Signs Of The End Pt 2
By Silent Bob Foley
E-mail: BobRgnt@netscape.com
Rating: Don't know the American rating so equivalent of a 15 certificate in
England
Summary: Based loosely on a few Post-apocalyptic films and Drew's Enjoy The
Silence, No more summary as it'll ruin the plot.
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the BTVS Characters, Joss Whedon does
Distribution: BBTZ, Slayerette, BX Fiction Archive and anyone else who
wants it
Feedback: Hell Yeah
Spoilers: None.
Authors Note: This is my first- First person narrative story so give me a
break.
British Words and Spelling
Dedication: those feedback meisters: white werewolf -or- jonathan, Rob Clark, Chorlton, Bill Haden, Steve Howe, Jane Mcartney, Steve and Anonymous person.
Pt 2
Well I found a group of refugees out of LA, they must have been right outside the town when the bomb went up. A small group of soldiers held them in check and were leading them somewhere, I hoped to hell it was a base of some kind because Buffy did not look too good and to that fact neither did Faith. I had no idea what was going on because at this time I had not led the teams in to find out if the Hellmouth was open. But I'm getting away from the point, the refugees were in a bad way, some very bad so we put as many as possible in the car even securing some to the bonnet and boot of the car. I was given direction by one soldier- a Sgt major of all things, and we made it to a base someway off after about three hours. Then something weird happened, yes as a Scooby I know weird things have classifications but this was weird with a capital WE. When at the base I felt something strange and I told the commanding officer and others about the refugee train on it's way, but it was more like a debriefing than a conversation.
What few people remember or understand is that a few years back I was for reasons unknown turned into a soldier- I call him 'THE SGT' for lack of a better term. I remember a little of it but every so often I get memories and flashes of those skills, later I'll explain about my 'Army' and the rocket launcher and a few other things. The Sgt is more a part of me than many people realise I could have removed him completely I found a spell for it, but strangely like the hyena I didn't want to. Both of them are still in here with me, and scarily so is someone else. I've tried to remove him but I can't.
He's a vampire- and I know who he is.
He's me.
About three years ago when Anya first appeared as Anyanka, a wish got made that changed everything around me and Willow were vamps and well to cut a long story short the spell was ended but I think I am the only one with the new person in me. That is why I changed so much in the last year or so, I know who I am and what I am and why I'm pushing myself so hard. Each of these guys are now part of me and changing me for the better, it's scaring me but also is kind of fun. I always believed that vamps were evil, that they could never and should never be trusted but this vamp Xander he's like me he loves his friends and protects those he can. Now I know how Angel felt, I didn't like the guy but I can now empathise with him.
It's these guys that have kept me alive and going for so long, they unlocked my abilities and confidence in myself. How do you think I got to be such a good workman I always had the skills but they were enhanced by the 'boys' and I became a different man, older wiser and stronger. It scared the crap out of me but I've kept it under wraps, only slowly letting myself use my skills so no one else would see what was happening to me and now I have finally reached what I can as this amalgamation.
But things did not stop there.
But back to the base, Faith and Buffy were taken with the others to the triage centre- they couldn't explain what was wrong with them either. The blood was replaced and they were put into a room to rest and for observation, as the only living. well relative is the word I would use I had to inform the camp as to who they were I was also given the bad news for them. The blood from their internal I juries that I had noticed pooled around their feet was worse than I believed. Neither of them would ever be able to have children, their entire reproductive system had been destroyed somehow. The hospital could not explain but I knew- it was the Hellmouth somehow, I don't know how I knew but I did. This would destroy Buffy I knew that much she had always wished for a child and knowing she may live after all had even thought about it, we had talked over the last year about our feelings toward having families and I think I know her well enough again. Faith was a wild card though, she may or may not have thought of having children. This might still hurt her though.
Well I left them alone for a while I knew they would be fine and they were being nursed by the medical staff, so I went out and went for a look around. But life being as it is the crap started then.
Vampires
Just a few but enough.
