Title: Rain Falls On The Just (18/?)
Author: Jeffrey Patrick
Type: B/X... You heard me!
Description: If you don't know by now, I'm not telling!
Disclaimer: I own nothing but an i-zone and some compromising pictures of Walter Cronkite. Buffy and all related characters are own by Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy and the WB. They get the perks. I settle for chocolate.
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"No way," Buffy said, turning to walk away.
"So what are you saying?" the Host asked. "Your honey isn't worth the embarrassment?"
"That's not it," Buffy said. "I just... I have too much on my plate right now. Angel and the others are killing my friends left and right. I sing. I'll sing a damn show tune of your choosing. But not now."
"Because you're afraid of what I'll see," the Host said calmly. "I don't need music to read your vibe, sweety. Your lit up like a Christmas tree. That rage you've got churning isn't gonna stop the black hats this go round. Even Faith knows that."
"What do you want from me?" Buffy spit out as quietly as possible.
"I want you to realize that you aren't promised a tomorrow in which to straighten out your life or your feelings."
Buffy's face suddenly softened. "I-Is something going to happen to Xander? Is that why you're pushing me?"
The Host broke eye contact. "I can't tell you what will happen. I CAN say that there is a great chance that everybody won't make it. That's a fact you can't escape, doll, no matter how hard you fight."
"You okay?" Xander asked, sitting on the bed next to Cordelia.
"No," she answered quietly.
"Dumb question."
"Surprise, surprise."
"What do you want, Cordy?" Xander asked frankly. "Because I know it isn't me."
"You do, huh?" She smiled at him weakly. "What makes you say that?"
"Because, used to, when you kissed me... I felt passion and longing. Right now, even in the quiet moments we had in that demon dimension... All I'm getting from you is desperation. You know I could never make you happy. I'm just an easy target."
"Not THAT easy," Cordelia reminded. "I did everything but throw myself at you."
"No you didn't. We're cool, Cor. Buffy understands. It's all good. And you... You're gonna be okay. You know this."
"No. No, I don't."
"You will be," he said, slipping an arm around her. "I promise. I'll even get you a job."
"Great," she said, rolling her eyes. "As what?"
"My secretary, of course. There could be fringe benefits. Nudge, nudge. Wink, wink."
She smiled at him. "You're a pig."
"Oink, oink, baby."
"Ugh."
Later that night -
"The plan is quite simple," Giles explained. "We get to this Lindsay person that Cordelia told us about and force him to tell us how to stop all this."
"Lindsay won't give up. We'll have to kill him," Cordelia said flatly.
"Let's not be too..."
"No," Buffy said. "She's right, Giles. These people have killed our friends. They won't stop."
"Slayers do not kill people," Giles said. "It is against their code."
"Then I'm rewriting the code," Buffy said sternly. "This is war. There are different rules for war. I won't leave mercy at the gate, but if comes to killing someone to end this..."
"We'll have to live with some blood on our hands," Cordelia said.
"Should we try to nab him at his apartment?" Xander asked. "Stealthy and quick?"
"He won't be at home," Faith said. "I met this guy. He's slick. He and Angel will rally their troops. They'll be holed up in the office." She frowned. "Good security there, too."
"We could use a distraction," Xander said. "Oz, I don't suppose you've learned to wolf out on cue?"
"Sorry," Oz said, shaking his head.
"Wait," Willow said. "I could make him wolf out."
"How?" Oz asked.
"Tara and I... We were working on a spell to create a ball of sunlight. It never worked, but we created moonlight once. If Giles helps, maybe we can tweak the spell a little. If we synthesize the right lunar cycle..."
"Fuzzy wuzzy's in the game," Xander finished.
"Good," Buffy said. "Oz will take the ground floor. The rest of us enter from the roof."
"I'm not sure the Batarangs'll reach that high, Robin," Xander said with a grin.
"We'll use pulleys. Slide over from an adjacent building," Buffy said. "And in no way am I anything but the Batman in this relationship."
