FF: Rewrite 6, part 3 - The Return - R

["carrkjar" <carrkjar@xxxxxxxxx>]

Title: The Return
Season 6 Reset, part 3

Author: Frau Hunter Ash 

Copyright © 2002 by Hunter Ash. All Rights Reserved.
Email: carrkjar@xxxxxxxxx Feedback welcome!!
Homepage Addy: http://www.hunterash.com/ 

Acknowledgments: Note: Plot collaborated on by Hunter Ash and Dark 
Gremlin 
Suggestions from many people and many boards. A special "thank you" 
to them. 
Another special "Thank You" to Joan the English Chick 
(pisces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx) for her transcripts.  

Bargaining, Parts 1 and 2 written by Marti Noxon and David Fury
Afterlife written by Jane Espenson

Disclaimers: The characters and show all belong to Joss Whedon, Fox, 
Mutant Enemy, Kuzui, and God only knows who else. No harm intended.

F/F romance: the story assumes a loving and sexual relationship 
between people of the same gender and opposite gender. If this 
offends or is illegal for you, then please leave. Come back when you 
are older, have an open mind, moved, or changed your laws. 

Spoilers: In my universe here, Season 6 is happening again! Starting 
with Bargaining and taking off from there. Things will be different 
here.  

Rating: R (US) 15 (UK) MA (Aus) Pairings: W/T, X/An  

Summary: This isn't the episode or transcript though you'll find 
most parts are taken right from the episode. Some things are 
rearranged and there are some major differences as well. 
Buffy has returned from the grave but is everything okay?  
There's also demons running around causing all kinds of hell.

* * *

"Willow, I don't think this is a wise idea," Giles complained as they 
walked out of the Magic Box into the alley.  

"Giles, you heard those demons," Willow said wearily. "We've got to 
do something and fast. They might be scared off if Buffy was coming 
back from vacation but she's not!"

Giles frowned and pulled Willow away from the others, back to the 
door of the Magic Box.

"Willow, you've got magical energy dancing all around you," he 
growled. "What did you do?"

"It didn't work, so don't worry about it," Willow snapped at her 
mentor. "And no, I didn't call these things here! They interfered."

"What did you do?" Giles demanded, his expression stern.

"Drop it!" Willow shouted. "Let's just make sure Dawn is safe and 
start taking these demons down a few at a time."

"I'm not dropping this, Willow," Giles said firmly. "We will 
continue this discussion."

"Why?" Willow snapped. "You've barely been around except for an 
occasional slayage and you're planning on leaving us."

Giles was surprised by Willow's bitterness and stepped back.

"You think it's over because Buffy died!" she snapped. "We've tried 
to carry on, with little damned help from you! Don't we need more 
help than Buffy did?"

Willow leaned against the door, obviously weak, fighting back tears.

"Aren't we hurting as bad as you are?" she asked softly.

"Willow, I'm sorry," Giles said in a low voice and reached for her 
shoulder but the red haired witch shook it off with an angry gesture 
and glare.

"I'm going to make sure Dawn is safe and then try to save Sunnydale," 
she growled. "We'll probably get killed doing it. You going to help 
or hide in the shop and drink?"

"Willow!" Tara snapped.

"Sorry, let's just get going," Willow mumbled, barely able to lift 
the cross bow she had chosen for her weapon.

Giles looked stunned and watched the already battered Scooby Gang 
heading down the alley. He grabbed up the pick axe and followed 
behind Xander and Anya.

"It wasn't your fault, Will," Tara said softly. "We don't know if the 
spell would have worked, even if the demons hadn't&"

"It would have worked," Willow protested.

"Well, maybe," Tara said slowly.

"What do you mean?" Willow asked.

"Maybe it wasn't supposed to," Tara suggested. "I mean, those demons 
showing up at the exact wrong time? We were in over our heads.  
Invoking forces that we have no right to invoke. Maybe the Fates 
sent that destruction on us to stop us. I mean&"

"You mean it was my fault for trying," Willow said in a sullen voice.

