CHAPTER 3: Welcome Home, Buffy

It took quite a bit of convincing, but Buffy finally agreed to go out with her friends that night. A lot of her smaller cuts healed, though not as quickly as previous injuries. Giles theorized that her blood contained the mystical components for her healing capabilities, and while she was still alive, it probably took a while for her body to circulate the four and a half liters' worth of blood transfusions she'd needed after the fall. The result being that her healing powers weren't able to work fast enough to prevent scar tissue from forming on the more serious wounds.

Now, after a week of begging to be freed, Buffy came home to a warm welcome and a clean house. She was given three hours to do with as she pleased. Her first order of business was a bubble bath. Scented candles, soft music on the CD player, a cooling pack on her eyes. She shaved, tweezed, and swathed in towels around her head and body, she left the bathroom for her room.

"Oh Buffy, what soap did you use?" Willow asked, just stepping out of her room. She smiled and stepped closer for another sniff. "It smells great."

"Just the regular stuff. You're probably smelling the bubble bath."

Willow grinned and winked. "That's gonna get attention tonight."

"What?"

Willow shook her head and headed to the stairs. "Nothing. Yell if you need anything."

Buffy rolled her eyes and stepped into her room, closing the door softly.

AN HOUR LATER

Everyone was waiting in the living room when Buffy finally descended the stairs. They were all talking, excited and happy for a short time. She paused and listened, smiling to herself. Dawn was telling them about some boy she liked in school, and the gang all responded as she'd expect them to.

"What does he like?" asked Willow.

"Well, he's on the JV basket ball team -"

"A jock??" Xander's disgust was interrupted by an elbow to the stomach from Willow. "I mean, is he nice?"

"He talked to me today."

"That's a good sign. Just don't offer him sex. Mortal boys like a good chase."

Buffy clapped a hand over her mouth to hide her laughter as the rest of the room fell silent.

"Uh, good idea, Anya..." Dawn said weakly. Buffy peaked out to see how red her sister's face was. She was about to head the rest of the way downstairs, but Giles broke the awkward conversation.

"Just don't trust him too easily. We are living on a hellmouth. One can never be too careful, hm?"

Dawn rolled her eyes, but she smiled and nodded.

He'd seen that look a thousand times since he "met" Dawn. Granted, he now knew it was a completely fabricated memory, but since the first time he'd met her, she'd rolled her eyes at him, smiled and nodded. It was a smile that usually only appeared for him these days. He couldn't decide how he felt about it. The smile was somehow familiar... and yet something he could only really attribute to the small teen.

Buffy stomped a little and came down the rest of the stairs, smiling.

"Well I don't know about everyone else, but I'm starving. Hospital food is - what?" Everyone was staring at her. Buffy looked down at her dress, checking for odd spots. "Is something wrong?" She twisted a bit, trying to make sure she hadn't missed something.

"N-no, Buffy you look..." Tara blushed and glanced at Willow. The redhead smiled and winked.

"You look good, Buff."

"I think 'hot' was the word Tara was looking for," Dawn said, sending a teasing grin at the blonde. Tara blushed a little more and lowered her eyes to the ground.

"M-maybe."

Buffy grinned and looked at Xander, who was blinking a little and turning away from her. She checked Giles and he was staring at the floor, polishing his glasses.

"Guys... you've seen me in this dress at least twice."

"I think the hospital food put a little curve back on you," Dawn finally said, grinning. "You look good."

"Well thanks!" Buffy said, rolling her eyes. "Now can we go eat?"

"Yes, let's," Giles replied, slipping the glasses back on, a small grin firmly in place. "I hope you're in the mood for a little ethnicity."

"What are we talking here? Chopsticks or maracas?"

"Perhaps castanets are a more appropriate term," Giles said, grasping her elbow.

"Castawhats? Giles, we're not eating at someplace funky like Ethiopian or something, right?"

Giles snorted and shook his head, grinning down at her. "Trust me, you'll enjoy yourself quite a bit."