Disclaimer: None of the characters belong to me, they belong to those who own them. Only Catherine Tyler belongs to me so if you ever want to use her in a story, you sure have to ask me.
Note: Ok, this is the last chapter on this story, but the sequels will be following right behind it
Strength and Honor
Part 8 – Epilogue
By: Marcus
Buffy sat cross-legged on her bed, her pencil in one hand and her notebook in the other, her hand moving quickly with precision as she wrote her thoughts down, but her thoughts weren't totally hers from her current perspective.
~ These images keep flooding my mind, terrible things, and sometimes I see glorious things, beautiful things. But in the end it's always some atrocious horror that I've…they say that it wasn't me, and I wish I could believe it, but I committed these acts, I know it.
They try so hard to help me, and I love them all the more for it, they're more than just my friends, they're all the family I have left aside from Dawn and dad these days…considering dad, Dawn's the last blood family I have left actually. Dad didn't even come to my funeral, let alone try and help Dawn out while I was gone.
Now it's been three months since me quickening, I've learned from Angel to control my new violent tendencies, thank god. I'm still reeling from when I choked Xander and backhanded Catherine across the face. They say that all quickenings aren't like the one I had, mine was far different, totally one of a kind and that it won't happen to me again.I honestly don't care, not one bit that if one of two quickenings like this exist in this screwed up world. What I do care about is who carries them, I feel like there is some memories in my head that know what I write is true, others like Hunt might exist.
God help those who either fall in their path or take their heads.
Bu the crimes still make me cry at night, I don't let William see them, or anyone else, I won't have that, not on bit. My guilt is my own, they would think so differently of me if they saw what I see, they would take my head in a heartbeat. I know that's not true, just fear talking.
But I know that I can't let them use up all their time in just trying to help me when they can't help me, I know that would do anything to help me, that's true, and they would hel me for as long as it took as would I for any of them.
What I have to do now will be…hard for them, and for me. I just hope they can forgive me for it. ~
Buffy stopped writing as she read the pages she had just filled with her thoughts. She closed the book and placed it at the front of her, leaning down on her knees as she still contemplated what she was going to do. She got up off the bed after a few minutes and walked over to the closet, she walked a little slow, feeling tired still from what the others had done for her last night, a party.
'A party, oh boy.' She thought to herself, remembering the night, she did enjoy herself, they tried to throw her a good time, but deep down she was screaming to get away for a little.
Powers That Be Club (Downstairs)
"No, let's do something more easier going for her, doing party after party won't help." Methos said to Faith as he served a customer his drink and walked back over to her. Faith sighed as she tapped her palms on the bar in a rhythmic fashion "Yeah, sorry old man, I'm just a partying kind of girl I guess. What's your idea?" she asked.
Methos gave her a stare for a moment, he hated what Faith called him lately, and her need for nicknames had given him the name 'Old Man' now. He shook it off and smiled as he got the requests of another customer "Well, the way I see it, I've been wanting to try and teach her some meditation techniques, they do help for such situations as hers." He said, handing the beer to the customer and receiving the money for it.
Faith looked at him with a dulled expression "Meditation? C'mon old man, we're trying to help her, not kill her with total boredom." She said. Methos shook his head "If only you know the advantages of it, you would do it yourself kid." He said. Faiths expression turned to shock as she stood up on the bars of her stool "Who you calling 'Kid'?" she asked in a funny type of tone that sounded like giggles being held back.
Methos smiled as he went to washing the few glasses that were in the small sink by them. They looked to the stage as they saw Joe on there with his guitar while sitting on a stool as he played the blues, mainly something with a little more kick than his usual style. "Is Joe playing…ZZ Top?" Methos asked, nearly dropping his glass as he and Faith stared on. Faith had a more of a small dance going on in her seat as she liked what Joe was playing.
The song soon ended as people clapped at his talents, he stood up and smiled with a bow as he slowly walked off the stage and to the bar. Faith clapped as Methos shook his head with a dumbfounded look on his face "Joe, I thought I'd never see the day." He said as he just stood there.
