Divine Intervention:
Welcome to Hell (CH2)
By obi's girl
"Jack? John? Where are you guys? Jack?" Buffy cried as she stood up from the ground. She heard screams of pain and torture. Hell. She gazed around. There were dark caves, three in fact but which one lead the way to Hell, the real Hell. The Slayer nodded as both Jack and John appeared, shimmering out of nowhere. Buffy nodded to the three caves. "Which way do we go?"
John shrugged, glancing at Death. "The Caves of Fate. I hate this part." He paused, raising his hand, searching the caves. He scanned each one before resting on the third cave on the right. "The right. I'm sure."
Buffy glanced at John. He only nodded as she walked forward, suddenly stopping. She turned back to them, "Wait a minute? Right, you said?"
"Yes."
The Slayer dropped her sword, raising the crossbow off her shoulder, shooting it into the right cave. Fire shot from the cave. Buffy dropped to the floor, rolling over. She huffed, glancing at Death. "This is Hell. Things that might be right, could be wrong."
"Are you saying our right, the right we perceive to be right would be left down here?" John questioned.
"Exactly." Buffy replied, pointing to the left cave. "Right is left, and middle goes nowhere." She glanced back at the two men before shooting an arrow into the cave. No harsh reply. She was right. Both John and Death smiled, walking cautiously behind Buffy, entering Hell.
**
"They made it!" Jesus cried, watching the threesome enter Hell. "She is a smart one." Judas huffed, causing Jesus to look back at him. "Something wrong, Judas?"
"The Caves of Fate are easy, but getting across Devil's Sea won't be."
"She's the Slayer. She won't fail. Angel's life depends on it." Peter added.
He still grunted, watching the Slayer, Death and John come upon Devil's Sea.
**
Buffy frowned, turning back to them. Death shrugged, scanning the area for a boatman. He spotted a humpback in robes, marking names down in a book. He turned, seeing the shadow over him. His eyes widened, recognizing the dark angel. "Jack!"
"We need a boat to get across. Can you help us?" Jack replied, oblivious to the old man.
He shrugged, glancing at Buffy and John. "Who are they?"
"The girl's dead. The boy, he's.... Never mind, can you help us across or not?"
"You have money. I can't help anybody if they don't have the money to pay. You know the rules. Take it or leave it." He growled, returning to his book. "Just because you're Death doesn't mean you get a free ride, ya know. You still have to pay. No money, no ride across, no deal."
Buffy crossed her arms, stepping forward next to Jack. "Look little man, we need to get across and you're going to help us."
Sharon laughed, but silenced once Buffy pointed the sword to his neck. "All right, all right. You don't have to be violent about it. Put down the sword. The last thing I need is the Sea polluted by my blood. The Big Guy hates that. He wants to keep it clean, shows what he knows. Everything down here is disgusting anyways. A little blood spilled here won't help to improve the environment, ya know what I'm saying?"
"Whatever. Get us across." Buffy growled, still pointing the sword.
Sharon scrambled to his feet, grabbing a large sickle, shutting the book closed. He climbed into the boat - Buffy, Jack and John right behind him. He grabbed a stick, lying on the side and began to row across Devil's Sea. Buffy sat on the left side of the boat, placing the sword at her feet. Jack gasped, settling down next to her.
"You worried about him, aren't you?"
"How could I not be, Jack?" she shot back, "I'm sorry. It's just, Angel - he was my first love. I have to find him, Jack. I'm not leaving here without him."
"We'll find him, Buffy. I promise." He smiled, glancing at John. The Apostle only rolled his eyes as Sharon came to the other side. He stood up again, walking off the boat. Buffy stood up as Sharon held out his hand to her. Buffy frowned, walking off the boat, bypassing Sharon's hand, Death and John following behind.
Sharon shrugged, switching the sickle from one hand to another. "Anyway, you got off easy this time but next time - money. No money, no return. And oh yeah, be careful of lost souls down here and demons. They're a nasty bunch. Eyes and limbs falling out everywhere - it isn't pretty." With no reply, Sharon turned, rowing across again.
