Hey everyone! Hope that you havent forgotten about me. I meant to have this updated last weekend but I was feeling uninspired. So here is the next chapter and hopefully I will have chapter 6 up before the weekend is over!
***********
Chapter 5
England and a Funeral
Two nights after Buffy was taken the Scoobies gathered in the Summers backyard to give Buffy a proper farewell. They had wanted to do something in her honor. Spike and Joyce could barely stand up and Spike was clutching the urn containing Buffy's ashes.
"I have been a Watcher for many years and I believe that of all the Slayers that I have studied, Buffy was the most unique." Giles began. He took off his glasses to clean them as his emotions overwhelmed him. "It wasn't her strength or battle skills that made her the best. It was her loyalty and her love of those around her." Giles choked on his words and stepped back next to Joyce who patted him on the shoulder.
"Buffy was one of my best friends. I would probably be dead if it weren't for her. From the first time I met she was saving my life in one way or another. From encouraging me to put myself out there to, you know actually saving my life. I just wish that I could have said good-bye…" Willow trailed off and Oz put his arm around her. Xander looked at the group morosely.
"Buffy meant so much to me and I don't think that she knew it. I wish that I hadn't been so distant lately just because she was turned." Xander paused and looked at Cordelia who put her arm through his. "Cordelia told me I was being an idiot and I should have listened. Now…now it's too late." Xander covered his eyes and he began to cry. "I just wish I could take it back."
Joyce broke out of her stupor and insisted that they go inside. The group followed her inside leaving Faith and Wesley standing outside by themselves.
"So." Faith began. "It's sort of odd how all this happened on the night of our special Slayer training."
"I don't know what you're implying Faith."
"I think you do." Faith looked at him coldly and he fidgeted under her gaze.
"I don't have to stand here and take these accusations." And he gave her a cold look and left the backyard. Faith followed him with her eyes until he was out of sight.
"Something's off." Faith muttered under her breath and went in to talk to Giles. There was one thing that was finally sure of, she couldn't trust Wesley.
*~*~*~*~*~
Buffy could hear them in her head.
"Joyce. Tell me it isn't true. Where is she?"
Buffy felt the tears begin again. She couldn't stop them even though it seemed like she shouldn't be able to cry anymore.
"I'm sorry Spike. I-I- my baby!" Joyce says and begins to cry once more.
She wanted to go to them. Tell them she was ok. Hug her mom and kiss Spike so hard he wouldn't doubt that she was real.
"No. Not Buffy! BUFFY!"
But she couldn't. All she could do was sit here in her underground cell. She knew that she wasn't in Sunnydale anymore. But that was all she knew. It was dark in the cell and she no longer knew if it was night or day.
"Spike. We put her dust in this urn. We knew you would want to keep it."
Her tears picked up as she imagined him in her head, clutching at some urn that had some random vampire's dust in it. She hated Quentin Travers with such intensity. Not for taking her but for the torture that he was putting her family through.
"I just can't believe she's gone." Spike said forlornly.
"No baby. I'm still here. Come for me Spike. Please." Buffy murmured. If they had mated before this happened then he would know. Know she was alive and he would be coming for her. But she was stubborn. If they had just done it and not worried about telling everyone and just done it right away like he had wanted…they could have avoided this and that stupid challenge.
Buffy quickly wiped her face when she heard the door start to open. She rattled her chains as fury swept through her when she picked up the unmistakable scent of Quentin Travers.
"YOU BASTARD!" She yelled as Travers and Murdock entered the room.
"Now, now. Ms. Summer it seems that demon in you have given you quite the temper. Now we are here to ask you about your turning."
"Go to hell." Buffy replied and Murdock took a wooden paddle and smacked her across the face. Buffy rubbed her chin and could already feel a bruise forming. Travers calmly opened up a notebook and took a pen from his pocket.
"What were your final thoughts before you died?" He asked calmly.
"Bite me." She replied and was smacked again. Her mind was working overtime. Why were they so interested in this? Surely other slayers had been turned in the past.
"How did Angelus get to you?"
