Final Part
**
Jesse stood in the chaos of the Bronze smiling in game face. His yellow eyes gleamed in the dimly lit club. A huge smile plastered across face. He held a limp Cordelia Chase by her neck, a trickle of blood dripping from her throat. She blinked in confusion and seemed slightly dazed.
" Dude, you look like you've seen a ghost." Jesse laughed and a dribble of blood left the corner of his mouth.
" I am," Xander said quietly. " Your dead."
Jesse smiled and shook Cordelia. " I'm not dead, I'm just different. Better."
Xander shook his head and lifted his cross and stake. " Your not better, you're a vampire, a monster."
" You'd like to believe that, wouldn't you?"
**
" Do you know what I like about redheads, Willow?" Angelus slowly drew closer to willow. His every movement seduced her eyes. Willow blinked and her pulse quickened. He was so beautiful.
" What?"
" Your always so passionate. Redheads are always so filled with fire. Usually that makes me just want to kill them creatively," he said casually. " But when that fire mixes with intelligence, it makes me want to turn them." Angelus smiled and licked his lips. " I can tell your passion is just waiting to come out. I can make you blossom Willow."
Wow he really likes me. For a moment Willow is lost in the vampire's low voice. For an instant she can see herself special, powerful and eternal. Queen C would bow at her feet.
Then she remembered Jesse.
" No."
Angelus smiled. " Oh well," he sighed, " I'll just have to break you." He shrugged his shoulders. " That's more fun anyway." He proceeded forward backing Willow into a wall.
**
Giles whirled on the other loud mouth vampire. He lifted his cross and stake and rushed the vampire. The vampire smiled and sent the rushing librarian to the ground with a jab to the face. He leapt onto the aging watcher and went for his throat.
" Bloody Hell," Giles muttered. He kicked the vampire in the groin and pushed him off. Giles started to get up not noticing a pair of vampires coming up behind him.
**
Buffy flew against the stage for the third time. She's too damn fast. Can't land a blow
Darla cocked her head, "Awww, no more witty repartee slayer? Did you bite off more than you could chew? Cause you know I won't." she smiled and leapt to attack the slayer again.
Buffy rolled away and Darla couldn't stop herself. She slammed into the stage and rolled over onto her back. Buffy wasted no time in attacking the fallen vampires. She jumped forward and slammed part of the broken pool stick into her leg pinning her to the stage. The other half of the stick went towards Darla's heart. Darla's hand flew up and caught the down swing. She growled and pushed Buffy off of her. Darla screamed and pulled her pinned leg free of pool stick Blood poured down her leg. The once lightning quick vessel limped forward to attack
" You should take care of that," Buffy smiled, " It could get infected."
**
" I bet the slayer and her watcher told you all kinds of things." Jesse shook his head and his face morphed back into the familiar visage that Xander knew. " I didn't lose my soul. I lost my inhibitions. I was pathetic, the way I went after her," and he gave the barely conscious cordelia a shake. He leaned forward, " I'm not pathetic anymore. Cordy wanted me. I could smell it on her before I bit her. She liked the new me." He paused for a second.
" This isn't you man." Xander's voice held little conviction. He could tell that Jesse was different, eviler than Jesse should have been. But he had all of Jesse's mannerisms. The way he stood, the way he talked. It was Jesse. Then something Jesse said snapped him back to the present.
" I can make you like me you know?" Jesse smiled. " I can give you the power. Not that I'll turn you personally, cause that would be gay," and he rolled his eyes, " but I can get my girl to do it for me." He nodded to Darla fighting Buffy by the stage. He leaned forward, " We'll be brothers for real. Nobody will ever hurt you again. Your stepdad won't ever hurt you again. It's always been us man, you and me and willow against the world, the three musketeers forever. Think about the damage we can do. The blood will flow and no one will ever make fun of us again."
