The Game by SLynn
Chapter 5: The Offer
The fifth quote hadn't remained a mystery long, despite being in Russian. It read, 'Doroga k Zvjozdam Otkrita' or translated, thanks to Willow and internet, 'The way to the skies is open.' The card itself was the Lovers, Roman numeral VI, and had been marked with the letter O and had ANYA written on it. The group consensus was that the next card would be found at the planetarium. Group might not be the right word, as it was really only Buffy, Willow and Giles at that point. Anya had all but become mute, and Tara was quieter still.
Buffy had been told what Constance had done, and tried to explain what had really happened. She knew that Willow and Giles had believed her, had known that she really was trying to protect them as best she could. She also knew that Anya hadn't believed her. Tara she wasn't sure of. She hadn't thought it to be possible, but she hated Constance more now then before.
After retrieving the sixth card from the planetarium it was almost seven o'clock. She was driving back to the Magic Shop merely as a formality. She already knew where to find the seventh card. Buffy really just wanted to check on her friends and ensure that they hadn't been paid another visit. The sixth card had been the card of the Moon, Roman numeral XVIII, marked with the letter R and labeled TARA. It read, 'Death is a friend of ours; and he that is not ready to entertain him is not at home.' The seventh card would most certainly be at Xander's house. Maybe Xander would be too.
'Screw formality,' she thought as she did an impromptu u-turn at the intersection. As fast as she could legally get away with, she made her way to Xander's.
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Xander had been staring at the door now for what seemed an eternity. Constance had left him for longer then she ever had, well longer then he remembered her doing before.
'This is stupid,' he thought, 'no, it's suicide. She'd kill me if I tried it. She'd kill me for thinking it.'
Still, he couldn't stop thinking about it. There was a strong possibility he could just walk out that door. His leg and arm were both healed but he couldn't remember if she had ever locked the door. The more he did think about it, the more he was certain she hadn't.
'What if she has guards or something?'
He dismissed the thought. She was way too arrogant. That kid in the alley was just that, some kid. She thinks she can do all of this herself. And so far she has.
Xander got up and began pacing the room. He felt much better then he had. His head was clear and he felt fully awake for the first time all day.
He unconsciously looked out the window. It wasn't day anymore.
He knew that Constance had set up rules of engagement between herself and Buffy, the particulars of those rules was her knowledge alone. What he did know for certain, and what Constance never failed to remind him of was come sunrise, she would kill him.
That jarred him. He was dead either way.
"Better to die doing something," he mumbled as he walked to the door.
It took him a few minutes to work up the nerve; finally he placed his hand on the doorknob. As quiet as he could he twisted the handle. It worked, the door was open.
'Now what?' he thought.
Part of him wanted to run. To just run as fast as he could to wherever he could make it too. Run. Run. Run and don't look back.
The smarter part knew that he'd likely make so much noise doing that, if Constance didn't catch him and kill him, something else would.
He peered out and down what appeared to be a long, dim hallway. A familiar one. Confident that no one was around, he slid out of the doorway. So far, it was going well.
Not sure which way was the way out, he decided on right. Walking as slow and quiet as he could, hugging the wall, he moved forward. The further he walked, the more he recognized. Almost recognized, wherever he was the place was in major need of reconstruction. It was all but destroyed.
After a minute or two of his exhaustingly slow pace, he came to an intersection. Three ways to choose from, none of them looked promising.
"What, no exit sign?" he asked under his breath, scanning each direction.
Stunned, he swung his head back to the left. An exit sign. He almost didn't believe his eyes. An honest to goodness exit sign.
Xander forgot about being quiet and careful. He just ran. That sign was like an oasis. Sliding to a halt in front of the door, he pulled it open and froze.
"Going somewhere?"
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Buffy snuck down the steps to Xander's basement apartment. Doing so, she realized she really hadn't been by to see him very often in the last year. She felt bad about that. Buffy knew he had never gotten along well with his parents and being forced to live in the basement just aggravated the situation. Besides that and not going to college with the rest of them, Xander had been alienated. Unlocking the door with his key set and looking around, she felt it even more.
