Hope for us all ….. by Zauriel Angelus
Disclaimer: Whaddya think ? Joss owns BTVS and its characters. I'm just playing with them. Don't mind me . I'm just having a little fun. Hee hee hee ……..
Ratings: pg.
Author's notes : This started out as a way to earn a little payback. It feels like crap to have someone bash your ship and I got a little frustrated with that and decided to bash back. Before you jump to conclusions though I'm not bashing any beloved BTVS characters in this fic . I also pretty much spared Spike from that. He's cool with me cos we've both set a little arrangement here. Cos despite what anyone thinks I still wanted to make this a quality B/X story or at the very least something passable as a decent read rather than a bash for fun kinda thing. I abandoned the whole bash-y premise N there's actually a happy ending too. My hopes are possibly a little too high though. This might just be nothing more than useless crap . Oh well … let's go on and see what I wrote shall we ?
Feedback : There will be people who will like it and there will be people who don't. whatever it is you're all welcome to say it. Say it out loud !!! Bring me LIFE !!!! Feed me !!! FEED ME !!!! …..ahem ….. Back …. :)
- denotes thoughts
== - narrative
Prologue -
It started out just like any other ordinary day . The sun rose . The birds chirped. The whole works y'know ? As for me I'm still pretty much myself. My name's still Brandon last time I checked and I am certainly human. Something really weird happened today and I just wanna share it with someone. Its kinda crazy and I'll be the first one to admit that it is but honest to God I swear all of what I'm telling you actually happened. So wanna know what happened ? read on then .
It began raining at about ten am and I was already wide awake cos it's a Saturday. I was planning to watch my season 2 Buffy tapes I bought the day before with hard earned money but stopped myself in carrying out that plan when I saw something else outside my window that caught my eye. First up I gotta confess that I am a huge B/X fan and there was no power in the world that was standing between me and the few B/X moments I wanted to rewatch again and again and again and … well … again. ( I think you get the point ) Anyhoo back to the window – Surprisingly the sight outside my window easily broke my resolve although come to think to it wasn't that surprising since it has always broken all the resolves I ever made in my entire life.
Her name was Sarah and she lived just right across the street. We've been friends like forever. Ever since she arrived at my high school my heart belonged to her. The girl was simply perfect for me. Absolutely beautiful , very smart and hilariously funny. She was everything I ever dreamed about and then some. I found out that I love her . God … I love her. I think I do. No, I know I do. I really really really do .
Of course she didn't know at the time and I carried my little torch for as long as I possibly could. Almost seven years later on , here I am and she still doesn't know. Been thru almost everything together , a few jerks and candy ass boyfriends later we're still here together and all the while I've been secretly loyal. All the while , I just kept on loving her. She knows me like the back of her hand and so do I , except for that one little detail however. I never told her. Wasn't brave enough to. That was one of the reasons why I love Xander. The guy has always been my favourite character. I think he's the bravest of the gang . He's just a regular normal guy. Funny and witty as hell. He has the most potential of them all . He only needs to believe in himself and I guess I need to do that too. The guy also totally deserves Buffy. They're good together. They'd be very happy if they hook up. If only Buffy see that . Still they haven't had so much as a kiss so maybe I'm hoping for too much.
I saw her smiling one of those dazzling smiles and I just feel like going out there just to say hi. I tell myself every single day that this was the day I just go out there and tell her. I slowly made a move for the front door. After almost an eternity , I finally reach it. As soon as I turn the knob however I quickly took a step back.
" Tomorrow … I'll do it tomorrow." A sigh left his lips. I'm such a coward " I'll never do it …she'll never know will she ?" Brandon sadly asked the higher powers out there.
DING DONG.
The bell rung as did a familiar voice.
" Nick !!!! Who ya talkin to man ? Let me in ." a shout sounded.
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Oh , it was only James …
James was like the annoying little brother I never had. I met him about a year back. We both hated each other with a passion then. Now we're … No we still hate each other. We're mortal enemies to the end . Kill him now !!! Onward to battle !!!! Die bastard !!! Die !!! Mwahahahaha !!! …. erm …sorry got a little carried away. Where was I ? Oh yeah … opening the door.
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" What are you doing here ?" Brandon asked the spiked hair blonde in front of him.
" You invited me doofus ." James stated a matter of a fact-ly.