"No, no, I don't mean that!" Tara protested, wrapping an arm around 
Willow's shoulders.

The group moved towards the gate at the end of the alley that led to 
another alley when Tara squealed and Willow fell backwards in 
surprise, still weakened. Something dark was poised on top of the 
fence and it fell down on their side, startling them.

The figure looked up from the ground a dirt streaked face and blank 
eyes.

"Buffy?" Willow whispered.

"No way!" Xander protested even though he knew it was true. Buffy 
looked like she had just crawled out of hell. "Did Spike make another 
Buffybot?"

"It's Buff," Willow said softly.

Buffy suddenly rushed between them and down the alley at a dead run.

"Buffy!" everyone cried out and started to follow.

"What happened to her?" Xander demanded.

"Buffy!" Willow screamed.

The gang found themselves in another alley.

"Where is she?" Xander demanded as Giles looked at Willow 
thoughtfully with an almost accusing look in his eyes.

Willow spotted her friend in a corner between a wall and some tossed 
out junk, the blonde hair hiding Buffy's face.

"Buffy?" Willow said softly, approaching slowly. "Buffy, are you&"

"Easy, Willow," Giles advised. 

"She's in shock," Tara mentioned.

"Buffy? It's Willow. Can you hear me?"

"What's wrong with her?" Anya asked softly.

"Nothing!" Willow snapped. "It's just shock."

"Her hands," Tara said. "Look at her hands."

Willow glanced down and slowly took in the ripped nails, bloody 
fingers and dirt covering everything that wasn't bloody.

"No, oh please no," Xander muttered.

"What?" Willow demanded.  

"How could we be so stupid?" he snapped.  

"Xander!" Willow snapped back, demanding answers.

"Our spell," he growled. "The resurrection spell worked like a magic 
charm. We brought Buffy back to life, right where we buried her.  
Right where we left her."

Tara moved quickly to wrap her arms around Willow as the red-head's 
knees buckled.

"Oh no," Tara whispered.

"In her coffin," Xander finished.

Willow turned in Tara's arms, anguished.

"She had to&to dig out of her own grave," Xander nodded.

Xander continued to watch Buffy as she crouched, lost within herself.

"Buffy, we didn't know it worked, I'm sorry," he choked. "Buffy?"

The Slayer turned her head away, hiding behind her hair.

"You're not reaching her, she's too traumatized," Tara assessed.

"Let me try," Giles suggested and moved to take Xander's 
place. "Buffy, I don't know what happened but we're here. We love 
you, Buffy."

"Yeah, you're home, Buffy," Xander nodded.

Buffy raised her head slowly.

"That's it, you're home," Xander smiled softly.

"Yeah, welcome home, Slayer!"

Everyone spun to find several demons at the entrance to the alley.  

Razor grinned and Tara shrank back, pulling Willow with her.

"Not looking too good though, is she?" Razor asked.  

"Yeah," Xander snapped. "Well, you won't be winning too many beauty 
contests either."

Xander lifted the battle axe off his shoulder.

"Unless they have a 'My Face Fell Off' pageant," he continued.

"Big axe you got there," Razor smirked.

"The better to cut you down to size, grandma," Xander growled.

Razor's grin grew wider as he moved towards Xander and the others 
moved back, looking nervous.

"Incindere!" Tara said loudly, gesturing with her hand.

A fountain of flame erupted between Razor and Xander and the demon 
stepped back.

"Ah," he smirked. "So you got a witch in the mix."

"More than one, demon," Tara snapped.

"Plus, we have a Slayer here who might actually be looking to eat 
some brains," Anya added. I think a little moseying along, no hard 
feelings, I'm sure your demon horde won't think any less of you."

Giles watched as Buffy, looking a little more aware, stood up.

"I think you've got exactly enough magic between all of you for a 
kiddie birthday party," Razor taunted.

"Then you'd be wrong," Willow said firmly, stepping in front of Tara.

"Whoa!" Razor smirked. "I'd better back off. Or you might, what? 
Pull a rabbit out of a hat?"

"Don't do that!" Anya shouted, horrified at the thought. "Why would 
she do that?"

