Protected
Chapter Sixteen
Farewell
Revello Drive was somber and fairly empty. Everyone had fallen asleep, not even bothering to wash the grime and dried blood and demon goop off of them. Most were coupled together; Connor with Mercy, Willow with Xander, Fred with Wesley, Spike and Dawn, and Lorne stayed on the couch. Angel just kind of stood watch over them, a deep desire to protect those who still lived. They slept for six hours before they were awakened. They had to go to the morgue. Xander flipped on the television to listen to it while the others took their showers.
"This morning a massacre occured. Gang related? Mob related? No one really knows."
A flash of Fred wailing over Charles' came on and then a shot of Spike in his vamp face yelling on the top of his lungs.
"No one is sure of what happened. Police swear they'll get to the bottom of it."
Xander sighed and flicked the screen off. Willow came in and Xander felt a washcloth run over his face.
"Wills?"
"It's me."
She slowly wiped his face clean. He didn't like this. It made him feel so helpless.
"Anya's gone, isn't she?"
"Yeah."
"We'll make sure she's buried properly, won't we?"
"Of course."
"Maybe we should buy a cemetary."
He said it half-jokingly. In seriousness, they had enough bodies to fill a small graveyard.
"I'm going to leave you here with Lorne, Angel, and Spike."
"I'm being baby sat by the freaks."
"Xander, don't start."
"I'm not a child. I don't need to be left with someone."
He felt the cloth being lowered.
"Don't start self-pitying yourself, Xander. Buffy and a bunch of others just died. There's no room for it when the house is full of grief."
Xander's head dipped.
"Please. This day is hard enough, Sweetie. Don't make it harder."
Willow leaned in and kissed him softly.
"Now, Connor, Wesley, Mercy, Dawnie, and I are headed to our favorite place. The morgue."
"I wish I could come."
"So do I."
She noticed her small group gathering at the door. She stood, pulling on her pink sweater.
"Take care, Xand."
"The Xanman always survives."
Willow beamed at him, then remembered he couldn't see her. She walked to the door and together they went to the Sunnydale Morgue.
The air was tense and thick with death. Willow smiled briefly at how ironic it was. You would think Sunnydale would have a much larger medical examiner's office, considering the fact that it was Sunnydale. The two rooms were filled with bodies of their friends; some in the cases, others packed in dry ice. Willow and Dawn went through providing names for each Slayer-in-Training and each human. They paused when they found one they were particularly close to. Willow nearly broke down in front of Kennedy. Two of her lovers had died in two years. Maybe it was her. Maybe she was a bad luck charm. Dawn slung an arm around Willow and led her away from the young Slayer. Fred and Wesley identified the Los Angeles group, because only Fred knew all the names of everyone in that room. She'd had to learn them to put protection spells up. Fred snorted bitterly. A lot of good her protective shields had done. Wesley squeezed her hand, as if he knew exactly what she was thinking. Dawn finally gave an identification to the last body and abruptly turned to leave. The others followed. When they entered the deceptively cheery sun, a thousand flashes went off. The reporters were there. Fred turned away, a heavy curtain of brown hair falling in her face. Dawn tried to wipe away her running mascara, but only managed to smear it more. Wesley stood protectively in front of the group. Willow resisted the urge to make every one of the cameras fly up in the air and cause them all to crash to the ground. Wesley started to push his way through the journalists.
Questions were shouted.
"Who are you?"
"What happened?"
"Who died?"
"How many died?"
"What gangs were involved?"
"What gang are you a part of?"
Wesley nearly laughed at the ridiculous questions. Sunnydale had continued their reputation of burying their heads in the sand.
"Fred, come on. Mercy, Willow." He nodded to the cameras. Both of the girls flicked their hands and the cameras smashed into pieces. Connor rounded up the back as they walked back to the house.
Angels. All of them floated in the sky, far above the atmosphere. The day they arrived was like a joyous meeting. Tara, Joyce, Jenny, Nikki, Doyle, Elizabeth, and others were waiting for them. Wood was reunited with his real mother. Cordelia was with her true love once more, the ever spunky Alan Francis Doyle. Tara and Joyce were there to greet the other scoobies. Giles found Jenny, enclosed her in his arms, and met up with his Slayer. Gunn found Alonna and Faith found her first Watcher, Elizabeth. They were happy once more. Finally, the Slayers could rest. Joyce didn't have to worry anymore. Anya didn't have to try to fit in. Giles didn't have to teach. Cordelia didn't have head-splitting visions. Faith didn't feel guilty. Andrew had gotten over the death of Warren and Jonathan. Even Spike's mom was waiting with the group. Tara was with her friends again, even if Willow wasn't there. They could watch over Sunnydale, feeling safe and without pain. They were happy.
