Rating- strong R, people. This has strong language and adult themes
Warning- Buffy/other temp, very angsty in the beginning (think season 6. But do you expect Buffy to be all sunshine and roses? I mean, Spike is dead, or so she thinks). It’ll get better, I promise
Disclaimer- I own Buffy and Angel. I created the characters of Spike, Buffy, Dawn . . . HEY, get your hands off me! Where are you taking me? I’m not crazy! I’m not! Ok, to prevent myself from being carried away to the loony bin. . . I do not own Buffy or Angel, Joss Whedon does unfortunately.
BEGINNINGS
By Heather Martin
Episode 8 x 1: Road to Nowhere
Starring:
Buffy Anne Summers SARAH MICHELLE GELLAR
Willow Rosenberg ALYSON HANNIGAN
Xander Harris NICHOLAS BRENDON
Dawn Summers MICHELLE TRACHTENBERG
Spike JAMES MARSTERS
Teaser
It was the dawning of a new day. The sun was waking up, making the shadows fade away. With its rays it cleansed the world of uncertainty and doubt, clearing a path that was straightforward and true. The light crept through the bus window, hitting Buffy’s face. She shut her eyes, letting the intensity of it seep into her skin.
A smile made its way onto her lips. She felt as if she were sleeping beauty, just now awakening from a deep slumber. Everything was new and promising. She was truly alive, rejuvenated, and free. She was ready for whatever might come her way.
In the seat next to her, Dawn stirred. She opened her eyes and groggily sat up. Moaning she muttered, "Is it morning already?"
Her sister turned toward her, still smiling. "Yeah, it’s morning."
Dawn took a hand and began to massage the side of her neck. "God, we better find a motel soon cause these seats not very cushiony."
"Not muscle friendly, huh?"
"That would be a no."
Dawn glanced around the bus. She took in the sleeping people occupying the seats.
"So we won?" Dawn asked.
"Looks like," Buffy answered.
There was a span of comfortable silence.
Finally Dawn said, "So, what now?"
Buffy looked down at her grungy attire. "Well, I’m gonna need a new wardrobe and a shower. No, make that a bubble bath."
"No, Buffy, really. Where are we going?"
Buffy took a few seconds to ponder that question. Then she replied by saying," That’s the amazing thing. Wherever we want."
Scene 1
She awakened to feel his arm snake around her naked waist. It was warm from the hours snuggled together. He pulled her even closer, against his hard chest. His hand slid downward to land at her hip. He paused before bringing it inward, sneaking between her legs. She let out a moan. Mmmm, what a way to greet the morning.
She had fought this too long. Why? She had caused them so much pain in her protest against this rightness. They had missed out on so much. But she would make it right. Things were different now. She’d give back, instead of taking all the time. They’d wake up next to each other every morning, even if the blinds had to be closed.
His hand was nice, but that wasn’t what she needed. It wasn’t what he needed either. They needed each other. They needed to be one.
Buffy’s eyes shot open to proceed in her ambition. That was when reality crashed into her. She went rigid. Oh, her body kept writhing on. It was far too late for her inner workings to fight against inborn nature. But inside, she became lost in the empty abyss of grief.
Why did she fool herself so? The man next to her may be blond, compact, and well defined, but he was definitely not who she wished him to be. His arm was always warm, not just because they shared the same bed. Spike had slept on the other side of her, holding on with his left arm instead of the right. This man’s flesh was kissed by the rays of the sun, not sculpted white. There were so many differences. And yet each time she faced a new day her heart tricked her.
She wanted to cry out from loss, but instead remained inwardly passive until he had completed the primitive deed. Then she rolled over. She may have longed for the next step with Spike, but she had no desire for it from this stranger. At least not now. She knew that later that night she’d seek him out. She’d pound into him, taking her anger out, soaking in the punishment she deserved. Because she had left the ‘him’. She left him all alone to face the end. She had waited until it was too late to profess her feelings. . . He didn’t believe her. Where sex had once been a search for feeling, it was now an attempt for numbness. The escapism. Only The Immortal could dish this out. Only he could give her this without asking why, without wanting more from her. He was strong enough to withstand her violent tendencies. Sometimes she wondered if he was a sadist. It didn’t matter. She got what she needed. He got what he needed. The world was as it should be. Ha, what a crock of shit.
The mattress creaked as The Immortal got up. Soon after she heard the sound of a zipper.
"Better get going. I have to get to work." His voice was deep and rough. There was nothing gentle or poetic in it at all.
Buffy didn’t want to move. She wanted to shut her eyes again and fall into the realm of unknowing. Instead she obeyed. She stood up, searching for her clothes. She knew he was watching, she could feel his dark gaze on her. She found her panties tossed on the nightstand. The black silky fabric now had a tear. She put them on anyway. She continued the ensemble with her leather pants and tank top, putting them on as quickly as possible.
He led her to the door.
"I’ll see you this evening."
It wasn’t a question. She left without a reply.
Scene 2
The apartment was empty. Dawn had managed to get herself off to school. Who knew where Andrew was. Maybe he was with his Dungeons and Dragons group. Or, he was on one of his ‘covert’ operations. Honestly he was a good watcher, but he took it too far, acting like he was James Bond or something.
She went to the bathroom and stripped. She stepped into the shower. The spray hit her back and she hissed from the sting. Nail marks. Oh God. Or was it teeth? It was hard telling. The Immortal was fond of using both.
She washed herself thoroughly, lathering twice. When she got out she still felt filthy. She would never be clean enough. Never be able to wash away her sins.
She tossed her dirty clothing into the washer. Except the panties, those she left for the garbage man. She poured herself a bowl of cereal for breakfast, some generic cheerios. It tasted like cardboard. The rest of her morning was spent cleaning house. At nine she headed for work.
