A Buffy The Vampire Slayer/Dawson's Creek Crossover
Episode Five - "I Wish"
*FADE TO: Joey sleeping on the porch swing. She's looking quite peaceful, snuggled up in her blanket. Faint traces of tears are left on her cheeks. The moment is quiet for a short while, but suddenly and quietly, there's someone standing nearby. They simply stand there gazing at her.*
(OL:Music) - "Possession" by Sarah McLachlan
Joey was faintly aware of a presence around her, even in her sleep. She stirred groggily, and sat up slowly on the swing. It was still dark out, but she still saw the figure on her front lawn. She was afraid, her only perceivable option at the time was to wrap the blanket around herself tighter and give whoever it was no opportunity for action.
They made no motion whatsoever, sparking curiousity in her. She squinted, hoping to focus her sleep-blurred sight and get a bearing on who it might be. With all her trying, she still couldn't make them out. They seemed to be standing in the nightshadow of a tree, obscuring his form.
Out of curiousity, and a small sense of fear, she took a shot in the dark, literally, "Xander?" The person stepped forward a little, shaking his head. She tried again, "...P-Pacey?" She cursed herself for letting her voice falter.
The form stepped forwards again, obviously male now, and once again shook their head. This time, the moon caught their head a little, just enough for her to recognize something. It made her catch her breath. The moon shone off the man's locks brightly, indicating blonde color.
She shook her own head as she weakly whispered, "Dawson?"
He stepped fully out of the shadow, bathing himself in moonlight. Yes, it definitely was Dawson. He walked cautiously forward, coming up to the railing and no further. Joey was getting edgy as it was at the simple sight of him. He whispered back, "Hey, Jo."
"Dawson? H-How is it possible?" Her voice was uncontrollably shaky.
"Its not important, Jo... I shouldn't stay long. Its not safe out here, y'know." He tried to joke, but Joey didn't laugh. He sighed, "I just wanted to let you know I'm okay. I may not have gone out the way I wanted to, but hey... it certainly was scriptworthy."
Joey frowned, "God, Dawson... even in the afterlife you're still a movie-buff?"
He stopped smiling, but refrained from frowning, "You'd be suprised what carries over after death." His look was knowing, and it confused her.
"Can't you stay, Dawson? Please just stay until morning." She pleaded.
He shook his head, "I'm afraid I have to get going. But we'll see each other again, Jo, I promise you that." He started backing away, towards the shadow from where he came.
She jumped up to the railing, pleading loudly, "No, Dawson, please don't go!" But he was gone. Not a sign of him anywhere. She plopped down dejectedly on the porch swing, and began crying all over again.
*CUT TO: Daylight scene, same place. Joey is laying sideways on the porch swing, her eyes soaked with tears.*
Joey hopped up suddenly, her eyes wide open. She looked around frantically for signs of Dawson. It took her several moments to realize that it was the middle of the morning now. The yard was empty, nowhere for anyone to hide. She frowned and sighed, realizing it was all a dream. She picked up her blanket and stalked back towards the house, disappointment obvious in her walk. She looked up at the sky before walking back in, and whispered, "I wish last night were real."
(OL:Music: Quick fade and cut to credits.)
*Buffy The Vampire Slayer / Dawson's Creek combined credits.*
*FADE TO: The Potter living room. Joey is entering, wrapped in her blanket. Bessie is making breakfast in the kitchen, and she sees Joey's entrance.*
"Do you care to tell me why you were sleeping on the porch all night, little sister?" Bessie asked in a sing-song voice.
Joey looked at her sister distantly, through hollow eyes, and shook her head. She plopped down on the couch roughly, inadvertantly pulling the blanket down from around her shoulders, and revealed the bandage on her arm.
Bessie's eyes caught it immediately and she almost flew over to her sister's side, "What is this, Joey?"
Joey disinterestedly looked down at her own arm and saw the bandage. She remembered everything that had happened recently, and struggled her hardest to keep from breaking down right then. She feigned disconcern, "Its nothing serious."
