Buffy and Co. don't belong to me...pity, isn't it?
I'm facinated with character death. I'll try to leave some behind for Lessons Learned... Enjoy and please review
Life Lessons Part Ten
"Cordelia? It's Willow. I don't mean to bother you, but did Buffy by any chance come to LA with you and Angel? She didn't? Oh, okay. If she gets in touch with you will you please tell her to call me? Thanks Cordelia. Bye."
Willow hung up the phone looking worse than when she called. "She's not there." She said quietly to the others.
Spike thought about the problem at hand, and decided to get help of his own.
Cordelia hung up the phone and stared at it a minute. "Angel! We've got problems in Sunnydale! Again!"
Buffy sat on the chairs in front of the boarding gate. Her huge sunglasses covered her eyes that were still red and puffy from crying. She didn't want to leave, but she knew that she had to. Giles had told her that everyone would be in danger if she stayed. He even told her that one of her friends might get killed.
She never thought that she would lose Giles. Her throat burned with tears that she would not let escape. She sighed, but the sound came out haggard and tired. Buffy moved her black wig until it covered more of her face. She looked down at her hands as they rested in her lap.
"Nice look, B. Really, I would have never thought that you would go for that shade. Shows how much I know, huh?" Faith sat down next to Buffy, seemingly unaware of the tension. "What does lover boy think about it? The dead one, not the commando...oh, wait... they're both dead now. I meant Angel."
"What are you doing here, Faith?"
"I got a present from Wesley. Apparently, as soon as the little boy scouts leave the troop, the Council gives them a little going away present. I got Wes' Rolls. Nice car. A little to classy for me, but I'm sure that I'll adjust."
"How did you get out?" Buffy asked as soon as she figured out that Faith wasn't going anywhere.
"I just left so I could get what Wes left for me and store it away. I'm going back." Faith said a little defensively.
"How did you know I was here?"
"Slayer senses. I can still feel you. After all this time, I still know when you're around. I just got a little Cheshire about why you were in the airport. So...where're going?" Faith asked in a playful voice, lightly hitting Buffy on the arm."
Buffy just looked at Faith.
"Come on, B! I'm not going to run off and tell Angel. I just want to know where you're going, incase something happens." Faith tried her best to look innocent.
"All right Faith, just stop with the puppy dog eyes. It's really creeping me out." As soon as Faith got serious Buffy continued. "I don't know where I'm going. I just want to get out of this country. I want to get as far away from here as possible. Everyone just might have a longer life if I'm not around."
"Who told you that bullshit?"
"It isn't bullshit, Faith! Giles tried to warn me, and he ended up dead anyway!" Buffy started to cry again. Faith just looked at her, not knowing what to say or what to do.
Not fully understanding what was going on, she asked a little cautiously "So...you're saying that it's Giles fault?"
"No! Faith keep with it! It's my fault! I killed Giles!"
"Oh, I see." There was a pause "You're wrong. You know that, right?"
"I killed him, and now I'm trying to make it better. He said that more people that I love would die if I didn't leave. Faith, they're still after you, too! You've got to leave! You can come with me. We'll just go-"
"-B, you've got to calm down. I know that the Council is after us, but I'm not going to leave. I'll stay in Sunnydale and watch after everybody."
"You're life is danger too! I'm not the only one who should be getting out of here."
"Yeah, but there's this guy-" Faith started with a grin
"-Save it, Faith! Whoever he is he can't protect you." Now Buffy was pleading with her.
"He's with the Council" Faith added quickly
Buffy stopped. "You're with a guy from the council? Are you nuts! I mean, more than before?" Buffy voice was getting louder and higher.
"Chill out, B. He was supposed to kill me, but he said he took one look in my 'beautiful' eyes and knew that he wouldn't be able to. He said that he would warn me when they try to kill me again. He's so sweet!" Faith finished, grinning like a schoolgirl.
Buffy actually looked at Faith now. She noticed that Faith had a certain glow around her. She looked stronger and maybe a little taller. But her eyes were the most surreal thing. Her eyes looked so happy.
