Death

Authors note: This story begins a day after Buffy died in 'The gift' so if you haven't seen this episode, don't look at me for ruin it for you. Some sentences could be horribly wrong, but, so you know, I'm from Holland. So give me some slack.

***

The cemetery was quiet. Leaves danced in the wind. It was night in Sunnydale.

"So, the lovely slayer has died, I heard you had the hots for her." A vampire stood between the stones. He was talking to another vampire. But the other wasn't evil. He had a wooden stake in his hand. He wore a black leather coat and his hair was bleached. He didn't responded on the commend.

"Oh, yeah, I forgot you are fighting your own family now, thanks to her! Well, may she rot in hell."

That was it. The bleached vampire snapped. He ran to the vampire before him and buried the wooden stake in his heart. The vampire turned to dust. The bleached vampire dropped the stake on the floor. Then he started to run. Through the cemetery, out of the cemetery over a field. Then under a tree he stopped.

A gravestone stood there. Tears filled his eyes. He sank down on his knees and started sobbing unstoppable. When he looked up at the gravestone his cheeks were blank from the tears.

Buffy Anne Summers

1981-2001

Beloved sister and devoted friend

She saved the world a lot

***

"Dawn listen to me, listen. I love you, I will always love you. This is the work that I have to do. Tell Giles... tell Giles I figured it out and I'm okay. Give my love to my friends; you have to take care of them now. You have to take care of each other, you have to be strong. Dawn the hardest thing in this world is to live in it. Be brave, live... for me."

The last words of her sister before she jumped. Dawn wished she had been the body at the feet of the tower and not Buffy. Buffy died because of her, it was her fault.

"Dawn?" Dawn heard the voice of her Math teacher Mrs. Anderson. "Dawn, did you hear what I said?" Dawn came back to reality.

"Ehh...." The teacher frowned.

"I thought so." The bell rang, the whole class stood up packing their bags.

 "Dawn?" Dawn stopped packing and looked up.

"Can I speak to you for a moment?" Dawn nodded and put her last books into her backpack. She swung it over her shoulder and walked towards Mrs. Anderson's desk.

"I've been noticing that you haven't paid attention much." Dawn didn't look at her teacher; instead she was staring at her shoes.

"And this isn't the first time." Mrs. Anderson crossed her arms.

"Dawn, look at me." Dawn looked up into the young face of Mrs. Anderson. Her Blond hair hangs loose on her shoulders. Her blue eyes looked at Dawn.

"I'm worried about you." Dawn stayed quiet.

"I understand... with your mother... it must be hard." You don't even know, Dawn wanted to say, instead she just sighed.

"Maybe you've been working too hard. I understand, with the situation at home, if you want to take some time off, off school, I'll ask the principal..."

"I'm fine." Dawn cut off.

"Are you sure...? I mean..."

"Yeah, I'm sure."

***

Meanwhile at the magic shop, Anya was counting the money of a costumer that had just paid.

"Thank you, do return." She said to the leaving costumer.

Xander and Willow were sitting at the table in the middle of the shop with Giles on the other side. They were looking through books.

"Maybe a freezing spell." Willow suddenly spoke. They were figuring out a way to make patrolling a little easier without Buffy.

Xander looked up.

"Yeah, that might actually help." He said. Anya looked over the shoulder of Willow into the book she was studying.

"Oh-no, don't use that spell." Willow looked up at Anya, surprised.

"What?" She asked.

"You don't want to use that spell." Anya said pointing at the book.

"Why not?" Xander spoke.

"Well, this spell freezes you, but not the demons," Anya explained. "See, you get to be frozen and they get the chance to be kablo-ing Sunnydale or something."

Willow slammed the book closed.

"Okay, not using this book for a while." She said and picked another book and began reading. The doorbell rang while someone entered.

It was Dawn back from school.

"Hey Dawnie, how was school?" Willow asked while Dawn sat down besides her.

"It was okay." Dawn said with a faked smile. "So, what's up with the Scooby hangin'?"

"We are searching for a way to make the slaying faster and less dangerous." Willow answered.