"Nothing serious?" Bessie cried incredulously, "It required a large bandage and bled through those bandages. I'd say that *is* serious. What happened, Joey?" Her sister was determined, but Joey didn't want to have to explain it. She knew she'd be seen as crazy, or worse it would turn Xander's life upside down. Which in his case, might just be right-side up.
Joey saw an easy out on the explaination, but knew it would be painful in its own right. Nevertheless, she blurted out, "Dawson's dead."
Bessie's face went from hard as stone, to a never-before-seen sympathetic in a matter of milliseconds. She had her arms around her little sister faster than she could say the words, "Oh god, Jo... I'm sorry." The dual-crying fit that ensued brushed all questions about the state of her arm out of Bessie's head.
*CUT TO: Xander sitting in a chair, bustling people moving around in the background. Xander is sweating a little.*
Xander sat nervously in the chair, staring at the officer across the desk intently. The officer looked frustrated and not well-rested. He looked at Xander with something just short of complete disinterest, "Look, kid. Enough with the wisecracks. Just tell me your relation to Dawson Leery."
"No real relation, officer. We shared mutual friends, and we hung out on occasion." Xander answered seriously.
"And when was the last time you saw this Leery boy?"
"I'm not exactly sure of the time... but it was sometime near the end of the school day on Friday. Our lockers weren't too far away from each other."
"And you had no contact with the victim between the hours of nine p.m. and twelve midnight that evening?"
Xander oddly noted the officers dwindling interest in the questioning and even identifying the victim of the crime. He'd seen some beligerance in the Sunnydale P.D., but this almost took the cake. He answered calmly, "No sir. I was on my way to Providence with Pacey Witter at the time."
The officer nodded. He looked over the transcript of the Witter questioning and saw the stories coincided. He groaned frustratedly. The case was going nowhere. "Is there anything else you can think of at the moment, young man? Any information you think might relate back to this?"
Xander shook his head, never losing eye contact, "No sir, I wish I could. I wasn't exactly friends with Dawson, but he didn't deserve to go out like this." He had a twinge of sadness in his voice.
The officer nodded again, "Nobody does, kid. Nobody does."
*CUT TO: Giles, sleeping uncomfortably in a chair, a book laying open in his lap. Willow and Oz enter the hotel room and try to be quiet upon seeing him.*
They're efforts to remain silent were useless, as he roused from his sleep begrudgingly and took in his surroundings.
Willow supressed her smile, "Long night, Giles?"
He nodded weakly, "I'm afraid I've had no luck in finding a definition for 'blood of a soul'... I fear we may have to return to Sunnydale to find an answer."
"But what about..." Willow spoke, but Giles interrupted her immediately.
"I do believe the fate of the world is a bit higher on our priority list than Xander's longevity." He sighed, "We've seen him, and can tell he will survive without us. So we have no real reason to remain here for much longer." Willow nodded reluctantly and walked over to Oz on the hotel bed.
On her way towards him, she was overcome by a sudden flash, and stumbled. Oz hopped up off the bed instantly and caught her in his arms. Giles was up quickly as well, and aided Oz in moving her over to the bed.
"Willow, are you okay?" Oz asked with concern.
She nodded, but her face was flushed and her pupils were dialated. She sat up carefully and responded vocally, "I was walking... and I just kinda felt a whoosh."
Giles had an odd look on his face, like she had spoken a language he'd never heard before, "A 'whoosh'?"
"Yes, a whoosh. Like all this energy suddenly came flying by." She paused and looked around, as if to see someone, "But its gone now..."
Giles was still puzzled, "Well, alright... You sit here and rest... Oz, you... watch her... and I'll continue studying." He sighed as he returned to his chair, "We will make a final decision on our departure when Buffy returns."
*CUT TO: The Potter house. Joey is laid out on the couch, and Bessie is running back and forth between her and the kitchen.*
"Do you know when the funeral is?" Bessie asked tentatively.
