They carried on their walk up, turning round a sharp bend in the path
before starting up a steep track surrounded on both sides by giant oak
trees which were unusual for California but fitted in some how with the
feeling on of the place.
The stars shone over head not really seen clearly through the tree's but more like spare points of light scraping through the leafs.
The moon was gone, hidden from sight completely, but that didn't matter here, Buffy created her own light from which to see as she stumbled up the path holding onto Giles, she had no idea where they were going, she was letting her feet guide her as she tried to muddle through the information which clouded her thoughts.
It was because of this she didn't realise that Giles knew where they were going; he was in fact guiding her as they walked looking for something which he knew, a sign for what he knew had to be here soon to guide him to where he had promised to take her, so she would know, so she would understand.
It came sooner than he had expected halfway up the steep path which they were no walking there was a small gate rusted with age, he stopped and looked at the gate a moment, holding Buffy's hand as she continued to be lost in thoughts of her lost love.
He looked closer at the gates trying to see anything which we provide him a clue or anything, a chuckle escaped his lips as he rose up from the floor after inspecting the gate, they were made out of railroad spikes, he pulled the gate open, it fell of it hinges as he did so and landed on the ground in front of them braking off into three pieces, Giles walked awkwardly over them and picked Buffy up so and carried her over them so that she would cut herself on the rusted angles or points sticking out from the floor.
He had expected her grief to be like this, remembering how she had been when she thought that she had lost Dawn; the pain had devoured her and sent her to in some sort f catatonic state.
He decided that he would carry her for the rest of the time knowing that it wouldn't be far now, and not really trusting that her legs would be able to retake her weight if not asked to, she seemed to be on automatic pilot not noticing anything or anyone around her.
In Buffy's mind she wasn't there in the woods with Giles, she was miles away and in Sunnydale, sitting on her back porch crying, not wanting to be on her own, suddenly Spike appeared out of the bushes with a gun in his hand, he walked over to her sat on the step and placed an arm around her holding her as she cried not saying anything just holding her.
When the last tears had fallen she looked up at him and asked him why he was here, he looked deep into her eyes, into her soul and told her that he was here cause he loved her and that was the reason why he would never leave her side, because he loved her.
She had started to say that she started to talk wanting to tell him that she love him, when he had placed a finger on her lips and told her that he knew she wouldn't love him but that he could cope with that, not wanting to loose her, telling her that she always had him that he would always look after her and that one day maybe he would be able to prove to her that he was more than a monster, and she would see him as a good a man, who she could love.
Lying in Giles' arms Buffy began to cry and he heard her whisper softly
"I love you."
Knowing that she was thinking of Spike he turned his attention back to the path ahead, there was another gate, ahead, which lead up small hill.
The gate was open so he carried he through the gate easily and up the hill not stopping til he got to the top and saw what he was looking for, there were about half a dozen tombstones, some corroded with age, others well kept and on among them looking brand new.
Behind the tombstones at the top of another great hill there stood a large house, where not light shone from the windows, and no one lived.
Giles carried Buffy forward to where the tombstones were and placed her on the floor before the tombstones, kneeling in front of her trying to break her out of her thoughts.
The sun was rising as Buffy awoke from her memories, the night had gone and she didn't know where she was, through the clouded mists clouding her sight she moved to Giles' voice, which sounded like a soft echo.
She blinked her eyes a couple of times, before saying
"Where are we?"
Giles looked at her for a moment and said
"I made a promise before the battle with the first, a promise which I feel indebted to keep, I told you that Spike knew what would happen to him, he told me that after the battle I was to bring you here so that you would know."
"Know what?"
Giles turned away from her looking at the tombstones, Buffy Got up and walked up to each of the oldest reading it,
William "Spike" Owens Born February 1819 Died November 1894
Buffy knelt in front of the tombstone tracing the outline of the writing with her fingers as the tears fell down her cheeks.
"He's really gone isn't he?"
She asked Giles, who silently nodded and reached inside his coat pulling out a yellows letter and handing it to her saying
"This is for you."