"Any luck?" Dawn asked.

"None." Xander answered.

"Oh." Dawn began unpacking her school bag.

"Do you have a lot of homework?" Willow asked.

"Yeah, Math, can you help me with that?" Willow nodded and opened Dawn's math book.

"So, she's fine?" and English voice asked. It was Spike's. He stood with Giles in the training room with the door to the shop half open. They whispered so no one would hear them.

"Yes, knowing that she lost a loving sister she is doing spectacularly well." Giles said.

"Good." Spike sighed. "Look, tell the little bit I said hi okay?" Spike wanted to walk out of the back door.

"Spike." Giles said, Spike stopped. "How are -you-?" Spike didn't answer.

"Spike, please answer me." Giles pushed.

"I'm great," His voice trailed off. He pushed the back door open and walked out into the shadow of the alley.

***

"Be brave, live, for me." Buffy gave Dawn a kiss on her cheek. Dawn looked at her with eyes that begged her not to jump. But Buffy knew she had to.

The sun was beginning to rise. Buffy ran towards the horizon.

Then she didn't felt the board under her anymore.

She spread her arms and let herself fall.

Her life passed before her eyes. Her dad, Giles, Jenny, Kendra, Faith, Cordelia, Oz, Joyce, Willow, Tara, Xander, Anya, Riley, Angel, Spike, Dawn... Then the pain hit in. It hit like a thousand needles through her body. She couldn't think, only at the pain. Then the pain disappeared and Buffy felt like she was floating. All emotion was sucked out of her. Then she fell on the ground. A normal earthly ground with grass.

Buffy opened her eyes. She lay on a field with the sun shining softly. A shadow was leaning over her. Buffy stood up startled, and then she saw who it was.

"Kendra?" She said. The brown haired slayer stood before her. "But... you're..."

"Dead?" Kendra asked with a smile on her face. "Yes."

Buffy hugged her friend tight.

"But, how?" Buffy asked.

"I am still dead you know." Kendra said and Buffy let go.

"But...," Buffy's mouth fell open. Kendra knew what Buffy was thinking. "I'm dead?" Buffy asked and Kendra nodded.

***

It turned dark soon after Spike had left the magic shop.

He headed straight to the nearest cemetery. His whole day was sleeping when the sun was up. Checking on Dawn when she was out of school. And he patrolled when the night fell. He did it all automatic.

It was only that morning that Buffy had died, but it felt like a century.

Dawn had said that Buffy wanted them to be strong. Well, he'll be strong.

Though he felt his dead heart being ripped apart, he still held his tears away from public. He only cried when he knew no one saw him. He couldn't afford to break down.

He loved Buffy so much, even when she did everything to get him out of her life.

 "I want you out, I want you out of this town, I want you off this planet"

"Get away from me"

Whatever she did, he kept coming back.

She never bloody love me, it got through his head, but she trusted me.

"I'm counting on you, to protect her"

"'Till the end of the world." He said out loud.

Spike approached the cemetery and saw the rest of the Scooby gang.

They had just arrived at the cemetery.

"What are you lot doing here?" He shouted to them. They turned around.

"Patrolling." Willow answered.

"Go home, I can do this alone, where's Dawn?" Spike said.

"She's at home with Giles," Willow said. "You can't do this alone."

"I can, besides, Buffy didn't want all of you in danger." Spike shouted.

"We're not in…" Willow was cut off by a vampire who jumped her from behind. She fell on the ground. Spike instantly put his stake, which was in his pocket, through the vampire's heart. The vampire turned to dust above Willow.

"You're all not in danger, yeah right,  and I love the bloody Spice girls." He gave Willow a hand and helped her up.

"Just go home okay?" Spike said. Willow opened her mouth to say something back but she saw the hurt in his eyes. Willow closed her mouth again and felt the guilt flow through her. Xander pulled on Willow's arm.

"C'mon Will." Xander said and the Scoobies walked off of the cemetery.

***

"What is this place?" Buffy asked Kendra. "Heaven?" Kendra shook her head.

"This is the place between life and death." Kendra explained. "People mostly call it Limbo."

