Author's Note: Okay, this is gonna be tricky. This is the last part of the
first part of the 'Her Destiny' series. Half way through writing this and
reading all your reviews, I figured, may as well make this a series, see
how far I can take it before season seven actually starts here in
Australia. This is the final part of 'The Center of Destiny'. I hope you
enjoy it, and I hope I don't let you down. Once again, I own nothing, it
all belongs to Joss Whedon, UPN, M.E. (Mutant Enemy) and anyone else that
is on the Buffy Bandwagon. 'Labyrinth' is also, not mine. I just happened
to be looking after little kids who were watching the film and thought I
could incorporate them somehow. But, the characters all belong to Jim
Henson, Jim Henson's Creature Workshop, CEL, George Lucas and Dennis Lee.
Enjoy! =) B. A. xxoo.
PS: 'Je ne Regret Rien', I regret nothing.
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Chapter Thirteen
Je ne Regret Rien.
The first thing she noticed when she woke up was that she wasn't alone. She smiled as she remembered all that had happened during the day. She rolled over and spooned herself against Spike's chest, gently draping her leg over his and an arm over his chest. He moaned and snuggled closer to her. 'Couldn't be anymore perfect than this.' She thought to herself, her free hand tracing patterns on his chest. Then, it dawned on her. Spike had told her last night that when they got home, they'd talk about their future together. Her moment of happiness darkened as she realized what Eurynome had said three days prior. 'You will have no knowledge of what happened here. Your memory of this place will be erased.' She sighed, pulling Spike closer. Two days of pure happiness, she'd made a new record for herself.
Her eyes became overshadowed by what she knew would happen once they made it back to Sunnydale. Ever since the night The Master tried to open the Hellmouth, she had been going through what she liked to call 'patches'. Good patches. She be regular Buffy one day, then, something would happen and she'd be made to recall something about The Master or the fact that she was just sick to death of being The Slayer. 'Saving the world. Sure it's a big job, and not just anyone can do it. But, why does that not just anyone have to be me?' She shuddered at the memory of The Master sinking his teeth into her neck. It hadn't been a blinding pain like she expected; more like the dull pain of receiving a flu shot from the doctor. Only difference was, the doctor left you with a twenty-four hour virus and if you were good, you got to have a lollipop. He didn't leave you deader then a doornail to then rise and live a life hiding in shadows.
She turned to look at Spike; he had woken up and was looking at her intently. "Star for your thoughts Ellie."
She grinned, "I forgot how nice it was to be called Ellie." She tilted her head to kiss him softly. "And, I was just thinking. Tonight we will be going home. I can feel it." She smiled and sat up, holding the blanket to her chest.
"Well then," He began, "we best get going then." He stood and pulled her against him, his cold, hard body pressing against hers as he kissed her deeply. "Wouldn't want the Gods to get all pissy now would we?"
She laughed at him before bending down to pick up her clothes. "Spike." She looked up at him through hooded eyes.
"Yes Pet?" He pulled his pants up, adjusting them on his waist.
"Do you." She couldn't bring herself to say it. There was a part of her that hated to know if he regretted what they had done. Yet, there was another part that needed to know he meant everything he had whispered to her last night.
"Je ne regret rien." He shook his head and swept her into his arms with a kiss. "No regrets, just lots of purely wicked thoughts."
"Good, cos, I'd die if you regretted what we did." She kissed his nose and put her folded up blanket back in her bag. "Now, let's go, cos, it's not going to get any darker."
He followed suit. His hand catching hers as they left the small building together to make their way through the last part of the maze.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
They walked along in silence for a while, enjoying the company and the scenery. Buffy silently wished they were at least three days away from the center of the maze. She wanted more time with Spike. Although, she knew that, in all likeliness, her and Spike would become a couple later on in the future. Their destinies were intertwined, just as Eurynome had told them, although, until they reached the center, they wouldn't know just how intertwined that was.
She sneaked a glance at him. His lips were moving, as if singing to himself. "Star for your thoughts William?" She grinned at him. "Which, by the way, you owe me two stars."
He laughed, "You'll get your stars when we get home, don't be so impatient." He looked at her and smiled. "And I wasn't thinking, I was singing."
She stifled a giggle at his serious look. "Not that Beatles song I hope." She let go of his hand and thrust a stake into the vampire that was waiting for them in the bush next to her. "I hate it when they think I don't know they are there. It takes away the element of surprise." She sighed and took up his hand again, ignoring his look of shock and disbelief, "So, singing huh? What were you singing?"
"J-just some song from a film, you probably have never even heard of it." He continued walking through the maze, dragging her along with him. He stopped and smiled, taking a right turn.
"Try me, I know a lot of films, even ones with songs that you can sing along to." She grinned and skipped to keep up with him. "What film?"
