Learning to Live Part 2
"OK…talk."
Thad chuckled at her show of impatience. He looked down and chewed on the inside of his lower lip as he tried to think of where to begin.
"This place" he began, gesturing to this palatial home "is where I exist. There is the reality you come from, the afterlife, and this is the doorway between."
"I follow." Buffy looked into his eyes, trying to figure out just what he was.
"When you died…again…It was…meant to be." He said, putting emphasis on 'again'. "But it is not what is best for the world. Though you did sacrifice your life, you were also giving up just a little bit."
Buffy sneered at his insight. She couldn't figure out whether she was mad at his words or at him for knowing what she didn't.
"I…we can't just let you go that easily. I know that there is pain in your world. A great deal of it, but…I have brought you hear to allow you a second chance to make that decision to die."
Buffy's jaw had dropped. Was he actually able to send her back home?
"Now, don't get too excited yet." He added, knowing the speed at which her mind was racing. "The choice is not that obvious…it never is."
Buffy had to chuckle herself at the comment.
"You don't say?"
Thad ignored the comment as he continued. "Out side of this house are the decisions you must make. It all depends on which door you use."
Buffy sighed, "Don't start with that 'confusing demony talking' thing."
Thad looked embarrassed, "Sorry…can't help it sometimes. It comes with the job."
Buffy smiled slightly. "Yeah. Well, at least you aren't as confusing as that Whistler guy."
Thad looked away again with a grin. Buffy moved her head, trying to look him face to face. She noticed him nodding his head slightly.
"Sorry about that. Whistler is a good guy, but his methods annoy even me."
Buffy's face held a quizzical expression and Thad realized she was about to ask him questions he didn't want to answer. He continued quickly.
"You noticed the beach earlier?" He started. Buffy nodded her head and looked out at it again.
"It's beautiful…" He tired voice cracked slightly.
Thad looked longingly in the same direction. "Yes. Isn't it though?"
There was a short silence as they each took it all in. The smell of Buffy's perfume wafting by as she rose and walked to the door brought Thad back to the conversation.
"Don't open that door yet." His voice came off a bit more frantic than he would have liked and it frightened Buffy slightly.
"Why?" She asked.
"As I told you before, this is the place in between." Buffy stopped just in front of the door but did not look back at him as he spoke. "Out there is the peace. The release of death and the afterlife."
Buffy crossed her arms as a tear slid down her cheek. "Don't I deserve that?"
Thad looked down solemnly. "Of course."
"Than why not just walk out there?" She paused for a second. "Is that where my mother is?"
"Yes. But once you walk out that door you commit yourself to the afterlife and, regardless of what you may think, there is not return from that place."
Buffy looked down at her feet.
"Let me guess…I step out the front door and I'm back in the world of the living, right?" She offered.
"No." He stated flatly. "You'll be on my porch. But yes, that is the door to use to go back to the world of the living. The decision is yours. I will offer no sway to either direction. You have earned your peace, but that is always waiting for you. You, unlike every other man woman and child in your reality, have that choice to make."
"No pressure there." She said as she looked back out the window, mesmerized by the rhythmic pounding of the waves.
With a quick turn she started back towards where Thad sat waiting.
"If I go back…what then? Do I get Angel back? Do I get my mom back? What's in it form me?" He voice was cold and angry.
Thad looked into her flashing eyes and noticed the redness in her cheeks. He sighed. "I can guarantee you nothing. Life is pain. Life is hard. Nothing is certain except for the fact that you will keep fighting. Maybe for the rest of your life."
Buffy snorted at the lack of lies in his argument and turned back toward the Beach. Thad rose quickly from his chair to stop her.
"The true test of your character comes now. You must make your own decision, but be sure to consider the good you can do in your reality. A true test of a hero does not come by sacrificing life and love for the greater good. It comes by sacrificing everything with no assurance of success." With that he disappeared, leaving her alone.
Buffy looked down again as she stood in front of the door to the beach, holding the knob firmly.
The door opened and Buffy stepped out onto the front porch of the beach house. She smelled the sea air looked out at the street running in front of the house.
"Good choice, my child." Thad said from the swing beside her.
Buffy looked at him squarely and smiled. "Thanks for the advice."
"What's a father for?" He replied. Then noticing Buffy's jaw had dropped, added "That was metaphorical."
Buffy smiled again and started down the steps toward the street. She stopped near the bottom and turned.
"You seem to know Whistler. How?" She asked.
This was the question he was waiting to hear. He smiled and crossed his arms, standing at the top of the steps.
"I guess you could say he works for me."
Buffy turned her head and glanced at the mailbox. The name on the top read 'Powers, Thad'. Buffy's face went blank as her head snapped back around to face him. The grin on his face answered her question, but she asked anyway.
"Do you happen to have a middle initial?" She asked, noticing how bright everything was now becoming.
"B. But it doesn't mean anything…" He chuckled as Buffy's vision was covered in white light.
"You son of a –" and suddenly she was standing in darkness. Her eyes adjusted to the change in light and a familiar face stared back at her. It was Spike, mouth agape. His eyes were wide open, and his cigarette was falling out of his mouth.
Buffy smiled. "Hey You!"
Spike stood frozen as Xander appeared behind him, mirroring his face. Then Xander fainted.
TBC