Joey didn't move on the couch, "I think they said Friday."
"Do you... think you'll want to attend?"
She was silent for a while, before turning to look at her sister standing nearby, "...I don't know." She returned to her moping position.
"Well, he was your friend of fifteen years... the least you can do..." Her voice suddenly cut off. Joey snapped her head around to see what stopped her sister, to find the space she previously filled empty. A light-blue haze filled the room, and time seemed to stand still.
"Bessie?" No answer. "Bodie?" Still no answer. She was worried.
"They aren't here now." A distorted voice said from nowhere. Joey's head shot from her to there, looking for a source. "Who's there? And where is my sister?"
"Don't worry about her." The voice stated, and moments after a form appeared before her, "She's not the reason I'm here." The form was female, and looked relatively harmless. She had brown-hair and wore tight clothes. Ridiculously tight clothes.
"Who are you?" Joey asked, looking her up and down, "And where did you leave your fashion sense?"
The woman disregarded Joey's comment, and stated plainly, "My name is Anyanka... I am a vengeance daemon, sworn to enforce the wishes of the disgraced and scorned women of this planet."
"What are you here to do?" Joey asked shakily.
Anyanka rolled her eyes, "Duh... I'm here to grant you, a disgraced and scorned woman, a wish... one which will help you attain revenge against the pigs of men that surround you." The passion in her voice was almost upsetting.
"So you're here to grant me a wish? You're some sort of genie in a bottle?"
Anyanka scoffed, "Are you kidding? Those chumps can't hold a candle to me... I can affect changes the world over, those glory-hogging wannabies are just localized magicians." Anyanka grew rapidly impatient and rushed the girl, "Could you make your wish already? I've got thousands of scorned girls to knock off my list today, so I can't afford to have you taking up all my time."
Joey was unsure of what to do, "What do I wish for?"
Anyanka groaned, "A beginner, huh? Make a wish you think will best affect your life and the life of others for the better... hopefully something that involves the suffering men. I really get off on that."
"Okay..." Joey thought deeply, "I wish... umm... I wish I was... no, no... I..." A realization dawned on her. One that she knew would definitely affect her life, and she believed for the better. She stated confidently, "I wish... that I had never met Xander Harris."
*A bright flash of light fills the screen, and the purple haze fades instantly.*
*FADE FROM FLASH TO: Joey, wearing heavy make-up and leather clothing, standing over a prone Dawson Leery. He looks beaten up and bloody.*
Joey grinned seductively, "Come on, Dawson... you always said you wanted to be with me." Her grin faded, and a scowl formed. Her beatiful features distorted, and a vampire visage overtook it. She hesistated only a moment before pouncing down upon the weakened Dawson, taking him easily.
*Commerical break*
*FADE TO: A shot of Joey with bloodstained lips. Her seductive grin returns as she licks her lips and glances downward fondly.*
"So what do you think of your first official kill, my pet?" A familiar voice called from nearby.
She swallowed the remnants she'd retrieved from her lips in a showful manner, and made an 'mmmm' noice before responding, "Tastes like chicken."
"Sure beats pig's blood, doesn't it?" Angelus asked with a grin as he came into view.
Joey nodded excitedly and slithered over next to Angelus, "Oh yes, luv. I'm so glad you saved him for my first."
Angelus' grin widened as he reached down, "Now comes the really fun part, pet. Show skin for daddy." Joey readily pulled away the leather jacket she was wearing, to reveal a shockingly low-cut blouse underneath. Angelus roughly lifted the limp body of Dawson and held him by his neck. "Our victim is not yet of the other world, and this gives us a grand opportunity.
He looked adoringly at his childe's bared chest, and violenly scratched her across the bare skin. She howled in pain, but retained a smile as the blood seeped out. He brought the boy's pale face up close to his childe's bosom, and chuckled, "You couldn't get it in life, boy, but you'll get a taste of it in death."