Tara shook her head impatiently.  

"We don't want trouble, you don't want trouble," Willow said firmly.

"Of course we do!" Razor countered. "We're demons! We're really all 
about trouble!"

"Not this kind," Willow growled.

"Oh, I get your point," Razor growled.  

Tara screamed when Razor stepped forward and backhanded Willow, 
sending her flying to land on top of some boxes. Xander rushed 
forward but Razor backhanded him as well.

Anya rushed over to Xander and Tara ran to Willow.

"Now let me tell you something, children," Razor growled. "We're not 
gonna fight you. We're just gonna hold you down and enjoy ourselves 
for a few hours."

Giles, staying quiet next to Buffy, watched as the Slayer looked over 
at the unconscious Willow, a frown on her face.

"Some of you might even live through it," Razor smirked.

Buffy moved past Giles.

"Except that some of my boys got some anatomical incompatibilities 
that, uh, tend to tear up little girls," Razor grinned. "So, who 
wants to go first?"

Buffy stepped in front of him, her eyes firm.

"I was really hoping it'd be you," Razor said softly.  

Giles flinched as Razor hit Buffy across the face, hard. Buffy's 
head snapped to the side but the punch failed to move the Slayer.  
Razor suddenly looked a little uncertain. Giles could see blood on 
Buffy's lips and her face harden into Slayer mode.

Razor growled and threw another punch at Buffy's head only the Slayer 
grabbed his fist, holding it immobile. Using her free hand, the 
Slayer punched him in the face, twice, and then kicked him. The 
demon fell back unconscious.

The other demons looked on nervously.  

Tara helped Willow sit up as she regained consciousness. Buffy 
looked down at Razor, confused.

"Does this mean we won?" Anya asked as Xander stood up.

The remaining demons yelled in rage and charged Buffy. The Slayer 
kicked one of them back as Xander and Anya moved closer. Buffy 
blocked another demon's axe and kicked him in the stomach.

One of the demons turned his attention to Xander with a large machete 
but Xander blocked the blow with his axe, following through with a 
punch to the demon's face with the axe handle.

Buffy blocked a punch from another demon and punched a second one 
crowding her.

Tara moved to grab up the crossbow she had dropped as Willow loaded 
hers and shot a demon in the center of his chest.
	
A demon attacked Buffy with a knife and she grabbed his arm in both 
hands, pausing to kick another demon away behind her. She swung the 
one with the knife around and threw him into another demon. She 
shoved another one away and then ducked and punched. She continued 
ducking and punching. 

Then Buffy was surrounded by demons hitting her with various weapons 
and the Slayer went down to the ground under their blows. Abruptly, 
Buffy sprung back up again, throwing the demons off her. The Slayer 
kicked one in the groin and he took two other demons down with him. 

