Title: The Immortal (part 3)
Author: Miss Witch
Email: MissWitch@witchesbrew.zzn.com
Rating: PG
Summary: An epilogue. A Buffy/Highlander crossover
Disclaimer: I own nothing. Not even my car. BtVS belongs to Joss (all hail), Mutant Enemy (grrr argh), Fox, UPN, WB…. whoever. Basically, it belongs to someone who is not me, no matter how much I whine and beg.
Disclaimer 2: As well as not owning the above things, I also do not own the Highlander series. I make no claims to anything but Keegan, who is, in fact, mine. However, I refuse to take responsibility for her actions. She does what she wants, and I have no control over her.
Spoilers: Season 5 Buffy and Season 5/6 of Highlander the Series
Distribution: If you’ve had my permission before, knock yourself out. If you don’t have my permission, you’ve just to ask.
Feedback: Does the word "Duh!" mean anything to you?
Notes: <> means thoughts.

Keegan stood over the freshly turned earth and stared at the headstone, still in shock. She’d come as soon as she’d gotten the call, but been too late.

"I’m so sorry, Buffy." Keegan whispered to the grave. "I’m sorry I wasn’t here."

Duncan stood some distance away to give Keegan her privacy to say good-bye. The death of a friend was hard on an immortal whether the friend was young or old. Buffy had been his friend as well, but Keegan had been so close to her that Buffy’s death had hit her especially hard.

"She’s been there since the funeral." a female voice said. Duncan looked down at the young girl and sighed.

"Yes, she has." he replied.

"The vampires will be coming out soon." she commented, as the shadows around them grew longer. Samantha was barely seventeen, but she was well acquainted with the things that went bump in the night. Duncan glanced around.

"Yes, they will."

Duncan and Samantha stood in silence for a few moments.

"You’re not going to go get her, are you?" Sam asked finally, fidgeting restlessly. Duncan never took his eyes off Keegan’s slim form.

"Nope." he told her, a smile playing on the edges of his mouth. Sam sighed.

"Fine. I’ll do it." she said, in a tone that clearly hoped he’d argue with her. She huffed when Duncan didn’t and stalked through the cemetery. The sun had set whiled they’d been talking and Sam could see a fresh grave stirring as she approached it.

Rolling her eyes, she detoured toward it and sank to one knee as a hand broke the surface. In one fluid motion, she pulled a wooden stake from her back pocket and plunged it into the earth. The hand above the surface turned to ash and disintegrated.

Smiling smugly, Sam stood and continued toward Keegan, slipping the stake back in her pocket. She approached Keegan cautiously, knowing that one wrong move could get her hurt.

Keegan remained motionless as Sam approached, her head down and shoulders slumped.

"I should’ve been here." she said softly as Sam came up next to her. Sam put her hand on Keegan’s shoulder.

"There’s nothing you could’ve done." Sam said. Keegan shook her head.

"She called me." Keegan said guiltily. "She called, and I couldn’t come right away." Sam rolled her eyes.

"She was 84, Aunt Keegan. Grandma was 84, and she died peacefully in her sleep. There was no way you could’ve known that." Sam insisted. "Besides, she called to wish you a happy birthday and to ask when you’d be visiting." Keegan looked over at her friend’s granddaughter.

Samantha was a spitting image of Buffy, with the exception of her eyes. Her eyes were the emerald green of her grandfather. Sam smiled, and wrapped her arm through Keegan’s.

"Don’t be sad, Aunt Keegan. She’s with Grandpa now. Probably having wild sex. They couldn’t keep their hands off each other." she added. Keegan grinned.

"You’re probably right." she agreed.

"Are you coming up soon? Everyone wants to see you." Sam told her.

"You go. I’ll be there soon." Keegan assured her. Shrugging, Sam made her way back toward Duncan.

"Don’t let her wallow for too much longer." she instructed him as she ambled past.

"Sure thing." he said, turning his attention back to his lover.

Keegan crouched in front of Buffy’s grave.

Keegan grinned as she traced her fingertips over the engraved words. It had to be the influence of Buffy’s youngest, Liz.

Liz, born late in Buffy’s life, had gone into the family business of being a Watcher, and had set the Council on it’s ear. Proud and unorthodox, she was the Watcher to the current Slayer, young girl named Gabriella from Mexico.

Standing, Keegan studied the graves around Buffy’s. She was buried next to Giles, who’d died just as peacefully as Buffy had, ten years before. A little to the right stood the graves of Willow and Tara, both killed in a car accident. Xander, who’d lost a battle with cancer, was buried one row up, with Anya next to him. Keegan was firmly convinced that Anya had died of a broken heart after Xander’s death.

<Hard to believe that the Slayer had outlived everyone.> Keegan thought to herself. <Who would’ve thought?>

"It’s time to go." Duncan said from behind her. Keegan looked over her shoulder.

