Xander might have been oblivious to almost everything, but not Anya.
It may seem like Buffy was okay and that she'd be in an awfully comfortable hell, but the ex-demon knew better.
Hell wasn't a place you'd get over in a few days. It was a never-ending torture, a kind of relentless intruding pain that never want away. You'd dream about it at night and hope to god you'd never got there again. And you'd be half crazy when you came out of it, which did fit with how Buffy had been when she woke up.
It didn't fit at all with how she was now. She might be a little distant, even standoffish with them, but she seemed to be the same as before. Maybe she was broodier now, but otherwise she seemed fine. Although, she did seem to resent them a bit, which got Anya thinking.
She thought of bringing it up to Xander, and then thought better of it. He'd probably say everything was fine, that so what if Buffy was a little blah. It was her right to be blah after hell. And she knew it would kill him to know that one of his best friends had been ripped out of heaven.
Oh yeah, she figured that out when Buffy wasn't thanking them right away. Still, it was hard for her to take in.
"`An?"
She turned and smiled at Xander, who'd just woken up, enjoying his first day off in two months. "Hey there mister, you lookin' for some action?"
"Maybe." He grinned, putting his arm around her back and kissing her.
She needed to know that good still existed in this world, that love could prevail and all that stupid human shit. Because knowing that Buffy was back in this hell they called home, she wondered how long the slayer would be able to stand surviving her alone without someone to comfort her, someone who loved her. Someone like...
Anya pulled her mouth away from her fiancé's and then smiled down at him. "Xander?"
"Hmm?"
"Do you think Spike's in love with Buffy?"
He sat up quickly. "Why is it that you're bringing up another man when we're about to make love?"
"I just want to know what you think."
He sighed. "Anya... why are you asking me about Spike when we're almost naked?"
"Why can't I talk about Spike when I'm almost naked with you? Is he forbidden to talk about? I mean he is a nice vampire and I think that if he's in love with Buffy then..."
"Spike can't be in love with Buffy for real. He just told her that because he's in lust with her so much that it feels that way. He doesn't have a soul like Angel does, he's all demon. A killer."
Her eyes were full of anger now. "Haven't we had this conversation before?"
"'An..."
"Don't 'An me! You're the biggest demon basher I know! I used to be a demon Xander...and look at me now. I'm in love. Why is it wrong if Spike is?"
"I don't know. He's just...he's Spike, okay? I can't think of him as a person."
"Well that's just perfect. Fine. I'm leaving."
She got out of bed and walked to the closet looking for some clothes. "Don't please."
"I can't stand being near you now....plus, I have to work. Just....just..."
"`An..."
Anya put on a quick shirt and skirt and looked around for her purse. Xander crawled around on the bed, whining. "Xander stop it."
"You can't leave mad....you know what happens when you leave mad."
"What? You turn on country music and cry?"
He glared at her. "Don't even....Look, I'm sorry I said that shit about demons. I was only talking about Spike, it had nothing to do with you."
"Well until you recognize the fact that I'm still a little bit demony then...well then maybe I'll be able to forgive you this thousandth time."
And with that, she walked out of the apartment.
********************************************************************************
"Willow, I'm sure she's fine. I mean, she's Buffy."
"Well thanks Anya, that just makes me feel all the more better. I mean, it's not like she's been dead for almost six months."
Anya glared at Willow, who was leaning against the wall underneath the stairs where she'd talked with Spike late last night.
Everyone was there except Dawn, Spike, and Buffy and the atmosphere didn't help any of their tempers much. Willow was almost blatantly ignoring Tara, and Anya had her back turned to Xander even though he was sitting right beside her. The only people who had spoken in the last hour had been the two who were about to stop all together.
"Gee Willow, thanks for your magic powers of observation for that one. God, you're so annoying."
Willow's eyes darkened as she spoke. "I can't believe that you're able to walk with that overblown head of yours."
"Oh, are you calling me an airhead?"
"Yes, but I was trying not to say it that crudely."
Anya turned to Xander. "Xander, are you gonna let her talk to me that way?!"
He blinked. "Since when am I allowed to speak?"
"Since now."
He looked at Willow. "Will, I think you need to tone yourself down. Buffy's fine. She just needs some time and..."
"Time? There isn't any time for her to do anything for herself right now she...."