Xander smiled.
"I can search the building the fastest," Anya said. "I'll find this Lindsay and then lead you to him."
"B and I will split from the rest of the gang and go for Lindsay," Faith said. "Chances are he's keeping Angel close to him."
"Especially since he knows we're coming," Buffy said.
"I'm sorry," Willow said. "I should have teleported him into the middle of a mountain."
"No big," Buffy said. "While Faith and I are on Lindsay and Angel..."
"The rest of us take down the cannon fodder," Xander said. "And possible the cannon mudder."
"Xander, this is no time for jokes," Giles said. "The truth of the matter is that some of us may not live through this next battle."
"Could we hear the lie of the matter?" Oz asked. Everyone looked at him. "Just want to keep my options open."
"I'm gonna go over everyone's part of the plan," Buffy said. "Listen carefully. We strike tonight."
An hour later -
"Are you certain I shouldn't stay with the bambino?" the Host asked. "I don't see what good I'll be when the fisticuffs start. Momma raised me to be a lover, not a fighter."
"We know they had vampire detectors," Buffy said. "They may have demon detectors. You can be a distraction. Besides, Cordelia is the best choice to stay with Alex. Anya trusts her."
"Fine. I'm only saying..."
"Go," Buffy said.
The Host followed the others out to the van, leaving only Xander and Buffy with Cordelia and the baby.
"You sure you'll be okay?" Xander asked.
"We can leave someone with you," Buffy offered. "The Host was itching to stay."
"We'll be fine," Cordelia said. "Just..."
"I will," Xander said, understanding what she was thinking. "He'll pay."
"Good."
Xander had a thought flash through his mind. A grim look crawled across his face.
"What is it?" Buffy asked.
"Nothing. Let's go."
"Angel called," the vampire said. "The Slayer is on her way."
"Slayers," Lindsay corrected. "There are two."
"Two Slayers?" The vampire looked even more pale than usual.
"Relax," Lindsay said. "We can't lose this. I've seen the prophecy."
Oz parked the van in a darkened alley. The Scooby gang climbed out and loaded up with weapons.
"We go to the top floor," Buffy said. "This building is about three stories higher than their office, but it's a long slide. Be careful when you land."
"Careful is my middle name," Willow mumbled.
"You don't have a middle name," Oz reminded.
"I do now."
"Um, pardon me for asking," Giles said, "but why is Xander not with us?"
"Yeah," Faith said, looking around. "I thought he climbed in the back with you, B."
"He did. He climbed out the back before we left," Buffy said, obviously hiding something. "He had something to take care of."
"Something more important than this?" Giles asked.
Buffy cast a glance at the Host. She was hoping for a nod. Something to calm her fears. But she got nothing from him. Instead, he looked away and her heart sank.
Cordelia sat in the recliner and rocked young Alex to sleep. For a second, she thought she heard something. She stopped rocking and listened. Nothing. She continued rocking.
"Don't be a baby," she said out loud. "You're Cordelia Chase for God's sake."
Then she heard it again. It came from the hallway. She took the baby to the bedroom and laid him on the mattress surrounding him with pillows. She then picked up the crossbow that Buffy had left with her.
"Who's there?" she cried out.
The words had barely escaped her lips when a vampire came crashing through the window. Cordelia whirled and fired. The vamp exploded in a cloud of dust. Then a hand came from behind and grabbed the crossbow. She spun to find Angel grinning at her. Before she could release the yelp that was building in her throat, he grabbed her. His fingers were tight about her throat.
"Looky, looky," Angel said with a wicked grin. "The unsinkable Cordelia Chase. You're a hard woman to get rid of. Decided it was time to take care of you personally."
Cordelia smiled. Before it registered with Angel that she was looking at something behind him, a baseball bat found the small of his back with enough force to bring him to his knees. He looked up into eyes filled with hatred.
"Funny," Xander said. "I was just gonna say the exact same thing."
