"You have got to be shitting me," Spike stared at the letter Giles had handed him, his eyes lighting up as he looked at the Watcher, "They don't exist...it was all legend."

       "Apparently not," Giles shook his head, "Carnavon discovered them in his excavations in Hamanaptra, along with a sealed sarchophgus and several other artifacts."

       "Hamanaptra?"  Spike's eyes widened, "They found the City of the Dead?"

       Giles nodded, while Buffy yawned behind him, eyeing the two Englishmen boredly as she sat at the table in the corner of the Watcher's magic shoppe.  "What in the hell are you two getting all excited about?"

       "Only the biggest discovery since King Tutankhamen," Spike replied, and Buffy frowned.

       "Who?"

       "King Tut," Xander told her, "You know, like the Steve Martin song?"

       "Oh! The one with the curse and all the people working in it died or something?"  Buffy asked, and Spike chuckled.

       "Coincidence," Spike told her, "There was no curse..."

       "I wouldn't put it past them," Giles told him, "And everyone did die, you included."

       Buffy and Xander exchanged a look, "You were there?"

       "Do they not pay attention to anything that goes on here?" Spike complained, and Giles shook his head.

       "God knows they never listen to me," He sighed, turning towards Buffy, "Spike was an Egyptologist."

       "A what?"

       "He read pictures with birds or something," Xander told her, and Spike rolled his eyes.

       "Hierglyphics, you sot, and I was on the team that uncovered Tut's tomb.  A month later, complete coincidence, I ran into Peaches and Dru, and became the vampire you see before you today."

       "Cool...Spike was a nerd!"  

       "I was not a bloody nerd!"  Spike glared at Buffy and Xander, who were giggling, and Giles sighed.

       "Anyhow," He interrupted before a fight could break out, again, "Carnavon, as a personal favor, wishes for me to go to the museum and look over what he brought back.  Apparently there is some trouble concerning the books.  And my ancient Egyptian is rusty."

       "Don't know how much I remember," Spike told him, grinning, "But you got my  help if you need it.  Jesus Christ...The book of Amun-Ra...if Peaches didn't ruin my career, I would have killed to be at Hamanptra."

       Giles felt the same way, sighing deeply, "At least we get to participate," He replied, and Buffy glanced at Xander, "Spike's a nerd."

       "I am not a nerd!"

       Spike had never been in the Sunnydale Museum, since things from his past life rarely interested him anymore.  He could remember a time when it was a hard task to drag him out of the British Museum or from his excavations.

       Course, it was probably a bad idea to go out for a drink, or several to celebrate their find, otherwise, he wouldn't have agreed to spend the night with a certain dark-haired beauty and ended up following her like a whipped lap-dog for the rest of his unlife.

       He looked around at the Egyptian display, impressed with the size of it, despite the small town it resided in.  There were several mummies encased behind glass, as well as pieces of stone with hierglypics and cartouches carved into them.  There was even a copy of the Rosetta stone.

       Giles was looking about with the same amount of interest, inwardly jumping up and down like a child.  The book of Amun-Ra and the Book of the Dead was a huge discovery, and he was excited to be able to take part in it.

       "Rupert!  Good of you to come!"  A voice echoed down the wide hallway, and both men looked up to see David Carnavon coming towards them.  He was dressed in tweed as Giles was, and was nearly bald, only a line of wire-gray hair surrounding his head kept him from being completely so. He paused to eye Spike doubtfully.  "Who's this?"

       "Don't let his appearence deceive you," Giles assured him, "This is...a collegue of mine, William..."

       "William Hardenbrook," Spike offered his hand to David, and Giles raised an eyebrow, wondering if that was his real last name, "He is a former Egyptologist, David, and is quite adept at deciphering Ancient Egyptian."

       David took Spike's hand, shaking it briefly, "I swear, you youngsters these days...you get stranger and stranger.  Hardenbrook...I know that name..."

       Spike shrugged, "Great grandfather was at the opening of Tut's tomb," He informed him, "Learned everything I know from him."

       "Ah," David nodded, and turned, gesturing for them to follow as Giles gave Spike a look.

       "Great grandfather?"

       Spike shrugged, "Yeah, why don't I tell him I'm a bleeding vampire?  That'll go over well," He pointed out as they entered a musty, dank room, where three other men were waiting.

       "This is John, Chris and Alex," David introduced them, "They were with me in Hamanptra."

       Spike nodded at them, already losing interest in them as he crossed to a stone sarcophagus and Giles engaged the others in a conversation, keeping an interested eye on the vampire.

       Spike ran his fingers along the single, frowning as he glanced over his shoulder, "He who shall not be named?"

       The others looked towards him, "He was found at the foot of Anubis," Carnavon informed him.

       Spike arched an eyebrow. "Hmm...someone's been a bad boy," He turned back to the sarchophgus, "Sounds like my kinda guy."

       "We can't open it," Chris, the youngest of the group, except for Spike, with short, redhair stepped beside him, "Nothing works, not chisels and not crowbrows.  We don't want to damage it either."

       Spike frowned, "This looks like a lock," He touched a design embedded in the coffin, with five petals and a scarab in the middle, "You didn't find a key?"

       Chris shook his head, and Spike sighed in disappointment, "Too bad.  There might've been a clue as to why there's no spells chiseled on the lid to keep out intruders."

       Chris shrugged, turning back towards the others, who were eyeing Spike with begrudging respect, all deciding he did know his stuff. After several minutes spent investigating the huge stone coffin, Spike was unable to discover anything else of use. He shook his head and turned towards the others.

       "What about the books?"  Spike asked, and David glanced at Giles before delving deeper into the store room.  They all followed him into a room, where he opened up a large safe, removing five canopic jars, a small box and finally, the golden Book of Amun-Ra, and the Book of the Dead, carved in midnight-black obsidian.

       "Look, the same thing as on the sarcophagus," Spike picked up the Book of the Dead, looking over the inscriptions on the front of it, "They're useless without the key.  You can't open them without damaging it."

       Giles picked up the Book of Amun-Ra, nodding when he saw the same five-petal, scarab lock.

       David sighed, "I was hoping you could find a way to open them," He told Giles as Chris started toying with a canopic jar, the head of a falcon decorating it.

       Giles shook his head, setting the golden book down, "What else you got?"

       "There's more out here," David and the others headed out.  Spike glanced around before picking up the small, golden box, looking over the glyphs on it as he followed.  He ran his fingers along it curiously, wondering what it was as they returned to the sarcophagus, then heard a faint whirring sound, and then a click as the top sprung out, unfurling into five petals.

       "I found the key," Spike said, and the others whirled, eyes widening as Spike crossed to the coffin and inserted it into the lock.  He turned it, hearing another click, and grinned as he pocketed the key. He lifted the heavy lid off and set it aside, not noticing the looks that got him.

       "My God...that thing has to weigh four hundred pounds!"  Chris breathed in admiration as Spike peered inside the sarcophagus, "Outside's granite, but this coffin is wooden," He shook his head, "And once again, no spells.  This guy must've really fucked up real good."

       The others moved to his side and peered in as David handed Spike a crowbrow, "You want to do the honors?"

       "Gladly," Spike grinned as he pried the lid loose, and everyone reared back at the smell, which was infinitly worse for the vampire and he covered his nose with his duster sleeve, "Jesus Christ!  No mummy smells this rank!"

       Chris grimaced as Spike lifted the lid and tossed it aside, "It's a little..."

       "Juicy," Spike shook his head, staring down at the half-decomposed mummy, "This thing is more then three thousand years old...it should not look like this!"

       "This is...highly...uh...odd," John muttered, coughing into his hankerchief as Spike leaned in, frowning as he removed a shell of an insect, "Scarab...flesh eaters," He tossed the body at Alex, who inspected it curiously, and Spike paused, looking at the wooden lid again, kneeling to examine the writing, "He was still alive when they put him in here!"

       "How do you know?"  Giles asked and Spike gestured at the lid as the others surrounded him, "This was scratched with fingernails...the blood...it smells strong, but it's been there for several thousand years."

       "What's the writing say?"

       "Death is only the beginning," Spike straightened, wiping his hands on his jeans as he frowned, muttering quietly beneath his breath, "Wonder what he did."

       After several hours, they all decided to break for the night and meet again in the early afternoon to start the translation work on the two books.

       Giles was amused to see the vampire's excited behavior.  He was practically bouncing as they returned to the shop.  In his hand, he clutched a notepad with several pages of notes he had taken during the course of the night.  He also had the petaled key, which in all the excitement, he had forgotten to give back.

       "This has to be the biggest discovery since the Valley of the Kings," He told Giles excitedly, then sighed deeply, "Bloody hell...I would have given my unlife to have been in Hamanptra myself.  Working in the sand...digging up tombs again...now there was a job." Giles raised an eyebrow, smiling at the vampire as he mused, "Working out in the sun, working with your hands...seeing rooms that hadn't been used in thousands of years...it was a rush."