Faith patted him on the shoulder as he took a seat next to her "Hey, I can't go a little loose sometimes?" he asked as Methos put the last of the glasses away on the shelve behind him. "Yes you can, but if you start singing the song 'Who Let the Dogs Out' I'm taking your head." He said as he smiled sheepishly and walked to the other end of the bar.
Faith giggled as she had an image of Joe in the music video. Joe shook his head as he sighed at Methos "Old people." He said with a grin.
He turned to Faith who leaned forward on the bar "So, where's Catherine? I thought she was working today?" Joe asked, looking around the club. Faith smiled as she thought of the other brunette slayer "Oh, she's gone out on a few errands, we…want to get an apartment." She said. Joe looked at her in surprise.
"Wow, already? I mean, that's great too." He said. Faith shrugged as she kept smiling "Well, when you're a slayer, you never know when one day could be your last so we really don't want to take too much time with some things." She said gingerly "I mean, I know we just met and what started off really turned into something, so why fight it right? We just want to go with it."
Joe nodded his head with a smile "Well, I'm happy for the both of you." He said, tapping her shoulder "So, you're gonna need some furniture?" he asked, going to help her out with things if he had too. Faith nodded "Yeah, Willow and Tara as giving us their sofa." She said. Joe raised his eye brows and nodded "Cool, but I thought they couldn't afford some new stuff just yet?" he asked.
Faith suddenly looked tense as she looked around the room "Well, uh…they kinda found out about our first time." She said "On their sofa." She added with a cringe of extreme shyness. Joe closed his eyes and raised his hand "I didn't need to know that." He said.
"Hey all, what's up?" Xander asked as he walked up behind them. Both looked up and smiled at him "Oh nothing much, just hearing stuff that my heart can't take." Joe said as he went to get a large drink from Methos. Xander too Joes seat as he sat next to Faith "What's up?" he asked, his hands together, feeling a little tense around her.
Faith felt relatively the same way, as she kind of bundled herself up. She nodded "I'm five by five." She said with a weak smiled. Both sat as an uncomfortable silence overtook them. "We have to talk." Xander finally said as he totally turned to face her, Faith did as well nodding her head "Yeah, we should." She said immediately after he spoke.
"Look, Xander, I never said I was sorry for that night when you and…me…you know." She said, putting her hands together in a sense repeatedly as she looked really nervous. Xander raised his hand "Hey, it's cool, we all got regrets, besides, it was pretty…good." He said, trying to help this odd situation.
Faith smiled shyly as she moved a strand of hair around her ear "Thanks…but I'm sorry that I tossed ya out after like that." She said. Xander nodded "Your apology is quite accepted, shake?" he said, holding out his hand to her. Faith smiled as she took his hand and they shook on the newness of a friendship.
"Hey, my Xander!" Anya proclaimed as she ran up and took a tight hug on Xander, Faith smiled as she let go of Xanders hand and let them go straight to the kissing as they usually did. "So what's up for this evening?" Faith asked "Aside from totally abandoning us to the bedroom." She joked. Anya looked away in surprise as Xander gave her a mock smile "Funny! How about a night out? Something to eat, walk around, kill a few things, talk?" he asked.
Faith nodded "I'm all for the slaying, but I'm not sure if that's something she ought to be doing right now." Faith said, worried again about their friends new tendency for extreme violence that even Faith couldn't match back in her old days. Xander nodded "Good point, how about we exclude that slaying part for now." he said, Anya nodding in agreement.
"Let's go find Angel and his group, see what they think." Anya asked as she pulled at Xander and Faiths collars. "Ack!" they gagged as they were yanked quickly from the seats without warning.
Angel was on the upper level with Gunn and Wesley, talking stuff about heading home sooner or later, their problems couldn't stay on hold forever, but they were left with the personal conflict of leaving Buffy while she was in her current state. "We can't just take off and leave her." Angel said, sitting back in his seat looking depressed as he sometimes did.
