Disclaimer:
I don't own Buffy or NE1 else in the Buffyverse. Joss Whedon owns all names and places in this story. I am just borrowing them for this fic.Author's Note:
This is Post-The Gift and the first Buffy fic that I have finished. Please leave a review. Thanx!Afterlife
As the sun slowly rose over the construction site the portal closed as quickly as it had opened.
Five people who appeared to be in their early twenties and one in his late forties all walked into a now quiet part of the construction sight.
Willow Rosenberg and Tara Mclay stood supporting each other's weight, Xander Harris held Anya Emerson in his arms, Rupert Giles stood between the two couples and Spike was emerging from the shadows while staying out of direct sunlight.
In front of them was the body of their friend, the Slayer, Buffy Summers. She had sacrificed herself to save the world and her sister from unspeakable horror and pain.
As they each saw the site in front of them they broke down. Spike crumpled to his knees sobbing uncontrollably into his hands, tears slid down Willow's face as it crumpled in sadness, Tara looked on with tears slipping from her blue eyes, Giles removed his glasses and wiped his eyes and Anya buried her face in Xander's shoulder as Xander himself stood staring at the now lifeless body in shock.
Dawn Summers, Buffy's sister, reached the bottom of the construction tower and saw the sadness and despair on all their faces. Tears slid down her own face as she looked from Buffy's body to each of her friends.
Her heart went out to each of them, especially Spike whose sobs were wracking his body. Dawn stepped off of the last step of the tower and went straight to Spike; she placed a hand on his shoulder.
Spike looked up at Dawn, tears still rolling down his face, his blue eyes rimmed with red "Nibblet?" he whispered.
Dawn nodded and knelt beside him then wrapped her arms around his neck and she herself started sobbing uncontrollably into the crook of his neck. Spike wrapped his arms around her protectively and held her tight.
After a few silent moments Giles cleared his throat and broke the silence, everyone looked at him.
"We um have to figure out where to store her…body." He said emotion choking his voice as he said "body"
Spike stood but kept in the shadows "We could um bring her to my crypt."
Giles looked at each of the scoobies for an objection but none was given "Well then I suppose we should get going."
They had to wait a few minutes for Giles and Spike to return in Spike's 1963 Desoto and when they did since the sun had almost fully risen Spike couldn't help carry Buffy's body to the car so he held Anya for Xander while he and Giles carried Buffy's body to the car.
"How can she be dead?" Anya asked leaning her head on Spike's shoulder "She's the slayer."
Spike nodded "I know luv….I can't believe it either."
Once Buffy's body was lying in the backseat of Spike's car Xander came over to get Anya.
Spike handed Anya over to Xander then him and Giles got into the car and headed towards the crypt.
***
Three days later Willow, Tara, Xander, Anya, Giles and Dawn stood in the cemetery, each in their very best outfit, nothing but the best for their slayer.
Buffy and Dawn's father was absent from the funeral, he was still away on business and they couldn't reach him.
Also absent from the service were Angel, Riley and Spike. Spike for the obvious reason that the funeral was during the day, none of the scoobies knew where Riley was since he was on a secret mission with the Initiative and they had been leaving messages at Angel's for three days.
They wanted to bury Buffy next to Joyce but since there were no empty plots near her they had chosen to bury her as close as they could which was under a willow tree. Which was coincidentally the same willow tree Buffy and Angel had sat under after Joyce's funeral, none of the Scoobies knew this though.
The marble tombstone glistened under the bright California sun, it read:
Buffy Anne Summers
1981-2001
Beloved Sister
Devoted Friend
She Saved The World A Lot
Giles and the Scoobies stood looking at the new grave for almost half an hour after the service had ended.
"Wow we've been here almost forty five minutes." Xander said breaking the eerie silence, which was hanging in the air.
"Perhaps we should get going." Giles said.
Xander placed a hand on Dawn's shoulder "Come on Dawn." Since she couldn't stay alone in her own house and Giles had one bedroom and Willow and Tara lived in the dorm, Dawn had been staying with Xander and Anya.
Dawn nodded, stooped down in front of the tombstone and placed a single yellow rose on the fresh dirt. Xander & Anya followed her, Willow & Tara went after them and Giles was the last to place a rose.
Giles placed his hand on the top of the tombstone and stood there for a good five minutes with the Scoobies looking on.
As they walked through the cemetery Dawn stopped about a foot from Spike's crypt.
"I have to do something." Dawn said walking away from the small group. She stepped up to the heavy door and was about to open it when she realized it was locked.
"What's wrong?" Came Xander's voice, he was still standing with the others.
Dawn turned to look at them "It's locked. Spike never locks his door." She turned back to the door and started pounding on it "Spike!"
"Go 'way!" Came his voice from inside.
"Spike it's Dawn." She called.
"Leave me the bloody hell alone." His words were slurred so Dawn guessed he'd been drinking.
Tears welled up in Dawn's eyes at the harshness in his voice "Spike please open the door."