Author: Jeffrey Patrick
Type: B/X... You heard me!
Description: If you don't know by now, I'm not telling!
Disclaimer: I own nothing but an i-zone and some compromising pictures of Walter Cronkite. Buffy and all related characters are own by Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy and the WB. They get the perks. I settle for chocolate.
******************************************************************************************
"No way," Buffy said, turning to walk away.
"So what are you saying?" the Host asked. "Your honey isn't worth the embarrassment?"
"That's not it," Buffy said. "I just... I have too much on my plate right now. Angel and the others are killing my friends left and right. I sing. I'll sing a damn show tune of your choosing. But not now."
"Because you're afraid of what I'll see," the Host said calmly. "I don't need music to read your vibe, sweety. Your lit up like a Christmas tree. That rage you've got churning isn't gonna stop the black hats this go round. Even Faith knows that."
"What do you want from me?" Buffy spit out as quietly as possible.
"I want you to realize that you aren't promised a tomorrow in which to straighten out your life or your feelings."
Buffy's face suddenly softened. "I-Is something going to happen to Xander? Is that why you're pushing me?"
The Host broke eye contact. "I can't tell you what will happen. I CAN say that there is a great chance that everybody won't make it. That's a fact you can't escape, doll, no matter how hard you fight."
"You okay?" Xander asked, sitting on the bed next to Cordelia.
"No," she answered quietly.
"Dumb question."
"Surprise, surprise."
"What do you want, Cordy?" Xander asked frankly. "Because I know it isn't me."
"You do, huh?" She smiled at him weakly. "What makes you say that?"
"Because, used to, when you kissed me... I felt passion and longing. Right now, even in the quiet moments we had in that demon dimension... All I'm getting from you is desperation. You know I could never make you happy. I'm just an easy target."
"Not THAT easy," Cordelia reminded. "I did everything but throw myself at you."
"No you didn't. We're cool, Cor. Buffy understands. It's all good. And you... You're gonna be okay. You know this."
"No. No, I don't."
"You will be," he said, slipping an arm around her. "I promise. I'll even get you a job."
"Great," she said, rolling her eyes. "As what?"
"My secretary, of course. There could be fringe benefits. Nudge, nudge. Wink, wink."
She smiled at him. "You're a pig."
"Oink, oink, baby."
"Ugh."
Later that night -
"The plan is quite simple," Giles explained. "We get to this Lindsay person that Cordelia told us about and force him to tell us how to stop all this."
"Lindsay won't give up. We'll have to kill him," Cordelia said flatly.
"Let's not be too..."
"No," Buffy said. "She's right, Giles. These people have killed our friends. They won't stop."
"Slayers do not kill people," Giles said. "It is against their code."
"Then I'm rewriting the code," Buffy said sternly. "This is war. There are different rules for war. I won't leave mercy at the gate, but if comes to killing someone to end this..."
"We'll have to live with some blood on our hands," Cordelia said.
"Should we try to nab him at his apartment?" Xander asked. "Stealthy and quick?"
"He won't be at home," Faith said. "I met this guy. He's slick. He and Angel will rally their troops. They'll be holed up in the office." She frowned. "Good security there, too."
"We could use a distraction," Xander said. "Oz, I don't suppose you've learned to wolf out on cue?"
"Sorry," Oz said, shaking his head.
"Wait," Willow said. "I could make him wolf out."
"How?" Oz asked.
"Tara and I... We were working on a spell to create a ball of sunlight. It never worked, but we created moonlight once. If Giles helps, maybe we can tweak the spell a little. If we synthesize the right lunar cycle..."
"Fuzzy wuzzy's in the game," Xander finished.
"Good," Buffy said. "Oz will take the ground floor. The rest of us enter from the roof."
"I'm not sure the Batarangs'll reach that high, Robin," Xander said with a grin.
"We'll use pulleys. Slide over from an adjacent building," Buffy said. "And in no way am I anything but the Batman in this relationship."