Wesley nodded his head, looking at him with an authoritative look "I understand that Angel, But the others are just as capable to help her as we are able to, and Wolfram and Hart will be on our case eventually if we stay here, and Buffy surely doesn't need that right now." Wesley said with just as much concern for her and their situation.
Angel nodded his head, Wesley was right, they had to go back to LA soon "Alright then, we leave at the end of this week right?" he asked. Wesley nodded as Gunn remained the silent person in this conversation.
Angel sighed, he hated the plan, but it had to be done, their time here was at an end for now "So, who's gonna tell Cordellia? You know she's going to be hesitant to go like me." He asked. Wesley nodded as he slouched in his seat, he knew that Methos and she had rather gotten attached to each other in the past few months.
The Magic Box
Giles was finishing up the inventory for the day, he was getting ready to close up the shop when he heard the ell at the door ring "I'm sorry, we're about to close." He said, turning around to find Catherine standing at the door with tattered clothes and blood all over her body.
"H-help." She said weakly as she tried to walk towards him, but her strength all but diminished as she collapsed to the floor. Giles ran towards her as fast as he could, he kneeled beside her, checking her pulse, it was strong, but weak as well for a slayer "Dear god." He whispered as he picked her up and walked back out the door to his car.
Soon after, all that was heard in the empty shop were the sounds of tires screeching as Giles sped off towards the hospital.
An hour later
"Where is she?" Faith asked as she burst into the emergency room with Xander and Anya with her, Giles was standing in the middle of the waiting room pacing back and forth. He struggled to hold her back as she tried to blow past him and into the operating room.
"Faith, stop!" Giles said as he and the others struggled to hold her back. "She's in surgery Faith, she took an immense beating." He said "And running in there won't help her right now." he added. Faith stopped struggling with them and stared at the closed doors, she could just see Catherine through the window of it asleep with Doctors around her, trying to save her.
"What happened?" she growled as she looked up at Giles. Giles shrugged "I'm not sure, she was mumbling something about the renegades while I drove her here." He said, removing his glasses and rubbing the bridge of his nose. Faith glared at him as she began to feel more and more enraged over this.
"Some of them might have gotten away and came back after Catherine for what happened to Hunt." Xander said, running a hand through his hair as Anya came up beside Faith and put a hand on her shoulder "She'll be ok, she's strong." She said as she led her to a seat.
Just then Wesley, Duncan and Spike ran into the room asking what had happened. Giles calmed them down as he told them what happened, and who she said was responsible. "Then they pay for it." They heard from the doors. They looked around to see Buffy standing there, looking at them blankly.
"What?" Giles asked, walking up to her. Buffy looked up at her "They'll come back to finish her off, I'll be here when they do." She said, tapping her coat where her sword was hidden underneath. Giles shook his head but her glare kept him silent.
"Buffy, you shouldn't fight right now, you're…" Duncan began, but Buffy's head snapped towards him, staring at him "Be…quiet." She hissed as she had already made her decision.
Midnight, Recovery room
Faith slept as she lay next to Catherine on the hospital bed. Catherine hadn't yet regain consciousness, but Faith had been talking to her anyway, hoping she would open her eyes and smile at her. She hadn't seen Buffy since earlier in the waiting room after she left, it was scary to her how much her personality would suddenly change sometimes.
She now slept closely next to Catherine, sleep had taken her an hour before, and she rested uncomfortably, but didn't seem to care as she was determined not to leave Catherine's side until they walked out of the hospital together.
But in her sleep she couldn't hear the door opening or the sounds of footsteps as unknown people entered the room quietly. These people wore black as they stood around the bed, all that were left of the renegades, six men.
"Kill them both." One said. As told to, one man reached into his coat and removed a short sword, he raised it over his head, preparing to kill the hospitalized slayer.
Just as they were about to wreak their vengeance on the just, the lights turned on. "What?" the leader of this group said as they turned to the door. They saw the slayer they dreaded standing there, her sword in her hand as she glared at them "Cowards." She whispered as she bolted towards them. The men had no chance as they were level to the ground in a heartbeat.
