Displaced (CH5 - Conclusion) Death, Itself

By obi's girl

A mischievous smile appeared on Buffy's lips as she faced Angel. She knew it had been a long time since she had seen him and now she knew he was human, this was the only thing she could possibly think of to test if he could stand being human. Angel nodded, lunging at her from across the room. "Come on, Slayer. I know you can do better than this."

Buffy nodded no, gripping her stake, lunging back at him. He caught her arms, holding her close. She laughed, "Like you think you can better than me? I was born for this."

"If you were born for this, why hold anything back? Unless you're scared to tap into that power, little girl." Angel mused, whispering in her ear.

She smiled, locking his arms, flipping him over. Buffy straddled him, pointing the stake to his heart. "That's it. No more games."

He laughed, "And I was just getting started..."

"Yeah, so was I but I'm finished." She shot back, dropping the stake. Buffy leaned down, kissing him. "Oh God Angel, I missed you. I missed you so much."

"Me too."

Buffy turned her head, sensing someone else in the room. She nodded no to Him. She jumped up, glaring at Death. Angel frowned, sitting up. "I don't get it...Was it something I said?"

She nodded no, grabbing a towel. "It's nothing you did, Angel. It's him." Buffy replied, gesturing to Death.

Angel scanned the room and shrugged, smiling back at his love. "Nobody here, Buffy. Is somebody here? Someone you met in the afterlife?"

"Death. He's here...right over there."

He shrugged, walking over to the side mat, looking around and nodded no. He turned to Buffy, smiling, "Nothing here. Just mats. No Death. Buffy, this is crazy. No one's here. It's just us."

The Slayer shook her head furiously, dropping the towel. She walked over to him and kissed his cheek, glancing at Death and growled. "Is he still here?" he asked.

Death smiled, looking at one of the dummies. "Oh, don't mind me. Pretend like I'm not even here."

"Yeah, he's still here. He's always here. He never goes away, even when you want him too." Buffy spat, facing him, "Why are you still here? I thought I told no more games."

Angel frowned, backing up a bit from her. Buffy didn't even look at Angel. She just nodded, furious she was locked in this Hell all alone. "Why don't you just leave me alone? I don't need you as my guide. Go away!"

Death stopped looking at the dummy and walked towards Buffy, brushing against her left side. "You need me. I can't leave you until my work is done, until your work is done."

"I can't believe this! I don't believe this. What work? What the Hell are you talking about?" she paused, tapping her foot, crossing her arms, "Is there something I'm supposed to be doing?"

He smiled yes, "Now, you're getting it."

"What work? What am I supposed to be doing?"

He remained silent, staring back at her. Buffy threw up her arms, grabbing her coat and water bottle. "Forget it. I'm tired of this. You say you're my guide but all you do is speak in riddles and I'm sick of it!"

"Oh come on, Slayer. Think."

She turned to him, nodding no. "All right. You're tired and angry. I understand that. If you were like this up there to them, how are you going to handle the death of someone close to you?"

Buffy froze, grabbing hold of Angel. "Close to me? Who? When?"

"Buffy, what's going on?" Angel cried.

She ignored his question, glaring at Death.

Death nodded, folding his hands, "That's for you to find out. I can't help you there. This is your journey, your road. It always has been. I've helped you on occasion but mainly it's been you." He paused, fiddling, "I wish I could tell you who it is you're going to lose, but I can't. It's part of the rules. No names. I'm just here to help them pass over without incident."

"Then how am I supposed to who it is? You have to give me something, a clue, anything? How am I supposed to help the person if I don't know who it is to help."

"Know who what is? Buffy?" Angel added, glaring at the nothing where Death was supposed to be standing.

He looked back at her, adjusting his tie. "You know who it is. You've known all along; you just didn't listen."

Buffy was about to laugh at his riddle but realized who it was. "No! I won't allow him to pass over. You have to stop this. I can't lose him."

"Pass over? Someone's a Jewish holiday?"

"No names, remember. I'm only here to help the Dead cross over. Nothing else. Sorry, but there's nothing I can do. He's fated to die and there's nothing you can do about it."

Angel nodded, "Buffy, what's happening? What did he say?"

"No, I won't allow this to happen!" Buffy cried, running out of the Danger Room. Angel nodded, running after her.

**

"Buffy, wait!" Angel yelled, running after the blonde. She turned to him, nodding no. "What's going on? What did he say to you?"

Buffy didn't reply; she just shook her head, running out of the Magic Box, down Main Street. Angel only nodded, wandering what could possibly make her freak out so badly. "Death, show yourself!"

He turned around, scanning the shop but nothing. "Forget it. If you're going to help, forget it. Stay Death, stay dead!" he yelled back, shrugging.

**

"Giles! Giles, are you here?! Giles?" Buffy cried as she slammed the door open to her Watcher's apartment. If this were the reason why she came back, to witness the death, the demise of her own teacher, she'd rather be dead.

Buffy shook her head, running into the kitchen, calling her watcher's name. Nothing. Her face began to grow pale as she called out his name again. Still nothing. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she struggled from the kitchen to the stairs, running up to the loft. "Giles?! Giles! Giles!" she cried. Nothing; only silence. "Oh God, maybe I'm too late. Maybe he's all ready gone."

She stood there for the longest time, staring at the room. Finally, she walked over to the bed, falling onto the pillow crying. "Oh God Giles, I am so sorry. I am so sorry. I was too late and now you're dead, away from my life forever. I am so sorry!"

