FIC: The Rocky Road Epilogue: And That Has Made All The Difference (16/16)

[~~Kimber <kacoe@xxxxxxx>]

*Big goofy grin*

I love you guys, I really do....Have you so little faith in me that you
honestly believed I'd leave it hanging there? *evil grin* I hope
you've enjoyed the trip as much as I have. It's been a hellofa ride.
Perhaps a sequel is in order, but then again, maybe not. Who knows.

Allow me to give full permission to anyone who wants to take up the
story where I left off. I challenge you. No, wait. . .as a matter of
fact, I TRIPLE DOG DARE YOU! *Bwaahaahaahaahaa*

---------------------
Title: The Rocky Road Epilogue: And That Has Made All The Difference
(16/16)
Author: Kimber (kacoe@xxxxxxx)
Disclaimer: All BTVS characters belong to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy.

Summary: Fourth in the Road Series
Spoilers: Everything is fair game.
Distribution: Pat Kelly, Rodrigo, Gary Thompson, Syrenslure and
Serendipity. Anyone else, e-mail me please.
Author's Notes: Thanks to my secret love, Dave, for the song lyrics.
Hehe?.You rock baby!!!
------------

?Through the night, through the dawn?
?Behind you another runner is born?
?Don?t look back, you?ve been there?
?Feel the mist as your breath hits the air?
?And its underneath the moonlight ?
?Passing some?
?Still your heart beats in the moonlight?
?Like a drum?
?And you will run your time?
?A shooting star across the sky ?
?And you will surely cross the line?
?To pass on the flame?
?Sun come up, sun go down?
?Hear the feet see the sweat on the ground?
?Watch your step, keep your cool?
?Though you cant see what?s in front of you?
?Runner? by Mamferd Mann?s Earth Band


She walked without purpose, without direction or intention. Her clothes
were dirty, wrinkled and she supposed that she smelled really bad. It
didn?t matter. Nothing did now that he was gone.

Anya stopped and stood under a streetlight on the corner of Fifth and
Main. She looked around and sighed. She imagined that it might be
around one or two in the morning, she wasn?t sure. Again, it didn?t
matter. In over eleven hundred years of being a vengeance demon, she
still couldn?t wrap her head around the reasons men do the things they
do. Or why women still love them despite their stupidity.

She felt her stomach lurch and lost her balance. She gained it quick
enough, but when she adjusted her vision, she was no longer standing in
Sunnydale. No, she was standing in a place much more familiar than
that wretched little town.

?You no longer travel well. Must be the time you?ve spent as a mortal.?

She?d recognize that voice anywhere. ?D'Hoffryn.?

The demon emerged from the shadows and bowed his head to her.
?Anyanka. You look well.? He steps up in front of her. ?Your screams
are keeping me up at night, as well as most of Arash Ma?har, and the
community is not pleased. What seems to be the problem??

Anya glares at him accusingly. ?What seems to be the problem? What?s
the. . . .you have got to be kidding me! I?ve been wronged, dropped,
dumped by a man! My heart is broken, I have no orgasm friend, and you
ask me what my problem is!?? She crosses her arms across her chest.
?You are definitely male, D?Hoffryn.?

He tried to suppress a grin. ?I see. So a male has caused this
difficulty in your life.?

?You didn?t bring me here for idle chit-chat. You can do that with your
minions any hour. What do you want??

?He doesn?t want anything.? A deep voice answered from behind her. ?I,
on the other hand, wanted to see you.? Xander placed his hand on her
shoulder. ?And this was the only way I could think of at the moment.?

?Xander.? Anya whispered. She turned around and blinked a few times,
wondering if it was a dream. ?Are you real??

He chuckled. ?Of course I?m real! Go ahead, touch me. I won?t
disappear, I promise.?

She reached out and poked him in the ribs a few times.

?Hey! Cut it out!? He swatted her hand away. ?I may be immortal, but
I?m still ticklish.?

She smiled up at him for a few seconds, but then her smiled turned into
a blank expression. Then her blank expression turned into a frown.

Xander knew that could only mean one thing. ?Anya?? He whimpered.

She pulled her arm back as far as she could and decked him. Hard. She
got a sudden burst of adrenaline and started whacking away at him
anywhere she could.

