Title: Loose Ends
Author: Jane McCartney
Disclaimer: All the characters you recognize belong to Joss & co. (all hail the crackhead). I'm just fooling around with his universe, with no intention of making money or anything.
Classification: Buffy-Angel crossover
Rating: PG
Feedback: Yes, please! Doesn't everyone want it?
Email: janemccartney@bol.com.br
Distribution: Anywhere, I don't mind, just credit me and inform me where it's at.
Acknowledgements: Thanks to Theo, who actually made this project a viable one with his amazing and wonderful work - I'm truly grateful for your help with the English grammar and all the necessary adaptations. You're my savior.
Note: This is my very first attempt at fan fiction, and English is definitely not my native language, so I'd be happy if you guys didn't go too hard on me - please. I'm just doing the best I can here.
Summary: [Buffy-Angel Crossover] Xander shows up in Los Angeles, and brings with him a secret that'll lead him into dangerous territory. Can he cope with that? And his friends, will they be there for him?
***
The souled vampire was lying on his bed, his features looking unusually peaceful. Xander couldn't remember a time when he'd looked so damn defenseless, even during those hell-of-a-time days before Graduation; with the whole 'Faith-in-psycho-mode' and 'shooting the vamp boyfriend with a poison stake' thing. Even then, Deadboy hadn't had such a helpless appearance.
All of this just kept getting better and better. Fantastic. Couldn't Angel at least *try* to not look like some frickin' Boy Scout? It would certainly make his little 'kill the vampire' plan a lot easier.
The dark-haired young man made his first move, attempting to get a few steps closer to Angel. His hands were shaking so hard and his heart was beating so fast, that Xander suddenly found himself sobbing in front of the vampire.
Not a good time to get into chicken-mode, buddy boy.
"Right...now or never, then. You can do it," Xander mumbled, trying to muster enough courage for the final and harder move.
He took the crossbow into his hands.
And remembered Buffy and Cordelia.
Very bad move. Oh, God.
Xander was a few seconds away from killing one of the most important persons in both girls' lives, the same girls that were two of the most important people in his own life. And then there was Fred, Gunn and Wesley too, equally needing and caring about Angel. And even the whole goddamn crazy city of L.A., crying out for his help.
Shit! He so couldn't do this. He was such a coward.
Not that that was news, anyway.
The truth was that, Xander was afraid about what would happen later. It was as simple as that - he was selfish.
He didn't want to face their accusing eyes, even knowing that this was the right thing to do. The indispensable thing to do, too - or everyone he had ever cared about would pay for his unforgivable mistake.
And, something he'd never thought he would actually think as well - it wasn't fair to Angel either, it really wasn't.
But anyway, life wasn't fair, and nobody said it had to be any other way.
"I'm sorry, Deadboy. I really am," Xander murmured guiltily.
He pointed the crossbow at Angel's heart direction.
And then he screamed out loud.
***
The Fang Gang moved through the streets of Los Angeles, strangely silent during the entire trip. Next to Lorne's bar Caritas, two adolescents were fooling around, when the boy accidentally hit Cordelia's shoulder.
"Hey! What's your problem, punk? Are you blind or just stupid?!" The brunette's words were as sharp as a knife.
"S-sorry...I, I've gotta go. I'm sorry," the boy quickly apologized in the face of the seer's anger.
"Yeah, yeah, whatever," said Cordelia, keeping up her annoyed expression.
She turned to her friends. "Can you believe it? We're, like, saving lives here, and those kids are running around like freaks or something! I definitely cannot understand today's teenagers."
"Um, Cordy? Aren't those the teenagers from the vision?" Gunn asked pointedly.
"Oh. Yeah, right, I knew that. I was just testing you guys," snorted the brunette girl, not able to look right into her friends' eyes.
The girl, a thin Afro-American adolescent with colorful clothes and scared expression, stopped as soon as she'd considered the fact that her friend wasn't following her anymore. Quickly turning around, she saw people who'd seemed to appear from nowhere.
"C'mon, Daniel! They might be one of them, we gotta git! Damn it, Dan! Move your ass!" The girl's voice sounded panicked, and her hands were shaking real hard.
"Hey! Wait, we're here to help you!" shouted Wesley, while both teenagers started an infuriating run along the streets of Los Angeles.
"Weren't the vampires supposed to be here?" Fred's question sounded more like a statement.
"Hey, beautiful. Lookin' for us? 'Cause I'd hate to keep you waiting for long," sneered what seemed to be the leader of the vampire gang, a tall and blonde guy with a black leather jacket and a rusted metal belt surrounding his lanky waist.