This time there was no answer from inside the dark crypt. A chill went down Dawn's spine as a hand was placed on her shoulder from behind, she turned to see Willow standing behind her.
"Come on Dawnie." Willow said, "He wants to be alone."
Dawn nodded and walked away from the crypt with the small group.
***
"Spike it's Dawn." Her voice drifted across the crypt and reached Spike's ears, Spike was sitting cross-legged on his bed with a bottle of bourbon in his hand; the TV turned to face him.
"Leave me the bloody hell alone!" he yelled his voice harsh, it felt wrong to yell at her with such harshness but he didn't want to see anybody right now.
He especially didn't want to see Dawn because she reminded him too much of Buffy. He was a wreck, if he had a reflection he knew what he'd see, red rimmed eyes, messy hair, and dark bags under his eyes.
He hadn't slept since the day Buffy died because every time he closed his eyes the same images played over in his head like a movie.
He saw the look on Dawn's face when she realized he couldn't save her, he felt himself falling from the construction tower and hitting the ground, he saw Buffy lying lifeless in front of him and felt his heart, his dead heart, break at the sight of the women he loved dead.
"Spike please open the door." Dawn yelled again, he could hear the emotion in her voice. This time he didn't answer.
After a minute or two of silence he turned his attention back to the TV show he was watching, Passions.
Hours passed like years, slowly. Since there was no remote and Spike didn't want to get up he watched the same channel all day.
A few hours after the sun had set Spike lifted himself off the bed and pulled on his leather jacket. He picked up something off his armchair as he made his way to the door, which he unlocked.
Cool air hit him as he stepped out into the night, it was a change from the musty air in the crypt but it didn't change his mood.
He walked slowly to Buffy's grave. When he reached the tombstone he knelt beside it and placed his fingers to the cold stone, he traced the carved letters of her name with a finger over and over.
Spike placed a single red rose at the base of the stone among the six yellow ones already there.
"This is my fault." He whispered "I failed you. You asked me to protect the Nibblet but I failed. If I hadn't acted so bloody cocky then that bastard Doc wouldn't have shoved me off the tower and you'd still be here. If you were here you'd probably be hitting me in the nose or something. A good ole' game of kick the Spike." He smiled slightly as fresh tears emerged from the corners of his blue eyes "What am I gonna do without you? You're all I can bloody think about."
He sat there staring at the headstone for a good hour and a half. He finally decided to go back to his crypt incase one of the Scoobies happened to be patrolling and found him there.
Just looking at one of them would remind him of Buffy, even Xander would remind him of her, as funny as it sounded it was true.
Spike stood and took one last look at the headstone "I love you." He whispered as he turned and headed back to his home.
***
Xander hung up the phone and turned to face Anya, Tara and Giles who were sitting in the living room of his and Anya's apartment.
"So what did she say?" Anya asked as he took a seat next to her on the couch.
"She said they were on their way here right now." He said.
"Did she say where they had been?" Giles asked.
"All Will said was that she had been sitting in the lobby of the hotel he lives in for like ten minutes when he came walking in with Cordy, Wesley and some other people, one of which she said was a green skinned demon." Xander said, Shortly after they had arrived at Xander's apartment that afternoon Willow volunteered herself to go to LA to see if she could find Angel and tell him about Buffy.
"Were they still at the hotel when you talked to her?" Tara asked.
"I don't think so. There was some static so I think she was talking on a cell phone." Xander said.
"I suppose we'll just wait here for her to return." Giles said rising from the couch to get another cup of tea from the kitchen.
There were a few moments of silence before Anya brought up the subject no one else had brought up all day "I wonder how Spike is taking this."
Xander shook his head and leaned back in his seat "Did you hear the way he talked to Dawn? He probably figures since Buffy's gone he doesn't have to act nice to Dawn anymore."
"I think he was hurting." Tara said "Couldn't you hear it in his voice?"
"The only time Spike hurts is when he's out of money." Xander said as a loud crash from the opposite end of the room startled him causing him to almost fall off the couch.
Everyone looked to Xander and Anya's bedroom door where Dawn was standing; she had clearly made herself known.
"I can't believe you Xander!" She said her anger showing her voice "After everything that has happened the past few days. After everything we've all gone through! Especially Spike! I mean the women he loves died."
"The women he claims to have loved." Xander said.
Dawn's face showed her anger quite clearly now "He does love Buffy. And you would know that if you ever took the time to actually talk to him and get to know him as a person and not just as a vampire."
"I did talk to him." Xander said.
"What? Once? Twice? Wow what an effort." She said, "No matter how much you don't want to admit it Spike has become one of us. One of the Scooby gang. Do any of you know what happened that night? The night Buffy died. What happened between Buffy and Spike?"
The four people in the room looked at one another then back at Dawn.
"Buffy asked Spike to protect me." Dawn said.
"How do you know this?" Xander asked "None of us were with Buffy and Spike when they went back to your house to get weapons. You especially."
