Title: The Truth of the Matter
Author: Hilary & Heidi
E-mail: ImmortalBeloved2000@yahoo.co.uk and angelus0@hotmail.com
Posted: 2nd Feb 2003
Rating: PG
Pairings: B/R, B/S
Spoilers: General Season 5 post Out Of My Mind
Summary: When Spike's chip threatens his life Buffy and the gang must make a difficult decision
Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to any of these characters. It all belongs to Joss and co.
Feedback: YES PLEASE!!!!
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Buffy sat in her room, on her bed, unable to sleep, unable to concentrate. Spike held her hand as he slept. He had tried so hard to get her to sleep as well. She just couldn't. Something was wrong. Something was coming.
No sooner had she had that thought, there was a frantic knocking on the front door. Spike stirred and Buffy cast a glance at the sleeping ex vampire. She pulled his T-shirt over her form and went down the stairs, cautiously. The knocking had not stopped, but had actually sped up, if that was possible. Buffy peeked out from behind the white filmy curtains that covered the windows next to the door and let out a sigh of relief when she realised who it was.
Opening the door, Buffy queried, "Anya, what are you doing here?"
Ignoring the question, she barrelled into the Summers' home and asked, "Where's Xander?"
"You mean he's not with you?" Buffy asked, worry beginning to set in.
Anya shook her head briefly and continued. "He left our apartment over two hours ago and hasn't come back. He said he'd never leave me Buffy, so why is he gone?"
Buffy frowned. Whatever it was, it couldn't be good, but as much as she didn't get Anya and her distinct mannerisms, she knew that Xander loved her with all of his heart. It was the only way he knew how. She switched into Slayer mode. It comforted not only herself but Anya as well, who finally stopped pacing.
"We need to get to the magic shop. I'll call Willow and get Spike and Angel. Go to the shop and get Giles. We'll all meet you there."
At the Magic Box
The entire gang had assembled at the shop minus Angel.
"We've gone over the facts and they just don't add up." Willow said with much distress.
"Will, calm down, none of this will help us find him." Buffy noted as gently as she could.
The door banged open and Angel walked in. If it was possible, he looked even more broody than usual. "You won't find him."
Everyone sprang from their chairs and surrounded the vampire. Choruses of "Why not?" or "Where is he?" filled the air.
Angel looked around at the group of people who were looking at him expectantly. How was he going to tell them? There was just no easy way of saying it. His eyes fell sorrowfully on Anya and he swallowed hard.
"He's dead."
Mere worry and concern gave way to horror and disbelief. A deafening silence. Willow shook her head, refusing to accept what she was hearing. Buffy just looked stunned as Spike wrapped a comforting arm around her.
"No." Anya whispered softly. "Noyou're wrong."
As Angel related his story Anya's soft whispering slowly turned into gut-wrenching sobs.
"I'm so sorry." Angel said softly.
Anya leapt at him with a quickness she had not seen since her demon days, screaming hysterically. It took both Buffy and Spike to pull her away. As they did, her body drained itself of rigidity and vitality and she sank to the ground, weeping pitifully. The gang exchanged looks over her head unsure of what to do next.
At last, Tara crouched down and embraced her, rocking her and stroking her hair. Their glances reached a consensus and Buffy voiced the decision. "Come on. Let's bring him home."
U.C. Sunnydale
Willow ore through all of the books in the room she and Tara shared. She tossed them to the ground, shaking them open and breathing great lungs of air as she went. Finally, she found what she was looking for. A small card fluttered to the floor and Willow snatched it from the air before it could land.
She turned it over in her hands and she could feel the power emanating from it. She took a deep breath and sank to the ground. Lighting a black candle that she kept hidden from Tara, and began the incantation to D'Hoffryn.
Arashmaharr
D'Hoffryn eyed the small girl standing before him. She had great power, more so than she had when he had last encountered her, but more than that she had pain, and the pain a witch felt had great potential.
"You have reconsidered my offer?" He asked.
She raised her head slightly, no trace of fear in her puffy tear-filled eyes.
"I have."
He smiled. "Excellent. I feel the strength of your pain, it is greater than last time is it not?"
Willow tried not to let the tears that were burning in her eyes fall. "I lost a friend."
D'Hoffryn nodded. "And you desire vengeance?"
Willow nodded.
"Very well, you will make a fine vengeance demon."