Fred instantly stepped back with a scream of surprise, and Cordelia shook her head in annoyance.
"God, do all you guys have some kind of weird crush on Billy Idol or something?"
The vampires growled, and started to make a circle around Cordelia, Gunn, Wesley and Fred.
"Ya talk too much, gorgeous, but I bet you'll be a better snack than that skinny girl or her weirdo boyfriend," said another vampire, a redheaded boy shorter than the Billy Idol wannabe, but twice as big in terms of muscle.
"Hey! Are you calling me fat?" the brunette seer snapped angrily, while Gunn and Wesley started to analyze the alley and their conditions to fight against this vamp gang.
"One for each one of us, OK? And somebody else please take the brunette, I could do with a little silence for my meal," commanded the blonde vampire, now taken as the leader of the enemy group for sure by the Fang Gang.
"Not a problem, boss. I know I'll enjoy every itty-bitty noise made by the princess here," declared the redheaded vampire with malicious voice and strong Texan accent. Moving faster than the eye could see, he softly started smoothing Cordelia's hair with his fingers.
"Get your dirty hands off me, creep!" replied the young woman violently, starting to move away.
The vampire abruptly grabbed her left arm, putting his game face on. "Or what, princess? Huh? How can you ever hurt me? Afraid now, beautiful? Wait for the best part, then."
"Back off, you jerk!" screamed Cordelia, while trying to think of the best way to get herself away from him.
But the vampire was much stronger than she was, and all attempts to escape by the brunette young woman were fruitless. The redheaded vamp yanked away the hair from her neck, not being intimidated at all by her continuous protests.
Playfully, he caressed her thigh and murmured soft words in her ear, "Shh, doll-face. This'll just take a second. Now shut your goddamn mouth and stay quiet, so I can finish off the part where I kill you, comprende?"
In a short break from his own fight, Wesley was able to register Cordelia's peril. "Gunn, Fred! We must help Cordelia! She's in dang-"
The former Watcher was interrupted by a strong punch to his face, from his taller opponent. Getting onto his feet once again, he took one of the stakes in his hand and quickly shoved the piece of wood into the vampire's heart.
"Now that was a bloody good stroke!" exclaimed Wesley proudly, while looking at the scenario around him. "And nobody saw it. Great."
"Get away from me, your lousy bloodsucker!" Cordelia's protests weren't having any effect anymore. The redheaded vampire had already inclined his head above the girl's neck, and his strength had her arms immobilized and useless at this point.
Suddenly, when the vampire's fangs was a few millimeters away from her neck, the undead killer felt something heavy hitting him again and again on his back, continuous blows that started to actually bother him. He turned around, and growled at his attacker.
"You little bitch! I'm kinda busy here, do you mind?" the asshole screamed violently.
Fred stepped away with a long piece of metal on her hands, found a few seconds earlier in the alley. Catching her breath and gathering her strength, she took a crossbow tossed by Gunn and shot at his back, in the direction of the vampire's heart.
Dusted.
"Fred! You saved my life! That's so...strange. But, hey, I'm talking and very alive, so I'm perfectly OK with that!" exclaimed the taller brunette, brushing away the dust on her red blouse.
Fred laughed shyly and at the same time proudly to Cordelia, while both Gunn and Wesley approached the two young women.
A few minutes later, the Fang Gang was on their way back to the hotel.
"So...that Xander guy. You two were pretty close, right?" Gunn asked furtively.
"So?" Cordelia retorted impatiently.
"So, nothing. Well, I'm just saying that we could tell that earlier, you know. When you two were together."
"Tell what?" questioned the brunette girl, raising an eyebrow at her friend's sudden interrogation.
"That you were pretty close," answered the young vampire hunter, while Fred and Wesley were sending mocking glances at Cordelia's reaction to the questions.
"Oh, yeah, you all find this so funny! Let's all laugh at Cordelia's - oh, shit, not again!"
Suddenly, her world was once again filled with confused images, and Cordelia started to scream at the almost unbearable pain.
//Two men, a fight.//
//Two familiar men, a fight.//
//A familiar man and a familiar vampire, a fight.//
Damn. This so isn't being good news!
"Cordelia? Talk to me! I - I think we should take her to a hospital, this thing is gonna kill her one day!"
That British accent...she knew it.
"Cordy, are you there? Bloody hell, I think she's unconscious."
Oh God, Wesley! I just saw Angel and Xander in my vision, and they're gonna kill each other! We gotta hurry, now!
"Huh?" she whispered weakly.