The desk attendant started boarding the flight
"I'm going to New York. From there, I don't know. I'll find some way to keep you updated. I've got to go now. And Faith, don't tell anywhere where I'm going. Promise?"
"B, I promise I won't tell a soul." And she crossed a 'x' over her heart
On impulse, Buffy leaned over and gave Faith a tight hug. "Be good Faith"
With that, Buffy went to the gate and handed her boarding pass over. As she walked through the doorway, she gave Faith one last little wave. Then she was gone.
Faith took her time walking back. She couldn't believe that Buffy had actually left. Faith looked up to find herself finally at the destination. She opened the doors of the crypt with enough force to make a really loud noise. A noise that really bothered the vampire inside.
"Where is she?"
"I don't know if I should tell you. I promised her that I wouldn't tell a soul." Faith said with a slight smile.
"Then I guess it's a bloody good thing that I don't have one." Spike stepped out of the shadows to look at the other slayer. "Now tell me where she went"
"Well, since you asked me nicely, she's already on a plane for New York."
"La Guardia or JFK?"
"JFK"
"You sure?"
"Yeah, Spike. I'm sure. But I don't know where she's headed after that. She doesn't even know."
"Thanks. I appreciate it."
"No prob. Are you going to tell Angel?"
"I don't know."
"Well, I've got to go. I've got a date tonight."
"With who?"
"Some guy. Not important."
"You're blushing. And you're heart started to beat faster. Just now."
"Whatever. I'm out of here." Faith turned her back as a huge smile crossed her face. She almost started whistling as she left. Almost.
Spike sat on the couch and waited for the sun to go down.
Willow sat on her bed in the dorm room. No body had heard from Buffy, and Angel never called back to check on things. She had decided to do a spell on her, to locate her, but it wasn't working. Willow fell back on her bed. She was supposed to meet everyone at Xander's to discuss what would happen next. Oz would be here anytime to pick her up.
"Willow?"
Willow sat straight up, eyes wide. "Angel?"
"Hey, has she come back yet?"
"No. And no one has heard from her. I can't even find her with a locator spell." Willow said dejectedly
"Giles already performed a spell against locator spells, so that the Council wouldn't be able to find her."
"Oh."
"Hey guys" Oz stood in the doorway.
"Hey Oz" Angel said. Willow just went to him and hugged him. She didn't let go.
"Are you feeling alright, Oz?" It was another full moon. Even though Oz returned to Sunnydale after successfully controlling the wolf in him, Angel still worried.
Oz nodded and held on to Willow a little tighter
"I didn't mean to interrupt. Are you two going somewhere?" Angel said uncomfortably
"Oz and I are going over to Xander and Anya's to figure out what to do about Buffy."
"I'd like to help if I can."
"We could use all the help we can get" Willow said, and pushed Angel and Oz out the door.
Spike was standing outside Xander's apartment complex smoking when Angel, Willow and Oz showed up.
"Hey Peaches. Beautiful night, isn't it. Care to waste another minute out here?" Though Spike's voice was lazy, Angel saw something serious in his eyes.
"Sure Spike. I've got all the time in the world."
"Thought you might..."
After Willow and Oz went inside, Angel turned to his grandchilde.
"Tell me what's going on, Spike. I know that look."
"Well aren't you the smartest bulb in the flower patch."
"Get to the point Spike."
"I know where she is."
Before Spike knew what happened, Angel had him against the side of the building, by his neck. Angel's game face was in full effect. "What did you do to her?"
"Not a bloody thing! She went on her own, I'll have you know! I just got someone to tell me where."
Angel calmed down considerably. "Where?"
"She was on her way to New York today. I don't know where she's going after that. Thought you might want to know. Do something about it, maybe."
Angel leaned back into the wall. A long and unneeded sigh took all the breath from his body. He suddenly looked very old to Spike.
"Go after her Angel. You can find her, if you try hard enough."
"No. She left for a reason. I don't know what that reason was, but she didn't even say goodbye."
Spike wanted badly to hit something. "Didn't you leave her without saying goodbye a couple of times? If I recall correctly, you've become very good at it. Now why don't you just grow a brain and get her back!"
