Title: Immortal Aid-The Last Goodbye
Author: Sweetdoggie (stirling_summer@yahoo.com)
Pairing: B/G
Rating: FRT
Summary: Character death, very sad
Spoilers: None
Disclaimer: No permission has been granted to use the characters. They are owned by their creator, Joss Whedon, Twentieth Century Fox, UPN, WB, and Mutant Enemy. This story is non-profit and is intended solely as entertainment. No copyright infringement is intended.

The guards at the door tried to stop the small blonde woman from entering the sick room. She pushed them aside as if they were nothing, walking quickly to the side of the bed that held a very old woman whose now faded hair had once been a vibrant red.

The old woman's eyes opened at the commotion. She smiled weakly at her visitor. “Buffy. I'm so glad you came.”

“How could I not come, Will? You and I have been friends for almost seventy-five years.”

“You still look like a kid.”

“Well, I guess I do. You know why.”

“I'm sorry, Buffy. I should have apologized all those years ago but I never could. Not after what I did.”

“You made me immortal, Willow.”

“I ripped you from heaven.”

Buffy tipped her head to one side. “Water under the bridge, Will. It wasn't my time or else you'd never have been allowed to bring me back.”

“I tell myself that.” She coughed and wheezed for a few minutes. “It won't be long now.”

“Put in a good word for me, would you? And, and if you see him, tell him I still love him and miss him so much.”

“He knows, Buffy. He always knew.”

“It's been twenty-two years since he passed on, Will, and I still miss him as if it was yesterday.”

“I've never seen two people who loved each other more. He'll wait for you, Buffy. He'll wait forever if that's what it takes.”

“He always was a marathon man.” Buffy smiled softly, remembering the old joke.

“It's time, Buffy. Hold my hand.” Willow moved feebly.

Buffy leaned over and took the hand. She held it till she felt the life leave her life-long friend's body. Sitting there for a few minutes more, she reflected on the vagaries of a life that left her looking like she was still twenty but had slowly taken everything and everyone that she had ever loved away from her.

Standing, she slowly left the room, oblivious to the people who tried to talk to her. Leaving the hospice, she walked down the street and entered a pub. After looking around for a moment,she saw a face she knew and walked to his table.

“It's over, then?” He asked her tenderly.

“Yes. My last tie.”

He took her hand. “Are you ready to come with me, Buffy?”

“I really think I am, Laz, but would you mind if we took a stop at the cemetery? I need to put flowers on his grave and say goodbye.”

“I've waited decades for you to come to me, Buffy. I'm not going to begrudge a trip to visit the man you loved for three quarters of a century.”

They walked. Time meant nothing to either of them now. Buffy found the grave by a memory burned into her brain. She had purchased a bouquet of daises and wildflowers. Laz waited while she knelt over the weathered gravestone.

Rupert Giles, Beloved Friend, Mentor, Husband

“I miss you so much, Giles. When you died, I wanted to go too. It's so hard to be left behind. I understand that now. Willow promised she'd tell you how much I miss you and love you forever, Giles. Now, you guys are all together. You and Willow, Xander, Anya, Tara, Dawn, my mom and dad, dozens of friends, Spike and Angel, Wes, Cordelia...I heard Riley died two years ago. He had fourteen grandchildren. Can you imagine?” She took a deep breath.

“You probably know what I'm going to tell you. You always knew. Anyhow, I'm going away with Laz. He's the one they call the Immortal. He's waited for me for an awfully long time and it's good not to be alone. Don't think I'm ever going to forget you, but my life is going to last a very long time and I don't want to spend it alone, waiting to join you. Take care of all my family, Giles. I love you so much.” She saw her tears hit the soil of the grave, laid the flowers down on the flat stone and stood up.

Lazarus came up behind her and took her hand while looking down at the grave. “He was a very good man. Did he know about us?”

“I told him that you were waiting for me. He approved.”

“He never wanted you to be alone.”

“I'm not. I have the love a a lot of very good people in my heart. Death is just a transition to another life. Someday, you and I will be allowed to take that step and when we do, all the people who loved us will be waiting to welcome us home.”

“Do you think I'll see my sisters again?”

“Of course, and your folks and friends that have gone before. And maybe, you'll even see the one who made you what you are today.”

Lazarus smiled. “Good. I'd like to have a few words with him about that.”

They walked hand-in-hand out of the grave yard. Buffy turned one last time to look for him who was gone. She knew better than to believe it was a trick of sunlight when she saw his shade standing beside the grave looking after her. He raised his hand and then faded from view. Buffy nodded and faced forward once again, ready to step into whatever her new life had to offer, but never forgetting what her old one had already given her, just the way he had taught her all those years ago.

END