Buffy shook her head in utter bafflement at the thought. Spike is my friend. He wasn't just a friend, he was one of the best friends she'd ever had. It just went to show you that on the Hellmouth, anything was possible.

She smiled to herself, hand trailing along the wrought iron fence of Restfield cemetery. It had been awhile since Buffy had ventured onto hallowed ground; not since Spike's ensouling, what with keeping an eye on him and all she didn't really have much time for patrolling. Right now her mind was so preoccupied with happier thoughts that she didn't even notice that she was at the gate of her old staking ground Reality came crashing back when an ear-splitting scream cut into the night air and she froze. She only let her surprise slow her down for a fraction of a second before her Slayer instincts kicked in and she took off like a shot into the cemetery.

Thankfully, even though she hadn't been so much with the slayage, Buffy hadn't gotten out of the habit of keeping a stake in her bag and she whipped it out as she ran in the direction of the scream. She soon found the source: a girl pinned down under a vamp. The vampire had just risen, if the turned up earth on a nearby grave and the dirt on his suit were any indication.

Buffy ran over, grabbed the newly undead by the back of his neck, and tossed him into his own headstone. She glanced at the epitaph: Charles Barton.

"Sorry Charlie," Buffy quipped, "but it looks like you chose the wrong night to rise from the grave." The vamp looked up at her, snarling and growling. He lunged at her; Buffy stepped aside and stuck out her foot, sending the vampire reeling. Not giving him a moment's reprieve, she quickly jumped on him and staked the vampire with ease.

After the deed was done, an unexpected smile crept its way onto Buffy's face. "Still got it," she murmured to herself. She'd been out of practice for some time, it was nice to know she hadn't lost her knack. She got to her feet and brushed the vamp dust from her clothes, turning around to check on her damsel in distress.

"Are you-" was all Buffy managed to say before she saw the girl's face. "Willow?" she gasped, stunned.

Willow's green eyes were huge as saucers as she, still lying on the ground, looked up at her friend who had been MIA for weeks. "B-Buffy? W-when did you... How did you... Where've you been?"

Buffy shook off her shock and pushed herself to go and help her friend off the ground. "Here," she offered her hand. "I think this conversation will be uncomfortable enough without you lying on the ground."

Willow smiled wanly. "Thanks." Once she was on her feet, she just looked at Buffy for a moment, shaking her head. "Buffy...my god it's really you. You're back!" She squealed, throwing her arms around the Slayer.

Buffy couldn't help but smile. She had missed her friend terribly, not realising just how much until now. She closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around the other girl, enjoying the embrace.

"Nighthawk calling Black Cat, come in Black Cat, do you read me?" The tinny urgent voice of Xander Harris intruded.

Brows knitted together, Buffy pulled back and looked at the walkie-talkie on the ground. Willow rushed to scoop it up.

"Again, this is Nighthawk. Is everything okay? Copy."

"I'm fine, Xander," Willow said into the speaker. "But there's something you guys need to see over here."

"Thank god," Xander replied, clearly relieved. "Next time answer the first time I call, and hey, what's with name? Nighthawk, remember?"

"Fine, Nighthawk, you and the gang should get your butts over her pronto. Over and out."

"Copy that. Over."

Willow rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"Nighthawk? Black Cat?" Buffy questioned.

"It's nothing. Not even worth explaining. Unlike you and your disappearance, then subsequent reappearance. That is something that definitely requires some 'splainin', so...?"

Buffy sighed, rubbing her brow wearily. "I-"

"Willow, what's the up?" Xander's voice cut in. "What's here that we need to see so b- Buffy." He stopped short at the sight of the girl causing Cordelia, who was right behind him, to crash into him.

"Hey, what- Oh, hey Buffy!" She didn't sound nearly as floored as her boyfriend.

Buffy smiled slightly. "Hey, Cordy."

Oz and Giles brought up the rear. Giles, upon seeing his Slayer, was completely at a loss for words while Oz reacted in his classic, laconic style. "Whoa...hey."

"Buff, my god..." Xander uttered, staring at her in disbelief before rushing and throwing his arms around her. Xander was so happy to see the Slayer that he hardly noticed the bone-crushing force of her hug. But after a moment, he realised that he was in danger of some serious internal injuries and grudgingly broke away.

Two less fierce embraces followed; first from Cordelia, which was a bit of a surprise, then Oz. Tears were gleaming in the eyes of the next person in the tableaux. Giles silently gazed down at his Slayer, still reeling from the shock of her sudden reappearance. Finally, his brain managed to regain basic motor functions and he lifted his hand to touch her cheek. "Buffy," he murmured, eyes shining with joy. "Welcome home."

