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As always my terrible grammer is corrected and made readable by the lovely April so three cheers for her.

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It is good to see everyone together; it has been so very long since they spent any serious time together, spread thin as they are across the globe, chasing down slayers. At her side, Kennedy sips water incessantly and she finds she must fight down the rising panic that threatens to overtake her. Dehydration is only the first stage, a very early symptom, and Kennedy is strong. They have plenty of time.

She distracts herself by letting her eyes wander around the room studying old friends and, she amends when she sees Faith leaning casually against the door frame, enemies. Faith looks good, with Principal Wood at her side. She has put on weight, but she carries it well and some of the defensive tension is gone from her body.

Xander is here, too, and her heart aches a little for him, for the sadness that even two years later still haunts his one eye, despite his efforts to hide it behind flippant comments and corny jokes, although these days even those are fewer than they once were, and there is a bitterness to him that she doubts time will ever completely erase.

Dawn is also here, taking a year out before university. She is dedicating herself to helping Giles with the running of the new council and the study of demon languages. She is quite the lady now, elegant and composed, with an unassuming confidence born of surviving Sunnydale. She hands Kennedy a third glass of water and gives the quiet slayer a small smile, which her girlfriend returns with an appreciative one of her own. Kennedy is so different now, matured and humbled by two years of active service and the attendant spectre of death at her shoulder. She is quiet and pensive, and reserves judgement where once she was first to condemn and disparage the efforts of others; she has grown into a better person, a person she can love without reservation.

Dawn glances nervously across the room and Willow follows her gaze to the slayer. Strange how in a world full of slayers, only Buffy is called “the” slayer. She is nervous, pacing the room like a caged tiger, glancing repeatedly at her watch. Willow understands her tension. Giles will be here any moment, and, moreover, so will Spike. She finds herself smiling at the thought and shakes her head; trust Spike not to stay dead.

Angel watches his girlfriend's agitation intently. He wears a deep frown that Willow has not seen from him since he arrived in Rome over a year ago, human and smiling in the bright sunshine. She had been visiting Buffy when he arrived and had considered herself privileged to witness the touching reunion of the star-crossed soulmates. They have been a picture perfect couple ever since, and she hopes for both their sakes that Spike's return will not disrupt their equilibrium.

The sound of an engine and the slamming of car doors announces the arrival of Giles and his party, and the room tenses palpably with expectation. A glance at her best friend shows her to be frozen in place, retreated into the corner and staring in terrified expectation at the door. Angel is at her side offering support, but Willow doubts that she is even aware of his presence, so focused is she on the impassive wood.

The door opens to reveal an extremely tired-looking Giles, dark eyed and rumpled from travel. He acknowledges the welcoming committee with a polite nod and steps aside to allow the other to trail in behind him.

Spike looks the same—of course he looks the same: hello, vampire—but somehow she is still surprised. She had expected him to have changed as they have all changed, to be different, to be older. For a moment he looks surprised by the gathering of familiar faces in the foyer of the old hotel that acts as the slayer training facility for North America, but he covers quickly, scanning the room with an amused smirk.

"Well, well, well," he drawls, "if it isn’t the old gang, all turned out to welcome little old me."

For a moment silence reigns, as if no one can quite think of a response to that. It is Dawn who reacts first. She is a woman now, but confronted with the reality of her surrogate big brother and one-time teen crush, she regresses and lets out a shrill, excited squeal as she launches herself across the room and into his arms. He gathers her up and pulls her in close, and Willow is struck by the blissful expression of adoration on his face as he closes his eyes and breathes in the young woman's familiar scent.

After a few moments they pull apart slightly, and he tucks a strand of her now shoulder length hair behind her ear. "Missed you, nibblet," he tells her in a low, sincere voice that Willow can only just catch. Tears spring up in Dawn's blue eyes and she bites her lip and tries to smile; a nod of her head is all she can manage to tell him she returns the sentiment, before she buries herself once again in his embrace.

"Hello, Spike." Willow adds her own greeting. "Good to see you're not so much with the dead anymore."

"What's with that, blondie?" Faith asks, her voice friendly and teasing. "Shoulda come clean on that. Figure we all owe you a drink. Kinda a thank you for saving all our asses."

"Well, if you’re buying, pet..." He flashes her a cheeky grin before turning to the redhead. "Hey, Red."

Dawn steps away from him and places her hands on her hips to regard him with haughty reproach. "Be grateful I'm just glad you're alive, 'cos otherwise I'd be so pissed that you never told us."

"I'm sorry, bit." His apology is sincere, his eyes conveying the depth of his regret. "I had my reasons."

"I know," she answers with gentle understanding, and Willow is once again struck by how much she has matured in the last two years.

Free from Dawn's embrace, Spike is finally able to turn to the girl who has consumed his senses since he stepped into the room. She has retreated further into the corner, watching him with rabbity eyes. They stare at each other for the longest time and Willow has all but given up on either of them being able to form a greeting when Buffy finally speaks. "Spike?" His name is a breathy question on her lips and the already impossibly heavy atmosphere thickens around them. Spike's face is a picture of stunned terror, eyes wide and wary, lips slightly parted as if he wishes to speak but words will not form.

He takes a step back, ready to bolt, and the onlookers hold their collective breath in anticipation. But suddenly there is a girl at his side, dark and voluptuous, with long, slender limbs and waves of dark, cascading curls. She has large and rich brown eyes and full-bowed lips and Willow knows she does not have to be gay to recognise that this girl is beautiful. Her hand comes to rest in the dip of Spike's lower back in a gesture that has everything to do with support and nothing whatsoever to do with possession, and Willow decides instantly that she likes this girl.

The vampire straightens, drawing strength from the contact and manages a glimmer of a smile. "Hello, Buffy."

For a moment it looks as if Buffy will speak again, then her hand flies to cover her mouth in a futile attempt to contain the loud, broken sob that erupts from her. Then she is gone, fleeing the scene with Angel in hot pursuit and Dawn's voice ringing out through the hall: "Buffy!"


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A/N Hope this doesn't dissapoint S and B talk next chapter


Nice people leave reviews and TheBear laughs and scratches her big round furry belly.

Shippy, well thankyou then, for the compliment. I know you don't like Spike loving someone else, but he needs to to be a more rounded person, and to the same extent? we'll see

tayhaangel - Hello, bear waves a paw in greeting. Welcome to my story, Glad you like

Pin - You like Carlotta well your in teh minority, but I'm glad she trreats Spike like I'd treat him if I could get my hands on one ;)

Ooh Vamps now that's an offer, the plumber I like the plumber. That glimpse of grubby t shirt, ooohhh!!!





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