Navona Notte Pizzeria was located where the Stadium of Domitian used to stand. The piazza was large, but still seemed intimate. Buffy loved the place. It was full of statues. Her favorite was the Fountain of the Four Rivers, which represented four rivers (Danube, Ganges, Nile, and Rio de la Plata). The whole restaurant was a masterpiece of beauty. Being around this scenery was exciting, but the labor involved was exhausting. It was always busy. So busy that Buffy hardly had time to think. She got orders wrong far more often than her boss liked. He tolerated her because he was kind and knew she needed money desperately.
Buffy sighed when she saw a little girl spill her drink. She went to fetch a dish towel.
This was her life. This was her dream, just a girl among many in a hectic world.
Scene 3
By the time she got home Buffy’s feet throbbed. She felt like she might collapse. She made a plan to do just that after a soothing bubble bath. She entered the house to find Dawn on the couch. Her sister flipped through the channels on the television, while a TV dinner cooled on the coffee table. Dawn settled for some cartoon.
"Oh, it’s you," Dawn said.
Buffy forced a smile. "Hey, Dawnie. How was school? Did you do your homework?"
"Fine. Yes."
The slayer let her fake smile fade. "What is the matter?"
Dawn pressed mute on the remote. She lifted her gaze to her sister. "What is wrong? How can you ask me that?" She stood up. She pointed to her dinner of chicken parmesana with spaghetti. "That’s what’s wrong!"
Confused, Buffy replied," You don’t like chicken parmesana?"
Dawn stomped her foot. The teen had fallen into one of her regressive fumes. Buffy was used to them. Sometimes she couldn’t remember if she had a seventeen or an eight-year-old for a sister.
"I like it just fine!" Dawn spat.
"Then what’s the matter?"
"The matter is that it was previously frozen. I’ve had to eat TV dinners for months now. You aren’t ever around. And when you are you’re too tired to spend any time with me."
"I’m sorry I have to work long hours. It costs a lot to support two people."
"I know you have to work," Dawn said. "But it would be nice if you were around once awhile during your free time instead of rushing off to see the oh so . ."
"Don’t finish that statement," Buffy interrupted. Dawn loved to come up with new names for The Immortal.
"Are you seeing him tonight?"
"We have a date, yeah." A date? A date was getting to know each other, holding hands, and gazing into each other’s eyes. Not riding the other against a wall.
They were silent for a long while. Finally Dawn whispered something.
"What happened to showing me the world?"
Buffy should have felt something. Guilt maybe. There was nothing.
Scene 4
A few days later Buffy received a letter. By the address she assumed it was from Giles. Instead she discovered it was from Willow. What was Willow doing in England?
Buffy,
Hey! Guess you are probably wondering why I’m not in Brazil. Well Kenn and I decided we were done there. We hadn’t come across a newbie in months. So now we’re stationed at the council. You have got to come check this place out! Last time you saw it the walls weren’t even finished. Now its like an extravagant mansion. The library is so huge. Oh, sorry, you probably aren’t interested in that. They have an entertainment room, though. The television screen makes you feel like you are in a theater. We need to get the gang together and have movie night there.
No update on Xander yet. When he gets back I’m going to have to punch him. Grrrr. Three months without any word. I’ll give him one more before I do a tracer spell. I hope he’s all right.
How’s normal life in Rome? I’m going to have to visit sometime soon. I’ve always wanted to check out the historical museums there.
Anyways, we’re fine here in good ol’ blighty. Kennedy says hi. You can’t see but she is actually waving this very minute. We just wanted you to know where to contact us. Don’t be a stranger.
Love,
Willow
How was normal life in Rome? Splendid. Just peachy.
Buffy began to cry.
Scene 5
The Immortal owned a yacht. It was the perfect romantic atmosphere. He loved to bring Buffy down below to sip champagne . . . amongst other things. It was very cozy. He had a white loveseat with red heart shaped pillows on it. There was also a coffee table. He even had one of those electric fireplaces.
Buffy didn’t recognize the brand of champagne he poured. She was sure it had to be first-class. He handed it to her and she took the glass gingerly, bringing it to her lips. The liquid tasted sweet on her tongue. She drained it quickly. It went straight to her head and she became a little light-headed. She set the glass down.
The Immortal watched this all intently from across the room. He stood, sipping his own champagne at a leisure pace.
"Whoa," she muttered. "That is some strong stuff."
"It’s called Itane," he said. "Works quickly."
She gaped at him. "I don’t understand."
"I think you do, sweetheart."
Her bottom lip trembled. She could feel it. Her whole body was tingling.
"You poisoned me," she whispered.
He didn’t acknowledge her remark directly. Instead he said," Did I ever tell you how I became immortal?"
She shook her head.
"We are a lot like vampires. We make our own kind, but first we have to let them die."
The room was spinning now. Buffy clutched the edge of the loveseat.
"It is hard to kill a slayer. Most poisons are dispelled by their powerful immunity. But Itane . . ." He paused for effect. He reached into his pocket and produced a bottle. Blue liquid sloshed around inside the clear container. "Everyone dies from that. If they get enough of it, that is. I gave you a lot to be sure. I don’t know how long it’ll take. Could be a long time. Your body will try to fight it off."
"Why?" Buffy couldn’t understand what she had done. It couldn’t be because she was the slayer. She wasn’t active anymore.
The Immortal smiled. "You haven’t figured that out yet? I’m going to make you like me. After you have died I will bring you back . . . immortal. Then we can be together forever."
The thought shocked her, and then she felt revulsion. She didn’t want to go on forever with this man. No, he wasn’t even a man.
"I don’t love you," Buffy said.
The Immortal laughed. "I don’t love you either. I’ve never loved anyone. But you are strong and vibrant and will make a good mate."
Buffy shakily got to her feet. He must have seen the fire in her eyes.
"You won’t be able to fight me. The poison has weakened you."
Buffy stood there, barely managing to stay upright. After a moment she came to a decision. She shuffled toward him.
"All right," she said.
He smiled.
She reached out a hand. "I’ll do it. Better make sure I’ve taken enough."
