Sunnydale- (Buffy's grave)


When Spike had run out of tears for the time being, he settled on his back with his head at the grave marker. He brought his arms up behind his head and just stared at the sky for what seemed like hours. He didn't say much of anything. He felt he'd shared more than his, well...share, earlier. Or at least more than what any normal soulless vampire would share. As if any other prat of a vampire is enough of a Wally to have anything to share where the Slayer is concerned. 'Cept her death o'course.


Of course there was Angel, his Grand-Sire and least favorite person, or un-person as it were, on this planet and any other. Xander was pretty high up on his list of least favorites, but Angel had everyone and everything beat by centuries. "Peaches never really was the sharing type anyway, so...he doesn't count. 'Cuz he doesn't share, so there would be no sharing where you're concerned." He spoke aloud as if Buffy could actually hear him. Knowing that was impossible didn't stop him from continuing on. "Then there's me. Y'ruined me up right proper, luv. 'll never be my own vamp again, let alone a normal vamp." He pictured Buffy and her determination, her strength, her humanity, her beauty, her life. He'd been looking for something effulgent all those years ago, when a contrite, snooty Cecily caused his life to take a dramatic turn. Dru had seen it in him; she'd known what he was looking for. That's what first intrigued him about the dark beauty. She seemed to understand what he wanted, what his desires were, in the scant moments she'd seen him. Oh, how he'd longed to have someone understand him, even his Mother hadn't completely, but only because he hadn't allowed her to see everything hidden in his soul. But Dru seemed to see that, she made him believe that she could give that to him.


In a way, he guessed maybe she had, in fact, given him what he'd longed for. If he had never run into that alley and met Drusilla, he never would've met Buffy. The Slayer. HIS Buffy. HIS Slayer. He knew she'd likely pop him a good one for laying claim to her, but what she didn't know wouldn't hurt her. Or him. And with that in mind, he reasoned that he was safe to call her his for now. Once again he had visions of Buffy dancing through his head, and knew for a fact that Dru had, most definitely, led him down the path he needed to travel so he would someday get what he wanted and end up by his Slayer's side. He'd always figured that his search for something effulgent had ended when he was turned, but that view changed the second he realized he was in love with Buffy. She was just a small slip of a girl, but she had it in her to turn an evil master vampire completely love struck. And that's what he was, even now that she was gone. The fact that he knew she was coming back to him let a vamp dream will ya? sometime soon certainly didn't put a hindrance on any feelings, but even before he'd known she was returning, his love had been as strong as ever.


"Ya know, I dunno how long you were plannin' on stayin' up there luv, but Nibblet misses you somethin' fierce. Not to mention your mates and the watcher." Spike's voice sounded out through the silent cemetery again. "Or me." He added in a softer tone. "But you already knew that, yeah?" He chuckled and brought his right arm around reaching into his duster pocket for another cigarette. After he lit it and inhaled he blew the smoke out through his nose and continued. "Nibblet's takin' two classes to make up for missin' so much when the god of trailers made her appearance. Seems to be doin' goon in 'em. Me and the witches've been helpin' her s'much as possible. I usually take on English and History. But I guess that'd be obvious. Red and Glenda take on the maths and science." He was silent again as he finished his cigarette. He repeated the gesture from earlier and placed the extinguished butt in his pocket, then in a swirl of leather was up off the ground with vampire speed. He turned and faced the headstone one last time, and wiping off dirt only he could see, he said his goodbyes. "A'right pet, I'm waitin' on ya, but you know I'm not one for patience, so hurry it up, yeah?" He rubbed his hands together and placed them in his duster pockets, taking a step back from the grave. "'ll just be off to Willy's for any liquid that might hold numbing qualities. 'll see you soon love."


And with that Spike turned and made his way out the clearing and then the cemetery, headed directly for Willy's. He hoped to be completely off his face by the time he made it back to the Summers' basement, since he wasn't exactly in the mood to have vivid dreams of his Slayer all night.