       "Nerd."

       Spike paused as Giles laughed, ducking into the shop, "I AM NOT A NERD!"

       "Spike and Giles are sooo lucky," Willow sighed as she and Buffy went into the magic shoppe the next morning, "I would love to work on something like that."

       "I can't believe Spike was a scientist," Buffy rolled her eyes, "The guy's not exactly a genius."

       "I don't know, Buffy, Spike's pretty smart," Willow told her as they waved at Giles and Anya before heading into the storeroom and opening a door to a set of stairs.  "Do you ever actually talk to him or do you just like to insult him?"

       "Spike and me don't exactly equal intelligent converstation," Buffy reminded her, flipping her long, golden blond hair over her shoulder as they walked up the stairs.  

       When Giles had brought the magic shoppe, he discovered stairs that led up to a wide attic, and when the blond vampire started helping them out, it became too dangerous to stay in his crypt, so he and Giles fixed up the attic into an apartment.  Which Buffy had avoided at all costs, till now.

       Willow knocked on the door, still gushing, "When I talked to Spike on the phone, he told me they found a mummy at the base of a statue of Anubis..."

       "Anub-what?"

       "Anubis, God of the Dead."  Willow told her, "Hamanptra was his sacred city, where they kept the Book of the Dead and the Book of Amun-Ra."

       "Let me guess...Spell books?"

       "Yeah...and they were supposed to be only legend, but Spike said he was actually touching them!  He was so excited!"

       Buffy rolled her eyes, "He is so weird," She said as the vampire opened the door, and he groaned when he saw Buffy.

       "Why is she here?"

       "Ah, Spike, I'm wounded," She gave him a false look of pain, "I thought that we were friends."

       "Yeah, right," Spike stepped out of the doorway and Willow immediately headed to his desk, having been there before several times already while Buffy looked around in surprise.

       It was done in tasteful colors of creme and hunter green, not the gothic red and black she expected from the vampire.  There was also a couch and a easy chair situated in front of a large entertainment center.  There were also several full bookcases, which surprised her.  She didn't think Spike was that big of a reader.

       Buffy gravitated towards a wall where several pictures were hanging, looking over them curiously as Spike helped Willow set up her laptop, the two talking together in hushed tones.

       Buffy glanced at them before lifting an old black and white photo off the wall.  It was a picture of Spike, presumably when he was still alive.  He had his arm around an older man, a wide grin on his face.  His hair was black, and he was wearing a pair of wire-frame glasses.  Despite the lack of color, she could tell he was deeply tanned, a direct opposite of the pale and bleached vampire she knew and loathed.  In the background, she could see the pyramids, and sighed deeply.

       "Problem, Slayer?" Buffy jumped and dropped the photo and Spike's hand shot out to grab it, scowling at her, "Careful!  These are irreplaceable," He hung it back on the wall.  

       "You are so lucky, Spike," She told him, waving at the photo, "You got to go to all those places.  While I'll probably be stuck in California for the rest of my short life."

       Spike chuckled, shaking his head, "Too bad.  If you married me when we were under that spell, I would have taken you all over the place," He told her with a smirk.

       "Excuse me, I'm still trying to repress," Buffy rolled her eyes, "How come you never told me you were some kind of famous Egypt-guy?"

       "Would you really care?"  He answered her question with a question, then shrugged, "I don't talk about my life much.  The Watcher and Witch only know because they needed help with a bit of translating one time."

       Buffy nodded, turning back towards the photos with another sigh, and a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth as he disappeared into his bedroom for a few seconds. He winked at Willow as he passed her, and she smiled, raising an eyebrow as Spike returned to Buffy's side.

       She jumped when she felt something heavy slip over her neck, and she looked down, her eyes widening, "Spike, I can't take this!"

       The gold amulet was tarnished, but there was still a bit of shine to it.  The beads of the chain were made of gold and lapis lazuli.  The amulet itself contained the head of a falcon, two small rubies for eyes.

       "It's Horus," Spike told her, "In Egypt, he was the God of Light and Goodness.  I picked that up at Tut's tomb.  It's supposed to protect the wearer."

       Buffy smiled at him almost shyly, and Spike felt his entire body tense as he stared down at her, cor...she's so bleeding beautiful...

       "Spike, I found it!"  Willow called and he nearly groaned as the moment was ruined and he sighed as he went back towards Willow.

       "Thanks a lot, Red," He muttered sarcastically, and Willow giggled, glancing over her shoulder at Buffy, who was fingering the amulet, a thoughtful expression on her face.

       "Show me the key you told me about." Spike reached into his desk drawer and popped it open for her, and she grinned widely, "Neat!"  She took it and looked over it curiously, "I'm so going with you and Giles later," She told him, and Spike shrugged.

       "Have to ask the Watcher, but I don't think they'll mind."

       "Can I come too?" Buffy asked, and Willow and Spike stared at her in surprise, and she looked offended, "What?  I like Egypt stuff!"

       "I think she just likes the shiny Egypt stuff," Spike muttered to Willow, and she shrugged.

        "Please...don't tell you didn't like robbing graves."

       "I wasn't robbing graves...it was all for historical purposes," Spike defended himself, then chuckled, "Course, didn't stop me from keeping a few goodies like what I gave the Slayer."

       "So, it was all for picking up chicks?"  Willow said softly so that only Spike could hear her, and he growled, looking at her laptop screen.

       "Shut up."

       "That's...gross..." Buffy looked in a glassed room, where the mummy that Spike had 'exhumed' the night before was lying on a table, waiting for processing.  John was working over the mummy, taking pictures and measurements. "He's all slimy."

       "Yeah, we're trying to figure out why," Spike cocked his head.  He was extremely curious about 'He that shall not be named.'

       "You know, last time I saw a mummy, she tried to suck Xander's life force," Buffy informed him and Spike raised an eyebrow.

       "Really?  Too bad she didn't succeed."

       She elbowed him none to gently, and he chuckled, turning as Willow and Giles came up behind them, "What's the news?"

       "They have to send the mummy to LA, where they have better facilities for rebuilding his facial structure to see what he looked like in life."

       "Too bad, I wanted to see that," Spike sighed, "We didn't have computer programs for that when I was on the job."

       "You could always follow him down there," Buffy told him, "I'm sure if they saw your credentials, they'll let you in."

       "Luv, my credentials are a little...dated.  I'd think they noticed the slight difference between my age and the year I graduated college."

       "Good point."

       David Carnahan came out of his office, smiling at the group, "I see you brought some friends.  More Egyptologists?"

       "No, just curious bystanders," Giles smiled a bit sheepishly, "Is that all right?"

       "Of course.  You know I love it when youngsters take an interest in my work.  God knows the last time a teenager came here on their own and not on a fieldtrip."

       "Uh, mate?  They're twenty-four years old," Spike told him, removing the key from his pocket, "Shall we get started then?"

       David didn't answer him as he stared at the amulet around Buffy's neck, "That's a very valuable artifact, young lady.  Where did you get it?"

       Buffy closed her hand over it almost protectively, "Spike gave it to me."

       "Who?"

       "That'll be me," Spike shrugged, "Nickname I picked up in..."

       "College," Giles supplied helpfully, and Spike barely suppressed his chuckle as David raised an eyebrow.

       "My uh...grandfather gave it to me."

       "Ah," David nodded, "If you're ready Mr. Hardenbrook, we could use your help in starting the translations on the books.  You seem to be much more adept at it then any of us."

       Hardenbrook? Buffy mouthed to Willow, who shrugged as they followed Giles and Spike.  

       When they entered the back, Chris looked up, grinning widely, "Hey, Will, come look at this!  We found the canopic jars in it," He gestured at a box, and Spike glanced at the hierglyphics, chuckling.

       "Hope you weren't there when it was opened," He joked, "Otherwise, when that mummy wakes up, you're screwed."

       Chris looked down, "Why?"

       "Curse on it.  'Death will come on swift wings to whomever defiles this chest.'"  The vampire frowned, bending to further inspect them, "Hey, the mummy's described as the undead on this thing."

       "Like a vampire?  I didn't know mummies had fangs," Buffy said, and Spike shook his head.

       "Undead means something different in Egyptian, Slayer.  It means the mummy can awake and all that crap.  It says here that when he is brought back, he will consumate the most appalling of curses."

       "Can't be worse then being engaged to you," Buffy teased, and Chris glanced at him in new admiration.

       "You two are engaged?"

       "Yeah, right...like I could stand Blondie over there for more then five seconds at a time," Spike scoffed, straightening, and Chris laughed.

       "What kind of curse?"  Willow asked, wishing they wouldn't take such things lightly.  Unexpected things were always happening on the hell mouth.  