Buffy's bottom lip trembled, suddenly overcome with happiness and, for the first time, she was the one to initiate contact, flinging herself recklessly at the man that was more than just her Watcher but the closet thing she had to a father.

Giles let out a whoosh as her grip knocked the wind from him, but he didn't mind. He chuckled and returned the girl's embrace with just as much fervor.

"So, Buff," Xander hazarded after she and Giles separated. "Where have you been? What happened?"

"Were you with Angel?" Willow asked, a gleam of hopefulness in her eyes.

"Uh, no, Angel didn't- he's gone," she quietly informed, looking at the ground.

Willow looked slightly dejected but not surprised, nor did anyone else.

"We figured that's what happened," Xander proclaimed gently. "You know, when the world didn't end and all."

Buffy gave a small smile. "Yeah."

"I'm sorry Buffy," Willow offered, tears in her eyes. "I tried. I did the spell again, I wanted it to work. I thought it had. I was hoping maybe..."

Buffy looked at her friend - so full of compassion. "It did work, Will."

Willow's head snapped up. "What?"

"It worked," Buffy repeated, "you did ensoul a vampire, just not the one you were aiming for."

A round of confused faces looked at her. "Spike was there. He was the one who was helping me fight Angel."

"Spike?" Xander sputtered. "That was your mystery ally?"

Buffy nodded.

"No wonder you said I wouldn't believe it if you told me," Willow added dazedly.

"Dear god," Giles muttered, jumping ahead to the conclusion. "Buffy are you saying that Spike...?"

"Yeah," she confirmed.

"Oh!" Willow exclaimed, getting it. "Oh, my god! How...?"

"Wait," Xander inserted, putting up a hand, "so, what you're saying here is...What is it you're saying here?"

"Spike has a soul," Oz leaned over and supplied.

"Oh." Xander nodded in understanding. "No, wait. What?"

"Spike?" Cordelia questioned. "Spike, Spike? Crazy, scary, tried to kill us all, Billy Idol wannabe Spike?"

"That's the one," Buffy confirmed. "And actually, Billy Idol's the one who copied his look."

"Um, so where is he now?" Giles inquired.

Buffy's brow bunched. "Billy Idol? I don't know." She shrugged. "I think that's a question for VH1."

Giles gave Buffy a very familiar look of exasperation.

"Oh," she smiled sheepishly, "you meant Spike. He's at the mansion."

"And that's where you have been?"Giles inquired.

"Um...yeah." Buffy answered slowly.

"You've been right here in Sunnydale this entire time?" He pressed.

"Yes." Something about his manner had Buffy feeling anxious. "Why?"

Giles lifted his glasses and rubbed his eyes. "No reason."

"No reason?" Xander spluttered. "Oh there's a reason, this whole time while you've been playing house with another poor, tortured, and souled vamp, Giles has been running himself ragged, looking all around the country for you!"

Buffy's fist clenched at her sides, incensed by Xander's words. "Now you wait just a damn minute, Xander! I have not been playing house with Spike. I've been helping him through a very difficult ordeal. He's been in a kind of pain that I can't even fathom, trying to live with insurmountable guilt."

"Why, what could he have to feel guilty about?" Xander asked mockingly. "Oh wait, that's right, the torture and murder of countless innocent people."

Buffy's jaw stiffened, she couldn't believe this. Just a few minutes ago she was hugging Xander, so happy to see him and now she wanted nothing more than to punch his lights out.

"Okay, okay, let's all just take a beat here, huh?" Willow said, stepping between Xander and Buffy, who looked ready to use her slaying skills on the boy. "Now, there's no denying that Spike has done unspeakably evil things-" Buffy opened her mouth, ready to argue. Willow put up her hand and went on. "But, since he has a soul now that changes things; we can't hold him accountable for those crimes since he wasn't in control."

Xander scoffed and was met with glares from both the Slayer and the witch. He sighed. "Look, all I'm saying is that once upon a time Angel had his soul too and look how well that turned out."

A beat passed.

"This is different," Buffy asserted. "Spike and I aren't...involved. I'm just helping him. Speaking of which, I'm supposed to be going to the butcher's to get him some blood, and it's getting late..."

Buffy softened as she looked at her Watcher. "Giles, I'm sorry that I had you worried and you went all over the place trying to find me. I should have got in touch. Things were just a bit out of hand. I'm sorry, really," she repeated.

Giles smiled at her. "You're forgiven. But, Buffy are you sure what you are doing with Spike is wise?"

Buffy sighed. "Look, okay I get the concern, all right? All you think of when you think of Spike is the monster that terrorised us last year, but I'm telling you that that monster is gone. Spike is not a threat anymore, trust me."

"Of course, we do," Willow chimed in; she looked pointedly to all of her friends. "Right guys?"

They all mumbled something that passed for assent.