Tara touched Willow's shoulder and almost instantly the redhead's eyes lightened. She looked at her and sighed. Tara looked around at all of them. "I think that Buffy needs what she needs. We all need to respect her privacy and respect what how she's handling herself after all she's gone through. And I also think that all of us need to calm down," she looked into Willow's eyes, "...and maybe forgive each other."
Willow hugged her instantly, sighing in the warm embrace. Tara felt her tenseness ease and was glad Willow was acting like herself again. At least for now.
Anya stared at Xander, waiting. He sighed. "Fine. I'm sorry, okay? I don't hate any part of you because you're a demon and I don't just hate demons right off the bat. I mean, Spike's an okay guy....if you get past the rudeness and the....cockiness...really, Spike's neat-o."
Anya smiled and kissed him roughly. "Thank you honey. Now, let's tell Willow and Tara about the..."
Willow's ears heard her own name. "Tell me what?"
Xander smiled. "Anya and I are....well we're getting married."
She grinned, running towards her best friend and hugging him with childish glee. "Oh that's so great! Oh, I'm so happy for you Xander!"
Xander smiled and Willow pulled away to look at Anya. "For you too Anya...I'm sorry about..."
"It's fine. Really. We're all stressed."
Willow hugged her at the same time Tara was just smiling in the corner away from the group. Xander noticed her. "Tara....come on, you have to give your favorite lesbian advocate a hug!"
She giggled, and walked over to where Harris's waiting arms were. They hugged like old friends and she remembered that's what they were becoming.
Everyone sat down again, grinning. "So...when's the wedding gonna be?"
"Soon...we're still not sure with Buffy back and all that..." Anya started.
"But Buffy's gonna be so happy for you guys. She won't feel weird." Willow assured her.
"Well we want to have it really really soon then. Like March, maybe?"
Tara and Willow's hands interlocked under the table and the two of them looked at each other. Willow kissed her girl softly, and had to stop herself from continuing with overblown need. She leaned in to Tara's ear. "It's been too long honey..."
"I know...I've missed you too."
They kissed again, and Xander and Anya just tried not to stare. Their public displays were becoming more and more frequent, but this one was closing in on indecent. They looked ready to pounce on each other. Xander cleared his throat and both women turned in his direction.
"Could you guys maybe save the four-play for later? Anya doesn't like me watching those kinds of things until after six o'clock."
They both blushed, embarrassed.
Anya hit him in the arm but continued to grin herself. "So guys when are the two of you gonna fly down to Hawaii for your nuptials?"
"We don't need a wedding. We have each other." Tara whispered, looking at Willow with a soft smile.
Willow kissed her nose. "We'll wait, if you don't mind. But you guys go right on ahead."
Xander and Anya felt petty next to the two lovers across from them.
But we're still getting married. Anya thought to herself.
But we're still getting married. Xander remembered, swallowing the bile that rose in his throat.
He smiled at his fiancé shakily and she didn't seem to notice his queasiness. No one did, really.
********************************************************************************
Buffy and Spike were walking hand in hand towards the Magic Box, and Spike kept letting go of hers and stopping. She sighed. "Come on, we have to."
"Slayer we only kissed yesterday....today was really our first real day together and..."
She smiled. "You're terrified."
"No'm not."
"Yes, you are. And don't think I'm not scared too. I'm not gonna let them attack you or anything. It'll be fine. If Willow tries to kill you, I'll just let her kill me instead," she assured him.
He looked at her softly, running a hand through her hair. "That's not funny."
"I was only trying to lighten you mood. Not give you a suicide note."
Spike leaned her into the alley where the others inside wouldn't see them. Then he leaned her up against the wall, the growing need to be kissing or touching her at all times too hard to ignore. Buffy put her hands behind his head, egging him on as far as she could get him to go.
His hands were roaming up under her shirt when they heard footsteps. Spike growled and pulled himself away. Buffy pulled him right back.
"Oh my god."
They were apart in a second. Both were looking at the pavement and Buffy was the only one brave enough to look up. "Dawn...hi."
Dawn was staring openly at her sister's flushed appearance and the lipstick all over Spike's mouth. Then she started to laugh and had to cover her mouth to keep from being heard.
Buffy looked at Spike and then almost laughed herself. She made the around the mouth gesture to him and he just stared at her. "What?"
"You have my red lipstick all over your mouth."
He put his hand up and wiped across his mouth, only to smear the red even worse. Buffy sighed and dug around in her own purse.
Dawn finally calmed down and watched the two of them with growing interest. "Buffy I think he can do that himself."
