##
EPILOGUE
##
"The Needs have been Met."
"The Two have become One."
"The Players are in Place."
"The Line has been Drawn."
"The Battle is Set."
Vera sighed tiredly at the Oracle and gave it a smile. Then she walked into the bathroom and vomited for what was to come.
##
"I'm sorry…"
Angel looked up from his desk to see Darla sitting on the corner. She wouldn't look at him.
The tall dark vampire sighed tiredly, then spoke.
"I forgave you long ago, Darla. I just didn't realize it. And…we're even. The second I…staked you, we were even."
"No, but-"
"We're…EVEN…" Angel told her, allowing for no argument. He knew what she was going through, and this was how he had to be.
Darla's eyes opened wide, and then she gave him a nod as she got up from the desk.
She walked upstairs without a word.
She never noticed the young man waiting in the shadows of the office.
"You were a bit cold to her, weren't you, Deadboy?"
"That's the way I had to be. If I drew it out, it would only hurt her more."
"You'd know, eh?"
"Yeah."
There was a pause as the two men stared at one another.
"You were right."
"I know."
The vampire raised his eyebrow, which brought a smile to Xander's face.
"I'm not trying to stick it in your face, cause I certainly didn't know either. I was…that's how things had to be."
"I know." Angel replied, echoing the young man.
Another pause struck the room.
"We're in a war now. You're starting…whatever you started…in a war."
Xander smiled at Angel.
"That's okay. We're always in one war or another. And things like…what I have…only make you stronger…they make you fight harder."
"Yeah."
"And…are you prepared to fight?"
The young necromancer looked down, then turned his eyes to the vampires, his eyes now full of blue fire. Soon, the flames licked him up and down like a loyal beast. He didn't need words to answer.
"I'll fight. As much as I don't want to, as much as I wish that I could just settle this all with words, I know that I can't. The Battle is Set."
The last sentence rang around the room, unchangeable…unstoppable…
"Indeed…" Angel agreed.
"Will you help me fight it?"
The vampire nodded.
"As will the Scoobies, the LaVelles, and those at G&D…"
Angel nodded again, knowing the words to be true.
"Then I'm ready. Let it begin…"
THE END
EPILOGUE
##
"The Needs have been Met."
"The Two have become One."
"The Players are in Place."
"The Line has been Drawn."
"The Battle is Set."
Vera sighed tiredly at the Oracle and gave it a smile. Then she walked into the bathroom and vomited for what was to come.
##
"I'm sorry…"
Angel looked up from his desk to see Darla sitting on the corner. She wouldn't look at him.
The tall dark vampire sighed tiredly, then spoke.
"I forgave you long ago, Darla. I just didn't realize it. And…we're even. The second I…staked you, we were even."
"No, but-"
"We're…EVEN…" Angel told her, allowing for no argument. He knew what she was going through, and this was how he had to be.
Darla's eyes opened wide, and then she gave him a nod as she got up from the desk.
She walked upstairs without a word.
She never noticed the young man waiting in the shadows of the office.
"You were a bit cold to her, weren't you, Deadboy?"
"That's the way I had to be. If I drew it out, it would only hurt her more."
"You'd know, eh?"
"Yeah."
There was a pause as the two men stared at one another.
"You were right."
"I know."
The vampire raised his eyebrow, which brought a smile to Xander's face.
"I'm not trying to stick it in your face, cause I certainly didn't know either. I was…that's how things had to be."
"I know." Angel replied, echoing the young man.
Another pause struck the room.
"We're in a war now. You're starting…whatever you started…in a war."
Xander smiled at Angel.
"That's okay. We're always in one war or another. And things like…what I have…only make you stronger…they make you fight harder."
"Yeah."
"And…are you prepared to fight?"
The young necromancer looked down, then turned his eyes to the vampires, his eyes now full of blue fire. Soon, the flames licked him up and down like a loyal beast. He didn't need words to answer.
"I'll fight. As much as I don't want to, as much as I wish that I could just settle this all with words, I know that I can't. The Battle is Set."
The last sentence rang around the room, unchangeable…unstoppable…
"Indeed…" Angel agreed.
"Will you help me fight it?"
The vampire nodded.
"As will the Scoobies, the LaVelles, and those at G&D…"
Angel nodded again, knowing the words to be true.
"Then I'm ready. Let it begin…"
THE END