Title: Rain Falls On The Just (15/?)
Author: Jeffrey Patrick
Type: Take a wild guess...
Description: Buffy and Xander are separated by a conspiracy, losing many friends in the process.
Disclaimer: I own nothing but 3 pesos and some aluminum siding. Buffy and all related characters are the property of Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy and the WB (so far, anyway.) It's their genius. I just twist it around a bit and call it my own.
*******************************************************************************
"Gonna need some help here," Xander said, choking.
"What is it?" Cordelia asked, rushing to his side.
"Poopy diaper," Xander said. Alex just looked up at him and smiled. "And it's not your typical amateur poopy diaper either. This guy's a pro."
Cordelia rolled her eyes. "Here. I'll take him. What a wimp."
Xander watched Cordelia as she walked into the other room, then looked over at Oz.
"I don't blame you," Oz said. "I'm not much for the stinky ones myself."
"That actually wasn't what I was going to say," Xander said. "I was going to say..."
"That our little Cordelia still has feelings for him," the Host finished.
Xander's mouth dropped open.
"What? She was singing 'The Greatest Love of All' while you were in the shower. It was quite obvious. But I think I should warn you, it's likely because she's lost so much. She's needing someone to cling to."
"I know," Xander said. "She kissed me."
Oz raised his eyebrows.
"I told her I love Buffy," Xander said.
"Which is nothing new," Oz said. "But you don't think it got through?"
"I can promise you it didn't," the Host said. "The question is... What are you going to do?"
Buffy got Giles' glance in the rearview mirror. She was in the back seat of Giles' car with Willow. Her best friend was sound asleep. She had finally let the silence of the car claim her. Giles smiled at them. They were the closest thing he had to children. He was worried, yet trying to be strong. Buffy returned his smile and glanced at Faith. She was deep in thought.
"You okay?" she whispered.
"Yeah, B. Just wondering..."
"What?"
"Wondering what happened to Angel's soul?"
"I-I don't know. I'd like to think the PTB gave him some peace. He had earned it."
"It still doesn't seem fair."
"I know. It isn't fair."
"I agree, of course," Giles said. "But I believe we must be focused on the battle ahead if we hope to survive it."
"I know," Faith said. "We'll do what has to be done. I just wish the real Angel was here with us."
"Me too," Buffy said. "Me too."
"That bitch!" Angel screamed. "I'm this close to killing the Slayer, and Willow voodoos me to the Santa Monica pier."
"Relax," Lindsay said from behind his desk. "You're back and they're heading this way. It'll all be over soon. The only real loss is the boy."
"I'll get the baby back," Angel said. "And I'll kill anyone who gets in the way."
"Except?"
"Except Harris."
"Good."
"I still don't see why we can't..."
"It's not for you to question, Angel. Just find the baby. Let me worry about the Slayer."
"You want me to what?" Xander asked.
"Sing me something," the Host repeated. "Let's see what YOU'VE got cooking."
"That's okay," Xander said. "My singing voice has been known to put people in comas."
"Welcome to exaggeration station," the Host said. "C'mon kid! Just a little something."
"You could do something from 'Phantom of the Opera,' Oz suggested.
"Oz!"
"Sorry. Not helping."
"Not helping with what?" Cordelia asked, walking back in with the baby on her shoulder.
"Nothing," Xander squirmed. "Nothing at all."
"So how did you guys find me?" Oz asked. "I mean, once you were back in the right dimension."
"Cordy got a vision," Xander said.
"Alex?" The voice from behind them was a familiar one.
"Anya," Xander said, relieved. "We found him. He's fine."
Anya moved to her baby's side. She reached out to touch his face, but passed right through him. A look of horror came over her face. "No."
"An, it's okay," Xander said. "We'll figure something out. Willow and Tara can..."
"Tara is dead," Anya said. "I've looked for her in the ether, but she is gone."
"No," Xander whispered. "Not... not Tara. Will. Is she...?"
"She needs you," Anya said sadly. "She's... hurting... so badly."
"We all are," Cordelia said, smiling at her. "But we're not alone."
Anya smiled back weakly. "I know. I must go now."
"Go?" Xander asked. "Why?"
"Because Buffy and the others are on their way. I must tell them where you are."
"Be careful," Cordelia said.
"It won't matter," Anya said sadly, tears running down her face as she looked at her baby. "I'm already dead."
