The gang piled into Spike and Buffy's room. Giles stood, notepad in hand in the center of the room. He glanced at Andrew who held the two books close to his chest looking around nervously. Giles cleared his throat. "Let's start from the beginning. It states 'A man he will become' which clearly means the vampire with the soul will become human."

Giles noticed Spike was standing against the wall with his head down. He never recalled Spike seeming this distracted.

Giles continued. "A life he will create." He paused. "This may mean, Spike creating an offspring or..."

Spike shot his head up, his face hard. "We get that part, Rupert!"

Giles continued. "Four moons he will die once more, we can only assume means... death," Giles said, almost in a whisper.

Robin stood up. "Hold up. Why would Spike be granted a new beginning as a human, only to have it taken away?" he asked as he and Spike made eye contact.

Spike pressed his lips together "Because, I don't deserve it," he whispered.

Robin watched him, sympathetically. There was a moment of silence. It was broken by the door opening.

"Hey kiddies," Lorne said. "Woah, I can slice the tension in here with a Ginsu!" All eyes turned to Lorne.

Angel and Gunn stood behind him. Angel stepped in walking ahead of Lorne. Faith approached him. "Angel, what more do you remember about this?" Faith asked him.

"The vampire with a soul will play a pivotal roll in the apocalypse," Angel said, looking at Spike.

Gunn stepped in. He winced in pain as he stood next to Angel. "Hold on. I thought the Shanshu would wipe their past clean," Gunn informed him. All eyes turned on Gunn. They hadn't heard that part.

"That's one version of it," Angel told them.

He looked at Spike again, then to Willow. "Willow, what more did you guys find?"

Willow pulled out her notepad. She anxiously flipped the pages. "Well, all of the rest, after the part we all know, is just nonsense. It talks about dancing cows and words we've never heard of. I don't know how much of this we can take seriously." Willow scanned the room. She re-read some of the gibberish.

"Dancing cows play milk games with carcus fiends and foiters."

Robin squinted at her. "Foiters? Well, I know that doesn't mean anything."

"Is all of it like that? Giles asked.

Willow nodded, showing him her notes.

An anxious Lorne stepped in next to Gunn. "Although I really would love to listen to 'Nursery Rhymes' for the crazies, I need Spike to come with me." He moved closer to Spike. "What do ya say blondy bear? Can I see you alone? For a few?" Lorne asked him.

"Sure. I'm all yours."

Spike headed for the door. He touched Buffy's hand on his way out. Lorne followed him. He turned to Buffy. "I'll have him back to you in no time."

"I think that's so cool" Andrew added.

Dawn, annoyed, turned to him. "What?"

Andrew sunk down into his chair, realizing no one knew what he was talking about. "Lorne, singing for him reveals your fate... or whatever. It's cool."

Spike waited for Lorne in the hall. Lorne motioned for Spike to follow him. "This way," Lorne said. Spike followed him until they came to an empty room.

"Listen. I know all of this, well, sucks, but I may be able to help."

Spike stared at him, quiet.

"Sing for me, mockingbird."

Spike looked at him expressionless. Lorne was nervous he didn't understand. "I can tell you what I see. But you'll have to sing." Lorne reminded him.

Spike looked down and cleared his throat. "Okay, here it goes." Spike began to sing the first few lines of Yellow Submarine. Lorne stared at him with wide eyes. He looked horrified. Spike glanced back up at him, then his eyes opened wider.

"What? It's the first song I can think of!" Spike defended.

Lorne looked nervously around. "Uh, Spikey. I uh... I don't know what to say."

"Lorne. Spill it!" he demanded.

"I saw a lot, Beetlemania. I think there are some things you should know."

Spike sat on the bed, still looking down.

Lorne crouched down in front of him. "The picture was jumbled. It was like looking into a magic eightball. It kept changing. I saw... death, yes. But I saw life too. Your baby. Yours and... Buffy's."

Spike's eyes shot up at him.

"Listen, Spike. I'm not sure of this Shanshu mumbo-jumbo. If ya ask me, prophecies are as solid as J-Lo's relationships." He saw Spike crack a small smile. A very small smile.

Lorne continued. "The future kept changing. It looked like someone was controlling you like a puppet. Any idea what that could mean?" Lorne asked him.

Spike was confused. Puppet? He had no clue what that meant. "Unless it means... I'm like a puppet to the higher ups?" Spike asked.

Lorne shook his head."No. It was like, you are being manipulated somehow."

He sat next to Spike. "Look, whatever it means. I think you may have a chance. I don't think you're death is written in stone," Lorne said

"Buy you saw death. Mine, right?" Spike questioned him.

"Well, kid. I did. But my gooey insides were telling me that something wasn't right about it, not that anything would be right about... I mean, it looked like window dressing. "

"Our baby, huh?" Spike smiled.

Lorne glanced ahead. "See, here's the kicker. I saw your death, yet I saw you holding your baby. Buffy was there. You guys were... unless Buffy magically has your baby in the next two days..."

