DISCLAIMER: I own nothing but the plot bunnies :) (Anya: Bunnies? There are bunnies?)

A/N: I'm so so sorry! With Christmas coming and making a whole new network of BTVS friends, I have let myself slip. This, however, is the last chapter, you will be glad to know. Everything will be wrapped up in a neat little package for you :) I will say now, there is no chance of a sequel with this story, we are done in this little AU. I'm hoping to be starting on my next adventure in the New Year! Enjoy, and please review!

WE CAN REST NOW

The church was quiet as she stepped inside, and she looked around pensively, the sword clutched in her hand but not raised. Every pew was empty, and the place looked as normal as any other religious institution; statues of Jesus, pretty painted windows and the usual altar at the front with a few candles flickering from the breeze she'd let in when she'd entered. There didn't seem to be anyone around.

Buffy took a few steps forward, her heels clicking on the stone floor, and a priest appeared from the side. She stilled, raising the weapon a little, memories of Caleb coming back to haunt her. The priest spotted her and smiled, giving a little wave. He was an older gentlemen, with a lack of hair on his head aside from around the ears. He spotted the sword and nervously scratched at his dog collar, clearing his throat.

The Slayer smiled nervously, followed his gaze to the sword and shrugged. 'Never know what I'm going to find.' She said, letting her grip relax.

'Mr Wyndam-Price sent you?' The priest asked, walking forward slowly, still wary of the sharp metal in her hand. She nodded and he visibly calmed. 'Oh good. My name is Father Williams.' Buffy nodded, taking his offered hand and shaking it. 'Did, er, did Mr Wyndam-Price mention what it was I called about?'

'The strange goings on that he thinks are a dimensional rift?' Buffy asked and received a nod in reply. 'Let me take a look around. Portals are kind of a speciality now. Been through enough of them.'

Father Williams looked a little astonished at her remark but led her to the altar anyway. 'I am not blind to the supernatural, Miss-?'

'Just Buffy.' She replied, looking around as they walked down the aisle.

'Buffy.' The priest nodded. 'Like I said, I'm not blind to the supernatural. No man of the cloth is. We know there is something more out there, but still believe all are creations of God.' Buffy gave no argument but raised an eyebrow slightly. He didn't notice. 'These...occurrences have happened randomly, and I find no explanation for them. It's been worrying me that something will happen to one of my parishioners, and I don't want that on my head. I knew Mr Angel was the usual go-to guy for this sort of thing but I've been informed that he, er, that he...'

'Died?' Buffy nodded. 'Yeah.' She didn't elaborate and the priest cleared his throat.

'None of these occurrences have happened during my busy sermons, thank the Lord, but a few of my quieter ones have been disrupted and the little old ladies don't care much for the drama. Strains them, you see.'

Buffy smiled. 'Yeah, I get ya. Well, let me take a poke around and see what I find. Is it mainly in here, they've been happening?'

'Only once has it occurred out here, that was the first time. The cross over here,' He gestured to the ornate gold cross behind the altar, set into concrete in the ground. 'The cross started smoking and hissing. That was the first incident. The second occurred in the chapel, I'll show you through.' He motioned to a smaller room off the main area of worship. A kneeling pad was laid across the floor in front of a smaller altar and a picture of Jesus. Jesus was holding one hand up, his other hand over his heart.

Buffy looked at the picture and noted the burn mark in the middle of the pictures hand. Father Williams followed her gaze and nodded.

'This time the picture burst into flames, but only that part and there was an ungodly scream. The lady that was in here at the time probably won't return.'

'You haven't had any new people come in or anything?' Buffy asked, her eyes still glued to the burn mark.

'No. No one new. We're a close knit community, I'd know if there was an unfamiliar face. The church is locked at night too.' He sighed. 'Mind you, years ago, it was never a problem. Could stay unlocked all night long. But these days...sorry. Lamenting safer times, I suppose.'

'You mentioned another incident?'

'Yes.' He frowned. This one happened whilst I was on my own. I was in the vestry, sorting through the Christmas decorations for the manger display this past Saturday. I uncovered the old cross, the silver one that was here before the newer gold one. And it was burned.' He pointed to the room. 'I haven't been able to go in there since. It was too...freaky, for lack of a better word.'

