Hey again. Thank you thank you for reading still. This chapter has quotes
from the second part of "bargaining".
Also, I'm kinda iffy about the goodness of this chapter, but the process of getting a beta-reader is moving very slowly, so if you guys wanna leave a ton of CONSTRUCTIVE criticism, that would be sooo helpful! Thank you.
* * *
Finally, the loud noise had calmed down.
Anya crept out from behind the bush she was hiding in and saw the amber-haired girl.
"Who are you?" she asked.
The girl sighed. "You don't want to know…"
"I believe I'm the one here who knows what I want," Anya shot back.
Tara peeked out from behind Anya. "Are you her?" She asked.
"Her- who?" the girl asked.
"The slayer…the new one…"
"Yeah…"
"It's nice to meet you," Tara said, holding her hand out. "From what Willow was telling me about you, I didn't think I'd get the chance…"
The slayer nodded. For some reason, ever since she had come to Sunnydale, that little theory about people being stupid just kept popping up in her mind…
"Well," she said. "I'd better be going. Probably more vamps having parties, and we can't have that…"
She spotted Willow lying behind a tree.
"Well, most of us can't have that," she said disapprovingly and walked away.
Tara and Anya went over to Xander.
"Home-time?" Tara asked.
"Definitely."
* * *
"Bit!" Spike called as he made his way up the stairs. "Bit, I understand if you're upset, but you ought come out! You haven't even eate—"
Spike stopped outside Dawn's door. Her room was empty, and her window, open.
"Oh, shit."
* * *
Dawn was making her way down some street in Sunnydale. She wasn't really sure where she was going; She just needed to avoid the patrolling areas and get away from everyone. She'd keep going forever if she had to…someone in this world had to want her. At the moment it seemed like Buffy-bot was the one (sort-of) person in who cared about her…
She kept walking until she noticed a blond figure ahead running aimlessly.
"Buffy," she whispered aloud.
'No, no.' She said to herself. 'Buffy's gone. It can't be…'
But what if it was?
She ran, trying to catch up with the girl. It couldn't be Buffy-bot. She was wearing something black, and Buffy-bot was big on pink. They'd buried Buffy in a black dress…
Dawn ran after the girl and stopped when she realized where she was. The tower. The tower Buffy had jumped off of to save her. The world almost ended at that very spot, but it didn't. Buffy made it stop.
Dawn shook her head and followed the girl. She had made her way to the top of the tower. Before she caught up to the girl, she took a breath, anticipating disappointment or whatever was to come.
She climbed the last step and she saw her. She saw Buffy.
"Buffy?"
"There's no way…' Dawn thought to herself.
But then the girl turned to face her.
"Buffy, how…"
Buffy was back!! Holy shit, Buffy was back!!
"Is it you? I mean, really?…What are you?…"
Buffy turned back to the big, dark sky. There was not more than an inch between her and the long jump she had taken the last time she was in this world…
"No!" Yelled Dawn. "Don't! Don't jump, Buffy! Don't move! Just…walk to me. Please?"
Dawn couldn't understand what Buffy was doing…why would she do that again now that she had another chance to live? Of course, Dawn wasn't understanding much of anything at this point…
"I'm your sister," she continued desperately. "Dawn. We were up here together and then you went away…"
Dawn remembered it so clearly. Buffy told her she loved her and to live and be strong…
"…And you don't want to do that again. I don't know how you're back, but you are…Please, just stay still."
Dawn was begging her sister with her words and her eyes to stay with her, but she wasn't sure it was enough.
She took a small step closer to her sister when the platform creaked strongly under her. She had a feeling that they needed to get away. Now.
"…Or move, but towards me, because the tower was built by crazy people and I don't think it's holding up very well…"
Buffy still didn't move. Why wouldn't she move? She did love Dawn, didn't she?
"Talk to me!' she screamed. "Say something! I don't know what you're doing here…no! I don't care what or why…I just need to know that you're –"
Buffy finally opened her mouth.
"Is this hell?"
"What?" Dawn asked, confusion enveloping her face.
"Is this hell?" Buffy repeated, a little louder, as she faced her sister.
"No," Dawn said quickly. "Buffy, no. You're here. With me." Dawn smiled. She loved Buffy. She was all she needed right now.
"Whatever happened to you," she continued, "whatever you've been through…it's over now. You're –"
Dawn tried to get closer to Buffy; she so badly wanted to touch her. But with every move, the tower became weaker. Hinges started tearing apart, and pieces were falling down to the ground.
"We have to get off this tower!" she screamed.
Buffy was just staring into something far away.
