Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow

Previously:

"I think that would be a good idea," Jack answered. "They've all been trained well and are quite eager to get out there and test their skills."

"Alright then," Faith said, rising to her feet. "Let's go kick some demon ass."

...........................

Sighing, Caleb closed his eyes for a moment. "Now, I want you do to something for me. Take this body, here. Take it to the slayer. Put it somewhere she'll see it real good. I want her to know she can't go unpunished in the eyes of God."

Chapter Thirty-Five:

Faith slept restlessly, tossing and turning the entire night. Her dreams were plagued with a rolling filmstrip of images from her past. But toward the morning, a new image crept into her mind. She could see hundreds of girls all over the world dying, lying in pools of blood, their eyes shiny and glazed over in pain. Hovering over each of them, a priest stood, with shaggy brown hair that hung down in his eyes. He was younger than any of the priests Faith ever remembered seeing and there was a devilish glint in his eyes.

"Faith, baby, wake up," Buffy said, leaning up on her elbow and stroking the side of Faith's face. All night, she had been making little whimpering noises in her sleep. Buffy wondered what her girlfriend was dreaming about. Faith stirred and finally opened her eyes.

"Hey," she said, her voice low and husky from sleep. "Morning?" She asked, squinting her eyes and looking over at the window. The sun was slanting in through the glass, its early morning rays golden yellow.

"Pretty much," Buffy said, smiling, as she leaned down and gently kissed Faith. "Bad dreams?" She asked when she pulled away.

"Something like that," Faith responded and pulled herself into a sitting position. A scream suddenly shattered the silence blanketing the house. Jumping to their feet, Buffy and Faith ran out of the room. "Where did it come from?"

"Out front," Buffy said as they ran down the stairs and out of the opened front door. Dawn stood on the porch, her book bag in hand.

"Dawn, what is it?" Faith asked, grabbing Dawn's arm. Dawn looked over at her, her face pale, and pointed to a tree in the front yard.

"What's going on?" Joyce asked, coming outside as she pulled her robe on.

"Go back in the house," Buffy instructed and quickly ushered her mom back in the house.

"Shit," Faith muttered as she gazed at the tree. A young girl was hanging from it, blood covering her shirt. "We should get her down."

"No," Dawn said quickly. "Call the police. If we touch the body, it might look bad on us. After all, she is hanging in our front yard."

Faith glanced over at Dawn, visibly impressed. "B!" She called back into the house. "Call the cops."

The police arrived a half hour later and took down the body. After a few rounds of questioning, they left. "Not every morning you find a dead girl in your front yard," Joyce commented as she poured coffee for the group gathered around the kitchen table.

"Which is fortunate," Faith said, as she sipped her coffee.

"On a lighter note," Buffy said suddenly. "Everyone ready for Xander's wedding tomorrow?"

..................

"You know, for a second there, I actually wished I was back in our time," Kara said as she and Callum stood in front of her closet, gaping at the hideous bridesmaid dresses Anya had picked for the wedding.

Callum nodded grimly. "It most definitely isn't a pretty picture and after seeing you in that, I'm not sure I'll ever want to sleep with you again."

Kara smirked and slapped him playfully on the arm as he grinned. "Your loss then," she commented.

"Have you seen the dresses yet?" Buffy asked as she wandered into the room. She, Willow, and Faith had just been discussing their horrific qualities, much like Kara and Callum.

"Lookin' right at it," Kara said, turning to regard her mother. "Can I fake an illness?"

Buffy smiled. "Only if I can too," she said as she looked over the dress again. "Maybe it'll look better in a different light."

"I doubt it," Faith said, coming up behind Buffy and wrapping an arm around her. "I can't believe I have to wear a freakin' dress," she muttered to herself, disgruntled.

"It's only for one day, baby," Buffy said, looking back at her. "Besides, I think you'll look sexy."

"No one will look sexy in those things," Kara said, smiling at her parents' playful banter.