"'Labyrinth.'" He smiled shyly at her. "It's a great movie and the girl in it is one hot little chit."
"Ohmigod." She whispered, "no, not that." She giggled when she felt him tense and shift into a position where he could attack anything that came at them. "Ohmigod I never thought of this before."
"Thought of what?" He asked, giving her a look of confusion before continuing down the path.
"That was.is.my favorite all time movie!" She smiled. "The creatures in it are so adorable, and, it's an evil place without being too evil. Do you understand?" She asked, not sure she quite understood herself.
"Sort of. I mean, it's a place where, the only thing bad is the goblins and the Goblin King, a place where you still fight the good fight, but it's not a life or death situation." He looked at her.
She nodded. "Exactly. Awe, I miss that now. I haven't watched it in ages. The guy.that singer.Daniel.Major.Major Tom or something, he was kinda cute in that film."
He couldn't suppress his laughter, so he didn't mind the slap in the arm and the confused look he received from her. "David Bowie. His name Luv, was David Bowie. Major Tom was a song he sang."
She screwed up her nose and kept on walking. "Whatever, I still think he was a major honey. Who was your favorite?" She asked, slowing down to keep from pulling his arm out of its socket.
"Favorite?" He watched her in the moonlight. She was so soft, so elegant, so full of life that he couldn't help but feel a surge of love for the young girl that had made him love again. After Cecily, he'd begun to think that it was impossible, with Dru, he knew that true love like what he was feeling with Buffy was never possible. He was with her because it was his duty as her mate, her friend.her brother. With Buffy, he would be there because he wanted to, not because it was his duty.
"Creature, you know. the dwarf, the fox and the big fluffy thing. Which one is your favorite?" She smiled back at him.
"Oh, the big fluffy puppy type thing with the bad teeth. Ludo I think his name was." He smiled gave her hand a small squeeze. "Yours?"
"Oh, that's easy, the fox, by far. He's so."
"Scatterbrained?" He chimed in.
"No!" She laughed, "well, he is, but no. It's because he's so gallant, and he would do anything for his new friend. Even though she could be putting him in danger." She frowned slightly, the weird band of friends back home slowly beginning to resemble the motley crew of the film. Willow, Xander, Giles.even Angel. All of them had something to offer. All of them afraid and all of them willing to put themselves at risk for her. Their friend. "I wish I could remember his name.Sir Something."
"Didymus." He told her gently, "His name was Sir Didymus."
She grinned and flung her arms around him in a brief hug before pulling back. "Okay, now that we've got all that sorted. Sing." She smiled at him slowly.
"W-what?" He stuttered.
"Sing me the songs from the film, please? I haven't heard them in a while, please sing." She snuggled into his side and wrapped her arm around his waist.
Softly, he began to sing her the songs from the film.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Chapter Fourteen
End of the Road.
The last three hours of the maze had been quiet. No vampires, no demons, nothing evil. Buffy had been quite pleased. She was rarely given the chance to enjoy the company of others, even if it was just in a comfortable silence.
Two hours back, Spike had finally stopped singing and had decided that he was hungry, so they had stopped and sat down, having a picnic under the stars before making love between the blankets Eurynome had given them. Buffy smiled as she remembered the tingles he had sent shooting through her body when he gently bit and sucked at her nipples. Now that they had approached the center of the maze, Buffy could almost feel her heart breaking. Three wonderful nights with Spike had not been enough to sate her. She had tasted happiness and she wanted more.
"This is it Luv, time to go see what destiny is in store for us." He pulled her along gently and entered the room.
"William and my Ellesbeth!" Eurynome smiled and threw her arms around each of them in a warm embrace. "Come, come! We must talk and then you must see what destiny has in store for you before we return you to Sunnydale."
Ophion appeared and held out his hand for Spike to shake. "I see you are as undead as ever William." His grin spreading slowly across his face. "Could it be that you two are friends. or maybe even more?" He joked.
Spike could have sworn that, if he were still mortal, he would have blushed from the tips of his toes, to the roots of his bleach blond hair. He smiled and gave the older man a curt nod. "We, we came to a truce.of sorts." Spike replied, holding Buffy close to him.
"Good, good. Now come, we must show you the destinies that lie before you." Eurynome spoke up, her brow furrowed in worry, her lips turning up quickly in a soft smile.
She waved her hand over the pool, dispelling the mists that had collected there. She beckoned for Buffy and Spike to come closer. The picture flashing to the night they had been absconded from the alley and bought to this.other realm.to decide what destined path would be chosen for the fate of the world.
"Now, don't be afraid. These images are of what will come to pass. These images are your destiny." Her hand waved over the top of the water again, letting the image of Buffy and Spike begin to melt and reform into other images.
