Buffy's eyes shot open and she breathed, she breathed. For the first time in months she takes a gulp of the sweet air. But then she realized there was none. She tries to gulp down any kind of air, but there was none. She panics. Starts ripping open the fabric on top of her. What had happened? She clawed at the soft fabric and dirt started to tumble in around her.

Fear. She closed her eyes tight and began to dig threw the rocks and dirt above her. Trying to keep her mouth shut. She made her way threw the hardened dirt and to the soft soil pocking her way threw.

She pulled herself out of the ground and breathed heavily. Tears falling from her blurry eyes. She could hardly see out of them. Hell. She had it to good. This must have been hell. Seeing her mother, and everyone else who'd died.

Something must have happened, why was she here? She stood on two wobbly legs and turned to see her surroundings. It looked like a graveyard. She turned and looked at the tombstone above the grave she'd climbed out of. Tears streamed down her face, her body ached.

Nothing was right. Nothing would be right.

Buffy looked herself in her mirror, Dawn stood behind her, running the brush threw her damp hair. She'd cleaned up as much as she could. Dawn knew she was still in shock so she didn't want to push anything to hard on her.

"Dawn! You better be here!" Buffy jumped at the angry and scared voice coming from downstairs, she looked at Dawn, wide eyed.

"It's okay, it's just Spike." Dawn promised. Dawn moves toward the door, "I'm here!" she yells down to the vampire.

Dawn starts walking down that stairs and Spike slams the door shut angrily, "Thank GOD! You scared me half to death… or more to death. You—I could kill you"

Dawn rolls her eyes, "Spike—"

"I mean it. I could rip your head off one-handed and drink from your brain stem." When Dawn reaches the bottom of the stairs, he sees the look in her eyes and knows something is up, "What's wrong?" He asked, unsure.

"Look." Dawn said.

Buffy starts to walk down the stairs, "Yeah? I've seen the bloody bot before, didn't think she'd pack up so—" He stops himself and looks at her as she continues to walk down the stairs. Her eyes locked on his. He gulped. She stops on one of the last steps and continues to stair at the vampire.

"She's kinda, um… she's been through a lot… with the… death. I think she's okay" Dawn spoke but neither of them seemed to be listening. Locked in each others gaze. "Spike? Are you okay?"

Spike continued to stair at the slayer, "I'm… what did you do?"

"ME? I didn't do anything."

Buffy notices her top unbuttoned and clutches it closed, and the familiar sent filled the air, making its way to Spike's nose. Blood. Buffy's blood. "Her hands."

Buffy lowered her hands and hid them behind her back; she looked at Spike, hoping he would be able to help her… somehow. She was so lost.

Dawn nodded, "I was gonna fix them… don't know how they got that way though."

Spike looked at the lost slayer, "I do, clawed her way out of a coffin, that's how."

"Yeah, that's… what I had to do." She replied quietly.

Spike nodded, "Done it myself." Through all of this he continued to stair at her, like he was dreaming. Hoping of course. Never to wake up. Spike blinks once or twice and outstretches his arm. "We'll take care of you." He promises, "Come on."

Buffy looked at him with a fearful frown but lets him guide her to the living room. Spike orders Dawn to get some supplies and she runs off into the kitchen. Spike helps Buffy to the couch; he sits her down and sits down on the coffee table in front of her.

He takes her hands in his and looks at them, then looks up at her face; their eyes meet another time. He could tell she was struggling. He wanted to help her but… he wasn't sure how or even if he was the one to do it. "Pet," He said softly, "If there's anything I can do… to help you… all you have to do is ask, love." He told her.

She didn't look away, didn't say a word.

"Tell me to jump and I'll ask how high." He promised.

"H-how long… was I gone?" she asked.

"Hundred forty-seven days yesterday, uh.. Hundred forty-eight today." A small smile creeps to his handsome features. "'cept today doesn't count, does it?"

Buffy doesn't respond just continued to stair at the caring man in front of her.

"How long was it for you… where you were?"

Buffy looked up at him, "Longer."

Spike nodded, excepting her answer. "Are you… are you in pain?" He asked almost afraid to hear her answer.

Buffy noticed the look in his eyes. "A little."

Spike nodded, "You need to tell me what hurts, okay?" He asked, like she was a child. But Buffy didn't care. The sound of his voice was soothing. He hadn't yelled at her, tried to hurt her, everything he'd said so far had been soothing and soaked with care and devotion.

Buffy nodded, "I-I can't really see that… good." She told him shakily. "My hands… and my chest."

Spike nodded, "Once you get some sleep the vision should clear up," He looked down at her hands, "They're not as bad as they feel, love, with slayer strength you'll be back to kickin' my ass in no time." He told her with a small smile.

Buffy smiled lightly.

"And your chest… I think that's cause of the loss of breath."

Dawn came in with a handful of supplies. "Got the stuff." She said piling it on the table next to Spike. She sat on the couch next to Buffy, giving her sister a small smile.

Spike let go of her hands for a second to grab the small white tube. He squeezed some of the liquid onto his finger tip, his eyes meeting Buffy's again, "This is gonna sting for a second, okay?"

Buffy gulped but nodded.

He applied the cream on her knuckles and anywhere that had a gash in her skin. Buffy hissed jumping slightly. "Shh, pet, T's okay," He coed her, "Jus' gonna clean it out." He gently picked up the other hand and applied the cream. He looked up at Buffy who bit her lip. "Sorry." He whispered. "T's over." He put the cream down and looked down at her slim fingers.

Dawn watched as Spike gently bandaged her sister's hands, a smile on her lips.

Spike gently wrapped her small hand in the bandage. Trying to keep his attention on her hand but looking up at the fallen Angel every few seconds. What would do this to her? Why? What had she done to deserve this?

TBC…

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