He placed his hand over her heart and began to chant in a language that she'd never heard before. As he did so she began to feel a power flow through her that she had never felt before, her rage intensified and as it did she knew what she had to do.
"Now go." D'Hoffryn waved a hand in front of her face and Willow found herself back in her dorm. Tara still wasn't back from class and Willow knew she had to go to someone who would be able to help her in her quest.
Xander's Apartment
At the sound of knocking Anya rolled over in bed, tears still falling down her face. If she closed her eyes she could still smell Xander's scent lingering on the sheets. She couldn't believe he was gone.
"Anya, its Willow. Open the door; I know you're in there. I need to talk to you about something, about Xander."
Hearing his name only made her cry harder, but she managed to pull herself out of bed and opened the door.
"What do you want?" She asked wearily. "I want to be left alone."
Willow was barely able to hold back her own tears at the sight of Anya's tear streaked face.
"I need your help." She said softly.
Anya suddenly spied the necklace hanging around her neck. "Oh my God Willow, what have you done?"
Willow gave her predecessor a small but chilling smile. "What I had to do to bring Xander back. He was my friend. I seek vengeance against he who revoked his life. I believe you do too. You know what you must say to make that happen."
Anya looked at the former witch, horrified
And yet hopeful
She remembered what happened when Cordelia had made her wish and she knew she had to speak her words carefully. It was all too easy for a wish to be twisted so that it reflected back on whoever had wished it.
"I wish that Angel had killed the demon that killed Xander before it had a chance to kill Xander."
Anya continued looking hopeful as Willow smiled a satisfied smile and said, "Done."
Anya woke up in her bed knowing something was wrong. Xander had run out of the apartment almost two hours ago only saying that there was something that he had to do. This time Anya knew what Xander had to do, and where he was. She changed quickly out of her bedclothes before running out the door and straight to the mansion.
The Mansion
"Do I know you?" Angel asked warily.
"The name's J'nurum," the man answered, holding out his hand in a gesture of greeting.
Angel chuckled, very amused and crossed his arms across his chest. "You didn't think I would fall for that did you? I can smell you and you're not human."
J'nurum's face dissolved into anger as he morphed into his true form which towered above the tall vampire. Angel began backing away, looking around for anything to fight with.
J'nurum laughed horrible grinding laughter. "Now it's my turn to be amused. You can't stop me now, vampire."
"Angel, catch!"
Angel turned to see Xander throwing a sword at him. It was one of the swords that he and Buffy had fought with on that day so long ago. Xander had taken it from above the mantelpiece while J'nurum was distracted. It took half a second for it to register that Xander was trying to help him, but by that time the sword was in his hand. Without thinking, he swung the sword upwards and sliced through the offensive demon before he could lay a hand on either of them.
J'nurum looked down at slice that ran all the way up his abdomen and ended at his throat. He tried desperately to keep his insides from hanging out, but he was bleeding profusely and losing a lot of blood. Dizzy, he pitched forward and landed face first at Angel's feet.
Xander crept out from behind the furniture that he had retreated to after throwing the sword at Angel.
"And I thought he smelled bad on the outside." Xander quipped.
Angel resisted the urge to smile; he had a feeling that they'd had a narrow escape.
"So what the hell is this thing?" Xander asked, kicking the corpse at their feet.
Angel shook his head. "I have no idea."
"Well, let's go and see Giles. He's always up on the demon info."
Angel nodded and the two of them headed towards The Magic Shop.
"By the way." Said Angel as they walked. "Thanks."
"No problem." Xander grinned.
* * *
Xander had barely opened the door to the shop when Anya threw herself into his arms, sobbing her heart out.
"Xander, thank God. I missed you, I love you so much."
Before Xander could ask her what was going on she kissed him with everything she was worth.
"Don't ever leave me again!" She half yelled.
"Umright. Ahn, not that I'm not happy about the hugs and the kisses, but I was only gone a couple of hours. I told you I was going to see Angel."
Anya just kissed him again and Xander gave up, deciding to just go with it.
Seeing Xander and Anya, Willow smiled. Buffy and Spike looked a little confused, but moved closer to each other being reminded on how much they loved each other by the display they were seeing. Finally Angel cleared his throat.
"Umguys, we're here about a demon."
Giles stepped out from the back, arms full of books.
