CHOICES – A Buffy/ Angel Saga Chapter 012

First of all I would like to take this opportunity to extend my heart, love and prayers to all those who are struggling with loss and those struggling to move forward in the wake of the horrific tragedy that befell not only Americans but the world. I hope you find the hope and courage and strength you need to continue on. I will always remember where I was on Tuesday September 11, 2001.

CHOICES – A Buffy/ Angel Saga

Chapter 012 – The Essence of the Slayer

As Buffy followed her crew, her family out into battle she hoped that everyone remembered the plan they had devised only very early that morning. Willow and Tara were to perform the ritual spell that would vanquish Ha Nachash and Oz would be their power center. Everyone else had been instructed to watch each other's backs and fight to kill. Most of all they were told that Riley was not Riley anymore and that they were not to trust him and to defend themselves readily.

Buffy only hoped she could once again plunge her sword through another lover. Her head and heart were muddled and confused with a barrage of emotions barreling through her. She'd had so much happen to her in such a short amount of time that she hadn't been able to process it all much less deal with any of it. Truth be told she had been in somewhat of a daze since this whole thing started. She only hoped that when it mattered the most she would come through for those that mean the most to her.

She was still contemplating that when she saw the first of Ha Nachash's demon warriors strike a blow against Xander and Cordelia.

It was in that moment that time stopped for Buffy. In the second the demon had Cordelia in it's decomposing paw and she had heard the meaty smack of the other paw colliding with Xander as he came to Cordy's aid everything stopped. Buffy reached deep inside of herself. She waded through the doubt and guilt and sadness and uncertainty. She pushed past the fear and self-pity until she found the anger. It was her anger, her inner demon and she drew on that, drank from it until it burned through her like fire in her veins.

Angel had turned to see Cordy and Xander attacked and saw Buffy just standing there. He couldn't understand why she wasn't doing anything and he started to head in their direction when Buffy looked up and he could swear he saw Buffy eye's burn amber a moment before she moved faster than he had ever seen her move before. In the blink of an eye she had covered the distance between her and her friends and she had decimated the demon and then moved on to cut through the demons and vampires that still loomed before them.

Buffy left in her wake a bloody twitching trail of demon corpses and vampire ash. Giles and Angel watched in awe as Buffy became the visceral warrior the Slayer was born to be, her animalistic battle cry resonating through the blackened sky striking fear into the hearts of her enemy.

When Ha Nachash's number's had been depleted sufficiently Buffy returned to instruct her group. She stood before them covered in blood, dirt and ash. Her clothes torn, her skin covered in abrasions and bruises. Her eyes still glinted gold, her breathing was coming quick and her body quaking as the adrenaline still fiercely pumped through her tiny frame.

Angel watched as Buffy delegated her troops for the second phase of their attack. She had come full circle and had become the Slayer she was meant to be. She was a vision of exquisite perfection. I'd love you even if you were covered in slime.

"Okay Wills, Tara, Oz I need you to work the voodoo you do so well. Spike and Giles watch them. Kill anything that threatens them, protect them at all costs."

"With my life." Spike affirmed.

Buffy ran her fingers through her matted hair and turned to the others.

"Okay guys this is the moment of truth. Angel and I will take down Ha Nachash. I need the rest of you to make sure nothing sneaks up from behind. I don't know what else the bastard has up his sleeve so be careful. Attacks can come from all side including above and below. Protect yourselves, I expect you all to still be standing when this is over."

Buffy looked over at Angel.

"That goes for you too. I expect you won't do anything foolish. We have unfinished business. I've already been to hell and back for you I don't relish doing it again."

Buffy started to walk away but after a few steps she paused.

"But I would, in a heartbeat I would. I love you."

Angel felt his eyes tear and his undead heart clench at her words.

"I love you too Ionuin, a ghra mo chroi"

"That's beautiful. What does that mean?"

"You'll have to come through this alive to find out now won't you."