Buffy smiled when she saw the Parent/Teacher night, then scowled as she saw the familiar bleach blond hair crash in through the windows. Her face shifted from mock annoyance, to shock as she saw Willow being chased through the woods by a werewolf. Then her face changed again, Willow was smiling happily with some young red headed boy, holding hands and talking. Xander was there as well, first holding hands with Cordellia, then holding hands with an unfamiliar girl. Then, suddenly, the images went from ones of the Scooby gang smiling, to the Scooby gang standing around in shock. A girl with dark skin and dark curly hair stood next to Buffy and was looking around the library, tense and alert.
Buffy smiled, 'A new friend. Yay me.' The image melted again, reforming into the face of Angel. She could feel Spike suddenly tense beside her; she dismissed it as envy towards the tall dark stranger. Then, suddenly, Angel's face turned into that of the vampire's. His grin, instead of charming, became malicious and vindictive. Buffy's heart began to race as the picture widened, allowing her to see Giles strapped to a chair in a dark room somewhere, his face bloodied and bruised, his fingers broken and twisted.
"Giles!" She gasped silently, her grip tightening around Spike until she was sure she had managed to break at least two of his fingers.
Eurynome looked on sadly. She knew it was too much for the young girl, not even seventeen yet. But it had to be done. She cringed as the image melted and reformed into that of Acathla and Angelus. Then, Buffy herself, was in the picture, sword drawn and was fighting with Angelus. "Do you want me to stop Ellesbeth?" She asked, hoping the young girl had seen enough.
She shook her head. Watching as the picture once again melted and reformed. This time, a young girl, almost the same features as Buffy, only with long dark hair, stood atop an impromptu tower of galvanized iron. Buffy was standing beside her. Older then what she was now, 'Twenty, twenty-one maybe.' The younger girl was crying, trying to hold Buffy back. "Stop.please." Buffy whispered to Eurynome who nodded and waved her hand back over the small pool.
Buffy watched as the image faded and the mists that had been covering the tiny pool returned, covering the water.
Spike had remained silent the entire time. He'd seen himself in some of the images, crashing a party at the school, following Buffy through the cemeteries at night. It all seemed normal to him. Then he'd seen Angelus. His entire body had gone rigid with fear and loathing at his Sire. He and Dru hadn't heard from him in one hundred years, they'd last heard he was travelling Romania with Darla. He didn't look forward to seeing his Sire. He was terrified of what would happen if Angelus found Dru and himself all happy families with The Slayer.
"I know almost everyone in those pictures." Buffy whispered to Eurynome who had led her over to the silver throne. "But, the two girls with the dark hair.they."
"They were new faces. Yes." Eurynome smiled and brushed a strand of hair over Buffy's ear. "The first girl, Anya, you will come to know her soon. Just be mindful. She will be new to your world. Welcome her with happiness."
Buffy smiled. "She will make my Xander happy, won't she?"
Eurynome smiled and laughed. "Yes, she will. See," she sat beside Buffy in the larger throne, reserved for Ophion. "Your destiny, is intertwined with every person you have ever come into contact with. For them to fulfil their destiny, you must take part in yours. You, however, are the only one that can CHANGE that destiny."
Buffy looked at her confused. "How?"
"Should you choose the destiny that we have just shown you, the destinies of those you love will be happy and carefree. Should you choose the path not shown to you, the world will be sucked into hell by the demon that you saw Angelus trying to awaken. Do you understand now?"
Buffy made a small 'oh' with her lips. "Yes, I understand. I think. But, how does Spike's destiny interfere with mine?" She looked nervously at Spike who was still staring blankly at the pool.
"He will become your ally. We needed to know if you two could become allies before we decided which destiny path would be taken. And, you made it. You two will be strong allies throughout the future." She smiled gently at Buffy. "What do you decide?"
Buffy smiled and looked at Spike, he was making his way toward her. Knowing that the serious Slayer/God talk was over. "Hello Luvs." He smiled, tipping his head in Eurynome's direction before wrapping Buffy in a hug and dancing about the room.
The four of them laughed, allowing the heavy atmosphere to lighten. "So, My William," Buffy began. "Mind if I save the world today?" She asked, looking him in the eyes. Knowing that, no matter what she chose, she would still go back to Sunnydale remembering nothing of their time here.
"Go for it Pet. You're The Slayer, wouldn't love you if you didn't want to save the world." He put her down and kissed her nose. "And remember, I will always love you."
She flashed him her sunshine smile and flew about the room, hugging Ophion and Eurynome before rushing back into Spike's arms. "I choose, the one with all the happiness. The destiny I was shown."
"Wise decision Ellesbeth." Ophion spoke for the first time since the had been shown the pool. "When you return to Sunnydale, you will still have the books. Did you figure out the riddle?" He asked.
Spike shook his head. "To be completely honest mate, we didn't even really think about the riddle. What was the answer?"
