A/N: Okay my pathetic try at comedy has been noted and I will no longer try
to mix my angst with humor. I plan on writing one more chapter after this
but I'll stop if you guys think I should.
Xander's POV:
What was once a lively room, beginning to fill with warmth, became as dead as a morgue. The tension was unbearable and that terrible feeling of hatred and anger that I felt before raged inside of me at the sight of my old friend.
"Hey guys." A visibly detached Buffy greeted. But she quickly recovered and put on a determined face. She marched into the living room where we all were gathered. The remaining potentials weren't even able to look directly at Buffy's, knowing that something ugly was about to happen.
"Look," growled a seemingly upset Buffy. "I know I messed up and I'm deeply sorry for the casualties but this is war. More mistakes will be made and, unfortunately, more lives will be lost. I had to send you guys out to battle. I had to prepare you for the fight we are going to have to win. For the sake of the human race.
"But that doesn't mean you send us out on suicide missions." shouted an irate Kennedy, shooting daggers at our "leader." "Kennedy." Willow replied with a soothing yet warning tone. "No Willow. We might not have liked you Buffy or completely agreed with your other decisions, but we respected you. And whether we trust you or not you have our lives in your hands. So I can't figure out for the life of me why you turn around and do something so bone-headed!"
"Listen you little brat," snarled a defensive Buffy. "I've saved the world time and time again from every apocalypse that's come threatened it. You come out of nowhere and you have the nerve to talk to me like that? Go save the world then come back and try to talk to me like you're my equal!"
Oh crap. Tell me she didn't just say that. Everyone in the room looks like they've just been slapped in the face by that comment. Well, Buffy finally voiced her feelings. Sadly, instead of saying how much she cares about us she tells us how superior she is to us.
"Hey listen up, B. Just because you've seen more action on the field doesn't give you the right to talk down to the girls." Said as she stood up and walked toward Buffy in her patented "bad-ass" strut. "Hell, you've also seen more action with vampires but that doesn't make you good enough to hang on to Angel."
I couldn't help it. I smirked. That comment knocked Buffy right off her high horse.
"You bitch," seethed an irate Buffy. This is the most I've in her for a long time. "You don't know anything of my affairs and I refused to be judged by some leather clad hussy who should be in jail instead of here in MY town pretending to be someone she isn't. THE SLAYER!"
That was it. I had to put my two cents in. "Oh shut up, Buffy. I'm tired of your holier-that-thou attitude." I yell voicing only a fraction of the frustration I feel toward her. "You can't justify what you did by telling us it was for our own good. You were impatient and your mistake cost us dearly." I explain as patiently as I can as I unconsciously touch the bandage over my now empty eye socket. "This is definitely not the time to be all superior."
Buffy's wrath is now directed toward me and she glares at me with anger and pain in her eyes. Now she finally decides to notice me. "How could you Xander? After everything we've been through I expected you to be the most loyal. Hell, I even trusted you more than Willow, with the whole magic thing she can protect herself if she ever decides to get off her ass and use it." At that comment Will had to physically hold Kennedy back. "But you Xander," continued Buffy. " I saved you more times than anyone else and you betray me? How could you do this to me?
I look at her completely bewildered and rightly pissed off. Before I can say another word Giles comes down the stairs looking even madder than me.
" Buffy, you little ingrate." growled Giles looking more like the Ripper than I've ever seen. "How dare you say such things to people you once claimed as friends after your horribly pig-headed mistake!? If by some miracle these people still have even an ounce of respect for you after your careless job as leader a few nights ago, then you certainly lost it by your performance tonight. Your mother would be ashamed."
"You of all people shouldn't be preaching to me the difference between right and wrong. You encouraged me to step up and take my troops to war without emotions or feelings. You even tried to kill Spike, one of our best fighters. If he hadn't been able to escape he would've died. Wouldn't that have been a terrible mistake on your part?"
I look over at Spike to confirm this new revelation, but he only looks down, obviously embarrassed for Buffy's behavior.
"That's enough." Willow stated with a calm yet demanding force that even got Buffy to shut her mouth. "Buffy, it's over. The girls no longer look at you as their leader. Your only choice now is to resign GRACEFULLY and try to show some respect to their new leader, Faith." "What?!" squawked Buffy. "You are going to have a murderer as your new leader? You trust a convict more than me?"
"Buffy," sighed an exasperated Willow. " you may be the original Slayer, but you still have a lot of growing up to do. Maybe you still do need a Watcher."
Wow. That was below the belt. Have I mentioned how much I love Willow?
" You guys can't be serious. All of you can't be against me. Spike? "Sorry Slayer but when I got rid of this trigger I reevaluated my unlife and I'm my own man now. Your behavior is nothing short of disgraceful. It's one thing to treat me like dirt but these are your supposed friends."
