A little while later, Dawn and Buffy are in the bathroom. Buffy has changed her clothes and…washed, cut, colored, and deep-conditioned her hair, it looks like. Have to have your priorities, I guess. Dawn wets a washcloth in the sink and gently wipes some dirt off Buffy's neck, crooning to her like a mother to a child. It's really very touching, and I would sniffle if I weren't so curious as to how Buffy managed to do all that to her hair but not clean her neck. Dawn tries to crack a joke, but Buffy doesn't respond; she just stares into the mirror. Dawn suggests that Buffy button up her shirt and then notices Buffy's bloody, damaged hands. In a sad little gesture, Buffy hides her hands at her sides, fingers curled up tight. Dawn promises to bandage her sister's hands and then starts buttoning up her shirt. Buffy suddenly turns and walks away, into what was Joyce's room. She looks around at the changes that Willow and Tara's tenure have brought. Dawn tries to explain why the witches have taken that room, but when her sister wanders off again, she follows her and urgently asks, "Buffy? Do you want to stop? We can sit down and talk." Buffy is still not making eye contact and eventually says, "What else is different?" Dawn struggles to understand if Buffy means in the house or in general, and then tells her that Giles left. Buffy bows her head.

Somewhere in the house a door opens, and then Spike yells out, "Dawn! Dawn, are you there?" Dawn calls back and heads downstairs. Because he's been so worried, Spike rants, "You. I could kill you. I mean it. I could rip your head off one-handed and drink from your brain-stem." First, hello to the inappropriate imagery. Second, is there really that much blood in the brain-stem? Would it spurt like a fountain or something? I really think the tried-and-true carotid artery is your best bet. Then they do that TV-show-cliché conversation that always drives me nuts where one person is trying to tell another person something important but can't get a word in edgewise. See, I don't find that convincing. I always manage to get a word in edgewise, frontwise, or otherwise. Dawn gestures at Buffy descending the stairs; at first Spike thinks it's the Buffybot. Realization that Buffy has come back slowly creeps over his face; he looks shocked, then seems to melt. Buffy ducks her head shyly and finishes buttoning up her shirt. Spike wants to know what Dawn did to bring Buffy back (no doubt thinking of "Forever"). Dawn insists she had nothing to do with this. Spike notices Buffy's hands (she quickly hides them) and gravely tells Dawn that Buffy "clawed her way out of her coffin." Then he finally addresses Buffy: "I've done it myself." He gazes at her and then shakes himself, instructing Dawn to get some disinfectant and bandages. He gingerly starts to guide Buffy to the sofa with his hand, but then jerks it away.