Buffy grabbed her weapons and headed towards her destiny. Angel and the others followed spread out and a little ways behind her so that they would have the element of surprise if need be.

Buffy clutched her broadsword in her hand as she marched towards Ha Nachash's lair. It was the same sword she'd used when she had sent Angel spiraling to hell. Acathla had since been destroyed so no other overachieving demon could play 'let's destroy the earth'. Buffy had kept the sword for reason's unknown to even herself except this compulsion that demanded she keep it.

The weight of it was comfortable and familiar in her grip as she walked and remembered the conversation she'd had with Giles in private a few days earlier, just before she had discovered Angel's latest secrets.

~

"Buffy can we talk a minute?"

"Yeah sure Giles."

Giles led Buffy out to the garden where they could speak in relative privacy. When they were seated and Giles was satisfied that they were alone he turned to Buffy and looked her in the eye a moment a wondered if he could really have this conversation with her.

"What is it Giles? What's going on?"

Buffy could see the look in her Watcher's eyes and knew whatever it was he was going to say it would be serious. Her suspicions were confirmed when Giles took his glasses off and nervously wiped away non-existent dirt almost compulsively. Buffy reached her hand out and placed it atop of Giles's hands. He stopped wiping his glasses and looked up into Buffy's eyes, tears glistening brightly.

"Tell me."

"The only way for Willow and Tara to use the ritual Ha Nachash must be removed from the host's body. The only way to do that I'm afraid is to kill the host body. You have to kill Riley in order to kill Ha Nachash. He knew that and that is why he chose someone from your group."

"You are absolutely positive that killing Riley is the only way?"

"We have researched everything on this demon and it is very clear about this. When this demon infects a host body it's like a disease and the host body must be completely destroyed. There is no way to remove the entity with severe damage sustained to the host and there is not much guarantee that he would survive anyway."

Buffy swallowed back all she was feeling. She had been here before. She had faced this very moment already and she had come through. She would do it again. She had to.

With a look of hard determination glinted in her eyes she turned to Giles and flatly stated.

"All right then, I kill Riley."

Buffy stood up and walked towards the wall. She didn't want Giles to see the tears that were forming in her eyes. She was breathing deeply trying desperately to keep the hysterical sobs she felt in her chest at bay. She was the Slayer. She was strong. She fought demons no matter the form they presented themselves in. She had killed Angel for the sake of the world so realistically she could kill Riley. She was the Slayer. She was strong. Right?

Buffy felt Giles presence directly behind her and he barely had placed his hand on her shoulder in a show of support when she turned and fell into him. Her legs had buckled under the strain of her own weight and Giles had just barely able to pull her into him as he gently lowered them both to the ground, Buffy's tears soaking his shirt as he rocked his Slayer like the child she never got to be.

Slayer and Watcher sat on the dank cold floor of Angel's wilted and dark garden and they clung to one another, both lost in their tears as the mourned for all they had lost because of their calling, both crying over what they stood to loose in the battle that loomed before them.

~

Buffy had held out hope that Riley could have somehow been spared but Giles had told her what she dreaded to hear. It didn't matter now. Nothing mattered now except ending this. Buffy knew from heart wrenching experience that wishful thinking and prayers to gods did nothing to change the reality of the situation.

Buffy walked up to the front door to Ha Nachash's lair. Three vamp guards stepped forward licking their lips hungrily.

"Well I am impressed princess. Didn't think you would get this far but I'm awful glad you did cuz sitting here waiting to see if you'd show has made me really hungry."

"If you think you can handle this then step right up."

The vamp started to advance on her, the other two hanging back.

"Oh come on don't be shy or don't you think you handle little ole me?"

The other two vamps closed in on her as well and Buffy dropped into a fighting stance.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Willow and Tara had set up the supplies they needed for the ritual in the clearing where Buffy had left them. They had busied them selves preparing and waiting for the signal from Buffy to begin. It was the waiting part that was killing them.

