Angel and Spike sat in the living room with the blinds closed in silence. They awaited the sun to set and Buffy's friends to get back. Neither had cried or lashed out in anger but just sat. It was almost half an hour to sunset when the gang started coming in through the doors. Dawn came running in through the doors first tears streaming down her face like rain.
She ran to into the living room where Spike and Angel now stood right into Spike who just held her as she rambled, "She misses you Spike. She didn't really hate you. Please know that! I wish she was here to tell you that." Dawn gripped him as she just cried and cried.
Everyone stared at them as Spike held her trying not to let down his strenghtened wall for if he cried now with Dawn he was afraid he would never stop. Everyone seemed to be hugging someone at this point. The vampires didn't need to be told that the funeral was brutal. Willow let go of Xander and walked to Angel, "She loved you Angel so much. Be careful going to her tonight, it's harder then you think." They hugged each other and then Willow walked to Dawn and gently lead her upstairs to Buffy's room.
Spike and Angel just looked at each other and then Xander addressed them both, "Look I don't like either of you and I never did but I think I finally realized it was probably because you were different and that you got closer to her then I could. I know it was for the best though, you guys kept her alive a lot longer. It was just her time."
Xander just turned around and lead Tara upstairs to see Willow. Giles looked at the vampires who were obviously in pain. "Xander was actually right. It means a lot that you guys were there. Our history no longer matters."
Giles walked upstairs also hoping to comfort the emotional Dawn. This left Wesley, Cordelia, Gunn and Fred staring at the vampires. Of course Cordy walked to Angel and hugged him, "You know we could have come with you tonight."
"I think this is something me and Spike need to do alone. Thanks a lot though Cordy."
Cordelia half smiled, "It's so wierd being in this place without her here. I used to wish her away so many times but now it's like, without her..."
Angel just cut her off with a hug not really wanting to hear the rest fo what the princess had to say. Spike discretely looked out the window and walked to tap Angel on the shoulder. "The sun finally set."
Cordy let go and backed up to Wesley. "Are you ready?"
Spike nodded, "As ready as I'll ever be."
Angel gave his gang a quick glance as he walked out the door into the night followed by Spike. They walked at a slower pace then usual for neither one of them were anxious to see they're dead lovers grave. They were almost at the place where Willow said Buffy was buried. They didn't want her buried in a cemetary where she hated to be. They walked there in silence for neither knew what exactly to say.
-Buffy's Grave-
They arrived minutes later and just stood there staring at her headstone. She saved the world a lot kept running through their minds as neither knew what to say or do. "What are we suppossed to do now?"
Angel shrugged, "No idea."
It was then they heard the rustle in the bushes. Niether went into fighting stance as they both somehow knew who it would be. There sitting by the trunk on the tree was Faith. "I was waiting until the fang boys showed up." Faith stood up and walked to stand by the vampires
"Buffy knew you were coming. How'd she know?" Angel asked
Faith looked down, "Me and her always had this mind connection thing. When I was all coma and she was all blood drained we had a mind walk thing and while I was sleeping in a jail cell I had a dream. I saw it all happen..."
Faith drifted off as Angel went to hug her. For once you see Faith show her softer side. Spike just walked forward and knelt on Buffy's grave to trace his fingers over the tombstone. Faith and Angel slowly followed him and each put a hand on his shoulder and one hand on the tombstone. Nobody noticed a beautiful white light at the bottom of the tombstone. The longer all their hands stayed on the tombstone the brighter the light got and still none of them noticed.
Spike whispered, "How you doin slayer?"
"I'm fine Spike, how are you?"
All three heads shot up the instant they heard Buffy's voice from the trees behind them. She was in an all white sleeveless dress with a somewhat tiarra on her head. It wasn't a glow that surrounded her but a light that made her look actually happy. She just walked slowly up to her tombstone and sat down on top of it. She looked at Spike, Faith and Angel and smiled a smile that she hadn't spread accross her lips since she was 16.
"Is this too much of a shock for you? Because I thought you three out of all people could deal with seeing a dead person."
Spike was the first person to talk, "Look it's Casper."
Buffy just shook it off not wanting to waste the little time they had on insults, "How you been Spike?"
"What can I say? I'm still around aren't I?"
Buffy still held the grin on her face, "Yes you are." She then looked at the other two people present, "What? Spike can accept it but you two can't?"