"Gee thanks," Buffy replied dryly before turning to Willow with a genuine look of gratitude. "Thanks, Will. Look, I really do have to get going - I've seen what happens to Spike when he doesn't feed and it is not pretty."

"Do you want some company?" Willow asked. "Or do you need any help with Spike? My parents are out of town, I could come with you."

Buffy didn't see this as being in any way a good idea but she didn't want to hurt Willow's feelings. "Um, I really appreciate the offer, Will, but I don't think I should really spring anyone on Spike just yet. I mean he's barely comfortable having just me around at this point."

Willow smiled sympathetically and nodded. "I understand. But let me know if you need anything. I mean it. I'm here for you."

"Thanks. I know." She leaned over and gave her friend a quick embrace.

"Buffy, I think we still need to discuss this matter some more," Giles pressed.

"I know, Giles, and we will, just later, okay? I'll come by the library tomorrow."

Giles gave a resigned sigh. "Very well."

"All right, I'll see you tomorrow."

~*~*~*~

"I just don't like this." Xander said for the umpteenth time. After their confrontation with Buffy in the cemetery, the group had adjourned to the school library. "None of you can honestly think this is going to end well. I mean Buffy is shacking up with another vampire."

"They are not shacking up," Willow argued. "Stop trying to make this sound like something it's not. Buffy is only helping Spike through what must be an unimaginably difficult transition. They're not involved, Buffy told us that flat out. So okay, I admit that there are certain parallels going on here, but Spike is not Angel."

"Willow's right," Cordelia piped up. "Spike and Angel are nothing alike. Their builds are completely different. So is their colouring and their wardrobe- " she stopped, short taking note of the all the gaping eyes on her. "What?"

"I don't think Willow was referring to their appearance Cordelia," Giles wearily explained.

Cordelia shrugged. "Oh."

"Look you guys," Willow ventured "Buffy isn't stupid. she knows what she's doing. And I kind of got the feeling tonight that helping Spike wasn't just about helping Spike. I think she needs to be doing this right now. To help distract her from what happened to Angel. So like I said before, we have to support her." No one said anything. They all supposed the redhead was right. She usually was.

"I still don't like it," Xander repeated miserably. "But I guess I'll just have to deal with it."

"Darn tootin'." Willow affirmed

Xander couldn't help but smile at his friend. She was so adorable. The boy mentally shook himself. He was not supposed to have those kinds of thoughts about Willow. She was his best friend, not to mention the fact that he had a girlfriend.

"You okay?" Cordelia asked him, speak of the devil. "You got a weird look on your face all of a sudden."

Xander shrugged, "Yeah, I'm fine," he assured her. "Just thinking about the Buffy and Spike situation, is all."

 ~*~*~*~

Spike was sitting at the hearth of the fireplace when Buffy entered the mansion. He looked at her nonchalantly.

"You're back," he said, as if just taking notice of this fact. The truth of it was that he had sensed her coming minutes ago and had quickly grabbed a book, trying to look as though he hadn't been counting the minutes since she'd left. "Seems it took you a bit longer than usual. Long queue?"

Buffy shook her head, looking a bit distracted. "Uh, no. I had an unexpected encounter in the cemetery."

Spike eyes narrowed with interest. "Vampire or demon?"

"Human."

Spike's brow shot up.

"My friends were there," she elaborated. "I guess they've been picking up the slaying slack while I've been..."

"Vamp sitting," Spike supplied.

Buffy smirked. "Yeah."

"So..." Spike hazarded after a beat, "how'd that go then, with your mates?"

Buffy thought about it. "It went...a lot better than I thought it might."

To Spike's surprise, she didn't sound all that thrilled.

Buffy had been dreading the encounter; she knew that her friends weren't going to be too psyched when they found out what she had been up to all this time. That Xander was the only one who truly ragged on her about it should have been seen as a win. But, for some reason, Buffy just didn't feel right.

"Well, that's a good thing, right?" Spike hedged. "I mean, they didn't try and tie you down and drag you away so you couldn't come back here..."

Buffy let out a light laugh. No matter how she was feeling, whether it was sad, confused, or angry, Spike was always able to make her smile.

That's when it hit her. The reason she wasn't on the joy train about things going well with her friends was because, now that they knew, it wouldn't just be her and Spike anymore.

This whole time Buffy had been focused on helping Spike and making sure he was okay, she hadn't taken the time to really ponder just how much he had helped her.

In the last few weeks, she and Spike had built up a sort of bubble around them that nothing could penetrate. It kept out all the hurt and pain; nothing could touch them as long as they were together.

Guess I should have known it couldn't last forever,. Buffy thought, a tightness in her chest and a heat building behind her eyes that threatened to turn into tears.

'Cause that's the thing about bubbles; sooner or later, they always burst