Chapter 31

“What are you doing here, Captain Cardboard?” Spike ground out as Riley Finn stepped out of the bushes.

“Could ask you people the same thing,” Riley replied.

“Finn,” Angel muttered.

Riley sighed, “Angel…Buffy.”

“Yeah, yeah, Cordelia, Tara, Willow, Anya, and Dawn,” Cordelia said walking up to him. “Why are you here, and do you have supplies?”

“I’m here with my…doing research for the government. This is government property.”

Anya’s eyes widened. “You’re still with the Initiative, aren’t you? You woke up Aaliyanna, didn’t you? Don’t you people learn?”

“How do you know about Operative 2? That is top-secret information. And how did you people get here anyway?”

Spike snorted. “Way to go American government. Let’s set loose something else that we can’t control so that it can try to end the world.”

Riley ignored him and focused his attention on Buffy, who had shifted closer to Spike. “Buffy what are you doing here with these…things?”

“What things would you be talking about? My friends? My sister? Or my husband?” Buffy asked lacing her fingers in between Spike’s.

“YOUR husband? You MARRIED Hostile 17?!”

“Well, claimed him is more like it…and I just call him Spike.”

“What the hell happened to you, Buffy?”

“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you…Now I believe we were on the topic of supplies and an apocalypse. An apocalypse that it appears the government has set in motion.”

Riley looked around at the group of people standing in front of him, and realized that he had no choice but to bring them back to camp with him…as much as he would like to leave Angel and Spike there to rot. He jerked his head for them to follow him, and headed back into the bushes.

Spike led the group, keeping Finn in his sights, while Angel brought up the back. The girls walked single file between them. After marching for a few moments, they reached a small campsite. There was a woman dressed all in black stirring the contents of a pot.

“Find anything Finn?” she asked.

“Yeah, found some old…friends,” he replied.

She looked up at him, “You found old friends in the middle of top-secret government property? They looking to get killed?”

“Tara, Willow, h-Spike, Dawn, Angel, Anya, Cordelia…and Buffy, this is Sam…my wife,” Riley muttered.

“Hi,” Sam said brightly to them. She got up and shook all of their hands, pausing when she got to Buffy. “Wow! So you’re THE Buffy, huh? Nice to meet you. Have a seat everyone, I’m just making some rations. We don’t have much, but we’re always willing to share with old friends.”

“They know about Operative 2,” Riley informed her as they sat down around the fire.

“And how do they know that?” Sam asked lading soup into a tin cup and passing it to Dawn.

“Well, Aaliyanna,” Spike said stressing the woman’s name. “Tried to kill us.”

“And why would she do that?” Sam asked as she continued to pass out soup.

“Why don’t you tell us exactly what Operative 2 is? A little what we know, what you know type of thing?” Angel said.

Riley and Sam looked at each other for a moment before Sam shrugged and began to talk.

“The government has been trying to find a way to breed together demons and humans for years with the goal of creating the ultimate soldier. The Initiative base in Sunnydale was just one of their operation bases, and Adam was just one of their projects.

“The soldiers that made it out of the base talked about magic and a super woman and what not. The government decided to expand their operations into the art of magic. They thought that they could come down here, and have the local witch doctors teach them a bit of voodoo magic. There’s a tribe around here known for their powerful warriors-“

“And the government thought they’d come down here and find out their secrets?” Cordelia interrupted.

Riley nodded and took over the story, “When we got down here, the natives spoke about a place of ancient magic. It was dark though, and no one from the village went near it. We sent a group up the mountain to scope it out. They never came back.”

Sam took over again, “The next day there was a huge earthquake, and the entire village disappeared. Finn and I were the only ones who made it out and that was because we were out scouting when it happened.”

Spike shook his head. “You stupid, arrogant- it wasn’t enough that you had to go around messing with the demon community, putting little devices in our heads and-you had to go and mess with the forces you know nothing about!” He was on his feet shouting by the end of his sentence.

Riley stood up and leaned into Spike’s face. “It is the responsibility of the government to suss out possible threats on the-“

“THE RESPONSIBILTY! T-TO WHAT? TO CUT PEOPLE OPEN? TO-“

“YOU.ARE.NOT.A.PERSON.”

“STOP IT!” Buffy got between the two men.

Sam tugged her husband back down beside her, and Buffy gently led Spike to the other side of the fire. The two men never broke eye contact.

