Much later as the Potentials were packing their bags in anticipation of possibly going home the house was full of their happy chatter. Kennedy seemed to be the only one who wasn't ecstatic.
Buffy stood alone on the back porch , her arms rested on the railing her chin in her hands watching the sky change from day to night. Willow and Xander found her there. Her self appointed watchdog, Spike, kept an eye on her through the back door.
"So, you okay?" Xander asked as he leaned his arms on the railing next to Buffy.
"Yes, I'm okay. I'm guessing you'll be relieved that bossy, overbearing Buffy will be gone." She gave him a half smile.
"Nah, we kind of like bossy Buffy." Willow smiled at her best friend as she stood on Buffy's free side.
"Yeah, I bet you do." Buffy rolled her eyes at her.
"Buffy, I know....I know that after all these years it's going to be hard to non hero girl. But trust me - I've got lots of experience at being non hero guy. It's not that bad a deal." Xander put his arm around her shoulders.
"I know it's not that bad a deal, I mean how many slayers get to retire? Me - I'm the one." Buffy sighed.
"Buffy, this doesn't mean you have to stop fighting for good, you just have to find another way to do it." Willow assured her.
"I know, really guys I'm going to be okay. I'll be inside in a minute okay?" She reached for her oldest friends joining in a group hug.
"Okay, we just want you to know we're here." Willow smiled at her again as she and Xander entered the kitchen.
"She okay?" Spike asked from his perch at the kitchen island.
"I think she is or at least she will be." Willow patted Spike's arm as she and Xander walked by.
Spike went to join Buffy, "They should be here shortly."
"Yes, anytime now." She looked at the moon, "I think I'm gonna miss patroling in the moonlight, it's not so harsh as the day and makes you reflective, you know?"
"You can still walk outside in the moonlight, Buffy." Spike raised an eyebrow and laughed softly.
"I know....I know...but it'll be different."
"Different can be good." He pushed a stray hair behind her ear.
They were interrupted by the back door opening, they turned to find Fatih with Angel closely behind her,
"B. How ya doin'?" Fatih asked almost hesitantly, she immediately picked up on the moment she had interrupted.
"Faith...I'm okay. How are you? You're the one with the pressure on." Buffy raised her eyebrows at the other girl.
"I think I'm up to it...." Faith gave her a genuine smile.
"Buffy, how are you really?" Angel finally spoke up slightly confused at Spike's prescence.
"She's good." Spike started to answer as Buffy frowned at him.
Angel stared at Spike, "If I remember correctly she can answer for herself."
"I'm good Angel, really." She emphasized the last word.
It only took a moment for Spike to retort, "I'm surprised you remember, how longs it been since you were here?"
Buffy rolled her eyes at both men as Faith grinned at the show of testosterone, "Whoa, B. Some things don't change, you're still kissing the vamps and making them cry."
Three pairs of angry eyes glared at the dark haired girl. She quickly backed down, "Okay. Sorry."
"Why don't we all go inside and get ready for this ritual."
"You sure you want to do it now, Buffy?" Faith asked with sincere concern, "I understand if you want to wait a bit."
"Spike, Angel, would you please go inside and get Wesley and Giles so they can get ready?" Buffy looked from the blond to the dark haired vampire before her.
"Uh... yeah." Spike answered looking confused.
"If that's what you want." Angel followed Spike into the house.
Faith watched as the two men closed the door, "Are you sure you should trust them alone?"
"They'll be okay. I really wanted to talk to you. I think right now, you may be the only one who has an inkling of how I feel. I know...I really know that this has to be done, that you have to be the one to do it. But I can't help but feel....."
"Cheated?" Faith finished for her, "I could understand that. you've done the hard ground work and I get the glory? I'd be ticked."
"Well actually I was going to say that I feel like I'm letting everyone down that I'm backing away from the fight." Buffy sighed.
"I can understand that feeling too, Buffy. But you aren't running away, you're facing up to what has to be done. And...lets face it I still have some redemption to earn, this should help." Faith smiled, "Guess I should thank you for this opportunity."
"I wouldn't go that far." Buffy smiled back, "This is going to be a tough fight."
"We'll all be okay." The older girl answered nodding her head.
"Yeah, I think we will. So, let's go and get this done." Buffy opened the kitchen door, turning back to Faith sher sighed, "And you're right I do feel a little cheated."
Fatih laughed softly, "It's okay, I think you're allowed."