       "He'll suck the life force out of whoever was there when it was opened, and take their organs for his own," Spike glanced at David impatiently, "Can we get started on the books?"

       "Is he always this eager?"  David asked with a smile, and Buffy snorted.

       "Only when he's beating up on people," She muttered beneath her breath.

       Willow was in academic heaven.  She was surrounded by real-life archaeologists, and one of her best friends was an Egyptologist that the others were looking to as he inserted the key into the Book of the Dead.  

       Giles and David leaned over his shoulders eagerly as Spike flipped the book open.  Willow gasped when she felt her hair whip around her face as a gust of wind sprang up, and Buffy tensed as Spike looked up at David, who rolled his eyes, "The A/C's on the fritz.  It does that all the time," He said, gesturing at a vent in the ceiling, but Buffy and Willow exchanged an unsure look.  

       The gust hadn't come from above.

       "Maybe this isn't such a good idea," Willow muttered, but the others ignored her as Spike ran his fingers along the hierglyphs, beginning to read aloud.

       "Amun kum ra.  Amun kum dei...it speaks of the night and of the day..."

       Willow shuddered, "That's powerful magic," She muttered as Spike continued to read aloud, glancing at Buffy, who was frowning slightly.

       On the medical gurney in the glass room, the mummy stirred, it's rotting flesh shivering as it opened his empty eyes.

       John was oblvious as he spoke into his tape recorder, reading from his notes.  "The mummy is approximity five foot six, but may have been taller when alive..."

       Spike grinned as he scratched a few notes on the pad by his hand, "This is...neat."

       Buffy's head whipped around when they heard a scream, and Spike jumped to his feet, automatically slipping the key into his pocket before following the Slayer as she sprinted out of the office.

       John heard a strange, scuffling sound, and frowned, putting down his tape recorder and turning.  There was no one in the room with him, and he shook his head, chuckling at his skittishness.

       "Looks like I've been spending too much time around the dead," He confided to the mummy.  

       The mummy suddenly shot his hand out and John screamed as the mummy's hand closed around his throat, his eyes widening in horror.  

       Buffy skidded along the floor as she rounded a stack of crates, and Spike was beside her, grabbing her arm to steady her.  He suddenly tensed, looking around, "I think we got company," he muttered just a man in dark cloaks leapt into sight, tattoos covering his face, and Buffy's eyes widened as he rushed them, sword drawn.

       "Shit!"

       The Slayer looked around for a weapon, then grabbed a spear that lay exposed in a crypt and met the warrior head on.  Spike swore beneath his breath, unable to help the Slayer since the attacker was human.

       He looked around, then grabbed his own sword and gritting his teeth against the coming pain.

       Buffy blocked a vicious chop at her head, whirling as she snapped a kick into his head.

       Spike saw another figure jump out behind her and roared, leaping over her head and driving the warrior back, avoiding shocks from his chip by not landing hits on his body, instead concentrating on blocking his hits.

       "What...are...these...people...?"  Buffy grunted out, surprised by the skill of the fighter, but Spike didn't answer her as he yelped when he accidentally sliced his sword down into the arm of his opponent, clutching his head at the explosion of pain.

       Buffy punched hers in the head, then kicked him in the chest and sent him flying into a bunch of crates.  She jumped over Spike before the other one could recover himself, but instead of fighting her, his eyes widened when he saw the amulet around her neck.  "The Protector!"

       "Huh?"  Buffy frowned as Spike straightened and the warrior fell prostrate to the ground, bowing before her.  Spike glanced at her curiously, but she could only shrug.

       The warrior lifted his head, gasping and Buffy and Spike whirled to see what startled him.

       "Um...Spike...your smelly little friend is up," Buffy said, grimacing when she saw the mummy shuffled towards them.

       The warrior leapt to his feet and with a brutal war cry, rushed him.  The mummy simply knocked him aside and the two blonds watched as he crashed into a bunch of boxes.

       "This is of the not good," Buffy muttered, glancing at Spike, who growled.

       "I hate it when the witch is right," He replied, shaking his head.

       He recovered his sword and charged him, letting out a snarl as he cut into the creature's arm.  The mummy stumbled back as his arm fell off, and Spike grinned cockily, "Let's see how you fight with one arm, you stinky bastard!" The mummy glared at him through slitted eyes and Spike's eyes widened as the flesh of his upper arm stretched out, forming into a half-muscled arm, "Oh shit..."

       The mummy grabbed him around the throat and tossed him.  Spike crashed into Buffy and they slid halfway across the room, and they both groaned, dazed by the force at which Spike had slammed into her.

       The mummy came towards them, then grabbed Buffy's long hair and jerked her to her feet just as the others caught up with them, and Willow yelped, "Buffy!"

       The mummy said something to her in ancient Egyptian as Spike climbed back to his feet, and Buffy nearly screamed as he leant towards her, his face almost touching hers.

       "Not while I live!"  Spike jumped the mummy, latching onto his back, and the mummy let go of Buffy to clutch at the vampire riding him.  He gripped Spike by the hair and forcefully dragged him off before sending him flying into a stack of crates.

       The mummy turned back towards Buffy, and her eyes narrowed as she whirled, sending a spinning kick into his face and driving him back.  

       The mummy seemed to growl as he jabbered at her before whirling and sprinting off at an impossible speed, and Buffy rushed in the direction Spike had flown in.

       She winced when she saw several wood splinters in his body, but none of them had been fatal.  She helped him to his feet as the others came towards them, "What in the hell was that?"  David asked, and Spike grunted, glancing at Willow.

       "I think we made a big mistake."

       "You think?!"  Willow shook her head, "Egyptian magic is a big no-no."

       "What did he say to Buffy?"  Giles asked, and Spike looked at the Slayer.

       "Something about...Anck-Su-namun...whoever the hell that is..."

       "His lover," A voice supplied, and Spike and Buffy jumped in surprise, turning to see another black-cloaked figure, who held up his hands as he glared at them, his swarthy skin containing tattoos just beneath his eyes, "You have released a great evil upon the world."

       "Who are you, mate?"  Spike growled, his eyes narrowing and the man bowed his head slightly.

       "Ardeth Bay.  And you?"

       "William Hardenbrook," Spike cocked his head, "You're Med-ja..." His eyes widened in realization, "Oh...fuck...that thing...he's who killed Seti, isn't it?"

       Ardeth Bay nodded, his black eyes looking at everyone else in the room, his angular face tightening before he looked back at Spike, "You were there for Tutankhamen...you were one of those that released that curse on the world."

       "What of it?"  Spike asked testily, "How do we kill it?"

       "Wait...I'm confused," Buffy broke in, "Who is that thing and what in the hell is Med-ja?"

       "'He who shall not be named,' was a high priest in Thebes.  Imohtep killed Seti to gain his mistress, Anck-Su-Namun.  She killed herself and a curse was placed on her.  Imohtep stole her body and took her to Hamanptra to resurrect her," He spat on the ground in disgust, "He disturbed the Book of the Dead's resting place and defiled it by trying to bring her back.  The Med-ja, Seti's personal guard, stopped him in time, and he and his priests were punished... mummified alive."

       "And you're...a Med-ja?"

       Ardeth Bay nodded, "We are an ancient clan, sworn to keep the creature from ever escaping.  Which one of you read from the book?"

       "I did," Spike replied, glaring at him, "And nice job on the whole protecting the creature.  Normal people wouldn't have placed a curse on him.  I would have burned the damned body."

       "We did not think anyone would find Hamanptra," Ardeth Bay replied, his black eyes narrowing as he looked towards David, "But a Med-ja who was exiled led them to it.  And they stole the body from the tomb."

       Chris suddenly came rushing up, his eyes wide, "David!  It's...it's John!  He's...dead."

       "Damn it," Buffy crossed her arms over her chest, "How do we kill it?"

       "With the Book of Amun-Ra.  The spells in it will send his Ka back into the underworld."

       "Well, I think we're good," Spike glanced at Buffy, "We got the book..."

       Ardeth Bay nodded, "You must be the one to send him back since you brought him forth."

       "Let's get it and slay the mummy," Buffy strode past Spike and into the office.  They suddenly heard a loud barrage of swearing and Spike groaned, following her.  

       Where the books had rested, there was only a thin layer of slime, and it stank of the mummy.  "Now what?"  Buffy asked him, and Spike shook his head as Ardeth Bay appeared beside him, glaring at them.

       "The Books?"

       "Um...a slight problem with those, mate..." Spike grinned sheepishly.

       "If he uses them to raise his lost bride, he will be unstoppable!  He will bring the ten plagues of Egypt upon us all!"

       "Well, there is a bright side," Spike removed the key from his pocket, "Ten to one, this is the only one of these."

       Ardeth Bay looked somewhat relieved, "Protect it with your life," He glanced towards Buffy, his eyes landed on the amulet around her neck, and she gasped when he grabbed it, his eyes flashing, "Where did you get this?!"

