Two days later.

    Principal Robin Wood observed the damage to the school that was done at the battle and sighed. He was just glad classes were still cancelled because of Gaira's rampage. Now they would be postponed an additional few days. Running a school on a Hellmouth was hard work. Of course this additional damage done to the school was obviously the work of a gang. On PCP.

    "Man I'm getting too old for this shit.", The frustrated Principal sighed.

    "So she's staying then?!", Willow practically squealed in glee.

    "Well, er, yes. It certainly would appear that way. Like I told her myself, not all avatars of the crow return to the land of the dead after their work is done, because quite frankly it never is. A higher power obviously sees that Tara is needed here and has work to do. It's possibly a sign that we need her in the coming war with the First.", Giles explained to the ecstatic redheaded witch, "How are you two by the way….have you…well, reconsummated your relationship?"

    "You're a dirty old man.", Willow said with a frown.

    "I didn't mean…"

    "Giles, chill. I knew what you meant. Just playing with you.", Willow smiled. He was too easy, "But no we haven't. Tara, Kennedy, and I all sat down and talked it over. We all decided to just take a little time off for ourselves and get some breathing room. Just see how things work out. I really care for both of them, but we just have to take things nice and slow."

    "Ah, yes. Good.", Giles said as he took off his glasses and cleaned them, "Willow, I'm glad that you're taking this time off of these relations, because I need to speak to you on a few things."

    "What kinds of things?", Willow asked.

    "Well, a love triangle now could be most stressful and affect your performance in the battle with the First. Quite frankly, I'm a bit concerned with it now.", Giles explained.

    "Huh?! Why?!", Willow said, with a slight twinge of anger in her soul. Then she closed her eyes and counted to ten, "Okay, I know what you mean. The magick thing."

    "Yes, the magick thing. You're going between extremes Willow. Some days you're afraid to use magick at all for fear in giving into your dark side again. Just recently, you did give in again against Gaira and the Cenobites. This power in you in incredibly strong, and also incredibly dangerous. One misstep could prove disastrous for all of us.", Giles continued.

    "Well…what do you suggest? Go back to England and study with the coven again?", Willow asked.

    "Well, no. With Tara back, she could help you, as could I. But there's someone I want you to go to New York, Willow. Very soon.", Giles went on.

    "What's in New York?", Willow asked.

    "An old colleague of mine. He could teach you how to control your power and use it more effectively. His name is Dr. Stephen Strange. Perhaps you've heard of him.", Giles  told her.

    Chris Merritt had to admit that at the moment, his life sucked. He was out for a walk when suddenly, three guys jumped him. He was a decently big guy though, so he thought he could handle himself. That was until he saw their faces. Ridges, yellow eyes, and fangs. They could only one thing. A gang on PCP! He was scared now, because they were talking about all the ways they were going to torture him before they killed him! Chris prayed for a miracle. He got one.

    "Now now boys, if you can't play nice, you're going to have to go inside.", a feminine voice stated behind the vampires. The vampires froze. It had to be the Slayer.

    The three of them turned to the voice and were surprised at what they saw. It wasn't Buffy. It was a taller girl, with dirty blonde hair. She wore black boots, black leather pants, a leather top that showed her midriff, and a long black leather duster. Her face was painted white with black around the eyes and on the lips. Black tears of mascara ran from her eyes. A large crow sat on her shoulder.

    "What the hell?", one vampire said.

    "What kind of Slayers does this town have?", another asked.

    Tara walked forwards, smirking. This was so NOT her! The puns, the outrageous get up, the cocky attitude. She loved it! She wasn't playing the shy girl anymore. She was being exactly who she wanted to be.  She was being strong, cool, sexy. She loved it.

    "Never said I was a Slayer.", Tara said suppressing her occasional stutter.

    "Oh yeah?", one vampire asked, "Then just who the hell are you?"

    Poe flew off Tara's shoulder and landed on a fire escape as she walked closer, smiling seductively.

    "I'm the Crow.", Tara responded, putting her hand up and sending the vampire flying courtesy of a telekinetic push. He crashed into the other vampires, "Now I don't like killing anything, but I have dusted your kind before and I'll do it again. Keep your noses clean, because you've got more than the Slayer to worry about now. You've got me."

