Summary: When an unforeseen evil once again threatens to destroy the
world, Buffy and the gang, along with some unexpected help, join together
to release a reluctant champion from the clutches of hell. But will he be
the prophesized savior or will he destroy them all?
Notes: Contains spoilers from BtVS seasons one through three.
Feedback: Any and all comments are welcome and appreciated.
Epilogue
She stood on a cliff overlooking the black skies of the dying city she called home. It was over, finally over, and somehow they'd managed to survive. She tried to find a sense of relief somewhere within her jumbled emotions, she tried to find the joy that should have been dancing in her soul at the thought of a victory she never deserved. But those emotions were dulled at the sight of the flames consuming everything she'd come to call her own.
A loud explosion dulled by distance boomed across the northern edge of Sunnydale. "First a high school," she murmured softly, "then a town, what next?" Grimly, she watched the golden mushroom rise up into the murky skies before slowly oozing into oily smoke. There goes the gas station, she thought bleakly.
"I'd suggest a small country," a familiar voice said dryly, "the loud, annoying kind who claim they don't really have any nuclear weapons. You'd have plenty to choose from."
She stared incredulously at the dark-haired man standing beside her. Had Angel just made a joke? She shook her head, recent events were finally getting to her.
Silently they watched as the town where they had met and loved crumbled to the ground. As places that stood as mute witnesses to a love that should never have been burned bright with the light of utter destruction.
"I've seen this happen too many times," Angel finally said.
"An insane demon mother set on destroying the world?" She asked. Her mind wasn't functioning properly, she knew that, after all she'd been through she was lucky it was even working at all. So there was really no reason, she felt, for the look he threw her way.
"Actually, I meant death and destruction," he replied then frowned as a thought suddenly occurred to him, "but ironically that too." She stared at him, was he joking? She had a feeling she didn't want to know. They watched the fires burn on for awhile, two pyromaniacs enchanted by the gleaming flames.
"This was good," he finally said. An explosion rocked the southern edge of town, its fiery blast kissing the murky heavens with a golden touch. Well there was really no reason for two gas stations in such a small town, Buffy thought. "For me," he added as gold turned too quickly to ash floating to the ground. "I finally realised a few things," he tore his eyes away from the burning town to look at her, "about myself, about you."
"About us?" She whispered, her eyes refusing to turn away from the flames, not even to look at her lover.
He nodded, although he knew she couldn't see him. "I love you, Buffy," he said simply, "and I always will. But we can't be together." She could feel her tired heart begin to crack and wearily wondered how it always found the strength to heal. Would it ever remain broken? "Not now at least," he added hastily as if sensing her pain. "I still need to figure some things out about myself." He shook his head and looked helplessly down at his hands, "all that power, I can still feel it coursing through me. It's in my blood." He forced himself to look up at her although she'd never know the difference, "I need to figure out how to control it, control myself," he corrected. He'd lived the lie of being a creature apart from his demon long enough, he wasn't about to make that separation again. The power was as much a part of him as anything else, he would just have to learn how to embrace it. "I need to go away for awhile," he said quietly, almost fearing her reaction, "somewhere where I can just disappear into the crowd without drawing any attention."
She finally turned to look at her lover, taking in his tall, elegant form, his dark, smouldering eyes and the soft sable hair. Try a GQ ad, she thought, you'll blend right in. "Try New-York," she said instead, "as long as you don't jaywalk no one will even know you're there," fat chance of that, she nearly snorted.
He smiled at her, the rarity of the sight stealing her breath away, "I'll keep that in mind," he replied.
She turned back to face the fire, forced herself to watch as the flames consumed the school, all so he wouldn't have to see the tears in her eyes. All that information, she thought, all those precious books and journals Giles would have defended with his life. All gone. The flames seemed to burn an odd crimson where the Hellmouth had once opened, but the distance and the tears made it impossible to be sure. Could the Hellmouth bleed? She certainly hoped so.
She was so wrapped up in her bleak thoughts that she didn't even feel him move from her side, didn't notice the cold emptiness where he'd been standing only moments before. His cool breath gentle on her sensitive skin was her only warning. Idly, she wondered how he'd always managed to get past her when none other of his kind could do the same, but the thought evaporated as memory struck. She'd lived through this before.
She felt his hands on her arms. Soft, so soft, no hidden threats or mysteries. "Do you love me?" He asked, his breath tickling the nape of her neck, a fresh breath of air challenging the smoke.
