The coffin

Rating: R

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters in this fic. They belong to Whedon and Mutant Enemy

Beta: Keith

Timeframe: After S7 Chosen

Warning: This is my first attempt at horror, kind of. I'm NOT gonna tell if any of the characters are gonna die or not.

Summary: A strange coffin appears out of nowhere and keeps the group

busy.

Feedback: Please do

********

10.10 PM

In the living room

The group was sitting on the couch. Dawn and Willow were flanking Xander, holding him. The girls' expressions were even more worried than Xander's. Even though they had brought the coffin to another room, the stench of blood still hung heavy in the air.

"Where's that coffin come from?" Faith asked.

Giles rubbed his glasses. `I-I don't know. The coffin appears to be made in the 9th century," he paused for a while before continuing. "Willow, can you perform a spell to date the coffin and

the body?" he looked at Xander. "I-I mean-."

Xander nodded. "I know."

"It's all so awkward," Buffy confessed for the group.

Willow nodded. "Sure. I'll get on it right away."

The redheaded girl let go of Xander and walked out of the room. Her place was taken by Buffy. "His, uhm, your hand. It's severed from your arm. He died by blood-loss."

The room felt silent as Buffy finally spoke the words that had bothered them the most. Xander could see it in their faces. He could hear it in Buffy's tone.

"It seems that it was removed by something that appears to be a knife of some kind. Considering the way it looked it seemed that it has been done in a hurry," Giles explained.

Fear took master over Xander's emotions again. "But why? Why would

they need my hand?"

Giles sighed. "I don't know, Xander. They could have needed it for many kinds of spells or rituals. However, we can't tell if it was done after or before you died."

"It was before," he muttered remembering the way the other Xander had looked at him.

He felt a squeeze from Buffy. "He looks like you. But he isn't. We don't know what or who he is-"

"He's human," Giles said. "I'm afraid he's you."

Xander looked around, nervously. "But not necessarily. Right?"

"Not necessarily," Giles reassured him. "But most likely."

"C'mon, dude. It won't be you. We won't let it happen," Faith supported him.

"Won't? As in the future? As in not happened yet, but could?" he asked even more nervously.

Faith frowned. "Well, yes. What else?"

*****

10.30 PM

"He's me? From the future?" Xander asked again.

"I've checked everything, Xan. The coffin and the body, uh, I mean, you, or, well, they are from the near future. I checked it with your DNA and several kinds of spells. I'm sure."

Xander took in her words. "Define `near'."

Willow looked at him. Her face showing more worry than his. "Tonight."

The group fell into silence.

"What?" Dawn asked as first.

"Tonight at midnight precisely."

"How? How did it get here? Where did it come from. What's going to happen?" Xander freaked out.

Faith stood up and closed the distance. She crouched down until she was at eye-level with him and laid her hands supportively on his shoulders. "Don't worry, Xan. That guy in the coffin . . . consider

him history."

*****

11.00 PM

Dawn, Giles, Wood, Andrew and Willow had been researching for the

last hour straight. Kennedy, Vi, and Rona were patrolling the area as

Faith and Buffy were checking out the latest demon bar.

They were standing in front of the bar. Faith pulled the barman over the counter as he didn't cooperate according to the Dark Slayer's high standards. "I'm asking one more time before I rip you apart piece by piece. What do you know about this coffin?" she asked him as she pressed a photo in his face.

"Faith, calm down," Buffy interjected by pushing her away from the poor man.

"Hey!"

Buffy ignored her and slapped the man hard on the face while holding him. "We so do have not the time for this. Tell us . . . Now!"

*****

11.30

"Nobody knows anything," Buffy growled as she walked in with Faith.

"You didn't give that man a chance to say anything," the Dark Slayer

crowed.

"Like you would have."

"In between the screams? Yes! Besides, I was willing to do that strip-tease."

"Buffy," Dawn rushed over to her, her voice slightly raised in panic. "We haven't found anything."

"I've called Wolfram and Hart. Angel said he'll put his whole research team on the case, but he can't guarantee anything," Giles informed her, "He's never heard of the coffin or a similar case before. Neither had Spike."

Buffy nodded and looked at the group who were still in full research mode. They all looked nervous, like she felt. Without anyone telling her she knew they were all thinking the same. She looked

around. "Where's Xander?"

"He's in his room," Willow said. "I just came back from him. He's . . . I've never seen him like this before, Buffy. Oh my God! Only a half-hour before-"

Buffy laid her hand on the Wicca's shoulder. "It's alright, Will."

She stared in her friend's red-trimmed eyes as Willow spoke. "I feel so helpless."

Buffy couldn't deny that she felt the same. "I'll check on him. Faith, you and the rest of the Slayers make sure that everything is secured."

The Dark Slayer nodded. "No one comes in or out."

*****

11.35 PM

"Hey."

"Hey."

"How are you?"

"Fine . . . I think."

The blond Slayer sat down next to him on his bed. "It hasn't happened yet, Xan."

"I know." Buffy's skin crawled as she heard the deathly calm in his voice. It frightened her. "But it will."

"Xan. Don't-"

"Buffy, I've thought about this. I'm leaving."

"Xander. You don't have too."

"I do. We don't know what's gonna happen. We only know that I'm gonna die. I don't want you or any of the others staying here when this happens, you could all get killed."

"We won't let you. I didn't say a word, but I could see it in the eyes of the others: they'd rather die then let you go and face this alone." Buffy could see a spark in his eye, but it dimmed quickly.

"I know. That's why I have to go. Please let me."

"No."

"Buff-"

Buffy placed a finger on his lips. "For the past seven years I have felt the same, Xander. Day in and day out. You and the others would never let me go."

Xander was quiet for a few moments. "This is not the same."

"Yes, it is. And I understood why you wouldn't. I understood why you took all those risks."

Xander sighed and nodded.

"Come. Lets go downstairs and face whatever will happen together."

"Okay."

She hugged him tightly. "You know I love you."

He smiled. "I know."

She continued hugging him. "Uhm, Buff. I think I got the message."

"Hmm?"

"Okay, I didn't."

Finally she let go of him. "Sorry, hugged for Will too."

He grinned. "Well, at least my shirt stays dry from her tears. That's good, `cause I need to have it clean before I'm gonna ruin it." Buffy saw him thinking. "Sorry, I just can't come up with any of Cordy's snarky retorts." She could see him smiling genuinely at her. "Thanks."

"No thanks like dollars -." She paused. "Forget it."

They stood up and walked to the door. "So, this is how it feels to be in the spotlight. I must say that it's kind of, uhm, shiny."

Buffy smiled. "And the shadows are creepy . . ." She wrinkled her face. "And all touching," she muttered.