Disclaimer: Joss owns all, for now. He's a rat bastard who got me hooked
on show tunes, especially his. *glares* For now, he owns all characters,
and some dialog that takes place in the beginning. But I will prevail. Just
watch….
************
Let me fall
Let me climb
There's a moment when fear
And dreams must collide
"Let Me Fall", Josh Groban
************
2001, Sunnydale, CA
Dawn looked downwards, the crackling pool of energy made a hissing sound. "The portal closes when the blood stops flowing," she whispered to herself. "Great, so I either wait to bleed to death, slowly, or think of something." Furrowing her brow, she tried to think of a plan, which she failed miserably at. Looking downwards again, she saw Spike beginning to move. "Good," she murmured to herself, "he's not hurt too bad, but it was stupid for him to come and try to save me."
"Dawn!" Buffy's voice brought Dawn out of her out loud mumbling.
As the slayer untied the teenager's bonds, she told her, her plan. Dawn was appalled, "Buffy... no!" she cried.
Buffy looked at her sadly, "Dawnie, I have to."
Dawn shook her head; "No!" tears ran down her face.
Buffy's hand tried to wipe them away, but they kept coming. "Listen to me. Please, there's not a lot of time, listen," she tried to reason. "Dawn, listen to me. Listen. I love you. I will always love you. But this is the work that I have to do. Tell Giles... tell Giles I figured it out. And, and I'm okay. And give my love to my friends. You have to take care of them now. You have to take care of each other. You have to be strong. Dawn, the hardest thing in this world... is to live in it. Be brave. Live. For me."
She walked towards her sister, tears still streaming down her face, "You're selfish. You want to die, after all that is your gift. But let me tell you this, you're needed. Who's going to protect Sunnydale if you're gone? No one. So just buck up and get off your high horse. Destiny is not a matter of chance, it's a matter of choice, and I'm making mine," Dawn ran to the edge of the platform.
Buffy's arm pulled her back. "Do you hate me that much that'd you rather give up your life then live it with me?" she asked, tears in her eyes.
"No Buffy, it's not that. It really isn't. Believe me, I don't wanna go, and it'll grieve me 'cause I love you so, but we both know there's not better way. I'm sorry." Dawn hugged her sister.
Buffy hung on to the younger girl. "It doesn't matter. What are you doing?" she asked as she looked up. Dawn was moving away from her.
Dawn was almost at the edge by then. "I have to jump. The energy."
Buffy shook her head. "It'll kill you."
Dawn smiled stiffly. "I know. Buffy, I know about the ritual. I have to stop it."
Buffy didn't want to hear it, and covered her ears. "No," she cried over and over again, not wanting to believe it.
Dawn kneeled down, and laid a bloody hand upon her sister's shoulder "I have to. Look at what's happening. Buffy, you have to let me go. Blood starts it, and until the blood stops flowing, it'll never stop. You know you have to let me. It has to have the blood. Glory comes to those who dare to begin," she cried the last part, grinned, before taking a backwards leap off of the platform, and into the energy.
"Dawn, no!" Buffy cried as she reached out, a second too late. As she looked over the edge of the metal platform, she only saw the energy start to dissolve into itself, Dawn's job accomplished. "Dawn, no!" Buffy repeated, this time much softer. By that time the portal had dissolved totally, but Dawn's body was nowhere to be found. It seemingly disappeared, just like the portal of energy did. One could only suspect the teenager's body went wherever the energy had.
2003, Los Angeles, CA
"That last stunt could have left you with a broken spine, or worse, killed," Wesley said to his patrolling partner, who just shrugged it off.
"Aw come on Jeeves. I was just having some fun. It wasn't like I was hurting anybody, well save that vamp," Faith grinned at her old watcher. When she saw his scowl, she scowled right back in a playful manner, "If it bothers you that much. I'll start patrolling with Connor. At least he likes all the fun stuff."
After the defeat of the Beast, Faith had made moves to repair ties with her ex-watcher. They sill fought constantly, options often going in the way. But at least by then, neither one was trying to kill the other, which can always be considered a plus.
"Well next time warn me before you do that," Wesley sniffed slightly as he reviewed mentally their last take down of a vampire.
"If it bugs ya that much, I won't do it. But don't take away all my fun," Faith winked as she darted into a side ally way, coming back out a minute later. "B's so-called spidey senses alerted me," was all she offered for an explanation.