As Jesse talked about the blood that would spill, his human seeming eyes glowed with a dark fervor. Xander shivered. It was the calm level way this thing talked about death, mayhem, and murder that finally convinced Xander that everything Buffy and Giles had said was true. His friend really was dead. Whatever was in front of him was just a shell. Xander stepped back and lifted his stake and cross.
**
Giles beat the vampire by the doorway with his cross. His face was cold and dead as he methodically attacked the second vampire. Several of the students standing by the door had a hard time believing that this cold man was the same kindly befuddled librarian they had gotten their books from earlier.
Several vampires advanced behind Giles licking their lips. A voice called out, " Teach, behind you." Giles turned around to meet the two onrushing vampires. The one he had been beating on leapt up and grabbed him from behind. Giles thrashed about trying to get free.
One of the vampires started humming the theme song to COPS. The other one began to sing loudly and off key as they advanced. " Whatcha gonna do when we come for you… Whatcha gonna do…"
Giles first looked shocked at the pair of vampires and then just smiled. The two advancing vampires looked at each other quizzically. Then one of them exploded into dust as Faith melted out of the crowd. She laughed and turned the stake over in her hand. She looked to Giles and the vampire behind him. " The master should recruit fewer TV addicts. They make wicked bad vamps."
The surviving vampire rushed Faith. She danced out of the way and evaded his slow clumsy blows. She snapped a kick to his knee, and the answering crack caused several of the fear-paralyzed students to wince in sympathy. She quickly backhanded the vampire and staked him.
Giles stepped on the instep of the vampire behind him and pulled away when the vampire flinched. He slammed his elbow into the vampires gut and whirled around and thrust out his stake ending the undead party crasher.
He doubled over breathing hard. " I'm too bloody old for this," he muttered. " He motioned to the stage, " go check on Buffy, Faith." Faith nodded sharply and ran. She saw three vampires sneaking up behind the slayer. She seemed intent on keeping the upper hand against Darla.
**
" I'm really n-n-not all that fiery," Willow stuttered. " I'm real shy. You should get someone a little wilder. Someone that would really like to be a vampire." Willow stealthily put her hands around a vial of holy water in her pocket.
" Oh but you are." Angelus smiled and shifted into game. " I can feel your passion. It writhes inside you waiting to come out. I can smell your power. " Angelus quickly lunged forward.
Willow dodged away and flung the vial on Angelus face. " Feel this," she shouted. As Angelus pawed at his face Willow darted past him. He grabbed at her but she swiftly disappeared into the crowd.
Angelus peered through a veil of holy water. He blinked as he tried to track the redhead through the crowd but was unable to keep sight of her.
Another time fiery Willow Angelus smiled through the pain. He swiftly made his way to the fire exit and disappeared into the alley.
**
Buffy danced around Darla. The deep leg wound Buffy had inflicted on her slowed the vampire. Darla was still lightning fast but she didn't have the maneuverability that Buffy did.
Buffy launched a sidekick that Darla was too slow to block and knocked her into the stage. Buffy rushed forward to press the attack.
Why she smiling. I'm kicking her ass Buffy's thought was answered when a hammer like blow struck her from behind. Buffy went sprawling as three vampires attacked her from behind. She spun around trying to keep Darla in her peripheral vision as she moved to attack the other vampires.
Buffy had been training for the last several days and she had recovered much of her old skills but 3 vampires plus the vessel were a bit much for her slaying abilities. She charged the other vampires. She slammed her elbow in the first ones face, sending him stumbling back while at the same moment throwing a blind kick straight backwards connecting with a vampire who was trying to attack her rear. She snapped out a series of punches and kicks trying to keep the vampires at bay. She couldn't focus on one vampire long enough to stake it. It was all she could do to fight a holding action.
Out of the corner of her eye she spotted Faith rushing out of the crowd onto the dance floor. Faith barreled into two of the vampires surrounding Buffy, carrying them to the ground.
