To Live Again
Author: Phoenix
Disclaimer: They're not mine. They belong to Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, UPN, yada yada.
Summary: This is my alternate season 6. After 'Gift', Buffy did go to a hell dimension, and now she's back. But, she's not quite the same Buffy, and she has a hard time dealing. B/S, X/A, W/T
Feedback: Reviews are Always Welcome (
*Author's Note: Sorry it took me so long.I'm a busy person, but our basketball season ends on Tuesday, so that should help considerably. Not much happens in this chapter, but it had to be done, huh? Thanks for all my reviews. Here's number two. Enjoy, and as always, drop me a review, eh?
Chapter 2- The Rising
Spike looked at the grave, frowning deeply as the dirt began to tremble slightly. His breathing became a bit labored and he stepped back cautiously. What the hell was going on here? His mind raced, thinking up one insane possibility and instantly dismissing it, only to find another equally fanatical explanation. His hand moved to his duster pocket, retrieving the stake he always kept there. Just in case.
So he stood there, flying through idea after idea. It couldn't be Buffy. How could she rise? It could be someone else.someone who had been turned? How? Were the bodies switched? No, he had watched Buffy's casket be lowered into the ground. He was thoroughly mystified, and all he could do was wait...and fear. Waiting was a killer, and he began to wonder what was taking so long when finally the tip of a finger rose from the ground, followed by the rest of a hand.
Soon the second hand appeared, joining the other in search of a good grasp. Spike told himself to go assist whatever it was, whether he would have to kill it or not, but found he couldn't move. Inside, he knew who it was, but couldn't make himself believe it. Finally the blonde head of the slayer emerged, followed shortly by the rest of the body, and collapsed on solid ground. Spike was jerked away from his trance, and with two strides, crumpled down beside her.
"Buffy." he whispered, afraid to touch her. Afraid that if he blinked, his miracle would disappear and he would be lonely again. He watched as the small, broken figure began to shake violently. He reached out tentatively, and gently rolled her over to look up at him, and moved her head onto his lap. His crystal blue eyes ran over her features, an un-needed, sharp intake of breath passing through his lip as he took in the terrorized, pain- filled eyes of his love.
"Bloody hell.where've you been, Slayer?" the vampire breathed quietly. He started as she emitted a strangled cry and fell unconscious. Panicked, his eyes moved all over her face. At length he firmly ordered himself to get a grip, and gently picked up the lifeless form of his Slayer. Wondering at her weightlessness, he briskly walked to Revello drive.
~~~
Buffy had no idea where she was. Or what she was doing. Her limbs worked mechanically, digging herself out of her grave. When she finally reached the fresh air she collapsed, utterly and completely tired. Vaguely she was aware of something leaning over her, but her puffy, battered eyes allowed nothing but blurry vision. Dimly she could feel the waves of safety and love coming from somewhere, and as she felt herself fade, her mind screamed. She couldn't leave now! Now that she was.home? The world went black.
~~~
Banging on the door with his foot, Spike waited impatiently, throwing anxious looks down at Buffy as he waited for someone to answer. He knew it had to be at least midnight, and the house was dark.
"C'mon." he growled lowly, shifting Buffy's weight. Finally a light came on upstairs, and he heard someone come down the stairs. Finally he saw an eye look through the peephole, and the door swung open to reveal Willow in her pajamas.
"Spike.?" she asked confusedly, her eyes traveling down from his face to the bundle in his arms. Her features immediately changed to alarm and she quietly murmured, "Oh my God.Oh my God."
"You goin' to let us in, Red?" he asked impatiently, throwing a worried look down at the Slayer. "Red?!" Willow shook her head as if to clear it and opened the door wider.
"Yeah, yeah. Come in. Put her on the couch. Uh.Tara! Come down!" she called at the foot of the stairs. She heard the door open, and, satisfied that the other witch was on her way, she rushed over to the coach. Bending down besides Spike, she looked at Buffy, her face clearly showing horror, surprise, and relief.
Soon Tara came into the room, stopping abruptly as she saw the blonde lying motionless on the couch.
"Oh." she murmured. They heard the pounding of footsteps coming down the stairs, which could only be Dawn. Willow turned from Buffy and went to meet the teen, as Tara took her spot.
