Re: FIC; "A Journey of a Thousand Miles" (8/8)

["mysticalcat44" <Solarsenshi@xxxxxx>]

Beautiful ending! I probably have to read everything again since this 
story was on and off constantly but I really enjoyed it. The wrap-up 
with Osiris was well done. I can't say anything to the Egyptian 
mythology I am more familiar with Greek but it sounded plausible.
Very godd work, Kirayoshi.

Ja ne, yours

Matthias

--- In buffywantswillow@y..., JDMeans@a... wrote:
> Yes, let the bells ring out and the banners fly, I've finished it!  
Chapter 
> eight, plus an epilogue. Hopefully I got the Egyptian mythology 
right.  
> Enjoy.
> 
> Disclaimers
> Hey, you think Buffy would have gone near Spike without at least a 
canister 
> of garlic spray if I owned the show? If it's Buffy, it's Joss, 
Marti, Mutant 
> Enemy and 20th Century Fox.
> 
> Spoilers
> Up to 'Wrecked', a.k.a. the BtVS After-school Special
> 
> Archives
> Please do. Just get my name right.
> 
> Feedback
> Give me a happy at JDMeans@a...
> 
> Rating
> PG-13 to R for angst.
> 
> Summary
> Two friends begin their recovery from the darkness that threatened 
to claim 
> them. But Spike and Rack are still out there. And for Buffy and 
Willow, 
> their only salvation may be in each otherâ?¦
> 
> A Journey of a Thousand Miles
> By Kirayoshi
> 
> "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."
> --Chinese proverb
> 
> 
> Chapter Eight
> My Sacrifice
> 
> "Hello, my friend, we meet again,
> It's been so long, where should we begin?
> Feels like forever.
> 
> Within my heart a memory
> A perfect love that you gave to me,
> Oh, I remember.
> 
> When you are with me, I'm free
> I'm careless, I believe
> Above all the others, we'll fly
> This brings tears to my eyes,
> My sacrifice."
> --Creed
> "My Sacrifice"
> 
> "Go to her," Rack ordered Buffy after he released her. "Say your 
goodbyes.  
> She's mine now."
> 
> Buffy struggled to control her breathing. Each gasp of breath was 
an effort. 
> Her heart pounded against her breast-bone, breaking a little more 
with each 
> beat. She saw Willow advancing toward her, her body straight and 
erect. Her 
> eyes were wide, her face an artist's study in concern. Her posture 
and 
> expression all said the same thing; 'a brave front'.
> 
> Willow took Buffy's hands in her own, a small contact that 
nonetheless 
> connected Buffy to a thousand memories, a thousand sights, sounds 
and 
> thoughts all orbiting around Willow. Consoling hugs, shared jokes, 
> sleepovers, ice cream sundaes, quiet moments and so many other 
little things. 
> And after tonight, they would be lost to her forever. Willow 
would be lost 
> to her forever.  
> 
> The enormity of that realization proved to be Buffy's undoing. Her 
knees 
> gave out from under her, and her breathing was reduced to gasping 
sobs. Arms 
> surrounded her, embracing her tightly. "Don't cry on me, Buffy," 
Willow 
> whispered raggedly. "You have to be strong now, for both of us."
> 
> "I can't, Willow," Buffy wailed as she crumbled to the ground, her 
despair 
> consuming her. "I can't just watch you march off to that bastard!"
> 
> "I have to do this," Willow argued, her chin trembling but still 
set in firm 
> determination. "I'm not going to let Rack do anything to you.  
You're too 
> important, the world needs you."
> 
> "But I need you," Buffy cried, her voice heavy with loss. She 
leaned toward 
> Willow, desperate to prolong the contact. Willow complied, her 
face so close 
> that Buffy could feel Willow's warmth on her skin. All she wanted 
was to be 
> lost in that heatâ?¦
> 
> "Okay, Strawberry," Rack's voice rasped against Buffy's 
ears. "Time's up.  