_______________________________________________


Summerland-


Buffy and Joyce were currently huddled together on the couch speaking in soft tones, and saying what Whistler assumed to be their final goodbyes. There were tears and chuckles and more tears, but both women had remained surprisingly composed. He wasn't exactly relishing having to break up their heartfelt moment, but time was most definitely of the essence right now. Mere minutes here were hours in Sunnydale, and the longer it took Buffy to finish up here, the more time passed down there. He hadn't been lying when he said that the timeline was important. Everything had to happen a certain way and at a certain time, or who knew what would happen. He also hadn't been lying when he'd said that the Powers were thrown by the discovery of this prophecy, and they weren't exactly the types of beings that liked being kept in the dark. Especially when it was concerning the Chosen One. Slayers and Champions were their business and they weren't happy when they weren't kept in the loop. There was apparently a reason for it to have been kept hidden for so long, Whistler just hoped the higher, Higher Powers knew what they were doing here. No one knew when and where everything had to happen but his bosses had pressed heavily on the time issue.


So, that meant he was the unlucky candidate for breaking up the party. "Alright ladies; time's a ticking away in the way that time will." Buffy looked up from the huddle and glared at the small demon, while Joyce looked up with sad eyes. Whistler held his hands up in surrender, "Sorry, it's not like I enjoy being the bearer of bad news, but you're needed somewhere else."


The Slayer gave him one last glare and then turned back to her mother. "I hate that I have to leave you." She pouted.


Joyce ran her fingers through Buffy's hair soothingly, "I know honey, but at least we actually get to say goodbye this time." She had a small smile on her face, which Buffy could tell was forced, and tears forming in her eyes again. "And you've got bigger stuff ahead of you. So stiffen up that upper lip little lady." Chuffing her daughter on the shoulder lightly, she attempted to lighten the situation.


Buffy couldn't help the chuckle that escaped at her mother's words, but she quickly had the pout back in place, "That's not gonna work Mom. I'm not gonna see you again, for like, a really, really long time." With tears in her eyes mirroring her mother's, she pulled her into a tight hug, forgetting for a moment that she had retained all her Slayer powers and that her mother was still, in this place at least, in a mere human's body.


"Sweetie...?" Buffy pulled back slightly and looked at her mother with a question in her eyes. "Ribs."


"Wha'? Oh! Oh God, I'm sorry mom." She pulled back quickly, and completely this time, hugging her arms around herself, fearful of repeating herself.


"It's okay, it's not like it'll leave any permanent damage." Joyce joked.


Buffy looked at her mother skeptically, "You know, you've been taking all of this in really easily. How come you're not wigging over all this?"


The eldest Summers lifted her hand to move a stray hair out of Buffy's face, "Because, like I told you, I know stuff. I know you'll be okay, Dawn's going to be okay, everybody is. So I'm not too worried." Then in a whisper she added, "Plus, I've gotten really good at covering worry, what with my daughter being the Slayer and all."


"I know, it's just even hard for me to understand and accept, so I figured it'd be harder on you, 'cuz you're all mom-ish." She turned to Joyce with a bright smile that seemed out of place for the situation. "But hey, that works out, since you are, you know, a mom."


Joyce chuckled, "Yeah, I guess that does work out, huh?"


On the other side of the room Whistler cleared his throat trying to get their attention back on the matter at hand. When they turned to look at him he gestured with his arm to the Slayer, "Ready?"


"Yeah, yeah. I'm coming." She stood up from the couch pulling her mother with her. "Didn't say I was ready, but I'm coming." She grumbled as she and Joyce made their way towards Whistler.


"Buffy," Her mother admonished, "Stop worrying, it will be fine. You'll be fine."


"Yeah." Whistler chipped in. "It's not like you haven't died before and come back, what's the difference?"


Buffy rolled her eyes at him, "Oh, for like, what, a whole minute? This is just a wee bit of a big difference."


"Pfft." He waved his hands dismissively. "A minute, a couple of weeks, same thing."


"The same...? Are you serious?" She looked at him as if he'd just sprouted an extra head.


He simply ignored her question and clapped his hands, rubbing them together. "So, ready to get this show on the road?"


She in turn ignored his question and turned to Joyce with a pleading look, "Mom, this is gonna be weird."


"We've covered this Buffy. It will be fine. It's not going to be that weird. Your friends deal with weird everyday, and it's not like it's completely unexpected." Joyce chided gently. Buffy made a nasally whiny noise and stomped her foot, but moved closer to Whistler.


"So...how's this happen? Do I just stand here and you 'abracadabra' me back or what?"