~~~
Spike was so engrossed in Buffy; he didn't notice the teenager until she knelt down beside him, studying her sister's face with surprising unemotional eyes. He looked at her, compassion filling his ice-blue eyes, not knowing what to say. The uncomfortable science was broken, thankfully, by the teen herself.
"Sh-She's going to be okay, r-righ?" her voice trembled, betraying her placid features. Spike blinked and looked down.
"Honestly, I don't know, Bit. I hope so." He replied quietly with a sigh, turning his eyes back to the beaten Slayer.
"Me too." The girl replied in a small voice.
~~~
20 minutes later, Willow put the antiseptic back into the first aid box, snapping it shut. She and Tara had sent Spike and Dawn to the kitchen while they undressed the still unconscious Buffy, treated her bloodied hands, and re-dressed her in a more suitable outfit.
"Ok, guys." She called in to the kitchen. Soon after, Spike and Dawn sauntered out, both immediately going to Buffy's side.
"She looks..Better.." Dawn said uncertainly, casting a hopeful look to the two witches.
"Yeah." Tara said a little too optimistically, and at the others' stares she sunk back, subtle once again, looking at the ground.
All of a sudden Dawn jumped up, racing to her sister's side.
"Buffy! It's me, Dawn!" she said quite loudly, frantically looking down at her sister. Spike arose slowly from his chair, coming to stand beside the kneeling Dawn. Pain filled his eyes and he laid a hand on her shoulder. 'God, I'm getting to be a big poof.' He told himself mentally.
"Nibblet, er, your sis.isn't.conscious." He said quietly.
"No! I saw her open her eyes for a second!" Dawn exclaimed, looking appealingly up at him. He began to shake his head when a movement caught his eye. Buffy had awoken.
~~~
The three people crowded around Buffy, each taking their turn in asking if she knew whom they were. Only Tara remained back. Buffy sat up slowly, her eyes incredibly wide and scared. She looked around the room, swallowed hard, and squeezes her eyes shut.
"Umm." Tara spoke up, "You g-guys should probably back away. She looks really.overwhelmed." Each looked properly reprimanded and immediately took her advice. Buffy, indeed, looked about ready to bolt. She looked around the room and back to the small group in front of her, like a deer caught in the headlights. Spike steeped forward cautiously.
"Do you know who you are?" he asked lowly. She frowned slightly, but nodded.
"Do you know who we are?" the blonde vampire asked.
"I.erm.think so.uh.yeah." Buffy said after a pause, thought she looked anywhere but at the others as she spoke. She swallowed hard and spoke in a childlike voice, "Where.Where am I?" Spike's features broke down, and he was unable to answer.
"You're home, Buffy. I don't know how, but you're home!" Dawn said, giving a cautious smile. Buffy's face finally rose, making eye contact with the teen, but instead of returning her younger sister's happy expression, she could only manage pain. Her head jerked to the kitchen as Tara walked out.
"I called Xander and Anya. They're on their way. I don't think Anya was too happy about it." She said as she passed through the doorway. An uncomfortable silence fell over the room, and Buffy stared into space until Willow came forth.
"Buffy?" She spoke softly, reaching out to touch her best friend's hand, and winced when Buffy started violently at the contact. Patiently she continued. "You must be tired. Do you want to go to bed? Xander and Anya can wait until the morning, you know." Buffy looked past the redhead, but nodded and allowed Willow, followed by Dawn, to lead her up the stairs.
Spike looked after her a moment, and turned back to Tara. Giving her a hard look, he spoke, "Now then. You know why she's back, I can tell. Why?"
"W-we did a-a spell. To bring her back." The witch said.
"A spell." The vampire looked a bit angry. "Who's 'we'?"
"Willow, Xander, Anya, and I."
"And I didn't know about this because.?" Spike fought for self- control, but was saved by a knock on the door. With an apologetic look, Tara went to answer. The vampire sighed and sank onto the couch, until the voices of Xander and Anya were heard. Groaning, he sat up and glared up at the couple as they walked in. After scowling down at the soulless creature, Xander looked around, looking confused.
"Where's Buffy?" He asked Tara.
"Willow t-took her upstairs to bed. She's p-pretty beat." The blonde replied, looking uneasy. "She said to tell you that you could s-see her in the morning." Tara looked away, and Xander and Anya sat together on the floor, as an edgy silence fell over the room.
