Title: Epilogue – Where Love Lies

Series: sequel to The Ritual, which is a sequel to Where Love Lies

Feedback: Please? I'm begging for it.

Website: www.buffybrotherhood.com/theisland

Date: December 19, 2002

Pairing: Spike/Xander with hints of Angel

Rating: PG-13

Spoilers: Only for my stories, Where Love Lies and it's sequel, The Ritual, which you can find on the website listed. It's now years in the future in my WLL AU.

Disclaimer: Angel, Spike and Xander aren't mine. They all belong to Joss Whedon and his crew, as well as all the tv companies that have a claim on them.

Summary: The end.

Warning: Characters deaths. Tissue warning. Please, don't hit me. *ducks and hides*

***

Angel climbed slowly up the hill. He could feel dawn coming in a few hours. But this needed to be done. After years of fighting alone in L.A., the dark vampire had finally lost the last tie that still held him there. A few days before, he had received the news. Gunn and Fred’s great granddaughter had died peacefully, in her sleep, at the respectful age of 98 years old. She was the last one. All that was left of the team that had created Angel Investigations. Angel had kept on fighting against Wolfram and Hart as time had passed and friends had gone, but never had he found such good and true friends as the ones he remembered.

Well, there were only two people left from ‘that’ time. And he was on his way to them.

"I wasn't sure you'd come Peaches." Spike's voice drifted in the still night.

Angel smiled and looked at him. "I'm here." He said simply, sitting down beside Spike and reaching a hand to stroke the head of the old man settled on the younger vampire's laps.

Xander looked up and smiled. "Hey." His figure lit up with a smile and he seemed suddenly very young. Just as young as he was when Spike had bonded with him. When Angel had performed the ritual. When he had been the happiest he had ever been in his life. The years had passed and had been slow at showing on his features, but alas they caught up. At two hundred and four years old, he looked like a 60 years old man, still healthy and strong, except that his heart was failing.

"How are you?" The older vampire asked, concerned at the look of weariness the human was sporting.

"It happened again last night. My heart's failing. It's time. I can't… can't fight it… anymore." Xander answered, his voice wavering. His breath was slow and uneven and he had to force himself to breathe.

"Shhh pet." Spike soothed his lover, gently rocking him, the sound of purrs drifting in the air. "Told him he didn't have to fight if he was too tired. I don't want him to hurt." A tear gently strolled down the vampire's face. "I know he's doin' it for me. Can't bear the thought of him hurting."

Angel nodded. "When I received your message, I… didn't know what to do. I've been struggling all week. But… Isabelle died yesterday and I… I can't go on without any of them left. If she had had…" He stopped, not able to go on, but Spike and Xander understood. If Isabelle, Gunn and Fred's great granddaughter, had had a descendant, Angel would have stayed in L.A. He had made an oath to his friends, as each of them died, he swore to protect their children and their children's children. But there was no one left. Except Xander and Spike. And even them were leaving.

"How did she died?" Xander asked gently.

"In her sleep. Her heart just stopped. Peacefully." Angel answered, shivering. This was the best way for her to go. She had always been a very patient and peacefully woman, it was only fair that her death had been painless.

Xander nodded and snuggled closer to his mate. He relished the touch and care, especially now. They had had two wonderful centuries together, but Xander couldn't fight against nature anymore. As much as he loved Spike and wanted the vampire to be able to live many more years, he couldn't put it off any longer. The old man had never felt so self absorbed in his very long life.

"Stop thinking about that luv. You hurt, I hurt. And I don't want you to hurt for me. And you know it's not working anyway. With every stroke, you need more of my blood to recover. At least this way, we get to chose our own moment, don't we? Cause there's nothing that says you'll recover from the next one, Xan. I want to be able to leave with you in my arms, want to hug you and comfort you all the way through." By then, Spike was crying freely, tears trailing down his cheek as he hugged his mate closer. "Xan, I love you."

Angel watched as the two men kissed gently, tenderly. It was so full of sorrow and pain, that Angel couldn't fight the tears that came. He knew both men loved each other more than life itself. Somehow, he also knew that he was part of them. He could feel their love for each other washing over him. He gently wrapped his arms around the two intertwined bodies and closed his eyes. "I'm not leaving." He whispered finally, giving his answer to the silent question he had seen in Spike's eyes when he'd first approached them.

Spike sighed and snuggled closer to his Sire. "You don't have to stay Angel." He said gently.

"I'm bound to you, remember?" The older vampire answered, his hand gently brushing over Spike's heart. He smiled as he remembered that day, so long ago, when they had received their marks.

Xander looked up at him and sadly smiled. "You should have come more often Angel. I… we missed you these last few years."

The dark vampire looked into Xander's eyes and gently cupped his cheek. "And I missed you too, but I figured…" He sighed, he had thought the two men needed time together. He had never wanted to intrude into their lives and had felt like a stranger that time.

"You were always welcome into our home and our bed Angel. Ever since we bonded." Spike said gently. "Not like us to let a good shag pass us by innit?" He added with a smirk.

