Title: Humanitis
Author: Saber ShadowKitten

(notes in part one)

"Spike, are you in here?" Buffy called into the cafeteria.

"Leave me alone."

Buffy walked into the room, searching for the source of the voice. She saw him sitting in the corner by the window, feet up on the radiator. "What's up?" she asked, sliding onto a table next to him.

"Do you need to get your hearing checked? I thought I told you to leave me alone," Spike said in a depressed voice.

"Hey, what's with the frown?"

"Slayer, I'm a bloody human, what do you think the frown is for?"

Buffy sighed. "It can't be that bad. I mean, think of the pos. You can eat normal food, go out in the sun, not kill people."

"What if I liked killing people?" Spike said.

"Then we'll get you a new hobby," she answered. "How about...fishing?" He gave her a look. "Or not."

"Listen, this is a tad bloody strange for me," he said. "I went to bed this morning a vampire and woke up in a wet bed with a reflection."

"A wet bed?" Buffy asked. "Why would you wake up in a wet...oh."

"Oh what?" Spike asked. "If you have a theory, please fill me in. I couldn't figure it out."

"Trust me, you don't want to know," she replied. She slid off the table. "Well, I'm gonna go back to the library. You coming?"

"I think I'll stay here," Spike answered. "Too much togetherness is not good for the complexion."

Buffy laughed lightly. "You know where I'll be. But uh, don't leave. Human, vampire, dead human."

Spike watched her walk out of the room, then turned back to the window and sighed. "For a minute there, I actually though she cared."

"Ok, this is getting ridiculous," Buffy said, slamming yet another book shut. "There is nothing about a vampire ever turned back into a human."

"Nothing on spells that can do that, either," Willow said. "At least, that I found so far."

"I've never heard of such thing,"Angel added. "If so, rest assured I'd be first in line." He gave Buffy a sad smile.

"Speaking of vampires turned human," Oz said. "We haven't seen ours in awhile."

"That makes him sound like a pet," Willow giggled. "A pet Spike. Kinda like a pet rock, only blonder."

"Hey guys," Faith said as she came into the library. She looked at Buffy. "Tag, you're it."

"Swell," she sighed. "I guess I'm off to slay."

"I think we should call it a night," Giles said. "It is getting rather late."

"Wait a moment, Buffy," Wesley said. "I shall be joining you."

Buffy looked over at Angel and rolled her eyes. "Joy. I guess I'd better go find Spike again," she said.

"I'll do it,"Angel told her.

"Thanks," she replied. "Oz, you might want to give him any last minute ‘male' advice before dropping him back at my house."

"Will do," Oz said.

"Are you ready, Buffy?" Wesley asked, standing near the door.

"I'm ready. ‘Night, Giles," Buffy said.

"Goodnight," Giles replied.

Buffy and Wesley separated from the group with a wave and Angel told Oz and Willow he'd met them at the van. Walking through the school, the vampire extended his senses, searching for the telltale heartbeat that normally led to the prey. Now, it was leading him to another vampire. Life on the Hellmouth was so strange.

"Spike?" Angel queried, entering the auditorium. Soft piano music wafted up from the orchestra pit.

"Imagination is funny, it makes a cloudy day sunny. Makes a bee think of honey, just like I think of you," Spike sang quietly along as he played, the only illumination coming from the small light attached to the page holder. "Imagination is crazy, your whole perspective gets hazy. Starts you asking a daisy what to do."

Angel silently made his way down the aisle and stood at the edge of the pit, watching him. "Have you ever felt a gentle touch and then a kiss, then and then...you find it's only your imagination again. Oh well."

Spike swayed as his fingers ran over the keys, eyes closed. "Imagination is silly, you go around willy-nilly. For example, I go around wanting you. Yet I can't imagine that you want me, too." Behind his eyes, he pictured the tiny, blond Slayer. Smiling at him, touching him, kissing him. "Have you ever felt a gentle touch, then a kiss, then and then...you find it's only your imagination again. Oh well."

Angel looked at Spike thoughtfully. Something about the way he was singing, as if he were singing to someone in particular. And that someone was definitely not Drusilla. "Imagination is silly, you go around willy-nilly. For example, I go around wanting you. Yes I do. And I can't imagine that you want me, too."

Spike paused and sighed. "Yes, I can't imagine that you want me, too." The final light chord faded out into silence as he sat there, the image of the woman that had been haunting him since he left Sunnydale for the second time in his mind. He had made it as far as Los Angeles before he'd given up on the kidding himself about his feelings for Drusilla.

"Spike," Angel said quietly, not wanting to startle him.

"How long have you been here?" Spike asked, opening his eyes and looking up at the vampire.

"Long enough," he answered. "Who were you singing to?"

Spike shrugged. "It's just a song."

"Right," Angel replied. "And I'm just a vampire."

"Did you want something, besides to annoy me?"

"Time to go," he said. "Oz and Willow are waiting."

"What about Buffy?" Spike asked as he shut off the light, then walked out of the orchestra pit.

"Patrol," he answered as they headed up the aisle.

"And you didn't go with her?"

"She can take care of herself," Angel replied.

"I know that," Spike snapped. "But still, she can always use someone to watch her back."

Angel looked at him. "Since when are you worried about Buffy's well being?"

"Me? Yeah, right," he scoffed, lying between his teeth. "I just want to get back to my cute, lovable, demon self and I need her to do it."

"Right," Angel said. "If you say so, Spike."

"What are you implying?"

Angel stopped and grabbed his arm just outside the doors to the school. "I think you want her for a lot more than changing you back to your worthless self."

"And I think you've read one too many bloody sappy books," Spike retorted. "Listen, you ugly sod, I wouldn't have even come back here if this didn't happen. Do you think I want to be human?"

"Spike, for some whatever reason you've been given a second chance at being human," Angel snarled, grabbing him by the lapels. "I'd give anything, and I mean anything," he shook him for emphasis. "To have that opportunity. Don't piss it away."

Spike grabbed his arms and tried to pry him off, to no avail. "Damn it, let go of me."

Angel shoved him slightly as he let go, and the peroxide blond stumbled backwards. He hit a low plant liner, falling to the ground and smacking his head against the wall. "Great," Angel said under his breath.

He bent to help Spike up, but he got slapped away. He barely felt it. "Get. The bloody hell. Away. From. Me," Spike ground out. Angel backed away and he pushed himself to his feet, hand clamped on the back of his head. Glaring at the vampire, he walked unsteadily down the stairs to where Oz's van was waiting.

"Buffy is not going to be happy," Angel sighed, then walked to the van as well. "I'm going to go," he told the three from the open side door.

"See ya," Oz said with a nod.

"Bye, Angel," Willow said.

"Pillock," Spike said under his breath.

Angel shook his head, then closed the door to the van. He watched as it drove off, hands in the pockets of his coat. He had a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach and didn't like it. Not one bit.