Chapter 52
Angel walked beside Buffy and stayed silent most of the way. He had heard Buffy and Faith's conversation and was still wondering about her comment that it was more complicated than that. He was also considering when to give Buffy the file that Wolfram and Hart had given him. It wasn't too clear on the effects of what it all meant. Connor had opted to stay behind to be the muscle in case Caleb decided to make an appearance at the house.
"I missed this." Buffy said suddenly.
"What?" Angel stopped and looked down at her.
"This. Patrolling with you. It's been a long time."
"Well, it's not completely like old times."
"It's not?"
"Well, for starters, you've traded in Mr. Pointy for something way cooler."
"And?"
"And we're not making out or spending most of our time groping each other."
"We didn't ALWAYS grope and make out. We patrolled….. Some." She laughed. "Is this your way of asking me to make out with you."
"What? No. This is serious work we're doing."
"So, you don't want to make out with me?"
"Stop twisting my words."
"That's what you said."
"Can we just not spend this time together arguing?"
"Fine by me. Besides, we're here." She opened a gate, walked up to a pyramid shaped tomb, and kicked down the door.
"Buffy…."
"Yeah?"
"Be careful."
Buffy nodded and walked down into the tomb. It was lit inside, although dimly, by torches, giving it an orange hue. Buffy looked around cautiously.
A woman's voice came from behind a drape. "I'd forgotten. I'd forgotten how young you would be." The woman opened the drape, and Buffy saw a very old woman with long white hair standing before her. "Comes from the waiting. Mind plays tricks. I see you've found our weapon."
"Who are you?"
"One of many. Well…. time was. Now I'm alone in the world."
"So what are you? Some kind of ghost?"
"No. I'm as real as you are. Just…. well…. let me put it this way: I look good for my age. I've been waiting." She held out her hands and Buffy handed over the scythe. "You pulled it out of the rock. I was one of those who put it in there."
"What is it?"
"A weapon. A scythe. Forged in secrecy for one like you who…. I'm sorry. What's your name?"
"Buffy."
"No, really." Buffy shrugged. "We forged it in secrecy and kept it hidden from the Shadow Men, who…."
"Yeah. Met those guys. Didn't really care too much for 'em."
"Ahh, yes. Then you know. And they became the watchers. And the watchers watched the Slayers. But we were watching them."
"Oh! So you're like…. what are you?"
"Guardians. Women who want to help and protect you. We forged this centuries ago, halfway around the world."
"Hence, the Luxor Casino theme."
"Forged there, it was put to use right here…. to kill the last pure demon that walked upon the Earth. The rest were already driven under. And then there were men here, and then there were monks. And then there was a town, and now there was you. And the scythe remained hidden."
"I don't understand. How is it possible that we didn't know any of this?"
"We hid, too. We had to until now. We're the last surprise."
"Does this mean I can win?"
"That is really up to you. This is a powerful weapon." She handed the scythe back to Buffy.
"Yeah."
"But you already have weapons."
"Oh."
"Use it wisely and perhaps you can beat back the rising dark. One way or another, it can only mean an end is truly near." Suddenly, the woman's head cocked slightly to the side, and a cracking noise could be heard. The woman fell to the ground and Buffy looked up to see Caleb standing there.
"I'm sorry." He said. "I didn't catch that last part on account of her neck snapping and all. Did she say the end is near…. or here?" Buffy swung the scythe at Caleb, but he grabbed it with ease, pushing her away. They exchanged bone crushing punches and kicks, but Caleb was much stronger than before. He tried to punch Buffy, but she ducked and he instead punched through a stone pillar. "Ha ha ha ha! You're not slipping out of this fight, girl. Can't you see? You can't stop me. I can just keep going back for more. It's like being reborn."
Buffy swung the scythe at Caleb's head, but he ducked and threw her against the wall. He kicked her into the air and punched her in the stomach before she fell to the ground again. He kicked her in the head and grabbed the scythe, but Buffy kicked it out of his hands and into the air. She grabbed the scythe and kicked Caleb to the floor. She went to stab him with the stake-end of the scythe, but he stopped her from plunging it into his chest.