"Well, there's this thing where your body is buried." Whistler started hesitantly.


"And...?"


"So... you have to get into your body, and it's buried, so..." He trailed off hoping she would read between the lines. He wasn't looking forward to telling an already agitated Slayer that she would be waking up in her coffin buried under six feet of earth. He noticed Joyce cringe as she awaited the moment her daughter realized what he was saying.


It took a moment to register, but as soon as Buffy understood what Whistler wasn't saying, it was apparent by the look on her face, and the fact that she backed away from the two adults by at least six feet. Where Joyce and Whistler had been expecting to see anger or indignation, what they actually saw was fear. "What? No." She asked in a small, shaken voice whipping her head back and forth abruptly.


"Sorry kid, it's the only way."


"No! There's gotta be another way. Can't you, like, teleport my body, or something? Make it not be in a coffin? 'Cuz, honestly; not loving that part." She said in a panicked rush as she walked towards them again.


"Honey, it'll be okay." Her mother tried to calm her down.


"No! It won't be okay." She said vehemently, shaking off her mother's hand. "This is not okay. It's soo not okay. This isn't even in the same dimension as okay, mom." She turned to her mother with wide eyes, tears ready to fall. "I cannot wake up my coffin. That's like, a BIG fear."


Whistler decided to step in at that moment, "Hey kid, ya know how I said you were gonna be different? Still the Slayer, but not just the Slayer?" At her nod in the affirmative, he went on. "You'll be able to bust through in no time. You're not going back to a weak body. You're gonna be even stronger."


Buffy looked at him like a third head had sprouted, "What!? That's not even the point. It's the whole being traumatized by waking up in my coffin!!"


"Well, at least you won't wake up all alone. Somebody'll be there with you." The messenger tried once more to calm her nerves.


"I won't be alone?" Buffy asked confused. "How's that work then? I'll be waking up in a coffin...that kinda requires ya to be alone."


"Yeah, you'd think so." He answered distractedly. "Tick tock, tick tock." He pointed to his watch and then looked at her pointedly.


Buffy forgot about all the other stuff for a moment and focused on saying goodbye to her mother one more time. "Alright, I guess this is it then." She sniffled a bit, Joyce answering with a twin sniffle. "I'm gonna miss you. I'll tell Dawnie that you love her and that you're fine."


Joyce nodded her head. "I'll miss you too. But you'll be fine. Just watch out for Dawn and all your friends." She gave Buffy a pointed look and then spoke in a voice that her daughter knew not to argue with. "Be a little nicer to Spike, okay? And give that Angel the what for."


Buffy chuckled in spite of her tears, "Stop calling him that." But her words held no scorn as she had a small smile on her face. "And I promise I'll be nicer to Spike. It'll be hard, but I'll do it. Somehow."


"Good. Now off you go." Joyce ushered her eldest daughter towards the door. She stopped her just before she crossed the threshold, where Whistler was now waiting outside. "Be careful okay? I love you."


"I will." Buffy assured her mother. "And I love you too."


They hugged one last time and Buffy was out the door and meeting Whistler.


With one last look at her mother she joined Whistler and they began walking to the stream Buffy had frequented during her stay there.



_____________________________________________



Buffy and Whistler made their way to the small stream in silence; both too lost in their thoughts concerning the recent and upcoming events to speak.


When they reached the small stream Whistler spoke first, breaking the silence. "In all seriousness Buffy," she started a bit at his use of her real name and realized he was definitely being serious. "You've got a lot ahead of you and you're gonna have to stop analyzing so much, or you'll miss out on a bunch of the good parts."


"What does that mean? I hate it when you go all crypt-o"


"Now you're adding 'o'." He chuckled at her. "I'm not trying to be cryptic intentionally. But I'm only allowed to tell you so much. And like I said before, it ain't much." He was all seriousness again. "You have to trust your heart, okay? Don't worry about the other stuff. It'll fall in place once that does."


"Argh! What do you mean?" She cried out frustrated.


"You'll see." When Buffy continued to scowl at him, he flashed her a smile. "Ready?" She scowled harder. "Set?" Her eyes widened when she realized he was really getting ready to send her back. She closed her eyes and she sucked in a deep breath, bracing herself for anything.


"Go!"