"Yes," she replied, her eyes never leaving the glowing embers that used to be home.
She could feel the pleasure running through him, and the smile in his voice nearly brought tears to her eyes. "Do you trust me?" He asked.
This time there would be no hesitation, no self-doubt. She knew this man, who was and will always be her lover, she knew what he was capable of. "No," she replied simply. There were no more inner battles to fight, she'd survived them all.
The small chuckle that escaped his lips was not what she prepared for, "well then," he said, his hands tightening on her arms, but only slightly. He wouldn't hurt her, not today anyway. "We'll just have to work on that." The gentle touch of his lips on her neck drew the familiar response. Shivers ran up and down her spine even after his small touch was replaced by cool emptiness. She watched the town burn on, golden islands swallowed up by a sea of darkness, before she finally, resolutely turned her back to the shattered Hellmouth.
As she made her way towards the refugees of a town that should never have been, as she looked up at the survivors of a destruction that no one would believe, she finally felt the first few twinges of joy pull at her heart. She had won, and whatever would come now she would deal with. She was Buffy, the Vampire Slayer. It was who she was.
THE END
Special Note: Thank you so much to anybody who has managed to come this far. It's been a bumpy ride, I know, but I hope it was worth it.
I've been asked by several readers to write a sequel, but I've found it to be quite impossible due to my hectic schedule. But that doesn't mean the story has to end here...
If anyone feels they have the energy, desire and imagination then this is the challenge for you!
Write a sequel to this story in which Buffy and Angel end up together.
Must have:
1. Buffy and the gang are in college (doesn't matter what year) in a big city somewhere (NY or LA).
2. A reasonable explanation why the gang's all in the same city together.
3. A big bad having something to do with Cirta threatening the world/city/somebody's life.
4. Angel in training with the Elders/Watcher's Council, but not yet in control of all his powers.
5. The Elders (especially Gerrico and Gammina).
6. The Council.
7. Spike and Drusilla.
8. Faith.
Could have:
1. A deeper exploration of the Willow/Angel relationship as far as the soul bonding is concerned.
2. A deeper exploration of Oz's wolf.
3. A deeper exploration of Angel's powers.
4. A deeper exploration of Buffy/Faith slayer bond.
5. Character death.
6. Season four and over characters (Riley, Tara, Dawn, etc...).
Let me know and good luck!
Notes: Contains spoilers from BtVS seasons one through three.
Feedback: Any and all comments are welcome and appreciated.
Epilogue
She stood on a cliff overlooking the black skies of the dying city she called home. It was over, finally over, and somehow they'd managed to survive. She tried to find a sense of relief somewhere within her jumbled emotions, she tried to find the joy that should have been dancing in her soul at the thought of a victory she never deserved. But those emotions were dulled at the sight of the flames consuming everything she'd come to call her own.
A loud explosion dulled by distance boomed across the northern edge of Sunnydale. "First a high school," she murmured softly, "then a town, what next?" Grimly, she watched the golden mushroom rise up into the murky skies before slowly oozing into oily smoke. There goes the gas station, she thought bleakly.
"I'd suggest a small country," a familiar voice said dryly, "the loud, annoying kind who claim they don't really have any nuclear weapons. You'd have plenty to choose from."
She stared incredulously at the dark-haired man standing beside her. Had Angel just made a joke? She shook her head, recent events were finally getting to her.
Silently they watched as the town where they had met and loved crumbled to the ground. As places that stood as mute witnesses to a love that should never have been burned bright with the light of utter destruction.
"I've seen this happen too many times," Angel finally said.
"An insane demon mother set on destroying the world?" She asked. Her mind wasn't functioning properly, she knew that, after all she'd been through she was lucky it was even working at all. So there was really no reason, she felt, for the look he threw her way.
"Actually, I meant death and destruction," he replied then frowned as a thought suddenly occurred to him, "but ironically that too." She stared at him, was he joking? She had a feeling she didn't want to know. They watched the fires burn on for awhile, two pyromaniacs enchanted by the gleaming flames.
"This was good," he finally said. An explosion rocked the southern edge of town, its fiery blast kissing the murky heavens with a golden touch. Well there was really no reason for two gas stations in such a small town, Buffy thought. "For me," he added as gold turned too quickly to ash floating to the ground. "I finally realised a few things," he tore his eyes away from the burning town to look at her, "about myself, about you."
"About us?" She whispered, her eyes refusing to turn away from the flames, not even to look at her lover.
