TITLE:
THE QUESTING 10
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. SMALL ISLAND NEAR BATANN-1942 Buffy looked around and
couldn't believe the change in Xander, he had gone from the chatty friend that
had a wacky outlook on life to a man with a purpose. He had helped the nurses,
and any marine that could be spared, to build a hospital for the wounded. The
sound of artillery fire drifted across the field and Buffy gazed eastward
towards the sound of battle. She saw Xander carrying a plank to complete the
building and when Xander came closer to her she asked him." Couldn't we
try to leave now?" Xander looked over at the refugees and nods. She smiles
and grabs his hands then taps the watch. Nothing happened and she tried it again
with the same results." Damn cheep frigging watch!" Buffy cursed and
Xander thought for a minute." Maybe it's like that old TV show? We can't
move on until we've changed something in this time zone." " Xander I've yet to be convinced that this IS our
world!" Xander placed a hand on her shoulder." It must piss you off royally
that you don't have your powers huh!" She looked shocked but Xander went
on as if he hadn't said a word. Buffy shook her head." Please don't let
that be the Hyena coming back Xander." She watched as fought to control
his inner being." He's on a leash Buff! He's all bark and no bite." An
officer walked over to him and threw a rifle to him." Get to know this well!
It might just save you and the Mrs. lives!" One of the marines laughed and
told him." You wont get him to fight sir! He's to fragile to fight. Ya
should have seen him on the trip over." He went into his imitation of
Xander's shaking." Oh no! Gunfire eeekkkk!" The other marines
guffawed at his act and Xander turned red. He lost his cool and began to field
strip the gun." This is a Springfield M1 rifle. It fires a thirty ought
six calibre round that will knock your opponent on his ass!" He
assembled it in record time letting the 'Sarge' out of his shell he held up the
bullets in the strip over the open receiver before plunging them down and
releasing the bolt. He then spun around and emptied the gun into a sign in
front of the docks so the expended rounds weren't any danger. The
officer and his men stood open jawed, as each round was placed no more than a
hairs breadth from the last. Xander then waited for the charging strip to eject
after the last round and held the gun towards the officer." First to land
last to leave.. Oouya!"
"
You've served before son." Xander forced the 'Sarge' back into his box and
shook his head." Just a lot of John Wayne movies., I can't fight to save anyone's
life." He turned and walked away leaving the officer to call out to
him." Hear those guns? Well the Japs are getting closer and the boats aren't
due for another two days. Believe me YOU will fight if it's between your life,
or maybe your wife's, and a horde of screaming sons of Nippon!" Xander looked at Buffy and told
him." She's not my wife, just a close friend and she understands why I
can't." Buffy watched him continue to build the final wall in the temporary
hospital." Yes Xand I do understand why. If you let them out without a leash
you will be the one in a box." The
next day the stream of wounded began to come in from the holding positions. The
news they brought with them wasn't good. The Japanese had broken through
several times and only through great sacrifice had the combined forces of U.S.
Army, Marines and the remains of several groups of Royal Marines managed to
stem the flow. Buffy was helping the nurses when an English officer was brought
in with a bayonet wound to his side. Buffy was given the task of keeping him
comfortable while the doctors dealt with the more serious patients. "
Hello, and what's your name then." She was facing away from him when he
answered in a voice that was somewhat familiar. " Lieutenant Giles, Harold .S. at
your service Mam." Buffy stiffened and turned to face him. He looked a
little different but she saw the family resemblance .He looked at the jagged
wound in his side and asked her." Is this something I should worry
about?" Buffy smiled." No Lt. Giles if it were they would have seen
you first." She helped him back down as the orderlies took him into the
surgery. One of the other injured Marines told her." Hope he makes it!
He's got a smasher of a wife and he got a letter telling him they're expecting
a kiddie in seven months." Buffy thought about the one time, when Giles
had over indulged in the brandy one Xmas, Giles had opened up to her about his
family. His father had been killed during the war in the Pacific before Rupert
had been born. It was the one regret he had carried with him that he never knew
his father only the memories his mother and Uncle had of him. She moved to
Xander and tugged on his shirt sleeve." I think I may know why we're
here." Xander looked her in the eyes and asked." So are you going to
tell me or do I have to guess?" He pointed his thumb at the hillside and
Buffy's eyes went wide. " We have to hold them until the boats can take these people
off. Xander there's an English officer in there. It's Giles's father and we
have to save him." Xander looked at her then the stack of rifles in the
middle of the camp. He shook his head." Buffy I can't! You know I can't
because if I do I'll never return with you back to our time." He mumbled
something as he turned from her and she only just picked it up." Not that
there's anything for me to go back for anyway!" The Marine officer came back and gathered
up every able bodied man he could for the defence of the hospital. He walked up
to Xander and threw the rifle at him." Get up and don't give me any BS
about being a consciences objector! These people will die if you don't grow a
pair real soon Mr. Harris!" Two Marines grabbed Xander and he was
dragged off to the front. Buffy stood there and exclaimed." Oh Boy!" END
OF 10