Title: Home and Heart
A Buffy the Vampire Slayer story.
By: Ghostrider
Summary: What happens when your heart is ripped apart by those you love? A slayerette's return after years of absence causes old wounds to be ripped open.
Rating: R
Authors Notes: This story takes place approximately 8 years after the events in the this season's last episode. Personally, I don't like the ending, it's too convenient. So I rewrote it to what I would have wanted to see. Furthermore, I would like to thank my Beta-readers Ozmandayus, Banquo and Scb047 for everything they've done.
Disclaimer: Joss Whedon, Fox, Mutant Enemy, the WB and UPN own the characters.
Chapter 4
*** 2048 PM, July 12th, training room, The Magic Box, Sunnydale, CA ***
"Giles! Bad news! We just...", Buffy started to say as she and Faith rushed into the backroom of the store, only to be stopped by the sight that greeted the two slayers. Angel was sitting on a chair, being tended to by Cordelia. His face was sporting several cuts and bruises and his chest was in the process of being taped up.
"Argh! Cor, will you lighten up? Pulling it tighter will only cause me more pain. I'll be all right in the morning. Vampire healing remember?"
"Sure, and when those ribs don't heal up properly because they weren't set, who's gonna be in another foul mood on top of their perpetual brooding? Hmm? So just sit still and be a good boy, otherwise, I'll just have to pull a little harder."
Properly chastised and with a sheepish look on his face, Angel quieted down. Both Cassandra and Spike looked a bit worse for wear but Vampire and Slayer healing powers were already kicking in.
"I take it you guys ran into some Vampire slash Demon trouble?"
"You could say that", Cassandra answered Faith's question.
"From your statement, Faith, and Buffy's rather loud voice upon entrance, I take it, it wasn't an isolated incident?"
"Nope, G-man, we had ourselves a bit of trouble too. Demons and vamps working together."
"That's not the worst of it, Giles. Faith and I, when they jumped us, it was like we lost our powers or something."
"W- what? Lost your powers? But.. but.."
"Buffy is right, Giles. I felt it too. It was like my slayer strength was cut in half. I had a hell of a time keeping them away."
"This is quite distressing. I've never heard of something like this."
"Think it might have something to do with this new demon", Tara asked.
"It must be. The only other thing I can think of that could cause a slayer to lose her powers...", Giles trailed off, thinking back to the old practice of the Chrysantemetum and how it had affected his relationship with Buffy.
"Rupert, we both know the Council stopped that practice several years ago. You saw to that."
"Yes, Wesley, I do remember that. I'm not senile yet."
"What? What's he talking about, Giles?"
"Long story, Cass. We'll fill you in later."
"Thank you, Buffy, now if you would please sit down? Cassandra was about to fill us in what happened on patrol.
As everybody took a seat, Cassandra began her tale......
*** 2017 PM, July 12th, outside The Bronze, Sunnydale, CA ***
"Closed for renovations. Great! Just great! I was looking forward to dancing the night away after patrol."
"No need to get yer knickers in a knot, Cass. They'll be openin' up tomorrow again and ye can get yer jollies then. Maybe this time, they'll give the place a better lookin' interior."
"Why Spike, I didn't know you noticed such little things as the interior of a place."
"Just coz I like in a basement, doesn't mean I don't appreciate the finer things in live! I'll have ye know that some of the worst demon clubs look a damn sight better then this place on a good day."
"I so didn't want to hear that."
The vampire and the slayer grinned at each other; they bickered and fought a lot but deep down, they cared for each other. After getting the chip removed several years earlier, Spike found that even without it, he couldn't feed on humans. He'd begun to care. While it would be too much to say that he'd gotten a soul, Spike was the rare breed of vampire that actually could feel. Sometimes more then even humans. And especially after Xander's disappearance, he'd felt the loneliness of having lost a friend, although he'd deny it to high heaven. And after his crush on Buffy and getting to know Dawn, Spike had decided that if he couldn't be the scourge of humanity, he'd just become the scourge of demonkind. Still the Big Bad!
"It would be nice if nothing popped up tonight, you know?"
"Yeah, those Passions tapes are calling my name. Gotta work in some stuff on the website spoilers board and stuff. But from the looks of things, it ain't gonna happen, doll."
"Yeah, nice big group comin' this way. You ready to Rock&Roll, Spike, baby?"
"Sure, that New Age crap gives me a headache."
"Okay, guys, come on out! Didn't your momma teach you it isn't nice to stalk people?"
"Getting awfully cocky, there, slayer. Especially when you're outnumbered six to one", an Ender demon said in a hissing voice.
Spike and Cassandra saw that he wasn't kidding as twelve demons and vamps came out of the shadows. Suddenly, Cassandra felt her powers drain, making her slightly dizzy; Spike saw her stumble slightly from the corner of his eyes.
"You okay, doll?"
"Yeah, and ready to kick some demon butt. You?"
"Right behind you."
"Is this a private party, or can anyone join?"
"Well, if it ain't the big poof himself? Forget some hairgel, Angelus? Coz I can assure you, you ain't gonna find it here."
"No, just couldn't do without your witty repartee, Spike. How about we even up the odds a bit here?"
"What? You gonna join the dark side of the force, Angel", Cassandra asked as she and her two companions stood back to back, facing their opponents.
"Kill the traitorous vampires and beat the slayer senseless!"
With those words, they attacked from all sides. Using every skill they had learned over centuries of bloody combat, Spike and Angel cut down their enemies, dusting vampires left and right, taking out the demons. Cassandra ducked beneath a roundhouse swing into a crouch, her left leg kicking upwards into her opponent's crotch. As soon as he doubled over, her stake found his heart, dusting him instantly. Before she could right herself, a Polgara demon got her with a right cross, sending her flying against the wall of the Bronze. Pressing his attack, he advanced on her.
Cassandra could feel the effects of the hit take their toll. Normally, such a hit wouldn't have fazed her but with her diminished powers, it took her some time to get back into fighting form. Grabbing a trashcan lid, she threw it like a frisbee at the demon. It hit him on his right knee, making him stumble forward, right into her extended leg. Cassandra's combat boot made contact with his face in a sickening crunch, sending the demon flying back, hitting two of his comrades as they attacked Spike and Angel. Jumping up, she tackled another vampire, jamming her stake through his back, dusting him, but getting a hard kick to the ribs for her troubles as another attacker went after her.
