Everyone jumped at the sound of splitting wood. Angel had put his fist through the door. Buffy winced. She knew what he must be feeling. She felt a twinge of guilt that she wasn't as hurt by the news as she thought she would have been previously. Angel was special to her, first love after all, but she really was over him now. She'd suspected it the night he'd given her the amulet, but had given him hope because she wasn't ready to consider what letting go of what had been such a huge part of her life would mean.

Spike was struck dumb. The news shocked him, and he wasn't sure he'd heard right until he saw Angel's reaction. That confirmed it. He felt something swell inside his chest, which was odd since he hadn't felt anything physical since he'd burned to a crisp in the Hellmouth. A feeling of lightness seemed to course through him at hearing Lorne's words. After Spike had finally decided to stop fooling himself about Buffy and what she felt, here were the words he'd never dreamed could be true, being spoken by one of Angel's team no less.

Spike could now admit to himself how often he'd rethought their last moment together, replayed her words in his head. He'd told Angel straight out without even thinking about it… "you don't know, what we had". It was only after so much time spent floating around in this place, feeling unwanted, helpless—lost, that he'd begun to believe his own words. "No you don't, but thanks for saying it." Now—now he was going to let himself feel hope, the final thing he'd been ready to give up on.

"Careful, Gramps. You could do yourself in doing things like that. Splinters and vamps don't mix, remember?" He leered at Angel.

Angel went into vamp face, snarled, and yanked his fist out of the door. Without pausing, he opened it, walked through, and slammed it behind him. They watched his retreating back through the new hole. Spike knew without a shadow of a doubt that if he'd been solid right then, Angel would have staked him, or tried to anyway. Only the knowledge that the older vampire couldn't touch him had led to the Great Poof's exit.

"Did you have to provoke him like that?" Buffy asked, frowning at Spike.

It did little to shake his sudden good mood. He cocked an eyebrow at her.

"Actually, yeah, I did. I've had to put up with him shoving it in my face that he was your great first love, an' that you never loved me the way you loved him ever since I got out of that bloody amulet. Telling me I never had you. Guess he was wrong after all, eh, kitten?"

Kitten. God she'd missed hearing that. She forgot about scolding him and beamed instead.

"Yeah, he was. I was wrong too. You didn't believe me before. It hurt."

Spike gave her an apologetic look.

"Sorry, pet. Was easier to say goodbye if I didn't. I believe you now though. If you still mean it, that is?"

"Of course I mean it you idiot. I don't say stuff like that easily. I'm just sorry I didn't say it sooner. Sometimes—stuff dawns on me slowly."

"Not to break up the heart-warming reunion, but how does this help us make Spike corporeal again?" Dawn asked.

Buffy and Spike were finally being honest with each other, and accepting what everyone around them back in Sunnydale had suspected for a while but preferred to turn a blind eye to. Now Dawn was eager to get Spike back to his old un-dead self so her sister could stop grieving, and they could all leave the creepy offices of Wolfram and Hart behind.

Fred was all business again. The new information had given her some theories.

"Maybe the answer is in the amulet after all," she mused.

"I thought you said it was a dud ever since Spike vacated it?" Wes asked.

"Well that's what I thought, but I may have been wrong. The amulet didn't seem to have any power that I could identify, but I'm thinking that maybe it acts like a conductor. It channelled the energy of the sun through Spike which is how he closed the Hellmouth. Tell me, did you guys touch when the amulet was in effect?" she asked the couple.

"Yeah, we, um, held hands, for a while, and they caught fire," Buffy said with a blush. "Why?"

"I thought so. Being soul-mates would make you two halves of a whole, at least, that's the general theory, I've never really encountered soul-mates before," Fred said with a little smile.

"Oh trust me, honey-pie. Soul-mates are real. I've encountered a few of them in my time, a scarce few. It's sad to admit, but finding 'The One' is hard—really hard. But when you do find that person—my advice? Hold onto them and don't let go," Lorne said.

Fred nodded and continued, pretending to ignore the little looks Spike and Buffy were throwing each other.