Wesley took the luggage and weapons to the boot, loading it in. He thought remorsefully, *The car is going to be a lot less full than when we came.*
He sighed. The sun had set once more and they were going to have to leave for Los Angeles. His arm was throbbing from a slash he'd recieved from a Faryl demon. He had several cuts on his face and a huge black eye. Most of them looked like that. Even Angel and Spike hadn't healed yet. Angel hugged Dawn, then Willow. He glanced over at his GrandChilde.
"Your taking care of Dawn now. A Slayer. You'll train her well, afterall, you know how to kill Slayers. She's a person, though."
"I know that, Peaches. She's my L'il Bit. I'm the one who protects her."
"Just humor me, Spike. You've got this soul now. You will learn to live with it. Sometimes, the remorse is overwhelming. I know. You and I don't get along, but all the same. And if you hurt Dawn, I'll be here to stake you personally."
Spike nodded. Angel shook Spike's hand and walked into the moonlight. Lorne kissed Dawn's head.
"You've got a lot of responsibility, Pumpkin."
"I'll do fine, Lorne."
"I don't doubt it." Lorne followed Angel and got into the Plymouth. Wesley offered his Watcherly advice to Spike and Fred bade them a babbling good bye. Mercy and Willow clutched hands. "Looks like I'll be doing this Los Angeles witchcraft stuff. I may need some help."
"All you have to do is call."
"Sounds good."
Mercy hugged the young Wicca.
"All of you are great people. I never in my entire life thought I would find people like you guys. I always thought I'd be all alone. But I'm starting to think I'm wrong."
She offered them a small smile and a half-hearted wave. Connor wrapped an arm around her waist and they went to the Belvedere. The four remainding of the Sunnydalers stood quietly at the porch steps and watched the exhaust fumes billow out of the car. Dawn eyed the strong vampire next to her.
"Should I patrol?"
"Not tonight. You deserve a night off. We'll start tomorrow after the burials."
Dawn nodded slowly. She opened the door and they walked inside.
Chapter Sixteen
Farewell
Revello Drive was somber and fairly empty. Everyone had fallen asleep, not even bothering to wash the grime and dried blood and demon goop off of them. Most were coupled together; Connor with Mercy, Willow with Xander, Fred with Wesley, Spike and Dawn, and Lorne stayed on the couch. Angel just kind of stood watch over them, a deep desire to protect those who still lived. They slept for six hours before they were awakened. They had to go to the morgue. Xander flipped on the television to listen to it while the others took their showers.
"This morning a massacre occured. Gang related? Mob related? No one really knows."
A flash of Fred wailing over Charles' came on and then a shot of Spike in his vamp face yelling on the top of his lungs.
"No one is sure of what happened. Police swear they'll get to the bottom of it."
Xander sighed and flicked the screen off. Willow came in and Xander felt a washcloth run over his face.
"Wills?"
"It's me."
She slowly wiped his face clean. He didn't like this. It made him feel so helpless.
"Anya's gone, isn't she?"
"Yeah."
"We'll make sure she's buried properly, won't we?"
"Of course."
"Maybe we should buy a cemetary."
He said it half-jokingly. In seriousness, they had enough bodies to fill a small graveyard.
"I'm going to leave you here with Lorne, Angel, and Spike."
"I'm being baby sat by the freaks."
"Xander, don't start."
"I'm not a child. I don't need to be left with someone."
He felt the cloth being lowered.
"Don't start self-pitying yourself, Xander. Buffy and a bunch of others just died. There's no room for it when the house is full of grief."
Xander's head dipped.
"Please. This day is hard enough, Sweetie. Don't make it harder."
Willow leaned in and kissed him softly.
"Now, Connor, Wesley, Mercy, Dawnie, and I are headed to our favorite place. The morgue."
"I wish I could come."
"So do I."
She noticed her small group gathering at the door. She stood, pulling on her pink sweater.
"Take care, Xand."
"The Xanman always survives."
Willow beamed at him, then remembered he couldn't see her. She walked to the door and together they went to the Sunnydale Morgue.
