Epilogue
The last few weeks had been hard. Faith's condition had not improved, and
there was little hope it ever would. From what Buffy could vaguely remember
about their chat with Whistler, she knew this had been Faith's choice. Her
sacrifice. Her own had been hard as well, but she didn't envy Faith. Of
the two of them, Buffy figured the other slayer's choice had been much
harder.
Angel and his gang had stuck around, helping with the research and tests,
until it became clear that no means could bring Spike's memory back. So
Angel once again filled the role of sire, the first time because Dru was too
loopy to teach her childer, and this time simply because he was the only
vampire around. He retaught Spike everything he needed to know to be a vampire, down to what could kill him. Afterwards, he left his number, saying that
if anything was ever needed, they knew where he was.
She leaned back in her chair, pulling her knees to her chest, watching
as Giles grilled Spike for the third time. He had all but healed of his
injuries. After a brief wig on his part at discovering he was a vampire, he
had somehow settled into a routine. She assumed he'd had to have made a
choice as well, and his memory loss was a part of that. He was, essentially,
totally innocent again; he had no memory of the blood that he had spilled
in his past, nor of his role in various plots to kill her. He was absolved,
at least in their eyes. They knew he was still responsible for everything
he had done, but holding no memory of the events, he couldn't be held
accountable. Perhaps this was the Powers' way of redeeming him.
She watched as Spike quickly became annoyed with questions he couldn't
answer. She smiled a little, resting her chin on her knees. It was amazing
how much of his personality remained. He was still the snarky, annoying-as-hell
Brit she had come to love. He still dressed the same. The duster was
ever present, black clothes in place. She chuckled softly to herself,
recalling how twitchy and fidgety he was before she reminded him that he
smoked.
She tilted her head, laying her cheek where her chin had rested. As if
sensing her mood, the vampire looked over to her, and gave her a brief
smile, before looking down. He had admitted to feeling a connection between
them. They were taking it slow. He was getting to know her again, and by
the looks he was giving her when he thought she wasn't looking, she was
having the same effect all over again.
His fighting skills were also still intact. He was as amazed as the rest
of them, not knowing where he learned to fight so well. Perhaps the powers
had left them for a reason.
He finally broke off from Giles with a few sharp words and upraised hands,
retreating to the table and falling bonelessly into a seat. He smiled over
at her.
"'e's gonna be the bloody death o' me..." He frowned. "or somethin'."
She chuckled and raised her head.
"How are you doing?"
He shrugged, picking at his fingernails.
"Doin' fine, luv, I s'pose. Bleedin' annoyin' not bein' able ta remember
anythin', but.." he shrugged again.
"We're all here for you, you know that, right?" Her eyes misted over
slightly, watching him. She missed him terribly.
He looked up and smiled, drumming his fingers on the tabletop, not even
really noticing he was doing so.
"Yeah, luv, I know. Great lot ya got 'ere." His eyes darted about the
room. She sensed the tightly coiled energy in him, through their bond, and
chuckled softly. He probably didn't even know why he was so edgy, ready to
bounce off the walls. She muttered something about hyperactive vampires,
which he of course, heard, and stood, stretching.
"Come on, Spike, let's go 'get a spot 'o violence' before you jump out of your skin."
///
AN: The end. Thank you all for your support throughout this story, I
really, seriously, wouldn't have finished it without it. And yes, there is
a sequel already in the works, but I am going to do a few other fics first.
Once again, thank you for making my first fic a great success. Below is the challange that inspired it all.
The following prophecy has to be used, the passage itself, somewhere in the story. Buffy is, of course, the child of light, but you may see the rest however you like.
The child of light, cloaked in red
With hands for death and eyes unread
Shall take the gift and buy it back,
And give her soul for one who lacks
When the water turns and the new blood burns
The wall from night to day will raze,
And the bridge that rises in its place
Shall be consecrated in blue and black and crimson
And the first soul-mates will be born
At the price of the world
*
Other Requirements:
1. The prophecy must be carried out *in full* (however you interpret it), but if you could find a way to do it without literally bringing the apocalypse thus having at least a semi-happy ending, that would be cool.
2. A fight between Dawn and Angel, of some kind other than verbal, and neither of them possessed by anything unnatural at the time
3. a sword-fight or spear-fight in a double-decker bus
4. at least one really fantastic S/B fight, physical and/or verbal
5. must be set season 5 or 6
6. Riley can be discussed, but is not to make any appearances, unless it's him leaving.
7. someone has to have sex (preferably S/B, but optional), but can be off-screen to preserve rating
8. one song by Garbage, Dave Mathews Band, the Tea Party, 3rd Eye Blind, or Bush
9. an earring that allows a vampire to see his/her reflection but has to be put on the vampire's ear by a human, of their own volitionX
10 some kind of huge event that affects/changes/touches all the vamps in the world at once, including Spike and Angel
11. serious choice[s] made dealing with heavy moral issues (for example life, death, love, hate, sacrifice, gain, loss, prices that come with power/happiness, innocence, killing, soul-stuff, etc)
12. at least one S/B kiss
Optionals:
1. Spike blackmailing Buffy into giving him a manicure
2. a red telephone booth
3. a vampire bleeding to "death"
4. a sickness/disease/poison
5. a game of blind poker with something vital as the bet
6. a rainforest scene
7. an Egyptian or South American pyramid scene
8. flower[s], in any context
9. someone reading aloud from a book
10. little kid or someone as a little kid
The last few weeks had been hard. Faith's condition had not improved, and
there was little hope it ever would. From what Buffy could vaguely remember
about their chat with Whistler, she knew this had been Faith's choice. Her
sacrifice. Her own had been hard as well, but she didn't envy Faith. Of
the two of them, Buffy figured the other slayer's choice had been much
harder.