"I never said it happened at my house. All I said was that Buffy asked Spike to protect me." Dawn said "When I was up on the tower and Doc was about to cut me…"
Xander sat up straight "Doc? I thought me and Spike killed him."
"Spike thought the same thing. Apparently he's some kinda demon that can't be killed the regular way." Dawn said "Doc was gonna cut me and start the ritual but Spike came up and stopped him, well tried to stop him. Doc moved so fast that neither of us saw him until he was behind Spike. He stabbed Spike in the back literally. Spike told him he wasn't coming near me and when Doc asked Spike why he even cared he said he made a promise to a lady. To Buffy. But Doc was able to knock Spike down then he grabbed him and held him over the side of the tower. The look on Spike's face when he realized that I might be the last thing he saw before the end of the world. That he had realized he'd failed Buffy. Did any of you see him after the portal closed? When he saw Buffy's body? He was heartbroken."
Xander swallowed past the lump in his throat and looked up at Dawn "Dawnie I didn't…"
Dawn shook her head "I' need to get out of here!" Before any of them could stop her Dawn had turned and fled from the apartment.
Giles ran to the door and just stood in the open doorway and stared down the hall "Perhaps we should go to the magic shop incase she goes there."
***
Spike laid on his bed staring at the ceiling when a sudden crash jolted him from his thoughts.
"Spike!" He sat up and stared at Dawn who had just barged in.
"I thought I locked the bloody door." He mumbled as Dawn walked across the crypt to the foot of the bed.
"What's the big idea?" Dawn asked, "Why are you all of a sudden shutting us out?"
Spike looked away from her and down at the bed "I'm not."
Dawn walked around to the side of the bed "Well then what do you call this? Why wouldn't you talk to me this afternoon? After spending all year trying to get in with us and now you won't even talk to us. Why?"
He looked over at her, into her hazel eyes; the eyes that looked so much like Buffy's "Because you bloody remind me of her. All of you do even Xander for bleedin' out loud!"
That was the first time she had ever heard him call Xander by his actual name "Shutting us out isn't the answer. Right now everything reminds me of Buffy. Our house, her friends even the magic shop. But shutting yourself up in the dark isn't the way to get over this."
"I don't think I'll ever get over her." Spike said, his words still a bit slurred.
Dawn shook her head "I know you guys never actually had very many happy memories but…"
"She kissed me." He said interrupting her "After Glory tortured me."
"When she came here pretending to be your robot?" Dawn asked.
Spike nodded "I thought she was my robot and I told her Glory could never find out who the key was….and….and she kissed me." Tears welled up in the corners of his eyes at the memory of her warm lips against his cold lips "That's when I realized it wasn't my robot."
Dawn sat on the edge of the bed "Can I ask you something?"
He looked at her and nodded "Sure Nibblet."
"What happened between you and Buffy that night? When you guys went back to our house." Dawn asked.
"How do you know we went to your house?" He asked.
"Xander mentioned it." She said.
Spike thought back to that night "We went to your house to get some weapons to aid us in the fight against the hell bitch. I remembered that Buffy had, had Will do a de-invite spell on your house so I didn't try to walk in behind her."
"Buffy invited you in." Dawn said.
Spike nodded "She asked me to protect you because I was the only other person who was as strong if not stronger then Buff. I told her I would protect you till the end of the world even that happened to be that night. But I was careless and let Doc get the best of me."
"Was there anything else?" Dawn asked.
A single tear rolled down his pale cheek "I told her that I knew she'd never love me cause I'm a monster. But that she makes me feel like a man."
Dawn saw the pain on his face "I'm sorry."
"For what?" Spike asked.
"For making her jump." Dawn said as tears filled her eyes "I was gonna jump into the portal to close it. But Buffy wouldn't let me."
Spike put an arm around Dawn and pulled her into him "It's not your fault. You know when Buffy gets something in her head you can't make her change her mind."
Dawn smiled slightly "She was always real stubborn." They sat there for a little while just thinking of Buffy. Dawn finally broke the silence "Come with me to the magic shop."
Spike shook his head "No. I can't face any of them right now."
"Spike you're one of us now." Dawn said, "Please come. For me."
He sighed "Fine."
Dawn smiled as they got off the bed. Spike slipped into his leather jacket and they headed to the magic shop.
***
Xander sat down at the round table in the center of the magic shop "Why didn't we just go to Spike's crypt? We know she's there."
"Because then she'd think we're just ganging up on her or something." Tara said from her seat on the counter.
Anya sighed as she stuffed a few dollars into the cash register "I understand that we haven't opened the shop because everyone is sad and all but we're not making any money."
Giles took off his glasses and looked over to Anya from his place at the window "Anya I'm afraid you're right."
"What do you mean?" Xander asked "Are you gonna open the shop tomorrow?"
"Well we have been closed for over three days." Giles said, "I think it's about time we reopened."
Anya smiled as Dawn walked in with Spike trailing behind her.
"You brought him?" Xander said as Spike went straight to the table, sat down and placed his head on his arms.
