Those deep blue eyes. Those bleached blonde curls. Those beautiful cheek bones that made him... Spike, oh God.

He stared into her eyes and she did the same. Blue stared into emerald and emerald stared into blue. Spike's wounded form leaned disgruntled against the wall, but his face was as content as ever as he continued staring at the form before him. His love. It seemed like hours before Buffy found herself again. Even though it was only about a minute of a staring contest. She'd lost herself in his eyes. She was at a loss for words.

He was wounded and his chest was heaving. Spike wasn't sure if it was heaving from the combat with the demon or if his chest was heaving from disbelief. And the tingling senses came back once again... for both of them. Spike could recall that her expression was the same exact expression she had on her face right before he'd died. Shock and a bunch of other emotions combined. Maybe even love. He'd hoped it was love...

Breaking the moment, Buffy shook her head slightly. She touched his upper arm to make sure he was real. Completely corporeal. He's real. Spike's eyes shifted from her emerald eyes to her hand. It made him quiver. The souled vampire turned his head towards Buffy again. He held her gaze. Spike felt as if he was brought back to life in that moment... that his heart could beat.

Buffy finally took her hand off of his arm. Spike's eyes continued looking into her's. She finally let out the breath she'd been holding and broke the silence.

" A- are you okay?"

"I'm fine, love," Spike answered in a hushed voice. Buffy closed her eyes to his voice. She missed the sound of his voice.

"Spike," Buffy opened her eyes and looked at him once more, "how? How...did you-"

"Vampire," Spike stated as his eyes finally were taken off of Buffy and focusing on something behind her.

"Huh?" Buffy questioned as her eye brows perked. She was answered by a punch in the head. The vampire hissed and Spike readied himself in a fighting stance. Buffy turned around quickly and gave the vampire a punch. Spike motioned closer to the fiend and kicked him in the face. Buffy's lips formed a small smile at the fact that her and Spike were fighting evil together again. Just like old times.

Spike grabbed hold of the vampire around the neck to keep him still. Spike nodded at Buffy and it was her queue. Her stake slipped out of her sleeve and she shoved it through the vampire's chest. The vampire started to deteriorate but before his skin sizzled to dust, he had one last thing to say.

"Alkardo will demolish you and yours!" Dust flew to the ground.

"Alkardo?" Buffy asked as she put her stake away and Spike shrugged.

"Could've been that three-eyed bloke that attacked us."

"We need to look into it," Buffy suggested. Spike agreed with a slight head nod. Buffy just looked at him in amazement. He died... for her and the world. He saved the world. And now he's... here. She couldn't ask questions now. They did need to talk but they also had a demon to catch... and some wounds to take care of.

"You're hurt pretty bad," Buffy stepped closer to Spike as she examined the cuts and scrapes on his face.

"I'll heal."

"Well, is there any place close by? We need to take care of it before we go looking..." Buffy paused. All of the sudden there was a we. "...unless you already had other plans. But, if you want to help me kill this thing..."

"Buffy," Spike spoke softly as Buffy shivered. She missed his voice and when he said her name. And not just in the sexual way either, " of course I'll help you. Always have, haven't I?" Buffy smiled at that.

"Come with me," Buffy slowly walked past him as he followed, "we have to go back to the place I'm staying and find out who the hell Alkardo is and to check in with the others."

"The others?"

"Yeah, I'm staying here in Cleveland for a couple of weeks with Faith, Robin, Rhona, and some other girl named...Monica? Hey! I got it right!" She grinned, full of dignity. Spike smiled at her, completely amused. They exited the alley together... side by side. Together again.

The condominium was quiet and dimly lit. Spike closed the door behind him and followed Buffy into the family room.

"Looks like nobody's home," Spike examined as Buffy stood still and looked back at him.

"You sit down. I'm gonna clean you up."

"You don't have to, pet."

"Sure I do, just be right back. And then we'll talk." Buffy rushed up the stairs to fetch a wet cloth so she could clean the blood off his face. Spike sighed as he sat himself down on the couch. He knew Buffy would be angry with him after he told her about how he came back. How he had been back for more than a year and he never told her. He then smiled to himself. Happiness finally came back to him and his soul soared. Buffy is here... with me.

Buffy grabbed a cloth off of a rack in the bathroom and ran it under some warm water in the sink. She looked at herself in the mirror while doing so. She suddenly felt the urgency to fix her hair or... something. Having Spike back made her happy and... worried about her looks at the same time. Her heart skipped a beat. The butterflies flapped around in her stomach like crazy. Spike is back. He's really back. How? When? Where? Why? So many questions to be answered...

She turned off the water and brushed her fingers through her long, blonde hair. Buffy took one last glance at herself and gave herself a small nod of approval before she turned around with the wet cloth and headed for the stairs. Oh, the effect Spike had on her...

Time for coddling.

A/N- This chapter was shorter. But I noticed that I needed to slow the pace down a little bit. I'll update soon! Oh, and reviews make me a happy girl.