New Horizons: Chapter Sixty-Eight
The Continuance
By Annie
11-09-2002
Everything seemed to be resting.
The air was lighter than usual, every breath the Slayer drew seemed ever so slightly fresher and making her feel just a bit more vibrant and alive. The stillness surrounding her was gentle against her tense nerves and washed away the anxiety and the necessity of always standing on her toes in case of an emergency.
"I think this is one of the best ideas you've ever had," she mumbled, turning her head to Spike who was lying beside her on the blanket which they three hours earlier had spread out on the grass.
He smiled, reaching out a hand and gently touching her cheek before nodding.
The stars were incredibly bright above their heads, as though they wanted to create the perfect setting for a night where everything already seemed possible.
The love the Slayer felt for her Vampire, the love he felt for her, it was as though the wind whispered of it.
All around them magic seemed to have touched the earth; the moon spreading rays through the leaves of the trees surrounding the lake by which the two beings were currently situated, making the artwork that is shadow fall in tangled patterns across them.
Everything was silent.
Buffy turned herself over on the side and cuddled closer to him, closing her eyes as he put an arm around her shoulders and held her tight.
"In less than three days," she whispered, smiling and moving her head to look up at him.
He turned his head as well, meeting her gaze and then smiled back.
"In less than three days," he repeated, moving his face closer, gently placing a kiss on the tip of her nose.
***
The following afternoon Giles walked up to the table in the Magic Box and stopped by the Slayer's side. She had been looking through books with Willow and Xander for the past four hours and come up with absolutely nothing on the sorcerer.
"I think I know what he is," the Watcher now stated and three tired pairs of eyes were lifted from the rows of letters on respective page and a dull glimmer of hope seemed to rise in them as they locked on the bearer of these news, who smiled slightly at their expressions.
"Pray tell," Xander requested.
"He's a Keeper," Giles said and Willow raised her eyebrows slightly at that.
"I don't really think that saying goes well here," she muttered and Giles smiled again, shaking his head.
"No, it wouldn't. But I meant as in 'a member of the Keepers'," he replied and now the three seemed to grow slightly more alert.
"And do you mean THAT as in 'Keepers of babies that aren't theirs' or 'Keepers of a thousand ways to kill a Slayer and having her stay dead' or perhaps the all time favorite of 'Keepers of weapons to destroy the future Child of Fire?!" Buffy demanded and Giles raised his hands calmingly.
"No, nothing like that. This MIGHT actually be something good," he then said and Buffy frowned, clearly disbelieving until proven she should be otherwise. Giles took a seat. "The Keepers," he then began to explain, "are the keepers of the Holy Window." Recieving questioning gazes from the others he continued: "The Holy Window is like a small mirror reflecting the future."
"Oh, they're future tellers," Xander pitched in and Giles shook his head a little.
"No, not REALLY. You see, there really is no way to predict the future, it's too obscure. It changes. Constantly. Because the humans as well as the supernatural beings of this world has something called free choice. And our choices make our future. The only thing, which I believe in, is that there are a few larger crossroads towards where we are headed all our life, and each crossroads had two large arrows which points in completely different directions. Most of our choices will eventually bring us there. It only takes a different amount of time pending on which route you choose when given the 'choice', and which arrow you choose once you get there," Giles stated and Buffy raised her eyebrows slowly.
"So, what is that supposed to mean?" she wondered.
"Well, let's say Spike hadn't gotten crippled with the chip, that he hadn't come back to Sunnydale. Do you think that would have meant that you two would've never met?" he asked and she thought for a moment.
"I don't know," she then grumbled and Giles smiled.
"I know the thought might be a little too hard to grasp, but just try to imagine it. Then that choice would've made this whole scenario of us sitting here disappear, wouldn't it? BUT it doesn't mean it'd never happen, maybe it'd just happen at a different time. The love you share with him, it is greater than anything you've ever felt before, isn't it?" the Watcher now asked gently and a smile seemed to automatically place itself on Buffy's lips before she nodded. "Then what I'm getting at is that, no matter what would have happened, even if the prophecy of the Birth hadn't pointed at you two the slightest and the past few months had never occured, someday you WOULD have stumbled upon each other. And you would've probably been at each others throats just as you were the first time you met, and you would've probably hated each other with as much ferver. BUT, I'm also convinced that, although it may have taken you twenty years more than it took you now, you WOULD have fallen in love with each other just as passionately and deeply as you are right now," he finished and Buffy smiled again, then nodded slowly.
"I think I get it," she now said and Giles returned her smile.