Buffy looked at Kendra. "But, you're dead for a few years, how can you be still trapped here?"

"I was send here to help you."

"Help me with what? Kendra my job is done." Buffy said.

"No, your job isn't done, Buffy they want me to guide you back to earth."

"They want you to …, what?" Buffy asked.

"Send you back." Kendra repeated.

"Is that even possible?"

"They think it is." Another voice said. A girl with brown curly hair walked towards them, her skin was brown too and she was dressed in a battle outfit.

"Who are you?"

"My name is Nikki, I'm a slayer too, well, not since 1977." The girl told Buffy.

Buffy felt something familiar in the name Nikki, where had she heard it before?

"And yes, they think it is." Nikki continued.

"Who is they?" Buffy asked.

"An higher power, they rule over everything, the earth, heaven, hell." Kendra answered.

"Why me? Couldn't they send another slayer?"

Kendra shook her head.

"You are the strongest." Nikki said.

"Slayer?" Buffy asked.

"Person." Kenra added.

"I ran away from home some years ago! You think I'm stable?" Buffy shouted.

"Whatever you say," Kendra said. "You are needed back on earth."

"The hell mouth will swallow everything into darkness if you're not there to stop it." Nikki backed up.

"But," Buffy's voice broke down. "It wasn't good down there, I don't want to go back again, it's a hell."

Buffy took a deep breath and continued.

"I tried to live, and I…" A tear fell down from her cheek. "I couldn't take care of everything. Not Dawn, not even myself. I died because of it."

Kendra felt sorry for Buffy but continued.

"Your friends need you." She said.

"I know, but I can't take it!" Buffy screamed back and buried her face in her hands.

"If you don't go…" Nikki said. "Dawn'll die."

Buffy looked up.

"W-what?"

"I hoped not to show this to you." Nikki said and drew a square in mid air. Inside the lines of the square was a sort of film shown.

Buffy saw Dawn, being stabbed and bleed to death in an alley.

"Dawn!" Buffy screamed.

"Many demons want the key dead, for her blood, … pricey blood." Kendra explained.

The square faded and Nikki turned to Buffy.

"Send me back," Buffy said. "For Dawn's… For everyone's sake."

The doorbell rang. Giles stood up.

"Hey, Willow, back already?" Dawn looked up when she heard the watcher say Willow's name.

She sat in her pyama's in front of the tv. Willow and Tara walked in.

"Yeah," Willow said.

"I thought you were planning on partolling longe." Giles asked.

"Spike was there, he kinda send us away." Tara explained while Willow sat down on the couch.

"Like we can't handle a little vampire." Willow said angry.

"He just wants to keep you save." Dawn said defending Spike.

"We know, Dawnie." Tara said. Tara gave Dawn a smile to make things a little better.

"He just came rushing into the cemetery, without any excuse and pulled us away from there!" Willow continued, her voice increased in volume.

"That son of a ..."

"You have no right to say that!" Dawn cut Willow off.

"He is trying..." Dawn felt anger well up in her. "To survive, and if you could be a bit more supportive you would see that!" Dawn ran past Willow upstairs. Willow tried to follow her, but Dawn slammed the door into her face.

"Dawnie?" Willow entered Dawn's room. Dawn lay with her back to Willow on her bed.

"Go away."

Willow walked to the side of the bed and sat down on it.

"Dawn, I'm sorry," Dawn sat up.

"What use is an apology when Buffy is still dead?" Dawn asked the Wiccan.

Willow put an arm around Dawn's shoulders.

"I know..." Dawn crept to Willow and sat there for a moment.

"But still, I'm sorry." Willow said and Dawn smiled.

Spike was fighting three vamps on the cemetery.

They seemed to master hm buy Spike fought back.

Two vampires grabbed his arms and the third smashed his fist in Spike's stomach.

Spike collapsed on the ground and he got another smack, this time against his jaw.

Spike got loose from the two vamps whom were holding him and tackled one of them.

He tried to stake the vampire on the ground, but one of the other vamps jumped him and wrestled him to the ground.

Spike got a punch in his face and waited for the next punch to hit him.

