"She's pulling further and further away from us everyday. She's not happy. She's lost so much. I don't think she can take it anymore." Said Willow. Willow, Dawn, Faith, Giles and Xander sat in the living room of the house.

"I told you this was going to happen. You said she'd heal because she's Buffy, but a person can only take so much." Said Dawn.

"I know, Dawnie. I'm sorry."

"There has to be a way that we can help her." Said Xander.

"Yes, I suppose, but how?" asked Giles.

"I wonder if..." Faith stopped when they all heard Dawn speak quietly.

"She needs Spike."

"But he's dead." Said Giles.

"Umm, actually..." Andrew walked into the room. "He's in L.A with Angel."

"How do you know that?" asked Willow.

"Well, he tracked us down and he's been calling me once a week to see how everyone is and stuff." Said Andrew.

"Really?" asked Dawn she sounded excited.

"Yeah he asked about you and I told him you applied to college for September."

"We have to get him here." Said Willow.

"No you can't, he'll kill me for telling you. Said he has a plan or something."

"I don't care!" said Dawn. "If you don't call him I'll kick you're ass up and down the street."

"And if you've been updating him about us then why isn't he here with Buffy when she's like this?" asked Willow.

"Because I told him she was fine?"

"You're and idiot, Andrew." Said Xander.

Buffy stood on the balcony her arms folded over the rail with a blank look on her face. She went in side to her bathroom and tied her hair back, messily into a clip and splashed cold water on her face. She ran the bath and put in strawberry bubble bath. She slipped out of her clothes when it was full and slipped into the water under the bubbles. She laid her head back on the side of the tub and shut her eyes.

She lay in her bed curled in a ball. Shadows danced on the walls as Giles and Willow moved over a book in the corner pointing things out to each other. "Giles we need him. It says he's the only one that can help. We have to tell him about it."

"Willow..."

"Look at her Giles. Think about everything that's happened to her. Do you really want to deny that all she needs right now is someone who would gladly give her his heart in a doggy bag if she asked?"

"No I don't suppose I could." He whispered after a long pause throughout which he thought.

"Then you'll get him here?"

"Yes." The form on the bed shivered and pulled the blankets closer.

"Close the doors Willow." Said Giles walking out of the room.

The next day Buffy, Faith, Dawn and Willow went for a walk and some girl talk.

"You should tell her." Said Faith out of nowhere.

"Tell who what?" asked Buffy.

"You that..." Willow trailed off.

"Buffy, he's alive. S..." Dawn was cut off when Buffy grabbed her stomach and doubled over in pain, gasping.

"Guys, I have to go back now. Right now." Buffy said. Faith and Willow supported her, one on each side, while Dawn ran back to tell Giles.

Dawn ran through the front door of the house and only stopped when she reached the bottom of the stairs so as to better be heard all around the house... "GILES!" ...though it wasn't needed. In 2 minutes tops every person in the house was standing in the hall or on the stairs.

"Dawn, What's the matter?" asked Giles.

"It's Buffy she was suddenly in a whole bunch of pain on our walk and I don't know why. Willow and Faith are bringing her back. They're about a block from here."

"What happened?"

"I don't know she just doubled over in pain. Willow and Faith and I were going to tell her about Spike."

"You were going to tell her?"

"She deserves to know Giles. It's because she thinks he's dead that she's so detached. What do you think will happen if we don't tell her?"

"We can't, Dawn. Not yet."

"Giles it's killing her."

"She'll be fine Dawn...Fine..."

Just then the person of recent subject, Willow and Faith walked through the door.

"Dawn? Why are you crying?" Asked Buffy.

"Nevermind, are you OK?" she replied.

"Yeah...it just...for a minute there it felt like someone stabbed me with a stake in the gut...again."

END! YAY!