Faith slowly walked up to her and slugged her on the shoulder, "Here I thought you were mad at me for killing all those people."
"I just needed you three together. It's nothing personal."
"It's always personal."
"Okay so I'm going to get in trouble for lying when I go back."
Spike piped in, "You're going back? Where are you going?"
Buffy smiled and was about to answer when Angel who had been surprisingly quiet the whole time answered for him, "She's where she belongs Spike."
Buffy just stared at Angel and for the first time they were both staring at each other not daring to let there eyes wonder in case it might not be real. Spike interrupted though and reality shot back, "Why can't she stay then?"
Buffy looked at Spike, really stared at him knowing he would understand, "I'm happy Spike. I'm going to miss everyone and some of the things but where I am is where I've always wanted to be, at peace."
Spike had a shot of anger run through him, "So what, you just come down here, show off your fancy light trick, and then leave?"
Angel interrupted knowing Buffy looked hurt, "Shut up Spike, you know as well as we all do she's here because she needs to say something, or we have something to say."
Spike just waved a hand in his face and started slowly pacing. Buffy smiled when Faith chimed in, "This is why you needed all three of us here?"
"That it is. You three are the only ones emotionally and physically strong enough to bring me here. I just needed you guys to touch the stone and I could come back, for a while."
Spike stopped pacing and looked at her, "So what do you need to say? Is the world ending again? Is someone going to die and you're going to take them away?"
"You know Spike you should really start thinking before you speak. I thought you seeing me would be a good thing but I guess it's not. If you don't wish to talk to me or say goodbye then go away now."
Spike scoffed but didn't move. Angel couldn't help his smile. Faith though had questions, "So this is just to say goodbye? Even to me?"
Buffy still just sat there, "No it's not. The worlds gonna end." She watched Spike's gloating smile for a while but then continued, "Kidding." Spike just stood ignoring the others smirks. "I'm here for a warning." Everyone got very nervous and edgy until she spoke again, "Things are going to change. Now that I'm dead I finally have a say in how things happen and when. Our fate has always been decided for us but now that it's too late for me, I can make it better for you guys."
Faith walked right up to the dead slayer, "So why am I here?"
"You're holding the line. I am the strongest fastest and longest living slayer ever and now you are going to be. What once was my fate is now yours. I know that you can handle it because I have faith in you, the powers have faith in you and Angel has faith in you. You'll need to stay in Sunnydale sadly but everything will become clear. My duties and my prophecies are now yours. You wanted my life and now you got it... just this time I'm giving it to you instead of you taking it from me. You can control yourself, when the worlds on your shoulder and you're all alone... that's when you'll know what control is. I wish you all the luck."
Faith just stared back at Buffy ignoring the vampires behind them, "I can't do this. You're asking a murderer to be a slayer."
"You never stopped being a slayer Faith, you just got lost for a while. Plus you have all the help you need, don't be afraid to ask for it. These two vamps right here are going to be around for a while, take advantage of it."
"All this time I thought you hated me."
"I do."
Faith understood thier love/hate relationship and smiled as Buffy did. Spike broke the silence though, "So, if the killer's going to be a slayer then why do I have to stick around?"
"Because my friends... my family, they trust you." Spike put a smirk on his face and Buffy spit out the truth, "Because they know how to control you and because my sister loves you and because you and Faith make a good team."
Both Faith and Spike glared at each other and then shook thier heads, "I don't think so."
Buffy smiled and hopped off the tombstone, "There's a lot in your future guys. There's going to be some hard decisions but know that when the right choice is made your lives will turn out pretty normal. Start thinking with your hearts guys because thinking with your head get's you no where most of the time. Isn't that right Angel?"
Angel recognized the line from his little break up speech, "It got me to L.A."
"It got you out of my life."
Angel looked hurt at her harsh words. Spike looked at them both and grabbed Faith's hand. "As much as I hate to admit it these two need their own goodbye. You got two mushy people in love on one grave, what can you expect?"
They walked away leaving Buffy who was standing but leaning on her tombstone now and Angel who was standing almost 10 feet away from her still. Buffy stared at him deeply, "I don't bite. Well actually I do but not in the bad way."
Angel half smiled at memories sprouting about but then looked into Buffy's eyes and slowly started walking forward, "It's just like a dream, like you'll dissappear as soon as I touch you."