> Come to me." Willow backed away slowly from Buffy, swallowing 
hard. Her 
> lips moved without speaking aloud; "I love you, Buffy." She turned 
away from 
> Buffy and toward the bloated succubus, who grinned in victory over 
the 
> anguished Slayer.
> 
> "Willow!" Buffy cried, reaching out to Willow, to stop her from 
leaving her, 
> but Victoria rushed to her side, restraining her with a gentle hand 
on her 
> shoulder. "No, Buffy," she spoke in a voice of forced calm, "this 
is her 
> fight. Her final test. She has to do this alone." Buffy simply 
nodded, a 
> knot of fear jamming her esophagus, her eyes fixed on Willow.
> 
> The redheaded Wiccan now stood in front of Rack, praying that she 
looked 
> braver than she felt; if this was indeed the last time Buffy would 
ever see 
> her in this world, she didn't want to look scared. She wanted 
Buffy to 
> remember her as a person of strength and compassion, not the magic 
junkie she 
> had become thanks to Rack. She took one last forlorn glance at 
Buffy. The 
> Slayer's eyes fluttered, tears flowing freely. For one eternal 
second 
> Buffy's charcoal gray eyes locked with her own, and Willow could 
feel the 
> devastation in her beloved's heart. She could see Tara, Xander and 
Andrew 
> gathering around Buffy, their eyes dark and hooded. Willow 
swallowed hard, 
> praying that her next action was the correct one. She wrenched her 
eyes away 
> from Buffy's and faced Rack.
> 
> The leering face of Rack filled her vision, and his breath, bearing 
a stench 
> of dead things assailed her nostrils. She absently thought of 
Jabba the Hutt 
> in "Return of the Jedi", laughing his dark, hideous laugh at the 
captive 
> Princess Leia, chuckling, "In time, you will grow to appreciate 
me." She 
> gritted her teeth and raised her head. "I'm here, Rack. I have 
your word 
> that you will not harm my friends."
> 
> Rack snarled sardonically, flashing a yellowing incisor at 
Willow. "I gave 
> no such word, Strawberry. But I have no need of them. They are 
safe from 
> me. Now," he reached a hand around Willow's neck, slowly running 
the tips of 
> his fingers across her spinal column, sending involuntary shivers 
through her 
> nervous system. "Give me your power, my strawberry," he 
purred, "and I will 
> give you pleasure."
> 
> Willow said nothing. She closed her eyes and leaned her head 
back. Rack 
> placed his free hand on Willow's forehead. Her skin began to warm 
where his 
> fingers touched her, a sensation familiar from when she first 
encountered the 
> magic dealer. The warmth became a heat, a fire that seared her 
soul if not 
> her fleshâ?¦
> 
> Xander clenched and unclenched his fist, wanting desperately to 
cave Rack's 
> face in. Andrew stood silently, dumbstruck at Willow's act of 
sacrifice.  
> Tara and Victoria whispered silent prayers to the Goddess to 
protect and 
> guard Willow in this terrible hour. No one dared move or speak, 
fearing what 
> Rack would do to Willow if he was interrupted.
> 
> "Noâ?¦" A primal growl broke the terrible silence.  
> 
> "Noâ?¦" The growl picked up volume, intensity, purpose.
> 
> "NO!" The cry ripped out of the Slayer's throat, galvanizing 
everyone within 
> her radius. Before Rack could throw up a defensive spell to block 
her 
> attack, she broke free of Victoria's hand on her shoulder and 
launched 
> herself toward the succubus, her hands extended in front of her, 
her nails 
> sharp as eagle's talons. She grabbed the hand caressing Willow's 
head by the 
> wristâ?¦
> 
> <<>>
> 
> The sensation of weightlessness came first. No sense of up or 
down, simply 
> floating adrift without awareness of direction. Around her, the 
darkness was 
> occasionally broken by iridescent flashes, fluorescent greens, 
blues and 
> oranges. Like being suspended within the Aurora Borealis, except 
she didn't 
> see these colors, not in any physical definition. Such terms as 
sight and 
> sound held no meaning in this world. Rather, she felt them, sensed 
them 
> slowly becoming part of her awareness.