       "I gave it to her, mate," Spike growled at him, "And you better let her go unless you want to feed my nasty blood habit."

       Ardeth Bay dropped it, looking into Buffy's eyes, "This is a great power you wear around your neck.  It means you are a protecter of mankind.  It will protect you in your fight."

       Buffy nodded slowly as Spike raised an eyebrow, "Slayer, if you don't mind me being an Indian Giver..."

       "Sod off, Spike," She stuck her tongue out at him, and Ardeth Bay sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose wearily.

       "The creature must be stopped, and you must recover the books."

       "We'll get it," Spike assured him, "Besides, doesn't he need the body of Anck-Su-Namun to resurrect her?"

       "Her soul can be entered into another body," Ardeth Bay looked towards Buffy, "And he has chosen one."

       Buffy paled, "Ew!  You mean I'm going to be possessed by that guy's ex-girlfriend?!"

       "Well...it fits the pattern of your usual boyfriends," Spike reminded her, and she glared at him before punching him in the arm.

       "You must also protect the ones who were present during the opening of the crate that held Anck-Su-Namun's final remains."

       "I'm guessing by the screams, he already got John," Spike shook his head, "Who else was there?"

       Willow and Giles inspected John's body, or rather, what was left of it.  It looked like dried-out corn husk.  Chris was shaking his head in denial, while Alex, his eyes narrowed slightly, looked merely annoyed.  David was the only one who had not been present at the opening of the crate

       "I don't want to end up like that," Chris his eyes wide in denial, "That's not a good way to die."

       Ardeth Bay remained silent, watching as Willow and Giles worked, and Buffy and Spike were in the corner, quietly conferring about Slaying options.

       David was staring at Spike, "How were you at Tut's tomb?"

       Spike glanced at him in some annoyance, "I'm a vampire, mate.  Got turned a month after we disturbed it."

       "Cause you were cursed," Willow supplied and Spike almost told her he didn't believe in them before remembering the mummy.  That was definitely a curse. "That's what happens to grave robbers."

       "Red, I love you, but shut up," Spike growled, looking back at Buffy, who was rubbing the amulet around her neck obsessively and leaned towards her, "I'm not going to let him get you, Slayer." She looked up at him, and he grinned, "Can't let anyone else kill you before I get the chance."

       She glared at him, "You wish," She turned towards Ardeth Bay, "Imhotep...how bad is he?"

       "He's the worst thing you can imagine."

       Spike snorted, "Mate, you obviously don't know what a Slayer is."

       "Once Imhotep assimilates their bodies," He gestured at Chris and Alex, the younger man's eyes widening, "He will be at full power.  He's already immortal."

       "Well, let's just hope he doesn't know how to kill a vampire," Giles straightened, shaking his head, "You two...should stay close to us till this is taken care of."  He looked towards Ardeth Bay, frowning slightly.

       Ardeth Bay nodded firmly, "I am at the Protector's service," He said, gesturing at Buffy, who shook her head, glancing at Spike.

       "We should hit the magic shoppe and stock up on weapons," She told him, "They can stay at your place."

       "Like the bloody hell they will!  I'm already a target because I awakened him!"

       "Spike," She gave him her best resolve face, and he rolled his eyes.

       "Whatever.  It's not like I ever have a say in anything I do anyway!"

       This was a strange time Imhotep found himself in.  

       He moved gracelessly along, his decaying flesh flapping on him.  Anck-Su-namun...

       He sighed, closing his eyes as he faded into the shadows as a car passed him.  Her body was faraway, he was sure, and though he could travel anywhere in the world, he had pressing business in Sunnydale.  Namely, the books he held and the large matter of the key to open them.  

       Also, there was the matter of his regeneration.  Two more were present at the opening of the sacred crate that held Anck-Su-namun's remains.

       There were other problems, most dire was the issue of the Protector.  He already made his choice.  He would awaken Anck-Su-Namun's Ka, where she would rest in the Protector's body till he could restore her to her rightful body.  But he would have his love, no matter who had to die to retrieve her Ka from the underworld.

        Chris was getting edgy, and even Alex was starting to look worried as they both eyed Spike and Buffy mistrustfully, "You...you said he was a vampire...is that true?"  Chris asked, and Spike vamped out in response, rolling his amber eyes when he yelped and scrambled away.

       His face returned to normal as he turned towards Buffy, Giles, Willow, David and Ardeth Bay.  "Imhotep, will he come for her?"  He gestured at Buffy, and Ardeth Bay nodded.

       "Yes.  He will come for the key and for the Protector."

       "Slayer," Buffy corrected in irritation, "Slay-er...not protector."

       Ardeth Bay ignored her as he focused on Spike, "I will stay here to guard these two.  The protector should stay close to us."

       "Hey!  There's no way I'm staying here," Buffy complained, and Spike growled.

       "For once in your bleeding life, will you do something that will keep you safe?!"  He snapped at her, and her eyes widened slightly in surprise.

       "He's right, Buffy," Willow told her, "It's not that bad, I spent the night a few times..."  She blushed as Buffy gaped at her, realizing how that sounded, "I mean...after a late-night video session...nothing happened...cause..."

       "Red, you're doing it again," Spike cut in, glancing at Buffy, "It's settled, Slayer.  You're staying here till we get rid of bandage boy."

       Buffy rolled her eyes, "Whatever," She glanced at Giles, "What are you and Wills going to do?"

       "I'm...uh...going to return to the museum and see if...we can find anything of help," He told her, and Buffy looked towards Ardeth Bay worriedly.

       "What about your psycho squad?"

       "They only wished to protect the world from the creature," He told her, "They have my orders to stand down from you."

       "Great, at least we don't have to worry about them," Buffy sighed, rubbing her eyes wearily, and Spike gestured towards David.

       "What about him?"

       "Imhotep will not pursue him.  He has already identified us as the main targets. The same will be for Rupert and Willow."

       Buffy felt relieved she wouldn't have to worry about her friends too much.

       "Right then, Witch, Watcher, be careful out there...if you see him, call us, but don't go after him."

       Willow nodded, "Thanks, Spike," She glanced at her friend before whispering to the vampire, "Take care of her."

       "With my life, pet," He assured her just as quietly, and Giles smiled wanly as he and the witch left.  

       Spike glanced at the others, then pulled out the couch bed, "Slayer, in my bedroom closet, there's sheets.  Get them."

       Buffy bristled at his tone and stalked into it.  When she came out, she flung them at his head, and he chuckled, making the bed.

       Ardeth Bay grabbed the easy chair as the two archaeologists took the sofa bed.  

       Spike went into the bedroom, leaving Buffy to fend for herself, and she followed him angrily, "If you force me to stay here, the least you can do is give me the bed."

       Spike shrugged, "It's yours, then."

       "Thanks," Buffy said in relief and waited for him to leave. However, he just arched an eyebrow as he started to strip, and Buffy glared at him, "No way am I sharing it with you."

       "My apartment, my rules.  Do what you want, Slayer, but there's no way in hell I'm sleeping on the ground.  Don't forget, you're the one who bloody volunteered me for scientist baby-sitting," He reminded her as he removed his shirts, and Buffy tried not to stare at his hard chest.

       Of course she had seen him without his shirt before.  They had been slaying partners for nearly five years now.  They usually bandaged each other's wounds and such, but there some things that still suprised her about Spike.  One was the whole Egypt thing, not to mention his apartment, but nothing could prepare her for...Tigger boxers.

       Spike glared at her when she started to laugh, "What?  It's laundry day," He growled at her, climbing into his huge, four-poster bed.  He faced her, lying on his side as he purred seductively, "Coming to bed, luv?"

       She rolled her eyes, "You soo wish," She told him, kicking her shoe at his head, and he chuckled as he caught it.

       "That wasn't nice, Slayer."

       She shrugged, going to his drawers and grabbing a black t-shirt, then giggled, "All right, Tigger, I can forgive...but Scooby-Doo?"

       "Red gave it to me for Christmas," Spike shrugged, turning his back to her as she changed.

       "What is with you and Willow?  Are you an item or something?"

       "Me and Willow?" It was Spike's turn to laugh as he glanced over his shoulder, and seeing that she had finished, turned back towards her, "Nah...the witch is too involved with that new girl...what was her name?"

       "Alison," Buffy reminded him, "A first for us.  A real, live, normal person.  She's not even a witch.  What if...she wasn't involved?"

       Spike raised an eyebrow, shrugging again as she climbed into bed beside him, "I don't know, maybe.  She's a beautiful girl...sorry...woman.  But I don't love her...well, I do, but not like that.  She's a good friend."

       "You're just saying that because she kept me from staking you so many times," Buffy teased, and Spike rolled his eyes.

       "Well, she is.  You know, you're the only who still avoids me like the plague.  Even the whelp comes over to share a beer or two."

