Title: Destination: Home
Author: AlyenaTheBandit a.k.a. Bandit
Feedback: Yes, please! All reviewers get a cookie!
Rating: Anywhere between PG-13 and R for now. Warnings if it gets any harsher. Higher rating for use of the words "dickwad" and "shit" and various other slang terms.
Spoilers: Everything up through Grave. Starts off as alternate Season 7.
Disclaimer: I own a Alyena, a computer, and a stale cup of coffee. Hurrah to the starving artist.
Summary: This is what could have been if some events didn't happen, some did, and some people had relatives we didn't know about. Main characters are W/T and an OC named Alyena. The story is written episode per episode and focuses mainly on Alyena. Bear with me kids, it's gonna get confusing.
Tagline: What would you do if you had no one? Cry? Fight? Lose your mind? Alyena Danford is finding out. Sunnydale isn't the best place to be alone, but where else is? At least at the Hellmouth you know what you're in for...
Episode Two: The Spaces Between Us
Alyena pushed open the door to Buffy's bedroom, currently her place of rest. She exhaled heavily as she kicked off her boots, pulling off her apron and tossing it over the back of a chair.
Walking over to Buffy's closet, she pulled open one of the doors to gaze at her appearance in the full length mirror. Her jaw was turning a shade of soft purple, a compliment to the butterfly holding together her sliced brow and the bandage wrapped around her broken hand, an injury accrued a few days prior.
She cursed softly at the further damage her broken hand had endured during the fight, blaming her desire to walk that new guy home for the damage to her already accident prone body.
I've been back to work for what, three days and I already have more wounds? Get a hold of yourself, Al! Everything's gonna get a hell of a lot worse…
"Typical…" she huffed as she shoved the door closed. She unbuttoned her plaid shirt, tossing it on the ground near a pile of similar shirts and headed over to her window. Bending down, she reached for a white tank top and pulled it over her head, straightening back up to look out her window.
It was a cool night, slightly breezy but not enough to bother. Alyena strode back over to a chair and snatched her ratty leather jacket, sliding carefully into it. Slipping her boots back on her feet, she headed back to the window and climbed out onto the roof.
The cool night air brushed against her cheeks, sending her dark tresses curling around her face and she smiled, allowing a small comfort. She stifled the smile a split second later, reprimanding herself for such petty thoughts.
As much as it pained her to admit it, she was very fond about her hair.
It had taken her years to come to terms with this unfortunate fact, the only shallow thing she would allow herself to indulge in, but she adored her thick, dark brown wavy locks.
Being that it was a trademark of her Irish heritage, she always kept her mane well groomed and clean; small spiraling waves bouncing around her face could be pulled into a sleek ponytail where the small curls once again let themselves be seen.
She would hardly admit it herself, never daring to speak it out loud or in front of anyone who could hear her, but her one indulgence gave her some peace of mind. It was almost as if the one thing she could control and make do as she pleased kept her sane and well balanced in her strange contortion of a life.
Shaking off all thoughts of her hair and her heritage and her misconstrued notion of life, she turned her attention back to the stars above her. If she could only jump into the stars and pretend that her life had never happened and He hadn't…
Willow awoke with a start, her breath coming in great gasps as her pajamas stuck to her like skin. She took several deep cleansing gulps of oxygen and pushed sweat soaked red locks from her forehead.
It had only been a second, a moment where she was just so tired she had to rest her impossibly heavy eyelids but it was enough.
The nightmares were back.
She reached over the covers for the blonde she knew would be on the other side and found her, pulling her close.
Tara shook awake at Willow's frantic movements questioning, "Willow?" As her eyes blinked open she pulled the fretting redhead into her arms, shushing her gently.
Willow cried into Tara's neck, wrapping strands of blonde hair around her fingers, "I lost you again! I can't lose you, Tare, I can't do that again!"
Tara peppered kisses all over Willow's head and face reassuring, "I'm right here, baby. Shh, it's alright! I'm not going anywhere, darling. You don't have to worry anymore."
