Protected
Chapter Ten
Goodbyes
The sun was almost setting. Faith, Buffy, Angel and Spike were distributing weapons. Goodbyes were about to be made, even if they weren't making the trek to stop the apacolypse. Buffy was talking to Dawn first.
"I wish you wouldn't go, Dawnie."
"I'm not a little kid anymore, Buffy."
"Can't you be one again?"
Dawn smiled softly. "I never was one."
Buffy wrapped her arms around her little sister.
"You were my age when you became the Slayer. I'm just helping out. It's not even the same thing. You took on more responsibility than I did."
"I tried to hide from it."
"But you still accepted it eventually."
Buffy kissed Dawn's cheek.
"Be careful. I love you, baby sister."
"I love you, too, Buffy." The sisters hugged once more before Buffy went to make amends with Giles.
Angel looked at Cordelia sitting on the couch, a crossbow in her lap. She had a distant look on her face, her hazel eyes staring at the metal dagger in the crossbow's mechanism.
"Cordelia?"
"Angel. Hey."
He sat down next to her, adjusting the battle axe, so it sat on the side of him.
"Cordelia, are you sure you're up for this?"
She nodded.
"Positive?"
She nodded once more.
"This isn't some kind of suicide mission, is it?"
That received a small smile with a shake of her head. Cordelia was never this quiet. It worried him.
"You know I love you, right?" Angel just blurted it out. This wasn't the romantic way it was supposed to be. This was like a desperate I'm-about-to-die-and-I-don't-want-to-have-any-unfinished-business-I-love-you.
Cordelia reached her hand over to Angel's lap, taking his ice cold hand in hers.
"I do. I love you, too, Angel. It's been you for so long. What happened with Connor..."
"I don't want to know."
"I need you to know. That monster took me over. I didn't know what I was doing. It took me over before the rain of fire. I didn't know. I hurt you and I hurt Connor, but I never meant to."
Angel squeezed Cordelia's hand. "I understand."
Wesley wrapped his arms around Mercy carefully.
"Do you think we'll defeat the First?"
Mercy nodded slowly. "I found an incantation. Uh, after I say it, the scmiter that Buffy has to cut off his head, he'll be drawn into the axe, his essence will. Toss it into the seal and Willow and I can bind it. But the spell may take awhile."
"You'll be careful, won't you?"
"Of course I will. You'll be in infinite more danger than me."
"When you came here from England, you thought you'd be safe. You had no idea that you'd be saving the world. Twice."
"Compared to what the rest of you have accomplished, I'm just getting started."
Wesley met his little sister's smile before going to find Fred.
Giles was leaning against the mantle, studying his kids. He'd come to think of the Scooby Gang that way, his children. He'd never really considered having anyone since Jenny. Sure, Olivia would come to visit, but it would never be the way it was with Jenny. But this group of young adults were his family. Even Wesley, who had changed so much since he'd arrived in Sunnydale. He wasn't what Buffy would call stuffy British anymore. He saw his young Slayer inching towards him, so he stared at the carpet. He'd hurt Buffy. Buffy hated him now. He just hadn't wanted to endanger Buffy. She couldn't see Spike clearly. It seemed it had escaped her memory that Spike was her archenemy. Buffy's innocent face flashed into his view.
"Giles, I just wanted..."
"Don't do this, Buffy."
A wry smile crossed over her face.
"I was angry with you, Giles. You tricked me. I felt like you'd gone all Judas on me. But we're going into combat and a lot of us will die. Some of us for the 3rd and final time."
Giles couldn't keep himself from smiling a little.
"I can't go to war with you mad at me."
"I've never been able to stay angry at you for a long time. You know that."
Buffy's eyes sparkled with tear drops. Giles removed his glasses, wiping them clean, feeling incredibly ackward. Buffy took the hankerchief away from him and Giles replaced his glasses. Buffy threw her arms around her father figure and smiled bravely at Giles. She headed to the porch to talk to Spike.
Faith found Gunn sharpening his battle axe in the Summers' living room. It'd actually been more of a boarding room lately. She'd been lucky enough to be put into Dawn's room for the nights she'd been there. She gripped the sword he'd given her, the cool metal relieving the sweatiness of her palm. She crossed her legs on the floor next to him and they were both silent for a while. Finally, Faith raised her dark chocolate brown eyes, staring at him intently.
"Gunn?"
"Yeah?" He stopped striking the metal with the sharpener.
"Don't die."
"Same goes for you."