"I'm sure we can identify the demon you saw in one of these."
The gang sighed. It was research time.
Several hours later Giles handed Angel a book.
"Is this him?"
Angel looked; sure enough it was the demon that had tried to attack him. He read the comments next to the picture. Apparently the demon's ability was being able to drain the energy out of people, killing them if he held on long enough. He and Xander had definitely had a narrow escape.
"That's him." He said grimly.
"I don't understand." Said Buffy. "Why did it attack you? No one knows you're here apart from us."
"I've got plenty of enemies in LA." Angel replied. "I imagine one of them must have sent him after me. I have to go back, tonight, if this thing was sent after me then there's a chance that Cordy and Wesley have been targeted too."
Buffy nodded. "Is there anything you need?"
Angel shook his head. "I should go now. I want to make sure I beat the sunrise."
He stood up and so did Buffy.
"I'll walk you too your car." She said. Angel gave a small smile and nodded.
***
The walk was over all too soon. Buffy and Angel stood by the car. They stood in silence for a moment before Buffy pulled him into a tight hug.
"Thank you for everything." She whispered. "Be careful, and remember to call me if you need anything."
"I will. Buffy, I hope that you and Spike are happy together. Tell him if he doesn't look after you he'll wish he's never met me."
Buffy smiled. "I will."
Angel climbed into the car and started the engine.
"Good bye Buffy."
"Bye Angel."
She watched until he'd driven out of sight and then walked slowly back to the shop.
Spike's Crypt
Riley woke up and looked around, startled. Something had woken him up. He looked around the dank crypt to see that Spike's old buddies weren't attacking them.
He rolled over in the bed and sat up with only the sheets covering him and turned around.
Drusilla was gone.
For the past day and a half, he had listened to her alternately weeping, bawling or howling. Now he knew that the silence was what woke him.
Quickly, he pulled his pants on, thanking whatever he relied on these days that it was night time and that Dru hadn't decided to take a lazy afternoon walk.
"Drusilla? Dru?" he called out, in hopes that she was nearby.
He heard some rustling in the bushes and turned towards the noise.
"Dru?"
She appeared so suddenly behind him that he jumped.
"The stars have whispered a little secret to me," she stated, tracing a finger from the back of his neck and down his bare chest.
Riley stifled a groan, and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Why did you leave? You know that everybody wants to kill you around here" he chastised.
Dru looked hurt, but gave him a quirky smile. "Shhhh.." she whispered.
"I saw a surprise. Slayer's little friend is no more," she said with no small amount of hellish glee.
"What?" Riley asked, astounded. "Who? What happened? Xander? Willow? Spike?" he said the last with rancour, as if it left a bad taste in his mouth.
Drusilla frowned. "All and none."
Riley frowned again and puzzled over what she said.
At the Magic Shop
Tara frowned at Willow as they sat at the big round table in the magic shop. They were reading up on spells. Really difficult ones, they both knew it. The problem wasn't that they were difficult. The problem that Willow was giggling as she turned the pages. It looked as though she was trying to hold back full-fledged guffaws.
"Sweetie?" Tara asked, sorta freaked out.
"Whathoney?" Willow finally answered, still distracted.
"What's so funny?" Tara replied, no trace of a waver in her voice as she did.
"Funny?" Willow smiled. "There's nothing funny about all of this serious magic." She answered, very seriously. Then she burst into giggles again.
"There is something going on here," Tara stated.
Xander passed by just as Tara said that last to Willow.
"There's a something?" he asked curiously.
Willow looked up at her oldest friend, whom she was able to restore, with a small smile. "No something. Nothing at all."
Xander smiled and walked off and as he did, Willow looked back into the magic book. She was holding back the laughter this time, but the amusement still danced in her eyes.
Tara noticed this too.
*****
As insane as Drusilla might have been, she was freakishly determined when she decided on something. Perhaps her insanity only fuelling her mad quests.
They set out for the magic shop and once there, hesitated.
"We can't exactly walk right in there, Dru," Riley said in a patient tone.
"Nonsense. We will be in the shadows and no one will see" Dru cooed dreamily.
Riley shrugged and followed Drusilla as she calmly opened the door of the magic shop.
*****
The bell of the shop jangled and Anya stood up quickly to assist the customers coming through the door, only to sit down just as quickly as she realized that it was after hours.
