The first thing Methos became aware of when he felt life fill his body for what could only be numbering in the billionth of times, was that all the lights in the apartment had been turned out. It was dark, but Methos knew that Anne was still here. He could feel it.

Slowly, he stood up, re-orientating himself and feeling incredibly glad that his hunch about Anne had paid off. If he had read her wrong, she might have taken his head. It wasn't a gamble that Methos adopted lightly. He knew that the only thing to do now was to tell her the truth. He had a feeling that telling her how Celine had died might set her free, or at least start her on that path.

Softly he knocked on the door to the guest room. When he received no answer, he took the liberty of slowly opening it and turning on the light.

She didn't even flinch. He watched as she sat on the bed, head bowed tears running down her cheeks, almost as an afterthought and staring at a Claddagh ring that she held in her hand.

"Did he give that to you?" He spoke gently, hoping not to alarm her. She looked as if she were standing on the edge of something and Methos knew he had to tread softly. She gave a small nod, but said nothing. Methos took a deep breath and tried to think of a way to broach the subject of Celine. Finally, he figured that telling her straight out was the only way to do it.

"I killed her." She looked at him, her face a mask of confusion. "My slayer. My…my Celine. I killed her."

"I…I'm sorry about what I said to you." She said, her voice a ragged whisper. "I didn't mean that it was your fault that she died. Slayers….slayers die."

"No, Anne," Methos interrupted gently. "I really did kill her. She died at my hands."

Anne paused and went rigid, suddenly staring at him as if he were the most terrifying and familiar creature she had ever seen.

"You…" she trailed off, looking frantically to the ring in her hand, then back to him as if asking it for answers. "You….why?"

"I had to," he replied simply, though the memories that coursed through him reminded him that it had been anything but simple. "She…she fought a vampire who was stronger than she was. I knew it. I tried to convince her not to face him just yet….to tell her that she wasn't ready, but she didn't listen. She was convinced that she had to stop him as soon as she could. She was the slayer, you know?" He chuckled humourlessly. "I followed her the night she went out to face him. I watched the battle. I wanted to help her, but she wouldn't let me. It was her duty, she told me. So I did what any good watcher does. I watched her fight him. And I watched him defeat her. And I went after him, fully intending to destroy him. But he got away."

"That still doesn't mean you killed her." Anne was finally watching him now, but her fist still clutched the ring as if it were a lifeline. Methos reached out, and covered her small hand in his, lending her whatever strength he felt he had to give as he continued his story.

"You don't understand Anne," he told her with a small sigh and shake of his head. "The vampire didn't kill her. I stopped him before he got the chance, but it was already too late."

"Well if he didn't kill her…"

"She was paralyzed." Methos replied quietly. "Her spine had been…well, even with her slayer healing she'd never walk again. She knew that and accepted that before I was willing to. That's when she asked me to end her life."

"She what?" Anne croaked.

"She asked me to take her life." Methos repeated the words, seeing almost as clear as day the determined gaze of his beautiful Celine staring back at him as he shook his head no. "She was the slayer Anne, and that was always the most important thing in the world to her. Even more important than me. The fact that she would no longer be able to do the duty she had been chosen for wounded her deeply. And if it had just affected her, than I'm sure I could have made her forget that in time. But with her still alive, no slayer could be called to take her place. And Celine wouldn't allow the world to go without a slayer. So she asked me to end her life, and activate a new girl to take her place."

"And you…" Anne swallowed heavily. "You did? Just like that?"

"No, I resisted at first." Methos admitted. "I didn't have her dedication. I couldn't bring myself to care weather a new slayer was ever called into the world. I loved her. But she loved the job. And every day she asked me to do it, and every day I told her no. I think she began to hate me after a while."

"But you did it eventually?" Anne was gazing at him intently now, but what she was thinking Methos wasn't sure. He nodded however, and finished his story.

"The Council eventually got wind of what happened. They sent me letters upon letters, telling me to do my duty as her watcher and activate a new slayer. Finally, they sent a notice, telling me that if I wouldn't do it, they would send a team that would. I couldn't bear the thought of the council executing her, especially after forcing her into that life to begin with, so I…I told her I would do it. She was so happy. And I felt like such a failure. But I did it. I killed her. And then I left the council."

She was silent for a long while after he told her. Gently she pulled her hand out of his and opened it to gaze once more at the Claddagh ring, as if trying to make up her mind about something. Finally, she met his gaze once more.

"Buffy." Was all she said. He blinked in confusion.

"I'm sorry, what did you call me?"

She chuckled softly, for the first time in an almost genuine way.

"No, that's my name." She told him. "Buffy Summers. My middle name is Anne. I decided to use it after I left. Besides, it's not like it's any stranger than Methos, what kind of name is that anyway?"

"A very very old one." He said sadly, but there was relief in his heart. Something in her already looked lighter and he felt a rush of warmth at the idea that he might have something to do with it. He pointed to the ring. "You want to tell me about him?"

"Not much to tell," she said airily, but the look in her eyes said otherwise. He smiled warmly and took her hand once more.

"Now now slayer," he chided. "I showed you mine. Remember our deal?" She nodded and reluctantly began to tell him of her romance to the vampire Angel and of his turn to Angelus and then of her final battle with him. Methos watched as the heartbreak of what she had gone through, so like what he had experienced, unfold before him. He clutched both of her hands tightly, letting her know that he was here and that the memories she was sharing with him would ultimately help heal her. When she got to the end of her story, she began to falter again.

"I beat him. He was on the ground, and I knew that it was time…that I had to kill him. But I hesitated for a split second, and something happened." She swallowed back a quiet sob as she continued. "Something…went through him…a light of some kind. I didn't know what, or how, but it was him again. His soul was back. The moment he said my name, I knew. And I watched as he stood and looked at me as if I were the most wonderful thing in the world to him. He didn't remember anything about what had happened. He touched my arm….the wound he had inflicted. And he pulled me close to him. And for one beautiful moment I couldn't do it. There was no way. All I could do was hold him, and whisper that I loved him. But the portal was opening behind us, and reality caught up to me. I had to do it. So I told him to close his eyes, gave him one last kiss, and drove my sword through his chest."

"Buffy…" Methos tried to reach out to her, but she brushed him away.

"I stepped back and saw the look on his face." She angrily brushed the tears out of her eyes. "I've never seen him look at me that way before. It was as if…as if he didn't know me. I betrayed him, and he knew it. He knew what I had done, but he didn't know why. And then he was gone."

"I can't even begin to pretend that I know how to help you." Methos finally whispered. "But I know how you feel, if only a little. And that's something."

"Yes," she murmured back. "I suppose it is."

"Celine knew why I did what I did, but that didn't make it any easier even with her permission." He let go of her hands for a moment while he moved himself to sit beside her on the bed. "What you did, you won't forget. It might haunt you for a long time. And I wish I could do what I did when Celine got hurt and pretend that a slayer isn't needed in the world, but that isn't the case. The world needs you."

"He needed me." Her voice was small and lost. "I needed him. I loved him so much. And I destroyed him."

"Buffy I understand that you're hurting, but…"

"I know." She cut him off, her voice stronger now, renewed in a way that filled him with hope. "I know what I have to do. And I know that I'll end up doing it. I think I knew from the very beginning that this wasn't something that I could hide from. Every time I try to quit it doesn't work. But I'm not ready just yet. Not tonight. Maybe tomorrow I'll be able to…tonight I just want to remember him, you know?"

"I know." He reached out, and gently stroked her hair, bringing her head to his chest and enfolding the small girl in a strong embrace.