“You do realize that you’ve unleashed a goddess bent on destroying the world, right?” Anya asked.

Sam shrugged. “We didn’t mean to. We just wanted to tap into a power source. We’ll be able to handle whatever happens.”

“You’ve already lost how many men? What is wrong with the government?” Dawn asked.

“The government is the same as everybody else. They crave power. The more power you have, the more people fear you,” Angel answered.

“That’s all we are to the government, isn’t it?” Willow murmured, staring at the ground a moment before looking up at Sam and Riley. “You know when I was little, I used to admire all the people who worked for the government. I used to think they were heroes, and I wanted to grow up and work at the White House. I thought the government was all about the good of the country. But I was wrong. People in government…it’s like a big popularity contest, what can I do to get more power? What should I vote on to get more people to like me? Who can I step on to make people see that I’m the biggest one here?” She paused a moment. “I am an American citizen. I am a witch. I am a lesbian. I am a person, and the work that we,” she pointed to herself and the surround Scoobies, “do is far more important then the work you do. We save lives. Everyday, we go out and we save someone. We-we do good work, and we don’t take any credit, and we save people…what have you done?”

Sam and Riley were both silent. Angel cleared his throat, “Sun’s coming up. I noticed a big cave a little ways back. I think we should spend the day there.”

Silently, the group followed Angel back into the darkness, leaving Sam and Riley all alone.

XXX

Chapter 32

Melinda was waiting inside the cave. “Where have you been?” she asked, rushing toward them. “Something went wrong with the teleportation, and when I tried to find you, I was blocked.”

“Found some good friends of the United States government a ways back,” Spike muttered.

Melinda sighed. “Oh, then you were blocked by the wards set up by an old tribe that used to live here.”

“Is that why we couldn’t use any magic?” Tara asked.

Melinda nodded. “But we should be out of the way now.”

“Where are the others?” Dawn asked. “They didn’t show up here.”

“They aren’t needed. I figured that we should travel with only those who were useful.”

“And you thought that you were the one to make that decision?” Angel asked.

“Everyone who is here has a part to play in the final battle; the Slayer, the witches, the key, the seer, the vampire with a soul, the rogue, and the spirit. All needed. All here.”

“Fine. Fine. We’re here. Now can we sleep?” Cordelia stomped off to a corner of the cave, Angel following after her.

Everyone slowly dispersed and was soon asleep.

XXX

Buffy shifted away from Spike in an attempt not to wake him, but he woke up anyway.

“Where you goin’?” he asked sleepily.

“I didn’t mean to wake you.”

Spike propped himself up on his elbow and looked at her. Buffy’s eyes were slightly bloodshot, her hair matted as if she had been crying for a while and running her hands through her hair.

“Wot’s wrong, luv?”

Buffy shifted her weight between her feet and stared at the ground.

“Buffy?” Spike sat all the way up.

“It-it’s just that…I have all this…stuff…in my head, you know? And I re-I r…” She started to sob, and covered her face with her hands.

Spike didn’t way anything, but he did hold out his arms to her and Buffy dived into his embrace.

“Spike, I remember Heaven.”

His hands paused in their run down her back, “W-wot?”

“I remember Heaven. My mom was there…I was h-happy…I was done, safe, at peace.”

“Oh pet,” he breathed into her hair, and pulled her closer.

“T-that’s not all. I remember all those other lives…she killed them Spike, she killed them b-because of-of…they had lives, they had families…and she killed them…and I can feel how each of them died…it’s in my head…because each of them was me, a piece of me.”

“Ssshh, luv. It’s okay.”

“NO!” The force of her voice startled him, and she pulled back to look into his face. “It’s NOT okay, Spike. It’s not okay. I am…shattered, many Buffy-shaped pieces and she killed those pieces. I want her to die. I want her to suffer like I am. I want her to feel pain.”

“Then she’ll feel pain. I promise.” Spike leaned forward and kissed her gently.

Buffy curled up in his embrace and fell back asleep, but Spike stayed awake a while longer, stroking her hair and whispering in her ear.

XXX

“We’re in the jungle again,” Aaliyanna spat with disgust.

“Yes, Mistress,” the Seer answered.

“I despise the jungle.”

“I like the jungle. I was born here, wasn’t I?”

Aaliyanna turned to the Seer with a sneer. “Did I ask you, you disgusting little toad?”

“No.”

“No, what?”

“No, Mistress.”

