A/N - The idea is kind of tacky and awkward but i like it. I love reviews! crave them and I'll worship you if you review. This starts as soon as Buffy dies at the end of the gift. Also only the first few chapters are in heaven.
SPOILERS - The Gift, There's No Place Like Plrts Glrb, all of season 6 in Buffy and a lot of season 3 and 4 in Angel
DISCLAIMER - None of it's mine but the idea. All hail creator Joss! Transcripts also come from and
- Defining Moments - By Out Of Reality
-On The Tower-
Buffy and her sister stood on top of the tower deciding how to say goodbye or what to do about the portal. Suddenly buffy remembered all these things about her and Dawn being the same person and a look of peace over-took her face.
She turns back to Dawn, who stares wide-eyed knowing what her sister is thinking, "Buffy ... no!"
Buffy tried to make her understand, "Dawnie, I have to.
Dawn still protested, "NO!"
Buffy ignored it and held Dawn by the upper arms, "Listen to me. Please there's not a lot of time, listen." Buffy continues to talk to her as the lightning also continues to crackle behind them. During her words Dawn started to cry, " I love you. I will ALWAYS love you but this is the work that I have to do. Tell Giles... tell giles I figured it out and...and I'm okay. And give my love to my friends. You have to take care of them now, you have to take care of each other. You have to be strong. Dawn the hardest thing in this world is to live in it. Be brave. Live. For Me."
Buffy stroked the side of her sister's face, gave her a kiss on the cheek and finally turned away from Dawn. She started to run down the platform with determination and clarity written in her eyes while Dawn was left to stand there crying, already mourning for her sister. When buffy reached the end of the platform she swan-dived off the edge and into the glowing white portal. Buffy fell into the portal and froze in the middle of the ball of energy motionless, making expressions of pain. Slowly Buffy started to calm down and the pain she had felt before was comfronted and no longer there. The portal itself slowly started to shrink and eventually it became nothing and dissappeared just in time for the sun to rise. The body of Buffy Summers was left to fall hard onto the ground below.
Willow and Tara who are holding each other up walk forward along with Giles, all three of them staring at the body in disbelief. Xander who was carrying Anya was the last to make it to the scene of Buffy's body lying amongst the rocks and debris. Spike was the only witness to Buffy's fall and yet he was still trying to move forward toward her body but failing and falling to the ground as the sunlight hit him. Willow's eyes never left Buffy's as she began to cry finally accepting the fact Buffy was no more. Tara was more in the midst of comforting her girlfriend and trying to find out how to deal with the sorrow she was also feeling. Xander still can't believe what he's seeing as a few tears managesd to escape his eyes.
Anya as always was confused and actually saddened with the fact Buffy is gone as she lowered her head to Xander's shoulder. Giles was probably hurt most of all. His daughter and his slayer lay lifeless so it was so surprise that he begand to cry. Spike sat in the spot he fell and covered his bloody face with his equally bloodied hands as he too began to sob for the loss of the slayer. Dawn also slowly made it to the bottom of the stairs and proved herself to be the most frantic. She ran to her sisters side and gripped her hand as her tears started up once more. Her friends and her family were left to mourn and deal with the death of Buffy Summers.
-White Marble Chamber-
Buffy's body lay sprawled out on the floor of the very bright chamber the same way it was on earth. Two figures stood above her staring into the slayer's closed eyes until they suddenly weren't closed anymore. As her eyes snapped open she lay still staring at the cieling, "Is this heaven?"
The female figure smiled, "You can say that."
Buffy still didn't stand, "I remember... I fell..."
The male figure nodded, "You did and you are dead. It's time to begin your after life."
Buffy finally processed what was going on and slowly stood up. When she was standing she looked into the eyes of the woman, "What does that mean?"
The male answered for the woman, "Your duties are not done slayer. They may be on earth but there is still much to accomplish."
Buffy couldn't believe it, "Even in death I have duties. I can't believe this."
The woman smiled, "These duties are nothing like the ones of who you used to be."
Buffy was suddenly intrigued, "So what do I have to do?"
The man answered again, "You will have a guide for a few days. He will show you what we need you to do."
Buffy nodded, "Who is it?"
No words were spoken and a uncomfortable silence took over the room. When Buffy was about to speak a door from the side of the room opened and Whistler walked through. He smiled at the slayer, "Long time no see."
Buffy sighed, "Please tell me you're not still annoying."
He didn't get a chance to answer because the woman looked at Whistler, "You will teach her and tell her everything Whistler. Do not fail us."
Whistler nodded and bowed to her before walking to buffy and grabbing her hand, "Come on."
Buffy looked instantly confused again, "Where are we going?"
The man spoke up to Buffy, "You need to trust him Buffy."
Buffy nodded and started walking in the direction Whistler wanted to. In seconds it was obvious where they were going, through the door that Whistler came in through. When they were through the door Buffy looked behind her once at the man and woman before the door closed. Buffy wasn't sure it was time for questions so she just admired the beauty around her because everywhere she looked it was pure white with the exception of different colored flower petals that would fall every few minutes. They were on a walkway that Buffy was scared of because there was only a faint gold lining that told you where the walkway began and ended. For all she knew she could have been walking on a bridge over a giant hole into nothing but she didn't want to find out so she stuck close to whistler and stayed quiet. Well she stayed quiet until they came to the end of the walkway. When they stopped Buffy noticed three doors and three golden outlines and sudenly she knew a choice was involved. There was also a small table in front of door number two which is where Whistler lead her to sit down.