Willow brushed away some of her tears, hiccupping, "Goddess, every time I close my eyes I see it…the bullet…Warren…I can't believe I did those things…"
Tara pressed her lips tenderly to Willow's forehead explaining softly, "Honey, it's okay. I saw everything and I'm still here. It's in the past now and you and I will get through everything together."
Willow calmed down a little, absently fingering the miniscule tear-dropped shaped diamond hanging from a delicate gold chain around her neck. She breathed into Tara's ear, "Will you always forgive me for what I've done? What if I did something so incredibly awful that even Miss Kitty wouldn't look at me anymore?"
Tara settled Willow against her body, draping one leg over the redhead and wrapping her tightly in her arms responding, "I would love you even if you ended the world because I know you'll always come back to me. We always find each other, Willow. You're never alone."
She leaned back against the pillows piled against the headboard and exhaled sleepily, "Besides, I think you've had enough world ending for one lifetime sweetheart." As an afterthought she added, "Do you want me to rub your belly, baby? I know it makes you feel better."
Willow swallowed down the bile she tasted from guilt and nodded childishly, stretching out so Tara could draw lazy circles on her stomach.
As she felt Tara's breathing slow and the circles began to stop, she let her mind guilt her into staying awake. She whispered just barely loud enough for her own ears to pick up, "Would you love me if you knew what I did to bring you back to me?"
Alyena flipped over in bed for the millionth time that night and looked at the digital display of the clock on her bedside table. The garish, blinking red numbers angrily declared it was 4:36 in the morning.
She rolled over onto her back heaving a great sigh of exhaustion and annoyance. Shoving off her sheets she sat up, letting her legs hang over the side of the bed as she ran a hand through her hair.
Across the hall she could very vaguely make out the sound of someone trying and failing to quietly get dressed. She stood up, pulling off her tank top and let it fall to the floor next to her shoes. It took her a moment to locate a respectable t-shirt, deciding her Ramones one would be her best bet, and she pulled off her flannel pants.
She slid into the same pair of torn up jeans she had worn the day before, deftly locating a pair of socks in the process and laced herself into a pair of nearly worn out Chuck Taylor's. Her muscles ached from lack of sleep but her mind reminded her it wasn't as bad as it used to be.
She walked over to the vanity where most of Buffy's stuff was cluttered so she wouldn't break it or lose it and looked over her appearance. It would do, but she whispered a small incantation she had learned to erase the lines and dark circles from her sleeplessness so Willow wouldn't notice and Tara wouldn't ask.
Heading out, she grabbed her jacket and a black paisley fedora, settling it on her head tipped a little to the right. Shuffling towards the stairs she ran into Willow, also dressed for the day.
The two women surveyed each other, both wondering what the other was doing and looking incredibly guilty that they got caught. The situation was strange to both women who were used to being especially stealthy.
Awkwardly, Alyena asked, "What're you doing up at, um, you know, 4:45 in the morning?"
Willow gave Alyena an equally awkward stare and stumbled over her words. "I, um, well, you know…c-couldn't sleep."
After another uncomfortable pause, Willow seemed to get her wits about her questioning, "Wait, what are you doing up this early? You, queen of the sleeping in, are up at an ungodly hour."
Alyena's mind began running in frantic circles, looking for a way out of the situation before remembering Willow's own answer and cautiously responding, "Couldn't, um, sleep either? Ya know how it is, what with the caffeine addiction and the sleeping in all the time…not good for the, uh, the teenage health. Right?"
Willow and Alyena exchanged a quick look before both heading down the stairs as fast as they could while still being quiet.
Alyena got to the kitchen first, snatching her favorite mug and quickly filling it with a large amount of black coffee. Willow, witnessing this, commented, "I thought we decided coffee was bad for the teenage health?"
Alyena pointed to her head after a large gulp of the scalding liquid explaining, "It's the caffeine addiction, remember? But hey, it's better than drugs right?"
Willow sat down at the island pointing out to the girl, "Aly, caffeine is a drug. Did you pay attention at all in science class in high school?"