He thrust Dawson's face against Joey's bleeding bosom, and laughed hoarsely as the girl's blood entered his mouth. He forced him to swallow the 'gift', and grabbed Joey in a passionate kiss as he dropped the limp body to the hardwood floor.
*CUT TO: Flashback, the night of Joey and Dawson's first 'date'*
"I never knew you could cook, Dawson." Joey commented, smiling.
"I'm a man of many talents." He said, smirking. He used his fork to roll up some spaghetti and ate it.
Joey rolled her eyes, "If you were Pacey, I'd almost take that as perverted."
Dawson's smirk continued, "Ahh, but I'm not Pacey... so it can be taken almost any way."
Joey flustered, "Uh, what was I saying?"
He shook his head, laughing, "You've got me..." He was finished with his spaghetti, as was she, "What do you say we retire upstairs for our own personal movie night?" He smiled wider this time, offering his arm.
She looped it and returned the smile, "I'd love to." They trotted upstairs arm in arm.
*CUT TO: Joey and Dawson sitting on Dawson's bed. They're snuggled up, only half-watching the movie on the TV. They're both stealing glances at each other every so often. Finally Joey breaks the silence.*
"Dawson, is there something wrong?" She asked, very worried.
Dawson was quiet for a moment, "No, Joey... nothing is really wrong, its just..."
"This is uncomfortable for you?"
"No! Well... yeah, but not the way you think."
"And since when do you know what I think?" She replied indignantly.
Dawson smiled a little at her stubborness, "Since forever, Jo. Its uncomfortable for me right now because... well, because I really want to... kiss you right now, and I don't know if I should or not."
Joey's eye's brightened, and she sat up at the same time Dawson did. They looked at each other intently, pensive about who should make the first move. Finally, Dawson started closing the gap between them, getting closer and closer to touching her lips.
They could feel each other's breath on their faces, and as their lips were about to touch... nothing happened. They continued forward and embraced each other in a passionate kiss.
*CUT TO: The end of the night.*
Joey stood up abruptly and moved towards the window. Dawson looked upset, "Joey, where are you going?"
"Home, Dawson. Bessie will kill me if I stay out any longer."
Dawson grabbed her arm lightly, "But my parents aren't home, Jo..."
She sighed, "All the more reason for me to go home, Dawson. We're young, we're impulsive... we're horny. I just don't want us to make a mistake by rushing things."
He nodded reluctantly, and she started out the window again, but he stopped her once more, "No goodnight kiss?" His eyes were pleading. She couldn't say no, and another kiss ensued. When it was finished, they looked at each other contentedly. He smiled as he said, "Josephine Potter, I've wanted to be with you forever... and now that we are, nothing will get in the way."
Joey blushed brightly, and stepped half-way out the window, "Go to sleep, Romeo." He lop-sided grin was obvious.
Dawson's light flipped off, and Joey made her way across the small roof. She turned to climb down the ladder, and was snatched from behind, off into the night.
*CUT TO: The present. Abby smirking widely from behind Angelus. She's standing in front of a window, which is giving way to the moonlight outside.*
"That was beautiful, boss... another one for the *bad* guys." Her grin was lavacious and snide.
Angelus growled and faced his childe angrily, "Abby... what the hell do I have to do to make you shut up?"
His comment was followed abruptly by the sound of shattering glass, and a whirring that sailed through the air. The sound stopped just as abruptly, and Abby glanced down at the thin wooden shaft protuding from her chest. Before she had a chance to comment about the strange feeling of deja vu it brought, she was dust on the floor.
Pacey kicked the window through, and with a sly smirk quipped, "Don't worry, we'll take care of making her shut up. Free of charge."
Angelus scowled, "If it isn't one of the Slayer's puppets..."
"Then I'm a walrus." Xander interrupted him, smiling lop-sidedly, "You've got to stop leaving me such openings, Angelus." The rest of the crew stepped up behind him, carrying weapons of various sorts. Xander gave his head a nod, and Giles lifted what looked like a mini-canon above their heads. It fired several shots into the room, lauching small canisters to various spots on the floor.
