Death Becomes Her.
Chapter One.
The endless days of travelling and the long nights of training the new slayers was getting monotonous. The idea that she would be able to step aside and possibly retire had been crushed the day after Sunnydales fall.
Flashback
Giles had knocked on her motel door and had paced her room as she had sat on the bed, explaining to her that she had a responsibility now, that they were responsible for the newly called slayers.
Her brows had risen and her thoughts were running wild. Did Giles really understand the magnitude of the spell and the task that would involve. She opened her mouth to say just that when he spoke again.
"I realise that this is a huge undertaking and that it won't be easy. With Willows help and with the funds that are available through the Watchers Council, we should be able to manage it all. It will mean of course,that there will be a lot of travelling involved."
Buffy nodded. Her mind still trying to come to terms with everything that had happened over the last twenty four hours, while absorbing the information that Giles was telling her. He mentioned the team and Buffy's breath hitched in her throat as she remembered the fallen.
Anya was dead. One less member of their team.
Xander. Oh God , Xander.... How must he feel?
She knew, of course she knew. Spike.
A tear fell from her lashes, she shook her head in a bid to stop the rest that threatened to fall. She couldn't afford to grieve now. Not when Giles was now giving her the stiff upper lip, you need to be strong for them lecture.
"Just let the dust settle Giles, please. Everyone is exhausted or have in some cases. We've lost people, people that we loved. Let's just take a few days to recoup. You can't expect everybody to go back out there and fight now. Not now. "
Giles studied her face and saw the grief and tiredness in his slayer. She was right. " Right. You're right Buffy. Sorry, it's just that.... "
Buffy looked up at her watcher.
" I'll go, but shall we meet for breakfast at around ten? "
"Sure. How's Xander? Have you seen him since we got here? "
Giles smiled sadly. " He is as you would expect, though he is trying to keep his feelings hidden. " He watched as Buffy stretched out her tired and painful shoulders. " I shall let you rest. See you tomorrow Buffy. "
"Night Giles. " Buffy stood as he walked to the door of her room.
As the door closed she let out a heavy breath. Buffy looked at her beige shirt, stained and ruined from the fight and pulled it off over her head, hissing and jerking as she stretched the wound on her side. Too tired to shower, Buffy slid out of her jeans and boots and climbed into bed and finally shed her tears for the fallen. For Spike.
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Flashback.
After The Fall
He woke groggy and disoreinted. His back hurt and his head felt as if it was made of lead. He rolled onto his side, looking for any demons that could have survived the explosion. He saw nothing threatening and sat up.
"Fuck! "
Spike rose to his hands and knees and wretched, bringing up blood, he held a hand to his head hand cursed again.
How had he made it through the battle? Was he the only one? He raised his dust encrusted lashed and saw the remains of the dragon. Under the front claw he saw the sword Angel had been using. Slowly he got to his feet and staggered his way through bodies and carcasses to where the sword lay. He reached for it and saw the hand that was still fisted around the hilt.
He paused. Could it be Angel? Panic shot through him and he put his badly damaged shoulder to the beasts breasts and pushed, rolling the dragon enough to see the torn leather of his Grandsires jacket.
"Bloody hell! "
Spike stood back and rested hands on his knees, exhaustion overtaking him from just the small amount of exersion. The fingers twitched and gripped the sword, pulling back under the huge belly. Sike stood and watched. He waited. Finally the front leg and shoulder fell from the rest of the dragon, cut away by the immensly pissed of older vampire. The vampire that now stood covered in blood and vicera where the leg should have been.
" You could have helped Spike. "
Spike smirked. "You said that thing was yours, wouldn't want to tread on your toes, mate. "
Angel shook his hand, spraying blood as he did. He smiled and looked over his shoulder. It was over. They had won. His expression turned solemn as he looked back at Spike. "Who else made it? "
"Don't know yet, only just woke up myself. "
They fell into step with each other as they searched for their comrades. Body after body was turned over in the alley until they had found everyone. Everyone had died. All except Illyria, who was presumed missing.
"D'you think she hopped it through the portal? Went home or wherever that thing lead? "
"It's possible, " Angel replied as he stared at the lightening sky where the portal had opened. Dawn was close, another hour and they would have to retreat to the safety of the hotel, or what was left of it.
"She couldn't have survived the blast of power from that thing.... "
Angel glanced at Spike. " She absorbed most of the power..... "
Spike looked up at the heavens and nodded. "Yeah, who knows eh? I mean, we survived, anythings possible. " They both started walking back towards the hotel and the safety that it would give them from the coming sun.
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One Year Later
The office that Giles had rented was cramped and had a stale laundry smell that would permiate the air when the room would warm up. It didn't help that the windows were fixed and the air conditioner would whirl to life as and when it wanted. So much for the Watchers Councils money.
Willow walked through the door without knocking and sat, legs folded under her, on the couch opposite Buffy's desk.
