* * *

Buffy hadn't stopped shaking in hours. She sat alone, huddled beneath a large Willow tree with her arms wrapped around her knees. It had happened. The worst nightmare the young blonde had ever suffered had come true. Buffy was coming back to the house after hunting for a slime demon and had found the body nine hours ago, sprawled bonelessly on the front porch, the front key still clutched in her outstretched hand. Giles had handled everything, the coffin, the plot, and even the head stone. Buffy made it quite clear to the Watcher that she would be alone to handle this. Xander had already left town, Anya in tow. He couldn't live in Sunnydale without Willow.

The broken Slayer crawled closer to the headstone and reread the graven words for the 29th time.

Here, In Peace Eternal, Lies

Willow Fiona Rosenberg;

Taken far too young from

Those who loved her.

Born, May, 20, 1980

Died, October, 15, 2002

Rest In Light, Sweet Angel

Beneath the words was a perfectly carved Star of David. Buffy placed her hand reverently on the holy image and tightened her grip on the stake. It was her favorite, Mr. Pointy; the one Kendra had given her so long ago. The Slayer had ceased to feel the tears as they fell down her cheeks; She had ceased to care about much anymore. Her life had ended nine hours ago, and that was all there was to it.

Buffy felt the tremors beneath the earth and she knew it was coming, the Demon who stole her Willow's life. She had to look into those eyes, the eyes that kept her fighting, kept her alive. Three fingers punched through the fresh soil, grasping for air it wouldn’t breathe. Ever so slowly, one hand was followed by another and finally, dirt smattered red hair pushed through the hole. Buffy grabbed the vampire's arms and pulled her old friend out of her grave.

Willow Rosenberg stood after lying still for over ten hours. Her emerald eyes shone with a cruel beauty as she turned to her old friend. "Somehow I knew you'd be here." Buffy felt the green eyes drag down her arm to Mr. Pointy. "Do you really plan on using that?"

Buffy nodded slowly. "I owed it to your soul to let you rise first." She brought the Slayer up close to her chin; "I wanted to kill the Demon within that body myself." The wood creaked as the grip on the wood grew even tighter.

Willow stood slouching before the Slayer, arms hanging loosely at her sides. She shrugged. "So come on already, I'm getting bored."

"No. First, I have to say something."

"Oh, I'm all ears." the Vampire's voice nearly dripped sarcasm.

"I loved you. For seven years I stood by and held that from you. I cried myself to sleep over you, from Oz to Tara. I had to say it, even if your Soul is safely in Heaven."

The Vampire shifted to her vampire visage and was tensed to strike at the Slayer when she sniffed the air and turned to a grouping of bushes twenty feet away. Buffy followed the vampire’s eyes to a trail of black slime seeping from beneath the bushes.

Giles walked to the grave in the morning, the scent of bourbon heavy on his breath. He hadn't slept very well last night, knowing that one of his surrogate daughters had to stake the other. He knew he should have felt surprised at finding Buffy slumped against the Willow tree, her left arm was shredded from inner elbow to palm. throat savagely torn and a number of cuts and claw marks peeking through Buffy's torn clothing. But he wasn't surprised. He knelt beside her body and lifted the singed stake. Giles looked upwards toward the cloud-covered sun. "Rest well Buffy."

The griefs stricken Watcher walked absently back to his apartment. Giles called in the report to the local police and preceded to get very drunk before placing another, longer call to the Council's headquarters in Lower London. In between furniture destroying fits, he made a call to the Summer's attorney; and acquired legal custody of Dawn. Collapsing on his sofa, the Englishman finally succumbed to physical as well as emotional exhaustion.

* * *

Xander made it back into town a mere hour before the funeral for the Slayer and left immediately afterward, no longer having any reason to ever return to Sunnydale. Dawn was finally told how her sister died, After killing Willow, Buffy lost all will to fight and was set upon by a Torgoth Demon, the black slime covering Buffy’s body attested to the Slayer’s disturbing suicide. Dawn Summers left with Giles for England shortly after the second funeral. Xander and Anya moved to L.A. and joined Angel’s crew. Faith was eventually released and fought beside the souled vampire as well.

Time passed, and the world turned.

* * *

Faith stood at the gates to Fairview cemetery and looked around. She shouldn’t be here, she thought. "I should be in L.A. with Wesley." She groused. Hefting the two duffle bags she had lugged from the bus station, she entered the graveyard. The Email said to come with these bags and wait 300 yards within the front gates, so there she stood, the two duffels at her feet.

Along the ground a black smoke drifted, entwining around Faith’s ankles before coalescing in a human shape before the extremely uncomfortable Slayer. The deeply hooded being stood calmly as though waiting for the tattooed fighter to do something, while Faith, not being widely known as patient, fidgeted with the brass knuckle key ring in her pocket. Taking pity on the highly-strung Slayer, the slim individual reached out a black-gloved hand in expectation. Relief flooded her as Faith eagerly handed her the duffle and turned to leave. A shrill human whistle sounded and the brunette whirled around sheepishly and walked back, taking the diskette being offered in the enshrouded one's hand. Nodding, Faith turned once again to leave and sighed. Without turning around, she asked the stranger behind her the question that had been bugging her for a long time. "Why did you kill her, Willow?" Not expecting an answer, Faith left, hoping to be back in LA and Wesley's bed, before the tears fell.

Throwing back her hood, the crimson headed Vampire watched her one time nemesis and ally leave before answering. "It was self-defense." Slinging the pack onto her shoulder as though it were nothing, the late hacker turned witch walked slowly through the cemetery to the headstone. The one headstone here that mattered anymore to her,

Buffy Anne Summers

1981 – 2002

Beloved Sister,

Devoted Friend,

May she find peace,

In Eternal rest.

Willow stared down at the engraving and smiled. "Hi Buffy. How long has it been?" She held up the bag. "Faith brought the bag. Apparently all the vampire's killed here did have enough valuables to purchase these." "I wish you were here baby." She whispered to the headstone moments before a pair of cold arms wrapped around her waist.

"I am here love." Buffy whispered in the softly curving ear. "Mmm, miss me?"

"Always. "What took you so long?" Willow mock pouted, "Miss Edith and I were worried."

"Miss Edith, huh? You're right, I have been gone too long." Buffy grinned as Willow giggled softly. "C'mon, let's go home."

Fin

:: Back To MacBeth's Page ::
:: Back to Author's Page ::
:: Slightly Over The Edge ::