"And you?" he then asked Willow and Xander who both nodded. "Good. Then to answer Xander's earlier question. Time bends and twists, as do our future. There may be a destiny involved for some, or all of us, I don't know. As with Buffy, who was chosen to be the Slayer. But there doesn't have to be. The Powers that Be are funny like that, you can never know for sure. Perhaps that's why faith and hope is so big on this planet. The faith in something bigger creates a meaning which the hope that there is safety for all of us even after death feeds. Faith truly is remarkable," he mumbled, thoughtfully.
"Loosing us again," Xander pointed out and Giles looked at them once more, smiling apologetically.
"Sorry," he said. "What I'm trying to say, plain and simple now, is that our future cannot be predicted. That the Keepers merely see what could happen and that they sometimes intervene when something crucial is about to shift the web of time... What I'm saying is that they are known to help, not destroy, and that they're quite fond of the world as it is. They're quite conservative... I think if anything was about to threaten Kate, they'd try to help us," he finished and Buffy looked at him for a moment and then she breathed a low "wow".
"But you're not sure?" she then asked and Giles shook his head.
"No, I'm not. I'm only moderately certain that THEY won't be the ones coming for Katie..." he then answered before trailing off and Buffy sighed.
"The vampires," she murmured, getting to her feet and wrapping her arms around herself as a shiver of discomfort ran through her body.
"Don't worry," Willow said, standing and walking around the table to put an arm around Buffy's waist. "We'll be here, and the Scoobies haven't lived this long to fail now," she added with a small smile and Buffy smiled back, leaning her head a little to the side and putting her forhead against the Wicca's.
"She's right," Xander then agreed, nodding. "We haven't been fighting the other side for this long without having something to come with. Bring 'em on!" He seemed to regret his last statement since he quickly added: "And I mean for them to do that when we hopefully have a very grown and very powerful Slayer juniorette with us."
Buffy smiled at that and then she shook her head.
"I just have a feeling they're one step ahead of us... that they're just biding their time," she grumbled and Willow's grip on her grew slightly tighter at that.
***
That evening Anya sat down on the bed she shared with Xander, running a brush through her hair and humming a tune that had gotten stuck on her mind that morning. She was thinking, as she had been all day, about this forthcoming wedding and how well their plans seemed to be working out. She was almost as excited about this as she had been about her own wedding.
It was likely it would be the event of the year, and it was sure that it would be gossiped and talked about through the remaining extent of time. They were writing history and it would say: Anya supplied the food and stood for emotional guidance since she had been in the very situation herself. Or something like that.
She smiled a little to herself.
Of course she was happy for the blessed two getting married as well, as everybody else she could see how their love somehow seemed to grow slightly stronger and more shining every day. There wasn't a doubt in her mind that THEY would go through with it.
Xander entered the room, switching off the lamp in the window before he came to lie down. He did, crawling under the covers and making himself comfortable. Then she could feel his eyes on her back and she smiled again, reaching out and putting her brush on the bedside table before turning around and meeting his gaze.
Then she slid under the covers as well and he wrapped his arms around her before kissing her gently.
"I love you," he whispered and she sighed contently, resting her head against his chest.
"I love you too," she replied.
They were silent for a little while and then she said:
"I think we should get engaged...again."
Now he was silent for a short while before she moved her head to look at him. He was shocked, that was clear enough, but a smile was showing at the corners of his mouth.
"You sure about that?" he wondered and she seemed to give it one last thought before she nodded.
"But that's MY question," she stated and the smile grew slightly.
"I never stopped loving you, you know that. And I DO wanna marry you, I always did... We just have to be absolutely ready for it," he answered and she raised her eyebrows. "Alright, I, ME, I have to be absolutely ready for it. But I would like it if you wore my ring again, Ahn... Will you?"
She smiled now, kissing him before answering:
"Yes, I will. Of course I will!"
He held her tighter, thanking his lucky star for her, and then they loved each other with every last breath.
***
The next day Sarah was drinking her morning tea outside, reading the newspaper and as usual feeling haunted by all the violence, when Giles stepped through the kitchen door and came up to her. "Good morning," he said and she looked up, smiling.
"Giles," she replied, happy to see him. "Good morning. Would you care to join me?" she then added and he nodded, sitting down in the chair beside her. "Have you had your tea? There's a fresh pot on the stove; if you would like I could..."
"I wish you didn't have to go back," he interrupted silently and her eyes grew slightly as she closed her mouth, which had hung open from being cut off in mid-sentence, and she grew very still as she waited for him to continue. "But you do," he said.
"Do I?" she wondered now and he met her gaze for a moment before averting his own and standing again.
"The fabric of time is so delicate, Sarah. Who knows what might happen to it if you were to stay here! I don't think we could risk it," he stated and she rose as well.
