Destiny Lost
#1: In the Space of a Heartbeat
Authors: Sonya and Erin
E-mail: sonyajeb@swbell.net OR carynsilver@yahoo.com
Rating: PG-13
Category: B/X, AU, action/adventure, romance
Summary: An accident seconds before being chosen causes the Slayer Essence to skip Buffy, leaving her a normal girl. Then, a year and a half later, her mom's new job and her parents' divorce brings Buffy and her mother to Sunnydale, where Buffy comes in contact with the world of the night and a young man dedicated to its destruction.
Disclaimer: We do not own Buffy or any of the original characters or ideas from the show. They all belong to Joss, Mutant Enemy, etc. All we own is our own creative genius (unless that's too strong a word :) and any characters we make up.
Distribution: Sure, just let us know where it is!
Feedback: Love it! We want to know your likes AND dislikes. Flames are the only thing we do not accept.
Spoilers: Basic BtVS mythology and vampire/slayer lore
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Chapter 21
The Library
The cavernous room echoed with memories. Sonya lay on the reading table, surrounded by glowing candles. A large book and the photocopy of the spell sat on a podium near her head. Giles was running back and forth between his office and the table, setting things up.
This was the place where Sonya had done most of her Slayer training. This was the place where she had gotten to know Xander. This was the place where she had come into her own as a demon fighter, and now it was the place where she would give up that part of her life forever.
Her thoughts swirled around. She could hardly process them all there were so many. One thing that stuck out in her mind through it all was Buffy. How should Sonya react to all this? Buffy was getting everything Sonya had ever wanted, and all Sonya could do is sit back and watch it happen. Buffy got Xander, Buffy would get her powers, and eventually Buffy would even get Giles. But there were also the good things -- Buffy trying to be her friend that first night, bonding over similar injuries. And then more bonding over a makeover -- and Buffy hadn't had to do that. Sonya had been half expecting the girl to slam the door in her face. And, for good or bad, it had been Buffy that finally made Sonya face her true feelings for Xander.
(In a way) she thought (it's almost just that Buffy get these powers. I suppose she could be upset that I got them instead of her the first time. At least I was able to have them for this long. And I'd rather Buffy get them than a stranger, I guess...)
Just then, Giles came back in with a white linen towel and the hair from Buffy's brush. "Are you ready?" he asked.
Unable to trust her voice, Sonya nodded.
Giles placed the towel over Sonya's chest, and filled a small crystal bowl with holy water. He whispered a few Latin words -- looking at the photocopy to double check his memory -- and then he dropped the hair in the water. Then he picked up a large, purple leaf and touched Sonya with it. Then he touched it to the bowl, saying the next part of the spell in a louder, more confident voice. A magical wind picked up, ruffling Sonya's clothes and hair. Magic crackled in the air, and the lights flickered. Sonya's skin began to tingle...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Xander's first instinct was to run to Buffy's side and make sure that she was okay, but when Spike's minions rushed him and Angel, he realized that was easier said than done.
The first few vamps fell victim to the deadly aim of both Xander and Angel's crossbows, bringing the vamp count down to eight. Then the vamps were upon them and they had no more time for reloading. The two crossbows were quickly discarded in favor of better close-range weaponry.
Xander pulled out his water gun and began spraying all the vamps in their demonic faces, blinding them so that Angel could begin to pick them off one by one. Soon, only six vampires remained and Xander's gun was empty. He tossed it to the side and leapt into the fray. He and Angel fought back to back, moving a like a fluid pair. One vampire attacked Angel with a large dagger, slicing at the souled vampire's neck. Another vampire came at Xander with a barrage of dizzying kicks and punches, keeping just out of reach of Xander's stake.
"PREPARE TO MEET YOUR DOOM, HUMAN!" the ninja-vamp screamed, lunging at Xander.
The pseudo-Slayer just rolled his eyes and replied, "Nah, how about you meet my friend BOB instead, moron!" With that, Xander ducked under the vamp's swing and plunged his lucky stake into the demon's heart, turning it into a pile of dust. Another vamp soon took it's place in the fight.
"I swear, bad guys are just too melodramatic!" Xander called over his shoulder to Angel. "Drives me crazy."
Angel grinned but didn't reply. He had his hands full with the dagger wielding vampire. Xander was having troubles of his own with the new vamp he was fighting. The creature was huge, towering over Xander by at least a foot. Every blow it got in was staggering to the mere human. Angel saw that Xander wasn't faring all that well, and quickly came to a decision. "Switch!" he yelled, ducking down into a crouch.
Xander grinned and did a back flip over Angel's crouched form, landing right in front of the vamp with the dagger. "You read my mind, Dead Boy!" he replied, quickly gaining the upper hand against his new opponent. Angel stood and turned to face his own new adversary, launching a kick at its jaw that sent it reeling....
