Some people asked about the time difference in Hell and how it would affect the timing between Buffy and Giles. The stopwatches would have programmed into them how long an hour is in the normal dimension. Therefore however quickly time passes in the hell dimension, an hour would be the same time length even if a day passed in that time. I didn't really explain that well but just accept that the timer would be the same as Giles' and it wouldn't be affected by the dimension time movement!

Thanks to:

CharmedChick

Dreamer Child – not long now!

Always krissy

Draco-FutureBF

ScruffyWes

Miz

Caribear

Anne-Marie

Becks89 – here's the quick update, so now I need a TYE update! You can't just leave us there!

Lolly6

Carmelina

Vld

Jacey925

Charmedfanatic3000

Thorn of Blood – I think Harry would want to keep this one to himself, but I can't guarantee they'll be happy when they find out!

Chapter 19 – Goodbye Kansas

Buffy woke up as dawn was breaking the next morning. She went down the kitchen, the house unusually quiet, made herself a cup of coffee and took it back to her room. She sat on the windowsill of her room, staring out across the rooftops.

The sun was slowly rising, the light creeping over chimney pots and promising another hot day. Trees rustled in the light breeze and a ginger cat walked sedately along a roof before stopping at the end and watching the sun rise, just as Buffy was.
Her last sunrise. The thought echoed in Buffy's mind and her hands trembled slightly. The last time she would ever watch the sun rise in this world, and see it become day. She wanted to savour this, the sunlight, the quiet, and freeze this moment and live here forever. Peace filled her soul and she breathed deeply.
Not for the first time she thought about what it would be like if she died. She would be mourned, but would there be much of a difference? Would the world miss her presence, would it keep an imprint of her there to live on? Buffy knew what she had done; she had saved the world many times. But the world hadn't saved her; it hadn't looked out for her and made it as easy for her as possible. Life was hard, something she had learnt over her twenty one years. And it just got harder.

Suddenly, she didn't want to see the sun anymore. She got up from her position and paced the room, clutching her coffee. She knew what she had to do, she had to find Sirius or she had to die. She couldn't live in the world anymore without him, it was too hard.

Buffy appeared at breakfast with everyone else much later in the morning.

 "Morning," Fred said through a mouthful of toast. Buffy slid into her chair and threw him a wan smile. She glanced at Harry and found he was staring at her. She gave him a reassuring tiny smile and he went back to his food.
 "I thought I'd go back to the Ministry today," Buffy said, trying to keep her voice steady. "Giles said he wanted to see it and Harry said he'd come too." All heads snapped up to stare at Harry who didn't look up from his breakfast.
 "That's a nice idea," Molly said, voice also carefully controlled. "But are you sure you want to do that today?" Buffy nodded.
 "Yeah we wanted to hang out with Harry as much as possible before he goes back to Hogwarts," Buffy said nonchalantly and Harry threw her a tiny smile. "I mean there's only what, two weeks before they go back right?" Molly nodded and gradually people went back to their food. Breakfast finished and the twins disappeared, they had to get to their shop. Buffy followed Giles out into the hallway. Just as she was about to climb the stairs, her arm was grabbed. She spun around and came face to face with Remus.
 "What's going on?" he asked frowning. "What are you planning to do?" Buffy's face was expressionless.
 "What do you mean?" she asked easily. "Giles said he wanted to see the Ministry. What are you suggesting Remus?" He studied her expression carefully. 

 "Nothing," he admitted finally. "Just don't do anything stupid and don't let Harry." Buffy smiled reassuringly.
 "Stupid is my middle name," she joked. "Well actually it's Anne. Better go and get ready." She continued up the stairs, just managing not to break into a run. Her heart was pounding; she though he was onto her but she'd managed to convince him otherwise. Buffy entered Giles' room where he was conversing with Harry.
 "Everything ready?" she asked breathlessly and Giles nodded.
 "It's all ready," he confirmed. "What happened to you?"

 "Remus was questioning me," Buffy admitted. "He asked what I was planning. I think I convinced him otherwise though." Giles nodded.
  "Here's the timer," he handed her a simple stopwatch on a wrist strap. "All you have to do is press the red button and the timer will start counting down from four hours."
 Buffy deftly attached it to her wrist. She wore jeans and solid walking boots with a small white t-shirt. Around her waist she had tied a black jumper.
 "Have you done the spells?" Buffy asked and Giles nodded. He had performed the spell on the Crystal and he handed her the thumb sized purple stone which she tucked into her pocket. He had also done a cloaking spell on the weapons Buffy wanted to take so they could not be detected. They were all ready in a large bag.
 "Shall we go?" Buffy asked, strained and Harry and Giles nodded. Giles picked up the large bag and the three went down the stairs.
 "Are you off then?" Hermione asked cheerfully and Harry nodded.
 We could come with you if you want," Ron offered.
 "No," Harry said immediately and Ron looked surprised. "I mean, you two stay here. There are better things to do."
 "I suppose you're right," Ron said fairly. "Have fun." He and Hermione waved as Giles, Buffy and Harry walked out of Grimmauld Place.