I never though of vamps as much but this changed my view- the damn things are vermin and parasites, they came here because of the death and disease that would be rife. It was like a buffet for them, I looked around for anything to fight with. Then it hit me my car had my supplies in the boot, I yanked it open and pulled out three stakes and a short sword, the slayers were out but I had to do something or people would die.
I put two stakes up my sleeves and the third in an inside jacket pocket. The sword tucked into my trousers behind me, I stalked up to the first two and requested their help with a badly bleeding person inside. Damn vamps are gullible, once inside I spun dropping the stakes down into my hands and voila two dusted vamps. Ok Now I know I was lucky there, the rest would not be so easy to down and I was probably going to die.
But what the hell as Bon Jovi says 'I'm going out in a Blaze of Glory', vamps needed to be killed and I was the only one that could. At least that was what I thought, I was wrong though. It's funny how things can change a person and a nuclear bomb can change most people, and it changed two this time round. I had taken out another three vamps through skill and bravery- actually it was through dirty tricks but I thought 'Hell why not', the problem was the last three found me after I got the last one. Kinda reminded me of Harmony in the Ditzy Blonde kind of way, They caught me and I got one with a lucky swing of my sword. The others hit me and got me down quickly, the first thing through my mind was that I had failed the others at the camp, the second was that I had just smashed the twinkies in my jacket pocket.
The strange thing is that they seemed to dust in front of my eyes, coughing and sneezing I picked myself up from the floor and looked at my saviours. Two guys I never expected to see again in my lifetime.
"Hey Xand."
"Uh, Hey"
Ok this was strange, I recognised them immediately. Daniel Osbourne and Jonathan Levinson, Jonathan I was a second away from punching before Oz stopped me. Oz explained that Jonathan had explained to him what had happened and that Willow might need help and had sent him to find her. They were only about a hundred miles away when the nukes blasted Sunnydale and so made their way here in the hopes some of us had survived, I had to tell him the truth that Willow and the rest had been killed in Sunnydale with the bomb blast. He slowly nodded and walked away, Jonathan stayed and asked if he could do something- he had some first aid and other skills so I pointed him to the supply corporal I had seen a few hours ago. For the rest of the night I patrolled the compound talking to refugee and guard making small inquires into anything strange, looking for vamps or demons or anything. Nothing came up and so at Dawn I fell asleep along side the girls in a chair between them both, I must have been right out of it because the next I knew it was almost 8pm the next day and I woke up in a bed with Buffy and Faith watching me from the side.
"Hey Xander how are you feeling, you've been out for quite a while."
"I'm fine. How are you two."
"Tired a little weak but otherwise fine."
They hadn't been told about the problems they had that much was certain, they knew they had lost blood and quite a lot of it. They also obviously didn't know that Oz and Johnathan were here either and I wasn't sure I could tell them until they were a little better. Then it hit me the slayer healing should have seriously kicked in by now and it hadn't, I wasn't sure I liked the idea of that it could mean more than anyone thought.
Soon though it was obvious that they needed to sleep and I let them, I had to patrol again but at least I had backup from others this time. I found Oz and Johnathan asleep themselves, according to the people around the two of them had worked non stop for hours keeping people comfortable distributing a new lot of supplies from some organization that had sent help to the base. It was strange as I didn't see how it was possible that help could get here so fast, later I found out how but to say now would spoil the end of this story- the thing that surprised me more was the fact that Johnathan had in fact successfully saved three people with CPR. Bring a person who has done that I know how had and how fulfilling it is to save people that way, I decided to change my estimation of the guy when I got the chance- one of the nurses asked me for my name and I gave it. The nurse also asked for my home and I told her, she gave me a look of sympathy and asked if I could come and help with other SunnyD survivors it seems about six other survivors had made it out alongside the others I had already seen- eleven out of several thousand. It's enough to send you mad really, but I did anyway, following the nurse I met them, not recognising anyone really until I got to the last person who was staring out at the sky. Apparently she had been like that since she had been brought there, I recognised the now long blond hair and attractive features.
"Amy?"
The head shot round to me and looked surprised to see me, she shot up and into my arms almost as fast as a slayer could. She started sobbing into my shoulder as I held her.
