Reset

By PSUBrat

Author's note: Some dialogue borrowed from "Villains," written by Marti Noxon.

Crushed

Warren was tired of this little show. The demons had only taken out one of the Scoobies. Unfortunately, it wasn't Giles, Buffy or one of the witches. Damn. Now they were behind a magical barrier. "Could this day get any worse," he muttered to himself. He yelled out in frustration. Swearing under his breath, he clapped his hands together and made the remaining demons disappear in a flash. He then turned his attention to the group huddled in the back.

Willow and Giles were in the corner heatedly discussing her plan. "Willow, how on earth do you know that this will work," he asked studying her face.

"Please. You'll have to trust me on this."

Standing defiantly, Tara continued to concentrate on the barrier. She started to become nervous when she heard Warren chanting again. There was no way she was going to let him hurt Willow or her friends. She focused her powers and concentrated harder. In slow motion she saw Warren thrust his hand forward, palm outward. The barrier spell was broken and Tara collapsed to the floor unconscious.

"No!!!!!!!" Willow bellowed, "You're not going to kill her again!" She ran over to her lover and shielded Tara with her body. Willow noticed Tara's chest moving up and down and realized the girl was still breathing. Tara was okay.

Warren began closing the distance between them and himself. There was no way he was going to let them get the upper hand on him. And why had the witch said that she wasn't going to let him kill Tara again? Again? He had never touched a hair on the Wicca's head. But that was about to change.

Giles moved quickly and placed himself between Warren and the group. Giving Warren a fixed stare, he stated calmly, "Don't take another step."

"Or what old man," Warren sneered, "you'll use your binding spell again? Please. You're not stopping me."

"I told you before, I am not afraid of you."

"But you should be," Warren continued, "I'm more powerful than anything you've ever faced. Rack gave me powers you can only dream about and when I killed him, I took his as well."

Willow gasped. In this reality Warren had killed Rack and taken his powers. In the other reality it had been her that had done these things. She knew that Warren possessed powers beyond anything she or Giles had. But if they worked together, they could defeat him, as Giles and Anya had once defeated her.

Willow glanced at Giles and gave him the go-ahead nod. Giles took a step closer to Warren and with one word put him in the binding spell again.

Warren laughed haughtily, "You people will never get it will you? This won't hold me. I've broken it once already and I'm going to do it again."

Giles and Willow closed in on Warren before he could undo Giles' spell. Each placed a hand on Warren's chest and started draining his power. Once Warren realized what was going on, he broke free and knocked them to the ground. He could feel himself weakening. Damn them. "I'll show them once and for all," he thought to himself.

"You're going to wish you had never done this," he hissed at them.

***

Buffy was feeling totally helpless. She wasn't magical so she couldn't participate in the plan. The only thing she could do was watch. And protect her sister, Anya, Xander and Tara. "Xander," she gasped. She had almost forgotten about his injury. Buffy's heart sank when she saw a broken Anya looking down at the pale, lifeless body of Xander. There was a lot of blood on his shirt. She tried to push away the horrible thought that maybe he was dead. He couldn't be. If he was dead, she'd never forgive herself. She should have been protecting him.

The thought of him being dead angered her. Quickly she walked over to them and felt for a pulse on Xander. She tried both wrists and the neck but couldn't feel a single beat. She looked into Anya's already bloodshot eyes, and tried to convey to the demon that the love of her life was gone. Anya either couldn't understand, or didn't want to. "I'm sorry," Buffy croaked holding back her own tears, "I can't find a pulse."

"Noooooooooo," Anya sobbed, "no, he can't be dead. I can still feel him here." Anya continued to sob, rocking back and forth with Xander's head in her lap.

Buffy stood up and went to her sister who was crying in the corner. She put her arms around the girl and hugged her, letting her cry as much as she needed to. As she continued to hold her sister, she heard the exchange between Giles and Warren. She looked over in time to see Warren throw Giles and Willow to the floor.

***

"I told you not to mess with me," Warren spat at them, "but you just couldn't listen, could you? Now you have to pay. No more messing around." He held his right arm up, palm out. "Die."

Buffy cringed against the back of the cave shielding Dawn. "This is it," she thought to herself.

But only a spark came out of Warren's hand. He looked at his hand as anger welled up within him. "You may have weakened me, but I'm not done yet."

Seizing the opportunity, Buffy closed the distance between Warren and herself and sent him flying into the wall with a spin kick to his abdomen. The wall began to crumble as he hit it.

"Buffy," Willow yelled, "He's not completely drained yet!"

Not understanding what her friend meant, Buffy turned to Willow to ask what she was talking about…Before the words could leave her mouth, Willow ran between her and Warren. Suddenly Willow's body slumped against her. Buffy could feel something hot flowing down her hands. Holding Willow up with one arm she pulled her other hand up and stared at it. It was red and wet. She knew immediately that it was blood, Willow's blood.

Warren stood over them holding a knife and laughing. Both witches were now down and out for the count. After reveling in his accomplishment of neutralizing Willow, he suddenly realized that he still had to deal with Buffy and Giles, before the old man could use his powers against him. He raised his hand again but found that he was even weaker than before. "What's happening to me," he thought panicking.

