A Second Chance
Chapter 2 – Meeting in LA.
DISCLAIMER: Buffy the Vampire Slayer belongs to Joss Whedon, and Harry Potter to J.K. Rowling. I don't own anything.
TIMELINE: AU. Set ten years before (Around 1988) "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's stone", during and after Harry Potter book 5, "Order of the Phoenix"(2003). During and after BTVS season 7, "Chosen". Pretend HP book one happened in 1999 during Buffy season three )
SUMMARY: BTVS/HP crossover. After James and Lily reappears, seemingly alive and well, mysterious things start to happen. New allies are made, prophecies revealed...and people keep rising from the dead. What's going on? And what has Voldemort got to do with it? Are the Scoobies and the Potter's second chance at life enough to stop the Dark Lord from spreading darkness across the country? Or is the world in need of more miracles?
PAIRINGS: Too many to count.
Angel was sitting in his office, brooding. His mind was travelling in two different directions: One of them was worrying about Buffy, and the second was making backup-plans in case...no. He wasn't going togo there – Buffy would make it out all right. They all would.
As he was thinking about his (rather short) visittoSunnydale, a loud crash on the door woke him from his thoughts. Harmony ran into his office in a very...Harmony way.
"Angel! You will never believe what happened," Harmony jumped up and down of enthusiasm, squealing. "It was so funny!"
"Not now Harmony!" Angel growled.
The blonde vampire's lower lipstarted trembling, and she looked like she was gonna cry. "But..."
"OUT!"
"Fine!" Harmony snapped, her eyes narrowing. "But then I won't tell you that Buffy came in for five minutes ago, and - hey, were are you going!"
Angel had already walked pass Harmony and out in the lobby.
"Buffy!"
The blonde slayer turned aroundas she heard Angels' voice, a broad smile forming on her face.
"Angel!"
"Oh, look - It's dead-boy!" Xander grumbled.
"Xander," Willow said, even if she had to hold back a giggle. "Behave".
Angel ignored them - he only had eyes for Buffy.
"I guess my second front isn't needed, then?"
Buffy grinned.
"I guess not."
"So – what happened?" Angel looked over the exausted group, frowning.
"And where's Faith? And Spike?"
Angel had just noticed the blonde vampire wasn't among them, and froze when he saw Buffy's pained face.
"Faith's in the hospital – she's not wounded but she wanted to be with Robin. Her boyfriend." She added,as she saw Angels confused impression.
Angel looked surprised.
"Since when does Faith have a boyfriend? I thought she was all for the 'I see, I take, I forget'-theory?"
Buffy shrugged.
"I'm not really sure how it happened, but well, I guess things change..."
"And Spike?" Angel asked.
"He didn't make it," Buffy said, looking downcast."That amulet -it was meant for him. He sacrificed himself in order to save the world." Buffy felt tears sting behind her eyes at the thought of the blonde, english vampire, whi had been such of a big support for her before the battle.
"Spike saved the world?" Angel couldn't have sounded more surprised if he tried."Wow, I guess miraclesdo happen." He frowned as he saw the Slayer's expression. "Buffy?"
"I'm sorry, I just...don't wanna talk about Spike right now," she said, turning away.
Angel put a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"Okay, I get it," he said, even though he didn't. "So, how did you do it? Win, I mean?"
Buffy spent the next ten minutes explaining to Angel whatexactlyhad taken place during the battle.
When she was finished, his eyes were widened in shock.
"Willow activated all the potentials?"
"Yep." She chuckled humorlessly. "It's gonna be hell to find all of them."
"And you actually went DOWN into the Hellmouth?"
Buffy nodded in confirmation."It was all 'lord of the Rings' for awhile".
"Wow..." For the first time, Angel was speachless.
"...And then, you drove away from a collapsing Sunnydale in a shool-bus?"
Buffy grinned. "You got it - Sunnyhell is no longer on the map..."
"Well, actually..." Angelbegan, but was interrupted by Buffy, who rolled her eyes.
