The Angel's Knight #35 - Buffy and Angelus, One Last Time
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110 miles north of Los Angeles, October 16, 2017
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If there is one good thing about becoming a ghost, it's the fact that you get to watch a lot of things you couldn't normally. When I was a kid and everyone knew I was there they always tried to keep things from me. For my own good, of course. Couldn't let little Dawnie know about the big bad things that roam the night, even if it was my own sister who went out to fight these things. That simply wouldn't do, would it?
Of course most of these memories are fake. I know that. I know a lot of things now. As I said, being invisible to the world allows you to pick up quite a few facts without anyone noticing. I was there when Celeste gave Giles the whole revelations talk thing and explained his origins to him. Which, come to think of it, are pretty close to my own, aren't they? I, too, am a thing that was told to be somebody and did such a good job of it that no one noticed, not even myself.
For a while, at least.
The big problem is that, and don't ask me how, I was tied to my sister, or the woman I believed to be my sister. Buffy, the Slayer. I loved her, really did, despite all the mean things I sometimes said to her. Then everyone found out what I am and what I was supposed to do and Buffy died for me. She died when it was me who should have died and told me that I had to live for her now. Only I couldn't do that since, without her around, I started to fade.
And now? In the span of less than an hour everything has turned upside down. Buffy is back, has been back for a few days now, only no one noticed. For a while, at least. In some way she has been brought back as a girl of seventeen, younger than me now, and thought her name was Diana. Only it's not. She's Buffy. She's back.
For how long, though?
I know what is happening. I understand why it's happening. I know that there is nothing I can do about it. None of the above makes it any easier. My sister was just returned to me, damn it! Can't they give us even a minute to just be happy about that? No, of course not! Instead we are plunged right into the middle of the bloodiest battle I ever saw (and that's saying a lot, seeing as I accompanied Angel and his people without them knowing about it on a lot of missions). Now just about everyone I ever loved, my entire adopted family, lies dead here in this underground chamber, something I'm sure I can't afford to think about right now.
Everyone is dead except Celeste, Faith, Buffy and Angel. Only Angel isn't looking so good right now, either.
I watch as he rises to his feet and in that simple movement alone it's evident that he is no longer the man I have known for so long. There is arrogance in the way he moves, cockiness, and an almost tangible aura of malevolence. When he looks up there is a cruel smile on his face and his eyes ... his eyes are completely empty, devoid of all humanity and compassion.
"Hello, lover," Angelus says, his eyes locked on Buffy. "I didn't expect to ever have this pleasure again."
"Enjoy it while you can," Buffy says, returning his stare.
God, I don't even know what to think right now. Buffy is back and Angel ... he did this to himself. The one thing he's afraid of more than anything and he did it to himself. I know why, I know how this must end, but ... God, can't we have a break for once? Why is this happening? Somebody has to explain to me why this has to happen!
I look over to where the two bad guys are standing. The First Evil and the Powers That Be. I doubt those are their real names, if they have names at all. Celeste told us about them, told us why they are doing this. It's just a game to them, nothing but a really fancy boxing match, and all their money's riding on the outcome of this battle. The one that was already finished when Angel ... did that to himself.
"Interesting plan," Angelus says, casually strolling closer to Buffy. "I switch sides at the last second by becoming my old self and so the battle goes on, neither side a winner just yet."
He stops just out of kicking range and his smile turns into a leer. "Really, Buff! Do you expect me to just play along with your and Soulboy's little racket here? I thought you knew me better than that."
"You don't have a choice," Buffy growls, but still not moving.
"Don't I? Well, I could always just let you kill me and then you'd be in the exact same position as before, only without your star-crossed lover by your side. Wouldn't that be something?" He cocks his head to one side. "But no, can't really see myself doing that. Sacrificing my life for a cheap punch line? No!"
He locks eyes with her once again and all the taunting vanishes from his face. "Guess I'll just have to kill you and then claim to Torch to unleash Hell on Earth, don't I? How does that sound for fun?"
Buffy takes her eyes off him for half a second and looks at me. She can see me? I want nothing more than to run to her and assure myself that she is real, that I am real, but there is no time for that. Before I can even blink her eyes are back on Angelus and a moment later both of them start to move.
