Spike was the first one to look up. He hadn’t even heard any commotion at all, which was abnormal because Buffy and Harmony hated each other with a passion.
“Buffy.” He mouthed.
“Hi, Spike.” Buffy forced herself to smile. “How are you?”
“Good, pet.” He shrugged. “You here to see Peaches.”
“Ya, where is he?” Buffy asked.
“Upstairs, in his apartment. Are you two gonna shag, cuz I really don’t wanna stick around for that.” Spike moved to leave, but Buffy put her hand up to stop him.
“That’s not why I’m here, Spike.” Buffy admitted. “God, I didn’t want to do it this way.”
“What are you talking about?” Spike asked her.
“I came to say goodbye.” she sighed. “I’m not coming back, Spike.”
“Ha ha. That’s a good one, love.” he chuckled. “You really had me going there.”
“I’m serious.” Buffy told him. “I came to say goodbye.”
“Where are you going?” Spike asked.
“Where all things go after they die.” she sobbed. “I can’t stay, Spike. I wish I could, but I made a promise. Now I have to keep it.”
“What’s this promise?” he asked, intrigued.
“I can’t tell you.” she told him. “And I don’t want you to be sad for me, Spike. I need you to be strong. I know that you can be when Angel won’t the will to live. I need you to keep him from doing the unthinkable. I know that you two hate each other, but please, do this for me, okay?”
“All right, love.” he cried.
Buffy smiled one last time and moved to the door. She turned back to Spike.
“I really did miss you, Spike.” she told him and walked out the door.
And once more, Spike started to cry for the one woman he couldn’t save.
***
Buffy found Wesley and Gunn in her former watcher’s office, researching in some musty old book. She knocked softly at the door.
“Hello.” Gunn smiled at her. “How can I help you?”
“You must be Gunn.” Buffy chuckled. “Hi, Wes.”
“Buffy.” he hugged the former Slayer. “It’s good to see you. Are you here to see Angel?”
“No.” she shook her head. “I need to talk to you…alone.”
“That’s my cue, huh?” Gunn nodded. “It’s nice to meet you, Buffy. Can I just say that I’d thought you’d be taller?”
“I get that a lot.” she chuckled at Gunn. “Oh, and Gunn?”
“Yeah?” he asked her.
“Good luck.” she winked at him and turned back to Wes as Gunn left.
“So, what’s new?” Wesley asked.
“A lot, actually.” Buffy told him as he motioned for her to sit down. “Wes, the reason I’m here, it’s because of Fred…or Illyria, as she is now.”
“How do you know about that?” Fred wondered.
“I’m head of the Watcher’s Council, Wes. There’s very little we don’t know.” Buffy opened her bag. “This is an Orb of Thessulah, I’m sure that you’ve heard of it, being around Angel and all. This little baby here, holds one’s soul until it can be transferred. This can hold Fred’s soul.”
“But I thought--” Wes muttered.
“There’s a catch, Wes.” Buffy sat down again and placed the orb on his desk. “The catch is for Fred to have her soul back, someone else had to give theirs up.”
“Someone else?” Wes repeated.
“Without a soul in a human body, the human is literally jello. A soul makes them who they are. Without it, they die.” Buffy explained.
“Why are you telling me this?” he asked her.
“Because, Wes…” Buffy stood up. “I’m surprised you hadn’t figured it out, yet.”
“What?” he asked and then it hit him. “No, no.”
“Wes, I’m giving my soul so that Fred can have hers.” Buffy explained.
“Like Hell.” a voice called from the doorway.