Xander smiled.
"I can search the building the fastest," Anya said. "I'll find this Lindsay and then lead you to him."
"B and I will split from the rest of the gang and go for Lindsay," Faith said. "Chances are he's keeping Angel close to him."
"Especially since he knows we're coming," Buffy said.
"I'm sorry," Willow said. "I should have teleported him into the middle of a mountain."
"No big," Buffy said. "While Faith and I are on Lindsay and Angel..."
"The rest of us take down the cannon fodder," Xander said. "And possible the cannon mudder."
"Xander, this is no time for jokes," Giles said. "The truth of the matter is that some of us may not live through this next battle."
"Could we hear the lie of the matter?" Oz asked. Everyone looked at him. "Just want to keep my options open."
"I'm gonna go over everyone's part of the plan," Buffy said. "Listen carefully. We strike tonight."
An hour later -
"Are you certain I shouldn't stay with the bambino?" the Host asked. "I don't see what good I'll be when the fisticuffs start. Momma raised me to be a lover, not a fighter."
"We know they had vampire detectors," Buffy said. "They may have demon detectors. You can be a distraction. Besides, Cordelia is the best choice to stay with Alex. Anya trusts her."
"Fine. I'm only saying..."
"Go," Buffy said.
The Host followed the others out to the van, leaving only Xander and Buffy with Cordelia and the baby.
"You sure you'll be okay?" Xander asked.
"We can leave someone with you," Buffy offered. "The Host was itching to stay."
"We'll be fine," Cordelia said. "Just..."
"I will," Xander said, understanding what she was thinking. "He'll pay."
"Good."
Xander had a thought flash through his mind. A grim look crawled across his face.
"What is it?" Buffy asked.
"Nothing. Let's go."
"Angel called," the vampire said. "The Slayer is on her way."
"Slayers," Lindsay corrected. "There are two."
"Two Slayers?" The vampire looked even more pale than usual.
"Relax," Lindsay said. "We can't lose this. I've seen the prophecy."
Oz parked the van in a darkened alley. The Scooby gang climbed out and loaded up with weapons.
"We go to the top floor," Buffy said. "This building is about three stories higher than their office, but it's a long slide. Be careful when you land."
"Careful is my middle name," Willow mumbled.
"You don't have a middle name," Oz reminded.
"I do now."
"Um, pardon me for asking," Giles said, "but why is Xander not with us?"
"Yeah," Faith said, looking around. "I thought he climbed in the back with you, B."
"He did. He climbed out the back before we left," Buffy said, obviously hiding something. "He had something to take care of."
"Something more important than this?" Giles asked.
Buffy cast a glance at the Host. She was hoping for a nod. Something to calm her fears. But she got nothing from him. Instead, he looked away and her heart sank.
Cordelia sat in the recliner and rocked young Alex to sleep. For a second, she thought she heard something. She stopped rocking and listened. Nothing. She continued rocking.
"Don't be a baby," she said out loud. "You're Cordelia Chase for God's sake."
Then she heard it again. It came from the hallway. She took the baby to the bedroom and laid him on the mattress surrounding him with pillows. She then picked up the crossbow that Buffy had left with her.
"Who's there?" she cried out.
The words had barely escaped her lips when a vampire came crashing through the window. Cordelia whirled and fired. The vamp exploded in a cloud of dust. Then a hand came from behind and grabbed the crossbow. She spun to find Angel grinning at her. Before she could release the yelp that was building in her throat, he grabbed her. His fingers were tight about her throat.
"Looky, looky," Angel said with a wicked grin. "The unsinkable Cordelia Chase. You're a hard woman to get rid of. Decided it was time to take care of you personally."
Cordelia smiled. Before it registered with Angel that she was looking at something behind him, a baseball bat found the small of his back with enough force to bring him to his knees. He looked up into eyes filled with hatred.
"Funny," Xander said. "I was just gonna say the exact same thing."