Part 7
AU The Magic Box
Christmas Eve
6:45pm
Buffy and Angel come back into the shop. Angel forces Buffy into the head seat.
"Spill," Angel said.
"What? I explained everything," Buffy replied.
"I think you may have left out a few minor details," Angel said. "So I want the whole story. Everything that happened between you and this Xander guy."
"He was kind of hot," Dawn, said with a smile on your face. "Did you date him?"
"No," Buffy said. "We were just friends."
"Pitty," Laney said. "He seemed nice. Him jumping in, risking his life to save yours and all."
"Wouldn't be the first time," Buffy said.
"So you going to tell us everything this time," Angel said.
"The day before the Master rose and killed me, Xander asked me to the spring dance. He was so sweet when he asked me," Buffy said. "But I rejected him. I couldn't say yes, because I didn't feel the same way."
"Because of me," Angel asked.
"Yeah," Buffy said. "Anyway…he found out that I was destined to die and he freaked out."
"We all did," Angel said. "I was in my apartment brooding."
"I know. Xander went to you to get you to help him take out the Master. You agreed, but when the two of you got there, I was already dead."
"And Xander brought you back," Dawn said.
"Yeah. That summer I visited my dad. When I came back I treated him like dirt and used him to get Angel jealous."
"Did it work," Laney asked.
"No."
"So you used him for nothing. Hurt his feelings for nothing," Angel said. "How could you do that? He's your friend."
"I felt bad, but we got passed it. We rebuilt our friendship. Angel and me started dating and on my birthday we…"
"Did the no no cha-cha," Laney said.
"Yes," Buffy said. "That made Angel turn evil. He killed our friend Theresa. When see her at the wake, Xander was with me. Angel turned her and she took me by surprise and almost killed me, but…"
"Xander killed her before she got the chance," Wesley said.
Buffy nods.
"I take it that's not the only thing Xander did to help you," Willow asked while wiping her glasses.
"The swim team was being turned into fish creatures by the coach."
"I remember that," Jesse said. "Kendra made me go undercover."
"You weren't under much from what I heard," Laney said.
"The coach," Buffy said loudly to get them focused. "Knocked me out and put me in a pit with those things. Xander pulled me out, saving my life…again. After that, he was always helping me. I hurt him numerous times after that. But not once has he left my side or hurt me."
"Then why did you wish he never existed," Wesley asks. "It seems to me you had a wonderful life with him in it. From the what you told us earlier and now, you are lucky to have had someone like him."
"I was," Buffy said sadly. "But then he hurt me in a way I never thought possible."
"What happened," Jesse said softly.
"When we fought Glory, to keep Dawn from killing herself, I gave my life to save hers. Willow, Tara, Anya, and Xander did a spell to bring me back."
"He brought you back to life," Angel said. "Why be upset?"
"I was in Heaven," Buffy said simply. "I felt no pain, no fear, nothing bad. Then I was torn out of there by him and my friends."
"That part you left out," Wesley said. "Why didn't you tell us?"
"I just did…that's why I haven't been myself around my friends. Spike told me I didn't come back right. And when he was able to punch me without feeling anything, he was right. I came back wrong…I'm not human," Buffy said.
Jesse raises his hand.
"Question," he said. "Why are you talking like Spike like he's your buddy."
"He got a chip in his head thanks to a government agency. He can't hurt people. But for some reason, he can hurt me."
"How did he come to this conclusion," Wesley said. "It may have been an isolated incident."
"We always fight before we…never mind."
"Oh my God," Angel said.
Buffy looked up and saw the same hurt in his eyes she saw in Xander's eyes.
"You slept with Spike?"
"It's just…when I was pulled out of Heaven he was the only one I could connect with."
"But Buffy," Jesse said. "He's a vampire. No matter how you look at it. Chip or not, a part of him is still evil. That'll never change."
"And why couldn't you go to Xander," Willow said. "He seems to be there when you need him the most. By the sounds of it, you need him now more than ever."
"He sounds like the type of guy who tries to keep you from slipping into the darkness," Angel said.
Buffy got up and went into the training room. Laney follows her.
"They're right," Laney said.
Buffy grabbed a crossbow and a few stakes.
"I'm going patrol. I don't want to deal with this now."
"You're not going alone. Spike is out there."
Buffy tosses her the crossbow.
"Let's go then," Buffy said.
"You know we're not done talking about all this," Laney said as they left.
"I know," Buffy said softly.
