CHAPTER TWO:

Back at home later that night, Buffy made her way down the stairs to greet the newly arrived Scoobies, which also included Xander. The brunette obviously hadn't taken Dawn's warning seriously as he was standing just inside the front door with Anya.

“What are you doing here, Xander?” she asked warningly. “Wasn't Dawn clear when she said you weren't welcome here? I’m really not sure I can save you from her if she decides to make good on her promise.”

“C'mon, Buff, she wouldn't seriously kick me out over Spike, I mean...” Xander trailed off at the sight over Buffy's shoulder. A sight that included Dawn and Joyce, who had just come out of the kitchen. The two tallest Summers women were standing side by side, both scowling, clearly unhappy to see him. Dawn, holding a mug of blood, gave Xander a death-glare, pushed past the group and headed upstairs to Joyce's room without a word to anyone. She knew she could trust her mother and sister in this situation to get rid of Xander, and hopefully, in the process, stick up for Spike as well.

“So, Xander,” Joyce began icily. “It seems that you don't believe that you would not be welcome here after what you said about Spike and the way you've treated him recently. Was that because it was Dawn that told you this?... Perhaps I could rectify this misplaced assumption for you?...After getting the whole story about what happened tonight, it seems very clear to me that I still have not just one, but both my daughters alive and well thanks to Spike and his efforts. Yet you believe that that doesn't mean anything, and should be ignored, am I correct?”

Xander was looking like a schoolboy sent to the headmaster's office. He fidgeted uncomfortably under Joyce's glare, his hands stuffed into his pockets, struggling to find a reply that would not land him in any deeper trouble.

“Allow me the privilege of answering my own question for you. Spike saved Dawn tonight, and in the process probably Buffy as well. Considering that Buffy told me she would've had to have most likely sacrificed herself to close the portal to Glory's dimension, if it had been opened. Not to mention he stopped an apocalypse, saving the whole world, and he did this without anyone asking him to. He did it, because he cares about Dawn and, I hope, myself...”

Joyce paused and looked at her eldest daughter, her gaze softened with grateful relief and affection.

Buffy gave Joyce a sad smile and a nod, reassuring her and urging her mom to continue.

Joyce turned back to Xander, her expression hardening again, and continued, “And because he loves Buffy.”

Out of reflex, Xander opened his mouth to protest, but Anya elbowed him in the ribs, and he quickly snapped his lips closed again.

“Now, what Buffy chooses to do about this situation is up to her.” Joyce gave her daughter a stern look at this point that was clearly meant to convey that the two of them would discuss this, just not now, and continued on. “But, what I will not allow is one of her so-called friends to continue believing he has the right to dictate what goes on in her life in any fashion.

“Xander, I know you think you're doing the right thing and you mean well but, in all honesty, I wouldn't let you tell Buffy what to have for breakfast or what to wear to the Bronze. What makes you think that I’m going to stand here and allow you to tell her who she can and can't be friends with or who she should show gratitude to when they deserve it?

“Spike saved my daughters' lives, what does he have to do for you to admit that maybe, just maybe he doesn't intend to kill us all? Does he have to dust? Is that it? Because at the moment, Xander, I have to say that I much prefer the way Spike is acting, all 'demonic and soulless'...” Joyce made air quotes around those descriptions, which drew a grin from Buffy and the pair of witches that were standing off to the side watching the proceedings “...to the way you're acting. Now, was that clear enough for you to understand, Xander LaVelle Harris?”

At Xander's sheepish nod, Joyce pressed on for the coup de grace. “Good, now that's settled. Please leave as I’m rather busy attending to Spike and I have a feeling that most of what I've said is going to take a while to sink in, considering the thickness of your skull. Until then, I don't really want you here around my daughters, or Spike for that matter, so goodnight, Xander.

“Anya, please don't think that any of what was just said applies to you, dear, I would be very happy for you to stay, but I understand if you can't.” Joyce gave a slight nod towards Xander, who was looking decidedly dejected as he headed out the front door.

“Thank you, Mrs. Summers, but it is late and I have to open the shop in the morning. I wouldn't want to be groggy and make a mistake counting change or ringing up sales. I think it would be best if we left. Goodnight.” With that the pair headed out the front door, leaving a stunned silence in their wake as everyone digested what had happened.

Buffy enveloped her mother in a hug; it was all she could do not to cry after hearing such a spirited defence of Spike and herself. “You were awesome, Mom.”

“Hardly, sweetheart, he just needed to know some things, and I was going to tell him. I really don't like the way he tries to bully you into agreeing with him and his points of view all the time.”

Buffy released her mom and turned to the remaining Scoobs.