The Seer sat down in the mud. She hadn’t meant to do that, but she needed to rest. There was a plan brewing in the Seer’s head. A plan that would allow her to rest, would allow her peace. Would allow her to be free. All she had to do was time it.

“Great, now you’re sitting in mud. How do I put up with you?”

“I’ll never know, Mistress.”

XXX

The bad feeling that had been brewing in the pit of Giles’ stomach continued to grow as the minutes turned into hours, and they had not heard from the rest of their group. Wesley had this strange theory that the reason they had been left behind is that they simply weren’t needed.

“It takes a lot of magical energy to teleport a group of people. Logically, you would only bring those with that were needed,” he had said.

And while Giles partially agreed with him, the whole thing still made him uneasy. There seemed to be this…countdown. But to what, he didn’t know. It just bothered him.

Chapter 33

“It’s time.”

Melinda’s voice woke up the occupants in the cave.

“Time?” Willow asked.

“The time prophesized is at hand. It is time for us to meet our destiny.”

“B-but how are we going to find Aaliyanna?” Tara asked.

“We’ll take you to her,” Sam’s voice echoed as she entered the cave with Riley in tow. “We talked it over.”

“We joined the military to be heroes. We want to help do the right thing,” Riley added. “We’ll take you to the area where we found her.” He swung his gun up into his hand.

“And we trust you why?” Anya asked. “You like to cut up demons and make them into crazy monsters.”

“We trust them,” Angel said, begrudgingly, “because we have no choice, right?”

“Okay, but still, what are we supposed to do when we get there?” Dawn asked.

“You will know when the time comes,” Melinda said, and walked out into the darkness.

The others followed slowly with Buffy and Spike bringing up the rear.

“Spike,” she said quietly.

“Yeah, pet,” he answered, taking her hand as he kept walking.

“I want…when this…ends…when it’s over…I want to leave.”

Spike stopped walking and turned to look at her, his eyes curiously seeking hers. “Where do you want to go?”

Buffy half turned toward him, her eyes staring at their clasped hands. “Remember when-when I couldn’t remember anything and-and you told me that you would take me away if I asked you to?”

Spike’s eyes grew wide and he reached out and lifted her head so that their eyes met. “Are you asking me to show you the world?”

She nodded.

“And the nibblet?”

“She can come…if she wants, but-“

“She’s going to school in Egypt,” Dawn interrupted as she walked up to them. “I came back to see what was taking you so long. Everyone’s waiting.”

Buffy turned to her sister, dropping Spike’s hand in the process. “Dawnie, I-I can’t stay here. I’m sorry.”

Dawn reached up and wiped the tears that were slowly falling down Buffy’s face. “It’s okay. I-I don’t like it, but I understand…I mean, I’ll still see you, right? I can visit you on holidays and I can call you and-and write and-hey internet.”

Buffy enveloped Dawn in a tight hug. “Thank you for understanding.”

Spike stepped up beside them. “We’ll find out where the school is, and we’ll send lots of letters and presents and rot.”

Dawn stepped back and looked at him, realization dawning on her. “You’re not going to say good-bye…after the battle, are you?”

Buffy shook her head. “No, I can’t-I can’t face them. But Spike and I will always let you know where we are, and we’ll always love you, but please don’t tell them.”

“I won’t,” Dawn whispered, pulling Buffy back into the hug. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

XXX

Cordelia paused, one hand on her head the other on Angel’s shoulder.

“What’s wrong,” he asked.

“There’s…I think there is someone talking to me in my head,” she turned to look at him.

“Is it a vision?”

Cordelia shook her head. “No, I think…I think it’s Aaliyanna’s seer. Hey!” she called out to the group ahead of them. “Hey, you guys. Stop!”

The group turned around to face her.

“Why are we stopping?” Sam asked.

“I think I have a plan,” Cordelia answered.

Anya stepped up behind Sam. “That sounds like the best news I have heard all day.”

“I agree,” Willow said. “Fill us in O Grand Planner Cordy.”

“Okay, come here,” Cordelia waved everyone closer. “We all here?” She turned to see Spike, Buffy, and Dawn joining them from the rear.

“No. Where did Melinda go?” Tara asked, and everyone started to look around.

“Guess we’re on our own again,” Spike muttered.

Melinda was nowhere to be found.

XXX

“Hello, sister.”

Aaliyanna looked up sharply and let a slow grin spread over her face. “Hello, sister.”