"The answer to the riddle 'It shines brighter than any star, and can be found in all of us' is, Love. The answer is Love. The both of you managed to find the answer within each of you, you just never thought to put it to the riddle." He chuckled softly and then lifted his arm in a short wave.
"Oh." Buffy looked deep in thought, then, "The other girl. the younger one. The one with what I think is future me. Who was she?"
"She is your sister. Goodbye William and Ellesbeth, be safe and let your hearts guide you." The two Gods said in unison.
Then suddenly, a white blinding light filled the room and everything went dark.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Chapter Fifteen
There's No Place Like Home.
She had decided to walk home alone after they had finished at The Bronze. Her brain was fried, mostly not from her study session with Willow, but from her encounter with 'Spike'. Her mind had been reeling since he told her he would kill her. She'd spent the rest of the evening trying to place his name. Something in her mind knew she had to feel afraid, but something in her heart fluttered when she thought of the danger and the mystery surrounding the new big bad of Sunnydale. Suddenly, something in the environment around her shifted and she stepped into the shadows of a near- by building.
"Eleanor Rigby picks up the rice in the church where a wedding has been
Lives in a dream
Waits at the window, Wearing the face that she keeps in a jar by the door
who is it for?
All the lonely people
where do they all come from?
All the lonely people
where do they all belong?"
She knew that song, her mind raced to try and place it. Giles! She had often heard him humming it while he was working in the library. The beasties.the bugs. The Beatles. She smiled and took a step out of the shadows not realizing that the voice singing was not her Watcher. The singing continued.
"Father McKenzie writing the words of a sermon that no one will hear
No one comes near.
Look at him working. Darning his socks in the night when there's nobody there
what does he care?
All the lonely people
where do they all come from?
All the lonely people
where do they all belong?"
"Giles!" She said as she moved into the light of a street lamp.
"Hello Pet." Spike smiled and stopped just out of her reach. He had been following her ever since she had left The Bronze. His intent to make sure she got home safely. 'Although, why I care if she gets home safe or not, I have no clue.' He thought to himself.
"What are you doing? Setting me up this evening wasn't enough?" She looked at him and moved into a fighting stance, her entire body radiating both fear and confidence.
"I'm on my way home, if you must know." He could smell her fear and it made the demon inside him go crazy.
"Don't you know that it's dangerous for your kind to be out and about on a night like this?" Buffy asked. "Oh, that's right, I forgot, you're all a bunch of mindless things who don't care if I kick your ass and send you back to wherever it is you all came from." She tossed her hair over her shoulder and reached for the stake hidden inside her waistband.
"I'm not lookin' for a fight Luv if that's what you're thinking." Spike looked at her and took a step back. "I'm just on my way home, singin' my song and lookin' for a scrap to eat."
"Okay. Firstly, it's not your song; it's John and Paul's. Second, home? Don't you mean some sewer somewhere? And the all you can eat buffet of Sunnydale is now closed. You had your chance, but you let your idiot friend screw you over. Not to mention your own big mouth."
"You know who The Beatles are?" he asked, impressed. "It's a good song, should be a mate's theme song. You know, 'all the lonely people, where do they all come from?' Us vampires should use it as a theme song, we are, after all lonely people, and most no one knows where we come from."
She rolled her eyes, before taking a step closer. "I suggest you leave, like, now." Her former valley girl attitude surfacing for a brief moment.
"You go first." He replied. "I told you I wasn't going to kill you until Saturday, and I may be a vampire, but, I'm a man of my word."
She sighed. "I really don't need this, not tonight." She gave him an exasperated stare. "I'm leaving, stay here and count to ten really loud. Not that I trust you.I just.don't. trust you." She turned and fled. Something in her stomach had begun to flutter the moment he looked at her and said she could trust him not to bite her.
She flew up the stairs to the front of her home. Her eyes wild with fright.
"Buffy? Is that you?" Her mother called from the kitchen.
"Yeah Mom.just, a wild night of studying is all. I'm gonna take a shower and get to bed. Night." She called as she headed up the stairs.
"Night."
Buffy couldn't sleep. Her legs felt heavy and sore, as though she had been walking for four days, but, she knew it was impossible. She, four days from now, she'd be at the mercy of her mother and principal Snyder. Facing the latest big bad of the Hellmouth was a piece of cake compared to what she KNEW would happen if Snyder got a hold of her mother.
'Please let something Slayer related happen that night.' She prayed silently, 'If I'm going to die.again.then, at least let me go out at the hands of that Spike guy.'
She closed her eyes and willed sleep to come. Spike invaded her dreams. He was handsome, although she would never admit it out loud. She sighed and rolled over her dream filling the white space that surrounded her. She felt.safe. They were holding hands as they walked through a maze.
"I love you Buffy, don't forget that. Not ever." He bent down to whisper in her ear.
