The Ultimate Sacrifice
Author: Karen
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. They belong to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy.
Challenge: February Scribe's Corner Challenge
Ok February is a time for love. It's also the shortest month of the year, so let's get this challenge started right.
1. The challenge length is 1-10 pages.
2. It's open to all fandoms.
3. The main theme is sacrifice.
(Based on the short story the gift of the Magi.)
The main characters have to sacrifice something they love for the other person.
He watched through the open window a sight that broke his heart. There were twenty girls in the room; he had been standing there long enough to count. While all of them were pretty, young, vibrant, the woman in the center of the throng of giggling, chatting girls was not only the center of attention, but the most beautiful woman in the room. Because out of the twenty girls in the room, she was the only woman.
He sighed, wisps of conversation floating out on the breeze to him. He almost broke his composure listening to the girlish chatter. Didn't they know she didn't care?
Her eyes caught his, just for a second, less even as they raked over the darkness outside her brightly lit home, and he saw a bored sadness in her eyes, and he wanted to break in and take her away from the silly girls. But he couldn't. She knew what he was, what he had done, and he knew he could never make her happy. She was happy, or at least she would be after tomorrow. He couldn't give her what she deserved.
It had all happened about ten months ago, after the final apocalypse. The one Wolfram and Hart had been planning since before the beginning of time. He had left the poof to his stupid humanity induced emotional roller coaster for Arizona; he had always liked it there, liked the heat that lingered through the night, but without the humidity. But one night while he was nursing a beer, something went through him that hurt worse than anything he had ever gone through, even being burned in the pit of the hellmouth the year before.
When he woke up, he immediately took a bite out of the woman leaning over him, famished. She had been so cute and helpful and caring, and it bothered him. And after the act was complete, he didn't feel guilt, only the tiniest bit of remorse. He couldn't stop himself from thinking about what the pretty lady would have gone on to do with her life. But only for a few seconds, before he went to find a more appetizing meal.
But the guilt was gone. He didn't give a damn if he didn't think too much. He was free of his soul, and he quickly made up for the almost four years he was neutered. He even ran into Drusilla in South America and they had a ball.
Except he had to force himself to enjoy the blood, the torture, the rape. He had to convince himself that was what he wanted, feeding with Dru and then, while their bodies were coursing with fresh blood, screwing their brains out. But it wasn't as pleasurable as he remembered it, it wasn't as fun.
He had changed. And it was all the blonde's fault.
As he watched, her eyes searched the darkness, and he knew she knew he was there. Whether she had seen him in the instant their eyes had met, or if she could feel him he would never know. Then her eyes found his, and she gave him a small sad smile. A snippet of conversation came back to him, reflected in her eyes, and he knew she was thanking him for releasing her of her words. Because she didn't love him, not the way she needed to love, and he couldn't love her the way she needed to be loved.
"Goodbye, luv," he murmured, and he saw her tense, reading his lips. She bit her lip, staying silent as the chatter went on around her, oblivious to the drama that was unfolding. He had gone over this again and again. This was the only way she could truly be happy.
He pulled the sliver of wood from behind his back, and he knew she saw it because her eyes grew wide as they stayed locked on his. Her head gave an almost imperceptible shake, but he smiled sadly and shook his head. He stared into her eyes a moment, hoping that she would understand his sacrifice, before plunging the stake into his unbeating heart.
The ashes swirled away on the breeze, dancing as if finally free of their burden.
"So, you're getting married tomorrow, on Valentine's Day, how romantic!" one of the girls gushed, and she was forced to snap back to the party at hand, a PG13 version of a bachelorette party, seeing as many of her good friends were under the age of 21, who were also her students.
"Tell me, he has over 250 years of experience, what's it like when he kisses you, when he touches you," the girl blushed, trailing off, knowing her meaning was comprehended.
"It's like kissing an Angel," Buffy said, her thoughts returning from the past, refocusing on the future she and Angel would soon be starting.
END