"All gone, it's all gone, everyone is dead."
"I know, I know,."
I was going to say more but then Oz and Johnathan came in to find me, Amy looked over at them and was shocked more to see the two of them. Johnathan came right over to see Amy as they had been friends for much longer than I had known either of them, she pulled out of my arms and grabbed him tight, I had always had my suspicions about those two and even though nothing had originally come of it I had I feeling it might well happen now.
I decided to leave the two of them together and take Oz patrolling, we needed to talk about Willow and all that happened. Oz was less talkative than normal and I didn't blame him, so for most of the night was patrolled in silence. About Two AM we were met by Johnathan and Amy who were also patrolling, well I think it was just to get Amy out and walking, she was still pale and was still holding onto John for dear life. I was going to tell them to go get some sleep and to wait until she felt better, but I decided against it.
It's funny but even through the years of knowing Angel, Anya, Clem and a few others I have always seen demons as bad or evil. That was what stopped me from yelling them to go to bed.
Confused? I'll Explain.
A shout had gone up and a score of troops had started to gear to cover the entrance, I saw why- dozens of demons had started towards the base. Most looked terrifying or disgusting, they were led by a massive eight foot hairy monstrosity that was striding towards the guards Around us more soldiers were arming and getting ready to fire, as the call to take aim came up it hit me, I had seen that type of demon before in one of Giles' books, I shouted around me as I ran to the gates.
"Hold your Fire."
"What the hell." Shouted an officer. "What the hell do you think your doing."
I just ran through the gates and skidded to a stop a few feet from the mass of demons, the leader held up a claw and the throng stopped. I started to talk to the demon leader and he responded in a quite and almost human voice. "Are you a Mykrol Demon?"
"That is my race, who are you young human."
"My name is Alexander Harris."
"Harris?" Said another.
"I believe I have heard of you, a contemporary of the slayers. The man who stood down Angelus and saved the slayer."
"That's me. I. how do you know of me?"
"Not many humans have the fortitude to fight this battle of good and evil. You are well known as a human who fights among those with powers. Many demons fear you and your kin."
That surprised the hell out of me, I mean I have always been thought of as useless or the Zeppo- hell I've always believed it. I fight because I have to and I always wish to save those I love, even at the cost of my life or sanity. I did what I did against Angelus for that reason, I tried to save Faith and saved Willow because it was right not because I had to. Now these demons tell me that I'm feared and well known because of it, if only the guys could hear this now.
"Mykrol Demons are pacifist healers and providors for others, why are you and your followers here. We do not wish to fight but we can defend ourselves.
"Of that my young friend I am certain. Each of us is here to assist the people of your species in saving others, everyone of us has skills and supplies that could save your people. We just wish to help you and in return we wish for a place to stay until we can rebuild- we have no- where to go and hopefully demons and humans can live together after this. Not all of us are heartless killers like the Kindred are."
"Kindred?"
"You call them vampires."
So that's what happened that explains how so many people were saved at the base at that time, It took a bit of work to convince the base commanders of this and that the demons were not evil and were willing to help no matter what, in fact with the help of the new arrivals the base's compound was actually increased to double it's size so more arrivals and refugees could have somewhere to stay. The Engineers were thankful for the help and in fact last I heard the engineers had moved in with the demons allowing their own quarters to be turned into refugee homes.
The looks on the Slayer's faces as they came out the next day was priceless, the two looked like they were going GAGA, but I explained all and that was that. Well Faith was a little more difficult to convince, I didn't see any of them for the next few days though. My skills as a craftsman was needed by the engineers and the arrivals and so I did, we built up a load of housing units for everyone, they were not much but they could house a lot of people in one go. Much as I hated it we ended up segregating the demons and humans as many humans were scared of the arrivals and complained about the smell too, humans are more intolerant than many demons- I helped build a home for a bunch of human orphans and they loved the demons- in fact several of the more motherly demons took the children as their duties and haven't looked back since.
