NEVER ONCE
by: Fallen Angel
Setting: One year after "The Gift"
I don't own Buffy (c) or Angel (c) or anything else made by Fox, Joss Whedon, or The WB.
"Angel," Dawn asked. "Why are you so sad?"
"Oh it's nothign Dawn, just pulling out my journal I kept after, well, you know."
"Ah, Angel, can I offer some advise? I think that the journal was a good idea for you to keep. I think that you can learn a lot about yourself by using a journal after a tragedy. I wanted to tell you that don't get too sad ok? No matter how bad, it's in the past."
"Thanks Dawn, I'll keep that in mind. But I wanted to check to see if any of this makes sense. I mean, first, Buffy dies, then a week later, Faith dies in prison, the guards said that it looked like she was mauled by a bear. Then you start to show signs which later point that you were the next slayer. Hey, Wesley, has anything like this been seen while you were in the Watchers?
"Well, quite frankly, no. These were just to random to seem apart of some prophecy. Oops."
"Prophecy? Wesley, what are you talking about?"
"Well Angel, its nothing, its really not, I mean the prophecy was set to take place years and years ago. You know, sort-of-a false prophecy."
"But?"
"But, the prophecy states that a slayer will inherit a close friend , but after the slayer will be wounded, and that the friend will inherit her gift, after all has come to pass."
"I don't get it."
"Well I believe that Buffy's wound was her mother's death, tragic for anyone, but more so for her. She jumped off that ledge, instead of Dawn, because she wanted to inherit the responsibility. And the phrase "all has come to pass" means that only one slayer may exist at once, so once Faith died, Dawn would become slayer."
"Hm, makes sense Wesley. Thanks for telling me that. Now if you'll excuse me, I'd like to be alone with Dawn and my journal."
"Of course, Angel."
* * *
"It's been a week since Buffy died, God, I can't believe I said that, Buffy's dead. I never once believed she would die. And I know she's a mortal, so she would die anyway, and of course I'd live beyond her. But now that she's dead I can't bear it. I can't see how people can put up with this. Now I sympathize with the families of the people I've killed..."
* * *
"The funeral was nice, I appreciated Willow and Xander allowing the funeral to be taken place at dusk so I could attend. I don't know how their taking it, I'm having enough time with it as it is. I heard that Tara was feeling better, wow, I still can't believe Willow's a lesbian. Wait, don't want to get sidetracked. Wesley said I should write down my thoughts to see if I can see a patern with my emotions, sounds well and good but I'm skeptical. I was talking with Giles after the funeral, he seems to be taking it the worse. He doesn't seem to know how to vent his emotions. Sounds like someone I know."
* * *
"Well I have a few more days in Sunnydale left, I wonder how Gunn is handling off back in L.A.? He told me that Faith was killed in prison. Mauled by an animal they say. I think it was a demon who didn't have the 'greatest memories' of her. Why is death happening all at once? I hope no apocalypses occur while I'm here. Oh, God, apocalypse, even that word sets me off. I was spending the day with Dawn, trying to comfort her and while she was taking anger off by punching the wall she punched a hole clear to the other room. It was a little weird. Later when she went to open the door to the magic box she accidentally ripped the door off! I commented to Giles that he should have the council come here."
"The council showed up in a day, I was amazed. They only wanted to speak to me and Giles, why me I had no idea. He informed us that the beast that killed Faith was sent by the Council, to allow a new slayer to come. They had no idea it was going to be Dawn.
"Giles, are you up for another role as Watcher?" A chubby man with glasses asked.
"I'm terribly sorry sir, I'm afraid I can't. The pain is too much." Giles replied. But If you will allow, Angel here knows far above normal of anyone else within good distince of ancient knowledge. Along with many forms of martial arts, and demonology."
"What?" Another member replied. "A vampire watcher? That's out of the question, he's lucky we don't kill him now!"
"I doubt you could for one, sir" I replied with a smirk on my face. "As startled as you all are by that notion, I believe it would be for the better."
"But this is highly unorthodox!" The chubby one said.
Giles said, "Gentlemen, in the last five years, what orthodox thing has taken place? Buffy quits the Council, you fire your watchers, two slayers exist at the same time. If I may, I believe that Angel is just what Dawn needs. Someone who really knew her sister's fighting style, and could emulate it, someone who really knew how she thought as a slayer to help her out. Can't you see it?"