They did get back to their feet, pulling out their swords quickly as they turned to Buffy. Faith's eyes fluttered open and widened as she saw the six men and Buffy at the end of the room with her sword ready. "Fuck that." She growled as she took an empty I.V. holder and swung it at the head of the closest man to him.
He doubled over stunned as he fell tot he ground, Faith still beating him mercilessly with the long, piece of metal. The others turned to take care of Faith as they tried to swing their swords at her, But they hadn't Forgotten about Buffy either as two of them remained trained on the first slayer.
Buffy curled her middle finger at them with a scowl at them "Get over here!" she yelled as she ran towards them with a scream of near insanity. Her sword thrashed at theirs, sending them back with all the force she put into her attack.
Faith had stopped beating the one man and was now trying to defend Catherine against the other three that were attacking her with swords. She used the long metal to defend her and Catherine from the sharp blades. Faith saw an opening in their defense and jabbed the pole into the face of one of them, then as she took one out, the others fell too, their defenses opening to her easily.
But they had to get back up, scowling at her. Faith looked at her, she didn't know if she could beat them at these odds. Just as if an answer to a prayer, two of the men that were attacking Buffy flew and collided with two of the others attacking Faith. Faith smiled as she caught the third before her off guard and swung the pole as hard as she could. She felt the connection as a loud crack could be heard as it bounced off his head.
Faith smiled until she noticed blood running from the two that Buffy had thrown her way, her eyes probed carefully as she scanned their bodies, her chests had wide, open gashes along their torsos. She looked up to Buffy who stood there, staring at them with blood spattered all over her face and clothes.
"B-Buffy…what have you done?" she asked, pointing at them. Buffy remained silent, staring at the remaining men as she walked up to them and pulled out a dagger, not the one Amanda had given her, this one looked frightening with the curving of its blades.
"Buffy…" Faith said as she saw Buffy kneel by one of the men still alive who had regained consciousness and looked up at her, he looked in terror as she growled at him "Die." She hissed as she rapidly brought up her blade and repeatedly began to stab him in the face and chest long after he stopped screaming.
Faith covered her mouth with both hands as she watched with shocked and wide eyes as Buffy moved on to the others, it terrified her how she was actually murdering them purposely. She watched still as their blood flew all over the room, on Faith, on the walls, and all over Buffy.
"Stop!" Faith cried finally, her being covered in blood as she backed away from her friend. Buffy had her head lowered, her blood red hair now hung over her shoulders and face covered. And to Faiths shock she listened as Buffy began to laugh.
Buffy raised her head as she looked up at Faith, her skin red with crimson life as she stared at her with a frightening smile on her face "Only the strong survive." She whispered. Buffy stood up and began to walk over to Faith and Catherine with the dagger still in her hand. Faith brought up the metal pole as she looked over her shoulder to Catherine who was beginning to moan as her eyes began t move and slowly open.
She looked back to Buffy who was less than four feet away and still walking to her "Stay the fuck away from us!" she said as she held the pipe up. Buffy grinned with such evil that Faith knew something wasn't right, this couldn't be Buffy. "Die." Buffy whispered as she suddenly and quickly brought up her dagger and rushed for Faith and Catherine.
"NO!" Faith screamed as she closed her eyes and swung for Buffy's head. She felt the familiar thump in the pole as she heard the cracking sound. She opened her eyes to see Buffy staggering back with her eyes tightly shut and grabbing her head. She leaned against the wall as she slowly opened her eyes once more, looking at Faith and her terrified expression.
"F-Faith? Wha?" she asked as she suddenly noticed the bodies all over the room as if she had seen them for the first time. She suddenly looked all over the room in a panic, breathing heavily as she looked at the twisted and horrifying way the bodies were sliced up.
She tried to walk to Faith, her had stretched out, but Faith brought her pole up once more "Stay the fuck back!" she yelled as she looked at her in fear.
