**First of all, we want to thank everyone for the positive reviews. This
is our first fanfiction. We didn't expect such awesome feedback. Please,
keep sending feedback. It would be much appreciated! Secondly, for anyone
who didn't get it, the first chapter was the disclaimer. But, I imagine
most of you actually got that part. (**
DISCLAIMER: We emailed Joss the other day and asked him if we could claim of ownership of his characters. He said, "No! And stop hiding in the bushes behind my house you freaks!" So, the characters still belong to him and Mutant Enemy, UPN, and anyone else who went so far as to sell their soul to have a piece of them.
Part VII
Willow drove like crazy towards L.A., breaking every speed limit by at least thirty miles. She was amazed that Giles left the keys to his car under the visor. What had told her to go to L.A.? She wasn't sure. She didn't even use a spell. They didn't usually work on Xander too well. She just went with her gut instinct.
She couldn't get in touch with Angel and became increasingly worried. "Xander, I hope you're ok."
She convinced herself not to get upset. It took her ten minutes of talking to the empty seat beside her, but she eventually calmed down a little. "I've searched the ice cream parlor, the pizza place, the 7-11.but, duh, Willow! He might not be going to chocolate for the answers to life's little tragedies!" With a sigh and a thankful prayer for cop free highways, she drove on, hoping her hunch was right.
Part VIII
Spike sighed and decided to confide in his companion.
"It was just a dream, and yet it makes me so mad. I haven't seen her with my own two eyes yet. I was in my usual scrape, five to one, good odds in my eyes nowadays. Then suddenly, someone snaps the neck of the demon trying to put a stake through my bloody heart. I turn around but no one is there. I can hear someone calling my name. A girl, she sounds incredibly familiar. Then the voice is right behind me. I turn around and it's the Slayer. She looked upset. She had a deep scowl on her face as though she were not sure why she was seeing me again. I go to touch her face. Suddenly, I'm awake and I'm brassed off at the world, and I don't know why. Then I remember my dream."
He takes an unneeded deep breath before going on. "I run to the graveyard thinking I'm a soddin fool. It's just a dream, and not the best one I've had at that. I watched them put her in the ground myself. There's no way she's alive. But her grave was empty, clawed out of from the inside. I dropped to my knees and clawed down to her coffin just to be sure. She's gone again, only this time I don't have a clue where she is. Next thing I know, I'm outside the Nibblet's house. She's the Slayer's little sis; she has a right to know. I get there just as she is calling the Watcher telling him the bloody 'good news.' The sun wasn't the only thing that drove me away from the house. Why didn't anybody bloody TELL me? I stormed back to the crypt. Trashed it, felt guilty.damn Angel and his anal retentiveness, so I cleaned it back up. By that time the sun was down, and I really needed a spot of violence. And some hard liquor. So I went to Willy's and that solved both problems."
He laughs, pointing out the irony of his situation. "But then the whelp showed up and I thought my fun was over. Scoobies are such sticklers for gratuitous violence. But, he doesn't say anything, shrugs and starts pounding the nearest demon. The whelp's damn inventive in a bar brawl. I hate to admit, but I had fun. Turns out he caught his demon gal snoggin' with Ripper. Can't say I didn't see it coming. Those two had been fighting about the store all summer. Xander still had a mind to start some trouble and I thought what better way than to annoy The Poof than to bring the whelp with me to L.A. That Caritas, just as fun as I remember, as long as you are totally smashed. Then, in the middle of our singing, the Poof and the May Queen show up. It gets a little fuzzy after that."
He sighs.
"Thanks for listening, Mr. Gordo." He laughed at himself. What sort of nancy boy vampire converses with a stuffed pig? He laid the pig on the pillow next to him.
He grinned insanely at Mr. Gordo, who would have been quaking in hooves (do pigs have hooves?), if he were actually animate.
Spike would never, of course, do this when he was actually sober --- being a Master Vampire and all.
Part IX
Willow finally got in touch with Angel right after arriving in L.A. She spoke frantically, telling Angel every detail of her search for Xander in one long-winded breath. Angel only caught the words Xander, Demon bar, and pistachio. "Willow, slow down. Xander is up here with Spike."