"It was so clear here," Buffy was saying softly, "On this spot…I remember how…shiny and clear everything was. But now, now it's…"
"Buffy, please!"
Buffy closed her eyes.
"Listen to me," Dawn cried. "You told me I had to be strong…And I've tried. It's been so hard without you, but I try to be brave. I'm sorry. I promise I'll do better. I will. If you're with me. Stay with me. Please. I need you to live. Live. For—"
Buffy had been mouthing the words along with Dawn. That's what she'd told her. "I need you to live. Live…"
That's what shook her into reality. Reality. Dawn was standing in front of her, begging her to live.
"Dawn," she said softly, then yelled "Dawn!"
She ran to Dawn, and although there were broken pieces along the way, she managed to get herself and Dawn off the tower and to safety.
Dawn wrapped her arms around Buffy tightly.
"Buffy…" she said. "You're really here…"
Tears of happiness began to stream down Dawn's face.
"You're alive and you're home," she continued. "Buffy, you're home!"
Buffy hugged her sister in return. Everyone would be so happy to see her back…everyone but herself…
* * *
"Bit!" Spike called as he ran through the streets looking for Dawn. Buffy had asked him to take care of her, and now he'd lost her…'the slayer'd be right proud…' he thought to himself sarcastically.
He wandered aimlessly towards everywhere in Sunnydale that he could think of to go, desperately hoping that the bit hadn't taken a bus or plane to someplace far…until he ran into the scoobs.
"Spike!" Xander said, surprised. "Wait, where's Dawn?"
"Bugger," Spike muttered. "She's run off."
"You let her run off?"
"No I didn't let her!"
Xander shook his head. "Whatever, we've gotta find her. You guys split up and search out for her; I'm gonna drop Willow off and then I'll help you."
Xander walked as fast as he could with the extra weight of Willow on his shoulder, but not before he could shoot an angry glare at Spike. Those stupid vampires always messed everything up…he found himself wondering why no one had ever killed Spike…
* * *
Dawn and Buffy were walking arm in arm towards home. Buffy kept looking around at the world she had left. Why was she back? She thought she was done…most of the slayers before her had died even before they reached 20…
"Bit!"
Buffy and Dawn looked at each other.
"Is that…?" Buffy asked.
"Spike." said Dawn.
"Bit!" Spike yelled as Buffy and Dawn finally came into his view. "Where'd you run off to? You ought to come back home now, the whole gang is worried sick abou—"
Spike stopped when he realized Dawn was with Buffy—
"Bot," he said. "New look for you…"
Spike looked Buffy up and down.
"I like it," he said with a smile.
Buffy looked away. The tears were threatening to come.
"No," Spike said softly. "No, this isn't real…"
"It's Buffy," Dawn said. "Buffy's alive!"
Spike couldn't stop shaking his head…Buffy? No…
And then he remembered Willow slumped over Xander's shoulder with blood on her face. He'd smelled the young deer's blood…They'd done a bloody spell…
And her hands. Her hands were covered with blood. Her own blood…
"Slayer," he said as he walked towards her. "What happened to you?"
Buffy just looked away.
Spike looked closer at her hands and noticed the nails, messily broken and jagged…and covered with blood…
"No," Spike said. "Christ, you had to crawl out of your grave, didn't you?"
Buffy couldn't hold it in any longer. She shook with the sobs that came out of her.
Dawn stood back. No. No. That's horrible! She was buried alive…
Spike came closer to wrap his arms around Buffy. He wasn't her ideal comfort, but at this point she didn't care who was holding her…she just needed to be held…
"Dawnie!"
It was Tara. She had found them. And then she realized that the Buffy-bot – no, Buffy was crying on Spike's shoulder.
'It worked!' she thought to herself.
"Buffy," she said.
Dawn ran and hugged her.
"She's alive, Tara!! She's alive!!"
* * *
Willow was slightly moving, waking up. Things were somewhat of a blur. Then she remembered why she was so drained…the spell.
"Xander," she said.
"I'm here. But I gotta go. Dawn's missing."
"Dawnie…"
"Don't worry. We're gonna find her, Will. Even if I have to kill Spike to do it…"
"Xander, he wouldn't…"
"What is it with girls and vamps? You're all so trusting of the blood-sucking fiends!"
"He cares too much about Dawnie…" Willow gasped. "Spike…"
"Willow, are you okay? God, please be okay!"
"He's here…"
Xander turned around to find Spike standing in the doorway.
"I found her," he said. "And I found your project, too…"
"My project?"
Spike stepped aside to show Buffy standing behind him, hands bloodied, dress torn.
"Oh, God!"
Xander ran to Buffy and held her.