Caleb laughed and pushed Buffy away, taking the scythe away from her and throwing it to the ground as he walked toward her. He punched her repeatedly until she fell to the floor. "You know, I gave you ample warning. Told you not to interfere, but you chose not to heed." Buffy charged toward Caleb, but he deflected her and threw her onto a sarcophagus. She kicked him and he picked her up by the lapels and swung her body into a stone pillar so hard that it moved one of the stones out of place. Buffy fell to the ground, and Caleb picked up the scythe. "I was kind of hoping it'd go this way." He reared back with the scythe as he stared at Buffy.
"Hey!" Caleb was suddenly knocked down and away from her. Buffy looked up to see that it was Angel standing there. He helped her to her feet. "I was never much for preachers."
"Took you long enough." Buffy said with a smile.
Caleb got to his feet and Angel started to go finish him off, but Buffy stopped him. "Ah, one of those things you have to finish yourself."
"Really kinda is."
Angel backed toward a pillar so he could be out of the way but still see the show. He crossed his arms and licked his lips. "You are so gonna lose." Buffy and Caleb met head on. Caleb took the scythe away from Buffy and punched her, sending her stumbling across the room. He pointed the stake-end of the scythe at Buffy and charged toward her, with her back against the wall, but he missed and lodged the scythe in the stone wall. Buffy pulled the scythe out of the wall and kicked Caleb away from her. "God, I missed watching this." Buffy swung the scythe at Caleb, slicing his stomach. He stumbled back, laughed heartily, wagged his finger at her, and fell to the floor.
Buffy, winded, but smiling, looked at Angel. "See? Under control."
"You know, you didn't thank me for saving you just then."
Buffy dropped the scythe to the floor and walked up to Angel, wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing herself against him, kissing him deeply.
Unbeknownst to either of them, Spike watched the scene from the entrance to the tomb. The First as Buffy appeared behind him and said, "That bitch."
Angel held Buffy tightly to him, kissing her like he used to before he knew about the loophole in the curse. Needing air, Buffy pulled away first and smiled up at him. He grinned back and said, "I'll qualify that as a thank you."
Buffy giggled. "Wow."
"Buffy…."
Caleb stood up behind Angel and knocked him down by hitting him with a cat statue, sending him across the floor. Caleb walked up to Buffy, black blood streaming from his eyes and nose. "Are you ready to finish this, bitch?!"
Caleb swung the cat statue at Buffy, but she blocked with the scythe and then fell to the ground. She swung at him with the scythe, but he blocked with the cat statue. Caleb knocked Buffy to the ground, then threw the cat statue at her. She stood, holding the scythe at the ready.
"Ok…. how many times do I have to kill you? Ballpark figure."
"You understand nothing." Buffy swung at Caleb, but he grabbed the scythe, holding it still, and punched Buffy in the face twice. He lifted Buffy in the air, pressing her back against the low ceiling. She struggled, and Caleb finally let her fall to the floor. He walked up to her slowly, then picked her up by her lapels. "You think you have power over me?" Buffy broke free of his grip and kicked him, knocking him down to the floor. "Stupid girl." He stood. "You'll never stop me. You don't have the ba…." While Caleb got to his feet, Buffy twirled the scythe and swung it up between his legs.
"Who does nowadays?"
Caleb looked down incredulously at the scythe lodged in his body between his legs. Buffy swiftly pushed the scythe up through his body. Angel regained consciousness and stood. "Ok, now I'm pissed. Where is he?"
Buffy looked to her right, then to her left, and then at Angel. "He had to split." Suddenly she let out a devilish giggle. Angel joined in after a moment and they walked over to the sarcophagus and sat down. He pulled the folder from Wolfram and Hart out of his jacket and handed it to Buffy.
"What's this?" Buffy asked.
"Something that may help you out."
"I'll have the guys go through it. See if there's anything new. Wolfram and Hart? Are they a reliable source?"
"Not remotely."
"Mm, any port in an apocalypse."
