-Disclaimers: Title belongs entirely to Gabriel Garcia Marquez--just borrowing it for the sake of the story. Buffy, Spike, Whistler and all the memories belong to Joss and his crew. All other characters are entirely mine. Lyrics by Staind, It's Been a While.

-Summary: Series set 100 yrs after "The Gift," Season five finale. This is part AU and futuristic. Spike has been alive for 100 hundred years after Buffy's death. Whistler comes to him to let him know that Buffy has been summoned to fight a new evil. Therefore she will be brought back to life and needs a "guide". When Buffy wakes she finds that the only one to cling to is the only person that has survived since the time she was alive. This is a B/S fiction.

-Rating: Overall rating of series is R. (Language and Violence)

-Spoilers: I will mention everything that has happened through "The Gift".

-Distribution: The only people that have permission to post these series are those who already store my fic and have asked me for permission. If you want to post it please ask me I'll be happy to let you, I just want to know where my fic goes. Poem : Emily Dickinson.

-Author's Note: I adore Feedback, so please let me know what you think of the story so far! bih80@yahoo.com

-Special Thanks: Trish and Wendy for BETA reading this and their awsome feedback, Karla for listening to me rant, and One Good Day group--may you be blessed with many chocolate covered naked Spikes! Thanks for all the reviews!

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"You'd think at a certain point, all these a-typical somethings would amount to a typical something, but a typical what?"

from Awakenings

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And it's been a while
Since I could
Hold my head up high
And it's been a while
Since I first saw you

She stretched out lazily in her thick warm bed as the rare sunlight filtered into her room, warming her bronzed toned body.

The little white nightgown felt silky around her slim figure as she slowly sat up, ready to face another day.

Memories of her friends and family came instantly to her mind, and a small pang of hurt and guilt hit her chest unexpectedly. She lay back down and curled herself into a tight knit ball, and suddenly the rays of the rare sun didn't seem so warm anymore.

There was a small knock on her door and without her having a chance to tell whoever it was to go away, Paola stormed in and completely opened the blinds, singing Spanish tunes as she went about her merry chores.

Buffy groaned as she tried to bury herself in her sheets, trying to block out the sunlight and the singing that got louder the more she tried to ignore it.

"Wake up, child. Master William is always on time," the woman said, bringing a tray of food into her room.

Buffy felt nauseous.

"Eat, you're a thin little thing. How do you expect to fight evil with that fraility?" the woman said, taking the liberty to sit next to her.

For some reason or another she reminded Buffy of her mother. She was caring and motherly in that way.

"How do you know what I do?" Buffy asked, bringing a piece of toast to her mouth.

The woman smiled at her with kind black eyes. "All of Master William's girls are Slayers. It's what he does."

Buffy's toast went stale in her mouth as she drank in the words this woman was saying. "I see." she whispered.

But the woman patted her shoulder reassuringly. "But I can tell he likes you."

Buffy looked at the woman who was being so kind with her and managed to smile.

"He's different." Buffy said, almost pouting.

And it's been a while
Since I could stand
On my own two feet again
And it's been a while
Since I could call you

Paola smiled. "You mean he used to love Buffy Summers?"

Buffy's eyes widened at her response and stared at the woman in confusion. "How...?"

"It's a legend. You died for the good of humanity, and a vampire without a soul loved the slayer so much he changed his ways and became the protector of good and changed the world as we knew it. The tale of you two was thought to be a myth for years but when Master William was called to be el pacificador it made world news. My grandma told me of the story of you two when I was little and I was fascinated by it. It was almost a fairytale, all the little girls wanted a vampire like that." she said smiling at the old memories. Meanwhile, Buffy choked on her toast.

"What?" she cried after she swallowed the dry piece of bread.

"Of course, you can't know. But I have the film at home..."

"The film, there's a movie about us?" Buffy cried in horror.

"Various actually." the woman said, confussed.

Buffy felt dizzy and feverish.

"My favorite was 'One Good Day.' Oh, it was so romantic, and he was so charming. But then you died in his arms and I cried like a baby," the woman said, oblivious that Buffy was about to collapse from shock.

"You mean to tell me, that the world knows of my life?" Buffy managed after a few gasps of air.

The woman smiled kindly. "Wait until they hear that you're back. Hollywood will be buzzing with the news. They might even ask you and Master William to play the part!" the woman cried excitedly.

