It Has to Mean Something II

A/N: Set during the scene where Angel swoops in with billowing coat and saves Buffy's ass. That's all fine. The kiss? Not so fine. I like my Spike. So this is what should have happened (continuing after my version of the Buffy and Spike 'It has to mean something' talk in 'End of Days') SPUFFY.

Buffy turned to Angel in the dusty crypt that was a poor excuse for a pagan temple. Sweat was running down her back and her heart was racing from the fight she had just had with the psycho preacher Caleb. But he was still here. Her first love. Her guy. Or at least that's what he used to be. Not anymore. They had both changed too much for them to ever be anything more than allies in the fight against evil again.

A small part of Buffy mourned the loss of their old relationship but a bigger part of her knew that it was right for them to be apart.

"See? Under control" She motioned back at Caleb who she had just sliced in the stomach and was now lying dead on the floor.

Angel nodded and smiled at her "Well at least tell me you're glad to see me"

The Slayer took a step into the dark vampire and was about to lean upwards and kiss him. She stopped herself. Kiss him? Why was she going to kiss him? Out of habit was her only answer. She had just been thinking about how he was no longer her guy and yet here she was about to kiss him. Seriously weird. Then again that was the whole Buffy-Angel dynamic in a nutshell.

Angel was looking at her in confusion. He expected a welcome of epic proportions, obviously. Buffy settled on giving him a chaste kiss on the cheek. He frowned but said nothing. The Slayer took a step back and smiled. Whether he was her ex or not she was still glad to see him. Just not give-him-an-intense-and-totally-uncalled-for-kiss glad to see him. Friendly glad. Yeah, that was it.

"Angel, what are you doing here? Not that I'm not glad for the assist..."

"Not saving the damsel in distress, that's for sure" Angel grinned.

Buffy shrugged "You know me – not big with the damseling"

Angel looked at her "Got your fair share of distress though"

Buffy watched as Angel picked up a file folder and started to tell her what he had learnt from his contact in L.A Neither of them noticed Spike standing in the shadows, leaning against a pillar. He watched them together. They bantered, they smiled, they acted like friends – the sexual tension could be cut with a knife. Spike wanted to cut it with a knife. He felt his jaw clench. He had seen Buffy lean up to kiss Angel. It made his heart drop.

But she didn't kiss him...

Spike frowned. Why hadn't Buffy kissed Angel? With the rising music and dizzying camera shot, it was what those two did when they met. He had seen Angel's look of disappointment. Spike's frown turned into a grin. Did she do it for him?

Before he could even begin to comprehend that Angel went flying across the room and skidded over the floor in a heap. Spike turned at the same time Buffy did to see Caleb was still alive and very much pissed. There was no way he was just going to stand around and let Buffy get hurt again.

Buffy yelled out when Caleb smashed her into the ceiling and let her drop to the floor. She was too stunned to move and waited for the killing blow. Instead she heard a war cry that sounded very familiar. Spike barreled into the preacher tackling him to the floor bone-crushingly hard.

The Slayer jumped up "Spike? What are you doing here? Were you following me?"

Spike grunted as Caleb punched him in the face "Really not the time for this chat, luv"

Buffy ran over and grabbed Caleb by the shoulders throwing him off of her vampire. Wait. Hold up. Her vampire? Whatever. The preacher was on her again but she was ready this time.

"Stupid girl." Caleb hissed "You can't stop me. You don't have the ba–"

Buffy whirled the scythe around and up right in between his legs "Well, who does nowadays?" Then she brought the scythe all the way up.

Cutting him in half.

The body parts fell to the floor.

Spike winced "Ouch. Hit a fella where it hurts there, pet"

Angel jumped up from the floor "Alright, now I'm pissed! Where is he?"

Buffy looked at the floor in one spot and then the other spot and Angel followed her eyes. He frowned and dug his hands deep into his pockets.

Spike grinned "Yeah, you missed the fight. Too busy napping I wager"

Angel turned his eyes to the vampire "Spike. I noticed that you were too busy hiding to help in the first place"

"I was not hiding, you ponce" Spike balled his fists and walked up to Angel so that they were almost chest to chest.

"Sure looked like you were to me" Angel smiled.

Buffy grabbed hold of both vampires by their shoulder and wrenched them apart "God, how old are you? Twelve?"

Angel pulled away from her "I have something you might need"

Spike sidled up closer to Buffy and gave her a sweet smile. She responded by giving him dagger eyes. His shoulders dropped and the smile fell from his face. Just when they had started to get things sorted out when they had talked by the back door Angel-breath had to come and screw it up. Bastard.

Angel turned back around and held up the tacky necklace with the gaudy chain and large crystal in it. Spike arched an eyebrow.

Buffy's eyes widened "I can already tell you I have nothing that goes with that"

"Never did know the way to a ladies heart" Spike murmured.

Angel glared at him then turned to Buffy "It's not for you. It's for me. It has some kind of cleansing power, the description is vague. It has to be worn by someone ensouled but more than human. A champion"

"So, naturally, we have a winner here in TDF" The peroxide vampire sighed.