"You know what I mean. At least it is a no longer existing place – just a huge crater in the ground..." She trialed off, and frowned. "I should propably get to the hospital – check up onthe other slayers, and my stomach..." Her eyes widenened, and she snapped her fingers. "Oh! I almost forgot to tell you!"
"Tell me what?" Angel asked, now clearly cofused.
"Have you heard anythingabout white portals?"
Angel raised his eyebrows.
"Could you be more specific?"
"Oh...right," Buffy said embarrasedly."Well, after the Hellmouth went to...ehm...hell, we were standing beside the crater, and then thiswhite portal showed up and these bodies fell out."
"Bodies? Dead or alive? Human, non-human?"
"Oh, they were human, definitely." Buffy assured him, then frowned. "At least they looked like it...anyway, they were alive, just unconsious. We took them to the hospital along with the others."
"Well, I guess they could come from another dimension, but it could also be time-travelling, teleporting...or, since they were unconsious, someone else could have done it."
"Could you check it up for me?" Buffy asked.
"Sure, we're on it."
Buffy smiled gratefully.
"Thanks, Angel." She made a brief paus. "I don't know what I would do without you..."
"Propably not much," Angel teased.
"Hey!"
Buffy walked into the hospital waiting room, where Faith was sitting, reading an old mgazine.
"Hey, Faith. How's Robin?" She greeted.
"Robin who?" Faith asked, bitterly, without looking up. Buffy frowned.
"Faith, are you okay?"
"Yeah, completely fine. Why?" Faith said, turning the page. Buffy sighed.
"Well, you don't really look okay."
Faith closed the magazine with a snap, and threw it down on the table.
"Look, B, I really don't wanna talk about this, 'kay?"
"Okay". Buffy sat down, and let the silence fall. After awhile, Faith opened her mouth to speak.
"I thought Robin was special, y'know? He was funny, and he seemed to care about me, but I guess I was wrong." She made a pause, waiting for Buffy to interrupt, but she didn't, which Faith was grateful for.
"When they had 'fixed him up', I went to see him, and he was...different. I asked if he was okay, and he just laughed and became all sarcastic about it, like: 'No, Faith, I was almost killed', or 'are you kiddin'? I'm 'five by five'. It felt like he made fun of me."
"Faith, it was propably just the shock, okay?" Buffy said, doing her best to cheer her sister-Slayerup."I'm sure he'll come to his senses..."
Faith screwed up her nose.
"Nah, B, I think he was at his senses. I was just this person he could tease and have fun with in the middle of all seriousness. And I care...and I hate it." She paused, before continuing again. "I really started to liked him, B, and I opened up my heart to him, but he threw it back at me," she said bitterly.
She was quiet for a moment longer.
"When he said those things, it made me live through my past choices again. Made me relive the reason why I started the whole 'five by five'-attitude in the first place. And I don't know if I should be happy 'bout it, or cry my eyes out. I guess me and relationships are doomed, y'know?"
Buffy snorted.
"Tell me about it...I mean, look at my past relationships: A vampire, a military-guy who couldn't stand the thought I was stronger than him and therefore let vampires suck his blood to get a kick. Parker, who was a disaster, and then – surprise – another vampire. I think you've had more luck than me anyway, Faith. At least Robin was breathing. And I am sure there is someone out there for you, you just have to have a little, well – faith." Buffy finished with a grin.
Faith shook her head.
"I highly doubt it. From now on, I'm gonna be known as 'Faith-the careless vampire slayer'. I'm not gonna give a damn about guys – unless I kick their asses."
"Yeah, I should probably go for that theory too," Buffy agreed. "Oh, by the way, do you knowwhat happened to the portal-guys?"
"They haven't woken up yet, but the doctors said they seemed to be at perfect health except for not being consious," Faith explained.
"I wonder what happened to them...and where they came from,"
"Yeah, 'cause it's not every day a portal shows up out of nowhere, right?" Faith asked with a smirk, earning herself a grin.
"Well, not every day, but maybe once a year. Not necessarily a white one, but..."