Title: A Fair Exchange.
Author: Charlie
Timeline: Post BtVS S7 & AtS S5. Sequel to "Best Laid Plans."
Summary:Xander begins revamping the slayer school but finds his biggest challeges lie within.
Feedback is always appreciated.
Author Notes: Round and round, the ship goes. Where it lands, the
Author doesn't know. Will it be (A)my, (B)uffy, (C)ordelia, (D)awn, (F)aith, (F)red, (H)armony, (K)ennedy or (W)illow that wins the Xandman?
The Library
"Willow..."
The red head looked up in surprise as Dawn came into the room. There was a troubled look on her face as she approached the Sunnydale native. Willow blinked as the younger Summers stopped in front of her.
"Dawnie? Is there something wrong?"
As in answer, Dawn held out the pill bottle in front of her. Surprised Willow gently took the pill bottle from her and examined it. As she read the label, Dawn started speaking in a trembling voice.
"I-I recognized the name on the bottle. Mom... had them in her room..."
Shaking slightly, Willow turned her attention to the laptop in front of her and typed in the name of the drug on the bottle. What she found in her search started her shaking her further. The red head slumped back in her chair, slowly she looked up at the younger woman.
"Dawn, where did you find this bottle?"
Hesitantly, the brunette answered "It was in Xander's room."
Cleveland
The back door to the club opened as Buffy and Faith to emerge from the nightclub as well as spilling forth the music from inside out into the night air. They paused to regard each other in the cold night air before laughing.
"Geez B. That guy may never walk right again."
"Serves him right."
"Oh, college boy getting a bit big for himself, huh?"
Buffy smirked, "from what I was feeling, he wasn't 'big' at all".
Faith cracked up upon hearing that. "Good thing T ain't here or else he'd ripped that kid in two."
Their laughter was cut off by a shrill scream in the night. Both slayers immediately froze, looked at each other and then took off headed in the direction of the scream.
Nearby
Kit screamed again as she backed away from the things approaching her. She had been so intent on running away, she hadn't bothered to notice where she was headed. Or that she was being stalked not by the figure in her apartment but by several men with twisted faces. She stumbled along the alleyway, willing herself to keep moving even though her body ached.
A few hundred feet behind her, a group of vampires lurked. While they were all hungry, none of their recent kills gave them quite as much joy as the girl they were now pursuing. Her fear and terror laced blood filled the air with an intoxicating mixture that called them to her. They would trap her soon enough and feed but for now, they were enjoying the hunt.
Further behind them, unnoticed by both the vampires and the girl, was the hulking figure of Jason Voorhees. He didn't know who those men were in front of him were or why they were after the girl. To him, they were like any of the others, just more people to suffer his wrath. He almost didn't pay attention to the figure in front of him, until it stepped in his way.
"Now, now my dear boy. I think you've caused enough of a stir."
Jason looked down at the man oddly before raising his hand that held the knife. He prepared to stab this man and then continue on with his mission.
"I said that's enough." With a wave of his hand, the man froze the erstwhile serial killer in place. Then he stepped closer as he examined the motionless murderer for a few seconds. Smiling the man looked directly into the eyes of Voorhees as he spoke.
"Yes. You'll do nicely".
Silently both Jason Voorhees and the man known as Mr. Thomas shimmered out of view.
Not too far away, Xander sat behind the wheel of his weathered but still running Nissan Sentra. He had been out looking for signs of the slayers. With the windows down, he easily heard the piecing scream that rang out. Quickly he pulled into an empty parking lot and started sprinting towards where he thought it had come from. Xander opted to cut through some buildings as a shortcut to where he was headed.
The Library
"Willow?"
Cordelia had come to the library to find Dawn. They had planned on going to the video store and getting a movie to watch with Xander, Andrew and Harmony later. Instead, she found Dawn standing very still staring off into space by Willow.
For her part, the witch was also strangely silent and unmoving. A slight pang of unease washed through the former Seer's body. This was the Hellmouth after all (or now it appeared one of them), strange things weren't out of the ordinary, in fact it was the norm.
Abruptly Willow slumped down in her chair and stared at the floor. Cordelia breathed a little easier at seeing her friend move. She stepped closer and tentatively wrapped her arm around Dawn's shoulders.
"Dawn, what's wrong?"
