Buffy held on to Dawn for dear life. It was over. It was all finally over.
For all they had been through, they had succeeded. No one knew what came
next, but for now it was over. Buffy slowly stood and surveyed the troops.
Angel and faith were helping the slayers in training pull to their feet. It
was over, they had all made it.
For one last time they gathered at the Summers residence, which, although damaged, was still standing. They stood in silence as they all broke down in relief. Giles pulled out from the closet a lone bottle of champagne, which they managed to share among them all. A silent toast to all who had fallen.
Buffy slowly watch the crowd in the room. Angel and Faith, without whom this might have ended differently, Willow, Xander, Anya, Giles, Dawn and even Andrew. The slayers in training, they did this together. And Spike. where was Spike?
She slowly crossed the room, looking for him. Calling out his name, she walked through the hall and into the kitchen.
"Spike?"
The tail end of a leather coat flashed as its owner escaped through the rear door. Buffy's pace quickened as she ran to catch up with the fleeting figure. There was no way he would get away this time.
She caught him at the edge of her yard.
"Spike, where are you going?" Spike turned and looked down at her hand which was firmly grasping his arm.
"Get back inside slayer, the group needs their leader." Buffy refused to give.
"Spike.." She stammered. "I don't know how to say this."
"Just say what you need and let me on my way."
"Spike, we need you to. All of us, do you understand? We did this together. If one of us is not there, then we aren't complete."
"Whatever, slayer, I'm not one for groups." Physically trying to pull his arm away.
"I need you." Buffy whispered.
"What did you say?"
"I don't know what I feel, only.. I don't want you to go. I want you here." Spike turned and stared. "Please don't go."
Buffy released her hold on Spike and stepped in closer.
"Please?"
Angel turned from Faith and looked for Buffy.
"Willow, where's Buffy?" Willow shrugged. Angel searched the room.
"Buffy?" He waled the halls, knocking on the bathroom, passing through the kitchen.
"Buffy?" He noticed the door was open. Crossing to it he stepped outside.
"Buffy?"
He saw her standing in the garden. With Spike. Who had his arms around her. His voice lowered.
"Buffy?"
Spike looked up from over Buffy's shoulder.
"Hello, Peaches." Spike slowly smiled.
Angel turned to go back into the house, his face red, his heart torn.
"You were right, Angelus. To kill this one we had to love her." Spike voice and rising laughter echoed through the trees.
For one last time they gathered at the Summers residence, which, although damaged, was still standing. They stood in silence as they all broke down in relief. Giles pulled out from the closet a lone bottle of champagne, which they managed to share among them all. A silent toast to all who had fallen.
Buffy slowly watch the crowd in the room. Angel and Faith, without whom this might have ended differently, Willow, Xander, Anya, Giles, Dawn and even Andrew. The slayers in training, they did this together. And Spike. where was Spike?
She slowly crossed the room, looking for him. Calling out his name, she walked through the hall and into the kitchen.
"Spike?"
The tail end of a leather coat flashed as its owner escaped through the rear door. Buffy's pace quickened as she ran to catch up with the fleeting figure. There was no way he would get away this time.
She caught him at the edge of her yard.
"Spike, where are you going?" Spike turned and looked down at her hand which was firmly grasping his arm.
"Get back inside slayer, the group needs their leader." Buffy refused to give.
"Spike.." She stammered. "I don't know how to say this."
"Just say what you need and let me on my way."
"Spike, we need you to. All of us, do you understand? We did this together. If one of us is not there, then we aren't complete."
"Whatever, slayer, I'm not one for groups." Physically trying to pull his arm away.
"I need you." Buffy whispered.
"What did you say?"
"I don't know what I feel, only.. I don't want you to go. I want you here." Spike turned and stared. "Please don't go."
Buffy released her hold on Spike and stepped in closer.
"Please?"
Angel turned from Faith and looked for Buffy.
"Willow, where's Buffy?" Willow shrugged. Angel searched the room.
"Buffy?" He waled the halls, knocking on the bathroom, passing through the kitchen.
"Buffy?" He noticed the door was open. Crossing to it he stepped outside.
"Buffy?"
He saw her standing in the garden. With Spike. Who had his arms around her. His voice lowered.
"Buffy?"
Spike looked up from over Buffy's shoulder.
"Hello, Peaches." Spike slowly smiled.
Angel turned to go back into the house, his face red, his heart torn.
"You were right, Angelus. To kill this one we had to love her." Spike voice and rising laughter echoed through the trees.