Author's Note: Everwood/Buffy crossover ficlet written for the LJ everwood100 challenge (June 23's subject being crossovers).

No Pain, No Fear, No Doubt

By Trisana McGraw

He'd been walking through the fog, but suddenly he saw the familiar lake where they'd been last summer, before the accident. It was like he remembered, but without the families.

"This is memory, not real-life." A woman appeared. "They aren't here."

"Who're you?" Colin demanded.

The woman gave him a pleasant smile tinged with sadness. "I'm Joyce, welcoming you to heaven."

"Colin," he answered, stepping forward. Joyce was his mother's age. "How'd you get here?"

The sadness on her face deepened. "Brain tumor."

"I'm sorry. . . . Head-thing for me, too."

Joyce smiled, putting an arm around his shoulder. "You'll fit in here."