"Hey! "
"Did Giles tell you that we have found another cluster in L.A? "
Buffy raised her eyes from the papers on her desk, looking at Willow pleadingly. Willow smiled sadly.
"Sorry, I know that we said that we would travel to the next location, but Giles is busy with .. "
"Faith, Yeah I know. I just don't understand why she can't do more and why does he have to molly coddle her? He's my watcher... "
Willow cocked a brow at her immaturity.
"Okay, so its childish but please, like her needs are greater than mine. Look at me? I have to run off everytime you find new slayers, come back, do reports, train the newbies and still find time to sleep. I'm tired, I'm stressed and I can't remember the last time I saw Dawn. "
Willow sympahizd with her, she did. But she was the slayer.
"I'll talk to Giles for you, explain to him that you need a break, a rest before you burn out. So, L.A huh? "
Willow watched as her friend froze and looked up at her. 'Really smart Willow, you know how she feels about the place. '
Buffy looked up at Willow with a frown marring her face. "Yeah, if I'm honest I'm not looking forward to it. Not since Angel... " Resigned to the fact that she would have to go now, Buffy sat back in her chair and huffed loudly. " Its just that the place is hell central now. I hate going back there. "
"So shall I tell Giles that you'll be going? I think he wanted to see you before you head out. "
Buffy nodded, "Yeah, I'll just finish up here and be right down. " She shuffled some papers and placed them in a drawer of the desk.
Willow left the office to let the watcher know that Buffy would be going and that he should get the location list ready.
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The drive into L.A had been a nightmare. Traffic was backed up on the freeway and there had been an accident closing down lanes. By the time Buffy hit the L.A outskirts, she was angsty and needed a release. She planned to get kitted up and head out for a patrol as soon as she could. Her hotel was not far from the beach but looked run down and in need of a revamp. It served its purpose though and it wasn't as if they could afford the Hilton. Buffy threw her bag beside the bed and put the file that Giles had compiled on the bedside cabinet. She sat and bounced on the bed, checking out the mattress. It wasn't too bad, at least she would get some support for her tired muscles after her patrol. Tomorrow she would start her search for the latest new slayers.
A quick shower and a change of clothes later and Buffy left for her hunt.
L.A was crazy! Within an hour Buffy had staked over twenty vamps and had saved a barful of idiots from a chow down by a Mizpah demon. Truly, those demons were hideous and had disgusting eating habits. As if it wasn't bad enough that they ate humans, but to regurgitate and feed again? Ewww!
Buffy shook her head and tucked her stake back in the front of her jeans, not taking note of her surroundings. A maniacal giggle alerted her and halted her on the spot. Honing her senses, Buffy breathed deep and slow, closing her eyes as she did. She was hemmed in by at least ten vampires, the alley led to a dead end and in the dark, in the shadow of the tall building, was a master. A familiar master.
" Long time no see Dru. "
Before she could react, the group of vampires closed in on her. Hands grabbed, nails scratched and arms held her. Too many to fight and no way to reach for her stake, Buffy panicked. Her legs kicked and pushed against bodies but it wasn't enough. Dru stood smiling, laughing and clapping like a child at Christmas as Buffy was worn down by her minions until all her fight had left her.
Now that she had stilled in their arms, Drusilla moved in closer.
" I'm going to enjoy this my dear. " Dru griped her shoulders and shook into her death mask, her teeth glinting in the soft light that filtered into the alley.
'Oh god! I'm about to die in a stinking alley, by the craziest vampire ev-er. Oh god! ' That was her last thought as she felt the sting of fangs.
"My William died in an alley, " she whispered into Buffy's ear as if she had heard her thoughts. She retracted from the wound in her neck, laping at the few drops of blood that beaded on her skin.
Close to death, Buffy swam in and out of consciousness, vaguely aware of what was happening. Dru held the weak and dying Buffy in her arms, close to her breast. One sharp nail made a deep cut above Buffys mouth and held her to it, waiting for her to drink.
Buffy could feel her body relax , her strength leave her and tried to fight against the urge that soared through her. She hadn't thought much about the effects that dying had on a person. Many say that the body has an inbuilt survival instinct, others say that there is a feeling of peace. Buffy hadn't had time to feel anything at the hands of the Master. Her death then had been quick. Her death in place of her sister had given her a sense of peace.
Now? There was nothing. She felt numb. The wetness against her lips didn't repulse her as it should have, her tongue slid out to taste the cool, salty fluid and liked the taste. Sensing the life that it would or could give her, Buffy began to lap and the cool skin of her killer, becoming greedy, she gulped the crimson liquid down and felt the euphoria it gave her, fill her veins.
Dru watched as the slayer started to drink from her and grinned, her fangs glistened with the blood of the slayer. She had finally claimed the life of the slayer that had evaded her William and had in fact stolen him from her. Dru tilted her head and listened intently as the last faint beats of the slayers heart resounded in her chest.
"Do you hear it boys? Such sweet music... thump thump... thump .... thump...... "
Their combined laughter was the last thing that Buffy heard as her heart stopped beating.