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*Banner By Ariel Dawn*
Thanks AD! Hugs~Opal

Story Dedicated to Meli!
Thanks for being a great Beta. Hugs~Opal

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Finally, here is where the story ends. It is a nice, sappy, happy, fluffy ending. There will not be a sequel, since I think that I've taken this as far as it can go.

Here is where I express my heartfelt thanks to everyone:

~ Thank You to Meli. She is a fantastic woman and wonderful beta. I'm so glad you loved this fic.

~ To Dom and GoldenBuffy, both whom have been faithfully asking me to update. *hugs**hugs**hugs*

~ To everyone who has constantly reviewed. I have tried to answer all of the reviews, but here I would like to acknowledge all of you have have been supportive, kind, and even constructive in your reviews. You all are awesome!!! Hugs to:

Ariel Dawn, Tasha, Vladt, Letitia, Rhonda, MarzBarz, Redwulf, Tami Brandt, Comedy of Errors, Erin, txjmfan, ZoeGrace, Elizabeth Anne Summers, Spikes_petslayer, Confused Muse,
Oracleholly, Athenewolfe, Lou, Braat44, Alex, Chanel 5, Max, Vicki, Tina, DK, Stephanie, Mali, Tamara, Sam, Karyn, Maria, Niamh,Cordykitten, Verda, DreamsofSpike, maryperk, SpaceLord, Pulchra Nex,Jane, Romero, seraiza, Sirc, BerMH, bubble_blunder, gaillee, idk5743228, Piper, Kim, lilmamaday, Jessica, Daisy,Cheryl, Spikes Slayer2, Bridget, Jackofspikes, PyroChilde, Kelci, Lynda, Kim, rayan, Ineke, Melissa, margaret, gillypod, diane-01, deedo, Aonadharcach, Araedhel, Dom, GoldenBuffy, Rebelbaby, Eve


If I missed you're name, I'm sorry. Kick me in the ass and send an email, I will be sure to post it.

Happy Birthday to maryperk!

Now here is my happy, fluffy ending. I know I stretch the imagination a bit, but hey I'll explain why at the end.

For one last time, thanks again. This last chapter is for all of you.

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Single Quotes = thoughts to oneself or between Buffy & Spike


Chapter 38 - Just Like Mom Used To Make




William slowly opened his eyes and sat up. Looking around, he seemed to be in the same crypt he was just in moments before Grandma Joyce came along. He could still feel the touch of her hand in his lingering still.

Will looked around the crypt and saw that he was alone. He stood up and wandered over to the closest sarcophagus. He noticed that the crypt was cleaner, and that there were a number of candles lit along the walls and sarcophagus. The candles on the wall were of red wax, the sarcophagus had white wax. In the middle of the candles, there was a black book, which on the top was inscribed in Latin:


Strength
Love
Endurance

Blood which Bonds
Blood which Ties
It is the Blood which is everlasting

Only the Blood of the Marked Ones
Shall this book yield its words

William reached for the book, and he was surprised that he was able to pick it up. He was surprised it was not dusty as he brought the book up to his nose. Gently, William inhaled the scents of his loved ones.

He opened the book to find that it was a journal of the past twenty years.

Therefore, the Powers That Be have decided that he was going to come back to his body as a twenty year old male. To his relief, he was still a vampire. He opened up the book and read the very first entry that was made by his mom the day after the big fight.

The Powers That Fuck with Peoples Lives did it again yesterday. They took my sweet William away from me. I can only estimate that he may return to us as a young man, if maybe at all. Spike seems to think that perhaps the Powers will send him to the same place he left, just in a different point of time. So, we have decided three important things today. One, that 1630 Revello Drive will always be our home. This way William will find his way home to us when the time comes. Two, we will turn the crypt that he left us from into a waiting space for him. Spike wanted to burn candles in honor of the spark he brought to our lives. Thirdly, we decided to start this journal, in case he didn’t remember all of the things we’ve done for him as he has grown.

I know he couldn’t stay, but damn it I miss him.