"Go screw yourself." She was smacked three times. Once on her head and then on her neck. Her last thoughts? Could it have been her concern for her friends and family that kept her soul grounded?
Travers continued his questioning but Buffy refused to give him the satisfaction of actually answering. He glared at her in annoyance.
"Very well Ms. Summers. Since you refuse to cooperate with us, I am afraid that I must move to the next set of tests. Murdock. Tell Chamers to come in with the rest of the equipment."
Buffy blanched at the sinister look that the two gave her. But she wouldn't give them the satisfaction of knowing that she was afraid. She was a survivor. She could take whatever they dished out and she WOULD find a way to escape and get back to Sunnydale. Back to her family and Spike.
Chamers came in the room wheeling a cart full of blades and crosses and bottles of holy water. The three looked at Buffy expectantly but she closed off her face and pushed her panic down. Travers smiled evilly.
"Let's begin."
*~*~**~*~*~*~
Bradburry watched the scene unfold from his place in the control room. He was monitoring the turned Slayer as well as her friends and family in Sunnydale. His stomach turned when he saw some of the instruments on the torture cart.
"This has gone far enough." He whispered and a plan began to form in his mind. If Rupert wouldn't talk to him then he would have to find someone else who would.
*~*~*~*~*~
Angel stared at the moon. It was no longer full but he could feel the guilt about his challenge overwhelm him. He had let his jealousy about Spike's position in Buffy's life overwhelm him and now she was gone. Forever.
Angel sighed and walked back inside the mansion. He finally realized that Buffy was right. He was selfish. Incredibly selfish. He had killed her, tortured Spike and Cordelia and just expected everything to be exactly the same as before. If he hadn't been so caught up in his own envy maybe Buffy would've been able to beat that shadow monster or whatever it was that had staked her.
It all came down to the same thing in his mind. It was his fault that Buffy was dead and it was his fault that she was dusted. Maybe Spike could've saved her if he was there. Gulping down a cold packet of pigs blood Angel realized that there was only thing that he could do now. Make sure that Buffy's friends and family were safe. He would protect them all as part of penance. Including Spike.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Faith walked into the Summers house and looked around for Giles. He was talking to Willow and Oz. She steeled herself and went over to him, it time for her to pick a side and she knew which side she was going to choose.
"Giles can I talk to you?" Faith asked. Giles looked to Willow and she nodded at him and Giles turned to look at Faith. She had a determined look about her that was a bit out of place at the moment.
"Faith is everything all right?"
"No. It's not alright." She paused and Giles motioned for her to continue. "I've been thinking about some stuff and I don't think that everything is adding up."
"What do you mean Faith?"
"Well…why was my 'special training session' on the same night as Buffy's death? And have you noticed how Wes is all extra-jumpy lately? You know? And what about the fact that those Watchers just happened to be in town…"
"Watchers?" Giles interrupted looking at her intently. "What watchers?"
"You didn't know? They said that they came in town to check on me. I saw them a few days ago. But they must have said something to Wesley because he looked really pale…"
"Of course!" Giles said and he felt like kicking himself. If only he had talked to Bradburry. But he thought that he had been calling from England. Not from Sunnydale. He really needed to get caller ID. "Faith, I must go call Bradburry. I'll be at home if anything come up." Faith nodded a little surprised at Giles' response. But she didn't have time to think about it because Joyce came up to her to talk.
"Faith dear. I just wanted to thank you for coming. I know that you and Buffy had been drifting apart lately, but Buffy always said that when she died that I should give you something." Faith looked at the older woman with tears in her eyes. Joyce handed her Mr. Pointy.
"No. Joyce I can't."
"Nonsense dear. She told me to give it to you. After she was turned and death became something that we felt a little closer we had a talk about it." Joyce hugged Faith and Faith felt a weight lift off of her. Quickly hugging Joyce back she pulled away.
"This means a lot to me." Joyce gave her a watery smile and went over to Spike who was sitting on the couch staring at the urn forlornly. Faith knew what she had to do. She had to make sure that Buffy's death didn't go un-avenged. She would protect them all just like Buffy had before she died. This was her place now. For better or for worse. She just really hoped that things would get better.
