Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow: The Rising Sun

Notes: Thanks for the reviews. This is winding up. It shouldn't be but a few more chapters, we'll see.

Previously:

"Cordelia," Callum said, his voice breaking suddenly and his face turning pale.

"What happened?" Spike asked.

"She's dead."

Chapter Thirty-One:

Buffy looked out of the window as the plane began to descend into the airport. The sun was shining in a full, bright, orange ball that lit up the sky in golden warmth. It distinctly reminded Buffy of California. There was something about California, some mystical and magical quality that made it seem warmer and more carefree than any other place on the earth. Though Boston had been interesting, it held a cold detachment that she didn't relish. California, however, felt like home.

"Good to be home, huh?" Faith said, smiling over at her.

"I was just thinking that," Buffy replied.

"I wonder how the others are doing," Faith rhetorically asked.

"We'll find out soon enough. I left a message on the machine at home telling them that we were coming back. Hopefully someone will be meeting us," Buffy replied. The plane began to slow and they could feel vibrations through the floor as the landing gear shifted. Within moments, the plane touched the ground, bouncing slightly, before settling on the pavement of the runway.

The plane slowed to a stop and Buffy could hear hundreds of little clicks as people began to disengage their seatbelts. One by one, people began to rise, reaching up into the overhead bins for their carryon luggage. Buffy and Faith had only taken one, small bag each with them to Boston, both knowing that they wouldn't be there long. They quickly retrieved their bags and moved into the mass of people moving up the aisle. The swarm of people led them through the gate and out into the airport. They wandered off from their fellow passengers once they were out of the gate and looked around for any familiar faces.

Faith tugged on Buffy's arm when she saw Kara waiting for them several yards away. She was standing alone by one of the windows, looking out, and deep in thought. "Hey," Kara said without turning her head as Faith and Buffy walked up to her. "How was your trip?"

"Good," Faith answered for the both of them. Kara looked over at them, her keen, clear eyes piercing them thoughtfully.

"Did you figure out what you needed to figure out?" She asked, her voice oddly even.

"Yeah," Faith said, instantly noticing that there was something wrong with her daughter. She was far too indifferent, far too detached. Her voice sounded as if it was a thousand miles away and her eyes seemed to look straight through them to some unknown point in the distance.

"What's wrong?" Buffy asked, noticing it too. Kara immediately snapped back into attention.

"Something happened while you were gone," she began. "We have to hurry back." Then, without another word, she turned and began walking out of the airport. Faith and Buffy quickly followed after her. She led them out to the parking lot, where Giles' car was waiting. After a short drive, they arrived in downtown Sunnydale. Instead of turning onto their street, she kept driving to nearly the outskirts of town. Then she parked alongside the northern wall of the cemetery that was built there.

"Why are we here?" Buffy asked as they got out of the car.

"Hell hounds attacked while you were in Boston. Those two events aren't related though, as far as we can tell. The town sustained a lot of damage. A lot of people died," Kara said as she walked forward purposefully, striding through the cemetery gate.

"Anyone we know?" Faith asked, though she already knew the answer to that question. The sun pierced her eyes as she walked through the gate behind Kara. Kara turned and looked back at her with a sad smile on her face.

"Cordelia," Kara replied. "Her body's over here. We decided just to bury her here, instead of moving her out of the cemetery. Giles made all of the arrangements this afternoon."

"Cordelia's dead?" Buffy asked in shock.

"Yes," Kara replied. "Come on," she said softly, taking Buffy by the hand and leading her on. Faith walked a little ways apart from them, digesting the news in her own way. "As tragic as Cordelia's death was, it's not the biggest of our problems," Kara said as they walked. Buffy could see her friends gathered around a coffin ahead of them.

"What's the biggest of our problems?" Faith asked, instantly falling into slayer mode.

"Lucifer is here. He's the one that sent the hellhounds. We think he's working with Cassius, or more correctly, Cassius is working with him. However, we haven't seen much of Cassius lately. I think something isn't right between the two of them. At any rate, we have a plan," Kara replied.

"What's the plan?" Buffy asked, shaking off the heavy weight that seemed to have fallen on her limbs.

"We're going to call Lucifer out tonight," Kara replied. She stopped for a moment, just a few yards away from the casket. "And we're gonna kick his ass."

"Or die trying," Kennedy said, walking away from the casket to join her girlfriend. "You in?" She asked, turning to Buff and Faith.

Both slayers grinned wryly before responding in a clear voice, "Hell yeah."