Giles took advantage of Warren's sudden lack of strength and sent the young man flying back into the wall with just a word. The cave began to moan as Warren hit the wall yet again. More rocks began to break off and fall to the floor. Giles knew that they had to get out of there before the whole place collapsed on them.

***

Tara woke up in time to see Warren stab Willow. While Giles threw Warren against the wall, Tara ran to help Buffy with the red headed witch. She could see that Willow was still barely alive. They didn't have much time.

"Tara we have to get everyone out of here before this place caves in on us," Buffy said as she applied pressure to Willow's wound.

Tara was trying to hold back tears. She didn't want to lose Willow, not after she finally had her back again. Things were starting to make sense to her now. She had heard Willow and Giles discussing how to drain Warren of his powers. That's when the realization hit her that the only way for Willow to know how to do something like that, is if Willow had a firm grasp on black majicks. On the one hand, she was crushed that Willow would even study something like this and on the other hand she was glad that Willow had the knowledge. She needed Willow to be okay. Knowing that Warren was weak but not sure if he was completely out of magic, Tara stated, "I can put a protection barrier around us while we get everyone out but I don't know how long I can hold it."

"Do the best you can while Giles distracts Warren and I get Xander out," Buffy said as she ran over to where Dawn and Anya were standing with Xander's body. Hurriedly she picked up her friend and told the girls to follow her. They ran out of the caves and into the first signs of morning light. Halfrek was still there but she was standing watch over a now conscious Amy, making sure the girl couldn't help Warren.

After sending Dawn for help and making sure that everything was okay outside, Buffy ran back in to get the others out. As she got closer to the fight, more rocks began falling around her, making it harder for her to navigate the narrow passageways. If she didn't get the rest of them out soon, they were going to be killed.

***

Inside, Giles had Warren pinned down on the floor; he and Tara were trying to drain the rest of Warren's powers from him as Willow lay moaning on the ground. Buffy yelled to them to get Willow and get out while she took care of Warren.

Warren was up on his feet now and intended to kill Tara and Giles as they made their way to Willow. Buffy stepped in front of him and folded her arms across her chest. "Going somewhere?" She asked with a small smile.

Warren started laughing uncontrollably at her. "Slayer," he said between breaths, "did you honestly think I didn't have a plan for this?"

"Well," Buffy shrugged trying to buy some time for her friends to get out, "I figured that since you were stupid enough to do this that you were stupid enough to forget about a back up plan."

Grinning like a mad man, Warren pulled the knife out and tried to stab Buffy but she was too fast for him. Buffy knocked the knife out of his hand while punching him in the nose. Instinctively, he put his hands up to his face as he cried out in pain. Blood poured from his nose.

"I might be drained of my immortality," he growled, "but I can still kick your ass!"

Calmly she stated, "Let's finish this then." She needed to keep fighting him until Giles and Tara could get Willow out.

While Buffy distracted Warren, Tara and Giles grabbed Willow and picked their way through the rubble and into the passageway. Giles gave Buffy one last, pleading glance before he turned to leave. He was torn between his to duty to his slayer and getting Willow and Tara to safety. He hesitated at the opening as Tara tugged on his arm and gave him a pleading look.

Buffy saw Giles hesitation, "Get out now," she shouted at Giles as she landed a kick to Warren's groin, "I'll be fine. I always am."

Giles nodded. With that, he turned to make his way out of the caves hoping that it wouldn't be the last time he saw Buffy alive.

***

Unremitting debris rained down around Buffy and Warren as they continued to fight. His fist met with Buffy's stomach and she dropped to her knees. Despite being drained of his powers, he was still incredibly strong. She got back up on her feet and went after him again. She hoped to tire him out by continuing to match him blow for blow. It didn't seem to be working. He showed no signs of tiring. As she kicked him into the wall one last time, the cave began to shake violently as the ceiling groaned with the weight of the hills above it.

Warren tried to bolt for the passageway but Buffy blocked him. He was starting to get scared now. He didn't have any powers, not even quick healing, and he didn't want to die. He was doomed if he continued to fight her because the cave was collapsing. "We're both going to die if you don't move out of the way," he growled at her.

Reluctantly, Buffy realized he was right. They needed to get out of here. She couldn't kill him since he was human so it would be better to let the legal system handle him. She would lead him to safety and then let the police deal with him. "Fine," she said, "Truce. We'll get out together."

As Buffy turned to leave, Warren picked up a large rock and hit her with it. She fell to the ground. Assuming that he had knocked her unconscious, he quickly stepped over her to make his way out. "Stupid bitch," he muttered.

Buffy's eyes flew open. Her arm shot up and she grabbed him around his ankle. She pulled him back into the cave. He fell to the floor with a yelp. Buffy pulled herself up and began to make her way over to him to knock some sense into his thick head. She had barely moved when the ground started to shake. A loud rumbling followed. Both her and Warren looked up as large boulder came crashing down.

