A.N. Well we're really nearing the end of this one…I hope you've enjoyed it. All that's really left is this chapter and one more to wrap the second act up and then we move on to the final act. Anyways, enjoy…

P

The teens entered their apartment later that night, a little left of tipsy and still very emotional. The party had been fun but the entire night had just served as a reminder that they were saying goodbye to someone. The teens had stayed for a few hours and lots of drinks but knew they wanted to spend as much time alone as they could.

As soon as they closed and locked the door, they both headed for the bedroom, each leaving a trail of clothes on the floor of the dark apartment.

They sought each other out as soon as they slid into bed together and it was hours before they went without contact. They spent their last night together making love and crying and laughing and being best friends. It was horrible and beautiful and it made them both sick with anticipation.

The next day was spent much the way the night had been spent, but Peyton made sure to call home and talk to Lucas and Nathan and Haley and she managed to reach her father as well. She didn't tell any of them about what was about to happen that night because she didn't want them to worry or try to talk her out of it or make her cry more than she had the last two days. All around it was just about one of the best days she'd ever had in her life.

Later that night, they watched from across the ritual room as Willow and Dawn got the spell ingredients ready and the dread that filled both girls was palpable. Brooke sat with silent tears streaming down her cheeks as she held on to Peyton as long as she could. Peyton sat and held Brooke close…she was sad and scared but there was still that voice in her head and her heart that told her everything was going to be okay. She figured it was because she was fulfilling her destiny and she knew because of it she was saving the lives of everyone on Earth. The smaller part of her told her it was something else entirely but she refused to believe something would happen to bring her out of this alive.

Giles checked his watch and motioned to Buffy and Faith. He gave a silent nod to the two teens and that was all it took for Brooke to start sobbing. She clung to Peyton and shook her head.

"Please don't do this, Peyton," she begged with a broken voice.

Peyton held her close and rocked her. "Brooke, it's all gonna be okay."

Brooke pulled back and shook her head. "No. It never will be without you."

Peyton leaned in and kissed her tenderly. "I love you."

Brooke sobbed harder. "I love you too."

They held each other for a minute longer and Peyton released her. Faith moved to pull Brooke to her in a hug and she held the sobbing teen close as Peyton made her way to Dawn and Willow.

Peyton turned back and gave Brooke the most heartbreaking smile she'd ever seen and Brooke felt like she was going to be sick. Her knees got weak and she slumped to the floor with Faith holding on to her the entire time.

Willow handed her a small vial. "Here, drink this."

Peyton nodded and drank from it, her face souring as she handed the vile back.

Willow began to chant once Peyton was in place and a bright light slowly started to encompass Peyton's body. She suddenly went rigid and then slumped to her knees.

"Don't hurt her!" Brooke called out as she reached a hand out to Peyton, but Faith held her at bay. "Faith, don't let her hurt!"

"Brooke, it's okay," Faith told her, her voice cracking.

Peyton suddenly stood up and turned. She smiled wickedly as she wriggled her fingers and stretched her arms out. "Didn't you figure out last time we tried this that all this is going to do is make the girl stronger?" she asked, her voice distorted with the First's. "Her memories are mine now too," she told them as she turned to Brooke and slowly approached.

"Stay the hell away from her!" Buffy called from behind, grabbing a sword from the table.

The First didn't acknowledge the slayer. "She certainly was in love. With Lucas."

Brooke's eyes got wide and tears streamed down her cheeks quicker. "No."

The First smiled Peyton's perfect smile and nodded. "You think I loved you?"

"Get away from her," Buffy warned again.

"Buffy do it," Willow called out to her friend.

Buffy nodded and moved in closer to Peyton's body. "I'm sorry, Peyton."

The First turned and smiled widely. Buffy suddenly stabbed it through the stomach and twisted the sword.

"No!" Brooke cried out from the floor where Faith was still holding her.

The First frowned, a confused look entered its eyes and it suddenly scowled. "No!" It twitched a little and sank to its knees. "No!" It turned Peyton's eyes on Buffy. "You will pay for this."

"You're done here," Buffy told it as tears slid down her cheeks.

The First shifted Peyton's eyes to Brooke. "A soul mate is forever you know." With that it clutched its stomach and blinked heavily as blood trailed out of its mouth and nose suddenly. "This isn't right."

The first jerked in her body and slumped to the floor completely. Brooke broke free from Faith's grasp and moved to Peyton's side. The First looked up at her with those eyes that she loved so much. "How can you stand to love when all it becomes is loss?"

Brooke sobbed as she held Peyton close to her. She felt her shake and convulse and suddenly her last breath had been taken and she was gone.

"No, Peyton, please don't go. Please, baby, come back." Her tears fell freely and landed on Peyton's face.

