Looking down at the bouquet of lilies in her hand, Buffy mused that Gladys' Garden on 5th was the only business in Sunnydale to prosper from the amount of mayhem that occurred on a daily basis…besides the mortuary that is. Kneeling, she placed the flowers carefully next to the stone grave maker and stood up again. Taking a step back, she put her hand on Dawn's shoulder. The younger girl was still on her knees with one hand tracing the name etched in the stone.
Joyce Summers
They hadn't been able to do this last year. They hadn't been able to visit or celebrate their mother. They had been too busy running for their lives and/or save the world…again.
And I almost failed, Buffy thought to herself. She'd tried her hardest to take care of Dawn, to keep her safe and to play both Slayer and mom, and in the end had almost gotten Dawn killed. In the end, she'd gotten herself killed. It's so hard, Mom, and I don't think I ever really thanked you. I'm sorry.
In front of her, Buffy could feel her sister's shoulders shake. Dawn probably hadn't even realized that she was crying and, a slight breeze cooling her face, Buffy hadn't either. Feeling Dawn about to stand, Buffy quickly wiped away her own tears. Dawn didn't say anything as she stood and although she was now two or three inches taller than her older sister, she kept her head down so that it was even with Buffy's shoulder. Following her sister's line of sight, Buffy's gaze fell upon the single white orchid clutched in Dawn's hand. Without a word the Summers sisters turned and walked six rows up and five rows east to where a fresh plot rested, the dirt still moist from the ground being turned.
Buffy stayed back as she watched her sister sink to the ground once more, distantly noting that her jeans would be forever stained by this day. The funeral had been just the day before and Buffy recognized that this moment today meant something different to Dawn than it did to her, that Dawn was grieving in a different and unfortunately familiar way. With her Slayer hearing she would be able to hear whatever Dawn had to say, even from this distance, but the day was silent except for the vexingly inappropriate bird song from a neighboring tree.
Like she had at their mother's grave, Dawn reached forward and touched to cool stone grave marker that had just been placed that morning. The funeral homes in this town were nothing if not efficient. Buffy watched as her sister's shoulders jerked and heard Dawn's breath hitch as her fingers traced the freshly carved "T" that dissolved into full on sobs upon reaching the "Y." Instantly Buffy was beside her, her own skirt dampening in the wet grass, and was pulling Dawn towards her. Buffy's own vision blurred as Dawn sobbed into her shoulder, her arms wrapped tight around her sister. The sun shone brightly and the birds continued to sing as the two girls mourned the innocence that they had lost.