"Ok, how about a compromise." The other member of the Council said, "Bring the girl in, I see that in recent times, we've had to adjust ourselves to the modern slayer, lets let her decide, we can relocate her or we can let the vampire take her in."
"Deal," Giles said, and with that he went to fetch Dawn, who was fighting the same punching bag that her sister would fight.
"Dawn, there's something I want to tell you."
"Let me guess Giles, I'm the next slayer." Dawn looked at him with a smile.
"Yes, well, how'd you guess?"
"Wall's aren't sound proof GIles. Besides, you'd figure with a slayer sister dead, you'd be wondering what was going on if you could punch through walls."
"Touche." Giles said. "Dawn I want you to come inside with the rest of us, there's something we want to ask you."
* * *
"And that's how it went. Dawn came in and they asked her who'd she prefer her slayer was. And she picked me. I could see Buffy's determination in her eyes, in her body, in her soul.
"But if you'll allow me, I want to write a little something to Buffy, even though I know she'll never read it."
"Buffy, I've never loved anyone as much as you. Never once has someone come into my life and taken a piece of it when they left. I don't understand, I'm supposed to be immortal, evil, undead. But why is your life hurting me. I never got to tell you how I felt, that day, when saved Sunnydale from your mayor, I wanted to stay, but I knew that that could never happen, oh but now, now I want to take it back. But that's how the powers work. Once you know the future, you can't go back. But let me ask you one question. Now that you're gone, do you remember that day? That day that was burned into the cornea's of my eyes, so I'm forever to remember it. The day where I was human. Where we spent all day in bed? Do you remember it? Do you remember me? Never once have I wanted forgiveness more, never once wanted a person before, never once have I ever wanted you again.
* * *
"Angel, I'm speechless" Dawn said, tears rolling down her face.
"Dawn, I want you to know something." Angel said, standing up. "Your sister, no matter what the circumstances, never gave up. Not only did she not give up, but she succeded in doing so with out harming human life. Remember, death haunts you."
"I'll remember that Angel." Dawn said looking at Angel in his eyes, sensing his pain and anger.
"Let's go practice." Angel said.
by: Fallen Angel
Setting: One year after "The Gift"
I don't own Buffy (c) or Angel (c) or anything else made by Fox, Joss Whedon, or The WB.
"Angel," Dawn asked. "Why are you so sad?"
"Oh it's nothign Dawn, just pulling out my journal I kept after, well, you know."
"Ah, Angel, can I offer some advise? I think that the journal was a good idea for you to keep. I think that you can learn a lot about yourself by using a journal after a tragedy. I wanted to tell you that don't get too sad ok? No matter how bad, it's in the past."
"Thanks Dawn, I'll keep that in mind. But I wanted to check to see if any of this makes sense. I mean, first, Buffy dies, then a week later, Faith dies in prison, the guards said that it looked like she was mauled by a bear. Then you start to show signs which later point that you were the next slayer. Hey, Wesley, has anything like this been seen while you were in the Watchers?
"Well, quite frankly, no. These were just to random to seem apart of some prophecy. Oops."
"Prophecy? Wesley, what are you talking about?"
"Well Angel, its nothing, its really not, I mean the prophecy was set to take place years and years ago. You know, sort-of-a false prophecy."
"But?"
"But, the prophecy states that a slayer will inherit a close friend , but after the slayer will be wounded, and that the friend will inherit her gift, after all has come to pass."
"I don't get it."
"Well I believe that Buffy's wound was her mother's death, tragic for anyone, but more so for her. She jumped off that ledge, instead of Dawn, because she wanted to inherit the responsibility. And the phrase "all has come to pass" means that only one slayer may exist at once, so once Faith died, Dawn would become slayer."
"Hm, makes sense Wesley. Thanks for telling me that. Now if you'll excuse me, I'd like to be alone with Dawn and my journal."
"Of course, Angel."
* * *
"It's been a week since Buffy died, God, I can't believe I said that, Buffy's dead. I never once believed she would die. And I know she's a mortal, so she would die anyway, and of course I'd live beyond her. But now that she's dead I can't bear it. I can't see how people can put up with this. Now I sympathize with the families of the people I've killed..."
