A Remembrance by obi's girl

Summary: Starting after "The Gift", the gang decides to go their separate ways but promise to reunite on Buffy's anniversary to remember her.

Chapter 4: Now & Then

Giles P.o.V

10 Years to the Day

It's amazing how long we all live. I know you probably imagine me retired, full of gray hair, more lines with some accent, but you would be totally surprised to find out that not much has changed since we've last talked. I still have my English accent. My hair is a bit grayer but that's to be expected with age. I have some lines around my eyes but I still look the same. Age is no importance as long as I still remember you.

Tomorrow, I'm meeting Willow, Xander, Anya, Tera and Dawn for the Remembrance. We've done that for ten years and have never once missed a date. At your funeral, almost the whole town showed up. I was quite surprised. I didn't know how much these people knew of you and what you did. Seniors from your class came to say good bye and various teenagers. I cried watching each one of them line up and say good bye to you.

But an even bigger surprise was seeing Quentin. I hadn't expected he'd show up. I wanted to yell at him and tell him to leave but I could tell from the look in his eyes, he admired you for you were. Your first impression of him might not have been the best, but you did impress him. I really don't know how you did it, but you did it.

We talked after the service. He even offered that I return to England but I refused. I told England was no longer my home. I told him Sunnydale was because you were here and you meant something to me. He understood my feeling and let it be. He smiled, stood up and left.

After leaving the Pub, I met with Dawn. She's grown now and very beautiful. Her long brown hair you remember is short and curly. She's very mature. Her interest in witchcraft has been replaced by art. She still hangs out with Willow and Tera, but she doesn't bug them about magic anymore. She bugs them to look at her sketches and paintings. She's so wonderful. You would be so proud of her, Buffy. Dawn, she's even been accepted to prestigious art school in Massachusetts. She's knows it's away from here and away from you, but she wants to go. I won't stop her because I know she you would love for her to be happy.

Spike was at the service but it's not what you think. He doesn't have a crush over you anymore. He's past that. After you died, he realized even if you did get together, you would never be happy. Spike, he isn't exactly the ideal boyfriend and is nothing like Angel. He's over you now. He still hangs out with the gang but he doesn't mope around as he used to. He's even become useful.

I have to go now. But I promise, tomorrow, I will see you again. I love you, Buffy. You are my daughter, my family. Until tomorrow, then. Good bye.

TBC