_______________________________________________



Sunnydale-


Spike was stumbling his way through the cemetery after his visit to Willy's. He wasn't quite as drunk as he'd have liked, but it was a start. He still had a couple of bottles in his crypt he could stop by and grab before he headed back to the Summers', and that would solve that problem. He wanted the welcome embrace of incoherence and forgetfulness. Just for a little while. But before that he wanted to stop by his Slayer's grave one last time for the night, just to make sure it was all still okay. He was secretly hoping that he'd walk by and it wouldn't be there. That the grave marker would be gone and this would’ve all been a nightmare. He knew that was far reaching, but for the short amount of time it took him to walk to her grave, he could at least pretend.


He was almost upon it when his vampiric senses alerted him to the presence of another vampire somewhere nearby. He growled low in his throat at the thought of some mere minion desecrating the ground around Buffy's grave. He ceased the breathing which was purely habitual, and slowly began to stalk the area searching for the wayward vamp. He spotted the scraggly looking brunette leaning up against a tree, taking lazy sips from what looked to be a huge bottle of 'Colt 45'. Spike shook his head in disappointment, stupid git, can't even drink properly. He straightened up to his full height, which admittedly wasn't much, and sauntered proudly so that he was standing directly in front of the other vampire and about ten feet away. The vampire looked up at his entrance, but other than that showed no interest.


Spike reached into his pocket and casually lit a cigarette. He tilted his head and exhaled a plume of smoke, eyeing his opponent. When he spoke it was with such a casual air that a passer-by might have mistaken them for acquaintances. "You have to wonder."


When he didn't continue the dark haired vampire slowly lifted his head to eye the blond with glazed over eyes. "Hunh?" He grunted/slurred.


"You have to wonder," Spike continued as if he'd never paused and there had never been an interruption. "What kind of bloody stupid twit would dare tread on my girl's grave?" He moved slowly towards the intoxicated fledgling. "What kind of bloody STUPID, drunken, ignorant, soon to be dust in the wind TWIT, would dare set a single, smarmy foot on my girl's grave."


The younger vampire seemed to suddenly realize that he might be in danger and straightened up, as much as he could in his current condition. "Loook budddy. I jus' stop'd fer, liike a haf a sec affer dinner."


Spike moved closer still, "Doesn't matter. Still did it." He finished up his cigarette and put it out on the bottom of his shoe, placing it in his pocket he began stalking around his prey with fluid grace, vanquishing any signs of his earlier 'buzz'. "And that's jus' not somethin' I can let lie. Certainly you understand?" He asked in an almost reasonable tone.


He darted out with vampire speed and the fledgling took a right hook to the jaw. It seemed to jostle him enough to sober him up a bit because when he jerked his head back up towards Spike he had switched into game face and was snarling.


A huge grin split across Spike's face and he bounced, back and forth, on his toes. "Ooh, gettin' right feisty aren't'ya? Just what I needed before beddy-bye." He swung out again, hitting the other vamp square in his nose, and then had to duck to avoid a sloppy jab. He spun to his left, putting his back to the brunette's side, and gave him an elbow to the kidney. The fledgling doubled over, half from pain and half from drunkenness, as Spike spun back around to face him again, still bouncing on his toes. "C'mon mate! At least make it interestin'."


In all the commotion neither vampire heard the cracking sound to their right. The voice that rang out suddenly startled them both, but one in particular. "Spike! Will you quit playin' with him! And can you hurry up so you can help me dammit!"




_____________________________________________________



As soon as Buffy closed her eyes and heard Whistler say 'Go!' she felt the air change around her. It was nothing major, nothing too noticeable, just a slight buzz in her ears and a bit of a 'whoosh'. She kept her eyes closed tightly, too scared to open them and face the fact that she was, well, where she was. After a few seconds it became too hot and stuffy and Buffy realized that, regardless of what she wanted, what she needed was to get out of there before she died a third time before she even got out of the coffin from the second time. When she opened her eyes and let herself see that she was, in fact, inside a big wooden box, she began tearing at the satin and busting through the wood. She clawed her way through with little trouble, just as Whistler had said. That is, until she ran into a bit of a snag. Literally.


