Title:                           Choices
Author:                      Somnambulantus
Email:                        Vampwillow01@angelmailbox.com
Disclaimer:               I don’t own sod all; I am not as smart (or rich) as Joss, Fox & UPN who do.
Summary:                Post ‘The Gift’.  After the credits roll Willow and Spike talk
Rating:                      PG-13 for naughty swear words

Feedback:                My first fanfic, go gently please!

 

 

 

CHOICES

by Somnambulantus

 

 

The sun rose on yet another sunny California day.  Only they knew the truth, this was no normal day.

 

They walked without words, to the only place to go.  They didn’t discuss it; it just seemed the only place to be right now.  Their feet and their hearts led them to Revello Drive.

 

They all sat here that day, crushed together on the sofa or sat like schoolchildren on the carpeted floor, no schoolchild was ever this quiet. 

 

Giles left first, he needed to be by his self, not one for public displays of emotion, needed to grieve in his own quiet way.  He also knew his duties to his brave girl; he mustn’t forget what she had been fighting for…her friends, her family.  He took Tara and Dawn to hospital, Tara’s head throbbed and ached and stitches needed to be applied to Dawn’s angry wounds, which smiled redly, glistening in the midday sun.

 

Xander and Anya weren’t far behind, and left without awkward or uncomfortable incident from Anya.  She seemed to understand more with each tragedy, the lessons came easier for her with misery than with joy, the impact more intense.

 

Two figures remained in the living room.  It had grown dark, but neither thought to turn on the light.  They sat quietly contemplating the day past and the days ahead. 

 

Willow was the first to break, hoarsely screaming to the gods, the powers, the heavens, to anyone that would listen, “IT’S NOT FAIR!  Why does everything always happen like this…they give with one hand and take away with the other.  It’s not fucking fair, god damn it! ”  Tremors wracked the redhead’s tired body, tears rolling down her cheeks, throat ragged from hours of crying.

 

Spike exhaled a mist of cigarette smoke, watched it curl and weave in the still air.  “It’s never fair…she fought the best years of her life for the bloody Powers That Be and this was her reward, her gift!  But welcome to the world, Red.  It’s never bloody fair…thought you would have worked that one out by now”

 

Willow looked towards the dark corner of Joyce’s…Buffy’s…‘the’ living room where Spike sat.  So low that human ears would never have heard she chastised herself, her personal sins, her demons knowing at her heart, “I don’t know how to feel anymore, I should have helped more…worked harder…done anything it took, but I just wanted my Tara back so badly…and now I’ve got her and there’s all this guilt – I got her back, but at what cost!  She did everything she could, she fought so hard, she didn’t deserve this”

 

He chuffed, “They never do, Pet, but she made her choice.  Like she told ‘Bit, this is the hard part, living.  Smart girl, takes most people a lifetime understand that”

 

His calm tone was too much for her to handle “When did you become so fucking philosophical, Spike?”

 

“That’s what 127 years will do to you.  You can learn a lot of lessons in that time whether you like it or not.”  He rose from his chair, began to pace slowly around the room.

 

She looked so scared, so lost, eyes shining with tears, skin ashen.   Words choked out of her mouth “I don’t know what to do, Buffy always knew what to do.  She’d know what to do right now…” 

 

He bent down and embraced the tiny witch, holding her as much for his own comfort as hers “You’re wrong, luv.  She was as confused as the rest of us.  She just knew she had to decide.  It was part of the job description for her.  She was the Chosen One…she had to choose.”

 

 

THE END