She was wearing a long yet plain skirt in a light, yellow color. Though wearing trousers and pants amused her she still felt more comfortable in skirts. To it she was wearing a simple sweater in white and she looked absolutely stunning with her brown hair falling down her shoulders.
"If travelling through that very fabric doesn't damage it, then how could staying at one spot manage to?" she asked with a small smile and Giles tried to keep his mind on what he was trying to do, on all the reasons he had thought up which justified her having to go back.
But they all seemed to have disappeared somewhere the moment her eyes rested in his and he took a step back, suddenly taken by the inevitablility of him having fallen in love with her.
"Perhaps it's not that simple," he mumbled, feeling how he was loosing his concentration and he rarely, of not never, lost it.
"Then what's complicating it?" she asked, suddenly moving and coming to stand before him. "If you don't want me to leave, and I don't want to go back...? Don't you agree that the only thing that should be able to shake the course of history is the travelling, and not the...staying put?"
He looked down at her, then he couldn't help but reach up a hand and brush a few locks of softness to be placed behind her shoulder. She smiled a little at the tender touch. He cleared his throat, straightening his posture and trying to get some sort of hold on himself.
"I agree that you may be right," he then answered her question. "Staying put might not be as... devastating for the course of history as the travelling. But..."
She reached up a hand and placed one finger over his lips, silencing him.
"Won't you tell me why you don't want me to go?" she asked, and though he thought he could catch a climps of tease in her gaze as he grew nervous he couldn't be sure.
"Sarah," he said as she took her hand away and she nodded, a questioning expression on her face. "I..." he trailed off, looking at her.
A small smile of anticipation grew on her lips and he had to return it, which made it grow wider.
"Giles, what is it that you're trying to say?" she asked quietly and he was suddenly aware how close they had gotten to each other, their chests were practically touching and as he looked down and into her face he moved before he could think.
His lips were careful as they found hers, and her response was gradual and trying until her arms found their place around his neck and his were around her. He knew her well enough to know that she hadn't been kissed before, though she was almost twenty-nine years old, and so he didn't rush anything.
He thought it was absolutely incredible that he had been so lucky as to have her this close, closer than any other ever had. Though she had admitted that she had had a small share of suitors in her earlier years she had also added that she had declined them all because of devotion to her father and lack of respect for any of the bows.
Now her sweet taste filled his mouth and he held her tight before she slowly pulled away, her eyes misty as she caught her breath and looked up to meet his eyes.
"I've never felt anything like this," she mumbled and he smiled.
"Good," he said and she smiled back.
"Are you going to ask me?" she wondered and he looked quizzical for a second and then he smiled again.
"Sarah," he began, pausing before finishing: "Will you stay with me?"
"Yes," she answered, nodding before reaching up to kiss him once more, only he pulled back a little and she stopped. "What?" she wondered.
"What about Jacob?" he asked.
"He has to choose as well," she answered.
"So, you're staying although he might be going back?" Giles asked now and she smiled brightly.
"Yes," she confirmed.
"Have we really looked at all the aspects of this?" he inquired now, beginning to pull out of her embrace, but she took a hold of him and made him stop the movement. "Sarah," he said. "Passion is too fleety."
She smiled at that, wrapping her arms around him and kissing him again. He returned it before she pulled her mouth away and once more met his gaze with one warm with affection.
"This isn't just passion, and you know that," she mumbled.
He smiled a small smile.
"You sound awfully sure," he retorted and she let out a small giggle before growing serious and meeting his eyes.
"Aren't you?" she wondered and he kissed her again. "I guess you are," she said as they broke the kiss and he smiled, nodding.
"Sarah?!" Jacob's voice was heard from the kitchen and the two took a step apart just before the man in question stepped through the door and came strolling up to them with a smile on his face. "Ah, there you are, my dear. Buffy is in need of assistance, something about a veil... And Dawn needed to have a word with you as well," he added, the smile still on though his eyes went from one to the other of the two and they both got the feeling his gaze registered everything which had taken place the last five minutes.
"Thanks, dad," she said with a smile and with a look at Giles she then walked to the door and inside.
Silence lay untouched between the two men for nearly a minute before Jacob asked:
"Are you in love with her then?"
Giles looked up rather sharply, surprised by the straight forward question, and then he nodded.
"I am," he answered. "It may sound crazy, but I really am."
Jacob nodded slowly as well, seemingly he had expected that answer.
"You're a good man, Rupert," Jacob said. "I know she'll be very happy with you," he added, reaching out a hand and Giles took it in a firm grip.
"That means everything to me," Giles stated and Jacob gave another nod before they let go.