"I love you too. Remember me always." She kissed his cheek then continued walking down the dreamland maze. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
A.N: Okay, a really crappy way to end the first part. But don't worry, if it doesn't make sense to you now, then, it will by the time the first chapter of the next part in the series is up. Honest. I just needed to end it someplace where I knew I'd be able to use it to screw around with the Buffyverse to my heart's content. Thanks and keep watching my place for more of this series! Love. B.A. xx
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Chapter Thirteen
Je ne Regret Rien.
The first thing she noticed when she woke up was that she wasn't alone. She smiled as she remembered all that had happened during the day. She rolled over and spooned herself against Spike's chest, gently draping her leg over his and an arm over his chest. He moaned and snuggled closer to her. 'Couldn't be anymore perfect than this.' She thought to herself, her free hand tracing patterns on his chest. Then, it dawned on her. Spike had told her last night that when they got home, they'd talk about their future together. Her moment of happiness darkened as she realized what Eurynome had said three days prior. 'You will have no knowledge of what happened here. Your memory of this place will be erased.' She sighed, pulling Spike closer. Two days of pure happiness, she'd made a new record for herself.
Her eyes became overshadowed by what she knew would happen once they made it back to Sunnydale. Ever since the night The Master tried to open the Hellmouth, she had been going through what she liked to call 'patches'. Good patches. She be regular Buffy one day, then, something would happen and she'd be made to recall something about The Master or the fact that she was just sick to death of being The Slayer. 'Saving the world. Sure it's a big job, and not just anyone can do it. But, why does that not just anyone have to be me?' She shuddered at the memory of The Master sinking his teeth into her neck. It hadn't been a blinding pain like she expected; more like the dull pain of receiving a flu shot from the doctor. Only difference was, the doctor left you with a twenty-four hour virus and if you were good, you got to have a lollipop. He didn't leave you deader then a doornail to then rise and live a life hiding in shadows.
She turned to look at Spike; he had woken up and was looking at her intently. "Star for your thoughts Ellie."
She grinned, "I forgot how nice it was to be called Ellie." She tilted her head to kiss him softly. "And, I was just thinking. Tonight we will be going home. I can feel it." She smiled and sat up, holding the blanket to her chest.
"Well then," He began, "we best get going then." He stood and pulled her against him, his cold, hard body pressing against hers as he kissed her deeply. "Wouldn't want the Gods to get all pissy now would we?"
She laughed at him before bending down to pick up her clothes. "Spike." She looked up at him through hooded eyes.
"Yes Pet?" He pulled his pants up, adjusting them on his waist.
"Do you." She couldn't bring herself to say it. There was a part of her that hated to know if he regretted what they had done. Yet, there was another part that needed to know he meant everything he had whispered to her last night.
"Je ne regret rien." He shook his head and swept her into his arms with a kiss. "No regrets, just lots of purely wicked thoughts."
"Good, cos, I'd die if you regretted what we did." She kissed his nose and put her folded up blanket back in her bag. "Now, let's go, cos, it's not going to get any darker."
He followed suit. His hand catching hers as they left the small building together to make their way through the last part of the maze.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
They walked along in silence for a while, enjoying the company and the scenery. Buffy silently wished they were at least three days away from the center of the maze. She wanted more time with Spike. Although, she knew that, in all likeliness, her and Spike would become a couple later on in the future. Their destinies were intertwined, just as Eurynome had told them, although, until they reached the center, they wouldn't know just how intertwined that was.
She sneaked a glance at him. His lips were moving, as if singing to himself. "Star for your thoughts William?" She grinned at him. "Which, by the way, you owe me two stars."
He laughed, "You'll get your stars when we get home, don't be so impatient." He looked at her and smiled. "And I wasn't thinking, I was singing."
She stifled a giggle at his serious look. "Not that Beatles song I hope." She let go of his hand and thrust a stake into the vampire that was waiting for them in the bush next to her. "I hate it when they think I don't know they are there. It takes away the element of surprise." She sighed and took up his hand again, ignoring his look of shock and disbelief, "So, singing huh? What were you singing?"
"J-just some song from a film, you probably have never even heard of it." He continued walking through the maze, dragging her along with him. He stopped and smiled, taking a right turn.
"Try me, I know a lot of films, even ones with songs that you can sing along to." She grinned and skipped to keep up with him. "What film?"
"'Labyrinth.'" He smiled shyly at her. "It's a great movie and the girl in it is one hot little chit."
"Ohmigod." She whispered, "no, not that." She giggled when she felt him tense and shift into a position where he could attack anything that came at them. "Ohmigod I never thought of this before."
"Thought of what?" He asked, giving her a look of confusion before continuing down the path.
"That was.is.my favorite all time movie!" She smiled. "The creatures in it are so adorable, and, it's an evil place without being too evil. Do you understand?" She asked, not sure she quite understood herself.