Willow gasps in surprise. "Spike?"
Angel says, "Yeah, Spike."
"Spike?"
"Spike.yes."
"Are you sure Xander is ok?"
"About as ok as two drunk men can be."
"Drunk?"
"Yeah, drunk."
"Drunk?"
"Yes, drunk!"
"How did you find them?"
"They were singing karaoke at Caritas."
"Singing?"
"Singing. Yes! Singing. Don't ask again!"
"Uh.ok." Silence. "I'll be right over! I swear, when I get my hands on him, I'm going to beat on him until he pleads for mercy --- no wait, that doesn't sound right. I would never beat Xander in that way. I'm a one girl gal. But he really made me angry disappearing like that ---"
"Ok," Angel said, cutting her off. "I'll tell you all about it when you get here. So, bye." He hung up the phone and shook his head.
The second Angel hung up the phone, someone started pounding on the door. "Geez, it's a hotel. You think they'd just come on in," Cordelia replied, annoyed. She opened the door. Willow breezed right past her. Cordelia rolled her eyes. "Geez, Willow. Rude much?"
Willow grabbed Cordy's shoulders. "Where is he?!?!"
"Get a grip, Willow.but not on me!"
Angel walked into the room. "Uh.hi, Willow."
"Where is Xander?"
"Sleeping like a baby. Willow, what's going on?"
"Um.uh.I need to see Xander first."
Angel grabs Willow's arm and takes her to Xander. "Ok, he's asleep. See? Still in one piece, still the same stu." he cleared his throat when Willow glared at him. ".Xander."
Willow sighed. She looked down at Xander then back up at Angel. "We'll talk about it later, Angel, ok?"
Angel rolled his eyes, not wanting to push farther. "Ok.fine. Later."
Cordelia reluctantly found a room for Willow and went to bed herself.
Part X
Buffy found herself wandering around the cemetery aimlessly --- again, thinking about her mother. "I could sure use you right now, Mom. Things are pretty weird."
She looked up and noticed she was standing in front of Spike's crypt. Her mom really liked Spike. She walked up to the door and just stood there for a moment. Did she really want to see Spike right now? Did she even care if she ever saw him again?
She opened the door softly, expecting Spike to be in there somewhere. He had probably somehow sensed her presence outside the door before she even decided to open it. He was so damn irritating like that. To her surprise though, the crypt was completely quiet and she knew he was not there. "I wonder where he went. Before I died, he didn't have much of a social unlife."
Her thoughts drifted to Angel, the love of her life. As though some other force were directing her, she knew she had to go to L.A., but she failed to understand why her brain was telling her that. Maybe her brain wanted her to tell Angel the "good news" and get it over with. She quickly made her way home, leaving a note for Dawn (she didn't want her to worry after all) and picking up a few things before going to the City of Angels. She had no idea that the majority of her friends when be there when she arrived.
Part XI
Xander screamed. Everyone woke up, naturally, since blood curdling screams have a way of doing that. Xander jumped out of the bed. He ran toward another room tackling anyone that got in his way. "He's gonna get me! He's gonna get me! Save me! Help me! Hold me! Just keep him away from the chocolate!" Everyone looked at each other groggily in utter confusion.
Willow walked towards the screaming man. "Xander --- what is it?"
Xander continued to scream. "Clowns are evil! Clowns are bad! Clowns --- "
Spike slaps him. "Wake up you crazy sod!"
Xander suddenly wakes up and puts his hand to his stinging face. "Ouch! That hurt! What was that for? Where am I? Who's the bitch that just hit me? Aaaaaaugh! Spike! Aaaaaaaugh! Angel! What kind of nightmare is this? Willow? Cordelia? What are you doing here?"
Cordelia rolled her eyes. "More like.what are you doing here?"
Angel interrupts. "Someone care to tell me what is going on now that we're all awake here?"
Willow cautiously touched Xander's shoulder. "Are you all right?"
He held his head in his hands. "I think someone hit me over the head with a sledgehammer. A really, really big sledgehammer! Owwwww!"
"Xander, I know what happened." Willow looked at her best friend with total sympathy.