"It's more complicated than that. She left and I don't think she would have left without saying anything to anybody, unless she wanted to go."
"You are a bloody poof! You have to be the single biggest idiot on the face of the earth! You have the Slayer for your taking. You always walk away from her because it's the best thing for her. She walks away from you and you think that it's the best thing for her. Take some bloody initiative and get what you want."
"I don't deserve her." Angel said in a pathetic voice
"No. You don't. At any other time, I would have said that you did. I would have even gone as far as saying that she didn't deserve you. But I can't say that anymore. If B- the Slayer even looked at me once the way she looks at you...let's just say that there is not a man or beast in this world that would keep me from her."
"I'm sorry Spike. But I can't go after her. Maybe she needs some time alone. If she still wants me when it's said and done, she'll come back."
"Like you came back for her?"
"Yes"
"I'm sorry then, that you lost her."
"What are you talking about Spike?"
"You might as well go back to LA and forget about her. She won't be coming back to you. You never came back to her either. Maybe she realized that."
"I always came back for her. Whenever she needed me, I was there. And she knows that if she needs help, she can come to me!" Angel was really starting to get pissed off.
"And you'll always leave her. Why?"
"Because every time that I'm around her, I want to be with her. Really be with her. It's better for both of us this way."
"If that keeps your conscious clean, then good for you. But you are being extremely selfish."
"Selfish!? That is the last thing that I am when it comes to Buffy!"
"You just said that it was easier for you to be away from her. What about how hard it is for her to be away from you. You know about the idiots that she takes up with. If Parker had given her the time of day, again, then he would have been the one she threw in your face. It doesn't matter who the role goes to as long as she has a leading man. Not that it will ever be you again. You won't let it be. You think the Slayer, VAMPIRE slayer should have a 'normal' life."
"I've heard enough." Angel said tiredly
"I hope it is enough. Oh, Angel. Try leading a normal life from now on. Eat a couple of stakes. Drink wine, no blood of course. Take a walk one Sunday afternoon. See how well you like 'normal'".
Angel took a long look at Spike. "Bye Spike. If she needs me, she knows where to find me." With that, Angel walked away until his form was consumed by the shadows.
Spike shook his head. He took one more drag off his cigarette, and headed in the opposite direction. He knew that Buffy would need someone eventually, and he fully intended to be there for her when she did. If he happened to get lucky while he was at it...well, that was just an extra bonus.
Faith stood in one of the shadows against Xander's building. She hoped that either vampire would just get with it and go get Buffy. She didn't like being the one having to patrol every night. Regardless, her date just dropped him off, and she was feeling very giving. She smiled as she made her way up to Xander's apartment.
Glory was crying. There was no consoling her. But he tried anyway. He knew that his sister wasn't going to be around much longer. After everything that Glory had done, he still loved her. His spell hadn't exactly worked, and he had felt immeasurable guilt when he realized that the demon he created had gone after Buffy's mom. But nothing was compared to this. He was resolved. He would stick by his sister until the end, but he would not help her on the quest for the key. She would not have the power to keep the pain away.
The headaches that had taken over Glory's brain began to start again. She cried harder as the pain engulfed her. She couldn't even have the luxury of passing out. Her time was up and she knew it. The pain was so unbearable. She couldn't even look at her brother. With another loud, long wave of vocal anguish, Glory screamed out for the last time.
The Scoobies were all assembled in the living room, discussing exactly what must be done to find Buffy. After Faith told them that she had left for JFK, they decided to research what flights went out on that night. Each one would go to a different country and start looking. If anyone found anything, they would call Joyce and she would get the message to everyone else. The Summer's home would become their base of operations.
"Okay, but I definitely call Scot-" Dawn stopped in mid sentence. Her face drained of any color.
"Dawn, you okay there?" Xander asked, more than a little scared.
"Xander...I don't feel so good." Then Dawn passed out.
"Dawn! Is she breathing!" Willow yelled
Oz leaned over and pressed his fingers to her neck. His shoulders slumped considerably.
