From the end to a new beginning – Fifth Chapter

"Spike?" Buffy asked, staring straight at him.

Both took steps forward, but stopped right before each other.

Angel said Buffy's name; the rest of the Scoobies said Spike's, but neither of them heard anything else. They were just staring at one another.

Buffy cautiously stepped forward, putting herself in touching distance.

Spike also stepped up, but he didn't touch her. It was up to her to make the first move.

"Spike?"

He heard tons of questions in her trembling voice.

"I'm here luv," he answered softly.

"How?"

"Sent back by the Oracles."

"The Oreo's?" she said frowning a little.

"Oracles kitten," he smiled…that was his slayer, he thought before continuing, out loud "they're the higher powers in these parts."

"Oh…"

Giles, Xander, Willow, & Dawn stepped up next to Buffy.

No one said anything out loud…they were afraid that they were dreaming & that it wasn't real.

'I wonder if it's really him. If so…I must say, it's all so very…extraordinary.'

'Spike's back, how did Spike get back? Hold up…do I want Spike back? I'm not really sure if I'm dreaming…or having a nightmare. Does this mean An's back too?'

'Oh my Goddess…oh my Goddess....'

'Spike's back...oh God…Spike's back. Can I hug him? Do I want to? Is he real? He better be real… ohh… too many thoughts for my brain.'

They all waited to see what was gonna happen next.

Neither Spike nor Buffy's gazes wandered.

Buffy took another step towards Spike and reached out as if to touch him to make sure he was real.

Her hand stopped inches from his face.

Spike saw how it trembled and his heart ached for her. He couldn't just let her go through that, not alone, so he gently grasped her hand with his own.

Buffy gasped at the contact, but she didn't pull away.

Spike put her hand on his cheek and ran his hand lightly down her arm before placing it back along his side.

Buffy blinked and a tear ran down her face as she caressed his cheek, her thumb running lightly over his lips, causing them to tingle briefly.

'It's the same', she thought. 'Exactly the same. Same smooth skin, same cheekbones, same full lips, and same intense blue eyes staring into mine.'

"I thought you were dead," she told him.

"I was dead luv," he told her.

"Then how…"

"The Oracles sent me here…told me my task wasn't done yet. Lucky me, huh?"

"Why so lucky?"
"Cause I get to be where you are," Spike said, showing with his eyes and his words just how much he still loved her.

Buffy gave a sound that was a mixture of a laugh and a cry.

In the space of a second, she flung herself into his arms.

Spike closed his eyes as happiness flooded him.

He had his arms around his love, she was safe and he was back, Spike was ecstatic.

Minutes later, Buffy pulled back and looked at him.

He was almost bowled over a few seconds later as Buffy, once again, and the rest of the Scooby core engulfed him in a giant hug.

Spike couldn't explain how happy he felt.

With such a small gesture, they had shown him that they had finally accepted him in the group…he was a Scooby member now…and they had missed him…. all of them.

Even Xander.

Who quickly realized what he was doing and to whom and let go and backed away quickly before coming back forward and patting Spike hard on the back, once the others had let go & had moved away.

"Glad your back…even though I don't really like you. Wasn't much fun without you around to pick on."

Spike smiled at him before giving him a wicked smile.

"Like I like you…you're the one who was all talking about going gay after your demon date."

"Hey!"

"And for the record… I pick on you…I just didn't have as much time since I got the soul back to enjoy it as much."

Xander opened his mouth to retort, but was cut off by Giles.

"Boys please…let's not mar this…happy even with your petty bickering."

Spike gave Giles a look.

"Happy I'm back are we?"
"W…w…well... err…" Giles started, not sure where to go on the whole…we missed Spike thing.

Dawn and Buffy giggled.

And then Dawn said,

"Giles even said that he was gonna miss the only other British person around…even if it was 'the undead vampire'. And that he wished he had gotten more chances at getting to know the complex individual known as you… and not to mention watch more Manchester United games with you."

Spike's eyes went wide & he gave Dawn a look to see if she was joking or not.

But both Buffy & Dawn nodded at him & he knew it was true.

He then looked at Giles, who had this go-ahead-make-fun-of-me expression on his face & he smiled.

He winked at Giles before saying,

"I kinda missed you too Rupert."

At Giles's shocked expression, he explained how he felt,

"I've come to realize that anyone's better than the wanker I've been landed with," he said, pointing back towards Wesley, who was sitting next to Fred, Lorne, & Gunn.