Buffy stood up abruptly knocking the tray of food to the floor as she stared at the woman in shock and denial.

"Paola."

Buffy spun around to see an already dressed Spike in the door frame.

"Oh sorry, Senor." Paola said, picking up the tray and quickly leaving the room.

Buffy was still reeling in shock.

"Slayer," he started. "I am sorry you had to find out that way," he said, walking towards her and looking directly at her with those intense eyes of his.

And everything
I can't remember
As f***ed up
As it all may seem

Buffy looked embarrassed at the floor. Why make films about her and Spike? Why not about her and Angel--god knows they went through a lot.

"We're a fairytale." she said bitterly.

"It all started back in 2005, when you were recognized by Sunnydale's new major for you valiant acts, etc.., then this woman, a writer named Brenda Cross, poked around town in the late 2010's. She found me in one of my bad moods, while I was drunk and not thinking straight. I basically told her your story. She felt sorry for me, I suppose, and decided to make it into a adventure-romance, so she wrote "The Chosen One." The rumor that it was a true story made the book a huge success, made her millions. For about twenty years it was just a legend, not really real, not really false. But in 2036 a man named Ralph Vines, a Hollywood screen writer, decided to convert the book into a film." Spike paused and took out a cigarette, lighting it before he continued.

"The movie 'The Chosen One' was the best. It was factual to the T. Went from the moment you were chosen to the moment Dawn died. It became a classic, won about four Oscars. I was played by this American named James Marsters--not a bad imitation I must say, and you were played by Sarah Prinze. Both won Oscars for best acting. It was great. But again all the time, this was nothing factual. It was a legend, a fairy tale. More films came out after that. Even Disney put their two cents, making "Buffy," and it was all good except you lived and I was turned human and we lived happily ever after." he stopped and sighed.

"But when I came out in public as 'the council' the entire thing came apart. I was hiding from t.v crews for years. I managed to get them off my back by going to 20/20. When the story came out,..... well, let's just say people were fascinated by the entire story. More films came out, more books, even a T.V. series. But by now all that generation has grandchildren, and we are a mere old cassette in the family room. So don't worry." he tried to reassure her.

"But Angel..."

"You went through more with Angel." he finished for her as tears were already running down her cheeks.

She simply nodded.

"I didn't tell you about Angel, did I?" he asked, looking out the window.

"I know he's dead. But Dawn doesn't really talk about him." Buffy answered cleaning her tears with her bed sheet.

"Tell you what, pet. Get dressed, and I'll tell you the whole story on our way to Columbia." he said, clapping his hands together.

He caught Buffy looking at him amused.

"What?" he asked, self-conscious.

She gave him a smile despite the whole situation. "Your hair." she said almost grinning.

His hand went to his freshly trimmed hair.

"You cut it." she stated.

"Yeah, well, you know, didn't fancy being called Fabio." he said embarrassed at being caught.

"Better," she said, standing up.

The consequences
That I render
I stretched myself
Beyond my means

In the morning light her white nightgown was almost transparent and she grew conscious of her situation.

Spike understood and admitted that the tranluscent material was getting the best of his attention.

"I'll meet you downstairs then," he said and walked to the door.

Buffy watched him leave with her arms draped across her body but somehow looking forward to another day.

Spike paused and looked back at her.

"Thank You," he said.

She was taken back by his statement. "For what," she asked confused.

He looked down embarrassed.

"For last night," he stated.

Buffy instantly blushed. "How's your,......wound," she managed to get out.

He nodded lightly. "Healed," he replied.

"Then you're welcome," she whispered.

He had no idea what to do. Here she stood, a woman he had loved so long ago and for some reason her mere pressence brought back the same stuttering vampire he had buried so long ago.

He nodded and closed the door behind him in an effort to shut out William, in an effort to conceal the reality of her presence, in an effort to simply forget who he was and simply remember what he had become. With the door shut it was better. No matter what she was still a Slayer and he was still a vampire. No matter how glorified he had become, no matter how lonely she must be, no matter how much she needed him, he would only be her friend and nothing more.

