Chapter 16: Welcome Back

A/N: This was supposed to be the last chapter. But then this chapter just turned into two chapters! Except that I haven't written the second one yet :P

Willow and Tara watched Buffy stare at Angel's retreating back. As soon as he was out of sight, she sank back into the bed with a sigh. Willow smiled at her friend.

"Cell door? Life sentence?" she said dubiously.

Buffy grinned at her. "Not my best, but you gotta give me points for post-coma humor."

"Welcome back," Tara said.

"You too," Buffy said softly.

"What do you mean?"

Buffy frowned. "I'm not actually sure. Maybe it's a coma thing. I just got this feeling that things could've been really different." The Slayer shrugged, deciding to chalk it up to dreamworld stress.

Willow remembered the bullet that had gone through her bedroom window and become embedded in the wall. Suddenly she thought she knew what Buffy meant. "I'll be right back," she said to Buffy and Tara as the others entered the room. As soon as she was out of the door, she ran down the hall and out of the hospital, searching the night for two particular figures.

---

Angel stopped Warren with a firm grip on his neck as the redhead ran up beside him, breathing hard.

"Willow, what is it? Is something wrong?" Angel let his real question hang unspoken, as if voicing his fears might somehow lend credence to them. Is Buffy okay?

"No, everything's fine, Angel," Willow said. "I just got the sudden urge to do this."

She faced Warren, who stood immobile in Angel's grasp, terrified that the vampire might snap his neck. She pulled her arm back and punched Warren on the nose. Hard. The boy gave an involuntary yelp of surprise and pain.

"Ow," Willow said, shaking her hand out. "Happy, but still...ow." She grimaced as she breathed on her reddened knuckles.

"You might want to put some ice on that," Angel said with a wide smile. He had always liked Willow. She was a true friend to Buffy, and maybe even to him. "I hear they have that sort of thing at hospitals."

She gave him a bright smile and turned to go. She took a few steps, then abruptly turned around and returned to a surprised Angel.

"Angel, where are you going? After the police station, that is."

Angel shifted uncomfortably. "Back to LA," he told her tersely.

"You, uh, you don't have to go, you know," Willow said nervously. "Right now. I mean, the sun will be up soon. Maybe it would be better if you just stayed here. For today. Giles has the couch, but there's a cot in the basement you can sleep on, or you could stay in Xander's apartment ..." Willow trailed off at the look on Angel's face. "Or not Xander's apartment. I'm just saying, you don't have to go."

Angel was silent for a moment, then he nodded slowly. "Thanks. I'll just take him to the police station, then go back to the house."

Angel didn't know what to think as they went their separate ways, except that this was sure to be an interesting day.

---

"Buffy!" Dawn screeched as she threw herself at her sister.

Buffy laughed. "Hey Dawnie," she said as she wrapped her arms around the teenager.

"Um, Buffy?" Dawn said after a few seconds. "Air?"

"Oh! Sorry." Buffy hurriedly let the now slightly frazzled Dawn go. Dawn stepped back from the bed, and Xander resumed her place, hugging Buffy.

"Stop trying to die on us, Buff," he half-joked.

She grinned at him. "It's good to see you too, Xand. And you know, it wasn't exactly a plan..." She trailed off as she spotted someone behind Xander. "Giles!"

"Hello, Buffy," the Brit said with a soft smile. "I came as soon as I heard. I'm gone for a few months, and all hell breaks loose." He looked down before meeting her gaze once more. "Can you ever forgive me?"

"For what?"

"I should never have left."

Buffy smiled a little. "No, you were right to leave. We're just stupid."

"I know you're all stupid," Giles said, ignoring Xander's protests. "I should never have abandoned you."

"No, Giles, you were right about everything. It's time I was an adult."

"Sometimes the most adult thing you can do is ask for help when you need it."

Buffy glared at him. "Now you tell me?"

"Hi Buffy!" Anya said, leaning around Giles. Buffy was beginning to feel a little bit claustrophobic.

"Hi Anya."

"I'm glad you're not dead."

"Um, thanks. So, what did I miss?" Buffy glanced at the others expectantly.

"Oh, just some fighting and killing," Dawn supplied.

Buffy raised her eyebrows. "I missed the killing? Damn, what else did I miss?"

"Not much," Xander said. "Just your typical Sunnydale week. Anya's a demon. Spike's gone."

"Spike's gone?" Buffy said softly, her face expressionless. Xander just nodded. Buffy shrugged. "Okay. So when can I get out of here?"

"Well," Giles began, "I'm sure it would be best if you were to remain here for a spell..."

"Let me rephrase that," Buffy interrupted. "Let's get out of here."

TBC

A/N: So some of that Buffy/Giles dialogue is from Grave, which I didn't write, don't own, etc. Anyway, the next chapter really is gonna be the last chapter. Except for the short alternate ending that I'm going to write after that. Thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far, you guys rock. You know the drill...read and REVIEW!

samsarah: I've got nothing against Spike. I love the character. I just think that the idea of a serious BS relationship during season 6 is ridiculous. So I guess soulless Spike (or the memories of him) is a bad guy in this fic. As for the ending, well, read and find out.