MY SEASON 7
This the way season 7 of the Buffyverse would work if I had written it and
not Joss. For a first season 6 would have been a lot different (see
author's notes for details -imporatnt!) Anyway read and enter the
Buffyverse (my style)...
s7.1 The Fate Of The Earth Part 1
Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters - Joss & Co. do. A/N: This is my own version of the series. Only stuff up to end of s5 is true. I know that means I should be re-writing s6 but I'm starting from s7 anyway and the points you don't know will be revealed along the way. All u need to know is: Buffy and Spike never had their wacky relationship he just liked her. Giles did leave soon after Buffy returned but he didn't come back. Xander's & Anya's failed wedding was much nearer to the end of the season (if I had written it may have even been the episode before the season finale ep21) and she left town immediately afterwards ('cause the only reason she came back after s3 was because of him anyway). Magic shop still exists but is vacant and for sale. Tara did NOT die. Instead Will went sort of freaky on them mid-season by overusing her powers and then Tara broke up with her so she left to England to get help from Giles (and did not return for rest of season). Spike and Xander talk but are not actually friends. Tara and Xander, on the other hand, have bonded. Tara and Buffy are close and Spike and Tara.... well, you'll have to figure out their standing for yourself. Spike likes Dawn as a friend while she likes him a little more than that. Spike's feelings for Buffy remain as they were back in season 5 (his so-called 'love' for her) while now she trusts him with Dawn but they are still not quite friends but he is the only person at all who knows she went to heaven and not to hell. That's all I'm revealing for now. There will be a cast list & guest cast but not in this season premiere since I want to surprise you. Also, (this is important), while the major things on Angel have happened (Darla, Holtz, Conner etc) from s1-3 none of it is officially true since there will be small parts of things that happened in the show that are not true. Let's say the only things from the show that are 100% true as episodes are up to season's 1 heroes. Just ignore everything else, although, like I've already said, a lot of what happened after is true anyway. (You'll understand later if I confused u now)
Teaser: Setting: One of Sunnydale's many graveyards
Buffy stepped on the broken leaves and she wandered through the graveyard. Xander was looking after Dawn so Buffy knew she'd be okay, she just wasn't sure he would be. Xander was still upset about Anya. She pushed the thoughts from her mind when she felt a vampire, not too far off. She ran towards it only to find she was just in time as it had a human in its grasp. Before the vampire could bear its fangs into the mans neck, Buffy leaped and pulled it off. She fought it, but didn't have to try too hard since it was a newborn and was obviously not yet used to its skills and abilities. She soon turned it into dust and reached for the person whom, she had noticed during the fight, had still not moved. Her fears of a dead body were taken away when she felt a pulse. Quite faint, but still there. She turned the mans body round so he lay on his back and saw a face which was fairly familiar to her, yet she still couldn't place it. She noticed a pair of broken glasses by his side had left some marks around his eyes when his face had been punched, as she assumed. From the deep wound in his stomach she knew she would have to get him to a hospital soon or that faint pulse may cease to beat. It was only then, looking into his face, as she pushed his hair back that she recognised who it was.
___
Act 1
Scene: the hospital
"Miss?"
"What?" asked Buffy shaking her head slightly. "Sorry, I just sorta wondered off."
"Yes," the young nurse said. "Now, about your friend..."
"Well, he's not really my friend as such," Buffy mumbled.
"Excuse me?"
"Um, never mind."
"Well, anyway...we can't really give you any information on him yet. The doctors still haven't finished, but I will inform you as soon as we know anything."
"Uh, yeah. Thank you," Buffy said.
"If you need to call anyone our phone is just down this hallway. You are welcome to use it."
"Okay."
"Hello?"
"Hey, Xander. It's Buffy."
"Hey Buffy. You okay?"
"Yeah. How's Dawn?"
"She's fine. We're having a movie marathon. We're on to Charlie's Angel's now. It's not like I mind that much but there's only so many chick flicks a guy can take. And I'm fine by the way."
Buffy had to smile - although it only lasted for a second. "That was coming next."
"Yeah, I bet," Xander grinned. "Hey, how are you phoning?"
"Well, I'm kinda at the hospital."
"What!?" he exclaimed
"It's okay Xander, I'm fine."
"Then what the hell are you doing there? Did something happen to Tara?"
"No - at least I don't think so. Spike went to her place so she should be alright."
"Then what is it? What happened?"
"Well, when I was slaying I saved this guy from a vampire, but he was unconscious and hurt really bad. I had to bring him here."