Melinda stepped down the embankment, lifting her skirts high above the mud. “It’s been a long time since we’ve been here.”

”A very long time,” Aaliyanna agreed. “Have you come to meet your doom?”

Melinda didn’t answer her. Instead, she stood next to her sister and stared out at the river. “We were born here, remember?”

“You’re changing the subject.”

“No, I’m not. I am simply reminding you of our beginnings.” Melinda turned to face her sister. “Do you even remember being happy? Are you so far gone that it has come to this?”

“This is prophecy. This is how it was meant to be.”

“NO!” Melinda grabbed Aaliyanna by the shoulders. “You of all people should know that prophecies are bendable. They are open to translation. They are not set in stone. We.Can.Change.This.”

Aaliyanna shrugged Melinda’s hands off of her. “No.” She turned to walk away. “This is prophecy…it’s prophecy,” she muttered to herself.

XXX

Chapter 34

“Wow, it’s so…cave-like,” Willow remarked.

The group was standing in front of a small river that guarded a cave deep in the forest.

“Is this-Is this where we’re supposed to be?” Tara asked.

special powers or anything but…we are trained in this type of work.”

Cordelia shook her head. “No, thanks but…I think you guys were just supposed to lead us here.”

“In other words, your work is done here. Go back to the government and talk some sense into them,” Anya said, shooing them with her hands. “I wish you joy, love, and orgasms.”

Sam led Riley away from the group. He paused in front of Buffy and Spike. “Look, um…I just wanted to wish you luck and…happiness.” He glanced at Spike. “If you do anything that makes her unhappy-“

“I’d stake myself before you got the chance,” Spike finished.

The two men nodded at each other, Riley took Sam’s hand and the two walked off into the darkness of the forest.

XXX

“It’s time,” Fred announced, looking up from the table with a stunned look on her face.

“What do you mean it’s time? How do you know what time it is?” Xander asked.

“It’s half past ten,” Wesley announced, walking into the room. He stopped when he noticed the faces looking at him. “What? Didn’t-didn’t you just ask what time it was?”

“No, I just-I don’t know. There was a voice in my head that said it was time,” Fred continued.

“Now you’re hearing voices in your head?” Gunn asked. “What is going on here people?”

“W-w-w-what kind of voice,” Giles asked.

Fred shook her head. “I don’t know, I just, I was reading this book on ancient prophecies and I just, I heard this voice and it just said that it was time and…time for what?”

“What book is that?” Giles asked, leaning over to pick it up. He wrinkled his forehead. “Fred, where did you get this book?”

“From the pile. Why?”

“Because it isn’t one of mine. Wesley, is this yours?”

Wesley placed his glasses on his nose and took the book from Giles. “No…I’ve never seen this book before in my life.”

“Well, sugarplums. Are you going to tell us what it says? Come on, audience on edge here,” Lorne implored.

“It’s…well, it’s um….blank,” Wesley muttered.

“What do you mean it’s blank? Give me that?” Giles demanded, snatching the book from Wesley’s hands. “Blank, indeed. I just looked at it and it…it’s blank.”

“Hey, but look,” Xander came up behind Giles and began reading over his shoulder. ‘So, do we go in the cave now or what?’ Dawn asked. ‘We follow the plan,’ Cordelia answered. ‘We wait.’”

Fred grabbed the book out of Giles’ hands. “Oh my good lord…This…we…this book will let us follow along with what they’re doing.” She flipped through the book.

“Well, don’t just sit there,” Gunn yelled from the couch. “Start reading ‘aloud.”

XXX

“Hey, Angel. Can I, um before we all go rushing toward our whatever, could I talk to you? Alone?” Cordelia waited until Angel turned to give her his full attention. “Um, see the thing is, we may not-you know-and I wanted to tell you that you…mean a lot to me and-“

“I understand Cordelia. You mean a lot to me too,” Angel smiled at her.

“Oh, good…um, no, I mean, yes, but no.”

“No?” Angel looked confused.

“I mean yes, you mean a lot to me, but…oh hell!” Cordelia threw her arms around Angel’s neck and crushed her lips to his. He stood frozen for a moment before bringing his arms around her waist and kissing her back. Cordelia was the first to break off, and she smiled slowly at him. “So, I just wanted to tell you that, okay?”

Angel opened his eyes and regarded her slightly. “You are the most…In two hundred years, I have never met anyone like you.”

Cordelia smiled brightly. “Good because you never will again, so don’t you forget it, buster.”

