Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow:
Notes: Well, folks, we are nearing the end. Only a couple more chapters to go. But never fear, I have a sequel lined up and waiting, which I hope you will enjoy. Thanks for the reviews and keep 'em coming. Here's the next chapter.
Previously:
"I'm giving you a choice, Robson," Kara said slowly. "If you've lost all hope...then use that," she said, motioning to the gun on the table. "Because if you don't, I will."
Chapter Fifty-Nine:
Kara could practically feel the tension in the room. The air was thick and stifling, heavy with heat. The Scooby Gang and several of the new slayers were gathered in Buffy's living room. With the help of Willow's technical expertise, they were transmitting the meeting to every member of the new Council via a computer video file. While Kara was gone, Buffy, Faith, Jack, and Giles had met and decided that on the following evening they would launch their attack against the First. Everyone was full of nervous energy, some unable to contain themselves with excitement, some dreading the loss and pain the next night could bring. Not everyone would be coming home.
In a private broadcast to upper Council officials, Jack and Giles had explained the situation regarding Robson and his betrayal, as revealed to them by Willow and Tara in Kara's absence. They knew that if the First could infiltrate their inner circle, they had waited too long. The time for offensive action had come. "Tomorrow night, we will be launching an aggressive, offensive campaign against the First," Giles said, formally addressing the group of people gathered before him, as well as the camera directly in front of him. "All slayers and those capable to fight are to meet at the Sunnydale High School at dusk. Bring whatever weapons and materials you may require. We have limited supplies and will not be able to uniform everyone," Giles said, stepping to the side as Buffy stepped forward to explain their mode of attack.
"We're going to attack the First at its strongest point – the Hellmouth. We'll most likely be outnumbered significantly, but this is not the first apocalypse we've faced and it won't be the last. The First's demons cannot breach the outer doors of the high school. We'll have three teams. The first team will descend into the Hellmouth itself. Kara and I will be leading this team. The second team will guard the first floor hallway of the school to ensure that no one escapes. Faith and Spike will lead this team. The third and final team will be stationed outside the high school in case any demons do happen to escape. Willow and Tara will lead this team. Any questions?" Buffy asked, glancing around the room.
"Alright. You know to which team you belong. Everyone rest up. Tomorrow is going to be very long and very demanding. Goodnight," Giles said, stepping back in front of the camera. Willow cut the feed and her laptop screen went black.
"That was good," she said, smiling over at Giles. She knew how nervous he was about addressing the entirety of the Council.
"Thanks," he said, smiling back. "Now, everyone follow my advice and go get some rest. Buffy and Faith will lead the girls in a brief training session tomorrow, but after that, the rest of our energies must be devoted to gathering weapons and preparing for the battle."
The group collectively stood and dispersed, heading home. Kara lingered behind, unsure of where to go. "You should go see her," Spike said, coming up behind her. "Never know. Might be your last chance."
Kara looked back at him and smiled. "Very much so the optimist I see."
"Bloody hell," Spike muttered, a grin lighting up his face. "I've lived far too long to be an optimist."
"Yeah, me too," Kara quietly said.
"You staying here?" Buffy asked, walking up to them.
"I am," Spike said, smiling at the pointed glare Buffy shot him.
"Yes, but you will be sleeping on the couch, far, far away from my innocent, young, jailbait sister," she pointed out. Spike nodded.
"Absolutely," he said. Though he and Buffy had slowly become friends, he knew not to push the delicate bounds of their relationship.
"I'm gonna go see Kennedy," Kara said. "I'll be back before you leave."
"Okay, be careful," Buffy said as Kara flashed her a smile and left the house.
"She'll be alright," Spike commented, watching her go. "She's a strong one. No doubt about that."
"Yeah," Buffy said, her eyes distant. "Too strong I think."
.......................................
"I can't sleep," Tara said, rolling over and facing Willow. They had gone back to their dorm, both feeling exhausted from the stress of the day, but neither able to surrender to unconsciousness.
"Neither can I," Willow replied, facing Tara as well. "What do you want to do?"
"I don't know," Tara responded. "I feel like I'm going to start bouncing off the walls."
"We need to find a way to relax," Willow murmured, sitting up in bed. "I know!" She said suddenly and smiled over at Tara.
"What?"
"What always relaxes us?" Willow asked.
"Doing spells," Tara instantly replied.
"Exactly. Come on," Willow said, grabbing Tara's hand and pulling her onto their dorm room floor. They quickly lit some candles and Willow grabbed a rose from a vase on her desk. "Let's try turning it to ice," she said, as she and Tara joined hands.
They closed their eyes and concentrated, immediately feeling their nervous energy dissipate. Their minds wandered into a meditative state of mystical energy and the rose began to freeze. Opening her eyes, Willow looked down and saw ice spreading up from the base of the stem, reaching out and grazing the petals. Tara opened her eyes and watched as the ice crept up the petals of the flower and frosted them white. The two witches smiled and looked up at each other. "Let's thaw this baby out."