He handed over the bottle of Itane. She popped the cork off the top and began to swallow the remaining contents. She let the empty bottle fall to the floor. Then she grabbed The Immortal and smashed their lips together. The kiss held no passion. It was fast and harsh. Itane was tasteless, so he didn’t realize what she had done until she pulled away.
His blue eyes grew large. He gave a chuckle before leaning heavily against the wall. "How’d you know?"
She shrugged. "Just a hunch."
He nodded. "Itane is the only thing that will kill an Immortal. That and cutting off the head." He sucked in an unsteady breath. "A normal girl would have jumped at the chance to spend eternity with a handsome man like me."
Buffy’s lips lifted. "I’m not like other girls."
She knew then that her attempt at normal was futile. Even if her body was weak and useless, her spirit would never be ordinary.
The Immortal slid down to the floor. She slowly moved toward the stairs that led to the deck.
"There’s no cure," he said.
She didn’t even look back. "I’ve died twice, I’m not afraid to do it a third."
Scene 6
Buffy caught a taxi. The driver undoubtedly thought she was drunk because of her stumble. She lost even more strength on the ride to her apartment. She wondered how long she had. The Immortal had said she might have a long time with her enhanced slayer ability. She hoped it was long enough to say goodbye.
She opened the door before crumpling.
"Buffy!"
Dawn’s image was blurred. She found her sister’s face, running her hand down her cheek.
"I’m sorry, Dawnie. I never should have brought us here. We don’t belong here. We’ll never be normal. I’m sorry. I love you." The last part was hardly heard by Dawn.
"Buffy?" Dawn’s voice was panicky. "What happened?"
Buffy let her eyes close.
"Buffy!"
Episode 8 x 2: In the Balance
Starring:
Buffy Anne Summers SARAH MICHELLE GELLAR
Willow Rosenberg ALYSON HANNIGAN
Xander Harris NICHOLAS BRENDON
Dawn Summers MICHELLE TRACHTENBERG
Spike JAMES MARSTERS
Guest Starring:
Anthony Stewart Head RUPERT GILES
Tome Lenk as Andrew Wells
Teaser
Dawn was in a panic. Buffy was completely unconscious now. She had fallen forward, onto the blue carpet. Dawn rolled her over and tried to revive her. The only response she could get was a moan. Dawn dragged her sister over to the sofa. With some difficulty she managed to lift Buffy onto the cushions. Buffy’s skin had taken on a grayish tint and she was hot. Her breathing was shaky as well.
Buffy needed help. Dawn wished she could call the ambulance, but she guessed this was mystical. Buffy never got sick. She hadn’t for years. And when she had become ill it hadn’t been like this. This was . . . She shook her head. No time to think. She had to take action.
The teen rushed to the phone. Her hand trembled as she lifted the receiver. She had the council number memorized but she couldn’t seem to surface the information. She had to look it up. It rang nine times before someone answered.
"Rupert Giles’ office, how may I help you?" a female secretary asked.
"I have to speak with Giles," Dawn breathlessly said.
"I’m sorry; Mr. Giles is in a meeting at the moment."
She became impatient. Buffy needed help NOW.
"This is an emergency! Tell him this is Dawn Summers."
There was a pause. "Just a moment, please."
Finally, after what seemed like forever, the head watcher was put on the line.
"Rupert Giles speaking."
Dawn clutched the phone tighter. "Giles!"
"Dawn, is that you? Is everything all right?"
"No." Tears spilled out of her eyes.
"What is the matter?"
"You have to come here. We need you," she said in a rush.
"Calm down. Maybe you should put Buffy on the line."
Dawn cried harder. "I can’t. Buffy won’t wake up. Something is wrong with her. She came home and just collapsed. What should I do? I think something happened to her while she was out."
"Dear lord." He paused. "All right. I’ll catch the first plane out. Lock the door. Keep Buffy comfortable. Try to wake her up."
She choked an ‘ok’.
"Good girl. I’ll be there as quickly as possible."
Suddenly there was a scream. Dawn’s head snapped to the side. She saw Buffy tossing and turning. Then the slayer arched her back in pain and shrieked again, this time agonizingly.
"Giles! She’s getting worse!"
Scene 1
The wait for Giles was excruciating. Dawn did manage to wake Buffy up for awhile. Buffy was delusional, though. She kept spouting out stuff about Adam and the Initiative. Dawn held her hand and humored her. When Buffy cried for their mother, however, that was Dawn’s breaking point.
Buffy thrashed around. "Mommy!"
Dawn put her face in her hands and sobbed. The mention of Joyce not only brought back the pain of her mother’s death, but Buffy’s as well. If Buffy were to die again she didn’t know what she would do.
After an hour of crazy outbursts, Buffy went still again. At first Dawn thought her sister had left. But then she noticed Buffy’s chest moving up and down. She moved to the recliner, curled up and kept vigil. She didn’t mean to, but she somehow slipped off to sleep.
Desperate pounding jarred Dawn awake. She jumped up and rushed to the door. She flung it open to let in a rumpled and haggard looking Giles. She threw her arms around him, making him drop the load of books he carried.
"Oh, Giles!" Dawn cried.
It was so good to have someone else with her.
"Where is she?" Giles questioned.
Dawn turned. She looked over at the couch. It was understandable that Giles hadn’t noticed Buffy lying there. She was so small and seemed to hide beneath the green blanket Dawn had placed over her. Giles followed her gaze. He went over to his slayer, even stepping on a book while doing so. Dawn bent down to retrieve the texts.
Giles examined Buffy. His face remained stoic the entire time. Then he went through the books he had brought. Dawn sat frozen and as impassive as a statue.
Giles glanced from the passage he was studying, to Buffy, and then back again.
"Itane," he mumbled.
"What?" Dawn scooted to the edge of her chair. She leaned forward. "What did you say?"
"Itane," he repeated louder. "It’s an extremely powerful poison."
Dawn shuddered. "But there’s a cure, right? Right?"
Giles didn’t answer. He got up and went to the phone.