"She means everything to ME," he then said. "And I really hope you'll be happy with HER, if the feeling isn't mutual it doesn't do much good," he added and Giles smiled slightly.
"I know I will be," he assured and Jacob returned the smile.
"Then I want to congratulate you on your fine taste," he said and Giles smiled widely at that.
***
"You needed me?" Sarah asked as she entered Buffy's room and the Slayer spun around with a haggard expression on her face. "What's happened?!" Sarah exclaimed worriedly, but Buffy calmed her by shaking her head and saying:
"Nothing's happened. Or, what's happened is that I said yes to getting married to a vampire and I actually managed to talk him into having that wedding in the CRAZY and way too close date of within TWO weeks and now that date is in ONE day and I haven't even chosen a veil yet!"
"But, Buffy," Sarah said with a smile, "you decided last week that you were going to skip the veil all together, remember?"
Buffy sunk down on the bed.
"I'm getting married tomorrow, Sarah," she mumbled and Sarah came up to sit down beside her. "I'm getting MARRIED tomorrow. I mean, I can't believe it. I'm just getting really nervous about this whole thing... What if..."
"Hold it!" Sarah interrupted and Buffy looked at her as she continued: "There is a thousand of those, Buffy. A thousand of What Ifs. So, I'm just going to ask you the three major questions and if you're not completely sure about those, then you really should consider the What Ifs, alright?"
Buffy nodded and Sarah reached out to take one of her hands before she began.
"I want you to clear your mind and only listen to the words I'm saying. Good. Now, answer me truthfully... Do you want to give birth to William's child?"
"Yes, of course I do!" Buffy answered, looking almost appalled by the question, but Sarah merely smiled and squeezed her hand a little, nodding.
"Do you really, truly love him?" she asked and Buffy got a relaxed expression on her face as a smile graced her lips.
"Without a doubt," she confirmed and Sarah smiled as well.
"And, do you honestly feel ready to have tomorrow be the first day of the rest of your life together with him?" she finally wanted to know and now Buffy almost laughed as relief filled her and she nodded before embracing Sarah.
"I am ready," Buffy said. "I'm more than ready."
"See," Sarah said as they pulled apart. "There wasn't more to it than that."
Now Buffy did laugh.
"Thank you," she then said. "Thank you for everything."
The lady smiled at her and they grew silent for a little while before Buffy spoke up again.
"I haven't asked you this yet 'cause I had some trouble figuring it all out, how I should do, but now I'm pretty sure and so I'm gonna ask... Will you be one of my maids of honor?" she wondered and Sarah's face lit up.
"Oh, yes, of course!" she exclaimed. "I'd love to!"
Buffy smiled.
"Good! I want no one to feel left out so you, Dawn, Willow, Tara AND Anya are all my maids of honor. Pretty cool, huh?" she then asked and Sarah laughed.
"VERY cool," she then agreed. "I have news as well, and I'm rather confident that you'll find them quite joyous." Buffy waited for her to continue. "I'm staying," Sarah finally stated and Buffy's eyes grew.
"You ARE?!" she exclaimed and Sarah nodded, her face radiant with happiness and Buffy felt something warm build in her chest. "Giles?" she asked and the happiness grew to such unmasked joy that Buffy threw her arms around her friend and hugged her tight. "This is more than wonderful!" she exclaimed. "I'm so happy for you two," she added and Sarah seemed close to tears as they pulled apart again.
"So am I," she agreed. "He's the best man I've ever known, besides my father and William. I can't believe it! I'm so happy!"
"You show it!" Buffy stated, then she laughed. "Congratulations. I'm happy you changed your mind, the last time we talked about this you seemed dead set on going back," she added and Sarah nodded a little.
"I didn't see any hope, but then I got to thinking and the more I thought about it the more sure I got that nothing bad would come of me staying behind," she then replied.
"So...Jake's going back?" Buffy asked and a small cloud seemed to draw across Sarah's elated state before she brushed it away and answered:
"I'm not sure yet, we haven't discussed the matter very closely, though he knows that I want to stay."
"I can't tell you how glad I am," Buffy said, leaving the subject of Jacob and focusing back on that of Giles.
It worked, Sarah smiled brightly again and Buffy returned it. She knew exactly how Sarah felt. Once you know the love that can truly change your view of the world, your surroundings, even yourself, then there's no turning away from it. You understand how empty your life would be without it.
Yes, Buffy knew exactly what Sarah was feeling at that exact moment and she had never been happier about the coming day than right then, when she could see how lonely the mountain of her future would have been to climb all alone. Now she would have Spike and she would have Katie. She would have her family with her.
