25 Buffy ficlets for your reading pleasure.....(Or something!)
Written for the no stress table over on 
sunnyd_survivor
Unbeta read, *Naturally*
All work safe, all safe for the kiddies...
And Buffy/Angel not mine....odd that!
1. Neglecting.
It was after the battle was over and the survivors had escaped Sunnydale when Buffy realised something She would not be able to tell you the names of all those potentials that died. Sure she knew a few but not all of them. She could chalk that up to them being to many and in a time of chaos learning names just did not factor. However the others had known their names. She had neglected to learn them.
Spike however would be able to. Spike always knew names. Later in LA he would have a drink to “honour their memory!”. Buffy however would neglect them once more, she had forgotten them already. Or so it would seem, she just could not dare to care anymore. It hurt too much.
When Dawn Summers had first appeared on this earth she was not Dawn Summers. Well not really. She was known to certain people as “The Key!” which was pretty important to them. However now she had an equally important role to play. She was now not “The Key” that was to open something evil, she was the key of something good. Now she was helping the Watchers Council establish itself again. Giles had not been too happy about the idea at first but even he realised he needed help. he had also realised that leaving dawn and Buffy at that moment in time was also not a good idea. So now whilst most girls had part time jobs in shops and fast food places, Dawn was helping good conquer evil, and she would not have it any other way.
The Estate Agents would have a field day with this. After all this area of land did have a unique selling point, it was a source of evil. A hell mouth. It had been rumoured that evil itself had lurked around here once or twice. It had definitely been a home of demons and nightmarish creatures that humans did not wish to acknowledge. However who said that estate agents where limited to humans. Whilst the mortals had fled in terror those with all the time in the galaxy had plotted. And now this crater would now be a more perminant home that any sane human would not want to live in. for now the homes that estate agents where now selling where not aimed at humans, no not at all, they where aimed at things that went bump in the night!
Slayers do not get a lot of choice in the matter. It is part of your destiny like it or not. I don’t suppose anyone likes the thought of being one of a select few of those that can protect the world from evil. I know I certainly don’t. this is definitely not what I wanted out of life. My real passion lies with music, and let me tell you I am good. Better than good, I have talent to make it to the top. What I really want to be is a composer, and I know some day I will succeed. Or at least I will if given a chance to, but for now I shall be a good girl and keep slaying the bad demons. For I still have no choice in the matter.
Sometimes running into an acquaintance can lead to reminiscing about good times. But not for me. Not for me at all. I want to go home. Only I can not. For home was Sunnydale, home does not exist anymore. Everyone has a theory about what happened to it but I know. Don’t ask me how, I just do. Only I am not allowed to say, after all they think I am crazy. So its easier not to tell. After all I am just a thirteen year old slayer, but slayers don’t exist if vampires only exist in Hollywood movies. So when acquaintances come to visit me now it’s a pity visit. A visit to the girl in school who went crazy, who is now in the nut ward, the girl who lives in a fantasy. The girl who knows one day the council will find her and rescue her. So for now I shall just have to wait, for its all I can do.
To say that Xander Harris was having a bad day would be an understatement. He was having a really bad day. So far his company accounts where not adding up right, the contractors had not turned up and now his roommate had called to say that the basement was flooded. And this was all because of a watch. When his uncle had first given it to him Xander would not have believed that it would not cause him so much bother. Apparently the watch had been cursed by gypsies, but Xander had not believed it for a second. He had no reason to. That was till Buffy and Giles had appeared in his life, but by then he had forgotten about the curse. However the curse apparently was when the watch stopped he would have bad luck. Luckily it would only be for three days but still bad luck was bad luck. And lo behold the watch had stopped, it appeared that just for once his uncle was right.
It was going to be a long three days, Xander sighed just as the air conditioning broke!
“Indefinite.”
That was the answer to the question that people wanted to know. Myself included. The question was a bit less vague however, the question that had been asked by the younger summer sister,
“Well what are we going to do now?”
People where going to arrive soon to ask hard questions, including the police. After all a huge giant crater suddenly appearing where a town used to be was not going to go unnoticed. What was certain however was people had to get medical attention, a place to stay and food, not to mention showers soon. When someone braver than me voiced that future plans became a bit more definite as we all pilled back into the bus.
“We shall have to make plans” Giles muttered.
“Tomorrow” Was Buffy’s only response.
So we still don’t know what is going to happen next but I think it will be an experience finding out.
Never in Ethan Rayne’s life did he imagine he was going to end up like this. But whilst hindsight was a wonderful thing, that did not make his situation anymore pleasant now. His latest scheme to grow rich and powerful had gone very wrong and now he was left with nothing. Absolutely nothing, no money, no home, no family, no friends and worst off all at this moment in time no food. He never thought he would have to resort to this but he was very hungry indeed. The alternative was starvation he realised as he stuck his hand in the dumpster of his local Subway. He was pleased to find a half eaten sandwich that looked edible. As he ate said sandwich he realised now he was now the lowest of the low and nothing could make his day any worse.
“Ethan, I want a word with you” roared the big booming evil sounding voice from below.