And it's been a while
Since I could say
That I wasn't addicted
And it's been a while
Since I can say
I love myself as well
And it's been a while
Since I've gone
And f***ed things up
Just like I always do
And it's been a while
But all that shit
Seems to disappear
When I'm with you

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The helicopter landed on his backyard two hours later and both Slayer and Vampire quickly loaded it with all their luggage. It was a warm morning, Buffy noted, the light rays of the sun reflected off Spike's bleach blonde hair, giving him an angelic glow.

She smiled as she looked at the glimmering head, and he was taken back when he found the petite girl looking at him with a smile she had only reserved for those she cared for.

Suddenly she made him nervous again.

Buffy reacted to his confused stare and looked straight ahead, completely embarrassed at being caught.

Spike smiled at her reaction. This would be an interesting trip, he thought happily to himself.

And everything
I can't remember
As f***ed up
As it all may seem

Traveling over Barcelona, Buffy watched with wondrous eyes the landscape and the architecture. This was definetely not Sunnydale. It was ancient and with so much history and rich culture it overwelmed her.

She saw a strange looking building that caught her attention right off the bat. The facade was built of massive stone blocks, although it looked like concrete. The traits reflected a geomorphic vision. More like waves of the sea and the cliffs and mountains that rise above it, with seaweedlike clups of wrought iron that formed the balustrades.

"What is it?" she asked the blonde next to her as she pointed her finger to the building.

He smiled at her choice of architecture.

Leaning foward, to tell her close to her ear, he said, "Casa Mila, build in 1905 by the architect Gandi."

Buffy shuddered at the closeness of his lips to her skin, the aroma of his cologne surrounding him.

"It's beautiful." she said turning and looking at him.

Their eyes met for a few seconds and Buffy could have sworn she saw a shadow of the Spike she knew so long ago.

The consequences
That I render
Gone and f***ed
Things up again

The moment made her smile, and for her smile he gave her one of his own.

Which just melted hers as she stared at him dumbfounded.

"What?" he asked confused. He could have sworn he was being nice.

It took her a moment to reply but it came through. "I've never seen you smile like that."

He was taken back at her reaction but before he could answer the helicopter started descending to the airport.

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

Man hath a weary pilgrimage

As through the world he wends,

On every stage from youth to age,

Still discontent attends;

With heaviness he cast his eye

Upon the road before,

And still remembers with a sigh

The days that are no more.

Southley, Rememberance

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"Spike! There you are, pana!!" the tall thin PuertoRican screamed as Buffy and Spike got off the helicopter.

He saw Buffy and whistled loudly, "Mami, you be lookin' good." he said giving her a smile.

Buffy looked at the skinny man before her and was completely appalled. He looked dirty and conniving.

"Diego." Spike greeted the man coldly.

"Hey! It's the man himself!" he nearly shouted. "How' ya doin', brotter?" he said and extended himself by grabbing Spike's hand and pulling him into a reluctant embrace.

"Long time no see, amigo." Diego continued, completely ignoring the look of death Spike was giving him. "What's up with that, hombre? Forget all tu gente?" (Your People) he said laughing.

Buffy noted that he laughed like a hyena. She very much wanted to smack this man, if Spike didn't do it first.

"Diego, we are on a schedule." Spike said as he started walking towards his private jet. Buffy stayed close to him trying to avoid the wondering eyes of their pilot.

"Ah, schedule, ni schedule. You need to relax! Look at me, no worries, five kids and a fat wife, and do I look stressed? No, Senor, happy as can be. You know what I mean, jefe?" he said laughing and patting Spike on the back.

"Diego." Spike said in a warning tone.

The man apperantly got the message and dicided to address Buffy. "So who are you, nena?" he asked smirking at her.

Spike stood back to watch. This ought to be fun, he thought.

Why must I feel this way?
Just make this go away
Just one more peaceful day

"Someone to watch your mouth around." she said coldly as she crossed her arms across her chest.

Diego laughed. "I like you, baby." he said smiling at her in a not-so-sexy smile.

She gave him a fake smile. "That's your misfortune."

"Whoa, what's wrong, mami. Not getting any?" he leered getting closer to her.

Out of no where a hard fist knocked him down on the floor. Diego sat on his ass stunned at the little girl before him who had managed to knock him flat on the ground.

"I warned you." Spike told the man as he crushed his cigarette under his black boot and followed Buffy, who was marching to the plane.

