And now, the story continues.
An Eternal War
Chapter Eight
By IceWing (icewing@one.net)
Chapter 8
Xander rolled out of bed, knocking his alarm to the floor as he did. Who would have thought that he would be getting up at 8:30 on the Saturday after graduation? This was supposed to be prime sleep in time, something he always valued. But Willow had planned a Scooby retreat today. All of them were getting together and were going to spend the entire day at the park. No demons, no vampires, which he reminded himself with a grin, included Angel. Just a day in the park, hanging out with their friends, just like the carefree teens they all wished they could be.
"Guess I need to get cleaned up. 20 minutes. I can do this." He stepped over the duffel bag he had filled the night before with sports gear and stumbled into the shower. Grumbling, he turned on the water and stepped in. Six minutes later, and his parents having flushed twice, he stepped out, only mildly scalded. Minutes later, hair still damp, he had the bag in hand and was on his way out the door.
The `57 Chevy pulled up to the curb outside Willow's. 'Ah, so many mornings over here watching cartoons.' He sighed. Anymore he felt lucky to get invited to the lunch table, much less over for breakfast. Beeping the horn, he began to adjust the ancient analog radio, trying to find a station which wouldn't be playing songs older than the car was. The haunting melody of Vertical Horizon's hit song rolled from the speakers as Willow bounced out of the house and up to the car.
"Morning Xander."
"Hey Wills, where's your stuff? Time to roll for our fun in the sun day." Xander had a hunch what was coming next and sure enough he was right.
"Well, actually, I called Oz and he's coming over to pick me up. I was going to call, but didn't want to wake up your folks. That ok?"
The Zeppo sighed again inwardly but kept his goofy grin firmly mounted in place externally. "No sweat at all Wills. I know you don't want Oz to think something is up again. Say hey to him for me and I'll just meet up with you guys at the park."
Willow thanked him and bounced back inside. Shaking his head, Xander dropped the Chevy in gear and pulled away from the house which held so many of the few good memories he had. "Might as well face it Harris, you're the expendable one these days. The non-entity. God I hate it when Cordelia's right!"
An hour later, he sat leaning against the wheel of the car, staring intently
into space. So far he had tried sitting on the picnic table, the swings and
the teeter-totter bar, but the ground and the car still seemed the best. It
let him look thoughtful, but not completely bored. Which he was. And had been.
Since he arrived.
"Ten minutes, then I bail." He said again as he continued whittling a stick down to a toothpick. As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he saw Buffy's Jeep followed by Oz's van pulling up the access road towards him. Getting up, he closed the clasp knife and tucked it back in his pocket before throwing the mangled stick aside.
"Hey guys, glad you found the place ok" He said as they rest of the gang dismounted and began to drag their stuff towards the picnic area. The bitterness in his voice was apparently lost on all of them.
"Sorry Xander," said Buffy. "We met up over at Willow's and stopped by McDonald's on the way. Hope you haven't been here to long."
Xander turned towards his car and pulled out the sports duffel. If he answered honestly, then all it would do would be ruin everybody else's day, so as usual, he sucked it up and told them it was cool, he just got here himself.
Within minutes, the picnic area was outfitted with drinks and chips, and music was playing from Oz's boom-box. The Frisbee was being tossed back and forth and laughter filled the air.
Buffy spun to throw the Frisbee to Xander, then realized he was over at the table getting a can of Coke. She instead sent the disk gliding towards Oz. What was she going to do? He seemed so distant, but she wanted to, needed to, talk to him. Let him know how she felt. It wasn't McDonalds that had slowed them down this morning. It had been her needing to talk to Willow about it and making sure that the plucky witch was ok with her asking Xander out, maybe even asking him out today.
Her train of thought was interrupted by the Frisbee going right by her. She turned her head and saw it drifting down a slope towards the woodline. Glancing back to Willow, she yelled that she would get it and set off towards the bush it had landed in.
She reached into the bush where she had seen it vanish from sight and felt around. Nothing. "Maybe it went through."
As she rounded the bush, she inhaled sharply.
"Hey B. Lose something?"
There stood Faith, holding out the Frisbee to her.
"Faith!" She snarled and lunged at the second Slayer. Her sudden attack caught the brunette off-guard and she landed a full force kick to Faith's torso. A resounding oomph could be heard as Faith backpedaled, trying to gain some distance.
"B. Wait. I'm" Faith didn't get the chance to finish as she was grabbed by the wrist, and tossed over the Frisbee eating bush.
At the top of the hill, the sounds of the combat were heard and three disbelieving sets of eyes took in the same thing. All of them ran towards the fight, only one taking a second to grab a baseball bat on the way.
Buffy came leaping over the bush, intent on stomping on Faith as she landed. Unfortunately, Faith had rolled to the side and out of harms immediate way before Buffy touched down.
