Author: RockyD
Spoilers: If you haven't seen the Season 6 Premiere, you probably shouldn't
read this.
Summary: Someone else goes to see Buffy at the top of the tower in the season
premiere.
Author's Note: Something I wrote over the course of an hour or two after the
premiere. In no way *accurate* since I didn't tape and I'm working from memory.
Just an idea that occured to me about what could have happened.
Feedback: Would be appreciated muchly.
That was when Anya brought the pipe down on the demon's back. Distracting him
from his goal of shredding Xander to pieces. The demon turned around slowly,
and looked more annoyed than hurt by the attack. Willow and Tara joined in on
the pipe assault, causing the creature to bring his arms up to defend himself.
It was all for naught, with a swipe of his hands he knocked Willow and Tara
off into the alleyway.
It looked at Anya, who was still beating on him, with increasing annoyance.
It grabbed her suddenly by the throat, and lifted her up. He grimaced at her,
showing his distaste for her interference. He was preparing to slice her head
off with his claws, when he let out a pained wail, and dropped her onto a pile
of junk.
He pitched forward, revealing an axe buried deep in his back. As he fell to
the ground an angry-looking Xander, with a small cut in his forhead, stood behind
him, "I can't explain how much I don't appreciate people trying to kill
me all the time."
He went to Anya, checking on her. She nodded that she was alright, and they
both looked to the other side of the alley, "Wills, you okay?"
"Yeah... just a little shaken... and bruised... and light-headed."
She paused, "Can I retract my 'Yeah'?" She looked over and saw Tara
making her way over on hands and knees. It appeared they survived.
Xander focused himself on Anya, giving her a determined look, "Ahn, are
you sure you're okay?"
She nodded emphatically, "Yes, I'm quite sure. All my parts are in the
right place. Why?"
He helped her to her feet, "Go with Willow and Tara back to the Magic Box,
make sure everything is okay."
Willow looked at her questioningly, "What are you going to do?"
Xander put on his own version of the 'resolve face' and stated confidently,
"I'm going after Buffy. You guys just go there and hold up. I'll bring
her there when I find her."
Anya was about to protest, but Willow pulled on her arm. She knew there was
no stopping the resolve face, if her success with it was any indication. Besides,
she didn't want Anya to have to find out just why Xander is so deterimined about
finding her. She was, however, not going to let him get away easy, "Xander."
He looked her, "Be careful."
He saw how she motioned with her eyes behind him. A quick glance told him what
she was alluding to. A hard pull dislodged the axe from the demon's back, and
he quickly proceeded out of the alley in the direction Buffy had gone.
She squatted down, finally coming to a seated position. Her record finally started
sending audio to her. She spoke the words as she said them, as well as when
Dawn said them. "Dawnie, I have to."
"No!" Dawn spoke through her mind, as well as through her voice.
"Listen to me. Please, there's not a lot of time, listen." The memories
faded back into her head, and her voice grew quiet. She cautioned a glance at
the ground once more. Still no change. She seemed to be expecting the portal
to open up again and swallow her all over again.
It was then that the thought crossed her mind. 'Is this it? Is this what my
existence is reduced to? I have to live this moment over and over again?' Her
eyes remained fixated on where she somehow knew she landed. 'It would be so
easy.'
She slowly crawled back to her feet. She let her toes hang over the edge, just
enough to prove there was nothing behind it. No invisible platform to catch
her fall if she went through with her dark thoughts. It would be so easy. An
echo bouncing off the walls of her mind.
It was then that a movement in the platform behind her caught her attention.
She didn't bother turning around. Whatever it was couldn't be as important as
this.
Xander stood there, watching her in fear. She was so terribly close to the edge,
she had to be careful. But he didn't dare take a step forward. He remained on
the makeshift landing, watching with wide eyes.
"Is this hell?" She broke the silence with a hoarse quiery.
He could hardly hear it, and wished he hadn't. The only reply he was able to
manage at the time was, "What?"
Buffy turned around slowly, her much longer hair whipping around in a graceful
ark. She looked at him, her eyes unbelievably soft, and she stated loudly enough
for the statement to be clear this time, "Is this *hell*?"
"Buffy? Is this... No!" He shouted loudly, making her flinch. He immediately
lowered his voice, "How could you possibly think that? You're home."
