Challenges
Written by: Laurart

*Status: This story is fifth season, post 'Crush,'only Dawn never existed.

*Rating: PG or PG-13

*Relationships: Some Buffy/Spike tension.

*Disclaimer: I don't own Buffy nor do I own any of the characters or settings and I did not write many of the flash back sequences. I do however own my own creative imagination, so I'll have to use that and ask you to please not sue.

Chapter 1

Ah, the cemetery. It was a misty night out, a little damp and cold because of the front that had come in the previous afternoon... which was totally doing havoc on her shoes. Buffy had fought well that night, like she always did, and she was getting better all the time. No sweat off her brow.
At the moment this vampire, who had just broken the surface not two minutes ago, couldn't touch her.

The undead lunatic landed on the ground, hitting his back against the damp grass. He leapt up quickly and stood back up in a lazy fighting stance only to get kicked down once again, looking very foolish in the process. The petite slayer grinned in an overpowering smile as she drove the stake home. The vampire looked up from his spot on the ground; shocked only a second before turning into a brown skeleton and then farther disintegrating into dust.

Buffy stood up and wiped the dust off her new blue top, wiped her hands together after putting her stake back into her back pocket, and walked over to the bench she had left her watcher sitting at.

Giles didn't turn his head from his book as she came. "Having fun?"

She sighed, nodded once and sat down on the bench next to him. "Why do they have to be so easy, the new ones aren't even worth the trouble. I mean, fighting's all well and good but is it too much to ask for an undead karate champ or something? I mean, Giles, you know what I mean right? I got all these great fighting skills that need to be used!"

"Well, I'm glad to see that your skill level is progressing... but you shouldn't see these....fiends as just points on some score board. The vampires that you least expect to be deadly are usually the ones that WILL kill you. Maybe you should count your blessings."

"It's not a blessing that I have to be bored out of my mind because these vampires haven't given me a challenge. I mean, is it so bad that I'm finding the fun? If I'm forced to kill vampires anyway... wheres the bad?"

Giles looked away from his book. Turning his nose down and looking at her over the tops of his glasses.

Buffy rolled her eyes and stared off into space. Then, she jerked up in her seat, suddenly getting an idea. "Oh, I know I know…maybe you can send the order of Turoka after me again."

"Buffy…"

" Chill Giles, I was making with the funny. But, I'm just so restless; almost to a Faith point... but without the homocidal tendencies. I haven't had a real good hand-to-hand fight that wasn't over in the first few seconds since…since Adam. I just think that, things have been so slow lately, and it's been like this for weeks now."

Giles nodded. " Yes, vampiric activity has certainly been on the minimum …only one vampire tonight, and thank god no ones tried to open the Hellmouth…again. Maybe this would give you a chance to catch up on some of your studies in Collage."

"Yeah." The slayer slumped as Giles stood.She turned her head and looked up. "Your going?"

The librarian nodded. "Yes, quite, I need to get back to the shop before Anya sells all the amulets half price."

"I just want to take on more sweep and then I'm cashing it in for the night."

"Alright Buffy." He turned and walked down the path, slowly vanishing after a few moments.

"Bye Giles…" Buffy murmured to herself as she stood and kicked a stone before surveying the area that was the graveyard. What a dull place, the only thing that ever happened in a graveyard was the occasion bady and even then she'd usually kill it and go home to have ice-cream and veg.

But, it was nice, not having to do that much work now that Adam and the Initiative was gone, but slaying was her thing. She wouldn't ever tell anyone this but, she actually now and again, liked the slaying.

To see a vampire take the dust, it gave her a sense of accomplishment and made her feel like she was doing something important to help the world like no one else could.

She walked down the path until she was sure that no new vampires were going to spring forth. She waited a moment before walking in the opposite direction Giles went and out of the graveyard: place of all things stone, wood, dirt, and boredom.

A figure stepped out into the dim lamplight of the road cutting through the vast greens of the cemetery. He watched her carefully, tilting his head as she walked off.

His brown leather jacket blended him in nicely to his surroundings; a blue collar of a shirt was the only other thing colorful about his wardrobe. His hair was black and hung around his face making his skin appear all the more pale looking. "There yew are slayer…" Came a deep accented voice spook into the dark night air. BR>
(Cue the Buffy theme song: by Nerf Herder)

Chapter 2

Hit. Wham. Pound. Smack.

"Buffy!" Giles yelped from behind the punching bag he held tightly to his shoulder.

The Slayer stopped and let her leg rest to the ground and stood up normal. " Sorry Giles. I sometimes forget how punching bags aren't that big a threat to mankind."

The watcher peeked his head over the bag. Making sure she was done before placing it down to the ground beside him. " Yes well, maybe Xander would like to take over."