Too tired to comprehend what she was talking about, he asked, "Huh? What?"
"I went by the shop earlier to find you. Giles and Anya were fighting."
That woke him up. "Oh goody! Giles and Anya fight, shag, then fight some more. Rated R for adult content. Now showing on every screen of Xander Harris' pathetic life."
Cordelia looks at Xander. "Woah! Hold on a second! Back up! WHAT is going on here? Anya and the Tweed?"
"Laugh it up, Cordy. Payback is such a bitch, isn't it?"
Cordelia became somewhat flustered. "Xander, I ---"
Wesley and Gunn ran in. Wesley looked at the entourage of people gathered in the lobby of the hotel. "What was that infernal racket? Did Darla sneak in again?"
Spike, Xander, and Willow look at Wesley in shock. "Darla?!?!?!"
Gunn looked at the startled guests in amusemnt.not really knowing any of them. "Uh.never mind. Don't worry about it right now."
Willow looked at Spike. "Spike, why are you --- here?"
Spike tilted his head to the side and narrowed his eyes at Willow. "You used your magic. You used your bloody magic. Why did you do it?! Things could have gone terribly wrong!" The sobering vampire paced back and forth. "For all we know, you could have raised a monster!"
"Spike, you are a monster!" Cordelia reminded him.
Xander snaps at Cordelia, "Shut it, Cordy!" Xander clapped his hand over his own mouth in surprise at defending Spike. 'Where did THAT come from?' he thought to himself.
Willow looked at Xander for signs of possession.
Spike stopped and glared at the Cheerleader. "That I am, luv." He looked away.
"Spike, I don't think anything went wrong." Willow said, trying to sound reassuring.
Spike sighed in exasperation. "But you don't know for sure! Do you even know where she is?!?"
Willow looked away from Spike. "Well.no."
"No? NO?!? Bloody wonderful!"
Angel and Cordelia asked in unison, "Who?"
Spike looked at Angel for a moment, and then away. He guffawed. "What, they haven't informed you of their latest Sunnydale drama, mate?"
Angel became more angered because his childe was just plain annoying to him at times. "For the last time, WHAT IS GOING ON? What is going on with Anya and Giles and who the hell are you guys talking about now?"
They were interrupted by a loud knock on the door. Gunn left the room to go see who it was.
Cordelia watched him leave. "What kinda idiot knocks on a hotel's front door?" she yelled. "Who's even awake at this ungodly hour?"
Xander smirked. "Uh, Cordy. We are, along with a buttload of demons, vampires, and other scary creatures of the night." Everyone turned to Xander.
Cordelia quickly replied, "Gunn's a big boy. He can take care of himself. It is probably just Fred."
"Who?" Spike raised an eyebrow.
Angel, still pretty angry and rather annoyed by the fact that no one would answer his question, responded, "Long story. Anyway, Cordelia, she is around here --- somewhere."
Gunn walked back in the room. "Angel, you have a visitor."
Angel exited the room. Everyone just stood around looking at each other, still pretty sleepy even after Xander's random freak fest. A few seconds later, Angel burst back in, startling everyone. "What the fuck is going on? Somebody tell me before I start ripping heads off. If this is some kind of joke, Spike, I swear you're going to wish you were ashes when I'm through with you!"
"What are you talking about, Peaches."
Angel screams. "SHE'S DEAD!"
"Angel.what is going on?" All seven pairs of eyes focused on Buffy.
Angel shifted fretfully. "I --- well --- " He looked around the room. "All right!" He turned to the witch. "Someone has A LOT of explaining to do! Willow! Did you do this?!?" He grabbed her shoulders.
Xander came to Willow's rescue. "Back off, Dead Boy!" He pulled Angel off Willow. "We did a spell. We found the Urn of Osiris --- on E-bay strangely enough --- and resurrected her."
Buffy jumps in. "Um, excuse me. I'm standing right here. What did you do to me? You resurrected with something you found on E-bay?!?!"
Willow semi-smiled at Buffy. "We rescued you, Buffy. You're not in Hell anymore." Uncomfortable silence filled the room.
Buffy blinked a few times and sighed. She opened her mouth to speak, but closed it quickly after finding she couldn't think of anything to say.
