For disclaimer, setting, rating, pairing, all that jazz, see part one...

PART 27: Is It Really You?

CHAPTER 39

Beams of light burst everywhere, rays of purple, blue and green, all mixing in with each other. It was becoming so bright. Everyone backed away from it, not knowing what was going on. Xander and Andrew had hauled Anya up and took her to safety, in the bus, with Dawn's aid. All Xander was concerned about was Anya's safety at the moment. And no sooner did they make it into the bus, did the ground start to shake.

"What's going on!?!" Buffy yelled as she backed away from the crystals and the rays of light they were producing. Everyone held up their arms backing away, trying to shield their eyes.

"I-I-I don't know!" Willow yelled back, who was the closest to the crystals. Giles was fearing the worse as the brightness of the crystals flashed, blinding all of them. And in that flash, everything stopped. The ground stopped shaking, and the rays of light and brightness were gone.

No one could see straight away, they were all still blind from the flash. Willow heard deep panicked breaths and whimpering somewhere to her left. "Fred?" Willow called out, stumbling to the source.

"Willow?" Came Fred's voice to her right...the opposite side that she was stumbling towards. Willow stopped, whoever was to her left...wasn't Fred.

"W-Willow?" came a quite pained scared voice. Willow knew that voice and dropped to her knees whispering a small spell to clear her vision quicker.

"Willow, I can't see you," Fred said staggering over to where she last heard her. Several groans could be heard in various directions.

"Bloody hell," came Spike's voice not too far away. Suddenly, everyone's vision was lifted.

"What the hell was that?" Buffy asked after getting up and brushing herself off. Faith was right next to her and she felt her stiffen. The blonde looked at her. "What's wrong?" Buffy asked seeing the unreadable expression on her face. She then looked where the brunette was looking.

"So...how did we do? D-did we win?" came Christine's raspy voice, who was practically hidden beneath Willow. Willow had gathered Christine in her arms as Faith came running up and dropping down next to her with Buffy right behind her. Christine was shaking and sweating but she was real and...alive. Her clothes on her like nothing had happened.

Giles helped Kennedy up as she came to. They both were farther away from Buffy, Faith, and Willow. Fred had come up next to Willow gasping and putting her hand to her mouth. Spike stood not to far away smiling. Potentials, that had seen what happened and were not badly injured came off the bus close by where Spike stood, watching. Kennedy was dazed and hadn't processed what had happened. She squinted looking around her, everything coming back to her in a painful flash.

Then she heard it. Her name. She knew that voice. She could barely hear it as her heart pounded in her ears. Kennedy looked around frantically, spotting everyone on the ground, kneeling around a body. Faith looked up then at Kennedy, making eye contact, tears running down her cheeks as she looked at her. Kennedy froze for a moment and heard her name again before breaking into a run where they were all gathered.

"Where-where is she?" Christine lightly asked. Faith looked at her grasping her hand.

"She's coming," Faith whispered.

"Why are you crying?" Christine asked looking closer at Faith. In fact all of them were crying.

"H-how did this happen?" Willow asked aimlessly.

"Christine?" came a voice behind Willow as she turned to meet the voice. "Christine!" then came a yell as Kennedy dropped next to the potential's side. She couldn't believe it. Kennedy threw her arms around Christine and pulled her to her not believing she was real.

Giles made his way over and stood close by with Spike next to him. The potentials that had came off the bus were peeking around them. "I don't understand it," Giles said amazed. Was it really Christine?

Kennedy was crying now clutching Christine to her. "Kennedy? Kennedy...you're...you're kind of smothering me," Christine lightly said as Kennedy pulled a little away from her, smiling down at her. The brunette potential took one of her hands and ran it through Christine's hair.

"It's really you?" Kennedy asked, practically whispering. Christine was still shaking a little bit still and still overwhelmed. Willow and Faith noticed.

"Y-yea," she rasped, trying to show she was ok.