***

Buffy had barely escaped the falling debris, but Warren hadn't been so lucky. He was crushed beneath the boulder. Buffy looked over at him as the cave continued its collapse around her. He appeared to be unconscious and there was a gash on his forehead that was bleeding profusely.

She wasn't sure what to do. Her first instinct was to leave him in the cave to die. After all, he had tried to kill her and her friends; and he might have succeeded with Xander, maybe even with Willow. The thought of her two best friends lying dead outside was too much for her to bear. She decided that she would let the cave take care of Warren. Despite her nagging guilt at the thought of leaving a human being behind to die a horrible death, she turned to make her way out of the cave before it was too late.

Suddenly, Warren moaned and tried to open his eyes. He tasted blood in his mouth and his head pounded. He didn't remember where he was but when a rock fell close to his head, everything came flooding back. Terror gripped him. He tried to move and found he couldn't. His powers were gone and his super strength wasn't working either. He looked at Buffy as she dodged another falling piece of rock and his eyes widened in fear. "Get me out of here," he cried desperately.

Buffy turned and laughed at him. "Are you kidding me? Do you honestly think that I'm going to help you after everything you did to me? My friends? You probably killed Xander and Willow isn't far behind." She stared daggers at him.

"Look," he continued pleadingly, "I know that I've done terrible things to you. But you're one of the good guys. You wouldn't leave someone helpless behind to die like this." He looked at her face to see if he could read anything in her expression but it was cold as ice. He knew he had to talk fast, try to reason with her. She had a conscience; at least he thought she did. She was the Slayer. It was her duty to save him!

Buffy continued to glare at him. She wanted him to suffer a little longer before she lifted a finger to help him. She estimated that she had a few more minutes before things collapsed entirely upon them. "Give me one good reason why I should save you. Just one."

Warren sputtered. He couldn't believe she was serious. She wasn't moving towards him at all. More debris fell close to him. "Buffy! Come on! I did wrong. I see that now. I need jail. But you, you don't want to do this. You're not a bad person. Not like me."

She shifted on her feet, still trying to decide whether to do something, or just leave. Her anger was getting the better of her. Still not moving an inch, she growled at him, "So now you're admitting you're a bad person? You're only saying these things because your life is in my hands."

"Will you be able to live with yourself if you leave me to die? Is this the kind of example you want to set for your little sister?"

"Leave Dawn out of this! This is between you and me," she screamed.

"How will you explain to her that you left me here to die? If she finds out the truth, you'll lose her too. You don't want that. I know you don't."

Buffy knew he was right. She wouldn't be able to live with the guilt; she certainly wouldn't be able to look Dawn in the face if she left him here. She sighed, and made her way over to Warren.

Warren almost started to cry out of relief. He knew if he could reason with her, she'd help him. He played her heartstrings by using Dawn and it had worked. "Damn," he thought to himself, "I still have it."

She tried to lift the boulder off of him, but it wouldn't budge. The ground shook again and more debris fell on top of Warren. Buffy couldn't keep up with the amount of falling rock; the more she moved, the more it piled up. The air was becoming thick with dust, and she was finding it hard to breathe.

Debris began to fall at a faster pace. Warren was fighting to stay alert but the pain was unbearable. "Buffy," he groaned, "help me." Things were starting to grow black and he could feel himself slipping into the darkness. Buffy was yelling something at him but it was barely audible. He closed his eyes and let the darkness consume him.

Buffy looked down at Warren as she heard him let out his last breath. She slowly backed away in a daze. She couldn't save him. How many times today had she failed to save those around her? Her thoughts went to her friends. Willow. Xander. She didn't even know if they were still alive.

She cried out in pain as a falling rock hit her shoulder. Snapping out of her reverie, she realized she had stayed too long. The passageway was almost completely blocked and her air supply was diminishing. She pulled a few loose rocks away from the opening and started to make her way out of the cave. As she scrambled into the passageway, the entire cave collapsed behind her.

***

She was surrounded by blackness as she tried to find her way out of the maze of tunnels. It seemed like she had been crawling around for hours, feeling her way through the debris. Suddenly, she heard a voice. Someone was calling her name. "I'm here," she croaked, her throat sore and dry. She looked up, saw sunlight, and reached for it. A hand reached down and pulled her through the opening.

Giles ran to her side as she came out of the small opening in the side of the hill. He reached her as she almost fainted from the shock of fresh air and morning sunlight. "Buffy," he asked with a concern tone, "are you alright? I was quite certain…" His voice caught in his throat as he tried to finish his sentence.

She smiled at him and stood up. "I'm fine," she said, "except for a few bumps and bruises. No big."

Dawn had been talking to the police and the paramedics so she hadn't seen Buffy finally emerge from what had been their prison. She turned to find Giles to update him on the others' conditions and that was when she saw her sister being helped over to the ambulances. The tears started to come as she ran to Buffy and threw her arms around her sister, hugging her tightly.

Buffy hugged Dawn back. Slowly they turned to look at the sunrise. It was not the most stunning sunrise, but it took on a completely new meaning this morning. Things were going to be better from now on. They had each other. They were stronger.

Continue To Book Two - New Beginnings