'He deserves better then this,' she thought.
Buffy didn't really know where to start. She didn't want to pry into his things, it didn't feel right. Just being here made her feel like she was invading his privacy. As it turned out, once she turned on the light, one look was all she needed. His bed was made.
'Now that is definitely wrong,' Buffy thought, almost with a laugh, 'Xander has never made a bed in his life.'
Lying neatly folded on top was a shirt, and just inside the collar was a card, face down. Buffy took the card in her left hand and the shirt in her right. For a moment, she paused.
"This is it," she said out loud, mostly to calm herself.
Then, taking in a breath, she flipped the card over.
It was her card, she knew it would be. Only the letter S and the Roman numeral 0 were written on it, besides her name. There was no quote, only the Fool stared back at her.
Buffy next looked at the shirt. It was his, blue and white flannel, likely the one he'd been wearing when she'd taken him. Unfolding it, she almost knew what to expect. Over half of it was stained with blood.
There was nothing else for Buffy to do but sit down and cry.
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It took less then half a second for Xander to register that Constance was blocking the exit. That was all the time he needed. He slammed the door and ran back the other direction. As he raced down the hallway, as fast as it was possibly for him to move, he heard the door crash open. He didn't stop. He didn't look. He just ran.
At the junction he'd originally come from, he headed left instead of the right that would take him back toward the room. He rounded the corner and unbelievable she was there. Waiting.
"Don't run sweetie," she practically purred, "it'll only wear you out. You'll ruin my fun."
He tried to stop and reverse at the same time and only ended up falling. His brain continued to scream 'Run!' at him, but now his legs were giving out. As he tried to push himself back to his feet, she casually walked to him.
"I thought you'd learned your lesson," Constance said, standing over him, "looks like we'll have to start over."
She stretched out her right arm toward his chest. He saw white lightning pulse from her palm, striking and propelling him halfway down the hall. It felt like his heart was going to explode. He just lay there, unable to move, as he watched her slowly make her way to him.
"Why did you make me do that? I wasn't going to hurt you again, not after the last time, but now that you've done this, I have to put you back in your place."
She was standing over him again.
"Please stop," Xander managed to say, between gasps, "I won't do it again." He could taste blood in his mouth.
"Aw," Constance smiled, shaking her head, "but you haven't learned yet. You broke the rules and have to be punished. But don't worry, I said I wouldn't kill you until sunrise, and I won't. I play by the rules Xander."
She sat down on him, straddling his chest. Slowly, she ran her hand down his face. Then violently she grabbed a hold of his hair and lifted up his head.
"I'm a busy woman Xander; I don't have time for all your whims. I know that you know this was a bad idea, but I want you to really remember it. I want you to really know how foolish it was to try to go against my wishes and my wants. Because, I am the only one who always gets their way, do you understand?"
He remained quiet. Not knowing what to do.
She put her free hand to his chest and he felt shockwaves rip through his body.
"I asked you if you understood me," she said when she'd finished, "now do you?"
"Yes," he said as best he could.
"Good," was all she replied, abruptly dropping his head.
She stood, still hovering over him. Stepping back, she indicated with her hands for him to stand as well. It took a minute for him to regain his balance, but he managed. It felt like she had cracked all of his ribs.
They walked back to the room in silence. When they got there, the door flew open in front of him and she motioned him inside.
"I have to leave again," she said as they both entered the room, "I trust you won't try this again."
He just shook his head, but turned to face her so she'd know he was sincere.
"Good," she smiled, and began to walk away.
Relieved he turned back around and began to sit down. He heard her stop and turn again.
"But I really can't trust you now, can I."
The last thing Xander heard was what sounded like thunder; then everything went black.
