Title: The Perfect Gift
Part: 2 (PG)
Spoilers: up to "The Gift."
Summary: set right after "The Gift". My take on season six.
Feedback: Yes, please
Disclaimers: Buffy the Vampire Slayer characters belong to Joss Whedon, & Mutant Enemy. I'm just borrowing them for my fic.
Date: 7/5/01

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The Perfect Gift
Part II
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As Buffy swan dived off the tower, she found herself looking for the one person that she wanted to see as she faced her death. Her gaze swept past Anya, Tara, Xander, Giles & even Willow. Instead she found and met Spike's eyes. His eyes were full of infinite sadness & could have been, yet conveyed so much love towards her. It simply was heartbreaking. Buffy tried to convey her true feelings towards him.

Its true what they say, your life does flash before your eyes just before you die Buffy thought an instant before she entered the swirling vortex.

Buffy appeared in a clearing, dressed in white. It was a beautiful sunny day, not a cloud in the sky and the birds were chirping. In the distance the roar of a mighty river could be heard. It gave off an aura full of a calming peace, simply put it was paradise. Buffy turned when she heard someone calling out to her. There in the distance a blonde woman also dressed in white was walking towards her.

"Mom? Mommy?" Buffy cried as she ran towards her with tears streaming down her face. She threw her arms around her as she cried all over her Mom's shoulder.

"Shh. Its ok, Buffy. I'm so proud of you."

"Oh Mom, I missed you so much."

Joyce took Buffy's hand and led her over to a tree, "Oh, Buffy, I've missed you, too. How's Dawn? Spike? Mr. Giles? Your friends? And you can tell me everything that has happened since I left, ok?"

"Well, there was this girl robot and" could be heard by a woman walking towards a blonde man.

Buffy was in middle a funny story about Xander, tampons, and a late night run to the store, when a young woman walked over to her.

"Slayer."

"Yes," Buffy replied taking in woman's white silk robe and oriental features.

"Chosen one, I bring a message to you. You have learned that love is pain. And that a Slayer must forge her strength from pain. You must find your strength again. Love will bring you to your gift."

A confused look crossed Buffy's face as she replied, "Will bring? I don't understand."

"You are destruction...Absolute...Not alone. You think you know, what's to come. What you are...You haven't even begun," with those cryptic words the woman disappeared.

"Who was that?" Joyce asked.

"A Slayer, one of the first." Buffy whispered her eyes wide.

Many stories later, a tall and slim woman dressed in blue and silver lined garments appeared suddenly nearby. She walked over to Buffy and Joyce.

"Buffy?"

Buffy looked up smiling expectantly and replied, "Yes?"

The silver eyed woman answered, "The Elders request your presence at once."

Buffy nodded and leaned over to kiss her Mom on the cheek, "I'll be right back, Mommy. I love you."

The strange woman took Buffy's hand and they disappeared in a silver flash. They appeared in the antechamber.

Buffy looked around and saw Spike standing next to her. She cried, "Spike," as she threw her arms around him and kissed him on the cheek.

Spike hugged her close as he kissed the top of her head. "Oh Buffy," he sighed, "I kept my promise to you. I'm going to take good care of the Nibblet. I'm going to give her the one thing she needs the most...you."

Buffy pulled back slightly as she blinked at him and said, "What?"

end part two.