"You're home now." Willow smiled.
Buffy quietly mumbled to herself. "Home."
Cordelia yawned. "Boy, that whole coming back from the dead thing must have worn you out. I know I'm tired just thinking about it. Why don't I show you your room, Buffy?"
Willow nervously looks at Buffy. "Buffy, are you ok?"
Buffy just stared at Willow. Then her eyes wandered to everyone else in the room.
"It's been a long night guys. We'll talk about it tomorrow," Willow said in a near whisper.
Cordelia took Buffy up the stairs to find yet another room for yet another guest.
Angel grabbed Willow. "You bet we're talking about this tomorrow, and I want some answers!" Willow looked up at Angel and nodded slowly. Angel let go and Willow walked up the stairs timidly.
Wesley looked at Gunn. "Well, this seems like a good time for me to do research of some kind." He quickly left the room.
Angel glared. "I feel the sudden need to go kill a few demons." He narrowed his eyes at Xander and Spike. "You two! Don't. Go. Anywhere!" He stalked out of the room. Gunn followed. "I'm with Angel." He quickly escaped the weirdness that was unfolding before his eyes.
Xander and Spike look at each other. Spike says, "Xander, I think I just felt my heart beat."
Xander somewhat chuckles, "Funny, I think mine just stopped." He is silent for a moment. "I think I need to sit down."
A stunned Spike says, "Yeah." He plops down next to Xander, gets out a cigarette and lights it, and stares off into space.
Xander takes one of Spike's cigarettes. He lights it, inhales, coughs, but manages. Spike is completely unphased by Xander's actions. He continues to stare off. Xander disposes of his cigarette. He yawns, pats Spike on the back, and walks up the stairs to go to bed.
Spike, now left alone, has no idea what to do. One tear rolls down his cheek, but he quickly rubs it away. 'Must be the alcohol or something,' he thought to himself. Who was he kidding though? He was so happy to see Buffy, but worried at the same time. How could the Scoobies even think for one second that they would have to resurrect Buffy to save her from Hell? Still, he cried quietly. All those days of torment finally caught up with him, and he realized that Buffy's return would mean the end of his recurring dream ---- at least, he hoped so.
DISCLAIMER: We emailed Joss the other day and asked him if we could claim of ownership of his characters. He said, "No! And stop hiding in the bushes behind my house you freaks!" So, the characters still belong to him and Mutant Enemy, UPN, and anyone else who went so far as to sell their soul to have a piece of them.
Part VII
Willow drove like crazy towards L.A., breaking every speed limit by at least thirty miles. She was amazed that Giles left the keys to his car under the visor. What had told her to go to L.A.? She wasn't sure. She didn't even use a spell. They didn't usually work on Xander too well. She just went with her gut instinct.
She couldn't get in touch with Angel and became increasingly worried. "Xander, I hope you're ok."
She convinced herself not to get upset. It took her ten minutes of talking to the empty seat beside her, but she eventually calmed down a little. "I've searched the ice cream parlor, the pizza place, the 7-11.but, duh, Willow! He might not be going to chocolate for the answers to life's little tragedies!" With a sigh and a thankful prayer for cop free highways, she drove on, hoping her hunch was right.
Part VIII
Spike sighed and decided to confide in his companion.
"It was just a dream, and yet it makes me so mad. I haven't seen her with my own two eyes yet. I was in my usual scrape, five to one, good odds in my eyes nowadays. Then suddenly, someone snaps the neck of the demon trying to put a stake through my bloody heart. I turn around but no one is there. I can hear someone calling my name. A girl, she sounds incredibly familiar. Then the voice is right behind me. I turn around and it's the Slayer. She looked upset. She had a deep scowl on her face as though she were not sure why she was seeing me again. I go to touch her face. Suddenly, I'm awake and I'm brassed off at the world, and I don't know why. Then I remember my dream."