..............................
Spike and Dawn lay on Dawn's bed, both staring out the window at the moon. They could see it shimmering through the bare limbs of the trees. It looked cold outside, silent and still. It was hard to imagine that on the following evening, Hell would be breaking loose. Now that they were alone, everything seemed so peaceful and calm. It was like they were cradled in the eye of the storm.
"Remember, if all else fails, a good stab through the throat'll knock down whatever ails ya," Spike said, imparting his battle wisdom on his girlfriend. Dawn was going to be in the third team, outside of the school with Willow and Tara. She didn't have as much experience fighting demons as the others. Though she had trained frequently with Buffy and Faith, she hadn't gone patrolling with them as much as she would have liked. She was feeling a bit unprepared for the battle.
"And the best trick I've found is letting everyone else jump into the fray first. That way, by the time you join the fight, the demons'll already be weakened and it'll be like shooting fish in a bleeding barrel," Spike said. He wasn't particularly happy with Buffy's decision to allow Dawn to fight, though he was pleased that the slayer had put her sister in the third party instead of the second. He would never tell Dawn he didn't want her to fight, however, because he knew that would only motivate her to prove him wrong.
"Got it. I'll be fine," Dawn said, looking up at Spike and smiling. "Besides, I doubt we'll even see any action. It's you I'm worried about."
"What're you worrying about me for, Bit? I'm William the Bloody. I can take care of myself. Those little bastards won't know the sky from the ground by the time I'm done with them," Spike said confidently, mostly to quell Dawn's fears. He had to admit, he was a bit nervous about the battle.
"Good," she said, resting her head on Spike's chest. "Do me a favor?" She said, looking up at him again.
"What?"
"Don't let anything happen to Faith. It would kill Buffy."
.................................
"When all this is done, can we move somewhere less with the Hellmouth and more with the quiet suburban bliss?" Anya whined as she and Xander drove back to their apartment in Xander's company truck.
Xander smiled slightly. "No, where the Scoobies go, we go. And if the Scoobies stay here, we stay here."
"Well, at least the Council's giving us health and dental benefits," Anya said resignedly. "It's about damn time we get something out of all this."
"You mean besides that warm and fuzzy feeling you get knowing you've saved the world and everyone in?" Xander said jokingly.
"Wait, there's a warm, fuzzy feeling? Why don't I get that?" Anya asked, looking over at Xander. He sighed.
"You remember how we talked about buying a house some day soon?" Xander asked, diverting the topic. Anya nodded.
"Well, with the salaries the Council started paying us for all of our contributions to the fight against evil, the money I get from the construction job, the money you get from the Magic Box, and the wonderfully low value of real estate in Sunnydale, I think we'll be able to do that a lot sooner than we planned."
"Really?" Anya asked excitedly.
"Yep. Of course, if we moved somewhere else, probably not," Xander noted, smiling as Anya rolled her eyes.
"Fine, we'll stay. But you owe me a house, mister," Anya teased, smiling over at Xander. "Be careful tomorrow," she said, changing gears completely. Xander was in the second team, while Anya was in the third.
"You too," Xander said.
.....................................
"You think they're ready?" Faith asked. She was standing by the bedroom window, looking out, but not really seeing anything. Her eyes were unfocused, wild with the passion and intensity of the slayer. It was as if the primordial soul of the slayer living within her recognized that on the following day, she would be fighting one of the biggest battles of her life. That primordial soul couldn't wait to burst forth.
"I don't know," Buffy admitted truthfully. She walked up to Faith and wrapped her arms around her fiancée's waist, resting her chin on Faith's shoulder. "But it's not like I was ever really ready for any of the big bads I faced."
"True," Faith said, smiling back at her. "So, this could be our last night on earth," she said, her voice low and husky. Turning, she rested her forehead on Buffy's. "What do you wanna do?"
Buffy smiled mischievously. "Oh, I can think of a few things."
.............................
Kara paused in the doorway of Kennedy's hospital room, listening to the sounds of the machines hooked up to her girlfriend. The constant beeping was soothing. Sighing, she stepped into the room and lowered herself onto the chair at Kennedy's bedside. "I can only stay a few minutes," she said, taking Kennedy's hand in her own.
"I just want you to know, in case something happens...I love you. I love you so much and I know you want to be there with us tomorrow. But do me a favor," Kara said, pausing. "Don't wake up until it's over. I want this world to be a better place for you. And after tomorrow, it will be."
Leaning forward, she pressed a kiss onto Kennedy's forehead. "I'll see you real soon, I promise," she said rising to her feet. She threw her one last glance before walking back out of the door. There was somewhere she needed to be.