Darkness Takes Light

Epilogue

Anya wandered into the main part of the Magic Shop. She stopped to look at Oz

and shook her hand in front of his face. He was asleep. He had walked slowly

back to the chair after he had managed to recognise all of them and let them

know. Everyone had found this kind of disturbing, that saying their names was

such an achievement. Everyone except Anya.

She walked back into the training room, where everyone had gathered to talk. She

swept past them and grabbed Spike's protection blanket. He used it when he had

to travel by day. She bundled it into her arms and took it into Oz. No one said

anything to her. They tended to do that. She threw the blanket over him and

tucked in the corners so that it didn't fall. She looked at his sleeping face.

He looked so innocent.

Somehow, his face showed no sign of the horrors contained in his mind. Anya

sighed softly. She knew how he felt. She had met the Dementors once, over a

hundred years ago. The thoughts flooded into her mind. Just thinking about the

Dementors brought back the things that they had forced her to face.

A man's heart rips from his body. He looks at her, eyes unfocused before he

falls to the ground.

A child screams in horror as her dad's body lies crippled at her feet.

Men, boys, males of all ages being horribly murdered...

The Dementors were the only things that had made her feel guilty for her

vengeance. She had begun to doubt it. She put her hands to her face as the tears

came. She tried to block out the memories. It didn't work. She started to sob.

Her breath came in gasps.

Xander came out and wrapped his arms around her. "Sssh," he murmured softly.

"He'll be okay. Sssh."

She pulled back from him. By this time, everyone had come out to see what was

wrong.

"Don't worry," Tara told her.

"It'll be okay," Buffy whispered. Willow and Dawn nodded. She looked at them all,

disbelief etched across her face. "No," she said softly.

She repeated it again. "No. nonononono," she said, stamping her feet. Hot tears

poured down her cheeks.

"No. He'll never be okay. Sure, maybe he'll start to talk. Maybe he'll make some

jokes and smile and pretend that everything's okay but it won't be. He'll still

be lost and scared and angry inside," she said bitterly.

"Do you want to know how the Dementors work? They suck out every single happy

thought from your mind and leave you with only the most horrible thoughts," she

whispered.

She paused and took a deep breath. Then she started speak more calmly.

"Imagine the worst moment in your life. Go back there. Fell everything you felt

then. Despair. Anger. Pain. Except no hope, no love, just emptiness. Oz went

through that for over 2 months. He felt that inside him all the time." She

paused. "I know the feeling. I've met them."

Everyone looked at her in shock. Spike spoke up. "I ran across them once." He

shuddered. "It was the worst feeling ever. Felt like I had a soul."

Anya looked at Oz. He was still asleep. She pushed past Xander and walked out

the door. She needed a long walk.

******

Dawn giggled. She grabbed Ginny. "You wanna go get an ice-cream?"

Ginny nodded happily. They were both enjoying each others company. Dawn frowned.

"First we need to get you some normal clothes. Ginny looked down at her robes.

She blushed.

"Our family can't really afford new clothes and stuff." She murmured, looking

down at her feet. Dawn linked her arm with hers. "So what, you can borrow some

of my clothes."

Xander looked at the door, worriedly. "I think I'm gonna go find Anya," he said,

and rushed out the door.

Buffy looked at the two expectant teenagers. She sighed and grabbed her keys.

"Come on, we'll take the Gilesmobile. GILES WE'RE TAKING YOUR CAR."

Giles appeared at the counter. "Could you drop me to my apartment?" Buffy

nodded.

"Where's Spike?" Dawn asked.

"He's gone to Willys."

"Oh. Buffy?"

"What?"

"Can we get a video? Ooh, and pizza. And snacks."

"Fine," Buffy shrugged. "Whatever you want."

"Yay!"

The four of them exited the shop. That left only Willow, Tara and Oz. Oz had

just woken up and was staring at something only he could see. Tara fidgeted with

the fabric of her dress. "Um, I g-gotta go," she said and rushed out.

Willow frowned after her I guess she still doesn't want to be around me

She looked back to Oz. She almost started crying again.

Oz was still so pale. His face was drawn and he looked tired. Or maybe sad. His

eyes were red and bloodshot and his face still had a few bruises on it. The only

other bit of skin she could see was his hands. She remembered how much she had

loved his hands. There was a large scar on the palm of his right hand. They were

shaking slightly. His hair was a brownish/red colour and she assumed that it was

his natural colour. She had always wanted to know his natural hair colour.