"Well then, are we off?" Wesley asked, stake raised in a mock salute, a smirk playing upon his time aged weary face.
Faith nodded, before she started to walk, "We are. I have a hankering for rocky road ice cream. So I'm hitting up the first Baskin Robbins I see."
"It's nice for life to go back to normal, even if it's just for a little bit," Wesley said as he took a lick of his vanilla cone. Faith had tried to persuade him to try something different, and more exciting, but he assured her, strawberry was as daring as he went when it came to ice cream, and that wasn't very often. You don't mess with a man's ice cream after all.
"It's nice to be in the world again, to be me. Well no the psycho bitch me, as B put it, but not the weepy me you saw three years ago either. Hopefully the one that accepts death, but tries to have as much fun as I can in the process. May the way I was before the mayor's offer." Faith looked at Wesley; "I'm rambling aren't I?"
He nodded silent. He didn't really mind the rambling though. The chatter filled the uncomfortable silence that they usually had. Besides it was good to know she had other emotions other than pissed off and psycho bitch. It was good to know she was a normal human being.
"I'm rambling about the multiple personalities that I've had in the past five years. And they all focus on my killing things," Faith said bitterly.
"It's usually said that a slayer's greatest gift is the their gift of death. They say slayers dream and wish for it," Wesley reported awkwardly.
Faith looked at Wesley, her eyebrow raised in uninterested. "If that was to make me feel better, you failed, miserably."
Wesley turned toward her, his eyes narrowed, as if he was angry with her. "Thank you for that observation," he said, the sarcastic note shining so bright, a blind person could see it.
"There's no reason to get snippy," Faith said, chuckling. Taking the last bite of her cone, she wiped her hands on her pants and tossed her napkin into a nearby trash can.
They again started to walk in silence, not really sure what one should say to the other.
This problem was solved when they saw a vampire having a bite to eat. "Ugh, can't they limit their activities to dark allies and cemeteries? A park is supposed to be a nice happy place," Faith said the last part as she ran towards the snacking animal.
But by that time, Faith as too late, the vamp had, had his fill of the two mid-twenty people, but he seemed to be looking for something. Which was odd vampire behavior, especially for one who just ate. Usually once they had their meal, they would go off and usually have a night of drunken fun. It was also slightly odd because it was very strange for any vampire, unless they made it to about 100; to do anything other than eat and have sex.
"Where is it? Where is the bright one?" it growled, prowling around, it's feeding face still on.
"So sorry, the light has gone out," Faith thought for some reason the vampire was looking for a flashlight, sometimes you never knew with the demons. "I'll let you know what I find your flashlight," Faith tapped the vampire on the shoulder, as it turned around, the stake plunged in and out. "But wait, you'll be gone by then," she said softly.
"Who are you?" a voice said as Faith turned around.
"English," Faith had adopted the same name Gunn had used to address Wesley, "I would hope you would know me by now."
"Faith, I'm over here," the clipped voice of the irate British man on Faith's right said. "I believe that little ankle biter said that," Wesley pointed to a little girl who what crawling out of the nearby playground.
Faith sent a sharp glare toward the English man before she dropped down into a crouch, to about the height of the now standing girl. "Hi," she said softly. "My name's Faith," she waved at the girl who gave her a shy look. Unknown to most people, she enjoyed small children.
"I'm Dawn, I'm four!" she held out her right hand, all her fingers splayed.
Faith made a 'come here' motion, and when Dawn walked over; Faith put the little girl's thumb down. "There you go, now it's four," she said with false cheerfulness, then she grew serious, "Why were you hiding?"
Dawn shrugged her shoulder, "Darcy told me to hide. She said the bad man couldn't get me, cause I'm special," she said the last part in a proud voice.
"I bet you're very special," Faith agreed as she stood up, holding her hand out, Dawn took it.
"Faith what are you doing?" Wesley nearly shrieked. "That ankle biter is not a lost little puppy one can just take home!"
Faith shot another look to the British man intent on speaking her mind, but Dawn beat him to it. Blinking slowly she looked up at the man, "You talk funny," she stated plainly.
"Yeah Wes," Faith joined in, always eager to take a stab at the former watcher, "you talk funny."
