Notes: Tear-jerker and contains character death but it's sorta natural causes and the character lived a long and happy life so don't flame me please :::Whimper, Nightbird hides behind a purple alligator:::

Goodnight Sweetheart

Author: Nightbird ( nightbird@watertek.freeserve.co.uk )

Distribution: My site S.H.L if you want it LMK

Couple: Spike/Willow

Spoilers: I'm guessing way after the fourth season

Classification: Reply to my weekly challenge story

Summary: Spike loses some one close to him.

Feedback: Are Vampires afraid of the sun????

Disclaimer: Do I have to do this again? They don't belong to me they belong to Joss. I'm just messing with their minds and hearts *hehehehehe*

Notes: Four words Coffee induced hangover & Rain. You know what that means! Weirdness twisted fics and just plain gahh. You have been warned.

Dedicated to: Saber Shadowkitten for writing "Promise me" which still makes me cry! In memory of my Grandma! I know you're watching over me Nan.

He hated seeing her like this, all her vitality everything that made her, Willow was slowly ebbing away. She wouldn't let him turn her and for that he was glad because he didn't want her to lose the one thing that made her Willow because there was no one who could do the curse as she had outlived everyone else.

The steady beep and whirl of the machine surrounding her brought him back to the hospital where Willow lay peacefully, her hair still the vibrant red that had caught his eye at the bronze so many years ago. The door opened and a nurse walked into the room and closed the heavy black velvet curtains that surrounded the room. Willow had told them of his "Sun allergy" and they allowed him to stay in her room all the time.

She had told him where she wanted to be buried in between Xander and Buffy near to Oz and Giles and Jenny. A whisper caught his attention and he walked nearer to the bed,

"Yes pet,"

Willow looked up at him and the wisdom of the ages shone from her eyes,

"It's time."

Spike had known this would happen, they had had many years together but no amount of magic's could stop the ravages of cancer, the tears formed, red as blood leaving bloody tracks as they rolled down his face,

"Spike?"

"Yes pet."

"You promise you won't wait for the sun? Cause I want you to look after the new slayer."

"Yes pet I promise I won't wait for the sun, no matter how much I might want to I'll help the slayer."

"Thank you."

Silence reigned for awhile while Spike consigned her face to memory once again though the red haze.

"Spike, I love you."

"I love you too Willow,"

The words had choked themselves out though the tears and she smiled,

"Remember the years and never let them go."

Her last words came out on a sigh before her eyes shut for the last time and the tears ran freely down Spike's face and on to the white sheets staining them red. As the nurses and doctors moved in he stayed there holding her hand tears pouring out though the harsh sobs that racked his chest, forcing him to suck in unneeded breaths of air.

He stood in the graveyard under the light of a full moon and watched as the earth fell down on to the coffin, she was surrounded by her loved one's Buffy on one side Oz on the other, Xander, Giles and Jenny surrounding her. After the mourners left he bend down and traced the inscription carved into the stone.

"Willow Rosenberg, Friend, lover and faithful companion, gone to rest with the best, Goodnight sweetheart.

"Tiger, tiger burning bright in the forest of the night."

After laying the flowers down on the grave next to the picture of the Scooby gang. He let the tears flow as he rocked back and forth,

"Why? why did she have to go? She was my soul my everything."

He stayed there until just before the sun rose before turning and walking back to the apartment they had shared. Tomorrow he would go see the latest watcher and let them know he was helping.

As the sun rose over the horizon a familiar laugh echoed softly on the breeze before dying away.