"Oh."
"But that's not all," Buffy added.
"Why?" asked Xander all his anxiety from before returning.
"The guy.... he wasn't just any guy..."
"Who was he?"
* After a long silence Xander replied. "Oh."
"I thought we already covered that."
Scene change: Summers residence - kitchen
After Xander put the phone down Dawn came up to him. "Xander? What's going on?"
"Um, nothing," he said quickly.
"That is not a nothing face," she said folding her arms. "Was that Buffy?"
"Um...no?"
"Xander," she said sternly.
"Okay, it was Buffy. But everything is fine. Nothing happened."
"Then why did you lie in the first place?"
"Well, just beacuse..."
"Tell me what is going on!"
"It's just...at the cemetery Buffy saved this guy who was hurt bad."
"Is he dead?"
"No!" Xander said exasperatedly, "Well, we're not sure of that yet...he's with the doctors still...but he wasn't...I mean he was..."
"What is it!?"
"He was Wesley, Dawn"
___
((A/N: We don't know for sure everything that happened seasons 1-4 with Dawn but in this Dawn had always liked Wesley unlike the rest of the gang))
END of ACT1
Act 2 Scene: Tara's dorm at UCS
Tara knelt on the floor rifling through her drawers. Finally she took out a file, turned and thrust it in front of her. "This is the one."
"Thanks," said Spike taking it from her.
"That'll help Dawn with all her stuff."
"Yeah. So, you're sure you'll be alight if I go?"
"As sure as I was when you asked me that fifteen minutes ago."
"Oh. Right." Spike shuffled his feet and looked up, a little uncomfortably. "Just wanted to make sure."
Tara sat down on the bed, placing her hands on her lap. "It's okay Spike. I know the only reason you come here all the time is because Buffy sends you to check up on me."
"Well, yeah," Spike started, "but it's not like she forces me or anything. I do come here on my own accord too."
"It's okay. I know you just want to get into Buffy's good books so maybe she'll like you."
"Tara, I do care about you," he said and sat down next to her.
She looked at him levelly. "But it's okay to score points with Buffy on the side, right?" ___
Scene change: Graveyard
"Slayer," the vampire growled bearing its fangs.
"Uh, yeah! Like isn't it obvious to you people by now that I'm the only lousy person in this town who hasn't got a date and has to spend Saturday night with you vamps," Buffy ranted before taking the vampire by his shoulders and throwing him on to the tree to her left. "It's getting to a point where it's just pissing off." She tossed him over onto his back with her foot and pressed it down hard into his chest. "Plus can't you think of something better to say than 'Slayer' when you see me. I mean come on, is being undead having a weird effect on your brain and causing you not to think properly?" She drove her stake into his unbeating heart and turned him into dust. "Loser." But before Buffy could begin to gloat she heard a growing noise behind her and sighed. "You know I thought that once you staked a vampire it meant that they couldn't come ba-" she stopped as she turned around and came in front of a seven-foot demon, towering over her.
Buffy felt herself in the same position as she had only seconds before put that vampire in as she was tossed face forward onto a tree. She tried to scramble to her feet but before she could regain her balance she was tossed on to the nearby tombstone. This time before the demon could come near her she did a back flip and stood up. Seconds later, the demon was on the ground and she had him pinned beneath her and she had his neck wound in the chains she had pulled off the gate. She twisted them amidst his yelps and soon his wriggling stopped as he fell lifeless onto the grass. She threw them aside before she began to run back home.
___
Scene change: An old, run-down, gloomy, candle-lit mansion
"You have failed me, Nicholas," the cloaked man addressed the boy kneeling before him.
"I know Master William, b-but it will never happen again...I swear," he mumbled.
"Of course it won't!" he boomed and with that he sent out a lightening bolt from his fingertips at the trembling figure until the cloak fell to ground lifeless. He looked around and saw the others surrounding him stunned into silence with fear.
"You!" he shouted pointing to his left. "Balthazar, come here!" He did as he was commanded and waited motionlessly before William. "Balthazar, are you prepared to undertake the task that shall lie before you?" William questioned the servant.
"I am sir," he announced, his voice full of confidence.
"Good," William was pleased. "Rise!" Once more, Balthazar obeyed. "Balthazar, you are to find out who has killed the brother of our saviour Showun. Once you have done so you are to kill this being be they either of immortal birth or of man. And then you are to report back to me. Do you understand?"
"Perfectly, sir."
"Good."
___
Act 3
Scene: Summers residence
"It's not in here either!" Xander exclaimed in frustration.
