Spike wasn't usually the best at checking in. The last month or two was a blur, not to mention moderately traumatizing, and he couldn't seem to focus on any of it. He overloaded and shut down; or tried to. Mostly all that time spent avoiding everything had resulted in too much introspection, which wasn't healthy for anyone. It was also what he was in the middle of while he was smoking on his reclaimed bench.

So Ed suddenly tracking him down and jumping out of nowhere managed to surprise him. He opened his eyes and looked back up at her with a blank expression. "...What's up?"