He takes an unneeded deep breath before going on. "I run to the graveyard thinking I'm a soddin fool. It's just a dream, and not the best one I've had at that. I watched them put her in the ground myself. There's no way she's alive. But her grave was empty, clawed out of from the inside. I dropped to my knees and clawed down to her coffin just to be sure. She's gone again, only this time I don't have a clue where she is. Next thing I know, I'm outside the Nibblet's house. She's the Slayer's little sis; she has a right to know. I get there just as she is calling the Watcher telling him the bloody 'good news.' The sun wasn't the only thing that drove me away from the house. Why didn't anybody bloody TELL me? I stormed back to the crypt. Trashed it, felt guilty.damn Angel and his anal retentiveness, so I cleaned it back up. By that time the sun was down, and I really needed a spot of violence. And some hard liquor. So I went to Willy's and that solved both problems."
He laughs, pointing out the irony of his situation. "But then the whelp showed up and I thought my fun was over. Scoobies are such sticklers for gratuitous violence. But, he doesn't say anything, shrugs and starts pounding the nearest demon. The whelp's damn inventive in a bar brawl. I hate to admit, but I had fun. Turns out he caught his demon gal snoggin' with Ripper. Can't say I didn't see it coming. Those two had been fighting about the store all summer. Xander still had a mind to start some trouble and I thought what better way than to annoy The Poof than to bring the whelp with me to L.A. That Caritas, just as fun as I remember, as long as you are totally smashed. Then, in the middle of our singing, the Poof and the May Queen show up. It gets a little fuzzy after that."
He sighs.
"Thanks for listening, Mr. Gordo." He laughed at himself. What sort of nancy boy vampire converses with a stuffed pig? He laid the pig on the pillow next to him.
He grinned insanely at Mr. Gordo, who would have been quaking in hooves (do pigs have hooves?), if he were actually animate.
Spike would never, of course, do this when he was actually sober --- being a Master Vampire and all.
Part IX
Willow finally got in touch with Angel right after arriving in L.A. She spoke frantically, telling Angel every detail of her search for Xander in one long-winded breath. Angel only caught the words Xander, Demon bar, and pistachio. "Willow, slow down. Xander is up here with Spike."
Willow gasps in surprise. "Spike?"
Angel says, "Yeah, Spike."
"Spike?"
"Spike.yes."
"Are you sure Xander is ok?"
"About as ok as two drunk men can be."
"Drunk?"
"Yeah, drunk."
"Drunk?"
"Yes, drunk!"
"How did you find them?"
"They were singing karaoke at Caritas."
"Singing?"
"Singing. Yes! Singing. Don't ask again!"
"Uh.ok." Silence. "I'll be right over! I swear, when I get my hands on him, I'm going to beat on him until he pleads for mercy --- no wait, that doesn't sound right. I would never beat Xander in that way. I'm a one girl gal. But he really made me angry disappearing like that ---"
"Ok," Angel said, cutting her off. "I'll tell you all about it when you get here. So, bye." He hung up the phone and shook his head.
The second Angel hung up the phone, someone started pounding on the door. "Geez, it's a hotel. You think they'd just come on in," Cordelia replied, annoyed. She opened the door. Willow breezed right past her. Cordelia rolled her eyes. "Geez, Willow. Rude much?"
Willow grabbed Cordy's shoulders. "Where is he?!?!"
"Get a grip, Willow.but not on me!"
Angel walked into the room. "Uh.hi, Willow."
"Where is Xander?"
"Sleeping like a baby. Willow, what's going on?"
"Um.uh.I need to see Xander first."
Angel grabs Willow's arm and takes her to Xander. "Ok, he's asleep. See? Still in one piece, still the same stu." he cleared his throat when Willow glared at him. ".Xander."
Willow sighed. She looked down at Xander then back up at Angel. "We'll talk about it later, Angel, ok?"
Angel rolled his eyes, not wanting to push farther. "Ok.fine. Later."
Cordelia reluctantly found a room for Willow and went to bed herself.
Part X
Buffy found herself wandering around the cemetery aimlessly --- again, thinking about her mother. "I could sure use you right now, Mom. Things are pretty weird."
She looked up and noticed she was standing in front of Spike's crypt. Her mom really liked Spike. She walked up to the door and just stood there for a moment. Did she really want to see Spike right now? Did she even care if she ever saw him again?