"It's okay Xander," Tara tried to reassure him, "It'll be somewhere. We just have to keep looking. Besides, Buffy did say she already killed the demon so won't things be okay?"
"Yeah, that demons dead, but we gotta check up on it. For all we know this could be some sort of demon that will keep coming back to life or some crap like that."
"Okay. Where's Dawn," she asked, looking around.
"In her room. She's been up there for a while - hasn't really said anything since I told her Wesley was in the hospital."
"I guess she really liked the guy."
"Well, sorta. She was the only one of us who would ever talk to the guy long enough to actually get an actual impression of him."
"And the rest of you didn't try talking to him because...?"
"I'm not really sure..." but before Xander could finish his thought Dawn came running down the stairs.
"Hey Dawn," Tara smiled. "What have you been doing?" Dawn held up her cordless phone in reply.
"So, you've been making calls at eleven. Was it to any strange boys that none of us know about?"
"Not that strange."
"But I thought your friend James had left for England last week, before his school started," Tara questioned.
"He did. I called Angel." For a few moments neither Tara nor Xander could say anything. Just then, Spike came pounding up the stairs.
"Okay guys," he called ascending onto the floor, "I've got a few more books from down in the basement, but there aren't that many left here so we're definitely getting somewhere." Then he noticed Dawn standing there. "Hey Dawn," she said.
"Hey Spike," she shrugged glancing momentarily away from Xander's questioning face.
"Why did you call him?" Xander demanded.
"Call whom?"
"Angel," Xander told Spike.
"Angel!" he exclaimed. "You called Angel?! What the hell are you calling that bafoon for?"
"Spike!" Tara said. "Don't say things like that in front of Dawn."
"Well, he is one and besides Dawn's a big girl," he said. "But, that's not the point here." Like Xander, Spike too turned to stare at Dawn.
She sighed and answered, "I called him because of Wesley."
"And what exactly did he say about him?" Xander asked.
"Nothing! He wasn't there and no one has been at the office since you told me which was a while ago. I'm afraid something has happened to him."
"Hell, I hope so. It would serve him damn right if something did."
"Spike!" Tara repeated. "If something has happened to Angel, then maybe Wesley was coming to Buffy for help."
"Well, we don't have time for that now, we have to find out about this demon for Buffy. We can't go about trying to help Angel too."
"But if something's happened to Angel then -" Dawn started.
"Xander's right, Dawn, we can't help Angel," Spike told her. "Besides, we're not even really sure that something has happened to him. And if it has I don't really see how that's a bad thing," he added under his breath.
"Listen, I know you guys don't like Angel, but if something has happened to him - or to any of them - then I think we should help. I mean, after Angel found out something was gonna happen to Buffy he came to help."
"Right, so what we do is send Buffy to help them out without telling him she's there - 'cause that we be just awful - and then we stay here and wait for the world to end (again!) while she saves Angel's ass. Damn good plan, that is."
"Xander, please. We don't even know if it's the end of the world anyway."
"That's not the point. You don't get it, Tara. It always happens. Buffy'll go save Angel before saving the rest of us. He's more important you see."
"That's not true," a small voice whispered.
"Buffy," Spike spoke on seeing her upstairs. "We thought you were in your bedroom."
"I sorta gathered that," she mumbled before climbing down the stairs.
"Um, Buffy, listen. I didn't mean..."
"I know what you meant Xander," she said avoiding his eyes as she put her jacket on. And then she left.
Everyone looked around for a while until Xander ran out of the room and into the kitchen. Tara followed him.
"Xander," she called to his still figure.
"Yes?"
"Well, it's just, maybe you shouldn't be so hard on Buffy. She's had it kinda bad and we don't always make things any easier for her," Tara rushed.
"I know," he said, nodding his head. "It's just sometimes I wish she would realise that things aren't perfect for us either. Even though we didn't die and come back to life it doesn't mean things are all fine and dandy."
"You're right, but maybe she should give her a little time. She probably needs that."
"Yeah, but what I'm worried about is what she needs that time for."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, okay she still has her life and death issues to sort out. But she seems to want to sort out Angel issues too and I don't think that's a good thing."
"But why not? I mean, they should have things worked out between them, don't you think?"
"Yeah, but she doesn't know that now Angel and Cordy have a thing. I'm not gonna let that oaf break her heart again."
Tara sat down. "Maybe Spike was lying when he told us. We all know how he likes Buffy. Maybe he thinks that if she thinks that she'll get over Angel like Spike instead."
