How many words and worlds must we cross before we find that last bit of love and life that we search for? How far can we run before our own personal demons catch up and make us pay for the sins of our past?

~*~Tai ignored the high-pitched chatter of the woman behind him as she scolded, chided and reminded her son of everything he was and wasn’t supposed to do on this trip. The shrill woman had been mollified by the Captain, but Tai still had to deal with her as he waited for the rest of the passengers to arrive. How he wished that she had been the last of their living cargo!

“How’s it going, Tai?” Sal asked, her face suddenly appearing on the screen in front of him.

Only time and experience kept him from jumping out of the pilot’s chair. Somehow, Sal was always capable of bypassing any and all security measures on comm. Systems. She could tap into just about any system, no matter how new it was. Captain had only smiled the first time she shocked Tai with that trick and said it was one of the reasons he kept her aboard. Tai had only been with them for about a week and was too overcome with awe and hero-worship to even think about asking what the Captain’s other reasons were. He doubted, even then, that Sal was playing Captain’s Whore, but the ways of those who travelled the stars were new to him and he couldn’t be certain.

“It’s not too bad,” he shrugged. “One’s on, one’s being loaded and I’m just waiting for the other two.”

“Hmm, records show they’re together,” she raised an eyebrow. “Husband and wife probably out for a romantic trip.”

“On the ’Hawk?” Tai was sceptical. “Don’t get me wrong, I love the ’Hawk, but she’s not exactly a pleasure cruiser.”

“No, she’s not,” the alien woman agreed. “But they could but the thrill seeking, slumming sort, and our lovely Starhawk is perfect for those type.”

A chime from the hatch pre-empted anything he could think of to reply to that. Making a face at Sal, he reached over a toggled a switch. “Pilot d’Nontic, how can I help you?”

“Good-day, Pilot, I am Cilla Pratt. I believe you have us on your passenger list?” The softly accented female voice floated through the comm system.

Sal did a quick look at the list then nodded at Tai. “I’ll be right down to help you load your luggage.”

“Have fun,” Sal shouted behind him as he headed down to the loading doors. He shot a crude gesture over his shoulder and her laughter followed him down.

Thankfully, the shuttle was small and the trip to the hold was fairly quick. Not so lucky for him, the overprotective, rude mother was leaving the shuttle just as Tai was coming down the ramp and the latest passengers were coming inside. She looked over the man and woman, snorting in contempt. It was more than likely the commonness of the couple’s clothing that set the woman off. Neither of them were dressed richly, instead their clothing was suitable to time aboard a ship where the temperature could drop to near freezing easily. The mother had dressed her son in the thin, light silk that was common on the planet side and Tai had already sent a message to Sal to put extra blankets in the boy’s room.

“This is what my son will be travelling with?” The scorn in her voice was nearly another person in the small space and Tai desperate thought of some way to diffuse the situation before it became bad for the ’Hawk.

The new woman, Cilla Pratt, only smiled at the mother, a wicked light dancing in her dark eyes. “You should be careful who you insult, you just may end up saying something to the wrong person.”

The mother snorted again. “You are the wrong person, in every way.”

Cilla Pratt smiled again, this time a small, feral expression that made the rude woman back up a step. Tai waited for something to be said, but the silence just dragged on until the mother finally shuddered and hurried off. Confused, Tai looked at the couple and noted that Cilla’s smiled had gone back to something soft and sweet. She linked her arm with the man at her side, her husband but the look of it, and nodded at Tai to lead the way into the shuttle.

“I apologize for that,” Tai said as he grabbed the small bags.

“No need for that,” the man said, finally speaking. “There are those like her every where you go.”

His accent was like his wife’s, a strange sound that made Tai wonder where their home planet was. Sometimes the Captain had a similar accent but not quite the same. It started him wondering about the Captain’s background, not something he was brave enough to ask about.

It was short work to get the Pratts aboard and strapped in and Tai was glad that he could finally leave planet side and return back to the ’Hawk. He hated piloting and he hated dealing with passengers. He’d rather let Erna and the Captain take care of them. A quick check made sure that everyone was strapped in and ready for liftoff. Nodding to himself, Tai headed back to the cockpit and started up the pre-launch sequence. Once everything was green lighted, he hit the button for open comms.

“This is Pilot d’Nontic, and we are just about ready for liftoff. The trip to the Starhawk will take three hours, local time and we will arrive just in time for supper. We liftoff in 3, 2, 1-”

The comms shut off as he hit the throttle and took the shuttle up into the atmosphere. The familiar pressure squished him back against the seat and he wondered just how the passengers were handling it. He didn’t know if any of them had travelled off planet before, but he wondered if he should have warned them about the pressure. He shrugged as the pressure levelled off. Too late now.

