Six months had passed since Forrest's funeral. School had resumed. Graham and Riley were still graduate students at UCSunnydale and had gotten an apartment together off campus. In the wake of Forrest's death, the two had become closer than ever.

Buffy and Willow were sophomores now, and still roomed together on campus. Buffy spent the majority of her time sleeping in Riley's bed, but Willow didn't mind. The two girls made sure that they had quality Buffy/Willow time every week. The two had learned from the near disaster of their friendship six months before.

Xander and Anya were still together, still making their friends ill at the public display of affection. Xander toyed with the idea of attending college, but decided not to, not yet. He had finally found a nice job that he enjoyed and wanted to stick with it for longer than the two or three weeks he was prone to.

The group had forgiven Spike. It was a show of maturity that surprised them all. They knew he couldn't hurt them with the chip, but realized that without them, he really didn't belong in the world. Willow campaigned hard, telling all of her friends that they were all different in some sort of way, and who cared if Spike tried to kill them once? After listening to her passionate speech, the gang decided that Spike was there to stay, as long as he wanted.

True to Willow's word at the funeral, the demons came and went, but all had been defeated with the coming of the Scooby Gang.

*-*-*-*

Graham glanced up when he felt the body drop on the couch next to him. He glanced over. "Hey, Spike."

Spike scowled. "Commando, when are we going to start? I'm bored."

Graham laughed at Spike. "You are always bored." The close friendship that had resulted between Spike and Graham surprised the human the most. Never in a million years did he think that he would consider Hostile 17 one of his closest friends.

Spike was a little surprised himself. He detested the military background of Graham, but had discovered once he got past that fact, the human was actually rather likable. He tended to be sarcastic when needed be, and could almost match Spike in any verbal battle.

Spike leaned back, hands behind his head. "You know, once I get this chip out, I'm killing you. And I'm taking Red, and turning her into a vampire. She'll be the greatest vampire that ever lived."

Graham looked up at Willow. The two of them had started dating four months prior. Graham had fallen so head of heels in love with the woman it made his head spin. She was sitting at his table with her laptop, giggling at some email she had received. His face softened. "Yea," he murmured. "I know."

"Bloody Hell, mate! I'm threatening your woman and all you can do is tell me you bloody know!" Spike growled. Willow and Graham always amused him. He adored the witch with all his heart, and was thrilled that Graham provided everything she needed and wanted in a lover.

"Huh?" Graham asked, turning to Spike. "What?"

"Gonna kill you. Turn Red. Any of that ringing a bell?"

Graham chuckled, the laughter coming from deep in his chest. He knew Spike didn't mean a word he said. The blonde often teased Graham about how he would make Willow a vampire. "Naw, I'd stake you first."

"But what if I were to keep it a secret? You wouldn't know that I was vampy until I bit you."

Graham's chuckle turned into all out laughter. "You? Keep something like that a secret? Spike, we'd all know when we found Buffy dead. She'd be the first thing you'd go after."

Spike frowned. "Oh yea." He growled at Graham. "Doesn't matter. I'm faster than you. I'd still get ya."

"Yep, like to see ya try." Graham, as well as Spike, knew that if Spike ever did get his chip removed, the blonde would never hurt his friends.

"So when are we starting!?" Spike whined.

"Just waiting on Buffy and Riley to get back from the movie store."

"Bloody hell, I hope they don't rent some disgusting chick flick. I hate those," Spike growled.

Graham laughed. "You never know with those two. I kinda hope she gets something good, like with action and a little romance. Wills loves the romance."

Spike rolled his eyes. "Yea, I know. Where's the demon and her pet?" he asked.

"Anya and Xander? Xander called, said start without him, work is running over a little. Anya's meeting Buffy and Riley at the movie store, I think."

"Good! She will get something bloody." Spike grinned evilly, thinking of all the gore the ex-demon would bring back to the apartment.

Graham chuckled. It was Friday night, and the group was doing what they always did on Friday nights. They would gather at Graham and Riley's and have a movie night, watching movies and eating junk food. It was a time honored tradition that would help take away the stress of the previous week.

*-*-*-*

"YES!" Spike roared, causing the rest of the now complete Scooby Gang to chuckle. He glared at his friends. "What?"

"I can't believe you've never seen _Star Wars_," Xander said, grabbing a hand full of popcorn.

"I can't believe this movie is over twenty years old and you never brought it to Movie Night," Spike shot back. He glanced back at the TV, smiling at the remainder of the explosion that destroyed the Death Star.

"Well, everyone has seen it a million times," Xander said. "I assumed you had too."

Spike brushed Xander off with his hand. "You said there was more? What, two more movies after this?"

"And the prequel," Willow murmured from Graham's embrace.

"Bloody hell, people! I've got to see what happens! I want to see where Vader went off to!"

Graham chuckled as Xander put in _Empire Strikes Back_. He leaned down and whispered softly to Willow, "Wait till he finds out just who Vader is."

Willow giggled. "Graham, I love you."

"Love you too, Pixie," he replied, kissing her softly.

Spike rolled his eyes. "Come on! The movie is about to start!"

The Scooby Gang all settled down to watch the second movie in the original trilogy.

Forrest Gates may have been killed, and the group may have almost broken up six months before, but they pulled together, as they always did. Each individual member had helped the others grow from the experience, and learned from it also.

Graham didn't feel the constricting tug on his heart now when he thought of Forrest. He only thought of the good times they had together. As he looked around the room at his group of friends, he only thought of the good times that were yet to come.

END

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