He nodded, although he knew she couldn't see him. "I love you, Buffy," he said simply, "and I always will. But we can't be together." She could feel her tired heart begin to crack and wearily wondered how it always found the strength to heal. Would it ever remain broken? "Not now at least," he added hastily as if sensing her pain. "I still need to figure some things out about myself." He shook his head and looked helplessly down at his hands, "all that power, I can still feel it coursing through me. It's in my blood." He forced himself to look up at her although she'd never know the difference, "I need to figure out how to control it, control myself," he corrected. He'd lived the lie of being a creature apart from his demon long enough, he wasn't about to make that separation again. The power was as much a part of him as anything else, he would just have to learn how to embrace it. "I need to go away for awhile," he said quietly, almost fearing her reaction, "somewhere where I can just disappear into the crowd without drawing any attention."
She finally turned to look at her lover, taking in his tall, elegant form, his dark, smouldering eyes and the soft sable hair. Try a GQ ad, she thought, you'll blend right in. "Try New-York," she said instead, "as long as you don't jaywalk no one will even know you're there," fat chance of that, she nearly snorted.
He smiled at her, the rarity of the sight stealing her breath away, "I'll keep that in mind," he replied.
She turned back to face the fire, forced herself to watch as the flames consumed the school, all so he wouldn't have to see the tears in her eyes. All that information, she thought, all those precious books and journals Giles would have defended with his life. All gone. The flames seemed to burn an odd crimson where the Hellmouth had once opened, but the distance and the tears made it impossible to be sure. Could the Hellmouth bleed? She certainly hoped so.
She was so wrapped up in her bleak thoughts that she didn't even feel him move from her side, didn't notice the cold emptiness where he'd been standing only moments before. His cool breath gentle on her sensitive skin was her only warning. Idly, she wondered how he'd always managed to get past her when none other of his kind could do the same, but the thought evaporated as memory struck. She'd lived through this before.
She felt his hands on her arms. Soft, so soft, no hidden threats or mysteries. "Do you love me?" He asked, his breath tickling the nape of her neck, a fresh breath of air challenging the smoke.
"Yes," she replied, her eyes never leaving the glowing embers that used to be home.
She could feel the pleasure running through him, and the smile in his voice nearly brought tears to her eyes. "Do you trust me?" He asked.
This time there would be no hesitation, no self-doubt. She knew this man, who was and will always be her lover, she knew what he was capable of. "No," she replied simply. There were no more inner battles to fight, she'd survived them all.
The small chuckle that escaped his lips was not what she prepared for, "well then," he said, his hands tightening on her arms, but only slightly. He wouldn't hurt her, not today anyway. "We'll just have to work on that." The gentle touch of his lips on her neck drew the familiar response. Shivers ran up and down her spine even after his small touch was replaced by cool emptiness. She watched the town burn on, golden islands swallowed up by a sea of darkness, before she finally, resolutely turned her back to the shattered Hellmouth.
As she made her way towards the refugees of a town that should never have been, as she looked up at the survivors of a destruction that no one would believe, she finally felt the first few twinges of joy pull at her heart. She had won, and whatever would come now she would deal with. She was Buffy, the Vampire Slayer. It was who she was.
THE END
Special Note: Thank you so much to anybody who has managed to come this far. It's been a bumpy ride, I know, but I hope it was worth it.
I've been asked by several readers to write a sequel, but I've found it to be quite impossible due to my hectic schedule. But that doesn't mean the story has to end here...
If anyone feels they have the energy, desire and imagination then this is the challenge for you!
Write a sequel to this story in which Buffy and Angel end up together.
Must have:
1. Buffy and the gang are in college (doesn't matter what year) in a big city somewhere (NY or LA).
2. A reasonable explanation why the gang's all in the same city together.
3. A big bad having something to do with Cirta threatening the world/city/somebody's life.
4. Angel in training with the Elders/Watcher's Council, but not yet in control of all his powers.
5. The Elders (especially Gerrico and Gammina).
6. The Council.
7. Spike and Drusilla.
8. Faith.
Could have:
1. A deeper exploration of the Willow/Angel relationship as far as the soul bonding is concerned.
2. A deeper exploration of Oz's wolf.
3. A deeper exploration of Angel's powers.
4. A deeper exploration of Buffy/Faith slayer bond.
5. Character death.
6. Season four and over characters (Riley, Tara, Dawn, etc...).
Let me know and good luck!