Epilogue
England 2000
Spike sat in the library working on his latest book. The phone had been ringing off the hook. He got up and answered it.
"Hello? Hi Faith, what's up?"
"Hey Spike, is Buffy around?"
"Hold on, I'll have to walk downstairs and see. Buffy! Where are you Luv?" Spike yelled down the stairs, "Ah there she is, hang on she's outside. Oh, tell Wes I've got that software he wanted."
"Great he'll probably be over later then, he's been dying to set up the computer with all of the information we gathered over the summer."
He walked out the French doors and put his arm around Elizabeth who had been painting the outside gardens. "Buffy, it's Faith." He kissed her and gave her the phone. Elizabeth smiled and took the phone.
"Hi, what's going on?"
Spike left Elizabeth and Faith to their gossiping. He started to walk up to the library again and felt the presence of Andrew.
"So how's the book coming?" asked Andrew.
"Not bad, not bad at all. What've you been up to?" he asked
"Oh nothing much. Helping the helpless as usual."
"Really? Is that all you've been doing?" Spike crossed his arms and tilted his head. Andrew began fidgeting.
"Wha.What else would I be doing Spike?" he shrugged his shoulders and began turned away.
"Oh how about haunting the Mulberry Square Inn?" he tapped his foot. Andrew turned around, not being able to conceal the look of guilt on his face.
"Now wait a minute." He said putting up his hands, "I'm not haunting.. okay, yes I am haunting it, but it's for a good cause."
"Oh I can't wait to hear this one." Spike sat down, leaned back into the large comfortable chair, crossed and placed his hands behind his head. 'This is going to be a doozie' he thought.
"Okay, now you know that the place has been owned by the same family since we used to stay there right? Well they've been going through some really lean times lately, and there was even the threat of them having to sell it to some developer who wanted to make a coffee shop. A coffee shop, can you believe it? Like there aren't enough of those Starbucks in the world already." Andrew smiled, Spike stared at him blankly. "Anyway, I thought maybe if I went and haunted the place it would turn it into a curiosity, you know how tourists love haunted hotels and houses, so I was really doing it to help."
"And?" Spike asked raising his eyebrows.
"And what?"
"And did it work. Is business better for them?" Spike leaned forward.
"Spike they have the place booked for months! And all I have to do is show up every once in a while. I've even got help. Remember the whole Angelus thing? Well I've got Jonathan coming in there sometimes too. We rotate." Andrew nodded and sat down next to Spike. "Come on Spike don't be mad. It's for a good cause, and it doesn't hurt anybody. Besides I'm a ghost. I've got to do something with my down time." Spike couldn't help but laugh.
"Okay Andrew. But just so long as you don't put too much of a scare into those poor people I guess its all right."
"I knew you would understand." Andrew began to stand then sat back down "I almost forgot. Don't we have to start looking for them soon?"
"Almost. Willow's spell will begin to kick in at Midnight tomorrow. Can you be at Faith and Wes' after sundown, or will you be making a spectorcle of yourself?" he smiled.
"Very funny. I'll be there. I'll see you then, say hi to Buffy for me." He waved and was gone.
Spike stood and heard Elizabeth come inside.
"Hey, there you are." She walked to him and gave him a soft kiss. "Mmm, nice."
"Could be nicer up in the bedroom." He smiled and rubbed her back.
"Sounds good to me." They started to walk up the stairs.
"So what did you and Faith talk about?"
"Just planning tomorrow. I can't believe we'll finally be able to see them again. It's been so long."
"I know. I'm excited. Oh Andrew says hi." He picked her up. She laughed.
"Did you talk to him about the Inn?"
"He said he's just doing it because the owners were gonna lose the place. He say's since he and this other ghost he's apparently talked into haunting the place too, have been doing their thing business has picked up for the owners." He shrugged, "So I told him not to scare the people too much. Poor little guy, it takes so little to make him happy, I couldn't tell him to stop."
"You are such a softie when it comes to Andrew you know that?" She pinched his cheek and he flinched.
"I am not. I'm a big bad vampire." He looked at her and she smiled at him. " Well okay, maybe I am a big softie sometimes, but don't let it get around."
She leaned her head on his shoulder.
"Just think in a couple of days we'll have them back with us. We'll all be together again."
"We better get the rooms ready." He kissed her deeply, "tomorrow."