They walked back to the group, hands clasped together. Anya smiled at them from where she stood at the front of the group, “are we ready? Let’s go.” She turned and walked into the cave, Dawn beside her.

The others followed in pairs behind her. Tara and Willow first, then Cordelia and Angel, and lastly Spike and Buffy. The cave was pitch black except for a glowing light somewhere up ahead of them.

“Welcome,” the Seer stood in front of a chalk drawn circle. Inside the circle were Aaliyanna and Melinda. “I believe you know what you are expected to do.”

Anya turned to face the Seer, her eyes turning into the glowing blue,“we enter the Cave of the Beginning; the Spirit, the Key, the witches red and white, the Seer, the vampire with a soul, the wild card, and the Slayer. We take our places in the sacred circle.”

Buffy and Spike stepped up to the circle.

“I, the former champion, ask that I be allowed to enter into the sacred circle,” Buffy said.

“I, the former enemy and current mate of the former champion, ask that I be allowed to enter into the sacred circle,” Spike tightened his hold on Buffy’s hand.

“I, the transdimensional Key, ask that be allowed to enter into the sacred circle. I offer a blood sacrifice to the former champion and former enemy.” Dawn stepped between Spike and Buffy, breaking their hold of each other. She produced a small, gold knife and slit both of her hands. Then she slit one of each of Spike and Buffy’s hands and pressed hers into theirs.

“We accept your offer,” Buffy leaned over and kissed Dawn on the cheek.

“And we welcome you to our circle,” Spike answered, kissing her other cheek.

“I, the red witch of power, ask that I be allowed to enter the sacred circle,” Willow stepped up next to Buffy.

“I, the white witch of balance, ask that I be allowed to enter the sacred circle,” Tara said, stepping up next to Spike.

“I, the vampire with a soul, ask to be allowed to enter the sacred circle,” Angel said, releasing Cordelia’s hand to take his place next to Willow.

“I, the Seer, ask to be allowed to enter the sacred circle,” Cordelia said, taking her place next to Tara.

“And I, the Spirit and new Champion, enter the sacred circle. I take my place between the two Seers,” Anya said as she took the blind Seer hand and led her into the circle. “We call upon the old ones, Aaliyanna and Metarlinda to end your feud and be at peace. We stand as your guardians. We will only move when the fight has ended. We await.”

There was a glow within the circle, and both sisters appeared.

“Are you prepared to die?” Aaliyanna asked.

“I am prepared to take my place as I am intended,” Melinda answered.

“Then you are ready to die,” Aaliyanna answered and released a stream of energy toward Melinda.

Melinda ducked, raised her hand and released a bright light toward her sister. Aaliyanna tried to duck, but tripped over her skirt and fell into the light instead of moving away. She released a loud scream and bent over. When she stood up again, she was holding a large pile of mud, which she threw at Melinda.

Melinda easily stepped aside, letting the mud smack the Seer in the face. The Seer didn’t move as the mud slid over her nose and mouth, to drop on the front of her clothes.

“Look what’s happened to you, Aaliyanna. You used to be happy. Do you remember being happy?” Melinda asked, moving away from another awkward spell.

“We could have ruled,” Aaliyanna screeched at her as she gathered energy for another spell. “We would have been invincible.”

“It was not, and is not, our place to rule. You can still be saved.”

“I WILL RULE! YOU WILL ALL BOW DOWN BEFORE ME!” Aaliyanna turned around within the circle. “No circle can hold me, can withstand my power!” She rushed the circle between Tara and Spike. With a cry, she hit their clasped hands and bounced back.

Anya’s eyes glowed brighter, and she dropped Cordelia and the Seer’s hands. “YOU HAVE ATTEMPTED TO BREAK THE SACRED CIRCLE. YOU HAVE BROKEN THE RULES.”

“NO!” Aaliyanna struggled to stand back up. “NONONONONONO! My plan. My destiny. Minemineminemine. You cannot take it away.”

Anya reached out and placed her hands on Aaliyanna’s head. The goddess struggled beneath her.

“Seer! Seer! I command you to help your mistress,” Aaliyanna screeched her command.

“As you wish,” the Seer answered with a small smile on her face. She reached out her hands until she felt Cordelia catch them. She allowed the younger seer to lead her forward until she was standing in front of the goddess. Cordelia placed her hands on the goddess’ head, over those of Anya’s.

