TITLE: It's Never Easy 11\?
AUTHOR: Rick
E-MAIL: rsieber2001@bigmailbox.net
DISCLAIMER: All the Buffy characters belong to Joss Whedon and others
SUMMARY: This is the third part of long, long B\X story which I started writing a few years ago. It won't make any sense without reading the other parts first. "Real Love Can Take Some Time", "It's Worth It If It's Going To Last Forever". Angelus noticed that Buffy was beginning to have feelings for Xander so he started terrorizing him. Buffy tried to hold on to her love for her Angel but Xander was getting to her in a major way. Finally she saw it was he and not Angel deep within her. B\X happened but the angst and pathos didn't end. They are the two heaviest young people on the planet so nothing is easy. Xander is not completely human. He belongs to a group known simply as "One Of Them". His destiny is to be with Buffy. The Slayer, however, can not accept that Xander was chosen to help protect her. He keeps getting himself all banged up for her. The last straw is when he gets in front of a mortar rocket meant for her. The sight of Xander all bloodied and close to death is too much for her. It is bad enough she has to face danger and death all the time. She cannot take her soul mate getting hurt all the time. She leaves. They are both devastated without each other. Xander has a friend named Monica who is part of the group along with Xander's mentor, Rebecca, Willow, Oz, Cordelia, Devon, Giles and a witch named, Shelia. Monica is also "One Of Them". With Xander devastated by Buffy's leaving will he embrace Monica to ease the pain?
CHAPTER 11\? YOUR CRISIS IS OVER, SLAYER!
Xander and Monica wake in much pain. Last night was one of those times when survival is merely a question of chance. They are still alive but, it could have ended differently. It is better to not even talk about it. They look at one another in understanding. Monica breaks the stare.
"We better get to Giles's house. The meeting is in an hour."
"Okay, you do a shower first."
After cleaning up they go to Giles's house. The whole gang is at the meeting, hugs all around. Xander talks to Shelia.
"Are you okay, Shelia?"
"I am, Xander, but it was terrifying."
After they spread the news of the night with each other Giles speaks.
"Everybody did a good job last night. Unfortunately, we have to go back at it again tonight."
Everybody has trouble again. Cordelia teams up with Oz's band mate, Devon. They have to very painfully fight off an attack close to a warehouse. After the kill they notice at least ten more vamps unloading a truck. They mark the spot.
Jessie and Cindy have to battle three very angry deamons before they even reach the cemetery. Both are wounded in the battle.
Giles and Rebecca have similar luck. Rebecca does a very good job with her sword. At night's end they all go back to Giles's house. Cordelia voices the concern for all of them.
"Giles, what is going on here? It was never this bad before."
"It would appear something is in the works."
Xander looks at everyone's wounds. He is very concerned.
"Giles, there has to be another way to fight them. There's too many of them to just do our regular night thing."
Rebecca answers. "Giles and I have been talking about that, Xander. We have to strike back somehow."
"During the day, right?"
Giles considers it. "That is an idea, Xander."
Monica adds. "We know at least two places they are very active."
Xander gets very enthusiastic. "Let's raid the bastards."
Cordelia does not like this at all. "We're not commandos, Xander."
"We're not going to be anything if this keeps up."
Giles tries to formulate a plan. "We should do surveillance first. Xander. You and Monica see what you can find out at that warehouse." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Buffy is in the restaurant again. She has eaten the last two meals with the owner of the place. His name is Roger. He sees her as distant and pre- occupied.
"You must have left something very heavy behind."
Buffy doesn't answer. "Is it that bad, Buffy?"
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you, Roger. Look, thanks for the meal."
"Buffy, you don't have to thank me but, you are one sad puppy. Let me take you somewhere tonight, it might do you some good."
"Okay, if you don't mind me ruining your outing."
Roger just gives her a sad smile. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Xander is staring into space. Whenever he lets his mind go it wanders to Buffy, of course. He still doesn't understand it but he worries about her all the time. He knows he can't really survive without her.
