When Azazel Died...
Xander swallowed audibly and then looked over at Dean. "So, uh...do you want to see Buffy?"
Dean stepped back and let out a choked sound. So far he'd managed not to lose control, because he wanted to make sure he was good and alone before he cried every last drop of liquid out of his body before drinking his entire weight in whiskey. "I can't...I just can't, okay? I can't see her body 'one last time'. I don't want to say goodbye! I..." He threw up his hands in defeat, before turning to leave the school.
A door opened behind him, but he didn't stop. Not until he heard the voice. Her voice. "Maybe you don't have to say goodbye..."
There was barely a hand in the room that didn't automatically shift towards a weapon, and the tension in the room thickened, so much so that Dean was sure he could taste it in the air. Slowly, his heart racing a million miles an hour, he turned around.
Buffy.
A non-dead, actually very much alive looking Buffy. She was stood in one of the side doorways, holding hands with a very shaken looking Dawn.
"It's Buffy," Dawn said encouragingly to the room, although it was kind of obvious. "She didn't d...it's Buffy."
Buffy raised an awkward hand. "Hey," she said softly.
There was a long, stilted silence.
"What the hell?" Faith exclaimed finally. "I thought she...You were...If she's alive then she's not dead! Why did you people tell me she was going to be dead if she's not? I've been mourning! Is this some kind of trick? Is it a joke? Because it's not fuckin' funny!"
Buffy shrank back into Dawn at the fury in Faith's voice.
"It isn't a trick," Giles answered her quietly. He was looking pretty overwhelmed by everything himself. "This really is Buffy. Our Buffy."
"Is she evil?" Kennedy wanted to know. There were nods and murmurs around the room. She wasn't the only one who wanted to know.
Andrew stepped forwards and shook his head. "We did a whole bunch of spells on her. Everything we could think of. And she touched a cross and Xander threw holy water on her which made her kinda mad, but not evil mad, just scoldy mad. Which was just like old Buffy. She's not evil."
And then no one quite knew what to say, until Sam rushed forwards and swept her up into his arms. The damn broke, and the girls all stepped forwards to welcome her back, hug her, just touch her.
But others were wary. Faith, mainly. And Dean. Especially Dean. There was something inside of him he couldn't identify, and he wasn't sure he liked it. Fear, that's what it was. Pure and simple fear.
"How is this even possible?" Sam wanted to know. He gripped a hold of her shoulders and squeezed, not even bothering to hide the tears in his eyes. "We thought that once we'd killed the demon you'd pass on. The spell binding you to him would be broken and...you know?"
"It is broken," Buffy replied. "When Azazel died I was set free. And I'm not exactly sure about all the details, but the last thing he ever said to me was 'don't die'. I guess he meant it."
Sam's eyes widened. "He told me he was fond of you. I thought he was just messing with my head, but...he saved you."
"Maybe." She shivered visibly. "I can't think about that right now. There's...there's stuff I have to deal with. But right now I just want to concentrate on the fact that I'm alive and awake, and not some demon's bitch."
He nodded, and they both looked to Bobby as they heard Willow shift in his arms. Her eyes fluttered as she slowly woke, and Kennedy gently helped her down. She glanced over at Buffy, no surprise in her eyes. "I knew I felt you break past my barriers, I knew it. And I knew you'd find your way back home to us."
Buffy stepped forwards and they met in a warm hug.
"Thank you," Buffy breathed. "I don't know how to..."
"You don't have to. I'm just glad you're here."
"So..." a young slayer named Naomi started as she gawped at Buffy. "Does this mean the demon ain't in her no more?"
Willow shook her head as she released Buffy. "The demon will always be in there, just like it'll be in all of you. If it wasn't, then you wouldn't be slayers. But now that the spirit quartz is really gone, the demon part will never be able to take over again. And nothing will be able to control it. But just to be sure, I'll come up with a nifty little charm for all of you." Her knees buckled, and she grabbed onto Kennedy for support. "Uh...after I've rested up a little."
Faith moved through the crowd to stand in front of Buffy. "It's really you?"
Buffy smiled hopefully. "It's really me," she confirmed.
Faith threw her arms around her. "I missed you," she said into her ear with a sniff.. "I mean...uh, we missed you."
"Yeah, 'cause you're too cool."
"I'm cooler than you are. And I looked way hotter after my coma than you do."
"Yeah, but I woke up quicker. I clearly win."
"Hey, if we weren't all feeling sorry for you and stuff, I'd show you who the winner is right now."
Buffy smiled. "You're pretty awesome, you know that?"
"No shit."
They pulled apart, and Buffy looked over at Dean – the only person who hadn't yet stepped forwards – hopefully. "Dean, I-"
"Don't," he warned, holding up his hands. "Just don't." He back up, shaking his head. "I'm sorry, I just...I just can't." And then he turned and left the building.
Buffy's face fell, and she looked down at the ground to hide the red blotches she was sure were forming. She felt a hand squeeze her shoulder, and she looked up into eyes similar to Sam's. John, she vaguely remembered from...well, she vaguely remembered.
"Don't worry, kiddo, he'll come around. He just needs a bit of time to wrap his head around it all. He's stubborn as hell."
Sam rolled his eyes and smiled at his father. "Yeah, we don't know where he gets it from."
And then the doors were banging open and Dean was storming back in, a determined scowl on his face. Without a word, he pushed his way through the crowd until he reached Buffy. With a small sound of defeat, he grabbed her face between his hands and kissed her, hard and possessively. After a long moment, he pulled away and rested his forehead against hers. "I changed my mind," he told her hotly. "I can. I definitely can."
"You still want me? After-"
"I'll always want you," he interrupted, and kissed her again. "Every little part of you." And again. "And I fully intend to," And again. "marry you." And again. "And have babies with you." And again. "And buy a stupid puppy with you." And again. "You said I'm your cookie. Well honey, you're my apple pie." And then he kissed her some more, and didn't stop.
He kissed her until after those around them had stopped wondering why he was talking about deserts. Until after his family had coughed awkwardly and edged away. Until after Dawn and Faith had stopped smiling happily and rolled their eyes, muttering 'get a room' as they left to go get some much needed sleep. Until after even Andrew got bored and left them to it.
And then he kissed her some more after that.
It wasn't going to be easy, this road ahead of them. There wasn't a single person who hadn't been left scarred, who didn't have issues to work out. Some seriously daunting issues. It would take time. But in the end, they'd do it.
They'd make it.
