. Spike knew he was beautiful, but that the boy thought so too? Well, he wouldn’t let anyone know it, but it made living that much easier. And there hasn’t been anything to do that since she died.

And here it is, the monster grief. If only she could have accepted him and his feelings for her. Oh sure, she’d begun to think on him differently; not as some evil useless thing, but his affections weren’t returned, and so long as she had treated him like the man he wanted to be, he could live with the unrequitedness. It fed the poet in him.

So if Xander thought he was beautiful, well, then that was a bit of alright with him. Even flipped over his dead heart, truth be known. And for the first time in months, 147 days, he felt a real smile crack the stony facade that was his countenance.

“So, pup. What exactly is on the agenda for today? Little Nibblet sitting, then what?” Spike tossed the question out lightly, not really hoping for any sort of plan, but one would be nice. He watched Xander think for a minute.

“Hmmm. Well, it’s Saturday, a nasty Saturday too, so anything outdoorsy is out. Oh wait, this is probably the perfect sort of day for you to do outdoorsy. Sorry.”

“‘S Alright, not really looking to get fried on count of clearing clouds, so ‘outdoorsy’ is, well, out.”

“Right. Bronze?” Xander glanced over at him. “Booze and music?”

“Sounds like a plan, pup.” Spike grimaced at the look Xander shot his way over the pet name.

“Spike, why are you calling me a pup?”

“Cuz. ‘S what you’re like, innit? All bouncy, eager, err, happy?” He shrugged. “Sides, it fits you. What? You want me to go back to callin' you ‘whelp’?”

“Nah. As far as nicknames go, ‘pup’ is alright.” Xander grinned evilly. “'Course it is just this side of being an endearment, ya know. Like ‘hon’ or ‘babe,’ and does the Big Bad really want to have the demon hordes thinking he actually likes a human?”

“Oh ho ho, boy.” Spike stopped and glowered at Xander. “Not an endearment, don’t actually like you, just hangin with you to see the Bit.” He turned to face the front again. “And of course for the free booze. You do realize you’re buying when we finally make it to the Bronze, right?”

He watched as Xander’s face did that weird falling thing it did when he was disappointed but didn’t want anyone to know. That’s interesting. “Yeah. I always buy, don’t I.” Spike watched as the dark face screwed up in thought. What is he thinking about now? Then Xander’s face settled into what looked like resolve and he turned to look directly at Spike.

“Why don’t you actually like me, Spike? I mean, sure, you’re supposed to be killing us and you can’t what with the chip-o-doom in your melon. But I’m nice, or I try to be. I have spunk - and I so mean that in the not dirty way - and I haven’t tried to stake you in, jeez, months. What about me is so unlikeable?”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

God. I can’t believe I actually spilled that right out there for him to jump all over. Now, I’m going to get a roster of all my not so great traits, and what will I do then? Xander waited while Spike looked like he was thinking. For a really. Long. Time. “What? Question too hard, Spike?”

“Nah, pup. Just thinking.”

“Oh well, be sure to think long and hard, because we humans? Well, we just love it when someone takes forever to figure out why we’re likeable.”

Spike looked over at him. “Well, pup. You’re a bit of alright, actually. Not too uptight bout certain things. And you seem to know what needs to be done. I mean, it were you that come up with the idea for the spell to beat that tosser Adam, right? And you, breaking with the badass wrecking ball. And you don’t exactly like Peaches now do you? Yeah, you’re a bit of alright. Besides, if I really didn’t like you, I wouldn’t help ya like I do, now would I? Also wouldn’t hang with ya on movie nights either, but we know that’s for the blood and booze.”

“A resounding endorsement, if ever I heard one, Spike.”

“What? Were you looking for hearts and flowers? Cuz, I could run out and get some, if that’s what creams your crumpet.”

“Uh, it’s ‘creams your twinkie” and no, hearts and flowers not necessary.”