His day had just gotten much much worse!
“In some religions it is customary to have a relative to keep watch over the body of the dececed until a proper burial can be arranged. I feel it is my duty to do the same for those who died here. That is why I will not leave this area until the bodies off all those lost souls are retrieved.”
An anonymous voice woke me back into consciousness as I realised that I had fell asleep for the first time in a long time. It was not restful and I doubt it ever will be again.
The TV was keeping me company again last night ever since my daughter went to Sunnydale and did not return. As I watched the news, I knew any hope of finding her alive now was lost. It had been three days since the town of Sunnydale was reduced to rubble. Three days since I heard my daughters voice on her cell phone telling me not to worry and that she loved me. And then nothing. I now know its up to the professionals to try and retrieve her body but looking at the pile of dust and rubble on the television news now that to seems unlikely. As soon as I am able, that is when the authorities let us, Me and my family will go to what’s left off Sunnydale and hold a memorial service for her there. I just hope that where ever her spirit is, she is at peace. I miss her and morn her already.
This was brutal. It was horrible to watch. If someone could have been bothered then someone should have put these people out of their misery. However it was also amusing watch two grown up men make utter twits of themselves . So Charles Gunn just let them get on with it. For he simply did not care who won this particular argument. Wesley on the other hand could not take it and so he did do something about it.
“If you two do not shut up then I will personally stake both of you myself.”
Gunn was not certain if it was the volume of the words or the vicious tone of voice used to yell them but it done the trick. Spike and Angel both shut up.
“Thank you “ Wesley added before Lorne walked into the room.
A new opportunity arose.
“Lorne can answer this “ Suggested Gunn.
“Oh they are never still arguing over who can be the most caring and considerate between the two of them are they?” Lorne asked with a sigh as he walked back out. Gunn and Wesley just followed him leaving the two vampires with a soul to it.
It was the morning after a big event. Not just any event, probably the biggest event in faiths life ever. And Faith had been part of some huge life changing events. This however was the morning after she realised she was in love. She had been told that love would find you in the most unexpected places but this took the biscuit, the cake and her packet of cigarettes. For she had found love on a school bus, after surviving the apocalypse. No not the, that was the wrong word, another apocalypse. When she had saw Robin Wood looking pretty much like a corpse she had then realised that she truly did love him. He was not a means to an end to get laid, like most of her past partners where. No it was the real deal.
Luckily he was not a corpse and he felt the same way. So now none of them knew what the future held one thing was for certain, she was going to spend the rest of her life with him, well that was once they had lost the police currently perusing them that was!
Each person dealt with their fear in their own way. For Xander Harris his was to try and keep the atmosphere less tense. So he told jokes and used puns. That was at the end of the day kept him sane. As a result everyone else was kept going to, that was the way it just was.
However no amount of puns could keep him from showing his fear now. He just wanted to run away and scream somewhere. That was understandable, it was so simple even Andrew got that. Andrew sat with Xander on the bus to where ever it was they where going next Andrew did not tell jokes or puns. Or reference anything that Dawn would consider geek worthy, instead he just sat there letting Xander process what had happened. Later on Xander would drunkenly thank Andrew for that but not how Andrew would have wanted it. That would be the night he made the decision to go to Italy and Xander would start using puns and jokes all over again.
When groups of people who have been together for so long suddenly are separated for whatever reason then most at least do try to stay in touch. This was not the case here, at least not with Buffy Summers. They, her friends had not heard from her since Dawn reported that Buffy’s new boyfriend was The immortal. He and Dawn did not get on, which was how Dawn ended up in Giles care. A happier situation for all concerned, besides one thing. Despite Dawns efforts Buffy was not good with keeping in touch. At all. This was possibly the final nail in the coffin off any family unity for the Summers. Dawn was now feeling abandoned and yet again Giles was left to deal with the Summers sisters traumas. He thought he would be well practised by now but no, still he was left uncertain on the best way to deal with a teenage girls wailing.
He should have known this was coming. The lack of frequency between letters and emails between them. Sad fact was Andrew had more contact with Dawn now, as did Spike, Xander and Willow who was more or less settled into life travelling dimensions.
“I hate you!” Dawn screamed as the phone was slammed down back into its holder.
Giles could feel another headache forming. This had increased in frequency as Buffys letters had became less. And as expected the slamming door, before the sounds of sobbing.
“You best let me handle this Giles.” Faith , who had been checking in with the watchers council progress, announced before trooping up the stairs. Giles just reached for the headache pills.
Thirty minutes later Faith was having a “Conversation” with Buffy over the phone. Giles had moved on from headache tablets to wishing he was in a different part of the world. However Faith seemed to have pounded some sense , verbally that is, into Buffy as a week later she had arrived, Andrew and her new boyfriend in tow.
It would take time to patch up their relationship but at least it was a start!
The one advantage of being a supernatural being was that your senses are heightened. This surprisingly give Oz a great deal of comfort. His heightened sense of smell was more comforting than most. Or rather the smells around him where, such as apple pie baking reminded him of his aunt or a certain perfume of his mother. However there was one smell lately that was becoming increasingly familiar. Oz could not pinpoint it but he had smelt it before. It smelt of …….Angel.
