Title: Whatever You Desire
Author: Paradigm Shifter
Rating: R. Again.
Feedback: Oh, please! Feedback is good. Trust me.
Thanks: The three usual suspects: Bobby Cox, Teri and Trevelyan, also Hatten, Danii (you made a comment in a review about making a cover for this series?), Dragon Hulk (for all the Sandman help), Mara (Shona), and all others who reviewed the last part. Thank you.
Notes: Number 3 deals with some unanswered questions... but more, I think, are made than are answered.
If you're wondering why this thing took so long, it's because this is something like the fiftieth revision. I'm not kidding. -sigh- I'm still not entirely happy with it, and I know that Dragon Hulk thinks that it's going a bit off track, but I've got this vision of how the series will continue, and it can't without this happening...
Continuity: 'A Death in the Family?' and 'When Duty Is Not Enough'
Recommended Listening: 'Fallen', Fields of the Nephilim. Dark but good. In all honesty, I think I should stop with the 'recommended listening' thing... I listen to so much stuff over the course of writing one chapter, sometimes, that the list would be longer than the fic...
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Willow had two entities watching her as she cut her way through the city and to the less populated areas. She was following the trail of the largest magical source in the area – the one which, she assumed, gave Xander back his eye.
If only she had stayed for the explanation.
But that wasn't really in the cards.
A redheads fiery passions, with the still just-under-the-surface magic addiction that drew her into the dark spiral downwards that she knew – or rather, a small part of her that she now called 'weak', knew – would lead to her destruction. The next time, there wouldn't be a goofy friend there to save her. Save the world.
This time, the goofy friend wasn't goofy.
And he was the cause – no matter how indirect – of her current situation.
Desire watched with surprised enjoyment, watching one of his two greatest achievements – Willow and Buffy – give in to the base desires in her heart once again.
The second was a far more detached observer. Although the utter disregard for others that the False Wicca was displaying tested his patience to levels he never thought possible. Death, for a short while, thought he may have lost the redhead. Pausing to usher the soul of the man who had been in the car Willow incinerated into the next life took longer than he had imagined it would. The man was understandably upset. This continued for about ten minutes, until he finally realised that with his death, things became suddenly a lot, lot simpler. The huge loan he had taken out to consolidate all of his debts into one no longer had to be paid, as far as he was concerned. Sure, his great, great grandchildren would still be paying two hundred bucks a month until they were well into their nineties, but material things had suddenly lost their... significance.
And so he passed on, while not happily, at least happier than he had been when he was alive.
Death's attention was brought back from his musings as Willow had seemed to reach her destination.
The funny thing about the word 'destination' is that is bares a striking similarity to the word 'destiny'...
-
"That wasn't the smartest way to leave, was it?" Dream walked alongside Xander, keeping pace with his angry strides. "Alienating and angering 'Buffy' was far from advantageous."
Xander paused, stopping still in the middle of the street, and Dream looked speculatively at the ground. "And who on earth names their child Buffy?"
"Joyce Summers, I suppose, although I was always hoping it was some sort of nickname," Xander said, losing a lot of the pent up aggression he had left over from his attacks on Buffy. "And look... I know what I did then wasn't the greatest thing to do. It's just... I thought, maybe for once that she – they – would listen to me and understand..."
Dream did not comment, only shooting a glance at his venting brother.
"...but I guess this is a useless way to go about things too. Nothing gets fixed in a relationship if only one person does the fixing. It needs two to tango, as they say."
"I should think if you ever get Buffy to tango, the world will be close to ending."
Xander had to pause for a moment to look at Dream disbelievingly. "You do mean dancing, right?"
Dream looked scandalised, which faded into a sort of polite faux-confusion. "Of course I do. What else could I mean?"
"I... look, let's just forget it," Xander said, shaking his head. "I've been living among mortals too long."
"Death was wondering when you would come to this conclusion again, Duty. Or would you rather be called Honour now? It matters little. Both are you, and you are both. What you choose at the time will not change how others act."
"I know that." Xander snapped, and then relented. "Look. You've made mistakes too. Don't tell me you haven't. You've got too involved, a lot longer ago than me. Or do you not remember that woman you sent to Hell for rejecting your advances?"
Dream met Xander's eyes. In there, hidden among the self-doubt and uncertainties of acting out a way of life all too lacking in the world as it was, was a challenge. Finally, after several long minutes of prolonged eye contact, Xander blinked, and Dream, acknowledging that he had won, answered quietly, "I remember her."
Apologetic, Xander sighed. "Look, I'm sorry. That was below the belt." He snorted. "Look at me; 'I'm sorry'. I shouldn't be apologising – not because I want to be rude. But because I shouldn't be doing anything that requires an apology!"
"That's OK. Really." Dream started walking again, remaining in step with Xander as he moved off once more.
"I'm sorry." Xander said again as he looked down the street. He wouldn't look in Dreams direction.
"I said before: that's OK. Now stop apologising already!" Dream snapped the last part, but it had humour in there to take the sting out of the rebuke.
"I guess I'd better go back and try to patch things up again, hadn't I?" Xander asked.
"That would be advisable," Dream nodded, before adding, "But don't do it again!"
"I worry about Willow, too, y'know." Xander told him almost conspiratorially. "She blew up so violently. I wasn't expecting it to be her, I mean. Buffy, sure, I could deal with, she'd just try to beat my brains out... but Willow... she's got access to far more power than even she is aware of..."
"Yes, we are aware of that, brother," Dream spoke quietly, almost nervously. "She could tear the Endless from their path. She could pervert the course of history."
"Thanks. That makes me feels so much better," Xander said with a heavy sigh. "How to make me feel good in one easy lesson: tell me how badly I screwed up. Again."
"I don't believe you have screwed up before, brother." Dream said it carefully, and Xander knew he was hinting at his past tricks when fighting the other Endless and their illusions – well, Desire and his games.
"Willow needs time to calm down." Xander sighed.
"I think she needs her powers bound, personally," Dream said it in a matter-of-fact tone of voice that belayed the import of what he was saying. "She is almost as dangerous as that fool that tried to bind Death... and bound me, instead."
"I don't think binding her powers would teach her control, Dream. But it must be considered a last resort. You know I don't like forcing mortals' paths..."
Dream nodded. "The redhead could also use that power for good. But you have to remember, Good exposed to Evil for long enough will eventually become tainted with that Evil. Good and Evil do not play by the same rules."
"I remember."
"Then why do you insist on ignoring that fact?" Dreams voice wasn't accusatory, but did hold an edge, nonetheless.
"I still worry. Willow could be good, but... starting your magical career with a Curse on an Innocent is hardly lining her up for a nice comfy seat on a cloud with a harp. More like chains and brimstone."
"Death is watching over her," Dream reminded Xander. "I think he knows what he is doing. Of course, he cannot directly intervene, so it may be advisable for you to seek her out eventually. To right what you have imbalanced."
Xander chuckled, seeming to pull himself out of the slump he had been in. "I've imbalanced plenty since I started on the Hellmouth, Dream. I don't think this is any time to stop."
"Be that as it may, it might be best to try to re-balance this equation: it is far more important than is immediately evident. Much as the Dreaming's importance is not immediately obvious."
Xander nodded, and began walked back the way he had come, as Dream watched him go. This was a reunion of two friends. They did not need family there to help them.
Dream turned away, and his eyes flashed. "Desire... I know you are here somewhere. I can smell the stench your games leave from a country away."
-
Xander got half way back to the house where he would have to face Buffy again, and sighed. "I need a drink."
-
Continued in Part 2