> 
> As she became more aware of her surroundings, she felt a familiar 
presence 
> beside her; radiating warmth and compassion. She felt herself 
being drawn 
> toward this presence, and surrendered to the pull; she knew with 
every fiber 
> of her soul what that presence was, needed that presence in her 
life. Like 
> water, food or oxygen, this presence was a necessary component of 
her 
> survival. As she approached the sensation, it slowly coalesced 
into a form, 
> little more than a pattern of energy, but one that Buffy was 
incapable of 
> mistaking. A flash of knowing green eyes amid warm red hair.
> 
> ---Willow--- she spoke/thought the word, and the form beside her 
turned to 
> face her.
> 
> ---Buffy--- the form replied. Buffy could feel the caring, the 
tenderness 
> and love emanating from Willow's form in waves, falling over Buffy, 
flooding 
> her, filling her. ---You came for me.---
> 
> ---How could I not?--- With eyes that weren't fooled by human 
sight, Buffy 
> and Willow gazed at each other. The fact that neither one was 
clothed didn't 
> escape their notice, nor the fact that they weren't nude either.  
For the 
> first time in their lives, Buffy and Willow stood truly naked 
before each 
> other. Buffy saw Willow's form shift constantly in its colors; a 
bright 
> whiteness tinged with reds and greens, marred by dark patches that 
Buffy 
> instinctively knew to be recent, but now began to fade. The 
darkness that 
> she had plunged into, Buffy reasoned, Rack's taint.  
> 
> ---Rack!--- Buffy shouted in her mind and Willow followed the 
thought.  
> ---Where is he?---
> 
> ---Not here,--- Willow answered, her voice echoing in Buffy's soul 
like the 
> tingling of a silver bell. ---I don't think that he's anywhere 
anymore. I 
> felt him-leave when you touched us.---
> 
> Buffy drank in Willow's thoughts, losing herself in the warmth of 
her smile.  
> Part of her wondered what Willow saw when she looked at her, and 
wanted to 
> hide from her. But one look into the endless jade pools of her 
eyes assured 
> her that Willow was as enraptured by Buffy's soul as Buffy was in 
Willow's.
> 
> ---Gods--- Buffy thought, ---you are so beautiful---
> 
> ---No, Buffy--- Willow reached out her hand to Buffy, who grasped 
it eagerly. 
> The two hands merged, fused into one, connecting Buffy and 
Willow. ---We 
> are---
> 
> Buffy glanced down at the juncture where she and Willow were 
joined, and 
> noticed that their arms were disappearing into each other. Her 
elbow now 
> connected to Willow's, and their forms were fusing even further.  
For a 
> moment, she started to panic, but Willow's mind whispered to hers; -
--Don't 
> fight this. This is how it was meant to be, Buffy.---  
> 
> The single form that stood where the two discrete forms once 
existed followed 
> the thought, accepting it as truth without question. Buffy 
relaxed, felt the 
> merging of souls, felt herself blending with Willow, and gradually 
came to 
> know that it was right. Buffy felt Willow's darkness, so similar 
to her own, 
> while Willow bathed into the muted light that was Buffy. The 
darkness and 
> light merged, canceling each other out, but at the same time 
defining each 
> other.
> 
> ---I'm not losing part of myself,--- Buffy/Willow thought, ---I've 
gained 
> that part of myself that I was missing.--- The merged souls 
couldn't even 
> think in the plural; they were one entity. And that thought 
gave 'her' such 
> joy as neither half had ever known separately.
> 
> As Buffy/Willow drifted in this formless place, the lights shifted, 
the 
> darkness faded to a faintly golden light. Colors and shapes 
coalesced, 
> became more defined. A doorway of stone stood before her, and she 
passed 
> through without thinking. Halls of stone shot up beside her, 
illuminated by 
> some unknown light. On one wall a bas relief of a sun-disk hovered 
over 
> images of scarabs, cobras and birds.  
> 
> ---Very Egyptian,--- that part of her that was Willow commented 
mentally.
