A/N: Only 3 more chapters to go after this one! I have set a goal to have them completed by the end of August when I go back to college, so here's hoping! Also, for those of you who read my other WIPs, The Serena Chronicles and Destiny, please know that I have no plans of permanently abandoning either one. I know it's been a ridiculously long time since they've been updated, but I do hope to return to them soon. Enjoy this chapter, and as always, please review!

Chapter 28: The Funeral

April 30th, 2004

"This isn't exactly how I imaged my first real trip to New York City," Dawn said sadly as the three of them navigated the crowded hallways of JFK airport.

Connor squeezed her hand. "Someday we'll come back when we can really enjoy it."

Dawn gave him a small smile. With the exception of the scars on her arms, which the doctor had promised would fade over time, there was no physical evidence of the traumatic events of nearly a week earlier.

"Let's get a cab and go to the hotel," Buffy said. Although it was only 7pm New York time, it was 1am Rome time, and they were exhausted from their 8 hour flight.

As they waited in the cab line outside the airport, Dawn tried to take in the atmosphere of the city she had only seen in the movies. She couldn't help but smile as she watched the hustle and bustle. "I used to dream about coming here all the time," she said quietly to Connor. "I always thought I would live here someday, but I think every little kid does."

Connor loaded their bags in the trunk of their cab, and the three of them piled in. Throughout the entire short ride to their hotel, Dawn stared out the window, mesmerized, nudging Connor whenever she spotted a famous landmark. "Look, there's MTV studios!" she said excitedly.

He looked at her blankly. "What's MTV?"

She looked at him in dismay. "Sometimes I almost forget that you didn't grow up in this dimension."

They reached their hotel, and Buffy was not surprised to find that Angel had booked them a 43rd floor penthouse suite in the heart of Times Square. She shook her head and smiled to herself as Dawn and Connor admired the spectacular view from the window. She had insisted that they were only staying 2 nights and that they didn't need anything special, but hadn't expected him to actually listen to her. Still, she had to admit that this room was pretty fantastic. There were even two separate bedrooms, which surprised her. But she wasn't going to argue. Connor had been staying at their apartment ever since Dawn got out of the hospital, and although she had protested at first, Buffy had to admit that having him around made the hole left by Faith seem slightly less obvious. She still hadn't been able to pack away their former roommate's possessions. They were still piled in the living room, where no one acknowledged them, yet she knew they would all be bothered if they disappeared.

"We should probably get some sleep," Buffy said.

"What are we doing tomorrow?" Dawn asked. "I mean...before the service."

They were burying Faith at sunset in the same Brooklyn cemetery where Robin was buried. The reason the ceremony was at sunset was because Angel was going to be there, a fact that Buffy had been determinedly not thinking about.

"I don't know. Whatever we want, I guess. We could do some sightseeing, or maybe the concierge could get us tickets to a show," Buffy suggested. She thought it would be best if they kept busy to keep their minds off the difficult night they were going to have.

Dawn nodded. "We should. Do you want the shower first, or can I go?"

"Go ahead. I told Angel I'd call and let him know we arrived," Buffy said, unzipping her suitcase. Dawn nodded and carried her suitcase towards the bathroom, pulling it out of Connor's reach when he started to protest.

"I'm not an invalid. I can carry my own bag." She gave him a quick kiss before entering the bathroom and closing the door behind her.

"Uh...do you want me to sleep on the couch?" Connor asked awkwardly.

Buffy shook her head tiredly. "No. It's fine."

"Thanks," Connor said. He started to enter the other bedroom, but paused in the doorway, turning around. "I know you probably don't want to talk to me about it...but are you okay?"

Buffy gave him a sad smile. "I'm not even sure I remember what okay is anymore. But you don't need to worry about me. Just take care of Dawn."

Connor nodded. "I will." He looked at her as if he wanted to say something more, but decided against it and left the room.

When Dawn finished in the bathroom, Connor was sitting on the bed, flipping channels on the flat screen tv, although he was too distracted to have any idea what he was watching. He looked up and smiled. She was wearing a white tank top and low-slung pajama pants, with her damp hair hanging around her shoulders.