Another demon jabbed a baseball bat at Buffy but she grabbed it. The 
Slayer used one end to hit a demon sneaking up behind her and then 
used the other end to hit the first demon with his own bat.
The Slayer looked around at the fallen demons and then her friends, 
her expression blank.
* * *
Spike growled and leaped over the railing as two motorcycles rode up 
on the lawn. Landing between them, he thrust his baseball up, 
hitting first one and then the second one. The vampire quickly moved 
over the first one and smashed the bat down on the demon's skull and 
then whacked the other. He began alternating between the demons with 
vicious blows until he was sure they were dead.
"God! That feels good!" he muttered and jumped back up on the porch 
in his previous spot.  
* * *
Willow shouted in anger and crashed her crossbow down on the head of 
a demon who had Tara pinned to the wall while choking the blonde 
witch. Willow followed through with a major blow to his face when he 
hit the ground.  
Tara fell coughing into Willow's arms.  
Giles was struggling with two demons and broke away with a classic 
Slayer move, rolling forward under their grasping claws. The ex-
Watcher spun with the pick axe and buried it in one demon's chest and 
hit the second one across his nose with his elbow.
He glanced around and saw Xander struggling with a demon; the young 
man was down on some broken wooden boxes. Giles was about to rush 
over and help when Xander fought back and slashed with his axe before 
burying it in the demon's chest.  
Buffy turned from fighting one demon with the baseball bat. Another 
biker flung a length of chain, ensnaring the bat and the creature 
pulled the bat out of the Slayer's hand. Taking advantage of a 
disarmed Buffy, he attacked her with a knife only to be blocked as 
Buffy grabbed the knife arm. Buffy used it to stab another demon as 
he charged her. The Slayer kicked out behind her, knocking away yet 
another demon. The demon she was holding growled but his rage was cut 
short as Buffy twisted his arm around, grabbed his head and wrenched 
his neck viciously, snapping it. 
Buffy looked around the alley with the same blank expression as the 
rest of the gang checked each other for injuries now all the demons 
were finally defeated.
"They wanted a massacre," Tara commented softly.
"Buffy? She's herself again," Xander smiled as they approached her 
slowly. "You're back, Buffy. You're home."
Buffy backed up suddenly, looking fearful.  
"Whoa," Xander said gently. "Whoa, easy, Buff."
Willow whimpered at the anguished look on her best friend's face.  
They watched, unsure what to do, as Buffy raised a bloody hand to her 
lip, wiping the blood away. Giles took a step forward as tears 
filled her eyes.
Buffy abruptly bolted down the alley.
"Buffy!" Willow shouted.
"Where is she going?" Anya demanded, an exasperated expression on her 
face.
"I don't know," Giles muttered, frowning deeply.
"Should we follow her?" Tara asked.
"I don't know," Willow replied with a weary sigh.
The gang turned as Xander yelped in pain, falling forward. They 
watched stunned as Razor stumbled to his feet, metal claws extended 
from his hands like a demonic Freddy Kruger.
"Now what kind of Slayer runs out on her buddies just when they need 
her the most?" he taunted, smirking at the humans.
"Xander!" Anya screamed as Razor closed in on the young man trying to 
scamper out of the demon's way.  
Xander grabbed up a trash can lid as a shield. Razor's claws 
shredded through it like paper and Xander looked frightened.
Razor growled as all the other Scooby gang members closed in on him; 
pounding him with bats, a chain and a length of pipe. The demon went 
to one knee under their barrage and then shrugged them all off, 
sending them flying.
Willow growled and held up her hand. "Obfuscate!" she shouted and a 
gray orb of energy formed in her hand, which she threw it at the 
demon. Razor yelled in rage as a gray substance covered his face, 
blocking his vision.
The gang resumed hitting the demon with anything they could get their 
hands on. Unfortunately, Tara got too close to his hands and the 
demon wrapped his fingers around her throat, raising her off the 
ground.
"Fragilis!" Willow yelled.  
Tara closed her eyes as Razor lashed out with his claws, aiming at 
her chest. The demon, pulling the gray goop away, stared in anger at 
his shattered claws and the uninjured witch. With a roar of 
frustration, he threw her aside.
Moving faster than the gang thought possible demon, moving faster 
than the gang thought possible, Razor grabbed Willow by the throat, 
raising her off the ground as she struggled to regain her energy.
"So," Razor growled. "The witch has some power after all. Well, 
let's see what tricks you can manage while I choke the life out&"
Willow blinked as Razor gasped and released her. The demon falling 
beside her face first. Willow took in the sight of an axe sticking 
out of Razor's back. Willow looked up into Tara's eyes as the blonde 
witch bent over to help her up.
"Tara!" Willow grinned.
"Nobody messes with my girl," Tara grinned back.
Xander, Anya and Giles walked up to the couple.
"Nice axing," Xander commented.
"Thanks," Tara grinned. "My first."
They glanced at the very-hard-to-kill demon, for a moment.
"Buffy! She'll head home!" Willow suddenly cried out and began 
running.
Everyone looked at each other in surprise and then quickly followed 
the witch.
* * *
Spike glanced over the railing of the porch, noticing the lack of 
demons heading his way with a frown. The vampire was about to go in 
search of more "fun" when he caught movement of someone running 
across the lawns.
"Probably human and I can't play," Spike complained as he jumped over 
the railing, bat at the ready.