"What?" Buffy asked in confusion as she looked at her own body. The sight of her made her heart race even more, her memory clearing as she remembered what just happened "N-no! NO!!!" she screamed as she looked at her blood covered hands and all over the place.
Buffy looked around the bloody room as she continued to scream frantically. Faith kept her eyes trained on her as she was confused as to what was going on. Buffy cried as she shook her head, running her hands through her already blood red hair "I did it, I did it all! I'm a monster!" she screamed as she ran from the room and stumbled on the floor as she ran for the stairs, vanishing from the hospital all together.
Giles awoke to the sound of the phone ringing, he opened the lamp and picked up the phone "Bloody hell, who is this?" he asked, angry for being awaken from his peaceful sleep.
"Oh god Giles, she killed them, she KILLED THEM!" he heard on the other end from a frantic and terrified voice. Giles sat up in his seat as he was now fully awake "Faith? What are you saying? Who killed who?" he asked, trying to calm her down a little.
"Buffy! She killed them all, oh god, she almost killed Catherine and me too!" Faith said, crying and breathing heavily over the phone. Giles shook his head, Buffy? A killer? I can't be so.
"Faith, where is she now?" he asked urgently. All he heard were cries of tears as she tried to form words "I-I…" she tried to speak, but no words came.
Gilles nodded as he shook his head "It's ok Faith, I'm calling the others, we'll be there shortly." He said. He put the phone down as he contemplated what to do, he doubted that calling the police would be a wise choice as they would get involved in Slayer and Immortal affairs. He dialed the number for Joe and Ethan knowing that they would have an expertise in this area.
The Sunnydale Hospital
"My god, thank god no nurses were here at the time this happened." Joe said as he looked at both slayer and immortal watchers cleaning up and covering the dead bodies of the shredded and mangled renegades. Ethan covered his mouth with a cloth as he breathed slowly, the sight was unlike anything he ever saw.
Giles was out in the hall with Faith, the watchers had moved Catherine into the hall as they cleaned the mess in the room. "Oh god, oh god, oh god…" Faith kept mumbling to herself as the events were seared into her mind. Giles came up to her with a cup of coffee and sat next to her in the seat "Tell me everything that happened Faith, slowly and calmly." He asked, trying to figure out what happened and trying to keep her calm as he could at the same time.
Faith took a sip o the coffee as she kept her eyes straight forward, thinking "I woke when I heard yelling and people falling on the ground with a thump. I saw Buffy going against six of them. Three of them turned to me as the others went to her, one was already on the floor out cold. I took one of them out as Buffy eventually tossed the two on her into two of my guys. I thought that they were just out cold until I saw the blood pouring out of them."
She took a deep breath as she began remembering the horror that Buffy showed her "I-I looked up and she was spattered with blood. She walked over to the remaining renegades and pulled out a dagger as one was waking up, she said 'Only the strong survive' and started….oh god BUFFY!" she said, remembering the acts and burst into tears.
Giles wrapped an arm around her as she wept terribly "S-she said that and then murdered them all, stabbing them in the face and chest, cutting them open. Them she came after us, I…hot her over the head with the pole and its like she woke up, not knowing what was going on, and then she must have remembered 'cause she started to scream and look at herself. She said she was a monster and ran away in a blind panic." she said through her sobs.
Giles hugged her tightly and gave a kiss on the forehead "It's alright now, your both alive." He said "I'll be right back, I have to talk to Ethan and Joe about what you've just told me." He said, slowly leaving her side. Faith sat in her seat sipping her coffee with her hands shaking hard.
"F-faith?" she heard weakly from across the hall. She looked up to see Catherine looking at her as she lay on the bed. Faiths eyes widened as she bolted form the seat and to her side "Oh your awake!" she said as she took hold of her hand, Faith cried as she brought her lips to Catherine's and kissed her gently for a long moment.
Faith leaned back to smile weakly as she cried. Catherine brought her hand up to Faiths cheek and wiped a tear away "I know what happened, I heard it happen, I listened as you protected me and almost got killed." She said weakly, barely a whisper as she smiled at Faith weakly.