Gunn looked down at the battle axe, giving the blade one last swipe.
Andrew held a mace in his hand. He tried to swing it over his head, but found that the iron was a little too heavy. He heard a giggle coming next to him.
"That looks a little dangerous."
He looked up and found himself staring in the sparkling hazel eyes of Dawn Summers.
"It's heavy!" Andrew complained.
"Here." Dawn handed him two sais and took the mace from him. He tried to spin the three pronged knives like he had seen Elektra do in Daredevil and one of them clattered to the floor. Dawn laughed again.
"Stick to the basics, Andrew. You know, stab their neck."
"I know, Dawnie. Hey, you what would be cool? The light sabers from Star Wars."
Dawn shook her head, giving him a you're-such-a-nerd look. Andrew gave her a quick grin. "Be careful, Dawn."
"I think I'm more worried about you holding your own than me."
"We'll both be great."
Dawn couldn't resist giving him a kiss. He looked shocked as she sashayed away.
Spike took a long drag from his cigarette. The door slammed shut and he turned to find Buffy, illuminated like an angel by the golden porchlight. He took one more drag, dropped the fag on the wooden planks, and smashed out the burning embers. He blew the fluffy cloud of gray smoke into the sunset. Buffy folded her arms across her chest, as if trying to ward off the cold. He slid out of his duster and placed it gently around her shoulders. She snuggled into the comforting leather and smiled at him greatfully.
"Always thought it looked good on you, Love. Keep it for when you kick the First's non-existent arse."
Buffy didn't reply. After a bit of quiet, she said softly, "I kind of love you, Spike."
"Well, that's a way to give a poor bugger a heart attack."
"Your heart doesn't beat, Spike."
He chuckled his full, rich laugh. "Good for me."
His face softened as he reached out to her. Buffy stepped to him, nuzzling into his neck.
"Do I even have to tell you how I feel about you, Pet?"
"It's always nice to hear."
"I love you more than my entire unlife."
"We'll make it, right?"
"When do we not?"
"Promise me a few things, Spike."
"What?"
"If I don't make it, take care of Dawnie again."
He nodded curtly.
"Don't let them bring me back."
He nodded once more more.
"And if I get turned, stake me."
Spike sighed. Buffy pulled out Mr. Pointy and handed it to Spike.
"I won't be like you, Spike. So don't think it. I won't have a soul. I've always been terrified of becoming a vampire. Just promise that you won't let me stay that way...if it happens."
'I do promise. But you'll survive. Summers women are the toughest blood I've ever known."
Buffy grabbed his collar and jerked him down to capture his lips. They heard clapping behind them. Buffy and Spike, lips still connected, turned to face the person.
"Dawn?" Buffy questioned, cursing her sister's awful timing.
"Just wanted to have a chat with Spikey here."
Buffy raised her eyebrow. "Okkkaaayyy."
Buffy kissed Spike one last time before re-entering the house.
Mercy was concentrating on making the powder for the protection spell. Willow was blessing each of the weapons, except for Spike's and Angel's. Mercy felt a hand covering hers. She peered over her shoulder and found Connor staring at her, taking the pistol from her hand.
"Your arm looks tired."
Mercy relaxed in his grip. "A little magick can take a lot out of a person. And all this grinding for the mixture is tiring. I'm more worried about you fighting."
"Is there anything I can do to make you feel better?"
"Let me bless you. Maybe you'll be taken extra special care of."
"Whatever you want."
Mercy picked up some oil that sat on the table between Willow and herself.
"Hecate, Goddess of War
Keep Connor safe
Pan, Goddess of Protection
Keep Connor safe."
It was a simple prayer, but she knew it would work. She made an X with the oil, avoiding a cross in case that would hurt Connor, on his forehead. Then, she tenderly took his face in her hands.
"Now you'll live. Because I can't lose you."
"You won't."
Connor leaned down, kissing Mercy with a promise to her, an unspoken pact between the two. He would come back. He would help her defeat her father. And they would be together.
Spike glanced at Dawn, then stared ackwardly at his steel-toed, Doc Martin boots.
"Did you need something, Nibblet?"
Dawn took a deep breath.
"I was really mad at you. You hurt Buffy and you deserted me. Just like every other guy, excluding Xander. I hated you.
"Then you popped back up, crazy, souled and all noble, making yourself better for the love of your life. I hated you even more because it made you harder to hate. But now, we're about to combat the Big Bad and I can't go, still hating you. You took care of me. You entertained me. You made me feel human."
"You are."
