FF: A Moment

[Connor MacBeth <connor_macbeth@xxxxxxxxx>]

I'm taking a time-out of sorts.

* * *

A Moment In Paradise
By: MacBeth
Disclaimers: Usual, ME and Joss owns them.
Author's note: Yet another timed dare, I didn't win
this time.
Dedication: To A.I.L.
"What do you feel?" the voice asked, sounding as
warm and comforting as a memory of sitting by the fire
in an old wool comforter. 
"Peace. And I see light. So much light. I feel
comfortable. For the first time in a lonng time, I
feel at peace. Long time... I remember the time before
the light." she hesitated, not wanting to revive
memories of the darkness and the pain.
"What do you remember?" the voice asked, sounding
like a whisper near her ear yet miles away. The voice,
ensuring her the pain wiouldn't touch her.
"I remember that everything was dark, and there was
Evil everywhere. But there was one Evil, She was
powerful."
"Glory." the voice hesitated, as though afraid of
frightening her. 
"Glory, the Hellgod. I remember more now. She tried
to open a gate and I stopped it." she shivered, "I
remember I had to close the gate, and save the
sunrise."
"Sunrise?" the voice asked, forming into a color
the shade of emeralds. 
"No... Not sunrise, Dawn." she looked through the
light towards the green. "I had to protect Dawn. My
sister. I took her place." memories of running toward
the sunlight and jumping towards the light flashed
through her mind. 
A touch to her cheek shook her from her memories. A
hand casually touched her cheek and she noticed the
voice had become a person. a girl, and a familiar girl
at that. 
Rich red hair tumbled down the shoulders of a
shining white toga, but it was the eyes of the girl,
vibrant emeralds that captivated the newcomer to the
light. "Hello Buffy."
"Willow. you're name is Willow." Her memories were
rapidly coming back and that name seemed more familiar
to her. "Where am I?"
"Eternity." The girl whispered. Buffy suddenly
realized they were sitting beneath a tree, the green
grass tickling her bare feet. 
Looking down, the blonde smoothed her own robe and
smiled. "This is Heaven?" 
Willow reached over and trailed her fingers through
the long blonde hair. "Heaven, Elisya, Valhalla,
Paradise, names don't matter here."
Off in the distance, Buffy spotted a heart warming
sight; her Mother, Joyce, was seated on a blanket
beneath another tree. Next to her, Rupert Giles was
rooting through a picnic basket while Dawn was napping
with her head in her Mother's lap. 
Out in the sunny glade, A smiling Xander kicked a
football towards a laughing Angel, who squinted
through the sunlight and waved towards the two girls.
Sitting on the sidelines, Cordy, Jenny, and Anya
watched as Wesley intercepted the white ball and
kicked it to his own partner, a thoroughly tanned
Spike. 
Buffy sighed, at peace and happy. Stretching, Buffy
lay down and placed her head on Willow's lap. "I
missed this."
Willow looked down and smiled. "I've missed you
too." she ran her hands through the silken gold hair.
The blonde shot up as ralization struck. "You're
not dead. I died, not you." Buffy pulled away from teh
redhead and looked around. Giles, Jenny, Dawn, Cordy,
Anya, Xander, Wesley and Angel had disappeared. Only
Willow, Spike, and her mother remained. 
The redhead only smiled calmly. "No, I and the
others aren't here now. But we will be. Someday."
Joyce smiled and hugged her daughter, "I missed you
Buffy, and yes, it's me." the two spirits kneeled
beside the two girls, Spike pulling on a white button
up shirt. 
"I've been here for over a hundred years, Buffy."
Spike said. "though I don't think I'll be here much
longer." He whispered with a knowing smile. 
Buffy turned back to Willow and took her hand. "But
why are you here?" 
Willow twined their fingers together and squeezed.
"Where you go I go. When you died, A large part of me
died too. I'll be here with you until I the End."
"I don't want you to die, Will." Buffy's heart
clenched at the very idea. 
"It happens to everyone eventually. It's natural."
Willow patted her lap and Buffy replaced her head in
her friend's lap.
Buffy looked into Willow's eyes and her smile
broke. "I never told you."
"You were afraid. As I was. Right now, on Earth,
I'm kneeling next to your grave and lamenting my own
inability." The redhead dragged her thumb along the
blonde's cheek. "I love you Slayer. I always have, and
I always will." 
Buffy's eyes welled up and her smile returned in
full force. "I love you too Willow. I should have told
you. I wish I could go back and tell you in person."
Willow's eyes became saddened and Buffy's heart
broke. All around them, the light faded and Joyce
stood, beckoning for William's hand. The two walked
away, and it continued getting dark. Buffy felt fear
return and she looked in panic to her best friend and
secret love. "What's happening?"
"You're getting your wish, Buffy." the red head
faded into the darkness and Buffy drifted, only
hearing the voice in her mind and her heart. "I love
you Buffy. Remember that." And with that, the Slayer
knew Oblivion.

* * *

Willow sat on her late best friend's bed and
concentrated on the computer on her lap. Her computer
search for resurrection spells had been fruitless
There was nothing that could help her resolve her
dilemma. Uncharacteristically, Willow slammed her fist
down on the laptop's keyboard. The jumble of
keystrokes blinked her computer into processing and
she found herself looking at an Auction site on EBay.
"The Urn of Osiris..."

Fin

MacBeth 
The Kamikazi Scotsman
The Kilted Moogle

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