Part Eight
"What are you?" The male laughed.
I rolled my eyes.
The woman's glare silenced him.
"What have you brought us?" She asked, a sympathetic smile placed on her golden lips.
"Brought you?" I asked, looking around me. I had on a bracelet.
It was given to my be my mother.
"Nothing." I answered.
"You have brought us…nothing?" The male asked in disbelief.
"Yeah. I've worked my ass off hard enough for you and now I find out I'm not even the good guys!" I exclaim, "What. Am. I?"
"You are a creature. A force stuck between good and evil. You are the Solitary
Uprising. You walk alone, there are none of you're kind. You are a rebellion of your own kinds. Neither Slayer, demon, nor human. You are alone in your own world." The male says.
I gape at them, "Do I have to drink blood?"
The women smiles softly, "No. You will want too, maybe crave it, but you don't need it and soon your body will realize you don't need it and the craving will go away. Sunlight will make you uncomfortable. You're heart beats and you appear human. You can die like humans and vampires alike."
"What about the whole Slayer thing, am I still the Slayer?" I ask.
"You have their strength. That's it. The reason a new Slayer wasn't called after you died the second time was because the real Slayer part of you died the first time."
"Am I immortal?" I ask.
They appear to be listening to something, "Yes, and no. Only time will tell."
Thank you for making sense.
"I have one more question; Is Cordelia really a higher power?" I asked.
They both smiled, "She was not meant to be that way. She cannot handle that kind of responsibility. She was only made like that because she was dying and Angel wanted to save her."
He loves her.
"He doesn't. His heart will always belong to you. He's just acting stupidly. Make him see. He can help you. Together you are strong, alone you are dead." And, with that, I was thrown from the room and crashed right into Wesley.
"What did they tell you?" He asked, helping me up.
"They told me…" And I told him everything and we rode on the back of his
motor cycle.
He stopped us at Angel's.
"Why are we here?" I asked.
I didn't want to be here.
"You have to explain to them." He said.
"I don't want too!" I cried.
He took my arm and led me there.
"You have too." He said.
"You're coming?" I asked.
"I can't. We aren't on very good terms." He said, a sad expression on his face.
"Angel is acting like an ass again?" I asked.
He cracked a smile.
"Wes, I'm sorry I was so hard on you those years ago. But, you're my friend, you
helped me, and if Angel doesn't like it, he'll have to deal with me." I said.
He smiled.
"Right then."
We went in.
Everyone was in the room and there was a boy there. Not much younger than me. He turned when I came in and looked at me with awe. It was disturbing.
The others turned and gaped.
I guess I really did look bad.
"What are you doing here?" Angel growled.
At first I thought he was talking to me. I was going to retort and yell but, Wesley's hand squeezed my arm. Angel saw and growled.
He had been talking to Wesley.
"Don't speak to him like that." I said.
"You don't know what you're talking about." Angel hissed.
"See me caring? Cause I don't He's my friend and he helped me when all of you
wouldn't, or tried to kill me." I said pointedly.
"It's a wonder you didn't run to Spike." Cordelia retorted.
"Keep your nose out of where it doesn't belong or I'll cut it off. You look like you could use a new one too." I hissed, my eyes flashing.
"Did you do this to her?" Angel asked Wesley, growling.
"Oh, spare me the 'must protect mate and act like I care' routine. I'm sick of it. I don't need you're help and haven't for a long time now." I rolled my eyes.
"Then why are you here?" Cordelia asked.
"I thought you guys might like to know what's going on? But, if you like to be kept in the dark, I'll leave. Come on Wes." I said, as we turned to leave.
Angel was in front of me, his eyes golden.
"Stay."
I felt my eyes flash, "There was a time when you would just know what was happening by looking at me. Guess you've changed." I hissed and Wes and I sat down.
The boy, surprisingly, sat next to me.
I told them everything. Angel listened carefully, his expression changing.
The boy was the only who talked when I was finished, "Are you a demon?" He asked.
I shrugged, "I'm one of the good guys… I think."
"You are." Wesley said, smiling at me.
Out of the corner of my eyes, I could see Angel's eyes flash.
Why, he's jealous.
That's funny.
"We…better go." I suggested as the tension became thick.
"Where are you staying?" Angel asked.
"Don't know." I answered, "Not at my Dad's."
"Stay with us." Angel said, almost pleading, "We have enough room."
I didn't know what to say.
I couldn't stay with him, I was too emotionally high-strung as it was.
"Actually, Buffy was going to stay with me." Wesley spoke up.
I glanced at him, gratefully.
"But, I'm sure we could clean up a-" Angel was cut off by Queen Bitch clutching at his arm.
"Angel, she said no. Now, let's go to bed." She said in her most seductive voice, making sure I heard.
Oh God.
Watch me gag on Cordelia's fake blonde mop of a head.
Heh heh, I crack myself up.
But, why let Cordy win?
I mean, who's the real good guy here? Certainty not Miss-Higher-power, but, am I even one of the good guys?
Whatever.