"Willow!" he yelled. "Willow, it worked!…oh, shit…"
"What?" Willow asked breathily, trying to stay conscious.
Xander took a deep breath and swallowed.
"It worked, but we didn't finish…we didn't…we didn't take her out of the ground…"
He held up a bloody hand.
"She had to crawl out of her own grave…"
As Willow realized what happened, her weak eyes began to release warm, salty tears. She would sob if she could, but she was too weak. All she could do was release the tears.
"Buffy," she whispered. "Oh god, I'm so sorry…"
Buffy just looked down at the floor, trying to stay strong.
Spike shook his head at the sorry scene and walked out…this was too much, and he wouldn't dare cry or show any weakness in front of the blooming idiots.
Spike made his way down the stairs until Dawn stopped him.
"Spike," she said.
Spike looked at the beautiful little thing and held her.
"I'm sorry," she said, tears streaming down. "I just needed to get away..."
"Shh...It's alright, nibblet." Spike kneeled down and held her chin up. "Your sister needs you…go help her."
"Okay," Dawn smiled through her tears. "I love you, Spike."
Spike nodded.
"You too, pet."
* * *
"Dawn!' Anya yelled. "Come out, come out wherever you are!"
"What is she, two?"
Anya turned around to find the new slayer standing behind her.
"The least you could do is help," she said.
"Me?" said the slayer. "No thanks. I've got demons to kill..."
"Well that was rude," Anya said to herself as the slayer ran away to her other endeavors.
* * *
Alexia continued on her way to hunt demons and creepy things, but it was looking pretty slow, so she decided to call her watcher.
"Mr. Darroch? It's me, Alexia…oh, I'm fine…yeah, I met Buffy's watcher…no, I don't think anyone around here is useful at all…I know you think I should train, but I don't like him! He's not…you. I know, I know. Hold on a sec—"
"I can hear you, you know!" She called out to a rustle in the bushes. "Hiding's gonna get you killed…hell, you're dying anyway, but I can give you a quickie if you make my life easy and just come out!"
Alexia took her stake out of her pocket and readied herself to make a kill. Then finally, the demon came out, and it was blond. And human.
Alexia sighed and dropped her stake.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Alexia asked the dumb-looking blond.
"I'm hunting vampires!" the girl said in a cheerful voice.
"I see I've started a trend…who are you?"
"I'm Buffy. The vampire slayer."
Alexia's jaw dropped 6 inches. "What?"
Also, I'm kinda iffy about the goodness of this chapter, but the process of getting a beta-reader is moving very slowly, so if you guys wanna leave a ton of CONSTRUCTIVE criticism, that would be sooo helpful! Thank you.
* * *
Finally, the loud noise had calmed down.
Anya crept out from behind the bush she was hiding in and saw the amber-haired girl.
"Who are you?" she asked.
The girl sighed. "You don't want to know…"
"I believe I'm the one here who knows what I want," Anya shot back.
Tara peeked out from behind Anya. "Are you her?" She asked.
"Her- who?" the girl asked.
"The slayer…the new one…"
"Yeah…"
"It's nice to meet you," Tara said, holding her hand out. "From what Willow was telling me about you, I didn't think I'd get the chance…"
The slayer nodded. For some reason, ever since she had come to Sunnydale, that little theory about people being stupid just kept popping up in her mind…
"Well," she said. "I'd better be going. Probably more vamps having parties, and we can't have that…"
She spotted Willow lying behind a tree.
"Well, most of us can't have that," she said disapprovingly and walked away.
Tara and Anya went over to Xander.
"Home-time?" Tara asked.
"Definitely."
* * *
"Bit!" Spike called as he made his way up the stairs. "Bit, I understand if you're upset, but you ought come out! You haven't even eate—"
Spike stopped outside Dawn's door. Her room was empty, and her window, open.
"Oh, shit."
* * *
Dawn was making her way down some street in Sunnydale. She wasn't really sure where she was going; She just needed to avoid the patrolling areas and get away from everyone. She'd keep going forever if she had to…someone in this world had to want her. At the moment it seemed like Buffy-bot was the one (sort-of) person in who cared about her…
She kept walking until she noticed a blond figure ahead running aimlessly.
"Buffy," she whispered aloud.
'No, no.' She said to herself. 'Buffy's gone. It can't be…'
But what if it was?
She ran, trying to catch up with the girl. It couldn't be Buffy-bot. She was wearing something black, and Buffy-bot was big on pink. They'd buried Buffy in a black dress…
Dawn ran after the girl and stopped when she realized where she was. The tower. The tower Buffy had jumped off of to save her. The world almost ended at that very spot, but it didn't. Buffy made it stop.