"I have to make a few calls."
Scene 2
Giles had been through an awful lot through the years. He hadn’t had a good relationship with his father. He was forced into council employment. He overcame his rash phase as the ‘ripper’. He lost the woman he loved. He had been fired. He watched his slayer jump off a platform, to land in an electric portal. He had been through so much, and it never seemed to let up. He had managed to hold up through it all. But this . . . Losing his slayer, his daughter, ‘again’. . . Well, he feared he wouldn’t be able to keep it together this time.
There was no cure for itane. It essentially ate away at you until nothing was left.
He hung up the phone. His conversation with Willow had been brief. He told her that Buffy was sick. That had been enough. She would be here soon. He hoped soon was soon enough.
The head watcher turned to face Dawn. The girl knelt beside her sister, holding her hand, and whispering softly. How could he tell Dawn the impending fate? He thought he had been through a lot. Dawn had been through just as much, maybe more. Buffy was the only family she had left. Poor girl. He hoped they could survive this together.
Buffy’s eyes shot open. Giles hurried into the living room. His heart stopped as he saw the look in Buffy’s green orbs. They were wide, directed up at the ceiling, seeing nothing.
"Spike!?" Buffy writhed wildly.
A sob escaped Dawn.
"No, you’ve done enough!" Buffy shouted. Buffy tore her hand away from Dawn. She reached out into the air. "No! I love you!"
Dawn looked over at Giles, pleading. "Isn’t there something we can do?"
Giles fell into the recliner. He resolve fell away and he cried as well. He knew then that Dawn understood. She hugged Buffy, as if she could keep her there somehow.
Scene 3
Willow took a breath. She stared at the door, afraid of what she would find behind it. She reached up and knocked. The door flung open immediately. She came face-to-face with Giles. She’d never seem him so weary before.
"Giles?"
Wordlessly, he moved aside so she could enter. As soon as she stepped inside she could feel it. Death hung in the air. She knew it well. It had snatched Tara from her arms.
Willow leaned against the wall. "Isn’t there some kind of spell I can do?"
Giles took off his glasses. "I’m afraid not. Itane counteracts everything."
"But her slayer strength?"
He shook his head. "Even a slayer is victim to the poison. It evaporates a person’s energy until there is nothing left."
Willow covered her mouth. This was it. Her best friend was dying. And Xander was MIA and would never know until it was all over. Oh God.
Scene 4
The door burst open. Andrew rushed in, cheerily. He waved a piece of paper around. "I’ve met the hottest girl ever! Lookie, I have her number. We have so much in common. She watches Red Dwarf and everything."
Everyone stared at him grimly.
He lowered his hand. "What. . . ?" Then he saw Buffy. His mouth fell open in horror. "Oh no! This is terrible! But she saved the world and everything. She can’t die!"
"Shut up, just shut up!" barked Dawn. Then she began to cry again.
Andrew stared, not sure what to do.
The room fell into silence again. No one moved. They were afraid to move, to set things into motion. If no one moved maybe things would stand still, time would freeze in place. Their inner workings were very much active, however, especially Willow’s. Her thoughts ran wildly. There had to be something she could do to prevent this. She wouldn’t give up.
All of a sudden Willow came up with something.
"I have an idea," she said.
"What?" Dawn asked.
"The scythe. It gave the potentials power. Maybe we could tap into that power again and give back the strength that the Itane stole from Buffy."
Giles contemplated this. "I’m not quite sure."
"It’s worth a try, isn’t it?" Willow looked at him expectantly.
He nodded. "Yes."
Scene 5
Buffy didn’t have the scythe. She had happily passed it on to Faith.
Willow called up Faith and got permission to take the weapon. Then the witch did a manifestation spell. The scythe was therefore transported from the council to Buffy’s house in Rome.
She set up the ritual. It didn’t take long, just a few candles mostly. Then she sat inside the glowing circle, before the scythe. He chanted, the power building up inside her. Her eyes went wide and her hair turned white. She prepared to transport it over to Buffy.
Nothing happened. She tried again. Still nothing.
She let the magic flow back into the scythe. She slumped forward.
"Did it work?" Dawn questioned.
Willow lifted her head. "I’m sorry, Dawnie."
Dawn’s face fell. "What went wrong? Try again."
"Nothing was there to accept the power."
"What does that mean!?" demanded Dawn.
"Buffy doesn’t want to be saved."
"That’s not true!"
Willow averted her gaze.
Scene 6
Buffy’s eyes felt heavy. She forced them open. She felt airy, as if she were floating. She remembered that she had a similar sensation in heaven.
"Buffy?"
"Dawnie?" Her voice was hoarse.
Giles watched in sorrow. The passage in his book had recounted that Itane suffers were coherent just before the end. If they were going to say their goodbyes, now was it.
"How do you feel?" Dawn asked.
It took a moment for Buffy to respond. "Weird."
"What happened to you?"
"The Immortal," Buffy whispered.
"The Immortal poisoned you?" Giles asked. Venom could be heard in his voice, a little ripper slipping out.
"It’s all right. He’s dead now."
Dawn crossed her arms. "Willow says you don’t want to be saved."
Buffy’s eyes slid over to the redhead and then back again. She reached out and tucked Dawn’s hair behind her ears.
"I’m not needed here anymore. There are others to take my place now."
"What are you talking about? We need you. I need you," Dawn protested.
"I wasn’t ever meant to be brought back in the first place," Buffy said.
Dawn stood up. She fled the room.
Buffy surveyed the people around her. "Will you tell her I love her? You’ll take care of her, right?"
Her watcher nodded his head. He was proud of his slayer. She was so very brave.
"This isn’t fair," Andrew said.
The slayer simply smiled.
"Dawn was telling the truth," Willow said. "I think I found a way to save you. All you have to do is accept it."
Buffy’s eyes went unfocused.
"Buffy?" Willow pressed. "Please."
"There’s no reason to."
