Part One

As I walked down the main street of Sunnydale, my brown eyes widened as I looked around the broken town. If I had known the consequences of my actions… I swallow down the putrid taste that enters my mouth and I step over the woman's dead and mutilated body.

My eyes find a small blonde girl battling an army of ten vampires and I watched as she nearly cowered under their leader. I began to run, jumping
over dead bodies and pushing the tree branches out of my face. Blindly I watched as the girl was gutted and I screamed out her name.

All eyes turned to me as I ran into the clearing and I pushed vampires out of my way as I rushed towards the fallen girl. Her blue eyes stared up into mine as I grabbed her hand tightly. "Buffy…" I said sniffling, my tears dripping onto her blood-soaked blouse.

Her lips moved trying to formulate a sentence and I frowned. "What?" A raspy voice said something that didn't quite reach my ears and I leaned closer to the girl. "What?" I asked again, and I found something pressed into my hand. "T-tell X-and I… I… l-ove him… and R-Run, Cor-dy. Run." I watched as her eyes seemed to glaze over and blood dribbled out of her pale mouth.

Choking back my tears, I grabbed the stake and cross and I began to run. I didn't get very far, and when I did get caught I closed my eyes to keep away the vision of seven vamps feeding on my once friend.

I felt my head being titled to the side, and I couldn't get the vision of Buffy out of my head. Then a fierce yell broke through the clearing, and I
fell to the ground as the one person who had a tight grip on me, fell away into nothingness.

I heard Willow's agonized scream at Buffy's death, and I choked back tears, knowing it was my fault.

I heard the grunts of a fight and I opened my eyes to peer into the clearing. I saw Xand bravely fighting the vampire that had also run after me, and I watched horrified as the vampire overpowered him and drove the stake into his chest. Screaming in agony I ran over to them, cradling
Xander's convulsing body in my arms. I lay his body next to Buffy's and I watch as he strokes her pale face.

Then as his hands falls limply to her neck, I cover my face as the tears came again with a vengeance.

Then a cold hand lays on my shoulder, and I look up. Spike was standing there, a sad smile on his face; his eyes were past me and they laid on the
faces of the slayer and her boyfriend. I didn't bother to wonder why Spike was there, or why he cared that the slayer was dead or why his hand sent guilty shivers down my body.

Never the less, I let him help me up and I watched as Willow smashed the vampires head into the wall. Angry tears fell down her face and she was
screaming. "NOT BUFFY! NOT BUFFY!" She repeated those two words with every head slam and I watched as she dropped the vampire's dead body and fell to her knees.

A slight blonde walked over to Willow, her shoulder badly slashed, blood dripping down the arm. "Willow…" The red witch looked up at her and the
blonde looked over at Spike, tears filling her blue eyes. I watched as Spike left my side and walked over to them. He pulled them both into a big hug and as Willow cried into his coat, the blonde stroked her hair as she laid her head on Spike's chest.

I felt hollow as I watched the scene; Willow's heartbroken sobs tearing away at my heart. Faith stumbled over to us and gave them a thumbs up. "I gave 'em hell." Her eyes rested on Xander and she sighed. She slipped a ring off of the slayers hand and Xander's and she took off a necklace she had on. She put the two matching rings on the necklace. Among those rings were five others and I realized what they all were. Rings of the people who had died. One was Giles', one was Oz's and three more I didn't recognize.

Tucking the necklace back into her surprisingly high cut shirt and I watched as she turned fathomless brown eyes towards me and I swallowed harshly. She said nothing but turned around and began to walk away, I watched as Spike picked up Willow in his arms and the blonde girl caught up to Faith.

Not knowing whether to follow them or not I stood there for a minute before looking around. I heard a sharp scream from behind me and I looked after the retreating figures. Without a second thought I ran after them.
 

Part Two

It wasn't a long walk. It was rather short - but what I saw on the way was what disturbed me. We passed by Giles' old apartment building - or what was left of it. Half of it had caved in, the other half was burnt.

How did all of these mayhem take place in only two days?

With hallow eyes I watched as Faith left the main part of Sunnydale and went farther into the deep forest I had never knew surrounded Sunnydale. While we were walking everyone's mood seemed to brighten - Willow was able to walk on her own two feet - but she clung to Spike, who didn't seem to mind murmuring I'd imagine, comforting words in her ears. Faith had swung her arm around the blonde, both laughing over something.

Then my eyes found the light. There was a city in the trees. Music seemed to beat under my feet and  I saw a couple taking a happy stroll by the lake. Confused I watched as the blonde stopped to talk with Willow before starting to walk with me. "Hi! I'm Tara, a witch friend of Faith's. And you are Cordelia I take it?" She didn't wait for me to nod or say anything in the affirmative before plowing on. "Xander told me all about you."