"The reason you can touch sometimes now is because of a strong bond between you, which is also what kept Spike on this plain of existence. That wouldn't happen unless it was strengthened magically. If the amulet is a conductor, and it was working via Spike's soul when you touched, it stands to reason it would have solidified your bond. Spike was trapped in the amulet because it channelled energy through his soul and absorbed it. He emerged again when we triggered the amulet because Buffy couldn't let go of her soul-mate, but you were too far apart for it to work properly. It's only a rough guess, but I think that maybe if we can get you to touch again while connected to the amulet, the two halves people refer to will become whole, which may have enough power to bring Spike back fully."

"Not like I can wear the amulet again though," Spike pointed out.

"No. You couldn't, but I could," Buffy said.

"It should work the same way," Fred agreed.

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's give it a try," Spike said, his swagger returning as his hope grew even more.

"Yeah, you do that. I'm gonna go hunt down Angel. Make sure he's okay," Gunn said heading out the door.

"I'd love to see how this turns out, but unfortunately, I have work to do. If you're successful, don't go running off without dropping by first, kay?" Lorne said, preparing to follow Gunn out.

"Of course not, Lorne. You've been a huge help," Buffy said, gratefully, giving him a smile.

"Yeah, not gonna forget the bloke who gave me the best news of my un-life," Spike added.

Buffy turned her now tender smile to him. Spike was looking at Lorne and failed to catch it, but the Empath Demon did.

"Oh, you guys. You're going to make me blush. Thank the Powers for green skin." He waved as he left.

"Okay then. To the Lab it is," Fred said leading the way.

"You okay boss?" Gunn asked Angel, whom he'd found in an empty office at the far side of the building, broken furniture lying around the room.

"I'm just great, Gunn, thanks for asking."

"Look, I know the whole Spike and Buffy thing has to sting, but it's been years since you two were an item. You aren't even on very good terms anymore since we took over this place. Maybe it's time to let go."

Angel leaned against the wall, flexing his fists, looking out the window. If it had been night, he probably would have gone out to kill something.

"I tried letting go already. It's why I left Sunnydale to begin with, but we've always had this connection and—I wanted her to be happy. A life with a vampire won't give her that. It's Spike! How can any part of that be good? They hated each other, always did. I mean, I know they—but she was in a bad place, not herself. For her to fall in love with—It can't be real."

"Seemed pretty real."

"That helps. Thank you."

Gunn picked his way across the room, over the broken pieces of a desk and some chairs to gave Angel a pat on the back.

"It's weird. I know. I mean the whole Slayer and vampire thing is beyond me anyway, but Spike—I get what you're feeling, really, I do. But that doesn't change what Lorne read. They have a bond. There's nothing you can do about it. Just try to look on the bright side. If this theory of Fred's pans out, Spike will be out of your hair, and you'll never have to see him again."

Angel perked up a bit at that, but then looked at Gunn in confusion.

"What theory?"

"Oh, right, I forgot you hightailed it outta there before she explained. Fred reckons that the bond between them is what helped to release Spike's essence from the amulet, since Buffy didn't want to let him go. Apparently they joined hands when he closed the Hellmouth, and it strengthened that bond. Basically, Fred thinks the amulet's a conductor, and if Buffy puts it on and touches Spike, it will work its mojo again to bring him back in the flesh."

The vampire's stare was making Gunn nervous. He hated when Angel got that look. It was all intense and depressing, like the world was about to end—usually because it was.

"Angel?"

"They're going to bring him back?" he asked, then mumbled, "a conductor? They touched?" Angel grew thoughtful.

"Boss, what are you thinking?"

"I'm thinking we need to check this out and see if it works. If Spike's about to become a player in the fight between good and evil again, I think I should be there. He is family after all."

Angel led the way to the lab. Gunn had no idea what his boss was doing, but he knew there was more going on that just checking to see if Spike was over his ghost phase.

"There it is," Buffy said, eyeing the shiny crystal lying on the table.

"Yup. Looks pretty harmless, doesn't it?" Spike added, standing beside her, his hands in his duster pockets, a sign he was nervous but trying to hide it.

"I was pretty sure it lost any power it may have had, but there really wasn't any way to tell. I guess we're going to find out now though," Fred said, taking a deep breath, and turning to the couple.

