What If?

by Kayla

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Once everyone in the first group had made it safely out of the building, Rupert moved forward to look around the corner. "We're going to have to open up the front as well!" he called back to Willow. "Ah!" He lurched forward as something slammed into his back. He hit the floor and twisted, blanching as he saw Darla looming over him. He struggled, trying to keep her from sinking her fangs into him.

Willow fumbled in her pack, withdrawing a bottle of holy water. "Get off him!" she ordered angrily as she opened the bottle and dumped its contents onto the vampire attacking Rupert.

Darla shrieked, her hands clutching at her burning face. She lurched back and stumbled out the doorway, trailing smoke and the stench of burning flesh.

Rupert sat up. "Thank you," he gasped out, reaching up to straighten his glasses.

Willow smiled. "All in a day's work."

"The others?"

"Holding up. We have to get the rest out, though."

Rupert nodded. "If we get the front opened, they'll have an easy escape to the streets."

"Right." Willow followed his lead, wincing a bit as he staked a vampire that tried to rush past them. She gaped as it burst into a cloud of dust. "Cool," she whispered.

~~~~~~

"Hey, man!" Jesse glared at the vampire holding Cordelia captive. He raised a makeshift stake threateningly. "Don't make me do it."

Colin snarled and reluctantly stood. "Ok, let's deal with this." He bared his fangs.

"Dude," Jesse said with no small amount of disgust, "what happened to your eye?"

Colin covered his patch with one hand, then snarled. "That does it." He grabbed the annoying human and spun him around, slamming him up against a support beam. A sharp prick at his chest made him look down.

Jesse held the stake to the vampire's chest with a trembling hand, trying not to let on how utterly terrified he was at the moment.

Colin smirked as the aroma of fear surrounded him. "Well? Are you going to put me out of my misery?" he purred. "I don't think you have the guts--" His words were cut off abruptly as he was shoved from behind by a fleeing teenager.

Jesse watched in mild disbelief as the vampire dusted in front of him. "Well, that's one way to do it," he muttered. He reached a hand down to Cordelia, who was still lying on the floor in shock. "Hey, come on. You have to get out." He pulled her to her feet and pushed her towards the front door, which Rupert and Willow had managed to get open.

Jesse turned to head for the stage in case William and Xander needed any help. He didn't get far before being grabbed by two more vampires.

~~~~~~

Lucas had managed to get William in crushing grip, barely able to move. He grinned. "Master," he said reverently, "taste of this and be free." He lowered his head.

Xander raised the guitar he'd picked up and brought it smashing down on Lucas' head. The vampire released William and stumbled back. Xander briefly checked William for any noticeably gushing wounds before turning to smirk at the downed vampire. "So, how'd it taste?"

Lucas growled and stalked forward.

Thinking quickly, William bent and grabbed a microphone stand, raising it and aiming at the approaching vampire.

Lucas snorted in amusement. "You forget, metal can't hurt me."

"I believe there's something you forgot about, too," William commented smoothly. "Sunrise." He hurled the stand at the window behind Lucas.

Lucas ducked as the projectile flew past, breaking open the window and allowing in a flood of bright yellow light. He rose to his knees screaming, hands covering his face. After a moment, he paused, noticing the distinct lack of searing agony. He squinted at the light, making out the shape of a bright floodlight. He failed to notice Xander creeping up behind him.

Xander hefted the broken remains of the guitar and thrust it through Lucas' back. Adding on to William's statement, he said, "It's in about nine hours, moron."

In disbelief, Lucas stared down at the jagged wood protruding from his chest. He rose and stumbled to the edge of the stage, hand outstretched in futile supplication. With a final sigh, he fell, exploding into dust as he hit the floor.

~~~~~~

The Master sank to his knees as he felt the strength drain from him. He knew instantly that Lucas was dead, and he lifted his head and howled. "Noooooo!"

~~~~~~

William joined Xander in staring at the scattered dust that was all that remained of Lucas. "I can't believe he fell for that," he heard Xander snicker, and smiled in agreement.

Hearing scuffling, they looked up to see two vampires attempting to drag Jesse away. The vampires eventually noticed how silent it had become and looked towards the stage. When they saw Xander and William standing there, victorious, they exchanged a panicked look. In unison, they released Jesse and raced for the door, anxious to make their escape.

As they ran down the street, a figure emerged from the shadows, watching them go.

