"it's Buffy" he croaked out before his eyes began to fill up with tears and his face turned into one of such intense grief I couldn't hold back my own tears. The warm liquid soared down my cheeks as I nodded my head sadly and moved towards him.

The others, Cordelia and Wesley, and a few others I didn't recognise stayed silent but tears sprang to their eyes as well.

"How?" he asked brokenly, watching me carefully. I gripped his hands tight as a wave of emotions overtook me.

"Glory… she um opened a portal that leads to all hell dimensions and the only way it could be closed was to sacrifice Dawn. Buffy… she, she wouldn't allow that to happen so she took Dawn's place and jumped into the portal. We're holding a funeral tomorrow at noon if you want to come… we'll figure out a way so you won't burn up in the sun" I said as more tears cascaded down my face.

Angel frowned and collapsed on his knees as sobs shook his body. I didn't know what to do because at that moment I felt like doing the same. Remembering the way she lay still on a pile of rubbish – sacrificing her own life for a world that didn't deserve to be saved.

Only 48 hours previously I watched as Giles cried over a daughter and was so caught up in grief he drowned himself in liquor. Dawn relayed Buffy's messages to us before breaking down and hugging her sisters' dead body. Spike sat there as he cried for his lost love before disappearing into the night. As for Xander and I we placed Buffy in her bedroom and just sat by her and cried, remembering the good times. Tara and Anya gave us space realising we just needed to be with each other like back in the old days where it would be us three against the world.

And here I was telling Angel that he had lost his one true love and I didn't know how to comfort him. I wiped away a few tears before kneeling on front of him and gripped his shoulders.

"Buffy wouldn't want it any other way, she couldn't let Dawn die. You understand that don't you?" I questioned him. Buffy would want him to understand why she gave up her life; she wouldn't want him to be in the dark about something like this.

I saw him nod before he looked me in the eye and took my hands in his.

"I'll be there" was all he said before more cries of anguish overtook his body and he leaned forward and put his head in his hands and sobbed. I closed my eyes and let go of his hands. I didn't want to leave him like this but I didn't know what to do. I was grieving too.

I stood up gingerly and tried to blink away more tears but failed. I turned toward the others and Cordelia was crying in Wes' arms, both of them crying freely. The other two I didn't know stood there awkwardly, sensing the others needed time to grieve.

I stumbled over to Cordelia and took her hand. She gazed up at me, her make up running down her face. No words were needed we both just shed some tears at our lost friend. I looked up at Wes at saw the look of anguish on his face before turning back to Cordelia.

"Look after him" was all I said, turning back to watch and Angel fisted his hair and cried for Buffy. She nodded and escaped Wes' arm and sat down next to Angel and held him while he cried. I couldn't take it anymore with everyone crying for my friend it brought back the bad memories of Buffy at home, cold and lifeless in her bed.

The saltwater burned my cheeks as I practically ran out of the door and the reality that Buffy wasn't here crashed into me like a bus. I slid down against the wall and sobbed into my hands. Buffy wasn't here but I'd be damned if I didn't get her back.

THE END