************
Reach out to me
Call out my name
And I would bring you back again
Today
"Home to Stay", Josh Groban
************
************
Let me fall
Let me climb
There's a moment when fear
And dreams must collide
"Let Me Fall", Josh Groban
************
2001, Sunnydale, CA
Dawn looked downwards, the crackling pool of energy made a hissing sound. "The portal closes when the blood stops flowing," she whispered to herself. "Great, so I either wait to bleed to death, slowly, or think of something." Furrowing her brow, she tried to think of a plan, which she failed miserably at. Looking downwards again, she saw Spike beginning to move. "Good," she murmured to herself, "he's not hurt too bad, but it was stupid for him to come and try to save me."
"Dawn!" Buffy's voice brought Dawn out of her out loud mumbling.
As the slayer untied the teenager's bonds, she told her, her plan. Dawn was appalled, "Buffy... no!" she cried.
Buffy looked at her sadly, "Dawnie, I have to."
Dawn shook her head; "No!" tears ran down her face.
Buffy's hand tried to wipe them away, but they kept coming. "Listen to me. Please, there's not a lot of time, listen," she tried to reason. "Dawn, listen to me. Listen. I love you. I will always love you. But this is the work that I have to do. Tell Giles... tell Giles I figured it out. And, and I'm okay. And give my love to my friends. You have to take care of them now. You have to take care of each other. You have to be strong. Dawn, the hardest thing in this world... is to live in it. Be brave. Live. For me."
She walked towards her sister, tears still streaming down her face, "You're selfish. You want to die, after all that is your gift. But let me tell you this, you're needed. Who's going to protect Sunnydale if you're gone? No one. So just buck up and get off your high horse. Destiny is not a matter of chance, it's a matter of choice, and I'm making mine," Dawn ran to the edge of the platform.
Buffy's arm pulled her back. "Do you hate me that much that'd you rather give up your life then live it with me?" she asked, tears in her eyes.
"No Buffy, it's not that. It really isn't. Believe me, I don't wanna go, and it'll grieve me 'cause I love you so, but we both know there's not better way. I'm sorry." Dawn hugged her sister.
Buffy hung on to the younger girl. "It doesn't matter. What are you doing?" she asked as she looked up. Dawn was moving away from her.
Dawn was almost at the edge by then. "I have to jump. The energy."
Buffy shook her head. "It'll kill you."
Dawn smiled stiffly. "I know. Buffy, I know about the ritual. I have to stop it."
Buffy didn't want to hear it, and covered her ears. "No," she cried over and over again, not wanting to believe it.
Dawn kneeled down, and laid a bloody hand upon her sister's shoulder "I have to. Look at what's happening. Buffy, you have to let me go. Blood starts it, and until the blood stops flowing, it'll never stop. You know you have to let me. It has to have the blood. Glory comes to those who dare to begin," she cried the last part, grinned, before taking a backwards leap off of the platform, and into the energy.
"Dawn, no!" Buffy cried as she reached out, a second too late. As she looked over the edge of the metal platform, she only saw the energy start to dissolve into itself, Dawn's job accomplished. "Dawn, no!" Buffy repeated, this time much softer. By that time the portal had dissolved totally, but Dawn's body was nowhere to be found. It seemingly disappeared, just like the portal of energy did. One could only suspect the teenager's body went wherever the energy had.
2003, Los Angeles, CA
"That last stunt could have left you with a broken spine, or worse, killed," Wesley said to his patrolling partner, who just shrugged it off.
"Aw come on Jeeves. I was just having some fun. It wasn't like I was hurting anybody, well save that vamp," Faith grinned at her old watcher. When she saw his scowl, she scowled right back in a playful manner, "If it bothers you that much. I'll start patrolling with Connor. At least he likes all the fun stuff."
After the defeat of the Beast, Faith had made moves to repair ties with her ex-watcher. They sill fought constantly, options often going in the way. But at least by then, neither one was trying to kill the other, which can always be considered a plus.
"Well next time warn me before you do that," Wesley sniffed slightly as he reviewed mentally their last take down of a vampire.
"If it bugs ya that much, I won't do it. But don't take away all my fun," Faith winked as she darted into a side ally way, coming back out a minute later. "B's so-called spidey senses alerted me," was all she offered for an explanation.