The canisters started leaking a thick white gas that spread around the room. The vampires hissed and scurried away from it as fast as they could, screeching in agony. Xander smirked, "Gotta love garlic gas." He stepped forward slightly, "Pace, follow me... we've gotta find Dawson."
They made their way across the room, as the others held the vampires at bay. The garlic gas/powder was beginning to settle, meaning they didn't have much time.
They saw Dawson's prone and motionless form on the ground near the bed. They cautiously started hauling it out, when something caught Xander's foot and pulled him roughly to the floor.
He landed with his face next to Dawson's, distorted with an expression of terror that frightened him nearly to death. He was grabbed by his neck and lifted up in a mere moment.
*CUT TO: Xander being held up by his throat.*
Joey's visage was twisted with anger, and she declared menacingly, "I ought to just snap your neck right here, worm."
"They why don't you?" He said fearlessly. She growled and threw him at the bed. He had the presence of mind to yell, "Pacey, get Dawson out of here." Pacey reluctantly agreed and departed from the room as Joey pounced on Xander.
He fought against her with all this might, and managed to flip her up and over him, colliding her with the wall. He rolled off the bed as she came back down, and made a bee-line for the door. She pounced on him yet again, pinning him in a collision against the wall next to the door. She seductively held him there with immense strength, purring in his ear and caressing his neck.
She continued to purr as she whispered, "Such a treat, to have my first and second kills in the same night." She grinned her lop-sided grin, revealing the jagged teeth beneath. She hesistated a long time, leading Xander to wonder just what was happening.
He didn't have any time to think, as a blood-curdling scream pierced the air, and he was thrown out of the room violently. He landed in the bushes outside, rolling all the way to the pavement. Oz and Giles helped him up and into the van as they sped off.
*Commercial break*
*FADE TO: The Capeside Library.*
They were all gathered around Dawson's currently dead form, as he lay on a table in the middle of the dimly lit room. Oz was the first to speak, a little insensitively, "What's the blonde corpse here for?"
Pacey glared at him, but manage to hold back the comments that came to mind. He didn't need to get the wolf-boy angry, especially not with the full moon coming up.
Giles explained, "It is fairly obvious they were trying to turn him... we simply interrupted the process. The hours after a vampire awakens from slumber are their most impressionable ones... most lack direction and go the way of the darkside by default. But if, when it awakes, it is coached properly... a vampire need not turn evil at all."
Pacey was confused, "Why don't we just do something like that with all the other vampires."
Giles refrained from scoffing, "The sheer volume of turned individuals in a given day makes the undertaking impossible. Training for it is a leisure, rather than requirement. Our main option is to simply dust them while we can."
Xander spoke up quietly, "And I'm guessing you've taken the 'leisure' to study up on the subject?"
Giles seemed to blush, "Actually no... I was of the rigid order when I entered apprenticeship with the council... I saw it just as frivilous as most others did. But, I have the Council's guide here, and will study as much as I can before the individual awakens."
"Great... what a time to encounter a rookie mistake." Xander said, semi-hopelessly. His world had started falling apart ever since he'd moved to Capeside. At first it was alright, a nice breath of fresh air compared to Sunnydale... but then Angelus came after him. From that point on, Capeside turned into a feasting platter for the vampire community.
"Have you lost all faith in Giles now, Xander?" Buffy commented callously.
Xander pinched the bridge of his nose lightly, a habit he seemed to have picked up from Giles, and shook his head, "Not all of it... but can we not get into this right now?"
Giles concurred, "Yes, Buffy... can you please save any comments you may be wishing to make for yourself?" He was tired of the downward spiral Buffy seemed to be on as well.
*CUT TO: Flashback, Capeside High. Dawson approaches Pacey and Xander.*
"Hey Pace, hey Xand... have either of you seen Joey lately? She hasn't stopped by my locker in a while... a long while."
