CHAPTER THREE: BLUE

Somehow it seemed fitting that on the day the Slayer was buried, the sun refused to shine.  Why should anything be bright on the day that the lightest being in the world was being plunged into eternal darkness.

The Scooby Gang gathered around the new plot, tears running down faces, not even one of them had dry eyes. 

Even Gunn and Fred who had tagged along for the funeral were crying, somewhat oblivious to the fact that they had never met the girl who was being placed into the earth.

Giles stood behind Dawn, a fatherly hand on her shoulder.  Spike stood next to Dawn, taking on a surrogate big brother position.  On Dawn's other side stood Xander, Anya clinging to him tightly.  Willow and Tara stood beside Spike leaning against each other for support.

On the other side of the newest plot in Restfield Cemetery stood the crew from Angel Investigations.  Angel could only stare at the headstone blankly, somewhat unbelieving that the only girl he had ever loved now lay in the ground.

Cordy stood beside him, a comforting hand on his arm.  Beside her was Wesley who had tried his hardest to retain his stiff upper-lip, but had broken down when he had seen the devastated expression on Giles' face.  Gunn and Fred stood slightly to the side, silent tears on their cheeks as they stood awkwardly around the grave.

The casket had yet to be lowered, and the lid to the coffin was still open.  It escaped no one's notice that even in death, the Slayer was beautiful.

They stood there, each in silent reflection.  Sniffling, Xander was the first to step forward.

"I've never met anyone like Buffy before.  I doubt I ever will again.  She…I was in love with her.  For years.  And then she became like a sister.  More than a sister really.  She was my best friend.  I told her once that when it was dark and I was alone and scared, I thought of her and everything that was scary suddenly went away.  She was my hero.  She was so much more than the Slayer, but she loved helping people.  And it's only right that the Powers chosen warrior is buried with her weapon of choice.  Her crossbow."

He placed the favoured crossbow into the coffin near her feet, three bolts already loaded onto it.  He wiped his eyes, kissed the girls forehead and stepped back in line.

Willow stepped forward slowly, clearing her throat, wishing not for the first time that it was her in the box instead of her best friend.

"I always thought that Buffy and I would grow old together.  I remember telling Tara that Buffy and I were meant to room together through college and then well into little-old-lady hood, with me reminding her to take her pills.  But she's gone now," she said, biting her lower lip to steady herself.

"She's gone and she's not coming back.  She's gone, but she's not forgotten.  And…like Xander said, Buffy was a warrior.  Just like Kendra.  And Kendra once gave Buffy her favourite stake, just before she died.  It's only right that Mr Pointy gets buried here as well."

It took all of Willow's strength to step forward and mould the stake in place in the Slayer's right hand. Even in death, the stake in Buffy's hand looked natural, like an attachment that should never have been severed.

Dawn touched Willow's shoulder as she stood next to the open casket.  Without a word, she placed a pair of leather pants, black t-shirt and the leather jacket that Angel had given to Buffy in the first year of being in Sunnydale under Buffy's head, acting as a pillow.

"You always looked like the Slayer when you wore leather," Dawn whispered, kissing her sister's cheek.  She didn't bother to wipe away the errant tear that trickled down her own cheek and splashed onto her sisters, making it appear that the dead Slayer herself had been weeping.

Giles stepped forward as the two young women took their places, Spike putting a comforting hand on Dawn's shoulder as they watched the Watcher pay his final respects.

He was silent for a moment, and Wesley watched him with unguarded fascination.  Ever since he had been assigned as Buffy's Watcher he had noticed the affection that Buffy and Giles had held for each other.  It was more than that of Slayer and Watcher.  It was more than that of a Father and Daughter.  It was two equals put together on this earth to rid the world of darkness.  Wesley had never heard of a more successful or formidable team than Buffy and Giles.

"I don't think I ever told you that I loved you," Giles whispered, affectionately touching his Slayer's hair.  "You crept into my heart and stayed there from the very first day.  You were so much more than just the Slayer…you were a girl, a woman.  You were everything a Slayer should have been Buffy.  And I am so very proud of you."

He placed his very first Watcher's journal into the casket, placing it next to her empty hand.  The Council had made copies of it when they had confiscated the journals when he had been fired.  They had sent the journals back with Wesley on his first journey to Sunnydale and Giles had never seen them again until Wes had returned them this very morning.

Spike looked towards Xander who shuffled over to take over his position as Dawn's leaning post.  The blonde vampire stepped forward and took a place beside the Watcher. 

"She did good Rupert," Spike said softly. 

Giles could only nod and whispered "Yes" as a reply.

Spike reached into his pocket and removed a small velveteen box.  He opened it as Giles watched in curiousity.  He was somewhat surprised to see a silver cross placed neatly in the box.  He was even more surprised when Spike picked it up and carefully placed it around Buffy's neck, ignoring the painful singeing of his skin as he arranged on the girls pale neck.

"Rest well luv," Spike whispered.

He touched Giles shoulder briefly and they stepped back into their positions in line. 

On the other side of the plot, Angel stepped forward, tears flowing freely.

"In 245 years, I have only ever loved one person with my entire being," Angel said, running his hands through Buffy's locks of blonde hair.  "Since I first saw you I knew that I loved you.  I love you still.  You gave me everything that you had to give me Buffy.  You gave me love.  You were loyal to me when no one else was.  You were my friend even when it hurt to be close to me. All I can give you know is a symbol of that.  You will always have my friendship, my loyalty, and above all, my love."

With that, he slipped the small silver ring out of his pocket and lifted Buffy's left hand, almost expecting it to feel warm to touch.  But it was cold, very much like his own.  He missed her warmth.  He placed the ring on her finger and leant over the casket to gently kiss her lips one last time.

Giles stepped forward again and gently lowered the lid, memorising the peaceful look on his Slayer's face.  He held back tears knowing that it would be the last time he would ever see his Slayers face.  The lid closed and the world went black.

~*~