Author: Jeffrey Patrick
Type: Take a wild guess...
Description: Buffy and Xander are separated by a conspiracy, losing many friends in the process.
Disclaimer: I own nothing but 3 pesos and some aluminum siding. Buffy and all related characters are the property of Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy and the WB (so far, anyway.) It's their genius. I just twist it around a bit and call it my own.
*******************************************************************************
"Gonna need some help here," Xander said, choking.
"What is it?" Cordelia asked, rushing to his side.
"Poopy diaper," Xander said. Alex just looked up at him and smiled. "And it's not your typical amateur poopy diaper either. This guy's a pro."
Cordelia rolled her eyes. "Here. I'll take him. What a wimp."
Xander watched Cordelia as she walked into the other room, then looked over at Oz.
"I don't blame you," Oz said. "I'm not much for the stinky ones myself."
"That actually wasn't what I was going to say," Xander said. "I was going to say..."
"That our little Cordelia still has feelings for him," the Host finished.
Xander's mouth dropped open.
"What? She was singing 'The Greatest Love of All' while you were in the shower. It was quite obvious. But I think I should warn you, it's likely because she's lost so much. She's needing someone to cling to."
"I know," Xander said. "She kissed me."
Oz raised his eyebrows.
"I told her I love Buffy," Xander said.
"Which is nothing new," Oz said. "But you don't think it got through?"
"I can promise you it didn't," the Host said. "The question is... What are you going to do?"
Buffy got Giles' glance in the rearview mirror. She was in the back seat of Giles' car with Willow. Her best friend was sound asleep. She had finally let the silence of the car claim her. Giles smiled at them. They were the closest thing he had to children. He was worried, yet trying to be strong. Buffy returned his smile and glanced at Faith. She was deep in thought.
"You okay?" she whispered.
"Yeah, B. Just wondering..."
"What?"
"Wondering what happened to Angel's soul?"
"I-I don't know. I'd like to think the PTB gave him some peace. He had earned it."
"It still doesn't seem fair."
"I know. It isn't fair."
"I agree, of course," Giles said. "But I believe we must be focused on the battle ahead if we hope to survive it."
"I know," Faith said. "We'll do what has to be done. I just wish the real Angel was here with us."
"Me too," Buffy said. "Me too."
"That bitch!" Angel screamed. "I'm this close to killing the Slayer, and Willow voodoos me to the Santa Monica pier."
"Relax," Lindsay said from behind his desk. "You're back and they're heading this way. It'll all be over soon. The only real loss is the boy."
"I'll get the baby back," Angel said. "And I'll kill anyone who gets in the way."
"Except?"
"Except Harris."
"Good."
"I still don't see why we can't..."
"It's not for you to question, Angel. Just find the baby. Let me worry about the Slayer."
"You want me to what?" Xander asked.
"Sing me something," the Host repeated. "Let's see what YOU'VE got cooking."
"That's okay," Xander said. "My singing voice has been known to put people in comas."
"Welcome to exaggeration station," the Host said. "C'mon kid! Just a little something."
"You could do something from 'Phantom of the Opera,' Oz suggested.
"Oz!"
"Sorry. Not helping."
"Not helping with what?" Cordelia asked, walking back in with the baby on her shoulder.
"Nothing," Xander squirmed. "Nothing at all."
"So how did you guys find me?" Oz asked. "I mean, once you were back in the right dimension."
"Cordy got a vision," Xander said.
"Alex?" The voice from behind them was a familiar one.
"Anya," Xander said, relieved. "We found him. He's fine."
Anya moved to her baby's side. She reached out to touch his face, but passed right through him. A look of horror came over her face. "No."
"An, it's okay," Xander said. "We'll figure something out. Willow and Tara can..."
"Tara is dead," Anya said. "I've looked for her in the ether, but she is gone."
"No," Xander whispered. "Not... not Tara. Will. Is she...?"
"She needs you," Anya said sadly. "She's... hurting... so badly."
"We all are," Cordelia said, smiling at her. "But we're not alone."
Anya smiled back weakly. "I know. I must go now."
"Go?" Xander asked. "Why?"
"Because Buffy and the others are on their way. I must tell them where you are."
"Be careful," Cordelia said.
"It won't matter," Anya said sadly, tears running down her face as she looked at her baby. "I'm already dead."