The fairy had entered the room just moments before the Slayer had breathed her last. She now hovered silently in the back of the room, covered again in the veil of magic. Crea watched as the man asked Spike to help him with the two witches who were beginning to wake up. The vampire nodded slowly in agreement as he reluctantly laid his love's remains back on the floor. He tried to gather himself back together, although it was proving very difficult. He clumsily stood and made his way to Giles who was helping Willow to sit up.
Crea turned her attention back on the dead slayer. It wasn't supposed to happen like this. She can't die. She has so much to do, a whole lifetime to life. She has family and friends, a love she just discovered, a love that defies her very nature as well as his.
A thousand images drifted through the fairy's mind. She couldn't just stand here and do nothing. The monster was dead because of this woman and what was her payment, death? No! She had to do something, but she was afraid. It was something she had never considered before, something she had escaped from for thousands of lifetimes, but it was worth it.
Unseen by anyone else, she closed her eyes and began to chant. As the chanting became stronger, the light emanating from her grew. She grew brighter and brighter until she was nothing unlike the sun itself. She began to make her way to the Slayer's still body. Her essence drew closer until she was inches away from Buffy. Now she knew for certain why she had come. This was what she was destined to do. A tear fell from her eye as she whispered one final word. Soon.
Her light spread, coving the dead figure. When it had completely engulfed her, it would have appeared to any who had seen, to seep into her body, filling it with the magic that is life.
.............................................
Buffy awoke to find herself standing in the world where she had Spike. The sunshine was still streaming down and a light breeze played with her hair. But he was nowhere to be seen. She could have allowed herself to stay here forever, if only she could find Spike...
'He's not here.' A voice drifted through the wind. 'When you wake, he will be there.'
"Crea?" Buffy called, looking for the familiar figure. "I can't see you anywhere. Where are you?"
'I no longer have a form. I am leaving now.'
"Why?" Buffy asked confused. "Where are you going?"
'I do not know. I have never been there before, but I am not afraid anymore. I know it will be safe there. And you, you will be able to live the way that you should now.'
Buffy was confused for a moment. Live? She was supposed to remember something about that, but what? She couldn't remember...wait...yes. The ___, she had killed her, but the dagger. It all came rushing back to her, the pain...Giles.
"I died," she stated absently.
'Yes,' the voice whispered again. 'But I could not let you stay that way. There is too much for you to do, too many people who love you. I told you I had a purpose for coming here. I didn't know what it was until I saw you die, when I saw him holding you. I could not let that happen.'
"But...how..." Buffy started, afraid for what her answer might be.
'I did the only thing I had power to do. Life and Death have a system that cannot be changed. A life for a life. I gave you the magic that was keeping me alive. It is a little different from your own, you will have to get used to it for a little. Most of the effects are only temporary, and of course most of it you can only channel through spells which are unknown to mortals.'
"A life for a life..." Buffy said thoughtfully. "You gave your life for mine?"
'It was the only way.'
"No, I can't let you do that. I want to live, but not if it means that you or anyone else will die."
'It is too late. It has already been done. Do not worry, I will be happy. I have already lived for lifetimes beyond your own. You deserve to live through at least one. Some day we shall meet again, but hopefully not too soon.'
"Soon..." Buffy whispered to herself, trying to remember why that word was important.
'Now you must go back. There are people waiting for you and you have a promise you must keep. Thank you, for all that you have done.'
Crea turned her attention back on the dead slayer. It wasn't supposed to happen like this. She can't die. She has so much to do, a whole lifetime to life. She has family and friends, a love she just discovered, a love that defies her very nature as well as his.
A thousand images drifted through the fairy's mind. She couldn't just stand here and do nothing. The monster was dead because of this woman and what was her payment, death? No! She had to do something, but she was afraid. It was something she had never considered before, something she had escaped from for thousands of lifetimes, but it was worth it.
Unseen by anyone else, she closed her eyes and began to chant. As the chanting became stronger, the light emanating from her grew. She grew brighter and brighter until she was nothing unlike the sun itself. She began to make her way to the Slayer's still body. Her essence drew closer until she was inches away from Buffy. Now she knew for certain why she had come. This was what she was destined to do. A tear fell from her eye as she whispered one final word. Soon.
Her light spread, coving the dead figure. When it had completely engulfed her, it would have appeared to any who had seen, to seep into her body, filling it with the magic that is life.
.............................................
Buffy awoke to find herself standing in the world where she had Spike. The sunshine was still streaming down and a light breeze played with her hair. But he was nowhere to be seen. She could have allowed herself to stay here forever, if only she could find Spike...
'He's not here.' A voice drifted through the wind. 'When you wake, he will be there.'
"Crea?" Buffy called, looking for the familiar figure. "I can't see you anywhere. Where are you?"
'I no longer have a form. I am leaving now.'
"Why?" Buffy asked confused. "Where are you going?"
'I do not know. I have never been there before, but I am not afraid anymore. I know it will be safe there. And you, you will be able to live the way that you should now.'
Buffy was confused for a moment. Live? She was supposed to remember something about that, but what? She couldn't remember...wait...yes. The ___, she had killed her, but the dagger. It all came rushing back to her, the pain...Giles.
"I died," she stated absently.
'Yes,' the voice whispered again. 'But I could not let you stay that way. There is too much for you to do, too many people who love you. I told you I had a purpose for coming here. I didn't know what it was until I saw you die, when I saw him holding you. I could not let that happen.'
"But...how..." Buffy started, afraid for what her answer might be.
'I did the only thing I had power to do. Life and Death have a system that cannot be changed. A life for a life. I gave you the magic that was keeping me alive. It is a little different from your own, you will have to get used to it for a little. Most of the effects are only temporary, and of course most of it you can only channel through spells which are unknown to mortals.'
"A life for a life..." Buffy said thoughtfully. "You gave your life for mine?"
'It was the only way.'
"No, I can't let you do that. I want to live, but not if it means that you or anyone else will die."
'It is too late. It has already been done. Do not worry, I will be happy. I have already lived for lifetimes beyond your own. You deserve to live through at least one. Some day we shall meet again, but hopefully not too soon.'
"Soon..." Buffy whispered to herself, trying to remember why that word was important.
'Now you must go back. There are people waiting for you and you have a promise you must keep. Thank you, for all that you have done.'