But Xander just shook his head. "I don't deny that I think Spike is an ass, But I prefer him a lot more to Angel. Spike may be a vampire - and an unsouled one at that - but unlike Angel, he does care about Buffy's feelings and I don't think he'd want to hurt her on purpose. Besides, if that was his aim, wouldn't have told her and not us?"
"Guys?" Dawn's voice called. Tara and Xander both looked up to see Spike and Dawn standing in the doorway.
"What's up?" Xander asked.
"Apocalypse.
___
Scene change: England (it's day here)
Willow and Giles were sitting together on a bench in a park close to Giles's new place.
"You have improved quite a lot Willow. You are getting better everyday and you're a strong young woman," he told her.
"But I just don't know if I have the strength to face them all. Especially Buffy, Dawn and Tara. After what I did -"
"After what you did you realised your mistakes and immediately came to me for help. It's not easy to escape magic like that but you have succeeded and I have every faith in you."
"But how can you be sure they'll forgive me?"
"I once told Buffy 'forgivness is an act of compassion. It's not done because someone deserves it -"
"It's done because they need it! I know this Giles, I was there!!!" she exclaimed after finishing his sentence for him.
"And Willow I believe you need AND deserve it fully after everything you've been through these past months here with me. And I know that once you go back Buffy will eventually realise that."
"Well," Willow said slowly, "I hope she does. I'm not sure about my deserving it but I do know I need their - her - forgivness. And it I didn't get it..."
"You'd what?" he asked.
"I-I'd end up going back to what I was - evil. And this time...maybe I won't get back." ______
Act 4
Scene: The mansion (NOT Angelus', Spike's & Dru's)
Jeremy, the sorcerer, approached his master, hidden in the darkness. He spoke, "Sir, when do we perform the ritual?"
"2 nights are left," he replied.
"And the girl?"
"She has not escaped. I have been watching her."
"She is a most powerful being sir. It took ten of our best men to bring her in and she defeated four of them. Are you sure that I should not make the potion to keep her subdued just in case?"
"Yes, I am sure," his tone increasing
"Yes, sir," he said hastily, bowed, and turned to leave.
"Make sure that there is a meal ready for the all-powerful Showun when he wakes up," he called. "He does not like to be kept waiting. A deer will do nicely for tonight. Although I am sure tomorrow morning he will be wanting a human."
"Yes, sir," he replied. "I will see to it." After he left William opened the door to inspect her. Faith was struggling pulling at the chains, trying to shout for help.
He watched as her dark hair and eyes blazed on in the moonlight. He pondered, she was a pretty thing, it would be a shame to waste such a powerful creature. But he knew it would not be in vain. He took to the balcony of the old mansion looked to the sky. He smiled knowing what was to come, the fate of the earth. In two nights he would be the second most powerful being, and the most powerful mortal in the world - although he would not be a mere mortal for long.
For in two nights, man - and the earth himself - would cease to exist.
____
((The next morning)) ((A/N: Everything so far has happened on one night in SunnyD, CA- the night before the full moon (Important!)))
Scene change: Outside Xander's apartment building
Xander walked out of the building pulling out his keys to his jeep from his jean jacket. It was only once he was almost inside the jeep when he noticed the van parked in front of him, and the redhead familiar man who got out from it. Xander jumped out and called to him. "Oz!"
He turned around and in his usual Oz way, shrugged and said, "Hey."
"Oz, man, what are you doing here?" he said after reaching him. "I didn't think you were gonna be coming back to Sunnydale. Are you here to see Willow?"
"Buffy, actually."
"The Buffster?"
"Uh, yeah."
"Well, what's going on?" Xander asked trying to sound as casual as possible, still confused for the reasons of his return, although he could be sure that one thing about him hadn't changed - Oz was still a man of little words.
"Demons."
"Demons!?" Xander exclaimed.
"Yeah, I need Buffy's help."
"Well, sure then. The Scoobies are always willing to help out with the demon killing stuff for friends. What's the demonic prob-" He cut himself off, something catching his eye in the backseat of the van.
He walked past Oz and up to the window only to see a little girl lying down there. He could tell she was asleep, and her long brown curls fell in front of her face so Xander wasn't able to determine her age. But she looked around three or four. "Who's that?" he questioned looking back at Oz.
Oz hesitated before answering, "She's sorta...my daughter." ___ __________
NEXT EPISODE: S7.2 "TFOTE PART2" THE GANG HAVE TO TELL BUFFY WHAT THEY KNOW WHILE SHE MEETS A STRANGE MAN WITH SECRETS OF HIS OWN.