She didn't look convinced, "I *died.* I remember it. I went over the edge
of *this* platform, and I died. This has to be some sort of hell... things aren't
perfect like they should be in heaven. So this must. be. hell." He opened
his mouth to protest, but she continued, "There are still demons. I had
to kill things. If this isn't hell, then I don't want to know what it is."
Xander stepped slighty forward, making Buffy retreat towards the edge. He immediately
stopped, and expressed his confusion, "Buffy, you're home. We brought you
back. Willow used her magic and we all... we worked together on it..."
He couldn't help but start crying a little. The memory of the last three months
tore him apart. He finally felt, since he didn't need to keep up the brave front
for anyone, that it'd be alright to let it go.
She blinked her eyes furiously, trying to hold back her own tears, "Xander,
why... why did you do it? I'm... I'm not worth the trouble."
He was quietly furious, but not for long, "Not worth it? Buffy, there is
nothing in this world more worth bringing you back."
She still didn't look convinced. Suddenly, the structure they were standing
on made an audible groaning noise. He looked worried, "Buffy, the guys
that built this place weren't exactly architects of the highest degree... the
superstructure is coming apart... we have to get down from here!"
She stood her ground, as the platform wobbled. The look of determination on
her face never left, as she asked above the noise, "Why am I worth it?"
"You're not going to take no for an answer, are you?" She shook her
head. He sighed, and knew this would come back to haunt him. He had to, though,
for Buffy's sake. He looked at her seriously, "Buffy, you're worth bringing
back. You're worth risking my... our lives. Because I love you." He hastily,
but unnecessarily added on, "I'm not even sure what that means anymore...
but it's the truth. The world needs you. We need you. ...I need you."
The building shook, sending Xander sprawling onto the grated floor, nearly falling
off the edge of the landing. Buffy sprung into action, screaming, "Xander!"
As she dove to catch his hand as part of the landing broke free. He dangled
from the edge by his arm, as Buffy held on with all her Slayer strength.
He looked down briefly, before shooting his eyes upward to meet hers, "I
don't suppose now is a good time to tell you I was kind of opposed to the whole
ressurecting you thing, is it?" She hauled him upwards, taking a small
moment to search his eyes for the truth. She got up quickly and didn't reply
to his ill-timed joke as she pulled him along for the stairs. He regained his
bearings and stopped being pulled along so they could make better time.
The top of the tower buckled and collapsed, pieces of it raining down around
them. Buffy saw a pulley dangling nearby. Without a word, she grabbed Xander
by the waist and made a leap for it. To her dismay, it was momentarily jammed.
As more of the tower fell apart, the motion combined with thier weight, broke
the pulley free and sent them hurtling towards the ground, far too fast.
Seeing as they were about to collide with the concrete, Buffy looked for something
to break their fall. Upon seeing it, she yelled, "Xander, swing with me!"
He was confused, but upon seing she was looking, immediately used their combined
weight to swing their fall in a particular direction. Unexpectedly, the pulley
jammed again, slowing their fall considerably, before completey breaking loose
as the tower continued crumbling. Their fall ended abruptly as they crash landed
in a large stack of palletes.
A cloud of smoke and splinters arose around them, and the quickly attempted
to recover. Xander took one look at how they landed, "God, Buffy, I have
to stop finding you like this..." He picked her up, favoring his ribs from
the landing, and they continued running out of the lot as the tower finally
totally disintegrated. They crouched behind the sheet metal fence, protecting
each other with their arms, until the rumbling had ceased.
They cautiously got up and went to observe the damage. The rubble was awe-inspiring.
A chapter of their lives they'd rather forget, had just toppled in on itself.
Xander let out a heavy sigh, and put his arm around Buffy to steer her towards
the Magic Box.
He coughed a little as he spoke up, "I ran into Dawn on the way here...
I figured it might not be good if she ran into you... the ressurected you...
here. I told her and everybody else to meet us at the Magic Box. That's where
we're gonna go now."
She nodded mutely as he led her along. In her mind, she was processing what
he'd said to her at the top of the tower. She decided then and there that she
wasn't going to treat Xander Harris the same way, ever again. He deserved to
be recognized for his loyalty, and for his love.