After Buffy got home from patrol, she went over to the fridge to get some leftover pizza from the day before.

"Dawn!"

Dawn ran down the stairs in a panic, her pajamas on.

"What?"

Giving her sister a look, Buffy took the empty box out of the fridge and held it up for Dawn to see.

"Uhm, that wasn't me." Dawn denied.

"Uh hm, then who did it? Faith and Robin are in Mexico, and Andrew hasn't been here all week." the blonde said, annoyed.

"Xander." Dawn blamed the boy.

"Really?" Buffy said, unconvincingly.

There was a knock on the door.

"There are other things to eat, Dawn. Plus, I put dibs on the last slice of pizza."

The knock on the door was getting louder, more persistent, making Buffy really upset. She walked to the door, with determination, swung it open, fully prepared to be annoyed with whoever stood there.

"What the hell?"

There stood Spike, the last love of her life, her lover, the man that was her Champion.

"Ello, luv."

Spike smiled, before a quick reaction from Buffy, resulted in a punch to the nose.

He fell back, onto the porch outside.

"Bloody hell!"

Dawn ran over, scared from all of the commotion she heard from standing in the kitchen.

"I heard noises. Is everything ok, Buffy?"

Buffy didn’t say anything as she continued to stare at the British blonde, in shock. Dawn followed her sister’s gaze, and what she saw shocked her just as much.

"Sp-Spike?"

Spike was still on the ground, recovering from the hit to his nose.

"Yeah, Nibblet, it’s me.

Buffy snapped of her daze, slightly angry, she felt, as if, someone was pulling her leg.

"Is this a joke?"

Buffy's emotions were definitely about to run on high, her eyes watery, but she refused to let them fall. Dawn walked outside to help Spike up, but Buffy still didn't trust the current situation.

The last time she saw her lover, he was burning up in flames.

"Dawn, get in the house now!" Buffy yelled, making her younger sister jump.

"Buffy, it’s Spike."

"It’s ok, Nibblet"

Spike stood the rest of the way up himself as Dawn walked back into the house, then stood behind Buffy.

"Buff-"

"Call Giles." Buffy told her sister.

"But-"

Buffy turned around to give Dawn a stern look, so Dawn walked to the kitchen and did what was asked of her.

"Listen pet, I know I should of called, but Angel thought-"

"Angel thought?"

"It was best to-"

"Since when did you care what Angel has to say?"

"There’s more to it…sorry, luv."

Buffy looked into his crystal blue eyes, then followed hr gaze to his chest. She reached her hand out to his chest, thinking it was some kind of mirage, she touched him. She felt him, he was really there in the flesh.

"How?" She asked, incredulously.

"Pure luck, luv."

He looked into her eyes as his heart began to warm.

"Can I come in now, luv?"

"I don't now, Spike. Is this a dream?"

Dawn came running in from the kitchen excited from the good news. "Giles was out, but Andrew was there."

"And?"

"He said he knew that Spike was alive."

"He knew?" Buffy was mad, especially at Andrew.

Dawn put her surrender hand in the air. "Don't shoot the messenger."

Buffy looked at Spike apologetically, "Sorry, com-”

"Uhm, he also said, Spike told him not to tell you." Dawn knew that if she withheld info about Spike, Buffy would be upset about it, but at the moment Buffy was pissed.

"Really, really, Andrew really?! He got to know? You don't even like him."

"Buffy, you have to -"

"I have to what, understand? To hell with that. Did you forget what I told you? How could you not tell me right after the very minute you returned?"

"It wasn't easy, believe me it wasn't."

"Yeah, picking up the phone isn't easy. What you didn't have any long distance dial out?"

Dawn was feeling really bad for Spike for telling what Andrew told her, but it was he received the wrath of Buffy, not her. He could handle it.

Spike was getting frustrated, feeling he could never win with the Slayer.

"I would love to argue with you while I'm outside, luv, but the bloody sun 'll be up soon, and I have to be in before I become ash again. Can I bloody crash or not?”

Buffy slammed the door in his face, needing a second without looking at him. The action caused the younger Summers to be surprised.

"Set up the guestroom, Dawn."

Dawn left the room, ecstatic. Buffy knew once she opened the door and invited him in, she would not be able to resist the urge to kiss the love of her life, so instead of fighting it, she was going to do it.

She opened the door to see Spike sill standing there, waiting. She looked him in the eyes.

"Come in."

Spike came in slowly, taking a step at a time, hoping she wouldn’t change her mind. As soon as he was in, the small blonde walked up to him, giving him a hug.

"Sorry, luv." Spike whispered into his lover’s ear.

Buffy looked at his face, still wrap in his hug, and kissed him. Without hesitation, he kissed her back. At first their kiss was sensual, but hearing Buffy whimper drove Spike crazy, and now they were kissing passionately. As badly as they had wanted to keep going, Buffy had questions, only Spike had the answers to. Also, needing to breathe, the Slayer pulled away.

"I missed you, did you miss me?" Buffy asked.

"You have no idea, pet."
**********

As Dawn finished putting a sheet on the guestroom bed, she walked out, but stopped when her cell phone rang.

"Hello-Oh, hey Willow."
***********

Meanwhile, Buffy and Spike were in the kitchen, because Buffy was really hungry from slaying and even the excitement of having Spike back, didn't lessen her hunger.

"I would offer blood, but you know-"

"S' okay, Slayer."

She pulled a bag out of the freezer, and turned to Spike, who was sitting on a stool. "We have pizza rolls. I haven't eaten.. ."

"Sure."

As Buffy got the oven ready, Spike checked her out. She could feel his eyes wondering over her body, and to tell the truth she was ok with it, but she decided to ignore it, until she got more answers.

Dawn walked in as she closed her cell phone.

"Willow's on her way."

Jumping off the stool, Spike said, "What? No!" Spike said.

Maybe he wasn’t ready for company, Buffy thought.

Dawn and Buffy looked at each other, wondering what was going on with him.

"I'll tell her not to come, okay." Dawn said, trying to ease him.

"We'll just tell her to come over tomorrow." She put her hand on his to soothe him, causing him to nod.

"I'm gonna go lay down." Spike said, reassuringly.

"OK."

They watched Spike leave the kitchen until he was out of site.

"Buffy?"

The older Summers looked at her sister.

"Is he okay?"

"I wish I knew, Dawn.” She paused. “I wish I knew.”