Buffy huffed, glancing at John. "Hey, do you even talk or are you just gonna walk where we walk?"
John smiled back, removing his hands from his robes. "Sorry. I didn't think you'd want my impute."
"If I didn't think you would be helpful, you would still be up there." Buffy replied, turning, "Besides, if the sword ever goes bad, we could always use you as a back up."
"Thanks." John mused, walking behind Jack.
**
"They made it!" Andrew cried as a lone woman with golden hair, like Buffy appeared. Joyce Summers. He frowned, nodding to Jesus. Jesus saw the woman, gesturing she come forward.
"Where's Buffy? I was told she was here. Where is she?"
Jesus gestured to the well. Joyce walked over, gasping for air, seeing her daughter walking through Hell, John and Jack at her side. She looked back at them. "What happened? Why is she down there?"
"Angel. He committed suicide in life. Buffy's going to bring him back, if she can." Peter replied.
Joyce turned back to the well. The three of them stopped, coming upon a steep rift. "Come on, Buffy. Come on."
**
Buffy froze, dropping the crossbow. She knelt down, putting the sword on the ground. Jack knelt down next to her, saying it was an impossible jump. But she refused, walking back a few paces, estimating how long a jump she would need to get across.
"Buffy, its suicide!" Jack called but she ignored him, running forward, flinging herself across the rift. Joyce closed her eyes, unwilling to watch. No sound. She opened them again, to see Buffy safely on the other side of the rift.
"It isn't hard. Come on!" she yelled back.
Jack shrugged, beginning to shimmer but nothing happened. He nodded to John. John tried to shimmer across but the same happened. They looked at each other, then back at Buffy. A three-headed wolf was heading straight for her.
**
With Andrew, Peter and Jesus by her side, Joyce yelled, "BUFFY!"
**
Buffy heard the cry, looking around for the owner of the voice, until resting eyes on the three-headed dog. "Oh. Not good. Really not good."
"Buffy, we can't get across to you!" Jack yelled, eyeing the dog.
He barked at her, snapping at her feet. Buffy drew back, breaking off some rocks, using it as a knife. As the dog attacked, Buffy drove the rock into its belly, pushing the dog into the rift. Joyce smiled, glancing at John and Death. "Are you sure you can't get across?" Buffy yelled back.
Jack nodded yes, "Our powers are useless down here, Buffy. I should have realized that. Go on!"
"No, I'm not leaving you!" she shot back, looking around for another way. "There has to be another way. Look for another way."
John shrugged, looking around for another possible way while Jack closed his eyes, trying to shimmer across. He shimmered momentarily, but his powers were still weakened. "Oh come on! I'm Death. This shouldn't happen." He glanced at John, getting an idea. Death grabbed the sword, slinging the crossbows over his back and grabbed the man's hand, successfully shimmering across. Buffy smiled, hugging Jack once he was over. John let go, glancing where to go.
Buffy let go, recognizing their dilemma. "All the way down in Hell and no road map to guide us. Perfect."
Death handed Buffy the sword but kept the crossbow, handing the other to John. The man looked at him incredulously but took the bow anyway. "So, now where do we go?" John mused, looking about.
They all turned, upon hearing screams and cries. Buffy nodded, shrugging a bit. "I think we follow the screams and cries." She paused, glancing at Jack, "Either that or walk to no-where."
"Then I say we follow the screams." He replied as they all looked at each before following the screams and cries, walking into oblivion.
**
"She heard me." Joyce mused, looking at Jesus. "She heard me. She heard my cry. What does that mean? Does that mean I can contact her, even though she's down there?"
"Telepathically, yes you can. But Joyce, this is her mission. She can't have any distractions, even from her own mother."
"She's my daughter. You can't expect me not to help. I know she's the Slayer and damn good at it, but still..." she started, but Andrew cut her off.
He nodded, "He's right. We can't help her. Besides they're coming upon the Lost Souls Pit. The most dangerous of them all."
