"I don't understand" Angel shakes his head.

You wouldn't. Buffy thinks bitterly. "If he loved you so much, why would he sacrifice himself like that?"

The slayer (well, one of many), sighs. She doesn't want to have this conversation with her ex. And not now, when the scars are so fresh.

"Angel" She breathes, "I think you already know the answer"

His face contorts into a look of confusion.

"Like you, he has a soul. And like you he wants, sorry , wanted to do what was right. Spike didn't do it because he loved me or because he wanted to prove anything. He did it to save the world," Buffy breaks off as lump forms in her throat at the memory of his demise in the falling ruins of Sunny Dale high. "And now the world's still here but he isn't"

In a way which she can't describe, the vampire looks hurt. Is it possible he thought after the battle they'd instantly be together?

"You said you didn't love him" Angel says quietly.

"I said he was in my heart, I guess I didn't realise I loved him until it was too late"

With the last word the tears start falling fast down her face, not caring enough to stop them.

And all those times, I thought she was crying over Sunny Dale.

"Buffy, there's something I need to show you" Sighs Angel

"Well, OK. Should I assemble the scoobies?" she asks

"Maybe later"

The drive to Wolfram and Hart is silent as Angel concentrates on driving and prepares himself for what he's about to do and Buffy contemplates what she's about to see as well as trying to clear her mind of a certain blonde vamp who kept taking over her thoughts. They parked his Viper along with all the other shiny cars, the firm had supplied him with and took the elevator up to his office. That's when she looks upon him, looking very much alive, sitting in Angels chair was Spike. Breath catches in Buffy's throat as she takes in the sight of her ex lover.

"Buffy," starts Angel "there's something you should know…"

However, she is so amazed by his un-dead status that she doesn't hear him and runs over to where he is now standing, staring at her with blue eyes that sparkle with love and amazement too. Expecting to throw her arms around him in a tight embrace her face is a picture of pure shock and terror as she runs straight through him.

"…He's a ghost"