Alex, Buffy, Xander, and Willow sat down in the diner, smiling.
"Alex, what are you doing here? I thought you moved away…" Willow asked. Alex chuckled.
"Well, I did, but a couple days ago, I found a picture of all of us in my closet, and realized just how much I really missed you guys…I had to do a search, though, to make sure you were all here, still…I didn't wanna drive all the way here and find out you'd all moved away…"
"Well…" Buffy looked at her friends. "Not to say we didn't think about moving away, but I don't think any of us could've left Sunnydale. This is our home. We all grew up here…And so much has happened here, we can't just pretend it never happened. Besides…I don't think any other place would understand us like Sunnydale," she finished. They nodded.
"So, Alex, where've you been for so long?" Xander asked.
"About…one hundred miles east, I suppose…there were some things here that I couldn't take anymore, so I left…"
"You really surprised us, you know. Even though you did talk a lot about leaving, we didn't really expect you to do it. We all missed you…" Alex smiled faintly, and closed her eyes as a waitress set down four glasses, hers filled with Wild Cherry Pepsi©.
"I missed you all, too…So much. But knowing what's happened here, and in that high school…"
"Oh, you haven't seen it yet, have you?"
"What?" Alex asked, looking back up.
"They rebuilt the high school, in the exact same place as the old one…it's still a nice place. Buffy's sister is going there now," Willow stated, nodding.
"Oh, really? That must be nice." Buffy nodded.
"Yeah, it is. I'm a counselor there, too…"
"That's cool, Buffy…" She nodded again. Alex sighed, looking out the window. Buffy, Xander, and Willow looked at each other.
"You know who else has missed you?" Alex shook her head.
"Don't say it, Xander, I know who else has missed me. And I feel like a horrible person for leaving him here…but I can't change the past, I can't change what's happened, what I've done…" Willow reached out, touching Alex's hand.
"We know, Alex. It's been hard on all of us. Especially what happened at graduation…it was hard on everyone." Alex sighed. Her hair fell off her shoulders, and in front of her face, and she looked down at the table.
"Hey…Would one of you mind housing me for a while? If you can't, I can get a hotel room, but they just seem so dirty…"
"I can," Buffy said, looking over at her. Alex smiled.
"Really?"
"Yeah, sure. You're my friend. That's what friends do." Alex smiled.
"Thanks, Buffy."
Alex lay on the couch in Buffy's living room, staring blankly up at the ceiling. Buffy had gone out, and her sister was hanging out with friends, so Alex was alone for a little while. Sighing, she dug her wallet out of her pocket, and flipped thru the pictures she had. Even though she knew she didn't have one of Spike, she still looked anyway. Shrugging, she tossed it onto the table, and headed into the kitchen for a drink. Glancing out the window, she saw the sun begin to set.
Buffy looked around as the door closed behind her. The basement was dark, save for the few lights in the corners that gave barely enough light to walk by. She passed a gate, and saw Spike on the floor, eyes half closed, watching the floor between his legs.
"Spike?" she asked. The light in this particular place was a bit better than in the rest of the basement, and she could see him slightly lift his head. "Spike, you awake?"
"Yes, Buffy…I suppose I am awake." She moved closer, dropping carefully onto a crate near him.
"Spike, you have to leave this basement. It's hurting you more than you seem to realize…"
"Buffy, don't. I've heard this lecture a bunch of times, it's never worked before."
"Maybe it will work now…" Buffy glanced at her watch. "The sun is going to set in a few minutes. You will be able to come outside. I need you to come with me. Leave the basement, just for a little while. I have to show you something…Something important," she pleaded, crossing her hands over her knees. "Please, Spike. This is important…" He groaned, but stood up. She smiled faintly, and started out of the basement.
"Buffy, you best go first. Make sure the sun is set…" Buffy nodded, but dragged him to the doorway.
"Stay here. I'll call down when I see." She headed up the steps, and peeked out the window. "All's clear, Spike." He came up the steps behind her, and she headed down the hallway, to the front doors.
Alex sighed, rubbing her eyes, and looked at the sink. There were a few dirty dishes, so she flipped on the water, and started to wash them up, so she felt like she was earning her right to stay with Buffy. Clearing her throat, Alex shut off the water, setting the last dish in the strainer, and moved to the fridge, opening the door. Orange juice, milk, soda, V8, some ham on the bottom shelf, eggs, mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, pickles, bread, bagels, chocolate milk, lunch meat, and, opening the bottom drawers, she saw a couple of ears of corn, carrots, a head of lettuce, an onion, a few apples, and some tomatoes. Sighing, she closed the drawers and the door, and headed back into the living room. She paused, and turned to see the picture hanging up above the lamp. It was her picture, the one Buffy had found in her box. She smiled, and raised her hand, touching the picture.