Darla raised her eyebrows in surprise. " Faith," she spat, " I'm surprised you got off your back long enough to come here tonight."
Faith laughed as she blocked and evaded the two vampires she was dealing with. " Well once I heard you were work'n the town I knew I wasn't getting any customers."
Buffy looked on in surprise as the two old adversaries insulted with each other before she turned on the third vampire and the vessel. A quick strike with the pool cue ended the nameless vampires existence. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Faith dust one of the vamps and begin to work over the other.
Darla and Buffy began to trade blows faster than most of the crowd could follow. Buffy bled from her mouth and Darla from a cut above her eyebrow.
" That dark haired boy is cute, slayer. Do you like him?" Darla smiled as buffy shot a quick glance at Xander talking to Jesse who appeared to be holding Cordelia with one hand.
" I wonder what Jesse's telling him? You know he was very eager to have that little redhead and that dark haired boy both turned." Darla smiled wickedly. " I think it's adorable."
Buffy's eyes flashed dangerously. " Leave Xander alone." She slashed Darla across the face with the pool cue while kicking her in the stomach. Darla staggered back and Buffy pressed the advantage.
" You *punch* aren't *Kick* Going * uppercut* to * Breaks jaw * Touch * blow to her bad leg* HIM."
The threat against the guy she liked seemed to spur her to even greater speeds. The blows came fast and furious and by the time buffy shouted HIM, Darla was on her knees trying to work her broken jaw. Bloody drool bubbled from her mouth. She choked as Buffy raised her stake and with a blindingly fast thrust turned the vessel into so much drifting dust.
" Nice job B." Faiths distinctive drawl caused the slayer to snap out of her frenzy. " Remind me to not get on your bad side."
Buffy smiled tiredly as she saw the two remaining vampires dart out of the club. " Don't worry Faith, humans are safe from my slayery wrath."
Faiths smiled dropped a little. " Right."
Buffy and Faith turned around, both girls looking out for the same boy. Their eyes sought out Xander's form and found him. He stood next to a horrified Cordelia Chase as he stared in shock at the stake in his hand, ash falling like snowflakes around him.
**
" Leave now Jesse, live to fight another day." Xanders voice was laced with sadness. His friend was gone. "Don't make me have to kill you."
" No can do bro." Jesse dropped cordelia and thumped his chest. " I got responsibility now. I cannot just leave. I'm a member of the order or Aurelius now." Jesse shook his head. " It doesn't have to be like this. Come with me, we can be great together."
" I don't think so bro." Xander stepped back and lifted his cross and stake.
Jesse quickly lunged forward, only to stumble back when Xander struck him with the cross. He quickly recovered and smiled, " look who's the tough guy. How come you never fought back against your dad?"
" That's not my dad," Xander growled.
For as long as he lived, Xander would never forget the next few seconds. He lost his temper and charged Jesse, and at the same moment Cordelia struck like a serpent.
" How dare you bite me you dweeb," Cordelia shrieked like a banshee as she shoved Jesse as hard as she could from behind. Jesse was caught by surprise and stumbled forward.
Right onto Xander's stake.
Jesse's eyes widened and began to laugh. " Of all the ways to…" He collapsed into dust that drifted around Xander like cloud.
Xander just sat there, eyes widened in shock.
**
The next few days past by in a flash for the gang. The police and students at the bronze seemed to pass off the harvest as just a turf war some Sunnydale gangs. Cordelia seemed to repress the whole event along with most the Sunnydale high class.
Willow seemed to bounce back from her ordeal with commendable speed. She took some precautions against her vampiric suitor, although Angelus had yet to make a return appearance.
Buffy quickly healed from the injuries that she obtained against the Vessel and the other minions against the master. She seemed to carefully watch Xander and Willow to make sure they were dealing with happened. She wasn't too worried about Willow but very concerned about Xander.