“Good. And I don’t eat twinkies. God boy, there’s enough preservatives in the damn things that if you eat enough of em, you’ll live forever on the phosphates!”

“Oh, yes, bleached one. But the vanilla goodness is a bonus.”

“Whatever. I ain’t eatin one. Ever.” It was Spike’s turn to look evil. “Have you ever really noticed what eating a twinkie looks like, mate?”

“Oh god, Spike! What are you? 12? Yes. Eating a twinkie is phallic. Absolutely. And I am the king of the world, a superhero that destroys vamps and demons alike with just the glare from my eye. Grow up, fangless. Eating a twinkie is just that, eating a twinkie.”

“Uh huh. And what do you do when your little demon eats one?”

“Ex-Demon, thank you very much. And nothing.” Uh huh. Big. Fat. Lie. “I told you, nothing phallic about it.”

“Right.”

“Shut up.”

Xander closed his eyes on the evil laugh that spilled from Spike’s lips. Bastard. Ruining twinkies for me forever.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They arrived at the house and Dawn greeted them with a huge smile. Of course it was fake. Nothing to smile about right now. She was gone, and not coming back. There wouldn’t be anything to smile about ever again. So Dawn plastered her best I’m-so-happy-you’re-here grin on her lips and hugged both of the boys when they came in.

“So. You two on siting duty tonight, huh? Good. I wanna finish learning to play poker, Spike. And Xander, we gotta catch up on the chick flicks, right?” At the wide eyeballs of both men, she grinned. “Just kidding.”

“You teach her poker?”

“You watch chick flicks?”

They spoke at the same time, and Dawn couldn’t help but laugh. “You guys are funny.”

“Yeah? Well, Bit, I thought I told you that the poker games were secret.”

“Hello? Yeah, Dawnie, and the girlie movies? Totally a secret between you and me, girl. I can’t believe you just betrayed us both in the same breath.”

“Well, don’t you guys think it was time to come out of the closet?”

“No!” This again, together.

“Should remain in the closet. Closet hiding is good! Never coming out. And I’m thinking that this is entirely the wrong metaphor!”

Dawn and Spike just grinned over at him. He sighed in resignation. “Alright. Get the cards, and I’ll put in Steel Magnolias.”

The three of them watched the movie quietly, none the wiser when tears fell or noses got wiped. The poker game was less subdued. Xander caught Spike cheating four times, and every time he called the vampire on it, he only got “Hello? Evil here. What’d ya expect?” which only led Xander to question the wisdom of playing poker with vampires, or of letting them teach fifteen year olds how to play. When he caught Dawn with her hands on her discards, he tossed down his own hand and declared forfeit. Grumbling at the laughter from the other two, he went into the kitchen to fix some snacks.

He returned with a bowl of chips and sodas for himself and Dawn and a mug of hot blood for Spike, who was pleasantly surprised to be so served. “Ta, mate. Was feelin a mite peckish.” Xander only nodded in reply. Then he turned to Dawn.

“So, where did the wiccan ladies head off to, Dawn, do you know?” He asked, sipping from his soda.

“Nah. Something about some meeting or something. I wasn’t really paying attention. Had homework- before school even starts? what is up with that? - and you know how Willow can be about that.” Dawn rolled her eyes.

“Yeah. I get ya. Willow loves summer reading, and she loves making sure you love it too. Me? I like Cliff's Notes!”

“Me too. I hate being stuck reading. But Willow's out for the night, so basically, I get a free night with my bestest buds.” She grinned up at Xander and grabbed Spike by the hand. “I’ve missed you guys these last couple of weeks.”

“Nibblet, just been busy, ya know.”

“Nah, don’t sweat it, Spike. I know. I wish I didn’t have to be here either. She’s everywhere. Even her smell. Sometimes, when I do laundry, I find one of her socks, or one of her camis and I swear I can feel her right behind me. I smell her. And it hurts.” She turned to fully face the vampire. “Spike, I know if I can smell her, it must be horrible for you.”