The man rubbed his jaw as he watched the small woman trot to the plane not bothering to look back at the fallen man. "A Slayer."

Then he smiled.

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

And it's been a while
Since I could
Look at myself straight
And it's been a while
Since I said "I'm sorry"

"Where do you find these people?" Buffy asked as she took a seat on the ample leather sofa inside the plane. Spike put down his carry-on bag and took a seat on the couch opposite of her.

"Oh, you know. Lying around." he said smirking.

She giggled. "Well he's back where you found him."

Spike chuckled. This girl was incredible. He had met women with character but they were all intimidated by him, not Buffy. There had been things about her that he had forgotten, or forced himself to forget.

Like the way she cocked her head when not convinced and the way she bent her head just an inch to the floor and pouted unconsciously when she felt unsure.

Then there was the way she smiled. This was the first thing to go since the last time he saw her smiling was on her 20th birthday through the livingroom window of her house. He had not been invited to her party.

The memory instantly brought a dark pain to his heart as he remembered what a stupid fool he had been then. Lurking around her trying just to get a glimpse of her. It was pathetic.

"Do you trust him?" she asked him as she relaxed and studied him.

The second they had been in the plane he had hardened. Lost in thought of times past, she thought.

"I only trust two people. One of them is me and the other you'll meet." He said, avoiding her eyes and looking for something in the mini-refrigirator.

"You don't trust me." she asked with a visibly hurt expression in her eyes.

And it's been a while
Since I've seen the way
The candles light your face
And it's been a while
But I can still remember
Just the way you taste

But he avoided her eyes and sighed. "No offense, Slayer, but in my experience, trusting women ends up in disaster."

"Disaster? Like death and things like that." she asked getting annoyed with his attitude.

"Don't flatter yourself. What I meant is that they end falling in love with you. Then it interfers with the whole trust thing." He said opening a new bottle of bourbon. At the moment he felt he really needed it.

Buffy snorted at his answer. "Don't flatter myself? What the hell are you talking about?"

He sighed. "Am talking 'bout Dawn. The last woman I trusted was her and look what happened. I broke 'er heart." he said still avoiding her eyes.

Buffy now understood. This was not about women. This was about love.

"Did you love her?" she asked quietly studying his expression.

Both were quiet as he poured himself the dark liqueur.

Then he drank a mouthful.

"Yes." he said quietly.

Buffy swallowed. For some unexpected reason this information sank into her stomach and poisoned her inside and out. This was certainly not what she expected. Not from her sister, not from....her Spike.

"Why didn't you tell her?" she asked and waited but he said nothing. "Why didn't you?" she repeated.

"Because...." he started strong. "there was only one thing that I loved more than Dawn."

She braced herself. "What was that?" she almost whispered.

For the first time since they boarded the plane he met her eyes. "Your memory." he said with his intense gaze that took her breath away.

"Oh." was all she could answer.

"Yeah, Oh." Spike replied sarcastically.

Buffy glared at him. "It's not my fault."

"What's not your fault, pet." He asked corking the bottle and placing it in its compartments.

"That you decided to fall in love with me at such a crucial time."

"Crucial time? Tell me, slayer, what time in your life hasn't been crucial?" he asked taking a sip of his drink.

"I am a Slayer. My time is crucial." she replied.

"So basically, you're just pissed off that I fell in love with you." He said leaning back and smirking at her.

She scowled at him and turned to look out the window beside her. They had already gotten off the ground and she hadn't even noticed. She looked down at the world below and sighed.

Buffy felt Spike's eyes on her and turned to look in his direction. He was sitting there, all lean and comfy, staring at her as if it it didn't bother her.

She tried to ignore it for a while but his staring got more and more intense and she felt hot throughout her body.

Annoyed with the vampire she turned to glare at him.

"What are you looking at?" she asked him slightly meeting his eyes.

It sounded like a seductive purr. "Well, I am looking at you, pet."

And everything
I can remember
As f***ed up
As it all may seem
To me, I know it's me

Buffy gulped at the burning sensation his gaze made her feel.

"Can you please stop....that....you know,....the looking," she said averting her gaze and hiding her flushed appearance.

His eyes scorched her with their midnight blue light. "As you wish," he whispered and smiled, enjoying her flustered appearance.