Xander seemed to be his old self at school complete with off color jokes, but Buffy (who was hyperaware about all things Xander) noticed that he seemed a little off. She tried to get him to talk about but all he would say was that he was fine.
He wasn't
**
Faith walked down the dark street, cold air whipping her leather jacket around. She was making a quick circuit around Sunnydale. Buffy's mom caught her coming home the night of the harvest and quickly grounded her so she couldn't patrol. Faith had just finished the cemeteries and willow's home. She was taking special care to protect the redhead from her sire. She knew first hand about the 'traditions' Angelus like to put his childer through.
She was on her way Xander's house when she caught a whiff of something alcohol soaked. She then spied a dark figure stumbling along the sidewalk.
Stupid drunk Faith rushed over to the guy. A drunkard would not last long on the streets of Sunnydale.
Jesus Christ it was Xander. His eyes were red and held a brown-sacked bottle. He smiled too widely at Faith and waved drunkenly at her.
"fasith," Xander said drunkenly and smiling widely, " Ish good to see you."
Faith could smell the alcohol pouring from his pores. He reeked of it. Any vamp that drank him would wake up with one hell of a headache. She sighed, " What the hell are you doing Xan. Your gonna get killed."
Xander's too bright eyes focused in on Faith. " I wash gonna shee Willow."
Faith looked at Xander in confusion. " What."
He took great pains to speak clearly. " I am on my way to see Willow. I wanted to talk to her."
" About what?"
Xander's control slipped as his eyes teared up. " Jesse." He paused for a moment. " His parents called today. They wanted to know if I'd seen him anywhere." His lips began to quiver. " I told them no. Now Jesse's just going to be another statistic and no ones going to remember him. He wasn't popular the way Harmony's older sister was. No spread in the year book for my buddy," he added bitterly.
Faith's heart went out to Xander. No one remembered her family either. Of course she murdered hers, so it was hardly the same thing. " What's with the tequila Xander. That worm don't got any answers."
" Just makes me forget. I see his eyes at night, Faith." Xander looked down and whispered, " All I want to do is forget."
Faith ached to take him into her arms but she knew she shouldn't. Xander was a distraction. Xander was something she didn't have time for. Xander was hugging her and sobbing like a child. Huh?
" Shush," she cooed. " It'll be okay." For a moment she let him stay there and she comforted him. It wasn't going to hurt anything to pretend for a minute. Pretend she was just a girl and he was just a guy. Just for a little while.
From where he was buried in her shoulder a muffled voice. " I hate them all Faith."
"What?"
Xander looked up and his red eyes were angry. " Vampires, I fucking hate all vampires."
If Faith had a heart it would have stopped. The coldness in Xander's voice shook her to the core. She pushed him away.
" I'll walk you to Willows," she answered coldly.
**
The walk to Willow's home past by in uncomfortable silence. Xander weaved a little uncertainly although Faiths strong grip held him mostly steady. He sneaking glances at Faith who kept her eyes straight ahead.
He hates you. He hates everything you are a tiny voice whispered in faiths mind.
No he doesn't. He'd understand why I lied
Liar the voice whispered.
**
The home of Ira and Shelia Rosenberg was a well-maintained two story home on a long street of well-maintained two story homes. The grass was green and freshly cut. The plants that lined the driveway were perky and green. It was a beautiful home, beautiful and sterile. Just like Ira and Shelia Rosenberg. Faith would never know how two cold behaviorists could have raised such a lovely child as Willow. She suspected that it had something to do with her friendship with Xander Harris.
She guided Xander up to the rear of the house and tossed a few rocks up to Willows window. The light came on and Faith saw Willow peer out the window and then motion to the back door. A few moments later, the porch light came on and Willow opened the door. She wore a tight blue tee shirt and cotton PJ bottoms. Her long red hair was divided into two ponytails. She rubbed sleep from her eyes and asked a fuzzy " Whatta you want Faith?" Then her eyes took in Xander's drunken form and her voice sharpened, " what happened to him?"