The fight is fast and furious and I don't have the words to describe it. They both move so fast that their shapes are becoming blurry. I can hear the impacts of fist on flesh and the breaking of bones, but neither of them slows down. I feel tears running down my cheeks, but I don't take my eyes off them.
I know of a handful of times they fought before. Really fought, I mean, not just sparring with each other when Angel was his good self. I think that, except for that time when Buffy had the flu and could barely stand up straight, she was always able to get the better of Angelus. Barely. But that was years ago, so many years. Since then many things have changed.
Not the least of which that Angel, while his good self, has drunk the blood of a Slayer from Buffy's veins, making him stronger than he ever was before.
There is no sound in the cave except their movements, their grunts of pain, Angelus' occasional laugh of pleasure when he manages to get a hit in on Buffy. The fight is five minutes old and both of them are starting to slow down from exhaustion. I can see Angelus' eyes and there is nothing but madness there, madness and a never-ending bloodlust.
Buffy, her sweat-soaked hair plastered to her face, is pure determination. I would never have told her that, but I always admired that in her. No matter how painful things were, no matter how hard it seemed, she always went ahead and did it anyway. She never gave up. I know we are not really sisters, Buffy, but I love you. Please don't do this! Please live! For me!
They fight on, their movements now clearly showing the pain they are both in. They use everything around them as weapons, snatching them from fallen warriors of both sides, using every advantage they can get. It almost looks like a dance they're performing, but I never saw a dance that left both participants bleeding and broken. It's violence, pure and simple.
Why does this have to happen? Buffy died to save the world twice! Why couldn't they give her a break just this once? I look over at the two bastards who caused all this and I see them watching with anticipation, each of them silently cheering on their champion in this sick and twisted game. God, if only there was something I could do. There has to be something.
Who am I kidding? I'm a ghost. Just because a few more people can see me now that Buffy is back doesn't mean I can do anything. Cordelia said something about me having a lot of power inside me, but she's dead now just like everyone else. I don't know what she meant; I don't know how I can possibly do anything here. I wish someone would tell me.
I see Celeste standing close to Faith, who is watching the battle intently. I can see it in her eyes, teary like my own, that she would like nothing better than to jump in there and stop this from happening. Her hands cradle the glowing sphere that is Angel's soul, fingers brushing across its surface, and I wonder how it feels like to hold a soul in your palm. I doubt Faith even notices. Just like me she has figured it out. Figured out how this battle must end. Just like me she doesn't want Buffy to die, doesn't want Angel to die, but it's not her decision to make anymore. It's all out of our hands now.
"There must be something we can do," I whisper to Celeste, knowing her answer before she even opens her mouth. "We can't allow this to happen!"
"It must happen," she says without taking her eyes off the fight. "It's the only way." She turns to look at me and her eyes are so full of compassion that I can feel my heart skip a beat. "I wish there was another way, Dawnie, but there isn't. The game offers but two endings, neither of them acceptable. This is our one shot at changing the rules and writing our own ending. It has to play out."
I know she is right, but that doesn't make it any easier.
A cry of pain from Buffy snaps me out of my thoughts and back to the fight. She has stumbled, her ankle twisted painfully, and blood is running down her face, obscuring her vision. The sword she had a moment ago goes tumbling away into the mass of bodies covering the floor.
Angelus is still on his feet, a huge broadsword in hand, and goes in for the kill. No, this can't be happening. Please, this can't ...
At the last second Angelus spins away, foregoing the perfect opportunity to win this fight. He stops a few steps away and his grin threatens to split his face in two. What the ...?
"Not that easy, lover," he says, sounding incredibly smug. "Do you really think I'd fall for that?"
Buffy rises again, panting heavily, and I see that her left hand is clutching a stake. She was faking it, trying to lure Angelus in.
"Worth a try," she quips, but her voice is raspy, shaking. She can't keep this up much longer. Angelus has to be just as tired and worn out as she is, but you'd never know it from the smile on his face.