Alyena poured another cup arguing, "Well yeah, but it's like a little drug. It's not like one of the mack-daddy drugs that are all 'I'mma get all up in yah central nervous system, yo' and then you get schizoid and they lock you up in the crazy house."
Willow stared incredulously at Alyena for a moment before reiterating, 'Mack-daddy' drugs? 'Get all up in yah central nervous system?' Where did you learn this stuff!?"
Alyena downed a third cup and pulled on her jacket responding, "Hey, I'm a Southie, cut me some slack! They showed us all this after school special stuff and the language just kinda…stuck. Trying to be all 'teenage friendly' or whatever."
She looked up at the clock commenting, "Look, I gotta split. Going for a run before Tara wakes up and I have to get ready for work. Coffee's still hot if you want some and I made it a little less strong this time so you don't have to put so much sugar in." She waved over her shoulder as she headed out the kitchen door, letting it close softly behind her.
Willow looked up at the ceiling and muttered, "Goddess of public education or Abraham Lincoln or who ever is listening, please don't ever let me hear her say anything like that ever again!"
Standing up, she walked over to the counter and sniffed the air around the coffee pot experimentally. Pulling a mug out of the cupboard, she poured herself some and added her usual amount of cream and sugar before sitting back down at the island.
After several moments of an intense staring contest with the mug, she huffed quietly, "Fine, you win! I don't usually fold so easy." She lifted the mug to her mouth, licked her slightly chapped lips, and tasted Alyena's coffee.
She was fully prepared to cringe at the unnaturally strong taste she usually got when the teenager made the first morning pot but, surprisingly, she enjoyed it.
She spoke to the mug once again, "You really had me there! You've gotten sneakier now, eh? I'll get you one of these days."
Contentedly sipping her beverage she admitted aloud, "I am a hypocrite. It's addictive! It's bad for your health! Man, that girl makes good coffee though…"
Gavin knew he heard something as he walked up to the Magic Box but dismissed it as his mind playing tricks on him. It sounded faintly like a sing-along to some old tune from the sixties or seventies but…no that was impossible. Wasn't it?
He pushed open the door, barely hearing the bell jingle over the blasting music throughout the store. He looked around, not seeing anyone until Alyena came sliding, yes literally sliding across the floor from the back.
She held a broom like a microphone and was belting at the top of her lungs.
Rescue me
Oh take me in your arms!
Rescue me
I want your tender charms!
'Cause I'm lonely and I'm blue
I need you and your love too Come on and rescue me
Come on baby and rescue me!
Come on baby and rescue me!
'Cause I need you by my side
Can't you see that I'm lonely?
Rescue me!
He would've burst out laughing if the whole thing weren't so incredibly bizarre. The girl I met was mellow and sarcastic and athletic and wow, her voice is incredible! I would've never guessed she could sing like that!
Still completely baffled he barely noticed the small blonde woman who came flying into the room and continued the song until she was nearly on top of him dancing around the room.
Come on and take my heart
Take your love and conquer every part!
'Cause I'm lonely and I'm blue
I need you and your love too! Come on and rescue me
Come on baby and rescue me!
Come on baby and rescue me!
'Cause I need you by my side
Can't you see that I'm lonely?
Alyena was sweeping and dancing her way around the inside of the Magic Box, Anya dutifully belting out the lyrics to the song while dancing on the table in the corner of the room by the ladder to the loft.
Jokingly, Alyena pulled some ones out of the cash register and began tossing them at Anya who only seemed encouraged to dance on by the sight of money being tossed at her.
After the song ended, Alyena left Anya to pick up the money and return it to the register, moving over to Gavin and exhaling, "Hey! How's it hangin'?"
He stood open mouthed for a moment before laughing, "That was not exactly what I expected when I showed up here today! I thought maybe you'd be reading or taking stock like last time….that was a change."
She shrugged, sweeping around his feet, "You just gotta let loose sometimes or you get angry and bitter. I don't usually do that around you know, people though. I try to keep the musical outbursts to a minimum."
He pointed to Anya who was counting her money loudly across the room and asked, "Who exactly is that? She's kind of…eccentric."
