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* * * *
Chapter One
The Lie
 

“Hey, Joyce.” 

“Oh, hello William,” Joyce said with a smile as she passed him on her way to the kitchen. 

“Mom, it’s Spike. Why don’t you just call him that like everyone else?” Dawn asked, apparently embarrassed of her mother. 

“Spike’s just such a silly name,” she replied. “No offense, sweetie.” 

Spike grinned as he watched Buffy walk upstairs. “None taken. In fact, I like it when you call me William.” 

Buffy appeared at the bottom of the staircase, purse in hand. “Are you ready?” 

Spike’s eyes widened slightly as he smiled. “Er, pet? It’s still a little sunny out. Unless you’d like to traipse through the sewers…” 

“Oh,” said Buffy, wrinkling her nose in disgust. “We can definitely wait. What are you doing here so early? I thought I was going to swing by your place?” 

His eyes glinted as he pulled her closer. “I wanted to see my girl. Couldn’t wait.” 

They kissed. This was the part that Dawn didn’t like. Buffy and Spike were constantly making out. It was so gross. 

Buffy broke away when she heard gagging sounds. “Dawn, what are you doing here?”  

“Duh, I live here.” 

“Well, go be living somewhere else, okay?” 

Dawn rolled her eyes and walked into the living room. 

Joyce returned from the foyer. “Xander and Anya will be here soon. Listen, I’ve got to go. Do you think you could watch Dawn until they get here?” 

“We’re leaving as soon as it’s dark enough,” Buffy said firmly. 

“That’s supposed to be a ‘yes’,” Spike told Joyce with a smile. “Ow!” he whined. Buffy’d stepped on his foot.

“Good, right. I’ll see you two later. Bye Dawnie, be good!” Joyce called to the living room as she exit through the front door. 

Dawn sighed from her place on the sofa. She turned the TV on and made sure that the volume was up loud. Buffy and Spike would most likely be making out while they waited for it to get dark. Dawn didn’t want to hear the smacking. The volume was so loud that she didn’t hear the door open. 

“Hi honey, we’re ho—” Xander rolled his eyes as Spike and Buffy broke away.  

Anya appeared behind him and narrowed her eyes and the couple. “Aren’t you supposed to be doing that at the movies?” 

Buffy grinned sheepishly. “Yep. On our way.” 

Spike wiped his lips with his sleeve. “Hey guys.” 

“Hello, Spike,” Anya greeted cheerily. 

“Bye, guys,” Buffy said quickly as she pulled Spike out of the door by the arm.  

“Bye, William,” Dawn said quickly before he disappeared out of the door. Xander turned to her.  

“William?” 

* * * *  

Buffy sat cross-legged on her bedroom floor and dumped contents of the paper bag. Talismans, bags of powder and incense fall at her feet. 

“Are you sure you really need me for this?” 

Buffy looked up at Spike from her position on the bedroom floor. She still felt guilty about helping Riley. Not because it was the wrong thing to do, but she knew how Spike felt about the Initiative. He didn’t like Riley especially because Buffy had always helped him whenever he’d asked. 

“You don’t want to help?” she asked quietly, glancing up at him. He was standing by her bed, hands on both hips and looking unusually out of place.  

“I just don’t think you need it. Are you sure there isn’t some other reason you asked me here?” 

Buffy picked up a bag of powder and stared at her hands as she spoke. “I just wish that you could put your hatred of Riley behind you.” 

Spike laughed humorlessly. “Was that s’posed to be an apology?” 

“Look,” she said, standing up to face him. “I know that you don’t like him. But he’s a good man, and I had to help him. He was dying, Spike.” 

“Oh, his heart beats too fast and you’re all aflutter? Mine doesn’t beat at all and you seem okay with it.” 

Buffy groaned in frustration and put her hands up to her face. “God, Spike. Helping Riley had nothing to do with you and me.” 

“No,” he retorted. “It was about you and him.” 

“Spike, listen to me,” she said firmly, stepping closer. “I helped him because he’s my friend. He’s fought by our side, he helped us learn about Adam…” 

“He put a sodding chip in my head.” 

“But you don’t need it. You’re a good man, Spike.” 

“It’s not what the chip does, Buffy. You don’t understand. They violated me. I was their lab rat.” 

“I’m sorry,” she said quickly. “Please, you know I wouldn’t do anything to hurt you.” 

He looked ready to say something in return but stopped. “I know,” he sighed, resting his forehead on hers. “I’m sorry.” 

