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It had been two days since Spike found Buffy in her sister's arms.
Two days that he hadn't let the Slayer out of his sight.
It was so amazing to be able to see her again. The BuffyBot wasn't the same; he had made her different, taken out little, hardly noticed imperfections.
No, having the real thing back was amazing.
And that was why he wasn't leaving her side.
He didn't want to risk waking up in his crypt and finding out it wasn't real, that it was all a dream.
So he sat.
Buffy slept. Coming back from the dead had taken a lot out of her. She needed to sleep and let her body adjust. Adjusting mentally could come later.
Dawn and the Scoobies came and went, just checking in. No one objected to Spike's silent vigil. Willow brought him blood a couple of times; Dawn brought him a blanket and pillow in case he wanted to rest.
But he just sat and watched her breathe. Something he had thought he would never be able to do. Memorizing every inch of her face in case it was a dream, knowing he wouldn't be able to handle it if it was.
He knew that when she woke up he would likely be kicked out, but that was all right. He had right now, while she was sleeping, breathing, to watch over her. Hoping that he wouldn't be kicked out. That the Slayer, his slayer, would allow him to stay by her side. That she would allow him to call her his slayer, that she would accept his friendship, the way the other's had.
No one had threatened to stake him lately, or even told him to go away. They believed that he loved Buffy. That it was real love, not obsession. And they knew how much it must have been tearing him up inside to have to watch her die and to know that he couldn't join her because Dawn needed him.
It would have been so easy to die with her, to just throw his body over hers and wait for the rising sun. Giles had stopped him.
With one word Spike had kept to the shadows, but with one word from Buffy he would watch the sun rise.
So he waited for Buffy to wake up and give his sentence. To protect her for eternity or to leave and never come back.
He hadn't touched her since she went to sleep. Hadn't wanted to do that without her permission.
He had made a lot of mistakes in the past, in the way he treated her and dealt with his feelings. This was a fresh start and Buffy could call the shots.
He heard her start to stir.
In seconds he was at the side of the bed.
Her eyes opened and it was her, Buffy, looking at him.
"Welcome back, luv," he said in a voice that was surprisingly steady.
"Hey," her voice was a bit weak but unmistakably her. "Thanks."
Redemption. With that one word he was given a second chance.
Spike smiled and went to get the others.