Author's comments: I'm really unsure about this chapter. While the contents are a necessary plot device, I kind of find the chapter a little over the top and as my beta is AWOL I am left hanging with my uncertainty.
If you have a strong feeling either way, please let me know, otherwise read and hopefully enjoy.
Oh and by the way I bring your notice to the summary in the 1st chapter, there is some character death and undeath in this story.
Chapter 10
Buffy watched Oz fly across the room into the table and stood mildly shocked, but as Angel grabbed Giles around the throat she quickly moved to stop him. Her few seconds of distraction however gave Angel time to throw Giles into a nearby bookcase and then turn to easily deflect her and grab her around the throat lifting her off the ground.
Angel smirked evilly at Buffy, "Bet you didn't expect that lover."
Buffy struggled in his hold, trying to pull his hand away. "I'm glad to see you didn't forget how much I love it when you struggle. Tell me…" A sturdy blow to the back of his head interrupted him, causing him to drop Buffy and fall forward on to his knees. The first blow was followed quickly by a second to the base of the skull, knocking him face first into the floor in front of the fireplace.
Rubbing her neck, and gulping in breathes, Buffy looked up from where she had fallen on the ground to see an unsteady Xander standing behind Angel, with a part of the coffee table in his hands. He shifted the piece of wood from a clubbing position to a stabbing position and looked at the seemingly unconscious vampire in front of him. While he had decided a gut wound would be sufficient, Buffy did not have the benefit of that knowledge and thought Xander was going for the kill. Jumping from her position on the floor, Buffy grabbed Xander's arm tightly, stopping any further movement and moving his weapon arm away from in front of him, causing him to look at her, surprise and some anger gracing his face.
"I'm not going to kill him Buffy, just…" Before he could finish his defence however, Angel had turned, game face on and thrust forward with a metal poker he had fallen on. Even with the speed and the awkwardness of the feat, the vampires aim was dead true, thrusting the poker through Xander's unguarded chest, pushing it all the way through, breaking bones and tearing organs, before ripping it out again.
"No but I will." Angel growled, a smirk plastered to his face before he got fully to his feet, threw the bloodied poker to the ground and fled the room while everyone was still in too much shock to even attempt stopping him.
The action had been so quick, Buffy barely heard the pained gasp, before events finally caught up with her shock-addled mind and she realised she was being dragged towards the ground by a collapsing Xander. She still held his arm firmly, but the table remnant slipped from his now loose grip clattering to the ground a second before Xander. Buffy forgot to let go of his arm and followed him to the ground. If Xander had any accusations for her they were lost in a bubbling mass of blood, which poured from his mouth as he appeared to try and speak, or just breath, Buffy could not be sure. Her mind started racing, trying to determine what her next action should be, 'help Xander, chase Angel, help Xander, Giles, Giles will know what to do'. Searching the room desperately with her eyes, she saw her Watcher still mostly unconscious after being thrown into the bookcase. Tears were again spilling down her face for the second time that night as she searched for the others, hoping they would know what to do, her mind was racing so fast she started to feel dizzy and it took her a little longer then usual to realise she was staring right at Cordelia. Cordelia just looked as shocked as her and had not moved from her earlier position. Looking for Willow, Buffy found her crouched next to Oz, whom was barely sat up on floor clutching at his leg, any pain he was in however was forgotten as he stared back at her, realisation had already come to him…Buffy was still in denial, but the pained looked on Willow's face, the look of primal grief made Buffy look back at Xander. He was barely holding onto life, his eyes were already glazing over in pain and shock…and very soon death.
"Xan?" Buffy wanted to say more, but she had apparently forgotten how to talk in the last few seconds. She grabbed his hand tightly in hers, she probably broke a few bones, but it was irrelevant at that point in time.
Cordelia was next to him now, she must have moved quick, at least she did not have to think anymore…Maybe Cordelia would know what to do.
He did not know what was going on, not really, at least if he did know, he was repressing. All he knew was he was in pain, and he was pretty sure he was dying, he could not breath and he was feeling tired. He could feel someone next to him, he wanted to tell them he needed help, but no words would come. He heard their voice, Buffy, she grabbed his hand, tightly; he did not feel the pain as she broke the bones in his hand. A movement next to him and Cordelia was on his other side, clasping his other hand in hers, one hand on his, her other on his chest. Xander seemed to shudder under her, a coughing fit as a last ditch effort to clear his lungs of blood. He tried desperately to say something to her, anything, he just couldn't remember what. It was useless anyway; no words would come only more blood. In was in this futile battle, that his heart finally stopped trying to beat blood that was not returning and his lungs stopped trying to take in air and it was then that he died again for the second time in not more then four hours.
TBC… Since I'm "Miss wants to go camping but is instead stuck at home because of her stupid ankle", the next chapter should hopefully be this long weekend.
