And now, the story continues.
An Eternal War
Chapter Six
By IceWing (icewing@one.net)
Harlequinn looked after the fleeing form of the Slayer, then shut the door. "A bit harsh on her weren't we?"
Xander was fiddling with the controls on the hospital bed, eventually managing to get it to raise him to a comfortable sitting position. He looked at Harlequinn then shrugged. "Not exactly feeling all lovey towards her right now. Kinda hurt having that stake driven through my heart."
"If it makes a difference, she didn't know it was you. She thought you were a vampire. A vamp who had hurt her Xander in fact. Cut her some slack."
Xander paused for a moment as he digested this information, then continued. "Ok, I'll talk to her about it later. But right now, I need to know what the hell is going on here. How long was I under?"
"About 16 hours." A half smile, albeit sad crossed his face. "You've got about 36 hours till Graduation, or should I say Ascension."
"You know about it? How do we stop it?"
"Can't tell you that one boy-o." Before Xander could articulate his complaint, Harlequinn held up his hand and continued. "Look, I'm running a pretty big risk here as it is. This one is not my fight. The Mayor is a putz. You guys should be able to take him out. I did some research before coming here. You guys have faced worse than him. The Judge, for example. But if I interfere, then he'll get involved and that throws everything up in the air."
"Quick question, who exactly is the 'he' you're referencing here. It's not the Mayor, I managed to figure that one out. "
"Lets just say that he's somebody a lot more powerful that the Mayor and leave it at that. He's a turncoat and he started working for the Them. The rest I'll explain after you guys get your diploma's" He chuckled. "Graduation indeed. Xander, you and your friends are about to move to a whole new playing field. Now, get some rest. That spell I used to heal you with should have you back up to a hundred percent by morning, so you'll be in prime shape to stop the Mayor. I'll be seeing you."
Harlequinn turned and walked towards the door. As he opened it to step through, he tossed a small package over his shoulder to Xander. And then he was gone.
Xander caught the small object and grinned as he opened it. "Twinkies!"
The next morning, Xander was discharged from the hospital. He met up with the rest of the gang at school, albeit it a couple of minutes late. Buffy looked at him, something in her eyes, then looked away and began discussing her plan to take down the mayor.......
As the group broke from their planning session, Xander caught Buffy's eye and motioned towards the stacks. Once they were safe from the eyes and ears of the others, they both tried to speak at once. Xander stopped and motioned for Buffy to continue.
"Xander, I'm so sorry. I didn't know it was you." Buffy threw her
arms around him and hugged him tight. "I would never hurt you. You have
to know that." Xander looked down at the young woman who had been the owner
of his heart for so long and waited for her to finish. "When I saw the
vamp, I
mean, it was you, but it seemed like it was a vampire, and saw the sword...
I was so mad. I thought it had hurt you and I was going to make it pay for that.
Please Xander, forgive me. I'm so sorry. I would never do anything to hurt you."
His shirt was getting a damp spot on it from her tears, but he just held her. Inside, he was in turmoil. This was Buffy. The last three years, his heart had belonged to her. And now here she was, in his arms. This is what he had wanted since the day he first saw her. But another part of him kept replaying the scene as he watched her smiling face and she drove a stake into his heart. The happiness of the embrace versus the pain she had caused him.
He held her, but he knew that this was going to take some time to get over. If he could.
After a moment he pulled away from her and wiped her tears away. "My turn?"
She nodded with a faint smile. "Buffy, you know you mean the world to me. And I'm going to be by your side today in our last act as defenders of the class of 99. But you drove a stake through my heart. Even now as we're standing here, I can see your face as you pushed into my chest. And its not like this has been the only time you did it either. That dance, when I asked you out time and time again." As he spoke, her face began to fall. Xander started to feel like he was kicking a puppy. But he had to get this out if things were going to ever be good between them again. "I still love you. But its going to take me time to get over this. Ok?"