       "Xander comes over?"

       "Well, I got satellite, and the demon girl drives him insane, so he needs to get out."

       "Oh," Buffy shook her head as she pulled the covers up to her chin, and Spike lay on his back, crossing his arms beneath his head.

       "Why is that you never visit?  We've been Slaying together all this time.  It's not like you don't trust me, right?"

       Buffy didn't answer him right away, Don't trust myself...she frowned, shaking her head, "I don't know.  Just was never interested before in seeing a vamp lair."

       "It's an apartment, not a lair, thank you very much, you sheet hog," He tugged on them, but she held them firm.

       "Excuse me, Mr. I-have-no-body-heat, but the person who gets cold gets to have the most sheets."

       "Oh yeah?"

       "Yeah."

       Spike grinned before pressing his feet against her legs and she yelped, jerking them up, "Hey!"  

       "If you can't take the cold, get out of the bed," He teased her, and she growled at him as best as she could.  "That was sad,"  He taunted her, touching her with his cold hands, and she yelped again, grabbing his hands and trying to keep them away from her while his feet found her again.

       They started to wrestle, getting tangled in the sheets in the process as Spike found her weak spot and started to tickle her.  She shrieked and punched him in the stomach.  He grunted and tried to grab her arms with one hand while still tickling her.  

       She wrapped her legs around his, and shoved on him, managing to get him on his back.  She pinned him down, holding his wrists and gloated down at him, and he glared at her, "What's wrong, Spike?  Don't like being beaten by a girl?"

       He pulled one of his wrists free and grabbed the back of her neck, smirking, "Far from it, Buffy."  Before she could register the surprise at hearing him call her by her name, he pulled her down to him and pressed his lips against hers.

       Her body went rigid on top of his as his lips played against hers, gently coaxing while hard and demanding at the same time.  

       She nearly moaned, and her lips parted just a little and his tongue slipped past her lips as his other hand found a hold in her thick hair as she tilted her head a bit to give him better access to her mouth.

       She surprised him by going on the offensive and swept her tongue inside his mouth, and he moaned against her lips, just as the door flew open.

       Buffy nearly screamed as Ardeth Bay barged in and rolled off Spike as the vampire's head flopped back on the pillows with a small snarl, "Nice timing, mate."

       For the first time, he showed a sign of emotion as he grinned, "Oops...sorry," He ducked back out, closing the door behind him as Buffy stared at Spike in shock.  

       He looked towards her, "For a moment there, I thought the guy was a fucking Vulcan."

       Buffy made her fingers spread into a 'V', "Live long and prosper," She said, giggling, and Spike grinned widely, glad that she hadn't freaked or staked him.  Yet.

       She grabbed the sheets and pulled them over her, leaving him exposed, "Night, Spike."

       He growled at her, but the effect was ruined by the grin on his face, "Night, Slayer," He pulled the sheets back over him, and Buffy rolled her eyes as Spike switched off the lights.

       "If I feel any part of your cold body touching me, I will roll your undead ass out of the bed," She warned him.

       Spike chuckled, touching her foot with his and she shoved him over the side and he yelped as he landed on the floor.  He sat up, glaring at her as she smiled brightly, snuggling down with his sheets.  "Night, Spike," She said in a sing-song voice.

       "Night, Slayer," He replied with a sigh.

       David Carnavon glanced around the outside of the museum, watching as Willow and Giles went in, his eyes narrowing slightly.  

       Just as he suspected, soon after, he heard a shuffling sound and could see Imhotep coming towards him.  

       He stepped out into the open, and the mummy paused, staring him down as David bowed, saying in ancient Egyptian, "I serve only you, my Master."

       Imohtep contemplated him for a few moments before saying, "The key?"

       "All in one place, my lord," David smiled, "The girl, the man who freed you and the two who will regenerate you."

       Imhotep nodded, "Show me."

       Buffy sighed in her sleep, snuggling against the cool body next to hers.  She sleepily cracked an eye open, then rolled away from Spike, shaking her head slightly as she drifted back to sleep.

       Ardeth Bay dozed off in the easy chair, despite his wish to stay awake and watch, sure Imhoptep would strike.  

       A thin mist blew in under the door, and circled the room, finding the two men sleeping on the sofa bed.  The mist seemed to stroke Alex's face, and the man frowned in his sleep.

       His eyes shot open when he felt a searing, sucking sensation, almost convinced that Spike was feeding from him.  Instead, he screamed as he was faced with a nightmarish visage.  A face was leering at him through a hazy mist and he was lifted off the bed as Imhotep sucked the life force from him.

       Chris and Ardeth Bay shot awake, and the younger man screamed as he scrambled away from the mist just as Alex's dried out body fell back on the bed, empty eyeholes staring upwards and his mouth twisted in a scream that would never disappear.

       Ardeth Bay drew his sword as the mist materilized into Imhotep, his body nearly fully formed except for spots where stringy, dead muscle showed.  His bronze skin seemed to glow as he looked towards Ardeth Bay, hissing when he saw the Med-ja, and his jaw seemed to unhinge as a flood of locusts emerged from his mouth, and the Med-ja ducked, pulling Chris down with him as they struck the wall behind them.

       Buffy and Spike rushed out of the bedroom, and the Slayer's eyes widened when she saw Alex, "Oh...fuck!"

       Imhotep looked towards them, "Give me the key!"  He ordered Spike in ancient Egyptian, but the vampire's eyes narrowed.

       "Over my dead body," he answered in the mummy's ancient language.

       "That can be arranged."  Imhotep stalked towards them, and Buffy's eyes narrowed as she stepped beside Spike.

       "What's he want?"

       "Chris, you and the key, none of which is he getting," Spike growled at him, then rushed him without warning.  He grabbed Imhotep's arm and attempted to flip him over his shoulder, but the mummy didn't even budge, and actually seemed amused by the vampire's efforts before swinging his arm and sending Spike flying into a bookcase, and it collapsed on top of him.

       "Oh damn," Buffy's eyes widened as Imhotep came towards her,

       "Come with me, and you shall be my bride, Anck-Su-namun..."

       "Listen, buddy, you need to get out and find another girlfriend, cause this...is completely creepy," Buffy took a step back as he took one towards her, "Cause I'm a hell of a lot younger then you...and we have laws about soul possession.  It's a big no-no..."

       She nearly groaned as she was backed against a wall, then glared at him, "All right...that's it!"  She slammed her fist into his face, then leapt up, shooting her legs out against his chest and sending him stumbling back, "Give me your goddamn sword!"  She snapped at Ardeth Bay, ducking as Imhotep lunged at her.  She grabbed the sword that came flying at her, and sliced it down towards Imhotep, who side-stepped it.

       Spike groaned, and Chris kept one eye on the fight as he helped the vampire lift the bookcase.  Spike growled when he saw the fight between Buffy and the mummy, knowing Imhotep was holding back on her, not wanting to harm the body that would soon house Anck-Su-Namun's Ka.  

       "Get him out," He ordered Ardeth Bay, shoving Chris towards him.  He had no intention of allowing the mummy to get him and gain his full powers.

       Buffy swung her fist, then grimaced when it disappeared into the side of his abdomen, where it was still exposed, and it came away with thick slime, "Oh ick!"

       Spike grabbed his desk chair, then brought it down on Imhotep's back, but it didn't even faze the mummy as he whirled towards Spike and the vampire yelped when once again, his throat was trapped by the mummy's hand.  He lifted Spike off the floor, crushing his throat, and Buffy tried Spike's old tatic and jumped on his back.

       To her surprise, the mummy roared in pain, dropping the vampire as he exploded into dust and disappeared beneath the door again.  

       Buffy glanced at Spike, who was rubbing his bruised neck, "Um...when mummy's dust, does that mean he's dead?"

       Ardeth Bay shook his head, "No.  He has the power of the sands and such, and is able to travel great distances in a matter of minutes."

       "Well, he's not going anywhere.  Not while we still have the key," Spike reminded him, "But why did the bastard freak?"

       "Her amulet touched him," Ardeth Bay gestured at Buffy, "Horus is his enemy, since he is of the dark powers."

       "So, this is kinda like...the Egyptian version of a cross," Buffy looked towards Spike, "How many more of these do you got?"

       Spike shook his head, "That was the only one," he looked towards Ardeth Bay, "Take them out of here, it's no longer safe for them."

       "Where should we go?"

       "Giles'," Buffy answered automatically, "You're coming, Spike, and don't give me the daylight excuse.  We'll take your car."

       Spike nodded and headed into the bedroom to change.  As soon as he finished, Buffy took her turn.

       She glanced at Alex's body, "What about him?"

       "Leave it.  We'll take care of it later," Spike told her, making sure the key was secure in his duster before taking her arm automatically, "Let's get going."

       "What else can we expect from this guy?"  Buffy asked Ardeth Bay, and the man sighed, "He can bring the ten plaques down on us all."

