Chapter 3: A Surprise Visitor

"Dawn's gonna freak!" Buffy said laughing, as she and Spike walked down the street, arm and arm.

"Not really luv" Spike said. "The nibblet already knows."

"What?"

"Well, I asked her for a little feminine advice."

Buffy laughed again. "I forgot for a minute there, you're almost 200 years old!"

"Well, technically," he said. "But I died when I was 23, so now that I'm alive again I guess that's how old I am."

"We're the same age! That's so cool! When's your birthday?" she asked.

"It's commin' up."

"When?" she persisted.

"Next month" he said.

"Our birthdays are close, mine is the 15th, what about you?"

"Actually luv, we got the same birthday."

"Really!"

"Yeah, it'll be my 24th birthday" Spike said.

"Oh my God! I'm a genius!" Buffy exclaimed. "Spike, let's get married on our birthday!"

"But Buffy, we only got a month!" Spike said, flabbergasted.

"I know, but it would be perfect! Willow Dawn and I can go dress shopping tomorrow," She said. "And we'll call Faith and Xander, I'm sure they wouldn't mind cutting their vacation short for our wedding!"

"You know what luv, that sounds wonderful."

"Ooh, yay" She said, taking out her keys as they came to the door. "Now all we have to do is tell every-Oz!"

"Oz?" Spike asked.

"Oh my God, Oz!" Buffy said running to hug her old friend.

"Hey Buffy, good to see you." Oz said.

"Hey Oz" Spike said.

"Uh, hey Spike" Oz said. " I thought you were, dead."

"Not anymore. I'm alive again. Literally"

"Uh?"

"Spike's human" Dawn said walking in from the kitchen. "That's what I was trying to tell you before."

"Oh right, so how've you been?" Oz asked.

"Pretty good" Buffy said.

"And, uh, how's Willow doing?"

"Willow's doing good too" Willow said coming in the door. "Hey Oz! It's really good to see you."

"I'm glad to see you too Will" Oz said, hugging her, and Buffy was happy to notice that the hug lingered.

"What are you doing here?" Willow asked.

"I just came to see how you were all doing," he said, not looking her in the eye.

"Oz, what's wrong?" she asked.

"Does something have to be wrong for me to visit you?"

"No, but I know you, and I can tell something's wrong"

"Ok, look. Angel sent me," he said.

"Why would Angel send you here?" Buffy asked.

"I need to tell his son Connor something important. And I thought, you know, since I'm here, I'd come visit you guys."

"Wait, Connor McCaffrey?" Dawn asked.

"Yeah, do you know him?"

"He's my, boyfriend." She said.

"Oz, Angel didn't send Connor to spy on us, did he?" Buffy asked.

"Connor, spy on you? Never. He came to live in London on his own, six months ago. He only just got his memories of being Angel's son back a couple weeks ago."

"Well that's good" Spike said, and everyone looked at him weirdly. "What? I only meant that it's good Conner wasn't sent here, because that means he loves Dawn for who she is, and not who she's related to."

Buffy smiled and took Spike's hand.

"So," Oz said. "Do you know where he is?"

"He's upstairs sleeping" Dawn said, not looking at Spike. "I'll go get him." she turned and headed up the stairs. She came back a minute later with Connor right behind her.

"Oz? What are you doing here?" Connor asked.

"I need to tell you something about your dad," Oz said.

"What's wrong?" Connor asked worriedly.

"Well, nothing's wrong exactly. It just, he's human."

'Oh no!' Spike thought. "Now that everything's going good with me an Buffy, that damn poof has to go an get turned human too! Where does that leave me?'

"Oh my god! That's wonderful!" Buffy exclaimed happily, apparently not noticing the change in Spike's demeanor.

"Angel's human !" Willow exclaimed. "But how?"

"There was a prophecy, it stated that the vampire with a soul would be rewarded for playing a key part in averting the apocalypse." Oz explained.

"Well Oz, you'll need to tell us more about the L.A. apocalypse later, but right now Spike and I have an announcement to make." Buffy said happily.

Spike's head shot up from it's position of staring at the floor. She was gonna tell them, that meant she didn't want to go back to Angel! His face lit up instantly.

"What is it?" Willow asked.

"We're getting married!" She exclaimed, holding her hand up to show off her ring.

"Oh my Goddess! That's wonderful!" Willow gushed.

"Yeah, congratulations you guys!" Oz said.

"Well, let's get you all settled Oz. Then we can discuss the latest apocalypse." Buffy said still smiling.

"I'm just gonna walk Connor out," Dawn said.

"Well, can't he just stay over?" Buffy said. "You're both free from classes tomorrow."

"Well it would be nice if he didn't have to drive home so late, but Oz is here so there wouldn't be any where for him to sleep." Dawn said, though she seemed reluctant to let go of his hand.

"That's fine," Buffy said. "He can stay in your room."

Spike's mouth hung open in shock. "Really!" Dawn said excitedly.

"Of course, as long as it's alright with Spike!" Buffy said, turning to face him, her eyes sparkling with laughter.

"I-" Spike started, trying to get his bearings. A boy, in the nibblet's room, in her bed, all night. It was up to him to stop this! He turned to her, intending to say 'Hell no,' but the words died on his lips at look in her eyes. She wasn't the nibblet anymore. She was a woman, and he trusted her. "It's fine with me," he said simply.

"Awesome! We'll go move his stuff from the guest room to my room!" she exclaimed, before she dragged Connor upstairs and out of sight.

"I guess I'll go get my duffel from my van." Oz said.

Yeah, I'll come with you. Not a good idea to be out alone after dark!" Willow said lamely, desperate to be alone with him, even if only for a moment.

"So what's up Will?" Oz asked conversationally.

"Not much, but I'm able to control my magic again," she said proudly.

"Good, I heard about what happened after Tara -" he faltered, thinking he'd over stepped his boundary.

"It's ok Oz, I miss Tara, but she - she wasn't the one I'm meant to spend my life with," she said looking away from him.

"Huh?"

"She wasn't my true love, you know, my soul-mate. I loved her, a lot, but, I could never love her in that all consuming, never turn back, over the moon kinda way. The way Buffy loves Spike, and the way I love y-" Willow stopped, blushing furiously. 'It's not my place to blurt out my feelings and ruin his life!' she told herself firmly.

"The way you love who, Willow?" Oz asked, undisguised hope lacing every word. He hoped, with every fiber of his being, that she had been talking about him.

"I was talking about-" she started determinedly , but was cut off, as Buffy chose THAT moment to come looking for them.

"Will, Oz! You guys coming inside or what?"

Willow sighed in frustration. "Yeah, we're coming!" she called back. "We should get inside," she said softly.

"Yeah, before they send a search party out after us," he said lightly, though on the inside he was screaming 'Why! Why'd she have to come out right at that moment!"

Willow started inside, and Oz turned to watch her go, he was surprised when she came back. She stood in front of him and searched his eyes with her own, before she leant in and kissed him. "You," she whispered against his lips, before she pulled back and disappeared inside. Oz stood there for a moment, utterly paralyzed. Then he smiled brightly, his world was coming together, now that he had Willow back, nothing could bring him down.