Of course, all Buffy characters belong to Joss & Co. I would never be so
cruel to them.
At first all he could think about was the fact that he couldn't seem to move. Then he remembered. The cavern had filled with sunlight and he had burned up. Hadn't he?
"Wait just a bloody minute! Where am I?"
"Ah, William, you're awake."
All he could see was light. It got closer and closer to him. This voice seemed to come from the light. Wait a minute, he could look around, he just wasn't moving. This was getting stranger by the second. As he looked at where his hands were, no hands, only light.
"Where the bloody hell am I?" Then it occurred to him that that might not be such a good phrase to use in just this situation.
"Why William, I would think it would be obvious where you are."
If he could see a face, he could swear this being was smiling sarcastically. OK, so it was going to play out like this huh?
"Alright then, why am I here? I was fairly certain I was headed in the other direction."
"You had shown yourself worthy long before your"
"You mean I was headed in this direction before I signed up for the champion bit? He interrupted.
"Of course, how often do you think it is that one from the dark chooses to regain the light?" he interrupted.
"Light? Oh, you mean my soul. Well, if that's the case what happens now? Do I just stay here and shine are sparkly like?"
"The choice is yours."
"Oh" thoughts of his final moments suddenly played in his mind. "She did get out, didn't she? She's safe? Choice? What choice is that?"
Somewhere in Texas around 2 pm
The Scoobies had been on the road since early this morning. They had seen Giles off at the airport. Again. Willow had spent a good bit of the night before showing him how to use 'that blasted flat thing', he had finally gotten the basics down enough to send email. That would have to do, Willow was tired and they had an early morning of goodbyes and road trips.
The QuickMart was cool. That was about it. 'Why did I pick this one to stop at? Oh yeah, the girls had to pee and he was tired of trying to drive while they fought over the best route. Next road trip, he was flying.' Xander thought to himself while he sat on the bench near the slushy machine.
Well it's not like he had a lot of them to choose from. They had managed to end up on a stretch of highway with nothing but armadillos, dust balls, and dirt.
The ladies emerged from the rest rooms looking revived.
"Hey Xander, sorry about before. I really had to go." Buffy smiled at him, no way was he going to stay mad at her. He knew they would never be more than friends but she could still wrap him around her little finger with that smile.
"That's okay Buff, just don't touch the steering wheel while I'm driving."
She hugged him, knowing full well the power she had over him.
It was ding dongs, snowballs, slushies, beef jerky, and any other junk food left. They needed something to hold them over till they found the next actual town. The clerk had assured them it wasn't all that far.
The clerk had been right, about 2 hours down the road the outskirts of a small town were visible. They had done enough driving for the day, they were in need of showers and dinner.
There was only one hotel, but it had an indoor pool and the rooms were clean. They took the only two adjoining rooms. Shortly after checking in they had all showered and met back in the living room area of Buffy and Dawn's room.
"So, dinner plans?" Xander inquired, as he was going to be outvoted so he might as well let them pick.
"There's a restaurant downstairs. We could try it and see." Dawn just wanted to eat a little something and find that pool.
"Sounds like a plan, lets go." Buffy grabbed her purse and they were out the door.
They had eaten dinner and chatted about what they thought Cleveland would be like. Buffy had spoken with Faith on several occasions, but had never thought to ask for details of the actual town. The friends spent the next couple of hours talking about what they wanted in their futures. When the next days drive became the topic of discussion it was decided that they would simply fill a cooler with their road trip munchies and would only make stops when absolutely necessary. It was time to turn in; it had been a long day. Made longer by the sitting for hours.
Once back in their rooms, Xander and Willow laid on their own beds staring at the ceiling.
"Xander"
"Yeah Wil"
"Can I come over there?"
"Sure, want to see what's on the old tube?"
Willow climbed on and they lay together as they had when they were younger. Both were hurting and this just felt safe. Willow hadn't shown how hurt she was when Kennedy left but Xander knew she was upset. He was still dealing with Anya not being around anymore. They fell asleep, thinking back to happier times of sleepovers and footy pajamas.
He had managed to get a few straight answers. He had been told of Buffy's escape and her trip to LA to inform Angel of his fate and of his bravery. He had also found out he had earned a second chance.
"This second chance I have coming, does it mean I get to start over?"
"Of course, you get to start over as you. You will know everything you know now, but after a time you will forget your time here."
"But will I still be me? I'll still look the same or do I get a new body?"
"You'll go back as you in every way."
"You said it's a choice, what is my other choice?"
"You can stay here for eternity."
"Can I know what's happening? Back there, with them?" He needed to know how they were.
"You may be shown this once, but then the choice has to be made. You will have no further knowledge of that realm if you choose to stay"
"Here is your glimpse at their lives now."
Dawn and Buffy had returned to their room, Dawn fell on the bed and she was out. Buffy needed some quiet time.
That song. It hung in her mind. Maybe if she listened to it just once it would go away. But where do I get a copy, here, in the middle of Texas?
She turned the TV on, a little noise might help. Flipping through the channels, there it is! That movie was on again. Must be Travolta week or something. She hadn't seen this part, must be before she had caught it the last time.
Buffy hunted for the box of tissues. Ah, there they are. Now just need chocolate. She hunted through the bags they had brought up. There we are, Hershey bites. Not ice cream but it would have to do.
A little while later Buffy sat watching the wedding scene again, swaying to the music with them. The chocolate was gone along with half the tissues.
He watched as the spiral in front of him grew and then the center became clear and pictures began to form.
There she was. What was she so upset about? He felt his heart tug at the sight of her like that.
"She misses you William. She meant what she said."
There had never been a doubt of what his choice would be. "How long before I can go?" He had been offered a chance at a human life. One that could possibly include Buffy.
