TITLE: Learning Curve

AUTHOR: Blue Shoe 22

RATING: PG

SPOILERS: General for all of Buffy up to 'The Gift' and maybe some for first and second season Angel.

SUMMARY: After his return form Pylea and the news of Buffy's death Gunn witnesses the reactions of those around him and he has to wonder – who is Buffy?

EPILOGUE

Return (version two)

After all that she's back. Alive again. Seems so weird since I'd only got to know her post-mortem like. I still haven't met her though and I don't know if I ever will.

Cordy and I are up on one of the higher floors of the Hyperion. She's holding Conner and looking out the window into the L.A night. We're on baby watch tonight and the handle of the axe is warm and smooth in my hand. Ain't nothing takin' this bunle od joy.

There's a roar in the street down below. A mechanical one, not a supernatural one. Cordy steps away from the window as I move towards it. Down below there's a sweet motorbike parked, all shiny silver and black leather, with two people decked out in the same on it.

The smaller one gets off the back first and I hear Cordy gasp when she takes off her helmet.

'Buffy!' she exclaims and I try to get a better look at the woman who has effected the lives of so many people. I can only see the top of her head though.

'This is not good,' says Cordy – now over the initial shock of seeing the formally dead Slayer. 'I mean, the last thing Angel needs at the moment is Buffy turning up with her latest boytoy. He has more important things to worry about.' She looks down at the baby in her arms. 'Yes he does, yes he does,' she coos at him and he gurgles away happily.

She looks out of the window again and this time she screams. Buffy's 'boytoy' has taken off his helmet, which had been covering up his bleach-white hair. 'Spike,' she shrieks and Conner starts crying and I think my eardrums are gonna burst.

'That's Spike?' I say.

I can't belive it. The vamp at Buffy's grave. The lovesick drunk who cried and left flowers. That was Spike. Spike with the arm in the box, attacking the school, Halloween nasties. I figure it has to be 'cos Cordy's running down the stairs yellin' for Angel. I follow.

When I get there everyone's gathered around Cordy whose explaining loudly that Spike is here and he's turned Buffy and now she's a vampire and they're gonna steal Conner and we're all going to die.

Now I know that's now what's goin' on. Call it a gut feeling but the vamps feelings were real and he was tellin' the truth about not bein' able to hurt no one. I think.

I'm about to say somethin' but there's a heap of confusion goin' on around me. Running for weapons and Angel looking so unbelievably pissed off I wouldn't be surprised if he spontaneously combusted.

'Uh guys – ' I start, but then the door opens and they walk in. They're holding hands. All weapons point towards them. Buffy looks confused but that Spike guy just gets all smirky.

'Nice reception guys but I come in piece, not to sound cliché or anything,' she says and I've gotta grin. I like this girl. She's got six people aiming weapons at her and she's crackin' jokes.

'Oh yeah,' says Cordy brandishing a cross with one arm and clinging tighty to Connr with the other. 'You come in peace with Spike,' she continues, sarcasm dripping off every word, 'And don't think I'm not gonna dust you just because you used to be Buffy.'

'She's not a vampire,' Angel says but it's so close to a growl it's hard to understand.

'Oh,' says Cordy, now confused. Actually, everyone's pretty much confused about now – including me.

'Then why is she here with him?' She looks at them, then down at their linked hands, back to their faces, then their hands. 'Oh,' faces, 'Oh,' hands.

The bleached bloodsucker grins, 'Peaches,' he says and I can see Angel wince, 'Heard you got an addition to the family, me an the Slayer thought we'd come down and check out the little blighter.' Angel's practically squirming and conspicuously not looking at Buffy. He's still mad though an the other vampires comments snap him out of his rage and embarrassment filled stupor.

He lunges. Buffy steps away and the two vamps clash savagely. They're growling and snarling and hurling insults about hairstyles o all things. Not that I've got much to worry about in that department.

Buffy seems totally unconcerned and is standing off to the side looking a bit out of place. Everyone else is to busy watching the brawling vampires to notice although I think Lorne might be checkin' out her aura on the sly. I walk over and it's weird. She only comes up to about my elbow and her arms look are so thin they look like they'd snap as easy as dry twigs but I know that she could pick me up and hurl me across the room.

I reach out my hands and she takes it, her grip firm. I look down into her face and she's smiling and I can kinda see what attracted Angel. There's somethin' about her.

'Hey, I'm Gunn. I've heard a lot about you.'

THE END