Chapter 12. Welcome home.

The next night Spike sat in his old wooden chair in the house that was falling apart. He sighed and got up and walked out towards his car. He stopped and looked at the window. No reflection. He pulled his hand away from the handle and thought if he was really what Buffy wanted and if he should go back. He closed his eyes and pictured her in his head, he opened his eyes and looked up at the dark sky. He sighed and opened the car door and pulled out of the ally and drove off.

Buffy was sat eating a meal with Dawn and Willow. She was sat playing with her food and Dawn and Willow were just looking at each other.

"Umm, so Buffy how was work?" Willow started with saying.

"It was okay." Buffy mumbled.

"Are you going out patrolling tonight?" Dawn asked.

"Probably." She said distantly.

"Can I tag along?" Dawn asked.

"No." Buffy said still distant.

"Why not?"

"Because I want to be on my own."

"You always want to be on your own!" Dawn shouted.

This brought Buffys attention back and she looked at Dawn. "Dawnie-"

"It's going to be like last year again!"

"No Dawn I promised it won't."

"Then stop distancing yourself." Dawn got up and stormed up the stairs.

"Is she right?" Buffy asked Willow.

"In some ways." Willow said and started clearing up the plates.

Buffy helped and they both walked into the kitchen.

"I don't mean to be! I just come up really tired at nights and then I have to go out and fight evil! I don't have time to pal around and be a sister-" She stopped and looked at Willow. "Oh god."

Willow nodded. "You need to be a sister as well as a worker and slayer."

Buffy sighed. "I just wish Spike was around."

"I know you do."

"But I guess he won't be." She sat down.

"Do you love him?"

"What?" Smiled Buffy.

"Do you love him."

"I care a lot about him."

"But do you love him?"

"I've seen a change in him, I've seen the man he really is…He changed for me and he is a soft gentle man. Or should I say vampire."

"I know what you mean." Willow said sweetly.

Buffy smiled. "Thanks."

A couple of hours later Spike drove into Sunnydale and looked around his surroundings. He parked the car and stepped out with a cigarette in his mouth.

"Home sweet home." He laughed and just left the car and walked around.

He walked down a few streets and stopped and sniffed the air, he looked around and sniffed again.

"Buffy." He said softly and walked towards her sent.

He walked into an ally and saw her Battling two vampires, for a second he didn't help her but just watched her and smiled. As he saw the second vampire was getting an advantage he ran over and kicked its ass and dusted it. As the dust cleared Buffy saw Spike standing there smiling at her.

"Buffy."

"Huh?" She whispered.

"Hello to you too." Smiled Spike.

"Spike?" She whispered.

"It's me."

"I thought you left."

"I did, but you know what they say. Home is where the heart is, or in my case you are."

"So are you passing by-"

"I was hoping I would stay here."

"For good?"

"That is the plan."

"In my basement."

"That's if you want me to."

"I do." She said without hesitating.

Spike smiled. "That's good then."

"When did you get here?"

"About ten minutes ago."

"You found me that quick?"

"I could smell you."

"Ew?"

Spike smiled.

"Where did you go?"

"I told you, LA."

"Did you see Angel?"

"I did see peaches."

Buffy put her hands on her hips and laughed at Spike. "How is he?"

"He has stepped up in the world."

"That's good."

"And I saw Tom."

"When?"

"Last night."

"I wasn't expecting that."

"He said you missed me."

"I do…I mean I did."

"What will happen about us?" He asked and leaned against a wooden box.

"I don't know."

"What do you want to happen?"

"I want you to be here with me."

Spike nodded. "That I can do."

"You can do more than that." She said and grabbed his shirt and starting kissing him.