Lily Out of Water 6: Touching the Ashes of Fallen Flowers, Part 2

[dragonyphoenix]

Part 1 is here.
Series index is here.

We were supposed to be in a hospital but all I could sense, underneath the scrubbed-down antiseptic scent that pervaded the building, was death. Willow, Angel, and I tiptoed around Dru's madness so that she was the only living thing in that cold, harsh place. Dru, strapped to a bed so she could barely move, reminded me, briefly and in a melancholy way, of all the times she’d asked Angel or me to tie her down and punish her. That wasn’t even close to this. Over the course of the week, she’d grown resistant to a good number of the drugs they’d used to sedate her and had escaped her restraints twice. The last time she'd escaped, Willow had cast a restraining spell on Dru until she'd been drugged up again. Dru couldn't even move but she'd done enough damage, before Willow had been able to restrain her, that her blood had been spurting all over the place while I tried to hold it back with my bare hands. Don’t know what Dru had been thinking, if she’d been thinking at all, that is, since it wasn’t like she could kill herself that way, not unless she’d been trying to decapitate herself. Decapitation. Bloody hell. I stared at her, through the looking glass, until I was certain. She had been trying to tear through her own neck with her bare hands. I jerked my head away, turning from the sight of her, in a vain attempt to get the thought out of my head.

She just kept getting worse.

Willow stepped into the room with a couple of mugs of blood. She'd been withdrawn from me emotionally ever since our scene in the garden but I couldn't worry about that. Dru needed me more than Willow did so I let it be, knowing I'd pay for it later. Angel took one of the mugs and drank it down, not even making a face at the taste. I shook my head but Willow pressed the remaining mug into my hands saying, “Drink it. You need to keep your strength up if you're going to be of any use to Drusilla.” Willow knew me like nobody else did; that was the only thing that would have gotten me to drink that vile pig's blood when I felt like I never wanted to feed again.

“Not like you can go in there before the sedative kicks in,” Angel added. Not sure if any of the help that Angel offered me was to impress Willow or if he was assuaging his guilt because he couldn't help Dru.

Dru had become... I shook my head, trying to drive out thoughts of what she’d become but I couldn’t stop thinking about it. Her pain had driven her beyond her humanity, transformed her into an animal trying to escape the only way it knew how, through death. When she saw Angel though, she was worse. Her fear and rage made her frenzied... I couldn't begin to describe it. Her only respite from madness, death longing, and self-destruction was sedation, which was becoming less and less effective.

“So why can't you just witch up a cure?” I asked Willow.

Angel sighed. “Spike...”

“William,” I whispered in response.

With an exaggerated, “William,” Angel tried again. “Willow's explained a dozen times.”

“Well I want to hear it again,” I said, no louder than before.

“It won't suddenly change her answer,” Angel said but then Willow laid a hand on his arm. Their eyes met.

“The brain is too complex,” Willow said as she turned towards me. “There's no known spell to cure madness.”

“So invent one,” I replied.

She like she wanted to walk over and comfort me but Willow could always read me, better than anyone. She stayed where she was. “Magic and medicine just don't mix.”

There was a finality in Willow's tone. I know she would have helped Dru if she could but she knew it was impossible. I finished the blood as I watched the sedative kick in. If I wanted to talk to Dru, now was the time. Angel and Willow watched from behind the glass.

“Dru? Pet?” I asked, gently.

“Spike?” I hid a grimace. I hadn’t explained William to her and shouldn’t have been disappointed to hear her using my old name.

“Yes luv, it’s me. It’s your Spike,” I replied.

“Spike,” a tear rolled down her cheek. “Spike you’ve got to help me,” she said with an intense expression on her face.

“What do you need luv?” I asked.

“It’s Miss Edith, she needs a band-aid,” she said even though her dolls were nowhere to be seen. I didn't know if they'd been left behind in New York or abandoned in the row house we'd pulled Dru and Angel out of. Didn't matter since Dru didn't seem to notice they weren't around or maybe she did see them, little ghost dolls angry at their abandonment.

“It’s OK, luv. I’ll take care of it. I’ll get her Morticia.” We’d found Addams family band-aids at a Goth club one evening and Dru only ever-wanted Morticia band-aids after that.

“I need help,” she said as tears welled in her eyes. “There’s evil, Spike, evil inside of me. Do you remember? The time I killed a puppy and then painted that little boy with it’s blood and gore? I did that. Me.”

