She wasn't sure what time she woke, but it was still dark. Maybe
four? A quick glance around and she saw that Angel had already finished the
graves. He was sitting on a bench near the graves, while the blue haired
creature stood some distance away, communing with the moon or counting
water molecules in the ocean, or whatever. Caitlin couldn't figure her out.
She got out of the car and walked over to the bench, careful not to step on the graves. She often thought the worst thing about being a Slayer was that she had to fight right over people's graves. It made her feel dirty somehow, like she was killing them all over again or something. She watched Buffy and the other girls stride through cemeteries like they owned the place, walking wherever they chose without even seeming to notice that there were people there. They broke stones and just left them there. They entered crypts and mausoleums like they were regular houses. One of the first times she'd gone patrolling, she'd missed when stabbing a vampire, sticking her stake into the ground directly over someone's grave. She'd quickly taken out the vamp, then rolled over and cried, all the while feeling stupid. She'd tried to talk to Buffy, but the older Slayer didn't get it. Faith was like, "That's nothing. One time, I killed this scientist." Like it was a contest. Only Giles had understood and tried to help her.
She sat on the bench, as far away from Angel as possible without being too obvious. She read the stones. "I met Cordelia." She said, trying not to speak too loud. "She told me I was short and had a flat chest. She said, don't worry, you'll either grow or fins a good plastic surgeon."
He said nothing.
"The guy who saved me. What was his name?"
"Gunn. Charles Gunn."
"No way!" She exclaimed. "I met him, too, back when I was younger. He saved my life then, too."
"Vampires?"
"Yeah, before I knew what they were." She looked away for a minute. "So, what was the other guy's name?"
"Wesley Wyndham-Price."
"The Watcher?"
"Let me guess. You met him too."
"No, just heard about him. I think Faith was exaggerating, though. She told me some odd stories."
"Anything good?"
"Kind of. How should we remember him?"
"What do you mean?"
"Well, Cordelia was honest. Gunn was brave. So Wesley was..." She trailed off.
It was Illyria who answered. "Loyal."
"Loyal works. How about Fred?"
Finally, Angel's face lightened a little. "There is no word to sum up Fred. She was brilliant, she was crazy, she-"
Illyria spoke again. "She loved tacos." She tilted her head in a gesture that was beginning to bug Caitlin. "What is a taco?"
Caitlin stood. "That's a lovely epitaph. Well, guys, unless, you're keen on Angel-flambé, I think it's time to head back."
She got out of the car and walked over to the bench, careful not to step on the graves. She often thought the worst thing about being a Slayer was that she had to fight right over people's graves. It made her feel dirty somehow, like she was killing them all over again or something. She watched Buffy and the other girls stride through cemeteries like they owned the place, walking wherever they chose without even seeming to notice that there were people there. They broke stones and just left them there. They entered crypts and mausoleums like they were regular houses. One of the first times she'd gone patrolling, she'd missed when stabbing a vampire, sticking her stake into the ground directly over someone's grave. She'd quickly taken out the vamp, then rolled over and cried, all the while feeling stupid. She'd tried to talk to Buffy, but the older Slayer didn't get it. Faith was like, "That's nothing. One time, I killed this scientist." Like it was a contest. Only Giles had understood and tried to help her.
She sat on the bench, as far away from Angel as possible without being too obvious. She read the stones. "I met Cordelia." She said, trying not to speak too loud. "She told me I was short and had a flat chest. She said, don't worry, you'll either grow or fins a good plastic surgeon."
He said nothing.
"The guy who saved me. What was his name?"
"Gunn. Charles Gunn."
"No way!" She exclaimed. "I met him, too, back when I was younger. He saved my life then, too."
"Vampires?"
"Yeah, before I knew what they were." She looked away for a minute. "So, what was the other guy's name?"
"Wesley Wyndham-Price."
"The Watcher?"
"Let me guess. You met him too."
"No, just heard about him. I think Faith was exaggerating, though. She told me some odd stories."
"Anything good?"
"Kind of. How should we remember him?"
"What do you mean?"
"Well, Cordelia was honest. Gunn was brave. So Wesley was..." She trailed off.
It was Illyria who answered. "Loyal."
"Loyal works. How about Fred?"
Finally, Angel's face lightened a little. "There is no word to sum up Fred. She was brilliant, she was crazy, she-"
Illyria spoke again. "She loved tacos." She tilted her head in a gesture that was beginning to bug Caitlin. "What is a taco?"
Caitlin stood. "That's a lovely epitaph. Well, guys, unless, you're keen on Angel-flambé, I think it's time to head back."