TITLE: THE QUESTING 4
AUTHOR: STEPHEN HOWE
E-MAIL: sh01@bigpond.com.au
FEEDBACK: Sure.
DISTRIBUTION: Ask and ye shall receive!
DISCLAIMER: All characters belong to Joss! He created everything! Set in season 6.Xander cannot stop blaming himself for Buffy's death and has a death wish of his own. THE STUFF OF LEGENDS. Xander stepped back as Buffy held up her hands." It's me Xander, Buffy. The Buffy from your reality." Xander looked at her as his free hand searched for something on the table behind him. His fingers found the cross and he flung it at Buffy who caught it in a sweeping motion then placed it against her chest." See no burning, no screams. Just me Buffy Anne Summers. Prophecy Girl." Xander dropped the gun and raced over to her and pulled her into a hug." oh God Buffy... Wait! What are you doing here?" He ran a hand through his hair and became angry when she told him." Gad dammit Buff!" He kicked a chair and moved away from her." I didn't do that just to have you leave them to follow after my lame ass!" She strode over to him and twisted him around." You listen to me Alexander Lavelle Harris! You gave up your own life to bring me back knowing Anyanka would want revenge against you for all the loving you showed Anya! I think the least I could do was try and return you to us!" He paced the room." At what cost Buffy? I did what I did because you were needed! I figured it would be a really good trade. The histories greatest Slayer in exchange for a no hope looser! And now you leave all of them in danger to try and bring me back." He bowed his head and gripped the chair in front of him." GO! Go now before some one dies in our reality because of me!" Buffy moved behind him and stroked his arm feeling his body tremble at her touch." Spike and the others can handle it for 24 hours Xand. Come back with me." She glances at Anya's watch." We have eight hours left before we're both trapped here." He turns around and his resolve falters as he feels her press against him." Then you had better go now then. I can't leave these people to the kindness of the vampire masters Buff!" He thinks back to when he had arrived." I appeared here during a fight between Alexander and several of Riley's trained assassins. Alexander was dying as I got to him and he told me of his plans and begged me to complete them for the people that were left." He pushes her away from him fighting the urge to just kiss her with all his soul and leaving this hell hole with her." If we win I'll leave with you but if we fail I want you to go." Buffy tries her last ploy." But I can't leave this reality unless you come with me!" He glares at her." What? You knew this and you still came?" Buffy became angry with him." Why not? Its what you would have done for me!" Suddenly he heard the alarm bell ring and he headed for the door. Buffy barely heard his next words but they made her heart beet faster." But I love you Buffy! You are my reason for being." He flung the door open and noticed the darkening sky." What the..." He saw Giles running over to him." Xander! It's an eclipse! The forward patrol reports Riley, and the Empress, are moving their men now! Not tonight like we were told!" Xander tried to look encouraging." Good! That means they die all the more sooner! Load the plane and have the secondary tanks ready. I'll hit them then return for the second surprise while the main force keeps them pinned!" Xander slaps Giles's back." Today marks the first day of the rest of your lives people! Lets make sure its their last!" Buffy finds Xander testing the supports for the loaded tanks and asks him." So what's the what Xand?" He nervously smiles at her." This is part one of my plan." He points to two other tanks as they're being manhandled next to the strip." And that's part two. If I'm successful it will limit the number of Vamps these people have to face." Buffy could see the great planner in him beam with pride at his battle plan." Am I still the key guy or what?" He asked her after he told her of his plan." Aren't you the least bit afraid?" " Me? Ha! " He glanced around then meekly told her." Scared shitless Buff! If this fails I may have just delivered these people back into a horror worse than any we had even imagined." Xander saw Willow approach and he asked Buffy." Would you mind kissing me for luck?" Buffy grinned and moved closer to him but Willow arrived, and not being able to see her, moved against Xander." Sure Xand!" She planted a tender kiss on his lips and told him." No matter what happens come back to me." Xander blushed and opened the door, suddenly he was all 'Key Guy' again." Remember Willow, keep them in a circle then wait till my second pass before your people attack." Willow grins at him." Luck be with you Xander Harris!" He started the plane up and checked the controls for the dusting tanks." How apt." He said." With any luck that's just what they'll be!" He gave them a wave and revved the plane up to take off speed and shot off into the sky. Willow waved after him and Buffy saw the tears begin to form in her eyes as Giles limped up to her and handed her the gear." He's never coming back is he?" Giles tried to lie." Of course he will! He'll dump the first load on them then return with the second load and then we'll..." He saw the look in her eyes and found he couldn't lie." No Will, even if he's successful the odds are against him." Willow rubbed her, suddenly, damp palms against her legs before she shrugged into her gear." I didn't think so..." She glanced up as Xander wiggled the planes wings as he headed towards his fate." I think it's best we don't let the others know of our fears. The least we can do is make sure we win and spread Buffy's dust over his grave!" Buffy's eyes grow wide and angry." NO!" She realises she can't stop him but she can go with him on his next trip. Maybe having her with him will stop him from doing something that would get them both killed. ARMY OF DARKNESS. Buffy is being carried in a palanquin by four slaves as her army marches in the glorious darkness formed by the eclipse the demon had created. She glanced out of her lace trimmed ride and asked Riley." General how many men did we manage to 'enlist'?" Riley ran to her side and told her." Over one hundred your majesty! All biting at the bit to sink their teeth into human flesh." An unfamiliar sound came to her ears." That sounds like a.." "PLANE!" One of the forward scouts cried out. Buffy glanced at Riley." One of ours?" He shook his head as he scanned the sky for any sign of it. He tells her." It's of no importance your majesty! What could these feeble beings do against us from the sky?" Xander lined up the perfectly formed army of the dead." Oh I love a parade!" He pointed the nose of the plane at the regimented men and dove at full speed. He began to pull up just in front of them and dumped the two tanks of holy water amongst the packed masses then watched as they scattered trying to avoid the, to them, acid like water. Riley screamed as a few drops reached him but not from pain bit from anger as he watched his men scream and roll around on the ground. He picked up one of the few guns from a dying vamp and tracked the plane as it turned for a second strike." Eat shit and die Human!" When the plane was in range he opened up on it emptying the clip into the small plane. His men tried to break the formation but snipers in the hills picked off any stragglers and made sure they all stayed in range of the deadly plane. " RILEY!" Buffy shouted at her general." I don't like this, I don't like it at all!" Riley mutters under his breath." No shit brainiac!" Before he shouted to his men." I want all the men with firearms to form a wall here... NOW!" END OF 4