The two blonds sighed, staring at the amulet, memories surfacing of the night they'd spent together in Buffy's basement looking at it, contemplating their big fight.

"Maybe we shouldn't do this," Spike said suddenly.

"What?" Buffy asked, startled. "What do you mean? Why not?"

"We have no idea what that thing could do. Who's to say it won't end up burning you like it did me? I don't want you in danger because of me. We shouldn't risk it."

Buffy gave him a smile, walked over to the table, picked up the chain of the amulet, and turned so that it hung before them, twinkling in the bright lights of the lab.

"Okay, first of all, I am over people second guessing my decisions, remember? Secondly, we aren't trying to close a Hellmouth here, so I don't see why it would activate that way. Third, since when were you ever against taking a risk?" She gave him another reassuring smile, and after another moment's hesitation, Spike sighed and nodded with a smile of his own. "Okay, I'm ready when you are," Buffy said.

"Did we miss the show?" Angel interrupted, stepping down into the lab, ignoring Spike's glare, and giving Buffy a cheerful smile.

"No, we were just about to start. Are you okay?" she asked, lowering the amulet a little.

Dawn huffed and folded her arms. She'd been waiting for them to get this show on the road, but of course Angel had to barge in just when it was getting started, big, moody, nuisance that he was. Next to her, Andrew sighed, sensing another argument.

"Of course I'm okay, why wouldn't I be?"

"I think your dramatic exit earlier might have somethin' to do with it," Spike muttered, quirking an eyebrow at Buffy and nodding at the amulet.

She smirked back at him. She wanted to do this now too, but Angel had stormed off like he wanted to kill something before, and now he seemed perfectly fine again. It didn't sit well with her. Angel shrugged and leaned back against the wall. Gunn noticed Fred looking at him and spread his hands helplessly. He had no clue what was going on.

"I reacted badly from the news. It wasn't exactly something I wanted to hear, but it can't be helped, right? Not if you two were really meant to be together, after all."

Spike growled a little and turned towards Angel, scowling. He wasn't buying that act for a minute. The poof was up to something.

"Of course," Angel continued, and Spike rolled his eyes, "who's to say that wasn't the amulet's doing to begin with?"

"What are you on about you ponce?" Spike asked, getting annoyed.

"I'm just saying that if the amulet is a conductor, and you two touched when it was working via Spike's soul, then maybe that's what bound your souls together in the first place. That's all."

Everyone stared at him incredulously. Gunn took a deep breath and glanced at Buffy and Spike. Buffy's face was an emotionless mask, while Spike looked about ready to blow. Dawn appeared unable to find words to voice her obvious irritation, and Andrew seemed to find the whole thing very interesting. Fred was frowning at her boss in confusion. Spike couldn't take it anymore.

"That's all?" he snarled. "What do you mean that's all? You're implying it was that trinket that made us soul-mates, and that's all? Where do you get off—"

Angel held up both hands in surrender, but he was obviously pleased with himself. Little seeds of doubt couldn't hurt…him.

"Hey, it's just a theory. You can prove or disprove it, but I'm saying, maybe, it's plausible. Don't you think it's plausible?" Angel glanced from Spike, whose face surely would have been bright red with rage if he wasn't dead, to Fred, who started and flipped through her notes hurriedly.

"Well, I'm not…I mean…um, it would be hard to tell…I mean, it wouldn't be my area. I have no way to prove that," she looked up apologetically.

Tension built in the room, making everyone uncomfortable, except for Angel. Spike's eyes flashed gold, and he was balling his fists inside his pockets, knowing it would do no good, but desperately wanting to vamp out, and beat his arrogant sod of a grandsire to a bruised and bloody pulp. Buffy popped the chain over her head and stood in front of Spike, facing him and cutting off his view of the other vampire.

"Spike, look at me. We're doing this, now. Forget everything else, just look at me and feel it."

Spike frowned, his temper ebbing, but he was still miles away from being connected to her. How was he supposed to feel the bond when the poof had just dumped that theory on them?