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Buffy could hear the battle raging around her, but she couldn't see much of it. She tugged at the loose strap with a renewed ferocity. Without even Nathan's 'protection' she would be food for a hungry vamp if she didn't find some way of defending herself soon. The leather strap chafed her wrist. Buffy winced and felt a dribble of warm blood run down her arm. Then, suddenly, with one last mighty pull, the strap came free of the table. She was stunned for a second, but quickly recovered herself enough to unfasten the other three straps.
When she sat up, her head spun. Her skin tingled, and she felt dizzy. (What's wrong with me?) she wondered frantically. (Get it together, Buffy...)
A low laugh caught her attention, and Buffy looked up to see a vampire advancing toward her. She grimaced and tried to push the bad feelings aside. She could be sick later. Thoughts of her Tae Kwan Do class flashed through her mind. She hopped off the table and into fighting stance, and actually started to feel better. When the vamp was close enough, she aimed a kick that landed on his chest. The vampire staggered back, but recovered fairly easily. It came toward her again, and managed to grab her arm.
"I'm hungry," it whined.
"I'm not very tasty," Buffy replied. "I promise." With her free hand, she punched the vamp, snapping its head to the side. Then she jerked free, and suddenly Xander was there, plunging his stake into the vamp's chest. There wasn't even a chance for a hello, though, because another vamp took notice of Xander. Luckily, there were only a few left -- meaning no more for Buffy.
She looked around, wondering what had happened to Nathan. She finally spotted him in a corner, muttering the words to a spell. Then he pulled the crossbow bolt out of his shoulder, and his words caused the flesh to instantly knit back together.
He looked up, and right into Buffy's eyes. She started to advance on him, unclear of what she could accomplish, but she didn't want him to be free to cast spells unchecked.
"Sorry, m'dear," Nathan said, wagging a finger at her. "You're a bit too much for me right now. My flesh may have been healed, but the fighting here and at the Bronze has strained my powers. I need time to recoup." A cough punctuated his words. "But, mark my words, we will meet again. I crave your strength even more now."
Then he gestured to the ground in front of him and a large black vortex opened before her eyes. Buffy froze in place, not wanting to get sucked in. Nathan reached into the folds of his robes, pulled out the pouch of red powder and tossed it at Buffy. Then he jumped into the vortex which closed behind him.
Buffy caught the pouch reflexively, but a little of the powder spilled out anyway. It crackled and exploded around her, singing her skin and hair. She winced and threw the bag as far from the people in the room as possible. When it hit the floor, the whole pouch exploded, leaving a big hole in the wall.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Spike and two of his last remaining vampire lackeys stalked Willow, taking turns attacking her. The three of them proved too much for the petite vampire and she began to retreat, trying to find a way out of this fix. "Spikey, let's talk about this. You know you can't just kill me in cold blood, don't you, lover?"
Spike sneered. "Actually, I was planning on doing just that, m'dear! It'll be a bloody good time -- pardon the pun." The vamps converged on Willow as Spike reached out and grabbed her by the neck, preparing for the killing blow.
Suddenly, a loud bang was heard. Spike whirled around, forgetting about Willow in his momentary surprise. Willow quickly scurried away, putting some distance between herself and the enraged British vampire. Then she saw what was responsible for the loud noise and a smile slowly crept onto her face. "At last, things are finally starting to look up..." she murmured.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Xander and Angel were both standing near Buffy protectively, having just finished off the last of the vamps. Only Spike, Willow and the two vamps assisting the blond were still standing.
Angel watched for a minute as Spike turned on Willow, but finally said, "I think we should get out of here before anything else happens."
Xander shook his head. "No, I'm going to put an end to this war tonight, with or without your help."
Angel sighed and nodded. "I thought you might say something like that." He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out his last stake. "Well, I can't leave you in here to fight them alone, now can I?"
Buffy looked at them both like they were crazy. "What are you saying?" she demanded, grabbing Xander's arm and forcing him to look at her. "We have a clear shot at an escape and you want to stay here? Spike's gonna kill her, you don't have to worry..."
Before Xander could reply, they heard a loud bang, like the slamming of doors. Buffy gazed with trepidation at the front entranceway, her face paling at the sight of twenty or thirty more vampires pouring into the room. A quick glance behind her affirmed that even more vamps were coming through the hole that Nathan's exploding, red powder had made in the wall.
"Uh guys..." she said, tugging anxiously on Xander's sleeve. "We've got company."
Suddenly, Willow's voice could be heard echoing throughout the building. "Kill them all!!!"
One of the vamps, the plaid-loving fellow named Seth, pointed at Spike and asked, "Even him?"
Willow looked over at Spike who was watching her with actual fear behind his eyes. She grinned, repeating almost to the letter what he'd said earlier. "Especially him."
