Rating: PG, just to be on the safe side, I guess
Feedback: Thank you kindly (Melpomenethalia@aol.com)
Spoilers: For "The Gift"
Distribution: Here. If you're interested, please let me know.
Summary: Buffy's journey into the other side continues.
Disclaimer: All characters are owned by Mutant Enemy (Joss Whedon), a wonderfully creative company whose characters I have borrowed for a completely profit-free flight of fancy. Kindly do not sue me, please, as I am terrified of you. Thank you.
Part 2
Finally, one of the two women crossed the bridge, while the other woman and the man remained on the opposite shore, apparently watching Buffy with keen interest. The woman continued towards her, and the Slayer noticed that the slight figure was remarkably graceful and seemed to radiate waves of tranquility. It wasn't until she was a mere eight feet away that Buffy realized the other woman seemed to drift in and out of focus, almost as though she were standing on the opposite side of a glass panel with water cascading down it. Her face was still completely obscured.
"Hi?" Buffy called out uncertainly. Even with all the bizarre occurrences of her life, this was still a bit out of her league.
The figure raised her hand in greeting.
"Can you speak?" she asked.
The figure nodded her head.
"Well, then, why don't you?" she asked again, starting to get a little annoyed.
The woman turned her head back toward the bridge as though looking for reassurance, and the other two figures nodded to her encouragingly.
"Please, don't be frightened," spoke yet another instantly recognizable voice as the figure abruptly snapped into focus.
Buffy let out an audible gasp, then automatically dropped into a fighting stance. "What are you doing here, Drusilla?"
"I have no wish to harm you, Buffy. I'm not the Drusilla you know."
Like a light bulb switching on, Buffy suddenly realized the truth. "You're her soul, aren't you?"
The girl in front of her laughed a deliciously joyous peal of chuckles as she nodded. "You've gotten it at once! As you've more than likely figured out, I wasn't evil at all in life, and the insanity cleared up as soon as I reached here."
"And the other two?"
"They sent me ahead because I've been here the longest, so I've had a little more experience at putting newcomers at ease. Come along, fraidy cats!" she called over her shoulder, her Cockney accent producing a surprisingly homey effect instead of the bone-chilling one Buffy was used to. "It's quite alright now!"
The other two figures crossed the bridge, but it still took Buffy a moment to recognize them, which wasn't surprising considering one was someone she hadn't known for very long and the other looked almost nothing like his current self. Slapping her hand to her forehead in disbelief, she suddenly realized that they were none other than Darla and Spike.
"This is so not the welcome wagon I expected," the Slayer said and she stared slack-jawed at the new arrivals. "Wait a minute. Darla's been dead a lot longer than Drusilla, so how can Dru have been here the longest?"
"That's actually a pretty interesting story," the other blonde said in a slightly embarrassed voice. "I've died twice, and the first time the accommodations weren't quite so…," she paused significantly, "picturesque, shall we say?"
"Twice?" Buffy asked with curiosity.
"I got called back. It happens occasionally. Not very often, but this time it worked out a little better for me, thanks to Angel," she answered with a wistful smile. "He really is quite something."
Sensing that Darla had hit a nerve since Buffy's eyes had narrowed and assumed a less than friendly glint at the other woman's obvious affection for her former love, the only male present decided a quick change of topic might be in order.
"So, is everything quite to your liking here, then?" he asked softly.
"Aside from the fact I'm dead, stuck in Limbo, and extremely confused, everything is ginger peachy, Spike," the Slayer deadpanned.
"I would appreciate it if you would call me William," he requested gently. "I was never in the habit of, ehm, impaling people with railroading supplies. But the confusion, well, perhaps we might be able to clear some of that up. What's troubling you?"
"Sorry, William," she said, trying to adjust to the brown-haired version of her semi-ally. He seemed so… nice. It was almost disturbing. "I guess the big question is, why am I here?"
"You're dead," Darla answered matter-of-factly.
"That part I got, what with the swirling portal and the no longer breathing and the lack of heartbeat," she responded, slightly annoyed with the other woman's blasé attitude. "I'm not completely stupid. What I don't get is why Kendra said I haven't completely crossed over yet. What am I doing in Limbo instead of, you know, the real deal?"
"That is a bit difficult to explain," Drusilla mused thoughtfully. "It might be better if we sat down for awhile. Are you hungry at all? The new arrivals usually are."
"Now that you mention it, I could use a snack," Buffy said, suddenly realizing her stomach felt like an empty football.
In the blink of an eye, Buffy found herself sitting on a red and white checkered tablecloth with her three companions. The meadow had disappeared, and in its place was a smooth beach of sugary white sand that stretched as far as the eye could see. Lapping against the shore were soft waves tipped in foam, borne in from the cobalt sea on a deliciously light breeze that was scented with vanilla. The sky overhead had remained a lovely shade of summer blue, and the sun's rays felt warm against her face.
"Egg salad or tuna fish?" asked Drusilla politely as she dug through a large picnic hamper that sat beside her.