Dawn shook her head and followed the girl. She had made her way to the top of the tower. Before she caught up to the girl, she took a breath, anticipating disappointment or whatever was to come.
She climbed the last step and she saw her. She saw Buffy.
"Buffy?"
"There's no way…' Dawn thought to herself.
But then the girl turned to face her.
"Buffy, how…"
Buffy was back!! Holy shit, Buffy was back!!
"Is it you? I mean, really?…What are you?…"
Buffy turned back to the big, dark sky. There was not more than an inch between her and the long jump she had taken the last time she was in this world…
"No!" Yelled Dawn. "Don't! Don't jump, Buffy! Don't move! Just…walk to me. Please?"
Dawn couldn't understand what Buffy was doing…why would she do that again now that she had another chance to live? Of course, Dawn wasn't understanding much of anything at this point…
"I'm your sister," she continued desperately. "Dawn. We were up here together and then you went away…"
Dawn remembered it so clearly. Buffy told her she loved her and to live and be strong…
"…And you don't want to do that again. I don't know how you're back, but you are…Please, just stay still."
Dawn was begging her sister with her words and her eyes to stay with her, but she wasn't sure it was enough.
She took a small step closer to her sister when the platform creaked strongly under her. She had a feeling that they needed to get away. Now.
"…Or move, but towards me, because the tower was built by crazy people and I don't think it's holding up very well…"
Buffy still didn't move. Why wouldn't she move? She did love Dawn, didn't she?
"Talk to me!' she screamed. "Say something! I don't know what you're doing here…no! I don't care what or why…I just need to know that you're –"
Buffy finally opened her mouth.
"Is this hell?"
"What?" Dawn asked, confusion enveloping her face.
"Is this hell?" Buffy repeated, a little louder, as she faced her sister.
"No," Dawn said quickly. "Buffy, no. You're here. With me." Dawn smiled. She loved Buffy. She was all she needed right now.
"Whatever happened to you," she continued, "whatever you've been through…it's over now. You're –"
Dawn tried to get closer to Buffy; she so badly wanted to touch her. But with every move, the tower became weaker. Hinges started tearing apart, and pieces were falling down to the ground.
"We have to get off this tower!" she screamed.
Buffy was just staring into something far away.
"It was so clear here," Buffy was saying softly, "On this spot…I remember how…shiny and clear everything was. But now, now it's…"
"Buffy, please!"
Buffy closed her eyes.
"Listen to me," Dawn cried. "You told me I had to be strong…And I've tried. It's been so hard without you, but I try to be brave. I'm sorry. I promise I'll do better. I will. If you're with me. Stay with me. Please. I need you to live. Live. For—"
Buffy had been mouthing the words along with Dawn. That's what she'd told her. "I need you to live. Live…"
That's what shook her into reality. Reality. Dawn was standing in front of her, begging her to live.
"Dawn," she said softly, then yelled "Dawn!"
She ran to Dawn, and although there were broken pieces along the way, she managed to get herself and Dawn off the tower and to safety.
Dawn wrapped her arms around Buffy tightly.
"Buffy…" she said. "You're really here…"
Tears of happiness began to stream down Dawn's face.
"You're alive and you're home," she continued. "Buffy, you're home!"
Buffy hugged her sister in return. Everyone would be so happy to see her back…everyone but herself…
* * *
"Bit!" Spike called as he ran through the streets looking for Dawn. Buffy had asked him to take care of her, and now he'd lost her…'the slayer'd be right proud…' he thought to himself sarcastically.
He wandered aimlessly towards everywhere in Sunnydale that he could think of to go, desperately hoping that the bit hadn't taken a bus or plane to someplace far…until he ran into the scoobs.
"Spike!" Xander said, surprised. "Wait, where's Dawn?"
"Bugger," Spike muttered. "She's run off."
"You let her run off?"
"No I didn't let her!"
Xander shook his head. "Whatever, we've gotta find her. You guys split up and search out for her; I'm gonna drop Willow off and then I'll help you."
Xander walked as fast as he could with the extra weight of Willow on his shoulder, but not before he could shoot an angry glare at Spike. Those stupid vampires always messed everything up…he found himself wondering why no one had ever killed Spike…
* * *
Dawn and Buffy were walking arm in arm towards home. Buffy kept looking around at the world she had left. Why was she back? She thought she was done…most of the slayers before her had died even before they reached 20…
"Bit!"
Buffy and Dawn looked at each other.
"Is that…?" Buffy asked.
"Spike." said Dawn.
"Bit!" Spike yelled as Buffy and Dawn finally came into his view. "Where'd you run off to? You ought to come back home now, the whole gang is worried sick abou—"
Spike stopped when he realized Dawn was with Buffy—
"Bot," he said. "New look for you…"
Spike looked Buffy up and down.