#1: In the Space of a Heartbeat
Authors: Sonya and Erin
E-mail: sonyajeb@swbell.net OR carynsilver@yahoo.com
Rating: PG-13
Category: B/X, AU, action/adventure, romance
Summary: An accident seconds before being chosen causes the Slayer Essence to skip Buffy, leaving her a normal girl. Then, a year and a half later, her mom's new job and her parents' divorce brings Buffy and her mother to Sunnydale, where Buffy comes in contact with the world of the night and a young man dedicated to its destruction.
Disclaimer: We do not own Buffy or any of the original characters or ideas from the show. They all belong to Joss, Mutant Enemy, etc. All we own is our own creative genius (unless that's too strong a word :) and any characters we make up.
Distribution: Sure, just let us know where it is!
Feedback: Love it! We want to know your likes AND dislikes. Flames are the only thing we do not accept.
Spoilers: Basic BtVS mythology and vampire/slayer lore
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Chapter 21
The Library
The cavernous room echoed with memories. Sonya lay on the reading table, surrounded by glowing candles. A large book and the photocopy of the spell sat on a podium near her head. Giles was running back and forth between his office and the table, setting things up.
This was the place where Sonya had done most of her Slayer training. This was the place where she had gotten to know Xander. This was the place where she had come into her own as a demon fighter, and now it was the place where she would give up that part of her life forever.
Her thoughts swirled around. She could hardly process them all there were so many. One thing that stuck out in her mind through it all was Buffy. How should Sonya react to all this? Buffy was getting everything Sonya had ever wanted, and all Sonya could do is sit back and watch it happen. Buffy got Xander, Buffy would get her powers, and eventually Buffy would even get Giles. But there were also the good things -- Buffy trying to be her friend that first night, bonding over similar injuries. And then more bonding over a makeover -- and Buffy hadn't had to do that. Sonya had been half expecting the girl to slam the door in her face. And, for good or bad, it had been Buffy that finally made Sonya face her true feelings for Xander.
(In a way) she thought (it's almost just that Buffy get these powers. I suppose she could be upset that I got them instead of her the first time. At least I was able to have them for this long. And I'd rather Buffy get them than a stranger, I guess...)
Just then, Giles came back in with a white linen towel and the hair from Buffy's brush. "Are you ready?" he asked.
Unable to trust her voice, Sonya nodded.
Giles placed the towel over Sonya's chest, and filled a small crystal bowl with holy water. He whispered a few Latin words -- looking at the photocopy to double check his memory -- and then he dropped the hair in the water. Then he picked up a large, purple leaf and touched Sonya with it. Then he touched it to the bowl, saying the next part of the spell in a louder, more confident voice. A magical wind picked up, ruffling Sonya's clothes and hair. Magic crackled in the air, and the lights flickered. Sonya's skin began to tingle...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Xander's first instinct was to run to Buffy's side and make sure that she was okay, but when Spike's minions rushed him and Angel, he realized that was easier said than done.
The first few vamps fell victim to the deadly aim of both Xander and Angel's crossbows, bringing the vamp count down to eight. Then the vamps were upon them and they had no more time for reloading. The two crossbows were quickly discarded in favor of better close-range weaponry.
Xander pulled out his water gun and began spraying all the vamps in their demonic faces, blinding them so that Angel could begin to pick them off one by one. Soon, only six vampires remained and Xander's gun was empty. He tossed it to the side and leapt into the fray. He and Angel fought back to back, moving a like a fluid pair. One vampire attacked Angel with a large dagger, slicing at the souled vampire's neck. Another vampire came at Xander with a barrage of dizzying kicks and punches, keeping just out of reach of Xander's stake.
"PREPARE TO MEET YOUR DOOM, HUMAN!" the ninja-vamp screamed, lunging at Xander.
The pseudo-Slayer just rolled his eyes and replied, "Nah, how about you meet my friend BOB instead, moron!" With that, Xander ducked under the vamp's swing and plunged his lucky stake into the demon's heart, turning it into a pile of dust. Another vamp soon took it's place in the fight.
"I swear, bad guys are just too melodramatic!" Xander called over his shoulder to Angel. "Drives me crazy."
Angel grinned but didn't reply. He had his hands full with the dagger wielding vampire. Xander was having troubles of his own with the new vamp he was fighting. The creature was huge, towering over Xander by at least a foot. Every blow it got in was staggering to the mere human. Angel saw that Xander wasn't faring all that well, and quickly came to a decision. "Switch!" he yelled, ducking down into a crouch.
Xander grinned and did a back flip over Angel's crouched form, landing right in front of the vamp with the dagger. "You read my mind, Dead Boy!" he replied, quickly gaining the upper hand against his new opponent. Angel stood and turned to face his own new adversary, launching a kick at its jaw that sent it reeling....