"I'm a mystical ball of energy."
"That, too."
The two exchanged small smiles.
"I'm sorry, Bit. I never, I wasn't thinking. Your big sis wounded my pride and my love, so I wanted to make her love me. What it did to you never even crossed my mind."
Dawn put her dainty hands on the porch rail and stared at the orange sun.
"You think that will be the last time we see the sun?"
"I've been alive-well, undead- for 129 years. Every morning the sun rises and every evening the sun sets. This will be no different. We should skip on inside to get Buffy's go team speech and get ready to head out."
"Right." Dawn linked her arm throught he vampire's and they entered the house.
Fred had a spell book open and she was murmuring under her breath. Wesley took a moment to observe the beauty of the moment, enjoying the simplicity. Fred jumped out of her seeming reverie.
"Wesley! You frightened me! This is really fascinating stuff. I hope I can do everything right. Willow and Mercy say I can, but..."
He kissed her soundly, ending the ramble. Fred colored.
"Sorry. I was on a rampage again."
"I adore your babbling. Besides, I know you can put the protection shields up. I trust you with my life."
Fred looked away. "I hope your not wrong with that belief in me."
"I'm not." Wesley replied easily.
Fred ran her hand down his stubbly cheek.
"I'm sorry it took us so long to get to this place."
"Sunnydale?"
Fred chuckled softly.
"No. Our relationship. I went to Charles, you went to Lilah, but we ended up together. That was the way it was supposed to be. But we wasted so much time. What if one of us dies?"
"At least we had our time together."
"Don't leave me, Wesley."
"I wouldn't, Darling."
He kissed her gently and then they headed towards the L.A. clan.
Angel paced in front of the fang gang.
"We'll hit hard and fast. Likelihood is we'll be vastly outnumbered. Don't let them bite you. Don't-"
"OH! OHHHHHHH!!!!"
Cordelia started to crumble, clutching her head like it was going to explode. Her eyes were totally white.
"Darla! Connor!"
Wesley and Angel held her up and her eyes rolled back into place. She sighed as she settled into the chair.
"What about Darla?" Angel pressed.
"She's at the battle. She trapped Connor in the vineyard and he was killed."
Connor's head tilted. "Darla. My mother?"
"I don't think it was really Darla. It was the First."
"So, don't pay attention to my mom."
"More or less."
Connor nodded. They turned towards Buffy when they heard her voice ring out.
Buffy sat on the coffee table in front of Xander and Willow. She considered all that had happened the last few years. They'd become a family. A real, true family. The entire group was together again, barring Oz. Buffy almost wished Oz was here, then admonished herself for wishing him there. He was safe away from Sunnydale. That was something to be thankful for. She glanced over and studied Wesley, her other Watcher. He had changed considerably since she'd seen him last. He was more hardened, not nearly as prissy as he used to be. Prissy, for lack of a better word. He was rough around the edges now. He even had a girlfriend, Fred, who seemed nice enough. Angel was here, doing his usual, everyone's in danger style. Cordelia had changed, much like Wesley. She wasn't Queen C anymore. She was Cordelia Chase, friend and employee of Angel Investigations. She'd lost more people than she could count on one hand, including a half-demon named Doyle. Angel had told Buffy about that. Faith was even different. She wasn't insane, which was nice. She was still mean, but that's what it took to be a Slayer. Buffy took a deep breath, staring at her friends once more. She started her newest speech, this one not annoying, unlike the rest.
"You two are my best friends. You found out about me and you wanted to help. That's meant more to me than anything in the world. You've helped me through tough times. You've taken care of my little sister. You've taken care of me. I love you both so very much."
Willow pulled one arm around Buffy and one around Xander. They entered into the group hug. "We love you, too, Buffster." Xander added into the conversation. She pulled away from her best friends and raised her voice.
"Okay. This is it. We'll save the world and the line of Slayers or we'll die trying. It's that simple. Fight hard! Fight fast! Fight smart! Remember, decapitation and burning is the only way to kill the Turok-han!"
Faith stood up and took her place next to Buffy.
"Most importantly, STAY ALIVE!" Faith shouted.
Buffy and Faith exchanged knowing glances. They clasped hands, two Slayers connected in battle once more.
"Don't die, B."
"Don't die, Faith."
"LET'S HEAD OUT!"
And two by two each person filed out of the comforting Summers' home. Buffy and Faith were in the lead, Spike and Angel drawing up back. They would split, half to the high school and half to the vineyard. But for now, they would leave together.
