Saint Aurelius Augustine
Giles and the others hadn’t heard Spike and Buffy’s quiet conversation and her position had blocked their view of their little ‘hand in the chest’ moment. So as they warily moved closer to the pair, their voices held only excitement and awe, tempered by a little bit of caution. Spike eyed them back, a little uncertain himself.
The Watcher himself was at the vanguard, welcoming Spike warmly (if a little stiffly) and muttering about how truly unprecedented it all was and how he must record all of Spike’s recollections.
Red was almost bursting with excitement, leaping up and down and fluttering her fingers in greeting as she called out “Hi Spike.”
Faith looked him up and down, grinned widely and said in a sultry voice, “Still looking wicked hot Blondie.”
The bitchy wanna-be, Kennedy he remembered, was lurking in the background. Even she had a semi-friendly look on her face and nodded at him in greeting.
Spike looked to his right and noticed a cute, young brunette standing next to Xander, looking at him curiously with a shy grin on her face. The Whelp himself just stood there shaking his head, whether in anger or amazement Spike couldn’t say. His mouth was opening and closing as if he was trying out and discarding various quips. Finally he shrugged and grumbled, “This really brings new meaning to the term undead.” At the brunette’s nudge he gritted his teeth and added, “Yeah, um, welcome back Captain Peroxide.”
Buffy hadn’t moved from her spot in front of Spike. Now the round of greetings were over, they were once again staring at one another intently. She reached up to stroke his cheek, pausing nervously before attempting to make contact. She could sense heat beneath her palm, but as her fingers alighted on what should have been the solid surface of Spike’s skin, she could feel nothing. She eep’ed and jumped back in alarm when she noticed her fingers had sunk into his face a little. Embarrassed and distressed, she turned to stand by his side instead.
“Ah Giles, I think we have a problem here.”
“Er, right, could you be more specific Buffy?” Giles queried as he neared the couple nervously.
“Seems I’ve come over all ghostlike,” Spike volunteered. “Not that I’m not right grateful for being released and all, but I’d prefer to be a little more substantial,” he added before passing his hand through the Watcher by way of demonstration.
“Good Lord,” Giles yelped as he stepped back in fright.
“Holy shit!” Xander exclaimed from the side, where he’d caught Spike’s waving display.
The others darted forward curiously and following further ghostly demonstrations from Spike, were all discussing his disembodiment and how to correct it. Willow, Rowan and Giles were particularly excited, offering numerous suggestions and deliberating over a range of causes.
“Oh God,” Xander groaned at Spike, “I guess now you’ll want us to turn you into a real boy. Gee thanks, phantom menace, I can see another research party coming on. Maybe we should just hold a séance.”
Spike scowled at him and pushed his way through the noisy throng surrounding he and Buffy. He walked right through the couch and over to the main lounge area where he began stalking back and forth, muttering to himself.
Buffy dashed after him, dodging the furniture gracefully until she stood directly in his path. He was striding towards her, focused on some internal debate. For a moment it seemed he might pass right through her unawares and she braced herself for the impact, or lack of it. But at the last second he pulled up short so that he stood facing her, staring intently into her hazel eyes.
“Hey pet,” he mumbled. “‘M sorry about this,” he sighed as he waved his hands around his own body. “Really didn’t ‘spect our reunion to go quite like this.”
“Hmm,” she grinned. “Neither did I. But it’s nice to hear that you thought we’d have a reunion.” She paused uncertainly. “You know I meant what I said down in the Hellmouth, I do love you,” she said earnestly.
“Yeah Buffy, I do know,” he acknowledged tenderly, his incorporeal palm hovering over her right cheek. “If I hadn’t believed you then, I’d certainly get it now. Ahh, the way you look at me kitten, I can almost feel my heart pumpin’. And yeah I also know I’m a ‘stupid, pig-headed, blind vampire’ but even I’ve gotta take note when you hit me over the noggin with a cricket bat,” he grinned.