> 
> ---Yeah,--- the Buffy-half answered. ---Where are Rick and Evie 
O'Connell 
> when we need them?---
> 
> Buffy/Willow smirked at the thought, as she drifted forward through 
the 
> ancient halls. She scanned the engravings on the walls, amazed as 
their 
> meaning became clear in her mind; an ibis-headed figure was tricked 
by his 
> scheming brother into entering a cabinet. The schemer hacked his 
brother 
> into pieces, placed them into the cabinet, sealed the cabinet with 
wax, and 
> dropped the cabinet into the Nile. The wife of the ibis headed man 
rowed her 
> barge down the river, retrieving the pieces of her husband and 
restoring them 
> to life. The reanimated ibis then took his rightful place as the 
ruler of 
> the underworld.
> 
> ---Osiris,--- Buffy/Willow thought, knowing without understanding 
how they 
> knew that they were reading the myth of the God of the Dead.  
Before she 
> could pursue the thought, white light flooded the hall, briefly 
blinding her. 
> Blinking, she risked opening her eyes.
> 
> She stood in a vast amphitheater, the ceiling high and dome-like.  
Vividly 
> colored hieroglyphic murals covered the walls, as sphinx-like 
statuary 
> flanked her pathway on either side. At the center of the 
amphitheater stood 
> a mahogany statue of a powerful man with the head of an ibis. She 
felt 
> herself flying faster as she was drawn toward the ibis-headed man, 
and in an 
> instant stood before him. The giant stood immobile, not even 
regarding her 
> presence, for a minute or a lifetime, the concept of time didn't 
hold any 
> meaning to her in this realm.  
> 
> Then the ibis head craned rapidly and peered at Buffy/Willow, onyx 
eyes set 
> into a face of great wisdom. Osiris-the enjoined soul knew that he 
could be 
> no other-measured her with an eerie precision, his eyes gazing 
through her 
> and into her. He lifted his hand, holding a golden scale. He 
gestured 
> toward Buffy/Willow, pulling her toward the scale, resting them on 
one pan.  
> Suddenly, the combined soul possessed weight, causing the scale to 
tip.  
> Buffy/Willow looked over the edge of the pan, and stared into a 
black abyss.  
> At the bottom of that blackness, greedy eyes glittered at them, 
sharp teeth 
> shined whitely at them. ---Ammat,--- she identified the demon.  
She silently 
> prayed that Osiris did not find them wanting.
> 
> Osiris raised his free hand above his head and grasped at the air.  
He 
> brought his hand down, displaying an enormous white feather to 
Buffy/Willow.  
> He placed the feather in the other pan of the scale and waitedâ?¦
> 
> The pan containing the feather lowered, the scale tilted and 
Buffy/Willow's 
> pan rose high into the air.
> 
> Osiris regarded Buffy/Willow with his sharp eyes, and smiled-
> 
> <<>>
> 
> Buffy felt a warm body within her arms, felt a gentle breath tickle 
her ear.  
> Lifting her weight from the ground, she stared hard at the body 
beneath her, 
> her heart skipping a beat in fear of what she would see.
> 
> Willow lifted her head, locked her eyes with Buffy, and smiled.  
Buffy 
> released a breath she only now knew she was holding, and hugged 
Willow 
> tightly to her, laughing and crying and laughing again. The two 
women rolled 
> around the ground, rejoicing in being alive, and being together.
> 
> Their joyful display was interrupted by a familiar voice shouting 
at the top 
> of his lungs; "WHAT THE HELL'S GOING ON HERE?"
> 
> Buffy and Willow craned their heads toward Xander and the others.  
Xander's 
> jaw unhinged and hung slack, Tara's eyes widened in shock, Victoria 
gave a 
> relieved sigh, and Andrew simply gawked. There was no sign of Rack.
> 
> Buffy and Willow stared at their friends for a count of three and 
started 
> laughing.
> 
> "Come on, guys," Victoria whispered sotto voce to the others, as 
Buffy stood 
> up and pulled Willow to her feet, "let's head back to Buffy's place 
and 
> figure out what happened."
