V. On the Wings
***
Dawn looked a bit uncomfortable as the final good-byes were said. She was being left alone with Anya. She looked a little scared. However the uncomfort of Anya would certainly distract her from the discomfort of having her very pregnant sister marching into the lion's den.
Dawn nodded approvingly as the group, armed to the teeth, passed through security. Everyone wore leather jackets and they looked suspicious, but Willow was all they needed not to be noticed.
"It's definitely the twenty-first century when the good guys wear leather."
***
They had taken over first class, on the Council's bill. They had paid extra to keep the cabin dark. There were fake documents stating that Angel had a skin condition.
They were quite a crew, but there were reasons all of them needed to be there.
Buffy was there because she was the reason. Her sheer presence was enough to make the council tremble. She rested her hands on her stomach and prayed that this would be over in time. The third trimester was not a good time to fly. She was cutting it close.
Next to her was Angel. He hated to fly, but it had to be done. He was there because some one had to protect Buffy. He would be by her side until he gave her back to her love. His job had always been to protect her, to help her. Personal feelings were put aside.
Tara sat with Melinda. Melinda had to come to be what Buffy could not. She had to be the Slayer. She didn't understand most of what was going on, but she was a spunky girl from Texas. No one messed with her. She idolized Buffy and she felt honored to be needed. Tara was needed for her connection to the Wiccas of the Council that she had made during her short stay while Buffy was sorting things out in LA. There was hope she could persuade them to join against Holden.
Wesley, Giles and Wilson huddled together. They were the new power. They knew the rules the council lived by and they would proceed to make those rules fit their needs. Wesley brought with him two families that supplied most of the money for the council, his father had sheer hatred for Holden. Wesley had never really gotten along with his father, but now that he was advocating against Holden his father backed him, his father spoke for both the Wyndhams and the Prices. They would follow Wesley with all the money that they had. Giles was the voice, he was a force not to be taken lightly. Giles had known that the was to be a council member from the time he was young. However he had rebelled. The Ripper was going to beat the Council at their own game. Wilson brought his faction and his Slayer.
Xander sat with Willow. Willow was the only one who could get them through security. She was the one who could quietly enforce. She could back up any of them. Her methods wouldn't harm humans, but they definitely would inhibit them. Her power was unmatchable. Xander was asked to come and he didn't know why. He wasn't like any of them. He didn't feel that he had any special skills except for seniority. He had made a joke that if they were going to take on the council then he wanted a trip to London, he had deserved it. To him it had been a joke. To those who knew it resounded with more truth. He had simply been by Buffy's side for eight years. What he didn't know was that Giles recognized that he would always be there. Buffy lived because of him and with his help she would continue.
A Slayer Queen, a vampire protector, two witches, a slayer, three Watchers and a regular joe who was pledged to fight, sat in the first class. They were going to take over the police force of the underworld.
***
"I would expect this to be more awkward," Buffy remarked. Everyone else was dozing, but Buffy was too worried about Spike. Angel sat next to her, not sleeping for he had a duty to do.
"What? Having your ex-boyfriend around while you go rescue your new one, and you being knocked up? Not to mention that your present guy is my grandson."
Buffy smiled, "Yeah."
There was silence between the pair.
"Are you happy." Angel asked her in the silence, for lack of anything else to say.
"Yeah, I love him Angel."
****
"Remember prom?" Buffy asked much later.
Angel was take aback by her question. It really wasn't what he expected. He recalled the time. He had been preparing to leave. It was hard just waiting. He had worn a tux and pledged that he was going to leave. He had been too wound up to notice much. To him it was another day, and he half expected to see disappointment on her face.
It wasn't there though. Instead there was complete happiness.
His silence reminded her that he didn't understand who she was. It was that night that she had begun to realize the importance of her calling.
Buffy remembered the moment. Buried in misery, barely making the prom after killing three dogs from hell Jonathan had announced to the school that there was a new award.