She opened the door softly, expecting Spike to be in there somewhere. He had probably somehow sensed her presence outside the door before she even decided to open it. He was so damn irritating like that. To her surprise though, the crypt was completely quiet and she knew he was not there. "I wonder where he went. Before I died, he didn't have much of a social unlife."
Her thoughts drifted to Angel, the love of her life. As though some other force were directing her, she knew she had to go to L.A., but she failed to understand why her brain was telling her that. Maybe her brain wanted her to tell Angel the "good news" and get it over with. She quickly made her way home, leaving a note for Dawn (she didn't want her to worry after all) and picking up a few things before going to the City of Angels. She had no idea that the majority of her friends when be there when she arrived.
Part XI
Xander screamed. Everyone woke up, naturally, since blood curdling screams have a way of doing that. Xander jumped out of the bed. He ran toward another room tackling anyone that got in his way. "He's gonna get me! He's gonna get me! Save me! Help me! Hold me! Just keep him away from the chocolate!" Everyone looked at each other groggily in utter confusion.
Willow walked towards the screaming man. "Xander --- what is it?"
Xander continued to scream. "Clowns are evil! Clowns are bad! Clowns --- "
Spike slaps him. "Wake up you crazy sod!"
Xander suddenly wakes up and puts his hand to his stinging face. "Ouch! That hurt! What was that for? Where am I? Who's the bitch that just hit me? Aaaaaaugh! Spike! Aaaaaaaugh! Angel! What kind of nightmare is this? Willow? Cordelia? What are you doing here?"
Cordelia rolled her eyes. "More like.what are you doing here?"
Angel interrupts. "Someone care to tell me what is going on now that we're all awake here?"
Willow cautiously touched Xander's shoulder. "Are you all right?"
He held his head in his hands. "I think someone hit me over the head with a sledgehammer. A really, really big sledgehammer! Owwwww!"
"Xander, I know what happened." Willow looked at her best friend with total sympathy.
Too tired to comprehend what she was talking about, he asked, "Huh? What?"
"I went by the shop earlier to find you. Giles and Anya were fighting."
That woke him up. "Oh goody! Giles and Anya fight, shag, then fight some more. Rated R for adult content. Now showing on every screen of Xander Harris' pathetic life."
Cordelia looks at Xander. "Woah! Hold on a second! Back up! WHAT is going on here? Anya and the Tweed?"
"Laugh it up, Cordy. Payback is such a bitch, isn't it?"
Cordelia became somewhat flustered. "Xander, I ---"
Wesley and Gunn ran in. Wesley looked at the entourage of people gathered in the lobby of the hotel. "What was that infernal racket? Did Darla sneak in again?"
Spike, Xander, and Willow look at Wesley in shock. "Darla?!?!?!"
Gunn looked at the startled guests in amusemnt.not really knowing any of them. "Uh.never mind. Don't worry about it right now."
Willow looked at Spike. "Spike, why are you --- here?"
Spike tilted his head to the side and narrowed his eyes at Willow. "You used your magic. You used your bloody magic. Why did you do it?! Things could have gone terribly wrong!" The sobering vampire paced back and forth. "For all we know, you could have raised a monster!"
"Spike, you are a monster!" Cordelia reminded him.
Xander snaps at Cordelia, "Shut it, Cordy!" Xander clapped his hand over his own mouth in surprise at defending Spike. 'Where did THAT come from?' he thought to himself.
Willow looked at Xander for signs of possession.
Spike stopped and glared at the Cheerleader. "That I am, luv." He looked away.
"Spike, I don't think anything went wrong." Willow said, trying to sound reassuring.
Spike sighed in exasperation. "But you don't know for sure! Do you even know where she is?!?"
Willow looked away from Spike. "Well.no."
"No? NO?!? Bloody wonderful!"
Angel and Cordelia asked in unison, "Who?"
Spike looked at Angel for a moment, and then away. He guffawed. "What, they haven't informed you of their latest Sunnydale drama, mate?"
Angel became more angered because his childe was just plain annoying to him at times. "For the last time, WHAT IS GOING ON? What is going on with Anya and Giles and who the hell are you guys talking about now?"