"What are you talking about? We all love you. Isn’t that reason enough?"
Buffy closed her eyes. "I’m so very tired. Can’t I just rest? I’ll see my mom again. And him. I know he made it."
"Him?" Willow asked.
"Spike," Andrew said. "She’s talking about Spike."
"Oh." Willow felt her heart squeeze. Buffy wanted to go back to heaven. She’d let her this time. She owed that to her.
Quiet fell over the apartment.
Suddenly Andrew moved. He hovered over Buffy. "Buffy, Spike’s alive."
Willow pulled him away. "What are you doing!?" She sounded angry. How dare he play games right before Buffy . . .
Andrew jerked out of Willow’s grip. "Giving her a reason to live." He addressed Buffy again. "Spike is here on earth, Buffy. I saw him myself. Risen from the beyond like Gandalf the White."
Buffy’s eyes fluttered. She whispered something.
"She said to do it," Andrew said.
"Are you sure?" Giles asked.
"Yes, she said to do the spell."
"If you’re lying . . ." Willow threatened.
"I swear. I heard her say it. Now hurry!" Andrew said.
Scene 7
It was three hours later. Buffy sat, recuperating on the couch. Apparently the spell had worked. She hadn’t said much since.
Willow came over with a bowl of soup. She set it down on the coffee table.
"How are you doing?"
Buffy looked up. "Okay, I guess."
"What made you change your mind? Was it what Andrew said?"
"Pretty much. It gave me some kind of hope. Plus it pissed the hell out of me. When I’m strong enough I’m going to find that vamp and kick his ass."
Willow picked up the chicken noodle soup and handed it to Buffy. "Here, eat this. You’ll be strong enough in no time."
___________________________________________
Episode 8 x 3: Scared
Starring:
Buffy Anne Summers SARAH MICHELLE GELLAR
Willow Rosenberg ALYSON HANNIGAN
Xander Harris NICHOLAS BRENDON
Dawn Summers MICHELLE TRACHTENBERG
Spike JAMES MARSTERS
Guest Starring:
Anthony Stewart Head RUPERT GILES
Tome Lenk as ANDREW WELLS
Teaser
Things didn’t look good. Spike had no weapon. He inspected his comrades. Gunn carried an axe, which would probably only postpone his fall. The blood was seeping from his gut heavily. The sight was nasty, and Spike knew for a fact it was painful, but the dark-skinned man hid it well. Illyria was right, ten minutes at best. Angel had a sword. He was the most likely to fare the best in their feeble attempt at victory.
Spike glanced down at his own hands. These were all he had. Two empty palms against who knew how many bad guys. Gunn had exaggerated when indicating there being three thousand on the left and three thousand on the right. Or . . . at least he hoped so.
The rain beat down on the four, drenching them in the tears from above. It was cold. Spike savored the sting on his sensitive flesh. It awakened him, preparing him for the impending battle.
Angel charged in first. His intent was to target the dragon, but the crowd of fiends closed in around him. The armored creatures swallowed the dark-haired vampire up in their massive depths. Illyria went next. Spike got a glimpse of her eyes as she passed. They weren’t blue, but black orbs of void. Gunn entered right after her, clutching his wound.
Spike remained behind for a moment. He watched the mob of demons, dread filling him. We’re crazy, he thought. Complete loonies. They didn’t stand a chance. He was going to die. Again, for the third and last time. He hadn’t minded it before. He’d been happy to do the sacrifice bit. But this time he got no such satisfaction. His turning to dust would mean nothing. Angel, Gunn, and Illyria would still precede or follow him.
There was no turning back now. William the Bloody never ran from a fight.
The band of demons advanced and Spike equipped himself. He put on his best big bad persona, going in fists flying. The battle passed in a blur. He dodged, blocked, ducked, and punched. Usually Spike loved the fight, comparing it to an ancient dance. There was nothing graceful or sacred in this raging chaos.
They kept coming, but Spike held his own. He whirled, hacking off limbs from all sides. His muscles ached, his actions slowing, yet he refused to back down. He’d keep it up till the last second.
He had just gotten done cutting a demon in half when it happened. He turned too late and the sword came at him. Cold metal ran through his stomach, making its way in and then out the other side.
"Oh bugger," he muttered.
The sword was yanked out. He clutched the hole it had created, collapsing to his knees. His eyes widened as he raised his head. A gray-skinned demon with violet eyes hovered over him. It was about to chop off his head.
In that millisecond, when things stood still, Spike had but one thought. One regret. Instead of reading sodding poetry that day he should have called Buffy. Bleeding git he was.
Scene 1
People moved around her. They said things to her and somehow she managed to respond, although later she wouldn’t be able to tell anyone what she had said. She was somewhere else entirely. She was with Spike. She recalled every bit of him inside and out. She remembered every single moment she had spent with him.
She fell in love with him all over again.
Tears spilled from her eyes as the implication washed over her. She was scared. Mixed emotions filled her to the brim. She was scared because love never worked for her. She was scared because he might not want her anymore. Why else wouldn’t he call? She was scared because now that he was back she might lose him all over again. That would be even harder to bear than the first time. And she was scared because her other fears might be complete rubbish. That’s right, Buffy Summers was afraid to finally find peace. It had been so long since she had been happy that she wasn’t sure how it went.
After two days of her recovery Giles received a phone call. He spoke into the telephone in a hushed tone, occasionally glancing over at her. She watched him in curiosity. When he hung up he cleaned his glasses on his green shirt. Now she knew something was up.
"Okay, spill," she demanded.
He slid his glasses back on and faced her. "I beg your pardon?"
"You have something face."
His eyes shifted away. "Buffy . . ."
She sat up straighter. Now she had another thing to be scared about.
"Please, just tell me," she pleaded.
He slowly moved to sit down beside her. "That was the council. Apparently the witch coven contacted them about how they sensed a disturbance . . in LA."
Buffy stared off.
"Now, we don’t know for sure . . ." Giles continued.