She yanked on her foot only to realize what she already knew; it was caught on a root, or rock, or something. Oh, this is just great. She wiggled it this way and wiggled it that way, but to no avail. Somehow Buffy maneuvered her way so that she could get her head and upper torso through the dirt. The sight she was greeted with only confirmed that pretty much everything Whistler had told her was gonna end up being true. She paused for a moment in her struggle to free her foot to take in the sight before her.


There he was. Spike, in all his glory. Or half of his glory, since they guy he's fighting doesn't look like much of a fight. She watched him for a while longer until she realized that he hadn't noticed her travails with the coffin, and dirt, and roots, and everything else I've gone through, and that he was still fighting. Big, stupid, blind, deaf, blond, stupid vampire. Hello? So called love of your un-life hangin' out in her grave...! When he still showed no signs of sensing or hearing her she decided to just do this the easy way. And the way she knew best. Yelling. It always worked.


"Spike!" She hollered out loud enough for the whole of Sunnydale to hear. Both vampires stopped dead in their tracks, arms in mid-swing, and turned their heads sharply towards the grounded Slayer. When she saw she had his attention she rolled her eyes and continued, "Will you quit playin' with him? And can you hurry up so you can help me dammit!"


Spike was still so shell-shocked that he had yet to move, his attention solely on his Slayer. The younger vamp decided to take advantage of this when he saw that Spike was still standing stock still. He let his fist fly from its holding position and knocked Spike right across his right cheekbone. This was only the first time that Spike had actually been hit by the fledgling, but with his attention on Buffy, it was enough to knock him on his ass. As soon as he hit the ground he seemed to come out of it. With a growl he leapt back up and, producing a stake from somewhere, quickly staked his opponent without ever taking his eyes off the Slayer.


Even as the final dusty remains of his enemy drifted to earth, Spike's entire focus remained with the blonde stuck half in and half out of the ground. The longer the vampire stood frozen in shock--failing to move, speak, blink or breathe, the more annoyed Buffy became. She wanted out of this hole; it was bad enough she had to wake up in it, but to now be stuck in it too. She couldn't begin to say how grateful she was that Spike had been there right at this moment. And yet, he was still staring at her open mouthed. Kicking her legs around as much as possible with her foot lodged; she braced her hands against the ground and tried to push up. Still nothing. "Great. I'm stuck and I've got a zombied out, catatonic vampire starin' at me like I'm the Holy Grail. Arrgh!" She grumbled to herself as she continued to try anything and everything to get out. Finally giving up with a huff, she slumped down and turned to face Spike again. "What's a gal gotta do to get a fella to help her out huh?" She asked him finally.


For a few more seconds he stood there, then amazingly enough and to the total surprise of Buffy, he started laughing, hysterically. He had tears streaming down his face steadily as he laughed heartily, clutching onto his sides. Not long after his laughter had begun, he ended up on his knees on the ground


"Well..." Buffy huffed. "That's certainly not the reaction I expected. I figured, I dunno, crying, smiles maybe, shouts of joy, hoorays of happiness, but not hysterical, verging on psychotic laughter." For several more minutes Spike laughed on. "Okay, you can quit with the laughter there, Chuckles. There are other things to do ya know. Like, oh, GETTING ME OUTTA HERE!!"


Spike slowly stood up, his laughter finally dying down and began slowly walking towards her. As he came closer, Buffy realized he still had tears falling freely down his face and she felt her heart lurch as the sight.


When he was finally upon her he placed his feet apart, one on each side of where her body should be, and squatted down on his haunches. She could tell that Spike was still in shock since he still wasn't speaking. Note to Self: Spike is capable of shutting up. They sat in silence for only a few moments, but it seemed like an eternity to them. In that time, they became so lost in each other's eyes that they forgot she was stuck in her grave, which she had just risen from, after being dead and spending time in a cabin with her likewise dead mother and an immortal demon whose presence always firmly rested on her nerves. None of that mattered as she gazed into his midnight blue eyes and he into her harvest hazel eyes.


OH.MY.GOD. Have his eyes ALWAYS been so blue?


Oh bloody hell. How could I EVER get lost in anything else?'


He slowly and ever so gently raised his hand up and brushed an errant hair out of her eyes and then picked a few pieces of earth out. He brought it back down and rested his elbow on his thigh, still silent.


Buffy blinked slowly and then said softly, "Hi."


Spike couldn't hold back the smile that broke out across his face, "'Ello love."