Chapter Ten
Goodbyes
The sun was almost setting. Faith, Buffy, Angel and Spike were distributing weapons. Goodbyes were about to be made, even if they weren't making the trek to stop the apacolypse. Buffy was talking to Dawn first.
"I wish you wouldn't go, Dawnie."
"I'm not a little kid anymore, Buffy."
"Can't you be one again?"
Dawn smiled softly. "I never was one."
Buffy wrapped her arms around her little sister.
"You were my age when you became the Slayer. I'm just helping out. It's not even the same thing. You took on more responsibility than I did."
"I tried to hide from it."
"But you still accepted it eventually."
Buffy kissed Dawn's cheek.
"Be careful. I love you, baby sister."
"I love you, too, Buffy." The sisters hugged once more before Buffy went to make amends with Giles.
Angel looked at Cordelia sitting on the couch, a crossbow in her lap. She had a distant look on her face, her hazel eyes staring at the metal dagger in the crossbow's mechanism.
"Cordelia?"
"Angel. Hey."
He sat down next to her, adjusting the battle axe, so it sat on the side of him.
"Cordelia, are you sure you're up for this?"
She nodded.
"Positive?"
She nodded once more.
"This isn't some kind of suicide mission, is it?"
That received a small smile with a shake of her head. Cordelia was never this quiet. It worried him.
"You know I love you, right?" Angel just blurted it out. This wasn't the romantic way it was supposed to be. This was like a desperate I'm-about-to-die-and-I-don't-want-to-have-any-unfinished-business-I-love-you.
Cordelia reached her hand over to Angel's lap, taking his ice cold hand in hers.
"I do. I love you, too, Angel. It's been you for so long. What happened with Connor..."
"I don't want to know."
"I need you to know. That monster took me over. I didn't know what I was doing. It took me over before the rain of fire. I didn't know. I hurt you and I hurt Connor, but I never meant to."
Angel squeezed Cordelia's hand. "I understand."
Wesley wrapped his arms around Mercy carefully.
"Do you think we'll defeat the First?"
Mercy nodded slowly. "I found an incantation. Uh, after I say it, the scmiter that Buffy has to cut off his head, he'll be drawn into the axe, his essence will. Toss it into the seal and Willow and I can bind it. But the spell may take awhile."
"You'll be careful, won't you?"
"Of course I will. You'll be in infinite more danger than me."
"When you came here from England, you thought you'd be safe. You had no idea that you'd be saving the world. Twice."
"Compared to what the rest of you have accomplished, I'm just getting started."
Wesley met his little sister's smile before going to find Fred.
Giles was leaning against the mantle, studying his kids. He'd come to think of the Scooby Gang that way, his children. He'd never really considered having anyone since Jenny. Sure, Olivia would come to visit, but it would never be the way it was with Jenny. But this group of young adults were his family. Even Wesley, who had changed so much since he'd arrived in Sunnydale. He wasn't what Buffy would call stuffy British anymore. He saw his young Slayer inching towards him, so he stared at the carpet. He'd hurt Buffy. Buffy hated him now. He just hadn't wanted to endanger Buffy. She couldn't see Spike clearly. It seemed it had escaped her memory that Spike was her archenemy. Buffy's innocent face flashed into his view.
"Giles, I just wanted..."
"Don't do this, Buffy."
A wry smile crossed over her face.
"I was angry with you, Giles. You tricked me. I felt like you'd gone all Judas on me. But we're going into combat and a lot of us will die. Some of us for the 3rd and final time."
Giles couldn't keep himself from smiling a little.
"I can't go to war with you mad at me."
"I've never been able to stay angry at you for a long time. You know that."
Buffy's eyes sparkled with tear drops. Giles removed his glasses, wiping them clean, feeling incredibly ackward. Buffy took the hankerchief away from him and Giles replaced his glasses. Buffy threw her arms around her father figure and smiled bravely at Giles. She headed to the porch to talk to Spike.
Faith found Gunn sharpening his battle axe in the Summers' living room. It'd actually been more of a boarding room lately. She'd been lucky enough to be put into Dawn's room for the nights she'd been there. She gripped the sword he'd given her, the cool metal relieving the sweatiness of her palm. She crossed her legs on the floor next to him and they were both silent for a while. Finally, Faith raised her dark chocolate brown eyes, staring at him intently.
"Gunn?"
"Yeah?" He stopped striking the metal with the sharpener.
"Don't die."
"Same goes for you."