Buffy frowned as she tried to remember when she’d used that particular insult. She shrugged her shoulders blithely. As something else occurred to her, the questions began tumbling out. “So Spike, do you know where were you? What was it like there? How did you get there? Did it hurt?” she babbled excitedly.
“Whoa pet. Take it down a notch.” Spike tried to calm her down while Willow, who had wandered over to join Faith, Rowan and Xander, all of whom were sitting on the lounge suite in front of the couple, began to giggle.
Spike raised his eyebrow as he glanced at their growing audience, then turned back to address his girl. “First off, getting’ there hurt like the buggery. I burned up all right, I was consumed by a fiery blaze and that bit wasn’t much fun. But the place I went to, well it wasn’t Hell. I was surrounded by light,” he paused as he self-consciously rubbed the palm of his right hand. “It was … somewhere amazing. Enlightening.”
“Wow!” “Fascinating!” and other assorted gasps of astonishment and acknowledgment rose from the seats around them. Spike shook himself as he became aware of his surroundings once more – Buffy’s loving face listening intently and the interested attention of the other occupants of the room. “How long was I gone?”
Buffy grinned at his question. “Forty-two days yesterday. Forty-three today. Except today doesn't count, does it?” She frowned and bit her lip coyly. “Did you… think of me while you were gone?”
“Oh pet, I never stopped. You were the first thought on my mind when I came to, and the name on my lips as I felt the dragging just before I ended up here. All through the spiritual experience I was undergoing in that place, my love and truth and wisdom led me back to you. You’re the one Buffy!” They smiled at one another tenderly, both of their eyes a little over-bright.
As Buffy listened to Spike’s declarations of love, she instinctively rubbed the strong prickling sensation in her left palm, gently massaging the scars with her right thumb. “But did you maybe dream of me, or of us, or talk to me and stuff?”
“Yeah, felt connected to you pet, if that’s what you mean?” He raised his eyebrow, affecting a vigorous bout of nodding from Buffy. “It was like I was dreaming at the back of myself, dreaming of you and things we’d done together, just chatting or holding you, sometimes just calling your name. But all the while I was awake and aware and having this whole spiritual enlightenment drama. Weird.”
Still kneading her hand, she glanced down when movement caught her eye to catch Spike doing the same thing to his right palm. Her sudden, sharp intake of breath pierced the silence of the room as she realized the significance of their dual actions. Her eyes darted back to Spike’s a split second before he raised his own, wonder and adoration gracing his face as he had arrived at the same recollection.
Slowly they each raised their palms. The tingling sensation grew stronger as their hands drew closer together. Slowly and carefully, taking account of his insubstantial form, they threaded their fingers together. As their palms made contact, a bright flare of ethereal fire burst from between their clasped hands. The tingling from her palm spread up her arm, radiating outwards until the warmth spread through her whole body. Gazing into Spike’s eyes, seeing the look of wonder on his face, she could tell that he was feeling the same thing. The heat opened up pathways for the light to follow, and it moved along their limbs like liquid lightning, until the luminosity pulsed gently throughout their bodies, engulfing them both in a warm halo of brilliance.
“Holy shit!” Xander declared. Exclamations of wonder and awe followed and more than a few sentimental sniffles resounded around the room.
“Is Spike becoming more solid?” Willow pondered out loud. “Buffy, can you feel Spike’s hand?” she called out excitedly.
Willow’s question jolted Buffy out of her reverie, and focusing on their clasped hands she found it was true. She could feel Spike’s palm pressing against hers, more solidly when the light pulsed and less so as it dimmed, but nevertheless tangible beneath her skin.
Spike looked down at her in wide-eyed exhilaration. “Bloody hell. I can, I can feel you Buffy. And it feels amazing.”
She turned her head and nodded at Willow enthusiastically. “Yeah, I can. But he’s not totally hard, just semi.” A chorus of shrieks and guffaws broke out around the room and Buffy blushed as she realized what she’d said.
