Author: AmberAlysonLover
Rating: R, coz of horror, blood and a little loving!
Disclaimer: I don't own these characters of Buffy, or 28 Days Later. Also Alex Garland is brilliant!

Now they are driving fast up North and the whole car is in silence. Tara is lost in her own thoughts, while looking at Willow, who has her hand out of the car. Tara finds Willow so cute and her actions always bring a smile to her face. Dawn was watching the girls and giggling, she could so tell they were really into each other. Then Buffy looks at Dawn in the rear view mirror, they give each other a loving smile. Soon around 5pm, Willow was looking through the bags fil of food.

Willow - "Who's unbelievably hungry?"
All - "US!"

Willow looks out of the window. They are in a complete empty, rolling countryside, it goes on for miles.

Willow - "Let's have a picnic."

They stopped in a beautiful spot, quite a high, clear view. It is a really beautiful day. It's late afternoon and the sun is still shining high and the trees cast long shadows. Everyone is happily sat on the grass eating from the hoard. Willow had pulled open a packet of state hot cross uns, Dawn empited a packet of Maltesers into her mouth, Buffy holds a block of Chedder, eating it like it was cake and Tara is drinking from a can of tinned Peaches, swallowing the pieces almost whole, with the juice running down her chin.

Tara - "On my god, Yes! I can taste the Vitamin C. I can feel it in my blood."
Willow - "These are great. They're like huge biscuits."

She offers half to Dawn, who takes a bite and then smiles at Willow.

Dawn - "It's true! They are like biscuits!"
Willow (completely unitellingible, mouth full, spraying crumbs) - "An de phraisin ar phrill moipht."

Tara and Dawn both laugh at Willow

Dawn - "What did you say?"
Willow (swallowing) - "I said, the raisins are still moist."

They all start to laugh now till Buffy calls out to them.

Buffy - "Come here and take a look at this."

They all turn to see a field, some distance away, a group of 3 horses - 2 adults and a foal - are galloping over the field as if wild. A majestic and surreal sight and it somehow implies the way the world will change.

Dawn - "Do you think they are infected?"
Buffy - "Nope. They are doing just fine."

Everyone smiles at the sight and then starts to eat again. Once the meal is over, Buffy and Dawn sit next to each other, the radio is playing and the voice can be heared again. Willow and Tara had walked away from the others, and sat on a fence gate, looking at the view.

Willow - "You know what I was thinking?"

Tara considers this a moment

Tara - "You were thinking that you'll never hear another piece of original music ever again. You'll never read a book that isn't already written. Or see a film tha't isnt already shot."

Willow gives Tara a huge smile

Willow - "Nope, thats what you were thinking."
Tara - "No... I was thinking I was wrong."
Willow - "What about?"

Tara doesnt answer for a moment. She turns to look at Buffy and Dawn, who seemed so relax and happy at the picnic.

Tara - "All the death, all the shit - it doesnt really mean anything to Buffy and Dawn. They have each other and its all okay. (she turns to Willow) I was wrong when I told you staying alive is as good as it gets."
Willow (smiles) - "That's what I was thinking."
Tara - "Was it?"
Willow - "Oh yes, you stole my thought."

Tara leans over and gives Willow a light kiss on her cheek.

Tara - "Oh, I'm sorry."
Willow (slightly surprised but pleased) - "Ah, keep it."

Then Willow leans over and kisses Tara's cheek too. As she pulls back, Tara smiles and leans closer to Willow. She takes the lead and they are so close and about to kiss. Then Buffy's voice belts out:

Buffy - "It's getting late. We should stay here tonight, is that ok?"

The girls pull apart, looking like naughty kids who got caught with thier hands in the cookie jar. They both nodded and Willow give her friend a wave. Around 10.30pm, Tara, Willow and Dawn were lying on the cold ground, with thier coats over them and their bags used for pillows. Buffy is sitting up, looking over her friends and sister. The moon is bright and only Tara is asleep...

Dawn - "Will, I can't sleep."
Willow - "Nor can I. This doesn't feel safe, outside like this."
Buffy - "We are safe enough."

Then everyone looks at the sleeping Tara

Dawn - "Tara doesnt seem to have any trouble."
Willow - "I know. I noticed that too."

She then reached over and gently shook Tara's shoulder.

Willow - "Tara... Tara..."
Tara (really drowsy) - "What... what is it..."
Willow - "How did you manage to get to sleep?"

Tara gives Willow a dozy grumble, then sits up, and puts her hands into her bag. She pulls out a lot of bottles of pills. She hands one of them to Willow.

Buffy - "Bloody hell. You must need a hell of a prescripiton for that lot!"
Tara (drowsy) - I didn't need one of those, I am a qualified chemist."

She drops back down and falls back to sleep.

Willow (looks at the bottle) - "Valium. Great. Not only will it get us to sleep, but if we get attacked during the night, we wouldn't even care!"

She takes the top off.

Willow - "Two each?"
Buffy - "Not for me, thanks."
Willow (She looks at Dawn) - "What about..."
Dawn - "Oh can I?"
Buffy - "I don't know, Dawnie."
Dawn - "Buffy, plee...ease. I cant slee-eep"
Buffy - "On alright then. Give her half of one."

Willow gives her a pill and then settles down for a sleep. Now we head into Willow's valium dream.

We see a small beautiful farm house, outside is Tara, Dawn and Willow are playing with a small puppy and life seems to perfect. No one is sick and people are alive, how life used to be. Then it all goes wrong, Tara's and Dawn's faces change. They are infected. They start to attack Willow who can't fight them off.

Soon we are back at the picnic spot. We see Buffy's hand on Willow's shoulder. Willow is half awake now.

Buffy - "Hey."
Willow (confused, semi conscious) - "What..."

Buffy is sitting beside her - and she has been awake since they all fell asleep. She didn't want anything to go wrong.

Buffy - "Shh. You're having a bad dream, thats all."

Willows face relaxes a little.

Willow (mumbled, half asleep) - "Okay, mammy."

Buffy raises her eyebrows and then smiles at her best friend. Willow is just too cute for words at times. They woke up at 7.30am and got everything ready. Willow was packing her stuff away, Buffy was checking the car over, Dawn was putting on a new jumper while Tara was eating a huge bar of chocolate for breakfast.

Willow - "There you go, Buff. This is how you catch dew. I'm covered in the bleeding stuff."
Tara - "It looks like you had a wet dream, Will."
Dawn - "Oh I bet it was about you, Tara."
Willow - "Dawnie, stop picking on her. And no, I didn't have a wet dream."
Tara - "Oh what a shame!"
Buffy - "Okay everyone, let's go. I think we can reach Manchester by midday."
Willow - "Yeah, let's rock and roll."
Dawm (copies Willow, in a silly voice) - "Yeah, let's rock and roll!"
Tara - "Dawnie, behave!"

Dawn gives her a silly look and smiles.

Dawn - "Willow is used to it. She's a right geek!"
Tara - "No, she's beautiful."

Dawn giggles and gives her a hug.

Buffy - "Okay, let's go and find help."