She turned and took it from him looking at the writing and recognising it as the man she loved turning it over and tearing it open pulling out the mass of paper which had writing scrawled on both sides of it.
The stars shone over head not really seen clearly through the tree's but more like spare points of light scraping through the leafs.
The moon was gone, hidden from sight completely, but that didn't matter here, Buffy created her own light from which to see as she stumbled up the path holding onto Giles, she had no idea where they were going, she was letting her feet guide her as she tried to muddle through the information which clouded her thoughts.
It was because of this she didn't realise that Giles knew where they were going; he was in fact guiding her as they walked looking for something which he knew, a sign for what he knew had to be here soon to guide him to where he had promised to take her, so she would know, so she would understand.
It came sooner than he had expected halfway up the steep path which they were no walking there was a small gate rusted with age, he stopped and looked at the gate a moment, holding Buffy's hand as she continued to be lost in thoughts of her lost love.
He looked closer at the gates trying to see anything which we provide him a clue or anything, a chuckle escaped his lips as he rose up from the floor after inspecting the gate, they were made out of railroad spikes, he pulled the gate open, it fell of it hinges as he did so and landed on the ground in front of them braking off into three pieces, Giles walked awkwardly over them and picked Buffy up so and carried her over them so that she would cut herself on the rusted angles or points sticking out from the floor.
He had expected her grief to be like this, remembering how she had been when she thought that she had lost Dawn; the pain had devoured her and sent her to in some sort f catatonic state.
He decided that he would carry her for the rest of the time knowing that it wouldn't be far now, and not really trusting that her legs would be able to retake her weight if not asked to, she seemed to be on automatic pilot not noticing anything or anyone around her.
In Buffy's mind she wasn't there in the woods with Giles, she was miles away and in Sunnydale, sitting on her back porch crying, not wanting to be on her own, suddenly Spike appeared out of the bushes with a gun in his hand, he walked over to her sat on the step and placed an arm around her holding her as she cried not saying anything just holding her.
When the last tears had fallen she looked up at him and asked him why he was here, he looked deep into her eyes, into her soul and told her that he was here cause he loved her and that was the reason why he would never leave her side, because he loved her.
She had started to say that she started to talk wanting to tell him that she love him, when he had placed a finger on her lips and told her that he knew she wouldn't love him but that he could cope with that, not wanting to loose her, telling her that she always had him that he would always look after her and that one day maybe he would be able to prove to her that he was more than a monster, and she would see him as a good a man, who she could love.
Lying in Giles' arms Buffy began to cry and he heard her whisper softly
"I love you."
Knowing that she was thinking of Spike he turned his attention back to the path ahead, there was another gate, ahead, which lead up small hill.
The gate was open so he carried he through the gate easily and up the hill not stopping til he got to the top and saw what he was looking for, there were about half a dozen tombstones, some corroded with age, others well kept and on among them looking brand new.
Behind the tombstones at the top of another great hill there stood a large house, where not light shone from the windows, and no one lived.
Giles carried Buffy forward to where the tombstones were and placed her on the floor before the tombstones, kneeling in front of her trying to break her out of her thoughts.
The sun was rising as Buffy awoke from her memories, the night had gone and she didn't know where she was, through the clouded mists clouding her sight she moved to Giles' voice, which sounded like a soft echo.
She blinked her eyes a couple of times, before saying
"Where are we?"
Giles looked at her for a moment and said
"I made a promise before the battle with the first, a promise which I feel indebted to keep, I told you that Spike knew what would happen to him, he told me that after the battle I was to bring you here so that you would know."
"Know what?"
Giles turned away from her looking at the tombstones, Buffy Got up and walked up to each of the oldest reading it,
William "Spike" Owens Born February 1819 Died November 1894
Buffy knelt in front of the tombstone tracing the outline of the writing with her fingers as the tears fell down her cheeks.
"He's really gone isn't he?"
She asked Giles, who silently nodded and reached inside his coat pulling out a yellows letter and handing it to her saying
"This is for you."
She turned and took it from him looking at the writing and recognising it as the man she loved turning it over and tearing it open pulling out the mass of paper which had writing scrawled on both sides of it.