A/N Thank you, my dear reviewers! ) I had some trouble with this chapter, but I hope you'll like it anyway…

Chapter 7

Giles sighed and ran his hand through his hair. "I believe we have everything, now…" He looked over the supplies that lay lined up on the floor.

Willow nodded in agreement and sat down on Giles' bed. "She has to do this, you know… It would break her to see another one she loves leave."

Giles sat down next to Willow. "Yes, I know. It's just the insecurity that scares me a little."

Willow smiled slightly and hugged Giles. "Buffy..." She laughed, "Buffy is so strong… She can do anything! She will make it." She looked towards the closed door. "I believe in her."

"Buffy?"

Buffy blinked a few times and yawned, she had fallen asleep with her head on Spike's bed.

"Buffy!" She looked up and looked straight into the eyes of her younger sister.

"Hey, Dawnie…"

"Buffy… I just…" She looked over at Spike's pale face and she started to cry. "Oh, god… He's…"

"I know, Dawnie, I know."

Dawn sat down next to Buffy.

"I just came here to…" She sniffed, "I'm sorry, Buffy… I miss him, you know… Being his friend."

Buffy nodded. "I'm sorry, too…" She stood up, and hugged Dawn. "I have to go… I'm going to get some kind of antidote. Will you keep him company, while I'm gone?"

Dawn nodded and drew her chair closer to Spike. Buffy felt a pang of jealousy in her chest as Dawn hesitantly touched Spike's cheek. It had always been so easy for Dawn to love Spike; nobody questioned her feelings towards him.

She kissed Spike's forehead and caressed Dawn's smooth brown hair before walking away from the two friends who, despite their long time without each other, had been given a new beginning.

"Are you ready, Buffy?"

"Never been more ready in my entire life."

"Good. The book says that the antidote is some kind of 'liquid silver in golden light'; I assume you'll understand when you find it. Do you know what to do when you want to return?"

"We've been over this at least five times, Giles… I take this powder…" She held up a small glass bottle, "…and I cast a circle with it. A swirl will appear and I'll step into it."

"Yes, that's right." He turned to the redheaded witch that sat cross-legged on the floor. "Willow? We're ready."

Willow drew a deep breath and grounded herself. She lighted three candles and began to chant.

"Eternity, I beg of thee, let me in and let me see.

Eternity, I beg of thee, let me in and let me see.

Eternity, I beg of thee, let me in and let me see."

A shining swirl appeared on the grey wall behind Willow.

Buffy looked at her Watcher. "So, this is it. I'll be back, soon." She hugged Giles and took a last look at Willow who was in deep trance.

Giles held his breath as Buffy took a step into the swirl, and disappeared.

He watched as the swirl faded, but before it could disappear from the wall, a piece of paper came out from it.

Giles, I made it through okay. I haven't seen any demons and I don't think I will. I'll tell you more when I get back. Tell Will I said 'hi'!

XOXO /Buffy

He sighed in relief and sat down next to, a now conscious, Willow on the floor.

'Well, Giles was really stupid to worry about this place…' Buffy thought as she had thrown the note into the fading swirl. She stood in the middle of a clearing, golden light shone in her face and she was surrounded by trees.

She didn't know what she was supposed to look for. 'Well, I hope that Giles knew what he was talking about…'

She saw a narrow path between two of the largest trees and, as that seemed to be the only way out of the clearing, decided to follow it.

Giles paced in his hotel room, and Willow looked up from the book she was reading. "Giles, please, sit down. You could help me research the antidote that Buffy's getting for Spike, just to keep your mind occupied."

Giles sat down with a small sigh next to Willow and picked up a book from the stack she had in front of her.

Buffy treaded softly on fallen leaves, and felt the air getting chillier as evening fell. She saw the last rays of sun fall upon another clearing ahead of her, and saw a silver fountain glisten in the dusk.

"You know Niblet… You're prettier when you smile…"

Dawn looked up, and smiled slightly behind her tears.

"There you go…" Spike whispered.

Dawn sighed. "I need to tell you something."

At his raised eyebrows, she continued.

"I just wanted to tell you that I'm sorry for not… Well, for not talking to you." She had the grace to look ashamed.

He smiled slightly. "You know, I love you, Niblet. I'm sorry too, I'm sorry for hurting your sister, and for hurting you." He coughed and Dawn reached for his hand.

"Is there anything I can do?"

He shook his head.

"Spike, I think that maybe we should start over."

He shook his head again. "You can never start over, pet. We can learn from our mistakes, and give it another chance, though." He whispered.

Dawn smiled. "I can do that…" She squeezed Spike's hand and watched him as he succumbed to sleep, once more.

A/N Review! Please be kind. )