* * *
"The funeral was nice, I appreciated Willow and Xander allowing the funeral to be taken place at dusk so I could attend. I don't know how their taking it, I'm having enough time with it as it is. I heard that Tara was feeling better, wow, I still can't believe Willow's a lesbian. Wait, don't want to get sidetracked. Wesley said I should write down my thoughts to see if I can see a patern with my emotions, sounds well and good but I'm skeptical. I was talking with Giles after the funeral, he seems to be taking it the worse. He doesn't seem to know how to vent his emotions. Sounds like someone I know."
* * *
"Well I have a few more days in Sunnydale left, I wonder how Gunn is handling off back in L.A.? He told me that Faith was killed in prison. Mauled by an animal they say. I think it was a demon who didn't have the 'greatest memories' of her. Why is death happening all at once? I hope no apocalypses occur while I'm here. Oh, God, apocalypse, even that word sets me off. I was spending the day with Dawn, trying to comfort her and while she was taking anger off by punching the wall she punched a hole clear to the other room. It was a little weird. Later when she went to open the door to the magic box she accidentally ripped the door off! I commented to Giles that he should have the council come here."
"The council showed up in a day, I was amazed. They only wanted to speak to me and Giles, why me I had no idea. He informed us that the beast that killed Faith was sent by the Council, to allow a new slayer to come. They had no idea it was going to be Dawn.
"Giles, are you up for another role as Watcher?" A chubby man with glasses asked.
"I'm terribly sorry sir, I'm afraid I can't. The pain is too much." Giles replied. But If you will allow, Angel here knows far above normal of anyone else within good distince of ancient knowledge. Along with many forms of martial arts, and demonology."
"What?" Another member replied. "A vampire watcher? That's out of the question, he's lucky we don't kill him now!"
"I doubt you could for one, sir" I replied with a smirk on my face. "As startled as you all are by that notion, I believe it would be for the better."
"But this is highly unorthodox!" The chubby one said.
Giles said, "Gentlemen, in the last five years, what orthodox thing has taken place? Buffy quits the Council, you fire your watchers, two slayers exist at the same time. If I may, I believe that Angel is just what Dawn needs. Someone who really knew her sister's fighting style, and could emulate it, someone who really knew how she thought as a slayer to help her out. Can't you see it?"
"Ok, how about a compromise." The other member of the Council said, "Bring the girl in, I see that in recent times, we've had to adjust ourselves to the modern slayer, lets let her decide, we can relocate her or we can let the vampire take her in."
"Deal," Giles said, and with that he went to fetch Dawn, who was fighting the same punching bag that her sister would fight.
"Dawn, there's something I want to tell you."
"Let me guess Giles, I'm the next slayer." Dawn looked at him with a smile.
"Yes, well, how'd you guess?"
"Wall's aren't sound proof GIles. Besides, you'd figure with a slayer sister dead, you'd be wondering what was going on if you could punch through walls."
"Touche." Giles said. "Dawn I want you to come inside with the rest of us, there's something we want to ask you."
* * *
"And that's how it went. Dawn came in and they asked her who'd she prefer her slayer was. And she picked me. I could see Buffy's determination in her eyes, in her body, in her soul.
"But if you'll allow me, I want to write a little something to Buffy, even though I know she'll never read it."
"Buffy, I've never loved anyone as much as you. Never once has someone come into my life and taken a piece of it when they left. I don't understand, I'm supposed to be immortal, evil, undead. But why is your life hurting me. I never got to tell you how I felt, that day, when saved Sunnydale from your mayor, I wanted to stay, but I knew that that could never happen, oh but now, now I want to take it back. But that's how the powers work. Once you know the future, you can't go back. But let me ask you one question. Now that you're gone, do you remember that day? That day that was burned into the cornea's of my eyes, so I'm forever to remember it. The day where I was human. Where we spent all day in bed? Do you remember it? Do you remember me? Never once have I wanted forgiveness more, never once wanted a person before, never once have I ever wanted you again.
* * *
"Angel, I'm speechless" Dawn said, tears rolling down her face.
"Dawn, I want you to know something." Angel said, standing up. "Your sister, no matter what the circumstances, never gave up. Not only did she not give up, but she succeded in doing so with out harming human life. Remember, death haunts you."
"I'll remember that Angel." Dawn said looking at Angel in his eyes, sensing his pain and anger.
"Let's go practice." Angel said.