About a week after we had made it to the base, a massive wave of something ripped across the compound, it seemed not to do anything at all to anyone and so things went as normal in the base. That was until a day later, you see the wave that had hit us was a chaos wave, it had been unleased by the hellmouth the same day and had tried to do something or other- I've never been sure what but it did something alright, it had reactivated all chaos spells in the region.
I was one of those reactivated.
The Sgt was back.
Dedication: those feedback meisters: white werewolf -or- jonathan, Rob Clark, Chorlton, Bill Haden, Steve Howe, Jane Mcartney, Steve and Anonymous person.
Pt 2
Well I found a group of refugees out of LA, they must have been right outside the town when the bomb went up. A small group of soldiers held them in check and were leading them somewhere, I hoped to hell it was a base of some kind because Buffy did not look too good and to that fact neither did Faith. I had no idea what was going on because at this time I had not led the teams in to find out if the Hellmouth was open. But I'm getting away from the point, the refugees were in a bad way, some very bad so we put as many as possible in the car even securing some to the bonnet and boot of the car. I was given direction by one soldier- a Sgt major of all things, and we made it to a base someway off after about three hours. Then something weird happened, yes as a Scooby I know weird things have classifications but this was weird with a capital WE. When at the base I felt something strange and I told the commanding officer and others about the refugee train on it's way, but it was more like a debriefing than a conversation.
What few people remember or understand is that a few years back I was for reasons unknown turned into a soldier- I call him 'THE SGT' for lack of a better term. I remember a little of it but every so often I get memories and flashes of those skills, later I'll explain about my 'Army' and the rocket launcher and a few other things. The Sgt is more a part of me than many people realise I could have removed him completely I found a spell for it, but strangely like the hyena I didn't want to. Both of them are still in here with me, and scarily so is someone else. I've tried to remove him but I can't.
He's a vampire- and I know who he is.
He's me.
About three years ago when Anya first appeared as Anyanka, a wish got made that changed everything around me and Willow were vamps and well to cut a long story short the spell was ended but I think I am the only one with the new person in me. That is why I changed so much in the last year or so, I know who I am and what I am and why I'm pushing myself so hard. Each of these guys are now part of me and changing me for the better, it's scaring me but also is kind of fun. I always believed that vamps were evil, that they could never and should never be trusted but this vamp Xander he's like me he loves his friends and protects those he can. Now I know how Angel felt, I didn't like the guy but I can now empathise with him.
It's these guys that have kept me alive and going for so long, they unlocked my abilities and confidence in myself. How do you think I got to be such a good workman I always had the skills but they were enhanced by the 'boys' and I became a different man, older wiser and stronger. It scared the crap out of me but I've kept it under wraps, only slowly letting myself use my skills so no one else would see what was happening to me and now I have finally reached what I can as this amalgamation.
But things did not stop there.
But back to the base, Faith and Buffy were taken with the others to the triage centre- they couldn't explain what was wrong with them either. The blood was replaced and they were put into a room to rest and for observation, as the only living. well relative is the word I would use I had to inform the camp as to who they were I was also given the bad news for them. The blood from their internal I juries that I had noticed pooled around their feet was worse than I believed. Neither of them would ever be able to have children, their entire reproductive system had been destroyed somehow. The hospital could not explain but I knew- it was the Hellmouth somehow, I don't know how I knew but I did. This would destroy Buffy I knew that much she had always wished for a child and knowing she may live after all had even thought about it, we had talked over the last year about our feelings toward having families and I think I know her well enough again. Faith was a wild card though, she may or may not have thought of having children. This might still hurt her though.
Well I left them alone for a while I knew they would be fine and they were being nursed by the medical staff, so I went out and went for a look around. But life being as it is the crap started then.
Vampires
Just a few but enough.
I never though of vamps as much but this changed my view- the damn things are vermin and parasites, they came here because of the death and disease that would be rife. It was like a buffet for them, I looked around for anything to fight with. Then it hit me my car had my supplies in the boot, I yanked it open and pulled out three stakes and a short sword, the slayers were out but I had to do something or people would die.