**
Buffy glanced around in disgust at the many frightened and scared helpless, men, women and children. Many of the men were weighed down, or chained to something, reaching for something unattainable. She shuddered in fear, gazing at Death. He saw her worry and held a hand around her shoulder. She nodded, recognizing one of the prisoners.
"Jenny?" she cried, running to the young woman. Jack nodded, glancing at John. She knelt down in front of her, unable to believe this was where the woman ended up. "Oh God, Jenny."
She squinted at the girl in front her, focusing her eyes. "Buffy?"
"Jenny, I am so sorry. I am sorry. This place, you've been here for eternity - I am so sorry." She cried, brushing her black hair away from her face. "It shouldn't be like this. You shouldn't be here."
Jenny smiled back, reassuringly, "Buffy, I deserve to be here. I lied to you and Giles about the curse. Why are you here? Are you dead?"
"Yes, but Angel's down here - I'm going to save him." She hesitated, "I really am sorry, Jenny. If I had known you would have ended up here, I would have..."
"No, Buffy. I know you'll never see Giles and the guys again, but Angel - if you see him, tell him I'm sorry. Tell him I'm sorry I didn't warn you about the curse. I know I should have told the both of you..."
She smiled, "Don't worry about it." Buffy glanced at John and Jack. "I wish this didn't have to happen to you, Jenny. I really do..."
"No, go on. Save Angel. He needs you, Buffy. The suffering, the deaths - you've done so much in your life, so much you wish you could have done - don't worry about it. You were the Slayer; the Vampire Slayer...still are. Just save Angel. Save him before it's too late."
Buffy rose to her feet, as Jenny closed her eyes, her body finally dying for the last time.
John nodded, "She was a friend?"
"Yes. She was. A good friend and I put her here."
Jack glanced at the woman at their feet. She was gone, probably a hallucination made to delay their rescue. "Come on, Buffy. We better move on."
The Slayer wiped away her tears, walking along, passing the other weakened bodies.
**
"Buffy?" Jack questioned as they entered a long cave. She rolled her eyes, knowing exactly what he was going to say.
"Jack, I know what I'm doing."
He nodded, "I know you do...at least you think you know, but Buffy, this is dangerous. This next part, it isn't going to be pretty."
She froze, turning back to him, "What do you mean? What else could happen?"
Jack glanced at John; he only looked down. "Buffy, this is immediate Hell we're entering. What happened before, it was only the entrance barrier between. But this is far more dangerous. There are things down here that you might not want to see; things that will stay with you forever."
"Then I say bring it on." She retorted, walking on.
Death gasped, glancing at John. He saw the glance and shrugged, "Don't look at me! I'm just here to make sure you succeed." Walking passed him, catching up with Buffy.
**
Immediate Hell - the doorstep of apocalypse. Demons, vampires, lost souls, fallen angels... Surprisingly, many of the demons there, Buffy recognized because she had killed them as the Slayer. The Gentlemen, Hellhounds, the Judge, Bathezar, the Mayor even and other demons long dead since she could remember. She glanced at Death.
"Can they see us?"
He shrugged, "They can now, but I think that can be taken care of." Nodding to her sword. "Besides being Holy, it can make one invisible. You can use the sword to walk passed them and they'd never even know you were there."
She glanced at the demons before turning back to Death and John. "What about the two of you?"
"I'm all ready dead, in between but him, he'll have to come with you." Gesturing to John.
John gazed at Buffy. She nodded all right as the young man, grabbed Buffy's hand, vanishing from Death's sight, walking across the way, unnoticed by the demons. Death closed his eyes, walking ahead, suddenly falling to his knees when the Hellhounds leapt on top of him. Buffy yelled, letting go of John, pushing him aside while she shot her crossbow, aiming for the dogs. One of the dogs fell over, wounded slightly, giving Jack a chance to stand up and run to Buffy. The other dog shook its head, growling back as the three of coward into darkness.
As the three disappeared, a man dressed in a black suit appeared, a evil smile on his face, before disappearing again into darkness...