Only not. It smelt of Angel and blood. Nope that was not it either, Angel had a slightly different smell from this person.
Oh that was it, it smelt of Angelus and it was growing stronger.
In fact it was right behind him. Oz did not like that, especially as a pair of fangs was very close to being pressed to his neck. And with that Oz morphed out. Sometimes a wolf has to do what a wolf has to do!!!!
When he awoke the next day he was being tended by a blue haired lady dressed in leather. Oz was thankfully covered with a blanket.
“I like the way you fight, “
“What happened?”
A familiar voice helped calm him, “We got him chained up now. ”Announced Giles who unknown to anyone had been tracking Angel since he joined Wolfram and heart and had done some double dealing of his own.
“How did he lose his soul?” Oz asked.
Not that anyone needed that one answering. Buffy.
They were back together again.
Sometimes familiarity was not so comforting after all.
When Willow had an extended visit to Giles house in England she was always impressed by his library. He had all the usual books one would expect from Giles such as the watchers diaries and demon guides. That was an impressive collection in itself but she was amazed by all the different genres his collection contained. It appeared there was more to Giles tastes than everyone had assumed. It had all genres from war novels to the classics. He had insisted the Mills and Boone book had been a misguided present from an old colleague of his when she had found that one. However there was something comforting about his book collection, the way the books where shelved according to author and genre. She always remembered that and when many years later she had her own home and book collection she made sure it was set up exactly the same.
You want to know the hardest part of fighting? For me its kicks. Yeah that’s right kicks, especially when you’re the one getting kicked. Kicked so hard that you end up across the other end of the room with a saw butt! But then that just makes me so mad that I want to get back into the fight straight away and go kick demon butt back twice as hard. And that’s exactly what I do, I get back up, dust myself off and go get me another kill. And you want to know something else, well tough, I am going to tell you anyway, I love it, its such a thrill getting physical with a creep, because I know its helping to do something good.
A slayers instinct is never wrong. A slayer relies on instincts more than anything else in a fight. If you have an instinct to duck in a fight then do not question that, if you have an instinct that something is wrong, then it is. Always follow your instincts.
Well that’s what we had drummed into us by Buffy Summers.
She was right. I should have followed them. When I had the instinct to run away from Sunnydale, from slaying, from everything to bad to think about then that’s what I should have done. But no, I stuck around and trained to be a slayer and did not follow them.
And now look where its got me. I survived sunnydale, I got out alive on the bus, and for a while life was okay. But now its not. Buffy’s old flames got themselves into a bit of bother and we have to bail them out. Well great, I am now staring death in the face as hell itself spewed its guts up all over a LA alleyway. Yet again Buffy has sent us to our deaths whilst she’s nice and safe. If I ever get out this alive I am going to follow another instinct alright. The one to check myself into a nice padded room where nothing can harm me anymore.
But first back to all the death and destruction. Great here we go again.
It was rare that Rupert Giles drank alcoholic drinks. Well not with the aim of getting drunk but this was a special occasion. And it would be fair to say that he had been absolutely, to use a British colloquialism Plastered. However to be fair he had received some depressing news, the totally depressing and grim news that can only be truly dealt with by getting very very very drunk. Which is what he had done, and was planning to continue doing for a lot longer than he actually was.
It had been spike that had found him. Off course it was also spike that had been the deliver of said bad news. Giles was understandably shocked to see Spike, as by all rights he should be dead. Well deader than dead, lost his immortality, not walking on any part of the universe dead. But when spike had brought the news that Wesley truly was dead it had been too much to cope with. But now Giles had something else to worry about now to. When Spike had found him it had been apparent that Giles had ran into some trouble. A quick trip to the hospital had turned into a long stay at the hospital. A stay that ensured him he would be now plastered now for a long time. The wrong type of plastered however, for Giles liking, being in a body cast was no fun after all! In fact it was itchy in a very uncomfortable place and the only person around to help was Spike. Giles vowed he would never drink again.
“The most horrid part of it all“, Spike was explaining to Fred, “Was one did not get out in time.”
Fred’s look off horror meant she understood perfectly what he meant.
“And there was nothing I could do to help her, Buffy thought she was the last one out but as I was glowing, I just heard this horrible screaming. She was most definitely still alive when I was ……”
It was Fred’s look of nausea that made him stop.
“She was fried alive” Fred concluded.
It was at that moment Spike really wished he was corporeal just so he could give her a BIG hug.
To say they made an odd couple was an understatement. They made a very odd couple. And yet at the same time it was kind of cute to see them together. Xander was glad for them, he was glad that his best friend had found love again. Although if anyone had asked Xander to be honest about if he was slightly scared of Kennedy he would have been forced to say he was. She was definitely not Tara and he supposed that was the best thing for all concerned. If Kennedy had been like Tara it would have been way to hard for anyone to deal with, let alone Willow. Tara was missed greatly but Xander suspected that Tara would have liked Kennedy and vice versa.