~*~Xander ignored the Captain and First Mate when they set down on the second planet. He didn’t really care what they had to pick up or drop off. All he cared about was finishing the errand he had so he no longer had to deal with the Steinbergs. He had been dealing with different factions of the family for longer than he wanted to remember and they all were the same: greed, selfish and vain. The whole family was focused on only raising themselves up to look the best in society, even at the cost of the rest of the family.

“It’ll be a few more minutes before liftoff,” the First Mate said, appearing suddenly by Xander’s side.

He just blinked at the man and shrugged. “I’m in no hurry. You know when Mrs. Steinberg wants the piece delivered.”

“True,” Erna nodded. “It’ll take us about five hours to get back to the ’Hawk. Do you need anything before we leave?”

Xander thought about it for a moment then shook his head. “No, I’m good for now.”

“We’ll get back to the ship just after supper, but I’m sure we can find something for you if you’re hungry them.”

Xander smiled his thanks and turned back to his thoughts, thoroughly dismissing the First Mate. He didn’t want to play friendly. Being friendly only got him pain in the long run. No, he was tired of making connections with people only to lose them. No matter how long he had with anyone, losing them always seemed to come too soon and Xander had realized that he couldn’t take that anymore. The heartache was killing him slowly, and though he may long for death on occasion, that wasn’t the way he wanted to go. Keeping to himself was the best policy.

It wasn’t long before Captain Pryce called the warning for liftoff over the comms, and then the shuttle was launching into space, pushing Xander back into the seat. He let his eyes slide closed and let his mind and heart drift. He would drop off Mrs. Steinberg’s package and be gone, off to somewhere remote to be alone. No more watching and waiting for everyone around him to succumb to age and death. No more love and losing. Just him for the rest of eternity.

 

Previous – Next

Charles Pryce had been the owner and captain of the Starhawk for over fifteen years. Before becoming captain, he had sailed the stars under his father’s tutelage, learning the ins and outs of the shipping, trading and moving business. He loved the ‘Hawk, lived for the endless starry night and he relied on Erna Sanjoia as his First Mate. Of course, Erna was more that First Mate; he was lover, life and Mate. Still, when Erna said that there was a problem, Pryce knew without a doubt, there was a real problem. This problem had him standing before a dark haired man with a single dark and torment filled eye.

“Did Mrs. Steinberg say why she wanted you to take the package personally?” Pryce asked the man, Harris. “I mean no disrespect, but it seems like a slight to the ‘Hawk and like we can’t be trusted.”

“I know,” Harris agreed with a slight nod. “I’m not sure what’s being Steinberg’s need for the personal transport, but she’s paying me, and you, to get this,” he hefted the bag over his shoulder, “to its destination.”

Pryce stared at Harris for a moment wondering if there was something that the man wasn’t saying, but there was only honesty and a sense of exhaustion lingering around the tall figure. Finally, the Captain nodded and gestured for Erna to take Harris onto the shuttle. He watched the two men walk away and wondered about the sense of foreboding that drifted down around him. Something was going to happen, something that dealt with Steinberg’s errand boy. Sighing, Pryce headed to grab the update cargo list and checked to make sure everything was on board. It wouldn’t do to leave something planet side once they hit the sky.

~*~ 

Tai’s hands clenched on the controls as he guided the small shuttle down to the surface of the planet. He hated piloting the shuttle. He hated piloting period and thankfully, there was little call for him to have to suffer through it. As the shuttle settled down lightly on the ground, he release the controls and breathed a sigh of relief. He didn’t fool himself though, it was only a matter of hours before he would be taking the shuttle back up to the ship. Shaking off that thought, he finished the landing lockdown and popped open the hatch. The first passenger would be arriving any moment and it was best to be prepared. Often the passengers were assholes, acting as if they were the emperors and queens of the universe.

The notification chime came a bit earlier than Tai expected and he was glad he had prepped most of the shuttle before leaving the ‘Hawk. Denying himself a groan, he answered the call, plastering on a neutral, pleasant face.

“Tai d’Nontic of the Starhawk,” he chirped in greeting.

“Are you the captain?” a haughty looking woman on the other end asked.

“No, I am one of the pilots and crew,” Tai answered truthfully. Being captain was not something he wanted, ever.

