Buffy met with Giles and explained the new developments. "Look, Buffy. It isn't as though I am not happy to see you living your life. Trust me, I am. But I wanted so much more for you than Spike can offer you. Even if he is human now. The truth is, I had hoped you would find someone like...well, like Xander. Who could understand your world, but not be a…"
Buffy glared at him. "We've been through this, Giles. Spike has killed before. That is true. But he has spent so much of the past few years repenting for that. He's not always…" She grinned to herself. "He's not always the brightest, especially when it comes to anything even remotely involving me or Dawn. But he IS a good man. He's trying to win your approval. He'd never admit that, even to me. But he knows how much your opinion matters to me. I don't care, though, that you hate him for what he did in the past. I see him as he is now. As the man he's become. And Giles, that's what matters. Aren't you the one who keeps reminding me about how far Faith has come?"
Giles sighed, and took off his glasses. "I'm not actually agreeing with you, but you just might have a point. The truth is, he has been...helpful in the past. And he does do everything in his power to protect you and Dawn. But the good doesn't outweigh all the bad he's done." He sighed heavily. "Still, I can clearly see that I will not be able to talk you out of the path you have chosen. And the truth is, if I was able to, you wouldn't be yourself. So, I will do my best to keep my opinions to myself in the future."
She smiled softly. "Thank you. So anyway, Spike and I will only need to stay here a few weeks more. Just until we can get the house straightened out." Giles smiled back at her. He couldn't help but see the young girl she had been when they had first met.
"You and Spike are welcome in the compound as long as you need. This will always be your home, if you should need it." He stood up and walked around the desk toward her. He held out his arms, and pulled her into a hug, something that he rarely ever did. "We will make it work."
Buffy nodded and stepped away. "About the whole Tara thing, I knew she was being brought back." She held up a hand. "Please don't ask me to explain how. It would pretty much ruin everything."
Giles nodded in understanding. "Okay, I won't ask. But if you knew, why didn't you warn us?"
"Because I wasn't sure just what would happen. All I was told was not to talk about how Tara came back.. But Willow said she's disoriented. Is there any way we can help? I mean, I know how hard it is adjusting. Heck, it took me a long time to readjust, and I wasn't gone nearly that long. But maybe we could do something to help?" Giles smiled at her.
"I have a few people on it, but I think the best thing for her is to reconnect with her friends. You all became her family.. Maybe if she spends enough time around you and the others, it'll bring her out again. Which reminds me. Xander phoned. He is on his way to the compound with Faith. They're bringing in a girl who was a bit like Dana. Though, from the descriptions, she's not quite as bad."
Buffy nodded. "Think we can help her?" Giles sighed and walked to sit back at the desk.
"I hope we can. But until she is here, I won't know." Giles looked up at her. "Until then, we'll just have to wait, I'm afraid." Buffy nodded and stood up.
"Okay! Let me know if there's anything you need for me to do." She smiled at him as she headed back to her room, where Spike was waiting for her.