Previously: 'Well what are you waiting for? The ground to swallow us whole? Drive' she ordered.

Robin Wood, son of the second slayer I killed, was all bloody, just like the rest of us, but he was still conscious and sitting in the driver's seat, so he turned the ignition key and the bus sped off. Away from the school, away from Sunnydale and most importantly, away from the hellmouth.

Chapter 3

The bus sped away from Sunnydale as fast as the wheels would turn. It wasn't bloody fast enough in my opinion. I could have driven the thing faster than Robin. However, I did have a sleeping, somewhat unconscious Buffy in my arms, so I didn't decide to press the matter. It was more important to make sure she was ok, than to argue and bicker with Wood.

The bus was awkwardly quiet. No one really knowing what to say after Anya's surprise arrival. Not a word was spoken except for the odd comforting reassurance. Only Xander chose to break the silence.

'Anya how?' he asked. We all wanted to know how exactly she survived, seeing how Andrew had just told Xander she was dead. He didn't have anything against her either, so one had to ask these things.

Anya smiled. 'Well…' she began.

Anya lay on the cold bloody ground. She hurt; nothing like a sore arm either, it was a whole body hurt. She didn't know what had hit her. One minute she was saving Andrew's ass, the next she knew she was on the ground and gasping for air. Which became less and less as time passed by.

Everything in the hall was still fairly noisy. She could still hear running footsteps around her. One set of footsteps had to belong to Andrew she thought. If he hadn't been cut down already. A bringer fell to the floor just in front of her. She couldn't even push away the ugly face that now stared at her. After a few moments many footsteps could be heard running through the hall, but they were retreating, heading outside, belonging to people she would never see again she guessed.

Anya lay in the puddle of blood, just listening and trying desperately to keep breathing, to not disappear into the blackness that seemed to try to swallow her. She could hear footsteps. The she heard cursing. Instantly she knew it was Spike. It wasn't that hard to know it was him, when you heard 'Bloody hell!'

Anya lay in wait, just hoping that she would be one of the bodies he would step over. It wasn't the case. He bypassed her and stepped over the bringer to her left instead. Determined not to be left behind, she mustered her strength and called out 'Spike' but it was only a whisper. Not only that but it was drowned out by a 'Merciful Zeus' from Xander and Spike asking him to carry Buffy to the bus. Just when she was about to try again, the footsteps were gone, all was silent in the school. Anya knew there was no hope for her now, so she lay in wait, hoping the lackness would swallow her quickly.

D'Hoffran having heard the news that his dear Anyanka was in the fight against the first, had been watching from his home in Arashmahah. Having seen Anya fight for her life and lose it saving some mortal, tweaked something in his core. He knew it wasn't right to watch his favourite vengeance demon die, but he also knew it wasn't right to let her live either. He sat torn between two decisions. Let her live, but as a vengeance demon, or watch her die. Quickly seeing that she was about to be lost forever, he teleported to the school and knelt next to her.

'My dear Anyanka, this shouldn't have happened to you' he said. 'You know very well that the boy should have died, yet you give your life for him. How touching'

'I do what I can' she whispered.

'Save your breath Anyanka, I have an offer I want you to hear' D'Hoffran stated. 'I have come to offer you your life back. I can't stand to watch my favourite die. The only thing is, instead of being human, you shall return to this world as a demon and once again wreak vengeance on the world. Or if you like, I can leave now and let you die' he proposed.

Anya didn't take much time to reach a conclusion.

'life, demon, please' was all she managed to squeeze out before she started to convulse with spasms.

'Very well. I grant you your powers back dear one and hope to see some progress this time' with a wave of his hand, a faint purple glow engulfed her and suddenly she could breath again. Anya gasped. Looking down, she could see her wounds being mended in front of her very eyes. Anya slowly stood.

'Thank you D'Hoffran' she murmured.

'Don't mention it.' He stated. 'Seriously, don't mention it. I cant go around doing this everytime one of my ex-demons falls in battle'

'I completely understand' she laughed.

'Well dear, I bid you farewell for now at least. Oh and by the way, you might want to get on that bus, that human of yours, Xander is it? Well he seems quite distressed. Goodbye Anyanka, see you soon' he said.

Anya turned towards the school entrance. 'Does this mean I can…' she asked as she turned around.

'teleport?' she finished her sentence even though D'Hoffran was no where to be seen. It was just his way, he always seemed to do that and it wasn't until recently did it really pissed her off. She made a mental note to bring that up with him next time she saw him.

'Well I guess that leaves me with one way to find out' Anya said. She stood perfectly still, closed her eyes, concentrated really hard, and then she was gone.

'And I opened my eyes to find my self in the back of this bus, sitting on this seat' Anya finished her story.

This was about the fourth time she had told us her damn story. It was growing old real fast. I had tried to sleep through it the last two times, but the bus would hit something in the road, jolting me awake. I listened to the first time the story was told, as I wanted to know what had happened to her, but now I was just sick of her voice.

Trying as hard as possible to be polite, I slowly spat, 'Anya, love can you please shut your trap'

'Why don't you make me vampire' she spat back.

'As much as I would love to pet, I'm somewhat busy' I sneered, gesturing to the Buffy in my arms. She stirred and my full attention was turned to her instantly.

'Oh that's right, I'm Spike, I have a soul now. I'll just walk all over people' Anya started mimicking me.

Xander, not wanting a fight, took the hint. 'So Anya how'd that story go again?' he asked.

I groaned knowing that yet again, I was going to have to listen to the bloody story yet again. I was just about to close my eyes and attempt sleep yet again, when my hand, that was wrapped around Buffy's waist suddenly became warm.

Buffy's wound had clotted ages ago, so unless she had moved and opened it up, I couldn't explain the warmth. Nervous as to what I would find, I slowly lifted the duster. Just enough so I could see, and that's when I saw it. It was faint at first but it was there; a faint golden glow. Which seemed to be coming from my hand. I couldn't do anything but stare, as the glow grew brighter, almost blinding.

I tried to hide it as well as I could, though I wasn't sure I did. The glow spread from my fingertips to Buffy's waist, to the huge laceration on her stomach. The glow seemed to be healing her right in front of my eyes.

From what I could tell, her heartbeat was becoming stronger, her breathing more deep, her skin less pale. Within a few moments the glow vanished, leaving a perfectly fine Buffy lying in my lap. Seconds later Buffy finally opened her eyes. I must have looked like a bloody stunned mullet because she giggled.

'Wha- what happened?' she asked. Relived to have a now conscious Buffy, I smiled.

'It's a long story, I'll fill you in when Anya's not around'.

Anya stopped telling her story for the thousandth time. 'I heard that!'

'Do you think I really care pet?' was my reply.