"Can I get a hand?" She finally asked after the continued silence.


"Yeah." But he failed to move.


She waited a few beats, "Spike?"


"Hmm?"


"Help?" She gestured to the rest of her body still hidden.


"Oh. Right." He shook his head violently seeming to 'come to'. He looked down at the ground between his legs. "You're stuck." He said it as if she'd had no idea.


"Yeah, hence the help needin'." She joked with a smile. "You didn't think I was just lounging around did you?"


"I dunno what to bloody think, luv." He answered honestly, and then began to dig up some of the dirt trying to loosen her.


Using the time needed to 'concentrate', he was thinking about the situation they were all in now. Of course they'd been expecting it; expecting her back. But now it was actually happening. Anything they were going to be coming up against in the near future was now going to be sooner rather than later. Whatever prophecies or portents or apocalypse his Slayer was involved in would soon be coming to pass. Needless to say that scared him senseless, he didn't like the thought of everything happening so soon. Obviously that was a stupid fear, seeing as Buffy wouldn't be back at all if it weren't for 'destiny' or 'fate', whatever you want to call it, so he should actually be grateful, but he just couldn't bring himself to be gracious for the thought of possibly losing her all over again all because of some stupid prophecy.


Spike stopped digging and gestured to her buried feet, "Wiggle it a bit, luv, and see if that did the trick."


Buffy did as instructed and was awarded with mobility. She breathed out a sigh of relief and began to extract herself from the earth. "Whew. Finally! I'm so kicking Whistler's ass for this. He failed to mention the added bonus of getting stuck after I've just dug myself out of my own grave." She finally pulled herself completely out, muttering the whole time, "Stupid balance keeping, fashion victim, crypt-o freak, demon." She stood up straight and brushed dirt off of her white sundress, and then looked up at Spike rubbing her hands together. "So, whatcha been up to?" She asked him with an amused smile.


Spike chuckled in answer and shoved his hands in his pocket looking down at the ground shyly. He shuffled his feet from side to side and randomly glanced up at Buffy, but he remained silent. He was suddenly very grateful for the fact that vampires don't blush. He already looked like some lovesick schoolboy, to also be caught blushing at this time would be something he'd never live down. Even if Buffy never said anything or called him on it, his demon would torment his inner William for acting like such a nancy boy.


Buffy was extremely flattered by the fact that she could make a master vampire twitter in his combats. She enjoyed the fact that she affected him this way; that her presence could change his entire countenance the way it did and cause him to act so out of character for a vampire of his 'reported caliber'. Pfft. He's just a big ole cuddly vampire. She'd kept her eyes on him the entire time and when he still hadn't spoken she hesitantly moved towards him.


Spike jerked his head up towards her quickly, and then just as quickly ducked back down lifting his shoulders bashfully.


Softie. Buffy smiled. She stopped when she was standing directly in front of him and only a foot away. She was suddenly struck with the thought that her behavior was completely out of character too. She was flattered by Spike, loved seeing this side of him; and those were things a Slayer shouldn't feel towards a vampire. Before she could get too heavy into analyzing anything she remembered Whistler telling her to quit doing exactly that, and decided to just go with it. This was a whole new start. A second, or third in her case, chance at doing things differently and she was just gonna let it fly. She brought her hand up and shoved Spike's right shoulder playfully, "Don't act so shocked, Junior. You knew I was coming back."


Spike shrugged his shoulders, "Well, yeah, but we didn't know when. And I certainly never expected it'd be here and now. I mean, you had to wake up in your coffin? Seems to me 's'if they coulda brought you back a little less dramatically. Maybe somewhere else completely." He answered, embarrassed that he'd been caught here. These were his special moments and the random vamp was bad enough, but now she was here and he felt a little imposed upon. Not that he wasn't happy that she was back. He was; extremely so. He wanted nothing more than to pull her into his arms and hold her until he was assured that she wasn't going anywhere. Then he wouldn't let go still; he wanted to kiss her senseless.


Seeing the woman he loves come back from the dead, and in a joking mood at that, was fine and dandy. But she was joking with him, laughing with him, not walking away from him, and most importantly; not hitting him. This put a whole new spin on fine and dandy. Actually, this blew fine and dandy out the window. This was more like, he felt his chest was gonna burst from his heart wanting to beat so badly. He was still extremely wary of Buffy's acceptance of him, so he was trying his best not to let his excitement show too much. Although, being embarrassed certainly helped him keep his giddiness in check, so he had no worries.