       "Ten plagues?"

       "Water as blood, frogs, lice, flies, livestock dying, boils, hail, locusts, eclipses, and the death of all the first born of Egypt," Spike answered, glancing at Buffy, "Willow's going to hate the frog one."

       "I'm a little stuck on the lice, cause there's a major ick factor."

       "You are immune to the plagues, for he will not allow your body to be damaged."

       "Excuse me while I celebrate," Buffy replied, rolling her eyes, "What is with me and dead people?"

       "At least Peaches never shot locusts at your head," Spike reminded her and Buffy groaned, slumping down in her seat.

       "Will, man...you're not going to let that thing get me, right?"

       "Course not, mate.  He'd want to get your first before the Slayer, so it's better if I keep you alive longer," Spike answered, and Chris' eyes widened.

       "What?!"

       Spike glanced at him in the rearview mirror, seeing he had gone pale and rolled his eyes, "Relax, mate.  I'm not going to let him get my woman, and he's going to have to go through her to get to you.  See the connection?" Buffy turned to look at Spike with wide eyes, and he glanced at her, "What?"

       "You just...SPIKE!  LOOK OUT!"

       Spike looked towards the road, then slammed on the brakes, his eyes widening as a body flew over the top of his car.  "Christ almighty!"

       Buffy kicked the door open and ran to the body, her eyes widening as she looked farther down the road, "Hey, Spike...one of the plagues was boils right?"

       "Yeah..."

       "It's started then," Buffy jumped back into the car, "Go, go, go, GO!"

       Spike looked over his shoulder as an army of Sunnydalians came shuffling down the road, their faces and body covered with pustules and boils, "Whoa!"  He stepped on the gas as Ardeth Bay swore beneath his breath and Chris moaned.

       "Giles?!"  Buffy burst into the Watcher's house, the others following.  Spike had a blanket over his head, and he swore when it caught fire and stomped it out on the floor.  

       "GILES!"

       "He's not here, Slayer," Spike swallowed heavily, "He hasn't been here all night."

       "How can you tell?"  Ardeth Bay asked, and Spike sighed.

       "His scent traces are weak.  They're at least a day old."

       "Oh no...he and Willow went to the museum..."

       "The creature will wish to remain close to those familiar to him."

       "Oh...GREAT!"  Spike glared at him, "Perhaps that would have been good to mention last night, hmm?"

       "I am sorry.  I cannot think of everything."

       Buffy rolled her eyes, glancing at Spike, "All right, Mr. Expert.  Now what?"

       Spike turned his gaze on Chris, who paled, "Live bait."

       "He's not acting baity...actually...I think he's wetting himself..." Spike pulled Buffy back down, glancing at Ardeth Bay.

       "You have got to be kidding about this..."

       Ardeth Bay held a bag filled with wriggling kittens, and he shrugged, 'They're guardians of the underworld.  He will fear them."

       "Garfield frightens evil mummy guy...got it," Spike glanced upwards at the eclipsed sun.  It had gone dark in Sunnydale an hour before, and offered the group another small advantage now that Spike could move around.  He just hoped it didn't disappear, or he'd be screwed...or rather, fried to a crispy critter.

       "If he comes here, the museum may be guarded by other mummies...but you can kill them.  You must chop off their heads."

       "Right, got it...mummy head chopping," Buffy hefted her heavy sword, looking towards Spike, then back at Chris, "I really  hope this works."

       "It will," Spike assured her, and he grabbed her hand as they started to sprint towards the museum.

       Chris started to moan again.

       Willow groaned as she started to come too, struggling to remember what had happened.  One minute, she and Giles had been inspecting the sarcophagus where they had found Imhotep, then everything had went dark.

       The back of her head throbbed, and she tried to reach back and touch it, but found her hands were bound.  She forced her eyes open, and found herself staring up at the wide ceiling of the museum and frowned as she glanced down, seeing her feet were tied also.

       "Willow!"  Someone hissed her name quietly, and she rolled to her stomach and saw Giles in the same predictment as she.

       "Did he come back?"  She asked softly, glancing around nervously.

       Giles looked angry, "David...David knocked us out.  However, we got bigger problems."

       "Like what?"  Willow's eyes widened when she heard a shuffling sound, and glanced over her shoulder, and nearly screamed when she saw another mummy.  "He's awakened the others!"

       Giles nodded, holding up his bound hands, "A spell would be nice."

       "Uh...sure..." Willow frowned, "Delic nora ska--"  She gasped when someone grasped her hair, and jerked her upright, and Giles' eyes widened.  

       Imhotep whirled her around to face him, then looked towards David, "Gag this one.  She is a witch."

       "Buffy is so gonna kick your ass," Willow hissed at him before a gag was shoved in her mouth, and Imhotep smiled as soon as David translated for him.  

       "She will come for you, little witch.  She and the boy."

       Willow glanced at Giles as David told them what Imhotep had said, her eyes widening.  They were using them as bait!

       "But first...the matter of the other defiler..."

       "No...nononono," Chris looked around fearfully, practically shaking as he jumped at every small rustle of leaves.  He looked down as a cat meowed and rubbed against his leg, and glared in Ardeth Bay's direction as he picked the animal up and stalked towards the Med-ja's position.

       "Could we not let the only thing standing between me and instant mummification escape?!"  He snapped, and Ardeth Bay took the kitten from him.

       "I have more.  I will not fail and let the creature take you."

       "Yeah?  Well, you weren't supposed to let him escape either.  Look how well that turned out!"

       "That is your fault."

       "Hey!  I didn't believe in curses!"  A grasshopper landed near them and Chris shrieked, "LOCUST!  LOCUST!"

       Ardeth Bay rolled his eyes as he squashed the insect, wondering how in the world people like him had managed to steal the rich historical treasures of his country.  At least the vampire had a measure of backbone.

       Chris looked around for more grasshoppers, and seeing none,  he relaxed a bit, "Now what?"

       "Get away from me and start acting like bait," The Med-ja ordered him, and Chris glanced in the direction he pointed.

       "Couldn't we have done this in a more...populated location?"

       "Everyone in this town are under the creature's power.  Population is not our friend."

       "Well, how is bait supposed to act?"

       "That does it," Ardeth Bay drew his sword, "I'm going to kill you myself."

       "Geez...and your country is a big tourist attraction?"  Chris mumbled, going into the middle of the clearing and looking around.

       "HOW WILL WE KNOW WHEN HE COMES?!"  Chris shouted across to Ardeth Bay, and the Med-ja slapped a hand over his eyes.

       "Americans," He muttered beneath his breath, "Stealth...a simple procedure...but nooo!  They have to shout and rattle their sabers."

       Chris whirled suddenly, hearing a loud rustling sound and his eyes widened as a mummy burst out of the trees, "AAAHHH!"  He spun and started to sprint away from Ardeth Bay, and the Med-ja leapt to his feet.

       "NO!  You idiot!  GET BACK HERE!"

       Chris looked over his shoulder as Ardeth Bay pursued him, then ran into a solid wall of flesh.  He fell back to the ground, eyes widening as he reconigized Imhotep, "NO!  Please!  Don't kill me!"  He pleaded in vain, then screamed as he lifted into the air.

       Ardeth Bay skidded to a stop, and Imhotep looked towards him, fully formed as Chris' shrunken body fell to the ground. The Med-ja's eyes widened as Imhotep began to laugh and rushed him.

       The Med-ja's ceremonial dagger flashed into his side, but it was not felt as Imhotep's hand closed around his throat, and with a roar of triumph, he snapped Ardeth Bay's neck.

       He laughed again as he burst into dust and flew back towards the museum, leaving the Med-ja to stare upwards at the sky, his black eyes wide and unblinking.

       "The place is crawling with mummies," Buffy ducked back down next to Spike, "Do you think Willow and Giles are okay?"

       "They can take care of themselves," Spike assured her, reaching into his bag and removing a long, curved blade and handing it to Buffy.

       "Spike...in the car...you called me your...woman..."

       Spike rolled his eyes, "This isn't really the time for the girl power bit, Slayer," he told her, standing up before Buffy could reply to that.  "Let's go."

       Buffy huffed, glaring after him before following.

       Giles worked his bonds, his eyes narrowed as he watched the other mummies set up an altar for the ceremony, while a fully-regenerated Imhotep watched.

       David looked towards him, and Giles glared at him, "How could you allow this thing to come too life?"

       "It wasn't me," David reminded him, grinning widely, his dark eyes twinkling, "It was most fortunate you brought that young man with you.  Without him, we would have never been able to open the books, or even if we had, I would have to read from them, making my death necessary to prevent him from ever coming to harm.  But now, I may live while the vampire dies."

       "Why?"

