Betaed by Maria and Flight Of Fancy.



Nobody slept much that night. Willow spent her time thinking about how it would feel to be a great witch. She imagined doing everything with magic, and never having to clean or cook.

Xander thought about being a rich man in a suit, with a beautiful wife on his arm. He would show up late for work, and go home when he wanted. Home, to a big house with a swimming-pool.

Kendra dreamed of living a little longer. Having the chance to experience love. To live life.

Cordelia thought about her future, and about what to do with her life if she wasn’t cut out to be an actress.

Oz pondered ways to visit his family, without becoming a werewolf. He knew that he would hate to be locked up at every full moon.

Before falling into a restless sleep, Joyce prayed that somehow it all would have something to do with Buffy coming out of her coma. She couldn’t see any other outcome where everything would be okay.

Angel spent the night brooding about what Whistler didn’t tell him, wishing he knew what it was.

Giles’ thoughts kept running wild. Thinking the impossible. Hoping the impossible. He couldn’t see how it could happen, but he hoped his dream was about to come true. He prayed, really prayed as he hadn’t done in years.

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What do you give to the representatives for the Powers? At a loss, Giles asked the others, but they didn’t have any ideas. He would have been grateful to know if the representatives were male or female, to know anything about those he was buying a gift for, really. He settled for a beautiful crystal vase, though it wasn’t an easy choice.

Morning came, eventually, and everyone gathered in the lobby of the hotel they had slept in. They knew they were going to have a hard time waiting for noon, Angel especially, because the sunny day would prevent him from attending the meeting with Lorne. Angel was left behind as the group decided to head to the Diner near Caritas for a late breakfast before the rendezvous with the Host. When it was finally time to go meet Lorne, Willow was quivering with nerves from all the coffee she’d consumed at the Diner.

They were outside Caritas half an hour before the meeting time, waiting for Lorne. The Host was late. It was barely one minute after twelve when Xander started on his ‘You Can’t Trust Demons’ campaign.

Almost immediately Giles spoke up. “Xander, have you never been late?”

“Huh? Yeah, of course I have.”

“Then, by your logic, you are not to be trusted either!”

“Of course, I am,” Xander said outraged. “I’m not a demon.”

“So what you are saying is, that if a demon is late you can’t trust him, but if a human is late, it’s okay?” Giles glared at Xander, who didn’t answer him and instead just stared sullenly back at the librarian. “You know it’s nonsense you speak. Grow up, Xander. You’re not a child anymore. Act your age, or be quiet.”

Now Xander glared back at Giles. He was offended. How dare he talk to me like that? He’s not my father. Xander looked around at the others. No one would look at him. Feeling isolated, he took a couple of steps away from the group. He didn’t understand it. It was his group. He had named it and everything. The Scooby Gang is mine, damn it.

Lorne appeared from inside Caritas. “Sorry I’m late. I had a busy night.” He turned to locate Giles. “Did you remember the gift?”

Giles showed him the vase.

“Good choice. It’s beautiful. Let's go.” Lorne led the way.

“Where are we going?” Giles asked, curious.

“To the post office,” the flamboyant green demon responded.

“Oh, of course, you need to post your mail on the way.” Giles nodded in understanding.

“No. We must enter a portal to get to the representatives, and the entrance to the portal room is under the post office. That’s where we are heading.”

“Won’t the people in the post office see us entering?” Willow inquired.

Lorne smiled. “That’s the funny thing. They don’t seem to notice, just like they don’t react when they see me. To them, it seems normal that a green demon with horns, looking the way they imagine the devil would look, is walking down the street.”

They all laughed a little. It took less than a minute to get into the room under the post office. It was obvious to all that Lorne had been there before. After checking once more to ensure that Giles had his gift ready, Lorne ushered the group through the sparkling portal on the far side of the room.

“Hallo again.” Lorne greeted the two beings standing in what seemed to be a doorway to another realm.

The Scooby gang stared at the couple, uncertain how to interpret what they were seeing.

Giles was fascinated by the representatives. I have never seen or read about anyone with golden skin, and that blue pattern is beautiful.

“Watcher!”

Giles looked at Lorne. It seemed the Host had tried several times to get his attention. “Yes, I’m sorry. It was rude to stare. I apologize.” Giles blushed, while bowing his head out of respect for the celestial beings.

“We are a connection to the Powers That Be.” The male spoke. “We have been waiting for you. Did you bring a gift?”

Giles stepped forward with their gift, while Lorne stepped to the back of the group. “Lovely,” the female commented as she accepted the gift. “You want our help!”

“Yes, that's correct. We have found a book that would take us years to translate, and Lorne says that it has already taken too long. We were hoping you could help us.”

