A/N: Grr Argh. Sorry. Um, chapter 9 -

9

Everything seemed to freeze, time stopped still. It sounded cliched but there it was the whole 'stop this doesn't make sense' deal that her brain was going through. When people died they stayed dead...well, except her but neither times had she just miraculously appeared it had happened due to intervention.

Her jaw fell open and her eyes widened but Buffy didn't feel it, she didn't feel anything just numb. Spike was here standing a few feet away from her and he was as alive as he had ever been.

His white-blond hair was slicked back tight with a few loose entrails of it hanging down over his forehead, messier then he use to have it. The scar on his left eyebrow was still there, splicing the hair and shining in the moonlight. His skin was pale as snow and his cheekbones sliced down his face in still the sharpest lines she had ever seen. His lips were still soft looking and his chin still masculine and defined as his jaw. He even wore the black T-shirt; jeans, boots and leather duster but what Buffy's unbelieving eyes settled on was his lapis lazuli eyes that scanned her own.

She just stared for what seemed like eternity and it took so long for Angel to turn and look at him too that Buffy realized less than a second had passed. The vampire next to her tensed and started to step forward then hesitated, unsure. Buffy was feeling that herself; unsure, she didn't know how to move she had forgotten how to speak or even how to breathe it seemed.

Spike took a step inside slowly, eyes locked on hers "Hello, luv" He spoke intimately, just to her, like all he saw was her.

"Buffy..." Angel grabbed her arm roughly and shook her "It's gotta be the demon"

Buffy tore her eyes away to look at him not understanding what he was saying, there was a demon? She frowned and turned back to look at Spike blinking and making sure he was still there when she opened her eyes again. He was and he gave her a look of wonderment.

Angel growled and ran jumping suddenly and careening full force into Spike who let out a yelp and they fell to the floor. Angel proceeded to pummel his old protégé around the face. Buffy watched for a second before her brain finally sped up and she ran up to them grabbing Angel's arm that was drawing back for another punch.

He looked back at her, vamp face "Buffy, it's just a demon"

She stopped then shook her head "Then how...how can you hit him?"

"What...?" The vampire froze suddenly realizing that she was right and how would she be able to hit him if he was one of the demons.

Angel, still straddling the other man and with a hand still around his throat blinked several times and morphed back to human face. The Slayer and the vampire turned back to the figure outstretched on the floor looking dazed.

"What the bloody hell are you doin'? Not exactly the welcome back I expected" Spike grunted and shoved Angel off sitting up he dusted his back and shoulders off "Mind you I shouldn't have thought the part of beat-Spike-up would have changed. Even after my death"

Buffy took a couple of steps back and just stared she took another step back and another until her back hit the door and stopped her. Spike grunted and stood, working the cricks out of his muscles then he turned his eyes back to her and his they lit up. He took steps toward her but the Slayer went rigid and he stopped, seeming to understand.

"Buffy–" The English vampire started in a voice that was impossibly familiar and from lips that were undoubtedly the same.

Angel came up behind him and sniffed "Smells real enough"

"Well, thanks" Spike rolled his eyes "You couldn't have done that before you started hitting me in my newly restored face?"

Angel shrugged "I prefer to hit you then to smell you, leaves a nasty aftertaste"

"Look who's talkin' mate, you don't exactly reek of Eternity for Men" Spike grunted "More like Eternity of Vampire"

Buffy turned abruptly and slammed into the doors, sending them crashing open. She couldn't listen to this anymore, she couldn't deal with this and them talking about who smelled worse; it was too surreal. Her boots clacked on the polished floor and she heard a set of footsteps behind her so she sped up. Buffy made it into the canteen before Angel swept in front of her and grabbed her shoulders with his hands to stop her; Buffy lashed her arms out and knocked them from her body. She pushed him away and started to go around him.

Angel grabbed her and pulled her back "Buffy, stop!"

"I can't!" She whirled on him then "How can I? I don't understand any of this! I just don't understand how...this could possibly have happened!"

"Maybe we should ask him," He said simply.

Buffy took a few deep breaths and looked down at the floor "I don't...how can he be here?"