She stood up. "I’m not taking any chances."
"Are you sure you’re up to it?"
"I’ll have to be."
Scene 2
There wasn’t enough time to gather proper forces. Buffy headed to her weapon chest. Xander had been sweet enough to craft another one. She loved it even more than the previous one. This one was made of dark wood and well polished. It had the initials of her entire army fighting the first. Even the casualties had been added, but not being able to sign their own names of course. Amongst everyone left, they had been able to remember every potential.
Buffy’s hand touched Spike’s name as it curled over the lid. She paused, tracing the letters. She had done it many times before. The act had caused her to smile many times. This time, however, it made her frown. The memory of Spike and all that he had done for her brought happiness. The fact that she could make more memories with him, more joys, and yet might have the opportunity snatched away hardened her. She couldn’t let him fall away from her again. Not when . . .
Buffy snapped herself back to reality. She rummaged through her supply of weaponry.
"Can I at least have a stake this time?" Andrew asked from behind her.
Buffy turned. "I don’t trust you with pointy objects, Andrew. And who said you were coming at all?"
The boy fidgeted. His eyes showed hurt and she wouldn’t have been surprised if he started to cry.
"Mr. Giles showed me some moves," he said. "I can do stuff. Please. Just a stake."
Buffy sighed. "Fine, but I don’t think a stake will help you much against the band Giles said the coven saw. They were demons."
She handed him a large knife. Andrew took it with a huge smile. "Thanks!"
"I’m ready."
Buffy spun around to see her sister come in. The teen was fully clothed in fight-ware. Her long brown hair was pulled into a pony-tail. In her hands was a sword. The blade had ended up being ‘Dawn’s sword’ because she used it every time they went on patrol. Italy might be a safe place but it still had an occasional vampire or demon mishap.
Buffy stood, her arms crossing. "What are you doing up? You have school tomorrow."
Dawn raised an eyebrow. "Please. I already took my finals. The last two days are so not important."
"It’s dangerous, Dawnie. We’re talking apocalyptic stuff here."
Dawn’s chin rose. "Yeah, I heard. I also caught the part about Spike being alive and in trouble. Count me in."
Buffy glanced from Dawn to Andrew. Often she thought of them as children, them being in need of protection. Right now they looked pretty grown-up . . . even Andrew (despite his Spiderman slippers).
"All right, you two, but if you die I’m going to be very pissed off," Buffy declared.
The trio grinned.
Scene 3
"Are you ready for this?" Buffy questioned.
"It isn’t like I’m out of practice. I haven’t let my mojo go to waste." Willow was quick to add, "Not that I’ve done it for trivial things."
"Don’t worry, Will, I trust you."
Willow relaxed. "Mostly I’ve been doing meditation and out of body exercises."
Buffy smiled.
"My mind is more in tune with my body than ever. I’m all set for the bad we have to face."
Buffy’s expression grew more serious. She scanned over Dawn and Andrew. "Giles is pretty confident you can transport us all. Are you sure?"
"Oh, yeah, no biggie," Willow assured her. She used her hand for emphases. "The trick is to imagine us all as one entity."
"Uh, sure."
"Now, hold hands," Willow instructed.
"I love you, you love me," Dawn sang. She noticed everyone’s non-amused expressions. "Sorry, carry on."
Scene 4
Willow didn’t let them down. Her spell needed no props. She simply closed her eyes. Light spilled from her, enveloping them all. All they could see was white. A rushing sensation came over them.
All of a sudden Buffy crash-landed. She staggered. The light dissolved, replaced by darkness. The sound of roars, charging feet, and flapping wings flooded her ears.
The demons were everywhere. Buffy lifted her sword.
"Honey, I’m home!"
Her blade swung, chopping off a head.
Demon after demon came. All she could do was keep going. There was no time to think. There was a great variety of creatures, but the majority resembled walking warthogs (smelled like it too). Nasty things. Why does hell being automatically equal non-bathing?
Suddenly there was a flash of white in the dark. It was gone as soon as it had come, and she began to doubt it had been there at all. And then it was there again. She rushed toward it. Her heart pumped wildly, adrenaline reaching overload level.
The weapon came down on him. Just before severing, she deflected the blade and it scraped his shoulder instead. She battled the monster with fury, disarming it. Then she managed to grab hold of its head, which allowed her to break its neck.
"Buffy?"
The name tumbled out of his lips just before he collapsed.
Buffy stared down at the unconscious man lying on the slick pavement. Blood stained his black duster. He’s going to be pissed, she thought. So am I. I love that coat. She reached out to touch his wounded shoulder but restrained herself a few inches above. Feeling him would make it real. Oh, how she wanted it to be real. But what if it wasn’t? What if the man before her suddenly vanished?
Her breath caught. She opened her mouth to say his name, but nothing came out. Buffy couldn’t form words. Her mind was too busy, unable to sort out thoughts. The demons swarmed around them. Buffy tried to rise but her muscles didn’t want to work.
"Buffy!"
Buffy whipped her head to the side. Willow ran to her side, panting. Her eyes widened at the fallen man. "God . . . Buffy, get him out of here!"
The slayer blinked. The sight before her hit home. Red oozed out of his stomach. She looked around her in horror. There were too many of them, and Spike was in the middle of it all. Oh God, her mind cried. You can’t let him leave you a second time.
Willow began to spew out some kind of electricity from her fingers.
Her body sprung into action. She snatched up his form with ease. She dodged her way through the battle, making her way from the heart of the storm. She stopped by a dumpster. She deposited her cargo gently down.
A moan filled her ears. The vampire twitched. His eyes opened in slits.
"Buffy?" Spike murmured.
Buffy put two fingers to his lips. "Shhh, you’ll be safe here." Her words were mostly for herself, serving as reassurance.
"I have to go back in there," Buffy said. She looked back, scanning the war. "I have to keep an eye on Dawn. And I’m even a little concerned about Andrew."
"Is the whole Buffy fan club here?" Spike asked.