**We're not good friends. Most of us never found the time to get to know you, but that doesn't mean we haven't noticed you. We don't talk about it much, but it's no secret that Sunnydale High isn't exactly like other high schools. A lot of weird stuff happens here. ***
Buffy almost laughed as she remembered the crowd had yelled out "Zombies" "Hyena People" and "Snyder." For the first time a generation was aware of the circumstances of their situation, they had all helped out during graduation. They had learned how to protect themselves.
**But whenever there was a problem, or something creepy happened, you seemed to show up and stop it. Most of the people here have been saved by you, or helped by you at one time or another. We're proud to say that the class of '99 has the lowest mortality rate of any graduating class in Sunnydale history. And we know at least part of that is because of you. So the senior class offers its thanks.**
She was the class protector. The job had grown beyond that. She was protector of the world. It was a bit much responsiblity. She just wanted to have her family. However that speech had reminded her that she had a greater purpose. She had something that she had to do. She had to protect them so they could sleep at night.
It had become very important to her.
She was scared, but she knew her place.
She felt the roundness of her stomach and smiled. She had so much to protect now. She had always thought that she wanted to retire and have a family.
But now it was different. She had the family that she had been looking so hard for, and she just wanted to fight harder. She had to protect her daughter. She had to make sure that the world was a place that her daughter could live in. She needed a place that was safe for her family. Her family included a vampire who was currently in the clutches of the Council.
She would make this world safe, because her family needed her to.
Buffy looked at the people who had come because she needed them. These were the people assembled to help her, who would be on her side not matter what. They had never forgotten, like most of the population. Buffy had never considered why. She knew now that they knew of the underworld because she needed them. She was alive because of them.
For them and their families she would make this world safe.
She felt the baby move inside of her and she smiled.
This was a reason to continue.
***
They got to London at dusk.
One cab held Buffy, Giles, Angel, and Willow. The next held Tara and Wilson. The final cab contained Xander, Melinda, and Wesley.
It was time.
****
***
Dawn looked a bit uncomfortable as the final good-byes were said. She was being left alone with Anya. She looked a little scared. However the uncomfort of Anya would certainly distract her from the discomfort of having her very pregnant sister marching into the lion's den.
Dawn nodded approvingly as the group, armed to the teeth, passed through security. Everyone wore leather jackets and they looked suspicious, but Willow was all they needed not to be noticed.
"It's definitely the twenty-first century when the good guys wear leather."
***
They had taken over first class, on the Council's bill. They had paid extra to keep the cabin dark. There were fake documents stating that Angel had a skin condition.
They were quite a crew, but there were reasons all of them needed to be there.
Buffy was there because she was the reason. Her sheer presence was enough to make the council tremble. She rested her hands on her stomach and prayed that this would be over in time. The third trimester was not a good time to fly. She was cutting it close.
Next to her was Angel. He hated to fly, but it had to be done. He was there because some one had to protect Buffy. He would be by her side until he gave her back to her love. His job had always been to protect her, to help her. Personal feelings were put aside.
Tara sat with Melinda. Melinda had to come to be what Buffy could not. She had to be the Slayer. She didn't understand most of what was going on, but she was a spunky girl from Texas. No one messed with her. She idolized Buffy and she felt honored to be needed. Tara was needed for her connection to the Wiccas of the Council that she had made during her short stay while Buffy was sorting things out in LA. There was hope she could persuade them to join against Holden.
Wesley, Giles and Wilson huddled together. They were the new power. They knew the rules the council lived by and they would proceed to make those rules fit their needs. Wesley brought with him two families that supplied most of the money for the council, his father had sheer hatred for Holden. Wesley had never really gotten along with his father, but now that he was advocating against Holden his father backed him, his father spoke for both the Wyndhams and the Prices. They would follow Wesley with all the money that they had. Giles was the voice, he was a force not to be taken lightly. Giles had known that the was to be a council member from the time he was young. However he had rebelled. The Ripper was going to beat the Council at their own game. Wilson brought his faction and his Slayer.