Angel and his gang had stuck around, helping with the research and tests,
until it became clear that no means could bring Spike's memory back. So
Angel once again filled the role of sire, the first time because Dru was too
loopy to teach her childer, and this time simply because he was the only
vampire around. He retaught Spike everything he needed to know to be a vampire, down to what could kill him. Afterwards, he left his number, saying that
if anything was ever needed, they knew where he was.
She leaned back in her chair, pulling her knees to her chest, watching
as Giles grilled Spike for the third time. He had all but healed of his
injuries. After a brief wig on his part at discovering he was a vampire, he
had somehow settled into a routine. She assumed he'd had to have made a
choice as well, and his memory loss was a part of that. He was, essentially,
totally innocent again; he had no memory of the blood that he had spilled
in his past, nor of his role in various plots to kill her. He was absolved,
at least in their eyes. They knew he was still responsible for everything
he had done, but holding no memory of the events, he couldn't be held
accountable. Perhaps this was the Powers' way of redeeming him.
She watched as Spike quickly became annoyed with questions he couldn't
answer. She smiled a little, resting her chin on her knees. It was amazing
how much of his personality remained. He was still the snarky, annoying-as-hell
Brit she had come to love. He still dressed the same. The duster was
ever present, black clothes in place. She chuckled softly to herself,
recalling how twitchy and fidgety he was before she reminded him that he
smoked.
She tilted her head, laying her cheek where her chin had rested. As if
sensing her mood, the vampire looked over to her, and gave her a brief
smile, before looking down. He had admitted to feeling a connection between
them. They were taking it slow. He was getting to know her again, and by
the looks he was giving her when he thought she wasn't looking, she was
having the same effect all over again.
His fighting skills were also still intact. He was as amazed as the rest
of them, not knowing where he learned to fight so well. Perhaps the powers
had left them for a reason.
He finally broke off from Giles with a few sharp words and upraised hands,
retreating to the table and falling bonelessly into a seat. He smiled over
at her.
"'e's gonna be the bloody death o' me..." He frowned. "or somethin'."
She chuckled and raised her head.
"How are you doing?"
He shrugged, picking at his fingernails.
"Doin' fine, luv, I s'pose. Bleedin' annoyin' not bein' able ta remember
anythin', but.." he shrugged again.
"We're all here for you, you know that, right?" Her eyes misted over
slightly, watching him. She missed him terribly.
He looked up and smiled, drumming his fingers on the tabletop, not even
really noticing he was doing so.
"Yeah, luv, I know. Great lot ya got 'ere." His eyes darted about the
room. She sensed the tightly coiled energy in him, through their bond, and
chuckled softly. He probably didn't even know why he was so edgy, ready to
bounce off the walls. She muttered something about hyperactive vampires,
which he of course, heard, and stood, stretching.
"Come on, Spike, let's go 'get a spot 'o violence' before you jump out of your skin."
///
AN: The end. Thank you all for your support throughout this story, I
really, seriously, wouldn't have finished it without it. And yes, there is
a sequel already in the works, but I am going to do a few other fics first.
Once again, thank you for making my first fic a great success. Below is the challange that inspired it all.
The following prophecy has to be used, the passage itself, somewhere in the story. Buffy is, of course, the child of light, but you may see the rest however you like.
The child of light, cloaked in red
With hands for death and eyes unread
Shall take the gift and buy it back,
And give her soul for one who lacks
When the water turns and the new blood burns
The wall from night to day will raze,
And the bridge that rises in its place
Shall be consecrated in blue and black and crimson
And the first soul-mates will be born
At the price of the world
*
Other Requirements:
1. The prophecy must be carried out *in full* (however you interpret it), but if you could find a way to do it without literally bringing the apocalypse thus having at least a semi-happy ending, that would be cool.
2. A fight between Dawn and Angel, of some kind other than verbal, and neither of them possessed by anything unnatural at the time
3. a sword-fight or spear-fight in a double-decker bus
4. at least one really fantastic S/B fight, physical and/or verbal
5. must be set season 5 or 6
6. Riley can be discussed, but is not to make any appearances, unless it's him leaving.
7. someone has to have sex (preferably S/B, but optional), but can be off-screen to preserve rating
8. one song by Garbage, Dave Mathews Band, the Tea Party, 3rd Eye Blind, or Bush
9. an earring that allows a vampire to see his/her reflection but has to be put on the vampire's ear by a human, of their own volitionX
10 some kind of huge event that affects/changes/touches all the vamps in the world at once, including Spike and Angel
11. serious choice[s] made dealing with heavy moral issues (for example life, death, love, hate, sacrifice, gain, loss, prices that come with power/happiness, innocence, killing, soul-stuff, etc)
12. at least one S/B kiss
Optionals:
1. Spike blackmailing Buffy into giving him a manicure
2. a red telephone booth
3. a vampire bleeding to "death"
4. a sickness/disease/poison
5. a game of blind poker with something vital as the bet
6. a rainforest scene
7. an Egyptian or South American pyramid scene
8. flower[s], in any context
9. someone reading aloud from a book
10. little kid or someone as a little kid