All characters belong to Joss Whedon, The WB Network, and 20th Century Fox. I am just a fan.

As they pulled into the driveway, all Buffy could do was stare in awe.

“You live here?” She asked in astonishment.

It was a mansion. Huge. The biggest house Buffy had ever seen.

“Yep,” Ben replied, smugly.

“Damn, I can see, now, why you’d wanna stay.”

Spike rolled his eyes.

“It’s not that big...I mean, if you take off about 3 stories...”

“Anyway,” Buffy interrupted. “Back to the real reason why we’re here. Where’s Dawn?”

“Glory has her in there...second floor, I believe.”

“Alright, gimme a sec...I have to make a call.”

Buffy took out her cell phone and called her friends, giving them directions and telling them about Ben and Glory. When she was done, she took off her jacket and threw it in the backseat...she didn’t want it wearing her down.

“K, what are we waiting for?”

The three of them slowly approached the house, Ben leading the way.

“Do you think Dawn’s alright?” Spike asked Buffy.

She nodded.

“This way,” Ben whispered.

He led them into the house and up a flight of stairs. When they reached the top, Buffy suddenly started becoming nervous. She tapped Ben on the shoulder.

“W-What’s the plan?” she asked him. “I mean we do have a plan, right? ‘Cause I don’t have any weapons and --”

“Chill out, Buffy. I have it all under control,” Ben told her, calmly.

Spike looked uncertain and pulled Buffy aside.

“Are you sure about this guy, Slayer? He seems a little shady to me.”

Buffy removed herself from Spike’s grasp.

“I don’t have time for this, Spike. I trust him, alright? If you’re so unsure, then why are you still here? No one’s forcing you to stay.”

They stood there for a moment in silence.

“You guys coming, or what?” Ben called from down the hall.

Buffy sighed.

“Look,” she said to Spike. “Since you’re probably only doing this to impress me, then boy, I’m wowed, but you should go, OK? Just leave.”

She turned and began to walk away, following Ben.

Spike watched her, until she rounded a corner and he couldn’t see her anymore. He took a deep breath. If the Slayer didn’t want him there, then there was no point in staying, right?

“Bloody hell...” he mumbled under his breath. “Buffy, wait up!”

He took off after her, but as he turned the corner, all he saw was a fist in his face. Then everything went black.

It seemed as if millenniums had gone by before Spike finally regained consciousness. He slowly opened his eyes, only to be welcomed with more darkness. He tried to move, but to his dismay, couldn’t. He was...chained up?

“Bloody hell!” He yelled, desperately trying to break free from the chains.

He pulled his wrists as hard as he could, but it was no use. He sighed and leaned his head against the cement wall. Then, suddenly, he heard a noise from across the room.

“Who’s there?”

He strained to see through the darkness. As his eyes adjusted, he made out a figure with...long blonde hair.

“Buffy!” He called out to her, in a loud whisper.

She groaned and lifted her head.

“S-Spike? Where are you? I can’t see anything...”

“I’m across from you.”

He rattled his chains, figuring she wouldn’t be able to see him. It didn’t help that he was wearing all black.

“What happened?” She asked.

“I was sorta hopin’ you could tell me.”

He heard Buffy trying to escape from her shackles.

“Damnit!” she shouted, realizing she couldn’t break free. “When I finally get out of here, that bitch is gonna have one cranky Slayer on her hands.”

“Are you sure it was Glory who did this?”

“Her or one of her minions.”

“What about that Ben guy?”

Suddenly they heard the door creak open.

“You called?” Buffy immediately recognized his voice.

“Ben! I’m over here...I-I’m chained up.”

“So I noticed.”

He turned his attention over to Spike and began to approach him.

“You better as hell get me outta these chains, you sod,” Spike demanded, struggling to get loose.

Spike was answered with a punch to his face. He felt blood trickle down his lip and into his mouth.

“Name calling’s not nice,” Ben told him, caustically. Buffy’s heart sunk.

“You...” she whispered, not believing how gullible she was. “You tricked us.”

“Ding, ding, ding. We have a winner. But, don’t get all excited yet, the game is just beginning.”

Ben looked back at Spike and grinned.

“Your boyfriend, here, gets to make a choice.” Spike just looked at him, pretty sure he wasn’t going to like this game one bit.

“What do you mean, a choice?” Buffy asked.