In the time that followed the elimination of Angelus, the group had become closer than ever. One night a few weeks after Angelus was killed Giles, Jenny, Willow and Xander decided that although they wanted to stay together as they were, the four had no desire to live as vampires. After much thought Willow had the answer. She would cast a spell upon each of their souls. The spell was cast when the four humans were within a magic circle. Their ages at the time of the spell would be the age in which their soul, would in the future come to relive and remember who they were and their lives, in that time. Upon the activation of the spell, they would then seek out the vampires, who where always sure to be at their homes during the activation days.
The spell had brought them all together twice before. This would be the third time. It was always a happy occasion, and was always followed with talk's of what had gone on in the lives of the vampires during their time apart. Knowing they would always meet again made it easier for the vampires to deal with the death of their friends. Giles and Jenny loved each other, as did Willow and Xander. Willow had worked the spell, so that they would never look any different then they did before, they would never fall in love or marry anyone else. They all spent their lives doing good things and helping people in distress
Faith and Wesley had lived in Angelus' home, which had originally belonged to Faith's family. Wesley had maintained his holdings around the world and had become the benefactor to many homes for unwanted children. He had become fluent in many languages and had managed to keep a large collection of rare books on the occult.
Spike and Elizabeth lived in her home. Spike had become a great novelist, and had gone by many names throughout the years. He never ran out of stories to tell, especially since they had lived so many adventures during all their years together. He became very familiar with all sorts of demons, legends, and mystical objects. Spike was the keeper of the spear. Between the four of them they made sure it would never be lost to them. It was too powerful an object to get into the wrong hands.
Elizabeth and Faith became great teachers and protectors. They started a small school and trained young women to fight and defend themselves. They took on very few students at one time, and most of the girls had no families to speak of. The girls knew that Elizabeth and Faith were vampires, and took an oath never to reveal their secret. They were educated and well cared for. They were taught all facets of the occult, mysticism, and demonology. When they finished their education they went out into the world as the protectors of the innocent.
Giles and Jenny involved themselves in Magic, and served as both Willow's teachers and students. The power that Willow possessed could and did change the world at times, yet she did not let it take control of her. Fate also needed to be left to its own device.
Xander had maintained his skills as a solicitor, which made it possible for them all to live throughout the great many years they had without detection of what they truly were.
And what they truly were was something beyond words and beyond comprehension.
They were a family, they were love, and they were forever.
England 2000
Spike sat in the library working on his latest book. The phone had been ringing off the hook. He got up and answered it.
"Hello? Hi Faith, what's up?"
"Hey Spike, is Buffy around?"
"Hold on, I'll have to walk downstairs and see. Buffy! Where are you Luv?" Spike yelled down the stairs, "Ah there she is, hang on she's outside. Oh, tell Wes I've got that software he wanted."
"Great he'll probably be over later then, he's been dying to set up the computer with all of the information we gathered over the summer."
He walked out the French doors and put his arm around Elizabeth who had been painting the outside gardens. "Buffy, it's Faith." He kissed her and gave her the phone. Elizabeth smiled and took the phone.
"Hi, what's going on?"
Spike left Elizabeth and Faith to their gossiping. He started to walk up to the library again and felt the presence of Andrew.
"So how's the book coming?" asked Andrew.
"Not bad, not bad at all. What've you been up to?" he asked
"Oh nothing much. Helping the helpless as usual."
"Really? Is that all you've been doing?" Spike crossed his arms and tilted his head. Andrew began fidgeting.
"Wha.What else would I be doing Spike?" he shrugged his shoulders and began turned away.
"Oh how about haunting the Mulberry Square Inn?" he tapped his foot. Andrew turned around, not being able to conceal the look of guilt on his face.
"Now wait a minute." He said putting up his hands, "I'm not haunting.. okay, yes I am haunting it, but it's for a good cause."
"Oh I can't wait to hear this one." Spike sat down, leaned back into the large comfortable chair, crossed and placed his hands behind his head. 'This is going to be a doozie' he thought.
"Okay, now you know that the place has been owned by the same family since we used to stay there right? Well they've been going through some really lean times lately, and there was even the threat of them having to sell it to some developer who wanted to make a coffee shop. A coffee shop, can you believe it? Like there aren't enough of those Starbucks in the world already." Andrew smiled, Spike stared at him blankly. "Anyway, I thought maybe if I went and haunted the place it would turn it into a curiosity, you know how tourists love haunted hotels and houses, so I was really doing it to help."
"And?" Spike asked raising his eyebrows.
"And what?"
"And did it work. Is business better for them?" Spike leaned forward.
