A/N: I keep getting e-mails about hooking Faith and Wes up. While I agree
there is a relationship budding there, it isn't a romantic one (at least
not in this fic). There will be much more Connor as the final fight
approaches, Dawn too. It's coming!
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Rondell stood at the basement door with three other guys flanking him. Babysitting duty, man he hated this. "I should have gone to fight." He mumbled as the seconds ticked by slowly.
"Yea, guard duty, this sucks." One of the boys replied.
-
Robin Wood stood outside the door and watched the four young men hovering around the basement door. He knew that Spike was below. He could feel him, feel the evil, feel the demon that killed his mother; and Wood knew Spike would pay for his crimes.
-
Buffy crouched in the corner; she had her part of the plan down. She, Faith and Angel would take on The First, while Connor and the other Slayers took on the Bringers. Gunn would lead the others against whatever demons showed up to protect the ritual. Now all they had to do was wait.
-
Faith grasped the handle of her sword. Patience wasn't one of her virtues and she knew it. She was itching for a fight, itching for a kill, and she hated herself for that. This was different, she told herself. She knew that this kill would save lives, and redeem hers in the process. She rocked on her heels, waiting for the battle to begin.
-
Angel stayed low in his spot. He didn't want The First to see them; he wanted the surprise attack. He inventoried his weapons for the third time and double-checked that everything was in order. He closed his eyes and mentally prepared himself.
-
Connor stood behind the empty crate and waited. He hated all this standing around doing nothing. Holtz always told him to be patient, that wasn't happening today. Connor replayed his childhood in his mind, learning how to fight, how to win, how to destroy. He knew he was strong, not Slayer strong, but strong nonetheless. Now was his chance to show everyone. He would prevail. He knew it in his mind. Nothing was going to stop him tonight.
-
Giles squatted and leaned against the wall. He could hear his heart beat in the deafening silence. He closed his eyes and fought off the fear that crept into his mind. The Council had taught him to acknowledge fear. But where was the Council now? Gone. Who would protect and teach the next Slayer. What would happen after he was gone, after Wesley was gone? Giles pushed the thoughts from his mind and focused on the task at hand.
-
Wesley steadied himself. He had changed so much over the past years. He smiled at the thought of the whimpering boy who had first come to Sunnydale. Fresh from the Council, he had only fought one vampire; and that was under controlled circumstances. His first days were disastrous. When he left Sunnydale and went off on his own, he had tried to change himself, but that wouldn't come until he joined Angel. Everything that had happened, everything that Wesley had become, all started that day. He had become part of a family, a better family than he had ever known. And today, win or lose, he would fight to the end with them.
-
Dawn was almost shaking she was so scared. The battle frightened her, but the waiting was worse. The echo-y silence in the room made the wait tick by slowly. She glanced around the room. She couldn't see anyone else, she knew she wasn't alone, but she felt alone. She felt scared. She remembered begging Buffy to train her to fight, what she wouldn't give now to be at home. Dawn closed her eyes and breathed deeply. She steadied herself. She would fight to the end for Buffy. She loved her. She loved everyone in the room. Faith, Giles, Xander, Willow, they were all family, more than family. She would give her life to protect any one of them.
-
Gunn waited, half of the game they say. He stood at the ready. He closed his eyes and remembered why he fought. What the mission was and how to best win; Gunn wouldn't give up. He didn't after Alonna and he wouldn't now. Old friends, new friends, family, he would protect them all.
-
Xander crouched a few feet away from Anya; if he leaned forward he could see the back of her head. He had been afraid before, he had been in battles before, but nothing had prepared him for this. In every previous battle, he knew Buffy would win, he knew Buffy would protect him. He didn't know that now. He needed to be strong. Today, he was fighting for his family. This wasn't a vampire or two, this was much much worse.
-
Buffy waited as footsteps descended the staircase. She watched as the demons began to set up. She watched The First take its place on the seal. And she screamed with everything she had "Go!"
-
Fighters poured out from their hiding places as the battle began.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Rondell stood at the basement door with three other guys flanking him. Babysitting duty, man he hated this. "I should have gone to fight." He mumbled as the seconds ticked by slowly.
"Yea, guard duty, this sucks." One of the boys replied.
-
Robin Wood stood outside the door and watched the four young men hovering around the basement door. He knew that Spike was below. He could feel him, feel the evil, feel the demon that killed his mother; and Wood knew Spike would pay for his crimes.
-
Buffy crouched in the corner; she had her part of the plan down. She, Faith and Angel would take on The First, while Connor and the other Slayers took on the Bringers. Gunn would lead the others against whatever demons showed up to protect the ritual. Now all they had to do was wait.
-
Faith grasped the handle of her sword. Patience wasn't one of her virtues and she knew it. She was itching for a fight, itching for a kill, and she hated herself for that. This was different, she told herself. She knew that this kill would save lives, and redeem hers in the process. She rocked on her heels, waiting for the battle to begin.
-
Angel stayed low in his spot. He didn't want The First to see them; he wanted the surprise attack. He inventoried his weapons for the third time and double-checked that everything was in order. He closed his eyes and mentally prepared himself.
-
Connor stood behind the empty crate and waited. He hated all this standing around doing nothing. Holtz always told him to be patient, that wasn't happening today. Connor replayed his childhood in his mind, learning how to fight, how to win, how to destroy. He knew he was strong, not Slayer strong, but strong nonetheless. Now was his chance to show everyone. He would prevail. He knew it in his mind. Nothing was going to stop him tonight.
-
Giles squatted and leaned against the wall. He could hear his heart beat in the deafening silence. He closed his eyes and fought off the fear that crept into his mind. The Council had taught him to acknowledge fear. But where was the Council now? Gone. Who would protect and teach the next Slayer. What would happen after he was gone, after Wesley was gone? Giles pushed the thoughts from his mind and focused on the task at hand.
-
Wesley steadied himself. He had changed so much over the past years. He smiled at the thought of the whimpering boy who had first come to Sunnydale. Fresh from the Council, he had only fought one vampire; and that was under controlled circumstances. His first days were disastrous. When he left Sunnydale and went off on his own, he had tried to change himself, but that wouldn't come until he joined Angel. Everything that had happened, everything that Wesley had become, all started that day. He had become part of a family, a better family than he had ever known. And today, win or lose, he would fight to the end with them.
-
Dawn was almost shaking she was so scared. The battle frightened her, but the waiting was worse. The echo-y silence in the room made the wait tick by slowly. She glanced around the room. She couldn't see anyone else, she knew she wasn't alone, but she felt alone. She felt scared. She remembered begging Buffy to train her to fight, what she wouldn't give now to be at home. Dawn closed her eyes and breathed deeply. She steadied herself. She would fight to the end for Buffy. She loved her. She loved everyone in the room. Faith, Giles, Xander, Willow, they were all family, more than family. She would give her life to protect any one of them.
-
Gunn waited, half of the game they say. He stood at the ready. He closed his eyes and remembered why he fought. What the mission was and how to best win; Gunn wouldn't give up. He didn't after Alonna and he wouldn't now. Old friends, new friends, family, he would protect them all.
-
Xander crouched a few feet away from Anya; if he leaned forward he could see the back of her head. He had been afraid before, he had been in battles before, but nothing had prepared him for this. In every previous battle, he knew Buffy would win, he knew Buffy would protect him. He didn't know that now. He needed to be strong. Today, he was fighting for his family. This wasn't a vampire or two, this was much much worse.
-
Buffy waited as footsteps descended the staircase. She watched as the demons began to set up. She watched The First take its place on the seal. And she screamed with everything she had "Go!"
-
Fighters poured out from their hiding places as the battle began.