The beings looked at each other briefly. “Yes, the Eternal Light. It should have been here in a time line somewhere. It’s not complete. We know where an incomplete part of the Light is.”

“Where?” Giles hurried to ask.

“Not a place you can go.”

Giles was losing his patience. “Why can’t we get the Light? Is it because we need oxygen? If that's the case then I can tell you that we have a vampire in our group. He can go.”

“No,” they both said as with one voice. “The Light wouldn’t listen to any of you.”

“How do you know that? The Light doesn’t know us!” Giles had a speculative look in his eyes. “Or does it know us?”

The beings didn’t reply.

That was all the answer Giles needed. “Where is this Light?”

“In the future.”

Giles frowned. “Who’s future?”

They again looked at each other, like they were communicating without words. “Yours, a future that could have been.”

“What do you mean by could have been?”

“We will try to explain it so that you can comprehend. There is the Light, who is not complete. That started when Whistler kept things from the souled vampire. There were several opportunities for the Light to become complete. Humans got in the way. The Light was not strong enough to stand against them. When the Light was ready, its other half was sent back to it, but family and friends hid the Light’s other half away. The Light found out about their betrayal by chance. The knowledge came too late for the Light to save its other half. The other half died saving the earth. If we let this time run as it is, it won't end well.”

“I still don’t see why we can’t go get the Light?”

“Look.”

In front of them appeared a small pillar with a bowl on top of it. “Look into the water.”

They gathered around the bowl. What they saw was horrifying. An earth of ruins, many houses on fire. The sky orange. Soot falling down. Demons running free in the streets. No humans to be seen.

“Do you understand now?”

Giles’ glasses were off, he was polishing them intensely. “I do. I apologize again.”

"”We will send an ambassador for the Light.” The representatives looked at each one in of the group. “I hope that you are ready to accept the Light as it is. The Light, or a messenger from the Light, will contact you.”

“What about Buffy?” Joyce asked, both suddenly and loudly. She couldn’t keep quiet any longer.

“The Mother.”

“Yes, I’m the mother of Buffy Summers. How can we wake her from her coma?”

“The body that sleeps has lost its soul, and it cannot be retrieved again. It’s in what you call heaven. Do not disturb it.” They looked at Willow, as they spoke the next line. “Those who try will pay. A life for a life.”

“That’s why the spell didn’t work. The spell was searching for the soul.” Giles mumbled as he cleaned his glasses.

“That can’t be why. You said that the goo on her clothes could lead to some demon, they don’t have souls.” Xander shook his head in denial.

“Some demons have souls. Different from human souls, but still souls.” The male being looked for a long time at Xander and Willow, before he turned his gaze back to the others.

“And the book?” Giles asked.

“That is for your use. To have,” the female looked at the male shortly before she continued, “for verification.”

“That will be all.” The beings disappeared.

A few hours later, after they had exchanged phone numbers and addresses with Lorne, they headed for home. Everyone was deep in thought, and Joyce was mourning Buffy, crying on and off.

After arriving home, Giles used the rest of the day to write down what they had experienced in LA, making sure that he sent a copy to the Watcher’s Council.

After dropping her bags in the door of her home, Joyce immediately headed to the hospital, and sat there with Buffy until late in the evening.

Willow lay on her bed and wondered why they couldn’t bring Buffy back. She didn’t get it.

The next day was Sunday. Joyce was up early to make a pot roast, and had it ready when the gang invaded her house at noon.

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

What a depressing place, Merrick thought. Not a place for a former Watcher. Looking out over what had once been a beautiful blue and green planet, Merrick now saw ruins, flames, and darkness. Even the air is dead. How does she live like this? He was grateful that he no longer had to breathe. The Watcher sighed heavily, knowing that he had a hard job ahead of him. How do I convince her to say yes? She’ll be taking such a big risk, and there’s no guarantee that she’ll be successful in the end. Merrick continued to think about the challenge before him, as he stepped around another fire and continued towards the building where he knew his quarry was located.

Merrick continued on his way, silently thanking the Powers for the spell that kept him invisible to the demons. Without it, he would have been long dead. Of course, he wouldn’t stay dead, but he knew it would still hurt like hell. He moved closer to the wall of what used to be a house, just down the road from his goal. Merrick realized he had been a little foolish to believe he would simply be able to stroll up the street and knock on the door. Finally, he could see the house he was looking for. Once a neat, two-story house, the top floor was now almost completely gone, and it looked like the remaining structured had collapsed in on itself.

