I own nothing sadly I use a song by James Marsters in here too that I also don't own. I hope you like it!

Spike cradled her body tears running down his cheeks, he'd finally found his way back to her, she'd meant it, she loved him, and now. Oh Christ Buffy was, she was dead and even the thought made him convulse, like he might fall apart without her. Her body had long gone cold now, but he couldn't bring himself to move, he couldn't even breath it hurt so bad.

"Spike, you need to let her go, the sun is rising." Dawn said trying not to sob this wasn't the first time she'd lost her sister, but this time it was so sudden, so normal. They couldn't bring her back from this, this one sword from one stupid vampire that no one had even seen. He couldn't lose her like this, not now.

Spike stood up slowly, still holding Buffy to his chest and walked blindly to the car he still couldn't force himself to breath. He slid into the backseat laying Buffy gently down next to him brushing her hair out of her face.

"I have to fix this." Spike breathed as Dawn started the car, Dawn cried with him as they drove, those were the only words Spike spoke for days as he feverishly studied the council library. No one dared to talk to him after Dawn tried to pull him away and he'd thrown her out locking down the entire area.

"Bloody hell." Spike whispered snapping his book shut and running through the halls, looking for Willow. He could save her, he had to, this would give him the chance to fix everything that he'd let slip away.

"I'm not even sure I can make this work, Spike, much less if I should." Willow said shaking her head at him, it took him a lot of growling before he'd changed her mind.

It took them even longer to set it up, but four days later he opened his eyes laying next to Drucilla.

"Ugh, Bloody hell, I hate magic." Spike mumbled getting up and getting dressed, Drucilla sprung to her feet.

"Dirty light burned away, stole, my dark prince, stole him away, get out, get out!" She yelled ever the intuitive one, she knew Spike was different, and she was throwing herself at him claws bared. Spike scooped up his coat and dashed for the door slamming it shut behind him to keep Dru from following him.

He went to the nearest gas station and picked up a newspaper to check where he was in the time line. It looked like he was still in Prague and anytime now a mob should be headed his way, he needed to get out of there post haste.

He took his time, but when he crashed his car through the Sunnydale sign he was practically floating he was so happy. They'd actually done it, he was back and he could fix everything, everything was going to be better now.

He went to the bronze like he had in the other time line, watching her as she danced with her friends, he noticed the fledge that worked for the anointed one scoping out dinner. He went over to the bar and asked for a phone just like last time, but when he watched her drive the stake through his heart he didn't step out to threaten her life this time.

He clapped leering at the nubile body of his young slayer, it was so good to see her here alive and happy. Her expression was so cute when she looked over at him like he was going to lunge at her, or call her a freak.

"Top marks, Slayer, maybe you are ready for the night of st. vigious, the anointed one and his flunkies down in the warehouse will be so surprised." Spike laughed his hands clasped behind his head in a cocky stance.

"Who are you?" Buffy asked looking worriedly at him, it was so hard not to just go over and pull her into him and never let go.

"A friend, Slayer, call me Spike, don't underestimate these wankers." Spike said stepping back into the shadows and disappearing onto the roof before she could ask any more questions, that he probably shouldn't answer yet.

He headed to the warehouse next to pick off a few of the stray childer that followed the anointed one. He couldn't kill them all, if he took away her every challenge she'd never reach her full potential, but he wouldn't take the risk that they could overwhelm her. He disappeared into the shadows of the rooftops when he felt Angelous lurking. He'd forgotten that he'd have to deal with that lunk head, he thought about confronting peaches but he didn't want to risk captain forehead influencing the slayers opinion of him quite yet.

He went to Restfield next to get his place set up, he had to kick out a couple fledges but nothing too frustrating. He got to work on the lower level as soon as he'd gotten settled in and he kept a close eye on Buffy during her school function, a few fledges tried to crash even without his leading them around, they weren't the anointed one's boy's but it kept Buffy on her toes.

It made him sick watching Angelous save her when he was trying not to change anything, once he was sure Buffy had gotten her big fight in, and been shown how important having a family was as a slayer, he left and killed the anointed one, and his followers.

All the while he started digging for the ring of amara, there were two of them, and a ton of other treasures there, that would keep him safe, and keep him from having to steal from any one.

"Sly, Slayer, got everyone fooled for your big night." Spike leered from the shadows on her back porch where she was waiting for Cordy to come pick her up.

"Spike, right, what are you doing here, I have my fill of mysterious men in my life?" Buffy huffed, she was getting sick of people jumping out of the shadows at her.

"Trust me love, I'm nothing like him, he's not the knight in shining armor that he appears to be, but that's not why I'm here Slayer. I came to give you this." Spike tossed her a necklace with a thin silver chain that had an old simple key hanging from it.

"What's this?" Buffy asked, Spike just smiled wickedly.

"Just trying to make your life a little easier Slayer, ware it tonight, you'll figure it out." Spike told her cocking an eyebrow at her and then he disappeared again. Buffy sighed, well at least this cryptic hotty actually wanted to help. She put on the necklace, it was actually very pretty, and it went well with her dress.

Spike watched her dance and flirt, and drink and pass out, and be taken to the basement like she'd told him was supposed to happen, Willow and him had compiled a time line of Buffy's history so he could stick to it as best as he could. He didn't want to change her life more then he had to, it could bring up new threats that he wouldn't be able to protect her from.

Buffy woke up hanging from the chains hooked to the ceiling with Cordy and some other girl, she yanked at them to no avail and then she realized why her mystery man had given her, her shiny new necklace. She yanked it off and stuck the key into the manacles, they unlocked perfectly.

