After the End Has Come and Gone

Epilogue

style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'>It must have been cold there in my shadow,

To never have sunlight on your face.

You were content to let me shine, that's your way,

You always walked a step behind.

"Have I told you how beautiful
you look, luv?"

Buffy smiled, resting her head on
Spike's chest as they slowly moved to the music. "Several times, actually,
but you can say it again."

"You look beautiful," he
purred in her ear. "You've made me the happiest man alive."

style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'>So I was the one with all the glory,

While you were the one with all the strength.

A beautiful face without a name—for so long,

A beautiful smile to hide the pain.

"I'm happy, too,
William," Buffy said, feeling tears forming in her eyes. This moment was
perfect. She'd never want it to end, except for the fact that she knew they had
many more wonderful moments to share together in the future. "I never
thought I could have this."

"I'd give you this and more,
pet."

"I know."

Did
you ever know that you're my hero,

And everything I would like to be?

I can fly higher than an eagle,

'Cause you are the wind beneath my wings.

Spike tilted her head, wiping her
eyes with his thumb. "So those are happy tears then."

Buffy laughed. "Yes. They're
very happy tears. Being here with you now, it makes everything seem
right."

"Took us a long time to get
here," Spike replied. "And it was the scenic route at that."

"But it was worth it."

Spike gave her a lopsided grin.
"Yeah, it was."

style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'>It might have appeared to go unnoticed,

But I've got it all here in my heart.

I want you to know I know the truth, of course I know it,

I would be nothing with out you.

"So where do we go from
here?" Buffy asked, resting her head on Spike's chest again.

"I don't know about you, but I
plan on spending every day trying to make my wife as happy as she is right
now."

Buffy giggled, pressing a small
kiss to his collarbone. "We're still going to fight, y'know."

Spike chuckled, raising her chin to
look into her eyes again. "Wouldn't have it any other
way."

style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'>Fly, fly, fly away,

You let me fly so high.

Oh, fly, fly,

So high against the sky, so high I almost touch the sky.

Thank you, thank you, thank God for you,

The wind beneath my wings.

***
*** ***

There. Two months after starting
what was supposed to be my first Buffy fic, it's actually finished. Don't know
why that one was such a struggle, but I hope you enjoyed it!

Reviews are greatly appreciated.

And, of course, "Wind Beneath
my Wings" is Bette Midler.