> 
> <<>>
> 
> Willow curled up on Buffy's lap, while the others gathered around 
in the 
> living room, each one holding a cup of coffee or cocoa. Dawn and 
Anya 
> listened to Buffy and Willow trading off in their descriptions of 
the night's 
> events. Dawn was relieved that her sister was alive and well, but 
shocked 
> that Spike, someone she had grown to trust, could hurt her as 
deeply as he 
> had. She noticed the way that Buffy's hand constantly sought out 
Willow's, 
> and then glanced at Tara. If the blond wiccan was sad at Willow's 
choosing 
> Buffy over her, she hid her sorrow well. Dawn sat back and prayed 
that Tara 
> would find her happiness, as Buffy and Willow clearly have in each 
other.
> 
> "And after Osiris smiled at us," Willow finished her narration, "we 
found 
> ourselves back here. But I'm still not clear what happened. I 
mean, after 
> Buffy tried to push me out of the way, what happened to Rack?"
> 
> "I think you did, Willow," Victoria answered, sipping her coffee 
serenely.  
> "When Buffy began to push you away, we saw a flash of bright 
light. When the 
> light faded, Rack was gone, and you and Buffy fell to the ground.  
I suspect 
> that he overloaded on your shared energy, and it consumed him."
> 
> "I don't get it," Buffy said. "I thought Rack drew his strength 
from magic 
> energy. I don't have any magic, do I?"
> 
> "Oh, I dunno," Willow looked up at Buffy, her face dimpling in an 
elfin 
> smile. "That kiss in Spike's crypt was pretty magical to me."  
Andrew leered 
> at Willow's comment, only to be shot down by Tara's withering stare.
> 
> Victoria chuckled, answering, "It wasn't the magic that overloaded 
him, 
> Buffy, but the love behind it. It was that power that consumed 
him." Willow 
> nodded in agreement, snuggling closer to Buffy. 
> 
> "I'm still kinda fuzzy about that whole giant bird-headed dude and 
all that," 
> Xander admitted. He sat on his favorite chair in Buffy's living 
room, while 
> Anya sat on the floor in front of him, her head cradled between 
Xander's 
> knees, as Xander idly ran his hands through her hair. "Okay, I get 
the whole 
> soul-merging thing, meaning that you're soulmates or something like 
that, 
> right?"
> 
> "We felt that too, Xander," Buffy said solemnly. "Uh, sorry 'bout 
that, 
> Tara."
> 
> "Don't be, Buffy," Tara flashed her a watery smile. "Just treat 
her well."  
> Buffy nodded her thanks to Tara.
> 
> "I think what we saw was the end of our final testing," Willow 
said. "The 
> last test of the Urn of Osiris. We were in the presence of Osiris, 
the final 
> judge."
> 
> "If I remember the mythology correctly," Victoria 
explained, "Osiris, the 
> Lord of the Underworld, placed each soul that approached him on one 
pan of a 
> scale, and a feather on the other pan. If the soul was heavy with 
evil and 
> darkness, and proved to be heavier than the feather, the soul would 
fall into 
> the pit of the demon Ammat, the devourer of souls. If the soul 
proved 
> lighter than the feather, it would be welcomed to Osiris's fields."
> 
> "So what happened to us," Buffy reasoned, "was sort of a closure.  
Like we 
> finally got the darkness out of our systems."
> 
> "Exactly," Victoria answered. "In the end, what was needed to 
complete the 
> cleansing was each other. You, Willow, cast a light on Buffy's 
darkness.  
> And you, Buffy, through your familiarity with the dark, helped 
Willow bear 
> the burden of her dark magic."
> 
> Buffy and Willow digested Victoria's words, weighed them in their 
minds, and 
> knew them to be the truth. Buffy turned to Willow, and saw into 
the depths 
> of her bright green eyes, far brighter than they had shone in 
months.  
> 
> "So, Willow," Buffy quipped, "you ready for the cleansing ceremony 
on the 
> Solstice?"
> 
> Willow gasped briefly. "That's in five days, isn't it? Victoria, 
will you 
> be there?"
