A/N: 'The Anonymous Redhead' is finally over completely. I think I said everything I wanted to say in the last chapter. Basically, this is the epilogue so it ties any loose ends. I hope you enjoy!
****
It only took a few days for Giles' living room to be straightened almost completely and for wounds to be tended to. The Sirenial Sisters were gone. But they left quite an aftermath. Xander and Spike, against his will, both had to spend a day at the hospital for various non-fatal wounds. Willow, Buffy, Tara and the others that lost their souls didn't require any medical treatment. The spell on them wore off once the Sirenial Sisters were gone. So did the spell on the factory where Karen and Charlotte had been stuck. They both found Willow and begged for her forgiveness, which she of course gave, and swore off even burning incense ever again. All was well again.
After recovering his memory when the Sirenial Sisters left, Giles also apologized for any inappropriate behavior. And then he requested they all meet at his house so he could copy down all the details he missed. The two witches Rosa and Reina soul sucked were too weirded out still to come. But later they did agree to meet with Willow and Tara about some spells. But besides them and the obvious expectations of Karen, Charlotte, and the Sirenial Sisters themselves, they all came. They settled happily into Giles' den which had been cleaned up thoroughly. The mood was light as the still conscious and non-soul-sucked ones during the fight recounted it.
"I still can't believe you chose me over getting your powers back," Xander admitted as he cuddled against Anya on the couch.
"Of course I did!" Anya exclaimed and kissed him happily.
Spike rolled his eyes but there was a faint smile on his face as he gently squeezed Willow's hand.
"What I can't believe is what happened when the lamp was unplugged by Willow," Giles said. "Would you explain it again?"
"Okay, Cullena wasn't really unconscious," Xander started with excitement.
"Like Mike Meyers from those bloody 'Halloween' movies," Spike added.
"And she was really angry so she was about to kill Anya with some ball of energy or something," Xander continued.
"But I smashed their necklaces and they disappeared. Then D'Hoffryn appeared just before the energy hit and took me to his dimension," Anya explained.
"Which would explain the big hole in that wall," Spike said as he motioned to the plastic sheet covered hole.
"When D'Hoffryn offered me my powers again, he also showed me the look on Xander's face. He looked so despondent that I remembered everything and I demanded to be sent back." Anya smiled and kissed Xander again.
He flinched a little and broke away from her. He touched his bandaged nose and said, "I also can't believe that I broke my nose."
"S-sorry about that," Tara apologized shyly from her seat between Tara and Buffy.
"No problem, let's just hope it doesn't look weird when it heals." He leaned in to kiss Anya but she stopped him.
"Look weird?" she asked.
"Tara, you should go patrolling with me. The vamps won't know what hit 'em, literally," Buffy laughed.
Tara blushed but smiled.
"Man, I really wanted to be at the fight," Riley said. "If my troop and I were there-"
"Relax, Riley, we had it covered," Xander replied confidently.
"Oh yeah, three against eight, no big deal!" Spike smirked with the same confidence as Xander.
"By the way, I'm really sorry that I had to be one of those eight," Willow apologized.
"Me too," Tara chimed in.
"Don't worry, Will and Tara, you guys were unwilling assistants only," Buffy brushed it off.
"Well this is quite extraordinary," Giles said as he cleaned his glasses. "I'm sorry I couldn't have helped."
"No, really, in your condition then, it was better for you to be unconscious," Xander said quickly.
"Did you get hurt, Giles?" Willow asked with concern and confusion.
Some of the others exchanged glances.
"I was," Giles answered nervously, "not myself."
Everyone except the embarrassed Englishman and the two clueless witches started laughing. Soon they were all laughing not just about Giles but about the whole ordeal. About five minutes later, the laughter subsided. They all decided to go home then. It was late and some of them needed to sleep.
Xander and Anya left first, both smiling and giggling together. They left quickly and everyone else knew what their plans were for that night. Then Riley and Buffy left together. They were both a little put off that they missed the big fight but they were happy that everyone was okay. Then, after exchanging numbers and hugs with Willow, Tara went home.
"You two have been through a lot. Almost more than the others. Why don't you home and," Giles paused and smiled knowingly, "sleep."
Willow hugged him quickly and Spike simply nodded at him. Spike had done a lot for Willow. It was clear to them all that he really did love her.
On the walk home, Willow and Spike held hands and even though they were eager to get back to her dorm, they took their time.
"Spike," Willow said softly.
"Yeah, pet?" Spike replied warmly.
"I just really wanted to thank you for... everything. For saving me, for putting up with my friends who, by the way, seem to be warming up to you, for sticking by me through all of this. And, most of all, for coming back."
They stopped on the sidewalk and she gazed up at him. He leaned down and whispered into her ear, "my pleasure."
Willow smiled and pulled Spike to her.
"I love you," she murmured and kissed him passionately.