As she did, she jumped up again. Everyone else quickly saw what she was staring at and jumped up too.
"Dru!"
"Riley!"
Everyone was in complete shock as they watched Drusilla enter the shop majestically, and with great import. Riley hung back and looked sheepish.
Buffy started. "What are you doing here Dru?"
Drusilla smiled coyly and put a finger to her lips. "Hush. Shhhhh."
"Excuse me, evil loony vampire right here, why are we not making with the pointy sticks?" Xander complained.
"You're all fixed now. You were blood and guts." Drusilla remarked in reply.
Angel completely ignored Drusilla and walked with a purpose towards the door. As he neared it, he also neared Riley. Riley got into a defensive stance, and Angel vamped out. Casually, and without any warning Angel slugged Riley in the stomach, and kneed him in the jaw as he doubled over. As Riley jerked his head back up, his neck ran into Angel's fists, knocking him to the ground. Angel picked Riley up, before he could get up, grabbed a hold of his clothes and tossed him out the door of the magic shop. All of this took less than a minute.
"Wow," Tara stated, which everyone nodded in agreement to. Except Willow.
Willow, the now vengeance demon was facing down the vampire Drusilla.
Drusilla considered the redhead for a moment, a mixture of puzzlement and confusion on her face.
"You." She finally said. "You're the one that made it all better. Naughty little girl."
Everyone else frowned at this, not knowing what the insane vampire was talking about.
"Willow?" Buffy finally asked, seeing something in her friend that she'd never seen before. Power. Her whole body seemed to crackle with it, and it was a power that went beyond simple magic.
Willow turned to her friend and gave her a small smile.
"Don't worry, Buffy. I'm going to fix this. All you have to do is wish it."
"What?"
As Willow fingered the talisman around her neck the Slayer's eyes widened with the realisation of what was happening.
"Willow, what did you do?"
"I'll explain later, Buffy. Right now you have the chance for vengeance against the woman who nearly took Spike from you. Just make a wish and it's granted."
Buffy looked at Drusilla who seemed to be waiting almost expectantly to see what the wish was going to be. Her eyes then moved over to Spike, who was looking at his feet almost as though he didn't want to see what was going to happen next.
With a small smile Buffy moved over to him and cupped his chin gently raising his head until his eyes met hers.
"What do you want me to do?" She asked softly. She knew this wasn't a decision she could make on her own. Whether she liked it or not Drusilla was a part of Spike's life and she couldn't just end her life without knowing how it would affect the man she loved.
Spike looked over at Drusilla for a moment before returning his gaze to Buffy.
"Don't kill her." He said softly. "Just get her out of here and don't let her come back."
Buffy smiled, nodded and placed a quick kiss on his lips before turning back to Willow and Dru.
Willow took a small step forward. "Make your wish."
Buffy nodded. "I wish for Dru to go back to where she came from and for her to stay away from me and my friends from now on."
Willow smiled. "Done."
A moment later and Drusilla was gone, leaving everyone now staring at Willow and awaiting some sort of explanation.
Spike's crypt
Hours had passed and now Riley knew something was wrong. Dru should have been back by now but instead he was alone, just as he had been before he'd met her. It didn't take an idiot to work out that she was either dead or had left him. If she'd actually managed to kill Spike he'd have heard about it by now.
Spike.
Just hearing the name in his head made Riley want to kill something. All of this was Spike's fault. He just had to go and make Buffy fall in love with him when she had a perfectly normal boyfriend who adored her.
"I just wish there was something I could do about it." He sighed, sitting on Spike's bier while he figured out what he was going to do next.
The Magic Box
"Wow." Was all Buffy could manage to say once Willow had finished her story. Anya still refused to leave Xander's side but she also chipped in her own parts until everyone knew exactly what had happened.
Xander seemed to be the one having problems processing what he was hearing. "I died? To save Angel?"
Anya nodded, leaning up to kiss him. "It was awful. Promise you'll never do anything heroic like that again."
Xander couldn't help but smile at that. "I promise. Only acts of cowardice from now on."
"S-so what do we do now?" Tara asked. "I mean Willow can't stay a demon, right?"
Everyone fell silent, finally realising the long-term effects of what Willow had done.
"She can stay a demon." Anya announced suddenly. "It's a very fulfilling career choice."
