Part I


WILLOW


Dear Buffy,


Hey. . .if this works, you'll be getting a bunch of messages pretty soon, and you'll probably be wonder what in the heck's going on, assuming that you're not too busy playing the harp or doing whatever it is that you do in heaven, so I thought I'd go first and give you the rundown on how we did this.

When you saved Dawn, you left a lot of us with things we wanted to say to you before. . .something happened that made it so that we couldn't. We were too busy to really get around to that, and that bothered me. . .and what good is it being a witch if I can't figure out how to get around little problems like death in communicating with my best friend? So Tara, Giles and I did some research, and we came up with this. If we did it right, you should receive the messages that we place in the receptacle, in the order we placed them there. . .if we did it wrong, you probably won't read this anyway, so I'm not going to waste any more time worrying about it. . .anyway, that's the deal, and now I'm going to say what I need to say.

I understand, Buffy. . .you were ready to give up when I found you hiding inside your own brain, and the only reason you came back at all was to save Dawn. . .how cruel it was when it turned out that Dawn might well have to die to prevent the end of everything. I have to believe that you were warning us for our own good, that you were afraid you'd hurt us if in the thick of things you thought one of us was trying to kill Dawn. You made sure the choice was in your hands, and I never had any doubt that you would make the right decision. You saw a chance to give up your own life to save someone you loved, as well as the rest of us, and you took that option without hesitation. . .I see it as a blessing that doing so lifted your burden as well as did your duty.

When I met you, I was a shy, scared girl who was terrified at the thought of my best friend finding out I was in love with him. . .never mind how scary the thought of what has happened in the years following would have been. You accepted me for what I was, and shared your dreams and fears with me, and I am eternally grateful that I was there for you while you went about the business of facing horrible things on a nightly basis to keep all of us alive.

We both know it hasn't been perfect. . .there have been times when we both have listened less than we should, and failed to offer comfort where it would have been most welcome. . .but I treasure our friendship and what we have done with it as much as anything else in my life, and I hope you feel the same about it on your side. . .Tara is well now, and I know she has her own message to you, so I'll let her say it on her own. . .but as I close my eyes and think of how much joy there was in my heart when I realized she was all right, I see your shadow, watching over both of us and blessing whatever future we have together, whether it be long or short.

May you find happiness that the burden of your duties denied you in life, Buffy. I love you.


Willow





. . .to be continued


As always, comments are welcomed and desired