" Hey willow, what's up," Xander said in a loud stage whisper. Willow winced and looked behind her.
" I caught him wandering around the street trying to make his way here." Faith dropped her eyes. " Jesse's parents called him today and he took it…poorly."
" I know, they called me too," Willow whispered sadly. " It's not easy knowing what happened. I can only imagine what it must be like to be the one that actually-," Willow just shuddered.
" I don't know how to help him willow, this," and she motioned with her hands at the drunk Xander, " This is outside my area of expertise."
" I'll take it from here faith." Willow grabbed Xander and dragged him inside. He stumbled over the lip of the doorway and crashed to the floor.
" Quiet Xander," Willow hissed. Then she turned to Faith who was looking uncomfortable on the other side of entryway.
" Thanks Faith for looking out for him."
" Five by Five Willow, I only wish I could do more."
" Don't worry. I'll get him better," Willow said while clutching Xander's hand
Faith turned and walked away, an idea forming in her mind.
Maybe there is something I can do for Xander
**
Glen Marconi heard the knock on the front door of his home. His wife had already passed out upstairs so he sighed and moved his bulk off the couch where he'd been watching WWF Raw and answered the door. He received a pleasant surprise when he answered.
A beautiful young girl stood on the other side of the threshold. She wore tight jeans and a tee shirt with the name of some band he never heard of across the front. She was fucking hot too, he noticed right away.
" Is this the Harris residence," she asked in a sultry voice. Glen watched her pouty lips move and felt something stir in his loins. God only knows his wife wasn't getting the job done.
" Yeah, Susan Harris lives here, although I pay all the damn bills." Only damn thing the bitch ever stood up to me on. Her Xander had to have his Daddy's last name. The Big Fucking Hero
" Xander lives here right?" She twirled a strand of her ebony hair absently. Glen watched in fascination as her hips swayed back and forth.
" He ain't here right now and I don't know when he's gonna get back." Don't care either
" Huh." She seemed disappointed. " We had a date tonight and he never showed. I was kinda worried about him."
Glen's eyebrows shot up. " He had a date with you?"
The girl smiled, " Uh huh. I don't normally date guys that young but he seemed real nice." Then she seemed to look him up and down. " I usually go for you know older guys," and she smiled seductively.
Hell yeah. The guys aren't going to believe this " you wanna come in?"
Faith smiled. " Thanks for the invite."
Glen was so excited that he failed to notice the girl's smile became far more predatory and far less seductive as she crossed the threshold.
**
Faith ran out of the Harris home, moving at vampire speed and not caring who saw her.
I came so close. Too close Faith quaked as she contemplated what went wrong inside Xander's home. It started out so well. Xander's step father easily fell prey to her charms and let her in his house. She played the seductress until she crossed the threshold. She smacked him around a couple of times telling him to leave Xander alone.
It was the blood
She accidentally cut him with one of her long nails when she was slapping him around. The scent of blood that dripped down his scalp made her chained up demon wail against the bonds of her soul. Faith would have liked to say that she was able to fight off the temptation but she didn't. She licked Xander's stepfather, licked the blood that dripped from his face.
Good Lord, it tasted so good
Faith ran to a small park near Xander's house. She sagged up against a large tree and shook. Faith wrapped her arms around her body as the enormity of what she did hit her. She drank human blood. Tasted in it. Reveled in the violence and threats she made. Nearly every sin she was trying to atone for she managed to commit in the span of a few minutes, in the name of a boy she barely knew.
She was failing in her penance.
She was falling for Xander.
Hard.
He was her temptation. A test by God to stay the course he put upon her.
And something deep inside her knew she was going to fail.
And didn't care.
**
THE END
**
Forgive Us Our Trespasses.
What's going to happen when Xander finds out his new love's secret…And Buffy decides to take matters into her own hands…Angelus makes a play for his new obsession-Willow.