?Anya! Ouch. . .no. . .stop! Hey. . cut it out!? He finally got a
hold of her arms and held her still. ?Take it easy. I heal quick, but
not that quick. That smarts!? He gave her his best lopsided goofy
grin.

?You left. Not a word, no note, no last orgasm, no goodbye. You just
disappeared into that dimensional tear.?

D?Hoffryn cleared his throat from behind her.

Xander looked up, embarrassed. ?Yes, well. . .lets go someplace else
and talk.? He put his hand out to her.

Anya hesitated for a moment looking between his face and his hand.

?Come on. Trust me.? He pleaded. ?I want to tell you a story about
what happened to me when I was standing on the corner of Fifth Avenue
and Main Street. Only not here.?

She relented. ?Fine.? Seconds after she placed her hand in his, their
bodies faded out, leaving two tiny lights floating in the air. The two
lights scurried off into the darkness and D?Hoffryn shook his head as
they disappeared. ?Kids these days.?

--------------------

Buffy found the note almost two hours ago. Faith, Angel, Cordelia and
Giles were out looking for Willow. They all spread out to canvas the
town and Cordelia took Angel?s car to cover more ground. Buffy decided
to stay behind in case Willow changed her mind. As Cordelia made a left
turn onto the main road, she spotted Willow immediately. Quickly she
parked the car and ran to catch up to her near the Espresso Pump.

?Have you totally lost your brains!??

Willow was startled out of her reverie. That piercing voice could only
belong to one person. ?Cordelia??

?Damn right. You?re lucky I?m the one that caught you trying to pull a
Copperfield and not Buffy. Just what do you think your doing??

Willow placed her bag at her feet. ?I have to find Xander. I have to
explain to him. . .?

?Willow. You have to earn a living, pay taxes on them, get up in the
morning, shower, eat, and die. Well, you and Buffy are exempt from the
dying part. But that?s not my point. Xander made his choice.?

?And so have I.?

Cordelia shook her head. ?If you leave now, it will kill her. . .well,
metaphorically that is. I mean, do you get that at all? Do you get
just how much you mean to her? To all of us??

?Cordy, please.?

?No, Red. . .I?m not budging on this one. You came to me and Angel
after you were attacked. Maybe that?s what you needed, maybe it?s what
was best for you but when she found out ? she went crazy! To save her
life, Angel had to turn her into a vampire! Hello? How many people can
say they were a vampire and lived to talk about it??

?I was there Cordy, I remember everything. I know how much she hurt,
and I gave her time and now I need time and. . .?

?She called Angel after you left for Oxford. He was on the phone with
her all night listening to her cry and talk about the fight you guys had
and how much she missed you. He called her every day after that just to
make sure she got out of bed and went on patrol and was living some sort
of a life until you got back. You didn?t hear her Will, you didn?t hear
the emptiness in her voice.? Cordelia paused a moment then put her hand
on Willow?s shoulder. ?If you leave now, I don?t think she?ll be able
to take you back, Will. I really don?t.?

?He left, Cordy. Xander?s gone and I may never see him again. We?ve
known each other since we were five and he stole my Barbie doll.? She
chuckled. ?I can?t imagine my life without him ? I just can?t.?

?There was a time that I couldn?t imagine my life without someone too.
We had built such a strong relationship, learned to rely on each other,
told each other secrets and loved each other in our own special way.?
Willow looked up at her and she smiled. ?But she left and I had to move
on. It hurt, but I did it. Xander?s not dead, Will. He?ll come back
when he?s ready. Until then, you and Buffy need each other. Don?t you
think you?ve been apart too many times already??

Willow reached out and squeezed her hand. ?Cordy, I?m sorry.?

?Don?t be sorry, Will. I?m not. I wouldn?t trade the year we had
together for all the money in the world. And with how stingy Angel is
with raises, that says a lot!?

Willow stood in contemplative silence for a few moments. ?I love Buffy,
I really do. To tell you the truth, I really don?t know what I?m
doing. I?m not sure if it?s the right thing to go and try to find him,
or to stay here and let him come to us.? She walked away a few paces.
?God, Cordy. . .do you realize that I?ve been running since I got out of
college? First it was to England, then to you and Angel in L.A., back
to England, back to Sunnydale for about a year, off to England again to
finish my degree and here I am *again* in Sunnydale.? She took a deep
breath and smiled at Cordelia. No matter how old she got, she kept the
babble-mode ready and waiting at all times. ?I just don?t know what to
do, where I belong.?