But it never came.

"You guys are really fair, three against one!" He suddenly heard. He recocnised the voice.

No, it can't be, he thought.
He opened his eyes and saw a dark figure fight the vampires off. Finally, when the last one was staked, the figure turned to Spike.

She, he thought, she's back!

Buffy stood there in front of his eyes and he wasn't dreaming!
Buffy stook out her hand to help Spike up, he took the hand gratefully and stood up.

"H-how?" He whispered.
She didn't answered, she just stared into his blue eyes.
Her hair was a mess, all sweat and dirt. Spike took her hands in his. He felt they were bleeding.
God, he thought, she dug herself out of the grave!
A tear fell down his cheek.
Buffy saw it and brushed it away with her hand.
Spike couldn't hold anymore and hugged her tight.
"Buffy," He sobbed in her shoulders. "I missed you, I thought I wasn't going to make it, oh god, Buffy." His voice trailed off.
"Spike," Buffy began.
Spike let go of her to let her speak. But instead Buffy fainted of exhaustion. Spike caught her.
Then he sat down with the unconcious Buffy in his arms.
He brushed the dirty hair out of her face.
Oh god, she still was beautiful, Spike tought and held her close.
He kissed her forehead, not wanting to let her go.

"Is she Okay?"Giles asked Willow who came down the stairs.
"Yeah, just a little sleepy, and teary." She answered.
"Okay, well, see you all tomorrow, I'm going home." Giles anounced. He grabbed his coat and walked toward the door.
"Okay." Willow said.
"Bye Giles." Tara added. Giles opened the door and left.
Tara closed the door behind him.
"You know..." Tara paused. "You really had no right to say those things about Spike." Willow sighed.
"I know, I guess I crossed the line a little too far," Willow swallowed hard. "It just blurted out, I still don't know what came over me." Willow had tears in her voice.
"Oh," Tara saw the tears in Willow's eyes appear. "Oh honey." Tara pulled Willow close for a hug.
"Everything is just so screwed up!" Willow cried onto Tara's shoulder.
"I know." Tara said.
"I miss Buffy." Willow cried again and her voice trailed off.
"Me too." Tara comforted Willow.

Dawn stared at her white ceiling.
She missed her sister SO much, everything was just so screwed up without her.
She turned in her bed but shook up by a loud sound. Someone kicked the door open really loud.

Willow and Tara sat together in front of the tv when the door flew open and Spike came rushing in.
Willow and Tara stood up quick.
"What...?" Willow started. Then she saw the girl in his arms.
Spike walked towards the couch and put the girl on the couch. Willow saw the girl's face.
"Buffy." She said finally realising.

Dawn snucked out of her bed and headed downstairs.
"What happened?!" She heard the hysterical voice of Willow.
"I don't know, I was just out patroling and there she was!" Spike was there too. Dawn was getting curious, what were they talking about?
Dawn arrived at the bottom of the stairs. She saw Willow, Tara and Spike standing in the living room.
The front door was whide open. Tara saw Dawn at the bottom of the stairs.
"Dawn?" She said and Dawn pointed at the door.
"The door is whide open, why?" Dawn said and Willow looked up startled.
"Eh..., Dawn, we want to show you something, but don't freak, okay?" Willow walked towards Dawn.
"Why, is it bad?" Dawn had no idea what Willow was talking about. Willow took her into the living room and Dawn saw the girl on the couch.
"Oh God." Dawn said and rushed over to the couch. She sank on her knees and grabbed Buffy's hand.
"What did you do?!" Dawn shouted at Willow.
"We didn't do anything!" Spike defended her. "She suddenly was there!"
Dawn put her hand on the side of Buffy's face and shivered.
"She's so cold." Dawn said.
"We should get her in bed." Tara said and Willow nodded.
Spike lifted Buffy from the couch and carried her up the stairs. Dawn held Buffy's door open for Spike.
He put Buffy on the bed and lay the blanket over her.
He gave Buffy a kiss on her fore head. She turned her head but didn't wake up. Spike walked out of the bedroom and down stairs.
Willow noticed it and walked after him.
"Where are you going?" She asked him.
"Back to the cemetery, 'think I could catch a couple o' vamps before dawn." He opened the front door.
"A-and Buffy?" Willow asked. Spike stopped and turned to Willow.
"She doesn't need me." He resumed his pace and closed the door behind him.
"Yes she does." Willow said to the door.