"Xander? Oh, Giles…If a retired Librarian can't take me then how do you think he'll do."

Giles eyes fell to the ground at the mention of retired. Saying that was like someone hammering a nail into his coffin. He could hear the thuds already.

She looked up at him, seeing his despaired look and realized what she had just done. " Oh, Giles, I'm sorry I didn't mean …"

" I'd better get back to the cashier counter, make sure none of the customers need help…we'll...um...con…continue this session later." He turned grimly and walked back into the magic shops main area.

Buffy stood in the middle of the floor and sighed heavely, turning around in a circle at her frustration. She spotted the dummy Xander had made for her and walked over to it, giving it a quick punch.

His eyes bulged and stuffing came out of the ears and neck, straw flew to the sides and landed to the ground. It seemed that even Mr. Vamp dummy was no match for the slayers strength, or her temper.

The blond's shoulders collapsed as she turned around and fell to the ground, sitting at the base of the dummy. She lifted her knees and head up with her hands. She looked stared ahead of herself in deep thought.

Saying something like that to Giles was so unlike her.

Restless, she had told Giles that that's what she was the other night. She was convinced that that's what it must have been, tired, frustration balled up into words she didn't mean to say... much like she had done with Riley weeks before too. With him now gone, off to some jungle in far off wherever, only made the issues seem more isolated. Perhaps no one could fix this problem but her. Not being able to go out and fight like she used too was getting on her nerves, after all, it used to be harder.


"Slayer…?"

Buffy stood up and quickly turned around at the voice that had spoken to her. She stood in a fighting stance, a millisecond away from punching out when she recognized the face that went with the voice. Rolleing her eyes, she put her fists down. " Spike, you know you keep sneaking up on people, especially me, and one of these days there are going to be some major consequences. Like one, me having to hit you two sides from Tuesday, and oh look-y what day it is, lucky me."

Spike smiled, his hands in his pocket as he walked out from behind the dummy, coming out from the shadows there. " Is that a threat or a promise slayer?" he scoffed as he walked. "Believe me, I'd love to have a go at you again ducks." He said getting out into the center of the room, keeping one eye his slayer.

"How'd you get in?" Crossing her arms in front of her self.

"The back door, I thought that you might have heard me come in, but lucky me, you were too deep into thought to notice a sodding vampire come with in two feet of you."

She sighed. " Fine, you came, now leave." She turned her back on him and stared to walk to the door leading to the shop.

"It's strange..." He continued. "Yew not 'earing me, seeing me, or for that matter doing your little Buffy-vamp-radar thing to me, getting sloppy pet?"

She stopped dead in her tracks, her back still turned to him. "What do you want?"

"Nuth'in more then to pester yew…Buffy"

She sighed, figuring she'd have to do this the hard way. Suddenly, the small girl turned around, walked up to the vampire and grabbed his ear tightly, threatening to pull it off with a tug.

"Ow ow ow ow..." He yelped in pain as she led him to the backdoor. Deep inside he was smiling in the fact that she was touching him, and casing him pain, this was a good night. He stumbled into the street, covering his ear with one hand; he turned and saw Buffy as she slammed the door in his face.

Slamming the door, she turned back to go into the shop, remembering briefly that he had called her by her real name and not some short cute pet one like usual. She shrugged to herself and disappeared out of Spikes view of her through the window.

Spike stood outside the small window and watched as she left the room. Why did he love her so damned much, and how could he make it apparent to her that he would never stop helping her or bothering her until she gave in? God she was beautiful, and she has grabbed his ear like a Pro.

Maybe it was just her body, the smell of her, or maybe it was her fighting style her loved… but he was better at fighting then she was. He had been trained better after all and probably could've killed her if he didn't have this bleeding chip in his skull now. After all, he was supposed to kill her anyway.

Long before he had even laid eyes on the slayer, the 'Order' had given him this assignment. Being able to heal Dru was just an extra bonus, but then Dru had seen the break up coming, she always did see things coming. So, she had left him and he had gone off the edge, back to Sunnydale he went, convincing himself of course that he was going because of the assignment he was supposed to finish anyway. That and the 'Gem of Amora' was just an excuse, but he hadn't expected to fall in love, again.

He walked down the street, thinking about how he had come a pone this endless existence of a hell he was in, coming back to Sunny-D and all that. It was the 'Order of Malus' that had made him come in the first place. Of course, the Order wasn't all that much unlike the 'Order of Teroka' that Spike had contracted to kill the slayer four years ago. No, the Malus was a special Order and was more exclusive for vampires alone. It, like the 'Watchers council', paid more attention to the slayer then any other issue in the world. Also, like the Watchers council, their headquarters were in England. At least they were back in 1982, where they were held up now Spike could only guess. But he did know one thing; another one would be sent, it had been five years…and no dead slayer had he killed.

