The Final Stand
Part 3 – So, uh, now what do we do?
Disclaimer: Guys, I had an epiphany last night. If I keep these characters in my heart, then they really do belong to me! Oh, no, wait. I guess not. Sorry.
AN: Thanks so much for the feedback. Keep it coming. It makes me do the dance of happiness.
There was a moment of stunned silence as the groups looked at each other. Suddenly, Spike doubled over in convulsions of laughter, and ended up rolling on the floor, clutching his stomach. Finally, he managed to gasp out his two cents in between peals of laughter
SPIKE: Maybe you might use less product. I hear it's pretty flammable.
The overzealous commando fingered his trigger (hey hey hey! Minds out of the gutter!). Groo, seeing this, stepped in between him and Angel
GROO: This is my other vampire friend. If you harm him in any way, I will do the dance of retribution. Not only will I cut off your head, but I will mutilate your body as well.
A recovered Angel came up from behind the counter, and whispered something in Groo's ear. Groo's eyes lit up.
GROO (triumphantly): Thank you Angel. (turns back to commando) In this dimension, it appears that cutting off your head will suffice.
RILEY: Stand down soldier. All of you. This is a non-hostile code blue situation.
This earned Riley several looks of disgust from the vampires and various Scoobies. The groups broke into excited chatter/bickering, and it was impossible to hear anything over the din. Buffy, who until this point had been silent, stepped forward
BUFFY: Angel.
The room quieted. Angel's light-heatred-ish manner dropped immediately as he faced his beloved.
ANGEL: Buffy. (pause) Sorry to just burst in like that. It's just that, Cordy. She had a vision. And Lorne here (pointing), well, he did too. And now that I'm back in Sunnydale, things definitely don't feel right. I think its…
WESLEY (stepping forward, ever the drama queen, God love him): It's the end of the world.
BUFFY: Uh huh.
SPIKE: Sorry to ruin your big entrance Peaches, but this tune is getting a little old.
Angel narrowed his eyes and growled almost imperceptibly at his GrandChilde. Spike took a step back, visibly cowed, and then mentally berated himself for still being subordinated by Angel after hundreds of years.
RILEY (trying to ease the tension turns to Oz): So, how's that werewolf thing working out for you?
OZ (in an Ozish fashion): Well, the hours are lousy, but the pay is pretty good. Oh, and bonus – I grow my own winter coat. How's life as a commando treating you?
RILEY (flummoxed (AN: don't you love that word?)): Oh, uh… well… the pay's nice, and I get to travel a lot. (warming up to the subject) And it's a really family oriented occupation. I can bring my wife, and any eventual kids with me. And its really not as dangerous as everyone thinks…
As this exchange was going on, the tension in the room dropped about 5 levels, and smaller conversations broke out.
**
GILES: Good to see you old man. I have a rather fascinating version of Neopoluthus' Chronicles that I wanted to show you
WESLEY: Sounds smashing. I brought my Nyazian Texts. I thought we might be able to find am applicable prophecy.
**
GROO: Hello Princess. I am glad to find you well. Have you met my beloved?
CORDELIA: Once or twice in real life. But I remember watching her grow up. How are you Dawnie? (hugs her)
**
GUNN: Xan-Man. How's it hanging? Do you remember that time we took on that Oscayrian demon with only a rusty saw?
XANDER: We? I did all the work. So where's the wife?
GUNN: She drew the short straw this time. Had to stay home with the kids. And Connor too. Angel didn't want him coming.
**
WILLOW: Ethan. It's nice to see you again. How are you? Have you met my friend Tara?
ETHAN (looking all intense): Oh yes. I believe we know each other. In the Biblical sense, eh Tara?
Tara nods, turns bright red, and busies herself with tidying the table. Willow looks confused, and then angry, and then resigned.
**
ANGEL (awkward): Buffy. How are you?
BUFFY: Oh, um, I'm fine, You know, just another day on the wacky Hellmouth of Fun.
**
Lorne stands on the table, and hits a high note to get everyone's attention.
LORNE: Sorry to burst your ear drums kids, but we're not here to get re- acquainted. We need a game plan.
BUFFY (recovers her composure): Okay, here's what we're going to do. Chez Summers will be command central. Anyone who needs a place to stay can bunk up there. Everyone, get anything you need for research, and meet there. Riley, you and Sam are welcome, but your soldiers will have to go play somewhere else. I want everyone at my house. BEFORE sundown. Is that clear? We don't know what the big bads have cooking, but we don't want to find it out the hard way.
