Spike wakes up a little while later. He feels rested, but his body still feels heavier than normal. He struggles to sit up. Makoto comes over and helps him sit up. "How does your head feel?" Spike shrugs.
"I've had worse. That bloody awful chip for one. At least this is more of a dull ache." Makoto nods, as though she knows exactly what he is talking about. He studies her face. Something about her looks strangely familiar, but he can't place it exactly.
"I have something that may help. A tea. I shall go brew it. Do not move from this spot. You are still too weak to walk." Spike glares at her instead of answering. He knows she is right, but he hates being told he's weak. Makoto leaves the room.
Despite her orders, Spike stands up. Taking it slow, and using the bed as support, he moves to the chair by the window so that he can see out. The view has changed quite a lot since the last time he had been in this house. In the hundred-plus years since he had turned, London had virtually grown up around the small house. Everything had changed. And still, the house stood. It was in decent shape, given its age. The last renters hadn't been gone long enough for it to fall into disrepair.
He sits, staring out the window for a long time. As usual, his thoughts turn to Buffy. He wonders, not for the first time, where she is. Last he had heard, she was in Italy. He had even caught a glimpse of her when he had gone there with the big Poof. He wondered if the rumors were true. Could she have been blind enough to date the Immortal? After all, judging by her relationships with Angel and himself, the girl did have a thing for vampires. Spike sighs, trying to ignore the pain in his heart that thinking of her brings about.
Makoto returns and glares at him. "I told you not to move." Still, instead of making him move back to the bed, she brings the tea over to him. "I have not spent much time in London. But it is very different than my home." Spike takes the teacup and looks up at her.
"Where exactly are you from?" She sits down on the windowsill and studies him for a moment before speaking.
"Originally, I was born in Japan. But I have lived in various countries around the world." She looks out the window, an almost wistful expression on her face. Spike, who isn't sure what to say, sips at the tea instead.
Eventually, Makoto looks back at him. "Your color has improved a bit since Clement first brought you here. Unfortunately, we cannot heal the poison you were exposed to. It is something I have never encountered before. For now, all I can do is to make you as comfortable as possible." She looks at him, worry on her face. It dawns on him then that she is no longer wearing the scarf that previously covered the majority of her face. Now, he can see the reason why she wore it, but is careful not to stare. Her face is scarred. Curiosity flares up, but he decides it is probably best not to ask her about them. At least, not yet. Makoto smiles, knowingly, but looks away again. Spike finishes the tea. They sit there, in a comfortable silence for a while, before Spike stands up again, carefully. Makoto stands up as well, and gently helps him back to the bed.
"Sleep. The tea will help, but it will make you drowsy." Spike nods, his eyelids already growing heavy. Still, he can tell the tea has helped. The pain in his head has lessened quite a lot. He smiles softly before lying down. Almost immediately, he is deeply asleep.
For once, it isn't Buffy he dreams of. Instead, his dreams are filled with memories of the last time he had ever been human. He dreams of his mother, but of the happy, joyful memories. He dreams of the time before everything went so wrong.

Willow opens the door just as Buffy lifts her hand to knock. "Oh." Buffy says, surprised. Willow opens the door wider so that Buffy can come inside. "What's that, Buff?"
Buffy sets the box on the bedside table. "I'm actually not entirely sure. One of the girls found it. Another, who had experience with a version of Wolfram and Hart, said it was familiar to her. She said her village in Ireland had seen them and then people started to disappear." She looks at the box again.
"I haven't seen the language of the writing before, though it's vaguely familiar. Maybe I should take pictures and send them to London?" Willow looks at the box, getting a strange vibe from it. Buffy nods.
"That would definitely be helpful. As long as Giles is still taking it easy." Willow nods.
"As far as I know, he's only on very light duty. Owen Russel, one of the more trained Watcher's has stepped in for the time being."
"Okay. Let me know if they come up with anything." Buffy sighs. "I think I'm going to take a small group of girls out on patrol. Nothing major." Willow nods.
"I am getting the stuff for the spell sent in from London. With any luck, it'll be here tomorrow morning." Buffy grins.
"Thanks Willow. It means a lot to me that you're willing to try it." Buffy hugs Willow before leaving the room again. Willow stares after her friend, feeling shamed at not telling her friend the truth. But what Makoto said about Buffy not being ready to know Spike was back, and was human, rang true with Willow. With a sigh, she decides to forget about her astral projection episode for the time being.

I head back to my room to get some weapons. Willow had come up with a spell, before we left London, to hide the Scythe in plain sight. It's the first thing I grab, along with a couple stakes, before I head downstairs.
I gather a small group of girls and we head off on patrol. For a long time, I'm shocked by how seemingly empty the streets are. But it soon becomes clear that the streets are only empty of humans. Not vampires or demons. We run into a huge group, and I'm surprised to see demons and vampires cooperating closely.
Still, with the group of well-trained new Slayers I've chosen, it doesn't take us too long to fight our way through their numbers. When we're finished, the girls decide to head back to the hotel. I am still restless, so I decide to stay out just a little while longer. I pick my way through the ruins of the city.
I find my way back to the ruins of the Hyperion Hotel. I move through the ruins, trying to figure out why I was drawn back here. There's nothing specific here to make feel any particular attachment to the building.
"Somehow, I knew you'd come back here, Slayer." Lorne appears out of the shadows. "This place has a great deal of history for Angel. It just figures that you'd be drawn here. Despite your claims of not caring for him any longer." I shake my head.
"I never said I didn't care. I don't love him the same way I did before. I can't love him that way anymore." I sigh. "But that doesn't mean I don't care. I never stopped caring about him."
"What if I told you that Spike wouldn't come back, even if you brought Angel back? Would you still want to move forward with the ritual?" Lorne studies my face.
"I would still bring him back. I thought for sure he was evil. Apparently, I was wrong. I owe him an apology, if nothing else." I sigh. Lorne smiles and nods.
"That's what I thought you would say. I'm relieved to hear it." He steps closer to me. "Because there's every chance that Spike will not come back with Angel."
"Do you know something?" It's my turn to study him. Something about him makes me suspicious. I think he knows more than he's telling me. But Lorne just shakes his head.
"Sadly, precognition is not in the realm of my abilities." Lorne turns and walks away from me again. I sigh. I so want answers, but I don't seem to be getting anywhere. I decide to take a chance and tell him about the box.
"So you found a Mac Tíre box." I look at him confused. He sighs. "A Mac Tíre box is sort of like...I believe humans had a myth called Pandora that fits the contents of the Mac Tíre boxes. They contain everything terrible in the world." I groan.
"Of course they do." I shake my head. "Can it be destroyed?" Lorne shakes his head.
"No one has ever found a way to do it." I get a sinking feeling in my stomach. I groan.
"I should probably get back before they come looking for me." Lorne nods.
"We will meet again, Slayer." I head for the door, and glance back at Lorne before heading out of the hotel.