Disclaimer : The story's mine everything else simply isn't. All done in good fun .Nothing more man.

Notes : (IMPORTANT !!!) I know I'm late and for that I apologize. I'm so so so sorry sorry sorry !!! Real Life is crappy !!! Also I've got some good news and bad news. The good news is that I'm posting a new chapter but the bad news is I can't seem to post it right. There's something weird about it and I can't post the full chapter . I suck at computer stuff so I don't know what the hell is wrong BUT … I think I found a way around that little problem. I'm posting half of it now and the other half later , so bear in mind that when you read that this isn't really complete. Hopefully if all goes according to plan I'll be posting the other half the very next day. Besides I don't want to keep people waiting too long so here's some of what I've written. Hope you like it : )

Dedication : First and foremost to Lesley Ann. Without her encouragement all of this would've fallen into nothing. Love the gal immensely. Thanks Lesley :-) And to all who have reviewed this story so far. My thanks to Furious George ,Bolo , Mims , Saturn Girl ,Varthan , grey , Jane McCartney , Xandman , 'wbh21c' Bill , Chorlton , Lori Bush , Drake Roberts , Rob Clark. I appreciate each and every one of your comments. They mean a lot to me. Thanks again for all your feedback. It gives me reason to write *g*

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BLACK & WHITE … by Zauriel Angelus

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Dawn found me lying on my back on the side of the road.

I don't know how I came to be there but there I was…

I was alive …barely

I didn't want to admit it but I knew Anya wasn't as fortunate.

I kept those thoughts at bay , preferring to stay away from harsh realities at the moment.

Denial was keeping me sane for the moment and I stuck with it.

My vision was blurry and the rain that was falling down didn't make that any better. Everything in my body was hurting. I was pretty sure death wasn't as painful at that point.

Somehow that disappointed me.

Somewhere deep inside, I wanted to just die.

I closed my eyes wanting to let everything go but then …I saw Dawn.

She was a mess … even worse than me. Dawn was in a state of total shock , trembling in paralyzing fear. Her clothes were reduced to rags and were practically soaked in blood. I wasn't sure whose it was but from what Dawn could make out I figured it wasn't something I'd like to dwell upon. I was barely holding it together as it is. My only thought for the moment was that Dawn needed me.

So losing it was NOT an option.

Something stirred in the storm that moment and I felt its presence lurking near.

The voice of a ghostly siren whispered away to the wind a simple tune that held untold menace , chilling me to my very bones.

Dawn instantly went pale as white.

Someone or something , was calling her name…

Didn't quite know what was going on exactly but something told me to pick Dawn up and run like hell.

And so I did…

Dawn was light as a feather and as quiet as I've ever heard. She was scared … scared beyond reason and it worried me , the look on her face frightened me.

I didn't look back even once but I could tell something was chasing us.

The winds were shrieking…if possible even screaming and as I fought my way through the pouring rain with Dawn in my arms , it became harder and harder to move my soggy legs forward.

It was around then that a car landed in front of us.

Yep , you heard me. A car was thrown right in front of our faces . landing on its side and crashing into the road like some crazy ass bomb from above.

" You can't run away from me …"

We were in big trouble and don't I know it.

" Ah shit …" dead end

Some invisible force struck me hard.

I was knocked down and Dawn was quickly taken from my gasp.

" DAWN !!!"

I damn well wouldn't let her be taken without a fight and so I stood right back up.

The raindrops that hit me on their way down were now feeling like they were made of lead , pulling my weight to the earth. That made my sense of sight no more better either and I needed a visible target to attack.

" DAWN !!!!!!!!!!!"

I was quickly starting to panic.

" DAWN !!!!!!!!!!!!"

It was then in a brief second that I caught a glimpse of something. A slight shadow in the cloud of rain…

I summoned all that I had left and picking the right moment , I charged.

Bullseye.

The figure seemed human and having been tackled down so roughly , Dawn was dropped but somehow stayed unmoved.

I managed a grunt and a mean right hook to its head or …what I took to be its head. It whimpered , sounding female but I took no notice of its possible gender. I maybe softer on the ladies but at this time I couldn't care less especially since I'm eternally biased against monsters who try to kill me. It or rather 'she' fell to the ground dazed for a short moment and I took that opportunity to grab a broken two by four that was within my reach. She seemed to be in pain , squirming and writhing all over although I didn't think I hit her that hard.

But that was good however . If she was hurt then that meant I could kill her.

I raised the weapon high , stretching my in-swing to the fullest . A breath of air exhaled and I swung ready and hard.

" Do it…"

I stopped.

Willow…

" What the fuck …???!!!"

In front of me her face was crowned with streaks of blood and tears , her green eyes staring at me with lifeless vigor. My grip upon the weapon I held weakened and I completely froze , my mouth hung dry with open mouthed shock and disbelief.

" Xander …" a voice drenched in terror and deep sadness answered.

It really was Willow but that passed quickly soon after.

" I…I k-killed Tara…"

I was totally caught unprepared and before I could even think about what to do I found myself tossed into the air. I landed hard flat on my back . Suffice to say that hurt quite a lot after what I've been through. I was coughing out blood after that. My eyes wandered over to where Dawn was and to my horror from what I could see , the poor girl was a living zombie at that point. Willow must've cast a spell on her or something.

Of course Willow wasn't really Willow at the moment.

I looked up and saw her standing over me . Her eyes were now as cold as I've ever seen in my life and in those familiar orbs of green , I knew now that Willow was no longer in the building. She tilted her head studying me for a second , her lips twitching in a twisted frown.

" You hurt me."

I closed my eyes, unable to make any retort or comeback. None really came to mind. I didn't say anything and just waited for my death sentence to pass.

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