“I want to speak to the captain before I allow my son on to the ship,” she sneered.

“Captain Pryce is not currently with me, but if you want to wait I can see about patching you through to him,” Tai said diplomatically.

“Fine,” she snapped. “Do be quick about it.”

Tai gave her a vague smile and switched to the channel he knew he would find Sal lurking. It took a moment before Sal answered his comm call, but soon she was smiling sharp toothed at him.

“Tai,” she greeted laughingly. “Something wrong already?”

He made a face at her. “Passenger, well, actually the mother of a passenger. She wants to talk to Captain before letting her son on board.”

Sal made a face back and said something probably rude in the musical sound that was her native language. Blue eyes narrowed as she went about patching through to the Captain’s shuttle. As they waited for someone there to pick up, Sal amused both of them by idly wondering just why the woman wanted to speak to the Captain. Tai’s favourite was that the mysterious son was truly the Captain’s love child. He snickered as she continued on, her guesses becoming more and more outrageous until Tai was laughing almost too hard to breathe.

“What is it, Sal?” Erna asked from the new image on the screen.

“Tai wants you,” the main pilot said, pointing an accusing finger at the young man.

“Hey, it’s not my fault,” Tai protest. He grimaced. “Customer here wants to speak to the Captain before she allows her son on board.”

“Speak to him about what?”

“She didn’t say and I really didn’t want to ask,” replied Tai honestly.

“Fine,” Erna sighed. “I’ll get him.”

Sal and Tai exchanged a look as the First Mate disappeared from the screen. It wasn’t like Erna to be short with them. And the look on his face had been one of stress, something else that was very different. Something has obviously happened on their trip to upset the normally jovial man. It was only a moment before the dark face of the Captain filled the screen, his eyes questioning as he looked at them.

“Patch through the customer,” he said softly.

Tai nodded and connected the two calls, ignoring the woman’s shrill complaints about the length of her wait. He only have listened as she questioned the Captain about the safety features on the ship and if the ‘Hawk was really reliable. The questions upset him and he could tell it was making the Captain angry, but there was nothing for it. Hopefully the son wasn’t like the mother. Soon the woman hung up and the Captain met Tai’s eyes with a small smile.

“Always one like her,” the older man told Tai. “You get used to it.”

“Everything settled, then?”

“Good to go,” the Captain nodded. “Her son will be boarding within the hour, so be ready.”

“Already set,” Tai grinned. “Got most of the stuff done while still on the ‘Hawk.”

“I see Erna’s rubbing off on you.”

“No, he’s too busy rubbing off on you,” Tai giggled.

The Captain shook his head. “Get back to work.” His side of screen went dark and Tai grinned at Sal. The beautiful alien only smirked before disconnecting her end.

“No one likes my jokes,” Tai mock sighed to himself as he went back to work.

 

~*~ 

Xander let his eyes drift close as he listened to the distant sounds of cargo being loaded. It was a familiar and somewhat comforting sound, floating on the air and wrapping him in a cocoon of comfort. It was only at times like this, when he let his mind forget about the past that he had any measure of peace. But it was a fragile, false peace that quickly disappeared. Even now, that peace was broken by a slight cough. Opening his eyes, Xander met the gaze of the First Mate.

“We have one more stop before heading back to the ‘Hawk,” Sanjoia told him quietly. “We’ll be heading over there soon.”

He nodded his acknowledgement and watched as the man walked away. There was something about the Captain and the First Mate that seemed familiar, but no matter how hard he tried he couldn’t place it. He filled the thought away for another time. He would be on the Starhawk for two months before he hit his destination, there was time to think about it during the long trip.

There were only moments before the shuttle shuddered and rose into the sky. Xander had strapped in when he sat down and now just let the feeling of take-off flow through him. It had surprised him that the rough sensation bothered people. He rather liked it. The pressure, the strain gave the hint that maybe this would be the end, that his suffering would finally be over. The first flight he ever took had been rough, but after that he welcomed it. A brief respite.

 

~*~Pryce glimpsed back at the only passenger on the shuttle and noted that he didn’t seem bothered but the feeling of take-off. A small smile actually drifted over the strange man’s face. He shared a look with his Mate, who only shrugged and upped the throttle. He really wasn’t certain what to make of Harris. He wasn’t the normal errand boy that Steinberg used. His look, his manner, everything about him screamed he was something more than a courier, but here he was playing that role.

He shivered and pushed the thought away. He still had a job to do, but he’d ask Sal her opinion once she met Harris. The blue-haired alien always had strange insights into the people she met. You didn’t always want to know what she saw, but it was almost always helpful.

