Buffy and Dean drove, talking about nothing.
"Oh can we go to Ihop? please?" Buffy says as she sees the big Ihop sign.
"Anything for you" Dean says glancing at Buffy.
He parked and Dean got out of the car but Buffy hadn't moved. Dean bent down and looked at her.
She stared straight ahead until Dean spoke.
"You coming?"
She snapped out of the trance like state. "Oh, yeah, sorry." She said opening her door.
They walk in together and get seated at a booth.
"So, Buffy, what was that about in the car?" Dean says opening his menu.
"I don't know. I was just thinking and it was like everything paused and I saw the last few months flash through my head. If I ever have a near-death experience, I'm pretty sure that's what it'd be like" she said nodding slowly.
"But why at that particular moment? There wasn't anything that could've triggered that, right?"
"I don't think so, but I don't know for sure. All I know is it was really weird." She said shaking her head and then looking back at Dean.
"So, what've you been doing?" she asked, changing the subject.
"Mostly hunting. What about you though? I mean besides flirting with fangs" Dean says smiling at Buffy.
"First of all, not flirting. I just, I was just lonely, I guess and he's always been there. As far as vamps go he's pretty reliable." Buffy said looking back at her menu to avoid eye contact.
"A vamp. Reliable? ha. Never heard that one"
"Well it's true. He was there for me when my mom died, when I came back to life--"
"Buff, you know I tried to be there"
" I know, that's not what I was trying to say." they both lapsed into silence after a couple seconds, Buffy looks back up.
"Why did you leave though?" she asked.
Dean looked up and then back down quickly. "I- I love you, Buffy. I really didn't know what to do or how to react in that situation. I didn't think your friends would bring you back from the dead. I thought they were more reasonable than that" Buffy made a confused face at that.
"Not that I'm not thankful for them doing it, it was just really unexpected. I didn't think you were coming back and I didn't see the point in staying in Sunnydale, with constant reminders of what I lost." He said finally looking back up.
"Dean, I still love you too" she said and Dean looked surprised then he smiled wide.
"So can I start you off with any drinks?" The waitress said standing at the end of their table.
"Just water for me" Buffy said still watching Dean.
"I'll have water too" he said looking back down at his menu until he realized Buffy was still watching him.
"What?"
"Nothing. I just missed you, I guess" Buffy smiled and Dean smirked.
"I've still got it" he winked and Buffy laughed.
******
They headed back to the hotel, drunk off of happiness. It was 6 am by the time they walked into the hotel.
"Oh" Buffy said stopping she turned to Dean and mouthed 'be quiet' he shook his head in understanding then shut the door behind them.
"Wha-" Dean started.
"Shhh!" Buffy whisper-yelled.
"What do we do until she wakes up?" He continued ignoring Buffy's warning.
"I'm going back to sleep" she shrugged walking over to the blankets. Dean stood there for a minute and Buffy looked at him.
She smiled and rubbed the blanket as an invitation. Dean sighed and took off his shoes then walked back over to the blankets and sat beside Buffy.
She stared at him.
"Wha--" being cut off a second time as Buffy leaned in and kissed him hard.
He kissed her back, missing the way she tasted. She put her hands in his hair but then broke the kiss.
She turned over without saying a word. Dean sat shocked for a few seconds, then he laid down beside her and wrapped one arm around her torso and put his head in the crook of her neck. And together they fell asleep.