Spike was busy dodging blows from the tail of a Scourge demon; it had the power of a wrecking ball taking down a ten-story building and could ruin your day. Cursing the fact that he didn't bring anything bigger then the stakes in his pockets, he somersaulted over demon, kicking another demon and a vampire in the face as he landed. He immediately placed his palms on the ground for leverage and kicked out his right leg in a circular arc, knocking the Scourge demon off its feet. Turning around, he slammed his stake straight through the creature's left underarm, upwards, the sharpened front end exiting the shoulder. The demon immediately turned into a slimy goo. Under normal circumstances, he'd have made some cracks about how the slime was ruining his favorite duster but seeing Cassandra in danger was really not making him think of that. And there seemed to be even more opponents then before the fight started, he thought as he leapt back into the fray, intent on reaching the slayer before she'd get killed.
Angel had already killed three of his opponents but more were coming out of the woodwork like roaches. And none of them were fighting like usual; no, this time, it was a team effort. It was as if these demons had been trained to become a well-oiled fighting machine. One or two would attack, then pull back while others took their place. It made it hard to take them out while draining him and his companions of their strength. Jamming the stake backwards, he killed another demon, while ducking the punch from another vampire, built like a house. He couldn't escape the kick that landed on the back of his left leg and he went down, hard. Then they were on him, kicks and punches landing everywhere. Just as suddenly, the hits stopped as a roar of defiance was heard. Only later would he realize it had been ripped from his throat.
Angel had placed his hands on the concrete and pushed with all his strength, twisting his body in a circular motion, his legs sweeping around in a circle, causing his attackers to be thrown backwards. Flipping upright, he immediately went into the offensive, delivering killing blows to anyone near enough to be caught. From the corner of his eye, he managed to see that Spike and Cassandra were fighting back to back, both of them looking worse for wear. Suddenly, a shrill whistle cut through the sound of fighting and panting in the alley. The sudden quiet was even more deafening after the fighting had been. A quick glance revealed that the doze attackers were now down to ten; knowing how many he'd killed already, Angel could only imagine that they had gotten more reinforcements during the fight.
Focusing his eyes on the side where the whistle had come from, he noticed a figure, dressed completely in black, making its way towards them. The man stopped about four meters from the two groups, lighting up a cigar, his face strangely still huddled in darkness. Blowing out three perfect rings of smoke, he looked at the group and spoke in an ice-cold voice.
"Why don't you youthful delinquents run home to momma. Don't you know it's a schoolnight?"
"And why don't you run along and mind your own business, mister?"
"Why would I do that? By the way, didn't they tell you the horned look is so passe? I think maybe I should do something about it, kiddo."
"This is your last chance, human. Get out of here, or die", another demon said.
Looking at the glowing end of his cigar, the black clad figure seemed to think it over.
"Get out of here, or die. Let's see. Nope, don't think so. Now why don't you kids get out of here, or I shall be forced to spank the lot of you."
Before anyone could say anything, the horned demon who he'd insulted, ran towards him, growling. The man seemed to spin in place, the flaps of his duster resembling the wings of a flying predator; the demon missed him but the man had not. It became clear what had happened as the demon's body kept moving forward while its head flew backwards and bounced to a stop in front of Angel's feet, a surprised look on its face.
"He beheaded the demon", Wesley observed questioningly.
"Yeah, with some kind of big knife, had an opening near the tip and a ring at the hilt. Never seen anything like it", Cassandra stated, cracking her neck muscles. Giles walked to one of the cabinets, removing something from it and handing it to Cassandra.
"Does this resemble it somewhat?"
Cassandra turned the knife around in her hands, observing the serrated upper edge and the razor sharp blade.
"Yeah, somewhat. Size is about right, but the spine wasn't this serrated and this one doesn't have the eye on this side", she said pointing to the hilt. "What is that hole on the front for anyway?"
Giles took the knife's scabbard and pushed it flat against the blade, inserting the steel knob into the hole.
"Now, it is capable of cutting through wire, like a wirecutter."
"Awesome! How come you didn't give one of these to me for my birthday, G-man?"
"Yes, well... maybe some other time. Please continue, Angel."
"Kill them all!"
As one, the demons and vampires surged forward, intent on killing the four people they'd surrounded. Angel snapped the neck of one demon, while launching a devastating back kick to a vampire, smashing her sternum and throwing her in the path of another vamp. Quickly turning around, he jammed a stake through her heart, his left hand grabbing hold of the other vamp and pulling him up by the hair. The female vamp's ashes hadn't even settled on the ground when her companion's ashes joined hers.
Spike smashed an elbow to the back of a demon's neck, the force severing it's spine, while he ripped the heart out of another's chest. Quickly discarding his two kills, he staked two vamps, charging him from the sides, the stakes having fallen from their holsters in his sleeves. Quickly turning towards his companions, he saw Cassandra taking down another demon, jamming a stake through its neck. Catching his eyes, she signaled that she was okay. Looking around, they noticed that all of their opponents were taken out. What was more interesting however, was the fact that their sudden ally was taking on three uglies at the same time.
Ducking underneath a kick, the man slammed a closed fist into the vamp's crotch, then rolling out of the fray and coming to his feet behind his three opponents. A Polgara demon slashed out, his spikes aiming for the man's throat. With a clang of bone on metal, blade met blade; the man's left hand grabbed hold of the demon's throat and threw him in a wide arc, knocking the demon into the concrete wall. Completing his turn, his knife flashing like quicksilver, cutting the throat of the other demon advancing on him. Following the trajectory through, the knife moved diagonally downwards, cutting through the dying demon's right hand, severing the limb. The lone remaining vamp, seeing the odds had turned to four to one, decided to make a run for it, as best as his wounded privates would allow. Not giving the vampire a chance to run to its master to tell of their defeat, the man drew a gun smoothly, firing a round into the back of the head of the running vamp. The sound was deafening in the small alley, bouncing off the walls and the eardrums like a heavy metal drumbeat. The effect on the vampire was even more devastating as his head seemed to explode on impact, joining the rest of its body in ashes.