Xander chuckled lightly. "It happened. Remember the guy that used to work with me? Randy. He would have been a good…"

Spike rolled his eyes. "Luv, not what I meant." He said with a smile. He knew his lover was only making fun of him.

Angel laughed lightly and then sighed. "I figured you both needed some time alone. But I think now is not the time to think about the past." He continued, looking at the horizon. "We have about two hours left. I don't think I want to spend them arguing about my stupidity."

Spike looked at his Sire. "You're not stupid, Sire. You were lonely is all." He wrapped his left arm around the older vampire's shoulder, holding his mate with the other. "You're not alone now."

Angel nodded. They weren't alone. But it was too late.

"Spike." Xander asked in a little voice.

"What love?" The vampire asked, looking down at his lover.

"It's not too late." The human said, feeling his forces leaving him. He could feel the tightness of another attack starting to spread through his chest, but he would fight against it until the end.

"Too late for what?"

"I…" Xander started forcing himself to sit up. He reached his hand forward and gently touched his mate's heart. Turning to Angel, he did the same and kept both his hands on their heart. "I did some research over the years. There's… a way."

Spike looked scared all of sudden. //He can't mean that…// He thought worriedly. //I can't let him go and live after it. Even if there's a way… I just can't.// "A way for what?" He asked, trying to keep his voice from shivering.

"If you and Angel… if you bond tonight, you'll be… free." Xander gulped as he said it. It was hard to think of Spike moving on with Angel, but Xander didn't want to be the cause of Spike's death. They had had such a beautiful life together. They had visited almost every single part of the world, going away for years at a time after all their friends had died. Xander remembered fondly their time in England. It had been wonderful to travel through the country at leisure, admiring the beautiful countryside with Spike telling him tales of when he had been a fledgling.

Spike shook his head. "M'not doing it love. Nothing against you Peaches, but not gonna want to live after you're gone."

"Neither would I." Angel whispered, startling them both. They looked at him and he shrugged. "After you're gone, there's no one left to protect Xander. No one I care about enough to protect anyway. I mean, it's nice saving lives and fighting the good fight, but if there is no one to stand by my side, what good does it do?"

Xander and Spike nodded, Xander returning to Spike's lap. For a long time they just stayed there, silent, listening to the night's comforting noises.

Xander struggled more and more as the time passed. Spike felt him shiver and quickly shed his duster, wrapping it over his mate's body. "You ok love?" He asked, concerned.

"It's coming."

Spike gently laid Xander down on the ground and joined him. He ran his hands down the old man's side, soothing him. "Want a nip love? Just enough to keep it at bay until sun comes up…" He asked, hopeful. Xander nodded, feeling the first wave of pain coming.

Quickly, Spike retrieved a dagger from his duster and cut the tip of his finger. He brought it to his mate's lips and repressed a moan as he felt the warm lips fasten around his digit. Angel sat aside, watching them. Something stirred in his belly and he couldn't help but lay down beside them.

"Will you be all right?" He asked.

"Yeah. For an hour maybe." Xander replied, his voice wavering, as he felt the pain slowly leaving him. "Just enough time to watch the sun…"

Angel smiled and passed his arm around the human's stomach. "Since we only have a few hours left to live…"

"We?" Xander interrupted the dark vampire.

"Yeah. Told you earlier, I can't stay on this Earth alone. And I do want to see the sun one more time."

Xander and Spike smiled sadly at each other and sighed. "Go on then. You were gonna say something." Spike urged Angel on.

"Well," The vampire took an unneeded breath and looked at the other two men at his side. "Isn't it sort of a tradition before you die to remember the best time of your life? I was wondering if you wanted to…" He trailed off, not sure about how to voice his thought.

Xander smiled dreamily. "My first twinkie…"

At that, the two vampires looked at each other and burst out laughing.

"What?" The old man looked hurt. "I was four at the time, I remember perfectly. The way it tasted. My grandma had given it to me." His eyes turned sad. "She died that summer."

Spike smiled back encouragingly. If ya say your first twinkie, then I'd have to say my first poem."

Angel looked at him in horror.

"Oi, Peaches, I know it was crap, but still, felt good 'bout writing it. T'was nice at the time." He finished, muttering to himself. "For me anyway."

Angel squeezed Spike's hand. "As long as you liked writing, I guess it was important for you. I never… never had time to apologize for turning you. And I'm not going to," He added as Spike glared at him. "In fact," He took a deep breath. "I'd have to say that most of the memories I have that I still like to think about from back… then, are ones of you." Angel smiled tenderly at his Childe. "If I did regret killing you when I first got my soul, I sure as hell do not regret turning you."

Spike felt tears forming. "Thank you Sire."

Feeling the moment was becoming a bit too emotional, Xander interrupted them. "When I saved Buffy's life that first time. After the Master drowned her."

Angel smiled at that and growled at the same time. "I was so jealous of you at that time." He said. "You were alive and young and you could revive her, which I would never have been able to."