PLEASE REVIEW & TELL ME WHAT U THINK.
s7.1 The Fate Of The Earth Part 1
Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters - Joss & Co. do. A/N: This is my own version of the series. Only stuff up to end of s5 is true. I know that means I should be re-writing s6 but I'm starting from s7 anyway and the points you don't know will be revealed along the way. All u need to know is: Buffy and Spike never had their wacky relationship he just liked her. Giles did leave soon after Buffy returned but he didn't come back. Xander's & Anya's failed wedding was much nearer to the end of the season (if I had written it may have even been the episode before the season finale ep21) and she left town immediately afterwards ('cause the only reason she came back after s3 was because of him anyway). Magic shop still exists but is vacant and for sale. Tara did NOT die. Instead Will went sort of freaky on them mid-season by overusing her powers and then Tara broke up with her so she left to England to get help from Giles (and did not return for rest of season). Spike and Xander talk but are not actually friends. Tara and Xander, on the other hand, have bonded. Tara and Buffy are close and Spike and Tara.... well, you'll have to figure out their standing for yourself. Spike likes Dawn as a friend while she likes him a little more than that. Spike's feelings for Buffy remain as they were back in season 5 (his so-called 'love' for her) while now she trusts him with Dawn but they are still not quite friends but he is the only person at all who knows she went to heaven and not to hell. That's all I'm revealing for now. There will be a cast list & guest cast but not in this season premiere since I want to surprise you. Also, (this is important), while the major things on Angel have happened (Darla, Holtz, Conner etc) from s1-3 none of it is officially true since there will be small parts of things that happened in the show that are not true. Let's say the only things from the show that are 100% true as episodes are up to season's 1 heroes. Just ignore everything else, although, like I've already said, a lot of what happened after is true anyway. (You'll understand later if I confused u now)
Teaser: Setting: One of Sunnydale's many graveyards
Buffy stepped on the broken leaves and she wandered through the graveyard. Xander was looking after Dawn so Buffy knew she'd be okay, she just wasn't sure he would be. Xander was still upset about Anya. She pushed the thoughts from her mind when she felt a vampire, not too far off. She ran towards it only to find she was just in time as it had a human in its grasp. Before the vampire could bear its fangs into the mans neck, Buffy leaped and pulled it off. She fought it, but didn't have to try too hard since it was a newborn and was obviously not yet used to its skills and abilities. She soon turned it into dust and reached for the person whom, she had noticed during the fight, had still not moved. Her fears of a dead body were taken away when she felt a pulse. Quite faint, but still there. She turned the mans body round so he lay on his back and saw a face which was fairly familiar to her, yet she still couldn't place it. She noticed a pair of broken glasses by his side had left some marks around his eyes when his face had been punched, as she assumed. From the deep wound in his stomach she knew she would have to get him to a hospital soon or that faint pulse may cease to beat. It was only then, looking into his face, as she pushed his hair back that she recognised who it was.
___
Act 1
Scene: the hospital
"Miss?"
"What?" asked Buffy shaking her head slightly. "Sorry, I just sorta wondered off."
"Yes," the young nurse said. "Now, about your friend..."
"Well, he's not really my friend as such," Buffy mumbled.
"Excuse me?"
"Um, never mind."
"Well, anyway...we can't really give you any information on him yet. The doctors still haven't finished, but I will inform you as soon as we know anything."
"Uh, yeah. Thank you," Buffy said.
"If you need to call anyone our phone is just down this hallway. You are welcome to use it."
"Okay."
"Hello?"
"Hey, Xander. It's Buffy."
"Hey Buffy. You okay?"
"Yeah. How's Dawn?"
"She's fine. We're having a movie marathon. We're on to Charlie's Angel's now. It's not like I mind that much but there's only so many chick flicks a guy can take. And I'm fine by the way."
Buffy had to smile - although it only lasted for a second. "That was coming next."
"Yeah, I bet," Xander grinned. "Hey, how are you phoning?"
"Well, I'm kinda at the hospital."
"What!?" he exclaimed
"It's okay Xander, I'm fine."
"Then what the hell are you doing there? Did something happen to Tara?"
"No - at least I don't think so. Spike went to her place so she should be alright."
"Then what is it? What happened?"
"Well, when I was slaying I saved this guy from a vampire, but he was unconscious and hurt really bad. I had to bring him here."
"Oh."
"But that's not all," Buffy added.
"Why?" asked Xander all his anxiety from before returning.