'Do you mind if I...?' Buffy trailed off, heading towards the shut door her was pointing at.

'Of course not. The thing is...and I don't want to sound crazy, but...but I heard voices too.'

Buffy stopped in her tracks and turned back. 'Voices?' She asked, tilting her head slightly. The priest nodded.

'Yes. I couldn't make out all of it. It was ramblings. But I heard "everybody will forgive and love" and someone asking if they could rest. I panicked, thinking it was, you know, a lost soul or something and asked them to leave. They replied to me! Said they had nowhere else to go.'

Buffy had frozen to the spot. A few seconds passed and the priest looked at her curiously. 'Are you okay?' He asked.

She nodded and turned back to the door. 'It's been 146 days.' She whispered and opened the door slowly, seeing the cross immediately. It looked exactly like the one from the church in Sunnydale, the one he'd draped himself over. But the room was otherwise empty, just books and filing cabinets. She stood for a moment in the doorway, waiting for something, anything, to happen.

Nothing did.

Slowly she shut the door and turned back to the priest. 'Do you mind if I stick around?'

Father Williams shook his head. 'No. Feel free my dear. I have a sermon to prepare so I will be in my office.' She nodded and watched him go, then looked back to the door. For a few moments, she waited again and then sighed, heading back to the main room.

The sun had gone down and the priest had delivered his sermon to the church patrons. Nothing out of the ordinary had happened and Buffy was starting to get tired. She'd enjoyed the sermon - the priest told a great story. She had never been big on the religion, but it was clear that the people who frequented the church were a friendly family. They had all smiled at her as she sat at the back of the church and most had greeted her warmly and without suspicion.

Now the darkness was closing in and the priest was still in his office, attending to his duties. Buffy had been sat alone for forty five minutes, watching the moonlight filter through the pretty windows and her mind getting lost in a maze of thought.

Slowly, her eyelids drooped, and her head lolled forward as she began to doze off in her seat. Her sword was hidden under the pew, and her phone had long died. She was tired as hell - a few moments of sleep couldn't hurt. Nothing was happening.

'God help me, Buffy - it's still all about you.'

Her eyes were open in an instant, the hairs on the back of her neck rising. She glanced around wildly. Had she dreamt it? No. She'd heard his voice. She'd been drawn here for a reason. She didn't know why here, but she knew it was for him.

'Spike?' She whispered, afraid to disturb the peace of the church.

'You're insufferable.'

There. She heard it. Clear as day. He was here.

'Spike. Please. I've waited. So long. Please come home.' She whispered, tears pricking at her eyes. 'Please come home. I'm not ever ready for you to not be here.'

'I understand, with perfect clarity, exactly what you are.'

'Goddammit! Give him back to me!' Buffy stood and shouted, and the door at the end of the church clattered open, revealing a dishevelled priest who had clearly fallen asleep on his paperwork.

'Miss? Are you okay? What were you shouting at?' He asked, blinking his bleary eyes at her, noticing her tears.

Buffy collapsed back down to her seat, big fat tears rolling from her eyes. 'He's here. I know he's here.'

'Who?' The priest asked, moving over to her quickly.

'My...everything.' She faltered. 'He was taken. They said he'd be back, I was told he'd come back to me.' She smiled sadly through her tears. 'He saved the world.'

'Well...erm...I'm not quite sure...' Father Williams smiled and sat down. 'I don't understand these things. I know there is a lot I don't understand about this world. Fashion being a big one.' He took her hand. 'But I understand love.' Buffy looked at him sideways. 'I'm a priest, not a monk.' He smiled. 'These...occurences...they've been hitting a personal chord with you, yes?'

She nodded. 'The things you've heard...seen. They're all to do with him.'

'Can I assume your him is...supernatural like yourself?'

'He was.' She nodded. Then frowned. 'How am I supernatural?'

'You carry a sword as routine. I can guess from that.' Father Williams smiled again. He looked at his watch. 'It's gone midnight, my dear. Maybe you should get some rest and come back tomorrow. You are clearly tired.'

