Chapter 5

Starting over

Anya rushes through the door to the house she had been living in for the past 4 years to find no-one home.

"Joyce! Dawn!" she calls. She walks through the house calling more quietly now searching for them. She reaches the phone and sees that there is a message, she clicks play.

"Miss Summers, this is the hospital. Buffy's awake…" Anyas eyes widen with shock, she clicks the end button and runs to the doors grabbing her keys and heads to the hospital.

Buffy was now allowed to walk around the hospital, although walking wasn't as easy as she remembered it being. Having been lying on her back for 4 years her legs had lost their ability to support her weight. Xander holds onto one arm while Dawn holds the other. Joyce is with Riley while he explains everything about her daughters condition.

"She will need to rest, her muscles need to have time to strengthen. Regular exercise will help but don't over do it… and… she mentioned how she had been dreaming while she was… she heard everything people said, she heard Spike leave. I believe this may cause some emotional problems for her. She had believed she was ok her dream life was real to her and now. She may have trouble adjusting." She struggles to explain to the already traumatised mother.

"Will she be ok doctor?" she asks, Riley nods,

"Yes physically she should be fine very soon, but as I said emotionally, it may take time." Joyce nods and smiles,

"We're just happy she's back, we'll take care of whatever happens when it happens." She says thanking Riley then walking back to her daughter. "Good news, we can take you home." She says recalling the very beginning of her conversation with Riley. Buffy smiles, then remembers Spike was gone.

'Home? Where is home now? Spikes gone. Where do I have to go?'

Joyce sensed Buffy uneasiness,

"Your room is still yours, we'd planned for you to come back home if…when you woke up??" she asks more of a question. Buffy forces a smile,

"Thanks, that'd be great."

"Buffy!" a squeal from down the calls echoes to her ears. The group turn towards the voice and see an exhausted Anya run down towards them.

"Anya" Buffy speaks quietly. Anya rushes towards her and pulls her into a gently hug… or as gently as she could manage. Buffys miles softly,

"Hey Ahn" Anya releases her and wipes the tears from her eyes.

"Bout time," she says doing her usual thing of lightning the mood. Buffy smiles loving how Anya could make everyone smile even about the gloomiest subjects. Buffy sighs and looks around at her friends.

"Lets go home," she says sadly.

'Goodbye Spike, I love you, take care of James.' Her mental voice speaks saying goodbye to her dream life and family, knowing she will never be able to go back.