A.N.: I'd just like to say that Liz suggested sacrificing herself for the good of the story. Also, in the next chapter, Riley gets what he deserves.
- Chapter Fifteen -
The front door was thrown open and crashed into the wall. A framed picture of the girls, the last one taken, fell to the floor.
"What the bloody Hell," came the surprised shout from upstairs.
Buffy rested her head against the glass payne of the door. Piper ran down the stairs, took in Buffy's almost catatonic state, abd called for everyone to come down. Heather and Faith were the first.
"What happened," Heather asked, carefully walking towards Buffy. She stopped when Buffy moved.
They watched Buffy shuffle into the living room then pick up a crystal vase and throw it at the wall. Fred jumped slightly at the loud, shattering sound.
"Buffy?" Faith ventured forward slowly.
Buffy paced back and forth a few times. Her arms lashed out and cleared off the glass lamps and picture frames off the end table, to the floor.
Faith grabbed her to end the destruction of their house.
"Buffy! What's the matter with you?"
She blinked a few times. "Faith?"
"Yeah," Faith frowned and looked at her shirt. "What's that?"
"I saw it...the whole thing, well not the whole thing but a lot and I should have got there faster! I could have saved her!"
"Saved? What exactly happened?"
"Riley," Buffy spat out in disgust. "That bastared is what happened! Liz! He..."
Faith shook her slightly.
"He killed her,"she choked out before unshed tears and blind rage refilled her senses.
"No," Faith shook her head. "That isn't possible. We just...you just..."
Buffy turned sharply towards the stairs, "I need to change. I can't..."
Faith watched her go before turning to Heather. "Get Angelus on the phone."
.:.:.:.
The cold evening air tried hard to make Buffy feel uncomfortable. Too late, she thought and stared down at the shinging mahgony coffin. Faith and Heather stood on each side of her, both holding a hand for support. She squeezed down gratefully. Behind her stood Angie, Willow, Kendra, Fred, and Piper, all sniffling.
She felt drained, numb. Everything she'd worked so hard to do...all the time she'd spent insuring their reputations...all ruined because of one person.
She shook her head slightly to stop that train of thought. Her eyes wandered slowly to the other side of the coffin to meet Angelus'. He stood surrounded by Spike, Paul, Ryan, and three others she vaguely remembered meeting. He was comforting Liz's parents, both well into their forties with only slightly grayed hair.
A white rose fell from the top of the pile of hundreds of flowers fell to the ground in front of her. She slowly disentangled herself from her sisteres and bent down to retrieve it. She moved forward, put it back in it's place, and stood there, fingers brushing over the edge.
Angelus walked around to stand beside her. SHe looked up when she felt his hand on her shoulder. The others followed suit and soon, they were all standing on the same side and all thinking the same thing...someone's going to pay.
.:.:.:.
Riley watched the funeral from far away, A bit of remorse shot through him before he squashed it down. She had it coming.
He turned away, not noticing he'd been seen.
.:.:.:.
Angelus walked her to her front door. He studied her carefully as she shakily unlocked it. They had both lost a friend they deeply cared about but he had openly cried about it and she'd yet to. Shock? Anger at herself maybe?
She walked through, left the door open and headed straight to the kitchen sink.
He closed it and followed her. "What are you doing," he asked gently.
SHe dipped a sponge in soapy warm water and began scrubbing a plate, "Liz's parents came by earlier today," she said softly instead.
"I know. I picked them up from the airport this morning. They flew in from New York."
"They told me that you called them and that Liz had told them...Liz told them about me. That I was one of the best friends she'd ever had."
"Are you all right?"
"Of course! I watched someone kill my friend that I could have saved if I hadn't been stupid then got told by her parents how great I was for her. How wonderful she thought I was. Oh, yeah, I'm just peachy," her voice raised slightly and she began earnestly scrubbing the glass she was holding.
He stood back and watched her as she dropped the sponge and glass back into the water and tried to hold back the tears. "We fought you know...about you," she forced a hollow laugh. "I didn't mean anything I said to her. What if she...what if she thought I hated her." Buffy choked out, her foced seemed harsh and gravelly. "I didn't want her to go thinking that," her voice squeaked as she forced the words through a sob.
Tears streamed down her face and she slid down to the floor. Angelus sunk to his knees beside her. She melted gratefully in his arms and cried, really cried, for the first time in her life as he murmured soothing words that she desparatly wanted to believe.
.:.:.:.
The new chapter is already written...you know what to do if you want it sooner :P - Thanks to: CharmedFaith1 - Thank you so much. It's nice to know that at least someone doesn't think I took too long =P; TK2 - Yay! I understand and I'm sorry about what I did to Liz =(; Willow23 - Actually, I didn't know who until I got to the bottom =P; Tariq - Thank you =)
Quick note: I'm re-writing "Let Go" and "Interference" soon. I just thought I should mention it.