"Thank you, Spike." She whispered, Spike smiled at the top of the steps waiting over the unconscious bodies of the other cult/frat boys while Buffy fought her way out from down stairs. He could here Angelous outside waiting to spring an attack, but he still had time. He went down the stairs with a smile on his lips.

"Bravo Slayer, you never disappoint, looks like you had quite the time." Spike laughed sauntering down the stairs, Buffy shook her head.

"Wow who's the hotty?" Cordy asked while the other girl ran away, Spike leered at her trying not to laugh.

"Call me spike pet, and you two should get out of here before the Calvary shows up." Spike said with a wicked half smile, Cordy didn't seem to get it, but Buffy did. She hurried over to the stairs and kissed him on the cheek.

"Thank you." She said running up the stairs with Cordy in toe, and headed for the back door, Spike went down into the basement to make sure everything was out of commission before he left. He sneered at Angelous from the shadows as he came through looking at all the knocked out frat boys.

"This doesn't look like Buffy's doing." Angel said looking at the boys Spike had knocked out, he tried not to laugh, of coarse Angelous would recognize his work. He didn't mention it to the rest of the group though. He was sure he'd be getting a visit from him soon, he'd have to keep an eye out for his old sire.

"Worried I'll step on your toes peaches." Spike said from the top of a swing set in the park when angel strolled in looking for him.

"Spike, what the hell are you doing here?" Angel growled, Spike laughed outright this time, look at him trying to protect his innocent little porcelain slayer.

"Don't fret peaches, I'm not here to cause any mayhem yet, not even sampling the local color, so no need to get all touchy." Spike said swinging up to stand on the top bar of the swing set and pacing slowly on the bar.

"You're a monster Spike, why should I trust you?" Angel asked suspiciously, Spike wasn't keen on the idea of sharing his new secret with captain forehead.

"I was what you made me peaches, but lucky for you I promise to play nice, and the rest is none of your concern." Spike said stepping off the swing set and landing in front of Angel with a snarky smile.

"What happened to you, you're different?" Angel asked examining him closely, Spike shook his head laughing.

"Keep your huge shiny forehead out of it peaches, you'll figure it out eventually." Spike cocked an eyebrow at him and then he disappeared into the shadows. Angel growled as he disappeared he hated Spike and him being here could only be bad.

"Very innovative, I like it using everything in your surroundings to dance." Spike said as he stepped out of the darkness at Pop's punkin patch clapping. She shook her head stepping up to him frustratedly.

"Why are you here?" Buffy asked trying to get all the hay out of her hair.

"Just a friendly visit, I get board, I like the new look very seasonal." He said reaching forward and picking the last bit of hay out of her hair.

"That's me, always a bold new look." Buffy joked, Spike smiled brushing her hair out of her face.

"How about I finish the sweep with you, always up for a spot of violence." Spike offered with a sweeping gesture.

"Sure, but just a quick sweep, I have to get to the bronze." Buffy told him, he cocked his eyebrow at her.

"Don't fret love, between the two of us we'll have this place evil free in no time." Spike said with a cocky half smile, stepping aside so Buffy could lead the way. They went through three cemeteries before Buffy realized how long they'd been patrolling together.

"I have to go, I'm so, so very late, but thank you for this, it was fun, it's nice to have someone with me on patrol who can keep up." Buffy said not admitting he was way better then her, she smiled at him before she ran off, he smiled watching her go. When she got to the Bronze Angel and Cordy were dancing and laughing, and Buffy couldn't bring her self to interrupt them, so she just left. She should have just stayed with Spike, why did everything with Angel have to be so hard.

Spike watched the next day as Buffy picked out her costume for Halloween, a pink Elizabethan number, personally he preferred leather but she pulled it off nicely. She would be totally helpless by tonight, but with out his inside knowledge she should be safe, for the most part, but he wasn't taking any chances. When she ran off by herself Spike was there to catch her before Angel could manage to find her.

"My Lady, there's no need to fear, you're safe here." Spike offered scooping her up into his arms and bringing her to the roof of the warehouse they were near.

"Thank you kind sir, I never dreamed I'd find such a gentlemen in this slew of horrid beasts." Buffy said in her ghastly new accent, Spike took off his coat and set it down for her to sit on while this blew over.

"I swear to you My lady, I will always keep you safe." He promised sitting next to her on the tails of his coat. She leaned into him, comforted by his words, he put his arm around her relishing the feeling of her in his arms again. It was all he could do not to weep, he was so glad she was here, and alive. They stayed like that for a very long time.

"Spike, hey, looks likes you saved my butt again." Buffy said sounding confused for a moment but more like herself now, Spike looked down at her with a leer.

"Maybe I just like the dress, Slayer." Spike joked looking down her dress, cocking his eyebrows at her.

"I'm such an idiot, I was trying to, never mind it's stupid." Buffy said standing up, smoothing her dress out, and taking her wig off.

"I like the blond better anyway, Slayer, and the poofy dresses never did it for me." Spike laughed, getting up and putting his coat back on.

"I'm starting to think you might be my guardian angel, or something." Buffy told him, he shook his head.

"Trust me love, I'm no angel, as he will so clearly tell you if you ask. I just have my own motivations to keep you safe, Slayer. I'm not going anywhere though." Spike promised disappearing off the side of the roof. His promise was a little shaken by his disappearance but even so he was the only person who ever promised her that, that she actually believed.