Dawn, watching from the basement window, startled the Franklin family 
by shrieking and dashing for the stairs.

Spike stopped in mid-swing and stared but then jumped as Dawn stormed 
out of the house.

"Buffy!" 

Buffy shrank back, almost ducking her head.

"Easy, Little Bit!" Spike cautioned, lowering the bat. The vampire 
looked the Slayer up and down, quickly spotting the injured 
hands. "She's had a major trauma about it."

"Buffy? How?" Dawn asked softly. "Is it really her?"

"Yeah, scent's right," Spike said slowly. "Buffy, can you hear me?"

Buffy turned to run.

"No!" Dawn screamed and the Slayer stopped.

Buffy, remembering the tower after defeating Glory and facing the end 
of the world or Dawn's death, hesitated.

"Don't! Please!" Dawn begged. "I'm your sister, Dawn, remember?"

Buffy frowned and Spike backed up a pace, giving the Slayer and 
sister room.

"Buffy, please?" Dawn pleaded. "Remember? We were up on the tower, 
together, you and me like? And then you went away. I don't want you 
to go away again. I don't know how you're back, but you are and, 
please, just stay."

Buffy looked down at her hands, her face puzzled.

"Talk to me! Say something!" Dawn shouted.

Buffy glanced back towards the center of town where demons continued 
roaring through the streets, tearing things up and terrorizing what 
few citizens hadn't found shelter.

"Is this&.hell?" Buffy asked softly.

"What?" Dawn asked softly.

"Is this hell?" Buffy asked.

"No!" Dawn said loudly. "Buffy, no! You're here with me! Whatever 
happened to you, whatever you've been through, it's over now. You're 
home."

Buffy frowned.

"Everything was so clear," Buffy said slowly. "I remember, how shiny 
and clear everything was. Now it's not, now&now&"

Dawn's eyes widened as Buffy closed hers.

"Buffy, please listen to me," Dawn begged.

"You told me I had to be strong and I've tried," Dawn's voice cracked 
as tears filled her eyes. "But it's been so hard without you."

Buffy frowned, keeping her eyes closed.

"I promise I'll be better!" Dawn pledged. "Just don't run! I need 
you here! I need you to live!"

"Dawn?" Buffy whispered softly.

"Buffy, please come back to me," Dawn continued.

"Dawn?"

"Snap her out of it, Lil' Bit," Spike said softly.

"Buffy!" Dawn shouted, startling the Slayer. "Buffy?"

"Dawnie?"

The teenager, unable to resist any longer, launched herself into 
Buffy's arms, taking the Slayer to the ground. Spike moved back into 
the shadows of the porch for the moment.

"Oh God! Thank God!" Dawn muttered, hugging Buffy tightly. "You're 
here! You're here! You're home!"

Spike frowned as Buffy and Dawn sat up and Buffy's expression wasn't 
one of happiness.

* * *

"She's at home, she has to be," Willow muttered as the Scooby Gang 
moved quietly through the many alleys of Sunnydale. Willow pondered 
for a moment how a town named "Sunnydale" could have so many sewers, 
caves, tunnels and dark alleys.

"This is the fastest way?" Tara asked.

"Absolutely," Xander assured them.

"You sure?" Tara asked nervously.

"Hey, I've done a lot of fleeing on these mean streets," Xander 
pointed out. "I know all the shortcuts."

"I don't like this," Anya complained, pointing. "Look, fire. Fire is 
rarely a sign of imminent safety."

"I just wish we were there!" Willow joined in the complaining.

"Hey," Xander smiled. "Don't worry, ladies and gent, I'll get us 
there just fine. My senses are primed for danger. Nothing's gonna&."

Giles quickly grabbed Anya and pulled her up against the alley wall 
as Xander yelped as three demons roared down the alley on their 
motorcycles. They ignored the gang and continued onto the city 
streets.

Willow and Tara steadied Xander.

