Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow
Previously:
"You'll have to go through me first," Jack 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."
....................
"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."
Chapter Thirty-Seven:
"Look, the sun's coming up," Kennedy said from her position under the mausoleum window. Dawn was rising on a new day and the sky was a deep shade of crimson, almost the color of blood. "You think they're gone?"
Jack turned and looked at the girl. She was covered with dried blood and bruises, her hair tousled, and her shirt torn at the sleeve. He was in no better shape. But he supposed he had no right to complain. Annabelle and Molly were dead. "I haven't heard anything in a while. Though the sunlight does them no harm, I doubt they'll want to hang around out in the open," Jack said wearily, running a shaky hand through his dirtied hair. Kennedy sighed.
Pulling herself to her feet, she used the wall for support as she limped over to the door of the mausoleum. They had managed to pull the caskets from out of the wall to block the door off with. Pressing her ear against the cool stone, she listened intently. She couldn't hear anything from outside, though that didn't mean there was no one there. "What do you think? Should we chance it?"
Jack slowly stood, holding his broken arm close to his chest. Shuffling his way over to her, he nodded. "No time like the present as they say. Besides, we can't stay in here forever."
Kennedy snorted. "Yeah, I guess if we're gonna die we might as well go out swingin' huh?" She said as they began the arduous task of dragging the heavy caskets away from the door. Jack laughed.
"Damn straight," he said, rewarded with a small, but sincere smile from Kennedy.
"Do you think anyone's looking for us?" Kennedy asked thoughtfully. Though they lived across from the street from Buffy and Faith, they didn't associate with them on a daily basis. It was almost like they were living in two different worlds. The "Scoobies," as they referred to themselves, seemed to distance themselves from anything that remotely had to do with the Council, even though the enemies they had known in it were long dead. The only people who came by on a regular basis were Kara and Callum. Though, Kennedy couldn't say Callum was much help; he clammed up whenever Jack walked into the room for some reason.
"I don't know," Jack responded after a few minutes. "I don't imagine they are."
..................................
Willow placed a trembling hand on Buffy's chest, right above her heart. From there, she could spread out and heal the rest of her friend's broken body. Drawing in a shaky breath, she closed her eyes and focused all of her energies. Tara was kneeling beside her, holding her hand, lending her all of the energy she possessed as well. Willow's hand slowly began to glow white, the light spreading out over Buffy's body. The cuts and bruises on the slayer slowly began to fade. The room collectively gasped when Willow drew her hand away to reveal Buffy, entirely healed and glowing with the aura of one in the prime of health.
"She'll wake up in a couple of minutes. Her mind has to get used to the fact that she's healed again," Willow said, her voice unsteady. Kara watched as Tara helped Willow to her feet. The witch was powerful, but obviously drained from using so much mystical energy.
"You should sit down," Giles said, helping Tara lead Willow over to a chair.
"Is she gonna be okay?" Dawn asked hesitantly from her place at her mother's side. Willow nodded and Spike laid a hand on her shoulder.
"Yeah, she'll be just fine, Dawnie," she said, smiling reassuringly at the girl. Dawn smiled back weakly.
Buffy's eyes began to flutter and Faith moved over to her, kneeling where Willow had been. "Hey," she whispered as Buffy's eyes opened completely and she looked around.
"What's going on?" Buffy asked, pulling herself up into a sitting position. "And how did I get home?"
"Kara carried you," Faith answered. "You were attacked by two uber vamps. Messed ya up real good, but Red here fixed ya up," Faith said, giving Buffy her patent lopsided grin to hide the turmoil of emotions that were flying through her.
"Thanks," Buffy said smiling over at Willow and then looking at Kara. She did a double take upon seeing Kara's glowing amber eyes. "What the hell?" She asked, inspecting them closer.
"Don't worry about it," Kara said, brushing her off and looking the other way. "It'll fade soon enough. I gotta go."
"Wait, where are you going?" Callum asked, visibly concerned over his girlfriend's behavior.
"I have things to do," Kara said, looking back at him. "There's more going on in this world than just what happens in this room, you know," she said and then walked away.