"Well then, are we off?" Wesley asked, stake raised in a mock salute, a smirk playing upon his time aged weary face.
Faith nodded, before she started to walk, "We are. I have a hankering for rocky road ice cream. So I'm hitting up the first Baskin Robbins I see."
"It's nice for life to go back to normal, even if it's just for a little bit," Wesley said as he took a lick of his vanilla cone. Faith had tried to persuade him to try something different, and more exciting, but he assured her, strawberry was as daring as he went when it came to ice cream, and that wasn't very often. You don't mess with a man's ice cream after all.
"It's nice to be in the world again, to be me. Well no the psycho bitch me, as B put it, but not the weepy me you saw three years ago either. Hopefully the one that accepts death, but tries to have as much fun as I can in the process. May the way I was before the mayor's offer." Faith looked at Wesley; "I'm rambling aren't I?"
He nodded silent. He didn't really mind the rambling though. The chatter filled the uncomfortable silence that they usually had. Besides it was good to know she had other emotions other than pissed off and psycho bitch. It was good to know she was a normal human being.
"I'm rambling about the multiple personalities that I've had in the past five years. And they all focus on my killing things," Faith said bitterly.
"It's usually said that a slayer's greatest gift is the their gift of death. They say slayers dream and wish for it," Wesley reported awkwardly.
Faith looked at Wesley, her eyebrow raised in uninterested. "If that was to make me feel better, you failed, miserably."
Wesley turned toward her, his eyes narrowed, as if he was angry with her. "Thank you for that observation," he said, the sarcastic note shining so bright, a blind person could see it.
"There's no reason to get snippy," Faith said, chuckling. Taking the last bite of her cone, she wiped her hands on her pants and tossed her napkin into a nearby trash can.
They again started to walk in silence, not really sure what one should say to the other.
This problem was solved when they saw a vampire having a bite to eat. "Ugh, can't they limit their activities to dark allies and cemeteries? A park is supposed to be a nice happy place," Faith said the last part as she ran towards the snacking animal.
But by that time, Faith as too late, the vamp had, had his fill of the two mid-twenty people, but he seemed to be looking for something. Which was odd vampire behavior, especially for one who just ate. Usually once they had their meal, they would go off and usually have a night of drunken fun. It was also slightly odd because it was very strange for any vampire, unless they made it to about 100; to do anything other than eat and have sex.
"Where is it? Where is the bright one?" it growled, prowling around, it's feeding face still on.
"So sorry, the light has gone out," Faith thought for some reason the vampire was looking for a flashlight, sometimes you never knew with the demons. "I'll let you know what I find your flashlight," Faith tapped the vampire on the shoulder, as it turned around, the stake plunged in and out. "But wait, you'll be gone by then," she said softly.
"Who are you?" a voice said as Faith turned around.
"English," Faith had adopted the same name Gunn had used to address Wesley, "I would hope you would know me by now."
"Faith, I'm over here," the clipped voice of the irate British man on Faith's right said. "I believe that little ankle biter said that," Wesley pointed to a little girl who what crawling out of the nearby playground.
Faith sent a sharp glare toward the English man before she dropped down into a crouch, to about the height of the now standing girl. "Hi," she said softly. "My name's Faith," she waved at the girl who gave her a shy look. Unknown to most people, she enjoyed small children.
"I'm Dawn, I'm four!" she held out her right hand, all her fingers splayed.
Faith made a 'come here' motion, and when Dawn walked over; Faith put the little girl's thumb down. "There you go, now it's four," she said with false cheerfulness, then she grew serious, "Why were you hiding?"
Dawn shrugged her shoulder, "Darcy told me to hide. She said the bad man couldn't get me, cause I'm special," she said the last part in a proud voice.
"I bet you're very special," Faith agreed as she stood up, holding her hand out, Dawn took it.
"Faith what are you doing?" Wesley nearly shrieked. "That ankle biter is not a lost little puppy one can just take home!"
Faith shot another look to the British man intent on speaking her mind, but Dawn beat him to it. Blinking slowly she looked up at the man, "You talk funny," she stated plainly.
"Yeah Wes," Faith joined in, always eager to take a stab at the former watcher, "you talk funny."
************
Reach out to me
Call out my name
And I would bring you back again
Today
"Home to Stay", Josh Groban
************
