Written by VampGirl
Rating: PG
Pairing: Buffy
Disclaimer: Joss owns all rights to the Buffy & Angel characters; I don't.
Spoilers: Season 5 and "Bargaining, Parts 1 & 2" of Season 6
Summary: Buffy's journey into the 'afterlife' - this chapter opens with the end scene of "The Gift" and follows Buffy's spirit as she waits to depart this realm. The Scoobies are featured here to mainly show the difference between Buffy and her friends. Until the last chapter, the Scoobies will not be featured again.
Feedback: Please R/R and send it to the email addy above; it would be deeply appreciated.
Status: Finished!
When Buffy reached the top of the platform, her mind was racing. Dawn could not die; her friends - the world - could not perish tonight. Hurriedly, Buffy untied Dawn from the restraints. Blood flowed from Dawn's arms. Dawn was crying, trying to apologize as Buffy dragged her towards the stairs. Dimensional shifts commenced, with demons and a dragon crashing over the threshold. Buffy had to prevent the forthcoming apocalypse. Over Dawn's sobbing pleas, Buffy gave her final speech to her little sister:
"Dawn listen to me. Listen. I love you. I'll always love you. But this is the work I have to do. Tell Giles I...I figured it out. And I'm okay. Give my love to my friends. You have to take care of them now -- you have to take care of each other. You have to be strong. Dawn. The hardest thing in this world is to live in it. Be brave. Live. For me."
With determination, Buffy turned and sprinted over the edge of the platform, into the mangled electrical discharge that was powering the portals. With a flash of light, a sense of peace crept into her soul. Buffy then found herself watching from below as her mortal body retched above. She solemnly viewed her friends - Giles, Xander, Willow, Tara, Anya and even Spike - stare in stark disbelief as her human shell completed its journey down to a pile of lumber near the tower. Being closest, Giles approached apprehensively and gently placed two fingers on the side of Buffy's neck. Discovering no pulse, Giles sank to his knees in despair. Willow collapsed into Tara's comforting embrace, convulsing with deep sobs. Xander, carrying Anya, froze in his steps; Anya buried her grieving face into his shoulder. Spike - still sprawled on the ground where he had fallen - rolled his tear-streaked face away from sight.
Powerless, Buffy oversaw the aftershocks of her decision unfold. Her life's epilogue sped by. In Giles' car, her remains. Her house. Dawn, expressionless. Scooby Gang gathered - mourning, clouded whispers. Vaguely, Buffy overheard out of the din - hide death, Buffybot to cover, repeated calls to L.A. unanswered. Day raced into night, back into day. Secluded clearing. A grave dug by willow trees. A wooden coffin. Buffy - her soul - hovered alongside her earthly vessel. Dawn, tear-stained checks, stood with Giles' arm around her shoulder. Giles stared remorsefully down at the ground. A calm Anya supported a weeping Xander with her right shoulder. Likewise, Tara offered tranquil respite to a sniffling Willow.
"Please," Buffy's soul begged out to them, "please, don't grieve. I-I-I'm at peace. Xander? Willow? Giles? Guys, c'mon - be strong, for each other - please. I'm here and-"
She realized it was futile; they couldn't see her, their grief-ravished expressions transfixed on what she had once been. No one else came. In what seemed to be only a second to Buffy, everyone vanished; the coffin buried. Day was no more, night had settled in.
In the moonlight, Spike smoked a cigarette. No tears. He raised a brown-bagged bottle up in front of him. "Ere's t' you, S-slayer," accompanied by a deep swig and a backwards swagger. Spike took another drag from his cigarette. "I won't let you down again...I-I'll protect her. Protect her betta this time. Got my word on that. My promise."
The blonde-haired vampire wiped away the tears with the cuff of his leather duster. In a burst of rage, Spike winged the half-emptied bottle at the nearest tree. A smashing of glass broke the silence in the remote clearing. Buffy observed in silence, his pain filtering over the void. In an instant, Spike retreated out of her sight.
Where was Angel? Had anyone been able to get through to Los Angeles? To Cordelia maybe? Would they tell her father? Would he care? So many questions raced through Buffy, but in an instant only one stood out and gave her reprise - Nothing matters anymore. My work here has been fulfilled. Buffy felt a burst of warmth from behind. Turning, Buffy observed a swirling vortex of ultrawhite light. A surge of peace and serenity flooded outward. Buffy glanced back but nothing remained. The light beckoned her. Her mom's voice? Buffy wasn't certain. Buffy stepped into the light, finally, at peace.
"I can't believe we did it." Xander broke the heavy silence that had transcended on the Summer's living room. "We buried Buffy in a box. In a spot that's hidden away from everyone. Oh, God, I still can't believe this is happening. She's really dead."
"Xander, please," begged Anya somberly, gently tugging on his arm. They sat alongside Willow and Tara on the couch. Dawn sat on the floor, resting her back on the couch between the two couples. Giles slouched in a chair near the window, sipping his glass tumbler of Scotch. Spike, inebriated, stretched out between two wooden chairs from the dining room table. All eyes focused on the living room floor.