"Luv, I don't think I can—"

"Yes," she cut him off, forcing him to look into her eyes, which were gentle and affectionate, "you can. Feel the bond, Spike. It's there. It's real, and it's going to bring you back, but you have to be here with me. Please, Spike."

He felt the anger slipping away as he stared at her. The way she looked at him, even in those last days together, so tenderly, made him believe it. They shared something. He began to feel it. How much he loved this woman, was willing to do anything for her. The reason he'd changed. She cared for him, of that he was sure. Buffy reached out a hand, and after a split-second's hesitation, he raised his own to meet it. Slowly, they brought them together. They touched. Nothing out of the ordinary, aside from them making contact, happened, but they were too caught up in each other to notice. The others were looking pretty disappointed however, except for Angel.

"Well, that wasn't what I had in mind. I guess—" Fred began, but stopped when a bright light caught her eye.

They all turned to look. The amulet was glowing, a white light that was getting stronger until it enveloped the Slayer and vampire. It became so bright that they had to shield their eyes. A loud humming filled their ears then everything went back to normal. They blinked and tried to regain focus. Dawn was the first to notice the couple still standing in their original positions, hands touching, blinking a bit as well.

"Spike? Are you…?" she asked.

He looked down at himself, then back at her.

"Dunno, pet, but Buffy hasn't gone through me yet. Don't really feel different, 'cept, well, maybe a tad peckish."

"You're hungry?" Buffy asked, excitedly.

He glanced down at her then grinned.

"Yeah, actually. Haven't felt, well, haven't felt anythin' since—Oof!" He was cut off and pushed forward when Dawn jumped at him, grabbing him in a huge hug. "Watch it, Bit! Nearly knocked me—hey! You can touch me!"

"You're solid! You're back, Spike!" Dawn grinned at him, her eyes watering a little, happy to be holding him, and to give him the hug she'd so desperately craved since finding out he was alive—as alive as he could get anyway.

"I am. I'm back." He laughed and swung Dawn around in a circle making her squeal and giggle.

He set her down on the ground, a wide grin across his face when he was knocked sideways by another hug, this time from Andrew.

"You really are back. The hero is rewarded and returned by the power of love. Having endured the torment of slipping into hell, burning alive for your heroic deeds in the path of redemption, and living on as a vampire ghost in the evil offices of your sworn rival, and—"

"Yeah, yeah, cut it out, you little poof. I may be back, but it doesn't mean I like you any more than I didn't—and it definitely doesn't give you permission to—hug me. Get off!" Spike shoved Andrew away from him, but kept his hand on the smaller man's shoulder.

Dawn noticed and grinned. Spike was a big old softy. He might not be as fond of Andrew as the little nerd was of him, but he didn't entirely hate him, and regardless, he had his body back, he wasn't going to turn down human contact completely. She looked at her sister. The Slayer was staring at Spike, watching him with Andrew, and swallowing pretty hard. Dawn gave her an unseen, gentle smile. Buffy had him back, finally. Dawn glanced down and her eyes went wide.

"Buffy!"

Buffy turned to her sister sharply.

"The amulet! Look! It's gone black!" Dawn pointed to the end of the chain where the crystal had, in fact, turned completely black.

"I guess it's safe to say it's out of power now then," Gunn commented.

"Looks like. I could analyse it and—" Fred started moving toward Buffy, but just as she neared her there was a loud crack, and a split appeared in the crystal.

They all watched mesmerized as the crack spread, before finally the crystal shattered and tiny shards fell to the cold tile floor. They stared at the broken remains of the crystal. Slowly Buffy removed the chain from her neck, and picked off the few shards that had clung to her clothing, placing the chain on the table.

"Or not," Fred said, sighing.

"No more amulet. Can't say I'm disappointed," Spike said, tilting his head and studying the shards.

Buffy watched Spike as he looked down at the little black shards scattered on the floor between them. She'd been staring at him until Dawn pointed out the amulet. Spike was back, at last. She'd thought he was gone forever. Then she found out he was here, but he wasn't really here. Now, it was him; completely, head to toe, body and soul, Spike.