"Where is Spike?"Dawn asked when Willow came back in the room.
"He left." Willow sighed.
"Maybe it's better that way." Dawn said.
"What should we do now?" Tara asked. "I mean, does Buffy know what has happened? How she's alive again?"
"We'll hear it tomorrow." Willow said. She looked at Tara and Tara got out of the room.
"Dawnie, are you coming?" Willow asked Dawn.
"No, I'll stay here with Buffy." Dawn lay down next to Buffy and curled up. Willow walked to the door and closed it behind her.

Spike opened the door. Buffy lay motionless in her bed, well, except for her breathing.
Spike closed the door soft behind him and walked to the bed.
Hey, he thought and saw another figure in the dark laying next to Buffy.
"Dawn," he grinned "just couldn't leave big sis alone did you?"
He took Dawn in his arms and carried her to her room.
When he finally got tucked in, he returned to Buffy's room.
He sat down in a chair in the corner of the room and waited.

Buffy woke up the next morning in her own bed.
How did she get here? She remembered the slaying on the cemetery the previous night.
Spike must've had a heart attack if he could have one.
She smiled, yes, Spike.
She turned and closed her eyes. Why did she thought of Spike when she died?
"Good mornin' " A deep voice spoke. Buffy's eyes flew open and she sat up straight.
"Spike??!!"She shouted.

The vampire stood up from the chair in the corner. He walked across the room towards Buffy's bed.

"Why are you here?" Buffy asked with her blanket pressed to her chest.
"To check on you." Buffy frowned.
"Why, am I sick?" Buffy asked.
Spike sat down on the bed.
"Buffy, you just stood up from the grave, you don't need to expect for all things to be great again." He said. "What happened?"
"I don't know exactly, they only said that my job wasn't done on the hellmouth." Buffy tried to explain.
"They?" Spike asked with a questioning face.
"Forget it, I'm just happy all is over." Buffy rubbed the sleep out of her eyes.
"Me too," Spike grabbed Buffy's hand and held it tight. "I was so lost without you here."
Buffy felt her heart pound faster.
Spike looked up into Buffy's eyes, he felt her heart speed up!
"Buffy...?"
Buffy closed her eyes.
"Go away." She said with a voice full of hatred and wriggled her hand out of his. "Just go, and stay away from me." She looked up and saw the pain in his eyes. She couldn't bare it. She suddenly stood up from the bed and walked towards the door.
She opened the door but hesitated. Then she finally walked out of the room.

She could feel the pain from Spike of her saying those words.

Because it hurted her too.

Dawn saw her former dead sister walk into the kitchen.
"Buffy!" She shouted and hugged her tight.
"Hey Dawnie." Buffy said hugging her back.
Dawn let go of her sister and saw that she had fixed herself up. New clothes and she had washed her hair.
"I missed you," Dawn said with tears in her voice. "But I've been strong."
Buffy stroke her sisters hair like she had allways done.
"I know you have." Buffy said. Then Buffy saw Willow and Tara.
"I've missed you guys too." Buffy hugged Willow. Then Buffy let go of Willow and hugged Tara.
"Tara, I'm glad to see you well again." Buffy said and let go of Tara.
Tara looked at Buffy questioning, but she finally got it.
"Oh, That?" Tara remembered the braindamage Glory had done. "I'm glad to see you alive again."
"We all are, but, Buffy, what happened?" Dawn asked. Willow shove a chair to Buffy and she sat on it. Dawn sat down too.
Buffy began telling her friends what had happened from dying to crawling out of her grave.

