Chapter Seven: Arrival
Buffy groaned as she slowly regained consciousness. Her whole body had that pins-and-needles feeling, and her head was pounding. Light shone brightly on her face, and her closed eyelids glowed reddish-orange. Tentatively she stretched out her arms, fingers tracing the ground around her experimentally. Grass. She felt soft, cool grass. Come to think of it, she could smell it, too. 'Willow!' her mind suddenly shouted, and she forced her eyes open in panic. They were met by the most vivid and shimmering blue sky she'd ever seen. She felt she could lay there all day just staring at it, but… "Willow!" She screeched it out loud this time. She rolled her neck slowly to the left. More grass, and trees. She tried the other direction, and to her vast relief, Willow was there next to her.
Willow felt herself spiraling upwards from darkness, following a familiar voice. "Willow!" It sounded panicked and… Buffyish. 'Buffy!' she thought, struggling to wake up. She felt like she'd gone ten rounds with a Turok Han, even breathing was painful. And her eyes wouldn't open. She tried to calm down and concentrate on her surroundings. She was on the ground, and it smelled… delicious! All grassy and woodsy and new. As her body relaxed, her eyes finally opened. Sky, all gorgeous sky canopied above her. She turned her head towards the voice she'd heard and saw Buffy nearby.
"Hey Buffy."
"Oh thank God! Are you OK?"
"I think so. I'm all ouchy and I don't think I can move yet, but mostly fine," Willow replied.
"Same here. I feel like we were thrown at the ground instead of placed on it. I blame Whistler," Buffy muttered.
"Do you think we landed where we were supposed to land? And hey, isn't it beautiful here?"
"Mmm hmm, and it smells amazing. I'm convinced there's no place like this on our Earth," Buffy breathed in deeply.
"A place this clear and light can't be evil. Or maybe we died…" Willow trailed off in thought.
"Nope. This is way more real and physical than heaven was."
"Oh, right." They continued to lie side by side, waiting for their limbs to regain strength, not wanting to delve into the deeper issues that lay between them. A shadow fell over their forms.
"It's you, again," Buffy said tiredly.
"Hey Kid, Witch. How was your trip?" Whistler asked.
Willow looked up at him, annoyed. "How do you think? We're in a strange world full Goddess knows what kind of evil nasties, but we're lying here, vulnerable, cuz it's our idea of hijinks."
"Woah, ease up! I didn't invent the transit system. I just came to make sure you got here. Any last requests before I turn you loose?"
"You would show up, see that we're totally helpless, and then just leave," Buffy accused.
"What?" Whistler replied defensively. "I'm only allowed to oversee, not interfere. Good luck, ladies." He was about to go when Buffy called out.
"Whistler, wait. I do have one request. Tell our family that we made it here?"
"Alright, Kid. I can manage that." He winked out of their vision and they were alone again.
"I think I must be really scared, cuz I kinda wish he'd come back," Willow said, aiming for levity.
"Well at least we know we're in the right place," Buffy comforted.
Back in L.A., the residents of the Hyperion were still awake hours after Buffy and Willow's departure. It was well past midnight when they'd left, and now the sun was starting to rise. They'd spent the time telling each other stories about their friends. Though none would admit it, it was similar in tone to the requiem they'd held a month before for those that fell in Sunnydale. They were past exhaustion, but still they stayed together and talked. It seemed as though they were waiting for something, though they knew not what. Finally, just after sunrise, Whistler appeared before them.
"I was given orders by a surly blond to tell you that they made it."
"Thank the Lord," Giles breathed in relief.
"Are they OK?" asked Dawn, concerned.
"Shaken up from the trip, but all limbs are present and accounted for."
"Is there anything else you can tell us about their quest?" Wesley asked.
"Nope, I don't know more than I've told you already. I'm on a need to know basis with the Powers," Whistler replied.
"Gee I wonder why," Xander said dryly.
"Hey! Don't kill the messenger." With that, he disappeared. Feeling slightly relieved by his news, and that their vigil was ended, everyone finally went to bed.