Disclaimer: Joss is Boss.

Dawn stood, leaning in the kitchen doorway, arms hugged tight around her middle, staring unseeingly at the group huddled around the table, intent on their task. They had, of course, asked for her opinion, but she couldn't think. It wasn't sinking in. Finally, Buffy looked up from the many pieces of scribbled on paper. Drawn and pale, she hadn't even bothered with make up. Something else so alien to Dawn.

"Is this it then? Shall….shall I take it in on my way to work?"

Dawn stared on, as Willow, red hair scraped back, nodded, her gaze fixed on the table. She seemed unable to speak. She barely had, since…Dawn swallowed dryly. She couldn't even think about it.

"I think this is the best one," Giles agreed, taking a swig from the mug of tea on the table.

"What's it say?" Dawn asked, making them all jump at the sound of her low, shaking voice.

Willow and Buffy looked instinctively at Giles, who tooke the paper gently from Buffy's hand and read:

"Alexander Louville Harris, 1981-2006. Beloved and devoted friend, he shall be sorely missed."

Willow started crying quietly, and Dawn frowned as Giles put a hand on the sobbing girl's shoulder.

"He would have hated that." She said quietly, causing Willow to twist around in her seat.

"I know."

Buffy sighed.

"Dawn, this is…unbearable for all of us, but none of us know what to write, and we're running out of time to have this done before the funeral."

Slowly, Dawn walked across the kitchen, flattened a piece of paper with shaking hands, took up a pen and wrote:

"Xander

1981-2006

Our best friend.

Our big brother.

The key guy."

She put the pen down, and held the paper at arms length. As Giles took it, her arms returned to hugging her waist. She watched as he replaced his glasses to read it, before giving a small shout of laughter that briefly lit his face. He handed the paper to Buffy, who in turn smiled as she read it, and handed it to Willow, who, with baited breath, turned the paper over. After a long, silent moment, she gave the tiniest smile, looking like the real Willow again, the Willow who had loved Xander for so long and declared:

"It's perfect."