 

Previous – Next

The air was hot, the sun beating down on them relentlessly. Tai swiped a hand over his face, wiping away the accumlation of sweat that just popped back up. It had never occured to him that other planets could get this hot. Intellecutlally, he knew, he had read about the climates on other planets while in school, but books do nothing to prepare for reality. The cool, calm weather of his home was months in the past and since then Tai had survived a snowstorm, two hurricanes (and wasn’t that fun to learn about), and now this hot hellhole. And he had no one to blame except himself and the strange feeling of guilt and grief that seemed to flow out of the cosmos and surround him occasionally.

Sighing, he trudged along behind the Cruiser’s captain, listening to the man communicate with the first mate still on the ship. The two men were talking about the upcoming trade that those on the planet’s surface was heading toward. Their cargo followed behind them on three strange creatures that humped backs and long necks. Tai didn’t like the smelly creatues which was unfortunate snce his task was to watch over the cargo and the beasts. As he walked along a surge of pain and grief enveloped him, nearly driving him to his knees. He stumbled, catching himself on the harness of the nearest beast, causing the animal to make a low moaning sound. The captain looked back at the noise and hurried back, grabbing Tai around the waist and helping him stay standing.

“So soon?” the older man asked, letting Tai lean against him. “They are coming closer together.”

Tai nodded. When he signed on to the Cruiser, he thought it would be prudent to inform the captain about his strange affliction, just in case something happened at an inopportune moment. At first he thought the older man would deny his commision but both the Captian and the First Mate just smiled and brought him on, helping him through the episodes.

“I think I might be getting close,” Tai whispered, sagging as the feelings left him.

“Close to what?”

“What or who,” the young man sighed. “I don’t know.” He found the strength to stand on his own, smiling his thanks at his captain and friend. “I don’t know what I’m heading toward, but I’m definitely getting closer.”

“Maybe we’ll search after we finish this trade,” the captain said, smiling down at Tai before starting back in the direction of the settlement they were deading toward.

Tai smiled ruefully and followed, prompting the beasts into moving again.

~*~
He was tired, body aching and mind numb. He had been wandering again, not willing to tie himself to anyone or anything, just drifting through space like some lost creature. The simple act of living had begun to drag on him and there was no end in sight. Life had become so painful that he had even stopped looking for Angel. Helian, Master of the House Aureli, had to have known that Angel would never be found. He had only given into to Spike’s plea to make the pain worse. After all, why go for the kill when you can go for the hurt.

~*~
“Everything going well, Tai?” Erna, the First Mate, asked, stopping the young man walking up the ramp.

“I’m fine,” Tai answered with smile. “As I told Captain, I think whatever is calling to me is getting closer.”

“Really?” Erna said with shock. He blinked and then grinned. “Do you know what it is yet?”

Tai shook his head. “Not yet, but I’m starting to think it’s someone not something.”

“Someone?” Erna’s grin turned to a leer. “I wonder…”

“Perv,” Tai laughed, slipping past the older man.

“Captain likes me this way,” the First Mate said over his shoulder.

Shaking his head, Tai headed to his bunk. Now that their trading was over he was at loose ends until they lifted off again. As he walked through the halls to his bunk he could hear Sal, the Navigation Officer singing as she plotted their next course.

“It’s dark as a dungeon and damp as the dew, Where danger is double and leasures are few, Where the rain never falls and the sun never shines It’s dark as a dungeon way down in the mine,” she sang, her voice soft and sweet, echoing down the corridors.

Tai didn’t know where Sal had learned all the old Earth songs, but she sang them often, ringing through the halls. There were songs of mines and coal, of love and life, of death and decay, all sung sweetly. The singing had worried him at first, until Erna had explained that Sal sang to keep herself focused while she worked. When he asked her about it, she had smiled widely at him, eyes shining and said her mind like to wander.

Slipping into his bunkroom, Tai stripped off his sweat drenched clothing and jumped into the sonic shower, letting the waves of energy sweep sweat and dirt from his skin. Standing beneath the waves of blue and red, he thought about how strong his episode had been. He had never felt the emotions that strongly before. When the shower shut off he left the small shower stall and walked naked toward the bed, flopping down on the flat surface. Lying there he thought back, considering all the episodes. Over the years they seemed to waver in strength, which had led him to the original thought that who or whatever was responsible for them was always on the move. Now, he was closer than he had ever been to finally find the cause and all he could feel was waves of fear.