I laughed, feeling better somehow. "Oh gods, why did you come back here then?" We both laughed for a minute before she started to talk again. "You and Angel left right when I arrived they said. About a month after you left before graduating, Buffy got really hurt and Xander saved her life. She was really touched and they started to bond." I don't know why she was telling me this, but I was eagerly listening on. I was curious to find out how those two had gotten together. "It took about half a year, give or take a couple of weeks for them to get involved. They got married last month. It was a nice wedding. Buffy looked beautiful in her white dress, and Xander got his hair gelled back - he looked really nice. Willow and I were the bridesmaids and Faith was the. groomsmaid? Oh, I don't know - whatever they are called. Giles gave Buffy away and." The girl wiped away a tear, "It was so beautiful. They sent you an invitation, but. by this time I bet you are wondering about how that happened. Me a bridesmaid for Buffy, *Faith* Xander's best man; oh, yeah - that's what they are called!; and Oz nowhere to be seen - and where does Spike fit into this and I'm sure you have a lot of questions."

The girl pointed to a coffee shop, and I sat down in the chair, careful not to look down. I didn't remember going up the stairs to the houses in the
trees but here we were. The place up here was some kind of market hub. People ate, bought and argued here - it was like the mall I finally decided
after Tara? Had finished ordering our drinks.

"Where would you like me to start, or to be more accurate with who?" She waved her hand and small translucent pictures of Willow, Spike, Faith,
Giles, Oz and Tara herself were all there.

I was the most curious about Faith, so I pointed to her first. The last time I had seen everyone here in Sunnydale wasn't she working with some evil guy? I think it was the mayor.

"Ah, Faith. Interesting choice. See Faith's story is a little confusing so let me do it in the easiest way I know how." she covered my eyes and then I
was watching. It was like a movie where nothing I said or did made any matter; it all played out in a planned way.

As it turns out, Faith was actually working for the mayor but the gang was able to use it for their advantage. They made faith into a double agent of sorts, she told them what the mayor was planning and what he needed for it to work. The team defeated him in three months, and Buffy forgave Faith. It was the most touching seen I had ever seen, watching them bond over the mayor's broken body. Sure, it sounds gross, but the dialogue. "I didn't think I would make it out, B. Yet here I am; my mother didn't stop me, or my watcher or Kakistos or anyone! I've never felt so. free." "Well, don't celebrate yet, Faith. I, and now *we*, have a cranky British *ex*-watcher on our hands, and boy are we in for a lecture." "Damn, and now we can't blame it on Xander since you got the hots for him." "WHAT?!? COME BACK HERE YOU SON-OF-A - "

Chuckling slightly I watched as Faith and Buffy became good friends but Xander and Faith became better. Then I saw Tara through Faith's eyes. Tara wasn't the same person she was now; back then she was more quiet, less sure of herself and when she did talk, she had a stutter. I'm not sure if that is something that attracted Faith to Tara or what but.

Whenever Faith saw Tara she took notice of changes, no matter how small or unnoticeable they were. Tara to Faith was something of obvious interest and puzzlement, and I have never seen anyone - not even how I saw Xander, or Angel or any of my crushes/boyfriends like the way Faith saw Tara. Tara in Faith's mind was like the Tara I sat with now - she was more forceful, more confident and she knew exactly how to get what she wanted - Faith's doing. But in Faith's eyes, she was heaven. Tara radiated something to Faith that made my heart flutter and melt at the same time.

Faith and Tara never actually spoke, Tara only talked to Willow and Giles at first; feeling awkward and out of place until Buffy asked her to go to the mall one night, bringing her more into the group. After that, she became more confident and ever volunteered to go out with faith on patrol. Now, Tara wasn't much of a fighter - but she could, like Willow, float a mean pencil.

Faith and Tara liked each other right away and became quick friends. Things progressed rapidly from there, and then, like the movie reel stopped
spinning, Tara withdrew her hand from my eyes. "Well, you get the picture of how Faith earned her redemption?"

"Yeah." I murmured, my eyes looking down to the lawn where Faith was sitting with Willow and Spike. I hadn't really gotten to know Faith - I guess I should of made more of an effort. Everyone seems to like her so much.

"Cordelia?" Tara's voice jolted me out of my semi-trance and she pointed to the opaque pictures on the table in front of her.

"I think I'll enquire about. Spike, next."

"Ah, Spike. Even more complicated."

Her hand covered my eyes once again.
 

Part Three

I had only seen a few moments of it before I felt something go wrong. The movement of Buffy beating up these army guys and Spike being helped up by Willow became really slow, it seemed like the Matrix except… well, with a storyline that didn’t have plot holes the size of Kansas.

The last thing I saw was Buffy threatening Spike with a stake while Faith held him before my eyes opened and I gazed around me. Tara was staking a vampire with practiced ease, Faith flanking her. On the ground itself, Spike was tearing off heads left in right, and Willow was beating the pulp out of this one vampire, who I think looked remarkably like Angel, which is incredibly ironic. Ironic in the fact that he himself was the one who had
made Sunnydale look this… The one who turned their peaceful lives he re turn upside down.

Willow was sure that his soul was in place, she was positive. When she came to tell me this all those months ago I should of thought twice before what I did…

Angel Investigations wasn’t a hopping place during the daytime, hell, even during the nighttime it was dead-ass boring. But I the ever understanding
secretary ex-bitch of Sunnyhell, Cordelia Chase. And I had fallen in love with my boss. Now, sure, that happens everyday but then again this isn’t a
normal work place. Angel, the infamous vampire with a soul, had finally gotten over one slayer of Sunnydale and he felt like telling the world. He
was whistling, *whistling*, when he strode into the office, and I gave him my look. “What the hell are you so chipper about so early in the morni –
afternoon?”