As Tara watched down from above, she knew her work here was done. She knew she would meet Willow again someday but for now it was time to let her go, Kennedy was making willow happy and that pleased Tara greatly. After all it was not as though she was alone in heaven, she had met a kindred spirit of her own. Another odd couple they made, but she was content enough. However she knew Xander had not moved on from Anya, he was still hurting, and Tara would do anything she could to bring a little comfort into his life. And with that thought she set out to do just that.
Illyria having learnt about American customs and traditions had noticed one thing in general. Life outside wolfram and heart , and indeed even in Wolfram and heart its self, revolved around money. This was something she was not in possession of though and wanted to do something about it.
“Wesley how do people get money?” She asked out of the blue one day. This understandably flummoxed Wesley just a little.
In the end his explanation came down to one thing. Gainful employment. Again something Illyria did not have. Handily it was Lorne who stumbled upon the solution.
“I have a client who needs protecting.” He informed Angel one day. Illyria just happened to be in the area.
And after some debate, and fist flying Illyria ended up on the payroll. Her job would be working as a body Guard.
After her first day it was quickly apparent that this may not have been such a great idea. The client of Lorne’s was a little bit unusual. Well its not everyday you see a cat with its very own Body Guard after all.
One of Illyria’s great talents was a penchant for violence. And she was good at it. Very very good at it, however this did not help her whilst taking care of a cat. The concept of being a bodyguard may also have confused her but that is open for debate. In either case the cat soon was not in Illyria’s care.
Three hours later it would be discovered sitting on Angel’s chair happily eating chicken. It was then established that Illyria and work probably would not be suited but Angel to save time , effort and bruises decided to keep her on the payroll after all. That was a solution that pleased all concerned especially the cat!
Andrew was ready for this. He was cool, he was calm he was able to do this. This was a childhood dream of his about to come true. He could barely contain his excitement as he was shown into his chair. The final safety checks where made before the captains words would let him live out his destiny.
“All ready for launch captain!” Said a nameless officer who seemed to be in charge of something important.
The captain give his word. They where off to boldly explore where no man has gone before.
And then the vampires attacked. Then Xander attacked him.
“You let her die.” Xander screamed at him shoving him into a locker. A locker not generally found on star ships. Andrew did not feel cool ready and calm anymore as he began to cry.
“I’m sorry, so sorry, I wish she was here and I had died instead. I know I should be dead. “ He sobbed.
And Xander was shaking him so hard. “Andrew, its okay, come on wake up” came Dawns voice from Xander’s mouth.
Hold on a minute, wake up…Dawn….
And so Andrew did with a gasp.
“You where having a bad dream.” She explained as he calmed down. “Are you okay?”
Andrew was never sure if he would be okay again.
“I don’t want to think about that!” Xander Harris exclaimed loudly.
“And then she “
“I said I don’t want to think about that, no no no no no not having this conversation. This is my happy place” Xander continued placing his hands over his ears.
Buffy summers smirked as she removed his hands. “Swallowed” she laughed.
“She swallowed? As in…..” he motioned.
“Yes.”
“Oh God that’s disgusting. But at the same time kind of neat.” Xander concluded.
“I thought you would see it that way. She seemed to really like them to. Well right before she exploded anyways”
“if your going to feed twenty Twinkies to a demon though you could have got me one.” Xander pouted.
“You can get your own.” Buffy replied as she pulled one out of her bag, and ate it, amused at Xander’s expression.
Now whilst Angel was a man of many talents electronics was not one of them. He had been stood at the fuse box gazing at it confused for the last half an hour at least. The first fuse he tried had simply not worked and the next one has less effect results than that. Electronics confused him and he could have lived without electricity. The problem was humans could not function in the dark without light. And so here he was on attempt number three to get the fuse changed. And truly not getting very far.
The problem was he now had Spike and Wesley watching him trying to be helpful. And all they where doing was distracting him. It was not like they knew how to change the fuse either. Or at least that was Angels opinion.
“Its cursed.” Angel finally admitted.
“Lorne says its not cursed, you just do not know how to change it.” Spike taunted. Spike knew how to change a fuse, the only problem was he was not able to hold the fuse to change it.
“What’s Cursed” Fred asked as she stumbled through the door from a meeting.
“The fuse box.” Angel informed her.
Fred sighed. They went through this routine every time a fuse or light bulb needed changing. Wordlessly she wondered over to the fuse box.
A few minutes later and Fred had spotted the problem solved the problem and had changed the fuse. Equally as wordlessly she walked away smiling to herself as she listened to Spikes laughter and Angels confused vowel sounds.
This was Oz at his best. During his time at Sunnydale high he attempted to play guitar and he would be the first to admit that he was not that great. Now however, as himself and his new band had just finished their first gig he felt good. His abilities had improved a lot since he started taking proper lessons and he felt pretty good about that to. As he stood and listened to the cheering and applause he suddenly knew that this was what life was all about. This is what he wanted from his life, not necessarily to perform in bands but to entertain people. And with that he allowed himself a small smile as he stepped forward to bask in his moment of glory.
sunnyd_survivor
Unbeta read, *Naturally*
All work safe, all safe for the kiddies...