“No, Dru, it wasn’t you. You weren’t yourself; you were... gone. But you’re back now and you can get better.” I replied.

“But I remember it, vividly. I can still feel and smell the blood on my hands and taste the boy’s terror and then the taste of his blood itself,” she said.

“That was the demon, Dru. You have your human soul again. You don’t have to be the demon anymore,” I answered.

“Spike,” she said as she gave me a pitying look. “The demon’s right in here, inside me, right next to my soul but I’ll kill it, as soon as I escape.” She started straining against her restraints.

As soon as she? And then I realized what she meant. “Dru. No.” I laid myself on top of her so she couldn’t move. “No, you can’t kill yourself.”

“It’s the only way to kill the demon beast,” she whispered in response.

Desperate, I pulled out my last card, a low blow to be sure but I didn’t care as long as I saved her. “You can’t Dru. It’s a sin. Church says so.”

I heard Angel hiss at that from the other room and, unfortunately, Dru did too, bucking up so violently that I couldn’t restrain her. Knowing Angel had run for a second sedative, I held her down, as best I could with my body, as she screamed. “Impure. Evil. Maggots and spiders crawling under my skin. I can’t get them out, I can’t get them out, I can’t...” She started shrieking.

After the second sedative had knocked Dru out, Angel slammed me against the wall. “Her lucid times are getting shorter. How much longer are you going to keep this up?” He was right. I wanted to make Dru better but didn’t know how and time was running out. She was determined to kill herself. I knew she’d succeed and soon.

Angel had been trying to get me to talk to the doctor but I didn’t want to hear what any quack had to say about my Dru. Looked like I was out of options. “Let’s talk to the doc.”

Doc saw us right away. Taylor had made sure it would go that way. Taylor had arranged everything: a doctor who could handle vampires, special treatment from said doc, blood. Only thing he couldn’t provide was a cure for Dru. The doc spouted a bunch of medicalese at us, rambling on for a good long while. I started to light a cigarette and the doc stopped to glare at me. Since we needed his help I put it away. After the doc stopped, I glanced over to Willow who translated. Her voice was flat and emotionless as she said, “He can chemically remove parts of her brain to make Drusilla more controllable.”

I leapt out of my chair, grabbed the doc so his face was inches away from mine, and vamped out. “You want to turn Dru into a zombie?” I yelled. He started babbling more medicalese at me. I growled.

His face got white and he said, “It’s the only way to keep her from killing herself.”

“No, it’s not.” I stormed out. Angel, having already come to terms with this necessity, remained behind to make sure the doc didn’t interfere.

As Willow caught up with me, she asked, “What are you going to do?”

“The only thing I can do.”

Angel caught up to us before we'd gotten back to Dru.

“Who's keeping an eye on the doc?” I asked.

“He won't interfere,” Angel replied. I never did find out how Angel convinced the doc but I didn't doubt he had since Angel could always be a right scary bastard when he had a mind to.

Willow gestured towards an empty waiting room. “We should talk where Drusilla can't hear us.”

The room had plenty of places to sit – two couches and a good number of chairs, that looked plush, comfortable, and were all decked out in a generic floral pattern that was out of place given what we were about to talk about – but none of us bothered to take a seat. As he closed the door behind us, Angel said, “Get Taylor to bring the angel back.” I looked to Willow whose face was wearing a what-the? expression. Glad to know I wasn't the only one who didn't know what was going on, I turned back to Angel, who added, “The angel. Protecting the front room when Willow resouled us. Big glowing sword.”

“He was an angel?” I asked. Hadn't known what he was but, well, angels just didn't interfere.

Since Dru and Angel's resouling, I'd been too worried about Dru to fill Willow in on how the rescue had gone down on our end, so she had no idea who Angel was talking about. I was about to explain but then I didn't need to because blue-eyes himself joined us, strolling right into the room as if he owned it.

“Well, well. Speak of the devil,” I said to ease the tension. My life just kept getting more and more interesting: first the Council and now angels. Next thing you know, I'd be playing around with gods although if you count the House of the Catmaster, I already had.

“Willow,” he said as he took her hand and kissed it. Said my name next, my human name that is although I'm sure he knew exactly who I was, possibly even better than I did myself. With a wry smile, he finished letting us know that he knew who were were by saying, “Angel,” before introducing himself. “You can call me Andy.”

“Andy the angel?” I smiled insincerely.

