jesterladyfic | Wend Their Ways Together: Epilogue

Buffy opened her eyes. It felt like she was sleeping, yet she was in her own bed, Spike lay beside her, purring? but something was off. The green, horned demon wearing a lavish and garishly colored suit walking in with a cocktail glass in his hand might’ve had something to do with it.

“Well, sugar, looks like you got everything going for you.” Buffy glanced around and grabbed for the knife she kept by the bed. The demon held up a hand in supplication. “Hold up there, doll. I’m one of those friendly demons hubby’s been telling you about.”

“What does the friendly demon want?” she asked warily.

“To be honest, not entirely sure. A little muddled from the journey over. This dream mentor thing doesn’t happen to me often, but boy, kitten, when it does, it’s a dilly of a trip.” She stared. “The name’s Lorne, by the way.”

“I’m-“

“I know who you are, cupcake. It’s all starting to come back to me.” Lorne took a sip of his drink. “That’s better. Good Seabreeze does it every time.”

“So why are you here?”

“Well, there’s the little matter of the giganimous spell you kids pulled off today. Impressive really, but dangerous.” Buffy sighed.

“Let me guess, you’re here to tell me about the consequences.”

“In a manner yes, but don’t go grabbing for your stake yet, Bufflet, they’re already over.”

“What? How can they be over?” Lorne reached out a hand to reassure her.

“Well, darling, all these months with the heartache and uncertainty, the no friends and trusting of your enemies. Learning about what is and all the people you’ve got initiated in your group now, all part and parcel of the test. And congrats, you passed. And your reward, Miss Hack and Slash, was the spell.”

“Back up there, Green-man,” Buffy asked. “How do you know? How can the consequences come before the action?”

“I’m your spiritual advisor per say, honey, and let’s not call them consequences. Let’s call them trials, shall we? The Powers saw you’d need some major mojo to get rid of that hulking lunk of an Adam and you had to earn it. You did.”

“So we don’t have to worry about horrible, icky things growing out of our heads because of what we did? Upside.” Buffy tilted her head happily. Lorne screwed up his mouth.

“About that. Not to say life will be all daffodils and music from now on, but you don’t have to worry about any new nasty from the spell. There’ll be more evil to fight, but soldier on, sweet cakes, everybody’s backing you.” Lorne glanced behind him, “Oops, gotta go. It’s time for my number. Toodles, peach fuzz.”

Buffy blinked, Lorne disappeared and the next thing she knew, she was opening her eyes to meet a brand new day.

The End