I loved this chapter, Buffy's starting to open her eyes, Xander's coming to terms with reality, the holding pattern is breaking and taking them to some different form of life, and it sounds to me not so much ominous as momentous. Wishful thinking? The other big thing is how Spike keeps and treasures his human days knowledge: it makes a lot of sense that a superior memory would come together with vampire constitution and healing powers. (Riccadonna)