"Watching tv?" she asked, sitting down on the bed next to him.

"Not really," he said, switching it off. He straightened up when he suddenly felt Dawn kissing his neck. "Uh...what are you doing?"

"What do you think I'm doing?" she asked quietly. She swiftly repositioned herself so that she was standing in front of him, her legs straddling his. It was clear by the way she kissed him where she intended this to go.

"Are you sure you're up to this?" he asked, his coherent thoughts quickly evaporating as he became very aware of her pajama-clad body pressing against his.

"I'm fine," she insisted. "And I need you."

He stroked her back. "Buffy's in the next room."

"We can be quiet," Dawn whispered, kissing his earlobe. She gently pushed his shoulders and he scooted backwards on the bed, allowing her to crawl on top of him. "Just shut up and kiss me."

"Twist my arm..." Connor mumbled, wrapping his arm around her neck and pulling her head closer to his, kissing her fiercely.

The next day

"That was so amazing," Dawn said, her voice filled with wonder. She clutched Connor's hand as the three of them exited the Gershwin Theater, where they had just taken in a matinee of the musical Wicked. "I'm never going to be able to look at The Wizard of Oz the same way again."

Connor smiled. Aside from enjoying the look of awe as Dawn, who said she had always wanted to see a Broadway musical, watched the show, he had also been very impressed by the spectacle of it all. "That green girl could really sing."

"Did you like it, Buffy?" Dawn asked.

Buffy smiled and nodded. "It was amazing." When the curtain had fallen, she had realized that she had gone the entire two and a half hours without thinking about Faith, or the fact that she was seeing Angel in less than two hours. She had been in desperate need of such an escape, and it had been a bit disappointing when the show had ended and she had to face the real world again.

No one said much as they went back to the hotel and changed clothes. Dawn was brushing her hair in the mirror and adjusting her simple outfit of black pants and a long-sleeve pink top that covered her scars when there was a knock at the door of their suite. The three of them looked at each other, all knowing who it was.

"Do you want me to get it?" Connor asked after a minute when he realized Buffy wasn't moving.

She shook her head. "No, I've got it." She strode purposefully to the door, and Dawn and Connor pretended not to notice the way she steeled herself before opening it.

"Hi," Angel said. He was standing in the hallway, wearing his usual long black leather jacket and staring intently at Buffy. As always, Dawn felt as if she was intruding on a private moment merely by existing in the same general vicinity.

"Hey," Buffy said quietly. After standing awkwardly for a second, she stepped back, opening the door wider. Angel entered uninvited, due to the fact that a hotel was considered public property.

"Hi Dawn," Angel said. To her slight surprise, he reached out and gave her a hug, which she happily reciprocated. "Are you doing okay?" She noticed as his eyes flickered to her covered forearms.

"Yeah, much better," she said with as much of smile as she could muster.

Angel looked at Connor next. "Hi Connor."

"Hi...it's good to see you," Connor said, surprising even himself a little bit.

Angel smiled, pleased. "You too." He turned to Buffy, who was wearing a simple black dress. "Is everyone ready?" Buffy nodded and the four of them headed out. Connor reached for Dawn's hand, but she politely pulled back. When he looked at her questioningly, she gestured with her head towards Angel and Buffy ahead of them, who seemed to be taking great care to keep at least 3 feet of space between them at all times. Dawn figured that their little lapse in self-control at Christmas had them both on extra high alert. Connor nodded, understanding.

By the time they reached the cemetery, the sun had almost completely disappeared. Somehow Angel knew the way, and they all followed him. When they reached the freshly dug grave with the coffin containing Faith's body already partially lowered into it, they were greeted by a man in a suit who was holding a Bible. He shook Angel's hand, and Angel thanked him for coming. The man nodded and the two of them exchanged a few words too quietly for Buffy to hear. She noticed two other men standing somberly off to the side, presumably to finish the burial once they were done with their goodbyes. Buffy and Dawn were both holding roses that they had picked up on the way.