A spark of hope filled Spike's heart. What Lorne was saying was confusing. It contradicted itself, but that's what Lorne was implying. The outcome kept changing. If something or someone was pulling his strings, he'd be the first one to find out.

Before his two days were up.

His heart raced when he thought of their baby. He never dreamed, in million years. "Thanks Lorne. This was very helpful."

They walked out together back to his room. Before they reached the door Lorne grabbed Spike's shoulder.

"Listen Spike, I can't really say I've been there, cus I haven't, and I can't say that I know what you're going through cus I don't. But what I do know is that you don't give yourself enough credit," Lorne told him.

Spike smiled at him and walked through the door.

The gang remained in the room, talking over each other. As soon as they walked in, the room was silent.

"No, please. Don't stop us from your verbalfest," Lorne joked. Buffy looked up.

Spike eyed the room then Buffy. "Can I be alone with Buffy?"

Everyone piled out the door. Giles passed Spike and placed his hand on his shoulder. Spike turned to him, surprised. Giles didn't say anything. He turned and left.

Angel was left in the room. He looked over at Spike. "I want you two to know... I'll do anything to stop it. I won't let you..."

Buffy rose and neared Angel. She hugged him tight. He wrapped his arms around her. He looked down at her, then to Spike.

"Thanks Angel," Buffy told him. Angel released her, then turned to leave.

Buffy sat on the edge of the bed. Spike sat beside her. He looked ahead as he spoke.

"He saw my death."

Buffy rose and moved over to the mirror. She saw a woman, broken. Spike walked behind her and placed his arms around her. She noticed Spike's reflection as he stepped behind her. She watched him slide his hands down to her lower abdomen.

"He saw our baby, too," Spike told her, still looking at her through the mirror.

Buffy placed her hands on his. She looked back up at his face, then turned to face him. "If this is all true," she said.

He stepped back and held her hands. "What if it is. What if you're..." He looked down at her abdomen.

"I'm not sure. I don't know. I haven't thought that far ahead, Spike. I just don't want you to..." She couldn't look at him anymore. The pain in her heart was too strong. She felt bad for feeling bad for herself.

"He said it was complicated and cloudy. That someone was pulling my strings. He saw different outcomes. One, with me dead. And one with you and I and … our baby," Spike said

"So, what your telling me, is that your future in unclear? Your death isn't certain?" Buffy's eyed widened.

"Yea. That's the gist of it. Seems someone is controlling it somehow. The who or what we didn't figure out."

Buffy moved in closer to Spike. "Well, then we have a job to do."

They had two days. If the prophecy was correct.

Eve struggled in the chair against a set of glowing handcuffs bounding her to it. Drusilla walked around her, holding the poker from the fireplace. Eve kept her eyes on her a she wriggled, trying to get free.

Jean stepped in front of her, facing her. "Mademoiselle. Do not try to free yourself. My magic is too powerful. You are only going to exhaust yourself. "

Eve glared at him with venom in her eyes. " I did all of this so you could help me get off the radar!"

She grew annoyed as he ignored her, she continued anyway. "I let you in on Wolfram and Hart's agenda, Jean. I did everything you asked me to do, including giving these bogus texts to Angel and Spike." Eve struggled more in her bounds. Sweat beaded on her forehead.

"Why are you keeping me here, Jean? I can't be of any worth to you," Eve asked.

Jean lifted his head from Drusilla's neck. He smiled as he approached her. "Mon Cherie. Don't be a fool. You are worth a lot to me. I could never risk you telling Spike or Angel about me. I can't just let you walk out of here. Not now. Not with all the plans I have for Spike and his pathetic allies."

Eve cracked a sly smile. "What does Spike or any of them have to do with anything? Why do you care about the shanshu? It only applies to vampires... with souls." She looked at Drusilla. "And it went to Spike already. It's done."

Drusilla's eyes widened. "Tsk, tsk." She walked over to the fire and stared at it blankly. "Naughty Spike. His fire will burn out, and then he'll beg like a dog to be back in the dark."

"You're Spike's sire! And Angel is yours. It must kill you to know that Spike is alive now and Angel is on his side," Eve teased.

Drusilla shot an angry look at her. Jean held his hand out to Drusilla.

"Come, mon amie. Let's not listen to this sour news. Why don't you go get yourself a nice treat. I have lovely ladies in the parlor, waiting for a good bite," he told her.

Drusilla turned her gaze to Jean and growled. He lead her out. After she left, he came back in the room and stood near the fire. "Dear Eve, do not upset Drusilla. Her mind is fragile. She can not tolerate such teasing."

Eve smirked. "Is all of this for her? Is she trying to get back at Angel and Spike? Is that what this is all about? What does she have to offer you?"

Without looking at her he nodded. He slowly turned from the fire and stood in front of Eve.

"Hell hath no fury," he said, smiling. He lifted the fire iron and whacked her skull. Darkness engulfed her. Then she went limp.