She shook her head. "No. Just Dawn, Andrew, and Willow."
"Bugger."
"I know, not much of an army."
"Well, let’s get a move on it then." He sat up, wincing.
She pushed him back down. "Did you not hear me with the ‘you’ll be safe here’."
He gave her a disapproving look. "If you think I’m going to stay in the sidelines you’re mad."
"I’m not letting you move from this spot," she said firmly.
"Oh, and you’re my keeper now? I can do what I bloody well feel like doing. It’s my life."
Buffy pulled back. She felt anger build inside her. "Your life, yeah. The life you didn’t want me to know about. I thought you were dead, Spike. When were you gonna call and tell me otherwise? After you were dead AGAIN!?"
"Hey! I wasn’t planning to die; I had that beast on the ropes, planning my next move is all."
"Spike, you were about to get decapitated."
"Are you vision girl now?"
"You were going to die, Spike. Poof in the wind." She used her hand as emphasis. "Even if you didn’t want to see me I should have been contacted. I’m the slayer; I should be included in your apocalypse. I’m needed."
"Technically it's Angel's Armageddon, and I WAS gonna call, pet."
"When?"
"I . . ."
Her voice rose. "When?"
He huffed. "Fine, slayer. I wasn’t going to."
She shut down at his words. She simply stared. He really didn’t want to see her. Her eyes stung.
"What was I supposed to say? ‘Hi, Buffy. Didn’t burn up like you thought. Want to get together sometime and reminisce about the good ol’ days in Sunnyhell?’ "
It wouldn’t have mattered what he had said. Just hearing his voice would have been enough.
"That’s it?" she said, incredulous. "You didn’t know what to say?"
He glanced down at his hands. "That and I was scared," he confessed.
She felt herself soften. "Scared?"
He shyly returned his gaze to her. "To find out you really didn’t mean it. That what I said . . . That it was all a lie."
It took her a moment to get what he meant.
I love you.
No you don’t . . . But thanks for saying it.
Buffy swallowed. "I did lie," she said lowly.
Fire smoldered in his eyes. He clenched his jaw. "Right then."
Her hand whipped to his arm, fingers wrapping around it. They both stared at it.
"Wait, Spike!" Her voice was panicky. "I did lie. Or I thought I did. I meant to. But . . ."
Their eyes met. She saw Spike’s smoky orbs lighten into the deep blue she adored. They searched her own, and a wondrous expression came over him.
"Buffy, "he breathed.
"I meant it," she whispered. "I just didn’t know it at the time."
He just stared. Say something, she silently begged. Do something.
"Please, you have to believe me," she said.
He pulled her towards him. "I believe you. You’ve never looked at me quite this way."
Their lips crushed together. Buffy dug her fingers into his coat. All rational fluttered into the wind at his kiss. It had never been like this, not even during Willow’s ‘my will be done’ spell. Their bodies crackled.
A moan escaped Buffy and another came from Spike. His sounded different, though, as if not from passion.
Buffy separated herself. She eyes his wound with concern. "Are you okay, Spike?"
"I’ll be fine, luv. Can feel my vamp ability kickin in this very sec. Just stings is all."
She cupped her hand to his cheek. "Promise me you’ll stay here."
"Can’t, and you know it. I’m not the kind of bloke to abandon where I’m needed."
She frowned. She paused. Finally she said, "Fine, we’ll go back in together then."
Buffy weaved their fingers together and offered her strength, helping him up.
___________________________________________
Episode 8 x 4: Extinguished
Starring:
Buffy Anne Summers SARAH MICHELLE GELLAR
Willow Rosenberg ALYSON HANNIGAN
Xander Harris NICHOLAS BRENDON
Dawn Summers MICHELLE TRACHTENBERG
Spike JAMES MARSTERS
Guest Starring:
Tome Lenk as ANDREW WELLS
J. August Richards as Charles Gunn
Amy Acker as Illyria
And David Boreanaz as ANGEL
Teaser
War. It roared in Buffy’s ears and she could hardly think from the cacophony of it. Her muscles ached with every motion. They begged her to take a second to breath, but she could not obey. If she stopped, even for a second, it would be the end.
She was breathing too hard, and her heart burned so much that it felt as if it might blacken a hole through her chest. She had never been this exhausted. I’m going to collapse, she realized. Maybe not ‘right’ now but sometime before the all clear; because this battle wasn’t anywhere near over.
She raised her arm again to swing her sword. The action was too slow. The demon saw his opportunity and took it. He dug his claws into her stomach. She cried out, her arm lowering and the grip on her weapon loosening.
Suddenly the demon’s head fell off its shoulders. Her eyes focused to the right, meeting blue.
Spike. She straightened as much as possible. A sense of deja vu washed over her. Hadn’t this happened before, although with reversed roles? His presence gave her strength.
He came to her side. Somehow he had gained a sword. Must have picked it up from a fallen foe, she thought. He switched the blade into his other hand. His now free left one wrapped over her right, tightening her fingers around her own sword.
"I’ve got your back," he told her.
She nodded. "I’ve got yours," she whispered. "Always."
He reached up to touch her hair but halted. There was no time for sweet moments. "Duck!" he commanded.
Buffy lowered herself. Good thing she had learned from experience that duck meant ‘to duck’ and not ‘a duck’. God, she was still ashamed of that mentally challenged episode down in the school basement.
Something swooped overhead. It moved too fast for her to get a good look at it. She stared up into the night, searching for a hint as to what it had been. And then it came again. Out of the shadows wings emerged. She gaped. A dragon?
Scene 1
Andrew swore himself as Dawn’s protector. He was like Luke Skywalker, saving the princess from the Storm Troopers. He waved his ‘massive sword’ as if it were a light saber. The force was truly with him. Nothing could defeat –
"Ah!"
Andrew was knocked to the ground. He felt teeth enter his legs through the fabric of his pants. He thrashed, panicked. The creature looked like a dog, but bigger and meaner.