Suddenly, he collided with an obstacle. “What the hell is this?” Though he couldn’t see anything in front of his legs, he clearly felt some kind of barrier that was preventing him from getting close to the house. He felt along it, trying to find an opening. He had to get past it. Damn it. He had followed the barrier in a circle around the house and was almost back where he started from. He was hoping to be discrete, but now he had no choice. He yelled as loud as he could. “Slayer. Slayer.” He waited for a little while and then yelled again. He tried several times before getting a reaction.

“Piss off. I’m not in the mood.” A hoarse voice sounded from the house.

“Not in the mood for what, Slayer? Shopping? As I remember, it was your favorite hobby.”

“Huh. Who are you?”

“Look for yourself. You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”

Merrick saw a board being wiggled loose to create a peephole. Suddenly, the door was yanked open. A small, blond woman was rushing at him. Her strong arms circling him. A good thing I don’t need to breathe. He returned the hug with the same intensity.

“Merrick,” she cried. “It’s been so long. How? Why?”

“That it has, Buffy. A very long time. Let’s get inside to safety, and then I’ll explain.”

“Oh, you’re right, of course. Please come in, and welcome to my home, Merrick.” Buffy kept a tight grip on her old Watcher’s hand, as she pulled him into the house and through what remained of the entryway. There was nothing in the first or the second room, they were completely bare. “This way.” She led him through the kitchen, and down the basement stairs. “This is home, sweet home. Have a seat.”

Merrick took his time looking around the basement. A cot in the corner. A little night table. A comfy armchair in the middle of the room. A desk covered with papers. Bookcases along the rest of the walls, and books stacked on the floor. There seemed to be books everywhere. Everywhere except under the stairs.

Curious, the Watcher moved closer to get a look. The walls under the stairs were covered with drawings of William the Bloody, and underneath, on the floor, was a half open bag. A quick glance at the contents revealed what looked like black jeans and t-shirts. With a sigh, Merrick turned around and watched Buffy light some candle to brighten the room. It was clear that his Slayer wasn’t ready to let go of the past. “Why do you still color your hair, Buffy? There’s nobody to see it anymore. Nobody cares what you look like.”

Buffy remained silent while she finished with the candles, and then went to sit on the cot. Her legs bent up to her chest, arms holding them in place.

“He liked my hair. All golden and long.”

“You mean Spike?” Merrick asked.

“Yeah, you work for the Powers so you must know it all,” she said, her voice full of a lingering sorrow.

“How do you know I work for the Powers?”

“I saw your dead body, all those years ago. Even if I hadn’t, you look really good for your age. Given what happened the last time I saw him, the Powers know not to send Whistler again. They’d have to send somebody I would trust enough to listen to, and here you are.”

“I could work for the bad guys.”

“Nah, I can tell whether you’re good or bad.” She shrugged.

“I see.”

“I’m sorry, I can’t offer you anything. There is very little left around here to eat or drink.”

“That’s okay, I’m not here for your hospitality.”

“Why are you here then? I’ve given them all that I had. What more could they want?”

“It’s a bit hard to explain, and I’m afraid it'll take some time.”

“Go on. Time is one thing I have plenty of.” Even more sadness was evident in her voice.

“First, let me tell you a little about the past.”

She held up her hand. “I lived in the past. I don’t think that’s necessary, and I don’t want to hear it all over again.”

“You have your past, but somebody changed it. Someone from the future travelled to the past to try and assassinate a much younger you.”

She was now sitting up straight. “So if I’m dead in the past, why am I not dead here?”

“This would happen anyway. Losing you earlier would just make it worse.”

She bowed her head, her face hidden by her hair. “Don’t get my hopes up. Just for a second there...I thought...” She didn’t finish the sentence. She didn’t have to, they both understood what she had hoped.

Merrick ignored her and continued. “Your body in the past isn't dead, it’s in the hospital. Your soul, on the other hand, is gone.”

“They'll try to bring me back, again!”

“They’ve been warned against it, but I know that Willow is still thinking about it.”

Buffy started to breathe very deeply, trying to get herself under control. I will not get angry. Anger is just a waste of time. She repeated that mantra until she was calm again.

Merrick used the time Buffy was struggling with her temper to read the titles on her books. He continued to talk, when he saw that she was ready to listen. “They found a book, or, Kendra did. I think you’ve read the one I’m talking about?” He looked at her, raising his brow.

She started to shake. “You mean the book with the prophecies?”

Merrick just nodded.

“But, that burned in the other house.”

“Not in that time. The Powers made it possible for it to be found.” He paused for a moment, to give her a little time to digest the information. “So, they’re expecting the Light.”

“Since I’m here, there must be another Light in that time. Who is it?” Buffy looked so sad, and so accepting of that sadness.

“There is just one Light. They are waiting for you, if you want to return.”

Buffy sat on her cot, an inner light slowly beginning to brighten her eyes.

“If I want to? What’s the catch?”