As she sat she knew she couldn't stay quiet anymore, "What are you?"
Whistler laughed, "That's always the first question." Buffy glared and he answered in a very dramatic way, "Messenger for the powers that be." Buffy continued to glare with her clueless eyes so he continued but he was actually serious now, "The powers that be are like the good version of the 'devil.' They know everything and up until you they knew the future."
"What do you mean, up until me?"
Whistler smiled, "You changed the world Buffy Summers. I said it before and I'll say it again, no one saw you coming. Everything you've done, everything you've accomplished has been a surprise. This world was supossed to go to hell with Acathla but you surprised us yet again."
Buffy smiled despite the mention to Acathla until she realized how confused she still was, "How come I've never heard about the powers that be before?"
Whistler shrugged, "You never needed us. Angel on the other hand did."
"What?"
"Well, when Angel left Sunnydale he was pretty lost so we sent him someone like me only he was alive."
Buffy knew who he was talking about instantly, "Doyle. The guy that had the vision of me in Sunnydale."
Whistler nodded, "Yeah. Well the powers that be are the ones who create those visions. If you're alive you get visions, if you're not then you're like me."
Buffy processed his words, "What does that have to do with Angel?"
"I showed Angel how important it was for him to get a soul and Doyle showed him how important it was to be a part of this world. Now he has friends and co-workers."
Buffy nodded, "So, am I one of you now?"
Whistler smiled, "Actually no. Have you ever seen the show Charmed?" Buffy nodded. "Well you know how they have a whitelighter?" She could only nod again. "I need you to be a whitelighter for someone."
Buffy glared at him in complete disbelief, "You want me to stay dead and guide some witch on a good path?"
"No." Buffy was instantly clueless again. Whistler pointed to the three doors, "Each one of these doors leads you to a place where you will be happy. The first door is a door to the un-born, the second door leads you to as you call it, heaven and the third door will lead you to a room where you learn to be like me. We need you to walk through the first door and guide a boy we know is going to be a great asset with your help or a great dissappointment without your help."
"You want me to talk to a boy who isn't even born yet?" Whistler nods. "He's not going to remember it though."
"He will. He won't remember you or this place but he'll remember the feelings and the most impacting words. The only time he will fully remember you is if he sees you which is imposisble because when he's born you'll still be dead."
Buffy nodded, "So why me? Out of all the dead heroes in the world, why would you want me to pal around with this kid?"
Whistler started to look a little uncomfrtable, "Well, I figured you would hold most cause to keep him safe."
Buffy sighed, "He's another key isn't he?"
"He's Angel's son."
Buffy was stunned to silence. The confusion and pain was evident in buffy's eyes. Only one word was able to come out of her mouth, "What?"
Whistler hurried to explain, "It is true vampires can't have children but Angel and William are exceptions."
Buffy's head shot up, "Spike get's to have a kid too?"
"Yes, but not for a long time coming. Right now we're talking about Angel's kid."
Buffy nodded, "Why can he have kids?"
"He can't have kids Buffy, he can have a kid. This child you're going to meet is the one and only for Angel. To be honest there is no reason why. Angel's son is meant to be great and the real world is going to benefit from him turning out right."
Buffy finally asked the question that would make or break her heart right then, "Who's the mother?"
Whistler avoided her eyes, "I can't tell you. It's not that I don't want to tell you because I do, it's just I can't because I don't know."
"How do you not know?"
"I only know what the powers tell me and they didn't tell me that Buffy, I'm sorry. Would whoever the mother is really have an impact on your decision?"
"What do you mean decision?"
Whistler stood up, "Well you get to decide Buffy. Meeting Angel's son before he's born is through door number one. Going to heaven is door number two and being a messenger through door number 3. We need you to help us with his son but we've taken enough from you in your entire life so we're not going to take away your choice."
Buffy nodded and thought about it, "How are all the places different?"
Whistler smiled, "Doors one and three are like limbo. You're not finished dying yet but door number two means you're finished. You've lived your life and it meant something. Door three means giving up your friends, family and everything in the world yet still existing in it. Door number one isn't usually open to people but since we need you it's open to you."
Buffy stared at her twitching fingers while she thought about it, "If I help you will I be able to see the world? My friends? My family?"
Whistler sighed, "Your mom chose to be done like most people do, she went through door two. You'll be able to see her if you choose to do the same but if you walk through door one you'll be able to watch your living friends, you'll know they're okay."
The mention of her mom almost made the decision for her but knowing she could make a difference at all with Angel's son made her re-think it. Buffy shed a few tears before she stood up and stood next to Whistler staring at the doors, "Can you tell my mom I love her and that I'm so sorry." Whistler nodded and Buffy sniffled once more before clearing her throat, "Then what are we waiting for?"
Whistler smiled and grabbed Buffy's hand. In small steps they slowly made it to the front of door one. Whistler smiled, "You have to open it."
Buffy nodded and wrapped her hand around the knob. She closed her eyes and thought about why she was doing this before finally twisting the knob. The door opened a bright light enveloped them.