Xander sat with Willow. Willow was the only one who could get them through security. She was the one who could quietly enforce. She could back up any of them. Her methods wouldn't harm humans, but they definitely would inhibit them. Her power was unmatchable. Xander was asked to come and he didn't know why. He wasn't like any of them. He didn't feel that he had any special skills except for seniority. He had made a joke that if they were going to take on the council then he wanted a trip to London, he had deserved it. To him it had been a joke. To those who knew it resounded with more truth. He had simply been by Buffy's side for eight years. What he didn't know was that Giles recognized that he would always be there. Buffy lived because of him and with his help she would continue.
A Slayer Queen, a vampire protector, two witches, a slayer, three Watchers and a regular joe who was pledged to fight, sat in the first class. They were going to take over the police force of the underworld.
***
"I would expect this to be more awkward," Buffy remarked. Everyone else was dozing, but Buffy was too worried about Spike. Angel sat next to her, not sleeping for he had a duty to do.
"What? Having your ex-boyfriend around while you go rescue your new one, and you being knocked up? Not to mention that your present guy is my grandson."
Buffy smiled, "Yeah."
There was silence between the pair.
"Are you happy." Angel asked her in the silence, for lack of anything else to say.
"Yeah, I love him Angel."
****
"Remember prom?" Buffy asked much later.
Angel was take aback by her question. It really wasn't what he expected. He recalled the time. He had been preparing to leave. It was hard just waiting. He had worn a tux and pledged that he was going to leave. He had been too wound up to notice much. To him it was another day, and he half expected to see disappointment on her face.
It wasn't there though. Instead there was complete happiness.
His silence reminded her that he didn't understand who she was. It was that night that she had begun to realize the importance of her calling.
Buffy remembered the moment. Buried in misery, barely making the prom after killing three dogs from hell Jonathan had announced to the school that there was a new award.
**We're not good friends. Most of us never found the time to get to know you, but that doesn't mean we haven't noticed you. We don't talk about it much, but it's no secret that Sunnydale High isn't exactly like other high schools. A lot of weird stuff happens here. ***
Buffy almost laughed as she remembered the crowd had yelled out "Zombies" "Hyena People" and "Snyder." For the first time a generation was aware of the circumstances of their situation, they had all helped out during graduation. They had learned how to protect themselves.
**But whenever there was a problem, or something creepy happened, you seemed to show up and stop it. Most of the people here have been saved by you, or helped by you at one time or another. We're proud to say that the class of '99 has the lowest mortality rate of any graduating class in Sunnydale history. And we know at least part of that is because of you. So the senior class offers its thanks.**
She was the class protector. The job had grown beyond that. She was protector of the world. It was a bit much responsiblity. She just wanted to have her family. However that speech had reminded her that she had a greater purpose. She had something that she had to do. She had to protect them so they could sleep at night.
It had become very important to her.
She was scared, but she knew her place.
She felt the roundness of her stomach and smiled. She had so much to protect now. She had always thought that she wanted to retire and have a family.
But now it was different. She had the family that she had been looking so hard for, and she just wanted to fight harder. She had to protect her daughter. She had to make sure that the world was a place that her daughter could live in. She needed a place that was safe for her family. Her family included a vampire who was currently in the clutches of the Council.
She would make this world safe, because her family needed her to.
Buffy looked at the people who had come because she needed them. These were the people assembled to help her, who would be on her side not matter what. They had never forgotten, like most of the population. Buffy had never considered why. She knew now that they knew of the underworld because she needed them. She was alive because of them.
For them and their families she would make this world safe.
She felt the baby move inside of her and she smiled.
This was a reason to continue.
***
They got to London at dusk.
One cab held Buffy, Giles, Angel, and Willow. The next held Tara and Wilson. The final cab contained Xander, Melinda, and Wesley.
It was time.
****