Willow was worried for Buffy. She knew that this whole thing had been weighing heavily on her and that when this was over nothing was ever going to be the same again…for any of them. She hastily brushed away a tear that had leaked out of the corner of her eye.

She hadn't let anyone know that participating in the bonding ritual with Buffy and Angel had somehow given her a connection to Buffy. She could feel what Buffy was feeling. It wasn't a clear connection like what Angel had with Buffy but it was there none the less and it made this whole thing all the more frightening for Willow and now the moment of truth so close at hand Willow was near trembling in her overwhelming feelings of fear and doubt.

Willow near jumped out of her skin when a pair of arms wrapped themselves around her waist. She tensed ready to fight but then she relaxed as she realized whom it was that held her so securely.

"Oz." She breathed.

"Hey, you okay?"

"I'm fine."

Oz spun Willow in his embrace and lifted her face to his own. His eyes searched hers and he cradled her face in his palms.

"You don't look fine Red." He said as he wiped away another telltale tear from her delicate cheek.

"I'm fine really just leave it okay."

"Willow you can't fool me."

"Oz just drop it okay. I'm not doing this now. See this, this is resolve face. You've seen it before, you know what it means."

Oz continued to stare into her eyes saying nothing. She tried to remain impassive but her resolve broke and her face scrunched up and her tears came forth and Oz pulled her into his sheltering arms and held her close until the waves of despair and grief were manageable again.

When Willow's tears had stopped and her trembling ceased she looked up into the face of her heart's fiercest love. She knew that after the battle she would have plenty of her own issues to work through.

"Feel better?" Oz smiled down at her. Gods I love you.

"Yeah much. Thank you." Gods I love you.

Willow reached her hand up and caressed his face and he closed his eyes and turned into her touch. It had been so long that either of them had really had the simple pleasure of being just like this and they both missed it and each other fiercely. So much so that the next thing Willow knew Oz's mouth had covered her own and she was lost in the healing touch of his kiss as they tumbled backwards to the ground.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Buffy brushed the latest bit of vampire ash from her.

"Why the hell can't they ever explode downwind?" She grumbled to herself.

She pushed open the door and surveyed the area. She knew the Ha Nachash had Riley's military experience and he also knew at least some of her moves.

Good thing I have a whole new bag of tricks then. She thought to herself as she crept stealthily down the halls keeping to the shadows.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Angel and his group had situated themselves outside in clusters of two just to be safe. Four eyes were better than two. When Angel was sure they were set up as per Buffy's instructions Angel headed in towards Riley's/Ha Nachash's lair.

As he covered the distance between himself and the building he remembered what Giles had told him.

~

"Angel Riley must be killed in order for the ritual to work. If Buffy can't do it then you must."

"So then there's a bright side to this ordeal." Angel quipped imaging rending the boy in the most painful way possible.

Giles gave Angel a stern look and Angel was instantly penitent. Well at least outwardly he was, inside his demon was rejoicing.

~

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Buffy had made her way towards the antechamber and stopped just outside the doors.

"Angel? Angel can you hear me?"

"I can hear you Buffy. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. I'm outside the antechamber. I'm going in. How close are you?"

"Turn around."

Buffy turned to see Angel heading up the hall towards her. She reached out and took his hand and gave it a little squeeze before watching him melt into the shadows. Buffy then leaped straight up and flipped herself up onto the balcony ledge just above the entranceway.

Buffy pressed her ear to the door and she could hear voices inside but they sounded distant. She held her sword at the ready and carefully opened the door. She checked the upper balcony of the room for minions and saw that there was none although there was a convergence of demons on the floor below her.

She was suspicious though of the extreme lack of guards that would prevent an attack form above. Before she could decide what she was going to do a somewhat familiar voice drifted up to her.

"Ah Buffy. I was wondering when you would get here."

Riley's voice came through although distorted with the demons own voice. The sound their two blended voices made sent shivers up Buffy's spine. It was something akin to nails on a chalkboard.