Brandon rubbed the bridge of his nose and thought for a moment , letting his frameless glasses rest in his fingers. " gee … Let me think … no , no . No I didn't . Yup ,that's about right ."
" Yes ya did Nick. That one time remember ? And once I am invited into your house I can come in any time. " James pushed his way quickly inside. " See ? No magical barriers to stop me."
" Riiiight … and don't call ever call me that." Brandon rolled his eyes before finishing with a scowl.
" It's your name _Nicholas_ ." James hissed irritatingly.
" Doesn't mean you have a right to say it. You're not my friend. Case closed. Why are you here anyway ? Don't you have somewhere else to be ? Does my house have a sign that says 'James' little dank crypt' ?"
" Doesn't need to. The lady speaks to me and I follow." James moved further inside . " You have some beer around here ?" The blonde casually plopped on the living room couch with his legs up.
" No . I only have tea . Now get off my couch . Come to think of it. Get your white ass out of my house while you're at it."
" Pffft !!!! You only need to ask you know. No need to shout about it." James sadly stood up before starting for the door. " Wait I can't go out there." He stopped as if finally remembering something he forgotten.
Brandon let out a frustrated sigh " What's wrong now ?"
" I need to hide." James yelped.
" Excuse me …?"
a long animatedly vivid explanation later --------------------------------------------
" Let me get this straight. You're hiding from your girlfriend."
" Oh , I don't think it'll stay that way for long." James replied as he munched on his chips.
" You're probably right . Cheating on her is definitely going to be a strain on your relationship." Brandon answered nonchalantly as he sat typing in front of his computer.
" Its not going to be a big one right ?" the blonde asked hopefully.
" James … she found you naked beside another might I add _naked_ person in bed . You should prepare yourself for the worst pal."
" I didn't know I slept with her till I woke up. I don't remember a thing before that." He shouted defensively " What are you typing at anyway ? Is it that BX bullshit again ?"
" You were also moaning 'Drusilla' out loud."
" So ? She's hot and don't try to change the subject."
" Your girlfriend isn't Drusilla and neither was the girl you slept with and I was not trying to change the subject. Oh yeah … if you ever call BX ,bullshit again , I _will_ kick you out of my house . I appreciate the fact that you have an opinion of your own but can you please have some respect for mine ?"
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I have an online cable connection. Its pretty cool . Makes surfing a little more smoother and a whole lot faster. My 56k modem of old could never take the strain. I got into the whole fanfiction thing about five to six months back. Sometimes it can be way more cooler than the show itself. There's this one particular story that started me into writing my own and simply just dreaming again. It felt good to dream again. Felt real good. I think the story was written by some guy named Ozmandayus. Its kinda hard to pronounce isn't it ? Well it was for me… Anyway its one big epic adventure and romance . It went beyond what the show did and made a few classic moments of its own. I highly recommend reading it . For me the story just told of what could be. Of what was possible. Writing became a way of making some of my dreams come true. I could escape and make heroes of ordinary men. I could play God and just make everything the way I want them to be. The hero saves the day and gets the girl if I choose to make it so.
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" Why should I ? Its all a big pile of vomit if you ask me. Now Spike and Buffy … _Those_ two should be together. Can't you see the looks between 'em. You can cut the sexual tension with a damn knife !!! Xander's just a big sissy. Spike's the king !!!"
" What ?!!"
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Did I mention that I can kill anyone off if I wanted to ? I'm putting James somewhere in my story later and I'm just gonna repeatedly kill him. Just for the heck of it.I'd make him beg. Make him whine maybe even cry a little and then I shishkabob him thru the roof. I do that to anyone I hate . Its really fun . You should try it sometime.
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" I'm actually allowed to kill you if I wish to right now but I won't cos I'm better than that. You love BS and I love BX. You're entitled to whatever you like … as grossly disgusting as it is. I'm not gonna fight over it."
" sissy …" James muttered under his breath , chucking a sip of root beer from his glass.
" I heard that ."
James sat up at that moment and moved his attention to the window and looked outside .
" Hey Nicky , does Sarah ever talk about me … in any way ?"
" No why should she ?" Brandon grunted out as he saved the last of his work and shut off his computer.
" What am I ? An insect ? Am I just filth ? She doesn't care at all about me !!!" James screamed dramatically , clasping his chest tightly as if a great pain had surfaced.
