TITLE:
THE QUESTING 11
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. TIMES THEY ARE A CHANGING. The men at the front heard the ships
foghorn over the sound of gunfire and grinned at each other. Each man knew they
would not be leaving this island but their sacrifices would ensure the survival
of the medical staff and the wounded by giving them the time to get on the ship
and sail away from this hell hole. Xander was busy loading clips for the other
men to use. He saw the looks of disgust on their faces but he knew that if he
let his two parasites free reign then he, Alexander Harris, would cease to
exist. Suddenly a Marine came running in from the
left flank shouting at the last remaining officer. And pointing to the
rear." They've broken the line! " He took a lung full of much needed
air then continued." The point man saw a squad heading for the aid
station!" Xander choked out one word then scrambled
around looking for weapons." Buffy!" He no longer cared whether he
lived or died so long as she lived. He picked up a half dozen grenades and a
Thompson along with a belt of clips for it and slung it over his shoulder. He then
picked up a rifle and pocketed a Kabar knife. The officer smiled and handed him
a colt in its holster." Welcome to the war Mr. Harris!" Xander took
off at a dead run as the officer shouted at his men." Forget about
conserving your ammo boys I don't think we'll need to worry about it soon
enough." A horde of screaming Japanese infantry charged them pushed on by
their remaining officers with a zealots hunger. As
Xander ran towards the camp he heard the sound of gunfire coming from ahead of
him. He took the Springfield off safe and charged into the clearing in time to
see the last of the defenders fall. By now the 'Sarge' was in full control with
the Hyena's blood lust fuelling his need for battle. Xander knelt in the long grass
and picked his targets with unholy accuracy. The Springfield ejected the clip
with a metallic ping and Xander feed in a new strip of cartridges. As he was
about to leave he bent down and picked up the expended strip and pocketed it
before moving off. Buffy may not have had her Slayer strength
but she still had all the moves she had learnt from six years of practise. Any
of the men that tried to get to the nurses had her to deal with so they kept
their distance until they controlled the battleground. She looked up when she
heard the yipping sound she had been dreading and saw a marine dive behind a
shelter as three soldiers were charging him. She watched as the final minutes
of this war burnt itself out. The Japanese heard the unmistakable sound of the
Springfield ejecting its clip and they charged. Xander stood up and fired his fully loaded rifle into them."
You guys fall for it every time!" Xander had flicked the used clip with
his fingers and waited till they had broken cover before standing and firing.
This time the gun really ran out of ammunition and he threw it to one side,
slipping the Tommy gun into position and firing short controlled bursts at the
remainder. Xander waived to the nurses and doctors to head for the ship. He
grinned, cockily at Buffy then glared at her with lustful eyes." Later
babe you and me are going to restart that conversation about who's mate you
are." Buffy's
heart sank as she realised Xander had let slip his dogs of war and, if he
survived, was lost forever in the bloodlust of the Hyena and the need for war
of the soldier. She helped them carry any survivors from the aid station to the
docks for loading then hurried back to see if she could find others and saw
Xander had dealt with the threat of the camp being over run. She saw Xander stood face to face with the
Japanese officer and heard them talk." Your rear guard will soon be
overrun and your head will join the others!" Xander grinned at him and
popped the muscles in his neck." I like the quiet! " He heard the ship's
engines crank up as it prepared to leave." Your prize is escaping to tell
of what happened here today Tojo! Soon the world will know you can be beaten
and that day will mark the beginning of the end for you and your
'friends'!" Buffy helped two orderlies place the last
patient on a stretcher then glanced back to Xander. She didn't want to see him
like this but her soul cried out to his to return to her. She began to notice
things now that she had missed before. Some of the blood on his clothes was his
and she searched his body for the wounds, her eyes stopping when she saw two
neat holes in the side of his shirt. She was going to go to him but one of the
orderlies grabbed her hand and told her." The ship is leaving Miss! We
have to go now." The officer prepared his sword for
battle and Xander crouched in readiness. His Kabar ready and his spirits
hungered for the fight." Even should you win no one will know of this
battle! My commander is almost through your ragbag of men, even if the boat
sails you will never know whether your precious democracies have won or
not!" Xander was in a state of total calm for once." I will know, I
already know what happens from this point on. Whether I live or die today our
days are numbered! Soon there will be no need of this and we will be put into
glass cases with the words ' In case of war break glass' engraved on our souls.
The grandchildren will forget what we have learned and then we will be called
upon once more to shed the blood of others to remind them that some thing's are
worth dying for!" He spoke the last words as he looked at Buffy
then sensed his enemy tense for the blow." Today is a good day to
die!" Xander blocked the blow with his knife and smashed the mans mouth
open with an open handed strike causing him to back off. Then things became a
blur to Buffy until the two men stopped. She saw Xander with his arm around the
other mans neck whilst his knife hand jerked the blade into his back. Buffy saw
the man drop but she couldn't understand why his sword was still hung in mid
air until Xander staggered and fell to the ground. She ran to him and was followed by a medic. She held his head
while the doctor tried to see how much damage the sword strike had done. Xander
sucked in a lung full of air and gripped Buffy's hand. He guided it to the
watch face then looked at her eyes." Go now Buff. Giles senior should be
safe by now." She shook her head." Not without my love." I love
you Alexander Harris, with all my heart and soul! " He
coughed and grimaced as he felt blood begin to spread over his chest." I
can't feel either of them anymore Buffy! I guess they knew when to get out. For
the first time in four years I feel ... Peaceful." He gripped her hand and
she winced in pain but never let him know it." Did you just say.."
She nods." I love you too Buffy Summers." His eyes began to mist over
as he whispered his last breath to her." Please if you love me as much as
you say... Leave... I ...don't... want you to see me.... " He stopped,
both talking and breathing. The scene around them froze in time and Buffy could here the sounds of
clapping. She looked around and saw Anyanka standing there with a smug look on
her face as she placed her hands on her cheeks." Aww the Slayer finally
admits she loves her White knight! " She strides over to them." You
really do love him don't you? And do you think you deserve him now?" Buffy looks
at Xander's frozen features and nods." I believe we deserve each other, as
well as happiness along with love counts for anything." Anyanka
grins." Yes.. Yes I do believe you love each other, but do you love him
enough to die for him as he has done for you?" Buffy closes her eyes and
sighs." So now we know the why!" She leans over Xander and kisses
him. His blood turning the front of her white dress red before she leans
back." Okay I'm ready. Send me back to hell... Just as long as he lives I
can manage being dead again." Anyanka smiles cruelly." Now what kind of punishment for
taking my lover would that be?" She turns into her demon form." I
think I'll return you to your life and let you feel my anguish!" Buffy
smiled as she felt herself moving in space and time once more. But then she
felt Xander's hand slip from hers as he stayed." NOOOO!!!!!" She
looked at Anyanka as she cackled and danced away while Buffy was returned
without Xander..
END OF 11