Buffy and Faith huddled together and Dawn moved to Willow's side and allowed the witch to pull her into a hug as she cried.

Brooke suddenly sat up and watched Peyton. Everyone in the room stopped and watched as well. The movement was subtle but they all saw her hand move. A moment later her eyes opened slowly and she looked up at Brooke.

"Brooke?" she asked slowly, her voice thick and eye lids heavy.

Willow pushed the double doors open behind her and a medical team filed in quickly to take care of her. Brooke watched the witch carefully. It was almost as if Willow had fully expected Peyton to come back to life.

She had been allowed to stay with Peyton through her surgery because she refused to leave her side and about six hours later Peyton was awake in recovery and the slayers and Willow had come to visit. Buffy and Willow sat next to the bed in chairs while an edgy looking Faith stood and paced.

"What's going on?" Brooke finally got to ask the question that had been on her brain since the ritual.

"The vial of liquid I had her drink allowed us to bring her back," Willow told her. "All we needed was for her to die long enough that the First wouldn't survive and then the liquid would bring her back to life."

Brooke's eyes narrowed. "You totally had her pull a Juliet, didn't you?"

Willow shrugged. "That's where the idea came from. It was Buffy's idea."

"So this was your plan all along?" Peyton asked.

Willow nodded. "Yes."

"How could you not tell us?" Brooke asked.

"Don't worry, Davis, you're not the only one that had no idea," Faith mumbled with a short, angry glance at Buffy.

The blonde furrowed her brow and reached a hand out to Faith, who pulled away. "Faith, we had to keep it a secret."

"From me too?" she asked looking furious.

"Faith we had to," Buffy told her in a pleading tone.

"Whatever." Faith stood up and stormed from the room.

Buffy stood up and shot them all an apologetic smile. "I'll be back."

Willow, Brooke and Peyton watched as Buffy followed Faith out the door and Willow stood up as well. "I'll give you guys some privacy." She smiled. "I really am sorry that you were deceived, and I'm really glad you're okay."

"Thanks, Willow," Peyton told her with a small smile.

P

Later that night, Buffy knocked on the hospital door and peeked her head in. "Hi guys, can I come in?"

Both teens nodded and smiled, waving her in. "How's Faith?"

"Still mad," Buffy told them with a sigh.

"Will you guys be okay?" Brooke asked.

Buffy nodded her head. "I think so. We've been through far worse than this." She shook her head. "But I didn't come here for that." She glanced at Brooke. "Is it okay if I talk to Peyton alone for a minute?"

Brooke smiled softly and nodded her head. She stood up and leaned over to kiss Peyton lightly. "Love you," she whispered.

Peyton smiled and watched her leave. Once she was out of the room, her focus turned to the slayer looking uncomfortable.

"Are you really okay?" Buffy asked.

"I will be," Peyton told her, having a good idea where this conversation was going. "I understand why things happened the way they did. Really."

"So you don't hate me?" the slayer asked.

Peyton waved her off and shook her head. "I could never hate you. Besides, if it hadn't been for your idea, I would have died for real."

Buffy smiled and nodded, letting it go. She suddenly grinned widely. "Well, one of the perks to you and Willow both getting hurt is that if you guys want to we can use the Council island for a vacation."

"The Council has an island?" Peyton asked disbelieving.

Buffy smiled and nodded. "What do you think? We could all get away from the prophecies and the vamps and bad guys for a while."

"Can you guys just leave like that?" Peyton asked. "What if something happens while you're gone?"

"Well, we have a hundred and fifty other slayers and Giles running things," Buffy told her with a shrug. "Besides if something bad went down, Will can get us back here in the blink of an eye."

"And Giles won't mind if we used the island?" she asked, the idea sounding better and better the longer she thought about it.

Buffy smiled. "He already authorized it." She closed her eyes picturing the island and she smiled and sighed happily. "It's absolute paradise. You and Brooke will have the time of your lives there."

Peyton was about to bubble over with excitement. "Then hell yeah let's go."

"Good," Buffy replied as she stood up. "I'll send Brooke back in. You get better. We'll make sure everything is quiet for the next few weeks while you and Willow heal up and then we'll head to paradise."

"Thanks, Buffy," Peyton told her seriously. "For everything."

The slayer grinned and nodded her head once. Brooke entered the room and noticed the happy look on her girlfriend's face.

"What has you so happy?" she asked.

Peyton grinned and blew into telling her about the paradise vacation that she couldn't wait to go on and have their lives return to normal.

P

A.N. See? I wasn't gonna let you guys down. Like I said though…one more chapter to wrap up Act 2 and then we move on to the grand finale…Act 3. I really hope you like the story…please let me know what you thought! Thanks for sticking with me on this one!