Gunn looked down at the battle axe, giving the blade one last swipe.
Andrew held a mace in his hand. He tried to swing it over his head, but found that the iron was a little too heavy. He heard a giggle coming next to him.
"That looks a little dangerous."
He looked up and found himself staring in the sparkling hazel eyes of Dawn Summers.
"It's heavy!" Andrew complained.
"Here." Dawn handed him two sais and took the mace from him. He tried to spin the three pronged knives like he had seen Elektra do in Daredevil and one of them clattered to the floor. Dawn laughed again.
"Stick to the basics, Andrew. You know, stab their neck."
"I know, Dawnie. Hey, you what would be cool? The light sabers from Star Wars."
Dawn shook her head, giving him a you're-such-a-nerd look. Andrew gave her a quick grin. "Be careful, Dawn."
"I think I'm more worried about you holding your own than me."
"We'll both be great."
Dawn couldn't resist giving him a kiss. He looked shocked as she sashayed away.
Spike took a long drag from his cigarette. The door slammed shut and he turned to find Buffy, illuminated like an angel by the golden porchlight. He took one more drag, dropped the fag on the wooden planks, and smashed out the burning embers. He blew the fluffy cloud of gray smoke into the sunset. Buffy folded her arms across her chest, as if trying to ward off the cold. He slid out of his duster and placed it gently around her shoulders. She snuggled into the comforting leather and smiled at him greatfully.
"Always thought it looked good on you, Love. Keep it for when you kick the First's non-existent arse."
Buffy didn't reply. After a bit of quiet, she said softly, "I kind of love you, Spike."
"Well, that's a way to give a poor bugger a heart attack."
"Your heart doesn't beat, Spike."
He chuckled his full, rich laugh. "Good for me."
His face softened as he reached out to her. Buffy stepped to him, nuzzling into his neck.
"Do I even have to tell you how I feel about you, Pet?"
"It's always nice to hear."
"I love you more than my entire unlife."
"We'll make it, right?"
"When do we not?"
"Promise me a few things, Spike."
"What?"
"If I don't make it, take care of Dawnie again."
He nodded curtly.
"Don't let them bring me back."
He nodded once more more.
"And if I get turned, stake me."
Spike sighed. Buffy pulled out Mr. Pointy and handed it to Spike.
"I won't be like you, Spike. So don't think it. I won't have a soul. I've always been terrified of becoming a vampire. Just promise that you won't let me stay that way...if it happens."
'I do promise. But you'll survive. Summers women are the toughest blood I've ever known."
Buffy grabbed his collar and jerked him down to capture his lips. They heard clapping behind them. Buffy and Spike, lips still connected, turned to face the person.
"Dawn?" Buffy questioned, cursing her sister's awful timing.
"Just wanted to have a chat with Spikey here."
Buffy raised her eyebrow. "Okkkaaayyy."
Buffy kissed Spike one last time before re-entering the house.
Mercy was concentrating on making the powder for the protection spell. Willow was blessing each of the weapons, except for Spike's and Angel's. Mercy felt a hand covering hers. She peered over her shoulder and found Connor staring at her, taking the pistol from her hand.
"Your arm looks tired."
Mercy relaxed in his grip. "A little magick can take a lot out of a person. And all this grinding for the mixture is tiring. I'm more worried about you fighting."
"Is there anything I can do to make you feel better?"
"Let me bless you. Maybe you'll be taken extra special care of."
"Whatever you want."
Mercy picked up some oil that sat on the table between Willow and herself.
"Hecate, Goddess of War
Keep Connor safe
Pan, Goddess of Protection
Keep Connor safe."
It was a simple prayer, but she knew it would work. She made an X with the oil, avoiding a cross in case that would hurt Connor, on his forehead. Then, she tenderly took his face in her hands.
"Now you'll live. Because I can't lose you."
"You won't."
Connor leaned down, kissing Mercy with a promise to her, an unspoken pact between the two. He would come back. He would help her defeat her father. And they would be together.
Spike glanced at Dawn, then stared ackwardly at his steel-toed, Doc Martin boots.
"Did you need something, Nibblet?"
Dawn took a deep breath.
"I was really mad at you. You hurt Buffy and you deserted me. Just like every other guy, excluding Xander. I hated you.
"Then you popped back up, crazy, souled and all noble, making yourself better for the love of your life. I hated you even more because it made you harder to hate. But now, we're about to combat the Big Bad and I can't go, still hating you. You took care of me. You entertained me. You made me feel human."
"You are."