?You know where you belong Red. You belong with Buffy. Since your
freshman year in college you two have been getting together. Not even a
mystical crystal thingie could keep you apart. Don?t you think the
Powers That Be are trying to tell you something??

?Cordy??

?Hmm??

?Take me home??

Cordelia smiled. ?You got it Red.?

------------

Buffy sat on the edge of the bed flipping through her charred high
school yearbook. It seemed like such a long time ago and things were
simpler then. She, Willow, Xander and for a time Cordy and Faith ? they
were to core Scooby gang, the Slayerettes. They did it together. They
fought the good fight and Giles was right: She was the longest
surviving Slayer for a reason and that reason was the support she got
from her friends.

As she turned to the page she knew so well ? the page with Willow?s
picture on it ? a small piece of paper slipped out and onto the floor.
She bent down to pick it up and smiled when she saw what it was. Willow
had slipped it to her in chemistry class out of the blue. Everyone had
just found out that Angel was back and somehow, Willow knew exactly what
Buffy needed to hear. She began to read out loud:

When I take stock
Of all the times we shared
Strangely enough
The memories I hold most dear
Are not from the moments of fun and laughter
But of the times
When food was scarce and times were tough. . .

Willow slipped quietly into the room and finished the rest of the poem.

And you found your strength in me
And I in you
For surely those were the times
That we truly learned the meaning
Of love.

Willow smiled at her. ?You know. . .even then I knew on some level how
I felt about you, it just took me a while to realize it.? She sat down
on the bed next to Buffy. ?I?m scared, Buffy. And when I?m scared I
run. So instead of running now, I?ve decided that what I need most of
all is you. I need to let you see me hurt because in the end I always
wind up running to you anyway. So if it?s okay with you, I?ll just cut
out the middle part and go straight for the comfort.?

Buffy placed her head on Willow?s shoulder. ?No matter how much time
passes, I?ll never get tired of hearing you say you need me.?

?Well good. Cause I?ll never get tired of saying it.?

?I miss him too Will. I don?t understand what you?re going through but
I can try. All I can do is try and be there for you and be what you
need.?

Willow kissed her forehead softly. ?You?ve always been just what I
needed. Always. And I?m not going to forget that again. I promise.?

------------

***Three weeks later ? A warm March evening ? The sun has just set***

?You?re sure??

?Buffy I?m positive. Sheesh! Angel went to pick her up at the
airport. Her plane gets in around seven and she?ll be here by eight.
Now would you relax already? Everything will be perfect.?

Willow spent five days with her parents and Nana in Oregon. They said
that if they weren?t going to be able to spend her birthday with her,
the least she could do was visit them for a few days. She agreed
knowing that her parents wouldn?t give up on it. It was good the way
things worked out because this way she was guarenteed to spend her
birthday with her friends in Sunnydale. Right where she belonged.

The Summer?s house was buzzing with activity. Cordelia was hanging the
last of the streamers in the back yard with Giles, while Joyce and, of
all people, Faith prepared the food.

?I never would have guessed you could cook.? Joyce commented to the
brunette slayer.

Faith shrugged. ?I pretty much took care of myself growing up.
Everybodies? gotta do it sometime. I just did it sooner than later I
guess.?

?Hey you two. Mmm. . .looks good.? Buffy stole a chicken leg from the
stove.

?Hey, B! Can?t you wait??

Buffy shrugged. ?Slayer metabolism, F. . .? Suddenly, Buffy froze.
?Shh!! Everyone!? Buffy strained to listen to something coming from
outside. ?She?s here! Quick. . .take your places!!!?

---------

?. . .then when Giles was sleeping, I took the seventh volume of the
Garzian texts, hid the sixth and, well, you were there for the rest of
it.?