"Wow, Kendra? For real?" Willow asked stunned. Buffy nodded.
"Wild." Dawn said.
"Pretty much." Buffy said. "But enough about me, how are you guys doing?"
"Well," Willow began. "Dawn here doesn't skip classes anymore."
"I've even lived through math yesterday." Dawn said proud.
"Good." Buffy stroke Dawn's hair again.
"A-and Xander and Anya are engaged!" Tara said.
Buffy's eyes whidened.
"What? When?" She said.
"You can ask them yourself, we'll go to the magicshop." Dawn said and hopped of the chair she was sitting on.
"Yeah, that's an great idea!" Willow said.

The door of the magicshop swung open and Willow walked through it.
Xander looked up from the table and greeted his friend.
"Hey Will, how's it going?" Then he saw who followed.
It was Buffy.
"Oh my god Buffy!" He stood there in the magic shop, stunned.
"Hey Xander." Buffy said.
"But,... h-how?" Xander said with a shaking voice.

"Hey, have you seen...aaarrrgggh!" Anya came in holding a vase.
When she saw Buffy she screamed and dropped it.
The vase scattered in a thousand pieces.
Everything was quiet. Anya had her hands as a mask over her mouth.
Dawn stood next to Buffy looking at the scattered vase on the ground.
Anya pulled her hands from her mouth.
"Y-you supposed to be dead!" Anya shouted.
"Hello to you too Ahn." Buffy said.
"Anya is right...Well partly, you were dead." Xander said.
"Well, here I am." Buffy said with a sort of faked tone of happyness.
Xander walked to Buffy and hugged her.
"I missed you." Xander said.
"Me you too." Buffy said.
"But again with the how?" Xander let go of Buffy.
Buffy began explaining to Xander and Anya what she had told Willow, Tara and Dawn.

On that moment Giles came in through the back door. He stopped when he saw Buffy.
"By god." Giles said. Buffy turned to Giles.
"Giles..." She said but she couldn't end her sentence. Giles rushed toward her and hugged her.
"O-okay..." Buffy said and let go of Giles.
"What is this?" Giles said with a small voice.
Buffy took a deep breath and filled everyone in on her adventure. Including Giles.

Spike got to his crypt when it was dark.
At his home the tears began to fall.

It was because of everything.
Buffy, raised from the dead, how she treated him... Everything!

He stopped his tears just from falling. There was someone in his crypt. A familliar feeling crept upon him.
Then there she was, from the darkness of the crypt she beamed light, well so it seemed for him.
It was the slayer, his slayer. Where he was so hopelessly in love with.

She looked so beautiful, he thought, with her freshly combed hair, silksoft cheecks and eyes you could drown in.
She had her ussual black pants on and a sky blue top without sleeves. Her arms were crossed.

"Buffy..." Spike said with a shaking voice.
"I just wanted to say, thank you, for protecting Dawn." Buffy said.
"Great protection, I let doc get to her!" Spike said.
"NO! That wasn't your fault!" Buffy shouted. "It's weird but it's true, I'm glad I died. It put things in perspective..." Buffy explained.
They stood in front of eachother for a while, quiet.
Then Spike couldn't hold back and lent to Buffy.
For Buffy it came out of nowhere(not for us), Spike kissed Buffy on the mouth.

Buffy pushed Spike away from her.

"What the hell dyou think you're doing??!!" Buffy screamed.
"Well,... eh... I thought..." Spike tried to talk it good.
"You THOUGHT?" Buffy shouted.
"Okay! I...I wasn't thinking!" Spike said.
"NO!!! I figured you weren't!" Buffy's eyes were wide open and looked accusingly at Spike.
"I...I'm sorry, I know I shouldn't..." Spike was cut off by Buffy hitting his jaw hard with her fist.
Spike fell backwards on the ground.
He clambed his hand to his jaw and looked up at Buffy.

"Bloody Hell! Why did you do that?" Now it was Spike's turn to shout.
"For kissing me!" Buffy shouted back.
"Why?" Spike stood up.
"Why what?" Buffy crossed her arms.
"Why did you hit me? Cuz you obvious seemed to like it, well the kissing part."
"Oh Spike, just get over me." She snarled. She turned and walked away.

"C'mon now luv! Don't..." Buffy slammed the door. "Run."

THE END OF EPISODE 1