I feel a sort of settling feeling in my body, like I didn't have a body but didn't realize it and now I do and we're getting to know each other again, but it's a surprisingly ready friendship. I guess it's a feeling that can only be experienced. I'm looking down at Buffy's hands resting in mine, she's sitting across from me and I can't bloody believe this is where they sent me back to. Once again holding her hands, must be a fuckin' metaphor or something. William is unbelievably touched and I'm already composing sodding poetry in my head about this moment, which actually isn't a whole lot different than what was going through my head the last time this happened. So much for a soddin' soul making you a different person. Buffy's hands tighten upon mine and I'm afraid to look her in the eye, and I realize my eyes are actually now closed. I'm afraid to see that lost, frightened look on her face again. I only hope I can do this right this time.

"Spike." Buffy says my name like it's a prayer. My eyes open and immediately seek hers and I'm not sure what I'm seeing, but it's definitely not what I was expecting. "Ohmigod, you're here, too. It worked!" And she launches herself into my arms, straddling me and wrapping her arms so tightly around my neck I'm lucky I don't need to breathe.

_Buffy POV_

I feel incredibly dizzy and it takes a few moments to realize I'm not speeding through the time space continuum (thanks, Andrew, for putting that term in my head) and I have landed in my own body. Funny, I hadn't noticed that I didn't have a body before. Probably one of those "had to be there" moments I'll never be able to explain. Spike is cradling my hands in his. My knuckles are cracked and bloody and I can actually see a bit of bone in a few places. Ick. I look up and around me. I'm in my house, sitting on the sofa, Spike is across from me on the coffee table with his head bowed over our hands and his eyes closed. Wait a minute. Spike is across from me. Spike is holding my hands and my knuckles are broken. I grip his hands and maybe I said something because his eyes open and look into mine and it's Spike. Call it Slayer intuition but I know this is MY Spike. He came back, too. Before I know it I'm in his arms and clutching him to me, oh god I don't ever want to let him go again. I want to crawl into his skin and live there. Somewhere in the back of my brain I realize that Spike may not know what is going on so as I layer kisses on his face and neck I assure him. "It's me, it's me. I found you. Spike, we have a second chance. Oh god, I'm so sorry. I love you. Please believe me. Please don't leave me again. Please, Spike." So, my kind of reassurance involves hysterical begging and a lot of tears. This kind of display is actually sorta new for me but it feels good so I go with it. Because Spike is here and is kissing me back wherever he can reach and holding me so tightly to his body it's hard to breathe but I know it won't kill me so I love it.

"Um.. I got the stuff." Dawn. Spike looks toward Dawn then toward the door and starts pulling away from me. I realize I'm a bit slow on the uptake as the Scoobies come bursting through the door and I remember that the rest of this night happened, too.

_Spike POV_

Aw, fuck, these selfish pricks. Well, not all of them. Most of them. Buffy performs some kind of maneuver in the 3 seconds it takes for them to register her presence that lands us in the exact same positions we were in when we sat down. I hope that's a Slayer trait and if not, that Dawn doesn't learn how to do it when she gets a boyfriend. The cacophony from the crowd in the foyer is the exact timber that sent me fleeing the room the last time this happened. I wonder how often I'm going to be thinking the last time this happened because I'm already tired of it. This time I squeeze Buffy's arm gently as we stand to let her know I've got her back before I take up a position behind her by Niblet. The Scoobs are all atwitter - talking over each other, flinging questions at Buffy and, as usual, not waiting for answers and ignoring Niblet's questions about what they know. Buffy starts backing toward me until she bumps into my chest and reaches behind her for my hand, which I readily give her. This does not go unnoticed by Dawn and she hollers for everyone to back off. To my surprise, their flapping mouths snap shut immediately.

Dawn looks accusingly at Willow. "You did this. What did you do?"

"A spell. We, we did a spell…" I like how she stresses "we" there.

"We didn't think it worked, but-" This from Anya.

"Is she going to be okay?" Everyone looks at Buffy.

"I'm okay. I'm gonna be fine. I remember. You brought me back." Her hand grips mine a bit tighter.

"What was it like?" Anya asks.

"What was what like?" I guess she's decided we're playing dumb.

"You know, hel-" Xander cuts Anya off. "It's okay. You don't have to talk about this, Buff. Hey, do you want something? Anything. Pizza. I'll get you pizza."

"Buffy likes pizza."

"Yeah, something to eat-"

"She doesn't want pizza."

"I just meant-"

"Guys! Back off!" Dawn's authoritative tone broke through the din. I'm going to have to do something nice for her.

"Right, uh, Dawn's right. We should just be quiet, and let Buffy tell us what she needs. " Willow hedges.

Silence. Buffy turns to look at me and I give her a little shrug to indicate I don't know what to do right now, either.

"OK, well… Spike is going to fix my hands and I guess pizza sounds good. It's kind of a post-apocalypse tradition, after all. But, you know, I'm really tired and I bet you guys are, too, so can we wait for Giles to get here before we do the full on twenty questions?" At this point Buffy has pulled my arms around to hug her tightly from behind.

"Sure, Buffy, of course. Whatever you want. Just…"

"What is it, Willow?"

"Aren't you happy? We got you out. We really did it." Willow grins at Buffy and it's all I can do not to roll my eyes. Except it's not all I can do because I do roll my eyes. I know this because Dawn gives me a sharp look. Buffy gives a little shudder.

"Yes, Will… I am happy. You did... something, that's for sure." All of their faces fall and if I had a camera I'd snap a picture to put next to the word rejected in the dictionary. I bite the inside of my cheeks to keep from laughing in their stupid faces. "Look, I love you guys. I'm glad to see you. But don't make any assumptions just yet, ok? There's more going on here than you know. So just… Can someone order that pizza and call Giles and let's all sit while Spike does my hands." I let go of Buffy so that I can take the first aid kit from Dawn, who is now wearing her "I will find out all your secrets" face, but she seems content enough to leave it for now as she flops herself into the easy chair in a testament to teenage indifference. I see Tara and Willow heading toward the kitchen, presumably to call for pizza and hopefully the Watcher, as well. Buffy and I return to where we were sitting – her on the couch, me on the table. Xander and Anya arrange themselves on the couch next to Buffy. The silence in the room is thick and tense but I barely notice as I tend to Buffy's hands because she's looking at me like I'm the answer to her prayers. I have no bloody clue what's happening, but my girl loves me and she doesn't look like she plans on kicking me to the curb anytime soon. I'm grinning my happy ass off and so is she. I finish wrapping her hands and lift them up to give her a light kiss on her knuckles. She darts a sideways look at Xander and Anya but she's still smiling and I know she's waiting for the explosion that is bound to happen.

"So, Buff, I gotta ask - what in holy frijoles are you doing with evil dead here?"