Giles was the first to speak up, his British sensibilities clearly uncomfortable at the displays of emotion going on around him. “Yes, well, as Anya said, it is late and I should really be going so, I think I shall call it an evening. But, before I do, for the record: well done Buffy, Willow. You both performed admirably tonight, and I shall be sure to tell Spike the same when he wakes, though I’m certain he'll never let me live it down.

“While it comes to mind, perhaps when Spike is well enough, a small celebration would be in order? We did save the world, and we have Tara back whole and hearty, an occasion I think befits a small get-together, don't you agree?”

“I think that's an excellent idea, Rupert, you can certainly count myself, Buffy and Dawn in, yes?” Joyce raised an eyebrow in question at Buffy and received a smile and a nod by way of reply, to which Tara and Willow both added enthusiastic responses.

“Well, that settles it then,” Giles agreed. “And on that note, I shall depart. Good night all.” With a smile, a wave, and a restrained hug to Buffy and, surprisingly, one to Tara as well, Giles was gone, leaving the girls to fuss over the fate of Spike.

Joyce and Buffy went upstairs to check on Spike, who was still unconscious on Joyce's bed. Dawn was curled up asleep next to him. He had been put there at Joyce's insistence as there was better lighting to clean and dress his injuries. They had discussed using the cot down in the basement, but the larger bed afforded Buffy plenty of space to set Spike's many broken bones. Despite being safe from sunlight in the basement, the cot would have made tending to him even more difficult for her.

Spike taking Joyce's bed did require some other changes to be made in the sleeping arrangements. Buffy would be sleeping in Dawn's room for the night, while Joyce would take Buffy's room. Dawn was supposed to sleep on the couch, but she looked so peaceful that neither Joyce nor Buffy wanted to wake her, and both were sure Dawn would be safe where she was.

Satisfied that there was nothing further to be done upstairs, the pair returned to the living room. Willow and Tara were deep in conversation, which both the Summers women caught the end of.

“I'll tell her what I think and let her make up her mind, that's all anyone can do. From there, it's her decision. I've given her my opinion, and she'll know that I support her no matter what.” Tara finished speaking to Willow just as Buffy came into the living room from the foyer.

“Tell me what?” Buffy wondered, looking at the witches, who were seated close together on the couch.

Willow looked like a deer caught in headlights, but Tara just smiled sweetly and replied, “I was just saying to Willow that, after everything that's happened tonight, it's made me realise that life is fleeting, we don't have all the time in the world. Sometimes things need to be said or done so you can look back and have no regrets, so, I was going to say, if you decide that you want to get involved with Spike...”

Buffy's eyes widened at this, but Tara kept going.

“IF you decide to be with Spike, I just want you to know that we...” she looked at Willow at this point and got a firm nod. “...support you and your decision. As long as you're happy, we're happy.”

Willow again nodded. “What she said. But if he hurts you, I’m turning him into a toad or something gross, OK?”

“Thanks, guys, but I don't really know what's gonna happen with Spike and me at the moment. It's been brought to my attention that I've...we've treated Spike pretty bad recently.” Buffy looked up at her mother's cough and raised eyebrows. “OK, OK!, I've treated him like crap since he told me how he feels about me and well, that's gonna stop, but what that means for the two of us I don't know. I mean if Spike loves me then that brings up questions that I really don't want to ask or answer.”

“Sweetie?” Joyce enquired, stepping closer to her daughter. “What do you mean?”

“Well, if Spike loves me-- and that's a big if-- then he's doing it without a soul. Angel told me that it wasn't possible. After he came back from hell, we talked, about...things. He said that without souls, demons and vamps couldn't love.”

Various nods of understanding from around the room followed.

“So, either Angel's right and Spike doesn't really love me, or Spike is the exception to the rule and is unique.”

More nods of agreement greeted this, so she pressed on.

“Or...” she continued slowly, thinking aloud. “Angel lied to me because he couldn't love me without his soul, which means it was only the soul that loved me, not Angel himself. See...but now that I've said that, it's got everyone thinking about it, even me, and I’m not sure if I want to know the answer...'cos if I’m honest...I'm thinking maybe Angel never really loved me...or at least not all of him. It was just his soul, which would explain why he was the way he was without it.

“So, if you're still riding my logic-train, that means both Spike and his demon love me. Only Angel's soul loved me, not him, not the demon, just the soul. If that's true then that makes Spike a better man than Angel...and how can that be true? Right? I mean, how wig-some would that be?

“Don't you see the problem?” Buffy practically pleaded with them. “If that's true, then we've been dropped into some bizzaro-upside-down crazy world!”