"No, I haven't seen her..." Pacey said
Xander shook his head, "Neither have I... but I don't really have any classes with her, so I don't know if I would anyway."
Dawson nodded reluctantly, "I was hoping to talk to her about movie night tomorrow... see if she maybe wanted to go it alone again like last week." He sighed, "Well, in lieu of her absence, do you guys want to come over and watch movies?"
Xander looked down a little, "I don't think I should intrude on your guy's tradition."
"Are you kidding? We need to keep the D-man's spirits up... sure, we'll be over right on time."
*CUT TO: Pacey and Xander stepping through the window. Dawson looks at them nervously.*
"You guys are ten minute late." Dawson said weakly. He stood up off his bed shakily.
"Sorry, D... we had to pick up some refreshments." Pacey apologized.
"Is there something wrong?" Xander asked, trying to be casual.
Dawson half-nodded, half-shook his head, "I still haven't heard from Joey... and I called Bessie... she hasn't heard from Jo either."
Pacey stepped over and laid a calming hand on Dawson's shoulder, "Relax, D... she's probably just on one of her hiding trips. Remember when we were kids? If we ever did anything that upset her, she'd go off and hide from us."
Dawson didn't look relieved, "That *was* when we were kids, Pacey... and they never usually lasted longer than an hour or two."
Pacey tried to smile, "And she's grown up now, Dawson... she can travel farther away than down the street now. Her trips are bound to last longer." He shovedDawson back onto the bed, "Let's move onto another subject... can we get to the movies?"
Dawson nodded, still a bit reluctant. Pacey and Xander took their seats next to the bed as Dawson pull up the cassettes and explained the night schedule, "Well, I'm in the mood for a little horror slash comedy fix... so I thought we could go for a series of vampire and werewolf flicks." Xander had been taking a sip of soda, but proceeded to spit it out into the air at the mention of the topic. Pacey patted him on the back, having since discovered Xander's background, and tried to act cool.
Pacey scanned over the titles, 'Teen Wolf', 'From Dusk Til Dawn', and classic 'Dracula', "Interesting picks, Dawson..."
*CUT TO: Later on, after the sun had gone down. They were in the middle of From Dusk Til Dawn.*
"Oh man, that is so unrealistic." Xander unwittingly blurted out.
Dawson seemed oblivious, "The special effects for this movie were actually pretty top notch back when it came out..."
"Uh, yeah, I guess." Xander simply answered. Silence ensued for several minutes.
There was a sudden and unexpected knocking on the side of the window. It got all their attention. Dawson turned off the tape and called, "Who's there?"
"It's me Joey..." They all held their breath for some unknown reason, "...can I come in?"
Dawson was up off the bed instantly, "Of course, Jo, you're always welcome." Xander and Pacey exchanged a look. She stepped into the room cautiously, coming in backwards, and turned to look at Dawson. She still didn't see Pacey or Xander from their position on the floor. She looked the same as she always had, maybe a little haggard and unkempt, but the same Joey as the last time they'd seen her. Still, Xander picked up the distinct impression that something about her *was* different, and not in any good way.
She smiled, and there seemed to be a glow in her eyes, "Oh Dawson, I've missed you so..." She moved closer to him, grabbing him in a tight hug, "There's something very wonderful that I must share with you." As she pulled away from Dawson, a clump of dirt came falling out of her hair.
Xander chose this moment to speak up, "What, the wonders of dirt shampoo?"
Joey's head snapped sideways, and she looked at Xander with a scowl that could melt the polar icecaps. Her voice and face, while not changing physically, became more feral and angry, "What are *you* doing here?"
Xander stood up, pulling Pacey along with him, and commented almost to himself, "Obviously saving Dawson's life..."
Dawson was confused in all of this, as Pacey and Xander reached into their jackets and pulled out several items that looked like props from a vampire movie.