And Buffy/Angel not mine....odd that!
1. Neglecting.
It was after the battle was over and the survivors had escaped Sunnydale when Buffy realised something She would not be able to tell you the names of all those potentials that died. Sure she knew a few but not all of them. She could chalk that up to them being to many and in a time of chaos learning names just did not factor. However the others had known their names. She had neglected to learn them.
Spike however would be able to. Spike always knew names. Later in LA he would have a drink to “honour their memory!”. Buffy however would neglect them once more, she had forgotten them already. Or so it would seem, she just could not dare to care anymore. It hurt too much.
When Dawn Summers had first appeared on this earth she was not Dawn Summers. Well not really. She was known to certain people as “The Key!” which was pretty important to them. However now she had an equally important role to play. She was now not “The Key” that was to open something evil, she was the key of something good. Now she was helping the Watchers Council establish itself again. Giles had not been too happy about the idea at first but even he realised he needed help. he had also realised that leaving dawn and Buffy at that moment in time was also not a good idea. So now whilst most girls had part time jobs in shops and fast food places, Dawn was helping good conquer evil, and she would not have it any other way.
The Estate Agents would have a field day with this. After all this area of land did have a unique selling point, it was a source of evil. A hell mouth. It had been rumoured that evil itself had lurked around here once or twice. It had definitely been a home of demons and nightmarish creatures that humans did not wish to acknowledge. However who said that estate agents where limited to humans. Whilst the mortals had fled in terror those with all the time in the galaxy had plotted. And now this crater would now be a more perminant home that any sane human would not want to live in. for now the homes that estate agents where now selling where not aimed at humans, no not at all, they where aimed at things that went bump in the night!
Slayers do not get a lot of choice in the matter. It is part of your destiny like it or not. I don’t suppose anyone likes the thought of being one of a select few of those that can protect the world from evil. I know I certainly don’t. this is definitely not what I wanted out of life. My real passion lies with music, and let me tell you I am good. Better than good, I have talent to make it to the top. What I really want to be is a composer, and I know some day I will succeed. Or at least I will if given a chance to, but for now I shall be a good girl and keep slaying the bad demons. For I still have no choice in the matter.
Sometimes running into an acquaintance can lead to reminiscing about good times. But not for me. Not for me at all. I want to go home. Only I can not. For home was Sunnydale, home does not exist anymore. Everyone has a theory about what happened to it but I know. Don’t ask me how, I just do. Only I am not allowed to say, after all they think I am crazy. So its easier not to tell. After all I am just a thirteen year old slayer, but slayers don’t exist if vampires only exist in Hollywood movies. So when acquaintances come to visit me now it’s a pity visit. A visit to the girl in school who went crazy, who is now in the nut ward, the girl who lives in a fantasy. The girl who knows one day the council will find her and rescue her. So for now I shall just have to wait, for its all I can do.
To say that Xander Harris was having a bad day would be an understatement. He was having a really bad day. So far his company accounts where not adding up right, the contractors had not turned up and now his roommate had called to say that the basement was flooded. And this was all because of a watch. When his uncle had first given it to him Xander would not have believed that it would not cause him so much bother. Apparently the watch had been cursed by gypsies, but Xander had not believed it for a second. He had no reason to. That was till Buffy and Giles had appeared in his life, but by then he had forgotten about the curse. However the curse apparently was when the watch stopped he would have bad luck. Luckily it would only be for three days but still bad luck was bad luck. And lo behold the watch had stopped, it appeared that just for once his uncle was right.
It was going to be a long three days, Xander sighed just as the air conditioning broke!
“Indefinite.”
That was the answer to the question that people wanted to know. Myself included. The question was a bit less vague however, the question that had been asked by the younger summer sister,
“Well what are we going to do now?”
People where going to arrive soon to ask hard questions, including the police. After all a huge giant crater suddenly appearing where a town used to be was not going to go unnoticed. What was certain however was people had to get medical attention, a place to stay and food, not to mention showers soon. When someone braver than me voiced that future plans became a bit more definite as we all pilled back into the bus.
“We shall have to make plans” Giles muttered.
“Tomorrow” Was Buffy’s only response.
So we still don’t know what is going to happen next but I think it will be an experience finding out.
Never in Ethan Rayne’s life did he imagine he was going to end up like this. But whilst hindsight was a wonderful thing, that did not make his situation anymore pleasant now. His latest scheme to grow rich and powerful had gone very wrong and now he was left with nothing. Absolutely nothing, no money, no home, no family, no friends and worst off all at this moment in time no food. He never thought he would have to resort to this but he was very hungry indeed. The alternative was starvation he realised as he stuck his hand in the dumpster of his local Subway. He was pleased to find a half eaten sandwich that looked edible. As he ate said sandwich he realised now he was now the lowest of the low and nothing could make his day any worse.
“Ethan, I want a word with you” roared the big booming evil sounding voice from below.
His day had just gotten much much worse!