"The guy.... he wasn't just any guy..."
"Who was he?"
* After a long silence Xander replied. "Oh."
"I thought we already covered that."
Scene change: Summers residence - kitchen
After Xander put the phone down Dawn came up to him. "Xander? What's going on?"
"Um, nothing," he said quickly.
"That is not a nothing face," she said folding her arms. "Was that Buffy?"
"Um...no?"
"Xander," she said sternly.
"Okay, it was Buffy. But everything is fine. Nothing happened."
"Then why did you lie in the first place?"
"Well, just beacuse..."
"Tell me what is going on!"
"It's just...at the cemetery Buffy saved this guy who was hurt bad."
"Is he dead?"
"No!" Xander said exasperatedly, "Well, we're not sure of that yet...he's with the doctors still...but he wasn't...I mean he was..."
"What is it!?"
"He was Wesley, Dawn"
___
((A/N: We don't know for sure everything that happened seasons 1-4 with Dawn but in this Dawn had always liked Wesley unlike the rest of the gang))
END of ACT1
Act 2 Scene: Tara's dorm at UCS
Tara knelt on the floor rifling through her drawers. Finally she took out a file, turned and thrust it in front of her. "This is the one."
"Thanks," said Spike taking it from her.
"That'll help Dawn with all her stuff."
"Yeah. So, you're sure you'll be alight if I go?"
"As sure as I was when you asked me that fifteen minutes ago."
"Oh. Right." Spike shuffled his feet and looked up, a little uncomfortably. "Just wanted to make sure."
Tara sat down on the bed, placing her hands on her lap. "It's okay Spike. I know the only reason you come here all the time is because Buffy sends you to check up on me."
"Well, yeah," Spike started, "but it's not like she forces me or anything. I do come here on my own accord too."
"It's okay. I know you just want to get into Buffy's good books so maybe she'll like you."
"Tara, I do care about you," he said and sat down next to her.
She looked at him levelly. "But it's okay to score points with Buffy on the side, right?" ___
Scene change: Graveyard
"Slayer," the vampire growled bearing its fangs.
"Uh, yeah! Like isn't it obvious to you people by now that I'm the only lousy person in this town who hasn't got a date and has to spend Saturday night with you vamps," Buffy ranted before taking the vampire by his shoulders and throwing him on to the tree to her left. "It's getting to a point where it's just pissing off." She tossed him over onto his back with her foot and pressed it down hard into his chest. "Plus can't you think of something better to say than 'Slayer' when you see me. I mean come on, is being undead having a weird effect on your brain and causing you not to think properly?" She drove her stake into his unbeating heart and turned him into dust. "Loser." But before Buffy could begin to gloat she heard a growing noise behind her and sighed. "You know I thought that once you staked a vampire it meant that they couldn't come ba-" she stopped as she turned around and came in front of a seven-foot demon, towering over her.
Buffy felt herself in the same position as she had only seconds before put that vampire in as she was tossed face forward onto a tree. She tried to scramble to her feet but before she could regain her balance she was tossed on to the nearby tombstone. This time before the demon could come near her she did a back flip and stood up. Seconds later, the demon was on the ground and she had him pinned beneath her and she had his neck wound in the chains she had pulled off the gate. She twisted them amidst his yelps and soon his wriggling stopped as he fell lifeless onto the grass. She threw them aside before she began to run back home.
___
Scene change: An old, run-down, gloomy, candle-lit mansion
"You have failed me, Nicholas," the cloaked man addressed the boy kneeling before him.
"I know Master William, b-but it will never happen again...I swear," he mumbled.
"Of course it won't!" he boomed and with that he sent out a lightening bolt from his fingertips at the trembling figure until the cloak fell to ground lifeless. He looked around and saw the others surrounding him stunned into silence with fear.
"You!" he shouted pointing to his left. "Balthazar, come here!" He did as he was commanded and waited motionlessly before William. "Balthazar, are you prepared to undertake the task that shall lie before you?" William questioned the servant.
"I am sir," he announced, his voice full of confidence.
"Good," William was pleased. "Rise!" Once more, Balthazar obeyed. "Balthazar, you are to find out who has killed the brother of our saviour Showun. Once you have done so you are to kill this being be they either of immortal birth or of man. And then you are to report back to me. Do you understand?"
"Perfectly, sir."
"Good."
___
Act 3
Scene: Summers residence
"It's not in here either!" Xander exclaimed in frustration.