TBC
"Jack? John? Where are you guys? Jack?" Buffy cried as she stood up from the ground. She heard screams of pain and torture. Hell. She gazed around. There were dark caves, three in fact but which one lead the way to Hell, the real Hell. The Slayer nodded as both Jack and John appeared, shimmering out of nowhere. Buffy nodded to the three caves. "Which way do we go?"
John shrugged, glancing at Death. "The Caves of Fate. I hate this part." He paused, raising his hand, searching the caves. He scanned each one before resting on the third cave on the right. "The right. I'm sure."
Buffy glanced at John. He only nodded as she walked forward, suddenly stopping. She turned back to them, "Wait a minute? Right, you said?"
"Yes."
The Slayer dropped her sword, raising the crossbow off her shoulder, shooting it into the right cave. Fire shot from the cave. Buffy dropped to the floor, rolling over. She huffed, glancing at Death. "This is Hell. Things that might be right, could be wrong."
"Are you saying our right, the right we perceive to be right would be left down here?" John questioned.
"Exactly." Buffy replied, pointing to the left cave. "Right is left, and middle goes nowhere." She glanced back at the two men before shooting an arrow into the cave. No harsh reply. She was right. Both John and Death smiled, walking cautiously behind Buffy, entering Hell.
**
"They made it!" Jesus cried, watching the threesome enter Hell. "She is a smart one." Judas huffed, causing Jesus to look back at him. "Something wrong, Judas?"
"The Caves of Fate are easy, but getting across Devil's Sea won't be."
"She's the Slayer. She won't fail. Angel's life depends on it." Peter added.
He still grunted, watching the Slayer, Death and John come upon Devil's Sea.
**
Buffy frowned, turning back to them. Death shrugged, scanning the area for a boatman. He spotted a humpback in robes, marking names down in a book. He turned, seeing the shadow over him. His eyes widened, recognizing the dark angel. "Jack!"
"We need a boat to get across. Can you help us?" Jack replied, oblivious to the old man.
He shrugged, glancing at Buffy and John. "Who are they?"
"The girl's dead. The boy, he's.... Never mind, can you help us across or not?"
"You have money. I can't help anybody if they don't have the money to pay. You know the rules. Take it or leave it." He growled, returning to his book. "Just because you're Death doesn't mean you get a free ride, ya know. You still have to pay. No money, no ride across, no deal."
Buffy crossed her arms, stepping forward next to Jack. "Look little man, we need to get across and you're going to help us."
Sharon laughed, but silenced once Buffy pointed the sword to his neck. "All right, all right. You don't have to be violent about it. Put down the sword. The last thing I need is the Sea polluted by my blood. The Big Guy hates that. He wants to keep it clean, shows what he knows. Everything down here is disgusting anyways. A little blood spilled here won't help to improve the environment, ya know what I'm saying?"
"Whatever. Get us across." Buffy growled, still pointing the sword.
Sharon scrambled to his feet, grabbing a large sickle, shutting the book closed. He climbed into the boat - Buffy, Jack and John right behind him. He grabbed a stick, lying on the side and began to row across Devil's Sea. Buffy sat on the left side of the boat, placing the sword at her feet. Jack gasped, settling down next to her.
"You worried about him, aren't you?"
"How could I not be, Jack?" she shot back, "I'm sorry. It's just, Angel - he was my first love. I have to find him, Jack. I'm not leaving here without him."
"We'll find him, Buffy. I promise." He smiled, glancing at John. The Apostle only rolled his eyes as Sharon came to the other side. He stood up again, walking off the boat. Buffy stood up as Sharon held out his hand to her. Buffy frowned, walking off the boat, bypassing Sharon's hand, Death and John following behind.
Sharon shrugged, switching the sickle from one hand to another. "Anyway, you got off easy this time but next time - money. No money, no return. And oh yeah, be careful of lost souls down here and demons. They're a nasty bunch. Eyes and limbs falling out everywhere - it isn't pretty." With no reply, Sharon turned, rowing across again.