“In some religions it is customary to have a relative to keep watch over the body of the dececed until a proper burial can be arranged. I feel it is my duty to do the same for those who died here. That is why I will not leave this area until the bodies off all those lost souls are retrieved.”
An anonymous voice woke me back into consciousness as I realised that I had fell asleep for the first time in a long time. It was not restful and I doubt it ever will be again.
The TV was keeping me company again last night ever since my daughter went to Sunnydale and did not return. As I watched the news, I knew any hope of finding her alive now was lost. It had been three days since the town of Sunnydale was reduced to rubble. Three days since I heard my daughters voice on her cell phone telling me not to worry and that she loved me. And then nothing. I now know its up to the professionals to try and retrieve her body but looking at the pile of dust and rubble on the television news now that to seems unlikely. As soon as I am able, that is when the authorities let us, Me and my family will go to what’s left off Sunnydale and hold a memorial service for her there. I just hope that where ever her spirit is, she is at peace. I miss her and morn her already.
This was brutal. It was horrible to watch. If someone could have been bothered then someone should have put these people out of their misery. However it was also amusing watch two grown up men make utter twits of themselves . So Charles Gunn just let them get on with it. For he simply did not care who won this particular argument. Wesley on the other hand could not take it and so he did do something about it.
“If you two do not shut up then I will personally stake both of you myself.”
Gunn was not certain if it was the volume of the words or the vicious tone of voice used to yell them but it done the trick. Spike and Angel both shut up.
“Thank you “ Wesley added before Lorne walked into the room.
A new opportunity arose.
“Lorne can answer this “ Suggested Gunn.
“Oh they are never still arguing over who can be the most caring and considerate between the two of them are they?” Lorne asked with a sigh as he walked back out. Gunn and Wesley just followed him leaving the two vampires with a soul to it.
It was the morning after a big event. Not just any event, probably the biggest event in faiths life ever. And Faith had been part of some huge life changing events. This however was the morning after she realised she was in love. She had been told that love would find you in the most unexpected places but this took the biscuit, the cake and her packet of cigarettes. For she had found love on a school bus, after surviving the apocalypse. No not the, that was the wrong word, another apocalypse. When she had saw Robin Wood looking pretty much like a corpse she had then realised that she truly did love him. He was not a means to an end to get laid, like most of her past partners where. No it was the real deal.
Luckily he was not a corpse and he felt the same way. So now none of them knew what the future held one thing was for certain, she was going to spend the rest of her life with him, well that was once they had lost the police currently perusing them that was!
Each person dealt with their fear in their own way. For Xander Harris his was to try and keep the atmosphere less tense. So he told jokes and used puns. That was at the end of the day kept him sane. As a result everyone else was kept going to, that was the way it just was.
However no amount of puns could keep him from showing his fear now. He just wanted to run away and scream somewhere. That was understandable, it was so simple even Andrew got that. Andrew sat with Xander on the bus to where ever it was they where going next Andrew did not tell jokes or puns. Or reference anything that Dawn would consider geek worthy, instead he just sat there letting Xander process what had happened. Later on Xander would drunkenly thank Andrew for that but not how Andrew would have wanted it. That would be the night he made the decision to go to Italy and Xander would start using puns and jokes all over again.
When groups of people who have been together for so long suddenly are separated for whatever reason then most at least do try to stay in touch. This was not the case here, at least not with Buffy Summers. They, her friends had not heard from her since Dawn reported that Buffy’s new boyfriend was The immortal. He and Dawn did not get on, which was how Dawn ended up in Giles care. A happier situation for all concerned, besides one thing. Despite Dawns efforts Buffy was not good with keeping in touch. At all. This was possibly the final nail in the coffin off any family unity for the Summers. Dawn was now feeling abandoned and yet again Giles was left to deal with the Summers sisters traumas. He thought he would be well practised by now but no, still he was left uncertain on the best way to deal with a teenage girls wailing.
He should have known this was coming. The lack of frequency between letters and emails between them. Sad fact was Andrew had more contact with Dawn now, as did Spike, Xander and Willow who was more or less settled into life travelling dimensions.
“I hate you!” Dawn screamed as the phone was slammed down back into its holder.
Giles could feel another headache forming. This had increased in frequency as Buffys letters had became less. And as expected the slamming door, before the sounds of sobbing.
“You best let me handle this Giles.” Faith , who had been checking in with the watchers council progress, announced before trooping up the stairs. Giles just reached for the headache pills.
Thirty minutes later Faith was having a “Conversation” with Buffy over the phone. Giles had moved on from headache tablets to wishing he was in a different part of the world. However Faith seemed to have pounded some sense , verbally that is, into Buffy as a week later she had arrived, Andrew and her new boyfriend in tow.
It would take time to patch up their relationship but at least it was a start!
The one advantage of being a supernatural being was that your senses are heightened. This surprisingly give Oz a great deal of comfort. His heightened sense of smell was more comforting than most. Or rather the smells around him where, such as apple pie baking reminded him of his aunt or a certain perfume of his mother. However there was one smell lately that was becoming increasingly familiar. Oz could not pinpoint it but he had smelt it before. It smelt of …….Angel.