“Anael but please don't call me that,” he replied, “and I'm closer to a bodhisattva than an angel although neither term is completely accurate.”

Willow must have sensed I didn't know the term because she explained it. “A bodhisattva is person who's attained enlightenment but delays entering nirvana, out of compassion, to help others.”

“You gave up heaven for us?” I snarked. I wasn't as on edge around him as I'd been earlier but I still didn't like his being there.

“It's not like that,” he replied. “When a person transcends, reaches the next phase of existence, it's just part of what we do. There's no good word for it in any human tongue. It's our duty, joy, responsibility, love.”

“I thought angels didn't interfere,” Angel said. Why'd you want him here if he couldn't interfere? I wondered.

Andy rolled his eyes. “We have our own lives to lead, much like Buffy did when she was the Slayer.” Angel looked upset when Andy mentioned Buffy, as he should have since he'd been the one to kill her, with a little help from Willow. I noticed that Andy looked chagrined when he realized he'd upset Willow although he didn't seem to mind Angel's anguish. He did shift the subject a bit though. “We do try to help but there are limits to our actions.”

“But you were there when Angel and Drusilla were resouled? Because Taylor asked you to help? Wasn't that interfering?” Willow asked.

Andy looked abashed. “Taylor didn't ask for my help. I volunteered.”

“Why?” Angel asked. Damn it. Didn't these two remember we were here for Dru? Couldn't we just get rid of this guy and get on with it?

It was Willow who responded. “The prophecy.”

Andy agreed. “Angel was vulnerable. It would have been the most effective time for the forces who want to stop the fulfillment of the prophecy to attack.”

“And you're here now because...” I asked.

“He's here to help Dru,” Angel replied.

“You can help her? How?” Hope flared in my heart as I leaned in towards the angel.

“How can you help her?” Andy asked gently.

“House of the Catmaster,” I said with a sudden inspiration. “Should have taken her right away. We can keep her drugged on the way, just like I did with Willow.”

“It won't work,” Willow said with certainty. “I wanted to live but didn't see a way I could with the pain. Drusilla wants to die. She won't fight for her life.”

I didn't want to be convinced by Willow's words, but even back when I'd taken her there for healing, I'd know it was chancy at best. “Right,” I said to the angel, slumping back against the wall. “Wave your magic wand then. Fix Dru up.”

“William. If gods can't help her...” He didn't finish his response.

“So you can't save her any more than I can. Fine. Sayonara. Bye bye. Don't let the door hit you on your way out.”

“William,” Angel growled.

“It's my fault. I'm not explaining myself well,” Andy said to Angel before turning back to me. “How do you feel?”

All of a sudden, I felt good, really good. Ecstatic even. That dinky little room became the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen – it's pastel colors had been transformed into gems that shone with a pure, vibrant light. Hell, I was even glad Angel was there. From the bottom of my stubborn soul, I pulled out words. “Stop it.”

The room was back to normal. “No,” I said, “you are not doing that to Dru.”

“It wouldn't have to be that intense,” Andy replied.

“No.”

He looked frustrated at my stubbornness but got to say this for Andy, he played by the rules. I'm sure he had some sort of short-cut way to convince me but he didn't try to use it.

“William,” Angel growled. “You want what's best for Dru?”

All the arguments I'd been building up dropped to the floor and shattered at my feet. “Fine,” I replied, “but no messing with her head.”

Turning to Andy, Angel said, “After you do this we'll,” he reconsidered what he was about to say, “I'll be in your debt.”

“I'm not doing this for you,” Andy said. He turned to face Dru, as if he could see her through the walls and whispered, “I'm doing this for her.”

---

Andy wanted to be alone when he met Dru but I, remembering how terrifying he'd been the first time I'd met him, put my foot down. Dru was in bad enough shape. Seems that wasn't a problem though.

“Annie? Is it really you?” Dru asked. Annie? I thought.

Andy smiled at Dru. It was one of the most intimate smiles I've ever seen, full of love and shared past. How did Dru know the angel? She trusted him. I could see that right off the bat. She trusted him like she didn't trust anybody else, more than she trusted me even. I glared at Andy, who didn't even seem to notice me. What the hell was going on?

I wanted to give Andy what for but Dru was smiling and calm for the first time since she'd been resouled. I could bide my time so I helped Andy undo the restraints that held Dru down and she threw herself into his arms. They hugged. They hugged some more. I rolled my eyes, tapped my foot, coughed. “Hello,” with a little wave. I may as well have not been in the room.

