Chapter Two – Twenty Questions

Spike was still sleeping when Buffy blearily opened her eyes for the second time that day. She glanced at the window, it was still light outside but it was a dying light; they would be able to go back to the house soon. Buffy knew that Dawn would be pleased to see Spike even if nobody else would be. She picked her jeans up from the floor and wriggled into them, dressing quickly as she paced the room for each individual item of clothing. She never could keep her clothes together when she was undressing. Once dressed, she sat back down on the bed and looked at Spike as he slept, he was moaning slightly and Buffy wondered if vampires had bad dreams as she stroked his soft hair.

" What the hell happened to you?" she murmured as she looked down at him. Tracing old scars with her fingers; he told her that he'd won the fight but the scars were taking their time to fade, Buffy knew enough about vampiric healing to know they must have been really deep cuts, possibly through to the bone. He hissed sharply as Buffy rubbed her fingers over a deep, red wound right in the centre of his chest, he opened his eyes and grabbed her hand, moving it away from the mark.

" Still sore, pet," he sighed, putting a loose arm around her waist. She stayed silent, looking down at him puzzling over what could possibly have changed Spike, changed William the Bloody to the fragile man that lay before her.

" Why won't you tell me what happened while you were gone?"

" I've already told you. Nothing happened. I just needed to clear my head a bit and now I'm back, okay?"

" Spike, don't lie to me. I'm not stupid. Just tell me where you've been. Dawn's really missed you but you didn't care enough to call her; to tell her that you'd be back,"

" Don't bring her into this. You know I didn't leave because of her…" shouted Spike, Buffy glared down at him.

" Right, of course, you left because of me," she said sharply, sitting back from his reach. Spike sat up on his elbows and looked Buffy right in the eye.

" I didn't leave because of you, I left for you. I had to get something… for you,"

" Get me something? What? What is it?" frowned Buffy, unsure of what Spike was talking about but intrigued by his answer nonetheless. He reached out and took her hand and placed it over the red mark she had touched before, he cringed slightly at her touch but soon relaxed and left her hand over his chest. " What? You had to get your ass kicked for me?"

" Bloody hell, you can be so annoying sometimes. This is an entry wound, luv. Don't know if it'll ever go away, I bloody hope it will…"

" Entry wound for what?" she said, moving her hand and inspecting the mark closely, it was still red and sore with black marks around the skin; Buffy assumed they were burnt on. Spike sat up properly and faced her, she started smiling at him, she never had any idea what to expect when it came to Spike's sense of humour. He took both of her hands in his and sighed loudly, Buffy pulled a face and encouraged him to 'get on with it'.

" This might be a bit hard to accept, it took me long enough… I went to Africa to fight for my right to the restoration," said Spike. Buffy's mind went into overdrive; the restoration, the spell from Jenny's disk, the spell Willow performed on Angel, the one that returned his… She looked at Spike; she looked at the mark on his chest and jumped off the bed, laughing hysterically. Spike with a soul? This was just too much, there was just no way…

" That is the lamest thing I have ever heard. You got a soul for me? Please! Is that the best excuse you could come up with for getting a beating?" she laughed; Spike didn't join in with the jollity.

" It's not an excuse, it's the truth," he said, Buffy stopped suddenly and glared at him.

"If this is some kind of joke, it's really not funny," she screamed, pacing the room. She had to keep walking, she had to keep moving, her mind was moving from overdrive to hyper-drive and she was ready to explode.

" I'm not joking, luv. I'm a soul man again," he smiled. Buffy stopped walking and sat on the edge of the bed, facing away from him. He moved forward and kissed the top of her arm, trying to make her look at him.

" This is so unbelievable. I can't… I mean, I don't even know… This is so totally not what I expected," she babbled before turning to look at him. She studied his face, checking if she had missed anything, some sign that he was no longer evil.