Alyena looked over at the blonde ex-vengeance demon and shrugged, "Oh, that's just my boss, Anya. She's pretty cool. She lets me work whenever I want as long as I bring in a certain range of cash flow every time I come. She kind of has this thing for money, it makes her feel calm I think. 'To each their own', I guess."
Gavin looked over at Anya responding, "I guess." He looked back at Alyena asking, "Oh, when do you get off tonight? I have something in mind."
Alyena responded, smirking, "I get off at five. Whatcha gettin' at stud? You want to do something?"
Gavin smiled mischievously, "You'll just have to come with me and find out!"
Alyena nodded, "No problem. I'll let Anya know what's goin' on and we can motorvate here in a bit. Where are we going?"
Gavin took the broom from Alyena's hand and continued sweeping laughing, "You don't really get the concept of surprises do you?"
Alyena snatched the broom back with a slightly annoyed look on her face and grunted, "Don't do that."
He raised his hands in surrender adding, "Not chivalry either then! Are you okay?"
She looked up at him, her dark brown orbs giving nothing away before relenting, "Sorry. I just don't like it when people treat me like I can't do anything on my own. I can take care of myself."
He put a hand on her shoulder responding gently, "I didn't mean to upset you. Sometimes I can just be an idiot like that. Are we okay?"
She absently shrugged off his hand sighing, "Yeah, we're good. It's just been a long night. Didn't get much sleep, ya know?"
He nodded in understanding asking, "You want to get going? I want to make sure we get there in time."
She yelled over to Anya, "Yo, Ahn? I'm gonna head out. I made my quota for the day. We cool?"
Anya nodded, "I am very pleased with your money reaping skills! Please leave now and have many orgasms with your new hard-bodied male friend."
Gavin stared, aghast as Alyena chuckled, "Whatever you say, boss! Have a good night yourself."
Just as they were exiting the store, they heard a large explosion followed by the sound of various car alarms and the sprinkler system of the store next door. Alyena flew out the front door, flinging the bell off its hinges, Gavin and Anya on her heels just as another large rumble shook the Magic Box.
Outside, debris was raining down in fiery chunks as people scattered away from the raging blaze that engulfed what used to be the Paperback Express, a cute little shop specializing in old paperback copies of eclectic books.
Needless to say, the paperback books were not aiding in any attempt to put out the fire, which could now only be sufficiently described as an inferno.
Alyena ducked and dodged flying wisps of burnt or burning paper and chunks of wood as she made her way towards the shop to see what was going on. Anya and Gavin stayed back, trying to heckle answers out of passersby rather unsuccessfully.
As Alyena reached the source of the calamity, she spotted a familiar redhead. Rushing up to Willow she barked, "Wil, what's goin' on? I heard the explosion!"
Willow's face was streaked with tears and ashes, a blanket wrapped around her shoulders to cover up her singed clothes in the chilly autumn wind. She barely managed to choke out, "T-the….expl-l-losion…Tara!!"
Alyena gripped Willow's arms and asked as calmly as she could, "Willow, is Tara in the fire?"
Fresh tears poured from bloodshot green eyes as Willow gave an almost imperceptible nod and began totally sobbing. Anya and Gavin rushed over as Alyena was about to take off and began pestering her with questions.
"Where's the source of the explosion?"
"Is anyone hurt?"
"Is there anything we can do?"
"Who's going to save all the money? Will this hurt my income revenue?"
Alyena shouted, "Shut up! Just everybody shut up! I need to think."
Both of them instantly stopped talking and waited with bated breath as the seventeen year old paced.
After a split second decision she declared, "I'm not leaving Tara to these dickwad officers that don't know shit about anything. I'm gonna go get her."
Just as Gavin and Anya were about to protest, Alyena was gone, trudging her way through fire and flames towards her blonde guardian.
Willow managed between sobs, "What…what about…your…fear…of fire?"
Gavin and Anya gave each other confused, worried looks and both moved to comfort Willow, knowing nothing else to do.
--
I know this is kind of emotional ADD but hopefully it makes sense. Please R/R!!
Mary, you are awesome and deserve cookies. Lots of cookies.