Then Dru started to cry, racking sobs. I started to reach out to comfort her but she didn't need me, did she? She had Andy. What was I compared to an angel? I looked around the room a bit, trying to find something that would make it seem like I had a reason to stay. “Right, I'll just be going then.”

“But I killed you,” Dru cried as I started to head out the door. I stopped and looked back.

“Never,” Andy replied, glancing towards the observation window. I heard a hiss from Angel but luckily Dru was too distracted to pick up on it.

“I remember killing you. You were a,” Dru got a confused look on her face and I left, heading for the observation room where I wouldn't have to see myself being ignored by my lost love. “A little girl, you were a little girl. That couldn't have been you?” she ended tentatively.

“No,” Andy replied, “that wasn't me.” I walked into the observation room to see Andy gently brushing Dru's hair away from her face.

“William,” Willow said, rushing over to me. “Are you OK?”

I flinched away from her and turned my attention towards the window. “I'm fine,” I said through clenched teeth.

“It was the demon inside of you,” Andy was saying. “It wasn't you.”

“But I remember,” Dru replied.

“I know,” Andy said, hugging Dru close to him, as tears fell from his eyes. “I know, love.”

Dru started crying again, but more quietly this time, and then she started speaking. She told Andy everything, starting with first seeing Angel and Darla and knowing they were bad news right off the bat, bright girl she was. Details of Angel torturing and killing her family.

She stopped and looked up at Andy, certainty on her brow. “He killed you. Angel did.”

Andy kissed her on her forehead. “The demon killed me. Not Angel. Not you.”

“But he remembers, just like I remember what I, what my demon, did?” she asked.

“Yes,” Andy replied.

“How can he stand it?” she sobbed onto his shoulder. I looked over towards Angel, who was trembling, with a smirk on my lips. This was why Dru was mine and not his, never again his. Almost looked like he was about to fly apart but then Willow laid a hand on his back, whispered something I couldn't hear, and led him out of the room. It was the first time they'd been alone since Angel had gotten his soul back and I would have given almost anything to know what they talked about but I wasn't about to abandon Dru, even if she didn't know I was listening in.

After she'd sobbed a bit, Dru got back to speaking, telling the angel every terrible thing she'd done as a demon. Purging her soul. It was hard, hearing what she felt bad about, especially when it related to me. Harder still, it reminded me of my own guilt, of what I'd done. Easier on the human soul, at least on mine, to ignore that kind of stuff and dredging it all back up well, it was difficult, but at the same time cathartic. Had the big emotional revelation, quietly though because this was about Dru and I wasn't about to interrupt that. Found a balance I hadn't even realized I'd been missing and figured out why Willow had left me, why she'd had to leave me behind, after the House of the Catmaster.

I didn't notice when Willow and Angel came back; they were just there and I knew they'd been back for a while. Willow was crying and Angel was taking his turn comforting her. Nobody put their arms around me. Bugger that, I thought as I wiped my eyes, not like I needed comforting. I distracted myself by wondering who Willow was crying for. She'd already had her own dark night of the soul so, while it might have been herself, I figured she was taking on somebody else's pain. Could have been Dru; they did have a love-hate relationship, almost like real sisters if it came down to that. Could have been Angel, although I rather hoped not. I knew that Willow had thought I would abandon her for Dru, not without reason, but she never realized that I was afraid she'd leave me for Angel. Did my best to keep that to myself since I didn't want to give her any ideas.

Eventually Dru cried herself out and relaxed into Andy's arms. By then Willow had fallen asleep with her head resting on Angel's lap. Angel, with an arm resting protectively over Willow, caught my eyes and I felt like I was intruding so I tiptoed back into the other room figuring I had more right to be with to Dru than Andy did but once again their closeness blocked me out. It meant I was there to hear their whispered conversation though.

“I can't stand it Annie,” Dru said.

“Shhh,” Andy said, petting Dru across the brow. “I know dearest, that's why I'm here. Sun will rise in about an hour.”

“So long a wait?”

“It won't seem that long. You're a mess,” he said, wiping her face with his fingers before standing and helping Dru off the floor. I sank back into the shadows although I don't know why since I was certain Dru would know I was there, if she cared to that is. “Why don't you take a shower and we'll dress you up really pretty beforehand.”

Dru looked down at the hospital gown she had on. “I'll never look pretty in this ugly thing.”