The blonde jumped when the phone rang. Her shaking arm, which was latched onto the pillow, struggled to pick to the phone; her eyes glistened gray. "Hello."

"Buffy, it's Willow. Something's happened...Giles, he..."

"I know." She said blankly, "Just tell me where he is."

Willow didn't reply for a moment. "Buffy, had a heart attack.... He's dead."

She muffled a cry, putting down the phone on its cradle. Buffy stood up, walking slowly down the stairs and out the door.

**

Death followed Buffy as she walked down the street. She walked mindlessly, only following where her feet took her. Her world was crushed and there was nothing she could to reverse the nightmare. Why? He was her teacher, her father. One word: Dead. It seemed impossible, unthinkable. For years, they had lived in this protective bubble, protecting Giles from harm...the Watcher's Council mainly and now, all her work was finished. There was nothing left for her to do.

"You can still save him, you know. It doesn't have to end like this." He mused.

Buffy nodded, rounding a corner to Willow's apartment, where she assumed her friend called from. "Leave me alone. I have nothing else to give, to do. Leave me." She whispered back.

"I am not your enemy, Buffy."

She stopped, turning to him, an angry expression on her face. "Not my enemy, not my enemy? You took him away from him. You took away the only person I ever really considered family, a real father to me and you took him away. How can you call yourself my guide if this is the pain you cause me?!"

"I know I hurt you, but Buffy, this was his time. It was fated."

"Bull! He was my father and you killed him." She shouted back, causing people passing in the street to stare at her. Buffy nodded no, waving Death away.

Death shook his head, removing his watch from his pocket. There was still time. He looked up but she was gone. "There's still time. You can still save him. It doesn't have to end like this, you know!" he shouted back.

**

Anya looked up when she heard the door slam. She glanced at Xander; he didn't look up, only stare at Giles' dead body, lying in the middle of the floor. "Willow, she's here!" she called up to the Wicca.

Buffy stared at Giles' body before kneeling down, kissing his forehead. Death appeared behind her, kneeling as well. "You said I can still save him. How?" she questioned, not looking back.

"It's not you, really. It's me but if I do, I'll be breaking severe rules. I'm not supposed to make exceptions..."

"Do it." She commanded, standing up. Buffy turned around, facing him. "Give him back to me. Please."

Death raised his hand, placing it over Giles' forehead as Buffy stood back, watching. Willow, Anya and Tera entered. Willow glanced at Buffy, noticing she was transfixed on something. She was about to question but Tera nudged her. She turned, gazing at Death.

"What's he doing? Is he going to take Giles' spirit way?" Willow questioned.

Buffy didn't reply. Death lowered his hand to Giles' chest, yellow light shimmering from his hands. He glanced up at Buffy and she nodded. Death looked down again, as Giles' stomach raised. His eyes fluttered open, staring at the ceiling. Buffy knelt down next to him, as the Wicca's stood aghast. Anya rolled her eyes, before fainting on the floor. Buffy grabbed his hand, kissed it and smiled.

Death stood back. "I'm going to get into a Hell of a lot trouble because of this, you know."

She turned to, smiling gratefully, "Next time I'm up there, they can punish me all they want...but thank you. Thank you."

**

Buffy sent Giles to check into Sunnydale Memorial, accompanied by Willow while Tera stayed with Xander and Anya. Buffy stood in the back yard with her arms wrapped around her waist as Death approached her. She smiled thankfully, though not facing him. "Honestly, thank you for this."

He hesitated, "I broke a lot of rules because of that."

She laughed, "Yeah, so have I." Facing him. "Really, thank you. You'll never know how much this means to me that you gave him back to me."

"I like you, Miss Summers. You're not like the other girls." He paused, "If it ever seemed like I was an annoyance to you, it was only because I didn't want to see you make the wrong choice."

"I know that now." She mused, walking closer to him. Because Buffy was shorter than he was, she had to look up at his face. "I know you never meant to cause me any grief and pain --- and I know I probably wasn't the nicest person to deal with; I'm sorry."

He smiled, touching her cheek. "You really are special, Buffy. Your gift as the Slayer, it isn't a curse, even if you think it to be. It's not."

She looked down, "Before you leave, I just have some questions; two actually."

"Yes, speak up girl. What is it?"

Buffy smiled, "Am I popular up there? I mean, do they know about me?"

"Oh absolutely." He grinned, "You're all they ever talk about." He leaned in, whispering, "I think even John has a crush on you."

Buffy blinked, "John? You mean the Apostle? Wait a minute, isn't he the cute one?"

Death nodded yes, "Now, what was your second question?"

"Why did you come here, I mean, besides acting as my guide? Why not send an Angel or something? Why you? Why did they send you?"

He smiled, blushing sheepishly, "Because they didn't send me. I came because I had heard about you; well stories anyway. You see I had been watching you for a very long time, Buffy...since you were first called. When you defeated the Master, I knew you were the ** one **. The one to stop the evils of the world, and quite honestly, the one to put me out of a job and that scared me, but it also made me proud and very fond of you."

Buffy smiled, "You like me? You have a crush on me?"

Death shrugged, "I wouldn't say that; more like a fascination - but not a crush. I'm Death, remember."

"Right. Well, anyway, thank you." Buffy mused, extending her hand to him. "It is all right if I shake your hand, right?"

He smiled, taking it gladly, "Of course."

"And, one more thing, I don't ever want to see you again."

"Hmm. Watch me." He snickered back, disappearing. "I'll be back; you can guarantee it. Things are just getting interesting."

Buffy smiled, walking back into the house.

The End

(And He will be back; I can guarantee that)