Chapter Five – Return

Next day, Spike felt well enough to drive. He was still in a lot of pain, but Buffy was helping with the healing, and he was doing pretty well. Oddly enough, as soon as the decision had been made, they found themselves in the car, just outside the cave where the portal was. "Looks like it won't take so long to get back, Niblet," Spike quipped. "We should stop and call the gang, I s'pose. How long've we been gone? I kind of lost track. They'll be frantic."

"I spoke to Tara a couple of times," Dawn remembered suddenly. So much else had happened, she had forgotten.

"What? How?" he asked.

"Well, when I needed to talk to someone, suddenly her voice was in my head. That's how that place worked. If you needed something, it was there."

"Look, when you call, try to get some idea of whether I'll end up a pile of dust when we get back. I mean it's not just me now. Buffy's here too, and we need to get her back where she belongs."

The call was made, and Dawn reported that they had been gone a week. "Seemed a lot longer than that to me," muttered Spike. Xander was not happy, but Tara and Willow seemed willing to wait and see how things turned out, and were trying to persuade him to do the same. He didn't believe Buffy's soul was now resident in Spike's body.

As they settled down to sleep that night, Dawn in the car, and Spike outside, Buffy took the opportunity to have a good think at Spike. "Thanks for looking after her," she started. "She's had a hard time, lately. She obviously thinks you're a cross between a knight in shining armour and a big brother."

"Just keeping my promise, Slayer," he answered. "Didn't keep it too well the night you died, but did my best after."

"Spike, one advantage of being in here with you is that you can't lie to me without me knowing. You really care about Dawn. You always did – even before the promise."

"Sooner we get you back in your body, the better," Spike's mental growl made Buffy laugh. Soon, he was laughing too. Minutes later he was asleep.

When the nightmare came, Buffy gently took his thoughts and wrapped him in the safety she felt. That night he didn't cry.

As the car pulled up outside the Summers house, Giles and the rest of the gang crowded out into the street. Someone - Tara, even thought to bring a blanket for Spike. Dawn was welcomed into their midst with so much noise and so many questions that at first Spike stood in the doorway, ignored.

At last Giles noticed him and pulled him aside. "What's been going on? If you've abused our trust in any way....."

Giles didn't finish his threat because Spike's other voice said "Hey, Giles. Lovely welcome."

Giles went pale and started to speak but Spike broke in.

"She's in here, mate. Her soul, her awareness, part of me."

"And you'd better believe he's not hurt Dawn in any way, Giles," his voice continued with Buffy's accent. Giles found the nearest chair and dropped into it. Over the noise of the welcome party some of this exchange had penetrated to the rest of the gang. Everyone went quiet.

"Hey, guys, it's me. I'm back. Lookin' a little different, but I'm all here," Buffy continued. Suddenly they all started talking at once.

"Of all the con artist!" blustered Xander. "This is so like him, pretend that the Buffster's there so he can avoid what's coming." Willow and Tara sat stunned, excitedly wondering if it could all be true.

"Ok, let's have the whole story, and I mean the whole story," Giles interrupted the discussion. "Dawn, I want to hear it from you."

It took Dawn a little while to finish. "So, we've got Buffy's soul trapped in Spike's body and we need to put it back where it belongs."

"And you really believe that, do you Dawn?" Giles questioned gently.

"Sure I do. I've talked to her," she replied using that tone of voice which implies that the question is utterly stupid.

Giles turned to Spike. "Anything you'd like to add?" He was not being so gentle now.

Spike's own voice answered, "Seems Little Bit has covered pretty much all of it." He shrugged.

The other voice continued, "I know you don't really trust Spike, but I really am here. I've got access to all his memories, and the only thing I see he's leaving out is how much he's suffered to make this happen."

"Doesn't look too bad to me," growled Xander. "Maybe we ought to do something about that? He always did look better with a black eye or two."

Giles could see that things could easily get out of hand. And despite what Xander said, Spike was swaying, looking as if ready to fall over. "Stop!" he yelled. "Dawn appears to be safe and happy. Let's just assume for the moment that this is all true. How do we get Buffy back into her own body?"

Dawn looked puzzled. "Spike, they never told us, did they?"

"No," replied the other voice, "they didn't tell you or Spike. That knowledge is mine if and until I choose to share it."

"Whaddya mean, if you choose to share it?" Spike's own voice asked.

"I mean, I feel good in here. I'm safe, I'm happy. I need to readjust to being back. I don't think the body of a Slayer is the best way to do that," Buffy replied honestly.

At that point, Spike's knees buckled and he hit the floor. "Quick," called Dawn, "help me. Let's get him up to Buffy's room. He keeps saying he's ok, but he obviously isn't yet."

"Buffy's room?" started Xander, but one look from Giles stopped him.

Some time later, Spike realised where he was. Someone had even thoughtfully made sure that sunrise shouldn't be a problem. "S'nice to be home," a sleepy thought came his way from his mind's other occupant. Spike had to admit, he wasn't too unhappy about things himself.