"Come on now. That's it." Spike's eyes slowly opened and the first thing he noticed was that the sun was shining through the open blinds.

"Bloody hell!" As fast as he could, he pulled the blanket over himself completely. Someone tried to pull it down but he held fast. Finally, they gave up.

Through the blanket, Spike heard scuffling. "Close those blinds. Quickly now," he heard someone order. The blinds slid closed and he slowly lowered the blankets, trying to find out who had spoken.

When he saw the speaker he nearly gasped and pressed himself closer to the wall behind him. "Angelus!" he exclaimed in fear.

The man slowly walked toward him, pity in his eyes. "No, not Angelus. David. Human," he said as he took Spike's hand and placed it against his heart. Spike stared, first at his hand on David's chest and then at David himself, a look of shock on his face.

"It's… beating!"

David nodded as a young girl who looked like Dawn rushed in, a large group of people following her. "James! You're awake." The girl ran to Spike and threw her arms around his neck.

Unable to stop himself, Spike put his arms around the girl. "Dawnie?"

The girl giggled as she stepped back. "No silly. Michelle, remember?" She turned and began introducing the group, pointing to each one in turn. "This is Sarah, David, Anthony, Alexis, Alyson, Charisma, Nicholas, Juliet, Julie, Emma, and Amber."

Spike nodded, taking all that in. "Okay. I remember seeing them. But who are they?" He pointed toward another group of people he hadn't seen before in his life.

"That's Rebecca, David's girlfriend, McKenna, Alexis' girlfriend, Hayley, your girlfriend, Joss Whedon, our boss, and your doctor, Dr. Richards." A cough was heard from the other side of the room. "I almost forgot! That's Kevin McPherson, Charles De Mars III, Aaron Anderson, and Steve Himber. From your band Ghost of the Robot."

"Wait just one bloody second. I have a girlfriend?"

Hayley rolled her eyes. "Duh you idiot."

"And I'm in a band?"

Charlie rolled his eyes, mimicking Hayley. "Duh you idiot."

Spike put a hand to his forehead. "Bloody hell. I've got a headache." It was then that he noticed his accent. His eyes went wide for the third time since he had fought that demon. "Oh no. I'm a bleeding yank!"

"Spike? What are you talking about? You know as well as anyone that you're British."

Spike turned toward the blonde's voice. He eyed her warily as he asked, "Buffy?"

Buffy looked exasperated. "Duh!"

Spike slowly looked around at the gang, naming each one to make sure he was really back. "Giles, Wesley, Xander, Anya, Willow, and Tara. Angelus is outside, and I'm still a vampire. Right?" Just as a test, he vamped and grinned when he cut his thumb on a fang. Morphing back to his human mask, he suddenly looked around. "Where's the lil' bit?"

Dawn had just walked out of the kitchen when she saw him. "Spike!" The gang could have sworn Dawn had flown as she raced to meet Spike.

She threw herself into Spike's open arms, crying. "'ello there Dawnie. Miss me?" Spike asked as he picked her up and swung her around.

Dawn grinned as he set her down. Glancing at Buffy, she said, "Duh!"

Spike smiled slightly as he said, "Perfect impression Pet!" He glanced around one final time before he fell to his knees, his face in his hands. His sobs were soft but everyone heard him. Even if they hadn't they would have know he was crying by the blood dripping from between his fingers.

Dawn looked heart broken as she put her arms around the blonde vampire and began to rock him softly. "Shhh. It's alright. Shhh."

Spike stood up, not bothering to wipe away the tears that still fell. He stiffened and went into vamp mode. He crept outside after he had looked out the window. Buffy looked out the window as well, but seeing nothing, she followed him outside, confused.

Spike stopped at the end of the driveway and stared into the shadows. Slowly, three vamps came out, Spike and Buffy recognizing them immediately. "Drusilla, Darla and Angelus. I shoulda known," Buffy said frowning.