Buffy straightend her back and walked into the kitchen, an air of determination around her.
****
"I have no idea how you wormed your way in here." Angel told Spike as they went into the backdoor, "Last time I saw you - you were sticking hot pokers in 'me'."
"Well, that was then and this is now. And you seem to forget...who I learned those nifty tricks from Angelus."
Spike smirked.
"You really have a soul?"
"Yes, just like you." Spike paused, "Wait not just like you, mine came without a curse." His trademark smirk appeared.
"And you got it for Buffy?" Angel asked disbelief in his eyes.
"Yes. Wanted to be the man she deserved." Spike asked his bravado suddenly leaving him as he answered softly unsure of just where he stood with her.
Angel searched Spike's face for some sign of deception but could find none, it seemed that Spike really did care for Buffy. This might be bad.. Now if he could only find out how Buffy felt about Spike. But this wasn't the time to get into that. "We better get Wesley and Giles."
"Yeah, we should get this over with." Spike agreed as they sought out the watchers.
**
"Giles?" Buffy called out as she and Faith entered the living room.
The room had been cleared of everyone but the watchers and the vampires.
"We're almost ready." Wesley answered as Giles lit a candle and opened a very large book.
"Will it take long?' Buffy asked the words barely above a whisper.
"No, please sit down on the floor." Giles instructed as he poured sand around Buffy.
Wesley walked around her repeating words from the book. Giles counted off each circle that Wesly made until he hit sixteen and stopped him.
"Why did you stop at sixteen?" Buffy asked from her place on the floor.
"You were sixteen when you were called. That's the magic number. Do you feel any different? Do you sense Angel or Spike?" Giles asked as she offered her his hand and helped her stand.
Buffy closed her eyes as Giles motioned for Spike and Angel and Faith to move around the room. She realized that she sensed people in the room but she couldn't pick out the vamprs from the humans. "No, I....I
can't pick them out."
"Okay, here's the second test." Wesley handed her a short length of pipe, "See if you can bend this."
Buffy took the pipe in both hands and tried to bend the metal, but it wouldn't budge. "Guess that proves it, I'm just normal Buffy now." She frowned the pipe.
Spike stepped forward, "You'll never be "normal Buffy" even if you try." He grinned as she placed his hand on her shoulder.
Angel watched the affectionate gesture with distaste.
"Buffy, I know this is alot for you to deal with. And I really want to help you later, but now, we have to get Faith prepared. We need to get this fight won and over tonight." Giles hugged her briefly.
"I know." Buffy nodded through teary eyes, "Go take care of it, Faith."
"I will." Faith gave her a sympathetic smile.
"Angel, Spike, we would appreciate your help with this." Wesley turned to the vampires
"Of course." Angel answered.
"Yes, it's time for some payback." Spike answered as he winked at Buffy, "We'll be back soon, Pet."
"Yes, and then we'll talk." Giles nodded as he closed the door leaving Buffy alone in the livingroom.
****
"You realize she's going to have to leave Sunnydale?" Spike asked Angel as they fell into step behind the others.
"I figured as much, it won't be safe for her here." Angel nodded.
"She'll need someone to help look after her the first little while, get her settled, take care of anything bad that might track her." Spike continued before Angel interrupted.
"Oh...and you figure that should be you?" Angel rolled his eyes.
"Well, I was thinking about it, yeah, what of it? You gonna leave LA and do the job?" Spike snarked back.
"First off, taking care of Buffy would never be a 'job', secondly maybe, maybe I just might do that." Angel shot back.
Giles couldn't hear the exact words being exchanged between the two men behind him but he knew from the tone that it wasn't a pleasant conversation. "Could you two please do this later... or better yet not do it at all."
"Fine." Spike walked past Angel and joined Giles behind Wesley and Faith as they walked towards the High School.
****
"You're sure you want us to go?" Xander and Willow asked in unison.
Kennedy stood in the doorway, "I'm going with Willow, okay?" Buffy nodded agreeably.
"Yes, I'll call you when Faith gets back." Buffy answered as she shooed them out the door.
"I think I'll go help the girls finish packing upstairs, unless you want me to stay?" Dawn asked hopefully.
"No, you go on. I promise I'm okay, Dawn." Buffy smiled at her sister before she pulled her to her for a hug.
Dawn smiled as she returned the hug, "Okay you know where I am if you need me." She added as she left the room.
