May 20th, 2003
I stood there, staring at the canyon that was once Sunnydale. Dawn was beside me, and then Giles joined us, as did Xander, Willow, and Faith.
Faith: Looks like the hellmouth is officially closed for business.
Giles: There is another one in Cleveland. Not to spoil the moment. *bends down to pick up a rock and throws it into the canyon*
Xander: We saved the world.
Willow: We changed the world. *walks up to my side* I can feel them, Buffy. All over. Slayers are awakening everywhere.
Dawn: We'll have to find them.
Willow: We will.
Giles: *paces behind us* Yes, because the mall was actually in Sunnydale, so there's no hope of going there tomorrow.
Dawn: We destroyed the mall? I fought on the wrong side.
Xander: All those shops gone. The Gap, Starbucks, Toys "R" Us. Who will remember all those landmarks unless we tell the world about them?
Giles: We have a lot of work ahead of us.
Faith: [to Willow] Can I push him in?
Willow: You've got my vote.
Faith: I just want to sleep, yo, for like a week.
Dawn: I guess we all could, if we wanted to.
Willow: Yeah. *smiles* The First is scrunched, so... what do you think we should do, Buffy?
Faith: Yeah, you're not the one and only chosen anymore. Just gotta live like a person. How's that feel?
Dawn: Yeah, Buffy. What are we gonna do now?
It took me about 2 seconds to realize what we should do next.
Everybody gathered around me. That was the biggest day/night of my life... for multiple reasons.
Me: Anyone feel like rebuilding the council of watchers?
* * *
Los Angelus Actual Hotel room suite- night
Chao Ahn sat on the couch, blasting her voice into the hotel phone. Nobody understood what she was saying, except for maybe the person on the other line. Vi walked passed me, slowly, cell phone held up to her ear. All of the surviving new slayers were getting in touch with their loved ones. It made me sad to think about the girls that didn't make it out alive... They all had families, waiting for them to come home...
In the next room. I found Giles, Dawn, Kennedy, Willow, Wood and Andrew, all cheerfully talking to one another. Xander was missing. Everybody was celebrating our victory. There was a lot of bubbley Champaign and many drunk heroes. Even Dawn seemed to be drinking something, which I didn't bother putting a stop to. Kennedy poured herself another glass and refilled Willow's glass as well.
Giles offered me a cup so I took it and drank a few sips. Andrew stumbled over to us. He wanted to know if we were serious about the whole council thing. I went to say something but I was interrupted by Kennedy's getting everybody's attention and toast-making.
Kennedy [held up her glasses and spoke to the entire room]: People, I would just like to say that we owe everything to Willow. We wouldn't be here, if she wasn't-- isn't as powerful as she is. So thank you, Will.
Everybody agreed and gave Willow a huge round of applause. After all the cheering died down, Andrew wandered away and Willow found Giles and me. Kennedy was with her, but then she went off to see how Rona was doing, since she got hurt so badly, in the fight earlier.
Giles [to Willow]: You are truly incredible; do you know that?
Willow: Aw, Giles! I can't take all the credit.
Giles: Well, yes... [slur] It's been a real pleasure. I've always been the watcher, but not just Buffy's. I got to watch everybody-- to see you grow... as a person and as a witch. You've shown great power [slur] beyond my belief. Look at you, Willow! You're a bloody goddess!
Willow: *giggles*
Then Giles turned to me, remembering I was still there.
Giles: What do you think, Buffy? Don't you have anything to say? Would you like to make a toast? Or something?
It took me a few minutes to figure out what I was gonna say.
Me: I admit it, I got pretty nervous for a minute there, but I knew that it'd be us standing in the end. Now I know, together, we can do ANYTHING. There's nothing out there worse than the first, and we crushedit. I am so proud of each and every one of you. Again, Willow, thank you for being so damn powerful!
There was more cheering and slurring.
Me: Now... I think we should have a moment of silence for those who are no longer with us. Spike... Joyce, Tara, Anya, Jenny, *looks at Wood* Nikki... Amanda, Eve, Cloe. Youuu-
Andrew: And Jonathan!
Buffy: *nods* And Jonathan. You will never be forgotten.