Always.
The Continuance
By Annie
11-09-2002
Everything seemed to be resting.
The air was lighter than usual, every breath the Slayer drew seemed ever so slightly fresher and making her feel just a bit more vibrant and alive. The stillness surrounding her was gentle against her tense nerves and washed away the anxiety and the necessity of always standing on her toes in case of an emergency.
"I think this is one of the best ideas you've ever had," she mumbled, turning her head to Spike who was lying beside her on the blanket which they three hours earlier had spread out on the grass.
He smiled, reaching out a hand and gently touching her cheek before nodding.
The stars were incredibly bright above their heads, as though they wanted to create the perfect setting for a night where everything already seemed possible.
The love the Slayer felt for her Vampire, the love he felt for her, it was as though the wind whispered of it.
All around them magic seemed to have touched the earth; the moon spreading rays through the leaves of the trees surrounding the lake by which the two beings were currently situated, making the artwork that is shadow fall in tangled patterns across them.
Everything was silent.
Buffy turned herself over on the side and cuddled closer to him, closing her eyes as he put an arm around her shoulders and held her tight.
"In less than three days," she whispered, smiling and moving her head to look up at him.
He turned his head as well, meeting her gaze and then smiled back.
"In less than three days," he repeated, moving his face closer, gently placing a kiss on the tip of her nose.
***
The following afternoon Giles walked up to the table in the Magic Box and stopped by the Slayer's side. She had been looking through books with Willow and Xander for the past four hours and come up with absolutely nothing on the sorcerer.
"I think I know what he is," the Watcher now stated and three tired pairs of eyes were lifted from the rows of letters on respective page and a dull glimmer of hope seemed to rise in them as they locked on the bearer of these news, who smiled slightly at their expressions.
"Pray tell," Xander requested.
"He's a Keeper," Giles said and Willow raised her eyebrows slightly at that.
"I don't really think that saying goes well here," she muttered and Giles smiled again, shaking his head.
"No, it wouldn't. But I meant as in 'a member of the Keepers'," he replied and now the three seemed to grow slightly more alert.
"And do you mean THAT as in 'Keepers of babies that aren't theirs' or 'Keepers of a thousand ways to kill a Slayer and having her stay dead' or perhaps the all time favorite of 'Keepers of weapons to destroy the future Child of Fire?!" Buffy demanded and Giles raised his hands calmingly.
"No, nothing like that. This MIGHT actually be something good," he then said and Buffy frowned, clearly disbelieving until proven she should be otherwise. Giles took a seat. "The Keepers," he then began to explain, "are the keepers of the Holy Window." Recieving questioning gazes from the others he continued: "The Holy Window is like a small mirror reflecting the future."
"Oh, they're future tellers," Xander pitched in and Giles shook his head a little.
"No, not REALLY. You see, there really is no way to predict the future, it's too obscure. It changes. Constantly. Because the humans as well as the supernatural beings of this world has something called free choice. And our choices make our future. The only thing, which I believe in, is that there are a few larger crossroads towards where we are headed all our life, and each crossroads had two large arrows which points in completely different directions. Most of our choices will eventually bring us there. It only takes a different amount of time pending on which route you choose when given the 'choice', and which arrow you choose once you get there," Giles stated and Buffy raised her eyebrows slowly.
"So, what is that supposed to mean?" she wondered.
"Well, let's say Spike hadn't gotten crippled with the chip, that he hadn't come back to Sunnydale. Do you think that would have meant that you two would've never met?" he asked and she thought for a moment.
"I don't know," she then grumbled and Giles smiled.
"I know the thought might be a little too hard to grasp, but just try to imagine it. Then that choice would've made this whole scenario of us sitting here disappear, wouldn't it? BUT it doesn't mean it'd never happen, maybe it'd just happen at a different time. The love you share with him, it is greater than anything you've ever felt before, isn't it?" the Watcher now asked gently and a smile seemed to automatically place itself on Buffy's lips before she nodded. "Then what I'm getting at is that, no matter what would have happened, even if the prophecy of the Birth hadn't pointed at you two the slightest and the past few months had never occured, someday you WOULD have stumbled upon each other. And you would've probably been at each others throats just as you were the first time you met, and you would've probably hated each other with as much ferver. BUT, I'm also convinced that, although it may have taken you twenty years more than it took you now, you WOULD have fallen in love with each other just as passionately and deeply as you are right now," he finished and Buffy smiled again, then nodded slowly.
"I think I get it," she now said and Giles returned her smile.
