Buffy woke up, feeling better than she had in awhile. Not waking Willow who was sleeping beside her, Buffy crawled out of bed, brushed her hair and put it in a pony tail and ran down to the gym to work out.

            Buffy took down a staff and began the familiar drills, making her protesting muscles warm up. She liked the staff, like to feel the resistance as she pushed herself. She was in the middle of a spin when suddenly she felt it, the buzz reaching her, fitting in her mind like a beloved glove. She jerked around to see Methos standing in the door, his face haggard, his eyes tired but hopeful.

            Buffy dropped the staff from suddenly numbed fingers, "Methos?" she whispered. He smiled and she knew him, and who he was to her heart. She ran to him and jumped into his arms, holding him tightly and dissolved into tears.

            Methos closed his eyes, so grateful she was in his arms. Having her there felt like he had the sun and moon.

            "Buffy, I love you, I love you, I love you." He murmured over and over, not wanting to let her go.

            Buffy wrapped herself around him as close as physically possible. Just feeling the buzz in her head, his smell, hearing his voice, feeling his arms, it felt like her world had suddenly became centered. She remembered what Spike had told her, "Love never dies."

            Looking up at the man she loved, "What took you so long Adam Pierson?"

            He chuckled and buried his face in her hair and shed a few tears himself.

            Later on Methos, Buffy, Duncan, Angel, Willow and Giles were seated in Angel's office.

            Methos had not let go of Buffy for more than a moment. Buffy was glowing.

            Giles stood and cleared his throat, "Buffy, you have to tell Adam what happened." He said calmly, remembering how bad the telling had been the first time.

            "No, NO!" Buffy panicked. Methos stood and Willow waved him back, "Sweetie, you have to. If you don't it will make you sick." Buffy's eyes plead with hers but Willow remained firm, "He needs to know."

            Buffy's head dropped in defeat. She turned to face Methos, her heart in her throat.

            She stood facing him in the middle of Angel's office and poured her heart out. She told him of her terror when she realized that he was gone. She told how she had been so scared to drive in Paris, how she had checked warehouse after warehouse shown by the bloody fingerprints.

            Methos face became paler as she told him about all of the blood he was laying in, so much blood, which had surrounded his body. She trembled as she told him how she pulled out the swords and daggers that had pinned him to the floor.

            Both of them had tears as she told him how she dragged his body out of the blood, how she cradled him in her arms, praying, until he breathed his first breath.

            Methos wrapped his arms around her as she shook with delayed reaction. His tortured eyes met Angels carefully blank ones.

            Buffy pulled back, cupping his face in her hands. "Ok enough of the guilt stuff. It was so not your fault. I brought all of my emotional junk into our love, then I didn't trust you enough to tell you my fears."

            "But?" Methos asked.

            "No buts. This was not your fault. Well, leaving our room without your sword was stupid, so you can take all of the credit for that piece of foolishness." She smiled with her eyes and he laughed.

            "I'll never understand women even if I live forever." He complained to the room in general.

            "I'd heard that you already had." Buffy retorted impishly and Duncan roared with laughter.

            "She's got you there old man." There was laughter in the room and even Angel smiled wryly at the joke.

            They said their goodbyes, then Willow, Buffy, Dawn, Xander and Faith having a group hug and a few tears. Buffy had said private good byes to Angel and Giles and then they left for home.

            Richie and the girls were waiting for them at the airport, there were hugs and smiles all around.

            Duncan threw them impromptu welcome home party at his place. There was pizza, good beer for the guys, Tab for Buffy and sodas for the girls.

            After the pizza Buffy and the girls had commandeered Richie's bedroom. "It's way cooler than the old guys rooms." Eva threw to Mac and Methos and Buffy winked at the indignant expressions on their faces.

            They all sat on Richie's bed and talked about their summers, about how hot Angel was, "Oh man, I missed the cute guys?" Eva whined and there was laughter, "Yeah, you should have seen Angel's son Connor!" Riley threw Eva a smug smile.

            "Girls, girls." Buffy held up her hands. "Angel is hot. No doubt, having done the smoochies with him in high school. Connor is a chip off the old block head, and I mean that in the nicest possible way." The girls giggled, "What I mean is that these guys have serious angst. Angsty guys are high maintenance." Buffy said, sounding like a college professor.

            "Oh please!" came groans from various girls.

            "Look at Adam, he's classic angsty. Without you he was like a ship without a rudder." TeĆ” said wisely and the girls nodded.

            "In a storm." Piped Eva.

            "In the dark!" added Riley, getting a pillow in the face.

            "Without hope." Came Methos voice from the doorway that he was leaning against.

            The girls all turned and started throwing pillows at him, "Go away! Girl talk!!" Methos held up his hands in self defense and began to laugh.

            "Better beat it, lover boy!" Buffy smiled their eyes met and his held promises to keep.

            The girls talked some more until they looked over and saw Buffy sound asleep. Eva walked to the door, "Adam, she's asleep." Methos drained his beer and nodded to Mac, "We're turning in." Richie was already crashed on the couch, until Eva saw him and jumped him, tickling him awake. The men watched as Richie laughingly struggled until Eva's and his face were close enough to kiss, then the tension ramped up. Mac exchanged a glance with the surprised Methos and kicked Richie's foot, "Hey, the girls need rides tough guy." Eva and Richie jerked back and scrambled up. Methos shook his head and went in to pick Buffy up and carry her to his room.

            Buffy didn't have nightmares, but a very vivid dream that included Spike.