Buffy shoved him with the back of her hand, "See! That's what I said." She shrugged her shoulders in a 'what can ya do?' gesture and continued, "But, Whistler was the 'master in show', so I knew it would be all drama-queen-y. And not only would it've been more convenient, but I would've preferred to've been brought back somewhere that's else, too. I wasn't keen on the whole, 'wakin' up in a box' thing, ya know? So don't get all defensive and wiggy on me; wasn't my fault." She finished with her chin jutted out, her weight bearing on her left hip with her right foot pointed out, and her arms crossed; classic Slayer style.


And Spike was loving it. God, how he'd missed her and her attitude. Not to mention the crazy way she talked. Sure, he'd been around the Scoobies, talked with them and still heard 'Scooby-Speak', but it was different coming from his girl. Gonna have to stop with that, mate. Slayer'll be more likely to stake yer sorry bum if she hears your declarations of propriety. Either way, staking or no, he was ecstatic that his girl was back and that she seemed to be as normal as ever. Or maybe a bit abnormal since she was acting this way with him. Didn't matter, he wasn't asking any questions because he could care less what caused her behavior, as long as she stayed this way. Spike inwardly smiled at her and her stance, while outwardly he stood up straighter and moved closer to Spike so that they were only inches away from each other. "'M not defensive. And I don't get 'wiggy'." He said the last as if it left a sour taste in his mouth. "Was just sayin' 's all. Don't see why you had to be brought back here." He gestured to the are with his hands. "Seems...I dunno...harsh, dunnit?"


"Well, duh! Did'ya miss the part where I said I wasn't keen?"


He huffed a bit at her. This was the Slayer he knew and loved, snarky as ever. "Noo. I didn't bloody well miss it. Was just agreeing with you. Can't you soddin' tell when someone is on your side?"


Buffy brought her arms down to her sides and moved closer to him, their noses almost touching. "Yes, I can tell, thank you very much. But you sounded all defensive and wiggy. So I was just tellin' you not to be."


Spike suddenly had a smile break out across his face, his eyes shining. "Welcome home, love."


Buffy stopped for a second, cocking her head to the side and then smiled in return. "Thanks." Her words were genuine and she wanted him to know that. She hoped that her eyes were relaying the message correctly and that Spike could tell that she meant it.


Apparently they did, because neither one moved at first, once again lost in each other's eyes. Spike finally avertted his, and looking at the ground, he backed away. "We should get you to the house, luv. Everyone'll wanna know you're back, 'specially Nibblet." He looked up towards the sky, "She'll be 'sleep at this hour, but this occassion calls for an early risin', yeah?"


Buffy cleared here throat and shook her head slightly. "Yeah. I guess you're right, Giles is prob'ly chomping at the bit to hear what I know." She chuckled lightly, "And I wanna see Dawnie, let her know mom's okay." Suddenly a shiver shook her to the core and she brought her hands up to rub her arms, "Also, I wanna know whose bright idea it was to bury me in a white summer dress! And sandals? Which, by the way, I've lost one of somewhere down there while I was stuck." She clenched her fists and brought her arms up under her bosom, still shivering. "It was a freakin' funeral, who gets buried in a white dress and sandals? No one, that's who."


"So, you're cold then?" Spike asked with a cheeky smile, to which she responded to with a glare. He shrugged his trusty duster off his shoulders and placed it around Buffy's, as if he'd done it a thousand times.


The gesture and his close proximity had Buffy blushing, and her belly burning, as she slid her arms through the sleeves and mumbled a low, "Thanks."


"Welc'm. 'S not like I feel cold or hot anyway." He responded gruffly.


"Right. Forgot that." She said slowly. She looked at him through squinted eyes and wondered what the problem was. What's with the mood chang-y-ness? Stupid moody vampire. She thought to herself.