"Sort of. I mean, it's a place where, the only thing bad is the goblins and the Goblin King, a place where you still fight the good fight, but it's not a life or death situation." He looked at her.
She nodded. "Exactly. Awe, I miss that now. I haven't watched it in ages. The guy.that singer.Daniel.Major.Major Tom or something, he was kinda cute in that film."
He couldn't suppress his laughter, so he didn't mind the slap in the arm and the confused look he received from her. "David Bowie. His name Luv, was David Bowie. Major Tom was a song he sang."
She screwed up her nose and kept on walking. "Whatever, I still think he was a major honey. Who was your favorite?" She asked, slowing down to keep from pulling his arm out of its socket.
"Favorite?" He watched her in the moonlight. She was so soft, so elegant, so full of life that he couldn't help but feel a surge of love for the young girl that had made him love again. After Cecily, he'd begun to think that it was impossible, with Dru, he knew that true love like what he was feeling with Buffy was never possible. He was with her because it was his duty as her mate, her friend.her brother. With Buffy, he would be there because he wanted to, not because it was his duty.
"Creature, you know. the dwarf, the fox and the big fluffy thing. Which one is your favorite?" She smiled back at him.
"Oh, the big fluffy puppy type thing with the bad teeth. Ludo I think his name was." He smiled gave her hand a small squeeze. "Yours?"
"Oh, that's easy, the fox, by far. He's so."
"Scatterbrained?" He chimed in.
"No!" She laughed, "well, he is, but no. It's because he's so gallant, and he would do anything for his new friend. Even though she could be putting him in danger." She frowned slightly, the weird band of friends back home slowly beginning to resemble the motley crew of the film. Willow, Xander, Giles.even Angel. All of them had something to offer. All of them afraid and all of them willing to put themselves at risk for her. Their friend. "I wish I could remember his name.Sir Something."
"Didymus." He told her gently, "His name was Sir Didymus."
She grinned and flung her arms around him in a brief hug before pulling back. "Okay, now that we've got all that sorted. Sing." She smiled at him slowly.
"W-what?" He stuttered.
"Sing me the songs from the film, please? I haven't heard them in a while, please sing." She snuggled into his side and wrapped her arm around his waist.
Softly, he began to sing her the songs from the film.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Chapter Fourteen
End of the Road.
The last three hours of the maze had been quiet. No vampires, no demons, nothing evil. Buffy had been quite pleased. She was rarely given the chance to enjoy the company of others, even if it was just in a comfortable silence.
Two hours back, Spike had finally stopped singing and had decided that he was hungry, so they had stopped and sat down, having a picnic under the stars before making love between the blankets Eurynome had given them. Buffy smiled as she remembered the tingles he had sent shooting through her body when he gently bit and sucked at her nipples. Now that they had approached the center of the maze, Buffy could almost feel her heart breaking. Three wonderful nights with Spike had not been enough to sate her. She had tasted happiness and she wanted more.
"This is it Luv, time to go see what destiny is in store for us." He pulled her along gently and entered the room.
"William and my Ellesbeth!" Eurynome smiled and threw her arms around each of them in a warm embrace. "Come, come! We must talk and then you must see what destiny has in store for you before we return you to Sunnydale."
Ophion appeared and held out his hand for Spike to shake. "I see you are as undead as ever William." His grin spreading slowly across his face. "Could it be that you two are friends. or maybe even more?" He joked.
Spike could have sworn that, if he were still mortal, he would have blushed from the tips of his toes, to the roots of his bleach blond hair. He smiled and gave the older man a curt nod. "We, we came to a truce.of sorts." Spike replied, holding Buffy close to him.
"Good, good. Now come, we must show you the destinies that lie before you." Eurynome spoke up, her brow furrowed in worry, her lips turning up quickly in a soft smile.
She waved her hand over the pool, dispelling the mists that had collected there. She beckoned for Buffy and Spike to come closer. The picture flashing to the night they had been absconded from the alley and bought to this.other realm.to decide what destined path would be chosen for the fate of the world.
"Now, don't be afraid. These images are of what will come to pass. These images are your destiny." Her hand waved over the top of the water again, letting the image of Buffy and Spike begin to melt and reform into other images.
Buffy smiled when she saw the Parent/Teacher night, then scowled as she saw the familiar bleach blond hair crash in through the windows. Her face shifted from mock annoyance, to shock as she saw Willow being chased through the woods by a werewolf. Then her face changed again, Willow was smiling happily with some young red headed boy, holding hands and talking. Xander was there as well, first holding hands with Cordellia, then holding hands with an unfamiliar girl. Then, suddenly, the images went from ones of the Scooby gang smiling, to the Scooby gang standing around in shock. A girl with dark skin and dark curly hair stood next to Buffy and was looking around the library, tense and alert.