Xander had taken Anya on a walk through limbo. It was quite peacefull
actually. It was somewhat like a forrest, but not. Everything was
alive and able to communicate. Anya had almost forgotten what it was
like there. She plucked a flower from the base of a tree and the old
oak turned to her and preceded to lecture her on having manners and not
taking what didn?t belong to her. After all, how would she like it if
he went to her house while she was sleeping and took a lock of her
hair? Or decided that he wanted her ear for himself? Xander found this
greatly amusing. Who would have thought that he would be more
comfortable in this dimension than an ex-vengeance demon?

They walked along in silence. He wanted to give her time to absorb
everything he?d told her. She stopped finally and looked up at him.
?It was selfless and selfish at the same time. Only a male could pull
that off and get away with it.?

?I love you.?

Anya froze mid-step and looked at him as if he had three heads.

He cocked his head to the side and smiled. ?What?? He took her hand in
his. ?I love you. Is that so hard to believe??

?You don?t love me. You left me. You can?t possibly leave someone that
you love.?

?Anya, sometimes you have to make it harder now so that it will be
easier later. I?ve been human a lot longer than you have, and I?ve been
Immortal for less time than you also but the one thing that we have in
common is that we need people. We need to be loved and give love in
return. Human or demon ? that will never change.?

?I loathed people for over a thousand years. I reigned in terror and
was worshiped. I don?t need anyone.?

?If it weren?t for people, then you never would have ?reigned in
terror?. After you left me again you went to L.A and have been working
with Angel ever since. If you don?t need anyone, then why did you go to
him? Why not crawl around in the sewers like a rat or live in back
alleys away from people??

?So what are you trying to tell me Xander?? She was growing impatient.
. .plus, she hated to lose an argument to him.

?I?m saying that I still want to be with you, I still want there to be
an us. It?s not that difficult really. I have a job to do here, but
that doesn?t mean that I can?t go to the mortal rhealm every now and
again to see my girl.?

?So you want to have more orgasms with me??

He laughed loudly. Somehow, he never got tired of hearing her say
that. ?Yes, if that?s what you want to call it, sure.?

She concidered this for a moment. ?I guess it could work.?

?Well good.? Xander looked at his watch. ?Oh God, I didn?t realize how
long we?ve been gone.?

?How long??

?Three hours. Arash Ma?har hours.?

Her eyes went wide. ?But that means. . .?

?Three mortal weeks.? He smiled at her. ?On the job for not even one
day and I?m already goofing off.? He started to walk in the direction
they came from. ?Come on, lets get you back.? They walked hand in hand
for a while, then he turned to her. ?Wait. I left on a Friday. .
.picked you up Saturday morning. . .three weeks mortal time is three
hours here so. . . ? He suddenly got a panicked expression. ?How could
I forget?! Come on. . .there?s something I have to do.? He
practiacally yanked her arm out of it?s socket when he broke into a full
sprint.

---------------

?I still don?t see why we couldn?t stop in a Giles?.? Willow glanced at
Angel in the driver?s seat. They had just pulled up to Rovello Drive.
Willow was thankfull to be back home again, but she was anxious to see
Buffy.

?I have my orders little one. Buffy said you were to go straight home
without any stops.?

She frowned at him. ?Grumble, grumble.?

Angel smiled at her. ?Lets get inside. I?m sure Buffy will be here any
minute.?

?Fine.? She got out of the car and went around the back to grab some of
her bags. ?Big old mean vampire.?

------------

?Surprise!!!!?

Everyone jumped up at once when they heard Willow and Angel walk into
the backyard. She dropped her bags and looked around at the smiling
faces of her friends. She looked at Angel, looked at Buffy, looked back
at Angel and buried her face in his chest and immediately started to
cry.

Buffy ran up to her. ?Not the reaction I was expecting.? She smiled at
Angel.

Willow chuckled and turned to her. ?Buffy I. . .you did. . .party?. . .
.I. . .oh geez.? She pulled Buffy into a hug.

?Now that?s more like it!? Buffy wiped the tears from Willow?s face and
placed her hand on her cheek. ?I take it you?re surprised??

Willow nodded. Slowly she brought her lips to Buffy?s. She nipped and
kissed and emersed herself in the feeling and they were both soon lost
to everyone around them.

?Ahem.? Angel cleared his throat.

Willow blushed and kissed Buffy quickly again. ?Thank you.?

?You can thank me like that anytime. Just maybe not so much with the
audience next time.?