"Well I'm sorry if I've kept you waiting."

"Join me won't you?"

"I'll be right down."

Buffy tossed her sword into the air and then vaulted herself over the wooden railing. She sailed through the air and landed steadily in a crouched position and when she stood she caught her sword in a move of pure grace. Her every movement was fluid, her body lithe and predator like. Confidence radiated off of her and her eyes glinted with a determined anger as she swung her sword to the ready.

Buffy stood before Ha Nachash and stared at him through Riley's eyes.

"How does it feel to know you're going to die?" She asked almost absentmindedly.

Buffy wasn't surprised when the demons laughter echoed throughout the hall. Demons all did think themselves omnipotent.

"I could ask you the same." He chuckled. "Because I most certainly am not going to die."

He gave a motion with his hand and several of the demons and vampires skirting the edge of the room began to creep forward. Buffy moved with lightening speed and ducked down as the first made to grab her. She shot her leg out and knocked the demon to the ground and was upright just as the second demon grabbed her from behind the third, a vampire, coming at her from the front.

Buffy leaned back against the demon that restrained her and kicked her legs up at the vampire hooking one foot around the back of its neck and the other at his chin and simultaneously kicking and twisting violently. The sickening crack of the bones breaking viciously was only outdone by the fleshy sound of skin tearing as the vampires head was pulled clean from his shoulders.

When Buffy had her feet planted on the ground once more she flung her head back reveling in the satisfying loud crunch of bones giving way beneath the weight of her head. The force of the blow made the demon let go his crushing grip on her arms. Buffy immediately spun and lodged her fist into the beast's throat, its windpipe collapsing with the blow. She then reached down and retrieved her lost sword and took pity on the useless bleeding creature before her and beheaded it.

She casually walked over the first demon she had dropped. It was lying on its back and Buffy nudged it with her foot.

"Come on wakey-wakey."

Ha Nachash regarded her curiously.

"Why do you want it to wake? Wouldn't you rather kill it while it isn't able to defend itself?"

"Nah."

The demon opened its eyes and gazed into the Slayer's face a moment before she plunged the sword into its head.

"I want them to see it coming."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Angel was in the shadows on the outskirts of the room waiting for the moment Buffy needed him. Although he had to admit she was handling herself pretty well. He had opened himself totally to her so that she could draw strength from him if necessary. He was concentrating so hard on Buffy that he didn't hear the demon slip up behind him until it was too late to do anything to defend himself from the blow.

"Buffy!!!"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Buffy heard Angel's plea but it never showed on her face. She wouldn't show weakness. She wouldn't give him any fuel against her. Buffy instead closed her eyes and reached down inside of her self and again found that anger. She went further than that though she reached into Angel and drew from him. She drew from his strength, his love and from his demon.

"I take into myself all that my soul's bound mate is. I draw on his strength, I draw on his love and I draw on the darkest core of his being. Let two become one our energies fused. Let our souls unite."

When her eyes opened again they blazed the golden amber of Angelus as she pulled his demon into herself. She set her glare upon the remaining minions and before they could run they were slaughtered. Angelus bellowed heartily, reveling in the kill. Demon blood ran a new down Buffy's arms, once again seeping into her clothing as she turned to Ha Nachash.

"Well it would seem that it's just you and me." Buffy hooked her fallen sword with her toe and flicked it upwards into her hands.

"It would appear that way wouldn't it, however you shouldn't always believe what you see."

Without giving Buffy time to understand his little riddle he lunged forward his fist connecting with her cheek and sending her reeling backwards. Buffy however quickly righted herself and the two battled it out in a flying frenzy of kicks and twists and punches and a myriad of weapons, makeshift and otherwise, at their disposal.