"No, actually he can't. He doesn't have a reflection."
That got Dawn laughing again, and gained a grin from the vampire himself. When Buffy was finished she wiped her own lipstick off and Spike kissed the rest away again. Their mouths looked slightly darker than normal, but that only accounted to the hours they'd spent pressed together.
"Dawn, quit it."
"C'mon Nibblet, come give your brother-in-law a hug."
That made her almost choke on her own saliva. "What?"
Buffy poked Spike in the ribs. "He's kidding. Really he is."
Dawn took a deep breath and then hugged Buffy as hard as she could. Tears formed in her eyes and she let them fall. "He looks good on you. I can tell."
"Thanks Dawnie. Let's just hope everyone else can too."
Dawn stared at her. "You're telling them already?"
"Exactly what I said." Spike mumbled.
Buffy glared at him and then looked at Dawn. "We have to. And they'll have to accept this or...I guess they can't accept me."
Dawn got out of her sister's embrace and then hugged Spike. He smiled down at her and she just looked at him. Then she looked at Buffy.
"You both deserve some real happiness. And this is it. But you guys know that already, yeah?" Dawn whispered.
The slayer and vampire looked at each other. "Yeah," they both whispered, smiling.
"Good. Then my work here is done," she announced, letting go of Spike.
Buffy smiled at her. "And why were you so late tonight young lady?"
"Oh c'mon now Buffy, we all have our secrets. You don't need to know all mine. I think that I've barely scratched the surface of yours."
Buffy and Spike looked at each other and then looked away. "Okay...I guess. Just be careful."
"I'm always careful."
Spike pulled her into a half-arm hug. "That's Dawn for you. The careful one. Not like her sister who goes jumping on strange vampires in front of her own home at four a.m."
Buffy grinned. "And in no way was it the vampire's fault?"
"Hell no."
Dawn stood next to Buffy and looked at Spike with a appreciative glance. He felt embarrassed for a second.
Buffy turned to her sister. "Dawn?"
"Well he does do that thing with his eyes."
"Oh he so totally does. When he..."
"...yeah and that smile, god...I don't know how you ever resisted before. When he's right there all the time with that puppy dog look."
"Well the was a jerk before. Now I think it's kinda cute."
They both smiled and Spike just stared open-mouthed at the two. He grabbed Buffy effortlessly into another kiss. "You think I'm cute?" he whispered softly.
"You know you're cute Blondie."
"Well...yeah, I do. Just never heard you admit it before, love."
She kissed him. "Well that's not gonna be the last time."
He kissed her. "Let's hope not."
Dawn rolled her eyes. "Guys, this is getting kind of old. We're not in Spike's bedroom we're in an alley. And the two of you...need to go inside and face the music."
"Do we have to???" Spike whined.
Buffy pulled him along by his arm and up until they walked into the shop, they were still holding hands.
Then Spike pulled away and walked ahead of her.
"Baby," Dawn mumbled.
"Buffy! Buffy there you are." Willow called.
"Yep...here I am."
"I was...just wondering where you ran off to all day."
Buffy tried not to blush and it showed. "I was...just looking around and stuff. You know, getting used to earth again."
"Well that's good. Good."
Dawn, who could've cared less about their conversation, was watching Spike with obvious interest from her spot on the floor. She'd noticed how inch by inch he was moving closer to her sister, and how her sister didn't notice at all. Or tried not to show that she did.
When she realized what he was going to do she tried to get Buffy's attention. But Buffy was too far into her whole happy girl routine to notice her, or even to care that much.
"Wow this is so great you guys...Congratulations Xand..."
They all watched in horror as Spike grabbed Buffy from behind, turned her around and kissed her with everything he possibly could. The kiss was rough, almost too rough by the looks of it.
"What the hell is he doing? Does he want to get...oh my god she's..."
Buffy's hand was traveling underneath Spike's shirt to run her fingers across his lower back. "Why are they still kissing?" Xander asked again, but got no answer from any of the women.
"Willow look..." Tara whispered, indicating the couple's hands. They were holding hands tightly, like two people caught stuck in a dark cave. Willow could only describe the look on Buffy's face as surreal, calm, happy. She looked happy.
"I know."
"No, not that. Buffy's...you don't see?"
Willow looked at Tara. "See what?"
That was when Buffy pulled away from Spike, catching her breath. Then she smiled at him, running fingers across his cheek in appreciation.
Suddenly it dawned on her what he'd just done, and she slapped him hard across the face.