       "Your people...have been plundering my country for centuries!  You steal and rob from the graves of the ancients to feed your  own greed!  The vampire is a perfect example.  It is he who released Tut's curse onto himself, although, he did get the better end of the bargain then the others.  It is time to pay."

       "You really think Egypt is going to escape his wrath?"  Giles asked bitingly, "He'll bring the plagues to the entire world!"

       "Well, in a war, there are always casualties," David shrugged, turning towards Imhotep, who was smirking at the Watcher.

       "The Protector is here."

       "Good, then we can begin," David looked down as a locust landed on his foot, "And keep those things out of my museum!"

       "Um...Spike?"  The vampire looked up at Buffy from the window he was trying to jimmy open, "I think we got problems."

       "What kind of problems?"

       "Let's just say Willow's going to have a shit fit."

       Spike followed her gaze, eyes widening slightly when he saw the ground.  It was literally a massive carpet of writhing, slimy frogs.

       "Ew," Spike grimaced, popping the lock on the window, "It could be worse," He said as he held the window open for her, ever chivalrous, "It could have been lice."

       Buffy shuddered, slipping past him, "Thanks for the imagery," She muttered, balancing precariously on the edge of a beam crisscrossing the ceiling.  Spike's eyes narrowed when he saw Willow and Giles, then a faint gleam caught his eye.

       "Slayer...you get Red and the Watcher...we're going to need those books."

       "Spike..."  She was about to protest, then sighed, deciding he was right, "Fine...be careful..."

       Spike grinned, "Ah, Slayer...I think you care..."

       "I'm just hoping I can get some more cool jewelry from you," Buffy smiled almost self-consciously, and Spike chuckled softly before grabbing the back of her head and kissing her deeply.

       Her eyes were wide as he pulled away, and he grabbed a rope connected to a set of crates down below, "I always wanted to do this," He said with a wicked grin as he sliced the rope and went sailing over the wide open space.

       Buffy watched him go, a small smile on her face before she pulled herself together, and used another rope to clamber down as Spike caught the attention of the others.

       "Mummy!  I'm home!"  He crowed, and Buffy nearly groaned at his bad pun.  

       Imhotep's eyes shot upwards, and they narrowed, seeing Spike dangling above them, a cocky smirk on his face.  "Kill him!"

       "Oops," Spike watched as a group of mummy's crawled up the walls like spiders, "Now I'm fucked..." He dropped down to the ground next to the books and grabbed the Book of Amun-Ra.  He glanced at the hierglyphics on the front, then grinned widely.

       "Keetash naraba Rasheem ooloo kashka!"  Spike looked to his side when he heard boxes smashing, swearing when he saw more mummies emerging from the crates, "Oops...Spikey, old boy...time to brush up on your Egyptian."

       Meanwhile, Buffy dropped silently next to Willow and Giles, and both looked towards her, eyes widening.  Buffy undid Willow's gag, shushing her before the redhead could say anything.  "Let's just get you out before Spike's head becomes detachable," She said softly as she tried to unknot the ropes holding them.

       She looked down as a beetle bumped against her boot, and then her eyes widened as it wormed it's way into the leather, then felt it bite her, "What the--"  She suddenly screamed when she felt it start crawling inside her leg and jumped to her feet.

       She tore at her shirt, eyes widening when she saw the bulge moving across her abdomen and screamed again at the white-hot flare of pain.

       Someone suddenly grabbed her shoulder, and she looked up into Imhotep's face, eyes widening as he pulled out a curved dagger.  He dug it into her shoulder, and she watched in horror as the beetle went flying out of her skin.

       Spike suddenly went rushing by with golden book in hand, six mummies hot on his trail and he looked over his shoulder, swearing beneath his breath as he did an about-face and slammed the heavy volume against the mummy's head, forcing him to let go of Buffy before dashing off again as the mummies rounded the corner, weapons raised above their heads.

       Buffy ducked Imhotep, ripping apart Willow and Giles' bonds, "Run!"  She yelled at them, then whirled towards the mummy, eyes narrowing as she took a running leap at him, planting both feet against his chest and using her momentum to flip over backwards, her feet slamming into his chin before she landed.

       She grabbed the knife Spike had given out of her boot and whirled, slicing it into his neck.  "HA!  How do you like that?!"

       He pulled it out, the wound immediately closing up.  "Oops..."

       "Slayer!  Move a little faster with the slicing-dicing!"  Spike yelled as he passed by again, glad he didn't get winded.  There were advantages to not breathing, except when the people trying to kill you were the same way.

       Giles and Willow watched him go past, and then the other mummies following him, "Is he just running in circles?!"

       "Nope," Willow said as he sprinted back the way he came, "That looks like a straight line to me."

       Buffy yelped as Imhotep took a swipe at her, and she was without a weapon and took to following the vampire, "SPIKE!  DO SOMETHING!"

       "Like what?  Yell at them?!"

       "You're the big Egypt guy!"  Buffy pulled in beside him, glancing over her shoulder, then paused as Spike did the same thing, "Where did they go?"

       Spike looked back down at the book, "Um...Hootash..."

       "Stop reading, you moron!"  Buffy grabbed it out of his hand, "That's what got us in this mess in the first place!"

       "Give me the bloody book, Slayer!"  He snapped at her, "I have to finish the fucking inscript--oh shit."

       "What?"  Buffy followed his gaze and saw a whole swarm of scarabs coming at them, "Where the fuck did they come from?!"

       Spike didn't answer her as he grabbed her and swung her onto his back and gripped a rope, pulling himself up it, his face tightening as his muscles strained.  He had done this before, and the Slayer wasn't that heavy, but the book had to be adding about a hundred pounds.

       The beetles scurried beneath them, then stopped, waiting for them.  "Now that's unnerving."

       "You think that's bad?  Try getting one crawling in your skin," Buffy told him, tucking the book to her chest as she shimmied up the rope, and Spike sighed in relief, following her.  They pulled themselves onto one of the many beams high above the floor, "Hey, Slayer...know when you asked me where those mummies went," He pointed past her shoulder before grabbing the book, "They're back."

       Buffy whirled as Spike leapt across open space to land on another beam, wavering for a few seconds before righting himself and sprinting along the beam with cat-like grace and quickness.

       Buffy took a minute to admire the way his duster flapped behind him like a black cape, "I so want that jacket," She muttered before taking the same leap in the opposite direction, the two blonds splitting up to divide the mummies' attention.

       Imhotep watched from below, only mildly annoyed as the pair darted and leapt, sometimes crossing paths long enough to exchange the weight of the golden book before taking off again.  

       Buffy was without weapon, so she tried to keep ahead of them with speed alone, and at times, Spike would leap in front of one her pursuers, his curved knife flashing as it decapitated the mummy and sent the body hurtling to the ground.  

       Surprisingly, he did nothing to his.  He seemed inclined to protect the human.

       But he had enough of watching.  Anck-Su-Namun was waiting for him and what better body to reside in then the tiny warrior who took great leaps with seemingly ease?

       Actually, it wasn't easy for Buffy.  She didn't have the option of not breathing, and she was started to get winded.  She wouldn't be able to keep this up much longer.

       Suddenly, the mummies that were after her suddenly veered off, rushing towards Spike, whose eyes widened, "Slayer!  The book!  What's the last bloody symbol!?"

       "Ahmenophus!"

       He stared at her in shock, wondering how in the hell she knew that, "Hootash ahmenph-"  Before he could finish the spell, a mummy leapt at him, and Buffy screamed as they connected, sending the vampire flying off the beam and she watched as he crashed into a stack of crates, the heavy boxes falling in on him, "SPIKE!"

       Imhotep glanced towards his side as more of his dead warriors shoved Willow and Giles towards him, and he gripped the redhead around the neck, bellowing loudly, "Protector!  Come down or they will die!"

       Buffy didn't understand a word he said, but the message was very clear as Willow's bluish-green eyes went wide, her lips parting in an 'o' of terror, even through she tried to shake her head at Buffy.

       Tears poured down her face as she stared down at them, Spike...she wanted to scream and just let her body fall with his, to lay broken with him.  He's gone...Willow's still here...Giles...you can't let them die...she steeled herself, calling on all her willpower, bottling up the grief and shoving it aside.  She would mourn later, if there was a later.

       There was no way she'd let her best friend die, and she glared at Imhotep as she shimmied down a rope, dropping the last ten feet into a crouch, her eyes narrowed.  "Let her go."

       Imhotep only cocked his head, and Buffy straightened, walking towards him, her body tense.  Imhotep admired the barely contained rage in her and the barely controlled power of her body.  She was wary of him, as she should be, and moved with the attentiveness and careful grace of a cat.

       "Your little mummy bastards killed my friend," She hissed at him, "I will make sure you pay for that."

       Imhotep cocked his head as David translated, and he sneered at her, "Not likely." He shoved Willow towards Giles, then grabbed Buffy around the neck instead, his hand closing on the amulet.  He ignored the pain as he jerked it from her body and flung it deep into the warehouse, where it landed with a metal clink.