Buffy was in tears as she welcomed the hug of her forbidden lover. "Angel you'll never lose me, ever! When I go back I can still hear you, every word. I'll be with you the whole long road ahead."
"I know that but you won't be here. I just can't help but think about the years I was away from you, where I could have been holding you and feeling you but now... I just can't see how it was the right thing to do anymore. I'm gonna miss this so much. I always thought we'd end up together someday, back in each others arms, married even but now..."
Buffy was practically breaking down now along with Angel. They both fell to their knees still gripping each other knowing if one let go the other could be gone. "Angel listen to me. I would have loved it if you stayed, we could have all those wonderous nights and midnight picnics but look what you have, what you made for yourself. You're doing what no one else can do better then you and I am so proud of you. I missed you so much and dreamed everynight you would come back but I knew deep down then when you walked away from me that then was the last time it was ever going to be me and you. All I ever wanted was to curl up with you on a blanket in front of the fire forever like we used to do but now I understand. Why you left, what you thought and why you could. There's something out there for you. You can't stop fighting Angel, if not for you then for me. There's something in your future if you make the right choices."
"And what if I make these choices? What happens when I save everybody huh?"
"Angel you don't get to live forever." Angel looked surprised. He didn't let go of her but stared into her eyes. "One day when it's all over. When the choices are made, better fighters come along and we finally win then we'll be together. You'll come to me, where you will always belong. There's hope in the world now, I made it that way. I'll look for the day that you come back to me."
"Oh Buffy, I wish I never left. I could have been there, should have helped. Maybe I could have realized sooner... I just wish I could change..."
"If you did then I wouldn't be happy. I would be alone in a cemetary pretending to hate Spike and slaying vampires. I don't want that. I can make more of a difference up there then I ever did down here. Things will be better."
They shared a small smile as they gazed into each others souls knowing Spike and Faith would soon return. As if on cue a few minutes later they walked back to the grave seeing Angel and Buffy hugging. Spike looked at them, "It's time for her to go isn't it?"
Buffy walked to Spike with Angel still holding onto her hand and hugged him, "I'm trusting you with my life Spike. Protect them from anything, you don't even have to save the world if you don't want to again but just keep them safe."
Spike nodded and both with tears in their eyes hugged. For the first time in their whole relationship it was something meaningful and true to Spike. When he let go he looked her in the eyes, "I'll see you around slayer."
Buffy smiled and let Spike go. Faith walked up to her, "You always believed in me and I don't know why but thanks. Not a lot of people could trust me to do this, to do anything involving saving lives."
"I don't trust you, I just know that you will take care of them because you want to prove me right. You know you can do it and you just needed me to say you could. I respect that."
"Shoulda been there B, quite a ride."
Buffy smiled and the slayers embraced again. When it did end Buffy smiled at her and then turned to Angel. "You have to let me go for a while Angel."
"I... I don't know Buffy. It's just so easy, I can feel you and talk to you..."
"I love you so much Angel but this is the work we have to do. We belong to the world remember? It's too late for us but not for every single soul out there. It will only be for a little while."
"I am going to miss you so much Buffy."
"Ditto. Don't worry Angel, I'll wait forever for you."
"That's the whole point."
Buffy smiled and they finally kissed. One of their world melt away full of passion kisses that they could get lost in forever. Unfortunately Buffy started to glow and she stopped the kiss. "I have to go now Angel. I love you." She paused a few seconds until she spoke again, "And tell Cordy I'll see her soon. She's not going to die but she'll be upgraded."
Angel smiled and nodded and she started to walk away towards the trees where the light bagan to surround her totally and Angel yelled one last thing, "You're still my girl."
There was no answer and Angel just stood there with tear stained eyes staring towards the path the love of his life just took out of this world. She should have answered he thought over and over. Suddenly there was a small breeze that blew towards Angel, it rippled his hair just a tad. He was about to turn when the wind blew a small piece of paper onto Buffy's grave. Angel knelt to pick it up. After flipping it over he revealed it to say one word, "ALWAYS"
He actually smiled and then turned to Faith and Spike. "You guys ready to go?"
"We have a lot of work to do."
Angel smiled again, "Don't worry guys. With who's watching us I think it will all be clear soon." The other two just looked at him as all three super heroes walked their journey to the Summer's house. Each one of them was starting something new that very day.
...The end