Tara and Willow stepped in on either side of Anya and the Seer, and clasped each other’s hands over the top of the other two. Instantly their hands were enveloped in a silver glow.

Cordelia leaned into the Seer and whispered, “Are you ready?”

“I am,” the Seer replied.

Tara and Willow began to chant softly, the silver glow growing larger around them. Anya’s eyes flashed and Dawn came forward, being lead by Spike and Buffy. Angel had lead Melinda toward the strange circle that held Aaliyanna prisoner. He kept his hands on her shoulders as he pushed her to her knees. Buffy held her and Dawn’s clasped hands over Melinda’s head and dripped their combined blood on her.

“By the blood of the former Champion and the Key, you are free.”

Spike held his and Dawn’s hands over Aaliyanna’s head and dripped their blood onto her.

“By the blood of the former enemy made lover and the Key, you are destroyed.”

Anya threw back her head. “By the power in me and those around me, we demand your release from this Hell!”

The Seer was whispering in Aaliyanna’s ear, and Aaliyanna began to scream. Her head thrashed back and forth, and her screams echoed through out the cave, causing the rocks to loosen and fall around them.

Anya’s voice rose higher. “RELEASE THIS IMPRISIONED SOUL! RELEASE THE EVIL!”

The ground began to tremble, and the rocks in the cave were falling around them. One hit Cordelia in the shoulder, and she dropped to the ground with a cry of pain. Angel rushed forward to grab her, but was knocked out when another rock hit him on the head.

Spike turned inward and tried to cover both Buffy and Dawn with his body. He pushed them to the side of the cave right as a crack opened in the ground where they had been standing. Willow stumbled backwards, and Tara tried to throw her own weight backwards to keep her girlfriend from falling into the hole. Tara hit the ground with Willow on top of her, breaking their connection with the others. The Seer’s hold on Aaliyanna was broken when Willow fell, and with a large smile on her face, she pulled Aaliyanna with her into the hole.

“NO!” Melinda cried and grabbed her sister’s hand. She lay on the edge of the tavern, desperately trying to pull her sister back over the edge.

“Let me go, Metarlinda,” Aaliyanna implored. “Let me end this. I’ve done so much wrong.”

“No, I won’t let you go. You can be good. I know you can,” Melinda replied.

“She showed me. She showed me her pain,” Aaliyanna was sobbing. “The Seer, she showed me. I don’t know what happened. I didn’t mean for it to happen, any of it.”

“I know you didn’t. It’s not too late. You can change it. Please, let me pull you up,” Melinda yanked on her sister’s hand again.

A larger hand reached over Melinda’s and pulled Aaliyanna up with a firm tug.

“You can always find redemption,” Angel told her. “You just have to want it bad enough.”

“We have to get out of here,” Anya called out. “The power, I can’t control it anymore.”

Anya was covered in a blue light that radiated out around her, hitting the sides of the cave.

Willow and Tara stood up, clasping hands as they did so, “Dawn, we need you,” Willow called.

Dawn ran over, grabbing each of their hands. Anya let out a primal scream, and the cave around them exploded, throwing them all into darkness.

A/N: Here it is, the last chapter. I’d like to thank everyone who has read and reviewed this over the last eight months. To Addie Logan, couldn’t have done this without you. You are the greatest beta ever. I’m glad for all the people that I’ve met through this fic, and all the people who have taken the time to e-mail me their thoughts. Thank you for all the award nominations, and thank you for the awards that I’ve won. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Chapter 35

There was a brilliant flash of light in the middle of Giles’ living room that threw everyone backwards and knocked over furniture. When the light disappeared, Fred allowed Wesley to pull her up from behind the table.

“What was that?” he asked.

“I’m not sure…”she started.

“Ahn?!” Xander’s call interrupted her.

“Xander!” Anya rushed into her boyfriend’s waiting arms.

“I thought I would never see you again,” he replied, covering her face in kisses.

Giles walked over to where Willow, Tara, and Dawn were helping each other out.

“What happened?” he asked.

“I think…I think we won?” Willow answered with a smile.

Angel made his way toward Cordelia, “is your shoulder okay?” he asked.

“I’m filling for workman’s comp,” she replied.

“Oh, well, yeah, of course. Um, take a few days off and-“he was cut off by Cordelia’s lips on his.

“I’ll take a few days off if you take them with me,” she answered.

He smiled at her. “Deal.”