"What's up with her?" Faith asked, watching her daughter's retreating form. Willow followed her with her eyes as well.
"It reminds me of that spell," she muttered, more to herself than anyone else. But Buffy and Faith heard her.
"What spell?" Buffy asked.
"The one we did to defeat Adam. You know, joining you with the essence of the first slayer. It made your eyes turn amber too," Willow said thoughtfully.
"Whatever it is, it warrants research," Giles said suddenly. "Callum, Spike, care to help?" He asked hopefully. Callum and Spike begrudgingly agreed and they were off to the Magic Box.
"You sure you're okay, Buffy?" Dawn asked, coming forward and sitting down next to her sister. Buffy pulled her into a tight hug.
"I'm good," she replied, smiling at Dawn.
"I'm gonna get her home," Tara said, rising to her feet and helping Willow up.
"Okay," Buffy said, standing as well. "Thanks again. You're a lifesaver...literally."
Willow chuckled. "Yeah, see ya tomorrow...or later today, whatever."
Tara and Willow left, leaving just the Summers women and Faith. "Well, who's up for breakfast?" Joyce asked, clapping her hands together. "It'll be ready in a few minutes. Dawn, go wash your hands."
Finally, Buffy and Faith were left alone in the living room. Turning to Faith, Buffy launched herself into the other girl's arms, clinging to her tightly. Faith eagerly accepted her, wrapping her strong arms around Buffy's small frame. "You scared the shit outta me, B," Faith whispered, her voice cracking slightly. "Don't ever do that again."
Buffy laughed to hide tears streaming down her face. "I won't," she promised, clutching Faith tighter. She could feel Faith trembling slightly.
"I don't know what I'd do without you," Faith admitted, burying her face in Buffy's neck.
Buffy sighed, resting her head on Faith's shoulder. "I know what you mean."
........................................
Kara took off running as soon as the door closed behind her. She could already feel that she was too late for the battle at the cemetery. In her mind's eye, she could see the bodies of the potentials strewn out over the grass, staining the ground red with their blood and their unseeing eyes burned by the sun. She had been running on adrenaline all night and whatever the Powers the Be had tapped her into. But she was starting to crash. She could feel her legs tiring from running and her eyes were heavy with sleep. Finally, she reached the cemetery and flung open the gate, charging in, and dancing between the headstones.
Some primal knowledge led her to the site of the battle. Slowing to a stop, she sighed when she saw Annabelle and Molly lying dead a few feet away. "Shit," she muttered to herself, all hope drained from her. She had thought that perhaps a few of them would survive, but now she wasn't so sure. She could see a trail of blood leading away from the primary battle site. Following it carefully, it led her up to a mausoleum. She could hear noises from inside.
"Kennedy! Jack!" She called, hoping for a response. Her hopes were fulfilled when she heard both Kennedy and Jack's weary voices calling out from inside.
"Hey! Help get us outta here!" They shouted. "We piled some caskets up against the door, but they're too heavy for us to move now." Kara nearly burst out laughing from relief.
"Okay, hold on!" She shouted back. Stepping away from the door, she reared back and kicked with all of her strength. The door splintered and cracked, the caskets pushing back a few feet. After several more kicks, she managed to create a space for the two injured warriors to crawl through. Kennedy came out first, limping a little, and holding her hand up to protect her eyes from the sun.
"I don't think I've ever been happier to see anyone in my life," she said as Kara helped her stumble out over the debris of the door. "What's with your eyes?"
"Don't ask," Kara said wearily. Then she helped Jack crawl out as well.
"Glad to see you," he muttered, brushing the dust off his clothes. "Annabelle and Molly?"
"They're dead," Kara said apologetically. Jack nodded grimly.
"We assumed as much. I just wanted to make sure. So how was your night?" He asked, rather jovially, but just happy to be alive and well.
Kara laughed mirthlessly. "Let's just go home, huh?"
"Sounds good to me. Anyone else hungry?" Kennedy asked as the trio slowly made their way out of the cemetery.
"Famished," Jack said as his stomach rumbled in response. They all laughed.
"Hospital first or food?" Kara asked.
Looking over at each other, Kennedy and Jack replied at the same time, "Food."