It had been a couple of days since her and Callum's run in with the uber vamp in the morgue. Though another body had been found the morning before, it had been relatively quiet in Sunnydale. The Coven had surfaced just outside of town and offered their services in investigating the First, which they gladly accepted. Jack was busy training his potential slayers in the house across the street. The only thing that bothered Kara was the lack of communication from Robson. He had practically disappeared after leaving Sunnydale and she had a sinking suspicion that he was dead.

Callum looked down at his watch. "We better get changed, we have to be there in an hour," he said, as Buffy and Faith filed out of the room to go change into their dresses.

Kara sighed. "Let's hope Xander doesn't blow it this time, huh?"

..............................

"Avoid old men," Xander muttered to himself as he stood in front of the mirror in the church, giving himself a quick glance. The door opened behind him and Willow walked in, clad in the strange, aquamarine dress Anya had picked out. He cringed. "Looks good on ya," he said cheerfully as Willow rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, I'll bet," she said. "So, you ready?" She asked, smiling widely when Xander turned around and began to fiddle nervously with his cuffs. "You look great."

"Thanks," he muttered. Heaving a heavy sigh, he closed his eyes for a moment. "Okay, let's go," he said, offering his arm to Willow and escorting her out of the room.

They walked down the hallway and out into the gathering room, where all of the guests were milling about and talking. Xander saw Kara standing by the door, keeping a careful watch for any intruders. "I'll be right back," he muttered to Willow and walked over to where Kara stood. "No crazy old men?" He asked, flashing her his patent half smile.

She shook her head and smiled back. "Nope. Looks like we're in the clear," she said jokingly. "You okay?" She asked, hoping that he wasn't suffering from the same doubts and insecurities as he had the last time.

Xander thought for a moment before suddenly pulling her into a bear hug. "I'm perfect," he whispered and smiled against her neck. "Wish me luck, huh kiddo," he said when he pulled away and playfully punched her in the arm. Then music began to fill the room and everyone walked into the church, taking their seats. Xander wandered up to the front of the room, smiling briefly at Willow, his best man. After a few moments, the wedding march began.

His breath caught in his throat when he saw Anya walking down the aisle, being led by Giles. She was a vision in white and seemed to radiate a fiery, eternal happiness that brought a huge smile to Xander's face. The ceremony began and every one sat. Dawn sighed as she watched Xander and Anya. She had to admit she once harbored a crush for the goofy man standing before the altar. Smiling, she realized she had found her soul mate in the form of a hundred some year old vampire. Reaching over, she clasped Spike's hand, who gently squeezed hers back. She looked over at him and nearly burst out laughing.

"Are you crying?" She whispered, watching the vampire frantically try to wipe away his tears.

"No," he muttered back. Looking over at her, he realized she would never believe him. "Alright, maybe I was. It's bloody romantic," he said defensively as they both chuckled and turned their attention back to the ceremony.

"I, Anya, want to marry you, Xander, because ... I love you and I'll always love you. And ... before I knew you, I was like a completely different person. Not even a person, really... ...and I had seen what love could do to people, and it was ... hurt and sadness. Alone was better. And then, suddenly there was you, and ... you knew me. You saw me, and it was this ... thing. You make me feel safe and warm. So, I get it now. I finally get love, Xander. I really do."

..........................

Kara watched as Xander and Anya's limo sped off, heading to Buffy's house for the reception. After that, the newlyweds would be off for a weeklong honeymoon in San Francisco. She smiled, happy that out of all the things she managed to change for the better, Xander and Anya's wedding was one of them. "You ready to go?" Callum asked, offering her his arm.

"Yeah," Kara said, accepting it and walking down to their ride with him. It had just started raining. She slowed her pace a bit, a strange feeling creeping up her spine, as if someone was watching her. Looking back, she surveyed the crowd, but saw no one.

"Staining the holy sacrament of matrimony with their filthy bodies and souls," Caleb muttered to himself as he watched the wedding party file out of the church from a cluster of trees. His eyes fell on a dark haired girl about nineteen. He could feel a surge of power coming off her. She was something as strong as the First. It scared him a little. He would have to find out more about her. But first, there was a girl that needed killing.