Buffy huffed, glancing at John. "Hey, do you even talk or are you just gonna walk where we walk?"
John smiled back, removing his hands from his robes. "Sorry. I didn't think you'd want my impute."
"If I didn't think you would be helpful, you would still be up there." Buffy replied, turning, "Besides, if the sword ever goes bad, we could always use you as a back up."
"Thanks." John mused, walking behind Jack.
**
"They made it!" Andrew cried as a lone woman with golden hair, like Buffy appeared. Joyce Summers. He frowned, nodding to Jesus. Jesus saw the woman, gesturing she come forward.
"Where's Buffy? I was told she was here. Where is she?"
Jesus gestured to the well. Joyce walked over, gasping for air, seeing her daughter walking through Hell, John and Jack at her side. She looked back at them. "What happened? Why is she down there?"
"Angel. He committed suicide in life. Buffy's going to bring him back, if she can." Peter replied.
Joyce turned back to the well. The three of them stopped, coming upon a steep rift. "Come on, Buffy. Come on."
**
Buffy froze, dropping the crossbow. She knelt down, putting the sword on the ground. Jack knelt down next to her, saying it was an impossible jump. But she refused, walking back a few paces, estimating how long a jump she would need to get across.
"Buffy, its suicide!" Jack called but she ignored him, running forward, flinging herself across the rift. Joyce closed her eyes, unwilling to watch. No sound. She opened them again, to see Buffy safely on the other side of the rift.
"It isn't hard. Come on!" she yelled back.
Jack shrugged, beginning to shimmer but nothing happened. He nodded to John. John tried to shimmer across but the same happened. They looked at each other, then back at Buffy. A three-headed wolf was heading straight for her.
**
With Andrew, Peter and Jesus by her side, Joyce yelled, "BUFFY!"
**
Buffy heard the cry, looking around for the owner of the voice, until resting eyes on the three-headed dog. "Oh. Not good. Really not good."
"Buffy, we can't get across to you!" Jack yelled, eyeing the dog.
He barked at her, snapping at her feet. Buffy drew back, breaking off some rocks, using it as a knife. As the dog attacked, Buffy drove the rock into its belly, pushing the dog into the rift. Joyce smiled, glancing at John and Death. "Are you sure you can't get across?" Buffy yelled back.
Jack nodded yes, "Our powers are useless down here, Buffy. I should have realized that. Go on!"
"No, I'm not leaving you!" she shot back, looking around for another way. "There has to be another way. Look for another way."
John shrugged, looking around for another possible way while Jack closed his eyes, trying to shimmer across. He shimmered momentarily, but his powers were still weakened. "Oh come on! I'm Death. This shouldn't happen." He glanced at John, getting an idea. Death grabbed the sword, slinging the crossbows over his back and grabbed the man's hand, successfully shimmering across. Buffy smiled, hugging Jack once he was over. John let go, glancing where to go.
Buffy let go, recognizing their dilemma. "All the way down in Hell and no road map to guide us. Perfect."
Death handed Buffy the sword but kept the crossbow, handing the other to John. The man looked at him incredulously but took the bow anyway. "So, now where do we go?" John mused, looking about.
They all turned, upon hearing screams and cries. Buffy nodded, shrugging a bit. "I think we follow the screams and cries." She paused, glancing at Jack, "Either that or walk to no-where."
"Then I say we follow the screams." He replied as they all looked at each before following the screams and cries, walking into oblivion.
**
"She heard me." Joyce mused, looking at Jesus. "She heard me. She heard my cry. What does that mean? Does that mean I can contact her, even though she's down there?"
"Telepathically, yes you can. But Joyce, this is her mission. She can't have any distractions, even from her own mother."
"She's my daughter. You can't expect me not to help. I know she's the Slayer and damn good at it, but still..." she started, but Andrew cut her off.
He nodded, "He's right. We can't help her. Besides they're coming upon the Lost Souls Pit. The most dangerous of them all."