Buffy smiled, 'A new friend. Yay me.' The image melted again, reforming into the face of Angel. She could feel Spike suddenly tense beside her; she dismissed it as envy towards the tall dark stranger. Then, suddenly, Angel's face turned into that of the vampire's. His grin, instead of charming, became malicious and vindictive. Buffy's heart began to race as the picture widened, allowing her to see Giles strapped to a chair in a dark room somewhere, his face bloodied and bruised, his fingers broken and twisted.
"Giles!" She gasped silently, her grip tightening around Spike until she was sure she had managed to break at least two of his fingers.
Eurynome looked on sadly. She knew it was too much for the young girl, not even seventeen yet. But it had to be done. She cringed as the image melted and reformed into that of Acathla and Angelus. Then, Buffy herself, was in the picture, sword drawn and was fighting with Angelus. "Do you want me to stop Ellesbeth?" She asked, hoping the young girl had seen enough.
She shook her head. Watching as the picture once again melted and reformed. This time, a young girl, almost the same features as Buffy, only with long dark hair, stood atop an impromptu tower of galvanized iron. Buffy was standing beside her. Older then what she was now, 'Twenty, twenty-one maybe.' The younger girl was crying, trying to hold Buffy back. "Stop.please." Buffy whispered to Eurynome who nodded and waved her hand back over the small pool.
Buffy watched as the image faded and the mists that had been covering the tiny pool returned, covering the water.
Spike had remained silent the entire time. He'd seen himself in some of the images, crashing a party at the school, following Buffy through the cemeteries at night. It all seemed normal to him. Then he'd seen Angelus. His entire body had gone rigid with fear and loathing at his Sire. He and Dru hadn't heard from him in one hundred years, they'd last heard he was travelling Romania with Darla. He didn't look forward to seeing his Sire. He was terrified of what would happen if Angelus found Dru and himself all happy families with The Slayer.
"I know almost everyone in those pictures." Buffy whispered to Eurynome who had led her over to the silver throne. "But, the two girls with the dark hair.they."
"They were new faces. Yes." Eurynome smiled and brushed a strand of hair over Buffy's ear. "The first girl, Anya, you will come to know her soon. Just be mindful. She will be new to your world. Welcome her with happiness."
Buffy smiled. "She will make my Xander happy, won't she?"
Eurynome smiled and laughed. "Yes, she will. See," she sat beside Buffy in the larger throne, reserved for Ophion. "Your destiny, is intertwined with every person you have ever come into contact with. For them to fulfil their destiny, you must take part in yours. You, however, are the only one that can CHANGE that destiny."
Buffy looked at her confused. "How?"
"Should you choose the destiny that we have just shown you, the destinies of those you love will be happy and carefree. Should you choose the path not shown to you, the world will be sucked into hell by the demon that you saw Angelus trying to awaken. Do you understand now?"
Buffy made a small 'oh' with her lips. "Yes, I understand. I think. But, how does Spike's destiny interfere with mine?" She looked nervously at Spike who was still staring blankly at the pool.
"He will become your ally. We needed to know if you two could become allies before we decided which destiny path would be taken. And, you made it. You two will be strong allies throughout the future." She smiled gently at Buffy. "What do you decide?"
Buffy smiled and looked at Spike, he was making his way toward her. Knowing that the serious Slayer/God talk was over. "Hello Luvs." He smiled, tipping his head in Eurynome's direction before wrapping Buffy in a hug and dancing about the room.
The four of them laughed, allowing the heavy atmosphere to lighten. "So, My William," Buffy began. "Mind if I save the world today?" She asked, looking him in the eyes. Knowing that, no matter what she chose, she would still go back to Sunnydale remembering nothing of their time here.
"Go for it Pet. You're The Slayer, wouldn't love you if you didn't want to save the world." He put her down and kissed her nose. "And remember, I will always love you."
She flashed him her sunshine smile and flew about the room, hugging Ophion and Eurynome before rushing back into Spike's arms. "I choose, the one with all the happiness. The destiny I was shown."
"Wise decision Ellesbeth." Ophion spoke for the first time since the had been shown the pool. "When you return to Sunnydale, you will still have the books. Did you figure out the riddle?" He asked.
Spike shook his head. "To be completely honest mate, we didn't even really think about the riddle. What was the answer?"
"The answer to the riddle 'It shines brighter than any star, and can be found in all of us' is, Love. The answer is Love. The both of you managed to find the answer within each of you, you just never thought to put it to the riddle." He chuckled softly and then lifted his arm in a short wave.
"Oh." Buffy looked deep in thought, then, "The other girl. the younger one. The one with what I think is future me. Who was she?"
"She is your sister. Goodbye William and Ellesbeth, be safe and let your hearts guide you." The two Gods said in unison.