Faith nodded as she held onto Catherine's other hand tightly "Oh god I couldn't believe it…I…" she tried to find words, but Catherine's finger pressed against her lips "Shush now. It's going to be ok, we'll be ok alright?" she said to her. Faith leaned over her, gently brushing her face free of stray hair.
"Oh god I love you." Faith confessed to her as she cried softly. Catherine smiled as she wiped away another tear "I love you too, always will." She said. Faith smiled weakly as her eyebrows curved upwards as she cried softly still, she lowered her head again as she kissed her love once more.
Buffy's Loft
Willow opened the door quickly to her friends home as they all flooded into the loft. They had searched all over town and decided to check back here again for Buffy, Joe had called them and told them the story of what happened at the hospital, to say the least they were shocked and horrified.
Right now it was Willow, Tara, Xander, Anya and Dawn who searched the room, the others were still around town looking for her. "Where is she? It's been over two hours since it happened." Xander asked aloud in general as they searched the upper part of the loft and the rooms on the main floor.
"Guys, in here." Anya said, standing in the doorway to Buffy's room. They all gathered there to find a pair of bloodied clothes on the floor and other clothes tossed around the room.
"The bathrooms a mess to, its red all in the shower." Spike said, sneaking up on them. They all turned around in a jump as they caught their wits. "I found this here too." He said as he handed them a folder.
Willow took the folder and opened it, it was full of contracts and other paper work. She found a note addressed to all of them on the opened flap of it, she took the note carefully and read it. After a minute she put it back in the folder and looked at them all "Go find everyone and bring them here, I know why we can't find her."
30 Minutes Later at the Club
Willow sat cross legged at the table as the others walked into the club, sitting around her as she sat at the table with the folder open in front of her.
"Ok…this was left behind by Buffy, it's a note and property claims that she's leaving to us." She said. Everyone looked around to one another and to her, Willow took out the note and began to read.
~ Everyone,I'm leaving, don't try to find me, I have to atone for the things I've done, and I have to try and overcome this part of me that I can't control. I almost killed Faith and Catherine earlier when I murdered those men, I can't bear it if any of you were to fall before my…darkness.
Willow, I've enclosed everything you'll need to care for the club, it belongs to you now, my home is yours and Taras. I've given certain stocks that Joe and Duncan helped set up for me, there's enough for everyone that will help them for a long time to come.
Xander and Anya: I'm sorry big brother, but I can't be there for your wedding to come, I know you and Anya are engaged and all, but you have what love I have to give and best wishes.
Willow and Tara: Willow, you've been the closest person I've had as a sister like Dawn, I'm sorry I can't be there to talk and try and help you with stuff that gets on your nerves now. Tara, while I only met you less than two years ago, you've been a good a friend as Willow, take care of each other, my love to you both.
Giles and Dawn: Giles, you've been more of a father to me than my own was, and I always wished I could call you 'father' so many times, but I was so afraid, afraid that it'd ruin what we had. But now, I can't call you that ever for I'm no longer who you learned to love in that way. Dawn, my little sweet sister, I know that you of all people can find me in a heartbeat, don't, I couldn't bear it if you died at my hands. You two are my family, I love you both so much.
Spike (William): When I first met you I though you were just some other vampire who came along. But soon after you were one hell of an enemy. Over the past few years you've become more than I ever imagined. I never imaging that I'd fall in love with you, and I still do love you. Keep your promise to me, to protect Dawn, protect them all now, even if it's from me. I love you.
Angel: Angel, I write this to your group. I wish I could have taken the time to know you better since you left Sunnydale to LA, I wish I could have watched you and Cordellia change for the better in ways I would have never guessed, I'm proud of how far you've all come.
Gunn, Wesley, Winifred and Loren, you four are their good friends, you aid and speed them on their way as you stand along side them, watch over for them while they can't do it themselves. You're amazing people, you have the courage to live in this world, to watch over others who don't care. Yet you do, because its something that has to be done. Keep up the good fight, and watch over them.
