Day 31: Pain
Title: Pain
Author: laney_1974
Crossover: BTVS/Supernatural
August Fic-a-day Challenge Contribution Date: 31 August 2015
Characters: Buffy and another
Verse: Art of Praying 'verse (I got tired of listing all the fics)
Word Count: 555
Rating: 15
Disclaimer: The characters of Buffy and Supernatural are not mine, but they belong to their respective owners (Joss and whoever owns Spn).
Spoilers: BTVS: Season 3. Supernatural: Season 5. You will not get this unless you have seen the season 5 finale of Supernatural.
Author’s: This takes place the day before Graduation in BTVS, and the day Joyce leaves Sunnydale. This is taking place pre-series for Supernatural (given that it’s 1999). However, a Spn Season 5 character will appear.
Author's note II: this takes place just around just after The Gift.
I have not seen past Season 5 in Supernatural, so if it will veer from canon significantly and working on the premise from the end of Swan Song that Chuck is God. Please, for the love of spoilers, do not tell me about characters or events in the series past season 5 as I eventually plan to watch it when I have time.
Joyce now understands what Joseph was referring to when he told her that her choice would lead her to a life of pain. For a second she allows herself a moment of absolute selfishness, and she entertains the notion of calling for Joseph and begging him to let her change her mind. The pain she's feeling is so all encompassing, she's not even sure how she's going to move on.
"I'm sorry."
She doesn't jump, nor does she turn around at the voice. She hasn't seen Chuck since Joseph healed her in the hospital. She's fairly certain he stayed away simply because of the media sensation it caused. None of the medical profession had been able to explain her miraculous recovery, and it had actually made the news. There were those, of course, who simply believed that the doctors had gotten her x-rays mixed up with someone else's. There were others though, including the doctors at Sunnydale Memorial Hospital, who knew the truth. Knew that they hadn't messed up the scans and that she had actually been healed over night.
Thankfully, her daughters believed that it had been a mistake.
"Is she in heaven?" Joyce asks without turning around.
A hand slips into hers. "Yes, and she's already causing a bit of trouble. Apparently, she's 'all kinds of outraged' that her mom really is BFFs with God. I almost feel sorry for Joseph."
For the first time since Rupert told her of Buffy's death, Joyce laughs. "Joseph is with her?"
"He's been with her from the moment she arrived," Chuck tells her. "She's at peace, happy."
"Enjoying her reward."
"Enjoying her reward," Chuck agrees.
Try as she might, Joyce can't bring herself to feel happy about that. "I... I don't know how I'm supposed to do this." She looks around at all the coffins. "I don't know if I can bury my daughter."
Chuck pulls her into his arms and he holds her tightly. "Joyce," he whispers into her ear. "I know this might not be the best time, but I need you to trust me."
She pulls back, wiping the tears from her face. "You know that I trust you, Chuck. What is it?"
"I need you do something for me, no questions asked and without mentioning it to anyone until after you've done it."
"What do you need me to do?" There's a part of Joyce that doesn't want to agree to anything. Not now, not today. She's hurting too much, and she doesn't want to agree to anything at the moment, but it's Chuck.
"I want you to cremate your daughter, not bury her."
"I'm sorry?"
Chuck reaches up and cups the side of her face. "You will understand one day, but for now, please have Buffy cremated."
Joyce stares at him for a full minute. She's not offended by the request, but she is confused. It's such an odd thing to ask, and the fact that Chuck is asking makes her think that it's important. She's about to reply, when a memory comes to mind.
A memory of her house being attacked by zombies. She shudders.
"You're interfering by ask me to do this," she eventually says. "You're stepping in."
"Yes."
Joyce doesn't ask any questions after that, because she knows that he wouldn't step in unless it was dire.
End
Author: laney_1974
Crossover: BTVS/Supernatural
August Fic-a-day Challenge Contribution Date: 31 August 2015
Characters: Buffy and another
Verse: Art of Praying 'verse (I got tired of listing all the fics)
Word Count: 555
Rating: 15
Disclaimer: The characters of Buffy and Supernatural are not mine, but they belong to their respective owners (Joss and whoever owns Spn).
Spoilers: BTVS: Season 3. Supernatural: Season 5. You will not get this unless you have seen the season 5 finale of Supernatural.
Author’s: This takes place the day before Graduation in BTVS, and the day Joyce leaves Sunnydale. This is taking place pre-series for Supernatural (given that it’s 1999). However, a Spn Season 5 character will appear.
Author's note II: this takes place just around just after The Gift.
I have not seen past Season 5 in Supernatural, so if it will veer from canon significantly and working on the premise from the end of Swan Song that Chuck is God. Please, for the love of spoilers, do not tell me about characters or events in the series past season 5 as I eventually plan to watch it when I have time.
Joyce now understands what Joseph was referring to when he told her that her choice would lead her to a life of pain. For a second she allows herself a moment of absolute selfishness, and she entertains the notion of calling for Joseph and begging him to let her change her mind. The pain she's feeling is so all encompassing, she's not even sure how she's going to move on.
"I'm sorry."
She doesn't jump, nor does she turn around at the voice. She hasn't seen Chuck since Joseph healed her in the hospital. She's fairly certain he stayed away simply because of the media sensation it caused. None of the medical profession had been able to explain her miraculous recovery, and it had actually made the news. There were those, of course, who simply believed that the doctors had gotten her x-rays mixed up with someone else's. There were others though, including the doctors at Sunnydale Memorial Hospital, who knew the truth. Knew that they hadn't messed up the scans and that she had actually been healed over night.
Thankfully, her daughters believed that it had been a mistake.
"Is she in heaven?" Joyce asks without turning around.
A hand slips into hers. "Yes, and she's already causing a bit of trouble. Apparently, she's 'all kinds of outraged' that her mom really is BFFs with God. I almost feel sorry for Joseph."
For the first time since Rupert told her of Buffy's death, Joyce laughs. "Joseph is with her?"
"He's been with her from the moment she arrived," Chuck tells her. "She's at peace, happy."
"Enjoying her reward."
"Enjoying her reward," Chuck agrees.
Try as she might, Joyce can't bring herself to feel happy about that. "I... I don't know how I'm supposed to do this." She looks around at all the coffins. "I don't know if I can bury my daughter."
Chuck pulls her into his arms and he holds her tightly. "Joyce," he whispers into her ear. "I know this might not be the best time, but I need you to trust me."
She pulls back, wiping the tears from her face. "You know that I trust you, Chuck. What is it?"
"I need you do something for me, no questions asked and without mentioning it to anyone until after you've done it."
"What do you need me to do?" There's a part of Joyce that doesn't want to agree to anything. Not now, not today. She's hurting too much, and she doesn't want to agree to anything at the moment, but it's Chuck.
"I want you to cremate your daughter, not bury her."
"I'm sorry?"
Chuck reaches up and cups the side of her face. "You will understand one day, but for now, please have Buffy cremated."
Joyce stares at him for a full minute. She's not offended by the request, but she is confused. It's such an odd thing to ask, and the fact that Chuck is asking makes her think that it's important. She's about to reply, when a memory comes to mind.
A memory of her house being attacked by zombies. She shudders.
"You're interfering by ask me to do this," she eventually says. "You're stepping in."
"Yes."
Joyce doesn't ask any questions after that, because she knows that he wouldn't step in unless it was dire.
End