He wouldn't dare hurt Buffy now though. He was to sick with love to even raise a hand...if he could. So, he did what any little schoolboy would do when they were in love, he bothered her, teased her and made cute little comments every now and again. It actually surprised him that the slayer hadn't caught on quicker to his feelings, but she didn't see it in him for a long time, probably because she didn't want to. A monster like him, what would a girl like Buffy ever see in a demon like him? But a guys got to try, what else could he do? After that Cub-Scout-army-boy had gone to Africa or what off, Spike had figured this for his big chance. But nothing ever worked out as he planned it to.

Chapter 3

An anniversary was coming up for Spike, that was, it was coming on exactly five years after he was assigned to Sunnydale to kill the one girl in all the world that could have easily kill him.

The blond vampire walked down the night's dark street like he always did, something that no rational human would ever do in this town. His long black duster huge by his feet as he strolled along the main road in Sunnydale square, but getting bored very quickly he dug into the pocket near his hand and pulled out a cigarette box. Flicking a cigarette into his hand and pulling out a lighter with the other he lit it quickly and put the box and lighter away. God, had it been five years already? He didn't think about it that much anymore really, I mean why think about the past anymore then he had to?

Five years earlier, just a week after that little incident in Prague with Dru, he hadn't really planned on traveling anywhere to get a cure for her anyway, but the 'Order of Malus,' as usual, had other plans for him. So what hadhe done; he traveled from Prague to England to get to the motherhouse of the Order, that's what he did. He was a member so once he had gotten there and settled down into a rather large room, he left to gain an audience with the three 'big honchos', the bosses of the 'Order of Malus'

Now, one thing about the Order was, it was run by vampires, which was very nice considering that vampires hated demons and vise versa, but the bosses of the Order were very old. They weren't as old as the master mind you, but they were getting pretty close, one of them was even beginning to show signs that his face was showing his demon features permanently. But anyhow, Spike had been right pissed when he had gone up to them in the great hall that day after arriving, and after they had told him his assignment.

******
London 1996: ( One month before Spike and Dru arrived in Sunnydale.)

" What do you mean I have to go to California?" he had said to them. " Dru's gone all sickly and I don't fancy traveling half way around the bloody world to find this bird." He hadn't meant to raise his voice, but the sods had made him take a long trip just to get there to speak with them in person. All this traveling couldn't have been good for Dru, who was all he cared about around this time, his black goddess, the one he'd kill for…ah, he'd kill anyway even without her, but that wasn't the point.

"We realize this is an inconvenience for you Spike, but, as usual, we are willing to pay for your expenses." One of the masters spoke up, he was on the bulky size and had on a fine suit of tweed, he continued. " Not that money should matter after all, you should have tremendous loyalty to us, after all those years of fighting lessons and training we would expect a little return on our investment." The one in the middle was the leader of the three, he spoke most of the time, and when he did he usual spoke truth. He was the oldest of them all and was in the head position to make decisions like weather someone would dust in his court or not, Spike was on very thin ice.

"Yeah…" The punk vampire continued, walking closer. " So what if I go and kill this one for you. And then again, what if Dru dusts on the way there?"

The one to the left of the middle spoke up now, crossing his arms and folding his fingers in front of himself on the tall podium. " Delack…" This got Spikes attention and he turned his head to the bloke. " Heard of him?"

The blond vampires interest was peeked. "Yeah, what of that old pisser?"

" We thought that you might be reluctant to go to California to do this job Spike, so we gathered information about your girlfriends condition and we found a way for her to get better. If you're interested I mean…" Spike nodded at once and he continued. " Delack's tomb is said to rest in Sunnydale, where you will be heading. You know Delack, he made many studies about restoration concerning vampires, and it is believed that he destroyed all of his work except the ones he was buried with. We really don't care whom you have to work around or what you do when you get to the town, as long as the jobs done. Delack's spells can cure your Drusilla, and while your there…you can kill this slayer for us. We called on you because we think you can handle this one, she's new to the game and was only called into action a year ago. But the longer she lives in this world the more accustomed she'll become, the better of a slayer she'll be. We want this done quickly…no excuses!"

"So, your saying, for this information about Delack, I do this job and we're even…no strings that it?"

Now the one on the right spoke up. " That's right, do this and we'll let you alone, like before. Now, in Sunnydale, we have had reports that the master had resided there a month or two ago."

" The master? I 'aven't heard of him since the late 20's, the wanker went there ay?"