She growled fiercely, grabbing Dawson's throat and pulling her to him, "Angelus warned me about you." Her face morphed from the beautiful face of Joey Potter, to the ugly visage of the daemon that possessed her. Dawson looked up to see her face, and nearly fainted.
Xander and Pacey held up crosses, causing her to hiss monstrously, as she dragged Dawson out the window. She pulled him backwards across the small roof, and edged towards the ladder. She knew she wouldn't need it, but they would. She kicked it backwards to the ground, and smiled a twisted version of her lop-sided grin.
"Looks like you got us screwed now, dontcha?" Xander said distastefully, seeing their method of following her was lost. He reached into his pocket and readied a vile of holy water, "Looks like we'll have to screw you too." He reached back to throw the vile, but in a clumsy move, it slipped out of his hand and shattered behind him.
Joey smiled devilish, refraining from laughing at Xander's mishap, and started taking a step backwards off the roof. Her move was halted, however, by a whoosing in the air, and a dry thud on connection. Her grip on Dawson was released, as he fell to the roof, and she cast a glance downward.
A voice from below called out, somewhat cockily, "Not so fast, Trixie." Xander recognized it, and couldn't help by smile, and frown at the same time. It was Buffy.
Joey stared intently at the shaft protruding from her chest, long enough to bring her back to reality and realize she wasn't dust. Either she was an immortal vampire, or the bolt had missed its target. She wasn't going to put money down on the former, so she quickly dashed off the other side of the roof, and into the night.
*Commercial break*
*FADE TO: The present. Angelus' lair.*
Angelus was furious, and he was yelling up a storm. His vampiric visage had overtaken his face, and he was growling in the face of everyone around him. He finally came upon Joey, and his tone softened, but the anger in his voice was still very evident.
"You should feel lucky, *Josephine*, that I just happen to like you. If I didn't, you would be standing right now. You'd be drifting along with the breeze." His face hardened, "Just how did he happen to get free of your grasp? The last I saw, you had him securely pinned against that wall there." He pointed.
"He had holy water." She said weakly.
Angelus closed in slowly, examining her face, "And yet I see no burn marks."
She almost panicked, "He had a cross in the hand behind his back." She continued to excuse. She was startled as he grabbed at her blouse and tore it wide open, revealing her undergarments. Her torso remained in the perfect condition it always had been in.
His voice was low, "Next you'll tell me he put a stake in your heart." He growled in the same, low tone, "I'm being very good about my temper right now, Josephine. I want you to go to the library, and retrieve our boy Dawson's body."
She looked out the broken window, "But its almost dawn..."
"I didn't say now..." His voice almost sounded whiney, "They can have no affect on him until he awakens, so you will go that night and... persuade him to come to our side." He headed towards his sleep chamber, "You will take a couple of minions with you... I will not tolerate failure this time, Josephine. Come back with the boy, or don't come back at all." The door slammed behind him.
*CUT TO: The Library, a couple of days later.*
Giles slammed the book shut and let out a haughty breath. He looked tired and was not about to go out and prove the idea wrong. Xander sat down backwards in a chair nearby, obvserving the Watcher's expression and demeanor.
"Tough day at the office, G-man?" Giles nodded tiredly, "So what have we found out... I think you set a land-speed record for reading through that monster."
Giles eyes narrowed, "When the individual awakens, we are to welcome him whole-heartedly and make sure he doesn't slip into the bloodlust phase until *after* we have establish a trust with him."
Xander dropped his head and shook it from side to side, laughing in a semi-bitter tone, "Four-hundred plus pages to tell us to treat him like good old Dawson? Talk about long-winded."
Pacey walked up, hearing the conversation, "I'd hate to see the welcoming speech at your guy's 20 year reunion... It'd last 3 days..."
"Why did we have to end up with two Xanders in this group?" Buffy grumbled as she came over. No one responded as they all gathered around.
"How long do we have before..." Willow looked down at Dawson's pale form. They had since removed the terrorized look of his face, "...wakes up?"
"Within a few hours, I believe." Giles said, quite unsure.