> 
> Victoria felt a tear of joy at Willow's question. "I wouldn't miss 
it for 
> the world, Willow."
> 
> "Neither would I," Tara answered. Xander, Anya and Dawn also spoke 
in 
> agreement, and even Andrew smiled approvingly toward the redhaired 
witch.  
> Willow basked in the comfort and support of her closest friends.  
For the 
> first time in longer than she could fathom, she was looking forward 
to 
> tomorrow.
> 
> Buffy took Willow into her arms once more, giving her beloved a 
comforting 
> hug. "Welcome back, Willow," Buffy began to cry with joy. "I 
missed you."
> 
> <<>>
> 
> Epilogue; Six Months Later
> 
> "Making my way downtown,
> Walking fast, faces pass
> And I'm homebound.
> Staring blindly ahead,
> Making my way, making my way
> Through the crowd.
> 
> And I need you,
> And I miss you,
> And now I wonder
> 
> If I should fall into the sky,
> Do you think time would pass us by
> 'Cause you know I would walk a thousand miles,
> If I could just see you-
> Tonight."
> 
> --Vanessa Carlton
> "A Thousand Miles"
> 
> Sunlight streamed through the window of the main bedroom in the 
Summer's 
> house. Formerly occupied by Buffy's mother before her death, the 
room was 
> now shared by Buffy and Willow, much to Dawn's relief; she had 
occasionally 
> quipped that she was glad that Buffy and Willow were sleeping far 
enough from 
> Dawn's bedroom that she couldn't hear them. According to Dawn, 
Buffy and 
> Willow could get rather vocal during the throes of passion.
> 
> Buffy stirred slowly, unwilling to leave their bed. She luxuriated 
in the 
> scent of Willow's hair on the pillow next to her, and her fingers 
strayed 
> toward her lover's side of the bed. When all she felt was the 
indentation 
> left by Willow's body, Buffy's eyes suddenly snapped open and her 
body bolted 
> up. "Willow?" she called out.
> 
> "Right here," Willow's voice chimed from the hallway, easing the 
fears that 
> were beginning to sprout in Buffy's soul. Willow slowly entered 
the room, 
> carrying a bed-tray loaded with two plates, a skillet of scrambled 
eggs, a 
> bottle of Tabasco sauce, a pitcher of juice and two glasses. She 
placed the 
> tray on the bed next to Buffy and leaned in for a kiss, which Buffy 
happily 
> surrendered. "Happy six-month anniversary," she breathed in a 
sultry 
> whisper.
> 
> "Hmm," Buffy hummed as she took another taste of Willow's 
lips. "Y'know, 
> this is the first time I ever celebrated a six-month anniversary."
> 
> Willow crooked an eyebrow as she dished out some eggs to Buffy's 
plate, 
> saying, "You mean Riley never treated you to breakfast in bed at 
the 
> six-month point? Well, now, that should have been your first clue 
that 
> something was wrong with that boy."
> 
> "Excuse me," Buffy reminded Willow, "I thought we had a standing 
agreement 
> never to mention ex-lovers in this bed."
> 
> Willow blushed for a second, then regrouped; "Uh, technically, I'm 
not in the 
> bed right now."
> 
> "True, true," Buffy's face suddenly took on a wicked expression, 
one that 
> thrilled Willow with its erotic promise. "We should correct that 
oversight." 
> Buffy suddenly lunged forward, taking Willow by the waist and 
pulling her 
> into the bed with her. Only her Slayer reflexes prevented her 
sudden attack 
> on Willow from knocking the tray onto the floor. "Much better," 
Buffy 
> purred, enjoying the weight of her lover firmly on top of her.  
Their lips 
> drew toward each other in a long, slow kiss. Not the kiss of two 
people 
> intent on making love, but the kiss of two who were secure in the 
love they 
> shared.
> 
> "Good morning, Willow," Buffy cooed, her head happily nuzzling 
Willow's neck.
> 
> "The best," Willow agreed wholeheartedly.