"Hey," Wesley started to protest, but was stifled as Fred clamped a hand over his mouth.

"Think," Fred whispered softly, "Right now, he's pretty much focused on them. If you speak up, he's sure to decide to have some fun with you."

Wesley, knowing the wisdom of Fred's words, nodded & stayed silent.

Gunn snapped his fingers, softly, as if to say 'Damn' and then went back to watching the Sunnydale reunion.

"Spike…now…that's not very nice. Wesley is a …"

"Git."

"Spike…"

"A divvy?"

"Spike!"

"A boffin?"

"William!"

"Fine… Wesley is a fine, upstanding member of society…even if he is too pompous and way too annoying a good deal of the time."

"Well…um…better…that at least has some complements in there," Willow commented.

Spike sighed & rolled his eyes.

Buffy couldn't help herself… she burst out laughing.

Her laughter was music to Spike's ears and he laughed along with her.

And he wasn't the only one pleased to hear the sound.

The Sunnydale gang was thrilled as well… because in the weeks since they had defeated the First… not one of them had heard Buffy's laughter.

She smiled… time to time…but it never seemed to reach her eyes.

Now…it was as if her whole body was glowing.

A word floated through Spike's mind, from deep in his subconscious until he could no longer suppresses it….

She was…effulgent.

Spike shuddered at the thought.

Please never let her realize that he was such a poof, he practically begged the Powers That Be.

He looked up to see Buffy giving him a look.

"What?"

"What's effulgent mean?"
"Huh?" Spike's eyes went wide.

"You mumbled… 'Something… effulgent'."

"Oh… it's …um..."

Giles decided to help out the obviously flustered ex-vampire.

"It means gleaming."

"And what the hell does that mean?"
"It sort of means luminous… uh… beautiful… gorgeous."

Buffy gave the three of them a look before rolling her eyes leaving, the phrase 'why-didn't-you-just-say-that-then' unspoken.

She then tilted her head to the side and looking at Spike said,

"I've got at least two questions for you Spike."

"Yeah?"

"First… what's divvy mean?"

Spike smiled.

"Clod … pillock…. idiot."

Buffy shook her head, but she was smiling.

"Okay…one other question."

"What?"
"What's boffin mean?"

Spike smiled largely at that.

He leaned down toward her and said softly in her ears so the others couldn't hear.

Buffy burst out laughing once more.

"Oh come on… don't leave us in suspense… what does it mean?"

Buffy was too busy laughing to answer.

Spike just smiled, staring at Buffy.

Giles was chuckling.

Wesley, however, was trying to appear that he didn't care what Spike had called him, but they could all see that it had irritated him.

"Aww come on… enough with the torture… Buffy, Spike even… what's boffin mean?"

Spike looked toward Xander and said,

"You will never be one."

"Oh goody… clues," Xander said sarcastically.

"I like clues…. It's like… schoolwork," Willow said with wide happy eyes and a geeky smile.

Spike rolled his eyes and told Willow.

"It couldn't be you Red."

"Why not?"

"Cause you're a bird."

"She's a what?"
"Bird… bint… girl."

"Jeez Spike… being dead didn't improve your need to drive me around the bend…"

Spike grinned at her before turning back to Willow.

"A boffin is only a male."

"Okay… what's it mean anyway?"
"It kinda means nerd," Giles explained, trying to hold back his chuckles.

"More than that Watcher," Spike said, after looking over his shoulder and winking at Gunn, "it means a nerd… a virgin nerd who has no chances in hell of getting a woman."

Xander and Gunn burst out laughing.

Dawn shook her head laughing softly.

Willow smiled, but caught Wesley's eyes and tried to hide it.

Fred patted Wesley's hand, comfortingly, but had her head turned away, so he wouldn't see her smiles.

"I'm sure you get plenty of girls and aren't a boffin," she whispered softly in his ear.

Wesley gave her a grateful smile, before turning to watch what Spike would say or do next.

"You are incorrigible," Buffy said, shaking her head.

"You know what that means?"

"Shut up," Buffy said, whacking him on the arm, but she was still smiling.

Spike chuckled.

The small groups of slayers were giggling hard; Even Angel was chuckling, which set Xander off.

He narrowed his eyes at Angel and looked at him critically.

Angel caught the look and said,

"Oh not again. I AM NOT EVIL … alright?"
"I didn't say anything…"

"Yeah… but I could see it coming. And Xander?"

