Buffy decided against wiping her wet face. She didn't care how she looked right at that moment. She wasn't ready to go back to her friends just yet. She needed fresh air first. Actually, she needed more than fresh air, but that was all she could come up with at that moment.

Still holding Spike's duster she walked out the kitchen door and into the small garden in her backyard. It was always a comfort for her to sit in the garden and forget her troubles. It's where her mom had always sat to relax.

Buffy glanced around the garden and almost stopped breathing. She had seen it happen before but she still hadn't believed it. Large white snowflakes had begun to land softly on and make a field of white beneath her feet. Snow! Various sized white hills showed where plants and bushes stood covered in pure white snow that glistened and sparkled in the moonlight.

Buffy looked up at a clear sky where stars shone brightly. Besides the fact that it didn't snow in California, and there wasn't a snow cloud in sight, Buffy felt comforted once again. The snow was truly magical and so had her love for Spike been. For whatever reasons, the Powers That Be had decided to show her that.
***

Dawn finally let the man go from her firm grip and stood back to prove to herself that is wasn't a dream.

Makes a man feel loved, doesn't she? Giles smiled at Willow and removed his glasses to wipe them with his handkerchief before replacing them back on his nose.

The gang smiled as Dawn blushed.

Wait till Buffy hears this! Dawn beamed. Instantly she stopped and seemed to think for a minute. What are you doing here anyway? I thought you were spending Christmas in England.

Ah, yes. Well, I must give the credit to Willow. She gave me a call and convinced me to come and surprise you and Buffy. I didn't have much else to do really, so I thought why not drop by? Giles laughed lightly and glanced around the room before ending back on Dawn. By the way, where is Buffy?
***

Buffy stood in the middle of the garden and stared at the clear sky. The stars were beautiful. Small tears flowed slowly down her cheeks as she saw a shooting star. She made a wish.

Suddenly the hairs on her neck stood on end and the same tingling sensation flowed through her as it had when Dawn found her in the kitchen. The slayer had always been able to sense when there was somebody near her. Buffy sighed. She didn't feel like talking to anybody. Surely they would understand that. Slowly she turned around as she tried to think of what to say so as not to hurt her friend's or sister's feelings.

When Buffy saw who it was, her breath left her. Her knees felt weak and ready to give way as she shivered with unbelief. A cold shock ran through her body and silence overcame her as she stood in what felt like a dream...or a nightmare. She didn't know which just yet.

In front of her he stood wearing nothing but a pair of torn black jeans. His naked chest and abdomen held no wounds or scars. His wounds were gone--as if they had never existed. It was as if his body was new and his eyes sparkled like diamonds. They told her they knew something she didn't, something special.

Hello, pet. His voice was soft, almost a whisper.

Buffy said nothing. She couldn't speak. He stood in front of her, no pain, no hurt, no death. He wasn't real. He couldn't be real.

As if to assure her of something, he reached out and gently took her wrist in his hand. Slowly he pulled it and placed her hand upon his chest. Buffy's heart leapt to her throat and her lungs ached for air. He was warm! Buffy was even more shaken and felt faint at the gentle, pulsating sensation that tingled her fingertips.

A heartbeat! Buffy whispered so quietly she didn't hear it herself.

I'm real, Buffy. I'm not an angel, or a ghost, I'm real.

You were dead.

Why didn't you stake me then?

Buffy pulled her hand away and tried to back away but her feet would not move. She looked at her hand. It was shaking. He had been dead. She had seen him. Buffy remembered lying his limp body on the bed and holding the stake in her hand. She hadn't been able to stake him and she didn't know why.

Slowly he put his hand in his pocket and pulled out a tiny silver pendant with a green gem in the middle. It looked like the pendant the lady at the mall had given Buffy. There was one difference, this one glowed green. He handed it to Buffy who just stared at it. This was all too much for her.

Buffy noticed hot tears running down her cheeks and wondered why. Silently she took the pendant and continued to stare at it. Where did you get this? she whispered absently.

It was on the bed when I woke up.

Buffy glanced up at him. Snow was still falling and melted as soon as it hit his shoulders. He shivered. Buffy watched him shivering for a second before she remembered the duster in her arm. Looking down at it she almost didn't want to give it to him. The duster was Spike's duster. This wasn't him. After a moment, Buffy gave in and handed him the duster.

He took it gratefully and slipped it on tentatively. he managed.

Buffy looked back at the pendant and, without thinking, she placed it around her neck attaching the clasp. She stared at the man standing calmly in front of her. Suddenly she saw something she hadn't seen before. On a silver chain around his neck hung a silver heart. On the heart were some words and she read them aloud.

Best brother ever. Buffy thought back to a morning that suddenly seemed so long ago. She had yelled at Dawn for ignoring her instructions. Dawn gave this to you. Buffy's mind was cloudy but she remembered something about a gift. She really loves you. Buffy looked into his eyes. He looked back.

Do you?