"Spike they have the place booked for months! And all I have to do is show up every once in a while. I've even got help. Remember the whole Angelus thing? Well I've got Jonathan coming in there sometimes too. We rotate." Andrew nodded and sat down next to Spike. "Come on Spike don't be mad. It's for a good cause, and it doesn't hurt anybody. Besides I'm a ghost. I've got to do something with my down time." Spike couldn't help but laugh.
"Okay Andrew. But just so long as you don't put too much of a scare into those poor people I guess its all right."
"I knew you would understand." Andrew began to stand then sat back down "I almost forgot. Don't we have to start looking for them soon?"
"Almost. Willow's spell will begin to kick in at Midnight tomorrow. Can you be at Faith and Wes' after sundown, or will you be making a spectorcle of yourself?" he smiled.
"Very funny. I'll be there. I'll see you then, say hi to Buffy for me." He waved and was gone.
Spike stood and heard Elizabeth come inside.
"Hey, there you are." She walked to him and gave him a soft kiss. "Mmm, nice."
"Could be nicer up in the bedroom." He smiled and rubbed her back.
"Sounds good to me." They started to walk up the stairs.
"So what did you and Faith talk about?"
"Just planning tomorrow. I can't believe we'll finally be able to see them again. It's been so long."
"I know. I'm excited. Oh Andrew says hi." He picked her up. She laughed.
"Did you talk to him about the Inn?"
"He said he's just doing it because the owners were gonna lose the place. He say's since he and this other ghost he's apparently talked into haunting the place too, have been doing their thing business has picked up for the owners." He shrugged, "So I told him not to scare the people too much. Poor little guy, it takes so little to make him happy, I couldn't tell him to stop."
"You are such a softie when it comes to Andrew you know that?" She pinched his cheek and he flinched.
"I am not. I'm a big bad vampire." He looked at her and she smiled at him. " Well okay, maybe I am a big softie sometimes, but don't let it get around."
She leaned her head on his shoulder.
"Just think in a couple of days we'll have them back with us. We'll all be together again."
"We better get the rooms ready." He kissed her deeply, "tomorrow."
In the time that followed the elimination of Angelus, the group had become closer than ever. One night a few weeks after Angelus was killed Giles, Jenny, Willow and Xander decided that although they wanted to stay together as they were, the four had no desire to live as vampires. After much thought Willow had the answer. She would cast a spell upon each of their souls. The spell was cast when the four humans were within a magic circle. Their ages at the time of the spell would be the age in which their soul, would in the future come to relive and remember who they were and their lives, in that time. Upon the activation of the spell, they would then seek out the vampires, who where always sure to be at their homes during the activation days.
The spell had brought them all together twice before. This would be the third time. It was always a happy occasion, and was always followed with talk's of what had gone on in the lives of the vampires during their time apart. Knowing they would always meet again made it easier for the vampires to deal with the death of their friends. Giles and Jenny loved each other, as did Willow and Xander. Willow had worked the spell, so that they would never look any different then they did before, they would never fall in love or marry anyone else. They all spent their lives doing good things and helping people in distress
Faith and Wesley had lived in Angelus' home, which had originally belonged to Faith's family. Wesley had maintained his holdings around the world and had become the benefactor to many homes for unwanted children. He had become fluent in many languages and had managed to keep a large collection of rare books on the occult.
Spike and Elizabeth lived in her home. Spike had become a great novelist, and had gone by many names throughout the years. He never ran out of stories to tell, especially since they had lived so many adventures during all their years together. He became very familiar with all sorts of demons, legends, and mystical objects. Spike was the keeper of the spear. Between the four of them they made sure it would never be lost to them. It was too powerful an object to get into the wrong hands.
Elizabeth and Faith became great teachers and protectors. They started a small school and trained young women to fight and defend themselves. They took on very few students at one time, and most of the girls had no families to speak of. The girls knew that Elizabeth and Faith were vampires, and took an oath never to reveal their secret. They were educated and well cared for. They were taught all facets of the occult, mysticism, and demonology. When they finished their education they went out into the world as the protectors of the innocent.
Giles and Jenny involved themselves in Magic, and served as both Willow's teachers and students. The power that Willow possessed could and did change the world at times, yet she did not let it take control of her. Fate also needed to be left to its own device.
Xander had maintained his skills as a solicitor, which made it possible for them all to live throughout the great many years they had without detection of what they truly were.
And what they truly were was something beyond words and beyond comprehension.
They were a family, they were love, and they were forever.