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Part 4
The days that followed were hazy. Angel spent the whole time in the Summers’
basement refusing to let anyone in and hardly ever coming out. When he did finally
emerge, it was with the box under one arm and only for the few minutes that it took
for his blood to heat before he disappeared back downstairs again. This went on for
three days until finally a red-eyed Angel appeared at the top of the basement stairs and
looked at Joyce and said, “Could you phone everyone and have them meet tonight at
Spike’s crypt at midnight.”
“Sure,” Joyce said as she reached for the phone.
“I would like you to be there too,” Angel added quietly as he turned and headed back
into the basement.
***
Everyone gathered outside of Spike’s crypt watching Dawn as she approached carrying
Spike’s box while Angel carried a large rectangle stone.
Xander had already been up earlier in the evening and had dug a hole and set the
concrete for the tombstone to set on with steel spikes sticking up (which he found
quite ironic really considering who the grave belonged to) in order to keep the
tombstone there forever.
Angel carefully placed the stone where it belonged and took the box from Dawn
before he stood back and looked at the marker. He had spent days in the basement
carving it and now it seemed inefficient. It didn’t say as much as he had wanted it to.
It simply read:
William,
My Love,
My Friend.
On the left hand side, Angel had carved the Aurelius sign, an exact replica of his tattoo.
“It’s beautiful,” Buffy said as she slipped her arm under his.
Angel nodded and slowly walked forward placing Spike’s box in to the freshly dug grave. “This is the end. I wish I could look you in the eye as I say these final words, ‘I love
you and good-bye’,” Angel whispered, tears streaming down his face as he lowered
the box into the cold earth. He stood looking at the earth for a long time. The others
watched in silence as they grieved for both their loss and their friend’s loss. Giles
and Wesley motioned for the others to leave Angel in peace and they slowly drifted away.
Dawn looked at Angel worriedly as tears streamed down her face. Joyce put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “I’ll stay, you head home.”
Dawn nodded and gave her mum a quick hug before following the others.
Angel suddenly stood staring at the small box in the earth, memories of his favoured
precious childe filling his head.
Giving himself a mental shake he grabbed the shovel and he began to throw the earth
over his boy once again, so reminiscent of the night he had first buried him, except
this time he would never wake from his eternal rest.