I’m going to be legless, Andrew thought. I’m going to need a synthetic limb like Luke after Darth Vader hacked off his hand. No!
Andrew squeezed his eyes shut. He prepared himself for the ripping of muscle.
It never came.
Andrew opened his eyes. Dawn stood before him, offering a hand to help him up. He gaped, noticing the demon twitch as its life drained. Blood seeped from the beast’s belly. He looked up again, taking in Dawn’s bloody sword. Whoa!
He scrambled up with Dawn’s aid. She snatched an abandoned sword near a crumpled corpse. She tossed it to him. Oh, much better than the massive . . um, puny knife Buffy loaned him. He tried to catch it but missed. The metal hit the pavement with a clang. He quickly bent to retrieve it.
Okay, maybe he wasn’t Luke Skywalker. Sam from The Lord of the Rings?
Scene 2
It was almost as if the year apart had never happened . . . Almost.
Buffy and Spike fought back-to-back. A silver thread of energy connected their beings. They could feel the other, knew each and every movement.
Parting a path through the villains, Buffy’s vision whipped from side to side. Where was Dawn?
She heard a high-pitched scream.
Buffy turned her head to see Andrew. The sight was absolutely comical, and if she wasn’t battling for her life she would have fallen into a laughing fit. The boy was behind Dawn, letting her be his shield. She didn’t seem to mind.
"Is he really The Watcher’s favorite?" Spike asked, coming up beside Buffy.
The slayer was about to answer when something whooshed over their heads. She craned her neck to see giant wings and a long tail. Her eyes widened.
"Something has to be done about that thing," Buffy said.
"Angel was supposed to take care of it," Spike answered.
Dread accumulated inside the slayer. The dragon seemed unharmed. She feared the worst for her former lover.
Scene 3
Angel wished he had a crossbow. Evan a lance would be nice. Fighting something in the air was much harder than he anticipated. The dragon had the great advantage of staying airborne most of the time, thus out of range.
The dragon swooped down. Angel thrust his sword upward. It only grazed the scales. Damnit.
Scene 4
Illyria did not understand these feelings coursing through her. She knew the dark-skinned one was bound to fall. With each stroke of his ax he winced. And yet she stayed close, guarding him, keeping the largest of the beasts away.
Could this be what the mortals called hope? Wishing for something even though it was inevitable to never occur. What a foolish thing it was.
Scene 5
Gunn clutched his chest. He had to double check to make sure his guts weren’t falling out. It felt like it.
He let out a sound between a cough and a laugh. Blood ran from his mouth.
So, this is it? The end? He wouldn’t mind it so much if he could make one of those nifty cool exits. He scanned the battlefield for just such a thing. All he saw were demons, demons, and more demons.
Gunn let his madness explode, hacking chunks of the nasty creatures. If he couldn’t go in style he could at least go having some fun.
All of a sudden he heard a roar. Gunn spun to see the dragon hovering not far away. Well now, I think I’ll have myself a go at that, he thought.
Fingers dug into his arm. He looked over to see Illyria. Her eyes were ice. "You are no match against such a beast."
Gunn tugged his arm away. She let him go easily.
"No doubt. But I’m going against him just the same."
"I do not understand," she said.
Gunn headed toward the mythical monster. It flew in circles now. As he grew nearer he realized what it was circling. Angel lay facedown, unconscious.
Gunn stared at his friend for a moment, then back up into the sky. The pain shooting through him was suddenly gone, and numbness set in. He only had seconds left.
The dragon opened up its jaws. Its golden eyes targeted below at the motionless vampire. There was a menacing purpose shown in the orbs that disturbed Gunn. He knew what he had to do. When things count you don’t think, you just do.
"Never thought I’d die for a vampire," Gunn sputtered.
It would be worth it, though, he was sure. He kicked Angel out of the way, taking his place instead.
Fire raged down. Charles Gunn didn’t feel a thing.
Scene 6
If the dragon had a large brain he would have found the dark-skinned man’s sacrifice amusing. He landed and nudged away the charred body, going after his true objective.
Another obstacle came into view, blocking his path. She gazed up at him, wildly.
"You shall die for that," the tiny blue thing declared.
The dragon snarled. He took a claw and knocked her aside.
Scene 7
Willow had an idea. The chances of it working were slim. But how many times had they defeated the odds?
She approached the dragon, meeting the creature’s eyes. She stretched out her hand, approaching slowly. The dragon stared at it warily, and then after a minute, began to walk toward it.
"Come here, girl," Willow said.
The dragon rubbed its nose against the witch’s hand. She petted it back. The dragon let out a rumbling sound. He got down on his haunches, inviting her for a ride.
Willow grinned wildly. Well she had learned something from the coven after all. She had tamed the beast with the healing white magic of the earth.
Scene 8
"Is that Red?" Spike questioned.
"Hmm?"
Buffy turned and gasped.
Willow was on the back of the brown dragon. She clung tightly to its neck as it thrashed around.
"Oh cripes!" Willow hollered.
"Willow!?" Buffy shouted.
"Out of the way!"
"Huh?"
"Get everyone out of the way!"
Spike grabbed Buffy’s hand. They ran, gathering others on the way.
Everyone evacuated the chaos. They huddled together out of bounds.
The world was on fire. In the flames they could occasionally catch movement and a scream now and then. When there was nothing but the orange smoldering, Willow and the dragon touched down.
Willow hopped off, swaying. "Whoa, what a ride." Laughter spilled from her throat. Once she started she couldn’t stop. Buffy joined in.
Dawn jumped up and down. "You’re amazing, Willow!"
She recovered fast. She extinguished the fire with ice, and then let that melt. All that was left was a dirty street, Buffy, Spike, Willow, Dawn, and Andrew. Buffy and Spike gazed out into the night grimly. There was no sign of Angel or his team. The slayer took hold of Spike’s hand and squeezed.
Willow patted the dragon’s head. "Hey, guys, what are we going to do about my friend here?"
_________________________________________