Duncan, Amanda, Methos and Joe: You four, I'm glad you found me, and that I met you. When you found me Duncan, I thought I was going to hell, and you brought me to heaven with life once more. Amanda, you taught me that sometimes that…doing the wrong things can be a good thing in the way you do it. Methos, I've never met a soul more…human than yours, I hope we meet one day, but if it comes to it, I want YOU to take my head.
Joe, oh Joe. You've given me so much in my life this year, a bar, business and a life to live. But the most important thing you've given me was…your friendship. Until we meet again my friend.
Ethan: You're a pain in the ass, I'll say that, but you've been a good ally in my life of a slayer, and for that I'll always look to you for help
I love you all…goodbye.
Buffy
Willow out the letter down and leaned back in her seat, she remained silent as she stared at the note before her. Everyone kept silent.
"I'm not going to fulfill her request." Methos said suddenly, keeping his eyes trained at the note before Willow. Everyone looked at him "What request? Her head?" Xander asked curiously. Methos shook his head "No, if it comes to that, I will grant her that mercy. I'm going to set out and look for her." He said.
Everyone was shocked to hear him say that he would take her head if it came to it, but they agreed with the other thing, they found it a good idea to search for her. "We agree." Ethan said aloud "The resources of the watchers are at your disposal Methos." He said offering his aid to their mission.
Methos nodded as he looked to the group "I could use some help." He said to them, looking for anyone who would volunteer to help him. "I'll come with you Methos." Cordellia said as she stood up and walked over to him. Everyone else kept silent until Giles stood up "As will I, Buffy said she couldn't call a father, I disagree with my daughter." He said poetically.
"Ok, we can look after Dawn then." Xander said as Anya nodded along with his decision, she enjoyed Dawns company, so it was a sure thing with her.
Methos nodded "Alright, anyone else?" he asked, seeing as Giles, Cordellia and he were open for one more person. "We will." Faith said as Catherine walked in beside her with her arms over her lovers shoulder, helping her up. Ethan immediately objected "What? But then the Hellmouth will be unguarded without a slayer." He said urgently.
"I can hold the fort with the others." Willow said, standing up to Ethan with a feeling of greater authority. Ethan though over about Willow, she was a powerful witch, and Tara and she had taken on most of the demons out in that street battle a few months back "Very well." He said "Our people will be on stand by if they are needed." He said.
"Alright then, we leave within the week." Methos said as he found himself with one more than expected, but she was more than welcome. Methos walked out the door as Cordellia followed him.
"Hey, are you alright?" Cordellia asked as she saw him lean back against the wall and nearly break down before her. Methos shook his head and took hold of her, hugging her tightly "I don't think I could take her head." He said, breaking down in her arms. Cordellia held him and she heard small sounds of his cried break through "Shhhhh, it's ok, it won't come to that." She said. She only hoped it was the truth.
Elsewhere
~ I go where the wind takes me now, Where I go I know I'll be needed, my life has taken its turn for the worse, and now I have to find a way back out of this pit of darkness and evil that has devoured me.
My destiny still remains unchanged, I am the slayer, one of the chosen now.
Buffy closed her notebook and stowed it in her bag on the empty seat next to her on the bus. She just chose a random place to go and got on the bus. She knew that the road ahead of her was a long one. 'Years to go, miles to walk' she thought to herself. But for now, she just had to take the first few steps.
"May the powers that be guide me." She whispered to herself as the bus sped on out of California and to where ever the wind took her.
End
Note: Ok everyone, this is it for this series, I'm now writing the following sequel. The name is still not quite decided, but you'll see it if you have me on author alert! 'Miles to Atonement' is what I'm aiming for, each chapter will be a story crossover with another show or movie, so I hope you'll enjoy them, I posted what shows I have for sure so far in the last part.
So I hope you'll keep with me when I start it up! I love you all for reading my story and reviewing it with great words and that gives me a lot of confidence to write more!
So, Hope to hear from oyu all very soon!
Later
Marcus