Dawn glared at Xander, which shut him up right away, then she looked over at Giles "Any word from Willow?"
"Not since she called at the apartment." Giles said as the phone behind the counter rang.
Anya turned away from the cash register and picked up the phone "Hello Magic Box, Yeah hold on." She covered the receiver with her palm "Giles it's the Watcher's Council."
Giles put his glasses on and walked over to the counter, Anya handed him the phone "Hello. Yes Travers hello. No we haven't been open. Yes me too." Giles was silent for a few minutes as he listened to the English man on the other side of the phone "How can you do that? We're actually in the process of….Yes I understand. Alright. Goodbye." Giles hung up the phone and sighed.
"W…what was that about?" Tara asked.
"That was the Council of Watchers in England." Giles said, "They said they have chosen a new slayer to take over for Buffy."
Spike raised his head slightly "A new slayer?"
"Yeah a new one? What about Faith? She's still alive." Xander said.
"Well yes she is still alive but don't forget she's also in jail." Giles said.
"Isn't there some way to like bring Buffy back?" Dawn asked, she looked at Tara "You and Willow must know some same way to bring Buffy back."
Tara looked at Dawn then at Giles "Well Willow and I have sorta been looking up some r…resurrection spells."
Dawn's eyes lit up "Really?"
"But the question is would she be our Buffy?" Giles asked as the door to the magic shop opened and Willow came in followed by Angel and three people, two of which most of them already knew.
The first thing Angel noticed was the bleach blond vampire sitting at the table with his head resting on his arms "What's he doing here?"
Spike raised his head a bit and stared Angel in the eyes from across the room "Bugger off."
"It's a long story." Xander said as Spike lowered his head to the table again.
"Willow didn't tell you?" Giles asked.
Angel shook his head "All she told me was that Buffy died during some kinda apocalyptic ritual. She didn't really go into much detail."
"Well to make a long story short." Dawn said "Spike has a chip in his brain which keeps him from hurting people, he's been trying to help us the past couples months and he's in love with Buffy."
Angel's brown eyes widened and he stared at Dawn then at the top of Spike's head "In love? With Buffy?"
Spike lifted his head "Oh and you should talk mate."
"We can discuss that later." Cordelia Chase said, "Can someone explain how Buffy died?"
Giles removed his glasses "Um if everyone could sit I can explain."
As everyone moved towards the table Wesley walked up to Giles.
"How could this happen Rupert?" He asked, "After everything else she's survived through."
Giles shook his head "It was a surprise to us as well Wesley." The two ex-watchers joined the small group. Xander, Spike, Anya, Willow and Cordelia sat at the table, Tara and Dawn sat on the counter, Angel and Gunn stood by the metal steps that lead to the area of the magic shop which stored all the unsellable books and potions.
Giles gave them the short version of the events that had led them all to be in the same room together. He told them about Glory, the hellgod and her plan to get home to a hellish dimension full of pain and despair. About Dawn, the key whom the munks had made and sent to Buffy to protect. He told about how they had, had to leave Sunnydale for a day to keep Dawn away from Glory once she'd found out that Dawn was the key. He told about the bleeding the ritual had called for.
Dawn told them about how Buffy had asked Spike to protect her, she told them how Buffy wouldn't let her jump into the portal to close it then she told them Buffy's last words. When Dawn finished reciting the words that were now etched in her mind she noticed that almost everyone in the room had tears in their eyes. Especially Spike and Angel.
Giles sniffed and spoke up "The Watcher's Council just called me before you all came in and informed me that they've chosen a new slayer."
"A new slayer?" Willow asked, "Why'd it take so long for them to choose a new one?"
Giles shook his head "I don't know."
"Isn't there some way to bring her back?" Cordelia asked, "I mean she has died before."
"Yes she has." Wesley said "But that was different right Rupert."
Giles nodded "Yes that was different. She wasn't sucked through a demon force last time."
"But there are ways of bringing her back? Right?" Xander said, "Tara said so."
Willow looked at Tara "You told them?"
Tara looked down then back at Willow "I had to."
"So there is a way to bring her back?" Angel asked.
Willow nodded "Yeah….well at least we think so."
"My question is though would she be the same Buffy?" Giles asked.
Willow shook her head "Don't know."
"How long would it take you to find a spell that would bring her back?" Spike asked.
"Could take days, weeks….months even." Willow said.
Dawn jumped off the counter and walked over to the table "What about the spell I used to try to bring back mom."
"If we want our Buffy back then that's not the right spell to use." Tara said.
"Shouldn't we start looking now?" Anya asked, "I mean if we want to bring Buffy back as soon as possible."
Giles nodded "Willow and Tara can you start looking up some resurrection spells?"
Willow nodded "We've already started looking some up. The books are at our place. We'll go get them."
"Hurry back." Giles said as Willow and Tara left the magic shop.
"What should the rest of us do?" Xander asked.
"Someone should go patrol right." Wesley said.