    The vampires each got up and growled.

    "You'll pay for that!", one growled inching closer…..before turning and running away with the others in fear.

    Tara smirked and helped up Chris.

    "Hey you okay?", She asked.

    Chris smiled hugely, "Someone call the Pope. Heaven lost an angel!"

    Tara blushed beneath her makeup and Poe started cawing behind her, laughing outrageously in crow-speak.

    "Shut up Poe."

    Gaira roared and thumped his chest as he stood over his kill. The foolish cricket truly had no chance. And now, the fallen insect would sate his hunger. Pity all those who came before Gaira in his aquarium of death!

    "He'd kind of cute actually.", Xander admitted, "Now that he's small and all."

    "Yeah. He's actually pretty tame at that size. I guess a cat would react the same way he did if it were ninety feet tall too. Gaira even purrs when he's happy.", Dawn bragged.

    "You should let him play in the bathtub.", Anya spoke up, "I bet he'd be so cute. Watching him play, and get all soapy and stuff. Xander lets get back together and have a baby."

    "What?!", Xander asked.

    "I want a baby. Now.", Anya replied.

    "An, you think maybe we should talk about this?", Xander asked.

    A second later, Andrew screamed in the basement. Dawn, Xander, and Anya all looked at one another and ran down the stairs. They found Andrew lying on the floor rubbing his head. Ethan's customary chair was also empty.

    "What happened?", Xander asked helping Andrew up.

    "Ethan got away.", Andrew said whimpering.

    "How?", Dawn asked.

    "Well he didn't seduce me if that what you're thinking!", Andrew added.

    "We didn't say that.", Dawn replied.

    "Well good, cause he didn't. He uh…just freed himself then hit me over the head and got out through the window. I don't know how he did it. Honest.", came Andrew's less than convincing story.

    "I have to tell Buffy.", Xander said heading upstairs. Before he got very far, Anya grabbed his arm.

    "Xander, don't!", Anya pleaded.

    "An, Ethan Rayne is on the loose again! She has to know!", Xander replied.

    "Tell her later.", Anya pouted.

    "Why?", Xander asked.

    Anya merely pointed up to the ceiling.

    "Ooooh!", Xander said in understanding.

    "Fall brings death, leaves tumbling to the ground. Winter's icy kiss freezes all things around. Spring is the time of birth and lovers, paving the way for what I wish to see most. Many happy, contentful, Summers.", Spike recited on the roof.

    He watched her for a reaction, and she sat perfectly still. The expression on her face was unreadable. She cocked her head to the other side and looked like she was thinking of something. Spike saw her searching for the perfect insult and took action.

    "Ah bugger it. Not that good. May as well give up this old habit.", Spike said, trying to hide embarrassment at another shoddy composition.

    "No. I liked it. I was just looking for the right word to describe it.", Buffy said touching his arm to keep him from tearing the piece of paper up.

    "Crap?", Spike asked raising an eyebrow.

    "No. I think it's cheery. Bright, almost….what's the word?", Buffy strained hard before a light went off in her head, "Effulgent."

    Spike sat back blown away.

    "You been reading about me?", he asked warily, seeing if she was making fun of him.

    "No. Why?", Buffy asked.

    "I used that word a lot when I was alive. Thought you might have read up on me in the Watcher's Diaries.", Spiked explained.

    "Spike, it's an SAT word. It just seemed fitting.", Buffy said to him. She smiled as she looked at him, the moonlight shining on him lighting his face. The night really was his place.  

    Spike pulled out a pen and began writing in his notebook of poems he had started, "Well it's a work in progress. I'll have to rewrite it a few times before it's actually good."

    Buffy smiled at him again as she watched him scribbling in the notebook. Then she reached over and tossed both it and the pen from his hands.

    "Bloody hell! Why'd you do that?", he asked.

    "Because it's perfect.", she answered.

    She smiled and craned her face up to his and her lips met his. He was pensive, almost scared at first. He didn't want things to be like they had the last time. But after feeling her lips, inhaling her scent, hearing that small gasp come from her, he knew it wouldn't be like that again. He knew it would be different. So, under the full moon, on a warm spring night, he kissed her back.

    And it was perfect.

The End.