"It's okay Xander," Tara tried to reassure him, "It'll be somewhere. We just have to keep looking. Besides, Buffy did say she already killed the demon so won't things be okay?"
"Yeah, that demons dead, but we gotta check up on it. For all we know this could be some sort of demon that will keep coming back to life or some crap like that."
"Okay. Where's Dawn," she asked, looking around.
"In her room. She's been up there for a while - hasn't really said anything since I told her Wesley was in the hospital."
"I guess she really liked the guy."
"Well, sorta. She was the only one of us who would ever talk to the guy long enough to actually get an actual impression of him."
"And the rest of you didn't try talking to him because...?"
"I'm not really sure..." but before Xander could finish his thought Dawn came running down the stairs.
"Hey Dawn," Tara smiled. "What have you been doing?" Dawn held up her cordless phone in reply.
"So, you've been making calls at eleven. Was it to any strange boys that none of us know about?"
"Not that strange."
"But I thought your friend James had left for England last week, before his school started," Tara questioned.
"He did. I called Angel." For a few moments neither Tara nor Xander could say anything. Just then, Spike came pounding up the stairs.
"Okay guys," he called ascending onto the floor, "I've got a few more books from down in the basement, but there aren't that many left here so we're definitely getting somewhere." Then he noticed Dawn standing there. "Hey Dawn," she said.
"Hey Spike," she shrugged glancing momentarily away from Xander's questioning face.
"Why did you call him?" Xander demanded.
"Call whom?"
"Angel," Xander told Spike.
"Angel!" he exclaimed. "You called Angel?! What the hell are you calling that bafoon for?"
"Spike!" Tara said. "Don't say things like that in front of Dawn."
"Well, he is one and besides Dawn's a big girl," he said. "But, that's not the point here." Like Xander, Spike too turned to stare at Dawn.
She sighed and answered, "I called him because of Wesley."
"And what exactly did he say about him?" Xander asked.
"Nothing! He wasn't there and no one has been at the office since you told me which was a while ago. I'm afraid something has happened to him."
"Hell, I hope so. It would serve him damn right if something did."
"Spike!" Tara repeated. "If something has happened to Angel, then maybe Wesley was coming to Buffy for help."
"Well, we don't have time for that now, we have to find out about this demon for Buffy. We can't go about trying to help Angel too."
"But if something's happened to Angel then -" Dawn started.
"Xander's right, Dawn, we can't help Angel," Spike told her. "Besides, we're not even really sure that something has happened to him. And if it has I don't really see how that's a bad thing," he added under his breath.
"Listen, I know you guys don't like Angel, but if something has happened to him - or to any of them - then I think we should help. I mean, after Angel found out something was gonna happen to Buffy he came to help."
"Right, so what we do is send Buffy to help them out without telling him she's there - 'cause that we be just awful - and then we stay here and wait for the world to end (again!) while she saves Angel's ass. Damn good plan, that is."
"Xander, please. We don't even know if it's the end of the world anyway."
"That's not the point. You don't get it, Tara. It always happens. Buffy'll go save Angel before saving the rest of us. He's more important you see."
"That's not true," a small voice whispered.
"Buffy," Spike spoke on seeing her upstairs. "We thought you were in your bedroom."
"I sorta gathered that," she mumbled before climbing down the stairs.
"Um, Buffy, listen. I didn't mean..."
"I know what you meant Xander," she said avoiding his eyes as she put her jacket on. And then she left.
Everyone looked around for a while until Xander ran out of the room and into the kitchen. Tara followed him.
"Xander," she called to his still figure.
"Yes?"
"Well, it's just, maybe you shouldn't be so hard on Buffy. She's had it kinda bad and we don't always make things any easier for her," Tara rushed.
"I know," he said, nodding his head. "It's just sometimes I wish she would realise that things aren't perfect for us either. Even though we didn't die and come back to life it doesn't mean things are all fine and dandy."
"You're right, but maybe she should give her a little time. She probably needs that."
"Yeah, but what I'm worried about is what she needs that time for."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, okay she still has her life and death issues to sort out. But she seems to want to sort out Angel issues too and I don't think that's a good thing."
"But why not? I mean, they should have things worked out between them, don't you think?"
"Yeah, but she doesn't know that now Angel and Cordy have a thing. I'm not gonna let that oaf break her heart again."
Tara sat down. "Maybe Spike was lying when he told us. We all know how he likes Buffy. Maybe he thinks that if she thinks that she'll get over Angel like Spike instead."