Lorne approached Melinda. She was kneeling on the floor, her arms wrapped around a thin girl with long white hair.

“Mindykins, everything okay?”

Melinda leaned back and smiled at him, tears running down her face.

“Everything is fine, Lorne. I’d like you to meet my sister, Aaliyanna.”

Lorne looked down at the woman in Melinda’s arms.

“She’s your real twin sister, isn’t she?” he asked.

“Yes, the evil inside her has been destroyed. I have my sister back.”

Lorne looked at the woman again. Her aura was a brilliant, beautiful white. He smiled, “it’s nice to meet you, Aaliyanna.”

“It’s nice to be met, Lorne,” she answered with a smile.

“What happened to your Seer?”

“She freed me. I think…I think she is at peace now.”

Lorne helped both goddesses to their feet, and pulled them into hugs.

“Um, guys?” Gunn struggled to his feet. The group ignored him. “Yo people!” They kept talking. He placed his fingers between his teeth and whistled. Everyone stopped talking, and turned to look at him. “Anyone notice that we are short one Slayer and one vampire?”

Giles’ looked around. “Where are Buffy and Spike?”

Dawn smiled sadly. “They’re gone.”

“What do you mean they’re gone? They can’t be gone. Who’s going to watch the Hellmouth and-and patrol and stuff?” Xander asked.

Dawn shrugged. “There’s another Slayer in the world. Call her. Buffy and Spike…they deserve a chance to be happy, just like the rest of us. Let’s…let’s let them have their happily ever after eternity, okay?”

XXX

“Dawn! Dawn! You’ve got mail!”

Dawn turned to see her roommate, Dina, come flying into their dorm.

“It’s from Rome,” she said breathlessly, thrusting a package into Dawn’s hands.

Dawn laughed, “I swear you get more excited about my mail then I do.”

Dina scowled, “That’s because your sister and her husband send the coolest gifts. I mean, what other girl gets mystical presents from around the world? You have an enchanted necklace from France, a bracelet from England that turns colors when someone near you is lying, a sword from Germany that used to belong to some dead Russian guy, I mean-come on.”

Dawn laughed again, and opened the letter.

Dina had already opened the box and pulled out the leather journal.

“Seriously, you have the best sister and brother-in-law ever,” she said, eying the gold leafed pages.

“Yeah,” Dawn answered with a smile. “I do.”

XXX

Buffy stood on the balcony of their hotel suite and watched the sun set. She absent-mindedly played with the green stoned that hung around her neck. It had arrived when they were in London. The note inside read “For the noise in your head,” and hadn’t been signed. Spike had been reluctant to let her wear it, but had relented when she put it on and the voices in her head ceased to bother her. They only returned when she took off the necklace, and so Spike had found a witch that was able to place a sticking spell to the clasp. It would never fall off of her.

Spike came up behind her and slipped his arms around her waist. The hand on her necklace traveled down to the ring that he wore on his left hand. In looks, it matched the ring that she wore on her own left hand, but his was special. These too had arrived in an unmarked box with a note that read, “For your eternity.” Once they had placed them on their hands, the rings had stuck. Spike had initially been angry, but an accident led him to find out a little secret. The ring let him survive in sunlight.

“What are you thinking about?” he whispered as he placed a kiss on her neck.

She smiled. “Just thinking.”

“Sounds serious.”

“I was just thinking that I’m glad that Willow brought me back.”

“Why’s that, luv?”

“Because she brought me to you.” Buffy turned in his embrace and wrapped her arms around his neck.

“What else are you thinking?”

“I’m thinking that…I’m glad that I have this necklace and that you have that ring…and that Dawn in happy in Egypt…and that we’re going to see her… and a million other things.”

“That mean you’re ready to leave here, and make our way over to Egypt?” Spike rubbed his nose against hers.

Buffy closed her eyes and sighed. “Mmm. Her vacation isn’t for another few weeks.”

Spike brushed his lips against hers. “Yeah, but thought we’d make a few more stops on the way there. There’s this great spa that I want to take you too. Spoil you rotten.”

“You always spoil me rotten,” she answered, smiling against his lips.

“And I plan to spoil you rotten for a very, very, very long time.”

“Mmm,” she answered and kissed him again.

“I love you, Buffy.”

She pulled away and cupped his cheek with her hand. “I love you too, Spike. Eternally.”

He pulled her back in for another kiss as the last rays of the sun disappeared behind the horizon.

 The End