With a sigh, Tai flipped over and forced himself into slumber.

~*~“Hey, Deadboy.”

“Harris.”

“Buffy’s upstairs.”

“I’m not here to see her, Xander.”

“Well, Giles is in his office, Willow’s out with Kennedy and Spike took Dawn to the movies.”

“Not here to see any of them either.”

“Who you here for then?”

“You.”

~*~The shrill scream of the take off alarm jerked Tai out of his sleep. He stumbled out of his bed and into the harness on the wall, strapping him self in and hitting the button to let the bridge know he was ready. Moments later the now familiar feel of the ship leaving the surface of the planet plastered him to the wall, only the harness keeping him from falling to a heap on the floor. Letting the pressure flow through him, Tai did the deep breathing techniques Erna had taught him to deal with take off. Most planet born people hated the feel of take off, leaving travel through space to those born in there. The captains of ships had the tendency to hire only from space born since they were used to the feeling and were less likely to quit after their first take off. That fact had made it harder for Tai to hire on to a Cruiser. Planet born, on the small side and his episodes all conspired to keep him from reaching space. Thankfully he was a genius, knew over forty languages and could rewire just about anything. Captain and Erna took that into account when they smiled, nodded and signed Tai’s hire slip.

“Hey, Tai, we need you on deck,” Erna’s voice echoed over the comms as they pulled out of take off and the ship settled into flight.

“On my way,” he acknowledged, slapping the release on his harness. He landed in a painful lump on the floor and grunted as he forced himself to his feet and then into clothing. Not that anyone cared if he walked around the ship naked. Captain and Erna were bonded and had been for longer than Tai had been alive and Sal’s species was asexual. Still, when he did forget clothing, Erna always made some comment that had Tai blushing and running back to his bunkroom to get dressed.

The trek to the bridge went fairly quickly as Tai took all the shortcuts he had found over the months on the ship. Pausing to catch his breath, he pushed the sensor to open the door, slipping in almost unobserved as Captain and Erna argued about something.

“Sir?” Tai said quietly, breaking the bonded pair out of their quarrel.

“Ah, Tai, we’re heading to pick up some new cargo and a few paying transfers,” the Captain said, smiling at the young man. “We need you to head down to the next planet surface and collect the transfers.”

“Me, take the shuttle down and pick up people?” Tai squeaked. “You do remember I don’t pilot the shuttle very well, right?”

“You pilot fine,” Sal said quietly from the navigation console. “You just need to relax a bit.”

Tai snorted. “I can’t relax when I’m piloting. It makes me nervous.”

“You’ll do fine,” Captain assured him. “Besides, I need Erna with me to pick up the cargo a planet over and people don’t react well to Sal.”

Tai glanced at Sal with her too large eyes, fairly violet skin and bright blue hair. ‘Don’t react well’ was an understatement. “Fine, do we have coordinates and info?”

“All being sent to the shuttle. You have until 0500 ship’s time to get ready.”

Waving a hand, Tai trudged back to his room. He hated piloting and thankfully he wasn’t made to get behind the controls for the shuttle, or the ship, very often. Back in his room, he sat on his bed and groaned, he hated this so much. Most of the time he only piloted the shuttle to pick up cargo, never living beings, and really never people. He really wished that he was going with Captain to pick up the cargo instead of picking up people. Piloting the shuttle with passengers wasn’t going to endear him to said passengers. This could possibly loose money for the ship.

Lying back, he tried to sleep and ignore the anxiousness filling him.

~*~Checking his ticket, Xander sighed and looked for the ship named on ticket. After a few minutes he found a small shuttle with the name of the ship stencilled on the side. Slinging his back over his shoulder, Xander approached the rear hatch, looking for the pilot.

“Hello,” a deep voice said from the darker interior.

“Hi,” Xander replied, forcing a smile on his face.

“Are you from Steinberg’s,” a tall man asked as he walked down the ramp.

“Yes. I am Xander, and the cargo’s right here,” Xander pointed to the bag on his shoulder. “There’s been a change of plan though.”

“Oh?”

“Mrs. Steinberg has asked me to accompany the cargo to its destination,” he said quietly, holding up a hand when the man would have objected. “It is not against the ‘Hawk or any of the crew. Mrs. Steinberg would just rather have someone she knows handling the cargo.”

“Captain isn’t going to like this,” the tall man muttered. “I’m Erna Sanjoia, the First Mate on the StarHawk. Captain Pryce will be with us shortly and I’ll let the two of you work this out.”