Great move, girl. The next time, remember the whole talking part, OK?
"Cordelia? Can you hear me?" Wesley's voice showed a concern that immediately frightened Cordelia.
"Yeah, I can. I guess. Xander..." she was trying to talk, but it was like her voice simply wouldn't obey her anymore.
"Is Xander in danger?" snapped an agitated Fred.
"No...I - I'm not sure, but I think he's gonna kill Angel," the brunette said, while trying to stand up with Gunn's help.
The other three started to laugh loudly, making Cordelia raise an incredulous eyebrow.
"Oh my, Cordelia, that was a good one! Just imagine - Xander, killing Angel..." Wesley began, noticing that the young seer looked enough serious to make him wonder what the hell that could mean, if it wasn't in fact a joke. "Dear God, you're serious about that?"
Wesley's statement actually took Gunn by surprise.
"No way! I mean, not wanting to sound like the freaking president of Angel's fan club, but Xander's no match for the guy! Didn't look like, at least. Okay, I know about the whole 'Deadboy' thing, but don't you guys think that killing him sounds way overboard - or is that just me?" His voice had a mocking tone, but his irony vanished at the same moment he saw Cordelia's frightened eyes.
"Guys. I just realized, I-I've never told anyone in Sunnydale about the vision stuff. Ever. And Xander knew about it," her voice was full with such astonishment that Fred, Gunn and Wesley were immediately gripped by a sudden fear.
"Let's go, then!" Fred's agitation was easily seen by her nervous glances at her friends.
"No, wait. I - there's no way this could happen. I mean, it's Xander!" Cordelia suddenly snorted.
"Or a demon with his face," Gunn retorted matter-of-factly.
"It's still majorly unlogical. We know for sure that he's not a vampire, I saw his reflection and, well, he didn't try to drink our blood, ya know? C'mon guys, why Xander? And why now? It's just too weird, I can't buy it. Sorry, but I just can't buy it," said the young seer tiredly.
"But you saw it, didn't you?" Fred protested loudly.
"And also," Wesley paused, a shocked expression covering his features, "Angel wouldn't be able to fight back. He's still out of it, in theory. Whoever or whatever tries to hurt him, it'll be probably successful."
"Oh shit," Cordelia whispered simply, while fear and panic seemed to suddenly fill her whole soul.
***
Author: Jane McCartney
Disclaimer: All the characters you recognize belong to Joss & co. (all hail the crackhead). I'm just fooling around with his universe, with no intention of making money or anything.
Classification: Buffy-Angel crossover
Rating: PG
Feedback: Yes, please! Doesn't everyone want it?
Email: janemccartney@bol.com.br
Distribution: Anywhere, I don't mind, just credit me and inform me where it's at.
Acknowledgements: Thanks to Theo, who actually made this project a viable one with his amazing and wonderful work - I'm truly grateful for your help with the English grammar and all the necessary adaptations. You're my savior.
Note: This is my very first attempt at fan fiction, and English is definitely not my native language, so I'd be happy if you guys didn't go too hard on me - please. I'm just doing the best I can here.
Summary: [Buffy-Angel Crossover] Xander shows up in Los Angeles, and brings with him a secret that'll lead him into dangerous territory. Can he cope with that? And his friends, will they be there for him?
***
The souled vampire was lying on his bed, his features looking unusually peaceful. Xander couldn't remember a time when he'd looked so damn defenseless, even during those hell-of-a-time days before Graduation; with the whole 'Faith-in-psycho-mode' and 'shooting the vamp boyfriend with a poison stake' thing. Even then, Deadboy hadn't had such a helpless appearance.
All of this just kept getting better and better. Fantastic. Couldn't Angel at least *try* to not look like some frickin' Boy Scout? It would certainly make his little 'kill the vampire' plan a lot easier.
The dark-haired young man made his first move, attempting to get a few steps closer to Angel. His hands were shaking so hard and his heart was beating so fast, that Xander suddenly found himself sobbing in front of the vampire.
Not a good time to get into chicken-mode, buddy boy.
"Right...now or never, then. You can do it," Xander mumbled, trying to muster enough courage for the final and harder move.
He took the crossbow into his hands.
And remembered Buffy and Cordelia.
Very bad move. Oh, God.
Xander was a few seconds away from killing one of the most important persons in both girls' lives, the same girls that were two of the most important people in his own life. And then there was Fred, Gunn and Wesley too, equally needing and caring about Angel. And even the whole goddamn crazy city of L.A., crying out for his help.
Shit! He so couldn't do this. He was such a coward.
Not that that was news, anyway.
