Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow

Note: Thanks for the reviews. I just got back from euthanizing my cat, so yeah. That sucked. Oh yeah, and Anya's vows from last chapter were from the wedding episode...yet again forgot to put the disclaimer thing up. My bad. Anyway, here's the next chapter.

Previously:

"I, Anya, want to marry you, Xander, because ... I love you and I'll always love you. So, I get it now. I finally get love, Xander. I really do."

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

"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.

Chapter Thirty-Six:

"Very good," Jack commended as Kennedy staked her final vampire. Molly and Annabelle were a few yards away, dispatching their own. Glancing down at his watch, Jack ran his other hand through his hair and tightened his coat around his body. "Alright, time to call it a night, girls," he called out. Kennedy wandered back over to him. Annabelle and Molly each staked their vampire and began heading back as well.

"Busy night, huh?" Kennedy said as she wiped the vampire dust off her jeans. Jack smiled.

"Well, it is the Hellmouth after all. I'd be disappointed if it wasn't," Jack answered. Kennedy smirked.

"Yeah? Something tells me you'll be singin' a different tune when it all goes down," Kennedy replied.

"I do believe the little girl is correct," a voice behind them said, its southern twang slightly distorting the words. Turning, Jack and Kennedy found themselves only a few feet away from a group of six harbingers of the First and a rather crazy looking priest.

"Can I help you?" Jack asked, glancing out of the corner of his eye at Annabelle and Molly. Even more bringers had cut off their path but they showed no fear, and for that, Jack was proud.

"You've got something I want," Caleb said, stepping forward and eyeing the three girls. Kennedy scowled at him. Jack straightened himself, held his head high, and smiled grimly.

"You'll have to go through me first," he said. Next to him, Kennedy tensed for battle.

Caleb smiled evilly, his lips twisting up in an arc. "I don't see a problem with that."

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

Buffy shoved her hands in the pockets of her leather jacket as she walked down the street. She had spent the majority of the evening at the Magic Box, training and researching with Giles, Willow, and Tara. A cold wind whipped down the street and she shivered. She was absolutely starving and couldn't wait to get home. After having only seen Faith for a few minutes that morning, Buffy felt like she was going through withdrawal. She smiled slightly and sighed. Then she stopped dead in her tracks. The hairs on the back of her neck were standing on end and she could hear a low growl coming from the alley to her left. Turning her head, she squinted her eyes in the dark.

She could barely make out two beady, yellow eyes. "I really don't have time for this," she muttered. Whipping a stake out of her pocket, she advanced down the alley. "Come out already," she said. The vampire stepped out into the light of a street lamp. "Oh shit," Buffy muttered when she saw the vampire. It looked like one of the uber vamps Kara had described.

"Maybe I should just go home," she whispered to herself and turned back, only to find her exit cut off by another. Gulping slightly, she steeled herself and prepared for the fight. "Alright then," she said with determination. "Bring it on."

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

Kara had fallen asleep on the couch in the living room while watching some old black and white movie. Spike and Dawn were out on a date at the movies and Callum was over Buffy's house for dinner. She was supposed to go with him, but the entire day she had felt as if she was moving under water. She tossed a little in her sleep as dreams began to take her. Suddenly, she found herself in a desert. Sand surrounded her on all sides and the sun was blazing down on her face, hot and harsh.

"Where am I?" She asked.

"This is your subconscious," Veronica said from behind her. Kara turned to watch the woman, one of the Powers that Be, slowly approach her.

"My subconscious is a desert?" Kara asked, looking around.

"It's a slayer thing," Veronica answered, stopping once she was a few feet from Kara. "I've called you here."

"Why?"

"It has begun. The First has sent its messenger, Caleb, to Sunnydale. Already, he's killed. Tonight, he plans to kill again," Veronica said, shielding her eyes from the sun.

"Who, where?" Kara asked, suddenly panicked.

"Jack Borland took his potentials out to Restfield cemetery. Caleb and a dozen or so bringers are there. There's not much hope for them," Veronica admitted sadly.

"Then let me go. I have to help them," Kara demanded.

"Not yet. Something else is happening tonight."

"What?" Kara asked impatiently.

"In the alley by Willey's bar, Buffy is being attacked by two 'uber vamps,' as you like to call them," Veronica stated.

"What am I supposed to do?" Kara asked, realizing that some one was going to die that night no matter what she chose to do.

"It's up to you. Good luck," Veronica said and then turned to walk away. The further she walked, the more she began to fade until she wasn't there anymore. Then Kara woke up. Bolting to her feet, she took off running out of the house and down the street. She knew in her heart that she couldn't let Buffy die.

By the time she reached the alley, she could smell blood all over the place. Most of it was Buffy's, but the uber vamps were damaged as well. Kara skidded to a halt at the entrance of the alley and watched as they beat on Buffy, who was lying still by a dumpster. The world seemed to fade away and all Kara could see was the carnage in front of her. Growling low in her throat, she stepped forward. The vamps turned to look at her, halting when they saw her eyes. Her brown eyes had turned a fierce shade of amber that glinted in the dark. Then she charged.

She fought with the fierceness of every warrior that ever went before her. When she was done, the alley was strewn with blood from the vampires and their dust covered the walls. Kara was breathing heavily, standing amidst the debris, with her hands clenched at her sides. Her eyes still burned with a golden yellow. Turning to Buffy, she reach down and gingerly picked her mother up, cradling her close to her chest. The golden haired slayer was still breathing, shallow little breaths that seemed to take all of her energy. Then she tore out of the alley.

A few minutes later, Kara arrived at the Summers residence. She shuffled the broken slayer in her arms and knocked on the door. Faith opened it, a greeting dying on her lips when she saw Buffy lying limp in Kara's arms. Looking up into Kara's face, she nearly gasped when she saw Kara's eyes blazing amber in the night. "Bring her in," Faith finally said, her voice low and grim. "Put her in the living room."

Kara walked into the house and did as she was instructed, gently lying Buffy down on the couch. She knelt next to her and tenderly tucked a strand of her bloodied hair behind her ear. Kara could hear Faith talking on the phone in the kitchen, vaguely telling Giles that Buffy was hurt. Callum and Joyce filed into the living room, Joyce turning away when she saw her daughter.

"Jesus," she muttered, putting a hand over her mouth.

"Call Willow," Kara said suddenly.

"Why?" Callum asked, putting a comforting hand on Joyce's shoulder.

"Buffy is dying," Kara said slowly. "But Willow can save her."