The air was tense and thick with death. Willow smiled briefly at how ironic it was. You would think Sunnydale would have a much larger medical examiner's office, considering the fact that it was Sunnydale. The two rooms were filled with bodies of their friends; some in the cases, others packed in dry ice. Willow and Dawn went through providing names for each Slayer-in-Training and each human. They paused when they found one they were particularly close to. Willow nearly broke down in front of Kennedy. Two of her lovers had died in two years. Maybe it was her. Maybe she was a bad luck charm. Dawn slung an arm around Willow and led her away from the young Slayer. Fred and Wesley identified the Los Angeles group, because only Fred knew all the names of everyone in that room. She'd had to learn them to put protection spells up. Fred snorted bitterly. A lot of good her protective shields had done. Wesley squeezed her hand, as if he knew exactly what she was thinking. Dawn finally gave an identification to the last body and abruptly turned to leave. The others followed. When they entered the deceptively cheery sun, a thousand flashes went off. The reporters were there. Fred turned away, a heavy curtain of brown hair falling in her face. Dawn tried to wipe away her running mascara, but only managed to smear it more. Wesley stood protectively in front of the group. Willow resisted the urge to make every one of the cameras fly up in the air and cause them all to crash to the ground. Wesley started to push his way through the journalists.
Questions were shouted.
"Who are you?"
"What happened?"
"Who died?"
"How many died?"
"What gangs were involved?"
"What gang are you a part of?"
Wesley nearly laughed at the ridiculous questions. Sunnydale had continued their reputation of burying their heads in the sand.
"Fred, come on. Mercy, Willow." He nodded to the cameras. Both of the girls flicked their hands and the cameras smashed into pieces. Connor rounded up the back as they walked back to the house.
Angels. All of them floated in the sky, far above the atmosphere. The day they arrived was like a joyous meeting. Tara, Joyce, Jenny, Nikki, Doyle, Elizabeth, and others were waiting for them. Wood was reunited with his real mother. Cordelia was with her true love once more, the ever spunky Alan Francis Doyle. Tara and Joyce were there to greet the other scoobies. Giles found Jenny, enclosed her in his arms, and met up with his Slayer. Gunn found Alonna and Faith found her first Watcher, Elizabeth. They were happy once more. Finally, the Slayers could rest. Joyce didn't have to worry anymore. Anya didn't have to try to fit in. Giles didn't have to teach. Cordelia didn't have head-splitting visions. Faith didn't feel guilty. Andrew had gotten over the death of Warren and Jonathan. Even Spike's mom was waiting with the group. Tara was with her friends again, even if Willow wasn't there. They could watch over Sunnydale, feeling safe and without pain. They were happy.
Wesley took the luggage and weapons to the boot, loading it in. He thought remorsefully, *The car is going to be a lot less full than when we came.*
He sighed. The sun had set once more and they were going to have to leave for Los Angeles. His arm was throbbing from a slash he'd recieved from a Faryl demon. He had several cuts on his face and a huge black eye. Most of them looked like that. Even Angel and Spike hadn't healed yet. Angel hugged Dawn, then Willow. He glanced over at his GrandChilde.
"Your taking care of Dawn now. A Slayer. You'll train her well, afterall, you know how to kill Slayers. She's a person, though."
"I know that, Peaches. She's my L'il Bit. I'm the one who protects her."
"Just humor me, Spike. You've got this soul now. You will learn to live with it. Sometimes, the remorse is overwhelming. I know. You and I don't get along, but all the same. And if you hurt Dawn, I'll be here to stake you personally."
Spike nodded. Angel shook Spike's hand and walked into the moonlight. Lorne kissed Dawn's head.
"You've got a lot of responsibility, Pumpkin."
"I'll do fine, Lorne."
"I don't doubt it." Lorne followed Angel and got into the Plymouth. Wesley offered his Watcherly advice to Spike and Fred bade them a babbling good bye. Mercy and Willow clutched hands. "Looks like I'll be doing this Los Angeles witchcraft stuff. I may need some help."
"All you have to do is call."
"Sounds good."
Mercy hugged the young Wicca.
"All of you are great people. I never in my entire life thought I would find people like you guys. I always thought I'd be all alone. But I'm starting to think I'm wrong."
She offered them a small smile and a half-hearted wave. Connor wrapped an arm around her waist and they went to the Belvedere. The four remainding of the Sunnydalers stood quietly at the porch steps and watched the exhaust fumes billow out of the car. Dawn eyed the strong vampire next to her.
"Should I patrol?"
"Not tonight. You deserve a night off. We'll start tomorrow after the burials."
Dawn nodded slowly. She opened the door and they walked inside.