GILES: Ethan and I took an early flight. Some of the other council members will be arriving tommorrow or the day after. Can I send them straight to your house?
ANGEL: My group will be staying at the abandonned mansion. We'll just go get settled, and then we'll be at your house.
DAWN (pulling on Angel's sleeve): Uh, Angel? (once she has his attention, she whispers) They tore that mansion down. We have room at our house. (Seeing his hesitation) Don't worry. There'll be so many people there, you and Buffy won't even have time to not talk to eachother and feel weird about it.
The groups dispersed. Two hours later, they were all at Buffy's house, crowded but comfortable in the living room. Gradually, all of the talking ceased, and everyone looked to Buffy and Giles for instructions. Buffy looks to Giles.
BUFFY: So, uh, what do we do now?
GILES ( cleaning his glasses): Oh, well, I imagine that we take any leads that we have, and research them.
CORDELIA: But that's just it. There are no leads. All I saw was all of us, a lot of blood, and a final apocalyptic battle. I could even tell what time of day it was, the sky was so red.
OZ: Maybe that just that.
ALL: Huh?
OZ: Maybe the visions were just to bring us all here, together. Maybe there will be more to go on later. You know, more instructions.
WESLEY: Yes, well. Until we get more information, we'll have to do the best we can with what we have. Giles, would you help me with these translations?
WILLOW: Okay, Cordelia. Why don't you come and tell me exactly what you saw, and I can cross reference it on the net.
LORNE: If it truly does involve all of us, then I want to see everyone sing, one by one. I'll start with you, Angel, since you obviously have a big role in what' s to come. (off his look) We can go to the basement and close the door if we have to.
BUFFY: Spike, you're with me. We'll go visit our friend Willy, and then do a quick graveyard sweep.
DAWN: I'll make the coffee.
Everyone heads off to their appointed tasks. Buffy passes Ethan on the way out the door
ETHAN: Hello Buffy. Haven't seen you in a while.
BUFFY (uncomfortable): Oh, Ethan. It's…… nice to see you.
Buffy and Spike leave. Gunn, who saw the exchange, sidles up to Ethan
GUNN: I didn't know that you and Buffy were on such friendly terms.
ETHAN: Oh, I wouldn't call it friendship, but we go way back. I know Buffy VERY, (eyebrow wiggle) VERY well.
Gunn backs away slowly.
Part 3 – So, uh, now what do we do?
Disclaimer: Guys, I had an epiphany last night. If I keep these characters in my heart, then they really do belong to me! Oh, no, wait. I guess not. Sorry.
AN: Thanks so much for the feedback. Keep it coming. It makes me do the dance of happiness.
There was a moment of stunned silence as the groups looked at each other. Suddenly, Spike doubled over in convulsions of laughter, and ended up rolling on the floor, clutching his stomach. Finally, he managed to gasp out his two cents in between peals of laughter
SPIKE: Maybe you might use less product. I hear it's pretty flammable.
The overzealous commando fingered his trigger (hey hey hey! Minds out of the gutter!). Groo, seeing this, stepped in between him and Angel
GROO: This is my other vampire friend. If you harm him in any way, I will do the dance of retribution. Not only will I cut off your head, but I will mutilate your body as well.
A recovered Angel came up from behind the counter, and whispered something in Groo's ear. Groo's eyes lit up.
GROO (triumphantly): Thank you Angel. (turns back to commando) In this dimension, it appears that cutting off your head will suffice.
RILEY: Stand down soldier. All of you. This is a non-hostile code blue situation.
This earned Riley several looks of disgust from the vampires and various Scoobies. The groups broke into excited chatter/bickering, and it was impossible to hear anything over the din. Buffy, who until this point had been silent, stepped forward
BUFFY: Angel.
The room quieted. Angel's light-heatred-ish manner dropped immediately as he faced his beloved.
ANGEL: Buffy. (pause) Sorry to just burst in like that. It's just that, Cordy. She had a vision. And Lorne here (pointing), well, he did too. And now that I'm back in Sunnydale, things definitely don't feel right. I think its…
WESLEY (stepping forward, ever the drama queen, God love him): It's the end of the world.
BUFFY: Uh huh.
SPIKE: Sorry to ruin your big entrance Peaches, but this tune is getting a little old.
Angel narrowed his eyes and growled almost imperceptibly at his GrandChilde. Spike took a step back, visibly cowed, and then mentally berated himself for still being subordinated by Angel after hundreds of years.
RILEY (trying to ease the tension turns to Oz): So, how's that werewolf thing working out for you?