“You always look beautiful but,” with a flourish of his hand, he was holding a dress: white, pretty enough I suppose but Dru went all ecstatic over it.

“Oh, Annie. That's my dream dress, the dress I always, always wanted to wear.”

“You can wear it today,” Andy replied.

“And will you do my hair?” Dru asked.

“Just the way you like it,” Andy said. “Shower now?”

That's when I stepped out of the shadows. Knew it was a mistake as soon as I'd done it but by then it was too late. Something shifted between them and I had no idea what to say. “Um, need any help? With the shower and all.”

Dru looked stricken. I felt bad, knowing I was the one who'd brought that expression to her face. “It's wrong, like the spiders crawling under my skin.” At first I thought she meant that I was wrong but then she went on a bit, until Andy's comforting set in, and I realized that, to this Dru, when she and I had made love, we'd soiled her body. I figured out later than she hadn't mean it that way but it had sounded like loving me, not the physical act of love but the emotional feeling of love, had been evil, a sin, something she regretted.

I turned my back while Andy got her calmed down and sent off to the shower. Once I knew that Dru was safely distracted, I threw all the anger I'd been building up that evening directly at the angel. “Annie? I told you, no messing with her mind,” I shouted.

“I'm not,” Andy replied. At my look of rage, he said it again, more emphatically, “I'm not,” before adding, “Dru can see things you can't. She sees me as Andy but she sees I'm somebody else as well.”

“Somebody she trusts implicitly. How convenient for you,” I snarled.

“It's not like that,” Andy defended himself.

“Who does she think you are?” I raged.

“It's who I am.” As soon as he said that, Andy looked like he regretted the statement. Good. We were getting somewhere.

“Who are you then? Not Andy, not the angel or bodhisattva or whatever. Who are you to Dru?”

He turned away and stormed across the small room to the observation window. I figured he could see in, if he wanted to, and that something was passing between him and Angel. Well, fuck that. Everybody else's needs had been filled that evening. It was my turn. I slammed him, from behind, into the mirror. As he turned towards me, I got in a few good kicks and punches, which hardly fazed him, until he threw me into the wall. With a quick glance back into the observation room, Andy shouted, “Her sister, all right? I was her sister.”

I had just started to get up but that statement sent me staggering back into the wall. Sister. Bodhisattva, angel. Reincarnation, that's what Willow had been talking about earlier. “One of the one's Angel killed.”

Andy didn't look back towards the observation room as he agreed.

“That's why you're here, to take her back to Heaven with you,” I surmised

“No,” he disagreed. “If Angel hadn't interfered, she would have ascended, transcended... she would have become akin to what I am now but, with all she's been through, her soul has been too wounded. Dru will go to a place where her soul can heal and, when she's ready, she'll return, be reborn.”

“So what difference does your being here make then?” I asked.

“To make her transition easier. Isn't that enough?” Didn't know angels could cry. Interesting. I just stared at him, waiting for it and finally he gave it up. “It's possible she may need fewer reincarnations into physical form before she ascends if I'm here to help her now.”

“And what will you be doing with her then?” I leered.

“Sisters. We are sisters, remember?”

“I'm her Childe. It's not like we were never... intimate,” I added with a salacious grin enjoying the fact that I was finally the one unsettling the angel, rather than the other way around.

Then a trumpet sounded and a flaming sword was coming at my head. I ducked it, barely avoiding decapitation.

“No,” Andy cried out as he rushed between me and the sword. Then he started talking to it. Was certainly my night to be ignored: Dru with Andy, Willow with Angel, and now Andy with a bloody flaming sword.

“I will handle it,” he continued. Trumpets sounded again, discordant against the silence.

“Why do you both think that I? With my sister.” Andy shouted, leaning in towards the sword before he leaned back with a look of amazement on his face. “You're jealous,” he said to the sword. Turning towards me he added, “You're both jealous.”

The trumpet sounded again, uncertainty clear in its tone. Jealous, I wondered. The angel was right. Dru had been mine and mine alone for so long that I didn't like her having any other connections. Didn't matter who with. Or what kind.

When I looked up from this thought, the sword had disappeared, and Willow and Angel were stepping into the room. Angel, looking like he was about to deck Andy, said, “When this is done, I never want to see you again.”

My mind was reeling, as full of nonsense as ever Dru's had been. That's what you get Angel, for inviting an angel into your life, although you didn't, did you? He just sort of invited himself.

