This is Episode 5 called Unexpectant Kindness. It follows part of the original episode in the beginning then the plot changes. Hope you enjoy!

Chapter 1: Flooded /centerhr

Buffy awoke to sound of shouting. She cringed covering her head with a blanket wishing for the world to just be quiet again. Then Dawn pushed open her door explaining, "Buffy the basement is flooded, Tara and Willow don't know what to do and have to go to class so you're going to have to deal with it today!"

Buffy frowned but got out of bed unwillingly to go see what all the commotion was all about. She still hadn't talked to Dawn about what had happened two nights ago and it was on her list of things to do but really she didn't have much more to say that wasn't already said. As Buffy opened her door, she saw Tara and Willow were standing at the top of the basement stairs. Buffy went down the stairs trying to turn off various water sprays as the pipe broke. She stood as the water poured down on top of her looking around helpless. Dawn was definitely right; the basement was flooded. It had turned into a pool rather than a basement. Everything in there would be ruined and she couldn't even imagine how much it would cost. Just then she heard Xander exclaim, "Merciful Zeus!"

Buffy sighed looking back at Xander who offered, "I'll make some calls today to see what I can arrange. This is bad though." Buffy nodded and turned to stare at the basement as water continued to pour down over her.

Buffy sat down on the couch as Xander led a friend of his into the basement. He and his partner were working hard and Buffy sat with Xander a few minutes, Xander looked at her asking, "Are you ok? I know everything was a big shock."

Buffy shrugged, "Hey I'm living. That's an improvement."

Xander smiled liking the fact she was making a joke still. At least she appeared to be able to handle things. "How are things with Dawn?"

Buffy smiled slightly, "Improving I think. I laid down the law and she appears to not be fighting so I think things are on the up."

He mentioned, "Buffy I have something I want to tell you but don't want to tell the others yet."

Buffy nodded, "Sure go for it."

Xander replied, "I agreed to marry Anya. Well actually I asked her to marry me right before this whole thing with Glory went down."

Buffy smiled as she exclaimed, "That's wonderful!"

Xander nodded, "I don't know how to tell the others. Anya is mighty upset about it. Well about me not telling the others saying I want to hide her and I don't I just don't know how to tell the others. It's tough."

Buffy nodded in agreement, "A lot has happened since then. Hey I've died for 147 days and came back to life. That's a lot in itself."

Xander looked curiously, "147 days? Is that how long it was? Doesn't seem like it was that long. Are you sure? How did you find out?"

Buffy looked away admitting, "Spike was counting."

Xander nodded and chose not to yell at this point. He had a few aces up his sleeve and figured that if Buffy didn't return to her normal anti-dead self soon, he would pull them but for now he just was going to enjoy her company. He hadn't gotten really to talk to her lately. Xander smiled and offered, "Listen if you need anything, well other than money because that's just tight all around, let me know."

Buffy nodded at the offer, "Thanks and thank you for getting this guy's help."

Xander smiled gently at Buffy, "Anything for my Buffster. He's going to give you a discount for being my friend. I hope that's ok."

Buffy smiled looking grateful, "Thank you."

Xander gave a simple nod as he stood up, "I best get back to work. I told my crew we would start at 11 and I need to go home, get some food, get changed, check on Ahn all before I head over there." He paused as he turned around mid-walk, "I'm glad you're back."

Buffy nodded silently and watched as he left. She went upstairs to lie down for a while.

She woke up at 12 pm to hear the pounding still going on. She took a shower and got dressed to wander back downstairs to find everyone gone. She went into the kitchen and made herself a sandwich and went to the basement to offer the workers a sandwich. Both guys took one and she noticed the basement was looking a bit better. Water was not visibly leaking from the ceiling anymore and the floor was drying out nicely thanks to whatever miracle they pulled off.

One of the guys replied, "Need another hour or so then we should be all set. We had to replace the piping because it was really old. I'm surprised you didn't have this happen sooner. You were fortunate it wasn't worse."

Buffy nodded not totally sure how a pool in your basement could be worse but decided for her own sanity not to ask. She went back upstairs where she flipped on the television to watch some show. She didn't recognize the show but pulled a blanket from the bottom of the couch over her legs and got comfortable. Before she knew it, an hour had gone by and the two men came upstairs handing her a bill. He spoke briefly, "Just drop that in a mail for us. You should be all set. You might want to think about replacing other pipes before more things happen like that. You have an old house here miss. Sometimes things like this just happen."

Buffy nodded not knowing what to say, "Thank you for helping me today."

Both men gave a quick nod and headed out of her house. Buffy sat down and looked at the bill in her hand and gasped. It was for a lot of money. Her mother had always handled repairs so she never realized how much things like this would cost.

She frowned and made a phone call to Anya asking her if later tonight she would mind coming over to explain the finances to her. Anya practically smiled into the phone exclaiming, "I've been watching your finances and I can show you tonight what has happened."

Buffy replied a bit disturbed by Anya's chipper voice, "Thanks" and hung up. She looked at the bill again noticing the six digits that were still staring at her and she frowned. This coming back thing was tough. For a split second she wondered if that is why everyone had her brought back but then shook her head dismissing it. They probably just missed her company but if so they sure had a strange way of showing it. She had barely seen anyone other than a few minutes each day.

She had seen Xander the most and she had spent that with one disaster and a yelling match. She was thankful that this morning he didn't bring that up at all. The last thing she had wanted to do was fight about Spike when her basement was becoming Dawn's very much wished for swimming pool. She sighed flipping the channels seeing it was 2 pm already and knowing Dawn would be home in about an hour.

Dawn came home and lifted up the blanket, which Buffy was resting under and wrapped it over herself as she cheerfully asked, "What's on?"

Buffy shrugged and Dawn made a face studying the television. It looked like some talk show that she didn't recognize. She turned towards Buffy asking eager to spend some more time with her sister and possibly Spike, "What will we do tonight?"

Buffy answered, "The gang is coming over to help with money. Anya is coming over to help us make a budget and Willow and Tara are going to be here too because they live in this house and need to help with it."

Dawn nodded and agreed and smiled at the idea of having the whole gang together again. She missed Spike though so she asked, "Is Spike coming over?"

Buffy didn't know, "Maybe later but I really want them to talk about money not sit and fight with us about Spike. I don't want a fighting match. I'd rather have a nice conversation about how to pay off the bills."

Dawn nodded understanding even if she didn't like it too much. Dawn said, "I think we need cell phones especially Spike."

Buffy thought about that, "I'll think about that but I really want to hear how the money is working out first before we make any more investments."

Dawn nodded again understanding but not really liking it. She wanted a way to call and talk to Spike and also to check up on Buffy when she wasn't home. She would feel so much safer with a way to call them if needed. She leaned over towards Buffy and rested her head on her shoulder. Buffy automatically wrapped her arm around Dawn as Dawn whispered again, "I know I keep repeating it but I'm so thankful you are back. Life wasn't the same without you."

Buffy smiled realizing sometimes it wasn't so bad to be back and this was one of them. She let out a deep sigh as she turned towards the television to watch it until the others arrived.