It may seem like Buffy was okay and that she'd be in an awfully comfortable hell, but the ex-demon knew better.
Hell wasn't a place you'd get over in a few days. It was a never-ending torture, a kind of relentless intruding pain that never want away. You'd dream about it at night and hope to god you'd never got there again. And you'd be half crazy when you came out of it, which did fit with how Buffy had been when she woke up.
It didn't fit at all with how she was now. She might be a little distant, even standoffish with them, but she seemed to be the same as before. Maybe she was broodier now, but otherwise she seemed fine. Although, she did seem to resent them a bit, which got Anya thinking.
She thought of bringing it up to Xander, and then thought better of it. He'd probably say everything was fine, that so what if Buffy was a little blah. It was her right to be blah after hell. And she knew it would kill him to know that one of his best friends had been ripped out of heaven.
Oh yeah, she figured that out when Buffy wasn't thanking them right away. Still, it was hard for her to take in.
"`An?"
She turned and smiled at Xander, who'd just woken up, enjoying his first day off in two months. "Hey there mister, you lookin' for some action?"
"Maybe." He grinned, putting his arm around her back and kissing her.
She needed to know that good still existed in this world, that love could prevail and all that stupid human shit. Because knowing that Buffy was back in this hell they called home, she wondered how long the slayer would be able to stand surviving her alone without someone to comfort her, someone who loved her. Someone like...
Anya pulled her mouth away from her fiancé's and then smiled down at him. "Xander?"
"Hmm?"
"Do you think Spike's in love with Buffy?"
He sat up quickly. "Why is it that you're bringing up another man when we're about to make love?"
"I just want to know what you think."
He sighed. "Anya... why are you asking me about Spike when we're almost naked?"
"Why can't I talk about Spike when I'm almost naked with you? Is he forbidden to talk about? I mean he is a nice vampire and I think that if he's in love with Buffy then..."
"Spike can't be in love with Buffy for real. He just told her that because he's in lust with her so much that it feels that way. He doesn't have a soul like Angel does, he's all demon. A killer."
Her eyes were full of anger now. "Haven't we had this conversation before?"
"'An..."
"Don't 'An me! You're the biggest demon basher I know! I used to be a demon Xander...and look at me now. I'm in love. Why is it wrong if Spike is?"
"I don't know. He's just...he's Spike, okay? I can't think of him as a person."
"Well that's just perfect. Fine. I'm leaving."
She got out of bed and walked to the closet looking for some clothes. "Don't please."
"I can't stand being near you now....plus, I have to work. Just....just..."
"`An..."
Anya put on a quick shirt and skirt and looked around for her purse. Xander crawled around on the bed, whining. "Xander stop it."
"You can't leave mad....you know what happens when you leave mad."
"What? You turn on country music and cry?"
He glared at her. "Don't even....Look, I'm sorry I said that shit about demons. I was only talking about Spike, it had nothing to do with you."
"Well until you recognize the fact that I'm still a little bit demony then...well then maybe I'll be able to forgive you this thousandth time."
And with that, she walked out of the apartment.
********************************************************************************
"Willow, I'm sure she's fine. I mean, she's Buffy."
"Well thanks Anya, that just makes me feel all the more better. I mean, it's not like she's been dead for almost six months."
Anya glared at Willow, who was leaning against the wall underneath the stairs where she'd talked with Spike late last night.
Everyone was there except Dawn, Spike, and Buffy and the atmosphere didn't help any of their tempers much. Willow was almost blatantly ignoring Tara, and Anya had her back turned to Xander even though he was sitting right beside her. The only people who had spoken in the last hour had been the two who were about to stop all together.
"Gee Willow, thanks for your magic powers of observation for that one. God, you're so annoying."
Willow's eyes darkened as she spoke. "I can't believe that you're able to walk with that overblown head of yours."
"Oh, are you calling me an airhead?"
"Yes, but I was trying not to say it that crudely."
Anya turned to Xander. "Xander, are you gonna let her talk to me that way?!"
He blinked. "Since when am I allowed to speak?"
"Since now."
He looked at Willow. "Will, I think you need to tone yourself down. Buffy's fine. She just needs some time and..."
"Time? There isn't any time for her to do anything for herself right now she...."
Tara touched Willow's shoulder and almost instantly the redhead's eyes lightened. She looked at her and sighed. Tara looked around at all of them. "I think that Buffy needs what she needs. We all need to respect her privacy and respect what how she's handling herself after all she's gone through. And I also think that all of us need to calm down," she looked into Willow's eyes, "...and maybe forgive each other."
