Sunnydale, California 2001

1630 Revello Drive

The colours seemed grayer, like the world sensed an important loss of life and bit of its electrifying colour diminished a bit.

Dawn entered the house door and dropped her backpack down below the coat hangers. She ran her fingers over the black leather jacket that still hung on the hook untouched. Refusing to let her tears overwhelm her emotions again, Dawn straightened up and turned into the dining room heading for the kitchen when she found Willow and Tara sitting at the dining room table surrounded by piles of open-faced books.

"Are you killing something?" Dawn asked eyeing the books of demonology.

"Killing something?" Willow frowned then brightened covering a paper over the book she had been skimming. "Uh, no, just, you know, studying up." Her nervous smile was wide and suspicious.

Tara eyed her girlfriend with a smirk seeing straight through the act. Dawn didn't seem to notice nor care. She disappeared into the kitchen.

"Dawn!" A shirking voice called out to the younger Summers girl from the kitchen.

Willow and Tara flinched forgetting that the Buffybot was even functioning.

Dawn stormed out of the kitchen angrily. "How many times do I have to tell you, I want that robot away from me!" She grabbed the backpack in the foyer and ran up the stairs.

"You're right, Dawnie. I'm sorry." Willow stood from the dining room chair and flinched when the teenager's bedroom door slammed closed. She placed her hands onto Buffybot's shoulders. She looked at the robot and steered her towards the basement. "Let's go recharge those batteries." Willow threw a glance at Tara.

"I'll talk to her," Tara said heading to the stairs.

Dawn's Bedroom

Tara softly knocked on the teen's door as she opened it. She closed it behind her finding Dawn face down on her bed hugging a pillow with all of her might.

"Dawnie," Tara said softly feeling her pain. The loss of the Joyce had been tough but the loss of Buffy was almost unbearable. For the Scoobie's Buffy had been the glue — the driving force who led them through the darkness.

Tara sat down on the edge of the bed and placed her hand on Dawn's shoulder. "I know it's hard—"

"She died because of me." Dawn tearfully sniffled. "I'm not even real and she died because of me anyway."

"You are very real Dawn," Tara whispered resting her chin on Dawn's shoulder. "Buffy, wouldn't want to hear you say that. She loved you so much."

"Then why did she have to die?" She cried.

Tara ran her fingers through Dawn's long brown hair. "She did what she had to do to save you — to save all of us. Her heart was so big and so full of love that she would've died over and over for you."

"I miss her so much."

"I know. Me too." Tara soothed her hand over Dawn's back. "She wouldn't want to see you like this. She hated it when you cried. The best way to honour her memory is by being strong, Dawnie."


As soon as the sun went down, the front door opened, Xander and Anya walked in holding two pies of pizza. Dawn hadn't come out of her room since returning from school a few hours before. She requested to be left alone for the evening.

All those were left of the Scooby group sat around the dining room table snacking on the pizza.

Giles had left for England only hours after Buffy's funeral. The pain he had been feeling was intolerable. Though Buffy was only his 'Slayer', the affection he had for her was paternal. The pain he felt was a loss of a beloved child. He needed time to heal from such a loss.

"Tara and I have been doing a lot of research since Buffy's funeral and this is what we came up with," Willow said placing a notebook down filled with scribbles in front of Xander.

"What is this?" Xander curiously eyed the notebook.

"A spell. Or a sort of spell, it's not finished yet. " Willow said. "On the next blood moon, we're bringing Buffy back."

Galway, Ireland 1745

Seven Months Since Arrival

It had been nearly seven months since Buffy had dived into a portal sending her back two-hundred and fifty-six years. It had been one week later when she had finally met Liam O'Connor. Their first encounter was less than stellar, his despicable crude inferiority left a sour taste in Buffy's mouth. After that disastrous meeting, Liam began to present himself in a familiar manner. Two days after that, Liam took her on a secret adventure to an abandoned cottage and told her of his dreams to give it life again. It was at the cottage on the top of the hill looking over Galway. Sitting in a dusty meek looking room in the cottage, they shared their first kiss. The following afternoon, he professed his undying love which was mutually shared. He then proposed marriage and Buffy hastily agreed.

