-Chapter Twenty-Eight-

The Restoration of Time

"WAIT NO!" Fate roared as Buffy and Batman leapt into the air, Batman flinging a Batarang at the wires holding Willow as Buffy leapt into the air a loud battle cry exploding from her as she held the Scythe up over her head towards Dark Willow. She slashed down at Dark Willow as she turned in shock as Buffy slashed down cutting her in the chest, the Scythe went in deep as Willow screamed in agonising pain lightning crashing out of her as she screamed in pain. Buffy pulled the Scythe out of Willow as she crashed to the ground, blood dripping from her chest; dead.

"Will... you okay?" Buffy asked as Batman cut Willow free.

"Y-you killed me," Willow gasped in horror.

"I saved you," Buffy said glumly looking down at Willow, "t-that wasn't you... not anymore."

"I know," Willow gulped softly yet her eyes still going to the blood on the Scythe and her Future Self's dead body. Buffy looked away unable to look at Willow, how could she do it? She had to, there was no other way.

"You didn't have to do that," Fate said as he got to his feet looking down solemnly at the body of Future Willow.

"She was going to kill her," Buffy cried glancing at Willow.

"Not if Bruce's plan had worked," Fate replied quietly.

"What plan?" Batman asked curiously.

"The Etryinine in the caverns acts as both a barrier and as an explosive when given its meaning but the protection shields you after death keeping you inside the cave," Fate explained, "but if there is a still living host inside the cave, the protection shall work for them and use the life force in the cave to save the other being. Willow however was not injured but the spell still worked so, what we had here was a mixture of Bruce Wayne and Willow. Willow's evil and hateful nature and Bruce's unwillingness to kill. His last best laid plan."

"She wasn't going to kill," Willow gasped.

"I believe so," Fate concluded, "she could have killed me at any time and yet I felt some unwillingness to it."

"Will I'm sorry," Buffy stammered as Willow bowed her head, "I-I didn't... I..."

"I know," Willow replied, "it wasn't me..."

"What happens with Bruce?" Terry asked taking off his mask looking sadly at Willow; somewhat.

"It was just an imprint latched onto Willow," Fate replied, "Bruce has gone on. And so must we." He flicked his hands lifting Clinton from the ground and carrying him towards him, "Clinton is the belt ready."

"Yes," Clinton said gingerly pressing a button on the belt a silver vortex appearing behind Clinton.

"Let's go," Fate said holding out his arm, "good luck and goodbye Terry McGinnis. You shall make a great Batman."

"Just like my old man," Terry smiled knowingly. "Good luck."

"Good luck to you," Buffy said nodding to him.

"I promise this won't be the future," Willow promised sheepishly as they stepped next to the portal.

"Sorry, but you're not going anywhere!" Joker cackled whipping out a gun. Buffy and Willow recoiled in horror as he held a gun at Clinton. "The Tim Bandit's time had just run out! Ow!" he cried out in pain as a red and black batarang knocked the gun out of his hand, a remasked Batman lunging at him. Joker ducked punching Batman in the gut, Batman grabbing Joker's wrist and pulling his face into his elbow.

"GO!" Batman cried as ducked under Joker's kicks, Joker gasping for air as Batman kicked him in the crotch. Joker was good, his vampire powers had given him vast fighting knowledge from his sire, but he couldn't match Terry's 127 fighting styles; 128 was fighting dirty.

Fate grabbed Clinton leaping into the portal as Willow and Buffy followed. They watched as the scene of Batman and Joker faded away; never-ending battle fading away as though it never was and yet it always will be.


They fell through the time stream, Fate and Clinton spearing a head of them as Buffy threw the Scythe to Fate. Buffy grabbed hold of Willow's hand gripping it tightly, Willow glancing at Buffy sheepishly the image of her killing still imprinted in her mind. She nodded determination in her eyes; she will change the future, for both of them. That woman, does not exist, she thought to herself as they both fell through the time stream to a pulsating bright light, it beamed through the entire vortex as they fell towards, their screams of terror echoing in distortion as they continued to fall towards the light until finally.

It took them, engulfing them, blinding them as it flickered taking them in, exploding around until it took them completely and they suddenly felt solid ground. Buffy's eyes were swimming as was her head swam dizzingly a hand helped her up.

"You made it," came a familiar voice.

"Inza?" Willow asked curiously as both her's and Buffy's vision cleared showing Inza's kindly face smiling back at them looking relieved.

"It's me," she said softly, "where is my husband?"

"He's not here!" Willow cried.

"Where could he be?" Buffy cried standing up, "could he be stuck there?"

"Do not panic," Dr Fate's voice boomed as he reappeared in a golden glow. "I have reset the timeline, Clinton is back where he belongs and so is the Scythe."

"Wait, you could have done this all along?" Buffy cried with confusion, "why'd you need us?"

"Because it was meant to be," Willow replied knowingly.

"No," Fate said, "this was your final test, Willow. You know who you are and what you want to be and what you don't want to be. You had to see the darkness of what you could become to truly overcome it. I am sorry I had to deceive you."

