Chapter 17

Deeds Done

Willow blinked her eyes open. She was floating…in a room…and there was the golden statue from the Ministry Atrium…the wizard…gazing at her from above…

"Hello Miss Rosenberg," Dumbledore said softly, beaming at her.

"Hey…Bumblebee…"

Dumbledore chuckled a little.

"You're still very confused. I just came to say congratulations…you did it. Well done. Sirius Black is alive and well…an innocent man saved once again. By you. Thank you Willow."

"You're welcome…" she replied hoarsely, "Where's Buff-?"

"Here Willow! Hey!" Buffy rushed to her friend's bedside and grabbed her hand, smiling broadly at the witch.

"You did so well Will…" Xander spoke up from her right, and Willow turned to see him standing on the other side of her bed.

"Thanks…"

She heard Dumbledore say something about her getting rest…before she fell into a peaceful sleep once more.

It was a tearful reunion downstairs. Twenty-four hours had passed since Sirius had returned. Remus has immediately had him examined by Dumbledore, and after an explanation concerning what had been going on since he'd "gone" as they referred to it, he was packed off to bed. In the morning, he'd stumbled down the familiar staircase into the kitchen where he'd been launched upon by…

"Harry."

Harry gripped Sirius' neck.

"Sirius...please...don't leave me again."

"I won't. I'll kill that bloody house elf."

Mrs. Weasley sniffed into her handkerchief, as Sirius greeted Ron, Hermione, Tonks, Fred, George, Ginny…and everyone he'd left behind. He met Dawn Summers, welcoming her with a hearty handshake. Buffy and Xander entered the kitchen to find the group laughing at something Sirius had said. The man looked up, and tilted his head slightly.

"You must be Buffy Summers…and Xander Harris?" he glanced meaningfully at Tonks, who blushed. Her hair was a short and spiky style, but this time brunette.

Buffy nodded. Sirius smiled.

"You…and you…your friend…you're all amazing…thank you so much."

"Aww…shucks." Xander began. Sirius laughed, his bark like laugh, so full of life. Harry could hardly believe that his godfather was here. With him. Alive. Now he felt stronger...he felt that he could somehow face what was to come.

The group continued to chatter away, Sirius talking eagerly about his adventure "beyond". It was his way of coping.

"Well it was better than Azkaban…I wasn't hungry or anything…and I wasn't alone."

"Who were you with?" Hermione asked curiously.

"Oh, some vampire…with a soul."

"What?" Buffy's mouth fell open, and she nearly slid off her chair.

"Yeah…his name was Spike."

"Yo-You're joking?" Buffy sputtered.

"No. He was…OK I suppose."

Buffy stood up and left the room quickly…leaving Xander to explain to the bemused bunch about Spike.

"Really?" Sirius said once he'd finished. "I never knew he knew you lot...it's a small world after all."

Giles was stood in the hall on his phone.

"Right. Thank you. Yes. Thanks. I'll tell her. Goodbye."

Hanging up, he turned to Buffy.

"That was Wesley…Spike just arrived in LA…he came out of the amulet…"

A beat.

"Buffy are you allright?"

Buffy nearly fell over upon hearing this information.

"I'm fine…I…I'm just gonna go lie down."

And she headed upstairs without another word.

Willow was sat on her bed. Having just gotten dressed and sitting up, she was desperate to climb back into her bed again. She felt very sore and stiff…but satisfied with herself. A knock at her door caused her to look up. Expecting to see either Buffy or Xander, she started a littlw when she saw it was Sirius peeking in.

"Oh…you're up and about…"

He smiled, and Willow again saw the once handsome face shine briefly behind the fixed look that Azkaban had scarred him with.

"Hey…are you OK?" Willow asked, standing steadily.

"I'm fine..." he glanced around the room, familiarising himself with the place, before turning back to her.

"I came to thank you Willow. What you've done is amazing. I've never felt so alive. Pardon the pun."

"I have to ask Sirius…where were you?"

Sirius' face puckered in thought.

"I don't know…but I'm here now. And I'm very happy..."

He reached out a hand…

"…Thank you."

Willow shook it, and grinned.

"It was nothing really…"