Disclaimer: Only the story is mine – "Goodbye To You" belongs to Michelle Branch, and of course Buffy and the gang belong to Joss and the WB.

Rating: PG-13, I suppose, for a little bad language and adult themes, and a whole lot of angst.

Dedication: To all the wonderful folks who've reviewed my work so far – especially vanillagigglez, thanks for all the kind words!

Author's Note: Chapter 2. All of this is strictly A/U, of course, as Better Angels was A/U to begin with.

Goodbye to you
Goodbye to everything I thought I knew
You were the one I loved
The one thing that I tried to hold on to

I thought maybe the worst was over. That maybe the tears, the anger and the pain were done. But it's never over. I opened the mailbox this morning and found a package in a brown paper envelope with no return address – just the name "Angel" scrawled in the upper left corner. Buffy's friends had been looking for Angel, but this package would be no help in finding him. I tore it open, and out fell a small book. My heart nearly stopped as I read the cover – "The Diary of Buffy Summers." I had searched every corner of every room for this after my Buffy died. Angel must have taken it from the hospital! Just before I managed to get really angry, I noticed the letter that was still in the envelope. My hands trembling, I unfolded the letter.

Joyce:

I know I'm probably the last person in the world you want to hear from. I caused Buffy more pain than I can ever forgive myself for, and I am truly sorry. However, I've held on to this diary for far too long. You deserve to have it, and you deserve to know what it says.

So please share this diary with Giles and Buffy's friends, so that they can know they were in Buffy's final thoughts. And please tell them to stop looking for me. I don't want to be found, and more importantly by the time you receive this letter, I'll probably be dead – unless I once again demonstrate my lack of guts by not ending this myself. Either way, this is the last contact I will have with any of you. I hope someday all of you find peace in your own way. I ask for no forgiveness, and I expect none. Goodbye to all of you.

I stumbled back into the house, and virtually collapsed onto the couch. Opening Buffy's diary, I began to read. I read until I felt my heart could take no more, and then I reached the end. Buffy's last words, which I never got a chance to hear. Then, the brave front I had put up since she died finally collapsed. I cried. I cried until my body shivered and my muscles ached with exertion. I cried as only a mother who has to bury a child can cry.

Goodbye to you
Goodbye to everything I thought I knew
You were the one I loved
The one thing that I tried to hold on to

I don't know how many hours I laid there, but the sun had set when the doorbell rang. I collected myself as best I could, went to the door and opened it. There stood two girls: both with black hair, one who looked about Buffy's age – but with much older eyes - and another who couldn't have been more than twelve. "Mrs. Summers?" asked the older girl.

"Yes, that's me," I answered slowly. "Do I know you?"

The older girl smiled sadly. "No, you don't. But you should. My name is Faith, and this is my sister Dawn."

"I'm sorry," I said, "but I still don't know who you are."

"I know that you don't," Faith replied. "But Dawn was supposed to be your daughter."

Author's Note: Sorry for the cliffhanger again. This one's kind of got off the rails on me, and I have no idea where it's going to end up. And I promise the Angel question will get resolved soon!