Drusilla glided over to Spike and laid a hand on his cheek. Her face was a mask of concern and sympathy. "Daddy says Spike was hurt. My poor Spikey." Suddenly she picked up a doll that had lain unnoticed by a tree. She held her out to Buffy who accepted the doll warily. Then Drusilla whispered to Buff, though the whisper was loud enough that the other three vamps heard as well. "Miss Edith says we must work together if we are to see Spike well again. The black and the white must combine their strengths and ignore their differences if they are to heal the gray."

Drusilla finished speaking and backed away, snatching Miss Edith back as Angelus soon took her place. "Do we have an agreement, Slayer? We won't bite and you don't stake."

Buffy was about to decline when she recalled Drusilla's words. She thrust out her hand and they shook. Giles'll throw a fit when he hears about this, she thought.

She was about to leave with Spike when Angelus grabbed her hand. "We're allowed to come in then?"

"We will invite you in after sunset each night and we will uninvite you one hour before sunrise every morning. Is that clear?"

Darla frowned but Angelus cut her off before she could say anything. "Crystal."

Buffy nodded. "Alright then. Follow me. But wait at the door, you hear?" She continued on inside with Spike following her as if in a daze.

When she got inside, she was bombarded with a barrage of questions, most of which came from Giles. "What in the devil is going on? Are they still out there?"

The slayer sighed. "We had to come to a sort of truce for a while. They don't bite, we don't stake."

"But why?" Wesley asked.

"Drusilla told me a prophecy."

"What do you mean? How did you know it was a prophecy?" Giles looked at her intently.

Buffy blushed. "I was bored so I read that big prophecy book. What Drusilla said reminded me of one. Here; let me show you." She went over and took a large, dusty volume from the bookshelf. She flipped a few pages and began to read. "On the thirteenth day of the sixth month, a split being will fall into half realities. The being shall be rescued into a whole reality, only when the slayer and the vampires work as one. The black and the white must combine their strengths and ignore their differences if they are to heal the gray." With a huff, she closed the book.

Giles was astonished. "She recited all that?"

Buffy shrugged. "She said her doll told her it and even then it was only the part with the black and the white combining to heal the gray."

Giles relented and invited the vamps in. All of the 'adults' began to talk while Dawn went over to sit with Spike. "Don't worry Spike. We'll find out who-"

"-am I?"

Spike shook his head slightly. "What did you say? I was sort of out of it."

"Who am I?" she repeated.

Spike quickly glanced around the room he was in before he answered. "You're Michelle. How could I forget you?" Her eyes filled with tears as she hugged him tightly.

"Yes. I am Michelle. Only one more test."

Spike looked at her quizzically. "Test?"

"To see if you can go home."

"Ah. Test away then. This place is starting to give me the creeps."

"What is today's date and what city is this?"

Spike closed his eyes for a moment before replying, "June 13, 1999. Los Angelus."

"This isn't Los Angelus but what is in Los Angelus?"

"My home?"

At that moment, the doctor walked in. "Well Miss Trachtenberg? How did our patient do?"

"Everything was right. When I asked him what city this was he said L.A. I asked him what was in L.A. since he was in a coma when we got here.

"Sounds good to me. How would you like to go home Mr. Marsters?" The doctor turned toward Spike.

Guessing he was Mr. Marsters, Spike nodded. "That would be wonderful Doc."

While the doctor left to go get the paperwork, Spike settled in to wait. Michelle looked at Spike for a moment. "James?" Spike turned to the almost silent voice. "I'm… scared." Tears slowly began to fall down Michelle's face.

Spike smiled and patted a spot on the bed. "Come here pet." When she had crawled in next to him, he wrapped his arms around her. Unconsciously, she snuggled closer and closed her eyes, trying to stop the tears. "What are you afraid of?"

"I'm afraid you'll leave me again."

"Oh pet." He slowly began stroking her hair softly. "Don't worry yourself. I'll get better. Heck, the doc's gonna let me go home. I must be getting better. So don't cry, 'k?"

Michelle laughed a little and nodded, before she sniffled and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. Spike kissed the top of her head and sighed. Then he heard a mumble and he concentrated on hearing what she said. His eyes widened as the words hit his ears. "Come home, Spike. And don't you dare leave me again."