Angel turned back to the club. "She did it," he whispered, hardly believing the Slayer had managed to best the Master's Vessal, even with the help of her strange friends. He almost smiled. "I'll be damned." With a slight shake of his head, he melted back into shadow.

~~~~~~

Jesse rushed the two at the stage, beaming. "Man, that was *awesome*! Did you see me stake that vamp? He *totally* dusted!"

Rupert and Willow joined them. Willow gave the boys a tired grin while Rupert grabbed William and gave him a quick but heartfelt hug.

They all stared around the now-deserted club. "I take it it's over," Rupert commented.

"Did we win?" Willow asked.

"Well, we averted the apocalypse," Xander replied. "I guess we get points for that." He eyed Rupert, who was still clutching William, and tried to smother the faint stirring of jealousy that welled up.

Jesse slung his arm over Willow's shoulders. "One thing's for sure, nothing's ever gonna be the same."

They all looked again at the club, empty of vampires and panicked humans, but still filled with the corpses of the unfortunate victims, and the accompanying stench of death.

~~~~~~

"Son? You're still awake?" Rupert stepped into William's room and sat on the edge of his bed.

William put his book down and looked up at his father. "I couldn't sleep," he said softly.

Rupert smiled in understanding. "Had a bit more excitement than usual, hmm?"

"You could say that." He rolled onto his side, curling slightly around Rupert, who shifted and reached out to smooth away a stray lock of hair. "I was so afraid," he whispered.

"We all were," Rupert reassured him.

William shook his head. "I was terrified that you would...or Xander...I didn't want you to get hurt." He sniffled softly.

Rupert sighed and gathered William close, hugging him tightly. "We're fine. All of us. We beat the bad guy, right?"

"Yeah."

Rupert rubbed his back soothingly. "It was actually quite exciting, wasn't it? Being the heroes, saving people."

"We didn't save everyone.

"We saved everyone we could," Rupert stated firmly.

After a moment, William gave a reluctant chuckle. "It was rather exciting. Especially when they turned into harmless clouds of dust."

"There, you see?" He pressed a kiss to William's forehead and settled him back on his pillow. "Try to get some sleep, alright. Tomorrow's another day."

"All right, Da." William yawned and closed his eyes.

With a smile, Rupert marked William's place in the book and placed it on his nightstand. He stood and walked to the door, switching off the light. "Good night, William," he whispered into the dark.

~~~~~~

"Well, what exactly were you expecting?" Willow asked as she walked with Xander and Jesse down the halls of the school.

Xander shrugged. "I don't know. Something. I mean, the dead *rose*. We should at least have an assembly!"

"People have a tendency to rationalize what they can and forget what they can't," Rupert said as he and William joined them.

"Well *I'll* never forget it. None of it," Willow assured him.

"Good. Next time you'll be prepared."

"Next time?" Xander asked William.

"Next time is why?" Willow added.

"No next time. This time was enough, thanks," Jesse threw in.

William grinned. "We've prevented the Master from freeing himself and opening the Mouth of Hell. That's not to say he's going to stop trying. I'd say the fun is just beginning. "

Rupert stared at his son with something akin to horror. "Dear god, what have I created."

William just kept grinning.

"So, more vampires then?" Jesse sighed. He *really* didn't like vampires.

William stopped walking, causing the others to halt. "Not just vampires," he told them almost eagerly. "The next threat we face may be something quite different."

Xander snorted. "I can hardly wait," he muttered sarcastically.

"What makes you say that?" Rupert asked.

"This is the Hellmouth. We're at the center of a mystical convergence here. We may, in fact, stand between the Earth and its total destruction." Still grinning, William almost bounced away.

"Well, I gotta look on the bright side," Jesse said as he and the other teens followed William, "maybe I can still get kicked out of school."

"Oh yeah, *that's* a plan," Xander remarked, still in sarcastic mode. "'Cause lots of schools aren't on Hellmouths.

"Maybe you could blow something up," Willow offered. "They're really strict about that."

After giving her a strange look, Jesse shook his head. "Nah. I was thinking of a more subtle approach, y'know, like excessive not studying."

Xander snickered. "And that would be different than usual *how*?"

Jesse slugged him. "Shut up!"

"Hurry up," William called behind him. "We'll be late for Algebra."

Rupert watched them go with a somewhat ill expression on his face. He shook his head and turned to walk towards the library. "The earth is doomed," he muttered.

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Finit