It was long night full of celebration, on that Buffy had a hard time joining in with, not only because it meant she'd be losing Chris but, because she had this nagging doubt that they'd overlooked something. She didn't want to seem paranoid and ruin the happiness that had fallen over the group so, she smiled, laughed and pretended that everything was perfect. The night wore on and the party faded. Piper first to go unable to stay awake any longer with Leo close behind her. Paige and Phoebe left soon after that, eager to return to some semblance of normalcy in their lives now that the threat had passed.

"How long do you think it will take them to find a way to send you home?" Buffy asked breaking the silence.

"No long." Chris replied torn between the sadness he felt for having to leave her and the happiness that he felt for having saved his brother and made the future into something worth returning to.

"Buffy, I wish.." Chris began.

"Don't." She cut him off. "I know, but you can't stay and I can't go. We knew it was coming."

"I just didn't expect..." He trailed off.

"I know," Buffy sighed placing a hand on his face smiling sadly. "I didn't either. But, I don't regret it not a minute."

"Neither do I." Chris said wrapping his arms around her. "Let's get out of here." He said orbing before she could reply.

"What did I tell you about doing that without warning me first." Buffy said as the materialized on the bridge. "I know you just do it to annoy me."

"It is pretty funny." Chris laughed.

"Watch it magic boy, I could hurt you." Buffy threatened.

"How am I supposed to leave and just forget you?" Chris asked seriously.

"You don't have to forget me, in fact you better not." Buffy said wrapping her arms around herself shivering in the night air. She smiled as Chris wrapped his arms around her placing a kiss on her forehead. "We both have destinies waiting to be fulfilled and we can't hide out here forever."

"Why not, I kind of like that plan." Chris said teasingly.

"Me too." Buffy replied holding him tightly. "Oh, before I forget." Buffy said pulling him down and kissing him. They broke apart when the need for air overwhelmed them.

"What was that for?" Chris asked trying to catch his breath.

"I just wanted to thank you, you know for healing me, saving my life." Buffy said smiling.

"I still don't know how I did it." Chris replied.

"What's the big? I mean your half white lighter, Wyatt can heal why shouldn't you be able to?" Buffy asked.

"I don't know, I just never could before." Chris explained. "Wyatt tried to teach me how once, before he went all crazy evil. But, he could never really explain how it worked. But, then you were hurt and it just happened." "

"Get me, I'm givin' out wings." Buffy laughed stopping at Chris's look of confusion. "Don't tell me you've never seen It's a Wonderful Life?"

"I don't think so." Chris replied.

"It's only the best Christmas movie ever." Buffy began shaking her head. "I can't believe you haven't seen it, it's on like ten million times a day around Christmas."

"I'll have to check it out." Chris laughed.

"You'd better." Buffy replied teasingly.

"Come on I should get you back." Chris said as she shivered again.

"No, I'm fine." Buffy replied.

'Your freezing." Chris insisted.

"Not yet, please. I just want to stay a little longer. Pretend the real world doesn't exist." Buffy pleaded.

"There's no place I'd rather be than here, with you." Chris said pulling her closer.

Manor:

Chris finally brought Buffy home leaving her in her room he made his way down into the kitchen hoping one of his aunts were still awake.

"Hey Chris." Phoebe called as he walked in glancing up from her laptop. "Just catching up on my column. Did you need something?"

"Yeah, there's something I want to do, but I'll need your help, Paige's too." Chris replied.

The next day at Magic School:

"So we've got the potion, it'll be ready tomorrow." Piper explained. "Gideon's got the spell ready in case it doesn't work."

"Ok, sounds good." Leo replied.

"Are you sure about going?" Piper asked concerned. "If anything happens."

"That's why I have to go. I can't just send my son alone not knowing if he got home safely." Leo explained.

"I know, but what if I go into labor, we can't leave Wyatt unprotected." Piper began.

"He wont be." Buffy interrupted walking into the room. "I'm going to stick around, make sure nothing happens to the kid."

"That's very kind of you, but you have a destiny of your own to return to." Gideon said. He was quickly becoming frustrated by the untrusting young woman.

"Gideon's right, we can't ask you to put your life on hold forever." Piper began.

"Your not," Buffy interrupted. "I'm very aware of the seriousness of my destiny and the fact that I can't avoid it anymore but, I'm sticking around. Just until Chris is born, I don't want to take any chances. Well, you guys seem to have everything covered here do you mind sending me back to the manor?" She asked Leo. He nodded waving his hand and orbing her away.

"Where are Chris, Phoebe and Paige?" Leo asked "Paige went out to get potion ingredients an hour ago and Chris said he'd be right back."

"I have the feeling their up to something." Piper replied.

"Should we be worried." Leo asked.

"Have we just met, I'm always worried." Piper replied.