"I've seen you look better, Buff. Don't tell me you're getting tired already! I waited so long for this, I want to enjoy it as long as I possibly can."
"Cut the bullshit, Angelus," she snarls at him. "You're only here because we needed you. You're nothing but a shadow, a half-remembered nightmare that kept Angel awake some nights. He is ten times stronger than you will ever be and in the end no one will remember you, only the man who gave his all to save the world."
"I guess that very much depends on who wins our little fisticuffs here, wouldn't you say? And right now, babe, you're not looking like a winner to me."
"Says the guy with the wrinkly forehead and the overbite!"
They're bantering? Now? I can't believe this. What are they doing? God, this is insane to the highest degree.
A moment later the battle is on again, Buffy and Angelus tearing into each other with renewed vigor. I don't think I can watch this anymore. Buffy is going to get herself killed, again, and once again I can't do anything but stand around and look stupid. It's my turn, damn it! I was supposed to die to stop Glory's portal from opening! Not Buffy, me! Why does she have to die again when it wasn't even her turn the first time?
And then, without warning, it's over. Buffy makes a wrong step when the impact of Angelus' sword on her own reacquired weapon drives her back and slips in a puddle of blood. Reacting so fast I can't even see him move Angelus drives his weapon forward and runs Buffy through with three feet of steel.
Oh my God, no! This can't be happening! No, please no!
Buffy cries in pain and Angelus laughs, driving her further back and into one of the giant stone columns that support the roof of this underground chamber. The tip of the sword explodes from Buffy's back in a shower of blood and is rammed into the stone, pinning her to it like a butterfly. I can't look at this! It's just a bad dream! It has to be!
Angelus just laughs.
"You might not be quite human anymore, lover," he whispers to her as she convulses in pain, "but I bet this will kill you nevertheless."
A moment later his fangs are buried in her neck and Buffy screams, a scream that tears right through me and leaves me a sobbing mess on the floor. It wasn't meant to happen this way. Not this way! Buffy wins, it's what she does. Sometimes she dies doing it, but she wins. Why isn't she winning? It isn't supposed to go down like this!
It seems to take forever until Buffy grows still and Angelus finally lets go, his mouth smeared with blood, his eyes glowing with triumph. This isn't Angel, Angel would never look like this. Angelus is nothing but an animal and ... my God, this animal just killed my sister and won the war.
"Well," the thing that looks like a lawyer said. "It looks like this prophecy we manufactured about Angel playing a vital part in the apocalypse turned out right after all." He turns to look at the thing beside him, the one that wears a silly hat and looks like a pouting child right now. "Don't you want to congratulate me?"
"I think I should be the one to receive the congratulations, don't you think?" Angelus turns away from Buffy, licking his lips. "In fact, I think I should be the one to ..."
Suddenly he falls silent, a shudder running through his body. His demon face vanishes, melting back into his human mask and he looks confused. What is going on here? Why is there a ... is that a bloodstain spreading on his chest?
He turns round and ... Buffy's got her eyes open. Her face is white as a sheet, she looks more dead than alive, but there is the barest hint of a smile on her lips.
"Who says you don't fall for that?" she asks, her voice barely more than a whisper as Angelus looks back and forth between her and the stake that has been thrust into his back and now protrudes from his chest where his heart should be.
A moment later he explodes into ash.
Faith takes off running the moment he does, appearing at Buffy's side so quickly it seems as if she teleported. Buffy's eyes close, the hand that thrust the stake into Angelus limply falling to her side.
"B? B, talk to me!" Faith is crying openly now, but doesn't even seem to notice. Why is she crying? Buffy won, didn't she? It was all just a fake- out to get Angelus to get close. I know that that isn't true, I know that she planned it all this way, but for a moment my mind refuses to acknowledge that. Buffy won. Everything should be fine now. Just fine.
Except Buffy isn't breathing.
"She's dead," Faith snarls, twisting around to gaze at the two bad guys with blazing eyes.
The lawyer and the guy with the funny hat look at each other.
"Well now," the lawyer starts, his eyes sweeping the battlefield around him. The one where no one is moving anymore. The one where everybody died. "This is certainly ... unexpected."
