"I'm worried about her," Tara said to Xander when he came over to cut the grass a week later.

"Still not getting out of bed?" Xander shook his head. "I'll talk to her again." He trudged up the stairs and into Joyce's old bedroom. She wasn't there. He heard the shower and hoped she'd finally snapped out of it. She was at least taking a shower. He decided to be helpful and changed the sheets and pillowcases. When he was done, the shower turned off, so he sat to wait for her.

"Hey, Xander," She said as she walked in drying her hair with one towel while another was wrapped around her.

"Finally getting out of bed?"

"I have to get a job. No more time for grieving." She opened the top drawer of her dresser and picked a pair of underwear and a bra. She tossed them on the bed on her way to the closet where she picked out a respectable outfit for job hunting. There were a couple companies that would be happy to get her services. And she might be able to finish getting her degree in a few years.

"Just like that?"

"What else am I supposed to do? The plumbing in this house needs replaced, Dawn needs clothes, we need food, the bills need paid. Joyce's insurance pay out won't cover things forever. The sooner I get a job, the sooner that can be nothing more than an emergency fund or go to Dawn's education. I also need to take legal actions to keep Dawn here with us if she still wants. Hank could take her away." Willow stood in front of the dresser again, this time brushing her wet hair.

"So you're OK now?" he asked, knowing better.

"No, but I don't have time to wallow in grief anymore. Things need done. I have to do them." Willow turned to him. "Can you go so I can get dressed?"

"Yeah sure." Xander stood up and walked out the door with a quick, "Gotta mow the grass anyway," thrown over his shoulder.

He met up with Tara in the kitchen. "She's going job hunting."

"What?"

"She's showered and getting dressed now. Said she didn't have time to wallow anymore." Xander saw the picture of Buffy, Joyce and Dawn on the fridge, and grunted. "I have to cut the grass before you get fined."

Tara nodded then went upstairs to see Willow. "Baby?"

"Hey, I have to dry my hair yet, so can you give me ten minutes?" Willow asked as she went into the bathroom.

"I'll be right here, waiting."

Willow sucked up her tears and clutched the sink counter in an attempt to suppress how weird she felt. Buffy was gone, for good this time. Tara was alive and would likely stay that way. Her conflicting emotions had left her paralyzed for over a week. But she hadn't lied to Xander. Things needed taken care of, now not months from now. Buffy wouldn't be coming back to take care of them, so that left Willow.

She turned the hair dryer on and combed her hair under the heat. When she was done, her hair was silky and straight. A couple barrettes and it was out of her face. A bit of makeup finished things. She sighed as she looked at her eyes. They looked so tired even with the bags expertly covered. A couple attempts at smiling told her she needed to crinkle those eyes if she wanted to fool anyone. When she saw the effect, she had confidence that no one would know the difference.

Tara was waiting on the bed for her. "You look better."

"Seemed like the thing to be, better that is." She sat on the bed and put on her shoes. "So much needs to be done. Gotta start sometime."

"You're job hunting?" Tara asked.

"Have to. I don't think magic is the way to get our needs met."

"You should eat before you go. I'll make you something." Tara got off the bed.

"Cereal's fine." Willow stood up and hugged Tara. "But thank you."

"Willow? I'm glad you rejoined the rest of the world, but you don't have to stop grieving. You can slowly get back into the swing of things. The insurance will cover us for a while."

"Thanks," Willow paused to kiss Tara, "but I think a job sooner rather than later is the best course of action."

Tara watched Willow pick up her laptop case and leave the room. "I'm still worried."


The crypt door was metal and stone, no way to knock, so she pushed it open a crack and called inside. "Spike?"

"Come in, witch." He sounded sober. He looked sober too. "I hate this place."

"You can move into the basement at the Summers'." Willow leaned against the tomb in the middle of the room. "Can we talk?"

He sat on his couch. "Sure, love."

"Are you OK?"

"Better than last time around. Why?"

"You know I can't bring her back this time, right?" Willow hugged herself.

"I know. But I also know she's in heaven." He lit a cigarette. "Can I move in tonight?"

"Sure. I-I need to make a plan on how I'm going to take care of things. What to tell the others. How to keep Dawn. How to protect the Hellmouth. Pay for everything."

"Don't tell the others anything. It'd only hurt them more. Get a job, or let me get the money illegally for the paying for things. Maybe both. As for protecting the Hellmouth, we did OK last time round, but we need a more long term plan. What about Faith? Couldn't we break her out or something?"

"I'll go visit her today. Stop by Circuitsoft on the way, put in my resume." Willow sighed. "I don't want to but I will probably resort to magic to sort a few things out. Custody of Dawn, getting Faith out of prison."

"Neither of those things are selfish. Dawn needs the stability, and we need Faith to keep the world safe. Although if I were you, I'd consider making both happen in one spell." Spike tapped his temple. "Think you can get rid of the chip while you're at it?"

"Since you retained your soul, I can do that. Save the pain you'd be in for next year." Willow pushed off the bier and put a hand on his forehead. When she pulled her hand away there was a tiny microchip in it. "There."

"Ta, love. Didn't feel a thing."

"Good. I-I should go. Later."

He nodded at her on her way out the door.


"Couldn't believe it when they said it was you, Red," Faith said when they both had their phones to their ears.

"I didn't want you to hear it from someone else. Buffy's dead."

"Damn." Faith turned her head away then back. "Who's watching over the Hellmouth?"

"Xander, Spike, me, sometimes Tara. Giles. Her death won't call another slayer this time. We need you."

"As you can see, I'm otherwise engaged." Faith clenched her teeth for a moment. "Can you fix this?"

"Give me three hours." Willow closed her eyes and breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Faith."

"I'll see you soon." Faith hung up her phone and stood.

Willow did the same, and the two women nodded at each other before leaving.