Everyone got all serious and quiet for the one minute.
Even though we did a nice thing, I suddenly felt worse, in some weird way.
A few minutes later...
Faith and Wood were hanging around each other for the most part. They seemed cozy. Had to get away that soon; it was starting to bug me, for some weird reason.
Me [to Willow]: Hey, have you seen Xander?
Willow: He's still on the bus. *grins*
Me: He's upset about Anya...
Willow: Well, that's normal. Of course he's gonna grieve...
I nodded my head, sadly.
Willow: So how you holding up?
Me: Been better. I'm happy and everything but you know-- people died so, hey, sad.
Do you think somebody should go check up on him?
Andrew: Who? Xander? Yeah! I'll do it. *mutters* Nobody's talking to me here anyway...
No. I wanted to go. I wasn't so much in a celebratey mood; I told Andrew that he should stay and I headed out the door.
* * *
On the back of the bus- with Xander
A streetlamp's light fell through the window behind our heads, illuminating the area around us. Mixed feelings of triumph, relief and tremendous loss lingered in the air. It was suffocating. The gang had just saved the world. We should've been jumping for joy. But there were exactly 2 we weren't doing too much jumping: Spike and Anya. Instead, we just sat in silence, for a while.
Then Xander absent-mindedly scanned through the scattered things around the bus, looking for nothing in particular. On the floor across from his seat was Andrew's duffel bag, with comic books and other assorted nerd possessions spilled out of it. Xander's eyes zeroed in on the video camera laying in a pile of clothes and a red cape.
He leaped over his own pile of stuff and picked up the camera. The play button was
calling his name, so he pressed it. On the small screen, I appeared, dressed in all black. I was obviously annoyed because I was stomping away from the camera man.
"I told you I didn't want you doing that! It's distracting."
A half smile escaped from Xander's mouth, as we watched. This tape had been created such a short while ago, yet so much has changed since then. For one thing, it was recorded in Sunnydale. A place that no longer exists; as of today. His finger glided over to the fast forward button.
There were lots of shots of Anya. some of Spike. It was all very depressing.
I stood there, staring at the canyon that was once Sunnydale. Dawn was beside me, and then Giles joined us, as did Xander, Willow, and Faith.
Faith: Looks like the hellmouth is officially closed for business.
Giles: There is another one in Cleveland. Not to spoil the moment. *bends down to pick up a rock and throws it into the canyon*
Xander: We saved the world.
Willow: We changed the world. *walks up to my side* I can feel them, Buffy. All over. Slayers are awakening everywhere.
Dawn: We'll have to find them.
Willow: We will.
Giles: *paces behind us* Yes, because the mall was actually in Sunnydale, so there's no hope of going there tomorrow.
Dawn: We destroyed the mall? I fought on the wrong side.
Xander: All those shops gone. The Gap, Starbucks, Toys "R" Us. Who will remember all those landmarks unless we tell the world about them?
Giles: We have a lot of work ahead of us.
Faith: [to Willow] Can I push him in?
Willow: You've got my vote.
Faith: I just want to sleep, yo, for like a week.
Dawn: I guess we all could, if we wanted to.
Willow: Yeah. *smiles* The First is scrunched, so... what do you think we should do, Buffy?
Faith: Yeah, you're not the one and only chosen anymore. Just gotta live like a person. How's that feel?
Dawn: Yeah, Buffy. What are we gonna do now?
It took me about 2 seconds to realize what we should do next.
Everybody gathered around me. That was the biggest day/night of my life... for multiple reasons.
Me: Anyone feel like rebuilding the council of watchers?
* * *
Los Angelus Actual Hotel room suite- night
Chao Ahn sat on the couch, blasting her voice into the hotel phone. Nobody understood what she was saying, except for maybe the person on the other line. Vi walked passed me, slowly, cell phone held up to her ear. All of the surviving new slayers were getting in touch with their loved ones. It made me sad to think about the girls that didn't make it out alive... They all had families, waiting for them to come home...
