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Many thanks for the reviews samica, Brat, Tahmoe, Isabel, Starshine, shippy & spikeslovebite.


Chapter 4

Even though the fire had died during the hours they'd been asleep, the room was still warm and cozy. The majority of the warmth currently surrounding them was due to the body heat conserved under layers of quilts. William's face was buried in Buffy's hair and one hand spanned across her abdomen. William awoke with a feeling of complete contentment coursing through him. The previous hours had been the most perfect of his life. He was in love for the first time, deeply in lust and at peace. The poet inside him rebelled a little, angst always fed his creativity. Hopefully joy would too.

Buffy turned over and smiled up at him, eyes bright and full of love,"Sleep well?" she asked, touching his face and brushing the errant curls from his eyes.

"I did. The fire's gone out."

"Leave it, William." He could see the change in her immediately.

"Tell me."

"I figured it out, what she was trying to tell us, about the Samsara." Buffy saw his joy crumble right before her eyes.

"Are you leaving me?" His voice broke and it was like a knife to her heart.

"I don't want to, I don't! But you remember what she said, only seven chances and we've already used up six."

"I don't understand." She took his hand in hers and held it between them.

"Each time we passed through a circle together, something about this world changed. People and things disappeared and now we're the only ones left. This house is the only place left. Outside is just a void, the dark places where demons come from, where lost and damned souls wander. This can't last forever, we have to go back to where we came from."

"I'll come with you! Wherever you are, I'll follow. Anything, Buffy, anything to be with you."

"I don't think it works that way, honey. Remember what she said though, once we find our soulmate, we become something greater, an ocean. It doesn't matter where we go, we're still together in Samsara. We'll always find each other in the end, in another life. It's forever William, we are forever."

Desperation fueled what followed and Buffy understood and shared his emotions as he made love to her one more time. There was a deep seated need to affirm their soulful connection with their bodies and William felt as if he willed it, he could hide his soul inside her. He made a wish for himself then. The tears that followed their climax were resigned and tender. They dressed in their original clothing and stood together in each others arms, watching the snow fall outside the window. The white flakes were illuminated by only the candles situated around the window. The multitude of colors reflecting around them was serene and haunting.

"What must we do?" William asked in a whisper, his hands moving up and down her back, her cheek resting against his chest.

"There are six circles inside the larger one. We break the window and jump through. We'll end up back where we started from. Bit wiser I guess, I hope. Maybe a bit less lonely."

"There is a certain peace with knowing what we do, but it won't be the same. It won't warm our beds."

"No, it won't."

"I'm not ready, Buffy."

"Neither am I."

"Must be done. Though I wish we could spend more time here together, just a little while."

"Maybe we can, maybe we should."

"No, love, you know well as I that time is fleeting. If we stay longer than we ought, longer than the time they've given us, who knows the ramifications. I don't have much to give you now. What I wouldn't give to have a wedding ring to present to you. Now before you start to give me grief about the sentiment, I'm still an old fashioned fellow and I the next time I will have you for my wife! And we will be married in a church!"

"Yes, sir."

"Here, take this, it was my father's." He pressed his gold pocket watch into her hands. "Keep it safe."

"I'll treasure it, you know I will." She tucked the item into her jeans pocket. She was shaking and he squeezed her tightly.

"Our love is stronger than this, we won't be apart for long, not when you consider we have forever. Won't be long at all."

"You're just being brave."

"You need me to be."

"You've always given me strength. You've seen me through the worst times in my life. You're my foundation."

"And I'll continue to be so, even after we leave this place." He moved away from her and picked up an old ottoman from the corner of the room. Buffy went to stand in the same corner as William approached the window. He hesitated for a moment and Buffy watched him wrestle his emotions back under control, then sent the piece of furniture crashing through the window. Instantly the darkness and cold surrounded him. The candles went out in an instant and snow came blowing in and filled the attic. Buffy made her way blindly to William. They found each other without difficulty and shared a kiss before stepping to the ledge. The glass crunched under their feet and the howling winds were deafening. She'd done this one before, taken a leapt of faith. That time it had resulted in her death, but this time with William's hand holding hers, she knew things were turn out differently. His last words to her were a whispered,"I love you." In her ear, before he wrapped his arms around her and they jumped into oblivion.