Truth was, Spike was a bit unnerved by the Slayer's reaction to him. He'd caught the redenning of her cheeks, the slight rise in body temperature and heart rate. And if he allowed himself to believe it, he'd even caught a whiff of arousal. The bloody SLAYER's gettin' all hot for me. ... Bout time. He thought cockily. Then he seemed to realize the implications that her reactions caused and became nervous again, which in turn caused him to, as the Slayer had said before, get 'defensive'. Quit actin' like a nancy-boy flutterin' about a girl he fancies. Spike admonished himself, trying to stop his heart from trying to, literally, flutter. Well, as much as a vamp's can anyway.


Buffy cast one last questioning glance at the other blond, and then she began making her way out of the clearing and towards her house.


Spike remained silent but moved to fall in stride with her. So caught up in his own thoughts, he didn't notice the Slayer wincing and limping until about the fourth wince. He looked over at her and noticed that she was in fact missing a shoe, and as a result, her right foot was taking a beating from the ground.


Buffy was lost in her thoughts also. She was currently cursing everything and everyone that had ANYTHING to do with her return; the location, timing, all of it. Stupid Powers. They should be called the Weaklings, or the Pussies. Can't fight their own battles, gotta have a girl do it. Can't let her die either. Or, stay dead anyway. She stepped on a particularly pointy rock and her limp became even more pronounced and her curses continued. Stupid Whistler. Stupid people who make sandals that can't last through a resurrection. Stupid, WHOEVER, that dressed me in wimpy sandals. She glared at Spike, just for good measure. Stupid vampire. She knew she didn't really have a reason to be angry at or curse Spike. But, she wasn't happy, and he happened to be there, so venting seemed like the right thing to do, so that's what she was doing when she slammed into Spike's back all of a sudden. "What the hell? What's wrong with you?" She demanded as he turned to face her.


"Way I figure it is; you got three options, pet." He ticked off his fingers as he listed them. "One: Continue limpin' along and gettin' your pretty lil feet all bruised. Two: Hop on piggy style and let me carry you home with at least a little dignity. Or, three: I snatch you up fireman style or damsel in distress style and you'll have no dignity left as the Slayer." He placed his hands in his pockets and shrugged his shoulders. Looking off to the side as if it didn't matter either way, he added, "Your decision."


Buffy started to protest but then realized that he was right. Her feet couldn't handle the entire trek to her house. There was no way. She may be the Slayer, or something like a Slayer only stronger, whatever; but her feet were still sensitive from disuse. It would certainly feel better if she accepted his offer, that she knew. And she was planning on doing just that, but she threw in an extra scowl just because she felt she was required to. "Fine." She huffed in mock aggravation.


Spike opened his mouth to speak, but quickly shut it and smiled at the Slayer and her glare of warning. He spun around quickly, offering his back to her. "Hop on little lady."


Buffy growled, but moved to jump on his back anyway. "Can't believe I'm doing this. Me! The Slayer, jumpin' on a vamp's back for a piggy back ride to my house, where he's been staying and taking care of my sister." She grumbled to herself as she jumped up and wrapped her legs around his waist. Placing her left elbow on his shoulder, she bent her arm and brought her hand up to lean her face against, her other arm resting lightly on his right shoulder.


Spike stopped walking as he heard her last statement. "How'd you know I was stayin' there?" He turned his head to the side so he could see her out of the corner of his eye. "I didn't tell you that."


"What?" She asked innocently.


"I said, how did you know I was stayin' there? I didn't tell you." He repeated.


"Yeeaahh. And I said, what?"


He started walking again, "You're not gonna tell me, are ya?"


She shook her head quickly, "Nope, notta chance. Now, giddyup little horsey." She tugged at his curls gently, messing them and causing them to stand up in all directions. Hm, must work on getting him to lose the gel. Touseled Spike makes for Sexy Spike. She thought with an evil grin and a glint in her eye. She unlocked her ankles and made to 'kick' him in the sides like she'd seen them do in the movies. But instead of hittin his sides, her heels made contact with the tops of his thighs. And a little to close for comfort if you asked Spike.


"Oi! Watch it now Slayer. Those bits might not interest you," yet he added silently, "but I don't fancy the idea of losin' 'em. If it's all the same to you."


"Ugh, Spike, you're a pig." She swatted him half-heartedly on his head, a smile in place the whole time.


"Sing me a new one, luv." Spike replied, smiling himself. "Sing me a new one."


The two made their way to the Summers' home in a comfortable silence, both completely lost in their thoughts.




tbc...


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