"I'll go." Gunn said, "I'm used to fighting vamps."
"I'll go with the boy." Spike said, "It'll give me something to do. A way to kill off the booze."
"Perhaps you should go with them Angel." Wesley suggested.
Angel nodded and stood without saying a word. Soon the three men were equipped with stakes and two crossbows and were off to patrol for vampire.
Giles and Wesley went into the training room to discuss something leaving Xander, Anya, Cordelia and Dawn in the shop in an awkward silence.
Cordelia broke the silence "So Xander how ya been?"
Xander nodded "Fine, fine. How 'bout you?"
She nodded "Good."
Anya looked at Xander then at Cordelia "We're engaged!" she held up her left hand to show Cordelia the diamond engagement ring.
"Well that's great." Cordelia said "Just great. I wish the two of you the best."
"Well this has just reached a whole new level of awkward." Xander said chuckling.
Cordelia nodded "So….um…..when did you guys start dating?"
"After we had sex." Anya said matter of factly.
Xander slapped himself in the forehead "Last year to be more specific."
Dawn stifled a laugh "Sorry."
Anya got up from her chair and went over to the cash register and started recounting the money.
"Buffy said you guys have your own investigation agency." Dawn said saving Xander from another awkward silence.
Xander mouthed the words "Thank you" then got up and went behind the counter with Anya.
Cordelia's eye's brightened "Yeah Angel Investigations." She rummaged through her purse and pulled out a business card, which she handed to Dawn "Here's our card."
Dawn studied the picture on the card for a moment "Have you guys helped a lot of people."
She nodded "A good amount. But this is just until I get my acting career off the ground."
"Oh." Dawn said as Willow and Tara came in with a small stack of books and a spiral notebook.
"Where's Giles and Wes?" Willow asked as she set the two books that she had been carrying onto the table.
Xander pointed to the training room "In there."
***
Angel and Spike walked in silence as Gunn walked ahead of them with a stake clutched in his fist.
"So you've been in Sunnydale for awhile?" Angel asked.
Spike glanced over at him "Yeah. Came back a bit after I saw you in L.A."
"You mean after you tried to kill me in L.A." Angel said.
"Are you still on that?" Spike asked, "You're still here so lay off it."
"So who put that chip in your brain?" Angel asked.
Spike grunted "Captain Commando and his G.I. Joe friends."
"Who?" Angel asked, clearly he had not been brought up to date with Riley's various nicknames.
"Buff's last boy toy. Riley." Spike said "The Initiative."
Angel nodded "Oh." They walked a little further in silence before he brought up the topic he never thought he'd be talking about with Spike "You're in love with Buffy?"
Spike nodded "Mmm hmm."
"I thought you hated her." Angel stated.
"I thought I did too. But some how I fell in love with her." Spike said "And not the way I was in love with Dru either. When Buffy shut me out or ignored me it actually hurt me. When I saw her lying lifeless in front of me I broke down. Turned into a blubbering baby."
Angel glanced at Spike and saw the hurt on his face "You've changed."
Spike chuckled "Guess you're right. Guess you could say I'm like you now."
"I wouldn't go that far." Angel said.
"You're right. I'm not a poof like you." Spike said.
Angel shrugged off the remark then called to Gunn "Any sign of vamps?"
Gunn turned "Nope."
Spike stopped "You'd think the place would be crawling with vamps since the slayer's dead." As if on cue five vampires came strolling out of some nearby bushes "Guess I spoke too soon." The three men took on the vampires together and had them all dusted in less then five minutes.
"Well that was easy." Gunn said.
"Yeah well the vamps in Sunnydale are extreme poofters." Spike said shoving his stake into an inner jacket pocket.
Angel looked around the cemetery "Are we near Buffy's….grave?"
Spike shook his head "Nah it's over there more." He pointed in the direction of his crypt.
"Can you take us there?" Angel asked.
Spike thought for a minute "Sure mate."
***
Angel stared at the tomb stone in front of him, at the words etched into the smooth stone. He never thought he'd be standing at the grave of the girl he had once loved. Still did love.
"I just hope this is the only time I have to visit her like this." Angel said.
Spike sighed "Yeah well whatever spell they find will most likely call for something to be sprinkled over her body. So guess which lucky blokes will get to dig her up."
Gunn shook "I'm all for killing vampires but I don't dig up corpses."
"That's what Xander's for." Spike said running a hand through his messy hair.
Angel looked down and saw the roses in front of the stone, six yellow ones and one red one "Did you put the red rose there?"
Spike nodded "Yeah. I felt it was proper."
A tear ran down Angel's face "Maybe we should go back."
"Yeah I don't think we'll see any more vamps tonight." Spike stated.
Angel looked at the trees around the grave "This is the tree me and Buffy sat under that night. When I came after Joyce's funeral."
"What a coincidence." Spike said. They stood in silence for a few minutes before Angel turned and started walking away. Spike and Gunn exchanged a look and turned to follow him.