But, then there is.Monica. They have become closer than ever. They are walking from their surveillance sight. She notices his sad face.
"Are you okay, Xander?"
Xander looks very intently into her eyes. It makes Monica very nervous.
Laughing nervously. "Come on, Xander, what are you doing? Don't look at me like that."
Xander stops closing his eyes. Monica stops in front of him.
"Come on, Xander, no mysterious stuff. I'm going to."
Xander gets very close to her. He begins to outline her facial features with his hand. Monica can't help it. She leans into his touch. Xander leans her back against the building wall and begins to reach for her lips. She can't help it. This is too sudden. She can't do anything other than what her heart is telling her to do. What her heart has been telling her to do since she met Xander. She becomes a very willing participant grasping at any part of Xander's mouth she can reach.
They both start to cry from the intensity. Xander breaks the kiss suddenly.
"Who's.who's house is.closer?"
Monica can barely breathe. "Ah.ah, yours I think."
Xander grabs Monica's hand and starts to hurry toward his house. Right as they are about to enter Monica stops. She is in full crying mode. Xander looks at her.
Xander pulls her. "Monica, come on!"
The brunette doesn't move. "No, Xander."
"What do you mean no. Don't try to tell me you don't want me!"
"Stop it you bastard!"
"Monica, what the hell is going on, I thought you loved me?"
Monica gets very angry. "And you'd take advantage of that too wouldn't you stud!"
"What, you mean to tell me you don't want this, Monica? What the hell are you trying to do to me. Or yourself, you're higher than a kite!"
"Don't try to make me the problem, Xander. I want you with every fiber of my being and you know it. But I only want you if you're all here."
Xander is still angry. "Don't you think it's kind of late for that type of analysis Ms always does the right thing?"
"So we're attracted to each other, so what?"
"I'm glad you can dismiss it that easily!"
"I'm not your whore, Xander!"
"Oh yea, that really fits here. What the hell is that suppose to mean?"
"It means someone else is deep in your heart, solve that little problem first!"
Monica begins to walk away but Xander follows her. "You're a bitch, aren't you?"
"You'll thank me in the morning!"
"Thanks a lot, friend!"
Monica stops. She takes a deep breath. She turns back to him.
"Don't do this to me again, Xander."
They stare at each other for a minute. Xander knows Monica is right. And maybe the strongest woman he's ever met next to Buffy. He breaks down. Monica doesn't hesitate. She embraces him. After a few moments he breaks the hug.
"Monica, I'm sorry.I didn't mean to.do this. I just hurt so bad."
Monica tries to calm her spirits. This was by far the hardest thing she has ever done. She had the man of her dreams in her arms ready to take her. Her strength even amazes her.
"I know, Xander. I don't want to know but I do."
They walk to the surveillance site in silence. Monica begins to focus the binoculars to the warehouse. Xander sits down against the wall.
"Monica, how did you ever get to be so strong?"
"What?"
"Your will power. How could you stop what we were doing?"
"Don't go there, Xander.oh my God!"
Xander gets up. Monica looks at him with her eyes widened. "We're in trouble, Xander!"
She hands the binoculars to him. "Holy shit!"
What they see is a mammoth looking creature perhaps eight feet tall and as wide as a small car with scaly skin and ugly horns. It looks as if it just crawled out of hell and is very angry about being disturbed.
Monica starts clicking picture after picture of it and the surrounding variety of smaller creatures. Xander grabs her hand.
"We've seen enough Monica, lets go get Giles."
The Watcher gets everyone together as Xander and Monica arrive. They share the pictures.
"Look at these and weep my fellow daemon fighters!"
A sense of dread comes over everyone. Cordelia offers her view.
"Ah, watcher man, count me out of this one!"
After a few more minutes of looking at what they're up against Giles and Xander stare at each other. They both seem to have reached the same conclusion. Xander voices it.