"I don't know, Buffy" Angel stroked a hand down her arm "Only Spike can know that"

Her shoulders started to shudder "Where...where is he?"

"Still at the door. He can't come in without an invite"

"Oh, right"

"Bloody hell!" It was Giles voice yelling out.

There was a chuckle "'Ello, Rupert"

Buffy and Angel looked at each other and turned running back the way they had come. They arrived in time for Giles to punch Spike in the nose and for the blond haired vampire to tumble to the ground again. Her Watcher started to go for him again.

"Giles!" She shouted out "Don't!"

He turned to her "Buffy, it's the Spike demon"

"No, it isn't" Buffy stopped and looked him in the eye.

"It's true" Angel nodded "We wouldn't be able to hit him and he smells like Spike"

Giles looked flabbergasted "What...how in the world..."

Spike groaned and picked himself up, holding his bleeding nose "You know what? I'm not too fond of this welcoming party. Look, I should go"

"Spike..." Giles frowned "How did this happen?"

"This being me?" Spike lifted his eyebrows then looked about "Well, it's not really somethin' you talk about on the doorstep if you catch my drift"

The Watcher looked at Angel and Buffy "We're sure he's not a demon? Well apart from being a vampire I mean"

Angel gave one swift nod.

"Come in, Spike"

The vampire took a tentative step over the threshold then strode in looking around with his duster flailing behind him like a cape. He clucked his tongue and let out a soft whistle obviously impressed with the place. Giles ushered him in the living room and the vampire strolled slowly over to the couch throwing himself down over it. Angel followed Giles and Buffy brought up the rear choosing a position of standing against the wall that was farthest from their guest. Giles sat in an armchair and Angel hovered closer to the two of them. Buffy watched Spike with his feet on the coffee table and his hands cupping the back of his head comfortably he seemed to watch the roaring fireplace for a moment before blinking and coming back to reality the old grin slipping onto his features easily.

"So, long time no see" Spike looked at Giles "Gotta say, Rupert, I'm liking the new place. Very Mutant Academy"

Giles tilted his head and looked deeply at the vampire "How is this possible? You disintegrated"

"Yeah, that was a bitch I can tell you. Not much fun at all" He said.

"Spike" Giles, said firmly.

"Right, how did this happen? Good question because I don't have a clue" Spike shrugged.

Angel looked at him, suspicious "What do you mean?"

"I just woke up in a crater that I suppose was Sunnydale. Completely starkers, that was a riot" He smirked.

Giles scratched his chin "Hmm, maybe it was a similar thing that happened to you, Angel"

"Doubt it" Angel murmured "If it was he would've come back sooner"

"We can't rule anything out. Spike how did you get in through the gates?"

"What? Oh, I dunno. I just swore at the bloody things" Spike shrugged and Giles sighed.

Buffy watched it all with a certain amount of distance; she could not involve herself in this because it made no sense. She was just waiting to wake up and feel like an idiot for believing that he was truly back, it was in no way possible. Spike could not be sitting on the couch in front of her he just couldn't be. As if hearing her thoughts the blond haired man turned his eyes toward her and fixed them firmly on her own eyes. He gave her a look of...well, she couldn't decipher it but it was half sorrow and half relief and she looked away from him instantly.

Spike sat up and turned to Angel and Giles "I think I should probably go...find myself somewhere to lay down for the day"

"Yeah and where are you gonna do that? You even have any money?" Angel smirked.

Spike stood "I'll just find a little abandoned place. Flower Meadows... sounds vaguely seedy"

"I think it would be better if you stayed here, you see we're having a little demon trouble" Giles explained.

"Aren't you always?" He chuckled "I don't want to be a bother"

"You never cared before" Angel pointed out.

Spike glared at him "I never died before"

They all turned as they heard footsteps on the stairs and moments later Dawn appeared walking down the stairs and turned into the living room. The brunette froze where she was in the doorway as her eyes fell on Spike. Her mouth fell open in a small o and she just drew in a sharp breath then did not breathe at all.

Then she yelled "Demon! Demon in the house!"