Only not. It smelt of Angel and blood. Nope that was not it either, Angel had a slightly different smell from this person.
Oh that was it, it smelt of Angelus and it was growing stronger.
In fact it was right behind him. Oz did not like that, especially as a pair of fangs was very close to being pressed to his neck. And with that Oz morphed out. Sometimes a wolf has to do what a wolf has to do!!!!
When he awoke the next day he was being tended by a blue haired lady dressed in leather. Oz was thankfully covered with a blanket.
“I like the way you fight, “
“What happened?”
A familiar voice helped calm him, “We got him chained up now. ”Announced Giles who unknown to anyone had been tracking Angel since he joined Wolfram and heart and had done some double dealing of his own.
“How did he lose his soul?” Oz asked.
Not that anyone needed that one answering. Buffy.
They were back together again.
Sometimes familiarity was not so comforting after all.
When Willow had an extended visit to Giles house in England she was always impressed by his library. He had all the usual books one would expect from Giles such as the watchers diaries and demon guides. That was an impressive collection in itself but she was amazed by all the different genres his collection contained. It appeared there was more to Giles tastes than everyone had assumed. It had all genres from war novels to the classics. He had insisted the Mills and Boone book had been a misguided present from an old colleague of his when she had found that one. However there was something comforting about his book collection, the way the books where shelved according to author and genre. She always remembered that and when many years later she had her own home and book collection she made sure it was set up exactly the same.
You want to know the hardest part of fighting? For me its kicks. Yeah that’s right kicks, especially when you’re the one getting kicked. Kicked so hard that you end up across the other end of the room with a saw butt! But then that just makes me so mad that I want to get back into the fight straight away and go kick demon butt back twice as hard. And that’s exactly what I do, I get back up, dust myself off and go get me another kill. And you want to know something else, well tough, I am going to tell you anyway, I love it, its such a thrill getting physical with a creep, because I know its helping to do something good.
A slayers instinct is never wrong. A slayer relies on instincts more than anything else in a fight. If you have an instinct to duck in a fight then do not question that, if you have an instinct that something is wrong, then it is. Always follow your instincts.
Well that’s what we had drummed into us by Buffy Summers.
She was right. I should have followed them. When I had the instinct to run away from Sunnydale, from slaying, from everything to bad to think about then that’s what I should have done. But no, I stuck around and trained to be a slayer and did not follow them.
And now look where its got me. I survived sunnydale, I got out alive on the bus, and for a while life was okay. But now its not. Buffy’s old flames got themselves into a bit of bother and we have to bail them out. Well great, I am now staring death in the face as hell itself spewed its guts up all over a LA alleyway. Yet again Buffy has sent us to our deaths whilst she’s nice and safe. If I ever get out this alive I am going to follow another instinct alright. The one to check myself into a nice padded room where nothing can harm me anymore.
But first back to all the death and destruction. Great here we go again.
It was rare that Rupert Giles drank alcoholic drinks. Well not with the aim of getting drunk but this was a special occasion. And it would be fair to say that he had been absolutely, to use a British colloquialism Plastered. However to be fair he had received some depressing news, the totally depressing and grim news that can only be truly dealt with by getting very very very drunk. Which is what he had done, and was planning to continue doing for a lot longer than he actually was.
It had been spike that had found him. Off course it was also spike that had been the deliver of said bad news. Giles was understandably shocked to see Spike, as by all rights he should be dead. Well deader than dead, lost his immortality, not walking on any part of the universe dead. But when spike had brought the news that Wesley truly was dead it had been too much to cope with. But now Giles had something else to worry about now to. When Spike had found him it had been apparent that Giles had ran into some trouble. A quick trip to the hospital had turned into a long stay at the hospital. A stay that ensured him he would be now plastered now for a long time. The wrong type of plastered however, for Giles liking, being in a body cast was no fun after all! In fact it was itchy in a very uncomfortable place and the only person around to help was Spike. Giles vowed he would never drink again.
“The most horrid part of it all“, Spike was explaining to Fred, “Was one did not get out in time.”
Fred’s look off horror meant she understood perfectly what he meant.
“And there was nothing I could do to help her, Buffy thought she was the last one out but as I was glowing, I just heard this horrible screaming. She was most definitely still alive when I was ……”
It was Fred’s look of nausea that made him stop.
“She was fried alive” Fred concluded.
It was at that moment Spike really wished he was corporeal just so he could give her a BIG hug.
To say they made an odd couple was an understatement. They made a very odd couple. And yet at the same time it was kind of cute to see them together. Xander was glad for them, he was glad that his best friend had found love again. Although if anyone had asked Xander to be honest about if he was slightly scared of Kennedy he would have been forced to say he was. She was definitely not Tara and he supposed that was the best thing for all concerned. If Kennedy had been like Tara it would have been way to hard for anyone to deal with, let alone Willow. Tara was missed greatly but Xander suspected that Tara would have liked Kennedy and vice versa.