"Hmm?"
"What's up with the eye patch?"
"Oh… let's just say… when battling with a scary preacher of the ultimate evil, don't get too close. I found out the hard way that they like to go for the eyes."

Angel nodded.

"Sorry to hear that."

Xander nodded and then waved his hand,

"Don't work yourself up trying to find the sad, but supportive words. I'm cool. I'm even getting used to it… and… we still have a shopping trip to fix up my clothes to go with my gritty looking eye patch."

"Yeah… just be glad that all your Hawaiian shirts got sucked into hell…. Cause that was a look no one should ever have to be a witness to."

"Shut up Spike."

Spike chuckled, before leading Buffy over to where Gunn was sitting.

"Buffy… this is my new best friend. His name is Charles… but we just call him by his last name… Gunn."

Buffy smiled and waved at him.

Gunn chuckled and said, "Must be confident in your charms Spike-y."

Spike raised his eyebrow at both his mention of his charms and the Harmony like nickname.

"And why's that?"
"No reason… except you, introducing a stunningly gorgeous girl, to yours truly. Must be sure of your hold on her. You might lose her to my own gorgeous self."

Spike laughed.

"Please. You're no Xander, but your not all that pretty either."

Gunn laughed and Xander issued a, "Hey!" in protest.

Spike winked at Gunn and flashed Xander a wicked grin in response.

Dawn stepped up and punched his arm.

"Hey now, what's that all about?"
"So you're just gonna ignore me?"
"Thought you'd rather that I not talk to you."

"Are you joking? You died for me… for us… of course I'm talking to you."

"Knew I was doing the right thing," Spike said as Dawn flung herself into his arms.

He hugged her happily, glad to have her like and love him again.

As she pulled back, she socked him hard in the stomach.

Now, she was strong, but not so strong that it really hurt. Just strong enough to sting a bit, not to mention, she had the surprise factor going.

Spike looked at her wide-eyed.

"That's for dying and leaving us."

Spike's expression softened as Dawn's eyes filled with tears.

"Sorry my not-so-little Bit. But it was the end of the world. I had to do what I had to, to protect you."

Dawn flung herself against his chest again and he hugged her tightly before remembering that while they didn't seemed to shock that he wasn't cool to the touch, it would sink in soon. And Dawn would definitely notice if she heard his heart beat. And he didn't want any of them to know until he got a chance to tell himself.

He pulled back and gave her an all over glance.

"What?"

"Have you grown?"

Dawn laughed.

"Maybe."

"I better not catch any boys around you Niblet. Remember… I'm chip-less now. I can disembowel whomever I want."

"Eww… gross Spike."

"As Red says, a vague disclaimer is no one's friend."

Willow grinned as Spike winked at her.

Spike looked toward the group of slayers and waved at them, the one's he knew, that was,

"Hey girls."

"Hi Spike," they chorused back.

The group laughed at their enthusiastic response.

Vi, who had decided to come on the trip with them, stepped forward until she was a few feet from Spike.

"Uh Spike?"

Spike turned and looked at her.

He grinned.

"Vi right?"

"Yeah…"

"Glad to see you made it out alive."

"Yeah… I … I just wanted to say that I'm sorry… for doubting you and all. And treating you mean sometimes. And thanks for sacrificing yourself for us. And…I forgive you for twisting my arm during training."

The Scoobie core rolled their eyes and smiled, but Spike merely nodded his head.

"Glad to have your forgiveness," he replied, before scanning the group of slayers.

He then turned to Buffy and the rest of the group.

"You're missing some…and there are a few new ones I see."

"Remember the plan Spike, all Slayers have been activated, so we've gotta pick up some new ones that weren't at the battle. And some of them decided to stay at the Cleveland Hellmouth, get things set up there."

Spike nodded.

He then realized that he should tell them about his new situation before too long.

Before he got a chance, however, most of the slayers had honed in on the fact that Angel was a vampire and they were slowly advancing on him, ignoring Giles, Wesley's, and Xander's shouts that it was okay.

Spike and Buffy looked over at the situation and then looked at each other.

They leaped across the room to land in front of the advancing slayers.

"I'm givin' you gals first warning … as much as I like most of you… and dislike the Poof… most of the time… sometime I like him, but I won't be tell you all this more than once… I'm gonna have to defend him. Step up, prepare to get beat down."