Tara's eyes teared up at the thought and Willow moved over to her side, wrapping her arms around her lover.
It was true she hadn't thought this far ahead. All she'd cared about was getting Xander back. But now she could feel it in her heart, the cries of people who desired vengeance. What scared her most of all was the need she felt to grant their requests. To hurt, maim and kill those who had wronged people.
How long would it be before she had to hurt someone she cared about?
"Hey, it's ok." She tried to reassure. "We'll work something out."
"Why don't we just smash the amulet?" Buffy suggested. "Isn't that how Anya lost her powers?"
Anya shook her head. "If we do that then Willow's spell will be reversed and Xander will be dead again."
"Well, what if she stays a demon and just refuses to grant wishes?"
Anya shook her head again. "D'Hoffryn would kill her."
As they continued to discuss ways to solve the problem, nobody bar Tara noticed Willow's body go stiff.
"Will?" Tara asked softly. "What is it?"
"I'm needed." Willow whispered, a look of horror in her eyes. Before anyone could ask further questions she had vanished.
Spike's Crypt
"Willow?"
Riley stared in surprise at the girl who had just appeared before him.
"I'm here to grant your wish." She replied sadly. She was now starting to realise just what being a vengeance demon was going to mean. Sure, she'd managed to save Xander's life but now it looked like she was going to have to hurt someone else she cared about in order to even the balance out.
"Wish?" Riley asked. "What wish?"
For a moment Willow was hopeful. Maybe there was still some good left in Riley's heart. Maybe he wouldn't have it in him to hurt one of her friends.
"Didn't you make a wish?" She asked softly, all the while praying he'd say no.
Riley looked thoughtful for a moment and then his eyes darkened.
"Spike." He hissed.
Willow's heart sank. Maybe she could talk him out of it before he said the words.
"Riley, you know hurting Spike won't make Buffy love you. Neither will killing him."
Riley sighed and sat back down on the bier. "I know. I just wish Buffy had never developed feelings for him."
Willow closed her eyes, trying hard not to let the tears fall "Done."
A Sunnydale Café
Riley looked up as the door to the café swung open. He remembered this. This was the night Buffy had found Spike collapsed in the alley. This was when it had all started. Willow had actually done it. She'd given him a second chance.
"Hey." Buffy smiled, placing a soft kiss on his lips. "Sorry for making you wait. Ran into a bit of trouble on my way in."
"Anything bad?" Riley asked, trying to keep his heart from soaring.
Buffy sighed. "Just Spike related trouble. Remind me why I haven't staked him yet."
Riley shrugged. "Maybe you should. It's not like he does anything useful."
He was amazed when Buffy actually seemed to consider this.
"Well, I am the slayerI dunno. I guess it's just a little beneath me. He's all helpless after all. So long as he stays out of my way I guess there's no harm letting him liveor un-live."
Riley smiled. He could live with that. If everything was the same, then Spike's chip would kill him in a few days anyway.
"Hey, why don't we eat and then we can patrol together." He suggested, the final test to see if everything was the way he wanted it.
"Sure." Buffy smiled. "The more the merrier."
With a smile Riley leaned over and kissed her. "I love you."
"I love you too." She replied with an equally happy smile. "Now let's eat. We can't slay on an empty stomach."
Outside the café Willow peered through the window with dismay. Riley had got his wish and as far as Buffy was concerned the man she loved was right in front of her. Spike didn't even get a second thought.
She didn't know how but she had to do something about this. Right now Spike was in his crypt with the chip in his head slowly killing him. Only this time nobody cared enough to try and save him. Nobody but here that was. With a wave of her hand she teleported herself there, determined to make the most of her powers while she could.
Spike's crypt
"So let me get this straight." Spike sighed wearily, running his fingers through his hair and massaging his temples. "The chip in my head has knackered and it's killing me."
"That's right." Willow said, deciding to skip all the other details of the alternate reality. It would probably be too much for Spike to take in his current condition. "If we go to Giles now he might be able to help."
"Can't make things any worse I suppose." He finally said, standing with a wince. Willow quickly slipped an arm around his waist and helped lead the weakened vampire from his crypt. Once she got him to Giles she knew where her next port of call would be.
Anya's apartment
"Willow." Anya greeted in surprise as she opened her door. "Are you looking for Xander? He's not here."
