A/N Ok, this is the last chapter of plot. There is an epilogue to come, but this should tie up all the loose ends. Hope you all like it, cos this is one of my favourite chapters.

Chapter Twenty Three – The Same Gift

As Spike approached the figure on the floor, he signalled for the others to stay back. He sighed in relief. Buffy was sat facing away from them with her head in her knees. Her shoulders were shaking.

"Buffy?" Spike gently called out to her and she jumped to her feet, startled. He was immediately taken aback at the sight in front of him. Her eyes were red and tearful, but her face seemed resolved as she stood with a small ornate dagger in her hand. But most striking was his old duster as it hung off her, billowing in the breeze to give her a sense of danger and a presence that wasn't usually there. A small smile graced her lips when she saw him.

"Buffy, what's going on?" Spike's eyes were wide and vulnerable. She didn't think she'd ever seen him looking so scared, like his world was ending. He looked at her with hope and trust, silently begging her to make everything right again, to save him. And she knew she would.

"I'm finishing this." Buffy said quietly but firmly.

"What are you talking about? You're scaring me." Spike longed to sweep her into his arms and kiss the problems away, but Buffy was keeping her distance from him, backing off every time he came too close.

"I just finally worked out how to be your friend, that's all." The same wild look was still in her eyes.

"What?"

"I overheard you and Dawn talking…"

"Buffy, I'm sorry, I didn't mean it. I was upset." Spike interrupted before Buffy could say any more. She had to know how he felt about her, why it hurt so much.

"It's ok. You were right. If I cared about you so damn much I would have helped you break the spell by now, but I didn't." Buffy's voice was starting to shake with the emotion of what she was saying. Both of them knew it was a lie, but neither could stop the pain the lie caused.

"The spell's irreversible." Spike whispered. Buffy laughed a horrible hollow laugh in response.

"No. Actually that's not quite true. Bad Buffy lied to you, but then I guess you're used to that by now." A single tear rolled down her cheek. Spike could tell this was killing her. She was beating herself up over this, and probably had been for the last few months. Why hadn't he seen it?

"Buffy, I don't understand." Spike tried to shorten the distance between them again, but Buffy immediately backed further away.

"You change back… when I die." Buffy tried to keep her voice as even as possible, not wanting him to see how scared she was. She had to keep her resolve. This was a good thing; the strength she'd been lacking to do it earlier would come from seeing him in front of her. She would die knowing she was giving him back everything she'd taken away.

"I…" Spike tried to speak but no words would come. Suddenly everything clicked into place in his head. He understood why she was doing this. This wasn't about suicide or what he'd said, it was about being the hero, doing the right thing. A grim smile came to his lips. That was his girl.

"Buffy, give me the dagger." He ordered, arm outstretched. This insanity had to stop right now.

"I'm sorry, Spike." There really was nothing else to say. He would never agree to this, never understand, not really. But at least he would know that she loved him.

"Buffy, it doesn't have to be like this." Spike insisted, his eyes filling up with tears that started to run unchecked down his cheeks. He couldn't believe she would do this for him. She would give up everything, life itself, again. But this time it wasn't for Dawn or for the world, it was just for him, only for him. Buffy held his gaze, gaining the strength she needed from him.

"Spike, I've been without your love for 147 days yesterday. 148 today. Except today won't count. I can't let it. It just hurts too much. I'm sorry."

"Buffy, NO!"

"I love you." Buffy raised the dagger high and brought it down fast over her wrist in a big sweeping action to cut her artery. Spike reacted immediately and caught her as she fell to the floor holding her injured arm. He was shaking as he moved the leather of the duster aside, tears blurring his vision at first. But the look of horror left his face as soon as he saw her wrist. The thick material of the duster had taken most of the damage, only a small graze on Buffy's skin was bleeding, which Spike gently licked closed.

The others reached the couple on the floor and flung themselves on a startled Buffy. She had no choice but to accept their hugs, although the shock was still evident in her eyes. Nobody said anything; it really didn't feel like the right time, although they all knew that the words would come eventually.