"Wanna dance Spike?" a slayer named Rachel said, stepping up.

Spike recognized her as one of the many that had been at the house in the last days before the battle with the first.

"Not with you sweetheart," he said, delivering a sweeping kick to her legs, sending her crashing to the floor, "you're just a child. Come back when you grow up some."

A few of the unknown slayers stepped up.

"Oooh… look at this… kinship among the slayers. I think it's a step in the right direction, what about you luv?"

Buffy rolled her eyes before saying,

"Alright… I've had enough of this. The next slayer to step up and attempt to show off her moves or tries to stake my ex gets to fight me head on. And I won't be just sparring. I will steadily kick each and every one of your asses. Now… anyone want to test me… see if I'm joking?"

When she didn't get a response, she said,

"Good, glad to know you all haven't completely lost all your senses. Now… you want to stay inside, get a key from Angel and go pick a room. Otherwise, get out and come back tomorrow."

Most of the slayers walked over to Angel and held out their hands and once Angel had handed them keys from the office, they had trooped upstairs to find their rooms.

A few walked out into the night.

Spike gave her a look once they were gone.

"What's up with the brat pack?"

"Oh… they're the hard headed ones."

"Take after you, do they?"
"You gonna make me kick your ass, aren't you?"

Spike winked at her and Buffy burst out laughing.

"Glad I still know how to make you smile, luv."

Buffy shook her head ruefully.

"And now that you're in a better mood, I might as well tell you and Giles about my brand new condition."

"What… don't want to share with the rest?"
"I'll tell the rest of you later… Buffy, Giles, can you please come with me?"

With that, he headed out toward his training room.

Once they reached it, he turned to face them after looking the room, behind them.

"Spike… what's going on?"
"Nothing… I just have to tell you about my new… circumstance… and I'd rather not do the with a crowd of bystanders."

Buffy and Giles nodded.

"So… what new condition?"

"First of all… I'm not a vampire anymore."

"You're alive?" Buffy asked, eyes wide.

She stepped closer to him, placing her hand on his chest and another hand at his neck, feeling for a pulse.

And then jumped when she felt one.

"His heart is beating…. Giles… his heart is beating."

Giles removed his glasses for a quick clean, before replacing them and saying,

"You're alive. Well… that's… remarkable."

Spike nodded.

"It takes a while to get used to… it's been weeks… and I'm still getting used to it."

"No wonder you felt warmer earlier…. I just thought you had just fed or something," Buffy said out loud, softly to herself.

Spike caressed her cheek.

"I have to breathe too… it's kinda a weird sensation, breathing cause you have to… not cause you want to take a drag of a fag, or talk, etc."

"A drag of a what?"
"Fag… cigarette for you luv."

"I swear… between you and Giles and maybe Wesley… I'm gonna have to get a British – American dictionary."

Spike and Giles laughed.

Spike then continued,

"Also… I still have this," he said stepping back and pulling out the amulet from under his shirt.

Buffy stepped up and cradled it carefully.

"Why are you still wearing it?"

"Funny thing… I seem to need it."

"What?"

"Yeah… Peaches tried to rip it off soon after I materialized… and it almost killed me."

"Wow."

"Yeah."

"Well… that's definitely different circumstances," Giles muttered.

"Well that's not it…. I'm also special now."

"Really…and just how special are you?"
"I'm a first really."

"I'm gonna have to beat you to get you to tell me, aren't I?" Buffy said, crossing her arms.

Spike laughed.

He leaned forward and told her,

"Well I don't mind a little foreplay later Sweetheart, but I thought we were gonna try for the not so rough stuff."

"Spike," Buffy hit at him.

Spike laughed and winked at her.

"You are horrible."

"I do my best."

"I thought you weren't evil anymore."

"No more than most."

Buffy rolled her eyes and Giles sighed.

"So…just what do you mean when you say you're special now, Spike?"

"You might want to sit down for this one, Rupert."

As Giles sat down on the couch to the side of the training room, Spike gestured to Buffy.

"You might want to as well."

"I'm fine…I'll stand."
"Yeah…well…don't say I didn't try to warn you… all right, here goes. It's been tested out and the powers told both Angelus and me that it was true."

"What's been tested and what are you talking about?"

"My new circumstances..."

"And that is?"

"What I am."

"And what are you Spike… stop stalling."

"I'm now the first and only Male Slayer ever."

TBC