"Goddess!" Tara repeated and put a hand to the pale child’s face. "Th-that was her! It was really her!"

"That’s it. You're right Spike." The redhead stated. "I'm going in."

Spike was confused. "'Scuse me Red, but I'm not sure I understand." He noticed Dawns drawn face. "Nib, why don't you go lie down, eh?"

Dawn moved without much protest, Buffy's appearance had drained her as it always did, but this time was worse. This time she had felt herself disappear completely.

The vampire turned back to Willow. "She said come and get me." The witch explained as if it were the simplest thing on earth. "So that’s what I'm gonna do."

"Willow, honey, I think I understand, but when you went into Buffy's mind it was different. You were so close to her, y-your relationship with Dawn just isn't the same,” said Tara.

"Well then I'm just gonna have to hope that there's enough of Buffy in there for me to connect with. I have to do this."

"When?" asked Spike.

"Tomorrow. We should let Dawnie sleep. Buffy's appearance seems to have tired her." Willow replied.

~~~~~~~~~

Night had fallen and Willow decided to walk. Her mind was spinning from the day’s occurrences, and the gravity of what she had heard and seen was only just beginning to dawn upon her.

As she came upon a bench she saw a silhouette she recognized. Lean and compact, and the glowing embers of a cigarette illuminating his fingers.

"Well I'd say today rated amongst my top ten wiggy experiences." She said as she sat beside him.

"Yeah." He replied simply, taking another long drag.

"Spike, what I said before you and Dawn left.... Well I meant it, I'm glad you came to me."

He sat, silently, staring into space. Gone was the strange frivolity she'd witnessed earlier.

"Spike...."

"It isn't that I'm not happy you know..." He began. Now the words had started he couldn't stop them. "I'm bloody ecstatic."

"Don't go 'grr' at me, but you don't really sound it Spike." Willow said tentatively.

"No I am. I am. Really. Like I said earlier. She held us all together. God knows life isn't easy without her. Its just.... after everything she'd been through.... half of me hoped...."

".... That she'd found peace?"

He turned to her. She understood. Good, he'd felt so guilty when he's actually had time to think about Buff's situation and realized that in a way, death would have been a release for her. But Willow understood.

Of course she understood. Willow had watched Buff lose her first love, her home, and her love again, her mother, and finally her life. She looked into the vampire’s cool eyes.

"Spike, I know Buffy deserves better than the thing life has thrown at her...."

“.... But she also deserves damn better than being stuck inside her sister's body." Spike grinned. "Figured it was my turn to finish the sentence. C'mon," He stood up, "Need you all fresh in the morning to work your mojo."

The friends departed.

~~~~~~~~

She tossed and turned in her bed. No matter how hard she tried, sleep did not come to Dawn, Buffy was restless, and she could feel it. "Oh Buffy," She thought, "Just try and settle, please, I need to sleep, and tommorrow we'll try to get you out. Please just let me sleep."

It was no good. Buffy wanted out, and she couldn’t blame her really, but still it was amazing to be this close to her, to be one with her. She turned over once more and saw a shadow shift in the doorway.

"You okay sweetbit?"

When did someone she was supposed to hate, supposed to be terrified of become the person that she depended on the most?

"I'm fine, Buffy won't let me go to sleep. I figure she's starting to get freaked out about this whole situation or something."

When did someone he was supposed to hate, supposed to kill become the person that he depended on most?

Spike was overcome; the two people he loved the most in his years stared up at him through wide-open eyes, puffy from lack of sleep. Dawn sat up on the Sofa she was sleeping on whilst they stayed with the witches and Spike sat at the end she vacated. He reached and placed a cool hand on her shoulder.

"At least we know she's safe, with you. She knows you'll take care of her."

"And you'll take care of me."

Dawn smiled and settled into Spike. She slept. Buffy found peace. Peace within Dawn. Peace within his arms.