TO BE CONTINUED
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110 miles north of Los Angeles, October 16, 2017
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If there is one good thing about becoming a ghost, it's the fact that you get to watch a lot of things you couldn't normally. When I was a kid and everyone knew I was there they always tried to keep things from me. For my own good, of course. Couldn't let little Dawnie know about the big bad things that roam the night, even if it was my own sister who went out to fight these things. That simply wouldn't do, would it?
Of course most of these memories are fake. I know that. I know a lot of things now. As I said, being invisible to the world allows you to pick up quite a few facts without anyone noticing. I was there when Celeste gave Giles the whole revelations talk thing and explained his origins to him. Which, come to think of it, are pretty close to my own, aren't they? I, too, am a thing that was told to be somebody and did such a good job of it that no one noticed, not even myself.
For a while, at least.
The big problem is that, and don't ask me how, I was tied to my sister, or the woman I believed to be my sister. Buffy, the Slayer. I loved her, really did, despite all the mean things I sometimes said to her. Then everyone found out what I am and what I was supposed to do and Buffy died for me. She died when it was me who should have died and told me that I had to live for her now. Only I couldn't do that since, without her around, I started to fade.
And now? In the span of less than an hour everything has turned upside down. Buffy is back, has been back for a few days now, only no one noticed. For a while, at least. In some way she has been brought back as a girl of seventeen, younger than me now, and thought her name was Diana. Only it's not. She's Buffy. She's back.
For how long, though?
I know what is happening. I understand why it's happening. I know that there is nothing I can do about it. None of the above makes it any easier. My sister was just returned to me, damn it! Can't they give us even a minute to just be happy about that? No, of course not! Instead we are plunged right into the middle of the bloodiest battle I ever saw (and that's saying a lot, seeing as I accompanied Angel and his people without them knowing about it on a lot of missions). Now just about everyone I ever loved, my entire adopted family, lies dead here in this underground chamber, something I'm sure I can't afford to think about right now.
Everyone is dead except Celeste, Faith, Buffy and Angel. Only Angel isn't looking so good right now, either.
I watch as he rises to his feet and in that simple movement alone it's evident that he is no longer the man I have known for so long. There is arrogance in the way he moves, cockiness, and an almost tangible aura of malevolence. When he looks up there is a cruel smile on his face and his eyes ... his eyes are completely empty, devoid of all humanity and compassion.
"Hello, lover," Angelus says, his eyes locked on Buffy. "I didn't expect to ever have this pleasure again."
"Enjoy it while you can," Buffy says, returning his stare.
God, I don't even know what to think right now. Buffy is back and Angel ... he did this to himself. The one thing he's afraid of more than anything and he did it to himself. I know why, I know how this must end, but ... God, can't we have a break for once? Why is this happening? Somebody has to explain to me why this has to happen!
I look over to where the two bad guys are standing. The First Evil and the Powers That Be. I doubt those are their real names, if they have names at all. Celeste told us about them, told us why they are doing this. It's just a game to them, nothing but a really fancy boxing match, and all their money's riding on the outcome of this battle. The one that was already finished when Angel ... did that to himself.
"Interesting plan," Angelus says, casually strolling closer to Buffy. "I switch sides at the last second by becoming my old self and so the battle goes on, neither side a winner just yet."
He stops just out of kicking range and his smile turns into a leer. "Really, Buff! Do you expect me to just play along with your and Soulboy's little racket here? I thought you knew me better than that."
"You don't have a choice," Buffy growls, but still not moving.
"Don't I? Well, I could always just let you kill me and then you'd be in the exact same position as before, only without your star-crossed lover by your side. Wouldn't that be something?" He cocks his head to one side. "But no, can't really see myself doing that. Sacrificing my life for a cheap punch line? No!"
He locks eyes with her once again and all the taunting vanishes from his face. "Guess I'll just have to kill you and then claim to Torch to unleash Hell on Earth, don't I? How does that sound for fun?"
Buffy takes her eyes off him for half a second and looks at me. She can see me? I want nothing more than to run to her and assure myself that she is real, that I am real, but there is no time for that. Before I can even blink her eyes are back on Angelus and a moment later both of them start to move.