Taking a drag of his cigar, the man put the gun away as Angel walked up to him, intending to place a hand on the stranger's shoulder.
"Thanks for the a-", he began to say but was cut off as the man's left hand surged upwards, ripping Angel's hand off his right shoulder. Pulling forward and down, his right hand grabbed Angel's coat; moving in circle, the man threw Angel against the wall, hard. Pulling him back, he released him but followed up with several spin kicks to the face and chest; Angel could feel his ribs breaking under the powerful onslaught as he tried to get away from his attacker.
Relentless, the man followed, smashing his right palm against Angel's face, snapping it backwards. The force of the blow would have driven a normal human's nose bone straight into the brain, killing them instantly. Snapping his right leg up, he was about to deliver a frontal kick, when Angel caught his foot, holding and turning it counterclockwise, intent on pulling the man to the ground. It was a mistake because as soon as he did that, the man's left leg came up off the ground, on an intercept with his jaw. They both went down hard.
The stranger recovered quickly, his right fist moving towards Angel's face. Just before it reached its intended target, Angel grabbed it, standing up straight quickly and moved forward, turning the arm backwards and flipping his attacker over. Still holding the arm, he lifted him up bodily and slammed his knee into the man's ribs a few times, sending him to his knees. Following through with a right cross, he was amazed that his opponent was still not down. Instead, he launched himself from his haunches, tackling Angel and sending him into the opposite wall. Grabbing Angel's right arm, he again began kicking him in the ribs and stomach, doubling the souled vampire over and finished him off with a downward kick to the back of the head.
Grabbing the crumpled form by the scruff of the neck, the stranger lifted Angel up, placing a gun to his head, stopping Spike and Cassandra from coming any closer. Both of them had been completely caught off guard by the sudden turn of events.
"One step closer and overbite here is nothing but an unpleasant memory."
"Easy, lad. I don' like the big poof meself but he is a white hat. And near and dear to a few of my friends. They'd be mighty pissed if ya offed him now."
"What my buddy Spike is saying is that if you kill him, we'll kill you."
"Maybe you will, maybe you won't and maybe you won't even get the chance. Don't worry, I won't kill him. Yet."
Pressing the gun tighter against his skull, the stranger applied even more pressure on Angel's throat. Angel tried to dislodge the hand, but it felt like a vise had clamped down on his throat.
"Now listen and listen good, because I'm saying this only once. I don't like you, vampire. In fact, I downright loathe you. Do NOT ever touch me again. Understood? Blink twice if you have."
Angel did what he was told, blinking his eyes twice, as in the distance sirens could be heard getting closer. Sunnydale's finest were on the job. With that, he was roughly thrown to the floor, Spike and Cassandra immediately at his side. Looking back to where their savior-turned-attacker had stood only moments ago, nothing but shadows remained.
"Damn! That bloody sod is even better then you at the friggin' disappearing act, Angel. Come on, get your lazy bones moving! I don't want to be around to explain to the coppers what we're doing here."
"That's when we came here as fast as we could", finished Cassandra. "My powers had come back by that time."
"It's a good thing you didn't antagonize this mystery man any further. However, he is not our main concern right now. We've got to find out what is happening to your powers, girls. From what you've told me so far, I take it they started to fade once you were attacked."
"There is something else, Giles. He seemed familiar somehow but I couldn't put my finger on it. I do know that I know him, or at least have to have known him somewhere."
"Maybe someone from LA?"
"Could be, Willow but I doubt it."
"A succubus", Wesley said.
"Excuse me? A succu-what?"
"A succubus, Buffy. Or rather, a drainer. A succubus is a female demon that sleeps with men. Those men will not awaken, only experiencing it as a dream", Wesley said, clearly uncomfortable with the subject.
"It is also a catch-all phrase for any number of demons that drain their victims of their powers. Although I've never heard anything about a demon capable of draining or at least suppressing a Slayer's powers. Certainly not when there are two present in the same area", added Giles.
"Why don't you fill us in on what happened to you and Buffy, Faith."
Faith and Buffy launched into what had happened during their patrol, as the others sat and listened, mentally comparing the encounters.
"It seems that their main goal in both attacks was to injure the slayers. Not to kill them."
"Giles! Hello! Those uglies were planning on draining us."
"Yeah and the boss guy shouted that his buddies should kill us", Cassandra added.
"That was only after this mysterious man entered the fray, Cassandra. As for draining you two, I doubt that. They may have planned on drinking your blood but would have stopped short of draining you. These are scare tactics, designed to weaken your resolve. I doubt that whoever is behind this would let any serious harm come to you. It just seems too much trouble to make vampires and demons join forces so they can kill the slayers. No, there is a lot more to this than we can see but it does involve you three", Wesley stated, pointing to Buffy, Faith and Cassandra.
"Give the man a cigar."
Every head in the room swiveled towards the voice. There in the dooropening, stood the unknown stranger that had helped Angel, Spike and Cassandra and possible Buffy and Faith too.
Buffy, Faith, Cassandra, Spike and Giles immediately got up, forming a semi-circle around the others, protecting them while Cordelia and Wesley stepped half in front of Angel.
"Who the hell are you and what do you want, mister", Faith asked in a menacing tone.
"Make it short and sweet. You don't want three pissed-off slayers on your case", added Cassandra.
Buffy remained quiet, keeping a steady gaze on the man, as he stood halfway into the darkened shop, his face shrouded in shadows. He was dressed in black from head to toe; black T-shirt, black combat pants with pockets and a long, black leather duster. His hair was cut short, almost spiky; his eyes hidden by dark-tinted sunglasses.
Resting one foot against the doorframe he was leaning against, the stranger lit up a large cigar with a Zippo lighter, the flames dancing in his glasses. Blowing out three perfect rings of smoke, he turned towards them.
"I'm the guy that saved your sixes tonight. Hey, overbite! Hope those ribs take a long time to heal", he said with an evil grin.
"Why did you attack Angel?"
"Always the one to run to the defense of your lover, hey, Summers?"
