DISLAIMER IS ON FIRST PAGE

Birthday Girl "Forgotten Memories"

Dawn stood frozen staring at the platinum blond vampire before her. She knew he was alive, she had heard his voice on the phone, but now he stood there, crying. She found the strength to move to him, to swipe the tears from his cheeks, and to smile.

"You're here," he whispered. "You're not my imagination?"

She shook her head and took in a staggered breath. Her protector scooped her up in a big hug that never seemed to end. The reunion was cut short, however.

"What are you doing here?" Wesley said curtly from behind them. They pulled apart from each other to see that they were joined by a thin girl with blueish hair and skin to match. Her outfit was a bit unconventional, with the red leather and all. "I thought you were to stay in the lab for the time being."

She looked upon Wesley in contempt and marched up to Spike. Her ice blue eyes stole away from him to look upon the young girl in her presence, whom she glared at in disgust.

"I missed throwing around the half-breed. Thought I could come down and whip him into shape."

"Hey, there will be no more throwing or whipping. I'm not your ragdoll," Spike snarled. The blueish figure never took her eyes off of Dawn.

"Uh, Wesley? Why is she staring at me?" Dawn asked shakily as the demon started moving closer to her.

"Illyria, that's enough," he snapped. "Would you please go back to the lab?" She took her gaze off of Dawn and looked back to Spike. She licked her lips viciously and stalked out of the training center.

"Are you okay?" the vamp asked the girl tenderly. She nodded in return and let out a relieved sigh. "Wait, is..." he trailed.

"She's here, but not exactly here at the moment," she replied. She sensed the sadness in his eyes as he realized that she was not in the building. "She'll be by later. Wesley was showing me the offices."

"Yes, well, let's continue," Wesley said as he opened the door. She started for the door, but stopped.

"Wanna come?" she asked Spike. He briskly joined her at the door. As happy as he was to see her, she almost saw him click his heels as they left the training center.

"Erased?" Buffy asked as she took the sparkling stone from Cordelia. She ran it in her hands and examined it. She began to feel as if she was in a trance. It mesmerized her as it began to glow and pulsate in her hand. Suddenly, a rush of images flew past, causing her eyes to flutter.

Everything came to her. She remembered it all. The visit to Los Angeles, the Mohra attack, Angel becoming human and their long awaited affair, him trying to defeat the demon himself and nearly getting killed, her plea for more time, all of it rushed back. She looked at the stone, taken from the forehead of the Mohra, and everything was clear. He gave up his humanity, to remain a champion. Then, as fast as it came, she stopped blinking, and understood. He gave up on her, and now, it infuriated her.

"Why are you are you showing me this?" she asked Cordelia in disbelief. The tears she had shed for Spike moments before were now shed in rage.

"Because, before you can make your final choice, you need all of the information," Cordy explained. "The Powers that Be think that it wouldn't be a just decision if you only had half of the story."

"Final choice?"

"There will be a decision to make, after we leave you," Anya replied. "We aren't allowed to reveal this to you. You have to make the journey on your own."

Then, the room transfigured. Gone were the walls of cool marble. They were now outside. The trees bloomed a lush green and the sky was the brightest shade of blue Buffy had ever seen. Looking past the three, she saw the outside of her house. She turned and saw the street, Revello Drive, her street.

"Inside holds your last present," Fred stated. "We'll leave you here." They all came up and hugged Buffy and wished her the best. They stood aside and let her past. As she reached the steps, she turned and as they waved her on, they slowly vanished.