The fight is fast and furious and I don't have the words to describe it. They both move so fast that their shapes are becoming blurry. I can hear the impacts of fist on flesh and the breaking of bones, but neither of them slows down. I feel tears running down my cheeks, but I don't take my eyes off them.
I know of a handful of times they fought before. Really fought, I mean, not just sparring with each other when Angel was his good self. I think that, except for that time when Buffy had the flu and could barely stand up straight, she was always able to get the better of Angelus. Barely. But that was years ago, so many years. Since then many things have changed.
Not the least of which that Angel, while his good self, has drunk the blood of a Slayer from Buffy's veins, making him stronger than he ever was before.
There is no sound in the cave except their movements, their grunts of pain, Angelus' occasional laugh of pleasure when he manages to get a hit in on Buffy. The fight is five minutes old and both of them are starting to slow down from exhaustion. I can see Angelus' eyes and there is nothing but madness there, madness and a never-ending bloodlust.
Buffy, her sweat-soaked hair plastered to her face, is pure determination. I would never have told her that, but I always admired that in her. No matter how painful things were, no matter how hard it seemed, she always went ahead and did it anyway. She never gave up. I know we are not really sisters, Buffy, but I love you. Please don't do this! Please live! For me!
They fight on, their movements now clearly showing the pain they are both in. They use everything around them as weapons, snatching them from fallen warriors of both sides, using every advantage they can get. It almost looks like a dance they're performing, but I never saw a dance that left both participants bleeding and broken. It's violence, pure and simple.
Why does this have to happen? Buffy died to save the world twice! Why couldn't they give her a break just this once? I look over at the two bastards who caused all this and I see them watching with anticipation, each of them silently cheering on their champion in this sick and twisted game. God, if only there was something I could do. There has to be something.
Who am I kidding? I'm a ghost. Just because a few more people can see me now that Buffy is back doesn't mean I can do anything. Cordelia said something about me having a lot of power inside me, but she's dead now just like everyone else. I don't know what she meant; I don't know how I can possibly do anything here. I wish someone would tell me.
I see Celeste standing close to Faith, who is watching the battle intently. I can see it in her eyes, teary like my own, that she would like nothing better than to jump in there and stop this from happening. Her hands cradle the glowing sphere that is Angel's soul, fingers brushing across its surface, and I wonder how it feels like to hold a soul in your palm. I doubt Faith even notices. Just like me she has figured it out. Figured out how this battle must end. Just like me she doesn't want Buffy to die, doesn't want Angel to die, but it's not her decision to make anymore. It's all out of our hands now.
"There must be something we can do," I whisper to Celeste, knowing her answer before she even opens her mouth. "We can't allow this to happen!"
"It must happen," she says without taking her eyes off the fight. "It's the only way." She turns to look at me and her eyes are so full of compassion that I can feel my heart skip a beat. "I wish there was another way, Dawnie, but there isn't. The game offers but two endings, neither of them acceptable. This is our one shot at changing the rules and writing our own ending. It has to play out."
I know she is right, but that doesn't make it any easier.
A cry of pain from Buffy snaps me out of my thoughts and back to the fight. She has stumbled, her ankle twisted painfully, and blood is running down her face, obscuring her vision. The sword she had a moment ago goes tumbling away into the mass of bodies covering the floor.
Angelus is still on his feet, a huge broadsword in hand, and goes in for the kill. No, this can't be happening. Please, this can't ...
At the last second Angelus spins away, foregoing the perfect opportunity to win this fight. He stops a few steps away and his grin threatens to split his face in two. What the ...?
"Not that easy, lover," he says, sounding incredibly smug. "Do you really think I'd fall for that?"
Buffy rises again, panting heavily, and I see that her left hand is clutching a stake. She was faking it, trying to lure Angelus in.
"Worth a try," she quips, but her voice is raspy, shaking. She can't keep this up much longer. Angelus has to be just as tired and worn out as she is, but you'd never know it from the smile on his face.
"I've seen you look better, Buff. Don't tell me you're getting tired already! I waited so long for this, I want to enjoy it as long as I possibly can."