Then suddenly, a white blinding light filled the room and everything went dark.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Chapter Fifteen
There's No Place Like Home.
She had decided to walk home alone after they had finished at The Bronze. Her brain was fried, mostly not from her study session with Willow, but from her encounter with 'Spike'. Her mind had been reeling since he told her he would kill her. She'd spent the rest of the evening trying to place his name. Something in her mind knew she had to feel afraid, but something in her heart fluttered when she thought of the danger and the mystery surrounding the new big bad of Sunnydale. Suddenly, something in the environment around her shifted and she stepped into the shadows of a near- by building.
"Eleanor Rigby picks up the rice in the church where a wedding has been
Lives in a dream
Waits at the window, Wearing the face that she keeps in a jar by the door
who is it for?
All the lonely people
where do they all come from?
All the lonely people
where do they all belong?"
She knew that song, her mind raced to try and place it. Giles! She had often heard him humming it while he was working in the library. The beasties.the bugs. The Beatles. She smiled and took a step out of the shadows not realizing that the voice singing was not her Watcher. The singing continued.
"Father McKenzie writing the words of a sermon that no one will hear
No one comes near.
Look at him working. Darning his socks in the night when there's nobody there
what does he care?
All the lonely people
where do they all come from?
All the lonely people
where do they all belong?"
"Giles!" She said as she moved into the light of a street lamp.
"Hello Pet." Spike smiled and stopped just out of her reach. He had been following her ever since she had left The Bronze. His intent to make sure she got home safely. 'Although, why I care if she gets home safe or not, I have no clue.' He thought to himself.
"What are you doing? Setting me up this evening wasn't enough?" She looked at him and moved into a fighting stance, her entire body radiating both fear and confidence.
"I'm on my way home, if you must know." He could smell her fear and it made the demon inside him go crazy.
"Don't you know that it's dangerous for your kind to be out and about on a night like this?" Buffy asked. "Oh, that's right, I forgot, you're all a bunch of mindless things who don't care if I kick your ass and send you back to wherever it is you all came from." She tossed her hair over her shoulder and reached for the stake hidden inside her waistband.
"I'm not lookin' for a fight Luv if that's what you're thinking." Spike looked at her and took a step back. "I'm just on my way home, singin' my song and lookin' for a scrap to eat."
"Okay. Firstly, it's not your song; it's John and Paul's. Second, home? Don't you mean some sewer somewhere? And the all you can eat buffet of Sunnydale is now closed. You had your chance, but you let your idiot friend screw you over. Not to mention your own big mouth."
"You know who The Beatles are?" he asked, impressed. "It's a good song, should be a mate's theme song. You know, 'all the lonely people, where do they all come from?' Us vampires should use it as a theme song, we are, after all lonely people, and most no one knows where we come from."
She rolled her eyes, before taking a step closer. "I suggest you leave, like, now." Her former valley girl attitude surfacing for a brief moment.
"You go first." He replied. "I told you I wasn't going to kill you until Saturday, and I may be a vampire, but, I'm a man of my word."
She sighed. "I really don't need this, not tonight." She gave him an exasperated stare. "I'm leaving, stay here and count to ten really loud. Not that I trust you.I just.don't. trust you." She turned and fled. Something in her stomach had begun to flutter the moment he looked at her and said she could trust him not to bite her.
She flew up the stairs to the front of her home. Her eyes wild with fright.
"Buffy? Is that you?" Her mother called from the kitchen.
"Yeah Mom.just, a wild night of studying is all. I'm gonna take a shower and get to bed. Night." She called as she headed up the stairs.
"Night."
Buffy couldn't sleep. Her legs felt heavy and sore, as though she had been walking for four days, but, she knew it was impossible. She, four days from now, she'd be at the mercy of her mother and principal Snyder. Facing the latest big bad of the Hellmouth was a piece of cake compared to what she KNEW would happen if Snyder got a hold of her mother.
'Please let something Slayer related happen that night.' She prayed silently, 'If I'm going to die.again.then, at least let me go out at the hands of that Spike guy.'
She closed her eyes and willed sleep to come. Spike invaded her dreams. He was handsome, although she would never admit it out loud. She sighed and rolled over her dream filling the white space that surrounded her. She felt.safe. They were holding hands as they walked through a maze.
"I love you Buffy, don't forget that. Not ever." He bent down to whisper in her ear.
"I love you too. Remember me always." She kissed his cheek then continued walking down the dreamland maze. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
A.N: Okay, a really crappy way to end the first part. But don't worry, if it doesn't make sense to you now, then, it will by the time the first chapter of the next part in the series is up. Honest. I just needed to end it someplace where I knew I'd be able to use it to screw around with the Buffyverse to my heart's content. Thanks and keep watching my place for more of this series! Love. B.A. xx