"Xander... he's sick." Dawn looked up at her for a second, tears starting to form in her eyes. Wordlessly, the former cheerleader pulled her into a hug as the girl started crying softly. "What do you mean he's sick? He looked as strong as ever yesterday."
"Cordy... Dawn was in his apartment earlier. She found this there," Willow gestured at the pill bottle on the table without looking up.
"What are those for?"
"Pain pills. Dawn recognized them, Joyce used to take them before she.."
"Oh"
Cleveland
Faith grunted as she spun and delivered a crescent kick to the vampire she was fighting. The force of the blow staggered the vamp backwards, long enough for Faith to use her stake and dust it. She quickly turned her head and saw the girl they were protecting, cowering in the corner. She and B had disposed of the small group of vampires easily enough when they arrived. But more had come, lured apparently by the scent of the girl's blood and her cries.
Buffy was fighting two vamps at once and she was doing fairly well. Or at least she was until a third vamp struck her from behind, knocking her down. The Blonde slayer hit the ground and rolled onto her back. Snarling, the three vamps closed in, the first two she kicked in the face. The third never got the chance as a pair of strong hands grabbed on and spun him around.
Reflexively Faith deflected the punch aimed at her head and grabbed the vamp's arm. Turning her hips and shifting her weight, the dark slayer threw the vampire to the ground and away from her. Seeking to press her advantage, she advanced towards the fallen vamp as it tried to stand. Behind her, the rusted metal door banged open causing Kit to scream. Acting on her instincts Faith kicked the door behind hard, hoping to stagger the new arrival.
"Hey B! Reinforcements!"
Buffy had just dusted one of the vamps when she heard the door open. With her back turned she couldn't see what emerged into the alley but she heard Faith strike the door and the warning shouted to her. Sensing the new arrival behind her, she quickly dusted the remaining vampire. Pivoting on her heel, Buffy turned and slammed her stake into the chest of her would be attacker.
She was briefly surprised when the vampire didn't dust. Then as she saw the blood start to flow, her surprise became shock. Especially when the longest lived slayer on record looked up and saw the face of the man who had once brought her back to life with his breath.
Time seemed to slow and stop in the alley as Xander looked at Buffy. Flashes of shock pain and hurt flashed across his face and in his eyes. Xander blinked once and then slumped towards the ground.
Author: Charlie
Timeline: Post BtVS S7 & AtS S5. Sequel to "Best Laid Plans."
Summary:Xander begins revamping the slayer school but finds his biggest challeges lie within.
Feedback is always appreciated.
Author Notes: Round and round, the ship goes. Where it lands, the
Author doesn't know. Will it be (A)my, (B)uffy, (C)ordelia, (D)awn, (F)aith, (F)red, (H)armony, (K)ennedy or (W)illow that wins the Xandman?
The Library
"Willow..."
The red head looked up in surprise as Dawn came into the room. There was a troubled look on her face as she approached the Sunnydale native. Willow blinked as the younger Summers stopped in front of her.
"Dawnie? Is there something wrong?"
As in answer, Dawn held out the pill bottle in front of her. Surprised Willow gently took the pill bottle from her and examined it. As she read the label, Dawn started speaking in a trembling voice.
"I-I recognized the name on the bottle. Mom... had them in her room..."
Shaking slightly, Willow turned her attention to the laptop in front of her and typed in the name of the drug on the bottle. What she found in her search started her shaking her further. The red head slumped back in her chair, slowly she looked up at the younger woman.
"Dawn, where did you find this bottle?"
Hesitantly, the brunette answered "It was in Xander's room."
Cleveland
The back door to the club opened as Buffy and Faith to emerge from the nightclub as well as spilling forth the music from inside out into the night air. They paused to regard each other in the cold night air before laughing.
"Geez B. That guy may never walk right again."
"Serves him right."
"Oh, college boy getting a bit big for himself, huh?"
Buffy smirked, "from what I was feeling, he wasn't 'big' at all".
Faith cracked up upon hearing that. "Good thing T ain't here or else he'd ripped that kid in two."
Their laughter was cut off by a shrill scream in the night. Both slayers immediately froze, looked at each other and then took off headed in the direction of the scream.
Nearby
Kit screamed again as she backed away from the things approaching her. She had been so intent on running away, she hadn't bothered to notice where she was headed. Or that she was being stalked not by the figure in her apartment but by several men with twisted faces. She stumbled along the alleyway, willing herself to keep moving even though her body ached.