"Whoa!" he growled. "I'm okay. Yeah, four. Four limbs." He looked 
somewhat stunned. 

"Well," Anya smirked. "At least they hit you on the way OUT of town."

"Yes, now with their leader gone they seem to be leaving," Giles 
commented.

"It was really Buffy, right?" Willow asked nervously. "We saw her and 
it was her, right?"

"Yes," Xander said gently as they began walking again.

"I think we screwed up," Anya commented. "She's broken."

"No!" Willow snapped. "She's not broken! She's just disoriented from 
being&tormented in some hell dimension. It's like& we don't even know 
how much time has passed for her, possibly years. That's not 
something you just get over. Oh my God, what if she never gets over 
it?"

"Alright, young adults," Giles snapped. "What the hell did you do!"

"And you think of this now?" Anya demanded, ignoring Giles.

"What are you thinking, Willow?" Tara asked. "That&that she's not 
right, or&or dangerous?"

"No, just in shock," Willow muttered and turned to face Giles. "I 
found a spell, we did it and Buffy is back."

Giles looked stunned.

"Do you know what you've done? What could have gone wrong?" he 
snapped with an angry growl.

"Yes!" Willow snapped. "And I was and I'm willing to pay whatever 
price there is! It's done and she's back! Let's find her and help 
her!"

"This conversation isn't over," Giles growled.

"Buffy comes first," Willow said firmly.

Giles nodded and the gang continued towards the Summers home. 

* * *

Spike watched from several yards behind Dawn as she led Buffy back to 
the Summers' home. It seemed that most of the demons had split but 
the streets were littered with mailboxes, broken cars, broken glass, 
and broken baseball bats, chains, and pipes.

"See?" Dawn asked cheerfully, leading Buffy by the hand to the front 
yard. "Home, we're home!"

Spike smirked, wondering how Dawn was going to explain to her friend 
Janice and parents about demons in their front yard and Buffy turning 
up looking like the walking dead herself.

Enthusiastically, the teen led her sister into the house. Buffy 
winced when Dawn turned on the living room lights.

The Slayer looked around slowly, as if in a dream.

"It's different," she said softly.

"Yeah," Dawn said slowly. "A little. Tara and Willow live here now 
and&uh&we didn't do much. Moved some of the chairs, took out some of 
the little tables, but&"

Dawn watched as Buffy walked over to a familiar picture of her 
mother, picked it up and frowned.

Buffy didn't seem to hear her and the Slayer walked into the dining 
room.

"This hasn't changed much, except the computer," Dawn said slowly.

Buffy, still unresponsive, moved towards the stairs.

* * *

Spike hesitated at the foot of the stairs, unsure what to do. He 
pulled his duster off and threw it over the banister and leaned 
against the wall, waiting.  

* * *

Dawn had somehow gotten Buffy out of the dress they had buried the 
Slayer in and into a pair of jeans, undershirt and loose white button 
down shirt. The younger sister then led Buffy into the bathroom and 
began to slowly clean the dirt away from Buffy's face and neck.

"I knew you were under that dirt somewhere," Dawn tried to joke as 
Buffy stared at her reflection.

Dawn glanced down at Buffy's hands and winced.

"Oh wow!" she said softly. "Let's clean those up."

Buffy, looking down at her ragged and bloody hands, pulled them back 
abruptly.

"Okay, we'll do those later," Dawn said softly, exasperated.

Buffy stood up quickly and walked to her mother's room, now Tara and 
Willow's room. Again the Slayer winced at the light when Dawn 
entered behind her.

"Mom's room," Dawn said softly. "I know it's really different now."

"Willow and Tara," Buffy said slowly. "This is their room."

"Yeah," Dawn agrees. "It seemed to make the most sense. No one was 
using it and it's the biggest. Now that you're here, we'll figure 
something out."

As Buffy turned to leave, Dawn sighed heavily and threw her arm 
across the doorway.

"You wanna like, stop?" Dawn demanded. "We can&we can sit down and 
talk, please."

"What else is different?" Buffy asked.

"Well&"

"Hey, Lil' Bit! Things okay?" Spike called up the stairs.