-----------

?And finally, this arrived today. I don?t know who it?s from.? Buffy
led Willow over to a large box.

She opened the card and smiled. ?I can?t believe it.?

Buffy walked over to her. ?Who?s it from Will??

?Dear Red, Hope you have a good one. Have as many as I have and you
won?t want to be celebrating so enjoy it while you can. Make sure that
Slayer treats you good or she?ll have the big bad to answer to.
Spike.? She looked up at Buffy. ?Can you believe it?? Willow
unwrapped the box and immediately began to laugh. ?It?s a bookcase and
there?s another note inside. ?To replace the one you and the Slayer
smashed to smitherines.?

?I?ll never cease to be amazed at what Spike is capable of.? Buffy
smiled.

?What?s this about a smashed bookcase?? Joyce quirked her eyebrows at
the two girls.

?Nothing mom. Long story.?

?Have room for one more gift??

They all turned around and saw Anya walk into the yard.

?Anya, I trust you?re feeling better.? Giles smiled at her.

She nodded. ?Yes.? She handed a small wrapped box to Willow. ?Here,
this is for you.?

?You didn?t have to get me anything, but thanks anyway.?

Anya smiled at her. ?I never said it was from me.? No one moved or
said anything for a few seconds. ?Well? What are you waiting for?
Isn?t it tradition for you to open a gift when you receive it??

Willow carefully undid the wrapping and opened the lid of the box. When
she removed the tissue paper she gasped at what she saw. ?No. It can?t
be.? Gently, she lifted the item out and held it up. ?I can?t believe
it.?

Buffy looked at her, concerned. ?What??

?Xander.? In Willow?s hands she held the Barbie doll he stole from her
when they were five. How could she tell? Other than it?s tattered and
worn appearance, she lifted the shirt the doll was wearing and looked at
her back. Scratched there in a child?s unsteady hand she found this:

W.R.
+
X.H.
BFFAA

?How do you know it?s him?? Buffy whispered.

?The back of the doll.? She replied in a shaky voice. ?Willow
Rosenberg and Xander Harris. Best Friends Forever And Always.?

?You?ll see him again. Just give it time.? Anya stated simply.

Willow nodded and smiled in reply.

?Okay! Who?s up for some birthday cake?? Buffy announced suddenly.
She had to lighten the mood one way or another. ?How about you Dr.
Rosenberg. It?s ice cream cake. . .?

Willow?s eyes lit up. ?Ice cream cake? You didn?t. . .? Buffy nodded
and smiled. ?You did!?

?Rocky Road!? They said in unison.

------------

Happy birthday was sung, a little off-key, and the cake was handed out
to everyone by the guest of honor. Willow had three pieces herself and
by the end of the night what once was a cake now only looked like soup.

Willow walked off towards a lone tree in the back yard and was content
for a few moments just standing there, watching her friends ? no ? her
*family* have a good time. She looked beyond the festivities to the
street light out front. She caught a glimpse of someone standing there
and began to go towards him, but he put his hand up to stop her. He
bowed low, blew her a kiss ? then simply disappeared. She smiled and
knew it was Xander. He?d said everything she needed to hear without
saying anything at all.

?Good thoughts?? Buffy walked up to her.

Willow smiled. ?Nothing but. . ?

?How about some more cake??

Willow shook her head. ?No. No more Rocky Road for me. I?ve had
enough of it to last me a good long while. I?m all sugared up as it
is. Do you want me bouncing off the walls all night??

Buffy wrapped her arms around Willow?s neck and leaned into her ear. ?I
don?t mind you bouncing all night. . .but off the walls isn?t what I had
in mind.?

?Buffy!?

Buffy stopped any other protests Willow may have had in mind with a
kiss. It was long and soft, unrushed and desperate at the same time.
Finally she broke away for air and smiled at the beautiful redhead in
front of her. ?Hey.?

Willow smiled back. ?Hey yourself.?

FINIS
------
The poem used in this chapter is untitled and was written by Javan. It
can be found in the book ?Something to Someone.? Copyright 1989.

you humble bard,
~~Kimber

PS
Yes. That's all folks. It's really the end. Can you believe it???

PS II.
If anyone has a problem with me HTMLing my posts in the future, please
email me privatly. (kacoe@xxxxxxx)