Disclaimer:- Buffy The Vampire Slayer and all characters related to the show belong to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy etc . I do not make money from this.My stories are to entertain and not to make profit.

Introduction :- Continuation of Switch.

Buffy and Spike swap bodies with each other and have to travel to another dimension to retrieve the staff from a demon that will swap them back. Whilst in the others body , they become at ease with each other and find themselves drawn to each other. The Initiative set up base in Sunnydale and capture Buffy and they experiment on her and Spike gets chipped. Between them , they bring the Initiative and Maggie Walsh down. They send Riley, Harmony and Maggie to the dimensional zoo as exhibits.

Darla arrives with a surprise for Angel , just as Buffy and Spike are due to get married. Holtz and a demon called Sahjhon sends Connor through the portal, Groo acts as his protector and goes through the rift after him.

Buffy is shot by Holtz shortly before Angel kills Holtz as his act of revenge for sending Connor through the dimensional rift to Quor'toth and also Buffy's death.

This story picks up from the last paragraph.

Welcome Home

Six Months Later

"Spike?!" her voice yelled through the house "Get your lazy vamp ass outta bed, Angels on the phone"

"Fuck sake, can' I get a bloody minutes peace, what's the great lummox want now?"

"I dunno, not like I want to talk to him is it?"

Spike threw the covers back and stumbled down the stairs and into the kitchen, scratching through his hair and rousing his curls to fall around his face. He grabbed the phone from Dawn and frowned at her, which she returned with a tongue poking out and a smile on her lips.

"Whatever it is better be bloody important, I was up all night killing a nest of vamps, so make it quick you git"

"It's Connor, he's back"

"Good for you now is that all?"

"Nope, he came back with a couple of hitch hikers"

"So, send them on their merry way , unless they're hell beasts, in which case I find a bloody flame thrower works"

"It's Buffy and she's not alone"

The phone hung from it's wire and the front door was wide open, Dawn and Joyce stood at the foot of the stairs staring as a car sped from the drive way.

The journey to L.A was taking far too long as far as Spike was concerned. His cell phone had been turned off and tossed into the rear of the car. Joyce had been ringing him constantly since he had left , and whilst he loved the woman, now was not the time to be having the ' are you there yet ' conversation. Not when Spike was doing over a ton down the freeway .

Spike approached the slip road for L.A fast and his tyres screeched their disapproval and the speed in which he took it. Now he just had to get to the Hotel and get his girl back.

Angel stood staring at Groo, Buffy and his son, who was now a young lad of sixteen. It appeared time ran at a different rate in Quor'toth. Buffy was an attractive thirty something and Groo, well he didn't age, something that had benefits from being from Pylea.What had astounded Angel was the child beside Buffy.

"I don't like that man, he keeps staring at me"

"Ignore him if it bothers you that much, but he won't hurt you I promise" Buffy told the small child.

Connor picked the child up and tickled him under the arm, making the child giggle infectiously.

Angel thought that they looked like a family from out of town. Buffy and Groo stood side by side, Connor and the small child hugging and stood beside Buffy. Jealousy ate at Angel, not only had his ex been there to bring up his son, but so had Groo. Connor seemed a very well adjusted and happy young man.

Angel had wanted to talk to Buffy alone and find out how she had ended up in the dimension with them. Not that he wasn't glad that she was alive, but it would throw a curve ball at them all.

Connor hugged Buffy and then retired to the room that he had been given earlier, the small child went to follow , but Buffy called him back to her side , the child obeyed . Groo sat with the child on his lap while Angel motioned for Buffy to come into his office so that they could talk. Huffing, Buffy followed .

"What the hell has been going on?" Angel asked . He turned his back to her and scratched at his forehead. "Is that child yours and if so, is it Groo's, cos I'm pretty sure Spike will rip his head off when he finds out"

"Will you quit already, first of all, I came through the portal two hours ago and my head is swimming , second , no the child isn't Groo's, he's a gift from the Powers, I had a choice, I took it"

"Wait, what do you mean?"

Buffy slumped into a chair "I'd rather tell it once Spike gets here, which should be around about ... now"

Spike slammed open the doors and ran down the few stairs in the foyer. He spotted Groo playing with the child and assumed it was Connor , he stopped beside them as Buffy came running and stopped dead as she saw Spike. He squinted and took in her new appearance. Tears fell and then he rushed her. Sweeping her up into his arms and burrowing his head into her neck and hair and smothering her face and neck in kisses.

"How?" was all he could say through his tears

Connor had heard the commotion and stood at the top of the stairs watching as his surrogate Mum was reunited with her Husband .

"I was given a choice and I took it, I'm starting to think I can't die or stay dead"

"Works for me sweetheart " Spike whispered as he felt his throat tighten and he choked on his emotions

"Hate to interrupt but I think it's time a certain someone went to bed" Angel pointed to Groo and the young child that had fallen asleep. "You can stay over, there are a few rooms upstairs that are still habitable"

"Thanks " Buffy replied and she picked up the young bundle.

Buffy carried the boy up and placed him in the huge bed. He squirmed and sucked his thumb as he snuggled down. Buffy watched him and then settled next to him, patting the bed for Spike to join her.

Spike frowned but then shrugged off his duster. He spooned behind Buffy and kissed her shoulder.

"You gonna spill an' tell me who this li'l guy is?"

"He was a gift. Like I said downstairs , I had a choice. The Powers that Be needed another warrior as Quor'toth was harsh and Groo was fighting twenty four seven. It was hard and whilst he fought the demons in that realm, there was nobody to take care of, or to protect Connor. I agreed and as a reward, the Powers granted me a gift. I chose him" she stroked the child's head and he sighed in his sleep.

"That answers some of what I wanna know pet, but is he yours?"

"Not exactly Spike... he's ours"

Spikes eyes grew wide and for once Spike was gobsmacked.