As Tara watched down from above, she knew her work here was done. She knew she would meet Willow again someday but for now it was time to let her go, Kennedy was making willow happy and that pleased Tara greatly. After all it was not as though she was alone in heaven, she had met a kindred spirit of her own. Another odd couple they made, but she was content enough. However she knew Xander had not moved on from Anya, he was still hurting, and Tara would do anything she could to bring a little comfort into his life. And with that thought she set out to do just that.
Illyria having learnt about American customs and traditions had noticed one thing in general. Life outside wolfram and heart , and indeed even in Wolfram and heart its self, revolved around money. This was something she was not in possession of though and wanted to do something about it.
“Wesley how do people get money?” She asked out of the blue one day. This understandably flummoxed Wesley just a little.
In the end his explanation came down to one thing. Gainful employment. Again something Illyria did not have. Handily it was Lorne who stumbled upon the solution.
“I have a client who needs protecting.” He informed Angel one day. Illyria just happened to be in the area.
And after some debate, and fist flying Illyria ended up on the payroll. Her job would be working as a body Guard.
After her first day it was quickly apparent that this may not have been such a great idea. The client of Lorne’s was a little bit unusual. Well its not everyday you see a cat with its very own Body Guard after all.
One of Illyria’s great talents was a penchant for violence. And she was good at it. Very very good at it, however this did not help her whilst taking care of a cat. The concept of being a bodyguard may also have confused her but that is open for debate. In either case the cat soon was not in Illyria’s care.
Three hours later it would be discovered sitting on Angel’s chair happily eating chicken. It was then established that Illyria and work probably would not be suited but Angel to save time , effort and bruises decided to keep her on the payroll after all. That was a solution that pleased all concerned especially the cat!
Andrew was ready for this. He was cool, he was calm he was able to do this. This was a childhood dream of his about to come true. He could barely contain his excitement as he was shown into his chair. The final safety checks where made before the captains words would let him live out his destiny.
“All ready for launch captain!” Said a nameless officer who seemed to be in charge of something important.
The captain give his word. They where off to boldly explore where no man has gone before.
And then the vampires attacked. Then Xander attacked him.
“You let her die.” Xander screamed at him shoving him into a locker. A locker not generally found on star ships. Andrew did not feel cool ready and calm anymore as he began to cry.
“I’m sorry, so sorry, I wish she was here and I had died instead. I know I should be dead. “ He sobbed.
And Xander was shaking him so hard. “Andrew, its okay, come on wake up” came Dawns voice from Xander’s mouth.
Hold on a minute, wake up…Dawn….
And so Andrew did with a gasp.
“You where having a bad dream.” She explained as he calmed down. “Are you okay?”
Andrew was never sure if he would be okay again.
“I don’t want to think about that!” Xander Harris exclaimed loudly.
“And then she “
“I said I don’t want to think about that, no no no no no not having this conversation. This is my happy place” Xander continued placing his hands over his ears.
Buffy summers smirked as she removed his hands. “Swallowed” she laughed.
“She swallowed? As in…..” he motioned.
“Yes.”
“Oh God that’s disgusting. But at the same time kind of neat.” Xander concluded.
“I thought you would see it that way. She seemed to really like them to. Well right before she exploded anyways”
“if your going to feed twenty Twinkies to a demon though you could have got me one.” Xander pouted.
“You can get your own.” Buffy replied as she pulled one out of her bag, and ate it, amused at Xander’s expression.
Now whilst Angel was a man of many talents electronics was not one of them. He had been stood at the fuse box gazing at it confused for the last half an hour at least. The first fuse he tried had simply not worked and the next one has less effect results than that. Electronics confused him and he could have lived without electricity. The problem was humans could not function in the dark without light. And so here he was on attempt number three to get the fuse changed. And truly not getting very far.
The problem was he now had Spike and Wesley watching him trying to be helpful. And all they where doing was distracting him. It was not like they knew how to change the fuse either. Or at least that was Angels opinion.
“Its cursed.” Angel finally admitted.
“Lorne says its not cursed, you just do not know how to change it.” Spike taunted. Spike knew how to change a fuse, the only problem was he was not able to hold the fuse to change it.
“What’s Cursed” Fred asked as she stumbled through the door from a meeting.
“The fuse box.” Angel informed her.
Fred sighed. They went through this routine every time a fuse or light bulb needed changing. Wordlessly she wondered over to the fuse box.
A few minutes later and Fred had spotted the problem solved the problem and had changed the fuse. Equally as wordlessly she walked away smiling to herself as she listened to Spikes laughter and Angels confused vowel sounds.
This was Oz at his best. During his time at Sunnydale high he attempted to play guitar and he would be the first to admit that he was not that great. Now however, as himself and his new band had just finished their first gig he felt good. His abilities had improved a lot since he started taking proper lessons and he felt pretty good about that to. As he stood and listened to the cheering and applause he suddenly knew that this was what life was all about. This is what he wanted from his life, not necessarily to perform in bands but to entertain people. And with that he allowed himself a small smile as he stepped forward to bask in his moment of glory.