"You know, maybe I'll stay here. I mean, if it's not TOO much trouble…" I say, smirking when Angel nods.
Cordelia is fuming, "But, how do we know she won't kill us in our sleep?" She whines.
"You don't." I smirk.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" Wesley asks, when I walk him out to his motorcycle.
"Yeah. I don't wanna cramp you're rogue-biker-watcher style here." I smile.
Wesley nods and hugs me, "Be careful. They can be brutal." He adds.
"They've all changed, haven't they?" I ask.
"Yes, and I'm not sure for the better." Wesley says.
"Thanks again, Wes." I smile and walk back inside.
Everyone has gone back to their work, except for Cordelia glaring death at me.
The young boy comes up to me.
"Hey." I say.
"You're Buffy." He says.
"Last time I checked, yeah. Who're you?" I ask.
"Connor." He says.
Lots of info.
"Cool." I say back.
"You're hurt." He says looking at my bloodstained shirt.
I had completely forgotten about that. Stupid-face Cordelia had stabbed me.
Bitch.
Now that I thought about it, renewed pain throbbed.
"Yeah, guess I am." I try and shrug it off.
"How?" He asked.
"Accident." I answered.
"It'll get infected." He said, leading me to the bathroom.
I saw Angel watching with suspicious/curious eyes.
I felt childish and stuck my tongue out at him.
He smiled and laughed softly, shaking his head at me.
I'm such a kid sometimes.
So what?
You can bite me if you don't like it.
Connor leads me to the bathroom and gets out the first aid stuff.
I take off my sweat shirt and my tank top. All I'm left with is my black bra.
Thank God I chose the less, um, sluttish one to wear today. This one is solid, no lace, holes, or…other.
The wound is almost healed by now, just bleeding a little.
"There are wood shavings in it." He says.
"So?" I asked.
"It won't heal." He says and starts to, gently, get them out.
I wince and try to make my face stay normal.
"There." He says after the pain is over, putting fresh gauze on the wound.
I smile at him.
"Thanks."
He nods and leaves.
I walk out and everyone is gone.
I sigh with relief and slump on one of the couches. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to stay here. My eyes are closed and I feel the couch dip from weight under it.
Angel's next to me.
"Hey."
"Hey back." I say.
Boy, what pleasant and riveting conversation we're having.
"What?" I ask, knowing something's bothering him.
"Can I ask you something?" He asks.
"If its about what I think, then no." I say.
He's going to ask about Spike.
"Why?" He chokes out in a strangled voice.
"I don't know." I sigh.
Everything is silent.
"I was confused. I didn't know what was going on and I felt different. He said he understood… I just wanted to get away from it all." I tried to explain.
"Why didn't you come to me?" He asks.
"You know why."
I remember the night when we met at our spot.
I had pulled up in my car, cold and alone. I saw him waiting for me , sitting on the hood of his car. I got out and he said nothing until I was beside him.
"Hey." I said softly.
He got down and looked at me, his eyes brimming with tears.
He hugged me, desperately, clinging to me.
I felt trapped.
My breathing hitched and I closed my eyes.
He pulled away and looked at me.
"You were dead."
"I might as well be." I said, my voice void of…anything.
"Buffy…" He said.
"No!" I snapped.
"Buffy, I can help you." He said.
"No, I don't want help! I'm sick of everyone wanting to 'help'. You'll just make it worse." I yelled.
My muddled mind was making me lash out.
"Buffy, please. I need you…" He said softly.
"Well, I don't need you. This would have happened if you hadn't have left. Its all your fault." I accused, venom in my voice.
He looked like I had slapped him.
"It is. You know it, I know it. The whole fucking world knows it!" I scream and start to cry.
I felt like I was dying.
He had held me, despite what I had said. But, I knew he was falling apart by my harsh words, but I didn't care.
Now, I would give anything to take them back.
"I'm sorry for what I said." I whisper, remembering that night.
He didn't answer.
"Isn't it funny?" He asked after a moment, "How I left you for a better life, and you get this instead? You're Mom dies, you get a sister, you…die, and now you
find out you're not human."
"Yeah, great normal life." I said.
"You were supposed to have a family, fall in love…"
"I did." I protest.
"Not with me." He said.
"Yes with you, you idiot. It's always been you, you're just too dense to see it." I retort.
And suddenly we're kissing. His hands are weaving through my hair, his lips roughly pressing against mine, his tongue entering my mouth.
I moan as these lost sensations fill me.
I love this man.
More than ever.
But, he's still a bastard.
I open my eyes to reveal yellow/red instead of green. He's not taken aback. He looks at me with great adoration.
"You're still beautiful." He whispers, hoarsely.
I realize what's happening and jump up.
I can't do this again.
Can't give myself to him and let him pull away, leaving me a wreak.
Besides, don't we hate each other?
Ha, su-u-u-u-uure.
Let's pretend I'm serious.
"Good night." I whisper and go to a vacant room.
I try and sleep.
Key word, try.
No rest for the wicked.
Or half-breeds.