"This isn't going to work," Xander continued, his eyes remained fixed on the floor. "We have to think of something different, 'cause this isn't going to fool the demony underworld for long, y'know."
"I agree with Xander. It is bizarre," concurred Anya, nodding matter-of-factly. "But it kinda is the only plan so I guess we gotta try it. Right?"
Anya threw an inquisitive glance around the room. No one responded. Anya shrugged, cuddling closer to Xander and wrapping her arms tightly around his waist. Silence settled in around the group as each weighted the plan in their heads. Giles pulled himself up in the chair, cleared his throat slightly and removed his glasses.
"If word were to get out," spoke Giles sternly, not meeting anyone's eyes, "if the underworld were to find out that Sunnydale - or the world, for that matter - was without an active Slayer, do I really have to remind any of you of the consequences that could ensue from that knowledge? We live on a Hellmouth. Or have you all bloody-well forgotten that?" Briefly, he gazed around the room to gauge the impact of his statement before continuing on. He slowly put back on his glasses. "Now. With that said, however, I agree with Xander and Anya insofar as this plan is not a permanent solution. Though, for the interim, I'm afraid it must do."
"I can't look at 'it'," interjected Dawn, weakly, staring at the carpet. "It's creepy and plastic and-I'm suppose to act normal around it? I'm thinking, not."
"Right there with you, Dawnster," echoed Xander, with a nod. "It gives me a pretty big case of the wiggins, too. When I see it, I flashback to it having sex with - well, you-know-who."
"Oh, fag off, you bloody poof," slurred Spike. He attempted to flip Harris off but gave up when he found himself nearly falling off his chair in the process.
"Will," Xander pressed on, shaking his head in disgust from Spike's outburst, "we be attempting to reprogram 'bot sometime soon, yah? I really don't desire to inadvertently view any more Spike-Buffybot intimate moments, comprende?"
"Yah, I tried to start yesterday - wound up just surveyeing the sustained damage. Though I'm fairly confident in doing the programming, I'll be more concerned with inputs that directly effect everyday life for the moment - doing household chores, paying bills, registering Dawn at school, a less robotic use of the English language. Those items are essential to pulling this whole thing off. Unfortunately, whether or not it's betrothed to Spike - which we all agree is of the 'ewww' variety - doesn't rank as a high priority." Tara gently caressed her left shoulder; Willow gifted Tara with a slight smile. "I feel Giles is right. We just have to maintain some semblance of order here a-and not let this g-get to us, well too much. Bu...Buff-Buffy would want us to be strong."
"Willow, very astute as always," praised Giles gently. "I s'ppose we should all be getting home now. Dawn, do you wish to stay 'ere or-"
"Oh, me an' Willow are going to stay with her tonight. " piped up Tara meekly, "If that's okay with you, Mr. Giles?"
"Oh, of course, yes," Giles replied softly. "I wasn't aware, but that's fine. Well, I shall be going then. Anya, no need to open the shop-"
"What? No, no, no! Giles, you don't shut down a magic store in the wake of a major interdimensinal upheavel!" protested Anya.
"Anya, I'd sympathize - if I wasn't thoroughly exhausted from said event myself. I don't see what dire circumstances warrant us opening. A few days is all, a week at the latest - I swear," countered Giles.
"Not good enough. I understand we believe we rounded up all the demons that were released, but how can we be a hundred-percent certain? What if we missed one or two? And what about the hysterics and doomsayers that were rattled by the disturbances, huh? We have portions and charms that will calm their nerves. If they don't buy from us, there'll go elsewhere! We'll lose business, Giles; I'll lose my salary! Eventually, I could lose my job!" Anya begged tearfully to her boss.
"Just whose the boss 'ere?" Anya mouthed 'you' and added a hearty wide-grin. Giles sighed dejectedly. "Are you absolutely positive this is wise? You'll be able to open and close the-"
"Yes! I'll do it all!" gushed Anya happily. "Feel free to take as much time as you desire off from work. Rest assure - you won't regret this. A satisfied customer is a repeat customer - you'll see. Leave it me."
"Ahn, a little less on the happy please. We just buried her today, you know. I'm taking the next couple days off myself. Will, I'll call you tomorrow - 'kay?"
Willow nodded. All of them stood up, except Spike. Xander hugged Willow and Dawn. Anya embraced Dawn lightly. Giles gathered Dawn in his arms and softly kissed the top of her head. The group walked out to the main foyer area. Giles grabbed his coat and hastely exited. Xander put an arm around Anya, bid the others another 'good-bye,' then followed Giles out the door. Willow and Tara inquired if Dawn needed them for any thing, but she shook her head. The two witches embraced her, then climbed the staircase to the bedrooms above. Dawn went back into the living room, hoping Spike would still be there. However, he had ducked out the back door while the Scoobies had gathered at the front. Dawn sighed, and trudged unwillingly up the stairs to her room. It had been a long couple days for themall. Tomorrow they would all wake up and life would be unabated.
Buffy floated through the tunnel of light. Her friends' voices resonating still to her soul, but she could sense her hold on that world slipping steadily away. The light was fading now, opening into a void of darkness. The end to her journey was about to be revealed
To Be Continued...