"A warning before the pop quiz would have been appreciated," Willow groaned at being duped, "so this whole thing was orchestrated?"

"No, Clinton did disrupt the time line and yes I could have fixed myself but I sensed you were coming and I sought the opportunity to show you your fate," Fate replied.

"You let me kill Willow?" Buffy cried horror-struck.

"That was not your Willow," Fate replied, "but another self of her, filled with darkness and pain. Despite Bruce's plan she was still not Willow, never forget that."

"We won't," Willow said gratefully, "thank you..."

"You're thanking him?" Buffy cried outraged.

"Buffy, I feel great, for once I finally know who I am," Willow smiled brightly, "I don't need to go on any secret retreats to know that anymore... I'm Willow, crayon breaking Willow."

Buffy smiled hugging Willow.

"I'm sorry I killed you."

"I let you," Willow joked. They both parted turning to Dr Fate. "What happens now?"

"I have taught everything I know," Fate replied, "and have helped you along your destiny, go forth and do it."

"I Will," Willow beamed.

"But, but, what about the vision?" Buffy cried suddenly realising why they had come to the Invisible Tower in the first place. "I can't believe we forgot with all the time bendiness we got a little forgetty."

"I, however, did not," Fate replied, "and I am afraid, I cannot help you."

"What?" Willow cried, "but you are meant to see everyone's fate! How is that possible?"

"I know the fates of every person but the fate of the world is always uncertain," Fate replied calmly. "All I can see is flashes of things to come and I am sorry, but you are all about to face your darkest hour."

"Can't you give us a clue?" Buffy exclaimed.

"All I can say is, this shall be the Apocalypse to end all Apocalypses," Dr Fate said enigmatically leaving Buffy with an uneasy feeling bubbling in her stomach looking worriedly at Willow.

"Well that doesn't sound good," Buffy joked weakly.


"And the Slayers hunt us down and kill us, we have no choice to attack to defend ourselves," Harmony whimpered on the television as David Letterman interviewed her, "I mean, would they do it to Edward Cullen? No, because he goes out into the light. It's not our fault we're cursed with this affliction. We are all cursed by Dracula movies, its only now with Stephanie Meyers that we are able to show what we are really."

"She's being do this for the past week," Xander said when they returned later that day. "Seems that new show she's got has had some circulation and what with the Team Edward Fan Girls running around the world... everyone is Pro-Vampire now for any vamp with a sob story, she's had a few on her show acting normal no biting acting like they've weaned themselves. They've had people from Los Angeles come in, people who have been saved by Angel or Spike, made vamps look like Heroes and us like Neo-Nazi Slayers."

"We're the bad guys," Buffy gasped.

"Looks like it," Xander said quietly he suddenly went sheepish, "C-Clark is interviewing her tomorrow. He said he's going to find out if they have any connection with Twilight... but only if you want him to."

"I'll call him," Buffy said softly closing her eyes wanting more than ever to see Clark again. She walked away going to her room.

"Where's Will?" Xander called back.

"Seeing Kennedy," Buffy said simply as she made her way to her room. She couldn't wait any longer flipping open her phone and dialling the number. It took a while for it to answer.

"Clark Kent, Daily Planet," Clark's voice echoed down the phone.

"Hi," Buffy squeaked softly, "can we talk?"

"Sure," Clark said gingerly.


Sixty One, years into the future, Alice walked down the stairs to find her husband running at her and hugging her tightly. Surprise filling her as he did so.

"David, what's the matter?" Alice cried with confusion.

"Just happy to see you," David said gratefully.

"Well, not that I'm not loving the love, I'm still a little bruised from last night," Alice said with groan Clinton letting her go instantly.

"I'll make you a cup of tea," he said hurrying to the kitchen, "you sit down and I'll make you breakfast."

"Okay what have you done?" Alice asked suspiciously as she sat down into the living room, "did you use one of my spell books to replicate time travel? Use a gem stone to calculate string theory?"

"No," Clinton cried with a chuckle, "I guess I just had time to think about us and realised... I love you."

"I love you too," Alice smiled her face suddenly turning guilty, "I'm sorry about last night. I know you were excited about something but that night was just hell."

"Trust me, sweetheart," Clinton said weakly, "the day I have to live without you is day hell comes."

"What's got into you?" Alice chuckled her eyes widening, "it's not our anniversary?"

"No," Clinton chuckled walking with in with the cup of tea, "like I said... I just had time to think."

"Dave!" Alice exclaimed with realisation, "You haven't? You've done it haven't you?"

"I have no idea what you mean dear," he said kissing her softly picking up his briefcase, "Are you out tonight?"

"I think so," Alice said smiling at Clinton to tell her more.

"Then relax," Dave said as readied himself for work pulling up a small foot stool, "here, Agatha Christies footstool, I picked up somewhere yesterday," he said as he walked out of the door. Alice smiled in awe thinking as she placed her foot on the footstool. Unable to believe anyone who had a husband who would go back in time to get a footstool for her. She had the best husband in the world.