Ben ignored her, focusing his attention on Spike.

“Here’s the deal, Bleach Boy, you get to choose between yourself or Buffy. I mean, you know how Sis is...gets a little antsy when she’s weak. She’s gonna need something to hold her over, until the ritual is set in motion...and that won’t be ‘til morning.”

Buffy looked on in disbelief. This was so not happening. Who would of thought that her fate would ever lie in Spike’s hands?

Spike glared at Ben, letting the words sink in. Him or the Slayer. Damn. If he would’ve gotten asked this, oh, say a few months ago, then it would have been easy. But things were different now. Somewhere along the way he fell in love with the sodding Slayer and now he had to choose who’s life was more important. His or hers. But, the real question was, could he live without her? Could he go to sleep each day, knowing that he had let her die, for the sake of his own pathetic life? The answer was no. He took one last glance at Buffy and voiced his decision.

“Alright, mate,” he said. “Take me and let’s get this bloody over with.”

Buffy’s breath caught in her throat. She was in shock. Did he really just give up his own life for hers? Did he really love her that much? All she knew is that she couldn’t let him go through with this. No matter how much she disliked him, it just wasn’t right.

“Wait,” Buffy called out. “I’m the one Glory wants. This is my fight. Spike has nothing to do with this.”

Ben turned to Buffy and smiled.

“Do you realize how cute you two sound? I mean, really, this would make an excellent soap opera. Although, hmm...lover boy getting his brains sucked out. That could lose some ratings. But, I guess we’ll just have to find out, now won’t we?”

Buffy started to panic. Now what?

Spike tensed as Ben began to unlock him from his chains. Then, suddenly, he had an idea. As Ben freed one of his wrists, Spike felt his jacket for his pocket knife. Still there. If he was gonna make his move, it had to be now. In one swift gesture, Spike grabbed the knife out of his pocket and stabbed Ben in the gut, just as he released his other wrist. Knowing, it would only buy him time because Ben was a god, Spike quickly picked up the key from the cement floor and rushed over to Buffy.

"I’m gonna get us out of here, love,” he told her, as he unlocked her chains.

“You fool!” Ben shouted, as he stood up.

He placed his hand over the stab wound and when he removed it, it was gone. Then, he bolted across the room and grabbed Buffy by the hair.

“Get off me, you son-of-a-bitch!” she shrieked.

"Sorry, sweet cheeks, you lose.”

“Not in my game.”

With that, she turned around and kneed him the groin as hard as she could. He staggered over in pain for a brief moment, but was quickly back on his feet.

“C’mon!” Spike shouted, as he yanked Buffy out the door.

“Wait, what about Dawn? I’m not leaving without her!”

“Buffy, we don’t have time! We’ll...have to come back for her in the morning. That’s when they’re doing the ritual.”

Buffy looked behind her and saw Ben charging toward them.

“OK, let’s go.”

With that, she grabbed Spike by the arm and they ran down the hall, with Ben close at their heels.

“W-Which way?” Buffy asked when they reached a crossroads.

Suddenly, Ben came up from behind them and grabbed Spike by the collar.

“You dropped this.”

He pulled out Spike’s pocket knife and stabbed him in the side.

Hard.

“Bloody hell!” he shouted as he doubled over.

Ben threw him to the ground and advanced towards Buffy, who was wide-eyed with horror. She punched him, but he didn’t even flinch. She started to back away.

“Think you can beat me? Well, think again. I’m immortal.”

“Oh yeah? And I’m in a really...”

She punched him hard in the face.

“...bad...”

She kicked him hard in the stomach.

“...mood!”

With that she grabbed his arm, twisted it, and flung him through a glass window that led into another room. She then, rushed over to Spike, who was attempting to stand up.

“Oh, God...you lost a lot of blood. Come on, let’s get you out of here.”

She helped him fully stand, wrapped his arm around her shoulders, and proceeded down the hall, where she spotted and exit.

“I can walk...on my own, Slayer...I don’t need...your bloody help,” Spike mumbled out, losing consciousness.

Buffy ignored him and looked over her shoulder. Ben wasn’t following them. She knew he wasn’t dead, or even hurt for that matter, so they had to make a quick break. When they finally reached the door, Buffy pushed it open and headed out into the night. Then she stopped.

“Where’s my car?"

Change of Heart: Part IV
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