Spike threw up his arms "What is all this? Guy comes back from the dead you'd think he'd get a slap on the back"

"Dawn, he's not a demon, apart from he's a vampire" Giles said softly.

Dawn stopped yelling but narrowed her eyes at Spike "You're just a vampire?"

"Well, I wouldn't say just a vampire. I pride myself on the fact I'm a red hot lover and a Man United supporter" He turned to Giles "How they doing in the league?"

"Not too well I'm afraid," Giles said.

"Spike!" Dawn ran across the room and threw herself at the vampire.

He was caught unaware as Dawn flung her arms around his neck and her legs wrapped around his waist. Spike fell back to the couch with Dawn still latched on to him.

"Bloody hell!" He cried then laughed "Now this is more like it!"

Dawn pulled back to look into his eyes, a little embarrassed "You're really back?"

"Looks like. Dawnie, you look...well you look like a real woman" He sounded amazed.

Dawn rolled her eyes as she slowly climbed off of him "I am a real woman, doofus"

Spike pulled himself to stand up too and looked her over "I like the hair, very you. How old are you now?"

"I turn twenty in a week" She smiled.

"Jesus, I've been gone for...three years..." Spike seemed to drift off.

Dawn lifted her hand and ran it down Spike's face "You're really here? How..."

"That's the million pound question" He sighed and took her hand kissing her knuckles gently.

Dawn took her hand back smiling and blushing at the same time. Giles cleared his throat obviously not comfortable with the interaction between Dawn and Spike.

The vampire turned to him "What is it?"

"I was just wondering how you found us down here in Flower Meadows?"

"Wished I hadn't? Well I went to Angel's place in L.A and asked your pal Wesley where you were also met a nice girl called Fred, was it? She's a peach" Spike smiled.

Angel scowled "Why didn't they call us?"

"'Cos they came with me" He shrugged "They're out there booking a hotel for themselves, something going on there if you ask me..."

"They still would've called me," Angel said.

As the two vampires got into a deep conversation Dawn looked over at Buffy and frowned then she made her way around the three men to walk over to the Slayer who still stood rigid against the wall. Dawn stood in front of her and tilted her head drawing her sister into a comforting hug. Buffy wanted to cry or to react in some way but she couldn't. It would come later she was sure; she just hoped she was alone when it did.

"What's up? I thought you'd be happy" Dawn whispered.

"I don't...I can't..." Buffy trailed off, a distant look in her eyes.

"It's okay, I get it" Dawn put an arm around her waist as the men finished their argument.

Spike took a melodramatic intake of breath "It's been a long night and I've just arisen from the dead, so frankly I'm knackered. I'll be going to find some dank house now"

"What? No!" Dawn said, "We can't just let him stay in some skanky alley or whatever, that's rude of us – he's a guest"

The blond vampire shrugged "You're all right, Dawnie. I've had worse"

"Giles, didn't your English people ever teach you any manners? When people come back from the dead we offer them a blanket and pillow" Dawn folded her arms and lifted her jaw defensively.

"Well," He went all flustered "If Buffy is okay with it..."

Everyone in the room turned to look at her and she couldn't take the weight of their gazes so she muttered something to herself and walked out of the room, their eyes burning into her back. Buffy reached the stairs and sprinted up them using her Slayer speed before she knew what had happened she was in her room leaning against the shut door and sliding down to the floor. Her knees pulled up to her chest and she wrapped her arms around them. She could not cry because it still hadn't completely sunk in, it couldn't be real. For the first time Buffy realized what Giles and Dawn and Spike himself must have been feeling when she came back from the dead. They hadn't been involved in the spell Willow had cast and so hadn't known and now she understood what it felt like to have someone you never thought you'd see again suddenly reenter your life without warning. It was a shock to the system and Buffy felt suddenly tired, she was sure she wouldn't be able to sleep but she still crossed across the room, crawling and pulled herself up to the bed but couldn't find the strength to climb on. So she just grabbed a blanket and crumpled to the floor pulling the cover over her. Darkness slammed in to her like she had fallen unconscious rather then drifted asleep. Either way she didn't have to think about what was going on in her life right now. Bliss.

A/N: Review. Aw, please. Please review. Well, FINE!...please?