"Giles, we're good. All of us are very good now but not that good!"
Giles agrees. "You're right, Xander. I knew we had a limit and this is it."
Xander gets up. He takes a quick look at Monica before he speaks.
"Giles, we have to get her back."
The watcher adds. "Whether she wants to come or not."
Willow states the obvious. "One problem, where is she?"
Xander has an answer. "The one thing I've learned about this place. With somebody as important as Buffy.somebody knows where she is."
Xander walks up to Monica. "Could we go in the other room a minute, Monica?"
They go into the kitchen. Monica talks first. "I get it Xander, okay."
"We have to go get her, Monica, what else can we do?"
"Didn't you hear me, I said I get it!"
She starts to walk away but Xander grabs her arm. "What, Xander?"
He just sighs. "Nothing."
Rebecca notices that Monica is very upset. She goes to her. "Let's take a walk, Monica."
Monica can't hide her tears as she walks with Rebecca.
"I'm sorry, honey."
"Rebecca.I know we need her. I know it inside but."
"Monica, you are amazing. More at this point in what you haven't done than in what you've done."
"I don't feel amazing, Rebecca."
"Does he want you to go with him?"
There is something Monica has to tell Rebecca. "On the way here Xander started kissing me. We.we were headed to his house to."
She stops talking as the tears invade her. Rebecca waits until she composes herself.
"Rebecca, I almost let myself go. I wanted him so bad."
"But you stopped?" "He would never have forgiven himself. He misses her so badly."
Rebecca can't help herself. She begins to cry. This woman before her is amazing. She embraces her.
"Monica, I have never met anyone like you. Your interior strength is amazing!"
After a few minutes Monica composes herself. "I guess I should go with him, right? To make sure he doesn't blow her away when he sees her."
"Yes, don't let him destroy her with his anger."
They go back to the house. Monica goes to Xander. "Let's go get her."
"You'll come with me?"
"Yes."
"Thank you, Monica."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AUTHOR: Rick
E-MAIL: rsieber2001@bigmailbox.net
DISCLAIMER: All the Buffy characters belong to Joss Whedon and others
SUMMARY: This is the third part of long, long B\X story which I started writing a few years ago. It won't make any sense without reading the other parts first. "Real Love Can Take Some Time", "It's Worth It If It's Going To Last Forever". Angelus noticed that Buffy was beginning to have feelings for Xander so he started terrorizing him. Buffy tried to hold on to her love for her Angel but Xander was getting to her in a major way. Finally she saw it was he and not Angel deep within her. B\X happened but the angst and pathos didn't end. They are the two heaviest young people on the planet so nothing is easy. Xander is not completely human. He belongs to a group known simply as "One Of Them". His destiny is to be with Buffy. The Slayer, however, can not accept that Xander was chosen to help protect her. He keeps getting himself all banged up for her. The last straw is when he gets in front of a mortar rocket meant for her. The sight of Xander all bloodied and close to death is too much for her. It is bad enough she has to face danger and death all the time. She cannot take her soul mate getting hurt all the time. She leaves. They are both devastated without each other. Xander has a friend named Monica who is part of the group along with Xander's mentor, Rebecca, Willow, Oz, Cordelia, Devon, Giles and a witch named, Shelia. Monica is also "One Of Them". With Xander devastated by Buffy's leaving will he embrace Monica to ease the pain?
CHAPTER 11\? YOUR CRISIS IS OVER, SLAYER!
Xander and Monica wake in much pain. Last night was one of those times when survival is merely a question of chance. They are still alive but, it could have ended differently. It is better to not even talk about it. They look at one another in understanding. Monica breaks the stare.
"We better get to Giles's house. The meeting is in an hour."
"Okay, you do a shower first."
After cleaning up they go to Giles's house. The whole gang is at the meeting, hugs all around. Xander talks to Shelia.
"Are you okay, Shelia?"