Spike gently tugged Buffy out of the arms of her friends and into his own. Buffy's mouth opened, a thousand things waiting to trip off her tongue, but Spike placed two fingers softly over her lips. He looked deep into her hazel eyes and wanted to laugh at how simple it was, how simple it had been all along, if only he'd seen it. He swept a stray lock of hair behind her ear. The others stood around smiling, knowing what was to come. Spike smiled as he softly whispered it;

"I love you." Buffy's breath caught in her throat. They were both crying now, as she buried herself in Spike's embrace. He held on to her as if he would never let go, and for a few moments the world was just the two of them. Spike was the first to pull away, as he tilted her head up towards his. He was about to sweep a tender kiss across Buffy's lips when she stopped him.

"Spike, you know I love you, but there's something I need to tell you…"

"Go on…"

"I loved you. Before, I mean. Before the spell. Before all this. I loved you. I was just too dumb and too stubborn to admit it to myself. I'm sorry." Buffy searched Spike's eyes, not knowing what reaction he'd have and not expecting the one he gave.

"I know." He said with a grin.

"You know?"

"You should know by now that I know your feelings better than you do yourself, luv." Spike said with a smirk.

"What did you just call me?" Buffy immediately picked up on his use of a cute little name that she'd really missed.

"Sorry, pet, force of habit." Spike shrugged it off.

"But you can't call me that." Buffy continued, trying to get her point across. She'd forgotten how infuriating this guy could be.

"That's just bleedin' great. I tell the bint I love her and all she can say back is 'don't call me pet'!" A pre-spell tirade came out of Spike's mouth, causing the others to notice as well.

"Spike, did you just swear?"

"Oh, sorry Nibblet."

"Spike! Man! The spell is wearing off! Get a clue! Since when do I catch on quicker than you do!" Xander rolled his eyes at his oblivious friend.

"You mean..?" Spike was dumbfounded.

"YES!" There were several eye rolls as everybody confirmed the news.

"Try changing into game face." Buffy suggested. With a nervous look round the group, Spike tried. He held his breath and waited. The group stood stunned for a moment. Nobody was sure what to say. Finally Giles extended his hand to him.

"Welcome back, Spike."

The tension in the atmosphere immediately disappeared, and all of the Scoobies gathered round with hugs and congratulations.

"Spike, I'm so glad you're back." Dawn grinned as she hugged her best friend tight. "Although I will miss the clothing advice." She added as an after thought.

"I'm back. I'm really me again." Spike said quietly as the reality of the situation dawned on him fully.

"Big Bad's back." He said with a cocky grin that Buffy hadn't seen in way too long.

"I'm bloody well back. Bloody, buggering, balls and swagger, shagging bleeding brollies bollocks, back! Larger than life and twice as British." The grin was even wider now, until Willow interrupted.

"Wait, how did this happen?"

"Yeh, I mean I'm happy for you, man, but this is a little weird." Xander added.

"Oh, I know!" Anya burst out suddenly, raising her hand straight in the air as if she were at school.

"It's quite simple really, when you think about it. The spell was to change Spike so Buffy could love him. When she realised she loved him anyway there was no need for the spell anymore so it ended."

"If it was that simple, why didn't you tell us?" Xander asked, annoyed.

"I did! At the first meeting we had about it. I said 'I'm sure things will work themselves out.' And they did." There were shared looks all round the group but everyone knew better than to stand between the newly weds at the onset of a fight. As the group started to disperse, heading for home, Spike grabbed Buffy's hand and pulled her to one side.

"Buffy, I want you to know that I'll never forget what you did for me tonight. Thank you." He pulled her in for a tight hug before placing a gentle kiss on her lips.

"I love you." It felt more like an admission to herself than anything else, but it brought a smile to Spike's face.

"And I happen to have 3 words of my own to say to you." He replied with a cheeky grin that brought a smile to Buffy's face and melted her heart.

"Oh really, and what might they be?" She asked coyly.

"Angel's. A. Pillock." Spike counted the words out on his fingers, earning himself a light hearted slap before Buffy slipped her hand into his and they followed the others home.