"You bastard", Cordelia cut in, taking a step forward, "how dare you speak to her like that? Answer the question or you don't have to worry about them kicking your ass, because I will! Angel has a soul! He's fighting the good fight."
"I have this little aversion to Vampires and other assorted creatures of the night, especially this specimen here, Miss Chase. As for his fighting the good fight, ever thought about the fact that his soul should be wherever souls go when the body is killed? Whether heaven or hell, the soul should be allowed to rest. Besides, didn't he go all fangy again a couple of years back? Lots of innocent people died, because someone who shall remain nameless didn't have the guts to do her job", the man said, his voice rising in strength with each word as he leaned into Buffy's face.
Buffy couldn't look the man in the face, his words sending bolts of shame and guilt through her. Angel looked down towards his shoes, as he felt the pain of all those he had killed in that time come crashing back down on him.
Spike was looking at the man; he was sure that he'd seen him before and he wasn't thinking about the alley behind the Bronze. There was something about the sound of his voice, the subtle inflections in it. His build too, seemed familiar, 'It'll come to me in time, you bloody wanker, then'll kick your ass.'
"Just tell us why you're here and then begone", Giles interrupted angrily.
Without a word, the man, pulled a disk from a pocket, hurtling it towards Giles, whom barely managed to catch and hold on to it.
"What's on this vile contraption?"
"An image of the big bad that's set up shop here in town. Thought you'd like to know what you're dealing with."
"Couldn't you have made a drawing or something?"
"I did make a drawing. It's time you'd come out of the Stone Age, Giles."
Willow had been staring at the stranger through the whole confrontation and it took Giles a couple of times to get her attention.
"Huh.. oh, sorry Giles. You want something?"
"Yes, Willow, could you", he asked impatiently, wanting to get rid of the visitor as soon as possible but also wanting to find out as much as possible about him.
Willow took the disk from Giles, all the while keeping a close look at the man standing there. There was something familiar about him, although she couldn't put her finger on it right now. She would get it sooner or later. Booting up the file manager, she checked the disk, noting the extension for the file on it and activated it.
"Oh my!"
Giles exclamation caught the attention of everyone there.
"Wesley, Cordelia", Giles called out; shortly, they joined him and Willow at the computer.
"Oh my God, that's it! That's the demon I say."
"I'll say! It looks exactly like your drawing, Cordelia. Where did you get this?"
"The image I made myself. As for where I got it, let's just say that I'm turning into an insomniac."
"Bad dreams, huh? I wonder why", Faith sneered.
"I'm sure you know all about bad dreams, Faith", he answered, causing Faith to step forward, but Buffy held her back.
"Well, you've done your civic duty, boyscout. Why don't you take your ass outta here and leave it to us."
"No can do, Summers. I'm here for the duration, whether you like it or not. I've been getting these dreams almost nightly for the last three weeks. Dreams in which he has you people for dinner, you being the main course of course. Which means that I'm supposed to help you guys out, make sure you stay alive and that we kick this beastie to wherever it came from. So, Giles, you contact the council and see what they have on this dude."
"What makes you think we need or even want your help", Cassandra spat, taking a step forward.
"You have no choice. I'm here for the duration. Once the evil has been destroyed, you won't have to worry about seeing me around. I'll either be dead or gone. Either way, I'm out of this town for good. I'll be around sometime tomorrow to hear what you've found out."
The man turned around and was about to walk out the door, when Willow stepped forward, taking a chance that she was right.
"Xander, wait!"
The tension level jumped several more degrees at Willow's outburst, everybody looking at her with surprise. Turning back to their uninvited guest, Buffy saw his shoulders tense up, then slowly sag, as if being pushed down by an incredible weight.
"Willow?"
The small redhead didn't answer Faith as she slowly walked up behind the man, her right hand reaching out hesitantly. As it was about to rest on his shoulder, he turned around abruptly, pushing her backwards, into Cassandra's arms.
"Leave me alone!"
Xander Harris stood there, looking at the extended Scooby gang with unrestrained fury in his eyes. The others couldn't turn their minds around the transformation that had befallen their long lost friend. Buffy looked up to him with tears in her eyes, Faith's mouth was moving, lost for words. Cordelia, Tara and Willow were crying and smiling at the same time, while Giles just looked stunned. Spike was grinning as everything clicked in his mind, while Angel looked like he'd been hit by a truck, not quite believing he'd been beaten up by the mere boy who'd once faced him down in a hospital corridor.
Cassandra held Willow tightly, not trusting the newcomer, even though everybody else seemed to be completely mesmerized by him. Buffy walked towards him, silent tears running down her face, a brilliant smile lighting up her face.
"Xan, you're alive. You're really alive", she kept saying softly as she looked deeply into those brown eyes. The same eyes she'd dreamed of almost every single night. In her dreams they'd held such love, devotion and trust, all for her. As she made to engulf him in a tight hug, Xander snapped out of his trance, catching her left arm in a vice-like grip, janking it downwards, pulling her down onto his rising knee. Stunned, the air left her lungs in a loud whoosh; turning her arm backwards and pulling it up her back till almost the breaking point, he turned her around, pulling her against him.
"Xander, no!"
"Xander, don't do anything foolish, now."
"Xander, please, we're your friends."
"Listen, you bloody fool, you hurt her and I'll tear you apart, slowly."
"Really, Spike? Think you can take me? Besides, what do you care? I was under the impression that you still thought you were the big bad. Used to be a time when you would give anything to see the slayer death. Particularly, this one. What happened, gotten soft in the head?"
Spike changed into his demonic visage, snarling at Xander, ready to keep his promise.
"You'll see how soft I've gotten in the head, you bloody sod."
"Take a number and stand in line, Blondie. As for you people being my friends, who of you stood up to the almighty Buffy here when she decided that I was to be kept out of all things to do with fighting the evil that walks the streets?"
Looking around exaggeratedly, he began to nod as he saw the blank looks on all their faces.
"By the looks on your faces, it's clear you don't have an inkling as to what I'm talking about. I didn't expect anything else from this lot", he stated disgustedly. "Don't expect me to help jog your memory, people", he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. Unbidden however, the images of 8 years ago came back to him, as if it were a movie, playing on repeat.