Brandon blinked. " James … I don't think she even knows your name. I hardly remember if the two of you even met -Thank god . Why the sudden fascination ?"
" Its not sudden !!! I've tried everything . Flowers …. chocolate … lame pick up lines … the works !!!! My sexy charm isn't working on her at all. Its been weeks and still I get no desired feedback for my efforts!!!" James ranted on , carried away in his speech.
Brandon's eyes popped open.
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About a week back , Sarah was telling me about this weird guy who kept sending her gifts. She told me that she met up with him to stop with all that and basically told him to get lost in … a nice manner of course. After that the guy had apparently started stalking her days ago. I've been trying to find out who that creep was and whaddya know …
There he was … standing right in front of me.
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The house was silent for a few moments and then broken with a few shrieks and screams. The front door flew open and there Brandon was with his hand snatched around the collar of James' shirt , pulling him outside into the sun.
" What are you doing ? You promised !!!" James shouted , kicking and squirming as he was manhandled through the door.
"I lied ." Brandon smirked evilly. The burden of James shall be lifted off of his shoulders with one swing of his arms and he was already dreaming of better days ahead without any sign or hint of James in them.
So engrossed was he with the promise of peace that he didn't notice the sudden presence of a woman in the path of James' new crash site.
" Oops …" he muttered , too late to do anything as disaster struck , freezing himself in the pose he struck when he threw the spiked blonde onto the curb.
"Aaahhhhh !!!!"
The two of them tumbled onto the street , entangled in the other with arms and legs flailing about. A good measured scream pierced the air a couple of times before James and the unlucky lady finally slowed their descent onto the hard tar road.
" Stupid men !!!! You've done it !!!!! Oh you've done it !!" The woman with brown hair shouted at the top of her lungs as she tried to stand up again , the rage clearly seen in her eyes.
" I-I'm sorry … ?" Brandon stuttered as he quickly searched for his apparently lost voice. "It was an accident. Um … I didn't see you . Sorry …?"
The woman continued with the shouting , not listening at all to Brandon's attempt at an apology. James was trying to regain his sense of … well … pretty much the senses that he's left with.
" I came to do a simple job and this is how I'm treated ?!!! Nobody does that to me !!! Nobody !!!"
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Something struck as familiar to me about that woman. The moment she started shouting I felt like I knew what was going to happen next. The tone of her voice. The anger in her voice . Signs that told of my new fate. Trouble was definitely heading my way . I just didn't know how big it was.
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" Big Boy !!!" the woman addressed Brandon. " I only came here to take punish your little friend seeing as how I'm trying to grant his girlfriend's wish. However seems you've scorned the saint herself Dickhead and you get to come along for the ride."
The features of the woman changed hideously in an instant and with a menacing grin she waved both Brandon and James goodbye.
"Anya …. ?" Brandon muttered before a flash of white light blinded his eyes.
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A strange growl brought reality back to Brandon and he found himself lying beside a tombstone with an unconscious James not too far from where he was. It was a dark night and the moon was shining down brightly upon him.
"Where am …looks like a cemetery . why am I in a cemetery ?"
A pair of hands burst out from the ground startling Brandon . Frantically he tired to stand only to stumble again in his panic. A head started to appear from the dirt as well.
"Is that what I think it is ?" Brandon asked no one in particular.
The growling became louder and a pair of yellow beaded eyes and sharp fangs were soon in clear sight.
"Vampires don't exist !!!! Its just a TV show !!!! I know , I know !!! I'm just drunk and hallucinating. This is not happening at all !!! I'm imagining things. That's right !!! Wait …I can't be drunk !!! I don't drink alcohol !!!"
A gust of wind blew as the young man shivered sending a piece of old newspaper flying into his face.
Brandon pried it from his face and wanted to get as far away from where he stood. He caught himself when the image of James still unconscious pulled him reconsider.
As much as I hate him , I can't just leave him like that
It was the printed words of the newspaper that really made him freeze.
" THE SUNNYDALE TIMES ????!!!!!!"
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end prologue.
That was it for now. I plan to finish this with another two parts. Wasn't really sure of where I was going with this but I think I'm getting a grip on it. Hope ya like it so far. You know the drill . Tell me whatcha think k ? peace I'm outta here !!!!!!!
Till next time I remain ……………………