At first all he could think about was the fact that he couldn't seem to move. Then he remembered. The cavern had filled with sunlight and he had burned up. Hadn't he?
"Wait just a bloody minute! Where am I?"
"Ah, William, you're awake."
All he could see was light. It got closer and closer to him. This voice seemed to come from the light. Wait a minute, he could look around, he just wasn't moving. This was getting stranger by the second. As he looked at where his hands were, no hands, only light.
"Where the bloody hell am I?" Then it occurred to him that that might not be such a good phrase to use in just this situation.
"Why William, I would think it would be obvious where you are."
If he could see a face, he could swear this being was smiling sarcastically. OK, so it was going to play out like this huh?
"Alright then, why am I here? I was fairly certain I was headed in the other direction."
"You had shown yourself worthy long before your"
"You mean I was headed in this direction before I signed up for the champion bit? He interrupted.
"Of course, how often do you think it is that one from the dark chooses to regain the light?" he interrupted.
"Light? Oh, you mean my soul. Well, if that's the case what happens now? Do I just stay here and shine are sparkly like?"
"The choice is yours."
"Oh" thoughts of his final moments suddenly played in his mind. "She did get out, didn't she? She's safe? Choice? What choice is that?"
Somewhere in Texas around 2 pm
The Scoobies had been on the road since early this morning. They had seen Giles off at the airport. Again. Willow had spent a good bit of the night before showing him how to use 'that blasted flat thing', he had finally gotten the basics down enough to send email. That would have to do, Willow was tired and they had an early morning of goodbyes and road trips.
The QuickMart was cool. That was about it. 'Why did I pick this one to stop at? Oh yeah, the girls had to pee and he was tired of trying to drive while they fought over the best route. Next road trip, he was flying.' Xander thought to himself while he sat on the bench near the slushy machine.
Well it's not like he had a lot of them to choose from. They had managed to end up on a stretch of highway with nothing but armadillos, dust balls, and dirt.
The ladies emerged from the rest rooms looking revived.
"Hey Xander, sorry about before. I really had to go." Buffy smiled at him, no way was he going to stay mad at her. He knew they would never be more than friends but she could still wrap him around her little finger with that smile.
"That's okay Buff, just don't touch the steering wheel while I'm driving."
She hugged him, knowing full well the power she had over him.
It was ding dongs, snowballs, slushies, beef jerky, and any other junk food left. They needed something to hold them over till they found the next actual town. The clerk had assured them it wasn't all that far.
The clerk had been right, about 2 hours down the road the outskirts of a small town were visible. They had done enough driving for the day, they were in need of showers and dinner.
There was only one hotel, but it had an indoor pool and the rooms were clean. They took the only two adjoining rooms. Shortly after checking in they had all showered and met back in the living room area of Buffy and Dawn's room.
"So, dinner plans?" Xander inquired, as he was going to be outvoted so he might as well let them pick.
"There's a restaurant downstairs. We could try it and see." Dawn just wanted to eat a little something and find that pool.
"Sounds like a plan, lets go." Buffy grabbed her purse and they were out the door.
They had eaten dinner and chatted about what they thought Cleveland would be like. Buffy had spoken with Faith on several occasions, but had never thought to ask for details of the actual town. The friends spent the next couple of hours talking about what they wanted in their futures. When the next days drive became the topic of discussion it was decided that they would simply fill a cooler with their road trip munchies and would only make stops when absolutely necessary. It was time to turn in; it had been a long day. Made longer by the sitting for hours.
Once back in their rooms, Xander and Willow laid on their own beds staring at the ceiling.
"Xander"
"Yeah Wil"
"Can I come over there?"
"Sure, want to see what's on the old tube?"
Willow climbed on and they lay together as they had when they were younger. Both were hurting and this just felt safe. Willow hadn't shown how hurt she was when Kennedy left but Xander knew she was upset. He was still dealing with Anya not being around anymore. They fell asleep, thinking back to happier times of sleepovers and footy pajamas.
He had managed to get a few straight answers. He had been told of Buffy's escape and her trip to LA to inform Angel of his fate and of his bravery. He had also found out he had earned a second chance.
"This second chance I have coming, does it mean I get to start over?"
"Of course, you get to start over as you. You will know everything you know now, but after a time you will forget your time here."
"But will I still be me? I'll still look the same or do I get a new body?"
"You'll go back as you in every way."
"You said it's a choice, what is my other choice?"
"You can stay here for eternity."
"Can I know what's happening? Back there, with them?" He needed to know how they were.
"You may be shown this once, but then the choice has to be made. You will have no further knowledge of that realm if you choose to stay"
"Here is your glimpse at their lives now."
Dawn and Buffy had returned to their room, Dawn fell on the bed and she was out. Buffy needed some quiet time.
That song. It hung in her mind. Maybe if she listened to it just once it would go away. But where do I get a copy, here, in the middle of Texas?
She turned the TV on, a little noise might help. Flipping through the channels, there it is! That movie was on again. Must be Travolta week or something. She hadn't seen this part, must be before she had caught it the last time.
Buffy hunted for the box of tissues. Ah, there they are. Now just need chocolate. She hunted through the bags they had brought up. There we are, Hershey bites. Not ice cream but it would have to do.
A little while later Buffy sat watching the wedding scene again, swaying to the music with them. The chocolate was gone along with half the tissues.
He watched as the spiral in front of him grew and then the center became clear and pictures began to form.
There she was. What was she so upset about? He felt his heart tug at the sight of her like that.
"She misses you William. She meant what she said."
There had never been a doubt of what his choice would be. "How long before I can go?" He had been offered a chance at a human life. One that could possibly include Buffy.