Author: Phoenix
Disclaimer: They're not mine. They belong to Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, UPN, yada yada.
Summary: This is my alternate season 6. After 'Gift', Buffy did go to a hell dimension, and now she's back. But, she's not quite the same Buffy, and she has a hard time dealing. B/S, X/A, W/T
Feedback: Reviews are Always Welcome (
*Author's Note: Sorry it took me so long.I'm a busy person, but our basketball season ends on Tuesday, so that should help considerably. Not much happens in this chapter, but it had to be done, huh? Thanks for all my reviews. Here's number two. Enjoy, and as always, drop me a review, eh?
Chapter 2- The Rising
Spike looked at the grave, frowning deeply as the dirt began to tremble slightly. His breathing became a bit labored and he stepped back cautiously. What the hell was going on here? His mind raced, thinking up one insane possibility and instantly dismissing it, only to find another equally fanatical explanation. His hand moved to his duster pocket, retrieving the stake he always kept there. Just in case.
So he stood there, flying through idea after idea. It couldn't be Buffy. How could she rise? It could be someone else.someone who had been turned? How? Were the bodies switched? No, he had watched Buffy's casket be lowered into the ground. He was thoroughly mystified, and all he could do was wait...and fear. Waiting was a killer, and he began to wonder what was taking so long when finally the tip of a finger rose from the ground, followed by the rest of a hand.
Soon the second hand appeared, joining the other in search of a good grasp. Spike told himself to go assist whatever it was, whether he would have to kill it or not, but found he couldn't move. Inside, he knew who it was, but couldn't make himself believe it. Finally the blonde head of the slayer emerged, followed shortly by the rest of the body, and collapsed on solid ground. Spike was jerked away from his trance, and with two strides, crumpled down beside her.
"Buffy." he whispered, afraid to touch her. Afraid that if he blinked, his miracle would disappear and he would be lonely again. He watched as the small, broken figure began to shake violently. He reached out tentatively, and gently rolled her over to look up at him, and moved her head onto his lap. His crystal blue eyes ran over her features, an un-needed, sharp intake of breath passing through his lip as he took in the terrorized, pain- filled eyes of his love.
"Bloody hell.where've you been, Slayer?" the vampire breathed quietly. He started as she emitted a strangled cry and fell unconscious. Panicked, his eyes moved all over her face. At length he firmly ordered himself to get a grip, and gently picked up the lifeless form of his Slayer. Wondering at her weightlessness, he briskly walked to Revello drive.
~~~
Buffy had no idea where she was. Or what she was doing. Her limbs worked mechanically, digging herself out of her grave. When she finally reached the fresh air she collapsed, utterly and completely tired. Vaguely she was aware of something leaning over her, but her puffy, battered eyes allowed nothing but blurry vision. Dimly she could feel the waves of safety and love coming from somewhere, and as she felt herself fade, her mind screamed. She couldn't leave now! Now that she was.home? The world went black.
~~~
Banging on the door with his foot, Spike waited impatiently, throwing anxious looks down at Buffy as he waited for someone to answer. He knew it had to be at least midnight, and the house was dark.
"C'mon." he growled lowly, shifting Buffy's weight. Finally a light came on upstairs, and he heard someone come down the stairs. Finally he saw an eye look through the peephole, and the door swung open to reveal Willow in her pajamas.
"Spike.?" she asked confusedly, her eyes traveling down from his face to the bundle in his arms. Her features immediately changed to alarm and she quietly murmured, "Oh my God.Oh my God."
"You goin' to let us in, Red?" he asked impatiently, throwing a worried look down at the Slayer. "Red?!" Willow shook her head as if to clear it and opened the door wider.
"Yeah, yeah. Come in. Put her on the couch. Uh.Tara! Come down!" she called at the foot of the stairs. She heard the door open, and, satisfied that the other witch was on her way, she rushed over to the coach. Bending down besides Spike, she looked at Buffy, her face clearly showing horror, surprise, and relief.
Soon Tara came into the room, stopping abruptly as she saw the blonde lying motionless on the couch.
"Oh." she murmured. They heard the pounding of footsteps coming down the stairs, which could only be Dawn. Willow turned from Buffy and went to meet the teen, as Tara took her spot.
