WARNING: Deals with a minor characters death. But it has a happy ending and the potential for a sequel. Feedback will govern this.
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As I stand here by the marker, the trees whisper remembered echoes of a voice that told me it loved me.
I told her to leave. That it wouldn't be safe but she insisted. So she became involved in the plans, in the fight, amazed that our class would involve itself so completely, prepared to die to protect their families and friends. She suggested that perhaps the Slayer wasn't so peculiar after all, that the fight could be fought by more than a few. It could be fought by many.
But she didn't understand. The many in this instance, fought because there wasn''t really a choice. Die, or fight and maybe not die. The decision was simple really.
She fought with us...and died. In the overall scheme of things the losses were few...so few to save the entire town and who knows how many more.
The fates probably knew.
The pale grey stone in the moonlight make the blood red rose seem truer in colour.
I miss her.
I'm not going to LA to dad. Giles opened his home but we decided to both sell our homes and find somewhere that would house his books, our weaponry and a training room for me.
I don't know what I'd've done without him.
He's here now, his hand on my shoulder offering comfort. It occurs to me now in this quiet cemetery in Sunnydale that I love him. Not with the firey passion that I loved Angel but something so deep it was part of my very soul.
I love him as a friend, a mentor, a guide, an extension of myself, keeper of my darkest moments...a comforter and a lover. He has comforted me some nights the only way that he could, showing me in the most intimate of ways that someone cares.
I remember it now in a new light. I can feel the repressed, intense passion in his body and I realise he wanted to take more but those nights he gave to me. It wasn't about his needs.
I love him. A phrase so simple and extraordinary yet too often miss used. But I do love him.
With Giles I have nothing to hide, no reason to. He deserves love and kindness. He deserves attention and I'll give it to him. Whenever he wants me, if ever he need me.
I take his hand and gently kiss his cheek before leading him away from my mothers grave. Decision made.
~Fin