There were no more words as they held each other, reaffirming their apologies and strengthening their bond. This was how they always made up after a fight or a disagreement. A touch of the hand, a warm embrace, a kiss. They spoke more through their touch than they did with any words they shared. 

Buffy pulled away. “I should probably get back to this.” 

“Do you want me to stay?” 

She shook her head. “No, I won’t need any distractions. I have to know.” 

Spike nodded in understanding. “I’ll go downstairs, keep your mum company.” 

Buffy sighed as the door closed behind him. She didn’t know what she’d do without him.  

Sitting in the circle minutes later, she concentrated on clearing her mind. As the incense burned she felt relaxed, like something was washing over her senses and making her clean. She felt like she was getting somewhere, but Giles said that she would know when she was ready. 

Knock, knock, knock. 

Buffy opened one eye. 

“What are you doing?” Dawn asked through the door. 

She closed her eye. “My boyfriend. Go away.” 

“Liar,” Dawn retorted. “He’s downstairs with Mom. Are you doing magic?” 

“No! I’m not.” 

“Can I watch?” 

Buffy rolled her eyes and left the circle as Dawn tried to open the door.  

“No, you can’t.” 

“Oh, come on! Please, please like ten times cubed?” 

Buffy shoved the door close in Dawn’s face.  

“No.” 

“Yeah, well, I can smell your stinky incense down the hall, you know. And your clothes are gonna reek. And if you are doing magic, I am so telling.” 

Buffy folded up a towel and shoved it under the crack in the door. “Fine, go! Go tell. Go do whatever you want, just go!” 

As she returned to her position in the circle Buffy heard Dawn’s bedroom door close.  

Good, silence.  

She closed her eyes. She was spinning, her arms and legs glued to her body as she felt herself slowly spin in circles. Her senses seemed to be melding together, making one sense, and when she felt like her body had turned into air she opened her eyes. It was dark, now, and everything seemed to be in strange colors. 

Buffy walked into the hallway, looking at everything around her. Despite the odd light she saw everything in, nothing seemed different.  

Wait. 

That picture on the wall, did it move? She stepped closer and saw Dawn, her mother and herself smiling back at her. Buffy started to walk away before she saw Dawn’s face disappear. Her eyes widened in shock and Dawn’s face flickered back into the frame. What’s going on? 

She ran into Dawn’s room. Everything looked the same, no wait, her desk. There were picture frames and a sewing machine on it. Buffy turned around quickly. Dawn’s bed disappeared and boxes filled with various odds and ends took its place.  

“Buffy? Buffy?” 

Buffy turned to see Dawn standing in the doorway. She was flickering in and out like bad television reception. 

“Who said you could come in my room?” 

“You’re not my sister.” 

Dawn glared at her. “Yeah, like I even want to be related to your nasty self—ow! What are you doing?” 

Buffy grabbed her by the arms and shoved her against the wall. “What are you?” 

“Get off me!” 

“You want to hurt me?” 

“Let go of me!”

 “Then you deal with me.” 

“I’m telling Mom!” 

Buffy slammed her harder against the wall. “You stay away from my mother!” 

Spike appeared in the doorway, followed by Joyce. “What’s going on?” 

“Buffy!” Joyce cried. “Stop it!” 

Joyce pulled Dawn away and wrapped her arms around her.  

Buffy looked around her, confused. “Mom?” 

“What were you doing?” she asked as she kissed the top of Dawn’s head. Dawn glared at Buffy, but she ignored it. 

Buffy stared at her mother, looking up and down, especially around her head. “Nothing,” she said disappointedly. 

“It didn’t look like nothing,” Spike said with concern. 

She turned to him and was shocked to see him grinning wickedly at her. “Spike…” 

His grin faded and his face calmed like a flash. Something was wrong with him, and something was wrong with Dawn. But Spike hadn’t disappeared, he’d… 

Spike leered at her as he moved towards her mother, licking his lips. 

“Are you okay?” he asked. His eyes were wide and blue. 

He wasn’t disappearing. He was changing. 

Spike moved closer to Joyce and put his chin on her shoulder. Joyce’s arms were empty and she suddenly looked afraid. Spike vamped out and put his arms on her shoulders. 

“No!” Buffy lunged at him, knocking him to the floor. The trance was broken. 

“Buffy, what the hell!” 

She looked down at him and put her hands on his face. No lumps, no fangs. 

“She’s crazy,” Dawn growled. Buffy turned and saw her mother and Dawn huddled together, staring at her in fright. “She’s crazy.” 

“It’s a lie,” Buffy whispered in awe.