Authors Note: Thanks for all the positive feedback, keep it up!
BTW: I've copped a bit of flack about how I portray Buffy. I know that I make out Buffy as a bad guy in some of my stories, but ya got to love the Buffsta. In time I will write a story (Yet untitled) to satisfy those out there that think I hate Buffy.
Authors Note2 IMPORTANT!: To those who had asked that I make this a Buffy/Spike fic, let me make clear my stance on the whole BS thing. I have not and will not ever write a Buffy/Spike fic. I have nothing against Spike - I like the guy in fact, but in no way does he go well with Buffy. The whole soulless killer thing aside, Buffy had a vampire 'soul mate' and has learnt that it doesn't work out. And having Spike fall in love with Buffy, his mortal enemy, is simply an insult to his character, and should have never happened. Remember the Spike of season two? He was a bad ass, and what he did was kick ass and take names. Season four was much the same, the only difference was he was stuck with helping the Scoobies because of his chip. I admit, that in this story, I use Spike's whole 'feelings' thing to make him have friends, but at the end of the day, he's still a bad ass. The whole 'follow Buffy around on his knees' thing is simply pathetic, and at odds with what he was like for season two to four.
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Xander was a happy man. Although Buffy was probably going to take a few stripes off his hide, he felt that he could take it. Hell, if things went well, their friendship would be stronger than ever. All of this was due to one thing. The dark haired goddess currently holding his hand. After his initial shock and fear, Faith had laughed and reassured him that she didn't care that he was a demon. 'If B can give Angel a happy, then there can't be anything wrong with me giving you one" She had smiled, leaving him relieved. Until he actually thought about what she had said. Which caused his to go to a very nice place in his mind. Until Faith smacked him over the head. "Ow! What was that for?" Xander yelped indignantly, rubbing his head. Faith had just laughed. Yep, things were fine, Xander mused to himself. They had been walking a while, but the distinctive shape of the hotel loomed over them. Walking closer, the door opened, and Buffy emerged. Xander and Faith stopped, and waited as Buffy approached, an inscrutable expression on her face. She stopped, several feet from them. "Faith" Buffy greeted
"B" Faith nodded. Buffy turned her eyes to Xander who unconsciencly grasped Faith's hand, who squeezed his in support. Gathering his courage, he met Buffy's eyes, "Buffy..." A finger to his lips silenced him. Buffy's eyes had filled with tears, and her bottom lip was quivering. They looked in each others eyes, seeing what they wanted to see - Buffy saw forgiveness, Xander saw guilt and self recrimination. Taking a step forward at the same time, they threw their arms around each other in a crushing hug. "Xan, I'm so sorry" She whispered in his ear, sobs wracking her body. Xander rubbed her back reassuringly, and held on tight. Faith smiled to see the two friends reunited, and stepped around them, entering the hotel.
Riley assembled the rifle with care. It had been a while since he had used one and he didn't want to fuck it up. Carefully, he assembled the barrel, screwing it into the stock, then snapped the scope into place. Holding the gun one hand, he placed the bolt in with care, then worked the action a couple of times to loosen it, before opening it, and placing the gleaming bullet in. Closing the bolt, he moved to the window, and placed the end of the barrel on the window sill, so the gun did not become an obvious bulge out of the building. Squinting into the scope, he could see Xander hugging Buffy. Frowning in concentration, he settled the cross hairs on the back of Buffy's head. Taking a deep breath, to steady his heart, and thus his aim, he held still, and the cross hair steadied on Buffy's head. He was briefly disappointed that he wouldn't kill Xander as well, who he had never liked, but mentally shrugged, and gently squeezed the trigger.
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This is (obviously) Not a whole chapter, jeeze, I wouldn't release a chapter this small, but who could ignore the obvious cliff hanger? Hey! It's only... Look, the end of this chapter will be out by the end of Saturday! Promise! Fine! Be like that!
BTW: I've copped a bit of flack about how I portray Buffy. I know that I make out Buffy as a bad guy in some of my stories, but ya got to love the Buffsta. In time I will write a story (Yet untitled) to satisfy those out there that think I hate Buffy.
Authors Note2 IMPORTANT!: To those who had asked that I make this a Buffy/Spike fic, let me make clear my stance on the whole BS thing. I have not and will not ever write a Buffy/Spike fic. I have nothing against Spike - I like the guy in fact, but in no way does he go well with Buffy. The whole soulless killer thing aside, Buffy had a vampire 'soul mate' and has learnt that it doesn't work out. And having Spike fall in love with Buffy, his mortal enemy, is simply an insult to his character, and should have never happened. Remember the Spike of season two? He was a bad ass, and what he did was kick ass and take names. Season four was much the same, the only difference was he was stuck with helping the Scoobies because of his chip. I admit, that in this story, I use Spike's whole 'feelings' thing to make him have friends, but at the end of the day, he's still a bad ass. The whole 'follow Buffy around on his knees' thing is simply pathetic, and at odds with what he was like for season two to four.
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Xander was a happy man. Although Buffy was probably going to take a few stripes off his hide, he felt that he could take it. Hell, if things went well, their friendship would be stronger than ever. All of this was due to one thing. The dark haired goddess currently holding his hand. After his initial shock and fear, Faith had laughed and reassured him that she didn't care that he was a demon. 'If B can give Angel a happy, then there can't be anything wrong with me giving you one" She had smiled, leaving him relieved. Until he actually thought about what she had said. Which caused his to go to a very nice place in his mind. Until Faith smacked him over the head. "Ow! What was that for?" Xander yelped indignantly, rubbing his head. Faith had just laughed. Yep, things were fine, Xander mused to himself. They had been walking a while, but the distinctive shape of the hotel loomed over them. Walking closer, the door opened, and Buffy emerged. Xander and Faith stopped, and waited as Buffy approached, an inscrutable expression on her face. She stopped, several feet from them. "Faith" Buffy greeted
"B" Faith nodded. Buffy turned her eyes to Xander who unconsciencly grasped Faith's hand, who squeezed his in support. Gathering his courage, he met Buffy's eyes, "Buffy..." A finger to his lips silenced him. Buffy's eyes had filled with tears, and her bottom lip was quivering. They looked in each others eyes, seeing what they wanted to see - Buffy saw forgiveness, Xander saw guilt and self recrimination. Taking a step forward at the same time, they threw their arms around each other in a crushing hug. "Xan, I'm so sorry" She whispered in his ear, sobs wracking her body. Xander rubbed her back reassuringly, and held on tight. Faith smiled to see the two friends reunited, and stepped around them, entering the hotel.
Riley assembled the rifle with care. It had been a while since he had used one and he didn't want to fuck it up. Carefully, he assembled the barrel, screwing it into the stock, then snapped the scope into place. Holding the gun one hand, he placed the bolt in with care, then worked the action a couple of times to loosen it, before opening it, and placing the gleaming bullet in. Closing the bolt, he moved to the window, and placed the end of the barrel on the window sill, so the gun did not become an obvious bulge out of the building. Squinting into the scope, he could see Xander hugging Buffy. Frowning in concentration, he settled the cross hairs on the back of Buffy's head. Taking a deep breath, to steady his heart, and thus his aim, he held still, and the cross hair steadied on Buffy's head. He was briefly disappointed that he wouldn't kill Xander as well, who he had never liked, but mentally shrugged, and gently squeezed the trigger.
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This is (obviously) Not a whole chapter, jeeze, I wouldn't release a chapter this small, but who could ignore the obvious cliff hanger? Hey! It's only... Look, the end of this chapter will be out by the end of Saturday! Promise! Fine! Be like that!