Angel frowned "TDF?"

"Tall, Dark and Forehead" Buffy explained.

The two vampires looked at her.

"What? I've been around Spike long enough to know his little quirks"

Angel arched an eyebrow "I can smell that"

Buffy looked at him, confused. Then it hit her. Oh, vampires with their smelling. It was so totally gross. She shook her head and turned to leave. She had to get out of this stuffy temple and out of the company of the vampires. Unfortunately they both followed her out to the cemetery outside.

"Is he your boyfriend?" Angel called after her.

Buffy sighed, turned around "Is that your business?"

"Yeah, you tell him Slayer" Spike grinned.

"Shut up, Spike" Both Buffy and Angel chorused.

Angel took a step towards her "Are you in...love with him?" He looked disbelieving.

Spike did shut up then because this was a question he wanted to see how she would answer when asked by Angel. When they had spoken by the door before she had left she had said that she was falling for him. Would she say this to Angel? Spike looked at her and found her looking at him.

Buffy tore her eyes away from Spike to look at the other vampire "Look, it's complicated okay? He's...he's my crash mat"

Angel's brow furrowed "Your...what?"

"It's private, Angel" She said quietly.

"Yeah, Angel, it's private" Spike smirked.

"Shut up, Spike" Angel and Buffy chorused again.

The Slayer looked at the dark-haired vampire "It's different now. Spike has a soul and he's –"

"Oh, well" Angel shifted uncomfortably "Now, everyone's got a soul. Always were copying me, hey Spike?"

"Oh, shut up you wanker. For once this had nothing to do with you" Spike walked up to stand beside Buffy "This was about me and Buffy. Got that?"

Buffy put her hand up to silence them both "Angel, you can't stay here. I need you back in L.A to start a second wave if we...if we fail. And the amulet...I'll wear it. I'm a champion, right?"

"No, it's too volatile, we don't know what it'll do" Angel shook his head "And is that the only reason you want me gone?"

The Slayer took the amulet from him "No. Having you both here would be...confusing"

"For who?"

"Everybody!" Buffy cried, throwing her arms in the air "God, why are you so...are you gonna come by and get all Dawson on me every time I have a boyfriend?"

"Ah ha! Boyfriend!" Angel pointed.

Spike turned to Buffy with interest and hope in his eyes.

"He's not..." Buffy said and Spike looked down at the ground "But he's in my heart. And that's where he's staying for the foreseeable future"

Angel mumbled "That'll end well"

Buffy wasn't paying attention though she was looking over at Spike who was giving her a shy look and smile. She smiled back and did something bold. She reached over and took his hand. Spike arched an eyebrow and squeezed her hand back. They both turned to look for Angel. He was gone. Buffy turned and saw him disappear around the corner.

"Never seen him bolt so fast in my undead life" Spike commented.

The Slayer sighed "I hope he's okay"

"He'll be fine. Brooding is what he loves best, remember?"

Buffy shot Spike a look and pulled her hand out from his. Spike grabbed it back.

"So, you gonna give me that necklace or what?"

"It's volatile, you heard Angel"

"Yeah. So there's no way you're wearing it. I got a soul. I'm more than human. Hand it over, Blondie"

Buffy shook her head "I'm not risking you"

"There's no one else to risk, Buffy"

"Don't make me do this, Spike" The Slayer whispered.

Spike tilted his head and looked at her with that look on his face. The look that no woman could resist. Buffy looked down at the amulet in her hand "Angel said it was meant to be worn by a champion"

Spike nodded and looked down at the ground. He pulled his hand away from the Slayer. A champion. As in Angel. A champion. As in Buffy. He got it. Spike had always known he was never a hero, never would be. He was far too selfish for that. Why did he get the soul? For Buffy, because he wanted her to love him. Selfish reasons.

Buffy walked up to him and dropped the amulet over his head. It settled around his neck. The pendant lying heavily on his chest.

"I think it suits you," She smiled gently "Tacky, gaudy, cheap...right up your alley"

Spike looked at the necklace then at his Slayer and realized she was calling him a champion.

He grinned, placed his hands on her waist "That doesn't say much for you, luv. Considering I've been right up your alley"

The Slayer pulled a disgusted face but it was only half-serious and when she tried to step out of his embrace he pulled her close. Their chests pressed against one another he smiled as he looked into her eyes. It was her that leaned up and kissed him. Though he sure did respond. He lifted her up and then set her down on a nearby gravestone. His lady, his love.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Neither of them noticed the amulet begin to glow in-between their bodies.

They also never noticed Angel leaning against a mausoleum, jaw clenched and fists balled.

Next to him an exact replica of Buffy whispered "That bitch"

A/N: Dun! Dun! Dun! A little Angel – Spike role reversal there. This is for everyone who, like me, didn't see why Buffy and Angel kissed in End of Days/Chosen. It was almost as if the writers were trying alittle too hard to remind us that those two crazy kids were supposed soul mates. Please, they were together when she was sixteen! Sorry to all BA shippers, but, guys, the fairytale is over.