Everything was moving so fast but Buffy didn't care. Everyone around her thought she was insane for falling for a man like Liam O'Connor and yet, Buffy heard none of it. This is what she had been waiting for since the day she met Angel in that dark, soggy alleyway. Though, Liam was a much different man than Angel, it was still him inside.

They seemed to have gone about this in the most unconventional way according to the traditional practices of the 18th Century. It was after the fact when Liam sat down in private meeting with Mr. McCale who played the proxy of Buffy's father in asking her hand in matrimony. Mr. McCale did not hide his detest for the young man and the entire situation but it was all out of his hands. He reluctantly gave the young couple his blessing.

Liam's father was surprisingly harder to convince of the legitimacy of his son's proposed marriage. It was a conversation Buffy would like to erase from her memory.

Three and a Half Months Before

O'Connor House

"Is she with child?" Mr O'Connor accused his son with disdain.

Liam stood nose to nose with his father while Buffy, Kathy, and Mrs O'Connor sat in the parlour room hidden in the background.

"Of course not." Liam spitefully replied.

"'Cuse me for askin', son. It's just why else would a noble bonnie lass be trottin' along with a disappointment like ye; if it weren't for ye givin' her grief with a burden of a child."

Liam breathed through his nostrils angrily trying to control himself.

Mr. O'Connor looked beyond his son to Buffy. "He's got nothin'. Nothin' to offer a beaut like ye. He doesn't have a cent to his name. I suggest ye be runnin' along now, unless ye want to be in debt for the rest of ye'r life and cleanin' vomit from clothin', night and day. He'd be nothin' but a burden. A burden I wouldn't curse upon the worst sinner."

Buffy started to stand from the chair to defend her fiancé when Liam interjected first. "How dare ye try to tear me and my beloved apart. Ye insult with—"

"Tá sé at nothin 'a chur ar fáil an cailín! (Ye've got nothin' to offer the girl!)" Mr. O'Connor shouted in a language Buffy couldn't understand.

"Tá mé go leor! Tá mé díon as a ceann. Bia sa chófra. Airgead do m'ainm! Tá sí gach unsa de mo ghrá chaitheamh. Tá sí go leor. Beidh mé givin 'di níos mó (I have plenty! I've got a roof over her head. Food in the cupboard. Money to my name! She has every ounce of my devote love. She has plenty. I'll be givin' her more.)"

Mr. O'Connor looked at Liam with surprise. "Ye've found a livin'?"

"Aye." Liam said reeling back from his anger. "I've taken employment at the Tavern and three times a week, I work as a carpenter at O'Ryan's; buildin' houses and churches and such." Liam stepped closer to his father towering over him though they were very close in height. "Come to the weddin' or not, but I'm marryin' her. And I will be the husband ye never could be."

Liam left his father were he stood and stormed out of the house he had called home for so many years. Buffy quietly stood from the chair and looked at Mrs. O'Connor. Mrs. O'Connor gave her a sad smile and watched the young blonde move quickly across the parlor room towards the door. She paused and looked at Mr. O'Connor. "Your son is a good man." Mr. O'Connor shifted his eyes downward to Buffy's face. "He's rough around the edges but there is a lot of love there. I would love him… even if he had nothing." Buffy closed the front door behind her.

Present Day 1745

It was the day Buffy's been dreaming about since the moment she met Angel what felt like centuries ago. Or ahead — if you really think about it. Ouch, all this time travel hurts my head.

Buffy looked at herself in the mirror. She ran her hands down the white corseted fabric. The white dress was decorated with silver pendent flowers. Her blonde hair was pinned up in a heap of messy curls that fell perfectly around her face.

Mrs McCale entered the private room and smiled at Buffy in the mirror. "Ye're radiant. I would imagine the weddin' gowns in ye'r own time — if ye even have weddin' gowns—"

Buffy smiled, "We do."

"Ye'd be beautiful in them too, but this, Buffy… Dearie, the only thing that can compare to ye'r beauty is a newly blossomin' flower in mid-Spring showers."