I put two stakes up my sleeves and the third in an inside jacket pocket. The sword tucked into my trousers behind me, I stalked up to the first two and requested their help with a badly bleeding person inside. Damn vamps are gullible, once inside I spun dropping the stakes down into my hands and voila two dusted vamps. Ok Now I know I was lucky there, the rest would not be so easy to down and I was probably going to die.
But what the hell as Bon Jovi says 'I'm going out in a Blaze of Glory', vamps needed to be killed and I was the only one that could. At least that was what I thought, I was wrong though. It's funny how things can change a person and a nuclear bomb can change most people, and it changed two this time round. I had taken out another three vamps through skill and bravery- actually it was through dirty tricks but I thought 'Hell why not', the problem was the last three found me after I got the last one. Kinda reminded me of Harmony in the Ditzy Blonde kind of way, They caught me and I got one with a lucky swing of my sword. The others hit me and got me down quickly, the first thing through my mind was that I had failed the others at the camp, the second was that I had just smashed the twinkies in my jacket pocket.
The strange thing is that they seemed to dust in front of my eyes, coughing and sneezing I picked myself up from the floor and looked at my saviours. Two guys I never expected to see again in my lifetime.
"Hey Xand."
"Uh, Hey"
Ok this was strange, I recognised them immediately. Daniel Osbourne and Jonathan Levinson, Jonathan I was a second away from punching before Oz stopped me. Oz explained that Jonathan had explained to him what had happened and that Willow might need help and had sent him to find her. They were only about a hundred miles away when the nukes blasted Sunnydale and so made their way here in the hopes some of us had survived, I had to tell him the truth that Willow and the rest had been killed in Sunnydale with the bomb blast. He slowly nodded and walked away, Jonathan stayed and asked if he could do something- he had some first aid and other skills so I pointed him to the supply corporal I had seen a few hours ago. For the rest of the night I patrolled the compound talking to refugee and guard making small inquires into anything strange, looking for vamps or demons or anything. Nothing came up and so at Dawn I fell asleep along side the girls in a chair between them both, I must have been right out of it because the next I knew it was almost 8pm the next day and I woke up in a bed with Buffy and Faith watching me from the side.
"Hey Xander how are you feeling, you've been out for quite a while."
"I'm fine. How are you two."
"Tired a little weak but otherwise fine."
They hadn't been told about the problems they had that much was certain, they knew they had lost blood and quite a lot of it. They also obviously didn't know that Oz and Johnathan were here either and I wasn't sure I could tell them until they were a little better. Then it hit me the slayer healing should have seriously kicked in by now and it hadn't, I wasn't sure I liked the idea of that it could mean more than anyone thought.
Soon though it was obvious that they needed to sleep and I let them, I had to patrol again but at least I had backup from others this time. I found Oz and Johnathan asleep themselves, according to the people around the two of them had worked non stop for hours keeping people comfortable distributing a new lot of supplies from some organization that had sent help to the base. It was strange as I didn't see how it was possible that help could get here so fast, later I found out how but to say now would spoil the end of this story- the thing that surprised me more was the fact that Johnathan had in fact successfully saved three people with CPR. Bring a person who has done that I know how had and how fulfilling it is to save people that way, I decided to change my estimation of the guy when I got the chance- one of the nurses asked me for my name and I gave it. The nurse also asked for my home and I told her, she gave me a look of sympathy and asked if I could come and help with other SunnyD survivors it seems about six other survivors had made it out alongside the others I had already seen- eleven out of several thousand. It's enough to send you mad really, but I did anyway, following the nurse I met them, not recognising anyone really until I got to the last person who was staring out at the sky. Apparently she had been like that since she had been brought there, I recognised the now long blond hair and attractive features.
"Amy?"
The head shot round to me and looked surprised to see me, she shot up and into my arms almost as fast as a slayer could. She started sobbing into my shoulder as I held her.
"All gone, it's all gone, everyone is dead."
"I know, I know,."
I was going to say more but then Oz and Johnathan came in to find me, Amy looked over at them and was shocked more to see the two of them. Johnathan came right over to see Amy as they had been friends for much longer than I had known either of them, she pulled out of my arms and grabbed him tight, I had always had my suspicions about those two and even though nothing had originally come of it I had I feeling it might well happen now.