"And you?" he then asked Willow and Xander who both nodded. "Good. Then to answer Xander's earlier question. Time bends and twists, as do our future. There may be a destiny involved for some, or all of us, I don't know. As with Buffy, who was chosen to be the Slayer. But there doesn't have to be. The Powers that Be are funny like that, you can never know for sure. Perhaps that's why faith and hope is so big on this planet. The faith in something bigger creates a meaning which the hope that there is safety for all of us even after death feeds. Faith truly is remarkable," he mumbled, thoughtfully.
"Loosing us again," Xander pointed out and Giles looked at them once more, smiling apologetically.
"Sorry," he said. "What I'm trying to say, plain and simple now, is that our future cannot be predicted. That the Keepers merely see what could happen and that they sometimes intervene when something crucial is about to shift the web of time... What I'm saying is that they are known to help, not destroy, and that they're quite fond of the world as it is. They're quite conservative... I think if anything was about to threaten Kate, they'd try to help us," he finished and Buffy looked at him for a moment and then she breathed a low "wow".
"But you're not sure?" she then asked and Giles shook his head.
"No, I'm not. I'm only moderately certain that THEY won't be the ones coming for Katie..." he then answered before trailing off and Buffy sighed.
"The vampires," she murmured, getting to her feet and wrapping her arms around herself as a shiver of discomfort ran through her body.
"Don't worry," Willow said, standing and walking around the table to put an arm around Buffy's waist. "We'll be here, and the Scoobies haven't lived this long to fail now," she added with a small smile and Buffy smiled back, leaning her head a little to the side and putting her forhead against the Wicca's.
"She's right," Xander then agreed, nodding. "We haven't been fighting the other side for this long without having something to come with. Bring 'em on!" He seemed to regret his last statement since he quickly added: "And I mean for them to do that when we hopefully have a very grown and very powerful Slayer juniorette with us."
Buffy smiled at that and then she shook her head.
"I just have a feeling they're one step ahead of us... that they're just biding their time," she grumbled and Willow's grip on her grew slightly tighter at that.
***
That evening Anya sat down on the bed she shared with Xander, running a brush through her hair and humming a tune that had gotten stuck on her mind that morning. She was thinking, as she had been all day, about this forthcoming wedding and how well their plans seemed to be working out. She was almost as excited about this as she had been about her own wedding.
It was likely it would be the event of the year, and it was sure that it would be gossiped and talked about through the remaining extent of time. They were writing history and it would say: Anya supplied the food and stood for emotional guidance since she had been in the very situation herself. Or something like that.
She smiled a little to herself.
Of course she was happy for the blessed two getting married as well, as everybody else she could see how their love somehow seemed to grow slightly stronger and more shining every day. There wasn't a doubt in her mind that THEY would go through with it.
Xander entered the room, switching off the lamp in the window before he came to lie down. He did, crawling under the covers and making himself comfortable. Then she could feel his eyes on her back and she smiled again, reaching out and putting her brush on the bedside table before turning around and meeting his gaze.
Then she slid under the covers as well and he wrapped his arms around her before kissing her gently.
"I love you," he whispered and she sighed contently, resting her head against his chest.
"I love you too," she replied.
They were silent for a little while and then she said:
"I think we should get engaged...again."
Now he was silent for a short while before she moved her head to look at him. He was shocked, that was clear enough, but a smile was showing at the corners of his mouth.
"You sure about that?" he wondered and she seemed to give it one last thought before she nodded.
"But that's MY question," she stated and the smile grew slightly.
"I never stopped loving you, you know that. And I DO wanna marry you, I always did... We just have to be absolutely ready for it," he answered and she raised her eyebrows. "Alright, I, ME, I have to be absolutely ready for it. But I would like it if you wore my ring again, Ahn... Will you?"
She smiled now, kissing him before answering:
"Yes, I will. Of course I will!"
He held her tighter, thanking his lucky star for her, and then they loved each other with every last breath.
***
The next day Sarah was drinking her morning tea outside, reading the newspaper and as usual feeling haunted by all the violence, when Giles stepped through the kitchen door and came up to her. "Good morning," he said and she looked up, smiling.
"Giles," she replied, happy to see him. "Good morning. Would you care to join me?" she then added and he nodded, sitting down in the chair beside her. "Have you had your tea? There's a fresh pot on the stove; if you would like I could..."
"I wish you didn't have to go back," he interrupted silently and her eyes grew slightly as she closed her mouth, which had hung open from being cut off in mid-sentence, and she grew very still as she waited for him to continue. "But you do," he said.
"Do I?" she wondered now and he met her gaze for a moment before averting his own and standing again.
"The fabric of time is so delicate, Sarah. Who knows what might happen to it if you were to stay here! I don't think we could risk it," he stated and she rose as well.