Buffy reached for a glass and turned on the tap. A soft familiar voice startled her, "You aren't okay, though.
Are you baby?" The image of Joyce stood behind her smiling sweetly.
"You.......you aren't real." Buffy whispered, then adopted her fighting stance.
"And just how do you plan on fighting me, little girl? You aren't the slayer anymore." Joyce's face changed into a twisted caricature as she taunted Buffy, Dishes began to fly from the cabinets whirling around the room and barely missing Buffy as she ducked and twisted defensively before they crashed to the floor,
the knives then flew from the rack towards her, she swerved as the largest flew by her face grazing her cheek, she could feel the blood running down her face as she tried to avoid the others falling to the floor the last knife got her arm as she fell.
"What's the matter honey, not as fast as you used to be?" It was Joyce's face again, smiling as the pots and pans started coming out of the bottom cabinets.
****
The girls were giggling and playing the music extra loud upstairs. They were celebrating early, sure that Faith would defeat the First and all would be well. Dawn was enjoying herself too, as much as she had hated sharing her house, she was going to miss the girls, some had become good friends to her.
"Do you hear something?" Dawn yelled over the sounds of the boy band cd.
"Maybe!" Amanda answered over the din.
"I'll go check." Dawn told her as she closed the bedroom door she could hear something that sounded like faint banging.
The noise grew louder as she took the steps two at a time, "Buffy.....you okay?" She called as she followed the noise to the kitchen.
"Buffy!!" She screamed when she saw Buffy on the floor, bleeding and trying to avoid pots and pans coming at her across the floor.
"Hello, punkin belly." Joyce cooed when she saw Dawn.
"Dawn.....run.....run." Buffy called out to the younger girl as she tried to stand.
"Mom," Dawn looked confused fro a moment then realization struck her, "You're not her." She ran past the image of her mother to her sister. She leaned over and took Buffy's arm to help her up. Buffy's arm was bleeding from the knife wound and she was badly bruised from using her arms to deflect flying pans.
The attack stopped as Joyce spoke,"What do you think you can do, Dawnie? You're just an ordinary girl......It's sad really,both my girls were so special, one a slayer and one a mystical key. But now....now you're both nothing special at all...." She laughed harshly as the refrigerator began to fall forward towards the two dazed sisters.......
TBC
Buffy stood alone on the back porch , her arms rested on the railing her chin in her hands watching the sky change from day to night. Willow and Xander found her there. Her self appointed watchdog, Spike, kept an eye on her through the back door.
"So, you okay?" Xander asked as he leaned his arms on the railing next to Buffy.
"Yes, I'm okay. I'm guessing you'll be relieved that bossy, overbearing Buffy will be gone." She gave him a half smile.
"Nah, we kind of like bossy Buffy." Willow smiled at her best friend as she stood on Buffy's free side.
"Yeah, I bet you do." Buffy rolled her eyes at her.
"Buffy, I know....I know that after all these years it's going to be hard to non hero girl. But trust me - I've got lots of experience at being non hero guy. It's not that bad a deal." Xander put his arm around her shoulders.
"I know it's not that bad a deal, I mean how many slayers get to retire? Me - I'm the one." Buffy sighed.
"Buffy, this doesn't mean you have to stop fighting for good, you just have to find another way to do it." Willow assured her.
"I know, really guys I'm going to be okay. I'll be inside in a minute okay?" She reached for her oldest friends joining in a group hug.
"Okay, we just want you to know we're here." Willow smiled at her again as she and Xander entered the kitchen.
"She okay?" Spike asked from his perch at the kitchen island.
"I think she is or at least she will be." Willow patted Spike's arm as she and Xander walked by.
Spike went to join Buffy, "They should be here shortly."
"Yes, anytime now." She looked at the moon, "I think I'm gonna miss patroling in the moonlight, it's not so harsh as the day and makes you reflective, you know?"
"You can still walk outside in the moonlight, Buffy." Spike raised an eyebrow and laughed softly.
"I know....I know...but it'll be different."
"Different can be good." He pushed a stray hair behind her ear.
They were interrupted by the back door opening, they turned to find Fatih with Angel closely behind her,
"B. How ya doin'?" Fatih asked almost hesitantly, she immediately picked up on the moment she had interrupted.
"Faith...I'm okay. How are you? You're the one with the pressure on." Buffy raised her eyebrows at the other girl.