Woo-hoo Spike! Good for you! Way to get your "stones" back.
"Damn you. And I thought I was falling for you." Cried Buffy with venom in her voice that rivaled The First's. "Dawn, you still love me, right?"
Dawn stepped right to her sister and kissed her on the cheek. "I think you should leave Buffy." Said Dawn as she pulled away from her.
Buffy looked at her with tears in her eyes. "No you get out. If I can' lead you guys then get the Hell out of my house. I refuse to fight with those who would so easily turn their backs on me!"
"What!" a shocked Willow managed to squeak out while gaping. The rest of us were still trying to process what we had just heard. "But Buffy, you're the Slayer. Even if you aren't our general we still need you to fight along side us." Implored a completely rattled Giles. "Then you guys won't mind having me as your leader." Buffy replied in a matter-of-factly tone. "For the greater good, of course."
I can honestly say that I have never hated someone more than I hate her now. Not Caleb. Not even Angel.
"We'll talk about it in the morning." Said Buffy as she turned to go upstairs. "Goodnight." She called over her shoulder leaving us to stew in our own hate until we went to bed.
Later That Night:
After the night's earlier events, sleep was impossible so I decided to get something to eat. Unfortunately, a certain self righteous slayer decided to join me. "Hey Xander. I'm sorry about earlier but you have to understand that at one point you have to choose which your going to follow. Your reason or your emotions. And I chose reason." Explained Buffy. I groan inwardly as I remember The First's words. She moves to cup the side of my face where I lost my eye, but I move away. "Goodnight." Sighed Buffy and she left.
After I was done, I went back to bed to see if I could fall into an uneasy sleep. AS I closed my door, I heard her voice. "My poor Alexander. She doesn't deserve you. She doesn't deserve any of you." Cooed Buffy/The 1st. " Now can't you see, Alexander? You can't win with her and you don't have a chance without her. Not with a Slayer who thinks so low of people she once called her friends." Persuaded Buffy/The 1st as she moved to stand in front of me. "Join me and together we will put her in her place. You really have no choice."
I looked at her completely drained of all fight against her. Filled only with pain, anger, frustration, and most of all, sadness for Buffy Summers.
"What do you want me to do.....Master?"
R/R people PLEASEEEEEEE It's chicken soup for the soul!
LOVE, Jaded316
Xander's POV:
What was once a lively room, beginning to fill with warmth, became as dead as a morgue. The tension was unbearable and that terrible feeling of hatred and anger that I felt before raged inside of me at the sight of my old friend.
"Hey guys." A visibly detached Buffy greeted. But she quickly recovered and put on a determined face. She marched into the living room where we all were gathered. The remaining potentials weren't even able to look directly at Buffy's, knowing that something ugly was about to happen.
"Look," growled a seemingly upset Buffy. "I know I messed up and I'm deeply sorry for the casualties but this is war. More mistakes will be made and, unfortunately, more lives will be lost. I had to send you guys out to battle. I had to prepare you for the fight we are going to have to win. For the sake of the human race.
"But that doesn't mean you send us out on suicide missions." shouted an irate Kennedy, shooting daggers at our "leader." "Kennedy." Willow replied with a soothing yet warning tone. "No Willow. We might not have liked you Buffy or completely agreed with your other decisions, but we respected you. And whether we trust you or not you have our lives in your hands. So I can't figure out for the life of me why you turn around and do something so bone-headed!"
"Listen you little brat," snarled a defensive Buffy. "I've saved the world time and time again from every apocalypse that's come threatened it. You come out of nowhere and you have the nerve to talk to me like that? Go save the world then come back and try to talk to me like you're my equal!"
Oh crap. Tell me she didn't just say that. Everyone in the room looks like they've just been slapped in the face by that comment. Well, Buffy finally voiced her feelings. Sadly, instead of saying how much she cares about us she tells us how superior she is to us.
"Hey listen up, B. Just because you've seen more action on the field doesn't give you the right to talk down to the girls." Said as she stood up and walked toward Buffy in her patented "bad-ass" strut. "Hell, you've also seen more action with vampires but that doesn't make you good enough to hang on to Angel."
I couldn't help it. I smirked. That comment knocked Buffy right off her high horse.
"You bitch," seethed an irate Buffy. This is the most I've in her for a long time. "You don't know anything of my affairs and I refused to be judged by some leather clad hussy who should be in jail instead of here in MY town pretending to be someone she isn't. THE SLAYER!"