The three walked down the road, Buffy leading as she knew the way to get to the visitors entrance. They walked in silence, each contemplating what the day meant for them. To Giles, this was the day that he made the greatest sacrifice for his slayer, for him the pain of dying would be nothing compared to the pain of losing her. She was like his child, he had watched her grow and he was immeasurably proud of her.

Harry had mixed feelings. He was scared for Buffy, he had grown to like and admire her immensely in the time he had known her, exactly as he had known he would from the way he knew Sirius loved her. He didn't want her to die, but he wanted Sirius back. He was so scared of the future, what was looming ahead of him. He needed Sirius; he needed the link to his past and help for his future.

As for Buffy, well she didn't know what she was feeling now. There was feeling there but she wasn't willing to examine it too closely, to look at the fear that she was feeling. She was worried that if she did she wouldn't be able to do this. She knew that deep down she was terrified; even after all the things she had gone through, walking into hell was no mean feat. But she would do it; she would keep her fear at arms length and bite the bullet.


They reached the visitors entrance and travelled down in the phone box, much to the surprise of Giles. The beauty of the entrance struck them once again, the hallway milling with people, golden gates shining at the end.

 "They fixed it," Harry said pointing to the fountain of Magical Brethren. "We broke it last year." They didn't say any more until they passed the security desk, the bored looking wizard remembering Buffy and allowing them to pass through.

They entered one of the lifts, together with a group of harried looking wizards some of whom were frantically reading parchments, others holding strange looking magical artefacts such as one man who was clutching a teapot which was frantically trying to escape on it's stork-like legs. The lift gradually emptied and then they were on level nine, the Department of Mysteries. Harry looked afraid for a moment, but Buffy put a hand on his shoulder and he walked forward into the hallway. The black door loomed ahead, still guarded by the stern looking wizard.
Surprisingly, he smiled when he saw Buffy.
 "Come to see the prophecies again?" he asked, friendly. "Go on through."
 Buffy managed a smile and the three passed into the black room. Harry gave her a sideways look.

 "What can I say? I'm a charmer," she said and he grinned despite himself. Giles was looking around curiously at the room they stood in. Harry pulled the door closed and the room's walls began to spin.
 "How do we stop it?" Giles said frantically. "How do we know which door to take?"
 "The Archway room," Buffy said clearly and the room came to an abrupt halt, a door in front of Buffy. She pushed it open, looked through, and then beckoned the others after her.   

Giles closed the door behind them and they stood in the Archway room. It was deserted as usual but the veil fluttered as if a breeze blew it.
 "Do you hear that?" Giles asked and Buffy nodded, she knew he was referring to the whispering of voices that filled them room. She couldn't make out any distinct voices, as if all the voices were clamouring to be heard but none could.
 "I can hear it too," Harry said detachedly. His face had gone oddly pale and he stared at the Archway as if he didn't really see it. Buffy knew what his mind showed him, the last time he had been in this room, he was seeing Sirius fall through the veil.
 Buffy began to climb down the steps in the room and after a moment's hesitation, Harry and Giles followed. They reached the bottom and stood just off of the dais. Giles put down the bag and opened it. Buffy pulled out the weapons she had picked out.
A knife was strapped around her ankle and another tiny one in her boot. A stake went in her back jeans pocket, the knife Faith had given Sirius in her belt and the axe the Scoobies had given her when she first went to England hung from her belt. In her hand, Buffy held the sword she had used to defeat Angel so long ago.
 "I'm all set," she said, checking and double checking all of her weapons. "Is everything okay for the spell?" Giles has placed a few ingredients for the spell to bring Buffy back on the bottom step, as well as the paper that said the words.
 "It's all ready," Giles confirmed. "Don't forget to start your timer when you pass through the Archway."
 "Will do," Buffy said, checking the watch was firmly attached. "Well I guess this is it." She stood still for a moment, staring at Giles, until he pulled her into a crushing hug.
 "Be careful," he said gently. "Take care of yourself."
 "If I don't come back, tell the guys that I'm sorry," Buffy said quietly. "Thank you for helping me Giles. You've never let me down."
 "I couldn't be prouder of you," Giles said emotionally. She pulled away from Giles and looked at him for a moment, and then Buffy hugged Harry.
 "I'll bring him back," she said softly. "I'll do everything I can to bring him back."
 "Thank you," Harry said unfathomably. "Please come back." Buffy pulled away from him and placed her hands on his shoulders.
 "I'll do what I can," she said bravely. "But if I don't, keep fighting. Never give up harry, never." Harry smiled tiredly and Buffy picked up her sword.
 "Here goes," she said with a deep breath, turning to face the Archway. "Goodbye Kansas." Buffy walked forward with measured strides. The veil lifted higher than usual and she walked underneath it. When it fell down again, she was gone. The Archway of Lost Souls had swallowed her.
 "That's it then," Giles said, swallowing painfully. He pushed the small red button on his watch and the four hours began to count down. "Would you like to help set up the spell? Harry?" He looked over to Harry who was staring blankly at the Archway which Buffy had just passed through.
 "Harry?" Giles said again. Harry didn't look at him. He walked forwards to the Archway and stood before the veil.
 "No!" Giles leapt onto the dais to grab him, but he was too late. Harry took the final step, passed through the veil and was gone.