Memories, thoughts, and emotions flooded through her so quickly she had no idea how to react. So she simply stared, taking him in. Slowly, she tuned into her Slayer senses. Angel's vamp tingles radiated from his position in the corner, but she was focused on the other very familiar signature in the room; Spike or more precisely, Spike's demon. Feeling him made having him back more real, and relief and happiness broke like a wave over her. God how she'd missed him.

Spike was barely aware of movement as the Slayer closed the small gap between them and encircled him in her arms. He took a second to process the fact that Buffy was hugging him before he returned the gesture, looking down at her platinum blonde head. Her face was pressed against his chest and he could feel her body heat warming him up through the fabric of his shirt. She felt so bloody good, and he could smell her shampoo mingled with her own unique scent and knew this was real. It was his Buffy in his arms, reaching out to him. It was a physical closeness they hadn't shared since those nights when he'd just held her as they slept.

The others watched as the pair were reunited at last. While most of them were focused solely on the blond duo, Gunn was keeping one eye on Angel to gauge his boss' reaction. He knew it probably stung for Angel to see the couple like that, but even Gunn had to admit it was a dirty move trying to put that doubt in their heads. Telling someone you were forced to be soul-mates with someone else because a magical do-hickey was all kinds of bad, and a clear sign that Angel was not over his Buffy obsession yet, no matter how much distance had formed between them. For his part, the broody vampire didn't seem any more sullen than usual, but then how could you top looking like the world was ending every single day?

A loud rumbling noise brought all attention in the room back to the pair at its center. Buffy eased back a bit and looked up at Spike who smiled sheepishly.

"Hungry?" she asked, smiling back.

"A bit. Been a while since I ate," Spike answered.

"Well then, let's get you fed. There's bound to be some blood around the evil law firm. Angel, you probably have something better than pig's blood with your new CEO status, right? Please tell me it isn't human—'cause I'd really have to stake you for that." The blonde wrinkled her nose, turning to face the dark-haired vampire as she spoke.

"Not human. Not pig either. Great, sure. Why not give him my blood as well?" Angel muttered, rolling his eyes.

He found himself bouncing off of a desk and onto the floor seconds later, his jaw aching. There were shocked gasps around the room and a startled "Spike!" that sounded like it came from Buffy. Angel looked up to find an angry Spike glaring at him from where he'd been standing just moments before, fists clenched, nostrils flaring and gold flashing in his icy blue eyes. Eyes that were sending him a very clear, yet unspoken message, "stay down." For the first time in their history together, and for a reason he couldn't quite fathom himself, Angel obeyed, sitting on the floor, making no further attempt to get up after turning to face his attacker.

"Don't much like your tone, mate. I really hope you weren't insinuatin' anythin' with that remark. Been a long time since I've had a spot of violence, and you know how much I love a good fight."

Neither vampire blinked. Angel read a whole lot more from Spike's body language, and he wasn't stupid. He knew what the other vamp was saying. She isn't yours. She's not your property and never was.

Spike knew Gunn and the Science Queen were getting edgy at the standoff, but he didn't much care. This was between him and Angel. Only the anxiousness from the three people he actually gave a toss about—well two people he cared about and one annoying yet unavoidable addition to the group was preventing him from having it out with his grandsire then and there. After all this time Angel still thought he had ownership over Buffy, had tried to come between them when they'd finally found a scrap of happiness. He gave Angel one final hard glare before turning his eyes to Buffy and relaxing his shoulders.

"Come on, pet. Could use some blood, among other things. I have a body I need to get reacquainted with."

"What?" the Slayer asked, with wide eyes.

Spike pursed his lips and gave her an amused look, one eyebrow lifting.

"Mine, all solid and not ghostly, remember?" he answered, gesturing at himself with a slight smirk.

"Oh. Right. I knew that. I completely knew that's what you meant," she said, a faint blush tinting her cheeks while she folded her arms.

"Course you did, luv." Spike grinned, his own hands returning to his pockets as he bounced back on his heels.

Buffy's blush darkened and she pushed a lock of hair behind her ear as she marched past him, and out of the lab. Spike followed, Dawn and Andrew strolling after them. Dawn smiling happily at their banter, and Andrew still lost in his own internal monologue about the day's events.