It was all everyone needed to know the answer.
End part 10
I'm facinated with character death. I'll try to leave some behind for Lessons Learned... Enjoy and please review
Life Lessons Part Ten
"Cordelia? It's Willow. I don't mean to bother you, but did Buffy by any chance come to LA with you and Angel? She didn't? Oh, okay. If she gets in touch with you will you please tell her to call me? Thanks Cordelia. Bye."
Willow hung up the phone looking worse than when she called. "She's not there." She said quietly to the others.
Spike thought about the problem at hand, and decided to get help of his own.
Cordelia hung up the phone and stared at it a minute. "Angel! We've got problems in Sunnydale! Again!"
Buffy sat on the chairs in front of the boarding gate. Her huge sunglasses covered her eyes that were still red and puffy from crying. She didn't want to leave, but she knew that she had to. Giles had told her that everyone would be in danger if she stayed. He even told her that one of her friends might get killed.
She never thought that she would lose Giles. Her throat burned with tears that she would not let escape. She sighed, but the sound came out haggard and tired. Buffy moved her black wig until it covered more of her face. She looked down at her hands as they rested in her lap.
"Nice look, B. Really, I would have never thought that you would go for that shade. Shows how much I know, huh?" Faith sat down next to Buffy, seemingly unaware of the tension. "What does lover boy think about it? The dead one, not the commando...oh, wait... they're both dead now. I meant Angel."
"What are you doing here, Faith?"
"I got a present from Wesley. Apparently, as soon as the little boy scouts leave the troop, the Council gives them a little going away present. I got Wes' Rolls. Nice car. A little to classy for me, but I'm sure that I'll adjust."
"How did you get out?" Buffy asked as soon as she figured out that Faith wasn't going anywhere.
"I just left so I could get what Wes left for me and store it away. I'm going back." Faith said a little defensively.
"How did you know I was here?"
"Slayer senses. I can still feel you. After all this time, I still know when you're around. I just got a little Cheshire about why you were in the airport. So...where're going?" Faith asked in a playful voice, lightly hitting Buffy on the arm."
Buffy just looked at Faith.
"Come on, B! I'm not going to run off and tell Angel. I just want to know where you're going, incase something happens." Faith tried her best to look innocent.
"All right Faith, just stop with the puppy dog eyes. It's really creeping me out." As soon as Faith got serious Buffy continued. "I don't know where I'm going. I just want to get out of this country. I want to get as far away from here as possible. Everyone just might have a longer life if I'm not around."
"Who told you that bullshit?"
"It isn't bullshit, Faith! Giles tried to warn me, and he ended up dead anyway!" Buffy started to cry again. Faith just looked at her, not knowing what to say or what to do.
Not fully understanding what was going on, she asked a little cautiously "So...you're saying that it's Giles fault?"
"No! Faith keep with it! It's my fault! I killed Giles!"
"Oh, I see." There was a pause "You're wrong. You know that, right?"
"I killed him, and now I'm trying to make it better. He said that more people that I love would die if I didn't leave. Faith, they're still after you, too! You've got to leave! You can come with me. We'll just go-"
"-B, you've got to calm down. I know that the Council is after us, but I'm not going to leave. I'll stay in Sunnydale and watch after everybody."
"You're life is danger too! I'm not the only one who should be getting out of here."
"Yeah, but there's this guy-" Faith started with a grin
"-Save it, Faith! Whoever he is he can't protect you." Now Buffy was pleading with her.
"He's with the Council" Faith added quickly
Buffy stopped. "You're with a guy from the council? Are you nuts! I mean, more than before?" Buffy voice was getting louder and higher.
"Chill out, B. He was supposed to kill me, but he said he took one look in my 'beautiful' eyes and knew that he wouldn't be able to. He said that he would warn me when they try to kill me again. He's so sweet!" Faith finished, grinning like a schoolgirl.
Buffy actually looked at Faith now. She noticed that Faith had a certain glow around her. She looked stronger and maybe a little taller. But her eyes were the most surreal thing. Her eyes looked so happy.