"I'm a mystical ball of energy."
"That, too."
The two exchanged small smiles.
"I'm sorry, Bit. I never, I wasn't thinking. Your big sis wounded my pride and my love, so I wanted to make her love me. What it did to you never even crossed my mind."
Dawn put her dainty hands on the porch rail and stared at the orange sun.
"You think that will be the last time we see the sun?"
"I've been alive-well, undead- for 129 years. Every morning the sun rises and every evening the sun sets. This will be no different. We should skip on inside to get Buffy's go team speech and get ready to head out."
"Right." Dawn linked her arm throught he vampire's and they entered the house.
Fred had a spell book open and she was murmuring under her breath. Wesley took a moment to observe the beauty of the moment, enjoying the simplicity. Fred jumped out of her seeming reverie.
"Wesley! You frightened me! This is really fascinating stuff. I hope I can do everything right. Willow and Mercy say I can, but..."
He kissed her soundly, ending the ramble. Fred colored.
"Sorry. I was on a rampage again."
"I adore your babbling. Besides, I know you can put the protection shields up. I trust you with my life."
Fred looked away. "I hope your not wrong with that belief in me."
"I'm not." Wesley replied easily.
Fred ran her hand down his stubbly cheek.
"I'm sorry it took us so long to get to this place."
"Sunnydale?"
Fred chuckled softly.
"No. Our relationship. I went to Charles, you went to Lilah, but we ended up together. That was the way it was supposed to be. But we wasted so much time. What if one of us dies?"
"At least we had our time together."
"Don't leave me, Wesley."
"I wouldn't, Darling."
He kissed her gently and then they headed towards the L.A. clan.
Angel paced in front of the fang gang.
"We'll hit hard and fast. Likelihood is we'll be vastly outnumbered. Don't let them bite you. Don't-"
"OH! OHHHHHHH!!!!"
Cordelia started to crumble, clutching her head like it was going to explode. Her eyes were totally white.
"Darla! Connor!"
Wesley and Angel held her up and her eyes rolled back into place. She sighed as she settled into the chair.
"What about Darla?" Angel pressed.
"She's at the battle. She trapped Connor in the vineyard and he was killed."
Connor's head tilted. "Darla. My mother?"
"I don't think it was really Darla. It was the First."
"So, don't pay attention to my mom."
"More or less."
Connor nodded. They turned towards Buffy when they heard her voice ring out.
Buffy sat on the coffee table in front of Xander and Willow. She considered all that had happened the last few years. They'd become a family. A real, true family. The entire group was together again, barring Oz. Buffy almost wished Oz was here, then admonished herself for wishing him there. He was safe away from Sunnydale. That was something to be thankful for. She glanced over and studied Wesley, her other Watcher. He had changed considerably since she'd seen him last. He was more hardened, not nearly as prissy as he used to be. Prissy, for lack of a better word. He was rough around the edges now. He even had a girlfriend, Fred, who seemed nice enough. Angel was here, doing his usual, everyone's in danger style. Cordelia had changed, much like Wesley. She wasn't Queen C anymore. She was Cordelia Chase, friend and employee of Angel Investigations. She'd lost more people than she could count on one hand, including a half-demon named Doyle. Angel had told Buffy about that. Faith was even different. She wasn't insane, which was nice. She was still mean, but that's what it took to be a Slayer. Buffy took a deep breath, staring at her friends once more. She started her newest speech, this one not annoying, unlike the rest.
"You two are my best friends. You found out about me and you wanted to help. That's meant more to me than anything in the world. You've helped me through tough times. You've taken care of my little sister. You've taken care of me. I love you both so very much."
Willow pulled one arm around Buffy and one around Xander. They entered into the group hug. "We love you, too, Buffster." Xander added into the conversation. She pulled away from her best friends and raised her voice.
"Okay. This is it. We'll save the world and the line of Slayers or we'll die trying. It's that simple. Fight hard! Fight fast! Fight smart! Remember, decapitation and burning is the only way to kill the Turok-han!"
Faith stood up and took her place next to Buffy.
"Most importantly, STAY ALIVE!" Faith shouted.
Buffy and Faith exchanged knowing glances. They clasped hands, two Slayers connected in battle once more.
"Don't die, B."
"Don't die, Faith."
"LET'S HEAD OUT!"
And two by two each person filed out of the comforting Summers' home. Buffy and Faith were in the lead, Spike and Angel drawing up back. They would split, half to the high school and half to the vineyard. But for now, they would leave together.