Buffy looked at the older woman in the mirror and smiled softly. "Thank you."

"Best not be keepin' the groom waitin' any longer." Mrs McCale tossed her a wink.

This is it. Buffy followed Mrs. McCale out of the room. Her hands went to her stomach feeling giddy and nervous like she was sixteen again.


Two large wooden doors opened to a small wooden church. There was a handful guests; Mr. and Mrs. O'Connor, Kathy, and two of Liam's closest friends that had vowed to stay sober until the ceremony was over. On Buffy's side, was Mr. and Mrs. McCale, Fiona, and the twins.

Liam looked up from his hands that were folded in front of him and stared at Buffy in awe. Never in his life had he ever seen anything so beautiful. The bright sunlight from out the doors seemed to trail behind her as she walked down the aisle.

Buffy gave him a soft smile though inside she was jumping with anticipation. She wrapped her fingers around his extended hand and faced him.

Whatever the Priest had said had fallen on deaf ears. All Buffy could hear was the pounding of her own heart. She could hear the crisp sound of a light breeze rustling the leaves outside. She felt the squeeze of Liam's hands which instantly soothed her clattering nerves.

"I, Liam O'Connor," Liam began to say. "take Elizabeth Anne Summers to be my wedded wife. To have and to hold from this day forth, for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, 'til death we do part."

Buffy opened her mouth hoping to the Powers That Be that words would come out. "I, Elizabeth Anne Summers, take Liam O'Connor to be my wedded husband. To have and to hold from this day forth, for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, 'til death us do part."

The Priest eyed Liam and whispered, "Do ye have the rings?"

"Aye, I do." Liam nodded his head digging into his coat pocket and took out two silver Claddagh rings. He placed it on the Bible held by the Priest and watched as he blessed the rings muttering a prayer in Latin.

Liam took the Claddagh ring and slipped it onto her left ring finger pointing the heart towards her. Buffy then took the much larger ring and slid it onto Liam's finger pointing the heart towards him.

Mr. O'Connor stepped forward holding a dagger in his hand. He took Liam's right wrist and sliced a shallow cut across it. He then took Buffy's right hand and slit another shallow cut across her wrist. Liam's bleeding wrist took its place of over hers. Never did their eyes tear away from one another. Mr. O'Connor tied a white ribbon around the conjoined wrists then stepped away.

"Repeat after me," Liam whispered with a smirk.

Buffy silently nodded her head.

"De réir an chumhacht a thug Críost ó neamh, mayst grá tusa dom. (By the power that Christ brought from heaven, mayst thou love me.)

Mar seo a leanas an ghrian a chúrsa, mayst lean tu me. (As the sun follows its course, mayst thou follow me.)

Mar solas don tsúil, mar arán leis an ocras, mar áthas ar an croí, (As light to the eye, as bread to the hungry, as joy to the heart,)

Bealtaine thy láithreacht bheith liom, (May thy presence be with me,)

Ó a thagann duine go breá liom, `Til bháis le cuid chugainn asunder. (Oh one that I love, `til death comes to part us asunder.)

Buffy did not have clue what she was saying nor did she care. All she could do is stare into the dark depths of Liam's chocolate eyes. She was finally his in every sense of the word. This has to the reason I'm here.

"Ye may kiss ye'r bride." The Priest said to Liam with a smile.

A smug smile tugged at Liam's mouth. He stepped forward raising his free hand to her cheek. He dipped his head down and softly kissed her lips. The kiss was slow and tame but it held an abundance of silent vows.

"May I present, Mr and Mrs Liam O'Connor." The Priest smiled holding out his arms to the newly wedded couple.

The guests clapped their hands and smiled with happiness.

Liam looked down at his new wife and kissed the top of her head. "Tá mé ag dul a dhéanamh ye sásta amhlaidh, mo ghrá. (I'm gonna make ye so happy, my love.)"

Buffy laid her head against his chest and listened to his beating heart. She tilted her head upwards to him and smiled into the kiss he planted on her mouth. Diving into that portal was the best thing to ever happen to me.