A few hundred feet behind her, a group of vampires lurked. While they were all hungry, none of their recent kills gave them quite as much joy as the girl they were now pursuing. Her fear and terror laced blood filled the air with an intoxicating mixture that called them to her. They would trap her soon enough and feed but for now, they were enjoying the hunt.
Further behind them, unnoticed by both the vampires and the girl, was the hulking figure of Jason Voorhees. He didn't know who those men were in front of him were or why they were after the girl. To him, they were like any of the others, just more people to suffer his wrath. He almost didn't pay attention to the figure in front of him, until it stepped in his way.
"Now, now my dear boy. I think you've caused enough of a stir."
Jason looked down at the man oddly before raising his hand that held the knife. He prepared to stab this man and then continue on with his mission.
"I said that's enough." With a wave of his hand, the man froze the erstwhile serial killer in place. Then he stepped closer as he examined the motionless murderer for a few seconds. Smiling the man looked directly into the eyes of Voorhees as he spoke.
"Yes. You'll do nicely".
Silently both Jason Voorhees and the man known as Mr. Thomas shimmered out of view.
Not too far away, Xander sat behind the wheel of his weathered but still running Nissan Sentra. He had been out looking for signs of the slayers. With the windows down, he easily heard the piecing scream that rang out. Quickly he pulled into an empty parking lot and started sprinting towards where he thought it had come from. Xander opted to cut through some buildings as a shortcut to where he was headed.
The Library
"Willow?"
Cordelia had come to the library to find Dawn. They had planned on going to the video store and getting a movie to watch with Xander, Andrew and Harmony later. Instead, she found Dawn standing very still staring off into space by Willow.
For her part, the witch was also strangely silent and unmoving. A slight pang of unease washed through the former Seer's body. This was the Hellmouth after all (or now it appeared one of them), strange things weren't out of the ordinary, in fact it was the norm.
Abruptly Willow slumped down in her chair and stared at the floor. Cordelia breathed a little easier at seeing her friend move. She stepped closer and tentatively wrapped her arm around Dawn's shoulders.
"Dawn, what's wrong?"
"Xander... he's sick." Dawn looked up at her for a second, tears starting to form in her eyes. Wordlessly, the former cheerleader pulled her into a hug as the girl started crying softly. "What do you mean he's sick? He looked as strong as ever yesterday."
"Cordy... Dawn was in his apartment earlier. She found this there," Willow gestured at the pill bottle on the table without looking up.
"What are those for?"
"Pain pills. Dawn recognized them, Joyce used to take them before she.."
"Oh"
Cleveland
Faith grunted as she spun and delivered a crescent kick to the vampire she was fighting. The force of the blow staggered the vamp backwards, long enough for Faith to use her stake and dust it. She quickly turned her head and saw the girl they were protecting, cowering in the corner. She and B had disposed of the small group of vampires easily enough when they arrived. But more had come, lured apparently by the scent of the girl's blood and her cries.
Buffy was fighting two vamps at once and she was doing fairly well. Or at least she was until a third vamp struck her from behind, knocking her down. The Blonde slayer hit the ground and rolled onto her back. Snarling, the three vamps closed in, the first two she kicked in the face. The third never got the chance as a pair of strong hands grabbed on and spun him around.
Reflexively Faith deflected the punch aimed at her head and grabbed the vamp's arm. Turning her hips and shifting her weight, the dark slayer threw the vampire to the ground and away from her. Seeking to press her advantage, she advanced towards the fallen vamp as it tried to stand. Behind her, the rusted metal door banged open causing Kit to scream. Acting on her instincts Faith kicked the door behind hard, hoping to stagger the new arrival.
"Hey B! Reinforcements!"
Buffy had just dusted one of the vamps when she heard the door open. With her back turned she couldn't see what emerged into the alley but she heard Faith strike the door and the warning shouted to her. Sensing the new arrival behind her, she quickly dusted the remaining vampire. Pivoting on her heel, Buffy turned and slammed her stake into the chest of her would be attacker.
She was briefly surprised when the vampire didn't dust. Then as she saw the blood start to flow, her surprise became shock. Especially when the longest lived slayer on record looked up and saw the face of the man who had once brought her back to life with his breath.
Time seemed to slow and stop in the alley as Xander looked at Buffy. Flashes of shock pain and hurt flashed across his face and in his eyes. Xander blinked once and then slumped towards the ground.