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Author's Chapter Notes:
As a reminder I did say this would get a bit angsty, this and the last chapter to come are more on the sad side; but I hope you still enjoy them.
The First Deathbed:

Twenty years later:

Buffy has always wanted to see the world, or at very least more of the world then the west coast; but she wishes that her first trip to London was for any other reason then this. Buffy and Spike make their way down a stark white hallway. The hospital should be filled with the sounds of whirring machines, beeping monitors, chattering doctors and complaining patients, but all that Buffy can hear as she walks down the hall is the clicking of her heels against the cold tile floor. It's unnerving and Buffy squeezes Spike's hand tightly as they near their destination.

Buffy rounds the corner of room 085 and sees the solemn faces of her friends. A woman with dark hair is sitting by the side of the bed. Dawn turns her head as Buffy enters, but refuses to move as one of her hands is clasped in the hand of her husband at her side and the other is holding on tightly to the patient in the bed.

Willow rushes up to Buffy and gives her a tight hug. When she pulls away Buffy notices the redness of her friend's eyes and for the first time in thirty years actually thinks that the red-head looks her age. In her grief stricken state the wrinkles around Willow's eyes seem deeper and the streak of grey that runs through her hair appears lighter then ever before.

Willow moves back to stand beside Kennedy and allow Buffy space to move farther into the room and Buffy does. Spike however remains in the door frame looking on. As Buffy takes a step closer to the hospital bed she see's Xander with his arm around Anya leaning against the far wall, Raelyn stands beside them as well resting her hands on her fully pregnant stomach. Her husband John isn't present, however her brother Jason comes into view as Buffy takes another stride. The young man with amber eyes matching his mother's appears a little uncomfortable.

Buffy turns toward the bed then. She pulls up a chair and takes the old man's hand as she sits down. His hand is nearly as icy cold as her own and the blue veins beneath his translucent skin are thick like highways drawn on a roadmap.

"Giles," Buffy says softly. He turns to her weakly and yet as frail as he is his eyes still shine with all the love and affection she's known from him. A smile forms on his thin lips and Buffy finds herself choking back tears.

"Buffy," Giles says with recognition in his features. "I'm so glad you're here." His voice is so soft that it's barely audible.

"Everything is gonna be okay Giles." The old man smiles.

"I want you to know how proud of you I am." Tears roll down Buffy's face. "I need you… need you to know…"

"Shh, Giles, I know. I know." It's harder for Buffy to speak now. She can hear the beeping of the heart monitor, can feel his shallow breaths. It's close; so close and Buffy wishes that she had more time; but she knows she doesn't. She's come to recognize the signs of death far too easily.

"No, Buffy," A violent cough breaks through Giles's voice. "I need you to know how much I love you." He tries to squeeze her hand, but he's so weak. "You're my daughter, and I love you."

"I know Giles." Her voice is barely more then a whisper. "I love you too." His eyes meet hers then and she can see that he's said what he's wanted to. He's made his peace and there's nothing more holding him here. He keeps his gaze on her as he lets out a deep even breath, Buffy thinks she can see the life vanish from his eyes, drift away; and then the heart monitor draws a flat line. He had been waiting for her, and now he's gone. For a moment, as his hand falls heavy in hers, Buffy believes that she can see his soul vanish from his eyes. For a moment everything is surreal, frozen, as if it isn't really happening; and then reality floods back and he's really just gone.

After some time has passed Buffy walks out of room 085 and into the waiting room. The gang is all there waiting for her. They let her have a moment alone and now they watch with sunken faces as she walks out of his room. No, not his room, the empty room, the death room. Spike stands immediately and embraces her in a hug. She lets her eyes fall shut for a moment and allows him to comfort her, then he pulls away and the pain returns.

Death is far too familiar an occurrence for Buffy and time is all too short, what's most unfair about it though is that it's only short for those around her. For herself time is eternal, and it only makes the time they have seem so much less. As she looks over the aged faces of her friends, of her family, she remembers back to when they all came to comfort her at the hospital when her mom died, when Giles had come to comfort her. How can time have moved by so fast that now she's here seeking comfort for his death; but that's just the way of life and she knew she would have to go through this. Knowing, however, doesn't make it any easier.

She meets the eyes of all her friends then, especially, Dawn, Willow and Xander and she knows that she same fate awaits them, and she will have to live through it. Dawn makes her way to her then and embraces her in a tight hug. Buffy closes her eyes as she tightens her arms around her sister and the tears fall. Willow and Xander make their way to the pair next and a slight smile comes to Buffy's face over the group hug. They won't be here forever, but Buffy silently vows to make what time she does have with them count.





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