A/N: Thanks to my wonderful beta AthenaHahn for her help.

“Might as well get comfortable guys, this could take a while.  Plus, I don’t want to go saying anything without Joyce being completely coherent, as this does involve her too,” Buffy said with a sigh.

 

Suddenly the door burst open and a rather disheveled gentleman stumbled into the house.  “Is she here?  Oh please tell me she’s here.  That pillock on the front lawn wouldn’t say much other than mumble something about being threatened.”

 

Spike chuckled wickedly and asked “He’s still out there?  One would think being told he’s in danger of losing his unused parts would make him scarper off like the poof he is.”  Spike headed for the dining room, “Anyone care for a drink?  I’m thinkin’ we are gonna need somethin’ in the way of liquid fortification before the night’s over.”

 

Dawn bounced up from where she was sitting beside her mother.  “Giles!  Guess who showed up at the cemetery?”  Pointing excitedly to Buffy she continued, “This ugly purple demon attacked us and Buffy swooped in and lopped off his parts with her sword.  It was way cool!”

 

Giles yanked off his glasses and started polishing them furiously.  “Demon you say?  And purple?  And what were you doing in the cemetery this time of night?”

 

Buffy remarked quietly to herself, “That’s what I wanted to know.”

 

Turning to Buffy, Giles speared her with an inquisitive glare.  “Did Dawn just call you ‘Buffy’?

 

“Yeah, odd name I know, but it IS all Dawn’s fault.  I was going by the name Beth when she first started learning to talk, and Buffy is what she came out with.  Unfortunately, it stuck” Buffy replied with a small shrug.

 

“I see.  And what is your name then?  Beth?  Short for Elizabeth I presume?” Giles inquired.

 

Just then Xander inserted his two cents.  “She was saying just as you showed up that she was gonna explain everything to us as soon as Joyce wakes up.  She fainted when she saw Buffy.”

 

“Joyce fainted?  Where is she?  Is she okay?” Giles frantically asked while he scanned the room.  His eyes fell on Joyce, lying supine on the couch.  “Oh my dear Joyce” Giles murmured as he fell to his knees beside the couch.

 

Xander leaned over and whispered to Buffy, “Giles has a major thing for Joyce.”

 

Buffy smiled indulgently and whispered back, “I can tell.”

 

Spike handed Giles a glass of scotch.  “Here mate.  You look a little faint yourself.”

 

“Thanks Spike” Giles muttered, never taking his eyes off of Joyce. “Is she…”

 

“Her heart is beating strong, regular breathing rhythm.” Spike said as he sat on the arm of Buffy’s chair.  “She should come round soon.  Unless you scare her back into unconsciousness with that morose look on your face, Watcher.”

 

Buffy looked over at Dawn.  “Isn’t this a school night, kiddo?  Shouldn’t you be at least pretending to be asleep?”

 

Dawn groaned loudly.  “C’mon Buffy, I haven’t seen you in ages.  Don’t be such a spoilsport.”

 

“I’ll still be here in the morning sweetie.  In fact I may just stick around for a while.  Haven’t really had a vacation in ages.” Buffy smiled and motioned towards the stairs.  “Go on, off to bed with you.  If you go now, I’ll pick you up after school on my bike.”

 

Dawn jumped up and squealed quietly with excitement. “YES!”  She raced up the stairs and slammed her bedroom door.

 

At that moment, the door swung open again and three women raced into the house, slamming the door shut behind them.

 

“Giles, why is Angel pacing back and forth on the lawn?  He’s muttering to himself and looks like he’s gonna implode from brooding.  You really need to ask him to leave.  He makes the neighbors look nervous.  XANDER, where have you been!  I needed orgasms over an hour ago!  Why do you smell like a brewery?  Did you go to the bar?  You PROMISED me no more drinking!”  Anya stormed into the room and proceeded to smack Xander on the shoulder.

 

“HEY!  Lay off Ahn.  I wasn’t drinking!  I was carrying a couple of bottles of wine and they got broken!  Ask Spike if you don’t believe me!” Xander yelped.

 

“He’s telling ya the truth Demon Girl.  He broke the bottles over at Restfield.” Spike stated with a smirk.

 

Anya looked over at Spike, “Oh, okay then.  But that doesn’t explain why he wasn’t home to give me my orgasms.”  At that moment she spotted the blonde sitting in the chair.  “Elizabeth !”

 

Buffy stood up and caught the flying bundle of bubbly delight that was Anya as she was tackled.  “Hey Anyanka, long time no see.  What are you doing in this hellhole?”

 

Xander and Spike blinked at each other.  “You two know each other?  How?  Where?  WHEN?”

 

“Oh I met Elizabeth in Russia during the revolution.  She has a real knack for destructive vengeance,” Anya replied.

 

Willow and Tara stood by the door listening and watching the goings on.   After Anya finished, Willow asked, “So who is she, and why is she here?”   At that moment Willow caught sight of Joyce lying on the couch. “And why is Joyce passed out on the couch?  Did she do something to her?”

 

“Easy Red,” Spike said as he got up and walked over to stand protectively behind Buffy.  “She saved Dawn, Xander and myself tonight from one ugly-ass demon.  She’s okay.  Joyce just fainted when she saw her.  That’s all.”

 

Tara asked softly, “Is Joyce okay?  Can I do anything to help?”

 

Spike looked down at Buffy and said “Glinda over there is a witch.  She knows a bunch of healing spells and stuff.  Do you think she should take a look at Joyce?”

 

Buffy looked at Tara , then over to Joyce and then up at Spike.  “I don’t know.  She should have woken up by now.  It’s not like we have been super quiet and everything.  Dawn’s door slamming alone could wake the dead.”  She looked over at Tara .  “If you would take a look I’d be appreciative.”

 

It was at this juncture that Joyce moaned softly and began to rouse from her faint.  “Mother?” she asked weakly, “Is that really you?”