The confrontation raged for what seemed like hours before Ha Nachash had Buffy pinned in a corner her own sword being waved in her face. Buffy was tired and bone weary. She wasn't going to last much longer if she didn't catch a break soon. However as she sat crouched on the floor before Ha Nachash in his gluttonous bragging of his impending defeat of the Slayer

"So here it ends. No weapon, no friends, no hope." He says eerily quoting Angelus from years ago as he waves the tip of the sword in her face. "So what do you have left?"

Buffy closed her eyes as Ha Nachash thrust the sword home intending to impale her through the head when the forward motion of his sword was abruptly severed.

"Me." Was Buffy's reply now as it had been all those years ago when she was in the very same predicament, staring down the same outcome.

Buffy clasped her hands around the blade of her sword stopping it a mere inch from her face and then with a flick of her wrist she sent the hilt of the sword barreling back into Riley's face.

That was satisfying when it was Angelus but it is liberating now!

As Ha Nachash reeled backwards Buffy wrenched the sword away from him. She quickly turned the tables on him and had him in a vulnerable position, sword raised for the killing blow. Ha Nachash looked up into Buffy's face through Riley's eyes and Buffy faltered only for a moment.

"You can't do it. You can't take his life." He laughed. "I knew this would be your downfall. I knew when I reached into this pathetic humans mind that you couldn't take his life. Love weakens you."

"Oh but your wrong. Love strengthens me. I loved Angel and I sent him into hell on the end of my sword. I sacrificed my sister Slayer for the greater good. My feelings for Riley only make me want to put him out of the misery your presence in him creates. I know it must be a shock to both you and Riley but I am the Slayer and I vanquish evil no matter how it is housed. Say goodnight."

With that Buffy raised her sword and took Riley's head clean off of his shoulders.

"Let the evil be released from the innocent. May the demon be vanquished from this plain."

Buffy then spoke a few words in Latin and the sky outside burst into a fiery display of light.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Willow was wrapped up in the warm embrace of Oz, taken back to a time and place when everything was good when the sky exploded in color. The pair jerked apart in surprise and awe.

"I guess that's our cue." Willow whispered.

"Guess so."

In an instant Willow, Tara and Oz had taken their place in the circle they had made on the ground with blessed salts. They all took hands and Willow and Tara began to chant. Giles and Spike stood at the ready as the ritual began.

"Goddess Isa give us your power, show us you glory. Take of mine offering and vanquish the evil that would destroy us on this night." Chanted Tara.

"Goddess Hecate let your essence flow. I am your vessel. I beseech thee to do my bidding tonight to banish the demon back to the realms of hell from whence it came."

Then both girls began to chant in Latin and suddenly both Tara and Willow's eyes went black and a ball of light began to grow in the circle they hand formed. A few more words in Latin and then…

"Isa, Hecate as I will it so shall it be." Shouted Willow and Tara simultaneously.

Their heads leaned back and the ball of light grew and then exploded and the group of them was thrown backwards from the blast.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Buffy sat back and watched as a light permeated the side of the building. The whole place shook as the light began to devour the essence of Ha Nachash. The place began to shake and bits of debris began to tumble down around Buffy as she took off outside.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Angel shook his head and instantly regretted it as his skull began to pound from the blow he had sustained. It took him a moment to realize that the building he was in was quaking unsteadily and awash in brilliant light. Angel dove through a window just as pieces of the roof above him came crashing down.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Xander and the others watched from their posts outside as the light show light up the sky. However when the ground began to quake beneath his feet he shouted a retreat to the others. Xander dove for cover as the building behind him came crumbling to the ground.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The silence that fell in the pre dawn hours was deafening as the Scooby's all gathered their wits about themselves and started searching for their friends amidst the destruction.

Buffy crawled out from beneath the wreckage and debris of the fallen building. She immediately began to search for her friends. She could see Xander and some of the other's in the distance and she headed towards them tears of relief streaming down her face.

They had defeated the evil. They had averted another apocalypse. Once again the Slayer and her motley crew known as her Scooby gang stood undefeated. Buffy only prayed that Riley was the only one sacrificed in the battle.