*******
As always keep the reviews coming :)
***********
Chapter 5
England and a Funeral
Two nights after Buffy was taken the Scoobies gathered in the Summers backyard to give Buffy a proper farewell. They had wanted to do something in her honor. Spike and Joyce could barely stand up and Spike was clutching the urn containing Buffy's ashes.
"I have been a Watcher for many years and I believe that of all the Slayers that I have studied, Buffy was the most unique." Giles began. He took off his glasses to clean them as his emotions overwhelmed him. "It wasn't her strength or battle skills that made her the best. It was her loyalty and her love of those around her." Giles choked on his words and stepped back next to Joyce who patted him on the shoulder.
"Buffy was one of my best friends. I would probably be dead if it weren't for her. From the first time I met she was saving my life in one way or another. From encouraging me to put myself out there to, you know actually saving my life. I just wish that I could have said good-bye…" Willow trailed off and Oz put his arm around her. Xander looked at the group morosely.
"Buffy meant so much to me and I don't think that she knew it. I wish that I hadn't been so distant lately just because she was turned." Xander paused and looked at Cordelia who put her arm through his. "Cordelia told me I was being an idiot and I should have listened. Now…now it's too late." Xander covered his eyes and he began to cry. "I just wish I could take it back."
Joyce broke out of her stupor and insisted that they go inside. The group followed her inside leaving Faith and Wesley standing outside by themselves.
"So." Faith began. "It's sort of odd how all this happened on the night of our special Slayer training."
"I don't know what you're implying Faith."
"I think you do." Faith looked at him coldly and he fidgeted under her gaze.
"I don't have to stand here and take these accusations." And he gave her a cold look and left the backyard. Faith followed him with her eyes until he was out of sight.
"Something's off." Faith muttered under her breath and went in to talk to Giles. There was one thing that was finally sure of, she couldn't trust Wesley.
*~*~*~*~*~
Buffy could hear them in her head.
"Joyce. Tell me it isn't true. Where is she?"
Buffy felt the tears begin again. She couldn't stop them even though it seemed like she shouldn't be able to cry anymore.
"I'm sorry Spike. I-I- my baby!" Joyce says and begins to cry once more.
She wanted to go to them. Tell them she was ok. Hug her mom and kiss Spike so hard he wouldn't doubt that she was real.
"No. Not Buffy! BUFFY!"
But she couldn't. All she could do was sit here in her underground cell. She knew that she wasn't in Sunnydale anymore. But that was all she knew. It was dark in the cell and she no longer knew if it was night or day.
"Spike. We put her dust in this urn. We knew you would want to keep it."
Her tears picked up as she imagined him in her head, clutching at some urn that had some random vampire's dust in it. She hated Quentin Travers with such intensity. Not for taking her but for the torture that he was putting her family through.
"I just can't believe she's gone." Spike said forlornly.
"No baby. I'm still here. Come for me Spike. Please." Buffy murmured. If they had mated before this happened then he would know. Know she was alive and he would be coming for her. But she was stubborn. If they had just done it and not worried about telling everyone and just done it right away like he had wanted…they could have avoided this and that stupid challenge.
Buffy quickly wiped her face when she heard the door start to open. She rattled her chains as fury swept through her when she picked up the unmistakable scent of Quentin Travers.
"YOU BASTARD!" She yelled as Travers and Murdock entered the room.
"Now, now. Ms. Summer it seems that demon in you have given you quite the temper. Now we are here to ask you about your turning."
"Go to hell." Buffy replied and Murdock took a wooden paddle and smacked her across the face. Buffy rubbed her chin and could already feel a bruise forming. Travers calmly opened up a notebook and took a pen from his pocket.
"What were your final thoughts before you died?" He asked calmly.
"Bite me." She replied and was smacked again. Her mind was working overtime. Why were they so interested in this? Surely other slayers had been turned in the past.
"How did Angelus get to you?"
"Go screw yourself." She was smacked three times. Once on her head and then on her neck. Her last thoughts? Could it have been her concern for her friends and family that kept her soul grounded?