She looked at him in wonder and for the first time recognized his sense of humor. He was doing it to make her uncomfortable, and it had worked. Did he know her that well? Even after one hundred years, did he still remember the right buttons to push, the right words to say, the right look to give? If it was so, he then had changed her entire perspective on life.

When he had nearly gotten himself killed to protect her and her sister, she had seen him as a man to be grateful to, when he had helped her even though he though she would never love him he had seen him as a partner she would trust with her life. When she had woken up to see him looking at her, and knowing that he kept his promise even though he had no longer her to impress, she had respected him. But now, when he still stands by her after all the things she has told him and done to him, she saw him as something so different from everything that should be associated with Spike that it was frightening to the thought.

She couldn't say she loved him, because even then she had known that she didn't, but she owed him more than another man alive.

And that placed him in a different light.

Different than Riley, who was just comfort. Different than Angel, who was so dark and doomed.

"What happened to Angel?" she asked out of the blue.

Spike turned his head to look at her, but the look in his eyes told her that she might not want to hear it.

"I want to know," she said "Everything."

He nodded and took a deep unnecessary breath.

"He died human," he stated and waited for her response.

Buffy heard the words as if they were being sung by the wind when it echoes in a stormy night.

"What?" she whispered.

"His reward, for redemption was to be human again. He got his reward ten years after you died," he said, taking a gulp form his drink.

Buffy's buttom lips quivered in hurt, betrayal or pain. She couldn't tell--she just felt numb.

She managed a small sad smile. "I see." she whispered.

"He......married and had kids and died, just like everyone else." he said and looked away from her.

The way he had said married burned in Buffy's throat.

"Who?" she whispered.

Spike knew what she was talking about and refused to look at her.

"I know her, don't I?" she said a bit stronger.

He nodded.

Buffy felt her entire stomach quiver with fresh bile that was threatening to spill.

"He married Faith." he said and looked down.

The next thing that Buffy felt was Spike basically carrying her to the mini-bathroom and putting her head over the toilet.

The toilet seemed friendly as she emptied her troubles into it. Spike's soothing hand rubbing her back lightly was the only other comfort she found.

Her bottom lip quivered as tears mixed in with orange vomit.

She sobbed and coughed until she thought life might expire form her.

Her Angel, the man she had suffered so much for had married the one woman she truly hated with everything that was her.

"Why?" she heard herself almost scream. With a sudden brush she was pulled back from the porcelain and pallid liquid was wiped softly form her lips then she was embraced by strong protective arms.

She heard cooing sounds as she sobbed her eyes out. She held on to Spike's embrace as if the last bit of what she knew would suddenly disappear.

After what seemed like hours of trembling and crying, she finally was able to breath with out tears coming to her eyes and she pulled back from his strong arms.

"I am sorry." she apologized to him.

She finally saw his face. It was tender and loving, like a friend that listens to you and understands.

"Don't be," he said, helping stand up.

He gently placed her before the sink and left her to clean up.

As Spike locked the door behind him he realized he was trembling and cursed himself repeatedly. He didn't know if he was mad at himself for getting his feelings in the way of the small blonde girl or if he mad at the poof for doing this to her, though he couldn't really blame him--she had died. He himself had even moved on, though not forgotten and he was sure that was the case with Angel.

He was also mad at the powers for putting this girl through more that what she had already been through.

He sat down heavily on the sofa and fumed in his own thoughts as he looked out the window at the world below.

He was snapped out of his thoughts as the what now seemed tiny girl exited the bathroom.

"Better?" he asked quietly as she took a seat. She nodded but avoided her eyes. "Here," he said taking out a cold can of 7up from the refrigerator."It'll make you feel better."

Without a word she took the cold green can from his hand and drank it whole. By the time the cold liquid had settled in her stomach her trembling had stopped and so had the spinning.

"Sorry," he said avoiding her gaze.

"Don't be," she repeated what he had said earlier. Without a further word she lay back on the long sofa and buried her head under her arms.

She was half asleep when she felt a blanket being wrapped around her making her nice and warm. She snuggled further into the warmth and slept her troubles away.

And it's been a while
Since I could
Hold my head up high
And it's been a while
Since I said "I'm sorry"

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"If you want something badly, let it go. If it comes back to you, then it's your forever. If it doesn't, then it was never yours to begin with."

from Indecent Proposal

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