"I suppose." Duncan simply held out his hand to her expectantly. Keegan took it, giving the graves one last look. "I just can’t believe they’re all gone." Duncan squeezed her hand as they walked. There was nothing he could say that would make things any easier.

Hand in hand, they walked silently to the house on Revello Drive. Every light was on and laughing voices could be heard as they walked up the street. Keegan felt her mood lifting as she drew nearer. Several people called out greetings as they drew nearer.

"Hey Keegan! Hey Duncan!" a chorus of voices called out as they walked in. They were enveloped in hugs and kisses as family members greeted them. Duncan was whisked away by one of the cousin to talk sports. Liz walked over, her hair currently a flaming red and hugged Keegan tightly.

"We’re so glad you came." she said.

"This is quite a wake." Keegan said, looking around the room. Xander’s grandson, Oliver, was chatting with Sam. Willow and Tara’s adopted daughter, Amanda had several grandchildren of her own sitting on her knees. Family and friends had filled the house, celebrating. This was the family the Scoobies had created.

"Mom’s life was something to celebrate." Liz commented. She snagged a couple of beers and handed one to Keegan. "Serena didn’t want anything sad and depressing and Brandon thought we should get everyone together." Liz said of her oldest sister and middle brother. Keegan looked around at Buffy’s children.

Serena, the oldest, was nearing her 50’s, followed by Brandon, Ian and finally Liz, who was barely 25. All of the Giles children were well versed in demon and vampire hunting, as were the children of all the Scoobies. Only Liz had decided to follow family tradition. Serena was a lawyer, Brandon a police officer and Ian designed computer games.

"Mom left you something." Liz told her. She pulled a crumpled envelope out of her pocket. "Sorry," she grinned. "I’ve been carrying it around all day." Keegan took the envelope gingerly, smoothing it out. She stared at her name on the front before ripping it open.

Tears flowed freely down Keegan’s face as she finished the letter. She refolded it and placed it back into it’s envelope. Looking around her, she could see the faces of her friends reflected in the people around her. Xander’s eyes, Anya’s smile, Buffy’s nose. The Scoobies lived on in their children.

<Life goes on.> Keegan thought. <I’m just glad I was there to see that Buffy actually got one.>

Shaking off her sadness, Keegan wiped the tears from her face. Picking up her beer, she moved to where Duncan was standing with Liz and her Slayer, Gabriella. Slipping her hand in Duncan’s, she smiled up at him. Duncan squeezed her hand gently.

"Liz was telling me how Gabriella stopped the Apocalypse." Keegan grinned at the young Hispanic girl.

"Again?" she asked. "Nice job!"

Standing across the room, invisible to every one, stood Buffy. No longer trapped in a corporeal form, she looked as she did when she was 22.

"They’ll be ok?" she asked her husband. Giles smiled down at her, bringing her hand to his lips and kissing it gently.

"Life goes on, my love." Buffy nodded and looked around the room.

"We did good, didn’t we?" she asked, taking in the faces of her children and grandchildren, friends and family.

Keegan felt a tingling on the back of her neck. Slowly, she turned to look at where it seemed to be coming from. There was nothing there. At least nothing she could see. Yet she knew something was there.

Slowly, a grin formed on her face. Keegan murmured to Duncan that she’d be right back and walked to what was possibly the only place in the house empty of any people. Keegan stared at the wall, pretending to study the painting.

Buffy gasped as Keegan turned and stared at her.

"She can’t see us, can she?" Buffy asked Giles as Keegan moved toward them. Giles shook his head.

"No, but being immortal, especially one as old as she is, she may sense us."

"I know you’re there." Keegan muttered softly. "I can feel you, and most likely Giles." she grinned. "You did a great job, Buffy."

"Only Keegan." Buffy laughed. Keegan turned back to the room.

"Ladies and gentlemen, if I could have your attention." Such was the strength and volume of her voice, it only took a few minutes for all attention to be on her. "I’d like to make a toast." she told them. Keegan raised the glass in her hand.

"To Buffy Giles. The greatest Slayer mankind has ever seen. You did good!"

Buffy’s eyes filled with tears as everyone in the room raised their glasses and murmured "To Buffy" and drank to her memory.

"We did good." Giles repeated. Keegan toasted them once more and moved back to Duncan, who kissed her soundly. "It’s time to go." Giles said gently. Buffy looked over her family before turned toward him. She knew they’d be alright. She’d done her very best and that was all that could be asked of anyone. Satisfied, she nodded.

"I’m ready." she said softly. Hand in hand, they walked into the portal of light that appeared from behind them.

Keegan felt the energy change and smiled softly.

An era had come to an end, and a new one begun.

The End