Through a Mirror darkly chapter 4
"Let's get down to business," said a tough-looking Xander the years had weighed on him. His hair was long and wore military fatigues. He had an expression of utmost seriousness in contrast to the joker that he was.
"Harris my god! You have changed."
"That's what happens Deadboy, when you lose everyone that you love. Willow is gone."
"Where's the Slayer?" asked Spike, "It's not like Buffy, in any universe, to not be involved when there is fighting against the evil forces such as the First."
"Nobody knows where the hell Buffy is!" spoke up alternate Cordelia looking tired but genuinely saddened about the fate of her former classmate.
"You would know about evil forces huh Spike. Remember when you were the big bad and programmed by the First to do its bidding?"
"Come on Bob the bloody builder that sodding trigger has been over and done with in my world."
"Moving on, what is the point of divergence in your universe that made Los Angeles look like something out of The Walking Dead?" spoke up Connor.
"The what?" asked Angel looking confused. Modern TV wasn't his strong point.
Both alternate Cordelia and Xander looked like they were confused by the tv reference as well.
"Oh, right that show about the aftermath of a zombie apocalypse," clarified Spike. "I enjoyed that one. It was bloody good television although I am surprised that you've watched it mini poof. Where do you find the time to watch television with working two jobs?"
"Saturday night is tv and chill night for the wife and me," replied Connor giving Faith a loving look.
"Okay back on topic!" To answer your question, Buffy in my universe was never heard from after the mutiny where she was unfortunately expelled from her house."
"You, Red, and Rupert should never have done that to Buffy in any universe!"
"Moving on! The Resistance wants to give you a mission to assess your capabilities in the field. we need you, Connor, Faith, Spike to kill a vampire leader in Sunnydale who has taken over the Bronze."
"That's no problem, Cordy, we've dealt with vampires before," said Angel reassuringly.
"Good, we trust you to do what needs to be done in helping those who need help like in our original mission that we started with Doyle."
"Speak for yourself Cordy!" muttered alternate Xander. "You haven't seen a vampire leader like this before Deadboy when it took our version of you out."
Angel, Faith, and Connor looked alarmed by this.
"What's this bloody vampire's name?"
"Well, he is known as Ripper."
"My god! The Rupert Giles in your world is a vampire?" asked Angel flabbergasted. "Is this true Harris, or one of your jokes?"
"Would I joke about this Deadboy? It is, unfortunately, true and he turned Will into one of them."
"How bad can Giles be? Faith described him as an old English guy who runs the Council in my world."
"Well son I started as a drunk until your mom killed me then I became the Scourge of Europe and Spike here was a failed poet until Dru found him. A vampire like Giles would be much worse when he has the memories and training of a Watcher,"
Spike shot Angel an angry look at his mention of his human self as a failed poet. What does he know about taste? The elder vampire liked bloody Barry Manilow.
"Angel is right Connor, an enemy like Giles knows the moves that we will make before we do," spoke up Wesley.
"Ah, I see," Connor repressed a shudder while Faith looked pale at the idea of someone she knew and respected in her world turned as an evil vampire.
"If Dad is dust at the hands of Ripper, then where am I in this world?"
"You're a servant of the First here. We would send you after your alternate self but he has an unpredictable schedule," said Xander coldly.
" I see. I am not just a screwup in my world but here as well." Faith held her husband's hand comfortingly while Cordelia raised an eyebrow at the sight.
"We should attack the Bronze while the vampires are asleep to take them by surprise. I will be accompanying Angel and the others on the raid," decided Wesley.
"Be careful Wes, we can't afford to lose any more friends."
"Cordy is right! But I will be going in as well."
"No Fred, you are needed here. Someone needs to make it out alive," argued Wesley.
"What happens if you are killed or worse? Do you think I would be able to go on living without my husband?"
Both Fred and Wesley stared angrily at each other for several seconds before Wesley gave an defeated sigh and nodded curtly. Fred then gave a determined look and slowlysmiled.
"Well done Fred, you've got your man trained well."
"It's not difficult Cordy."
"No it isn't, it takes time and patience," agreed Faith.