The desk attendant started boarding the flight
"I'm going to New York. From there, I don't know. I'll find some way to keep you updated. I've got to go now. And Faith, don't tell anywhere where I'm going. Promise?"
"B, I promise I won't tell a soul." And she crossed a 'x' over her heart
On impulse, Buffy leaned over and gave Faith a tight hug. "Be good Faith"
With that, Buffy went to the gate and handed her boarding pass over. As she walked through the doorway, she gave Faith one last little wave. Then she was gone.
Faith took her time walking back. She couldn't believe that Buffy had actually left. Faith looked up to find herself finally at the destination. She opened the doors of the crypt with enough force to make a really loud noise. A noise that really bothered the vampire inside.
"Where is she?"
"I don't know if I should tell you. I promised her that I wouldn't tell a soul." Faith said with a slight smile.
"Then I guess it's a bloody good thing that I don't have one." Spike stepped out of the shadows to look at the other slayer. "Now tell me where she went"
"Well, since you asked me nicely, she's already on a plane for New York."
"La Guardia or JFK?"
"JFK"
"You sure?"
"Yeah, Spike. I'm sure. But I don't know where she's headed after that. She doesn't even know."
"Thanks. I appreciate it."
"No prob. Are you going to tell Angel?"
"I don't know."
"Well, I've got to go. I've got a date tonight."
"With who?"
"Some guy. Not important."
"You're blushing. And you're heart started to beat faster. Just now."
"Whatever. I'm out of here." Faith turned her back as a huge smile crossed her face. She almost started whistling as she left. Almost.
Spike sat on the couch and waited for the sun to go down.
Willow sat on her bed in the dorm room. No body had heard from Buffy, and Angel never called back to check on things. She had decided to do a spell on her, to locate her, but it wasn't working. Willow fell back on her bed. She was supposed to meet everyone at Xander's to discuss what would happen next. Oz would be here anytime to pick her up.
"Willow?"
Willow sat straight up, eyes wide. "Angel?"
"Hey, has she come back yet?"
"No. And no one has heard from her. I can't even find her with a locator spell." Willow said dejectedly
"Giles already performed a spell against locator spells, so that the Council wouldn't be able to find her."
"Oh."
"Hey guys" Oz stood in the doorway.
"Hey Oz" Angel said. Willow just went to him and hugged him. She didn't let go.
"Are you feeling alright, Oz?" It was another full moon. Even though Oz returned to Sunnydale after successfully controlling the wolf in him, Angel still worried.
Oz nodded and held on to Willow a little tighter
"I didn't mean to interrupt. Are you two going somewhere?" Angel said uncomfortably
"Oz and I are going over to Xander and Anya's to figure out what to do about Buffy."
"I'd like to help if I can."
"We could use all the help we can get" Willow said, and pushed Angel and Oz out the door.
Spike was standing outside Xander's apartment complex smoking when Angel, Willow and Oz showed up.
"Hey Peaches. Beautiful night, isn't it. Care to waste another minute out here?" Though Spike's voice was lazy, Angel saw something serious in his eyes.
"Sure Spike. I've got all the time in the world."
"Thought you might..."
After Willow and Oz went inside, Angel turned to his grandchilde.
"Tell me what's going on, Spike. I know that look."
"Well aren't you the smartest bulb in the flower patch."
"Get to the point Spike."
"I know where she is."
Before Spike knew what happened, Angel had him against the side of the building, by his neck. Angel's game face was in full effect. "What did you do to her?"
"Not a bloody thing! She went on her own, I'll have you know! I just got someone to tell me where."
Angel calmed down considerably. "Where?"
"She was on her way to New York today. I don't know where she's going after that. Thought you might want to know. Do something about it, maybe."
Angel leaned back into the wall. A long and unneeded sigh took all the breath from his body. He suddenly looked very old to Spike.
"Go after her Angel. You can find her, if you try hard enough."
"No. She left for a reason. I don't know what that reason was, but she didn't even say goodbye."
Spike wanted badly to hit something. "Didn't you leave her without saying goodbye a couple of times? If I recall correctly, you've become very good at it. Now why don't you just grow a brain and get her back!"
