Disclaimer: I don't own Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. The characters and universe are the property of Joss Whedon and are not my intellectual property. There is no financial gain made from this nor will any be sought. This story is for entertainment purposes only.
All seasons of Buffy The Vampire Slayer and Angel are canons prior to this story. Though, I will admit that it has been awhile since I've sat down to watch or picked up the comic series. Even though this story was inspired while re-watching the final season of Angel and will be taking place within that season. Ultimately, this will be a Spike / OC story.
"Passion. It lies in all of us.
Sleeping... waiting... and though unwanted, unbidden, it will stir... open its jaws and howl.
It speaks to us... guides us. Passion rules us all. And we obey. What other choice do we have?
Passion is the source of our finest moments. The joy of love... the clarity of hatred... the ecstasy of grief.
It hurts sometimes more than we can bear. If we could live without passion, maybe we'd know some kind of peace.
But we would be hollow. Empty rooms, shuttered and dank.
Without passion, we'd be truly dead."
― Joss Whedon
-: PROLOGUE :-
It was an all-out war. The field set up for battle as human and demons raged against one another, clashing with raw emotions. Blood stained the ground, buildings fell to chaos, and the howling of loved ones pierced the ears. It was truly a sight that no one wanted or even wished on their worst enemy. Well, minus a few demons who couldn't care less about the stability of humanity and more about the bloodshed. But the point of this monologue is to inform you that the world was falling apart.
Reality as we knew it was tearing and no one was safe from the effects. It drove you mad. Made you fixate on the one thing that upset you the most to the point you'd spring like an uncaged beast with rabies. The reason behind that emotion could be as insignificant as someone accidentally tripping you. To as serious as someone driving a car through your house. But before you knew it, it was too late, and many individuals lost their lives to this spontaneous outbreak.
At this point, you might be speculating on what could be the cause behind all this. Some viral outbreak perhaps? And I feel that would have been an easier explanation but actually, no. What was behind this was an ordinary box that turned up one random day. It was forwarded to the head Slayer, Buffy, and the package was unusual in the sense it had no return address. Yet, otherwise a typical box. I'm certain our hero thought it was important and perhaps from someone who meant well. Of course, as you already realize, it wasn't. Once opened it unleashed something imperceptible. With a flash almost blinding, whatever the thing was, became free, and the chaos began. Subtle at first but it quickly within a night developed into mass hysteria with a side effect of death.
It was all hands on deck at that point. Anyone still unaffected that knew how to handle themselves was out among the fray. Defense, offense, it all blurred and luckily it didn't affect a majority of the Slayers or else it would have all went spiraling downhill on day one. However, our attempts were futile. The hole in our reality was expanding. The beings gone loony were winning in numbers, continuously growing, and our team was losing. Eventually, there was only five of us left, that we knew of, since all contacts went down a week prior. And our last hope was leaning toward magic. Thanks to any deity listening that we didn't lose Willow. She was our Obi-Wan Kenobi at this point. Our only hope for fixing this and she had a theory.
This is where my story starts; out of everyone in our remaining group of survivors in this quickly growing apocalypse, I was the one that would be less likely to cause a ripple effect. Well, we were all hoping I wouldn't, anyway. Willow wanted to go first since she controlled the opening and had the best chance of returning. Then Buffy wanted to go just because she felt the strongest and most capable of getting the job done. Of course, Angel had to say otherwise. He was ready to dive right in like the hero he often portrayed. Then finally, it was Spike who wanted to throw in his two cents, going on about his unlife and responsibility of opening the first box years prior.
Oh, did I forget to mention that this box-thing is not the first one and that there was one before it? Or perhaps it's the same box traveling through realities? Yup. That first one is actually the cause behind why this second box is working at high speed compared to the previous one. Hell, we didn't even know about the first box until Spike randomly figured out the similarity while calling back to memory lane. He opened the first box and felt responsible, so he demanded to jump ship to the past to fix all this, and Willow said no. No to all three of them including herself then turned to me and proposed a better theory.
You see, I didn't ask to go diving into the past and technically speaking; I didn't. By coincidence alone, I assume, I happen to be the only one left in the group that never played a part in their lives that far back. I had only met them roughly two years ago if that. And instead of giving me the low down on some 'Back to the Future' guide, Willow came up with the brilliant idea for the past tense me to play a part sooner than planned.
Sounds a little crazy right? But some mojo here and there and somehow the younger, more naïve me would willingly become associated with the group. Definitely before that first box could make its appearance. It also helped that my capabilities, even the minor powers back then, fit the scenario. So, that's how I found myself saddling up next to our powerful Witch. All the while Buffy, Angel, and Spike fought the affected beings trying to break into our temporary hotel base.
Now, I'm a good person, a hero, and if I could actually prevent this from happening, then I was more than willing to offer up my services. Even if time travel wasn't exactly the plan per se, but I'm just hoping past me can figure out things in time. Or you know, all this would be in vain.
"I'm almost finished here. Just a little more." Willow mumbled out, filling me in as we sat inside the circle of candles. The flames were dancing as the stale air around us swirled, threatening to blow them out but they hardly wavered.
I broke my gaze from the wiggling fire to rest on the concentrated face of Willow. "Hey Wil, I know you didn't ask exactly, but I'm okay with what might happen." Her lips kept moving in a quiet incantation, but her head gave a soft nod to inform me that she heard. I knew the present me here may not be around much longer depending on what the past me does, as far as any of us understood the effects of this spell anyway, and I just wanted to speak up before it was too late, "I'm going to miss you guy's."
It was probably not the right time to give a speech, but my nerves are shot. I could fight most demons and handle myself decently against a Slayer, but right now I'm nervous. I needed to say it even if Willow was the only one to hear it since the trio was a hallway down bashing it out. I could hear things breaking, Buffy's grunts, and Spike doing a familiar war cry even at this distance.
"I'm going to miss you too, Kat." came another mumble from the Witch, drawing me back to her, as the wind suddenly shifted in the opposite direction. A feel of electricity in the air making the back of my neck prickle with unease.
When her eyes lifted to mine, they were solid black, but it was a sight I knew. "I'm sure we'll meet again." she kept on in a hushed tone, "You're a part of our family after all." then a small smile lifted her lips and I returned a strained one. She was right, and I knew it. Even if I wasn't one of the Slayers or a witch's; this was my group, where I belonged, and I would still be a part of it... somehow.
The pull caught me off guard and I let out a gasp while my hands subconsciously held my stomach, doubling over in my crisscross position. "Wil-Willow.."
"Sit autem ostium aperire, et verba coniungere animarum.."
The spell was done. I could feel it as my body seemed to sink internally. The best way I could even describe the feeling is like a drop on a rollercoaster except it never stops. The air around me felt like the gravity had turned upside down. Like a weight had been laid upon my shoulders and with a strain, I looked at Willow for guidance. Her eyes were still a void, but I could see tears falling down her cheeks, and I so badly wanted to reach out to my friend. To hold on to something since my body felt like it would go through the floor at any minute. Then the sensation went away as if sinking into my bones and becoming apart me. That's when I saw it.
Like ash or dirt particles, my fingers began to drift away into the whirlwind still dancing around us. Bit by bit and without pain a piece of me flew away, mixing and evaporating. I was becoming no more, and despite knowing this was not normal, that a demon like me shouldn't go up in dust like some vampire, it didn't freak me out. I made my decision, I accepted the terms, and now with one last look to a dearest friend, I let myself go.
Until we meet again..
N/A: If you like this story so far please leave a review, follow, or even a fave. Constructive criticism is welcomed too for I am well aware that my writing skills lack something akin to professionalism. Next chapter is coming soon!