The End.
There, a nice sappy ending. :) So... did you like it? Hate it? Please review!
****
It only took a few days for Giles' living room to be straightened almost completely and for wounds to be tended to. The Sirenial Sisters were gone. But they left quite an aftermath. Xander and Spike, against his will, both had to spend a day at the hospital for various non-fatal wounds. Willow, Buffy, Tara and the others that lost their souls didn't require any medical treatment. The spell on them wore off once the Sirenial Sisters were gone. So did the spell on the factory where Karen and Charlotte had been stuck. They both found Willow and begged for her forgiveness, which she of course gave, and swore off even burning incense ever again. All was well again.
After recovering his memory when the Sirenial Sisters left, Giles also apologized for any inappropriate behavior. And then he requested they all meet at his house so he could copy down all the details he missed. The two witches Rosa and Reina soul sucked were too weirded out still to come. But later they did agree to meet with Willow and Tara about some spells. But besides them and the obvious expectations of Karen, Charlotte, and the Sirenial Sisters themselves, they all came. They settled happily into Giles' den which had been cleaned up thoroughly. The mood was light as the still conscious and non-soul-sucked ones during the fight recounted it.
"I still can't believe you chose me over getting your powers back," Xander admitted as he cuddled against Anya on the couch.
"Of course I did!" Anya exclaimed and kissed him happily.
Spike rolled his eyes but there was a faint smile on his face as he gently squeezed Willow's hand.
"What I can't believe is what happened when the lamp was unplugged by Willow," Giles said. "Would you explain it again?"
"Okay, Cullena wasn't really unconscious," Xander started with excitement.
"Like Mike Meyers from those bloody 'Halloween' movies," Spike added.
"And she was really angry so she was about to kill Anya with some ball of energy or something," Xander continued.
"But I smashed their necklaces and they disappeared. Then D'Hoffryn appeared just before the energy hit and took me to his dimension," Anya explained.
"Which would explain the big hole in that wall," Spike said as he motioned to the plastic sheet covered hole.
"When D'Hoffryn offered me my powers again, he also showed me the look on Xander's face. He looked so despondent that I remembered everything and I demanded to be sent back." Anya smiled and kissed Xander again.
He flinched a little and broke away from her. He touched his bandaged nose and said, "I also can't believe that I broke my nose."
"S-sorry about that," Tara apologized shyly from her seat between Tara and Buffy.
"No problem, let's just hope it doesn't look weird when it heals." He leaned in to kiss Anya but she stopped him.
"Look weird?" she asked.
"Tara, you should go patrolling with me. The vamps won't know what hit 'em, literally," Buffy laughed.
Tara blushed but smiled.
"Man, I really wanted to be at the fight," Riley said. "If my troop and I were there-"
"Relax, Riley, we had it covered," Xander replied confidently.
"Oh yeah, three against eight, no big deal!" Spike smirked with the same confidence as Xander.
"By the way, I'm really sorry that I had to be one of those eight," Willow apologized.
"Me too," Tara chimed in.
"Don't worry, Will and Tara, you guys were unwilling assistants only," Buffy brushed it off.
"Well this is quite extraordinary," Giles said as he cleaned his glasses. "I'm sorry I couldn't have helped."
"No, really, in your condition then, it was better for you to be unconscious," Xander said quickly.
"Did you get hurt, Giles?" Willow asked with concern and confusion.
Some of the others exchanged glances.
"I was," Giles answered nervously, "not myself."
Everyone except the embarrassed Englishman and the two clueless witches started laughing. Soon they were all laughing not just about Giles but about the whole ordeal. About five minutes later, the laughter subsided. They all decided to go home then. It was late and some of them needed to sleep.
Xander and Anya left first, both smiling and giggling together. They left quickly and everyone else knew what their plans were for that night. Then Riley and Buffy left together. They were both a little put off that they missed the big fight but they were happy that everyone was okay. Then, after exchanging numbers and hugs with Willow, Tara went home.
"You two have been through a lot. Almost more than the others. Why don't you home and," Giles paused and smiled knowingly, "sleep."
Willow hugged him quickly and Spike simply nodded at him. Spike had done a lot for Willow. It was clear to them all that he really did love her.
On the walk home, Willow and Spike held hands and even though they were eager to get back to her dorm, they took their time.
"Spike," Willow said softly.
"Yeah, pet?" Spike replied warmly.
"I just really wanted to thank you for... everything. For saving me, for putting up with my friends who, by the way, seem to be warming up to you, for sticking by me through all of this. And, most of all, for coming back."
They stopped on the sidewalk and she gazed up at him. He leaned down and whispered into her ear, "my pleasure."
Willow smiled and pulled Spike to her.
"I love you," she murmured and kissed him passionately.
The End.
There, a nice sappy ending. :) So... did you like it? Hate it? Please review!