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Buffy sat out in the car for a long time. It was a quarter to nine and she knew they'd be worried, she just didn't know what to tell them. All of the cards until this one had some sort of quote on them. Some sort of clue leading them to the next location, except this one. The Fool. She felt like one, a big one. And the shirt. Could he have lost so much blood and still be alive? She wanted to believe he was but she just wasn't sure. They had believed Constance wouldn't kill him before sunrise, but who was to say she didn't.
'Better get this over with,' she thought, stepping out of the car.
Willow was waiting at the store front when she entered.
"Buffy," she nearly yelled, "we didn't know where you were? Why didn't you answer the phone?"
At that, all of them came forward to see what news the slayer had and to hear where she'd been.
"I've got the last cards," Buffy said flatly, holding them out to Giles.
He took the two from her and read them over.
"Where was the last?" he asked, passing them off to Willow and Tara. Only Anya didn't seem to want to see them.
"At Xander's place," she said, and then after a pause, "with this."
She held out the shirt to Giles. At first it didn't seem he wanted to take it, but he did.
They all stopped and looked at it, everyone but Buffy. She'd seen enough. She just wanted to find Constance and kill her. Kill her for doing this to Xander and to all of them.
But then, Constance found them.
"Oh good," they heard her say from the back of the store, "you found my gift. At the pace you were going I was beginning to think you wouldn't even get to it."
No one had seen or heard her until that moment. They were all unnerved that she had snuck up on them in that manner.
"What, no thank you?"
Anya broke the silence first.
"You said you wouldn't kill him, that you'd give Buffy a chance to find him."
"I haven't killed him, not yet anyway. It's just that he bleeds quite a bit more then anyone I've ran into before. Gruesome really. But, believe me, when I left him, he was most definitely alive."
"We're playing your game, isn't that enough?" Buffy asked, visibly angry.
"No. It's not. This is the fun of it. Seeing you suffer. Seeing all of you suffer. But that isn't really why I'm here."
"Let me guess," Buffy broke in, "you're here because you just really love to hear yourself speak?"
"Amusing." Constance returned, the smile gone, "No. That's not it. I've come to make an offer. Anyone, except you of course Buffy, can accept. But I'll only take one volunteer, and once they accept it's entirely in their hands."
"What is it?" Willow asked.
"I'm getting to it," she said.
After a pause, she continued.
"Who is willing to get Xander back…"
"I am," Anya answered cutting her off.
"No," Giles yelled at her, "you haven't even heard the whole of it."
"But she did volunteer first," Constance said, walking to her, "do you want to hear the rest of it before you give you final answer?"
Anya, clearly struck, nodded yes.
"I was about to say, who is willing to get Xander back by taking his place. Now, before you answer yes or no, let me give you a taste of what you in for."
She leveled her arm at Anya. At first, nothing happened, and then, in a flash, Anya was clutching her throat and on the floor. Gasping for air she obviously couldn't take in. Finally, Constance stopped doing whatever she had been doing to her.
"Well?"
"No," she managed, choking on her words, "please stop."
"Alright then, I'll give your boyfriend your best. I'm really glad you didn't agree. He and I have been having such fun."
Buffy glared at her.
"Why couldn't I volunteer?"
"Two reasons." Constance said, seemingly happy she'd been asked, "First, you're the slayer and you're the one playing my game. You can't go running around looking for yourself now, can you? And second, you'd have said yes."
Once again Constance left as they stood speechless.
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She was back in the room with him. His head felt like it had been run over. He was barely aware that she was now sitting next to him, or that she had to first flip him over in order to look at him.
"Xander, are you awake?" she asked, almost sounding concerned.
He said nothing. He tried opening his eyes, but couldn't get them to focus correctly.
"I'm back and this time I'm staying."
His eyes got clearer. He could see she was excited about something.
"The slayer will be here soon. It's almost time to end my game."
He wanted to yell at her. To tell her to go back to hell or wherever it was she came from, but he couldn't really get anything to come out.
"But there's just one more thing."
Finally, it all came into view for him. Her and her stupid smile.
"I've got an offer for you."
Without knowing it, Xander found himself smiling back.