“Willow called from the road, she’ll be here in less than a half an hour.” A spark of jealously spread through my body like wildfire. Why the hell was he so happy about Willow coming? I work here everyday and get no appreciation but the moment, little, mousy Willow comes he starts jumping up and donw like some little school boy with no control over his hormon – “Cordelia?” The voice broke though my jealous thoughts and I smiled at him. “Zoning. I’m so happy we are seeing Willow. What is she coming here for?”

“She is bringing our invites to Buffy’s wedding. And she has something to tell me about the curse.” His bewitching dark eyes looked into mine and I
almost sighed out loud. “Are you feeling well? You seem… not yourself.” I was almost angry for a moment, what the hell was that supposed to mean? Before I realized that he was concerned. Concerned for me. Smiling I waved it off. “Please. If I leave this office, it would fall apart.”

He laughed, and I beamed; I didn’t make him laugh all that often. I heard the car pull up, and Willow rushed in. “Cordelia!” She nearly screeched, and I permitted her to hug me. I wasn’t thinking how happy I should be to see her, only how Angel and her were smiling and hugging. Why did she always have to steal my men? Couldn’t she find one on her own? First Xander and now Angel. Next thing Wesley will be going after her.

“Angel!! I have the best present for you – your soul it’s-”

I was falling. Falling in blackness, memory Angel and Willow fading away into nothing. I tried to clear my vision but my head was throbbing like hell
and my eyes felt like 50-pound weights. I didn’t want to succumb but I was, and am, weak.

So weak.
 

Part Four

The blackness seemed to lighten, stars seemingly appearing in the blackness. My eyes didn’t feel like a thousand pounds anymore, and my head didn’t throb as much. However, my body felt like a ton. I tried to sit up, but I found I couldn’t move. Taking a deep breath I used all my strength and moved my hand from my side to my head, trying to relieve the pressure. My head was still fuzzy but I began to hear things. Gasping, my sub-conscience self looked around the endless plain of nothingness, trying to find the voices. Have I gone mad? Is that what this is? It must be.

“…Cordelia, damnit!…Cordelia!…” The voice was a harsh whisper, and I tried to call out to it. “Who is there? What do you want?”

The ground started to shake and I lost my footing. My sub-conscience self looked up at the endless pit of darkness, showing me what I was feeling.
Afraid of where I was, and sad over the things I have done. I had killed Buffy and Xander and Giles… as if by my own hands just because of a
misplaced…

I opened my real eyes, the light hurting my sensitive eyes. I saw a red blurb with green skin hovering over me, a brown thing being waved under my
nose. Gathering the strength to smack away the brown thing I blinked until I had most of my sight. The red blurb with green skin was Willow, bruised and battered next to a sleeping Tara. “Thank god you are awake, Cordy. I was so afraid.”

I nod and ask in a voice dry from disuse, “Where are we?” Willow handed me something cool to drink and I took a big sip gratefully. The water helped me throat and helped my senses. Rotten sandwiches were in a corner and the room was slightly smelly due to the amount of time they had been here with no shower or bathroom.

“I have no clue. When the vampires raided the safe camp they took us. Tara came after for me, and they knocked her out and smelled Faith on her,
bringing her with us. Figured they could kill Spike and Faith at the same time. What confuses me is why they brought you, Cordy. Who are they trying to lure here through you?”

I swallowed, not wanting to give away my secret just yet and changed the topic. “How long have we been here?” Willow shook her head and shrugged, obviously not knowing. She looked weary, her hair out of wack, face dirty and bruised. Dry caked blood was on her face from a cut above her eyes. I almost wanted to laugh, a cut to match her lovers but I doubt it would be appreciated.

“…Faith will be going as wild as he right now. They killed a lot of the camp, I wonder how everyone is doing. I hope Graham got out okay, he was so
nice… and he had that military training. I wonder how it is to get army training… I would ask Xander but he’s not around anymore, is he? I can’t
believe it was three or so years ago when Ethan Rayne came. Spike came for the first time, Xander turned into the army man and me into a ghost. And you were you. Tara was at home with her horrible family, itching to leave. I wonder if I’d rather have a family like mine or Tara’s…” Willow was babbling worse than usual, due to either deep shock or lack of sleep.

Tara stirred and Willow was on her in an instant. “Tara? Tara, honey, are you alright?” The touch was affectionate, something I couldn’t help but
yearn for. If I didn’t know how possessive vampires were of their mates I would have said that Tara and Willow might of once been an item. Hell, they still might have been. Does it matter or creep me out?

Not really. I’ve never had that kind of relationship. I would love to, but I don’t do I?

No, I’ve just been used and tossed to the side even if I had a glimmer of hope shimmer inside me. Would he care enough about me to come and rescue me? They wouldn’t have taken me if they didn’t think so.

Maybe… maybe…

Probably not.
 

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