Buffy was jolted back to herself as her body spasmed. She fell from her perch on the fountain and landed on the stone of the street. She was back in Rome and as far as she could tell, everything was back to normal. Unfortunately. She sat on the lonely street and allowed herself a few tears, feeling as if part of herself had been amputated now that William was gone. When she stood up she noticed there was something in her pocket. She gave an unabashed yelp of joy when she pulled out William's pocket watch. She told herself then that she could do it, live out the rest of her life and find him again in the next one. What was sixty or so years compared to eternity? She knew she'd feel differently whenever she was lonely, or facing a new terrible challenge as a Slayer, but she'd been able to leave a little bit of her grief behind in her. She walked home with her eyes cast towards the moon. She prayed William was alright, wherever his soul was. Something told her it wasn't so far away from hers.



It was a Saturday night that she'd been with William and on the following Tuesday an unexpected knock came to the door of her apartment. She and Dawn had been eating dinner whilst watching television. On Sunday morning, Buffy had insisted Dawn take a walk with her around the neighborhood near the fountain, until they found the villa. The rather snobbish couple that now lived there wouldn't let them in, but from the street Buffy could see the window in the attic. It felt good for the sisters to share in their memories of Spike and for Dawn to know what kind of man William was. A second knock, a more insistent knock, spirited Buffy into action.

After she opened the door she stood in the doorway and looked at him. He was leaning back against the wall, thumbs linked through his belt loops. "Seems I've misplaced my pocket watch, pet. Haven't seen it about have you?" Spike drawled. Buffy saw through his bravado and that he was on the verge of tears as he looked across at her. He was different than she remembered from the last sight she'd had with of in the Hellmouth. His hair was longer and rather shaggy looking. Aside from the bleached tips it reminded her of William. There were scars marring his beautiful face and he turned his head to the side when he saw her notice them. "Was a dragon if you'd believe it. Got caught with the tips of its claws. Four clean lines. I think its rather sexy."

"It is."

"Wanted to come see you, almost did, dozens of time. Never quite had the nerve. But after....after...." She opened her arms and he practically flew to her. His grip was significantly strong than William's as he crushed her against him equally weeping as laughing at having her in his arms again. Buffy covered his face in kisses, tugging on his hair. She decided then that he wouldn't be allowed to cut it. He picked her up and she wrapped her legs around his waist. "Oh, Buffy, you're a sight for weary eyes." She smiled through the tears that streamed down her face. "I love you, pet."

"Love you too, silly vamp."

"That I am. There's something in my pocket for you. Not that I want to put you down but..." She allowed herself to be put on the ground, then fished into her own pocket for his watch.

"Trade you?" He saw the watch she had dangled in front of him and had to fight back tears of his own.

"Keep it, it was a gift. As is this..." He pulled a small box from inside of his coat and opened it before her. It was a ring. Not the massive multi-carat monstrosities that the Immortal had offered her as tokens, but a delicate thing of fine gold and silver filigree, with a solitary diamond fixed in a nest of flowers, each of the seven flowers contained a minute pearl. "It's no much..."

"It's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen."

"It was mother's...never could bear to part with it, even after I was turned. It can be our wedding ring, if you'll have me."

"You're proposing to me in a hallway?" His eyes widened and he gasped.

"Oh...oh, Buffy! I'm so..."

"Romantic! Of course I'll have you.

"You will?"

"Soulmates?!"

"Right, of course. Well then, um...c'mere..." He grabbed her around the waist and crushed his mouth to hers, while he blindly fitted the ring on her finger. They tumbled into the apartment, still kissing madly as Buffy maneuvered them towards the bedroom.

"I'll just get the door then, shall I?" Dawn said rhetorically, secretly more happy in this instant than any other before. She sat herself back down on the couch and turned up the volume. Rudolph La Renna Fiutata Rossa was just beginning on the tv and she thought to herself what an interesting Christmas this was going to be.

***

One more part to follow.





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