       "Time to make you mine, Protector..." He pulled her towards the altar, and Buffy struggled, glaring at him.

       "Hey, dumbass...it'll be kinda hard to that without the key...and I got news for you.  You killed Spike."

       Imhotep frowned, glancing at David, "What does she mean?"

       "Explain yourself, Protector!"  David barked her, and Buffy started to laugh.

       "You people are completely clueless.  You see, when a vampire is killed, he turns to dust.  That includes his clothes, his jewelry...anything he might have had in his pockets..."

       Imhotep waited for a translation as David paled, "Oh...shit."

       The man whirled, trying to run, and Imhotep's eyes narrowed.  He roared, a sound that deafened the mortals, making them clap their hands over their ears as it echoed against the museum walls.  

       Buffy paled as a swarm of scarabs descended on the fleeing archaeologist, watching in sickened fascination as they stripped him of his flesh in a matter of minutes, the land version of piranas.

       Imhotep grabbed Buffy around the throat, and with a roar of rage shook her, guessing the key was lost. He threw her, and her small body crashed against the altar, and she felt her arm snap against it and barely contained her scream of pain.

       "Anck-Su-Namun!"  He screamed, stalking towards Buffy as his mummies surrounded them.

       "Face it, buddy, she's dead!"  Buffy snapped a kick into his forehead, her eyes wide.  There was no way to beat him.  With Spike's death, they had both been utterly screwed.  

       Spike...oh god...I'm so sorry...I shouldn't have waited...I love you...tears stung her eyes as Imhotep clutched her hair, and she looked up at him, their eyes mirroring each other's pain.  He hesistated a brief moment, seeing the depths at which she felt for the vampire, remembering his own pain when his love died.  

       "KEETASH NARABA RASHEEM OOLOO KASHKA HOOTASH AHMENOPHUS!

       Buffy's eyes widened as Imhotep dropped her in surprise, whirling around.

       Spike lifted his head defiantly, though his body was covered in blood and wood splinters, his forehead split open but undusty.  The mummies all froze, awaiting the orders of their new master, "Bring me the book!" A mummy grabbed the golden book from where Buffy had dropped it, and Spike glanced towards the other, "Kill Imhotep!  Kill him!"

       They wouldn't be able to do it, but they could keep him distracted.  Spike grabbed the book and bolted with it, with Imhotep pursuing him, his former minions rushing him in turn.

       Buffy stumbled to her feet, her heart pratically singing when she saw he was alive.  Not for long, if he catches him...

       Buffy forced her body to the limits, ignoring all her aches and pains as she rushed around the opposite side of the crates, her foot hitting something and sending it skittering in front of her.

       She picked up the amulet, her eyes narrowing as she slipped it around her head.  She didn't see the ruby eyes start to glow as she went after Spike, nearly crashing into him as he rounded the boxes.

       He slipped the key into the book, his eyes quickly scanning the inscribtions.

       "Katoosh ailoos..."  He started to read, his eyes narrowing, "Alecbas nictos..."  His eyes suddenly widened as his head shot up when he felt a spear slam into his back, staring straight at Buffy as he whispered her name.

       She screamed as he exploded into dust, and Imhotep looked at her in triumph, "SPIKE!  OH GOD!"  She dropped to the ground, tears pouring down her face as she tried to gather the dust together, "NO!  GODDAMN YOU!  YOU CAN'T LEAVE ME!"

       Imhotep picked up the book, his face triumphant as he began to read, and Buffy's eyes narrowed, even as hot tears poured forth from them.  "You son of a BITCH!" She snarled, flinging herself at him, and clawing at his eyes with her fingers, trying to gouge the stolen organs out.

       Imhotep flung her aside, and she crashed into the wall as he stalked towards her, still reading from the book.  Buffy closed her hand around the amulet, closing her eyes, Spike...

       She suddenly jolted in shock as a vibration echoed through her entire body, her blood seeming to pound against her veins.  "Koolic nomas..."  Imhotep's head shut up as she opened her eyes, the red orbs glittering dangerously, "Liko nebis tonak!"

       She jumped to her feet, circling him like a hawk, "You've defiled the sacred volumes!"  She hissed at him in Egyptian, "You have taken the lifes of innocents...you will pay with yours!"

       Imhotep hissed when her hand closed on his strong forearm, and his flesh seemed to detoriate just with her touch, the skin rippling as his body tried to reject his recent regeneration.

       She knocked the book from his hands, her eyes narrowed as she recited from memory, "Kadeesh mal!  Kadeesh mal!  Pared oos!  Pared oos!"

       Imhotep froze, staring into the eyes of the Protector, warrior of Horus as the sound of wheels filled the air around them.  He whirled as a vortex opened up behind him, a wispy chariot on a crash course with him. It crashed through his body, and then returned to the vortex and he screamed when his Ka was wrenched from his body and taken back to the underworld.

       "One heart for another," Buffy's hand shot out, slamming into his chest and clutching around the organ.  She crushed it with unnatural strength as Imhotep screamed in mortal pain, collapsing to his knees as the organ popped in her hand like a grape.

       She wrenched her hand loose, holding the heart aloft above her, "Fakish!  Justice!"

       Bloody gurgled out of his mouth as he stared up at her with wide eyes before collapsing at her feet.  The vortex continued to swirl behind them as the amulet's eyes stopped glowing and she fell to her hands and knees, gasping as the power was drained from her.

       She lifted her head, then screamed in rage as she clawed at Imhotep's body, nails raking down his dead flesh as she mourned for her love, known to late.  

       For every time she would not feel his lips on hers again, she mutilated him, sobbing screams being wrenched from her small frame as she attacked him with hate and rage, tears flooding from her eyes.

       Her true mate was dead...the other half of her soul, the mummy having taken him from her and she visited her wrath upon Imhotep's body till Giles and Willow forcefully dragged her off, hard put to hold the screaming and struggling Slayer, "HE KILLED HIM!  HE KILLED SPIKE!"  

       Giles closed his eyes, his chest clenching at his Slayer's pain, his little girl, who he loved best in the world.

       Buffy finally dissolved into tears, curling inward on herself as she cried, every part of her being clamoured in misery.  He didn't even know I loved him...

       And Horus looked down on his warrior with pity, and manipulated fate.

       Spike groaned loudly, trying to still the sounds of the ragtime band playing in his head as he sat up.  He frowned, looking around in confusion.  What in the hell happened?  

       The last thing her remembered was staring at the Slayer, whispering her name before...oh Fuck!

       He stood shakily on his feet, the sounds of crying and screaming breaking through the fog in his head and he stumbled towards the sound.  He saw Buffy, lying on the ground, choked sobs wracking her entire body.

       "All this for me?"  He joked weakly, then collapsed on his knees with a wince.   Whatever happened to bring him back, they didn't spare him the aches and pains.

        Giles and Willow' s heads shot towards them, and the witch screamed herself, "He's dead!"

       "So glad you noticed," Spike slumped against a crate, closing his eyes as he fought to stay conscious.  

       He felt tentative hands on him, and he opened one eye to smile wanly as Buffy stared at him in shock, her eyes still filled with tears.  "Spike...?"

       "Yeah, luv...I'm all here in the blue and purple flesh..." He winced as she threw her arms around his neck, then chuckled tiredly as he wrapped one arm around her waist, pulling her onto his lap.  She snuggled her face against his neck, and he could feel the hot sting of her tears as he kissed the top of her head, holding her tighter as he closed his eyes.  "...love you, Slayer..." he muttered beneath his breath, and Buffy lifted her head long enough to kiss him softly, then dropped her head on his chest, both too tired and bruised to do anything more.  

       "Sleep good?"  She muttered beneath her breath, and Spike smiled as he dropped his head back against the crate, glancing at Willow and Giles, then at Imhotep's body.  

       "What got him?"

       "That'll be Buffy in the throes of emotional grief," Giles told him, glaring at him, "And if you hurt her, I'll make sure you come out looking like that too!"

       "If I hurt her, that'll be the day I stake myself," Spike murmured sleepily, then opened his eyes again with a jerk, "The mummies?"

       "They dropped when you died," Willow told him, "Or didn't die...what the hell happened...?"

       Spike shrugged with a wince, and Buffy lifted her head slightly, "Stop moving," she ordered quietly, and Spike chuckled, kissing her forehead before closing his eyes again.

       "Don't know, Red...but I'm one lucky prick."

       You are at that, Giles sighed, glancing towards Willow, indicating they should leave, and she threw one last look at her two best friends, both asleep, smiling as she followed the Watcher.

       "Spike?"

       "Yeah, Slayer?"

       "Remember that honeymoon you mentioned?  Can we skip over Egypt?"

       "Just what I was thinking, pet."

What has a beginning must end,

But love is Eternal.

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