Willow hugged her instantly, sighing in the warm embrace. Tara felt her tenseness ease and was glad Willow was acting like herself again. At least for now.
Anya stared at Xander, waiting. He sighed. "Fine. I'm sorry, okay? I don't hate any part of you because you're a demon and I don't just hate demons right off the bat. I mean, Spike's an okay guy....if you get past the rudeness and the....cockiness...really, Spike's neat-o."
Anya smiled and kissed him roughly. "Thank you honey. Now, let's tell Willow and Tara about the..."
Willow's ears heard her own name. "Tell me what?"
Xander smiled. "Anya and I are....well we're getting married."
She grinned, running towards her best friend and hugging him with childish glee. "Oh that's so great! Oh, I'm so happy for you Xander!"
Xander smiled and Willow pulled away to look at Anya. "For you too Anya...I'm sorry about..."
"It's fine. Really. We're all stressed."
Willow hugged her at the same time Tara was just smiling in the corner away from the group. Xander noticed her. "Tara....come on, you have to give your favorite lesbian advocate a hug!"
She giggled, and walked over to where Harris's waiting arms were. They hugged like old friends and she remembered that's what they were becoming.
Everyone sat down again, grinning. "So...when's the wedding gonna be?"
"Soon...we're still not sure with Buffy back and all that..." Anya started.
"But Buffy's gonna be so happy for you guys. She won't feel weird." Willow assured her.
"Well we want to have it really really soon then. Like March, maybe?"
Tara and Willow's hands interlocked under the table and the two of them looked at each other. Willow kissed her girl softly, and had to stop herself from continuing with overblown need. She leaned in to Tara's ear. "It's been too long honey..."
"I know...I've missed you too."
They kissed again, and Xander and Anya just tried not to stare. Their public displays were becoming more and more frequent, but this one was closing in on indecent. They looked ready to pounce on each other. Xander cleared his throat and both women turned in his direction.
"Could you guys maybe save the four-play for later? Anya doesn't like me watching those kinds of things until after six o'clock."
They both blushed, embarrassed.
Anya hit him in the arm but continued to grin herself. "So guys when are the two of you gonna fly down to Hawaii for your nuptials?"
"We don't need a wedding. We have each other." Tara whispered, looking at Willow with a soft smile.
Willow kissed her nose. "We'll wait, if you don't mind. But you guys go right on ahead."
Xander and Anya felt petty next to the two lovers across from them.
But we're still getting married. Anya thought to herself.
But we're still getting married. Xander remembered, swallowing the bile that rose in his throat.
He smiled at his fiancé shakily and she didn't seem to notice his queasiness. No one did, really.
********************************************************************************
Buffy and Spike were walking hand in hand towards the Magic Box, and Spike kept letting go of hers and stopping. She sighed. "Come on, we have to."
"Slayer we only kissed yesterday....today was really our first real day together and..."
She smiled. "You're terrified."
"No'm not."
"Yes, you are. And don't think I'm not scared too. I'm not gonna let them attack you or anything. It'll be fine. If Willow tries to kill you, I'll just let her kill me instead," she assured him.
He looked at her softly, running a hand through her hair. "That's not funny."
"I was only trying to lighten you mood. Not give you a suicide note."
Spike leaned her into the alley where the others inside wouldn't see them. Then he leaned her up against the wall, the growing need to be kissing or touching her at all times too hard to ignore. Buffy put her hands behind his head, egging him on as far as she could get him to go.
His hands were roaming up under her shirt when they heard footsteps. Spike growled and pulled himself away. Buffy pulled him right back.
"Oh my god."
They were apart in a second. Both were looking at the pavement and Buffy was the only one brave enough to look up. "Dawn...hi."
Dawn was staring openly at her sister's flushed appearance and the lipstick all over Spike's mouth. Then she started to laugh and had to cover her mouth to keep from being heard.
Buffy looked at Spike and then almost laughed herself. She made the around the mouth gesture to him and he just stared at her. "What?"
"You have my red lipstick all over your mouth."
He put his hand up and wiped across his mouth, only to smear the red even worse. Buffy sighed and dug around in her own purse.
Dawn finally calmed down and watched the two of them with growing interest. "Buffy I think he can do that himself."
"No, actually he can't. He doesn't have a reflection."