Buffy looked up at him, tears in her eyes again. Xander looked at her and leaned down, gently brushing her forehead with his lips. "Now, oh mighty Slayer. I believe we have some plans to carry out in the next few hours." She smiled at him and wiped the tears away. And side by side, but far apart, they walked out of the library, towards whatever their fates were to be.
Xander finished his walk through the brush to the spot. Their spot. His fingers brushed the rock where he had secured a small brass plaque he had made in industrial arts class. His eyes traced across the lettering as he made sure it was still firmly secured to the boulder.
"In Memory. Jesse. A true friend. Never to be forgotten."
"Hey Bud. Guess you know what today is." Xander paused as he sat
down on the cliff's edge, his feet dangling in the air. "Man, I wish you
were here right now. Tonight's Graduation. You believe that? I am actually getting
out of here with my diploma? And, in the average twelve years to boot.
Kinda tough to believe. But you knew all that. And as nervous as I am right
now about what's going to go down tonight, it pales beside whats been happening
the last couple of days." He sighed sadly, debating on how to continue.
"She staked me bud. Buffy. You know all about her. God knows I've babbled
enough to you about her. She looked right at me and drove a stake through my
heart. Well, into it, but close enough." He chuckled mournfully. "See
Jesse, that's the problem. She's so damn beautiful. Remember how I told
you how when I close my eyes, all I see is her smiling face. Well, I still her
when I close my eyes, but she's pushing a sharpened piece of oak into my chest.
What the hell am I supposed to do Jesse? This is the girl I measure all others
beside. She's my Buffy. And now every time she gets close, I flinch back. In
my head, I know she's not going to do anything, but that damn little voice in
the back of my head keeps wanting to run like hell when I see her come close."
Another sigh. "Life can seriously suck sometimes."
Moments passed in silence as he just watched the city as it lay before and beneath him. It looked so tranquil from up here. So peaceful and innocent. But in about six hours, if they failed, then hell would be coming. And there would be nothing to stop it. "Failure is not an option this time," muttered Xander as he looked back at the plaque.
"Man, feel like forever since I've been up here to talk to you Jess. I know it probably doesn't seem like that long for you. But I've been through some weirdness the last couple of days. You remember Faith? Yeah, the other Slayer. The one I told you went bad? Well, anyway, when I was out of it as a result of that stake I mentioned, I spent alot of time with her. Seemed like months at least. I think you would have liked her Jess. At least the reformed Faith." A typical Xander grin crossed his features for a moment. "Well, on second thought I think you would have liked her regardless. She is definitely a hottie. Its weird though Jesse. Once you get past that armor she has up all the time, she's so sweet. I mean, she's got spirit. But inside, Jesse. Its like everything she's been through has convinced her that being a bad ass is the only way to get by. And as a result, she's built up this shell and keeps everybody else outside. But inside there is this sweet lady who is so lonely. It was cool actually getting to know her. We had a blast for the time we were together. And she even likes Twinkies!"
Xander's watch beeped. "Well bud. I've gotta head back. Can't be late to the ceremony." He grinned as he stood up and patted the plaque. "Wish you were here by my side Jesse. Hope I'll see ya next week." And with that Zeppo left, vanishing back the way he came. Had he turned as the dust blew by, he would have seen the ghostly form of his friend giving him a thumbs up before fading from sight once more.
*Voice over by Harlequinn*
And on that day, the graduating class of SunnyDale High School, did band together. Led by the cadre which had protected them for the past three years, they defeated an evil which threatened to consume all that were in attendance, before moving on to spread chaos and havoc upon the rest of the world. 'Twas a fight that should have been sung by the bards, but alas, the epics of old have faded from memory. As have the bards who once recited them. As will the fight that occurred today. That these chosen few would battle, speaks well for the chances of generations to come. It shows that courage and honor, dedication and sacrifice, that these virtues have not fallen aside as time has marched on. The sacrifice of those who fell shall be remembered, even if by a few, in the dark days ahead. And the leaders of today's youth shall be once more the sole defenders for a period of time in this endless battle, this Eternal War, between Darkness and Light.
May their names be spoken with the honor they so richly deserve, as they hold the line......
End of Chapter 6