William tucked the book under his arm and made his way towards the exit in the crypt. Slowly the memories of his youth were starting to materialize in his head. With each step he took, he smiled.

His first birthday party.

His father teaching his mum how to cook a decent meal without burning the house down.

Auntie Dawn graduating from college.

The double wedding of Xander and Anya, and Tara and Willow.

Angel’s soul becoming permanently anchored, and then Dru and Angel becoming mates.

Auntie Dawn marrying an odd, but kindhearted man named Andrew. Then having her first child, Joyce shortly thereafter.

The first time he kissed a girl.

Snuggling up at night with his faithful companion, Trouble.

The day his father got a new Ring of Amara, so he could play outside with his son during the daylight.

Along with the good memories, came the sad.

Giles falling ill to congestive heart failure, and passing on to join Grandma Joyce as an emissary of the Powers.

When the First Evil tried to tear his parent's marriage apart, but they persevered.

Being in the hospital with his Mum and Dad, and hearing the doctors tell them their son was dying of cancer.

All in all the memories that were hitting him were of the good. He trotted down the path to his home and smiled, especially as he recalled his rebirth as a vampire, this time by the hands of his father with the help of Drusilla and Angel.


He had succeeded, even with a few forks in the road; he had succeeded in the mission. He had a happy family that would continue to live lives to the fullest for the remainder of eternity.

He looked to the top of the steps and saw the lights on the front porch. Everything looked the same, except the trees were taller and the cars were more modern. The flowers in front of the porch were vibrant and the sun was shining down on his home.

His home.

It was funny how he thought about that first instead of the fact that he was a vampire and that he was standing out in the sun and not combusting. Well, that was his second thought. However, his memories came to him and he recalled that he was not just a vampire, but he was half Slayer and half Vampire and the Slayer part of him was what allowed him to go in the sun. As William was absorbing this information in his mind, the front door opened.

Standing before him was his Aunt Dawn, Mom, Dad, and faithful companion Trouble.

“Welcome home son,” Spike spoke.

“Dad,” William spoke as he ran into parents arms. “Mom, so glad to see you here, and well.”

“I’ve waited all these years just to find out if my baby was alright,” Buffy whispered as she held onto her son tightly. “We knew the moment you had come back and you had touched the book.”

“The wards around the book,” William replied, “I’m slowly getting memories back, but I do seem to remember both you and dad saying that only when the time was right would I be allowed to pick up the book.”

As he held on to his parents with all his might, he felt another tapping on his shoulder, as well as a furry friend pushing his nose between himself and his parents. He moved back and allowed his aunt and dog to give him a hug as well.

That is when he noticed. Dawn still looked like she was in her twenties, and Trouble should have had all white fur by now.

Buffy recognized what her son was thinking, and decided to enlighten him.

“Thanks to the handy books on claims you referred to your Auntie Dawn, we will all be here for a very long time, including your aunt and dog. When she was twenty, she thought she figured out an enhanced version of the protection spell, and tried it on both Trouble and myself. While it was a protection spell, it also made us immortal.”

Dawn smiled at William.

“Well, I guess that means I have the first immortal canine. No complaints here, I assume?”

“Not at all,” Spike replied. “Let’s go in and sit around the fireplace and have some hot cocoa. We can read through the journal and reminisce about days gone by.”

Dawn, William, and Trouble walked into the house. Spike turned to Buffy and placed a soft kiss on her lips. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and led her into the house.

As he shut the front door behind them, he turned to her and whispered, “And the not so normal family lived happily ever after.”

Buffy smiled and took her mate’s hand and led him to the kitchen to make hot cocoa.

Just like mom used to make.


*****
The End.

Thank you again for sticking by. I have an extremely active imagination, and I really couldn't take having William come back to his dog being old or having passed on. Especially since my little birdie died this weekend on me. I was already sad, and I put you all through a sad chappie before.

Again, I appreciate your reviews and feedback. Look for some new ficage coming from me soon.

*hugs* Opal