"Actually it was you I wanted to talk to." Willow replied, marching in without waiting to be invited. "We have to talk."
She quickly explained to Anya everything that had happened, from Spike getting sick through to Riley's wish.
"I have to undo this." She said as she finished her story. "I have to make things the way they were. There has to be a way of undoing this without letting Xander die."
Anya looked at Willow with surprise. "Oh, it's quite simple really."
Giles' Apartment
Buffy looked down at Spike's now unconscious form and wrinkled her nose.
"So let me get this straight. The chip in his head is killing him and the choices are either getting it removed or letting him die."
Giles nodded, looking on with shock as Buffy pulled a stake out of her pocket. In the background Riley couldn't help but smile. His girl was making the right choice for once.
"Buffy, what are you doing?" Giles asked warily.
"Giles, Spike's a killer. It's in his nature. If we remove the chip he's only going to hurt someone. Probably one of us. It's easier if I just end it now. It'll be a merciful death in his current state."
She moved over to where he was lying and prepared to make the finishing blow.
Anya's apartment
"You see, when Riley made his wish he overrode the other reality to create this one. If you smash your amulet you'll just sort of 'unplug' this current reality and things will go back to the way they were before you granted Riley's wish."
"So Xander will still be alive?" Willow asked, praying that it would be as simple as that.
Anya nodded with a smile. "Sure. The same thing happened when I lost my powers. All it did was undo the wish that was in progress. Everything else stayed the same."
Without another word Willow pulled the chain from her neck and placed it on Anya's table.
"I hope this works."
Anya passed her a stone fertility statue and smiled. "It will."
Willow nodded and took the statue from her.
Giles' apartment
"Do you want to say anything before you do this?" Giles asked, seeing that Buffy wasn't going to back down in her decision.
She looked down at Spike for a moment and frowned.
"I don't think there's anything that needs saying."
At that moment he moaned and stirred, his eyes fluttering open and fixing on her.
"Buffy?" He whispered with a small smile.
She reacted instantly and without hesitation, driving the stake into his heart. He was barely able to register the shock before his body exploded into dust, leaving a fine layer on the cushions of Giles couch.
"You did the right thing." Riley said with a smile, slipping his arm around Buffy's shoulder.
Anya's apartment
With a cry Willow brought the statue down hard on the amulet, shattering it easily. A white light blinded her momentarily and she then found herself back in Spike's crypt. Riley was stood in front of her just as he had been before.
"I just wish that Buffy had never developed feelings for him."
Slowly Willow's lips began to tuck upwards. Realizing she could feel *nothing* she gave Riley a sympathetic smile.
"Sorry Riley, but I don't think anything is going to break Buffy and Spike up. They've been through so much and they're still as much in love now as they ever were. If you care about Buffy at all you'll let her be happy with the man she loves."
Riley's shoulders slumped in defeat. "I shouldn't have come back."
Willow placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "It's not over yet. There's still a lot of people out there who could use your help."
Riley's eyes met hers in surprise. He'd expected her to condemn him, not try and help him. What she was saying made a lot of sense.
"I guess I could give the army another try."
Willow smiled. "Yeah."
Without thinking about him she pulled him into a gentle hug before turning and heading back out into the night. Finally everything was as it should be.
The Magic Shop
Everyone's heads shot us as the door swung open and Willow stepped inside.
"What happened?" Tara asked, jumping up from her seat and running to embrace her.
"It's ok." Willow soothed, stroking her hair. "I'm not a demon any more. I fixed it."
"How?" Buffy asked curiously. "We've been researching ways to reverse it without breaking the spell but we couldn't find anything."
"It doesn't matter." Willow replied. "But I've seen Riley and he's not going to bother us any more. I think he's going to head back to Belize."
"I guess this means we have a break between apocalypses." Buffy replied, standing up. "I say we Bronze."
There was a general murmur of agreement and slowly everyone filed out of the shop and into the night until only Buffy and Spike were left.
She turned to him and gently pulled him into her arms, kissing him gently before laying her head on his chest.
"I love you." She whispered. "It just seemed important that I tell you."
Spike smiled, no matter how long he lived he was never going to get tired of hearing that.
"I love you too, pet. Now what's say we join the others. I'm dying to taste the flowering onion now that I actually can taste it."
Buffy smiled and took his hand in hers as they headed out into the start of the rest of their lives.
The End