"Cut the bullshit, Angelus," she snarls at him. "You're only here because we needed you. You're nothing but a shadow, a half-remembered nightmare that kept Angel awake some nights. He is ten times stronger than you will ever be and in the end no one will remember you, only the man who gave his all to save the world."
"I guess that very much depends on who wins our little fisticuffs here, wouldn't you say? And right now, babe, you're not looking like a winner to me."
"Says the guy with the wrinkly forehead and the overbite!"
They're bantering? Now? I can't believe this. What are they doing? God, this is insane to the highest degree.
A moment later the battle is on again, Buffy and Angelus tearing into each other with renewed vigor. I don't think I can watch this anymore. Buffy is going to get herself killed, again, and once again I can't do anything but stand around and look stupid. It's my turn, damn it! I was supposed to die to stop Glory's portal from opening! Not Buffy, me! Why does she have to die again when it wasn't even her turn the first time?
And then, without warning, it's over. Buffy makes a wrong step when the impact of Angelus' sword on her own reacquired weapon drives her back and slips in a puddle of blood. Reacting so fast I can't even see him move Angelus drives his weapon forward and runs Buffy through with three feet of steel.
Oh my God, no! This can't be happening! No, please no!
Buffy cries in pain and Angelus laughs, driving her further back and into one of the giant stone columns that support the roof of this underground chamber. The tip of the sword explodes from Buffy's back in a shower of blood and is rammed into the stone, pinning her to it like a butterfly. I can't look at this! It's just a bad dream! It has to be!
Angelus just laughs.
"You might not be quite human anymore, lover," he whispers to her as she convulses in pain, "but I bet this will kill you nevertheless."
A moment later his fangs are buried in her neck and Buffy screams, a scream that tears right through me and leaves me a sobbing mess on the floor. It wasn't meant to happen this way. Not this way! Buffy wins, it's what she does. Sometimes she dies doing it, but she wins. Why isn't she winning? It isn't supposed to go down like this!
It seems to take forever until Buffy grows still and Angelus finally lets go, his mouth smeared with blood, his eyes glowing with triumph. This isn't Angel, Angel would never look like this. Angelus is nothing but an animal and ... my God, this animal just killed my sister and won the war.
"Well," the thing that looks like a lawyer said. "It looks like this prophecy we manufactured about Angel playing a vital part in the apocalypse turned out right after all." He turns to look at the thing beside him, the one that wears a silly hat and looks like a pouting child right now. "Don't you want to congratulate me?"
"I think I should be the one to receive the congratulations, don't you think?" Angelus turns away from Buffy, licking his lips. "In fact, I think I should be the one to ..."
Suddenly he falls silent, a shudder running through his body. His demon face vanishes, melting back into his human mask and he looks confused. What is going on here? Why is there a ... is that a bloodstain spreading on his chest?
He turns round and ... Buffy's got her eyes open. Her face is white as a sheet, she looks more dead than alive, but there is the barest hint of a smile on her lips.
"Who says you don't fall for that?" she asks, her voice barely more than a whisper as Angelus looks back and forth between her and the stake that has been thrust into his back and now protrudes from his chest where his heart should be.
A moment later he explodes into ash.
Faith takes off running the moment he does, appearing at Buffy's side so quickly it seems as if she teleported. Buffy's eyes close, the hand that thrust the stake into Angelus limply falling to her side.
"B? B, talk to me!" Faith is crying openly now, but doesn't even seem to notice. Why is she crying? Buffy won, didn't she? It was all just a fake- out to get Angelus to get close. I know that that isn't true, I know that she planned it all this way, but for a moment my mind refuses to acknowledge that. Buffy won. Everything should be fine now. Just fine.
Except Buffy isn't breathing.
"She's dead," Faith snarls, twisting around to gaze at the two bad guys with blazing eyes.
The lawyer and the guy with the funny hat look at each other.
"Well now," the lawyer starts, his eyes sweeping the battlefield around him. The one where no one is moving anymore. The one where everybody died. "This is certainly ... unexpected."
TO BE CONTINUED