"I, uh, brought something else as well." Angel took the amulet out of his pocket and held it up for Buffy to see. It was a 2-inch diameter round crystal pendant in a silver starburst setting hung from a coarse silver chain.
"I can already tell you, I have nothing that goes with that."
"It's not for you."
"Splainy?"
"I don't know everything. It's very powerful and probably very dangerous. It has a purifying power, a cleansing power, possibly scrubbing bubbles. The translation is, uh….. anyway, it bestows strength to the right person who wears it."
"And the right person is?"
"Someone ensouled, but stronger than human. A champion. As in me."
"Or me."
"No. I don't know nearly enough about this to risk you wearing it. Besides, you got that real cool scythe going for you."
"No."
"Yes you do."
"Not the scythe. You wearing that. I can't risk you."
"You need me in this."
"No, I need a guarantee that nothing will happen to you."
"Why?"
"If I lose, if this thing gets past Sunnydale, then it's days…. maybe hours…. before the rest of the world goes. I need a second front, and I need you to run it."
"Ok…. that's one reason. What's the other?"
Buffy stood and walked out of the tomb. "There is no other."
"Is it Spike?" Buffy stopped walking and turned to face Angel. "You're not telling me something." Angel waited, but Buffy didn't say anything. "Is he your boyfriend?"
"Is that your business?"
"You in love with him?" Buffy glared at him. "Ok, maybe I'm outta line, but this is kind of a curve ball for me."
"It's different. He's different."
"Who doesn't have a soul now?"
"He'll make a difference."
"You know, I started it. The whole having a soul. Before it was all the cool new thing."
"Oh, my God. Are you 12?"
"I'm getting the brush off for Captain Peroxide. It doesn't necessarily bring out the champion in me."
"You're not getting the brush off."
"I heard your conversation with him last night."
"Are you just gonna come here and go all Dawson on me every time I have a boyfriend?"
"Aha! Boyfriend!"
"He's not. But…. he is in my heart."
"That'll end well." Angel walked away and leaned on a tombstone.
"What was the highlight of our relationship? When you broke up with me or when I killed you? I'm well aware of my stellar history with guys…." She sighed and leaned beside Angel. "And, no, I don't see fat grandchildren in the offing with Spike, but I don't think that really matters right now. You know, in the midst of all this insanity, a couple things are actually starting to make sense. And the guy thing…. I always feared there was something wrong with me, you know, because I couldn't make it work. But maybe I'm not supposed to."
"Because you're the Slayer?"
"Because…. Ok, I'm cookie dough. I'm not done baking. I'm not finished becoming whoever the hell it is I'm gonna turn out to be. I make it through this, and the next thing, and the next thing, and maybe one day I turn around and realize I'm ready. I'm cookies. And then, you know, if I want someone to eat…." She caught herself. "Or enjoy warm, delicious cookie me, then…. that's fine. That'll be then. When I'm done."
"Any thoughts on who might enjoy…. Do I have to go with the cookie analogy?"
"I wasn't really thinking that far ahead. That's kind of the point."
"Do you want me to leave?"
She sighed, frustrated. "Look, I had all this figured out until two nights ago."
"Then?"
"You! You came blazing in on your white horse and your cape a'billowing and…." She sighed again. "Now…. Ok, I do."
"Do what?"
"Sometimes think that far ahead."
"Sometimes is something."
"It'd be a long time coming."
"I ain't getting any older." He smirked. "Besides, I'm pretty sure you're almost done baking."
"How?"
"Why do I always have to explain things to you!? Can't I just be mysterious?"
"No."
He put the amulet in his pocket. "I'm not leaving, though."
"You know, that's the first time you've refused to leave me when you had the opportunity. An give me that amulet."
"Buffy…."
"I want it to be you."
"To wear the amulet?"
"Ok, we never had to use this many words before. I meant…. When I'm done baking. It's you I want to be the one to enjoy cookie me."
Angel smiled. "Not Spike?"
"Not in that case, no. But the amulet…." He took her hand and pulled her to him, wrapping their arms around each other, and kissed her deeply to shut her up.