The blonde Chosen One grinned almost ferally. She saw her friends were racing to her aid, not that she needed it, and she stood between Faith and the cavalry.
"Faith! Buffy! Stop!" she heard from behind her as she unleashed a flurry of punches, which somehow Faith managed to block.
Faith was strangely quiet, Buffy noticed. No quips, no banter. Oh well, guess it was up to her to make up for it. A sweep knocked Faith to the ground and Buffy prepared to unleash a crescent kick that, if it didn't knock her head clean off, should at least knock her out. "Should have stayed in the hospital you bitch!" She began to pivot.
Faith closed her eyes.
And Buffy was knocked to the ground from behind. She felt herself go tumbling into the underbrush as a something, someone, slammed into her with a shoulder. Shaking it off, she picked herself up and readied for the next round of the fight.
And found herself facing Xander, who was brandishing an aluminum baseball bat and was obviously protecting Faith.
"Have you lost your mind, Xander?" hissed Buffy. "Get out of the way so I can deal with her!"
"No." It was so cold, so determined, that Buffy was actually taken aback for a moment. This was not the voice of Xander Harris. This was something else. And not something she wanted to deal with at the moment.
"Xander, move. Now!" The fire was in her eyes. She was going to take Faith apart for what she had done to Angel.
"Buffy, so help me god, if you take one step towards her I'm going to have to stop you. And since you're the slayer and all, and I'm nothing, I'm going to have to hurt you to do it. Now just listen for a moment. She's not going to hurt you, or anybody else. She wants to change. She can change. I've seen it. But you have to stop trying to pummel her first."
"Xander," spoke Willow from the side of this bizarre scene. "She tried to kill you. And Angel. And all of us. She's a bad guy now. Let Buffy handle it."
Oz stayed quiet, trying to wrap his brain around this situation.
"Willow, for the love of god, just shut up for a minute." His eyes never wavered from Buffy. "We've been friends for how long now? About 17 years, right? If that means anything to you, if you have come to know me at all, then you know that I am serious right now. Now please. Everybody just calm down and sit." Buffy made no move to drop from her combat stance.
"I don't know what she's done to you Xander, but it'll be ok. Just put down the bat and let me handle this."
"Buffy, I have a news flash for you. You're not going to do anything. I am asking you, pleading with you, but basically, I am telling you. Step down. She's changed. I know it's hard to believe but"
"It's not hard to believe, it's bullshit. She tried to kill Angel. And us, and you. Get out of the way and let me do my job!"
"B. He's telling the truth. I'm sorry."
Buffy cut off Faith before she could finish her sentence. "Not as sorry as you're going to be!" She made a move towards Faith, just in time to get the end of the ball bat tapped against her solar plexus.
"Buffy, I swear, next time you take a step towards her, you're going to either be limping or I'm going to be a world of hurt! What the hell is wrong with you? You think people can't change? Is that it? Seems kinda hypocritical and all, I mean you dating the Scourge of Europe and all! How many people did your lover kill in his day? Hell, he killed our friends, and still you go back to him. And you say that Faith can't change. You are such a hypocrite! Yeah, she's messed up, but if you can forgive Angel, why not Faith? Doesn't fit into your dating situation, is that it?"
Buffy was taken aback by the venom she heard in Xander's voice. What had she done to bring this on? "Xander, you don't know"
"Just SHUT UP!" he screamed at her. "I know what I am talking about and I'm sick of you acting like I am some kind of incompetent fool all the time. I have risked my ass I don't know how many times, but still you don't believe I can do anything. I've saved your life I don't know how many times, and I barely even rate a thank you. Come up with ideas, I'm still the god damn village idiot to you Buffy! And lately Willow seems to be thinking so too! If she had asked you to stop, or if Giles had, you would have in a heartbeat. But not Xander! No, he's to stupid to have a clue. I'm so sick of it! You want to blow me off time and time again, fine. Fuck you! Fuck this whole thing! I'm out! Find somebody else to get the donuts, save your life and then get shit on by his so-called friends!" He offered a hand to Faith, helping her up from the ground and steadying her. Keeping himself between Faith and the rest, he began to slowly walk up the hill, bearing his weight and most of Faith's. "You know what's so fucking sad? I loved you. Completely. With everything that I was, I loved you. And you were to damn blind to see it. Well, Buffy, I hope you're happy. You are not welcome in my house and I don't want to hear from you again. Ever."
In silence, he finished backing up the hill, his eyes never wavering from the trio standing in shock at the bottom of the slope. As his head disappeared from sight, Buffy dropped to her knees. Tears were rolling down her face as they heard, but didn't hear, the Chevy turn over then speed off down the access road.
Buffy and Willow stared at each other, terrified of what had just occurred. And there was naught but gut-wrenching silence between them.
End Chapter 8