That got Dawn laughing again, and gained a grin from the vampire himself. When Buffy was finished she wiped her own lipstick off and Spike kissed the rest away again. Their mouths looked slightly darker than normal, but that only accounted to the hours they'd spent pressed together.
"Dawn, quit it."
"C'mon Nibblet, come give your brother-in-law a hug."
That made her almost choke on her own saliva. "What?"
Buffy poked Spike in the ribs. "He's kidding. Really he is."
Dawn took a deep breath and then hugged Buffy as hard as she could. Tears formed in her eyes and she let them fall. "He looks good on you. I can tell."
"Thanks Dawnie. Let's just hope everyone else can too."
Dawn stared at her. "You're telling them already?"
"Exactly what I said." Spike mumbled.
Buffy glared at him and then looked at Dawn. "We have to. And they'll have to accept this or...I guess they can't accept me."
Dawn got out of her sister's embrace and then hugged Spike. He smiled down at her and she just looked at him. Then she looked at Buffy.
"You both deserve some real happiness. And this is it. But you guys know that already, yeah?" Dawn whispered.
The slayer and vampire looked at each other. "Yeah," they both whispered, smiling.
"Good. Then my work here is done," she announced, letting go of Spike.
Buffy smiled at her. "And why were you so late tonight young lady?"
"Oh c'mon now Buffy, we all have our secrets. You don't need to know all mine. I think that I've barely scratched the surface of yours."
Buffy and Spike looked at each other and then looked away. "Okay...I guess. Just be careful."
"I'm always careful."
Spike pulled her into a half-arm hug. "That's Dawn for you. The careful one. Not like her sister who goes jumping on strange vampires in front of her own home at four a.m."
Buffy grinned. "And in no way was it the vampire's fault?"
"Hell no."
Dawn stood next to Buffy and looked at Spike with a appreciative glance. He felt embarrassed for a second.
Buffy turned to her sister. "Dawn?"
"Well he does do that thing with his eyes."
"Oh he so totally does. When he..."
"...yeah and that smile, god...I don't know how you ever resisted before. When he's right there all the time with that puppy dog look."
"Well the was a jerk before. Now I think it's kinda cute."
They both smiled and Spike just stared open-mouthed at the two. He grabbed Buffy effortlessly into another kiss. "You think I'm cute?" he whispered softly.
"You know you're cute Blondie."
"Well...yeah, I do. Just never heard you admit it before, love."
She kissed him. "Well that's not gonna be the last time."
He kissed her. "Let's hope not."
Dawn rolled her eyes. "Guys, this is getting kind of old. We're not in Spike's bedroom we're in an alley. And the two of you...need to go inside and face the music."
"Do we have to???" Spike whined.
Buffy pulled him along by his arm and up until they walked into the shop, they were still holding hands.
Then Spike pulled away and walked ahead of her.
"Baby," Dawn mumbled.
"Buffy! Buffy there you are." Willow called.
"Yep...here I am."
"I was...just wondering where you ran off to all day."
Buffy tried not to blush and it showed. "I was...just looking around and stuff. You know, getting used to earth again."
"Well that's good. Good."
Dawn, who could've cared less about their conversation, was watching Spike with obvious interest from her spot on the floor. She'd noticed how inch by inch he was moving closer to her sister, and how her sister didn't notice at all. Or tried not to show that she did.
When she realized what he was going to do she tried to get Buffy's attention. But Buffy was too far into her whole happy girl routine to notice her, or even to care that much.
"Wow this is so great you guys...Congratulations Xand..."
They all watched in horror as Spike grabbed Buffy from behind, turned her around and kissed her with everything he possibly could. The kiss was rough, almost too rough by the looks of it.
"What the hell is he doing? Does he want to get...oh my god she's..."
Buffy's hand was traveling underneath Spike's shirt to run her fingers across his lower back. "Why are they still kissing?" Xander asked again, but got no answer from any of the women.
"Willow look..." Tara whispered, indicating the couple's hands. They were holding hands tightly, like two people caught stuck in a dark cave. Willow could only describe the look on Buffy's face as surreal, calm, happy. She looked happy.
"I know."
"No, not that. Buffy's...you don't see?"
Willow looked at Tara. "See what?"
That was when Buffy pulled away from Spike, catching her breath. Then she smiled at him, running fingers across his cheek in appreciation.
Suddenly it dawned on her what he'd just done, and she slapped him hard across the face.