He traced the inside of the chiseled letters and felt a knot come to his throat:

Willow Anne Rosenburg

 He stood, leaving a single rose at the headstone. A lone tear made its way down his cheek and drop to the night-fallen ground.

 < I’ll always love you, Angel, you know that. > Willow’s voice streamed through his brain. He walked his way through the graves and came to the mausoleum, where Buffy let in her last breath. Tragic as her death was, Angel had thought Willow would get through it okay. After all, he did. But the redheaded witch he’d fallen in love with fooled them all. Angel guessed that seeing the life faint away from Buffy’s eyes would have killed her inside. She should have been an actress, when it came to playing the part of happy-go-lucky; she could stage it so that no one would know how much she hurt inside.

 The memories of their last minutes together filled his mind, while tears filled his eyes.

(Flashback)

 “Am I going to see you tomorrow,” Angel held her by the waist as he led her to her house.

 < No, Angel, you’ll never see me again, > she put on a fake smile and replied in the best cheerful voice she could muster, “Maybe; I might have plans.” He kissed her forehead.

“I want to see you tomorrow,” Angel said more forcefully, “I have a suprise for you.” He brought his head down to her face and kissed her passionately. She kissed back and wrapped her arms around her lover, he didn’t know this was to be their last kiss.

“I’m sure I’ll love it,” Willow tried to smile, but only found a weak excuse; Angel didn’t seem to notice.

“Good-bye love.” He said and gave her a finale kiss. He walked into the shadows and disappeared.

She slowly turned her key and walked through her door. The moment it was closed, she sobbed and fell to the floor. < I don’t want to do this to you Angel, but I just can’t…>

She slid into a fetal position and remembered when Buffy had died, < If I hadn’t been so careless, she wouldn’t have had to save me. I’m the reason she’s gone. > Willow wiped her tears and stood up.

She walked into the kitchen and found a knife.

***

Angel turned the claddagh ring in his hands. He’d give it to Willow tomorrow and claim his eternal love for her, just in case she didn’t already know.

He wondered if she’d noticed he’d begun wearing his ring, turned so it said he belonged to Willow. He’d claimed her and hoped she would claim him.

He stopped suddenly and felt something go through him. He knew something was wrong. < Willow? >

He raced with vampiric speed to her house once again.

***

Willow held up the knife and watched the shivers of light from the kitchen lamp hit it and collect across the blade. < This is how it ends, better than dying at the hands of some random vampire. I hope Angel forgives me, no one else would really care. >

Depression got the better of her, she’d rather die than live with the guilt and anguish that raped her dreams and remind her, every waking moment of Buffy’s death. It was her fault, she shouldn’t have been out that night, alone no less, ‘I thought you were the smart one,’ the vampire had said, then made his twenty-some friends apparent. Buffy had saved her; of course, not even the slayer could fight twenty vampires at once. Willow had run and cursed herself each day for not dying with Buffy. It was what she deserved.

< Well, > She thought bitterly, < I’ll be joining you soon, Buffy. >

She looked at the knife once more and raked the blunt end across her wrist. < Shouldn’t be too hard. I after all deserve it. >

Her eyes climbed their way around the room. < Should I write a note? No, they don’t need to know. > She turned the knife so that its razor-like end enjoyed the soft skin of her wrist and drew up crimson blood, < Not hard at all. > She brought the knife to her other wrist. She couldn’t feel a thing, she was past that. She nearly enjoyed watching her life flow out of her wrists.

***

Angel was sure of it now, something was definitely wrong. Her ran up the porch and busted through her door.

“Willow.” He screamed and ran to the living room and caught full view of Willow, looking at her hands. He rushed over to and then realized she’d slit her wrists.

“It was easy,” Willow muttered to herself and lost her balance from the loss of blood, Angel quickly grabbed her in his strong arms.

“Oh god Willow,” He noted the floor was covered with blood, she’d been bleeding for a while. He grabbed a dishtowel and placed it onto Willow’s wrists.

“No,” She batted it away; “I don’t want to.” Angel pulled her face gently towards his, making his tears easily apparent.

“Why did you do this.” Angel’s voice threatened to crack; he then noticed Willow’s eyes were getting glassy.

“Good-bye love.” Willow said as she lost consciousness. Angel lowered her to the floor with him and brushed a wisp of hair away from her face.

“Good-bye Willow,” He kissed her forehead and gave her a light squeeze. < I’ll love you forever. > He heard her pulse be come slower, then stop; he laid his head on her shoulder and sobbed into her dead body.

(End of Flashback)

Angel felt the harsh shadow of sunrise effect his vampiric senses. He sighed sadly and went to Willow’s grave one last time.

He knelt down and kissed the engraving of her name. < Good-bye. > He stood up and walked away, seemingly in slow motion, leaving his coat to flow freely after his final farewell to his love.