"I think I'm up to it...." Faith gave her a genuine smile.
"Buffy, how are you really?" Angel finally spoke up slightly confused at Spike's prescence.
"She's good." Spike started to answer as Buffy frowned at him.
Angel stared at Spike, "If I remember correctly she can answer for herself."
"I'm good Angel, really." She emphasized the last word.
It only took a moment for Spike to retort, "I'm surprised you remember, how longs it been since you were here?"
Buffy rolled her eyes at both men as Faith grinned at the show of testosterone, "Whoa, B. Some things don't change, you're still kissing the vamps and making them cry."
Three pairs of angry eyes glared at the dark haired girl. She quickly backed down, "Okay. Sorry."
"Why don't we all go inside and get ready for this ritual."
"You sure you want to do it now, Buffy?" Faith asked with sincere concern, "I understand if you want to wait a bit."
"Spike, Angel, would you please go inside and get Wesley and Giles so they can get ready?" Buffy looked from the blond to the dark haired vampire before her.
"Uh... yeah." Spike answered looking confused.
"If that's what you want." Angel followed Spike into the house.
Faith watched as the two men closed the door, "Are you sure you should trust them alone?"
"They'll be okay. I really wanted to talk to you. I think right now, you may be the only one who has an inkling of how I feel. I know...I really know that this has to be done, that you have to be the one to do it. But I can't help but feel....."
"Cheated?" Faith finished for her, "I could understand that. you've done the hard ground work and I get the glory? I'd be ticked."
"Well actually I was going to say that I feel like I'm letting everyone down that I'm backing away from the fight." Buffy sighed.
"I can understand that feeling too, Buffy. But you aren't running away, you're facing up to what has to be done. And...lets face it I still have some redemption to earn, this should help." Faith smiled, "Guess I should thank you for this opportunity."
"I wouldn't go that far." Buffy smiled back, "This is going to be a tough fight."
"We'll all be okay." The older girl answered nodding her head.
"Yeah, I think we will. So, let's go and get this done." Buffy opened the kitchen door, turning back to Faith sher sighed, "And you're right I do feel a little cheated."
Fatih laughed softly, "It's okay, I think you're allowed."
Buffy straightend her back and walked into the kitchen, an air of determination around her.
****
"I have no idea how you wormed your way in here." Angel told Spike as they went into the backdoor, "Last time I saw you - you were sticking hot pokers in 'me'."
"Well, that was then and this is now. And you seem to forget...who I learned those nifty tricks from Angelus."
Spike smirked.
"You really have a soul?"
"Yes, just like you." Spike paused, "Wait not just like you, mine came without a curse." His trademark smirk appeared.
"And you got it for Buffy?" Angel asked disbelief in his eyes.
"Yes. Wanted to be the man she deserved." Spike asked his bravado suddenly leaving him as he answered softly unsure of just where he stood with her.
Angel searched Spike's face for some sign of deception but could find none, it seemed that Spike really did care for Buffy. This might be bad.. Now if he could only find out how Buffy felt about Spike. But this wasn't the time to get into that. "We better get Wesley and Giles."
"Yeah, we should get this over with." Spike agreed as they sought out the watchers.
**
"Giles?" Buffy called out as she and Faith entered the living room.
The room had been cleared of everyone but the watchers and the vampires.
"We're almost ready." Wesley answered as Giles lit a candle and opened a very large book.
"Will it take long?' Buffy asked the words barely above a whisper.
"No, please sit down on the floor." Giles instructed as he poured sand around Buffy.
Wesley walked around her repeating words from the book. Giles counted off each circle that Wesly made until he hit sixteen and stopped him.
"Why did you stop at sixteen?" Buffy asked from her place on the floor.
"You were sixteen when you were called. That's the magic number. Do you feel any different? Do you sense Angel or Spike?" Giles asked as she offered her his hand and helped her stand.
Buffy closed her eyes as Giles motioned for Spike and Angel and Faith to move around the room. She realized that she sensed people in the room but she couldn't pick out the vamprs from the humans. "No, I....I
can't pick them out."
"Okay, here's the second test." Wesley handed her a short length of pipe, "See if you can bend this."
Buffy took the pipe in both hands and tried to bend the metal, but it wouldn't budge. "Guess that proves it, I'm just normal Buffy now." She frowned the pipe.
Spike stepped forward, "You'll never be "normal Buffy" even if you try." He grinned as she placed his hand on her shoulder.