Pacey leaned down, looking at his friend on the table. He sighed deeply, "I just hope we can get to you, D... cause I don't want to have to dust you."
"With any luck, you won't have to." Buffy said compassionately, for the first time since they'd met.
"I agree." Someone said behind them. They all turned around to see Joey at the doors of the library, flanked by three vampires. She had her lop-sided grin going in full force. She gave a nod, and the vampires began attacking the group.
Meanwhile, she made her way around the battle towards Dawson's body.
*CUT TO: Pacey standing by Dawson's body defensively. He's got a cross and stake in-hand. He sees Joey approaching and keeps her at bay.*
"Now what are you hoping to accomplish, Joey?" Pacey said, the tone of his voice showing his intent to defend Dawson to the end.
She smiled at his loyalty, "I'm taking Dawson home, Pacey." Her face reverted to that of the friend Pacey had had for so many years. Her voice became soft and pleading, "I can take you home too, Pacey... Its easy."
"I'd sooner die!" He spat.
"That can be arranged." A groggy voice growled. They both looked down to see a relatively angry looking vampire Dawson. He grabbed Pacey by the throat, and sat up, lifting Pacey up into the air.
"Dawson..." Joey said quietly.
His head whipped over, looking at her fiercely. His last memories of her were as she betrayed him and sent him to his death. His anger exploded, and in one quick motion, he snapped Pacey's neck like a brittle twig. He dropped the body harshly, and continued his rampage to the other side of the room.
Willow and Giles were busy dealing with a particularly fast vampire, and had no clue what was sneaking up behind them. They're deaths were quick and relatively painless, but quite messy. Dawson looked at his hands, covered in blood, and almost reveled in it.
The vampire his victims had been attacking looked at him appreciatively. It came over to pat him on the back, only to find its arm ripped straight from the socket and shoved through its chest.
Joey was close to screaming. This was not how Dawson was supposed to be... he was supposed to be kind and gentle, not *this.* She looked down at Pacey, and an overwhelming guilt passed over her. What had *she* become?
After quickly grabbing something off the ground, she rushed over after Dawson, who had his sights set on Xander. This lit yet another fire under her. She ran faster, and intercepted her former best friend right as he was about to strike.
He looked at her with an unbound rage, and took several swings at her. She dodged them barely, but still easily, looking at her friend sadly. She dodged around him, to stand behind him, and she said sadly, "I'm sorry, Dawson. I'm sorry for what I made you." He spun around, and was met with a stake directly to the heart. "You can't be like this." She said as he disappeared to dust.
Xander stood watching as this took place. Had Joey turned back? Why had she just done what she did?
There was no time for answers, as Buffy saw Joey standing near Xander with a stake. Her pause was merely momentary as she pulled up her crossbow and sent a bolt through the air.
It struck Joey silently, and accurately. She looked at Xander apologetically as she dissintegrated into ash before his eyes.
*CUT TO: A shot of Pacey from below. He's staring straight down at the camera. He has a concerned look on his face.*
"Hey, hey, Potter!" He exclaimed as he saw her coming to. "Welcome back to the world of the living."
*CUT TO: Shot of her on the couch, with Pacey sitting nearby.*
She jumped up off the couch, only mildly aware of the injury to her arm and the pain it caused. She observed her surroundings, and put up a hand to block the ray of sunlight that hit her in the face. The absence of smoke was a welcome sign to her.
"Jo, are you okay?" Pacey asked with concern.
She nodded weakly, wearing a thin smile on her face, "I'm fine, Pacey. And *boy* am I glad I met Xander Harris."
*FADE OUT with the strange look on Pacey's face.*
Yet another part done... my attempt at portraying a Wishverse. I'm not exactly sure how to spell Anya's demon name... if I got it wrong, let me know, and I'll change it. And as always, (though never stated before) feedback is welcome... as long as its constructive.
http://northernstar.8m.com/acos/ Its the page I put together about this particular series. I'd love to hear what you think of that too.