The Choice - Part 10
Title: The Choice - Part 10
Author: Xanfan
Rating: Mature
Pairing: various, including M/M Slash
Summary: Response to challenge found here http://beyondcanon.brain-insane.com/challenges.php?chalid=38. The Scoobies discover that Buffy’s resurrection has allowed the First to gain a foothold in this world. Xander is told that the balance must be restored, and the only way to do that is for a Slayer to die. Who does he choose? Buffy or Faith?
Spoilers: Up to season 7 of Buffy and 4 of Angel. Cordy never comes back from being a higher being, so, no beast master.
Warnings: SLASH, CHARACTER DEATH
Banner & Icon by spuffy_noelle
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
____________________________________________
Wesley took a deep breath and picked up the phone. He began to dial, stopped half-way through, and dropped the handset back into its cradle. He pretended he hadn’t done the same thing five times already.
He had been charged with the task of calling Sunnydale, more specifically Giles, as he was the only one who knew the Scoobies. Other than Angel, of course, but the vampire was in no condition to do much of anything right now, much less deal with informing the Hellmouth crew of Xander’s demise and Faith’s presence in Xander’s body.
Another deep breath later, and Wesley managed to dial Giles’ number in its entirety and not hang up when he heard the ring on the other end.
“Hello?”
“Giles? This is Wesley,” he said nervously.
“Wesley? How are you?” Giles asked.
“I’m fine. Giles, there’s something… I’m calling because…” Wesley began.
“I suppose it was too much to hope that you were calling for pleasant conversation,” Giles said quietly.
“Yes, well. There is a situation… 'From beneath you, it devours,’” Wesley quoted.
There was stunned silence on the other end of the line, so Wesley continued. “Xander informed us you had been hearing that phrase around Sunnydale for awhile now.”
“Yes, we have, from various sources,” Giles agreed.
“A few days ago, Xander was called to appear before the Oracles regarding this matter. We didn’t find out until much later what had been said,” Wesley said gravely.
“What had been said?” Giles asked in an equally somber tone.
“I am not sure, exactly what was said, I can only give you a general idea…” Wesley began.
“Get on with it man,” Giles said impatiently.
“The First had gained a foothold to enter this plane…”
“Yes, yes, we know that,” Giles interrupted.
“Do you know what caused the foothold?” Wesley asked.
“We are still researching that,” Giles admitted.
‘The Oracles told Xander. It seems that when Buffy was brought back by Willow, it created an imbalance, one that The First was using in its plan to take over this and every other plane of existence.”
This revelation was met with silence.
“Xander was given a way to correct the situation, thereby removing The First Evil’s means of fully accessing this plane.”
Giles sputtered over that. “Why? Why Xander? Why now? How do we stop it?”
“It’s already been stopped,” Wesley said abruptly.
“What do you meant it’s already been stopped? Why weren’t we told?” Giles asked.
“He already stopped it, and I’m telling you now. You weren’t told, and neither were we, until after the fact, because he was afraid we would try and talk him out of it,” Wesley replied.
“Dear Lord, what did he do? What did they ask of him?” Giles whispered, knowing he wasn’t going to like the answer.
“He was told that he needed to make a choice. The imbalance could only be repaired by the removal of a Slayer. He was told either Buffy or Faith had to die, and he had to be the one to choose,” Wesley said tightly, his anger at the Powers coming to the surface.
“My God. I just talked to Buffy on the phone not five minutes ago… He didn’t, did he? He didn’t kill Faith?” Giles dawning horror was apparent in his tone.
“Not exactly.”
“What the bloody hell is that supposed to mean?!?” Giles shouted.
“Xander discovered the Slayer essence was tied to the body, not the soul. He killed her body and preserved her soul,” Wesley said quietly.
“How?” Giles asked in trepidation.
“At the expense of his own.”
Giles was stunned silent.
“He found the object that Faith had used to switch bodies with Buffy; he’d had it all this time.”
“No,” Giles said in denial.
“He visited Faith in prison, arranged to see her face to face and he….” Wesley stopped to take a breath.
“He didn’t, please tell me he didn’t,” Giles begged.
Wesley continued on as if Giles hadn’t spoken. “He switched bodies with her, then stabbed himself in her body. He died almost instantly.”
“How could he? Why didn’t he tell us? We could have…” Giles muttered.
“Xander did what needed to be done. Does that really surprise you? It’s not like it was the first time,” Wesley said quietly.
“Why him?” Giles asked.
“Why did he do it to himself? Who would you have him kill in his place? Why did they choose him? I believe they wanted to see what he would do. He had a history of doing the unexpected,” Wesley said sardonically.
“That he did,” Giles admitted.
After a few moments of mutual silence, Giles spoke. “What do we do now?”
“You need to tell the others. After that? I haven’t a clue,” Wesley admitted sadly.