They were interrupted by a loud knock on the door. Gunn left the room to go see who it was.
Cordelia watched him leave. "What kinda idiot knocks on a hotel's front door?" she yelled. "Who's even awake at this ungodly hour?"
Xander smirked. "Uh, Cordy. We are, along with a buttload of demons, vampires, and other scary creatures of the night." Everyone turned to Xander.
Cordelia quickly replied, "Gunn's a big boy. He can take care of himself. It is probably just Fred."
"Who?" Spike raised an eyebrow.
Angel, still pretty angry and rather annoyed by the fact that no one would answer his question, responded, "Long story. Anyway, Cordelia, she is around here --- somewhere."
Gunn walked back in the room. "Angel, you have a visitor."
Angel exited the room. Everyone just stood around looking at each other, still pretty sleepy even after Xander's random freak fest. A few seconds later, Angel burst back in, startling everyone. "What the fuck is going on? Somebody tell me before I start ripping heads off. If this is some kind of joke, Spike, I swear you're going to wish you were ashes when I'm through with you!"
"What are you talking about, Peaches."
Angel screams. "SHE'S DEAD!"
"Angel.what is going on?" All seven pairs of eyes focused on Buffy.
Angel shifted fretfully. "I --- well --- " He looked around the room. "All right!" He turned to the witch. "Someone has A LOT of explaining to do! Willow! Did you do this?!?" He grabbed her shoulders.
Xander came to Willow's rescue. "Back off, Dead Boy!" He pulled Angel off Willow. "We did a spell. We found the Urn of Osiris --- on E-bay strangely enough --- and resurrected her."
Buffy jumps in. "Um, excuse me. I'm standing right here. What did you do to me? You resurrected with something you found on E-bay?!?!"
Willow semi-smiled at Buffy. "We rescued you, Buffy. You're not in Hell anymore." Uncomfortable silence filled the room.
Buffy blinked a few times and sighed. She opened her mouth to speak, but closed it quickly after finding she couldn't think of anything to say.
"You're home now." Willow smiled.
Buffy quietly mumbled to herself. "Home."
Cordelia yawned. "Boy, that whole coming back from the dead thing must have worn you out. I know I'm tired just thinking about it. Why don't I show you your room, Buffy?"
Willow nervously looks at Buffy. "Buffy, are you ok?"
Buffy just stared at Willow. Then her eyes wandered to everyone else in the room.
"It's been a long night guys. We'll talk about it tomorrow," Willow said in a near whisper.
Cordelia took Buffy up the stairs to find yet another room for yet another guest.
Angel grabbed Willow. "You bet we're talking about this tomorrow, and I want some answers!" Willow looked up at Angel and nodded slowly. Angel let go and Willow walked up the stairs timidly.
Wesley looked at Gunn. "Well, this seems like a good time for me to do research of some kind." He quickly left the room.
Angel glared. "I feel the sudden need to go kill a few demons." He narrowed his eyes at Xander and Spike. "You two! Don't. Go. Anywhere!" He stalked out of the room. Gunn followed. "I'm with Angel." He quickly escaped the weirdness that was unfolding before his eyes.
Xander and Spike look at each other. Spike says, "Xander, I think I just felt my heart beat."
Xander somewhat chuckles, "Funny, I think mine just stopped." He is silent for a moment. "I think I need to sit down."
A stunned Spike says, "Yeah." He plops down next to Xander, gets out a cigarette and lights it, and stares off into space.
Xander takes one of Spike's cigarettes. He lights it, inhales, coughs, but manages. Spike is completely unphased by Xander's actions. He continues to stare off. Xander disposes of his cigarette. He yawns, pats Spike on the back, and walks up the stairs to go to bed.
Spike, now left alone, has no idea what to do. One tear rolls down his cheek, but he quickly rubs it away. 'Must be the alcohol or something,' he thought to himself. Who was he kidding though? He was so happy to see Buffy, but worried at the same time. How could the Scoobies even think for one second that they would have to resurrect Buffy to save her from Hell? Still, he cried quietly. All those days of torment finally caught up with him, and he realized that Buffy's return would mean the end of his recurring dream ---- at least, he hoped so.