"I am, Xander, but it was terrifying."
After they spread the news of the night with each other Giles speaks.
"Everybody did a good job last night. Unfortunately, we have to go back at it again tonight."
Everybody has trouble again. Cordelia teams up with Oz's band mate, Devon. They have to very painfully fight off an attack close to a warehouse. After the kill they notice at least ten more vamps unloading a truck. They mark the spot.
Jessie and Cindy have to battle three very angry deamons before they even reach the cemetery. Both are wounded in the battle.
Giles and Rebecca have similar luck. Rebecca does a very good job with her sword. At night's end they all go back to Giles's house. Cordelia voices the concern for all of them.
"Giles, what is going on here? It was never this bad before."
"It would appear something is in the works."
Xander looks at everyone's wounds. He is very concerned.
"Giles, there has to be another way to fight them. There's too many of them to just do our regular night thing."
Rebecca answers. "Giles and I have been talking about that, Xander. We have to strike back somehow."
"During the day, right?"
Giles considers it. "That is an idea, Xander."
Monica adds. "We know at least two places they are very active."
Xander gets very enthusiastic. "Let's raid the bastards."
Cordelia does not like this at all. "We're not commandos, Xander."
"We're not going to be anything if this keeps up."
Giles tries to formulate a plan. "We should do surveillance first. Xander. You and Monica see what you can find out at that warehouse." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Buffy is in the restaurant again. She has eaten the last two meals with the owner of the place. His name is Roger. He sees her as distant and pre- occupied.
"You must have left something very heavy behind."
Buffy doesn't answer. "Is it that bad, Buffy?"
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you, Roger. Look, thanks for the meal."
"Buffy, you don't have to thank me but, you are one sad puppy. Let me take you somewhere tonight, it might do you some good."
"Okay, if you don't mind me ruining your outing."
Roger just gives her a sad smile. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Xander is staring into space. Whenever he lets his mind go it wanders to Buffy, of course. He still doesn't understand it but he worries about her all the time. He knows he can't really survive without her.
But, then there is.Monica. They have become closer than ever. They are walking from their surveillance sight. She notices his sad face.
"Are you okay, Xander?"
Xander looks very intently into her eyes. It makes Monica very nervous.
Laughing nervously. "Come on, Xander, what are you doing? Don't look at me like that."
Xander stops closing his eyes. Monica stops in front of him.
"Come on, Xander, no mysterious stuff. I'm going to."
Xander gets very close to her. He begins to outline her facial features with his hand. Monica can't help it. She leans into his touch. Xander leans her back against the building wall and begins to reach for her lips. She can't help it. This is too sudden. She can't do anything other than what her heart is telling her to do. What her heart has been telling her to do since she met Xander. She becomes a very willing participant grasping at any part of Xander's mouth she can reach.
They both start to cry from the intensity. Xander breaks the kiss suddenly.
"Who's.who's house is.closer?"
Monica can barely breathe. "Ah.ah, yours I think."
Xander grabs Monica's hand and starts to hurry toward his house. Right as they are about to enter Monica stops. She is in full crying mode. Xander looks at her.
Xander pulls her. "Monica, come on!"
The brunette doesn't move. "No, Xander."
"What do you mean no. Don't try to tell me you don't want me!"
"Stop it you bastard!"
"Monica, what the hell is going on, I thought you loved me?"
Monica gets very angry. "And you'd take advantage of that too wouldn't you stud!"
"What, you mean to tell me you don't want this, Monica? What the hell are you trying to do to me. Or yourself, you're higher than a kite!"
"Don't try to make me the problem, Xander. I want you with every fiber of my being and you know it. But I only want you if you're all here."
Xander is still angry. "Don't you think it's kind of late for that type of analysis Ms always does the right thing?"
"So we're attracted to each other, so what?"
"I'm glad you can dismiss it that easily!"
"I'm not your whore, Xander!"