Angel watched the affectionate gesture with distaste.
"Buffy, I know this is alot for you to deal with. And I really want to help you later, but now, we have to get Faith prepared. We need to get this fight won and over tonight." Giles hugged her briefly.
"I know." Buffy nodded through teary eyes, "Go take care of it, Faith."
"I will." Faith gave her a sympathetic smile.
"Angel, Spike, we would appreciate your help with this." Wesley turned to the vampires
"Of course." Angel answered.
"Yes, it's time for some payback." Spike answered as he winked at Buffy, "We'll be back soon, Pet."
"Yes, and then we'll talk." Giles nodded as he closed the door leaving Buffy alone in the livingroom.
****
"You realize she's going to have to leave Sunnydale?" Spike asked Angel as they fell into step behind the others.
"I figured as much, it won't be safe for her here." Angel nodded.
"She'll need someone to help look after her the first little while, get her settled, take care of anything bad that might track her." Spike continued before Angel interrupted.
"Oh...and you figure that should be you?" Angel rolled his eyes.
"Well, I was thinking about it, yeah, what of it? You gonna leave LA and do the job?" Spike snarked back.
"First off, taking care of Buffy would never be a 'job', secondly maybe, maybe I just might do that." Angel shot back.
Giles couldn't hear the exact words being exchanged between the two men behind him but he knew from the tone that it wasn't a pleasant conversation. "Could you two please do this later... or better yet not do it at all."
"Fine." Spike walked past Angel and joined Giles behind Wesley and Faith as they walked towards the High School.
****
"You're sure you want us to go?" Xander and Willow asked in unison.
Kennedy stood in the doorway, "I'm going with Willow, okay?" Buffy nodded agreeably.
"Yes, I'll call you when Faith gets back." Buffy answered as she shooed them out the door.
"I think I'll go help the girls finish packing upstairs, unless you want me to stay?" Dawn asked hopefully.
"No, you go on. I promise I'm okay, Dawn." Buffy smiled at her sister before she pulled her to her for a hug.
Dawn smiled as she returned the hug, "Okay you know where I am if you need me." She added as she left the room.
Buffy reached for a glass and turned on the tap. A soft familiar voice startled her, "You aren't okay, though.
Are you baby?" The image of Joyce stood behind her smiling sweetly.
"You.......you aren't real." Buffy whispered, then adopted her fighting stance.
"And just how do you plan on fighting me, little girl? You aren't the slayer anymore." Joyce's face changed into a twisted caricature as she taunted Buffy, Dishes began to fly from the cabinets whirling around the room and barely missing Buffy as she ducked and twisted defensively before they crashed to the floor,
the knives then flew from the rack towards her, she swerved as the largest flew by her face grazing her cheek, she could feel the blood running down her face as she tried to avoid the others falling to the floor the last knife got her arm as she fell.
"What's the matter honey, not as fast as you used to be?" It was Joyce's face again, smiling as the pots and pans started coming out of the bottom cabinets.
****
The girls were giggling and playing the music extra loud upstairs. They were celebrating early, sure that Faith would defeat the First and all would be well. Dawn was enjoying herself too, as much as she had hated sharing her house, she was going to miss the girls, some had become good friends to her.
"Do you hear something?" Dawn yelled over the sounds of the boy band cd.
"Maybe!" Amanda answered over the din.
"I'll go check." Dawn told her as she closed the bedroom door she could hear something that sounded like faint banging.
The noise grew louder as she took the steps two at a time, "Buffy.....you okay?" She called as she followed the noise to the kitchen.
"Buffy!!" She screamed when she saw Buffy on the floor, bleeding and trying to avoid pots and pans coming at her across the floor.
"Hello, punkin belly." Joyce cooed when she saw Dawn.
"Dawn.....run.....run." Buffy called out to the younger girl as she tried to stand.
"Mom," Dawn looked confused fro a moment then realization struck her, "You're not her." She ran past the image of her mother to her sister. She leaned over and took Buffy's arm to help her up. Buffy's arm was bleeding from the knife wound and she was badly bruised from using her arms to deflect flying pans.
The attack stopped as Joyce spoke,"What do you think you can do, Dawnie? You're just an ordinary girl......It's sad really,both my girls were so special, one a slayer and one a mystical key. But now....now you're both nothing special at all...." She laughed harshly as the refrigerator began to fall forward towards the two dazed sisters.......
TBC