***
"I think I figured it out." Willow said picking up the spell book she had been reading for two days, she walked over to the counter where Giles and Wesley were.
The entire Scooby Gang had been up for two days, night and day researching all sorts of resurrection spells.
Xander looked up from the book he was reading "You think you found the spell?"
Willow nodded as Tara came up next to her "It doesn't call for any blood shedding does it?"
The red haired witch shook her head "No."
Tara looked down at the page "T…that's good. Resurrection spells that call for blood shed aren't the ones we're looking for."
"What does this spell call for?" Giles asked as he put on his glasses and turned the book so he could read it.
Angel, Spike and Dawn came into the shop from the training room in the back just as Giles looked up at Willow.
"What's going on?" Angel asked.
Giles looked in the direction of the two vampires and Dawn "I think we've found the spell."
"You mean the one to bring Buffy back?" Dawn asked.
"What do we need?" Spike asked, he was eager to get Buffy back even if that meant doing anything Giles asked.
Giles thought for a moment as Wesley picked up the book and read the pages himself.
"Do we have the stuff here?" Xander asked as Anya, Cordelia and Gunn came through the front door, they had been out patrolling.
Anya dropped her stake on the table "Why's everyone standing around?"
Xander smiled "Willow may have found the spell to bring Buffy back."
"Really?" Anya asked.
Xander nodded and wrapped his arms around her then kissed her.
"Ok kiddies let's break it up." Spike said, "There's no time for that right now."
"Shut up dead boy." Xander said as Spike glared at him.
Wesley ignored them and looked to Giles "Rupert you have almost all these herbs right here in the shop."
Giles nodded and took the book from him "Willow can you and Tara gather these ingredients?"
Willow nodded as Giles handed her the book "Sure thing." Her and Tara turned and went up to the bookshelves on the small level above the main part of the shop.
"I wanna help too." Dawn said following them up the metal staircase.
"How long does this spell take?" Angel asked.
"Yeah." Spike said, "Do you just mix some stuff together, say some magic mumbo jumbo then poof Buffy's back?"
"Well actually we need to have Buffy's body here during the…well ritual I suppose you'd say." Giles said looking from Angel to Spike.
Spike nodded "And you want us to go dig her up. Right?"
"Well yes." Giles said, "Xander and Gunn can go with you of course."
"Do you have any shovels here?" Angel asked.
"I know where we can get shovels." Xander said coming up behind Angel and Spike.
Angel nodded "Then let's get going."
Spike looked at the clock behind the counter "We have about six hours till the sun comes up."
"Are we gonna bring her back here?" Gunn asked.
Giles thought for a moment then looked at Spike "Can we do the ritual in your crypt?"
"I suppose." Spike said, "It's not like I can really say no now is it."
Wesley nodded "Alright we'll meet you there."
"What can I do?" Cordelia asked.
"Nothing at the moment." Giles said then looked to the four men heading towards the door "Perhaps you should take some weapons or something incase something attacks you."
Angel turned and picked up an ax from the wall "Got it under control."
Xander turned from the door and ran back to Anya "See ya in a bit." He kissed her forehead then rejoined the small group at the door.
When they left Tara, Willow and Dawn came down from the upper area of the shop and each went to a different shelf searching for the ingredients they needed for the spell.
Anya and Cordelia stood around waiting to be given something to do and Giles and Wesley went around collecting anything else necessary for the ritual.
***
Xander wiped his brow with his sleeve "How are we gonna explain this?"
"What do you mean?" Gunn asked as his shovel brought up a fresh patch of dirt.
"Well it's been in the obituary that Buffy died." Xander said pouring dirt onto the pile they had made "Plus we've left messages with her dad telling him Buffy died."
"You'll think of some kind of bloody excuse." Spike said dropping his shovel and pulling off his jacket "You always do." He picked up the shovel and started digging again.
Angel stayed silent as he dug at the soft dirt with his shovel. Soon they all became silent, which seemed to make the morbid task go faster.
Half an hour and a few feet later Spike and Xander's shovels hit something hard at the same time.
Xander looked at Spike "I think we got it."
Spike nodded as they all began digging away the dig around the coffin. Soon the top of the smooth wooden coffin was visible.
"It's a good thing they didn't put cement on top." Gunn said as they threw their shovels out of the hole.
"There's too many of us in here." Angel said glancing around the small space "Me and Spike can get the casket out."
"Yeah you two climb out and get ready to pull it out when we lift it." Spike said.
Xander nodded and him and Gunn climbed out of the hole and stood on either side.
Spike looked at Angel as they both did their best to get a grasp under the coffin "Ready mate?"
Angel nodded "On the count of three."
"I have a better idea." Spike said, "Just lift."
The two vampires lifted the coffin at the same time and were actually surprised at how easily they lifted it out of the small area, which entombed it.
Xander and Gunn grabbed one end of the coffin as it emerged from the ground. Angel and Spike managed to move to the other end. After a few grueling moments the coffin along with Angel and Spike was sitting beside the tomb stone atop the now empty grave.
