"So...where are we going?" Buffy and Liam walked out of their apartment building and down the street.
"Movies." Liam seemed just as nervous as Buffy did.
"Should I guess the movie?" Liam laughed as Buffy nervously rung her hands.
"No, I thought maybe we should go and see a comedy."
"Cool." Buffy fidgeted, unsure of what to do.
"Look Buffy." Liam stopped and turned to Buffy, who also stopped. "If you're uncomfortable..."
"No, Liam. It's just I haven't been on a date in a while, and every date I've been on hasn't been exactly...normal." Buffy smiled. "How about if we just treat this like any other night, and see what happens?"
"Sure." Liam smiled back at Buffy, and together, they headed to the theatre, more relaxed.
As the night wore on, Buffy and Liam unconsciously got closer. During the movie, Liam put his arm around Buffy, and she didn't move away. During dinner, their hands reached each other, and stayed together. But the real moment was when the two got home, and headed up stairs. They stood at the foot of the second staircase.
"Thanks, for tonight. I had a really great time." Buffy smiled.
"Yeah, it was fun." Liam smiled as well, then slowly bent down to Buffy's level, she stood tiptoe. Their lips met, arms wrapped around each other, this lasted for a few minutes. Finally, when they broke apart, each was glazed-eyed, breathless, hearts racing.
"I don't think I'll be sleeping alone tonight." Liam and Buffy smiled at each other.
"How could we know if she was dead?" Xander was suddenly very worried.
"You have a witch!" Spike looked stunned at their lack of ideas.
"I didn't think of that." Willow suddenly hurried around the Magic Box, gathering supplies.
"Wait. Isn't this just the same as a locator spell?" Faith asked.
"No, it isn't affected by the charm Willow gave Buffy." Giles began to help Willow.
"So what does it do?" Oz stood up.
"It will see if she's alive, and if she is, it will lock on her emotions." Michaela started to help the other two.
Everyone quieted down as Willow began. After some chanting, and lights, Willow's eyes popped open. Her mouth forming an "o".
"What is it?" Oz hurried forward.
"Is Buffy Alive?" Spike was next.
"Oh yeah! She's alive." Willow quickly started to put things away, acting guilty. The others followed her.
"Well, what then?" Giles's looked flustered.
"Is she in Sunnydale?" Faith followed Willow.
"Uh...yeah. I would say that." Willow continued to avoid the other's stares.
"Well, what Willow?" Xander and Anya stepped in front of Willow, blocking her. "What are her emotions?" Xander was very anxious.
"Well...uh...she's safe...happy...defiantly happy."
"But she's okay?" Michaela's eyes were rimmed with tears.
Willow clammed down a little, relieved she didn't have to reveal the rest. "Yeah, and I think I know where she is."
"Where?" The word slipped from every person's mouth.
"Well, we're not going till morning." Willow picked up her coat and started towards the door. "Buffy's a little busy at the moment."
The next morning, the sun shone threw the windows in Liam's bedroom, and woke him. He knew where he was and smiled at the sleeping form beside him. He watched her for a few minutes, before she stirred, smiling as she opened her eyes.
"Hey."
"Hey." Buffy moved closer to Liam, they snuggled up together. "Morning."
"Morning." Liam kissed her forehead. "Last night was amazing."
"I know what you mean. God, Liam, I feel amazing."
"Wow, my ego went up 20 points there." Liam laughed as Buffy giggled.
"So, what do you want to do today?"
"Well," Liam looked over at the clock, then blinked. "It's 10:00am, so..." He was interrupted by the doorbell. "We could get the door." Buffy sighed and buried her face in Liam's chest, and he laughed.
"I'll get it." Buffy got up, wrapped herself in a sheet, toga style, and headed down the stairs to the door. As she opened it, her mouth dropped.
Outside the door, stood Giles, Michaela, Willow, Xander, Anya, Oz, and Faith. They all had assorted looks of relief, anguish, and guilt.
"Hey, who is it..." Liam appeared beside the stunned Buffy, who looked at him, then back to the scoobies. "Hi? Uh, are these friends of yours, Buffy?"
"Uh..." Buffy was lost for words.
"Perhaps, now is not a good time..." Giles was heading in that direction.
"No, why don't you guys come in. Buffy and I'll just get some...clothes." Liam gestured for the others to come in. He ushered the silent Buffy upstairs, and the others headed to the living room and scoped out Liam's apartment.
"It's nice." Willow admired the decor.
"Well, it's nice to know B's been getting busy, while we've been looking all over for her."
"That's not fair. We didn't even pay attention to her till she was gone." Xander looked annoyed at Faith.
"Wow, you're good Xand. Hey, if I give you a cookie, will you go back through everything that led up to you ignoring me." Buffy walked down the stairs in black boots, a black flared skirt that reached down to her knees, and a black quarter-length blouse. Her hair swept back with two Chinese sticks, and it was very clear she was pissed. Liam was nowhere to be seen.
"Buffy, we were so worried..." Willow walked toward Buffy, but stopped as Buffy walked towards her and the rest of the scoobies.
"Worried! Worried! After three months of not caring, you were worried after a week?"
"Hey, you know you weren't the only one going through stuff." Anya stepped foreword.
"But you all seemed to help each other. None of you asked what was going on with me, didn't care that it was killing me from the inside out." The group fell silent as Buffy finished.
"What?" They all looked horrified and stunned.
"Yeah! Surprise, the stress of Tara's death, of what happened with Spike, of Willow going bad, it all adds up, every day I wake up and feel a piece of me die. Well, I haven't since a week ago, not since I left and came here. Here I feel alive, loved, happy." As Buffy had been speaking, Lima had come down the stairs and as he reached her, they joined hands.
"Buffy, we..."
"I don't want explanations, apologies, or anything from you. You are all a part of my past, and as of this moment, I am done with my past."
Buffy never broke eye contact with any of them, even as they filed out. After they were gone, Buffy collapsed in Liam's arms and cried.