I decided to leave the two of them together and take Oz patrolling, we needed to talk about Willow and all that happened. Oz was less talkative than normal and I didn't blame him, so for most of the night was patrolled in silence. About Two AM we were met by Johnathan and Amy who were also patrolling, well I think it was just to get Amy out and walking, she was still pale and was still holding onto John for dear life. I was going to tell them to go get some sleep and to wait until she felt better, but I decided against it.
It's funny but even through the years of knowing Angel, Anya, Clem and a few others I have always seen demons as bad or evil. That was what stopped me from yelling them to go to bed.
Confused? I'll Explain.
A shout had gone up and a score of troops had started to gear to cover the entrance, I saw why- dozens of demons had started towards the base. Most looked terrifying or disgusting, they were led by a massive eight foot hairy monstrosity that was striding towards the guards Around us more soldiers were arming and getting ready to fire, as the call to take aim came up it hit me, I had seen that type of demon before in one of Giles' books, I shouted around me as I ran to the gates.
"Hold your Fire."
"What the hell." Shouted an officer. "What the hell do you think your doing."
I just ran through the gates and skidded to a stop a few feet from the mass of demons, the leader held up a claw and the throng stopped. I started to talk to the demon leader and he responded in a quite and almost human voice. "Are you a Mykrol Demon?"
"That is my race, who are you young human."
"My name is Alexander Harris."
"Harris?" Said another.
"I believe I have heard of you, a contemporary of the slayers. The man who stood down Angelus and saved the slayer."
"That's me. I. how do you know of me?"
"Not many humans have the fortitude to fight this battle of good and evil. You are well known as a human who fights among those with powers. Many demons fear you and your kin."
That surprised the hell out of me, I mean I have always been thought of as useless or the Zeppo- hell I've always believed it. I fight because I have to and I always wish to save those I love, even at the cost of my life or sanity. I did what I did against Angelus for that reason, I tried to save Faith and saved Willow because it was right not because I had to. Now these demons tell me that I'm feared and well known because of it, if only the guys could hear this now.
"Mykrol Demons are pacifist healers and providors for others, why are you and your followers here. We do not wish to fight but we can defend ourselves.
"Of that my young friend I am certain. Each of us is here to assist the people of your species in saving others, everyone of us has skills and supplies that could save your people. We just wish to help you and in return we wish for a place to stay until we can rebuild- we have no- where to go and hopefully demons and humans can live together after this. Not all of us are heartless killers like the Kindred are."
"Kindred?"
"You call them vampires."
So that's what happened that explains how so many people were saved at the base at that time, It took a bit of work to convince the base commanders of this and that the demons were not evil and were willing to help no matter what, in fact with the help of the new arrivals the base's compound was actually increased to double it's size so more arrivals and refugees could have somewhere to stay. The Engineers were thankful for the help and in fact last I heard the engineers had moved in with the demons allowing their own quarters to be turned into refugee homes.
The looks on the Slayer's faces as they came out the next day was priceless, the two looked like they were going GAGA, but I explained all and that was that. Well Faith was a little more difficult to convince, I didn't see any of them for the next few days though. My skills as a craftsman was needed by the engineers and the arrivals and so I did, we built up a load of housing units for everyone, they were not much but they could house a lot of people in one go. Much as I hated it we ended up segregating the demons and humans as many humans were scared of the arrivals and complained about the smell too, humans are more intolerant than many demons- I helped build a home for a bunch of human orphans and they loved the demons- in fact several of the more motherly demons took the children as their duties and haven't looked back since.
About a week after we had made it to the base, a massive wave of something ripped across the compound, it seemed not to do anything at all to anyone and so things went as normal in the base. That was until a day later, you see the wave that had hit us was a chaos wave, it had been unleased by the hellmouth the same day and had tried to do something or other- I've never been sure what but it did something alright, it had reactivated all chaos spells in the region.
I was one of those reactivated.
The Sgt was back.