But Xander just shook his head. "I don't deny that I think Spike is an ass, But I prefer him a lot more to Angel. Spike may be a vampire - and an unsouled one at that - but unlike Angel, he does care about Buffy's feelings and I don't think he'd want to hurt her on purpose. Besides, if that was his aim, wouldn't have told her and not us?"
"Guys?" Dawn's voice called. Tara and Xander both looked up to see Spike and Dawn standing in the doorway.
"What's up?" Xander asked.
"Apocalypse.
___
Scene change: England (it's day here)
Willow and Giles were sitting together on a bench in a park close to Giles's new place.
"You have improved quite a lot Willow. You are getting better everyday and you're a strong young woman," he told her.
"But I just don't know if I have the strength to face them all. Especially Buffy, Dawn and Tara. After what I did -"
"After what you did you realised your mistakes and immediately came to me for help. It's not easy to escape magic like that but you have succeeded and I have every faith in you."
"But how can you be sure they'll forgive me?"
"I once told Buffy 'forgivness is an act of compassion. It's not done because someone deserves it -"
"It's done because they need it! I know this Giles, I was there!!!" she exclaimed after finishing his sentence for him.
"And Willow I believe you need AND deserve it fully after everything you've been through these past months here with me. And I know that once you go back Buffy will eventually realise that."
"Well," Willow said slowly, "I hope she does. I'm not sure about my deserving it but I do know I need their - her - forgivness. And it I didn't get it..."
"You'd what?" he asked.
"I-I'd end up going back to what I was - evil. And this time...maybe I won't get back." ______
Act 4
Scene: The mansion (NOT Angelus', Spike's & Dru's)
Jeremy, the sorcerer, approached his master, hidden in the darkness. He spoke, "Sir, when do we perform the ritual?"
"2 nights are left," he replied.
"And the girl?"
"She has not escaped. I have been watching her."
"She is a most powerful being sir. It took ten of our best men to bring her in and she defeated four of them. Are you sure that I should not make the potion to keep her subdued just in case?"
"Yes, I am sure," his tone increasing
"Yes, sir," he said hastily, bowed, and turned to leave.
"Make sure that there is a meal ready for the all-powerful Showun when he wakes up," he called. "He does not like to be kept waiting. A deer will do nicely for tonight. Although I am sure tomorrow morning he will be wanting a human."
"Yes, sir," he replied. "I will see to it." After he left William opened the door to inspect her. Faith was struggling pulling at the chains, trying to shout for help.
He watched as her dark hair and eyes blazed on in the moonlight. He pondered, she was a pretty thing, it would be a shame to waste such a powerful creature. But he knew it would not be in vain. He took to the balcony of the old mansion looked to the sky. He smiled knowing what was to come, the fate of the earth. In two nights he would be the second most powerful being, and the most powerful mortal in the world - although he would not be a mere mortal for long.
For in two nights, man - and the earth himself - would cease to exist.
____
((The next morning)) ((A/N: Everything so far has happened on one night in SunnyD, CA- the night before the full moon (Important!)))
Scene change: Outside Xander's apartment building
Xander walked out of the building pulling out his keys to his jeep from his jean jacket. It was only once he was almost inside the jeep when he noticed the van parked in front of him, and the redhead familiar man who got out from it. Xander jumped out and called to him. "Oz!"
He turned around and in his usual Oz way, shrugged and said, "Hey."
"Oz, man, what are you doing here?" he said after reaching him. "I didn't think you were gonna be coming back to Sunnydale. Are you here to see Willow?"
"Buffy, actually."
"The Buffster?"
"Uh, yeah."
"Well, what's going on?" Xander asked trying to sound as casual as possible, still confused for the reasons of his return, although he could be sure that one thing about him hadn't changed - Oz was still a man of little words.
"Demons."
"Demons!?" Xander exclaimed.
"Yeah, I need Buffy's help."
"Well, sure then. The Scoobies are always willing to help out with the demon killing stuff for friends. What's the demonic prob-" He cut himself off, something catching his eye in the backseat of the van.
He walked past Oz and up to the window only to see a little girl lying down there. He could tell she was asleep, and her long brown curls fell in front of her face so Xander wasn't able to determine her age. But she looked around three or four. "Who's that?" he questioned looking back at Oz.
Oz hesitated before answering, "She's sorta...my daughter." ___ __________
NEXT EPISODE: S7.2 "TFOTE PART2" THE GANG HAVE TO TELL BUFFY WHAT THEY KNOW WHILE SHE MEETS A STRANGE MAN WITH SECRETS OF HIS OWN.
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