A Buffy the Vampire Slayer story.
By: Ghostrider
Summary: What happens when your heart is ripped apart by those you love? A slayerette's return after years of absence causes old wounds to be ripped open.
Rating: R
Authors Notes: This story takes place approximately 8 years after the events in the this season's last episode. Personally, I don't like the ending, it's too convenient. So I rewrote it to what I would have wanted to see. Furthermore, I would like to thank my Beta-readers Ozmandayus, Banquo and Scb047 for everything they've done.
Disclaimer: Joss Whedon, Fox, Mutant Enemy, the WB and UPN own the characters.
Chapter 4
*** 2048 PM, July 12th, training room, The Magic Box, Sunnydale, CA ***
"Giles! Bad news! We just...", Buffy started to say as she and Faith rushed into the backroom of the store, only to be stopped by the sight that greeted the two slayers. Angel was sitting on a chair, being tended to by Cordelia. His face was sporting several cuts and bruises and his chest was in the process of being taped up.
"Argh! Cor, will you lighten up? Pulling it tighter will only cause me more pain. I'll be all right in the morning. Vampire healing remember?"
"Sure, and when those ribs don't heal up properly because they weren't set, who's gonna be in another foul mood on top of their perpetual brooding? Hmm? So just sit still and be a good boy, otherwise, I'll just have to pull a little harder."
Properly chastised and with a sheepish look on his face, Angel quieted down. Both Cassandra and Spike looked a bit worse for wear but Vampire and Slayer healing powers were already kicking in.
"I take it you guys ran into some Vampire slash Demon trouble?"
"You could say that", Cassandra answered Faith's question.
"From your statement, Faith, and Buffy's rather loud voice upon entrance, I take it, it wasn't an isolated incident?"
"Nope, G-man, we had ourselves a bit of trouble too. Demons and vamps working together."
"That's not the worst of it, Giles. Faith and I, when they jumped us, it was like we lost our powers or something."
"W- what? Lost your powers? But.. but.."
"Buffy is right, Giles. I felt it too. It was like my slayer strength was cut in half. I had a hell of a time keeping them away."
"This is quite distressing. I've never heard of something like this."
"Think it might have something to do with this new demon", Tara asked.
"It must be. The only other thing I can think of that could cause a slayer to lose her powers...", Giles trailed off, thinking back to the old practice of the Chrysantemetum and how it had affected his relationship with Buffy.
"Rupert, we both know the Council stopped that practice several years ago. You saw to that."
"Yes, Wesley, I do remember that. I'm not senile yet."
"What? What's he talking about, Giles?"
"Long story, Cass. We'll fill you in later."
"Thank you, Buffy, now if you would please sit down? Cassandra was about to fill us in what happened on patrol.
As everybody took a seat, Cassandra began her tale......
*** 2017 PM, July 12th, outside The Bronze, Sunnydale, CA ***
"Closed for renovations. Great! Just great! I was looking forward to dancing the night away after patrol."
"No need to get yer knickers in a knot, Cass. They'll be openin' up tomorrow again and ye can get yer jollies then. Maybe this time, they'll give the place a better lookin' interior."
"Why Spike, I didn't know you noticed such little things as the interior of a place."
"Just coz I like in a basement, doesn't mean I don't appreciate the finer things in live! I'll have ye know that some of the worst demon clubs look a damn sight better then this place on a good day."
"I so didn't want to hear that."
The vampire and the slayer grinned at each other; they bickered and fought a lot but deep down, they cared for each other. After getting the chip removed several years earlier, Spike found that even without it, he couldn't feed on humans. He'd begun to care. While it would be too much to say that he'd gotten a soul, Spike was the rare breed of vampire that actually could feel. Sometimes more then even humans. And especially after Xander's disappearance, he'd felt the loneliness of having lost a friend, although he'd deny it to high heaven. And after his crush on Buffy and getting to know Dawn, Spike had decided that if he couldn't be the scourge of humanity, he'd just become the scourge of demonkind. Still the Big Bad!
"It would be nice if nothing popped up tonight, you know?"
"Yeah, those Passions tapes are calling my name. Gotta work in some stuff on the website spoilers board and stuff. But from the looks of things, it ain't gonna happen, doll."
"Yeah, nice big group comin' this way. You ready to Rock&Roll, Spike, baby?"
"Sure, that New Age crap gives me a headache."
"Okay, guys, come on out! Didn't your momma teach you it isn't nice to stalk people?"
"Getting awfully cocky, there, slayer. Especially when you're outnumbered six to one", an Ender demon said in a hissing voice.
Spike and Cassandra saw that he wasn't kidding as twelve demons and vamps came out of the shadows. Suddenly, Cassandra felt her powers drain, making her slightly dizzy; Spike saw her stumble slightly from the corner of his eyes.
"You okay, doll?"
"Yeah, and ready to kick some demon butt. You?"
"Right behind you."
"Is this a private party, or can anyone join?"
"Well, if it ain't the big poof himself? Forget some hairgel, Angelus? Coz I can assure you, you ain't gonna find it here."
"No, just couldn't do without your witty repartee, Spike. How about we even up the odds a bit here?"
"What? You gonna join the dark side of the force, Angel", Cassandra asked as she and her two companions stood back to back, facing their opponents.
"Kill the traitorous vampires and beat the slayer senseless!"
With those words, they attacked from all sides. Using every skill they had learned over centuries of bloody combat, Spike and Angel cut down their enemies, dusting vampires left and right, taking out the demons. Cassandra ducked beneath a roundhouse swing into a crouch, her left leg kicking upwards into her opponent's crotch. As soon as he doubled over, her stake found his heart, dusting him instantly. Before she could right herself, a Polgara demon got her with a right cross, sending her flying against the wall of the Bronze. Pressing his attack, he advanced on her.
Cassandra could feel the effects of the hit take their toll. Normally, such a hit wouldn't have fazed her but with her diminished powers, it took her some time to get back into fighting form. Grabbing a trashcan lid, she threw it like a frisbee at the demon. It hit him on his right knee, making him stumble forward, right into her extended leg. Cassandra's combat boot made contact with his face in a sickening crunch, sending the demon flying back, hitting two of his comrades as they attacked Spike and Angel. Jumping up, she tackled another vampire, jamming her stake through his back, dusting him, but getting a hard kick to the ribs for her troubles as another attacker went after her.