Spike looked down at her in amusement and winked, whispering “I’m always hard for you baby. Just you wait till I’m back in working order and I’ll prove it to you.”
She ducked her head, grinning shyly before glancing up at him coquettishly and mouthing, “Promise?”
Spike growled in lust, suddenly even more eager to become re-corporealized. He continued to stare into Buffy’s eyes but called out to Giles and the gang. “So come on people, chop chop. What are you doing to bulk me up? Get with the research why don’t you.”
“Hold on Billy” Faith called out as she leapt up, the nickname earning a scowl from Spike. “I’ve got an idea. Giles, where’s Sagaria?”
“Stowed away in the safe in my suite. What are you…?”
“Its just a thought,” she shrugged, “But its worth a shot. Can you go and get it?” Giles dashed out of the room and along the corridor. “I was the last one to see these two down in the Hellmouth. I stood at the top of those stairs that lead down into the cavern waiting for Buffy. When I peered back down, they were standing just like this. Except for one thing.”
“You’re right,” Rowan leapt up and circled the pair slowly until she stood beside Faith. “They did look exactly like this.”
Spike frowned in bewilderment at the brunette’s confident declaration, sure that he’d never set eyes on her before.
“There is only one thing missing,” Rowan continued.
“Sagaria!” Faith, Rowan and Buffy intoned in unison.
Just then Giles walked back through the door, scythe in hand. Behind him trailed Angel, Wes and Oz who had arrived for their scheduled mid morning summary and research session. The three newcomers came to a sudden halt just inside the door, unprepared for the appearance of Spike or the vision of he and Buffy standing linked together, shimmering softly. Angel growled resentfully at Spike’s stance, but reined himself in as he noticed Giles stepping towards Faith, Buffy’s weapon in hand.
Faith smiled at Giles’ concerned expression as she reached for the axe. “It might work Giles. Like a sort of energy boost.” She shrugged her shoulders. “Its worth a shot anyway.”
He nodded and passed the scythe over. As she turned and began to walk towards the blonde couple, the axe began to glow gently. Faith stood next to the linked pair, on the far side from their connected hands. Staring into the head Slayer’s eyes, she smiled warmly and held out the ancient weapon, its light pulsing more strongly now. Buffy nodded and reached out, her right hand grasping the shaft just above Faith’s. For several seconds both slayers clasped the warm wood as instantaneously, a bright flash of light burst from the amulet still hanging around Buffy’s neck. A wave of heat knocked Faith back, the light that had coursed through her body slowly fading as she sat stunned on the carpet.
Buffy and Spike were still linked, Sagaria clutched in Buffy’s firm grip, but the amulet lay dormant again and their light was slowly dissipating as well, leaving them both unharmed and Spike solid once more. They gazed deeply into one another’s eyes, bound together by their love, before Buffy dropped her axe on the carpet, squee’d in delight, and leapt up into Spike’s arms.
He caught her effortlessly, his hands clasping her ass as she wound her arms around his neck and her legs around his hips. Their audience, who had been holding their collective breaths in nervous anticipation, exploded in a cascade of noisy celebration as the two champions leaned into a passionate kiss. The girls sighed in envy and delight as the kiss deepened, while Giles, Xander and Angel made sounds of discomfiture, annoyance or resentment.
Buffy and Spike were oblivious to the reactions around them, still consumed by their ardent reunion. They continued to kiss and embrace one another and whisper declarations of love and joy, unaware that their friends had begun to quietly steal out of the room. Eventually, it was the silence that alerted them to the empty room, as the door closed gently behind the final departee.
Spike grinned wildly at his Slayer, twirling them both around in a dizzying circle. “So kitten, are you ready to find out if I’m totally hard yet?” he smirked wickedly. Buffy squealed in glee as she slid down Spike’s thighs, grabbed his hand and started dragging him towards her bedroom.
“Just one thing pet,” Spike looked around in confusion, as Buffy pulled him down onto the bed, “If everyone else has gone, then how is it I can hear more than one heart beat?”