"I like it," he said with a smile.
Buffy looked away. The tears were threatening to come.
"No," Spike said softly. "No, this isn't real…"
"It's Buffy," Dawn said. "Buffy's alive!"
Spike couldn't stop shaking his head…Buffy? No…
And then he remembered Willow slumped over Xander's shoulder with blood on her face. He'd smelled the young deer's blood…They'd done a bloody spell…
And her hands. Her hands were covered with blood. Her own blood…
"Slayer," he said as he walked towards her. "What happened to you?"
Buffy just looked away.
Spike looked closer at her hands and noticed the nails, messily broken and jagged…and covered with blood…
"No," Spike said. "Christ, you had to crawl out of your grave, didn't you?"
Buffy couldn't hold it in any longer. She shook with the sobs that came out of her.
Dawn stood back. No. No. That's horrible! She was buried alive…
Spike came closer to wrap his arms around Buffy. He wasn't her ideal comfort, but at this point she didn't care who was holding her…she just needed to be held…
"Dawnie!"
It was Tara. She had found them. And then she realized that the Buffy-bot – no, Buffy was crying on Spike's shoulder.
'It worked!' she thought to herself.
"Buffy," she said.
Dawn ran and hugged her.
"She's alive, Tara!! She's alive!!"
* * *
Willow was slightly moving, waking up. Things were somewhat of a blur. Then she remembered why she was so drained…the spell.
"Xander," she said.
"I'm here. But I gotta go. Dawn's missing."
"Dawnie…"
"Don't worry. We're gonna find her, Will. Even if I have to kill Spike to do it…"
"Xander, he wouldn't…"
"What is it with girls and vamps? You're all so trusting of the blood-sucking fiends!"
"He cares too much about Dawnie…" Willow gasped. "Spike…"
"Willow, are you okay? God, please be okay!"
"He's here…"
Xander turned around to find Spike standing in the doorway.
"I found her," he said. "And I found your project, too…"
"My project?"
Spike stepped aside to show Buffy standing behind him, hands bloodied, dress torn.
"Oh, God!"
Xander ran to Buffy and held her.
"Willow!" he yelled. "Willow, it worked!…oh, shit…"
"What?" Willow asked breathily, trying to stay conscious.
Xander took a deep breath and swallowed.
"It worked, but we didn't finish…we didn't…we didn't take her out of the ground…"
He held up a bloody hand.
"She had to crawl out of her own grave…"
As Willow realized what happened, her weak eyes began to release warm, salty tears. She would sob if she could, but she was too weak. All she could do was release the tears.
"Buffy," she whispered. "Oh god, I'm so sorry…"
Buffy just looked down at the floor, trying to stay strong.
Spike shook his head at the sorry scene and walked out…this was too much, and he wouldn't dare cry or show any weakness in front of the blooming idiots.
Spike made his way down the stairs until Dawn stopped him.
"Spike," she said.
Spike looked at the beautiful little thing and held her.
"I'm sorry," she said, tears streaming down. "I just needed to get away..."
"Shh...It's alright, nibblet." Spike kneeled down and held her chin up. "Your sister needs you…go help her."
"Okay," Dawn smiled through her tears. "I love you, Spike."
Spike nodded.
"You too, pet."
* * *
"Dawn!' Anya yelled. "Come out, come out wherever you are!"
"What is she, two?"
Anya turned around to find the new slayer standing behind her.
"The least you could do is help," she said.
"Me?" said the slayer. "No thanks. I've got demons to kill..."
"Well that was rude," Anya said to herself as the slayer ran away to her other endeavors.
* * *
Alexia continued on her way to hunt demons and creepy things, but it was looking pretty slow, so she decided to call her watcher.
"Mr. Darroch? It's me, Alexia…oh, I'm fine…yeah, I met Buffy's watcher…no, I don't think anyone around here is useful at all…I know you think I should train, but I don't like him! He's not…you. I know, I know. Hold on a sec—"
"I can hear you, you know!" She called out to a rustle in the bushes. "Hiding's gonna get you killed…hell, you're dying anyway, but I can give you a quickie if you make my life easy and just come out!"
Alexia took her stake out of her pocket and readied herself to make a kill. Then finally, the demon came out, and it was blond. And human.
Alexia sighed and dropped her stake.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Alexia asked the dumb-looking blond.
"I'm hunting vampires!" the girl said in a cheerful voice.
"I see I've started a trend…who are you?"
"I'm Buffy. The vampire slayer."
Alexia's jaw dropped 6 inches. "What?"