Spike was busy dodging blows from the tail of a Scourge demon; it had the power of a wrecking ball taking down a ten-story building and could ruin your day. Cursing the fact that he didn't bring anything bigger then the stakes in his pockets, he somersaulted over demon, kicking another demon and a vampire in the face as he landed. He immediately placed his palms on the ground for leverage and kicked out his right leg in a circular arc, knocking the Scourge demon off its feet. Turning around, he slammed his stake straight through the creature's left underarm, upwards, the sharpened front end exiting the shoulder. The demon immediately turned into a slimy goo. Under normal circumstances, he'd have made some cracks about how the slime was ruining his favorite duster but seeing Cassandra in danger was really not making him think of that. And there seemed to be even more opponents then before the fight started, he thought as he leapt back into the fray, intent on reaching the slayer before she'd get killed.
Angel had already killed three of his opponents but more were coming out of the woodwork like roaches. And none of them were fighting like usual; no, this time, it was a team effort. It was as if these demons had been trained to become a well-oiled fighting machine. One or two would attack, then pull back while others took their place. It made it hard to take them out while draining him and his companions of their strength. Jamming the stake backwards, he killed another demon, while ducking the punch from another vampire, built like a house. He couldn't escape the kick that landed on the back of his left leg and he went down, hard. Then they were on him, kicks and punches landing everywhere. Just as suddenly, the hits stopped as a roar of defiance was heard. Only later would he realize it had been ripped from his throat.
Angel had placed his hands on the concrete and pushed with all his strength, twisting his body in a circular motion, his legs sweeping around in a circle, causing his attackers to be thrown backwards. Flipping upright, he immediately went into the offensive, delivering killing blows to anyone near enough to be caught. From the corner of his eye, he managed to see that Spike and Cassandra were fighting back to back, both of them looking worse for wear. Suddenly, a shrill whistle cut through the sound of fighting and panting in the alley. The sudden quiet was even more deafening after the fighting had been. A quick glance revealed that the doze attackers were now down to ten; knowing how many he'd killed already, Angel could only imagine that they had gotten more reinforcements during the fight.
Focusing his eyes on the side where the whistle had come from, he noticed a figure, dressed completely in black, making its way towards them. The man stopped about four meters from the two groups, lighting up a cigar, his face strangely still huddled in darkness. Blowing out three perfect rings of smoke, he looked at the group and spoke in an ice-cold voice.
"Why don't you youthful delinquents run home to momma. Don't you know it's a schoolnight?"
"And why don't you run along and mind your own business, mister?"
"Why would I do that? By the way, didn't they tell you the horned look is so passe? I think maybe I should do something about it, kiddo."
"This is your last chance, human. Get out of here, or die", another demon said.
Looking at the glowing end of his cigar, the black clad figure seemed to think it over.
"Get out of here, or die. Let's see. Nope, don't think so. Now why don't you kids get out of here, or I shall be forced to spank the lot of you."
Before anyone could say anything, the horned demon who he'd insulted, ran towards him, growling. The man seemed to spin in place, the flaps of his duster resembling the wings of a flying predator; the demon missed him but the man had not. It became clear what had happened as the demon's body kept moving forward while its head flew backwards and bounced to a stop in front of Angel's feet, a surprised look on its face.
"He beheaded the demon", Wesley observed questioningly.
"Yeah, with some kind of big knife, had an opening near the tip and a ring at the hilt. Never seen anything like it", Cassandra stated, cracking her neck muscles. Giles walked to one of the cabinets, removing something from it and handing it to Cassandra.
"Does this resemble it somewhat?"
Cassandra turned the knife around in her hands, observing the serrated upper edge and the razor sharp blade.
"Yeah, somewhat. Size is about right, but the spine wasn't this serrated and this one doesn't have the eye on this side", she said pointing to the hilt. "What is that hole on the front for anyway?"
Giles took the knife's scabbard and pushed it flat against the blade, inserting the steel knob into the hole.
"Now, it is capable of cutting through wire, like a wirecutter."
"Awesome! How come you didn't give one of these to me for my birthday, G-man?"
"Yes, well... maybe some other time. Please continue, Angel."
"Kill them all!"
As one, the demons and vampires surged forward, intent on killing the four people they'd surrounded. Angel snapped the neck of one demon, while launching a devastating back kick to a vampire, smashing her sternum and throwing her in the path of another vamp. Quickly turning around, he jammed a stake through her heart, his left hand grabbing hold of the other vamp and pulling him up by the hair. The female vamp's ashes hadn't even settled on the ground when her companion's ashes joined hers.
Spike smashed an elbow to the back of a demon's neck, the force severing it's spine, while he ripped the heart out of another's chest. Quickly discarding his two kills, he staked two vamps, charging him from the sides, the stakes having fallen from their holsters in his sleeves. Quickly turning towards his companions, he saw Cassandra taking down another demon, jamming a stake through its neck. Catching his eyes, she signaled that she was okay. Looking around, they noticed that all of their opponents were taken out. What was more interesting however, was the fact that their sudden ally was taking on three uglies at the same time.
Ducking underneath a kick, the man slammed a closed fist into the vamp's crotch, then rolling out of the fray and coming to his feet behind his three opponents. A Polgara demon slashed out, his spikes aiming for the man's throat. With a clang of bone on metal, blade met blade; the man's left hand grabbed hold of the demon's throat and threw him in a wide arc, knocking the demon into the concrete wall. Completing his turn, his knife flashing like quicksilver, cutting the throat of the other demon advancing on him. Following the trajectory through, the knife moved diagonally downwards, cutting through the dying demon's right hand, severing the limb. The lone remaining vamp, seeing the odds had turned to four to one, decided to make a run for it, as best as his wounded privates would allow. Not giving the vampire a chance to run to its master to tell of their defeat, the man drew a gun smoothly, firing a round into the back of the head of the running vamp. The sound was deafening in the small alley, bouncing off the walls and the eardrums like a heavy metal drumbeat. The effect on the vampire was even more devastating as his head seemed to explode on impact, joining the rest of its body in ashes.