Spike shot up and grabbed her by the shoulders. He stared into her eyes as he said, "What did you call me?"

The young girl looked around as if for someone to answer for her. On seeing no one, she lowered her head and answered, "Spike. I called you Spike."

"Dawnie?" Spike hesitated, afraid he was wrong yet afraid he was right at the same time. She looked up at him when she heard her name and nodded. Tears began to cloud his vision as he pulled Dawn into his warm embrace. He fought to keep them behind his eyes but to no avail. He blinked and, as if he had clicked the on button at the water works, they poured down his face in buckets.

After a while, Spike chuckled and wiped the back of his hand over his eyes. "That's twice you've made me cry in less than twenty-four hours pet." He frowned comically and held up his face with a hand, as if contemplating a complex problem. "Now how am I supposed to keep up my rep as the Big Bad?"

Dawn looked at him with a straight face as she replied, "You'll just have to be the Tiny Good now."

"The Tiny Good, hm? Think the Tiny Good could tickle you to death?"

"Don't even try it, Buster. Eeek!" Dawn shrieked as Spike began to tickle her mercilessly. She put a table between herself and Spike and tried to catch her breath, glaring at his smirk as he wiggled his fingers at her. "You're gonna get us in trouble."

Spike folded his hands and put a puppy-dog face to work. "Me?" he asked innocently. "How could I, the Tiny Good, get anyone into trouble?"

Dawn couldn't help the giggle, or the retort that crossed her lips. "You sound just like Angel!" The minute she said it she instantly regretted it. Spike turned away and stormed over to the bed, sitting down with a huff. "Oh Spike, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it."

After a while he looked up at her. "I am not the Great Poof."

He was still frowning as Dawn smiled. "No; you are definitely not the Great Poof."

Spike sighed and laid down on the bed, his head cushioned on his arms. "Right then. Now listen; I'm James here and you are Michelle. Don't forget!"

"Okay, okay!"

"And the others are-"

"I already know." Spike looked at her, his eyebrow raised. "I've got all of Michelle's memories. Kinda strange really." She tilted her head sideways and grinned.

Spike lay back down and watched Dawn through his eyelashes. "Well let's review then."

Dawn rolled her eyes and began to recite. "Buffy is Sarah Michelle Gellar, Willow is Alyson Hannigan, Xander is Nicholas Brendon, Giles is Anthony… Anthony…"

"Stewart Head."

"Oh right. Anyway, Tara is Amber Bensen, Anya is Emma Caulfield, Wesley is Alexis Denisof, Angel is David Boreanaz, Cordelia is Charisma Carpenter, Darla is Julie Benz, Drusilla is Juliet Landau, and you are James Marsters."

"And…"

"I am Michelle Trachtenberg."

"And…"

Dawn stared at Spike. "What do you mean 'and'?"

"Girlfriends? Band?" he prompted.

Dawn blushed. "Oh yeah. Hayley is your girlfriend, Rebecca is An… David's and McKenna is Wesley's. Er, Alexis'. Our boss is Joss and your band members are Kevin McPherson, Charles De Mars III, Aaron Anderson, and Steve Himber."

Spike sat up. "Now don't forget that. If you call any of them by the names you know them as, you'll be in here and I'll be visiting!"

Dawn smirked and gave Spike a hug. "I promise I'll remember."

At that moment, the doctor came in. "Well Mr. Marsters; it's time to go home."

Spike jumped up and grabbed his bag out of the closet. "Right then. What are we waiting for? Come on Michelle. It's a bloody good night in…" Spike happened to glance down at Dawn, who raised her eyebrows. "-the neighborhood," Spike finished. He gave Dawn a look that said, 'what?' and she just shook her head. "So doc. You saying I'm cured?"

"Yes."

"So no more alternate reality?"

The doctor shook his head. "We can't be sure that they will stop for good, but they won't be as in depth."

Dawn smiled. "That's definitely of the good."

"Right," Spike said. "Bloody good."