Spike got to his feet and wiped the dirt off his black jeans "Come on we've gotten get her to my crypt."
Angel stood and took one last look at the area before grabbing one side of the coffin. Spike grabbed the other end of the coffin while Xander and Gunn collected the shovels.
When they reached the crypt everyone was already there setting up various things. Anya and Cordelia were setting up candles around the stone tomb in the center of the room, Willow and Tara were grinding some herbs and other things into a small metal bowl, Dawn was sprinkling something on the candles and Giles and Wesley were over looking the tasks.
"We're here." Xander said as they entered the crypt.
"Where do you want us to put this?" Spike asked.
Giles looked around "Right there I suppose. But we are going to have to put Buffy on the tomb."
Spike and Angel gently lowered the coffin to the floor then straightened up and looked at each other, neither of them wanted to open the casket.
Spike knelt down in front of the casket, took a deep breath then opened the lid. Tears filled his eyes at the sight in front of him.
Buffy was dressed in a simple long white dress with spaghetti straps, her hair was loose and except for the bluish ting to her skin she looked as if she were sleeping.
Everyone was silent as Spike carefully reached into the casket and gently lifted Buffy of the casket. He stood, then turned to the tomb and laid her onto it.
The silence lasted for a few more minutes before Giles cleared his throat.
"Could someone please light the candles?" He asked.
Spike pulled the lighter from his pocket and started lighting the candles closest to him while Anya and Cordelia lit the rest.
"Willow, Tara is it almost ready?" Wesley inquired.
Tara looked up from the spell book "J…just about."
While everyone was finishing the preparations for the spell Dawn slipped away and went to sit on Spike's bed.
Angel noticed and slowly walked over to her "Can I join you?"
Dawn looked up at him "Sure."
Angel sat down on the edge of the bed "What's wrong?"
"I'm just afraid this won't work." She said staring at her sister's body "What if this is our only chance to bring her back?"
"I have a feeling this will work." Angel said.
Dawn looked at him "How can you be so sure?"
"I don't know." Angel said, "I just have this feeling."
"We're ready." Willow said as her and Tara stood next to the tomb.
"Come on." Angel said taking Dawn's hand. They rejoined the small group.
Willow took a deep breath "We need silence during the ritual."
"Please." Tara said. Without saying a word everyone agreed.
Willow took a handful of the herbs she had ground from the bowl and with one sweep of her arm she sprinkled Buffy's body with it. She put down the bowl then took Tara's hand and they both began chanting the incantation, which was in a dead language.
As they chanted it seemed as if the flames on the candles grew brighter and higher.
Everyone watched in silence as Willow and Tara finished the incantation. The room was silent as they all waited for something to happen.
"Did it work?" Dawn whispered. Silence was her answer.
Willow closed her eyes and sighed "I'm sorry."
"Wait did you see that?" Spike asked his eyes widening "Her fingers just moved."
Everyone moved a few inches closer to the tomb to see if what Spike was saying was true.
The fingers on Buffy's right hand started to twitch and her skin began to regain its creamy white coloring. Suddenly her chest began to rise and fall and her mouth opened as she sucked in air.
Dawn smiled "It's working!" she turned and hugged Spike.
***
All she could see was bright white light; she couldn't open her eyes. Her lungs burned as she sucked in air, she felt the blood rush through her veins and she could feel her heart beating. It seemed as if it were beating faster then ever before.
She heard someone say something. Soon she heard many voices, all familiar and all full of joy.
"I can't believe it worked!" She heard Willow's voice.
"Spike it worked!" There was Dawn's voice.
"Yeah Nibblet it did." That was Spike.
Her eyes felt like they were glued shut "I have to open my eyes!" she told herself.
Suddenly the bright light was gone and her eyes snapped open. Buffy looked around at her surroundings and immediately recognized Spike's crypt.
She turned her head and saw all her friends. Everyone was there, including Angel.
"Buffy!" Dawn exclaimed and ran to her.
Buffy smiled "Dawn." She moved her arms behind her and pushed herself up into a sitting position. Tears came to her eyes at the sight of her sister alive and safe. She threw her arms around Dawn.
"I can't believe it worked." Willow said as tears fell from her eyes.
Buffy looked around the room; her eyes stopped on the open coffin "You buried me?"
"Well yes." Giles said, "We had to."
"But that doesn't matter now." Anya said smiling "Cause you're back."
Buffy smiled "Yeah I guess you're right. Can someone help me off this?"
Xander and Angel each took one of Buffy's hands and helped her off the tomb.
"Can you stand?" Angel asked.
"I think so." Buffy said as Xander let go her hand "Angel you can let go."
Angel looked at her for a moment. Looked into her hazel eyes "Sorry." He let go of her hand but kept close to her.
Buffy smiled "It's ok." She looked at Giles "How long was I dead?"
"About five days." Giles said.
"Give or take an hour." Gunn said.
Buffy looked around at her friends and suddenly became aware that someone was missing "Where's Spike?"