Sunnydale Memorial Cemetery
8:00pm
"You know," Laney said. "It is Christmas Eve and very early. I don't think there's going to be much action tonight."
"So, we'll pass the time. Tell me about yourself."
"Well, when I was 14 my parents died in a car accident. I was in and out of Foster care until I made here to Sunnydale a couple years ago. I found out I was the slayer. My first duty: Stop the apocalypse. These three evil demons tried to open it. With the help of Jesse, Angel, and the others we stopped them and saved the world. Wesley adopted me. Last year, these monks made Dawn my sister. Glory wanted her, but we stopped her."
"How?"
"We killed Ben after we found out he was Glory. He kidnapped Dawn, Wesley and Willow did a locating spell, we tracked him and stopped him."
"So, you didn't die?"
"Not yet…Wesley is a good Watcher. He's like a father to me."
"Yeah. The best Watchers and Slayers have that kind of relationship."
"What's your watcher like?"
"Giles? He's a lot like Wesley is…but he left me. When I needed him the most."
"Why? Why would he do that," Laney asked.
"He thought I could handle things by myself."
"He must have a lot of faith in you. He probably just wants you to grow up and start being an adult."
"Maybe. I just…need someone I can talk to. Spike's the only one I can talk to. I don't know why."
"Don't know either pet," Spike said from behind them. "But you know what? I don't bleeding care."
The two ladies turn around.
"I see you're boyfriend isn't here to save you this time," Spike taunted.
"That wasn't my boyfriend," Buffy said.
"So I was attacked by some random friend of yours…bloody perfect. No matter. I see him. I'll kill him," Spike said. "But you ladies are first."
"You'll try Billy Idol," Laney said pointing the crossbow at his heart.
"Now, now," Spike said. "Name calling is just plain rude. Right Dru."
"Right Spikey," she said from behind the girls.
They turned around and Dru knocked them to the ground. The crossbow falls the ground in front of Spike. He kicks it up and catches it. Drusilla has Laney around the throat while 3 vampires are holding Buffy.
"Oh Laney," Spike said. "We had so much fun these past couple months. You beat me, I beat you. Now it's time for someone to die."
He points the crossbow back and forth between Laney and Buffy.
"Innie, Minie, Miney…"
He points and shoots when he says, "Moe."
End Part 7
AU The Magic Box
Christmas Eve
6:45pm
Buffy and Angel come back into the shop. Angel forces Buffy into the head seat.
"Spill," Angel said.
"What? I explained everything," Buffy replied.
"I think you may have left out a few minor details," Angel said. "So I want the whole story. Everything that happened between you and this Xander guy."
"He was kind of hot," Dawn, said with a smile on your face. "Did you date him?"
"No," Buffy said. "We were just friends."
"Pitty," Laney said. "He seemed nice. Him jumping in, risking his life to save yours and all."
"Wouldn't be the first time," Buffy said.
"So you going to tell us everything this time," Angel said.
"The day before the Master rose and killed me, Xander asked me to the spring dance. He was so sweet when he asked me," Buffy said. "But I rejected him. I couldn't say yes, because I didn't feel the same way."
"Because of me," Angel asked.
"Yeah," Buffy said. "Anyway…he found out that I was destined to die and he freaked out."
"We all did," Angel said. "I was in my apartment brooding."
"I know. Xander went to you to get you to help him take out the Master. You agreed, but when the two of you got there, I was already dead."
"And Xander brought you back," Dawn said.
"Yeah. That summer I visited my dad. When I came back I treated him like dirt and used him to get Angel jealous."
"Did it work," Laney asked.
"No."
"So you used him for nothing. Hurt his feelings for nothing," Angel said. "How could you do that? He's your friend."
"I felt bad, but we got passed it. We rebuilt our friendship. Angel and me started dating and on my birthday we…"
"Did the no no cha-cha," Laney said.
"Yes," Buffy said. "That made Angel turn evil. He killed our friend Theresa. When see her at the wake, Xander was with me. Angel turned her and she took me by surprise and almost killed me, but…"
"Xander killed her before she got the chance," Wesley said.
Buffy nods.
"I take it that's not the only thing Xander did to help you," Willow asked while wiping her glasses.
"The swim team was being turned into fish creatures by the coach."
"I remember that," Jesse said. "Kendra made me go undercover."
"You weren't under much from what I heard," Laney said.
"The coach," Buffy said loudly to get them focused. "Knocked me out and put me in a pit with those things. Xander pulled me out, saving my life…again. After that, he was always helping me. I hurt him numerous times after that. But not once has he left my side or hurt me."