OZ (in an Ozish fashion): Well, the hours are lousy, but the pay is pretty good. Oh, and bonus – I grow my own winter coat. How's life as a commando treating you?
RILEY (flummoxed (AN: don't you love that word?)): Oh, uh… well… the pay's nice, and I get to travel a lot. (warming up to the subject) And it's a really family oriented occupation. I can bring my wife, and any eventual kids with me. And its really not as dangerous as everyone thinks…
As this exchange was going on, the tension in the room dropped about 5 levels, and smaller conversations broke out.
**
GILES: Good to see you old man. I have a rather fascinating version of Neopoluthus' Chronicles that I wanted to show you
WESLEY: Sounds smashing. I brought my Nyazian Texts. I thought we might be able to find am applicable prophecy.
**
GROO: Hello Princess. I am glad to find you well. Have you met my beloved?
CORDELIA: Once or twice in real life. But I remember watching her grow up. How are you Dawnie? (hugs her)
**
GUNN: Xan-Man. How's it hanging? Do you remember that time we took on that Oscayrian demon with only a rusty saw?
XANDER: We? I did all the work. So where's the wife?
GUNN: She drew the short straw this time. Had to stay home with the kids. And Connor too. Angel didn't want him coming.
**
WILLOW: Ethan. It's nice to see you again. How are you? Have you met my friend Tara?
ETHAN (looking all intense): Oh yes. I believe we know each other. In the Biblical sense, eh Tara?
Tara nods, turns bright red, and busies herself with tidying the table. Willow looks confused, and then angry, and then resigned.
**
ANGEL (awkward): Buffy. How are you?
BUFFY: Oh, um, I'm fine, You know, just another day on the wacky Hellmouth of Fun.
**
Lorne stands on the table, and hits a high note to get everyone's attention.
LORNE: Sorry to burst your ear drums kids, but we're not here to get re- acquainted. We need a game plan.
BUFFY (recovers her composure): Okay, here's what we're going to do. Chez Summers will be command central. Anyone who needs a place to stay can bunk up there. Everyone, get anything you need for research, and meet there. Riley, you and Sam are welcome, but your soldiers will have to go play somewhere else. I want everyone at my house. BEFORE sundown. Is that clear? We don't know what the big bads have cooking, but we don't want to find it out the hard way.
GILES: Ethan and I took an early flight. Some of the other council members will be arriving tommorrow or the day after. Can I send them straight to your house?
ANGEL: My group will be staying at the abandonned mansion. We'll just go get settled, and then we'll be at your house.
DAWN (pulling on Angel's sleeve): Uh, Angel? (once she has his attention, she whispers) They tore that mansion down. We have room at our house. (Seeing his hesitation) Don't worry. There'll be so many people there, you and Buffy won't even have time to not talk to eachother and feel weird about it.
The groups dispersed. Two hours later, they were all at Buffy's house, crowded but comfortable in the living room. Gradually, all of the talking ceased, and everyone looked to Buffy and Giles for instructions. Buffy looks to Giles.
BUFFY: So, uh, what do we do now?
GILES ( cleaning his glasses): Oh, well, I imagine that we take any leads that we have, and research them.
CORDELIA: But that's just it. There are no leads. All I saw was all of us, a lot of blood, and a final apocalyptic battle. I could even tell what time of day it was, the sky was so red.
OZ: Maybe that just that.
ALL: Huh?
OZ: Maybe the visions were just to bring us all here, together. Maybe there will be more to go on later. You know, more instructions.
WESLEY: Yes, well. Until we get more information, we'll have to do the best we can with what we have. Giles, would you help me with these translations?
WILLOW: Okay, Cordelia. Why don't you come and tell me exactly what you saw, and I can cross reference it on the net.
LORNE: If it truly does involve all of us, then I want to see everyone sing, one by one. I'll start with you, Angel, since you obviously have a big role in what' s to come. (off his look) We can go to the basement and close the door if we have to.
BUFFY: Spike, you're with me. We'll go visit our friend Willy, and then do a quick graveyard sweep.
DAWN: I'll make the coffee.
Everyone heads off to their appointed tasks. Buffy passes Ethan on the way out the door
ETHAN: Hello Buffy. Haven't seen you in a while.
BUFFY (uncomfortable): Oh, Ethan. It's…… nice to see you.
Buffy and Spike leave. Gunn, who saw the exchange, sidles up to Ethan
GUNN: I didn't know that you and Buffy were on such friendly terms.
ETHAN: Oh, I wouldn't call it friendship, but we go way back. I know Buffy VERY, (eyebrow wiggle) VERY well.
Gunn backs away slowly.