"When everyone's ready, we can begin," the man said. Angel looked to Buffy, who nodded. The four of them gathered around the grave and the man opened his book, clearing his throat.

"We gather today to send our sister, Faith, to her eternal rest," he began.

The rest of what the man (priest? The service was not exactly religious, and Buffy only knew that the transportation and burial of Faith's body had been arranged by Giles's former colleagues from the Watcher's Council) said passed in a blur to Buffy, although she was sure that it was very heartfelt and beautiful, without being overly sappy. Just what Faith would have wanted. Dawn stood the entire time with tears streaming down her face; Connor stood beside her with his arm around her shoulders, his head low. At one point Buffy felt Angel's fingers slip through hers, and although a weary part of her conscience told her that it was wrong, she welcomed his hand in hers.

"Now is the time for any of you who wish to say something to pay your last respects to Faith before we commence with the burial," the man said, taking a few, respectful steps back.

The four of them looked at each other. "I'll go," Angel said quietly, unlocking his hand from Buffy's. He selected a rose from one of the bouquets and approached the grave. "I hope you found your redemption," he said quietly, letting the flower fall onto the casket.

Dawn bravely stepped forward next. "Thank you for saving my life," she whispered through tears, dropping her own rose onto the grave. Connor stepped up beside her to pay his own respects, which echoed Dawn's. "Thank you," he said simply, not needing to specify for what.

They all looked at Buffy, who hesitated before slowly approaching the grave. For a long moment she just stood there, unable to find any words. "I'm sorry," she finally said as she added her own flower to the small pile. Sorry for what? For stabbing Faith in the gut on that rooftop nearly five years ago? For not being able to adequately protect her own sister, leaving Faith to take the fall? She wasn't even sure, yet the words seemed more appropriate than any others.

She stepped back and felt Angel's hand on her shoulder as they watched the two men who had been standing off to the side approach the grave with shovels to finish the burial. "We don't have to watch this," he whispered in her ear, glancing pointedly at Dawn, who was still crying. Buffy nodded and approached the man who had officiated the makeshift funeral, shaking his hand and muttering words of thanks.

"We can go, Dawn. It's over," Buffy said, touching her sister's arm. Dawn nodded and wiped her tears, clutching Connor's hand. The four of them walked away in silence.

"So, when do you head back?" Buffy asked Angel, not looking at him.

She could feel him watching her as he replied. "I don't know yet," he said.

"How did you get here?"

"Took an overnight flight," he said simply. "I'll probably lay low tomorrow and head back the same way. Hey," he said. Buffy paused, looking at him. "Why don't we all go get something to eat. Just hang out for a little while."

She stared at him. She knew what he was doing, trying to prolong their time together as subtly as possible. And she wasn't about to argue. "Sounds good to me."

An hour later, the four of them were sitting in a Times Square pub, with everyone but Angel overindulging in wonderfully greasy food in an attempt to move on from the sadness of the funeral. Dawn and Connor had instinctively sat down next to each other in the booth, leaving Buffy and Angel to also sit side by side. Buffy determinedly shoved another onion ring in her mouth, trying to focus on anything but the incredibly close quarters she was currently in with Angel.

"How's everyone in LA?" Dawn asked in an attempt to end the awkward silence.

"Everyone's good. Nothing's really changed," Angel said.

"Any interesting clients lately?" Dawn pressed.

Angel thought a moment. "Well, we had one guy who had a demon living in his wall and didn't even know it. It was a breed who likes small, dark spaces. He started smelling it and called us in. We had to knock down the wall to kill it. He wasn't too happy," he added.

"The guy or the demon?" Connor wondered.

Angel paused. "Both, actually." He glanced sideways at Buffy, who was intently twisting her straw wrapper around her finger.

"Hey, you know what," he said, picking up the glass of water that he'd ordered to be polite. "How about a toast." He lifted his glass. "To Faith."

Dawn, Buffy, and Connor raised their sodas, and the four of them clinked glasses. "To Faith," they echoed. After taking a drink, they all sat in silence in the booth for a few moments, lost in their own world as the busy pub and the even busier city outside bustled around them.

To Be Continued!