“No.” Spike was pensive for a moment, and Xander watched with increased interest. He’d never seen the vampire pensive before. “I like being able to scent her. It keeps her alive for me. Forces me to remember her fighting, or standing in sunlight, or taking care of you, Bit. Not crumpled on cold grey concrete. So, yeah, sometimes it’s hard knowing she isn’t really here, but at least I can remember her well, not broken, when I smell her.” Dawn watched the sad smile flicker across his face, and she leaned up to hug him. “Me too,” her whispered words tickled his ear.

Xander turned away from the two of them. He’d lost his best friend. The reminders were everywhere, and he wanted them gone. It never occurred to him to think of them the way Dawn and Spike did. He didn’t need them. He had known her for five years. Knew every inch of her, every nuance in her behavior, every inflection in her voice, and every fleck of emerald in her jade eyes. His brain was his reminder. The physical mementos of her existence just hurt worse. It was almost as though he would rather have not known her at all, than to know her and know her loss. He heaved a giant sigh. Damn this demonic world, and the hellmouth that spawned it. Damn them for taking his friend.

Spike watched Xander over Dawn’s shoulder, not wanting to surrender the feeling of warm loving arms around him. He’d forgotten what it felt like to have that contact, and to feel it from someone so much like her, so much a part of her was the closest to heaven he would ever get. But he knew the boy was decimated. One of his best friends was dead, because of this hellmouth town.

The town had a way of taking the most innocent and corrupting it completely. Xander, up to this past summer, had been spared that corruption. He stood in the protective penumbra of good, fighting from a position of right and winning constantly. He always would, but for now? Spike knew the boy felt he had lost. Evil had taken something precious from him, and this was his first taste of corruption. He sighed and extricated himself from Dawn’s warm embrace.

“Pup. What say we head on out, eh? Take the Nibs for some dancing and soda, maybe teach her to hustle pool?” The last said with a small attempt at humor.

“Yeah.” Xander breathed deeply and turned to nod at Spike. “Yeah. I need to get outta here, that’s for sure.” He started toward the door, while Spike gathered Dawn up to go. “Ok. So dirty dancin, clean drinkin, and pool playin here we come.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Spike sat at the table nursing a beer. He had wanted to play pool, but the two tables were already occupied. An unusual occurrence, but hey, he could go with the flow. Right now, he kept a hand on his beer, occasionally sipping from it, as he watched Xander and Dawn on the dance floor. Dawn, he knew would have a natural grace, an ability to move sinuously to the music that neither betrayed her innocence nor endangered her reputation. She was confident, social, smiling, and beautiful. Spike knew also that he and the scoobs were going to have a tough time keeping her safe from the evils of teenaged boys. So no, she wasn’t the surprise.

Xander’s tall, lanky body moving in rhythm to the music is what surprised him. He expected the boy to be self conscious, not wanting to let himself be liberated with the beat of the music, but when Spike’s attention drifted from Dawn to Xander, he was surprised to find an equally confident man dancing. Xander moved with a grace that belied his daytime, social gawkiness. His long arms wrapped securely around Dawn, but didn’t suggest anything other than friendship. The lean hips moved sensually to the slow beat. He was seductive without being overt about it. And he had absolutely no idea. He just moved instinctively. It struck the vampire that the boy was made for the night.

His dark hair and eyes, skin that had a tendency - which Spike had discovered over the summer - to turn to a burnished copper color after minimal exposure to the sun, all revealed a beauty that no one had noticed in the boy before. A beauty that matched the night in darkness. Also, the darkness in his eyes that Xander always tried to hide. Spike knew the boy had seen his fair share of troubles. Living in the Harris’ dank basement had afforded him a glimpse into Xander’s real life that no one else had seen, not even the witch. So, yeah. The dark good looks suited him.

He took another swallow from his beer, frowning at it in disgust. What he needed was a good whiskey. He called the waitress over and ordered a shot of Jack, instead of his usual bottle. Not feeling like pressing his luck with the boy’s loosened pursestrings tonight. He turned again to the dance floor to watch the couple, but noticed they were coming back to the table.