~~~
Spike was so engrossed in Buffy; he didn't notice the teenager until she knelt down beside him, studying her sister's face with surprising unemotional eyes. He looked at her, compassion filling his ice-blue eyes, not knowing what to say. The uncomfortable science was broken, thankfully, by the teen herself.
"Sh-She's going to be okay, r-righ?" her voice trembled, betraying her placid features. Spike blinked and looked down.
"Honestly, I don't know, Bit. I hope so." He replied quietly with a sigh, turning his eyes back to the beaten Slayer.
"Me too." The girl replied in a small voice.
~~~
20 minutes later, Willow put the antiseptic back into the first aid box, snapping it shut. She and Tara had sent Spike and Dawn to the kitchen while they undressed the still unconscious Buffy, treated her bloodied hands, and re-dressed her in a more suitable outfit.
"Ok, guys." She called in to the kitchen. Soon after, Spike and Dawn sauntered out, both immediately going to Buffy's side.
"She looks..Better.." Dawn said uncertainly, casting a hopeful look to the two witches.
"Yeah." Tara said a little too optimistically, and at the others' stares she sunk back, subtle once again, looking at the ground.
All of a sudden Dawn jumped up, racing to her sister's side.
"Buffy! It's me, Dawn!" she said quite loudly, frantically looking down at her sister. Spike arose slowly from his chair, coming to stand beside the kneeling Dawn. Pain filled his eyes and he laid a hand on her shoulder. 'God, I'm getting to be a big poof.' He told himself mentally.
"Nibblet, er, your sis.isn't.conscious." He said quietly.
"No! I saw her open her eyes for a second!" Dawn exclaimed, looking appealingly up at him. He began to shake his head when a movement caught his eye. Buffy had awoken.
~~~
The three people crowded around Buffy, each taking their turn in asking if she knew whom they were. Only Tara remained back. Buffy sat up slowly, her eyes incredibly wide and scared. She looked around the room, swallowed hard, and squeezes her eyes shut.
"Umm." Tara spoke up, "You g-guys should probably back away. She looks really.overwhelmed." Each looked properly reprimanded and immediately took her advice. Buffy, indeed, looked about ready to bolt. She looked around the room and back to the small group in front of her, like a deer caught in the headlights. Spike steeped forward cautiously.
"Do you know who you are?" he asked lowly. She frowned slightly, but nodded.
"Do you know who we are?" the blonde vampire asked.
"I.erm.think so.uh.yeah." Buffy said after a pause, thought she looked anywhere but at the others as she spoke. She swallowed hard and spoke in a childlike voice, "Where.Where am I?" Spike's features broke down, and he was unable to answer.
"You're home, Buffy. I don't know how, but you're home!" Dawn said, giving a cautious smile. Buffy's face finally rose, making eye contact with the teen, but instead of returning her younger sister's happy expression, she could only manage pain. Her head jerked to the kitchen as Tara walked out.
"I called Xander and Anya. They're on their way. I don't think Anya was too happy about it." She said as she passed through the doorway. An uncomfortable silence fell over the room, and Buffy stared into space until Willow came forth.
"Buffy?" She spoke softly, reaching out to touch her best friend's hand, and winced when Buffy started violently at the contact. Patiently she continued. "You must be tired. Do you want to go to bed? Xander and Anya can wait until the morning, you know." Buffy looked past the redhead, but nodded and allowed Willow, followed by Dawn, to lead her up the stairs.
Spike looked after her a moment, and turned back to Tara. Giving her a hard look, he spoke, "Now then. You know why she's back, I can tell. Why?"
"W-we did a-a spell. To bring her back." The witch said.
"A spell." The vampire looked a bit angry. "Who's 'we'?"
"Willow, Xander, Anya, and I."
"And I didn't know about this because.?" Spike fought for self- control, but was saved by a knock on the door. With an apologetic look, Tara went to answer. The vampire sighed and sank onto the couch, until the voices of Xander and Anya were heard. Groaning, he sat up and glared up at the couple as they walked in. After scowling down at the soulless creature, Xander looked around, looking confused.
"Where's Buffy?" He asked Tara.
"Willow t-took her upstairs to bed. She's p-pretty beat." The blonde replied, looking uneasy. "She said to tell you that you could s-see her in the morning." Tara looked away, and Xander and Anya sat together on the floor, as an edgy silence fell over the room.