That was it. I had to put my two cents in. "Oh shut up, Buffy. I'm tired of your holier-that-thou attitude." I yell voicing only a fraction of the frustration I feel toward her. "You can't justify what you did by telling us it was for our own good. You were impatient and your mistake cost us dearly." I explain as patiently as I can as I unconsciously touch the bandage over my now empty eye socket. "This is definitely not the time to be all superior."
Buffy's wrath is now directed toward me and she glares at me with anger and pain in her eyes. Now she finally decides to notice me. "How could you Xander? After everything we've been through I expected you to be the most loyal. Hell, I even trusted you more than Willow, with the whole magic thing she can protect herself if she ever decides to get off her ass and use it." At that comment Will had to physically hold Kennedy back. "But you Xander," continued Buffy. " I saved you more times than anyone else and you betray me? How could you do this to me?
I look at her completely bewildered and rightly pissed off. Before I can say another word Giles comes down the stairs looking even madder than me.
" Buffy, you little ingrate." growled Giles looking more like the Ripper than I've ever seen. "How dare you say such things to people you once claimed as friends after your horribly pig-headed mistake!? If by some miracle these people still have even an ounce of respect for you after your careless job as leader a few nights ago, then you certainly lost it by your performance tonight. Your mother would be ashamed."
"You of all people shouldn't be preaching to me the difference between right and wrong. You encouraged me to step up and take my troops to war without emotions or feelings. You even tried to kill Spike, one of our best fighters. If he hadn't been able to escape he would've died. Wouldn't that have been a terrible mistake on your part?"
I look over at Spike to confirm this new revelation, but he only looks down, obviously embarrassed for Buffy's behavior.
"That's enough." Willow stated with a calm yet demanding force that even got Buffy to shut her mouth. "Buffy, it's over. The girls no longer look at you as their leader. Your only choice now is to resign GRACEFULLY and try to show some respect to their new leader, Faith." "What?!" squawked Buffy. "You are going to have a murderer as your new leader? You trust a convict more than me?"
"Buffy," sighed an exasperated Willow. " you may be the original Slayer, but you still have a lot of growing up to do. Maybe you still do need a Watcher."
Wow. That was below the belt. Have I mentioned how much I love Willow?
" You guys can't be serious. All of you can't be against me. Spike? "Sorry Slayer but when I got rid of this trigger I reevaluated my unlife and I'm my own man now. Your behavior is nothing short of disgraceful. It's one thing to treat me like dirt but these are your supposed friends."
Woo-hoo Spike! Good for you! Way to get your "stones" back.
"Damn you. And I thought I was falling for you." Cried Buffy with venom in her voice that rivaled The First's. "Dawn, you still love me, right?"
Dawn stepped right to her sister and kissed her on the cheek. "I think you should leave Buffy." Said Dawn as she pulled away from her.
Buffy looked at her with tears in her eyes. "No you get out. If I can' lead you guys then get the Hell out of my house. I refuse to fight with those who would so easily turn their backs on me!"
"What!" a shocked Willow managed to squeak out while gaping. The rest of us were still trying to process what we had just heard. "But Buffy, you're the Slayer. Even if you aren't our general we still need you to fight along side us." Implored a completely rattled Giles. "Then you guys won't mind having me as your leader." Buffy replied in a matter-of-factly tone. "For the greater good, of course."
I can honestly say that I have never hated someone more than I hate her now. Not Caleb. Not even Angel.
"We'll talk about it in the morning." Said Buffy as she turned to go upstairs. "Goodnight." She called over her shoulder leaving us to stew in our own hate until we went to bed.
Later That Night:
After the night's earlier events, sleep was impossible so I decided to get something to eat. Unfortunately, a certain self righteous slayer decided to join me. "Hey Xander. I'm sorry about earlier but you have to understand that at one point you have to choose which your going to follow. Your reason or your emotions. And I chose reason." Explained Buffy. I groan inwardly as I remember The First's words. She moves to cup the side of my face where I lost my eye, but I move away. "Goodnight." Sighed Buffy and she left.
After I was done, I went back to bed to see if I could fall into an uneasy sleep. AS I closed my door, I heard her voice. "My poor Alexander. She doesn't deserve you. She doesn't deserve any of you." Cooed Buffy/The 1st. " Now can't you see, Alexander? You can't win with her and you don't have a chance without her. Not with a Slayer who thinks so low of people she once called her friends." Persuaded Buffy/The 1st as she moved to stand in front of me. "Join me and together we will put her in her place. You really have no choice."
I looked at her completely drained of all fight against her. Filled only with pain, anger, frustration, and most of all, sadness for Buffy Summers.
"What do you want me to do.....Master?"
R/R people PLEASEEEEEEE It's chicken soup for the soul!
LOVE, Jaded316