"No, spacifically he rose out of captivity there and got killed by this slayer." Spike raised a concurred eyebrow. "All our reports say that he was dust before he hit the ground. He's gone as far as we know. Bones buried, your slayer killed him; a stroke of good fortune for her I'd say. But still, the point is he hand selected one vampire to rule after he was gone, the one who was anointed. You'll run into him when you get there no doubt, our records don't go far with this one, we'll give you information to read as your shipped there."

" So I get there, and meet up with the anointed chapper, fine. I'll kill your slayer for you, just give me the time."

"As usual Spike, five years…you have five years to complete your mission, killed in action or otherwise. If by some reason you fail to complete your mission, the next person we send won't only kill the slayer you didn't, but will also track you down for your disloyalties."

"Yeah yeah yeah, I got the bleed'in routine down the last time I was here. Blah blah, this message will self-destruct in one minute. Got it, I'm gone." He glared at the three bosses once before turning. He lifted his hand up in a wave as he walked out of the great hall through the main doors, muttering to himself. " I wonder if Ethan Hunt had to put up with all of this crap too?"

He walked into the hallways there and took and unneeded sigh. Turning his head suddenly, he noticed a man leaning on a corner of a wall. Spike grinned knowingly as he recognized the man, more specially vampire, as his older friend.

Well he wasn't a friend but a training partner named Tom he had known a long time ago. Unlike Spike, Tom had never changed his human name to something else, but that didn't mean Tom was any less a fighter. His hair was black and it seemed to Spike that the brown leather jacket was a picture; he'd gone all 80's now. He walked up to the old partner. " What yew doing 'ere mate?" He said with a smirk playing on his face.

Tom shrugged, his brown jacket making noise as he did. " Same as yew, they called me in but it looks like they've already found the vampire for the job. Best dead man wins right poof?"

" Bullocks! You've gotten a few slayers in your day, 'member that chit in eighty-six? 'eard about that."

Tom nodded. " Yeah, but I still think they've picked the best, after all, you've got a slayer over me."

" Hey, I didn't have any training at all when I killed that Slayer in China and yew know it mate. Wasn't my fault they picked me, can't help it if they recognize natural talent when they see it."

The dark haired man shrugged again, scoffing and changing the subject. " So who's the slayer now?"

" Guess I'll find out when me and Dru get there. Supposed to be this big anointed chap working the beat over there but not doing a good enough job to kill the slayer."

Tom reached into his pocket and pulled out a pack of cigarettes as he talked. " Your bringing Dru along?"

" Well, yeah, they said Delacks tomb is in Sunny-what's-it. If Delack can 'elp my baby then that's where we're going."

" Delack… the dark priest?"

"Yeah, should be fun, Dru will want to 'ave a party I'm sure…your welcome to come when we nip this bird."

" I dunno Spike-o, Drus parties aren't really my kind of social calling. But, anyhow, best of luck." He looked down and lighting his cig, saying all this kind of dryly, noticeable to the blond vampire who knew this tosser a little to well.

" Yeah right, Tommy you hoping that I mess this gig up so that, in five years, yew can come over and not only take me place but have another round."

Tom smirked, removing the cigarette from his mouth. " Willy, yew know me to well, but I can still beat yew, your not the best…yew only think yew are. Just make sure yew don't get side tracked and ya won't have to worry about me com'in over."

******

But Spike had gotten side tracked after all. First thing he did when he got there was tested out the new slayer, and then he killed the anointed one because frankly, that little kid was annoying. But then it was all about getting Drusilla better, and to top all of that off, he had to have her old sire Angel to complete the ritual. But that Organ that had landing on him told otherwise and before to long he was sitting in a wheel chair and rolling about like a little toy racecar.

Damn slayer that's she was, but even the slayer and all she had done to him couldn't compare with Angelus when he had come back and what he did with Drusilla. At that point in that year he couldve care less about the slayer; sod the slayer if it meant that his Dru was going to be gotten back by her poof-haired ninny of an Irish prick Angelus.

So he teamed up with the blond slayer for a while to get his chance at getting Dru back, and boy had he had fun hitting Angelus over the head with that crow bar. He could have sworn he heard a bone crack, but maybe that was just wishful thinking.

Spike smirked at the memories as he walked down the streets of Sunnydale, hands in either pocket. God, he hated this town, the only thing keeping him here was her, his blond slayer. But it bothered him, weather or not he should tell her about the 'Order of Malus' or not. It was the reason he had really come to this town in the first place so long ago, and the reason he kept coming back. But he just had to be content with snooping around and following her, that's all his unlife consisted of now. Angel had once told him that ' to kill this girl, you gotta love her.' And if what he was saying was the truth, then Spike could kill her now only too easy.