"Oh yea, that really fits here. What the hell is that suppose to mean?"
"It means someone else is deep in your heart, solve that little problem first!"
Monica begins to walk away but Xander follows her. "You're a bitch, aren't you?"
"You'll thank me in the morning!"
"Thanks a lot, friend!"
Monica stops. She takes a deep breath. She turns back to him.
"Don't do this to me again, Xander."
They stare at each other for a minute. Xander knows Monica is right. And maybe the strongest woman he's ever met next to Buffy. He breaks down. Monica doesn't hesitate. She embraces him. After a few moments he breaks the hug.
"Monica, I'm sorry.I didn't mean to.do this. I just hurt so bad."
Monica tries to calm her spirits. This was by far the hardest thing she has ever done. She had the man of her dreams in her arms ready to take her. Her strength even amazes her.
"I know, Xander. I don't want to know but I do."
They walk to the surveillance site in silence. Monica begins to focus the binoculars to the warehouse. Xander sits down against the wall.
"Monica, how did you ever get to be so strong?"
"What?"
"Your will power. How could you stop what we were doing?"
"Don't go there, Xander.oh my God!"
Xander gets up. Monica looks at him with her eyes widened. "We're in trouble, Xander!"
She hands the binoculars to him. "Holy shit!"
What they see is a mammoth looking creature perhaps eight feet tall and as wide as a small car with scaly skin and ugly horns. It looks as if it just crawled out of hell and is very angry about being disturbed.
Monica starts clicking picture after picture of it and the surrounding variety of smaller creatures. Xander grabs her hand.
"We've seen enough Monica, lets go get Giles."
The Watcher gets everyone together as Xander and Monica arrive. They share the pictures.
"Look at these and weep my fellow daemon fighters!"
A sense of dread comes over everyone. Cordelia offers her view.
"Ah, watcher man, count me out of this one!"
After a few more minutes of looking at what they're up against Giles and Xander stare at each other. They both seem to have reached the same conclusion. Xander voices it.
"Giles, we're good. All of us are very good now but not that good!"
Giles agrees. "You're right, Xander. I knew we had a limit and this is it."
Xander gets up. He takes a quick look at Monica before he speaks.
"Giles, we have to get her back."
The watcher adds. "Whether she wants to come or not."
Willow states the obvious. "One problem, where is she?"
Xander has an answer. "The one thing I've learned about this place. With somebody as important as Buffy.somebody knows where she is."
Xander walks up to Monica. "Could we go in the other room a minute, Monica?"
They go into the kitchen. Monica talks first. "I get it Xander, okay."
"We have to go get her, Monica, what else can we do?"
"Didn't you hear me, I said I get it!"
She starts to walk away but Xander grabs her arm. "What, Xander?"
He just sighs. "Nothing."
Rebecca notices that Monica is very upset. She goes to her. "Let's take a walk, Monica."
Monica can't hide her tears as she walks with Rebecca.
"I'm sorry, honey."
"Rebecca.I know we need her. I know it inside but."
"Monica, you are amazing. More at this point in what you haven't done than in what you've done."
"I don't feel amazing, Rebecca."
"Does he want you to go with him?"
There is something Monica has to tell Rebecca. "On the way here Xander started kissing me. We.we were headed to his house to."
She stops talking as the tears invade her. Rebecca waits until she composes herself.
"Rebecca, I almost let myself go. I wanted him so bad."
"But you stopped?" "He would never have forgiven himself. He misses her so badly."
Rebecca can't help herself. She begins to cry. This woman before her is amazing. She embraces her.
"Monica, I have never met anyone like you. Your interior strength is amazing!"
After a few minutes Monica composes herself. "I guess I should go with him, right? To make sure he doesn't blow her away when he sees her."
"Yes, don't let him destroy her with his anger."
They go back to the house. Monica goes to Xander. "Let's go get her."
"You'll come with me?"
"Yes."
"Thank you, Monica."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~