A/N: Sorry for the long pause, for some reason I couldn't log on. But here it is, the next chapter. R&R and I HOPE you enjoy!
Catching up: "Buffy made a deal with a hell god, our lives in exchange for her time in hell. And she would have stayed there forever had Willow not done a spell to take Spike into her mind." Anya explained to her friends. Xander's mouth hung open in disbelief. "Why didn't anyone tell me?" Spike's face was only inches from Buffy's, there lips met for barely a second before she suddenly pulled away from Spike. "So when will she be back?" Dawn whispered tearing up.
Pulled to Safety
"Spike," Buffy's questioning tone sliced the quiet darkness in Spike's crypt. The old movie they had been watching had been over for some time now, and still they sat together on his leather sofa basking in each other's contentment. "How long was I gone?"
Spike took a minute to think, calculating in his head. "A couple of weeks give or take." He shrugged. "How long was it for you?" It came out in a sad whisper.
"Longer. I think…" She didn't really want to talk about her days in hell. But, she didn't want to leave him wondering about her in hell for too long, and so she answered. Her voice sounded slightly more hysterical and terrified than she'd hoped, and didn't come close to competing with her fear of the topic. "The pain, it would have felt like years even if it was only for seconds, and the visions, they could have just been blurs going by that I got trapped in."
Spike only nodded, not trusting his own voice, and not really knowing what to say.
They sat together for a little while longer before Spike decided on some possibly comforting words for her. "I don't know if this helps pet, but I do know how you feel."
His slayer looked up at his knowingly, and raised a hand to caress his cheek, and feathered her thumb along the scar over his eye.
"I was there until you brought me back. But then again, I've been through worse."
"Worse than hell?" Buffy's shock was evident in her features. What could possibly be worse than hell? Maybe they had been in different hells. Hers was surely the worst thing ever. Seeing the one's she loves being killed, watching them suffer and scream, and then herself burning and writhing… She tried to stop thinking about it. Spike's next words definitely helped her with that.
"When you… Died…" He barely whispered, his eyes closed loosely and a deep frown curling his lips. "Seeing you there… Nothing, not a thing, could make me feel worse than I felt at that second." He breathed a shaky breath and went on. "And then that damned 'bot being all over me that made this worse."
Buffy's chuckle brought him back to earth. "The Buffybot made things worse?" She smiled shocked again.
"Well, yeah. Knowing that she felt that way – even if it was just a program – and knowing that you…" He stood up and walked to the fridge pulling out a bag of blood.
They were silent after that.
"I want to see Buffy." Dawn whined to Tara. "It's been so long!"
"I know Dawnie, but she isn't ready. She's been through a lot of trauma and she needs to get herself together." Tara reassured her.
"And also I hear she's been very violent crazy." Anya grinned nodding her head. "From my experience with human's and hell, part of her mind is probably telling her that she's still in hell. It'll take a while for her to come to her senses and forget that place."
"So you mean," Willow's concern filled her eyes with grief. "Buffy might still think she's being tortured?" She frowned into space.
Anya 'mhm'-ed to the room concluding her speech.
"I wish she would come here though." Giles slumped in his chair in the corner of the Summer's living room. "We could help her, convince her."
"Devil's are very tricky Rupert." Anya clicked her tongue against her cheek. "He's probably convinced her time and time again that she was back and then tortured her and tormented her and made her completely miserable!" Her eyes were sad, though her speedy voice didn't show it.
Xander only shook his head and glared at the floor.
"Maybe I should go back…" Buffy stood up from her spot on the couch. She stared at Spike's back from across the room waiting for an answer that didn't come. Waiting for the worst, she bit her lip and made her way towards the door of the stone home that her Vampire boyfriend lived in. Boyfriend…
She reached to pull the door open, and started when a hand sat lightly on her lower back, and Spike reached out and shut the door. He leaned against it silently, not looking at Buffy.
Confused, she reached to open it again, and this time he didn't stop her. She made her way out of the crypt, and turned to look at him expectedly. He glanced at her and then stepped towards her. "I'm coming." He whispered. "I'll take you home." She smiled solemnly and twined her fingers through his. He grinned to himself and then kissed her forehead affectionately, purring against her.
"You purr?" She giggled. He chuckled embarrassed, and leaned away from her. That wasn't what she wanted. "I like it." She said quickly. He replied with a questioning look. "It's sweet." She smiled enthusiastically and his returning smile was purely joy. A smile she'd never seen him wear.
They talked absent mindedly to each other on their way back to the Summer's house, making small talk of all sorts. They were both smiling broadly when they reached the front door, and then reality came back to Buffy and she frowned nervously. What if her friends asked too many questions? What if they wanted to know everything?
Spike felt her caution radiating off of her, and comfortingly wrapped his arm around her waist and watched her take a deep breath before he opened the front door. She didn't step forward right away; she was worrying about what she would see. Blood shed? Seen that. A demon? More like the average night in Sunnydale. What else could the hell god use against her? Then she realized he hadn't used her mother yet. She didn't want to see this, but she supposed she'd see it no matter what she did, and so she braced herself and leaned into Spike as they took their step together over the threshold.
"Did you hear something?" She heard Xander from the other room.
"The door!" Willow chirped loudly, and Buffy heard heavy footsteps hurrying towards them.
Buffy whimpered, and Spike pulled her behind him, shielding her subconsciously against the upcoming attack of hysterical friends. She gripped the hard leather of his jacket in her hand, and his arm tightly in the other. His tight hold on her was almost uncomfortable, but she felt safe.
"STOP RIGHT THERE!" Spike shouted vehemently. He waited, watching as they all jumped away from him in fear. He grinned evilly to himself, still got it. "Right then," he began. "Slayer's had it rough ya hear?" he stared at each of them in turn. "I don't want any of you giving her a hard time or else you'll hafta answer to me. Got that?" Venom laced the words that leaked through his teeth harshly.
From behind him, Buffy trembled slightly and for a second he wondered if it was him that was being the problem.
"S'alright then love." He cooed. "Up to saying hello or am I taking you up to bed?"
"Dawn." She whispered up to him and then yanked his arm towards the stairs pleadingly.
"Alright then." He said quickly to her, understanding her panic only too well. He nodded to Dawn to go up the stairs and she obeyed fervently, pounding up to the second story. Spike pulled Buffy under his arm and hurried her towards the stairs without looking back at the very hurt scoobies. He paused at the top and questioned her. "Might be a good idea to have a chat with the Watcher, yeah?"
She shook her head slowly, and left the safety of his arms to embrace Dawn at the end of the hall, both girls bursting into tears.
Spike watched them cry together sadly for a moment, before calling from the middle of the stairs, "The watcher to then." And then returning with a determined looking Giles.
The girls were shaking violently together, and so Spike lead them softly into Buffy's room.
A/N: Hmm… Wonder what'll happen next? I hope you do! Don't forget to review PLEASE! :D I'll update soon. Hope you liked.