Epilogue

"Come on!" Dawn shouted as she ran down to the beach.

Buffy and Spike followed more slowly, walking along with Joyce.

"Sorry about my sister," Buffy said laughingly. "She can get a bit excitable at times. Plus, I think she has a bit of a crush on you."

"That's okay - the bit seems like a nice kid."

"I'll go and get a table, okay?" Joyce said, speeding up slightly towards the beach-side restaurant and leaving the couple to walk down on their own.

Buffy took hold of his hand as they walked enjoying, as always, being alone with him. The past couple of years she'd spent with him had been some of her happiest. Not that they'd been problem free - the long distance relationship they'd had to endure whilst Buffy finished university had been hard work, but thankfully that had only lasted a few months. After that, Buffy had found the decision to remain in England and move to Yorkshire one of the easiest she'd ever had to make - though she knew her mother had been disappointed to hear that her daughter wasn't coming home.

Buffy did sometimes miss Sunnydale, especially in the depths of an English winter, but she wouldn't give up her life now for anything. Spike had understood about her need to visit as much as possible and they were now on one of their frequent visits.

It had been Joyce's idea to come down to the beach-side restaurant that evening. She said that she'd only discovered it a few months earlier and it allowed the most fabulous view of the setting sun. So, here they were, just before sunset.

The couple reached the table on the balcony and sat down with Dawn and Joyce, enjoying the smell of the warm sea air and the view of the sweeping beach leading to the crystal-blue ocean.

After a few minutes, Spike turned to Buffy. "Why don't we go for a walk along the beach?" he asked casually.

"Okay," she agreed, standing up.

"Ooh, that sounds good - I'll come," Dawn said eagerly, before she was stopped by Joyce, who shook her head silently. Dawn scowled and sat back down as she watched her sister and Spike walk off.

The two strolled down the beach, hand in hand as the sun sank towards the horizon. Happy to walk with him a first, as the sun got lower, Buffy started to glance back over her shoulder. "I think we should go back," she said, a little nervously.

"Why?" Spike asked, leading her further down the beach.

"Well, mom wanted us to all watch the sun go down together," Buffy explained, looking back towards the restaurant once more.

"She won't mind," Spike said, unconcerned.

"Spike - I hardly ever get to see my mom, I think she wants to spend time with us," Buffy said firmly, stopping on the sand.

"Just a little further - round this corner," Spike argued lightly, gesturing to the curve in the beach that was just steps ahead.

"I want to go back Spike," Buffy said, resolutely.

Spike sighed. "Please? Just a little further?" he asked.

"I want to go back, Spike."

Spike shook his head and groaned at her, sitting himself down in the sand. "Things are never easy with you, are they?" he asked, sounding frustrated.

"What do you mean?" Buffy asked, not sure what this was leading to.

"I was going to do this properly, but as you obviously don't want to play along..." he reached into his pocket and brought out a small blue box. Opening it, he looked up at her, the anxiety clearly evident in his expressive eyes. "Will you marry me?" he asked softly.

Buffy's heart stopped as her jaw dropped open. She swallowed, her mouth suddenly dry as she fell to the sand beside him. The box contained a perfect, simple, solitaire diamond ring - the exact ring she'd said she wanted to be proposed with all those years ago when she'd been avoiding Riley's proposal.

"Aren't you going to say anything?" he asked, sounding almost terrified.

Buffy looked up at him. "Yes," was all she could manage, her hands shaking as he slipped the ring onto her finger.

A/N - So, that's it. I've finally reached the end of my very first fic.

Well, what do you think? Was it worth all the anguish and heartache?

Please let me know!

And I'd just like to say thanks to Martha and Ash for being wonderful betas and really supportive and to Kat for being the pain in my arse that actually got this think written - love you all.

And, of course, thanks to my husband, Robin, for being my inspiration for this whole mess – even if he'll never read this fic as it's too close to home...