Travers continued his questioning but Buffy refused to give him the satisfaction of actually answering. He glared at her in annoyance.
"Very well Ms. Summers. Since you refuse to cooperate with us, I am afraid that I must move to the next set of tests. Murdock. Tell Chamers to come in with the rest of the equipment."
Buffy blanched at the sinister look that the two gave her. But she wouldn't give them the satisfaction of knowing that she was afraid. She was a survivor. She could take whatever they dished out and she WOULD find a way to escape and get back to Sunnydale. Back to her family and Spike.
Chamers came in the room wheeling a cart full of blades and crosses and bottles of holy water. The three looked at Buffy expectantly but she closed off her face and pushed her panic down. Travers smiled evilly.
"Let's begin."
*~*~**~*~*~*~
Bradburry watched the scene unfold from his place in the control room. He was monitoring the turned Slayer as well as her friends and family in Sunnydale. His stomach turned when he saw some of the instruments on the torture cart.
"This has gone far enough." He whispered and a plan began to form in his mind. If Rupert wouldn't talk to him then he would have to find someone else who would.
*~*~*~*~*~
Angel stared at the moon. It was no longer full but he could feel the guilt about his challenge overwhelm him. He had let his jealousy about Spike's position in Buffy's life overwhelm him and now she was gone. Forever.
Angel sighed and walked back inside the mansion. He finally realized that Buffy was right. He was selfish. Incredibly selfish. He had killed her, tortured Spike and Cordelia and just expected everything to be exactly the same as before. If he hadn't been so caught up in his own envy maybe Buffy would've been able to beat that shadow monster or whatever it was that had staked her.
It all came down to the same thing in his mind. It was his fault that Buffy was dead and it was his fault that she was dusted. Maybe Spike could've saved her if he was there. Gulping down a cold packet of pigs blood Angel realized that there was only thing that he could do now. Make sure that Buffy's friends and family were safe. He would protect them all as part of penance. Including Spike.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Faith walked into the Summers house and looked around for Giles. He was talking to Willow and Oz. She steeled herself and went over to him, it time for her to pick a side and she knew which side she was going to choose.
"Giles can I talk to you?" Faith asked. Giles looked to Willow and she nodded at him and Giles turned to look at Faith. She had a determined look about her that was a bit out of place at the moment.
"Faith is everything all right?"
"No. It's not alright." She paused and Giles motioned for her to continue. "I've been thinking about some stuff and I don't think that everything is adding up."
"What do you mean Faith?"
"Well…why was my 'special training session' on the same night as Buffy's death? And have you noticed how Wes is all extra-jumpy lately? You know? And what about the fact that those Watchers just happened to be in town…"
"Watchers?" Giles interrupted looking at her intently. "What watchers?"
"You didn't know? They said that they came in town to check on me. I saw them a few days ago. But they must have said something to Wesley because he looked really pale…"
"Of course!" Giles said and he felt like kicking himself. If only he had talked to Bradburry. But he thought that he had been calling from England. Not from Sunnydale. He really needed to get caller ID. "Faith, I must go call Bradburry. I'll be at home if anything come up." Faith nodded a little surprised at Giles' response. But she didn't have time to think about it because Joyce came up to her to talk.
"Faith dear. I just wanted to thank you for coming. I know that you and Buffy had been drifting apart lately, but Buffy always said that when she died that I should give you something." Faith looked at the older woman with tears in her eyes. Joyce handed her Mr. Pointy.
"No. Joyce I can't."
"Nonsense dear. She told me to give it to you. After she was turned and death became something that we felt a little closer we had a talk about it." Joyce hugged Faith and Faith felt a weight lift off of her. Quickly hugging Joyce back she pulled away.
"This means a lot to me." Joyce gave her a watery smile and went over to Spike who was sitting on the couch staring at the urn forlornly. Faith knew what she had to do. She had to make sure that Buffy's death didn't go un-avenged. She would protect them all just like Buffy had before she died. This was her place now. For better or for worse. She just really hoped that things would get better.
*******
As always keep the reviews coming :)