"Then why did you wish he never existed," Wesley asks. "It seems to me you had a wonderful life with him in it. From the what you told us earlier and now, you are lucky to have had someone like him."
"I was," Buffy said sadly. "But then he hurt me in a way I never thought possible."
"What happened," Jesse said softly.
"When we fought Glory, to keep Dawn from killing herself, I gave my life to save hers. Willow, Tara, Anya, and Xander did a spell to bring me back."
"He brought you back to life," Angel said. "Why be upset?"
"I was in Heaven," Buffy said simply. "I felt no pain, no fear, nothing bad. Then I was torn out of there by him and my friends."
"That part you left out," Wesley said. "Why didn't you tell us?"
"I just did…that's why I haven't been myself around my friends. Spike told me I didn't come back right. And when he was able to punch me without feeling anything, he was right. I came back wrong…I'm not human," Buffy said.
Jesse raises his hand.
"Question," he said. "Why are you talking like Spike like he's your buddy."
"He got a chip in his head thanks to a government agency. He can't hurt people. But for some reason, he can hurt me."
"How did he come to this conclusion," Wesley said. "It may have been an isolated incident."
"We always fight before we…never mind."
"Oh my God," Angel said.
Buffy looked up and saw the same hurt in his eyes she saw in Xander's eyes.
"You slept with Spike?"
"It's just…when I was pulled out of Heaven he was the only one I could connect with."
"But Buffy," Jesse said. "He's a vampire. No matter how you look at it. Chip or not, a part of him is still evil. That'll never change."
"And why couldn't you go to Xander," Willow said. "He seems to be there when you need him the most. By the sounds of it, you need him now more than ever."
"He sounds like the type of guy who tries to keep you from slipping into the darkness," Angel said.
Buffy got up and went into the training room. Laney follows her.
"They're right," Laney said.
Buffy grabbed a crossbow and a few stakes.
"I'm going patrol. I don't want to deal with this now."
"You're not going alone. Spike is out there."
Buffy tosses her the crossbow.
"Let's go then," Buffy said.
"You know we're not done talking about all this," Laney said as they left.
"I know," Buffy said softly.
Sunnydale Memorial Cemetery
8:00pm
"You know," Laney said. "It is Christmas Eve and very early. I don't think there's going to be much action tonight."
"So, we'll pass the time. Tell me about yourself."
"Well, when I was 14 my parents died in a car accident. I was in and out of Foster care until I made here to Sunnydale a couple years ago. I found out I was the slayer. My first duty: Stop the apocalypse. These three evil demons tried to open it. With the help of Jesse, Angel, and the others we stopped them and saved the world. Wesley adopted me. Last year, these monks made Dawn my sister. Glory wanted her, but we stopped her."
"How?"
"We killed Ben after we found out he was Glory. He kidnapped Dawn, Wesley and Willow did a locating spell, we tracked him and stopped him."
"So, you didn't die?"
"Not yet…Wesley is a good Watcher. He's like a father to me."
"Yeah. The best Watchers and Slayers have that kind of relationship."
"What's your watcher like?"
"Giles? He's a lot like Wesley is…but he left me. When I needed him the most."
"Why? Why would he do that," Laney asked.
"He thought I could handle things by myself."
"He must have a lot of faith in you. He probably just wants you to grow up and start being an adult."
"Maybe. I just…need someone I can talk to. Spike's the only one I can talk to. I don't know why."
"Don't know either pet," Spike said from behind them. "But you know what? I don't bleeding care."
The two ladies turn around.
"I see you're boyfriend isn't here to save you this time," Spike taunted.
"That wasn't my boyfriend," Buffy said.
"So I was attacked by some random friend of yours…bloody perfect. No matter. I see him. I'll kill him," Spike said. "But you ladies are first."
"You'll try Billy Idol," Laney said pointing the crossbow at his heart.
"Now, now," Spike said. "Name calling is just plain rude. Right Dru."
"Right Spikey," she said from behind the girls.
They turned around and Dru knocked them to the ground. The crossbow falls the ground in front of Spike. He kicks it up and catches it. Drusilla has Laney around the throat while 3 vampires are holding Buffy.
"Oh Laney," Spike said. "We had so much fun these past couple months. You beat me, I beat you. Now it's time for someone to die."
He points the crossbow back and forth between Laney and Buffy.
"Innie, Minie, Miney…"
He points and shoots when he says, "Moe."
End Part 7