Taking a drag of his cigar, the man put the gun away as Angel walked up to him, intending to place a hand on the stranger's shoulder.
"Thanks for the a-", he began to say but was cut off as the man's left hand surged upwards, ripping Angel's hand off his right shoulder. Pulling forward and down, his right hand grabbed Angel's coat; moving in circle, the man threw Angel against the wall, hard. Pulling him back, he released him but followed up with several spin kicks to the face and chest; Angel could feel his ribs breaking under the powerful onslaught as he tried to get away from his attacker.
Relentless, the man followed, smashing his right palm against Angel's face, snapping it backwards. The force of the blow would have driven a normal human's nose bone straight into the brain, killing them instantly. Snapping his right leg up, he was about to deliver a frontal kick, when Angel caught his foot, holding and turning it counterclockwise, intent on pulling the man to the ground. It was a mistake because as soon as he did that, the man's left leg came up off the ground, on an intercept with his jaw. They both went down hard.
The stranger recovered quickly, his right fist moving towards Angel's face. Just before it reached its intended target, Angel grabbed it, standing up straight quickly and moved forward, turning the arm backwards and flipping his attacker over. Still holding the arm, he lifted him up bodily and slammed his knee into the man's ribs a few times, sending him to his knees. Following through with a right cross, he was amazed that his opponent was still not down. Instead, he launched himself from his haunches, tackling Angel and sending him into the opposite wall. Grabbing Angel's right arm, he again began kicking him in the ribs and stomach, doubling the souled vampire over and finished him off with a downward kick to the back of the head.
Grabbing the crumpled form by the scruff of the neck, the stranger lifted Angel up, placing a gun to his head, stopping Spike and Cassandra from coming any closer. Both of them had been completely caught off guard by the sudden turn of events.
"One step closer and overbite here is nothing but an unpleasant memory."
"Easy, lad. I don' like the big poof meself but he is a white hat. And near and dear to a few of my friends. They'd be mighty pissed if ya offed him now."
"What my buddy Spike is saying is that if you kill him, we'll kill you."
"Maybe you will, maybe you won't and maybe you won't even get the chance. Don't worry, I won't kill him. Yet."
Pressing the gun tighter against his skull, the stranger applied even more pressure on Angel's throat. Angel tried to dislodge the hand, but it felt like a vise had clamped down on his throat.
"Now listen and listen good, because I'm saying this only once. I don't like you, vampire. In fact, I downright loathe you. Do NOT ever touch me again. Understood? Blink twice if you have."
Angel did what he was told, blinking his eyes twice, as in the distance sirens could be heard getting closer. Sunnydale's finest were on the job. With that, he was roughly thrown to the floor, Spike and Cassandra immediately at his side. Looking back to where their savior-turned-attacker had stood only moments ago, nothing but shadows remained.
"Damn! That bloody sod is even better then you at the friggin' disappearing act, Angel. Come on, get your lazy bones moving! I don't want to be around to explain to the coppers what we're doing here."
"That's when we came here as fast as we could", finished Cassandra. "My powers had come back by that time."
"It's a good thing you didn't antagonize this mystery man any further. However, he is not our main concern right now. We've got to find out what is happening to your powers, girls. From what you've told me so far, I take it they started to fade once you were attacked."
"There is something else, Giles. He seemed familiar somehow but I couldn't put my finger on it. I do know that I know him, or at least have to have known him somewhere."
"Maybe someone from LA?"
"Could be, Willow but I doubt it."
"A succubus", Wesley said.
"Excuse me? A succu-what?"
"A succubus, Buffy. Or rather, a drainer. A succubus is a female demon that sleeps with men. Those men will not awaken, only experiencing it as a dream", Wesley said, clearly uncomfortable with the subject.
"It is also a catch-all phrase for any number of demons that drain their victims of their powers. Although I've never heard anything about a demon capable of draining or at least suppressing a Slayer's powers. Certainly not when there are two present in the same area", added Giles.
"Why don't you fill us in on what happened to you and Buffy, Faith."
Faith and Buffy launched into what had happened during their patrol, as the others sat and listened, mentally comparing the encounters.
"It seems that their main goal in both attacks was to injure the slayers. Not to kill them."
"Giles! Hello! Those uglies were planning on draining us."
"Yeah and the boss guy shouted that his buddies should kill us", Cassandra added.
"That was only after this mysterious man entered the fray, Cassandra. As for draining you two, I doubt that. They may have planned on drinking your blood but would have stopped short of draining you. These are scare tactics, designed to weaken your resolve. I doubt that whoever is behind this would let any serious harm come to you. It just seems too much trouble to make vampires and demons join forces so they can kill the slayers. No, there is a lot more to this than we can see but it does involve you three", Wesley stated, pointing to Buffy, Faith and Cassandra.
"Give the man a cigar."
Every head in the room swiveled towards the voice. There in the dooropening, stood the unknown stranger that had helped Angel, Spike and Cassandra and possible Buffy and Faith too.
Buffy, Faith, Cassandra, Spike and Giles immediately got up, forming a semi-circle around the others, protecting them while Cordelia and Wesley stepped half in front of Angel.
"Who the hell are you and what do you want, mister", Faith asked in a menacing tone.
"Make it short and sweet. You don't want three pissed-off slayers on your case", added Cassandra.
Buffy remained quiet, keeping a steady gaze on the man, as he stood halfway into the darkened shop, his face shrouded in shadows. He was dressed in black from head to toe; black T-shirt, black combat pants with pockets and a long, black leather duster. His hair was cut short, almost spiky; his eyes hidden by dark-tinted sunglasses.
Resting one foot against the doorframe he was leaning against, the stranger lit up a large cigar with a Zippo lighter, the flames dancing in his glasses. Blowing out three perfect rings of smoke, he turned towards them.
"I'm the guy that saved your sixes tonight. Hey, overbite! Hope those ribs take a long time to heal", he said with an evil grin.
"Why did you attack Angel?"
"Always the one to run to the defense of your lover, hey, Summers?"