“I have a direct line to the Steinberg’s if the Captain would like to use it to clarify the situation,” Xander offered.

Erna sighed and shrugged. “He just might take you up on that. For now, head inside and out of this star-damned weather.”

Nodding, Xander shook off a much dust as he could and headed inside the shuttle, taking a seat near the middle. From his vantage point he could see Erna supervising the loading of some other cargo onto the small shuttle and he could also see when the captain walked up. The man looked vaguely familiar but Xander couldn’t place the face. Heaving a sigh, he pushed to his feet and went to talk with the captain. If Captain Pryce aborted the contract it would be up to Xander to find a new ship to take him and the bag on his shoulder to their destination.

 

Previous – Next

He carefully laid the last shovelful of dirt over the grave, patting it down gently. Sitting on the ground, he blinked back tears as he stared at the headstone. Beloved was all it said and for him it spoke more than anything. His little love had been beloved, had been the center of his universe, but he knew it wouldn’t last. It never lasted. Everyone was always stolen from him.

“Is there a reason you’re sitting here, mister?” asked the cracking voice of a boy hitting that stage in life.

“Saying goodnight to a friend,” he answered, leaning forward to brush his lips against the marble. He looked at the youth standing beside him. A typical small planet young man, tall and thin with a shock of startling red hair. But everything else about him was the same worlds over.

“Goodnight, mister? Don’t you mean goodbye?”

“I never say goodbye,” he replied truthfully, rising to his feet. “I believe that we will see people again, some day.”

“Mama believes that too,” the young man nodded sagely. He looked over intently. “Are you done now? I don’t mean to rush you but grandpapa died a few days back and it’s time to bury him now.”

“I’m done,” he sighed, grabbing the shovel. “Do you need any help?”

“No,” the youth shook his head. “We’ve got it covered. You can stay if you want. The preacher can say a few words for your friend too.”

He smiled sadly. “No, but thank you anyway. I think I need to head on my way.”

“Okay, mister. But if you need anything, you stop by, okay?”

A small laugh escaped him. “My friend would have liked you. I’ll remember than. Goodnight.”

“Goodb-night to you too, mister.”

~*~
“You know your crime?”

“Yes.”

“And you do not object?”

“There is nothing to object to.”

“Are you certain?”

“Yes.”

“You understand we will punish you to the further extent of our power? It will be like nothing you have faced before.”

“I understand.”

“I am sorry to have to do this. I, Helian, Master of the House Aureli, find Alexander Lavelle Harris, Consort of Angelus, Master of the House Aurelius, Childe of the House Aureli, guilty of the death of his Mate and Master. Consort, your prison is to walk through this world all alone.”

“I object!”

“To what exactly, Childe William?”

“Yeah his crime is horrible, but you’re sentencing him to an eternity of pain! Even the PTB gave Angel a reprieve.”

“Yes, you are correct. Thank you for pointing that out. The sentence is laid and I cannot change it now, but I can amend it. Therefore, you will walk this world, this lifetime alone until you re-find the other half of your bond.”

“Thank you, Master Helian.”

“Do not thank me, young one. You may never find him again.”

“I know, but at least I’ll have the chance to try.”

~*~

Xander watched the stars slip by sadly. It had been just over two thousand years since that night. Two thousand years watching friends and family die as he drifted. First Giles and Dawn to a car crash, then Willow while she was saving a bunch of junior slayers. Faith died in a berserker rage after seeing Robin fall during a battle. Surprisingly, Buffy was the only one of the mortals to live to old age, dying surrounded by child, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

When human finally made it to space travel, Spike and Dru had gone with him to the stars, the pain of Earth too much for any of them to bear. It had been exactly nine hundred and seventy two days when they decided to watch the sun rise on an Earth like planet, the brilliant and deadly rays killing them almost instantly. They never told him why, just gone wrapped in each other’s arms. Since their death, Xander had made friends and gathered family, descendants of those he once loved, and since then he had watched each leave him.

He wasn’t giving up hope. He would find Angel, even if he had to travel to the final moment of the universe to do so. He would find his love, his heart, his soul and maybe, just maybe, he’d also find some peace.

~*~
Tai looked up from his school books as the overwhelming feeling of grief hit him again. Since he had turned sixteen he had been feeling like something was missing, distant from him but reaching out. Each time he almost touched that something, someone, he would feel a complete sense of loss and pain. It wouldn’t be long before he could apply for a Cruiser to search to whatever was waiting out there for him. And maybe he’d help that someone find peace.

 

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