“Hey. Ordered a shot of Jack, if ya don’t mind, pup.” He nodded toward the bar where the waitress was getting his drink.

“Cool. Should’ve ordered four. Two for you and two for me.” Xander grinned.

“Umm, guys? What about me?” Dawn spoke up, indicating her half finished soda. “Almost out of soda here, and besides, even if you were sitting here all night - which we will be discussing later - Buffy taught me never to drink a left over beverage at a bar. You never know who did what to it.”

“True Bit. Sorry bout that.” The waitress brought his shot and he ordered three more and a fresh drink for Dawn. “So, Xander. Feeling better yet? And I must say, pup, you certainly can cut a rug out there. Figured you to be just as clumsy on the dance floor as on patrol, ya know.”

“Hah, Spike. Yes, I have been know to trip the light fantastic. Didn’t you know? I was Buff’s go to guy. When she wanted to make Deadboy jealous, she called on the fabulous skills of yours truly. And I so did NOT just say fabulous.”

“Yes. You did. And oh yeah. I can see Peaches being jealous of you. Gorgeous thing that you are, ya know?”

Xander had no time to react to that, as he was doused with soda that Dawn just spit all over both of them.

“Oi! Bit! What the hell?”

“Oh jees. Sorry. Just caught you saying Xan was gorgeous.” She raked her gaze over Xander in the way only fifteen year old girls can do. “But yeah. I can see it. All tall dark and handsome, ain’t he?” She grinned after her frank perusal of Xander’s person.

“Umm, people! Let’s not talk about Xander, alright? Not gorgeous, not! And stop looking at me like that, Dawn. I am not lunch!”

“Eh, pet? Think maybe you need to be tellin me that, now, don’t ya?” Spike tossed a grin in the boy’s flustered face.

Xander glared. “Anyway! Yes. I can dance. What about you, Spike? You ever cut a rug?”

“Um. No. I have no dance.” He flicked wary eyes back and forth between Xander and Dawn. Saw them exchange deliberate glances and stood quickly.

“Oh no. Not gonna dance, you two. Perfectly fine to sit and watch you two. And might I say you were both stunning?”

“Oh, come on Spike, be a sport. Come dance with me.” Dawn turned on the begging voice and gazed up at him with her baby green eyes.

“No.”

“Well, blondie bear, you can always dance with me, if ya want to.” Xander purred at him. Obviously joking, but then the whelp had the audacity to bloody wink at him. Oh, hell no. He is not gettin one over on me. Spike stopped backing away, and faced Xander squarely. “Ok, whelp, if you can dish it.” He left the statement unfinished, waiting to see what Xander would do.

Xander grinned, and grabbed him by the arm. “Come on Fangless. We’re gonna party!” They stalked off toward the dance floor with Dawn’s pealing laughter following them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The walk home was full of laughter and smiles, most welcome after the dismal day. The night was clear, stars shining brightly, twinkling down on the trio who had just enjoyed an evening of revelry. Spike and Xander continued to laugh at each other about the dance they shared. Spike had risen to the challenge Xander presented beautifully. Grabbing the boy by the hips and moving sensually against him to the music. Xander, who had thought just to get Spike on the dance floor in front of him had been shocked into compliance, then the two of them took it for the joke it was and thoroughly enjoyed themselves.

The night had been exactly what all three needed. More relaxed and easy of mind than they had been for months, none of them noticed anything out of place when they got back to the house. The first indication they had of anything amiss was Dawn’s sudden intake of air as she started up the steps. The foot she had placed on the first riser came off slowly and she backed toward the couch to sit down. Xander and Spike turned to see what she saw. Spike saw it first.

“Oh bloody hell, Slayer. What have they done?”

Xander heard the anguish in the vampire’s voice and rushed forward. “Oh jesus.” He breathed.

“Buffy?”