" There's nothing there, pet. I'm still the same ol' Spike, just a little new and improved. Well, maybe not improved but still…"

" I think we should call Giles,"

" Why? There's nothing he can do. I'm the vampire with a soul now. Plus, I got better hair than Peaches,"

" Is that what this was about? Getting one up on Angel? God, Spike, real mature,"

" That's not what I did it for. God, a bloke can't do nothing right by you, Slayer," he growled, throwing back the sheets and jumping out of bed. Buffy averted her eyes from Spike's naked body as he picked up his trousers and pulled them on. " C'mon, let's go. Can't wait to see what you tell Watcher-Boy,"

Neither Spike nor Buffy spoke on the walk to Revello Drive although both had plenty to say. As always, they left it to each other, testing to see who would be the one to crack. Buffy was sorely tempted to slam the door in his face as they entered the house but she knew that everyone would have to know what had happened while Spike had been away, even if nobody would be particularly pleased about it. Buffy threw her bag on the kitchen worktop and headed for the fridge, finishing off the orange juice as Dawn and Willow entered the room.

" Nibblet," smiled Spike and took a step towards her but Dawn just glared at him before turning on her heel and storming out of the room. Buffy threw the juice carton in the bin and ran out after her. Willow walked over to Spike and looked at him, frowning.

" Spike," she smiled.

" Red," he countered, sitting at the breakfast bar and looking at the door that both Summers' women had just left through.

" So, kill anyone lately?"

" Er…no. You?"

" Not so much. What have you been up to?" asked Willow before jumping up onto the kitchen counter. Spike just smiled at her.

" Got me a soul!" grinned Spike, his voice filled with pride.

" Oh… okay. Not what I was expecting but fine. So, how are you handling that? I mean, Angel went to hell for a few months afterwards, did you go to hell?"

" Africa,"

" Oh. See, that's not even the same as hell. Hmm, are you thirsty? Do you want something to drink, you know, like coffee because we don't have any blood. Apart from in our bodies, but you already knew that," babbled Willow, not really sure what to make of the news. Spike shook his head and looked at the kitchen door as it opened and Dawn and Buffy walked in. He looked at Buffy who tried to ignore him and sat next to Willow, she smiled softly as Dawn walked up to him.

" Hey Spike," she said, it was a little forced but Spike preferred it to being ignored. He jumped down from the stool and gave Dawn a brief hug. Buffy looked across at Willow and started giggling again.

" Did he tell you?" she asked. Willow nodded and started to laugh.

" I don't know why it's so funny!" said Spike, annoyed. Dawn frowned and asked what was going on. " Promise you won't laugh?" Dawn nodded her head. " While I was in Africa, I went through the restoration and got a soul,"

Dawn looked at Willow and Buffy's increasing grins and couldn't help but let out a giggle before the three girls erupted into peals of laugher.

" Bloody women!" growled Spike. " Come on, Slayer. Ring your Watcher, let him in on the joke!" Buffy walked across the kitchen to the telephone and quickly dialled Giles' home number in England. She had learnt it by heart months before when Willow retreated to the Watcher's Council's harsh recovery programme, followed by a mini-holiday with Giles. It didn't take him long to pick up the phone.

" Giles, it's me," she smiled, "Yes, I know what time it is… Oh, sorry. I just had to call, we've had some news; Spike's back… No, we're all fine, he's got a soul," She was silent for a moment and Spike could hear no laughter from the other end.

" Ha, I knew ol' Rupert would be on my side!" he whispered to Willow.

" We all thought it was hysterical too but…" continued Buffy, Spike sighed, "I hadn't really thought about it… No, I just wanted to let you know… Of course I will… You too, bye!"

" How did it happen?" asked Dawn, pouring herself a glass of milk and sitting next to Spike at the breakfast bar. Over the next few hours, Spike recounted his African adventures to the three girls as they drank coffee and munched on biscuits. Willow was particularly interested in the man with the flaming fists but Spike ignored her questions, Buffy seemed in awe of what he had gone through to gain his soul and all Dawn could say was, "Cool".

" You went through all of that to get a soul, just for me?" asked Buffy. Spike nodded as she walked towards him. " That is the saddest thing I've ever heard!" she smiled and kissed his forehead.