His eyes looked normal. She shiver crept down her spine as she remembered when

his eyes had changed. She had known it was the wolf straight away. How many

times had she looked into those amber eyes. Giles had something about when his

eyes were their normal colour--green it meant that he was probably aware of

where he was and listening to what they were saying. He had said something about

the wolf taking over him. She wasn't sure.

She looked at him sadly. She turned his head to face her and cocked his head

slightly. She looked into his eyes. Definitely Oz

She wished he would give her one of his half-smiles- the ones that he would

reserve just for her. She sighed softly as he turned back to face the bookshelf.

*

Willow put down the phone and turned to look at them all. "Angel and Cordy can't come--they have their own problems in LA."

Giles nodded and handed Oz a glass of milk. He had made vast improvements in the last few weeks and was now fully aware of everything that was going on. The only disaster had been when they had had to get Willow to do a locator spell to find a demon that had been attacking children. Oz had not responded well.

"Thanks," Oz said hoarsely. Although he was able and willing to talk, his voice was still rusty.

Ginny and Dawn came in to the shop, talking animatedly. They had become close friends in the last few weeks and had a lot in common.

Xander trailed behind the two girls, lugging a huge suitcase behind him, and grumbling.

Ginny hugged Buffy, Willow, Xander, Anya, Tara and Spike tightly. Spike was slightly surprised that she hugged him.

She told Dawn that she had to come to the Burrow during the summer to meet her brothers. Dawn had been deeply upset that her new friend had to leave and started to cry. Ginny was nearly crying, too. She hugged Giles fiercely, almost knocking him off his feet and when she came to Oz, she burst into tears and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Hey," he said softly. "It's okay. I'll see you again. Soon. I promise."

She leaned over and whispered in to his ear, "If you don't tell Willow soon, I will!"

He pulled away from her. "Is that a threat?!"

She put her hands on her hips. "Darn tootin!"

He laughed and kissed her on the forehead. "You've been hanging around with Dawn too much! Have a safe trip."

Ginny turned to look at Giles who handed her a handful of powder.

"Bye everyone!" she called while stepping in the fireplace.

"The Burrow," she shouted and disappeared into the fire.

Xander grinned. "Cool!"

Giles chuckled.

Oz blinked. "I am really glad we didn't do that."

Buffy grinned. "You know what? This calls for ice-cream."

Anya rolled her eyes, "The opening of a can of soda calls for ice-cream according to you."

"Okay, I guess you don't want any," Buffy said as she, Dawn, Xander, Spike, Tara and Giles walked out the door.

"Hey! Wait!" Anya called after them and ran to catch up with them. "I like ice-cream!"

That left only Willow and Oz in the shop. Oz could feel his heart pounding in his chest.

Okay Oz. You can do this. Just take a deep breath and say it.

He opened his mouth to say it. Willow looked up and he shut it and looked down.

Look at something else. Your hands. Her hands. She has lovely hands. Her hands are petite and her fingers are--twisting in her lap.

"What's wrong?"

She looked up suddenly. "What? Nothing. Nothing's wrong. Why would you think something's wrong?" she babbled.

He pointed to her hands. "You're twisting your hands in your lap. Never a good sign."

She bit her lip. Then, with a new sense of boldness, she stood up and went over to him. She sat down opposite him. "Can we talk?"

"You mean like we're doing now?"

She took a deep breath. "I talked to Tara and she has a new girlfriend and I thought that would bother me but it didn't and all I can think about is you and I just wanted to tell you that..." she trailed off.

Oz leaned in closer. "Wanted to tell me what?"

"I'm still in love with you," she whispered, her eyes glued to the table.

Oz's eyes widened and he let out a breath. He took her hand in his. She looked up at him.

"I love you too," he said softly. "I tried not to. I tried to feel happy for you and Tara but I couldn't. I couldn't forget you because I love you."

She beamed. "Do you think we could still...?"

He leaned over and whispered in her ear, "I'd still if you'd still."

Her heart leaped. "I'd still. I'd very still."

He grinned and kissed her softly. Willow wrapped her arms around his neck and deepened the kiss.

At that time, all they could think was that all was right with the world and as long as they were together, all would be right.

The End