"My God…I didn't know she still had this," she muttered softly to herself. She shook her head, her smile fading, and reached down, clicking on the lamp. Sighing, she dropped onto the couch, and clicked on the TV. After flipping thru the channels, she landed it on a music station and tossed the remote on the couch next to her.
Buffy led Spike up the front walk to her house, but stopped, turning around and stopping him.
"Spike, I want you to wait at the end of the walk…"
"Buffy, you said this was important…What is it?"
"You'll see in a minute. Go stand at the end of the walk and face the street, and don't turn around until I say it's okay." He sighed, but turned and did what she asked him to. Smiling, Buffy jogged up to the door, and opened it, leaning in. "Hey…" Alex looked up.
"Yeah?"
"Come here…" Alex walked over. Buffy stopped her before she could see outside.
"What?"
"Close your eyes. I've got a surprise for you." Alex gave her a look, but closed her eyes. "Can you see anything?"
"No…" she muttered, shaking her head.
"Good. Don't open them until I say it's okay." Buffy took her hand, and led her from the house, closing the door behind her. Carefully, she led Alex down the front walk, and stopped her right behind Spike. She took a deep breath, and started backing up towards the house. As she opened the door, she cupped her hands around her mouth, and called out, "Okay." Spike turned around, and Alex opened her eyes. They looked at each other, wide-eyed.
"Alex?"
"Spike?" They stood in silence for a few minutes, Buffy secretly watching from the window. Finally, Alex shook her head. "What…are you doing here?" she asked. He faintly smiled.
"Buffy told me she had something important to show me…"
"Told me I had a surprise…"
"Guess she was right, huh?" he asked, reaching up and rubbing his palm against his temple.
"You alright?"
"The voices have stopped." Alex took a shaky breath, and hesitantly touched his temple.
"I'm so sorry, Spike…" He shook his head.
"You made the voices stop, Alex. Don't be sorry…" She faintly smiled as he took her hand, and pulled it down. "It's been a long time."
"Yes it has…" They stood there for a little longer, in silence, just looking at each other, unsure. Finally, Spike moved a hand against her cheek, and bowed his head, kissing her. Buffy smiled, and let the curtain fall as she stepped away from the window.
Alex pulled away when she heard a car door, and looked behind Spike to see Dawn climbing out of a car, pushing her hair behind her ear.
"Later, guys!" The girls in the car waved, and took off. Dawn didn't see Spike and Alex until she was standing right beside them. "Oh! Hi…" Buffy opened the front door.
"C'mon, Dawn, it's almost ten now…" Dawn nodded, waved to Spike and Alex, and jogged inside. Alex bit her lip, looking down, and sighed.
"Spike…" She paused, looking up at him.
"What?" She touched his temple again.
"What voices?" He shook his head, turning around.
"Voices…"
"Voices of what, Spike? Please, tell me…"
"Demons…Bad voices telling me to do what I don't want to do…"
"I made them go away?" He nodded, turning around and looking at her.
"Yeah…" She smiled, taking his hands.
"Spike…I'm sorry I left…" She turned her head at the sound of the front door opening, and saw Buffy come down the walk to them.
"Hey, guys…"
"Hey, Buffy."
"Spike?" she asked, looking up at him.
"Yes?" She smiled.
"Will you move out of that basement now?" Alex looked at Buffy in confusion.
"What basement?"
"Spike's been living in the school basement…It's not healthy, and I don't want him down there anymore…And, you know, living with Xander didn't exactly work." Alex bit her lip, and glanced behind her.
"Can he stay here? I mean, you know, since I'm here?" she asked. The two of them looked at her, but Buffy nodded.
"Sure. Course. You want him sleeping in the basement here?" she asked. Alex looked up at Spike, and he looked back at her, but said nothing.
"If he doesn't mind, I'd say it's up to you…" He shrugged.
"Anything." Buffy smiled.
"Come in when you're ready," she said, and headed back inside. Alex turned to see her close the door, and then looked back at Spike.
"You mind staying here?"
"No, but…How long are you here?" She shrugged.
"I'm not sure yet. A while, I hope." She sighed, and slid her arms around his waist, dropping her head against his chest. He smiled, and held her for a little while, letting the moon rise up to mid sky.
Alex rolled over, burying her face into her hand. Spike stood up, looking down at her. Buffy carefully pushed the door open.
"Spike? She okay?"
"Yeah…I think she had a long day, she fell asleep outside, standing," he said, looking over at her. Buffy nodded, and motioned him over.
"Listen, wherever you want to sleep is fine, save for my room and my sister's room." Spike nodded.
"Of course."
"You choose, you sleep. Goodnight, Spike."
"Goodnight, Buffy." She turned, and closed the door as she walked to her room. He heard her close her door, and turn the locks. Smiling, Spike turned back around to face Alex. She sighed, and rolled over, turning her back to him. "I suppose tonight I'll see how sleeping on the couch is…" Turning around, Spike opened the door, closing it behind him, and dropped onto the couch after pulling all the curtains.