"It's more complicated than that. She left and I don't think she would have left without saying anything to anybody, unless she wanted to go."
"You are a bloody poof! You have to be the single biggest idiot on the face of the earth! You have the Slayer for your taking. You always walk away from her because it's the best thing for her. She walks away from you and you think that it's the best thing for her. Take some bloody initiative and get what you want."
"I don't deserve her." Angel said in a pathetic voice
"No. You don't. At any other time, I would have said that you did. I would have even gone as far as saying that she didn't deserve you. But I can't say that anymore. If B- the Slayer even looked at me once the way she looks at you...let's just say that there is not a man or beast in this world that would keep me from her."
"I'm sorry Spike. But I can't go after her. Maybe she needs some time alone. If she still wants me when it's said and done, she'll come back."
"Like you came back for her?"
"Yes"
"I'm sorry then, that you lost her."
"What are you talking about Spike?"
"You might as well go back to LA and forget about her. She won't be coming back to you. You never came back to her either. Maybe she realized that."
"I always came back for her. Whenever she needed me, I was there. And she knows that if she needs help, she can come to me!" Angel was really starting to get pissed off.
"And you'll always leave her. Why?"
"Because every time that I'm around her, I want to be with her. Really be with her. It's better for both of us this way."
"If that keeps your conscious clean, then good for you. But you are being extremely selfish."
"Selfish!? That is the last thing that I am when it comes to Buffy!"
"You just said that it was easier for you to be away from her. What about how hard it is for her to be away from you. You know about the idiots that she takes up with. If Parker had given her the time of day, again, then he would have been the one she threw in your face. It doesn't matter who the role goes to as long as she has a leading man. Not that it will ever be you again. You won't let it be. You think the Slayer, VAMPIRE slayer should have a 'normal' life."
"I've heard enough." Angel said tiredly
"I hope it is enough. Oh, Angel. Try leading a normal life from now on. Eat a couple of stakes. Drink wine, no blood of course. Take a walk one Sunday afternoon. See how well you like 'normal'".
Angel took a long look at Spike. "Bye Spike. If she needs me, she knows where to find me." With that, Angel walked away until his form was consumed by the shadows.
Spike shook his head. He took one more drag off his cigarette, and headed in the opposite direction. He knew that Buffy would need someone eventually, and he fully intended to be there for her when she did. If he happened to get lucky while he was at it...well, that was just an extra bonus.
Faith stood in one of the shadows against Xander's building. She hoped that either vampire would just get with it and go get Buffy. She didn't like being the one having to patrol every night. Regardless, her date just dropped him off, and she was feeling very giving. She smiled as she made her way up to Xander's apartment.
Glory was crying. There was no consoling her. But he tried anyway. He knew that his sister wasn't going to be around much longer. After everything that Glory had done, he still loved her. His spell hadn't exactly worked, and he had felt immeasurable guilt when he realized that the demon he created had gone after Buffy's mom. But nothing was compared to this. He was resolved. He would stick by his sister until the end, but he would not help her on the quest for the key. She would not have the power to keep the pain away.
The headaches that had taken over Glory's brain began to start again. She cried harder as the pain engulfed her. She couldn't even have the luxury of passing out. Her time was up and she knew it. The pain was so unbearable. She couldn't even look at her brother. With another loud, long wave of vocal anguish, Glory screamed out for the last time.
The Scoobies were all assembled in the living room, discussing exactly what must be done to find Buffy. After Faith told them that she had left for JFK, they decided to research what flights went out on that night. Each one would go to a different country and start looking. If anyone found anything, they would call Joyce and she would get the message to everyone else. The Summer's home would become their base of operations.
"Okay, but I definitely call Scot-" Dawn stopped in mid sentence. Her face drained of any color.
"Dawn, you okay there?" Xander asked, more than a little scared.
"Xander...I don't feel so good." Then Dawn passed out.
"Dawn! Is she breathing!" Willow yelled
Oz leaned over and pressed his fingers to her neck. His shoulders slumped considerably.
It was all everyone needed to know the answer.
End part 10