In the next room. I found Giles, Dawn, Kennedy, Willow, Wood and Andrew, all cheerfully talking to one another. Xander was missing. Everybody was celebrating our victory. There was a lot of bubbley Champaign and many drunk heroes. Even Dawn seemed to be drinking something, which I didn't bother putting a stop to. Kennedy poured herself another glass and refilled Willow's glass as well.
Giles offered me a cup so I took it and drank a few sips. Andrew stumbled over to us. He wanted to know if we were serious about the whole council thing. I went to say something but I was interrupted by Kennedy's getting everybody's attention and toast-making.
Kennedy [held up her glasses and spoke to the entire room]: People, I would just like to say that we owe everything to Willow. We wouldn't be here, if she wasn't-- isn't as powerful as she is. So thank you, Will.
Everybody agreed and gave Willow a huge round of applause. After all the cheering died down, Andrew wandered away and Willow found Giles and me. Kennedy was with her, but then she went off to see how Rona was doing, since she got hurt so badly, in the fight earlier.
Giles [to Willow]: You are truly incredible; do you know that?
Willow: Aw, Giles! I can't take all the credit.
Giles: Well, yes... [slur] It's been a real pleasure. I've always been the watcher, but not just Buffy's. I got to watch everybody-- to see you grow... as a person and as a witch. You've shown great power [slur] beyond my belief. Look at you, Willow! You're a bloody goddess!
Willow: *giggles*
Then Giles turned to me, remembering I was still there.
Giles: What do you think, Buffy? Don't you have anything to say? Would you like to make a toast? Or something?
It took me a few minutes to figure out what I was gonna say.
Me: I admit it, I got pretty nervous for a minute there, but I knew that it'd be us standing in the end. Now I know, together, we can do ANYTHING. There's nothing out there worse than the first, and we crushedit. I am so proud of each and every one of you. Again, Willow, thank you for being so damn powerful!
There was more cheering and slurring.
Me: Now... I think we should have a moment of silence for those who are no longer with us. Spike... Joyce, Tara, Anya, Jenny, *looks at Wood* Nikki... Amanda, Eve, Cloe. Youuu-
Andrew: And Jonathan!
Buffy: *nods* And Jonathan. You will never be forgotten.
Everyone got all serious and quiet for the one minute.
Even though we did a nice thing, I suddenly felt worse, in some weird way.
A few minutes later...
Faith and Wood were hanging around each other for the most part. They seemed cozy. Had to get away that soon; it was starting to bug me, for some weird reason.
Me [to Willow]: Hey, have you seen Xander?
Willow: He's still on the bus. *grins*
Me: He's upset about Anya...
Willow: Well, that's normal. Of course he's gonna grieve...
I nodded my head, sadly.
Willow: So how you holding up?
Me: Been better. I'm happy and everything but you know-- people died so, hey, sad.
Do you think somebody should go check up on him?
Andrew: Who? Xander? Yeah! I'll do it. *mutters* Nobody's talking to me here anyway...
No. I wanted to go. I wasn't so much in a celebratey mood; I told Andrew that he should stay and I headed out the door.
* * *
On the back of the bus- with Xander
A streetlamp's light fell through the window behind our heads, illuminating the area around us. Mixed feelings of triumph, relief and tremendous loss lingered in the air. It was suffocating. The gang had just saved the world. We should've been jumping for joy. But there were exactly 2 we weren't doing too much jumping: Spike and Anya. Instead, we just sat in silence, for a while.
Then Xander absent-mindedly scanned through the scattered things around the bus, looking for nothing in particular. On the floor across from his seat was Andrew's duffel bag, with comic books and other assorted nerd possessions spilled out of it. Xander's eyes zeroed in on the video camera laying in a pile of clothes and a red cape.
He leaped over his own pile of stuff and picked up the camera. The play button was
calling his name, so he pressed it. On the small screen, I appeared, dressed in all black. I was obviously annoyed because I was stomping away from the camera man.
"I told you I didn't want you doing that! It's distracting."
A half smile escaped from Xander's mouth, as we watched. This tape had been created such a short while ago, yet so much has changed since then. For one thing, it was recorded in Sunnydale. A place that no longer exists; as of today. His finger glided over to the fast forward button.
There were lots of shots of Anya. some of Spike. It was all very depressing.