> 
> The two lovers finally disengaged the hug long enough to get to the 
breakfast 
> Willow had prepared. Even as they ate, their hands strayed, 
touching and 
> caressing each other. While their first kiss was not one of 
passion, they 
> both knew that passion was coming soon.
> 
> Buffy shook the Tabasco bottle over her plate, sprinkling drops of 
red pepper 
> sauce over her eggs, while Willow looked on in amazement. "I'm 
amazed that 
> your tongue still works, considering how much you love Tabasco on 
your eggs."
> 
> Buffy slid her eyes slyly toward Willow, her voice husky with 
latent desire; 
> "I didn't get any complaints about how my tongue worked last night."
> 
> Willow's cheeks suddenly turned redder than her hair. "That's not 
what I 
> meant and you know it," she whispered hoarsely.
> 
> Buffy laughed at Willow's slight embarrassment, then scooted her 
butt up the 
> bed until her body was touching her lover's. "Maybe I'll give you 
another 
> demonstration after breakfast. That is, if you want."
> 
> "I want, I want," Willow grinned hugely.
> 
> "Hey, don't go all Cave-Willow on me," Buffy teased, as she ate 
another 
> forkful of eggs.
> 
> As the two women finished their breakfast, Buffy turned to Willow 
and asked, 
> "Hey, we're supposed to meet Tara today, right?"
> 
> "What happened to 'no talking about our exes in this bed'?" Willow 
quizzed 
> Buffy.
> 
> "Tara doesn't count," Buffy insisted, "she's still family."
> 
> "Fair enough," Willow answered. "Besides, now that she and Amy got 
together 
> after Rack's disappearance, they're both happier than they've been 
in a long 
> time. And with Amy preparing for her cleansing ceremony at the 
Summer 
> Solstice next week, Tara's really excited."
> 
> "That's good," Buffy agreed. "I'm glad that Tara and Victoria were 
able to 
> find Amy after Rack died. After all Rack put her through, she was 
in bad 
> shape."
> 
> "Yeah, but she's been improving. Since she and I joined Victoria's 
coven, 
> we've both learned to embrace the spiritual side of Wicca. I think 
that's 
> made a lot of difference."
> 
> "I'm glad," Buffy leaned her head on Willow's shoulder, again 
smelling the 
> sweet jasmine scent of Willow's shampoo. "Of course, there's no 
cure for my 
> addiction, is there?"
> 
> "Your addiction?" Willow gave Buffy a puzzled look.
> 
> "I'm a Willow-holic," Buffy declared.  
> 
> "Well," Willow giggled, "I guess that makes me a Buffy-holic. And 
that's one 
> habit I don't plan to kick." After they laughed again, Willow's 
voice grew 
> more serious, more passionate; "But it's far more than that, 
Buffy. This," 
> she took Buffy's hand in hers and lifted it between them, "is what 
we gained 
> from our experience. Our souls merged in Orisis's realm. The way 
they were 
> meant to. We're one soul, Buffy, in two bodies. And I can't 
imagine a 
> better fate." Willow pulled Buffy's hand to her lips and kissed 
her knuckle.
> 
> Buffy raised her eyes to meet her lover's again. "Willow 
Rosenberg, will you 
> marry me?"
> 
> "Yes, Buffy, I will," Willow answered immediately, joy shining in 
her green 
> eyes. "But we wouldn't need the ceremony anyway. In the truest 
sense of the 
> word, we already are married."
> 
> Buffy had no more words for Willow, and indeed words were not 
needed. She 
> took Willow's body in her arms again, not caring whether the 
breakfast tray 
> fell off the bed, and leaned on top of her in a passionate kiss.  
Willow 
> responded with as much ardor as she could, and soon they began to 
shed their 
> clothes, resuming the most ancient celebration.  
> 
> They never did finish their breakfast, but neither one complained.
> 
> <<>>
> 
> "And I would walk five hundred miles,
> And I would walk five hundred more,
> Just to be the man who walks a thousand miles
> To fall down at your door."
> --The Proclaimers
> "Five Hundred Miles(I'm Gonna Be)"