Xander looked shocked, but smiled. "Hard to think about how much I hated you back then. People change they say."

"They sure do, love." Spike chimed in. "Remember during the fight with Glory? I remember fondly when I whacked you in the back of the head when you finally FINALLY got that Ben WAS Glory." He smiled dreamily.

"What? Ben was Glory?" Xander exclaimed looking shocked.

Spike rolled his eyes and smacked his mate's thigh.

"Ow! I was kidding!" The old man yelled into the night as Spike proceeded to tickle him. "I'm too old to be tickled."

Spike smirked. "You're saying Pet?"

Xander smiled and kissed Spike's lips quickly. "I love you."

"Love you too mon amour." The vampire replied, using the french endearment they had learnt during their years in Paris and Montreal.

Angel smiled at the sweet words and snuggled closer. "When we first set up the business in L.A. Cordelia and Doyle kept fighting all the time." He chuckled lightly and continued, almost whispering. "And then, when he died. He told me he finally understood what fighting the good fight meant." The vampire shook his head sadly, trying to keep the tears at bay. "Had only known him for a few months, but he made a big impression. More so than some people I've known years."

Spike smiled at his Sire. "Some people are like that."

 "Dawn." Xander said softly.

"Yeah." Spike replied simply. Dawn had died soon after their bonding. Her body not fit for all the energy it carried. The doctors had said her heart couldn't stand the pressure. Sure, they hadn't known about her supernatural existence, but they said the organ had aged prematurely. She died from a heart attack at the age of 17 years old. She had been the first one to leave.

Buffy had been devastated, just as all of them. A couple of months after her sister's death, she was about to collapse when she learned she was pregnant. Sure that it was her sister coming back, she had carried on, and lived to be the oldest slayer in history. Just like everyone had predicted.

"I remember how much I laughed when I learned Giles and Buffy were going to be parents. It seemed like such a joke at the time." Angel remembered.

"Yeah, imagine my surprise when I learned they were together." Xander added.

"You were both blind." Spike smirked. "Always knew they were good for each other, they took 'eir sweet time to realise it though."

"Yeah," Angel replied. "They sure were great for each other."

Xander smiled. "We had some pretty amazing friends."

The two vampires just nodded, lost into memories.

"I must be selfish though, because what I remember the most fondly is when we spent those two years in Montreal. The three of us."

Spike looked over at Angel. Those two years had been the only ones Angel had passed with them, REALLY with them, as in living in the same house, sleeping in the same bed. "That was a sweet time, love, I'm with you on that."

Angel smiled and looked down, almost blushing. "Yes, it was a nice time. But just to remember exactly why I was there with you… it puts a little shadow on the memories."

It was back in 2038. Wesley had died the year before, killed by a devastating lung cancer that had plagued him for years. And in a matter of a couple of months, both Connor and Cordelia had died. Angel hadn't been over Wesley's death yet, as they had been involved for a few years when it happened, and losing both his son and Cordelia had been completely devastating. He had gone to Spike and Xander in hope that they could help him overcome the pain. And they had.

"I like to remember the ritual too." Spike added. "T'was a nice time. And the shock when the tattoos appeared…" He trailed off.

Angel and Xander both smiled at that. "Oh Yeah." They both said in unison.

A comfortable silence settled upon them as they delved into memories, thinking about all the things they had lived through. As time passed, light started to appear over the horizon. Xander sat and tugged on the vampire's arm, beckoning them to do the same. "This is it guys, anything you want to say before time's up?"

Angel looked around, then settled his eyes on the two men beside him. "I had a good unlife. I saved a lot of innocents and I think I fulfilled my destiny, in a way." He smiled and went on. "But what I really want to say is, you've both been wonderful to me, you've both accepted me and I love you. Both of you." He cupped Spike and Xander's cheeks. "In all my lifetime, I've never come across a love as pure and beautiful as the one you have for each other and I feel truly blessed to have been a part of your life."

Xander hugged the dark vampire to his chest. "And we've been blessed to have you as a part of our lives. We love you too Angel." He pressed his lips to Angel's and kissed him gently. As the kiss grew longer, Xander felt his mate tugging on his arms. He broke the kiss and watched as Spike lovingly kissed his Sire's lips.

"Xan said it all Peaches." The younger vampire said, his voice wavering. "And love?" He continued, turning to Xander. "I love you more than anything else I've ever loved. I love you." He repeated, as their lips came together in a centuries old habit.

Things said, they snuggled together and waited. Xander could feel the tightness of the last attack starting, the pain spreading through his chest just as the first rays of sunshine shone through the horizon. "Love you." He repeated one last time before welcoming the pain, he let the burning feeling sweep through him and suddenly, there was no more pain.

The sun rose up in the sky as the wind blew over the empty hill, scattering the three piles of ashes away over the awakening city.

Peace and happiness reigned in the higher realms, as three new souls were welcomed and their friends' souls came back together in an eternal dance.

The End.