Everyone turned to look at the spot Spike had been standing in.
"He was just here." Dawn said.
"He must have slipped out." Wesley said.
Buffy took a deep breath "Will you excuse me?" she went to the door and peaked outside.
Spike was perched on a tombstone next to the crypt; he was staring at the bright tip of a cigarette.
"Spike." Buffy said startling the vampire.
He jumped off the stone and turned to her.
"Why'd you leave?" She asked moving closer to him.
Spike dropped the cigarette on the ground and smothered it with his shoe "I don't belong in there."
"Sure you do." Buffy said, "Did you help bring me back?"
Spike nodded.
"Did you protect Dawn?" She asked looking into his blue eyes.
"No." Spike said, he turned his back to her breaking her lock on him "I failed you. You asked me to protect her and I failed. If I had protected her then you wouldn't have had jump. And I wouldn't have…" He trailed off.
Buffy put her hand on his shoulder "You wouldn't have what?"
He turned to face her and stared into her eyes "I wouldn't have thought that I'd lost you."
Tears filled Buffy's eyes "Spike, what you said that night…um…well it's not true."
"What do you mean?" Spike asked.
Buffy took a deep breath "You said I'd never love you." A tear rolled down her cheek "That's not true."
Spike put his hand on the side of her face and wiped the tear away with his thumb.
"Spike…um I think that I….well I think I do have feelings for you." Buffy said, "I just didn't want to admit it before."
"When did you…?" he asked.
"I think it was when I found out you didn't tell Glory about Dawn." She said "Then when we were at my house that night it just hit me. But I couldn't tell you cause I was so preoccupied with Glory and getting Dawn back."
Spike looked into her eyes then placed his other hand on her face and pulled her into a kiss. She responded by kissing him back and wrapping her arms around his neck.
His lips felt warm against hers and he got a feeling he had never had before. A feeling he had never even had with Drusilla.
Buffy ended the kiss and looked her eyes roamed over Spike's face "Thank you."
***
The next afternoon everyone was at Buffy and Dawn's house have a sort of welcome back party for Buffy.
"I can't thank you guys enough for not just giving up and accepting that I was dead." Buffy said as they all stood in the living room.
"How could we just leave you dead?" Willow asked, "You're the Slayer." Giles had contacted the Council of Watchers that same night they had brought Buffy back and had explained to them that Buffy wasn't dead and they had been forced to call back the slayer they had chosen to replace her.
Anya nudged Xander in the ribs and he wrapped his arm around her "Oh Buffy we never told you."
"Told me what?" She asked.
Xander smiled "Me and Anya are engaged."
Buffy's eyes lit up "That's so great you guys." She hugged them both "Have you set a date yet?"
Anya shook her head "We haven't had the time."
"Well we'll have to start planning the wedding." Buffy said.
"Who wants cake?" Dawn asked as her and Spike came into the living room carrying a sheet cake.
"You got me a cake?" Buffy asked as they put it down on the coffee table, Buffy read it out loud "Welcome back…from the dead, Buffy." She looked at all her friends "The guy at the bakery must have thought that whoever ordered the cake was insane or something."
Everyone laughed as Buffy picked up a knife and started cutting the cake.
Angel, Gunn, Wesley and Cordelia stayed until the sun went down.
"I wish you didn't have to leave so soon." Buffy said to Angel out on the front porch.
"I know." Angel said "It seems that we only see each other when there's some emergency."
Buffy smiled "I know. You have to come back soon."
"I will." Angel said wrapping his arms around her in a tight hug.
"Come on Angel." Gunn said as him, Cordelia and Wesley came out on the porch "It was nice to meet you Buffy. Not the best of circumstances but it was nice to meet you."
"You too Gunn." She said.
"Bye Buffy." Cordelia said, "Stay alive ok."
"I will." Buffy said "Bye Cordy."
"It was nice to see you again Buffy." Wesley said.
"You too Wesley." She said as they all headed to Angel's black convertible.
Spike came out onto the porch "You'd better get going. You wanna get back to L.A. before sun rise."
"Spike the sun just set." Buffy said.
"Did it now?" Spike asked looking around "Well isn't that bloody lovely."
Angel shook his head "I'll see you guys later."
"Bye Angel." Buffy said as he made his way down the porch steps and to his car.
"Bye mate." Spike said. They stood on the porch and watched them drive away "So what do we do now?"
Buffy shook her head "I don't know."
Spike wrapped his arms around her slender waist and lowered his face to hers "How 'bout this?" he placed his lips on hers.
Xander stuck his head out the door "Hey!"
Buffy turned her head to face Xander "What?"
"If you want more cake you better get in here." He said.
"Hey you're not gonna eat all my cake." She grabbed Spike's hand and pulled him into the house behind him. They finished the cake and just sat around for the rest of the night. Everyone ended up passing out around three.
Buffy fell asleep in Spike's arms on the couch and everyone else on the easy chair or floor. It was the best night they had all spent together in a long time.
The End