“The feeling's mutual,” Andy replied. Willow took me into her arms while Andy told Angel how it was going to go down.

---

There was an enclosed garden attached to the hospital; we waited in a room just off of it. Angel, afraid he'd set Dru off again, slipped into the shadows. Willow went with him. I wasn't sure why she joined him – if she was afraid her presence might set off Dru or if she'd joined Angel to comfort him – but it left me alone again.

Alone in the silence.

Willow's soft breaths, emerging from the shadows, my only company.

We didn't have to wait long. As she and Andy entered the room, Dru's eyes were drawn to the sunshine, just past the open doorway, like a moth was drawn to a flame. She walked past as if she didn't even see me standing there. I tried not to let that hurt.

“Walk into the light, Dru,” Andy said, letting go of her hand.

Dru walked into the shadowed foyer that led into the garden. Without looking back, she said in her sweet, sweet voice, “I'll miss you, Spike.” I was too choked up to respond. I hoped she understood that, that she didn't think my lack of response meant I didn't love her.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Angel step out of hiding. Sensitive, selfish bastard had waited until Dru couldn't see him to make his big scene. He looked as if he were about to call her back but instead crumbled silently to the ground, allowing Willow to comfort him.

Dru stepped in the sunlight. She stood a little taller and relaxed a bit more, as if enjoying the warmth on her skin. She turned around to face me, the madness gone from her eyes. I'd never seen her look so happy, so human.

“Dru,” I shouted as I stepped forward, reaching my hand out to her. Ashes dusted my fingers. I pulled my hand out of the burning sunshine.

---

In a dark, abandoned building, an old doll fell over.

Comments

[kallie-kat.livejournal.com]

Wow, that was really powerful. And very sad. Poor Dru. And yet there were brighter things in store for her. I've always liked the idea of reincarnation, and it's comforting to think that Dru isn't really gone.

I loved this story from start to finish. Thank you :-)

[dragonyphoenix.livejournal.com]

I was debating on how to end it and had a couple of ideas but nothing I was thrilled with until I came up with the image of Dru's ashes dusting Spike's fingers. Once I had that, I wasn't about to end it any other way.

The reincarnation idea comes from a series I haven't written yet that will parallel this one, where Andy / Anael plays a role. Needed to think through my angels for that series; seeing the results of that here.

I think the series points towards Dru having brighter things in store. Angelus asks Darla, "Have you found me a saint?" so I went with that, saying Dru was well on her way to becoming a bodhisattva / angel after that life.

Thanks for the comments!

[rua1412.livejournal.com]

I read this chapter after chapter and I have to say you made a great work with this series. Many questions are still up though as what Willow and Angel said once they leaved Drusilla's room and how now their relationship will be end. The same goes for Willow and Spike relationship and what the prophecy was about... this mean you'll write a sequel?

[dragonyphoenix.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I'm always surprised when someone reads the entire series in one fell swoop, given how long it is although I've certainly done that with other people's series.

This series started out as one story! Suddenly I had a sequel and then another and another until I'd written a series of six stories. The prophecy was mainly put in there as a way to get Aidan to go along with the soul restoring but, after I'd written that, I did start realizing I was setting up a sequel. Before that, though, I'll be writing a series that parallels this one. Basically I got curious as to how Wesly went from the dundering idiot in Season 3 to the very competent man I've written here. Also I was interested in seeing if I could write that as a gradual transformation (vs. the 'you have your soul back' type transformations I have in this series). So, before I write the sequel to this, I'll be writing a series with Wesley as Faith's Watcher. Aidan's in there too.

All that just to say: I'll probably write a sequel but don't hold your breath.

[rua1412.livejournal.com]

I'm just glad you are giving it a thought ^_^

[dragonyphoenix.livejournal.com]

I have given some thoughts to the sequel. If I write it and don't change how it goes, Willow, William, and Angel will be protecting a Hellmouth.

Willow and William will either adopt or figure out how to have kids and one will be named for Buffy, which will give Angel some trouble. He won't be able to call the girl Buffy and will always use her middle name (Anne) instead. And I have an ending for it; the rest is up in the air.

As to reincarnation... *shrugs* I have no opinion on what happens after life. It worked well with what I wanted to do with the story.

Thanks, I'm glad you enjoyed it.

[dragonyphoenix.livejournal.com]

Oooh, good point about Willow not naming the kid Buffy. I'd have to give that some thought.