The truth was that, Xander was afraid about what would happen later. It was as simple as that - he was selfish.
He didn't want to face their accusing eyes, even knowing that this was the right thing to do. The indispensable thing to do, too - or everyone he had ever cared about would pay for his unforgivable mistake.
And, something he'd never thought he would actually think as well - it wasn't fair to Angel either, it really wasn't.
But anyway, life wasn't fair, and nobody said it had to be any other way.
"I'm sorry, Deadboy. I really am," Xander murmured guiltily.
He pointed the crossbow at Angel's heart direction.
And then he screamed out loud.
***
The Fang Gang moved through the streets of Los Angeles, strangely silent during the entire trip. Next to Lorne's bar Caritas, two adolescents were fooling around, when the boy accidentally hit Cordelia's shoulder.
"Hey! What's your problem, punk? Are you blind or just stupid?!" The brunette's words were as sharp as a knife.
"S-sorry...I, I've gotta go. I'm sorry," the boy quickly apologized in the face of the seer's anger.
"Yeah, yeah, whatever," said Cordelia, keeping up her annoyed expression.
She turned to her friends. "Can you believe it? We're, like, saving lives here, and those kids are running around like freaks or something! I definitely cannot understand today's teenagers."
"Um, Cordy? Aren't those the teenagers from the vision?" Gunn asked pointedly.
"Oh. Yeah, right, I knew that. I was just testing you guys," snorted the brunette girl, not able to look right into her friends' eyes.
The girl, a thin Afro-American adolescent with colorful clothes and scared expression, stopped as soon as she'd considered the fact that her friend wasn't following her anymore. Quickly turning around, she saw people who'd seemed to appear from nowhere.
"C'mon, Daniel! They might be one of them, we gotta git! Damn it, Dan! Move your ass!" The girl's voice sounded panicked, and her hands were shaking real hard.
"Hey! Wait, we're here to help you!" shouted Wesley, while both teenagers started an infuriating run along the streets of Los Angeles.
"Weren't the vampires supposed to be here?" Fred's question sounded more like a statement.
"Hey, beautiful. Lookin' for us? 'Cause I'd hate to keep you waiting for long," sneered what seemed to be the leader of the vampire gang, a tall and blonde guy with a black leather jacket and a rusted metal belt surrounding his lanky waist.
Fred instantly stepped back with a scream of surprise, and Cordelia shook her head in annoyance.
"God, do all you guys have some kind of weird crush on Billy Idol or something?"
The vampires growled, and started to make a circle around Cordelia, Gunn, Wesley and Fred.
"Ya talk too much, gorgeous, but I bet you'll be a better snack than that skinny girl or her weirdo boyfriend," said another vampire, a redheaded boy shorter than the Billy Idol wannabe, but twice as big in terms of muscle.
"Hey! Are you calling me fat?" the brunette seer snapped angrily, while Gunn and Wesley started to analyze the alley and their conditions to fight against this vamp gang.
"One for each one of us, OK? And somebody else please take the brunette, I could do with a little silence for my meal," commanded the blonde vampire, now taken as the leader of the enemy group for sure by the Fang Gang.
"Not a problem, boss. I know I'll enjoy every itty-bitty noise made by the princess here," declared the redheaded vampire with malicious voice and strong Texan accent. Moving faster than the eye could see, he softly started smoothing Cordelia's hair with his fingers.
"Get your dirty hands off me, creep!" replied the young woman violently, starting to move away.
The vampire abruptly grabbed her left arm, putting his game face on. "Or what, princess? Huh? How can you ever hurt me? Afraid now, beautiful? Wait for the best part, then."
"Back off, you jerk!" screamed Cordelia, while trying to think of the best way to get herself away from him.
But the vampire was much stronger than she was, and all attempts to escape by the brunette young woman were fruitless. The redheaded vamp yanked away the hair from her neck, not being intimidated at all by her continuous protests.
Playfully, he caressed her thigh and murmured soft words in her ear, "Shh, doll-face. This'll just take a second. Now shut your goddamn mouth and stay quiet, so I can finish off the part where I kill you, comprende?"
In a short break from his own fight, Wesley was able to register Cordelia's peril. "Gunn, Fred! We must help Cordelia! She's in dang-"
The former Watcher was interrupted by a strong punch to his face, from his taller opponent. Getting onto his feet once again, he took one of the stakes in his hand and quickly shoved the piece of wood into the vampire's heart.
"Now that was a bloody good stroke!" exclaimed Wesley proudly, while looking at the scenario around him. "And nobody saw it. Great."