"You bastard", Cordelia cut in, taking a step forward, "how dare you speak to her like that? Answer the question or you don't have to worry about them kicking your ass, because I will! Angel has a soul! He's fighting the good fight."
"I have this little aversion to Vampires and other assorted creatures of the night, especially this specimen here, Miss Chase. As for his fighting the good fight, ever thought about the fact that his soul should be wherever souls go when the body is killed? Whether heaven or hell, the soul should be allowed to rest. Besides, didn't he go all fangy again a couple of years back? Lots of innocent people died, because someone who shall remain nameless didn't have the guts to do her job", the man said, his voice rising in strength with each word as he leaned into Buffy's face.
Buffy couldn't look the man in the face, his words sending bolts of shame and guilt through her. Angel looked down towards his shoes, as he felt the pain of all those he had killed in that time come crashing back down on him.
Spike was looking at the man; he was sure that he'd seen him before and he wasn't thinking about the alley behind the Bronze. There was something about the sound of his voice, the subtle inflections in it. His build too, seemed familiar, 'It'll come to me in time, you bloody wanker, then'll kick your ass.'
"Just tell us why you're here and then begone", Giles interrupted angrily.
Without a word, the man, pulled a disk from a pocket, hurtling it towards Giles, whom barely managed to catch and hold on to it.
"What's on this vile contraption?"
"An image of the big bad that's set up shop here in town. Thought you'd like to know what you're dealing with."
"Couldn't you have made a drawing or something?"
"I did make a drawing. It's time you'd come out of the Stone Age, Giles."
Willow had been staring at the stranger through the whole confrontation and it took Giles a couple of times to get her attention.
"Huh.. oh, sorry Giles. You want something?"
"Yes, Willow, could you", he asked impatiently, wanting to get rid of the visitor as soon as possible but also wanting to find out as much as possible about him.
Willow took the disk from Giles, all the while keeping a close look at the man standing there. There was something familiar about him, although she couldn't put her finger on it right now. She would get it sooner or later. Booting up the file manager, she checked the disk, noting the extension for the file on it and activated it.
"Oh my!"
Giles exclamation caught the attention of everyone there.
"Wesley, Cordelia", Giles called out; shortly, they joined him and Willow at the computer.
"Oh my God, that's it! That's the demon I say."
"I'll say! It looks exactly like your drawing, Cordelia. Where did you get this?"
"The image I made myself. As for where I got it, let's just say that I'm turning into an insomniac."
"Bad dreams, huh? I wonder why", Faith sneered.
"I'm sure you know all about bad dreams, Faith", he answered, causing Faith to step forward, but Buffy held her back.
"Well, you've done your civic duty, boyscout. Why don't you take your ass outta here and leave it to us."
"No can do, Summers. I'm here for the duration, whether you like it or not. I've been getting these dreams almost nightly for the last three weeks. Dreams in which he has you people for dinner, you being the main course of course. Which means that I'm supposed to help you guys out, make sure you stay alive and that we kick this beastie to wherever it came from. So, Giles, you contact the council and see what they have on this dude."
"What makes you think we need or even want your help", Cassandra spat, taking a step forward.
"You have no choice. I'm here for the duration. Once the evil has been destroyed, you won't have to worry about seeing me around. I'll either be dead or gone. Either way, I'm out of this town for good. I'll be around sometime tomorrow to hear what you've found out."
The man turned around and was about to walk out the door, when Willow stepped forward, taking a chance that she was right.
"Xander, wait!"
The tension level jumped several more degrees at Willow's outburst, everybody looking at her with surprise. Turning back to their uninvited guest, Buffy saw his shoulders tense up, then slowly sag, as if being pushed down by an incredible weight.
"Willow?"
The small redhead didn't answer Faith as she slowly walked up behind the man, her right hand reaching out hesitantly. As it was about to rest on his shoulder, he turned around abruptly, pushing her backwards, into Cassandra's arms.
"Leave me alone!"
Xander Harris stood there, looking at the extended Scooby gang with unrestrained fury in his eyes. The others couldn't turn their minds around the transformation that had befallen their long lost friend. Buffy looked up to him with tears in her eyes, Faith's mouth was moving, lost for words. Cordelia, Tara and Willow were crying and smiling at the same time, while Giles just looked stunned. Spike was grinning as everything clicked in his mind, while Angel looked like he'd been hit by a truck, not quite believing he'd been beaten up by the mere boy who'd once faced him down in a hospital corridor.
Cassandra held Willow tightly, not trusting the newcomer, even though everybody else seemed to be completely mesmerized by him. Buffy walked towards him, silent tears running down her face, a brilliant smile lighting up her face.
"Xan, you're alive. You're really alive", she kept saying softly as she looked deeply into those brown eyes. The same eyes she'd dreamed of almost every single night. In her dreams they'd held such love, devotion and trust, all for her. As she made to engulf him in a tight hug, Xander snapped out of his trance, catching her left arm in a vice-like grip, janking it downwards, pulling her down onto his rising knee. Stunned, the air left her lungs in a loud whoosh; turning her arm backwards and pulling it up her back till almost the breaking point, he turned her around, pulling her against him.
"Xander, no!"
"Xander, don't do anything foolish, now."
"Xander, please, we're your friends."
"Listen, you bloody fool, you hurt her and I'll tear you apart, slowly."
"Really, Spike? Think you can take me? Besides, what do you care? I was under the impression that you still thought you were the big bad. Used to be a time when you would give anything to see the slayer death. Particularly, this one. What happened, gotten soft in the head?"
Spike changed into his demonic visage, snarling at Xander, ready to keep his promise.
"You'll see how soft I've gotten in the head, you bloody sod."
"Take a number and stand in line, Blondie. As for you people being my friends, who of you stood up to the almighty Buffy here when she decided that I was to be kept out of all things to do with fighting the evil that walks the streets?"
Looking around exaggeratedly, he began to nod as he saw the blank looks on all their faces.
"By the looks on your faces, it's clear you don't have an inkling as to what I'm talking about. I didn't expect anything else from this lot", he stated disgustedly. "Don't expect me to help jog your memory, people", he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. Unbidden however, the images of 8 years ago came back to him, as if it were a movie, playing on repeat.