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Buffy could hear the battle raging around her, but she couldn't see much of it. She tugged at the loose strap with a renewed ferocity. Without even Nathan's 'protection' she would be food for a hungry vamp if she didn't find some way of defending herself soon. The leather strap chafed her wrist. Buffy winced and felt a dribble of warm blood run down her arm. Then, suddenly, with one last mighty pull, the strap came free of the table. She was stunned for a second, but quickly recovered herself enough to unfasten the other three straps.
When she sat up, her head spun. Her skin tingled, and she felt dizzy. (What's wrong with me?) she wondered frantically. (Get it together, Buffy...)
A low laugh caught her attention, and Buffy looked up to see a vampire advancing toward her. She grimaced and tried to push the bad feelings aside. She could be sick later. Thoughts of her Tae Kwan Do class flashed through her mind. She hopped off the table and into fighting stance, and actually started to feel better. When the vamp was close enough, she aimed a kick that landed on his chest. The vampire staggered back, but recovered fairly easily. It came toward her again, and managed to grab her arm.
"I'm hungry," it whined.
"I'm not very tasty," Buffy replied. "I promise." With her free hand, she punched the vamp, snapping its head to the side. Then she jerked free, and suddenly Xander was there, plunging his stake into the vamp's chest. There wasn't even a chance for a hello, though, because another vamp took notice of Xander. Luckily, there were only a few left -- meaning no more for Buffy.
She looked around, wondering what had happened to Nathan. She finally spotted him in a corner, muttering the words to a spell. Then he pulled the crossbow bolt out of his shoulder, and his words caused the flesh to instantly knit back together.
He looked up, and right into Buffy's eyes. She started to advance on him, unclear of what she could accomplish, but she didn't want him to be free to cast spells unchecked.
"Sorry, m'dear," Nathan said, wagging a finger at her. "You're a bit too much for me right now. My flesh may have been healed, but the fighting here and at the Bronze has strained my powers. I need time to recoup." A cough punctuated his words. "But, mark my words, we will meet again. I crave your strength even more now."
Then he gestured to the ground in front of him and a large black vortex opened before her eyes. Buffy froze in place, not wanting to get sucked in. Nathan reached into the folds of his robes, pulled out the pouch of red powder and tossed it at Buffy. Then he jumped into the vortex which closed behind him.
Buffy caught the pouch reflexively, but a little of the powder spilled out anyway. It crackled and exploded around her, singing her skin and hair. She winced and threw the bag as far from the people in the room as possible. When it hit the floor, the whole pouch exploded, leaving a big hole in the wall.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Spike and two of his last remaining vampire lackeys stalked Willow, taking turns attacking her. The three of them proved too much for the petite vampire and she began to retreat, trying to find a way out of this fix. "Spikey, let's talk about this. You know you can't just kill me in cold blood, don't you, lover?"
Spike sneered. "Actually, I was planning on doing just that, m'dear! It'll be a bloody good time -- pardon the pun." The vamps converged on Willow as Spike reached out and grabbed her by the neck, preparing for the killing blow.
Suddenly, a loud bang was heard. Spike whirled around, forgetting about Willow in his momentary surprise. Willow quickly scurried away, putting some distance between herself and the enraged British vampire. Then she saw what was responsible for the loud noise and a smile slowly crept onto her face. "At last, things are finally starting to look up..." she murmured.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Xander and Angel were both standing near Buffy protectively, having just finished off the last of the vamps. Only Spike, Willow and the two vamps assisting the blond were still standing.
Angel watched for a minute as Spike turned on Willow, but finally said, "I think we should get out of here before anything else happens."
Xander shook his head. "No, I'm going to put an end to this war tonight, with or without your help."
Angel sighed and nodded. "I thought you might say something like that." He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out his last stake. "Well, I can't leave you in here to fight them alone, now can I?"
Buffy looked at them both like they were crazy. "What are you saying?" she demanded, grabbing Xander's arm and forcing him to look at her. "We have a clear shot at an escape and you want to stay here? Spike's gonna kill her, you don't have to worry..."
Before Xander could reply, they heard a loud bang, like the slamming of doors. Buffy gazed with trepidation at the front entranceway, her face paling at the sight of twenty or thirty more vampires pouring into the room. A quick glance behind her affirmed that even more vamps were coming through the hole that Nathan's exploding, red powder had made in the wall.
"Uh guys..." she said, tugging anxiously on Xander's sleeve. "We've got company."
Suddenly, Willow's voice could be heard echoing throughout the building. "Kill them all!!!"
One of the vamps, the plaid-loving fellow named Seth, pointed at Spike and asked, "Even him?"
Willow looked over at Spike who was watching her with actual fear behind his eyes. She grinned, repeating almost to the letter what he'd said earlier. "Especially him."