**
Buffy glanced around in disgust at the many frightened and scared helpless, men, women and children. Many of the men were weighed down, or chained to something, reaching for something unattainable. She shuddered in fear, gazing at Death. He saw her worry and held a hand around her shoulder. She nodded, recognizing one of the prisoners.
"Jenny?" she cried, running to the young woman. Jack nodded, glancing at John. She knelt down in front of her, unable to believe this was where the woman ended up. "Oh God, Jenny."
She squinted at the girl in front her, focusing her eyes. "Buffy?"
"Jenny, I am so sorry. I am sorry. This place, you've been here for eternity - I am so sorry." She cried, brushing her black hair away from her face. "It shouldn't be like this. You shouldn't be here."
Jenny smiled back, reassuringly, "Buffy, I deserve to be here. I lied to you and Giles about the curse. Why are you here? Are you dead?"
"Yes, but Angel's down here - I'm going to save him." She hesitated, "I really am sorry, Jenny. If I had known you would have ended up here, I would have..."
"No, Buffy. I know you'll never see Giles and the guys again, but Angel - if you see him, tell him I'm sorry. Tell him I'm sorry I didn't warn you about the curse. I know I should have told the both of you..."
She smiled, "Don't worry about it." Buffy glanced at John and Jack. "I wish this didn't have to happen to you, Jenny. I really do..."
"No, go on. Save Angel. He needs you, Buffy. The suffering, the deaths - you've done so much in your life, so much you wish you could have done - don't worry about it. You were the Slayer; the Vampire Slayer...still are. Just save Angel. Save him before it's too late."
Buffy rose to her feet, as Jenny closed her eyes, her body finally dying for the last time.
John nodded, "She was a friend?"
"Yes. She was. A good friend and I put her here."
Jack glanced at the woman at their feet. She was gone, probably a hallucination made to delay their rescue. "Come on, Buffy. We better move on."
The Slayer wiped away her tears, walking along, passing the other weakened bodies.
**
"Buffy?" Jack questioned as they entered a long cave. She rolled her eyes, knowing exactly what he was going to say.
"Jack, I know what I'm doing."
He nodded, "I know you do...at least you think you know, but Buffy, this is dangerous. This next part, it isn't going to be pretty."
She froze, turning back to him, "What do you mean? What else could happen?"
Jack glanced at John; he only looked down. "Buffy, this is immediate Hell we're entering. What happened before, it was only the entrance barrier between. But this is far more dangerous. There are things down here that you might not want to see; things that will stay with you forever."
"Then I say bring it on." She retorted, walking on.
Death gasped, glancing at John. He saw the glance and shrugged, "Don't look at me! I'm just here to make sure you succeed." Walking passed him, catching up with Buffy.
**
Immediate Hell - the doorstep of apocalypse. Demons, vampires, lost souls, fallen angels... Surprisingly, many of the demons there, Buffy recognized because she had killed them as the Slayer. The Gentlemen, Hellhounds, the Judge, Bathezar, the Mayor even and other demons long dead since she could remember. She glanced at Death.
"Can they see us?"
He shrugged, "They can now, but I think that can be taken care of." Nodding to her sword. "Besides being Holy, it can make one invisible. You can use the sword to walk passed them and they'd never even know you were there."
She glanced at the demons before turning back to Death and John. "What about the two of you?"
"I'm all ready dead, in between but him, he'll have to come with you." Gesturing to John.
John gazed at Buffy. She nodded all right as the young man, grabbed Buffy's hand, vanishing from Death's sight, walking across the way, unnoticed by the demons. Death closed his eyes, walking ahead, suddenly falling to his knees when the Hellhounds leapt on top of him. Buffy yelled, letting go of John, pushing him aside while she shot her crossbow, aiming for the dogs. One of the dogs fell over, wounded slightly, giving Jack a chance to stand up and run to Buffy. The other dog shook its head, growling back as the three of coward into darkness.
As the three disappeared, a man dressed in a black suit appeared, a evil smile on his face, before disappearing again into darkness...
TBC