I am Buffy Summers, the Vampire Slayer. And I am in love with a vampire named Spike.

Twelve times I have met the Gift of the Slayer. Twelve times I have returned. Twelve times I fell in love with a vampire.

The thirteenth try really was the hardest. When I met my lover – my other half – I hated him and he hated me. He was in love with his sire, and I was in love with hers. I fell in love with the wrong vampire, and for a time, that mistake kept us apart.

But we found each other. Because we always do.

I've learnt all that a Slayer needs to know in order to survive. I know my true Gift, and my true Gift is Spike. He is balance; the dark to my light. The moon to my sun. The cold to my heat. The death to my life.

There is more to being the Slayer other than stake this and stake that, and I have become, in a way, elevated. That's how I feel right now. Elevated; enlightened. I'm pretty sure Willow or Giles have a fancy word for it.

Maybe this is the secret a Slayer is supposed to discover. Maybe I will not be the last. I think Faith likes the idea of eternal youth and having lots and lots of sex.

But I'm getting ahead of myself.

Once the bodies of Riley and Travers are removed from the scene – the former's to be returned to the army and the latter's to be returned to England – Giles and Lydia explain to the rest of the men what has happened. I know there won't be all around acceptance of my chosen partner, and it would be too much to hope for to expect it. But for now, from the looks of things these guys are at least tolerating Spike and as long as they don't try and kill him, that's fine with me.

After the members of the Council leave, so do Angel and Cordelia. Just under a year ago it broke my heart to watch Angel leave; to hear him say that things weren't going to work out between us and we needed to go our separate ways. Back then I vowed never to love anyone else again, even though I technically broke that vow with Parker first…

But things have changed so much since then, and when I watch him go, I feel nothing. Angel is my past and Spike is my future.

Spike tells me that he feels the same way about Drusilla. A year ago he was begging her to take him back, and now he doesn't feel a thing when she leaves. She even hints that this is the reason why she sired him; so he can find me.

Maybe the big ho isn't so bad, after all. If only she could stop killing people.

When everyone has gone home and things have quietened down, Spike and I walk hand in hand to his crypt. We want to be alone when we do this. This is something that's special and intimate. We can hold a ceremony later with a minister and a white dress and flowers and all that other crap I was longing for all those months ago, when a spell was over us and I was sat on Spike's lap in loving bliss.

I wanted to forget the spell back then. Now I'm grateful it happened. I owe Willow big time.

It's probably a good thing that we've had sex before; there's not as much heat or desperation. We are slow and tender, taking our time to make this time different.

We're still passionate. I doubt that will ever fade, even after a thousand years.

And when Spike's game face slides into place at the height of our passion, I'm not afraid. I let him bite me. He bites over Angel's marks, erasing them forever, and before his lips meet mine once more – before I can taste him and be bonded forever – I hear the one word I've been wanting to hear for so long.

"Mine."

"Yours."

And all along I believed I would find you

Time has brought your heart to me

I have loved you for a thousand years

I'll love you for a thousand more

~ Christina Perri, A Thousand Years

End Notes: A huge, huge thank you to everyone who has read, reviewed, faved and liked this story. I'm sorry it took me so long to finish it, and I really appreciate all the feedback I've received. I'll be working on finishing Love Never Dies now, so look out for updates on that!