"Get away from me, your lousy bloodsucker!" Cordelia's protests weren't having any effect anymore. The redheaded vampire had already inclined his head above the girl's neck, and his strength had her arms immobilized and useless at this point.
Suddenly, when the vampire's fangs was a few millimeters away from her neck, the undead killer felt something heavy hitting him again and again on his back, continuous blows that started to actually bother him. He turned around, and growled at his attacker.
"You little bitch! I'm kinda busy here, do you mind?" the asshole screamed violently.
Fred stepped away with a long piece of metal on her hands, found a few seconds earlier in the alley. Catching her breath and gathering her strength, she took a crossbow tossed by Gunn and shot at his back, in the direction of the vampire's heart.
Dusted.
"Fred! You saved my life! That's so...strange. But, hey, I'm talking and very alive, so I'm perfectly OK with that!" exclaimed the taller brunette, brushing away the dust on her red blouse.
Fred laughed shyly and at the same time proudly to Cordelia, while both Gunn and Wesley approached the two young women.
A few minutes later, the Fang Gang was on their way back to the hotel.
"So...that Xander guy. You two were pretty close, right?" Gunn asked furtively.
"So?" Cordelia retorted impatiently.
"So, nothing. Well, I'm just saying that we could tell that earlier, you know. When you two were together."
"Tell what?" questioned the brunette girl, raising an eyebrow at her friend's sudden interrogation.
"That you were pretty close," answered the young vampire hunter, while Fred and Wesley were sending mocking glances at Cordelia's reaction to the questions.
"Oh, yeah, you all find this so funny! Let's all laugh at Cordelia's - oh, shit, not again!"
Suddenly, her world was once again filled with confused images, and Cordelia started to scream at the almost unbearable pain.
//Two men, a fight.//
//Two familiar men, a fight.//
//A familiar man and a familiar vampire, a fight.//
Damn. This so isn't being good news!
"Cordelia? Talk to me! I - I think we should take her to a hospital, this thing is gonna kill her one day!"
That British accent...she knew it.
"Cordy, are you there? Bloody hell, I think she's unconscious."
Oh God, Wesley! I just saw Angel and Xander in my vision, and they're gonna kill each other! We gotta hurry, now!
"Huh?" she whispered weakly.
Great move, girl. The next time, remember the whole talking part, OK?
"Cordelia? Can you hear me?" Wesley's voice showed a concern that immediately frightened Cordelia.
"Yeah, I can. I guess. Xander..." she was trying to talk, but it was like her voice simply wouldn't obey her anymore.
"Is Xander in danger?" snapped an agitated Fred.
"No...I - I'm not sure, but I think he's gonna kill Angel," the brunette said, while trying to stand up with Gunn's help.
The other three started to laugh loudly, making Cordelia raise an incredulous eyebrow.
"Oh my, Cordelia, that was a good one! Just imagine - Xander, killing Angel..." Wesley began, noticing that the young seer looked enough serious to make him wonder what the hell that could mean, if it wasn't in fact a joke. "Dear God, you're serious about that?"
Wesley's statement actually took Gunn by surprise.
"No way! I mean, not wanting to sound like the freaking president of Angel's fan club, but Xander's no match for the guy! Didn't look like, at least. Okay, I know about the whole 'Deadboy' thing, but don't you guys think that killing him sounds way overboard - or is that just me?" His voice had a mocking tone, but his irony vanished at the same moment he saw Cordelia's frightened eyes.
"Guys. I just realized, I-I've never told anyone in Sunnydale about the vision stuff. Ever. And Xander knew about it," her voice was full with such astonishment that Fred, Gunn and Wesley were immediately gripped by a sudden fear.
"Let's go, then!" Fred's agitation was easily seen by her nervous glances at her friends.
"No, wait. I - there's no way this could happen. I mean, it's Xander!" Cordelia suddenly snorted.
"Or a demon with his face," Gunn retorted matter-of-factly.
"It's still majorly unlogical. We know for sure that he's not a vampire, I saw his reflection and, well, he didn't try to drink our blood, ya know? C'mon guys, why Xander? And why now? It's just too weird, I can't buy it. Sorry, but I just can't buy it," said the young seer tiredly.
"But you saw it, didn't you?" Fred protested loudly.
"And also," Wesley paused, a shocked expression covering his features, "Angel wouldn't be able to fight back. He's still out of it, in theory. Whoever or whatever tries to hurt him, it'll be probably successful."
"Oh shit," Cordelia whispered simply, while fear and panic seemed to suddenly fill her whole soul.
***