Midnight. Buffy's eyes widened. 'It's been 147 days.' The air crackled and both of them looked towards the altar. 'The Powers always did have a sick sense of humour.' She whispered as bright lights danced around the gold cross. The priest stood and stepped away, his eyes wide with fear and worry. Buffy stood, but moved forward, her eyes bright with unshed tears and wonder.

A scream reverberated through the room and a flash of light blinded both the slayer and the priest for a moment. Buffy shielded her eyes against the light and then blinked, looking over at the altar where the screaming originated and then stopped.

He didn't look any different. He was dressed head to toe in black, the tight t-shirt accentuated by his old red shirts, his boots scuffed and dirty, his jeans obscenely tight and his coat battered and distinctive. His hair was still bleached, slicked back and he smiled as his eyes landed on her. Within seconds she was on him, her arms wound around his neck and tears spilling onto his jacket.

'Spike...Spike! I knew it! I knew it was you! Oh God...thank you!' She clung to him tightly, her hand grasping him, her mind reeling and telling herself he was real, he wasn't leaving. His arms wound around her, and he held her just as tightly, with a grip that would have killed a regular girl.

For unending moments, they stayed where they were. The priest slipped out, sensing the need for privacy, and hoping they wouldn't defile the Lord's house. When those moments drew to a close, Buffy pulled away, tears making her face shiny as she looked at the face of her vampire.

Only...her vampire was breathing heavily and flushed.

'Spike?' She asked.

'Buffy...' He breathed, running a hand down her face. 'God. I missed you so much.' He smiled. The Slayer ran a hand down his chest, her hand coming to rest over his heart. A steady beat thrummed under her touch and her eyes widened. He nodded. 'Turns out, I'm the real Champion. And no breaking me like soldier boy - I'm just as strong as I was. I'm what you deserve Buffy, I can give you what you deserve.'

Silence fell between them, Buffy's hand still on his heart, the beating rendering her silent in the face of her future. He waited, worry slipping a mask over his face. He opened his mouth to speak, but Buffy smashed her lips to his in a reply to his unanswered concern.

When she pulled away, she bopped him lightly on the nose and smiled.

'Don't you ever leave me again.'

Seven years later

The sun was brilliant in the yard, glistening off the dew on the neatly mowed lawn. A swing set moved softly in the breeze and a football lay in the freshly turned flowerbed. She smiled and sighed as a ruckus from the house behind her, distracted her attention, and two small blonde children came running out, the smallest of the two almost taking her out in the process. She shouted something at them in a good natured tone, her words muffled and indistinguishable. The children carried on running, down the path and past the neat little garden, their school bags bouncing on their backs as she waved them off. Strong, warm arms encircled her waist, and a man's voice rumbled in her ear.

'Enjoying the morning, pet?' She smiled and turned to face Spike. His skin was still pale, but more tanned than it had been.

'Yeah, I am.' She kissed him, running a hand through his dirty blonde locks. He'd stopped bleaching it quite so much, just to stop the damage to his now living cells.

The kiss lasted a few moments, before he pulled away and sighed, running his fingers down her cheek. 'What are the rugrats up to?' He asked.

'William is telling Anne that he's the next David Beckham, and Anne is currently running away with his football. Sorry, soccerball.' Buffy said, motioning over to the yard, where the two blonde children were now wrestling each other for control of the football. She'd never been more grateful in her life for Spike being given back to her, and the two miracles they were blessed with. The twins were now six years old, and she took every moment for the gift it was. They still fought the good fight on occasion, but she kept their children out of it.

Dawn had graduated with honours and was becoming a teacher. She'd recently gotten engaged to James and was planning a large expensive wedding. Giles had settled back in England but came over for holidays to see his "grandchildren". Xander and Anya were raising a small brood that seemed to be expanding constantly. They were up to four already and Xander was an amazing daddy.

Wes and Fred had recently had a little boy and asked Spike to be godfather. Buffy had never seen him so proud, except for the day his own children were born. They were close with both Wesley and Winifred, living in LA quite close to them.

She'd always been terrified the vision she'd had hadn't been true. But the Powers had given her back Spike. He'd asked to be what she deserved a very long time ago.

Now he was.

And always would be.

THE END

My word. I hope you enjoyed that. I think I tied it all up okay. Please let me know what you thought!