At The End Of The Night
E-mail: note: I couldn't get this story out of my head so I typed out a couple different versions. This is the end product. I have to say a huge thank you to Aylee for beta-ing this for me. You would not believe the work she had to put in to this! I hope you like it and please feed me!
Warning: Character death!
Rating: K+ I guess
Summary: Buffy is dying her family are all around her, she's waiting for something before she'll let go.
The room was quiet all that could be heard was the soft breathing of the lady lying in the bed. The door opened and light spilled into the room. A young woman around thirty entered the room and pulled up a chair next to the bed, she took the lady's hand and held it softly.
"Hey mom," She said and the lady opened her eyes and smiled. "Everyone's here," She continued. Three more people entered the room: two boys who sat next to their mother's bed and a girl who sat by the window.
"Hey," the younger boy said and took his mother's other hand.
"My babies," she whispered in a tired voice.
"Dad and uncle Xander will be up any minute."
Buffy nodded slowly and looked at each of her children. Chantel was always the brave one; being the oldest she took it upon her self to look after her younger brothers and sister. James was the smart one, always walking round with his head in a book. Danny was the rebel of the family, always getting into fights, but when his mother was concerned he was as soft as a bunny rabbit. Tara was the sensitive one, always sitting staring off into space, deep in thought, always distant from her brothers and sisters.
Buffy had been in a bad way for months. The doctors had said she could pull through, but two weeks ago she'd taken a turn for the worst. She knew in her heart she should have let go days ago but she held on needing to do one last thing. They all saw the determination in her eyes to hold on that little bit longer. They could tell that in her heart she was ready to go but they couldn't figure out what was making her fight so hard to stay alive.
Buffy felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end and goose bumps popped up all over her skin, causing her to shiver.
"There's a man walking up our driveway," Tara acknowledged causing everyone in the room to look at her.
"Angel," Buffy whispered.
Chantel walked to the window and moved the netting out of the way to see a handsome man just as he disappeared out of view. They heard the door-bell ring so she and Danny went to the top of the stairs and saw their father answer the door.
"I'm here to see Buffy," the man said. He said it as if it was a simple fact and in no way a question.
"I'm sorry, she's not up to visitors," their dad said with a great sadness in his voice. Angel saw the love he had in his eyes and his face softened. He knew what it was like to lose Buffy - it felt like your heart was ripping out - so he had sympathy for this man.
"I'm sorry but I wasn't asking," Angel said softly and brushed past him into the house. Buffy had once told him he was always welcome where ever she was, which Angel was thankful for at this very minute he didn't really want to stand there and waste precious time waiting for an invitation.
Xander stepped in front of him, placing a hand on his chest, "Oh no you don't, deadboy. She doesn't need you here."
Angel narrowed his eyes and took Xander's arm, twisting it behind his back, and pushed him with all his vampire strength. Xander flew through the air and landed in a heap in the family room.
"She's waiting for me," Angel said in Xander's direction and headed up the stairs.
Buffy's husband looked on in horror and followed.
Danny stepped in his way, "Who are you?" he asked.
"An old friend," Angel told him truthfully. "She wants to see me."
Danny looked the strange man in his eyes, saw the honesty and stepped aside. Angel walked toward Buffy's room, feeling a pull in her direction.
He walked right through the door and went straight to her bed.
"Angel," She greeted and sat up in bed, feeling energy go though her that she hadn't felt in months.
They hugged fiercely, "I held on for you," she whispered and the tears she'd been holding on to left her eyes. "I couldn't leave like that again."
"I love you Buffy, we'll see each other again," he told her and she held on that little bit tighter.
"I'm sorry you have to go though this again, Angel, third time's the charm, right?" she joked like she always did in those awkward moments.
"This time you'll rest in peace, I'll make sure of it," He promised and blood tears spilled down his cheeks.
"I love you," She whispered and her eyes slipped closed.
Her arms dropped from around him and he laid her gently down back on to the bed.
He kissed her lips, letting his linger longer than necessary. Then with his heart breaking he stood and wiped the tears from his eyes and looked at each person in turn.
The family hadn't made a move through the whole scene.
It was strangely comforting to Buffy's husband finally meeting the man behind the reason his wife could never fully let go and love him as much as he loved her. He knew bits and pieces about Buffy's life before they met he always thought it was some kind of joke her friends had played on him, telling him stories about how Buffy had been in love with a vampire forever young and forever in love with her. He knew vampires were real as it was how he'd come to meet Buffy but the story he'd always thought it was a lie but knew the man was real. Knowing his name also settled something within him, She would say that name often in her dreams. He'd chalked it up to nothing more than that, a dream before now.
The children had also heard that name before but as part of stories Buffy told to them about an Angel that would always keep her safe and would always be there looking out for them too. Even if they couldn't see him. It was strange for them to see the man who looked no older than thirty looking so heart broken over the death of their mother, they'd get their answers later, it didn't seem right asking the devastated man intrusive questions. They knew he was what she had held on for.
Angel knew exactly how each person in the room was feeling, he'd felt this pain twice before and he hoped this would be the last time he or anyone else would have to lose her. He knew that it was her dying wish to see him before she went, it was the reason she held on as long as she did. He hated himself for intruding on the family like he had but Buffy was the most important person in the equation she had to come first. Xander would answer all their question's probably twisting it into something torrid, but Angel didn't care he'd made a promise to her the night before she got married. Angel knew Buffy felt something for her fiancé but knew the main reason she was marrying the man was because she was pregnant and he'd told her he would always be there for her and for her children. He'd see them all again, but they would never see him it would be as it had always been. Protecting from afar.
He walked to the door and before he left the room he looked back and his eyes landed on Buffy's husband.
"You are the luckiest man in the world."
"No, you were," Her husband thought.
He walked out of the house and no one tried to stop him.
Tara watched as he walked down the driveway. His shoulders were slumped and she could feel the pain radiating off him. Her eyesight was blurry from her tears but she couldn't fail to see the golden mist that seemed to travel besides Angel and followed him out of her view in to the night. Tara knew that it was her mother and smiled though her tears.
The End.
Hope you feed me!