"Cordy a word please?"
"What now Dead Boy?" asked an irritated Xander with a protective look. He didn't trust the vampires at all. Lots of people would've been alive if Angel and Spike had left them alone.
"It's okay Harris, I trust Angel most of the time."
Cordelia followed Angel out into the porch. Xander watched them go before sighing to himself.
Connor and Faith retired to bed with Faith's arm around Connor's waist.
Spike had gone off somewhere but Xander didn't want to know or care.
"Does Harris treat you well Cordy?"
"Ok, first of all, I am not your Cordy!" snapped alternate Cordelia. "Secondly yes, the big doofus does treat me well and he knows everything about the Beastmaster and still understands that it wasn't me."
Angel held up his hands in surrender.
"How was the Beastmaster exorcized?"
"Willow did something when it was fighting her that drove the parasite from my body. I couldn't stay after knowing that neither the alternate you, Gunn, Fred, and Wes could tell the difference between me and that skanky creature, especially after it used my body to sleep with someone whose diapers I changed," explained Cordelia. Her eyes darkened with sorrow and sadness. "Not to mention the blood on my hands after it possessed and murdered Lilah and the Svear Priestesses."
"I understand, there are times when the crimes of Angelus make me want to run away from what he did."
"Well, you can't run Angel. And neither can Spike. You are supposedly champions for the Powers in your world," said Cordelia curtly.
Angel looked down, a weariness in his eyes. He had known for a long time now. There is no running. After several years of fighting the good fight, it was unmistakable, there was nothing left but to continue making amends after everything he had done. The powers want him here. And yet there is no place he would rather be. Still, sometimes it makes him wonder if it will leave him alone in the end. Facing evil for eternity until he's dust.
Angel turned to leave to join Spike and the others.
"Angel?" called out Cordelia, she saw him stop and turn to look at her with the same brooding expression that she remembered on the Angel that she knew.
"The Cordelia from your world is probably out there waiting for you and I'd rather not be slapped by myself," spoke up Cordelia. "I did love your alternate self once but unlike Buffy, I decided to not act on that because you are immortal while I am only human. Besides, If I slept with your alternate self, his Angelus will come out and have us all, including Connor for lunch."
"Damn gypsies," muttered Angel. "As ever you are right Cordy, I wish you the best with Harris."
"Yeah, I know that I am right about this. So see you in the morning, break a leg when you face Ripper," replied Cordelia. "Wes and Fred will drive you guys to the Bronze in the morning where Xander and I will meet you with some trusted people."
Cordelia left and went to see Xander who was waiting for her at his Land Rover. They got into the Land Rover and started driving back to the Resistance base when Cordelia noticed that Xander had a question on his mind.
"What did you tell the alternate Dead Boy?"
"What he needed to hear to keep him focused."
At the alternate Bronze
A redhead in a leather catsuit watched with a cruel sneer on her face. Where was her lover? Ah yes, she could see her former potential Slayer in the organized chaos feeding from a crying blonde in a cheerleader costume in one of the cages that had been installed on their Master's orders.
Other vampires were feeding from human captives. At least one person was strapped down to the pool table while several vampires were feeding from him reveling in his pain-filled screams. The humans at the Bronze were blood slaves kept for the vampire's amusement. Yet for every human who died from being eaten, two more would arrive looking to experience the thrill and submit to the vampires. At least the willing ones were. Others were kidnapped and sold into slavery by demons.
Then were the original Sunnydale residents, the people who lacked the nerve to run away. Most of them cowered in their homes, and even now were operating their businesses with the permission of the vampires. Cowards! Willow disdainfully thought, one of her best memories of her new undead life was eating her absentee parents who had ignored what was going on around them, including Tara. It was better than therapy.
"Ms. Willow?" said a voice interrupting her thoughts. Willow turned and grabbed him by the throat with vampire-like speed.
"What?" she growled. Willow reveled in his sounds of choking. It was disappointing of her fellow vampire to show weakness when they didn't need to breathe to choke.
"Our Master Ripper commands your presence," said the blond vampire. Willow released him before skipping up to the main office where her sire waited for her, wearing his human face. The paternal smile was still there but a chill went through Willow seeing the glint in his eye.