"Hey, why don't we back off a little and give her some air," Willow suggested looking at Kennedy. The potential at first looked at Willow like she was crazy. Now that she had Christine back she was never going to let go...but then after looking back at Christine, her body still trembling, Kennedy nodded, easing her down. Christine looked up at her.

"I-I just need a moment, it should all pass in a little bit," Christine whispered closing her eyes for a moment. Fred looked at her with concern.

A little while later...

Dawn and Andrew had made the potentials that had wandered off the bus, wondering what was going on, get back on while Xander remained with Anya and Wood took care of the injured. Everyone gave Christine space, except for Willow, who seemed to be talking with her and Christine remained on her back looking up at her. Kennedy couldn't stand it. So much was running through her head. She thought she was dead...is she real? What were her and Willow talking about? So much at one time was running like a river in her mind, and Kennedy wasn't the only one.

Buffy stood off to the side with Faith, who was looking over where Christine and Willow were. "Can't believe it," Buffy uttered. Faith looked at her.

"I know," Faith answered.

"You think it's really her...I mean..." Buffy tripped over her words. Faith placed her hand on Buffy's shoulder and squeezed it.

"I know what you mean Buffy...I am wondering too..." Faith said not too sure but hoping to God it was her.

Closer...to where Willow and Christine were at...

Willow still couldn't believe it all. Christine closed her eyes, tears flowing down her cheeks. Every part of her body hurt and ached.

"I almost didn't do it Will...coming back...and the pain now...of being back..." Christine choked, it was so hard to explain and she knew no one would understand. Christine didn't tell Willow anything or that she had seen and/or talked to Tara, she couldn't bring herself to...not yet. Willow looked at her and sadly smiled.

"No I kind of get what you are saying. Maybe you should talk to Buffy sometime. She was in heaven before I ripped her out of there..." Willow said trailing off. Christine sat up a little then, gaining more strength back.

"Willow..." Christine started. The redhead raised her hand and cut her off.

"No...it's ok, let's not talk about it," Willow said trying to give the other girl a reassuring smile. Then she got serious again. "I just can't believe it. And I know it is you...I can read your aura and your essence is here...it's you but...how did you come back..." Willow asked looking at the other girl, not sure how she should approach the matter. And she knew everyone was wondering if it really was Christine and how she was even able to be back in the first place. Christine smiled weakly as she moved the crystals, that were underneath her and placed them in Willow's hand.

"I still want you to have these," Christine instructed. Willow looked at her confused as Christine just merely smiled. "Don't say anything. Please keep them. They were the only thing that was still tied to me. God Willow...I didn't know I would get to come back. They're yours. I was only able to come back because you held my memory along with the crystals. You were my key to get back. I was cut off from everyone else, by their grief...that and nothing of my position was still around or intact. Except these," Christine said as she covered the crystals in Willow's hand with her fingers.

"They are no use to me anyway," Christine said as she tried to sit up. Willow helped her.

"Thank you," the redhead said, lost for words. Christine looked at her a moment before looking behind her at everyone else. They were looking at her, watching her, and Christine sighed.

"Guess I have some talking to do huh?" Christine asked still taking deep breaths. Willow put the crystals back into her pocket as she faced her again.

"If you are up to it," Willow replied smiling and trying to be reassuring.

TBC...ohhhhhhhhh, you are SO lucky to have gotten an update, lol. I got insane amount of studying and work to do. I wasn't going to update but then felt bad, lol. Hence the update.

We got one more part before this little series is over. Thanks for sticking with me this far! Some of your reviews brought smiles to my face ;)

Prophecygirl, Jay, everyone; this one is for you buddies! lol! And yes prophecy girl, us sick ones have to stick together! lol. And Jay, I always have tricks up my sleeve, you should know that....hmmmmmm, wouldn't you like to know what happens in 'Leaving You'? lol evil laughter is heard...then sputtering coughing uh...anyway, lol. The next part is the last installment guys. Just hang in tight, thanks for the reviews!