"Wait, this is so wrong!" Willow blurted out, covering her ears childishly against the onslaught of words. "Buffy would never be ok with Spike. Never!" She insisted. It didn't make sense to her that Buffy, her Buffy, would have chosen Spike over Angel. It just seemed so impossible! I mean, one minute they're madly in love, and the next poof no more love for Angel. Not that Angel never did the same thing to her… Hey, maybe it's the same with her. Vampire Buffy likes Spike, just like Angelus didn't like Buffy. Maybe…
"Willow's right, this just doesn't make any sense." Xander shook his head incomprehensibly at the watcher. "Buffy hates Spike! And even more, Spike hates Buffy! Why hasn't he killed her yet? She must have been vulnerable enough." The shock from the situation still had Xander in a somewhat comfortable high; the rest of his emotions had yet to set in.
"No it makes perfect sense really." Giles took off his glasses and hung them loosely off one of his fingers. "If Buffy doesn't have a soul, it would only make sense that she would seek company in Spike, and it would only makes sense that Spike would look after her. After all, who knows what kind of power a slayer turned vampire might have? It has never happened before." He returned his glasses to the bridge of his nose.
"And if she does still have a soul?" Cordelia questioned, eye brows raised.
"Of course she still has a soul," Angel rolled his eyes. "She's Buffy."
There was truth in that, how could a slayer lose her soul? It just wasn't in the pages. There must have been another reason for the sudden truce.
"Angel," Giles twirled his finger in the air absent mindedly. "Try to get Buffy back, as soon as possible." He looked up and nodded at the suddenly very young looking souled vampire before him. Pain evident on his face, making him look like a small child, vulnerable to anything.
"But wait," Cordelia looked around at the group hesitantly. "I mean, what if Buffy has her soul… And she wants to be with him?" It was the question no one had dared ask. And the one no one dared answer.
"Then we'll see." Giles didn't look at her when he replied quietly. The group silently dispersed in opposite directions.
In the hallway, Willow and Xander walked towards the front doors, Cordelia would be out soon to drive them home. Looking at one another, and then nodding in silent agreement, they took a running start towards the graveyard. If Buffy was back, they had to see her for themselves. Maybe they could talk some sense into her? Hell, maybe she could talk some sense into them!
Before they reached the cemetery though, a sight stopped them in their steps almost as if by magic. And what a sight it was! Standing not to far off was their Buffy, looking as normal as ever, happy even, as if nothing had happened at all. In a very comical relief, Willow and Xander shared a smile before continuing their approach when another sight stopped them again.
Spike turned around the corner, nearing Buffy, but she didn't run, she didn't stand her ground, didn't take up a defensive pose. No, she smiled brightly at him, welcoming him towards her with her hand which he took with a returning smile just as warm. She stood up on her tip toes and pressed a lingering kiss to his lips. Xander felt his mouth fall open. This was definitely not Buffy. Something was wrong with her. Something… Weird.
Willow couldn't hold herself any longer, "Buffy!" She cried out, her hand stretching over her head in her signature happy wave. She bounced toward the blonde arms outstretched for her. Spike wasn't sure though, he stiffened and eyed the girl wearily. She didn't seem to be holding a weapon – not that he and the slayer… ex slayer couldn't take her – but he was weary of anyone approaching his slayer at any speed no matter who they were. "Buffy!" Willow finally reached her friend, and pulled her tightly into her arms. Buffy held her back, much to Spike's wonder. The two girls clung to each other having desperately missed each other's company. When Xander caught up, he couldn't find his voice, so instead he blinked back his tears and joined the group hug.
After a long embrace – and awkward standing on Spike's part – the trio broke away from each other, though not moving too far a part. "So Buffy," Willow smiled with all the happiness in the world. Not that she should have been happy with what she had just witnessed, she was just so happy to have her friend back that she felt she would be ok with anything. "You and Spike are like a thing now huh?" She glanced between the two, raising her eyebrows suggestively.
Buffy blushed and felt for Spike's hand, which he lent her graciously. She honestly didn't know what to say. We've had some serious make out sessions, and he's holding my hand… But I never really broke it off with Angel did I? Do I want to break it off with Angel? Her thoughts became a mixture of confusion, and that bothered Spike beyond comfort. He began to feel as though he were just convenient. But Buffy quickly put him back in line.
"I guess we kinda are." She felt just as shocked saying it as the rest heard hearing it.
"Wow," Willow squealed, still not sure why she was so happy. Perhaps the fear and disappointment would set in tomorrow. "So, do you still have your soul?" She chirped nervously.
"Well yeah," Buffy made a face that clearly read "understatement of the millennia". "I mean, hello, I am the slayer – even if I'm not so slayery anymore." She subconsciously looked over her arms, which she'd outstretched. She looked human, felt like the slayer, looked like Buffy, but there was that part of her that thirsted for blood, wanted to kill, and hadn't she been killing people just like her a few days ago? Oh my god, I just referred to vampires as people. She thought randomly. But now look at her, a vampire herself. Things just got weird…er. "Guys, I uh," she brushed a strand out hair behind her ear. "I think I need to go, you know, with the whole haven't actually slept in a while because – hello – nocturnal now… Thing, so I'm pretty tired and –" She was blabbing, in her endless babble way that she often did.
"Right, slayer's gotta get home." Spike took her arm gently, and began to lead her away.
She was blocked from moving though by the two pairs of arms that had suddenly flung their way around her. "We'll see you soon Buffy," Xander choked, finally finding his breath. Willow pulled away teary eyes, and Xander brushed the undead girl's cheek with the back of his hand before, hand in hand, the red head and the brown haired boy left together.
Buffy bit her lip, eyes brimming again with tears. Spike caught her tortured emotion immediately, even before he tasted the salt in the air. He wrapped both his arms around her, understanding now the sudden hurry to leave. "It's gonna be alright slayer." He demanded, whether to her or the universe he didn't know.
Ruefully, she pulled away from him, asking her question without meeting his eyes. "What do I do about Angel?" She whispered.
He thought for a second. "Whatever you want love." Was his distant reply. His heart ached in anticipation of the moment she would leave him. He watched her war with herself before she finally gave in.
"I know you're bad, you kill people Spike, and I can't be like that." She still wasn't looking at him. "Angel has a soul, he can help me, he's good." She looked down. "But for some reason," She looked up at him, seeing tears of his own trying to escape from behind his closed eye lids. "Everything inside of me is screaming at me to forget about Angel, and stay with the big bad." She shook her head in disbelief. "I don't even think I'm in love with him anymore." Her heart panged inside her chest at the realization that she'd lost Angel. It didn't grieve her like she would have thought; rather, the emptiness of her lost love was more for a lost life. Something from another life, not her own. Mortal and unstable.
"You are one hell of a woman." Spike said, totally awe struck. He grabbed her and kissed her again, for the millionth time that day (night). Who'd have thought, the slayer's mine.