Previous Chapters
Author: Xanfan
Rating: Mature
Pairing: various, including M/M Slash
Summary: Response to challenge found here http://beyondcanon.brain-insane.com/challenges.php?chalid=38. The Scoobies discover that Buffy’s resurrection has allowed the First to gain a foothold in this world. Xander is told that the balance must be restored, and the only way to do that is for a Slayer to die. Who does he choose? Buffy or Faith?
Spoilers: Up to season 7 of Buffy and 4 of Angel. Cordy never comes back from being a higher being, so, no beast master.
Warnings: SLASH, CHARACTER DEATH
Banner & Icon by spuffy_noelle
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
____________________________________________
Wesley took a deep breath and picked up the phone. He began to dial, stopped half-way through, and dropped the handset back into its cradle. He pretended he hadn’t done the same thing five times already.
He had been charged with the task of calling Sunnydale, more specifically Giles, as he was the only one who knew the Scoobies. Other than Angel, of course, but the vampire was in no condition to do much of anything right now, much less deal with informing the Hellmouth crew of Xander’s demise and Faith’s presence in Xander’s body.
Another deep breath later, and Wesley managed to dial Giles’ number in its entirety and not hang up when he heard the ring on the other end.
“Hello?”
“Giles? This is Wesley,” he said nervously.
“Wesley? How are you?” Giles asked.
“I’m fine. Giles, there’s something… I’m calling because…” Wesley began.
“I suppose it was too much to hope that you were calling for pleasant conversation,” Giles said quietly.
“Yes, well. There is a situation… 'From beneath you, it devours,’” Wesley quoted.
There was stunned silence on the other end of the line, so Wesley continued. “Xander informed us you had been hearing that phrase around Sunnydale for awhile now.”
“Yes, we have, from various sources,” Giles agreed.
“A few days ago, Xander was called to appear before the Oracles regarding this matter. We didn’t find out until much later what had been said,” Wesley said gravely.
“What had been said?” Giles asked in an equally somber tone.
“I am not sure, exactly what was said, I can only give you a general idea…” Wesley began.
“Get on with it man,” Giles said impatiently.
“The First had gained a foothold to enter this plane…”
“Yes, yes, we know that,” Giles interrupted.
“Do you know what caused the foothold?” Wesley asked.
“We are still researching that,” Giles admitted.
‘The Oracles told Xander. It seems that when Buffy was brought back by Willow, it created an imbalance, one that The First was using in its plan to take over this and every other plane of existence.”
This revelation was met with silence.
“Xander was given a way to correct the situation, thereby removing The First Evil’s means of fully accessing this plane.”
Giles sputtered over that. “Why? Why Xander? Why now? How do we stop it?”
“It’s already been stopped,” Wesley said abruptly.
“What do you meant it’s already been stopped? Why weren’t we told?” Giles asked.
“He already stopped it, and I’m telling you now. You weren’t told, and neither were we, until after the fact, because he was afraid we would try and talk him out of it,” Wesley replied.
“Dear Lord, what did he do? What did they ask of him?” Giles whispered, knowing he wasn’t going to like the answer.
“He was told that he needed to make a choice. The imbalance could only be repaired by the removal of a Slayer. He was told either Buffy or Faith had to die, and he had to be the one to choose,” Wesley said tightly, his anger at the Powers coming to the surface.
“My God. I just talked to Buffy on the phone not five minutes ago… He didn’t, did he? He didn’t kill Faith?” Giles dawning horror was apparent in his tone.
“Not exactly.”
“What the bloody hell is that supposed to mean?!?” Giles shouted.
“Xander discovered the Slayer essence was tied to the body, not the soul. He killed her body and preserved her soul,” Wesley said quietly.
“How?” Giles asked in trepidation.
“At the expense of his own.”
Giles was stunned silent.
“He found the object that Faith had used to switch bodies with Buffy; he’d had it all this time.”
“No,” Giles said in denial.
“He visited Faith in prison, arranged to see her face to face and he….” Wesley stopped to take a breath.
“He didn’t, please tell me he didn’t,” Giles begged.
Wesley continued on as if Giles hadn’t spoken. “He switched bodies with her, then stabbed himself in her body. He died almost instantly.”
“How could he? Why didn’t he tell us? We could have…” Giles muttered.
“Xander did what needed to be done. Does that really surprise you? It’s not like it was the first time,” Wesley said quietly.
“Why him?” Giles asked.
“Why did he do it to himself? Who would you have him kill in his place? Why did they choose him? I believe they wanted to see what he would do. He had a history of doing the unexpected,” Wesley said sardonically.
“That he did,” Giles admitted.
After a few moments of mutual silence, Giles spoke. “What do we do now?”
“You need to tell the others. After that? I haven’t a clue,” Wesley admitted sadly.
Previous Chapters