She was wearing a long yet plain skirt in a light, yellow color. Though wearing trousers and pants amused her she still felt more comfortable in skirts. To it she was wearing a simple sweater in white and she looked absolutely stunning with her brown hair falling down her shoulders.
"If travelling through that very fabric doesn't damage it, then how could staying at one spot manage to?" she asked with a small smile and Giles tried to keep his mind on what he was trying to do, on all the reasons he had thought up which justified her having to go back.
But they all seemed to have disappeared somewhere the moment her eyes rested in his and he took a step back, suddenly taken by the inevitablility of him having fallen in love with her.
"Perhaps it's not that simple," he mumbled, feeling how he was loosing his concentration and he rarely, of not never, lost it.
"Then what's complicating it?" she asked, suddenly moving and coming to stand before him. "If you don't want me to leave, and I don't want to go back...? Don't you agree that the only thing that should be able to shake the course of history is the travelling, and not the...staying put?"
He looked down at her, then he couldn't help but reach up a hand and brush a few locks of softness to be placed behind her shoulder. She smiled a little at the tender touch. He cleared his throat, straightening his posture and trying to get some sort of hold on himself.
"I agree that you may be right," he then answered her question. "Staying put might not be as... devastating for the course of history as the travelling. But..."
She reached up a hand and placed one finger over his lips, silencing him.
"Won't you tell me why you don't want me to go?" she asked, and though he thought he could catch a climps of tease in her gaze as he grew nervous he couldn't be sure.
"Sarah," he said as she took her hand away and she nodded, a questioning expression on her face. "I..." he trailed off, looking at her.
A small smile of anticipation grew on her lips and he had to return it, which made it grow wider.
"Giles, what is it that you're trying to say?" she asked quietly and he was suddenly aware how close they had gotten to each other, their chests were practically touching and as he looked down and into her face he moved before he could think.
His lips were careful as they found hers, and her response was gradual and trying until her arms found their place around his neck and his were around her. He knew her well enough to know that she hadn't been kissed before, though she was almost twenty-nine years old, and so he didn't rush anything.
He thought it was absolutely incredible that he had been so lucky as to have her this close, closer than any other ever had. Though she had admitted that she had had a small share of suitors in her earlier years she had also added that she had declined them all because of devotion to her father and lack of respect for any of the bows.
Now her sweet taste filled his mouth and he held her tight before she slowly pulled away, her eyes misty as she caught her breath and looked up to meet his eyes.
"I've never felt anything like this," she mumbled and he smiled.
"Good," he said and she smiled back.
"Are you going to ask me?" she wondered and he looked quizzical for a second and then he smiled again.
"Sarah," he began, pausing before finishing: "Will you stay with me?"
"Yes," she answered, nodding before reaching up to kiss him once more, only he pulled back a little and she stopped. "What?" she wondered.
"What about Jacob?" he asked.
"He has to choose as well," she answered.
"So, you're staying although he might be going back?" Giles asked now and she smiled brightly.
"Yes," she confirmed.
"Have we really looked at all the aspects of this?" he inquired now, beginning to pull out of her embrace, but she took a hold of him and made him stop the movement. "Sarah," he said. "Passion is too fleety."
She smiled at that, wrapping her arms around him and kissing him again. He returned it before she pulled her mouth away and once more met his gaze with one warm with affection.
"This isn't just passion, and you know that," she mumbled.
He smiled a small smile.
"You sound awfully sure," he retorted and she let out a small giggle before growing serious and meeting his eyes.
"Aren't you?" she wondered and he kissed her again. "I guess you are," she said as they broke the kiss and he smiled, nodding.
"Sarah?!" Jacob's voice was heard from the kitchen and the two took a step apart just before the man in question stepped through the door and came strolling up to them with a smile on his face. "Ah, there you are, my dear. Buffy is in need of assistance, something about a veil... And Dawn needed to have a word with you as well," he added, the smile still on though his eyes went from one to the other of the two and they both got the feeling his gaze registered everything which had taken place the last five minutes.
"Thanks, dad," she said with a smile and with a look at Giles she then walked to the door and inside.
Silence lay untouched between the two men for nearly a minute before Jacob asked:
"Are you in love with her then?"
Giles looked up rather sharply, surprised by the straight forward question, and then he nodded.
"I am," he answered. "It may sound crazy, but I really am."
Jacob nodded slowly as well, seemingly he had expected that answer.
"You're a good man, Rupert," Jacob said. "I know she'll be very happy with you," he added, reaching out a hand and Giles took it in a firm grip.
"That means everything to me," Giles stated and Jacob gave another nod before they let go.
