A few days later, Xander found himself feeling very much alone. He
was sitting in the room of the hotel that they served their complimentary
breakfast. He was waiting for everyone to come down. Slowly, they all
assembled.
"So today's the day?" Xander asked gloomily. That seemed to be the mutual feeling.
"Yep." Buffy had her bags with her. Dawn sat quietly beside her.
"Seems so." Giles had packed his car already.
"Uh-huh." Faith had a small backpack with her.
Willow couldn't say anything. Kennedy hugged her. They were leaving to see Kennedy's parents.
"So, Andrew left already?" Dawn asked.
"Last night. He's gone to find his family," Xander said.
"We'd all better leave for the airport." Buffy picked up her bags. They all stood up and walked toward the door.
No matter which car or bus they took they got to the airport. Giles was the first to go. He hugged Willow, but Faith didn't give him the chance. Giles had a strong, manly handshake for Xander, but it ended in a hug as well. He felt so bad for leaving them for the third time, but he missed the Mother Country.
Buffy and Dawn said their good-byes too, as they were on the same plane as Giles. Xander, Willow, Kennedy and Faith watched their plane take off.
"Well, I'd better be heading off too," Faith announced. She grabbed her bag and threw it on her back. "Willow, it's been fun. Xander, know how much alcohol you can hold."
Xander was confused. Faith didn't say where she was going. "Where are you going, Faith?"
"I'll decide at the bus depot," she said without even turning around.
"I guess you're leaving, too, huh?" Xander was facing Willow and Kennedy.
"Yeah, but it's just a visit. I'll find you when it's time." She hugged him real hard. "I wouldn't leave you forever, you're my best friend."
"I love you, Will."
"You too," Willow said as she broke the hug.
Xander addressed Kennedy. "You take care of her, alright Slayer?" Xander liked calling the Slayers that. It made it feel so much more real. The idea that Buffy could have a normal life was real.
Kennedy nodded. "I will, Xander." He watched them go into a rented car and drive away. Willow was waving from the driver's seat. He waved back, but his hand felt limp. Xander looked around himself. He was all alone.
Xander slept in his not soft, lumpy, hotel bed. He wasn't able to sleep a good, deep sleep. He could only doze. It had been like this for the last few days. He started to doze, losing himself in a dream.
He and Anya were in a field of wildflowers, eating a picnic lunch.
"Xander?" Anya asked. Suddenly, the flowers, grass, trees and even the clouds catch on fire. Xander is pulled back further and further from this scene. The fires engulf Anya. He could hear her shriek.
"ANYA!!!" Xander screamed. The fires die and Xander rushes toward her. She's not burned, but she is dying. "Anya, stay with me. I'm not going to lose you again," he begs.
"Don't worry, Xander. It is and was my time. I love you, and there's nothing you could have done. Anyways, I died a noble death, fighting for the world. I've gone to Heaven. I love you, now and always."
Xander held her face. "I love you, too."
Xander sat straight up. He lived the dream over and over in his head, hearing Anya scream, the fire, and of course, what she had told him. Somehow, this helped him. His burden seemed lighter and livable. He knew that he would always love and miss Anya, but he knew, not thought, knew that she was in a better place. Her words would forever ring in his ears:
I love you, now and always.
THE END
"So today's the day?" Xander asked gloomily. That seemed to be the mutual feeling.
"Yep." Buffy had her bags with her. Dawn sat quietly beside her.
"Seems so." Giles had packed his car already.
"Uh-huh." Faith had a small backpack with her.
Willow couldn't say anything. Kennedy hugged her. They were leaving to see Kennedy's parents.
"So, Andrew left already?" Dawn asked.
"Last night. He's gone to find his family," Xander said.
"We'd all better leave for the airport." Buffy picked up her bags. They all stood up and walked toward the door.
No matter which car or bus they took they got to the airport. Giles was the first to go. He hugged Willow, but Faith didn't give him the chance. Giles had a strong, manly handshake for Xander, but it ended in a hug as well. He felt so bad for leaving them for the third time, but he missed the Mother Country.
Buffy and Dawn said their good-byes too, as they were on the same plane as Giles. Xander, Willow, Kennedy and Faith watched their plane take off.
"Well, I'd better be heading off too," Faith announced. She grabbed her bag and threw it on her back. "Willow, it's been fun. Xander, know how much alcohol you can hold."
Xander was confused. Faith didn't say where she was going. "Where are you going, Faith?"
"I'll decide at the bus depot," she said without even turning around.
"I guess you're leaving, too, huh?" Xander was facing Willow and Kennedy.
"Yeah, but it's just a visit. I'll find you when it's time." She hugged him real hard. "I wouldn't leave you forever, you're my best friend."
"I love you, Will."
"You too," Willow said as she broke the hug.
Xander addressed Kennedy. "You take care of her, alright Slayer?" Xander liked calling the Slayers that. It made it feel so much more real. The idea that Buffy could have a normal life was real.
Kennedy nodded. "I will, Xander." He watched them go into a rented car and drive away. Willow was waving from the driver's seat. He waved back, but his hand felt limp. Xander looked around himself. He was all alone.
Xander slept in his not soft, lumpy, hotel bed. He wasn't able to sleep a good, deep sleep. He could only doze. It had been like this for the last few days. He started to doze, losing himself in a dream.
He and Anya were in a field of wildflowers, eating a picnic lunch.
"Xander?" Anya asked. Suddenly, the flowers, grass, trees and even the clouds catch on fire. Xander is pulled back further and further from this scene. The fires engulf Anya. He could hear her shriek.
"ANYA!!!" Xander screamed. The fires die and Xander rushes toward her. She's not burned, but she is dying. "Anya, stay with me. I'm not going to lose you again," he begs.
"Don't worry, Xander. It is and was my time. I love you, and there's nothing you could have done. Anyways, I died a noble death, fighting for the world. I've gone to Heaven. I love you, now and always."
Xander held her face. "I love you, too."
Xander sat straight up. He lived the dream over and over in his head, hearing Anya scream, the fire, and of course, what she had told him. Somehow, this helped him. His burden seemed lighter and livable. He knew that he would always love and miss Anya, but he knew, not thought, knew that she was in a better place. Her words would forever ring in his ears:
I love you, now and always.
THE END