Previously: Buffy looked speechless and couldn't help but take a glance at the lifeless body lying in the middle of the cavern "I never got to know the real him." She said again in a small voice.

"Maybe you will." Buffy and Tara turned to look at Giles then. Both with quizzical looks on their face's which urged him further on. "There's another line in the prophecy that could link to this situation. As Spike fulfilled his part in the prophecy 'One of two shall get a choice'… Then clearly the previous line should fall to you…"

"One of two receives a wish." Buffy finished for him in an awestruck voice.

"Then you know what you have to do." Giles said as he moved towards her, offering a hand to pull her to her feet, Buffy smiled at him as she passed him and moved over to man she loved.

Epilogue

"Morning Sweetie."

Buffy smiled up at her mom from her position on the grass and took the glass of OJ in her outstretched hand. "Thanks."

"You're up early. Can't sleep?" Joyce asked.

Buffy shook her head in reply, taking a sip of the juice.

"Nightmares?" Joyce asked bending down to sit on the blanket Buffy was laid out on and took a seat next to her daughter, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"You'd think after two months it wouldn't bother me as much." Buffy said placing her glass onto the grass.

"These things can take a long time to get over."

"I know." Buffy said taking another look at her mother "I just can't help thinking about it, what could have been and all that…"

Joyce smiled at her daughter; she had grown up so much in such a short time. "You found anything yet?"

"Na not really" Buffy said looking down at the newspaper she had laid out on the blanket and the red marker she was using to circle possibilities "Nothing career worthy, anyway it's only until I go back to college in the spring."

"Something will turn up sweetie. I better go wake Dawn, first day back at school and everything!" With that she stood up and walked back into the house.

Discarding the newspaper in favour of some sunbathing, Buffy stretched out on the blanket and relaxed in the feel of the sun warming her skin. That was until a big shadow cast over her, blocking out the light.

"I was enjoying that."

"So was I."

"Perv." Buffy rolled over then to look at the object of her sun blocking "Good sleep?"

"I feel like I've been asleep for a week."

"You have."

"That's what being dead will do to you."

"You said it! Care to join me?"

Without hesitation Spike laid down next to Buffy, gathering her in him arms and ran his hands through her golden hair. Buffy sighed in contentment as she listened to the steady beat of his heart.