"She means everything to ME," he then said. "And I really hope you'll be happy with HER, if the feeling isn't mutual it doesn't do much good," he added and Giles smiled slightly.
"I know I will be," he assured and Jacob returned the smile.
"Then I want to congratulate you on your fine taste," he said and Giles smiled widely at that.
***
"You needed me?" Sarah asked as she entered Buffy's room and the Slayer spun around with a haggard expression on her face. "What's happened?!" Sarah exclaimed worriedly, but Buffy calmed her by shaking her head and saying:
"Nothing's happened. Or, what's happened is that I said yes to getting married to a vampire and I actually managed to talk him into having that wedding in the CRAZY and way too close date of within TWO weeks and now that date is in ONE day and I haven't even chosen a veil yet!"
"But, Buffy," Sarah said with a smile, "you decided last week that you were going to skip the veil all together, remember?"
Buffy sunk down on the bed.
"I'm getting married tomorrow, Sarah," she mumbled and Sarah came up to sit down beside her. "I'm getting MARRIED tomorrow. I mean, I can't believe it. I'm just getting really nervous about this whole thing... What if..."
"Hold it!" Sarah interrupted and Buffy looked at her as she continued: "There is a thousand of those, Buffy. A thousand of What Ifs. So, I'm just going to ask you the three major questions and if you're not completely sure about those, then you really should consider the What Ifs, alright?"
Buffy nodded and Sarah reached out to take one of her hands before she began.
"I want you to clear your mind and only listen to the words I'm saying. Good. Now, answer me truthfully... Do you want to give birth to William's child?"
"Yes, of course I do!" Buffy answered, looking almost appalled by the question, but Sarah merely smiled and squeezed her hand a little, nodding.
"Do you really, truly love him?" she asked and Buffy got a relaxed expression on her face as a smile graced her lips.
"Without a doubt," she confirmed and Sarah smiled as well.
"And, do you honestly feel ready to have tomorrow be the first day of the rest of your life together with him?" she finally wanted to know and now Buffy almost laughed as relief filled her and she nodded before embracing Sarah.
"I am ready," Buffy said. "I'm more than ready."
"See," Sarah said as they pulled apart. "There wasn't more to it than that."
Now Buffy did laugh.
"Thank you," she then said. "Thank you for everything."
The lady smiled at her and they grew silent for a little while before Buffy spoke up again.
"I haven't asked you this yet 'cause I had some trouble figuring it all out, how I should do, but now I'm pretty sure and so I'm gonna ask... Will you be one of my maids of honor?" she wondered and Sarah's face lit up.
"Oh, yes, of course!" she exclaimed. "I'd love to!"
Buffy smiled.
"Good! I want no one to feel left out so you, Dawn, Willow, Tara AND Anya are all my maids of honor. Pretty cool, huh?" she then asked and Sarah laughed.
"VERY cool," she then agreed. "I have news as well, and I'm rather confident that you'll find them quite joyous." Buffy waited for her to continue. "I'm staying," Sarah finally stated and Buffy's eyes grew.
"You ARE?!" she exclaimed and Sarah nodded, her face radiant with happiness and Buffy felt something warm build in her chest. "Giles?" she asked and the happiness grew to such unmasked joy that Buffy threw her arms around her friend and hugged her tight. "This is more than wonderful!" she exclaimed. "I'm so happy for you two," she added and Sarah seemed close to tears as they pulled apart again.
"So am I," she agreed. "He's the best man I've ever known, besides my father and William. I can't believe it! I'm so happy!"
"You show it!" Buffy stated, then she laughed. "Congratulations. I'm happy you changed your mind, the last time we talked about this you seemed dead set on going back," she added and Sarah nodded a little.
"I didn't see any hope, but then I got to thinking and the more I thought about it the more sure I got that nothing bad would come of me staying behind," she then replied.
"So...Jake's going back?" Buffy asked and a small cloud seemed to draw across Sarah's elated state before she brushed it away and answered:
"I'm not sure yet, we haven't discussed the matter very closely, though he knows that I want to stay."
"I can't tell you how glad I am," Buffy said, leaving the subject of Jacob and focusing back on that of Giles.
It worked, Sarah smiled brightly again and Buffy returned it. She knew exactly how Sarah felt. Once you know the love that can truly change your view of the world, your surroundings, even yourself, then there's no turning away from it. You understand how empty your life would be without it.
Yes, Buffy knew exactly what Sarah was feeling at that exact moment and she had never been happier about the coming day than right then, when she could see how lonely the mountain of her future would have been to climb all alone. Now she would have Spike and she would have Katie. She would have her family with her.
Always.