Though she remembered well when Rupert Giles had been a stuffy Englishman and father figure to the Scooby Gang, this creature was not that man at all. The demon retained Giles's memories, intelligence, and cunning and turned them to its advantage.
But Ripper hadn't become the master of the Sunnydale vampires by chance.
"Ah Willow it's good to see you," said Ripper, grabbing a human by her hair and presenting it to her, "Care to join me?"
Willow vamped and drank deeply from the woman. Undead? she had never felt so alive. The redhead then switched back to her human face with a malicious smile on her pretty face.
"Feeling better?"
"Much better sire, she hit the right spot."
"Good! Very good! How is your Kennedy?"
"She's downstairs feeding, Ken's stamina keeps her worth having around for now," smirked Willow. Ripper had a nasty leer on his face.
"There are problems coming your way Will, so forget about the brat."
Willow whirled around to see the ghost of her first female friend, but she had a nasty and arrogant look on her face that her ex-friend never had.
"You're not Buffy!"
"Well duh! I see that your brains are still working despite being dead Willow."
"State your business and be off First," snapped Ripper, regarding the ancient being with suspicion.
"You wound me Ripper when we were so close once," pouted Buffy/First. "The irritating Powers have sent Angel, his demon bastard of a son, that lovesick moron Spike, and Faith from a different world so be on the alert and deal with them."
"Are we just supposed to take your word on this?"
"Well Will, if you choose not to believe me. You will end up on that brooding bastard or my Spike's stake. Or you and Ripper can give them the welcome they deserve, especially Faith."
With that Buffy/ First teleported out with a nasty smirk on her face.
Ripper starts yelling for his minions while Willow sighed to herself.
In one of the bedrooms of the Resistance safe house the following morning.
Connor opened his blue eyes and felt someone kissing his chest. He saw Faith looking up at him with an expression of love. Connor noticed that their clothes were all over the floor and a pair of black panties were under the bed.
"I didn't wear you out, did I stud?"
"You do occasionally honey," mumbled Connor with a mischievous look making Faith laugh.
He cast his mind back over their past of meeting again when she arrived with many Slayers, including the blonde one that his dad and Spike had been obsessed with, during the fight against the Senior Partner's legions after Angel's suicidal plan.
He recalled working together, falling in love and followed by a road trip to elope in Vegas. Wonderful memories of being married by an Elvis impersonator at one of the wedding chapels, and then spending at least three days at the hotel, suntanning at the pool or in bed ordering room service and watching tv when they weren't occupied.
"Hey, where are you stud?"
"I'm here Faith." And with that, he stroked her firm abs with his finger. Connor was attracted to her for more than just her hot and strong body. But there are perks of being with a strong woman.
Connor believed that Faith is the perfect partner because she is fierce, independent and yet has a hidden side of vulnerability. The older brunette is boiling over with power and passion. Connor could never look at another woman. Faith satisfied him completely. Every fantasy he had. Every desire he could name and most he couldn't.
"Good! I worry when you brood like your dad," Faith then kissed him, her deceptively soft lips growing hungrier, and he eagerly responded to her passion.
Suddenly there was a knock on the door, making them spring apart.
"Hey, you two! It's time to wake up. Best time to take on the Ripper," said a Texan-accented voice.
"Duty calls hon."
"That's our life stud."
In an instant, they showered and dressed before heading downstairs into the pitch-black sky where the jeep waited for them. Connor met up with the team including his father, Spike and the people from the Resistance. He saw Faith's reassuring smile.
"Here are some Molotov cocktails. Use them sparingly," cautioned Xander, pointing at the container in the boot.
"They should be able to provide a distraction and probably burn a few vampires if thrown in the right places."
"Thank you, Cordelia, let's go to work."
"For once you have a point Deadboy."
They got in the jeep and drove to the Bronze to destroy a vampire nest. Connor and his wife had some interesting dates involving vampire nests but not one in an alternate dimension.
Please read and review and I would like to thank Starway Man and RavenLove12 for their support and reviews.