"What?" Buffy demanded, alarmed.

"It's okay!" Dawn said quickly. "It's just Spike. Come on."

Dawn walked down the stairs slowly with Buffy a few steps behind 
her. Spike stood up from his leaning and watched Buffy closely.

"She's kind of&out of it a little," Dawn said quickly. "She's been 
through a lot, but I think she's okay."

"Her hands," Spike said softly.

Buffy frowned and hid her hands behind her back, looking confused.

"I was going to clean them," Dawn nodded. "I don't know how they got 
like that."

"I do," Spike said calmly. "Clawed her way out of her own coffin, 
that's how."

He glanced up at the Slayer. "Isn't that right?"

"I&I had to," Buffy said softly.

"Done it myself," Spike nodded. The vampire seemed to snap out of his 
staring. "Come here, Slayer," he said reaching his hand out. Buffy 
hesitated but then took his hand and let Spike lead her to the sofa.

"Get some stuff," he said to Dawn. "Uh, mercurochrome, bandages and 
such."

"Okay," Dawn agreed and trotted back up the stairs.

Spike gently takes Buffy's hands and looked at her closely.

"How long was I gone?" she whispered.

"Two and a half months," he said calmly. "How long was it where you 
were?"

Buffy hesitated, not meeting his eyes.

"Longer."

* * *

"Look, lights are on!" Anya said cheerfully.  

"Thank the Goddess," Willow said wearily, holding onto Tara for 
strength.

Xander hit the porch at a run, with Anya right behind him, throwing 
open the door.

"Buffy!" Xander yelled as he ran inside. "Is she here?" 

"She's here!" Anya cried out.

"She's here, Will," Tara said softly as she and Giles helped an 
exhausted Willow up the porch stairs and into the house.

"You ran away!" Anya snapped at Buffy.

"We didn't know where you were!" Xander agreed.

"Buffy!" Willow said softly as they entered the living room.

"Everyone back off!" Dawn shouted as they crowded around the 
Slayer. "You knew she was back?"

"Buffy, are you okay?" Willow asked softly, ignoring Dawn for the 
moment. 

"You did this!" Dawn accused. "What did you do?"

"It was a spell," Willow answered slowly. "We did a spell."

"We didn't think it worked," Anya tried to explain. "Those demons&"

"Is she gonna be okay?" Dawn demanded.

"I'm okay," Buffy said softly. "I'm gonna be fine."

"What was it like?" Anya asked bluntly.

Buffy frowned and looked away as Spike stood up and moved away from 
the gang.

"I can't," Buffy whispered.

"It's okay," Xander said quickly. "You don't have to talk about 
this, Buff. Hey, do you want something? Anything? Pizza?"

"She doesn't want pizza," Willow said irritably, glaring at Xander. 
He started to snap back but Dawn snapped first. 

"Guys, back off," Dawn snapped, sitting down next to Buffy and 
placing her arm around Buffy's shoulder. Buffy looked around, 
confused.

"I'm tired," the Slayer said softly.

"Dawn's right," Willow said firmly. "Back off, guys. It's four in the 
morning and she's been through hell, literally. But we got you back, 
Buffy, we did it!"

"I'm really tired," Buffy repeated.

"So is Willow, that spell was intense!" Tara said softly. "Then 
fighting those demons took everything else we had."

Buffy stood up and moved towards the stairs.

"My room&.?" 

"Yeah," Dawn answered quickly. "It's still your room, nothing has 
changed."

The gang turned to their red-haired witch with mixed expressions.

"She'll be fine!" Willow snapped. "She used to go to bed all the 
time!"

"I suggest the rest of us do the same and talk about this tomorrow," 
Giles grumbled.

"Yeah, let's deal with it tomorrow," Xander agreed. "I am so not 
going to work in two hours."

"Yes, you are," Anya complained. "We need the money and the 
construction crews will be needed around town for immediate repairs."

"Anya!" Xander protested as she led him out the door.

Willow and Tara watched Buffy walking up the stairs, worry showing on 
both their faces.