CHAPTER FIVE (All will be revealed, well not quite all but you know what I mean)

CHAPTER FIVE (Revelations and hopes for the future)

The scoobies heard the lock on the front door click open and the tinkling of the door chimes signaled Giles return.

"Finally, you're back" Willow said to Giles then turned to Dawn and said "Hurry, run out back to the alley and get Spike"

Dawn turned and jogged towards the back to retrieve him.

"What's Spike doing back there?, and would anyone like to clue me in why I almost had my eardrums imploded because of bite sized marshmallows? Giles asked exasperated.

"We kicked Spike out when he started smoking, and we're not sure what the hoopla over the marshmallows was about, he said he would explain when you got here."

. . .

Dawn stuck her head out the back door and located Spike leaning against the wall across from the door. He had his eyes closed and a lit cigarette hanging out the side of a smiling content face and one booted foot placed on the wall behind him, he was actually humming. "He's back, and you're still grinning like an idiot" Dawn said while holding the door open for Spike.

Spike slowly opened his eyes and took a last drag from his cigarette before flipping it to the ground and letting the smoke curl out of his mouth slowly "I know, all will be revealed soon and I expect to see this same idiotic grin on your face as well, luv" Spike said as he pushed off the wall with his foot and ground out the fallen cig on his way to the door. When he reached the door he took a hold of the edge of it and silently ushered Dawn inside in a gallant ladies first gesture.

As soon as Spike and Dawn entered the room Willow began with the twenty questions act but Spike quickly silenced her by holding up his hands and said "If you will all take a seat I'm ready to explain" No one said a word just did as they were instructed. "Ok, you all know that I've been having dreams of Buffy which I have said were of a prophetic nature. I believe the Watcher referred to them, and I'm quoting here, as 'Absolute Rubbish'. Well tonight I had a new and different one, and I'd like to finish telling it before the rebuttals start" Spike said looking at each of them to get their silent agreement. "Good, now the dream started like the rest so I won't bore you with the flashbacks, but then the real Buffy appeared to me. She says that she's been watching us and that I'm on the right track in my research and to get you guys to help me. I told her that I already tried that and you all said it was a lost cause. She said" turning to face Willow he continued "to tell Willow that you are her big gun and that she is proud of you"

Willow gasped "that's what Buffy told me the night of the battle, no one else knew that!"

Spike continued on, this time turning to face Giles "she said to tell you that she's sorry for losing her faith in her calling but that she truly did figure it out and she wants you to look in the Prophesy book and then she told me to discuss some things with you privately after patrol tonight."

Giles then turned to Dawn and said "Dawn, did you tell anyone else the message Buffy told you to tell me before she jumped?"

Dawns eyes were as big as saucers at this point, "No Giles only you, I swear cross my heart" Dawn said while drawing an invisible x on her chest.

The others turned to Giles expectantly, and he replied. "That was pretty much word for word Buffy's message to me before she jumped, except the Book of Prophesy part, that's new" Giles said while crossing to the bookshelf behind him to retrieve the book in question. While his back was turned he took the opportunity to reach up and wipe away the single tear that had started to roll down his cheek.

"What else did she say?" Xander asked looking at Spike

Turning to Dawn this time he said, "Buffy told me to tell you that Joyce is there and is happy and that she sends her love." Dawn began to quietly cry and Spike crossed to her and perched himself on the arm of her chair and put his arm around her shoulders. He then turned back to the rest of the group "then she said that Joyce had a message for me, the message was that she hid the last bag of marshmallow in the roasting pan in the cupboard for me so that Dawn wouldn't eat them" he said while looking down to giving Dawn a little grin which she returned. "So you can see why Giles finding them made me a little excited" Spike then looked down at Dawn once again and gave her shoulder a little pat and said why don't you go splash some water on your face Nibblet?" Dawn nods and heads to the restroom in the back of the store. Spike then looking back at the group and said quietly, "I didn't want her here for this next part, Buffy also said that 'even though Dawn isn't the key in a living energy kind of way she is still the key to helping you bring me back', whatever that means. I just didn't want to put any extra pressure on her. Ok end of story, questions?, comments?" he said looking around expectantly but the room remained silent for several minutes while the scoobies absorbed this new information. Dawn returned looking refreshed, grinning like an idiot as was the rest of the group by this point.

"So, this means Spike was right and there is a way to bring Buffy back" Dawn stated happily.

"Well, it appears so, but even if there is a way that doesn't mean we will be able to do it" Giles stated not wanting to get Dawn's hopes up too high incase things didn't work out.

"That's true" Spike said "Buffy also said that we had some time to get this done in but once the window of opportunity passed it would be impossible"

"Well what are we waiting for, let's hit the books!" Anya exclaimed while hopping up and pulling books off the shelf and throwing them on the table. "The sooner Buffy's back the better I say, you never know when the next apocalypse is and I have a wedding to plan" Anya stated matter of factly.

"Hold on there a minute" Spike interrupted "Buffy also mentioned patrol tonight, so I think we should go ahead and do that and begin with books first thing tomorrow when we've all calmed down a little. We wouldn't want to miss something because we are all excited. Xander why don't you get us started"

"Sure thing" Xander said as he walked over to grab one of the satchels off the counter and plopped it down on the table. He started unpacking the communications equipment, handing their new hands free walkie-talkies to everyone. "Spike can you grab the map from behind the counter?"

Spike said "Right" and headed towards the counter while clipping the com device to his belt in the middle of his back and threaded the earpiece under his shirt and up to his ear. He grabbed the map and headed back to the table and handed it to Xander who rolled it out on the table next to the now empty satchel. At the table Anya was busy handing out stakes to the group who was in turn busy hiding the stakes in easily accessible places on their bodies. Tara and Willow were over at the supply shelf refilling their Wiccan bag of tricks. Within a few minutes Xander had explained the strategy of tonight's patrol in a quick and efficient manner and they grabbed the other two satchels of weapons and headed out, Giles, Xander and Anya in Giles' midlifecrisismobile and Spike, Dawn, Willow and Tara in Spike's Desoto.

"You remember the rules Nibblet?" Spike asked

"Geesh, are you going to ask me this every night?" Dawn said exasperated.

"Most likely, yes, now answer the question." Spike retorted

"Yes, I remember the rules, stay in the car with Anya and your cell phone and don't get out no matter what" she said holding out her hand.

"Good girl" Spike said while unclipping the cell phone from his belt and placing it in Dawn's hand just as he was pulling up to park behind Giles in front of Sunnydale Memorial Gardens. "And what do you do if we contact you on the radio that someone is hurt?

"Duh, I call *55 for an ambulance"

"Very good" he said while patting her on the head.

"Spike, I'm not a puppy!" Dawn exclaimed while swatting his hand away.

"Woof" he said as he shut off the engine and looked back at the two witches who where getting their things in order and said "Let's get ready to rummmmbbble!"

"You enjoy this way too much Spike" Willow said grinning at the silly vamp.

"Yeah like you don't" Spike retorted "Let go see if we can find something for you to kill with your mind my little Wiccan fiend er I mean friend sorry Freudian slip"

Everyone in the car just chuckled.

TBC . . .