Part 7, Courage
by Buffyfan1973
The winds whipped round and about bending the trees down to the ground as large vampires, Turok Hans, an army of them began to emerge upon Sunnydale. They were maiming, draining and bringing forth utter destruction wherever they went.
Their masses were countless and Buffy just stood watching as one by one they killed her friends, she knew she was fighting a losing battle then she saw something, the demon of the first, descending down, further and further until it reached a grave.
She sat upright in the bed as Giles came rushing in. Her scream had awakened someone at least. "Buffy, are you all right?"
"No Giles I'm not." She spoke in a more irritable tone than she'd wanted to. "The fact is we're all going to die and I can do nothing but have dreams of the first slayer."
Faith paced from one side of the front yard to the other, having been awakened by a dream of her own a short time ago. She couldn't quite make it out with exception of it being a blood bath. "Cigarette for your thoughts slayer." Spike said holding out the cigarette.
"My thoughts, simple man, we're living on a hellmouth and all gonna be butchered like sides of beef." Faith said taking the cigarette.
"All of this while Red and the potential gal are on a date." Spike chimed in.
"I forgot what a date was." Faith said laughing before going into her celibacy in prison memories.
"I suppose I haven't known it in years. Look what I did to Buffy." Spike said shaking his head of the memory.
"Yeah well, you're different now, you got yourself a soul. The problem with B is, she gets to pick and choose who is worthy of redemption in her eyes." Faith says looking down the street hoping to catch glimpse of Willow and Kennedy returning but only seeing two Turok Hans coming. "Lets rumble Spiky."
She jumps off the porch running towards the two vampires as he stands frozen then follows behind her hoping this doesn't land him in a Buffy mess as Dawn stands looking out the upstairs Window with Chance.
She kicks one of them backwards as the other quickly knocks Spike down. She's hit hard and knocked to the ground as well getting a good jab to the stomach with a dagger sending it backwards.
Spike lays on the ground then sees Drucilla. "William darling, come join the fight, you and I are so good together." Dru morph's into Buffy. "Lets show that bitch Buffy."
He screams know as the two uber vamp's overpower Faith and take off running.
A stake comes flying out the window hitting Faith in the shoulder. "Spike follow the blood!" Dawn shouts as she runs down the stairs.
Willow and Kennedy are seated in a quaint little restaurant having just finished a quiet dinner. "I'm sorry I'm so quiet, this is all so scary to me." Willow says apologetically.
"That's ok, it will take you some time." Kennedy says smiling trying to be as patient as she can but hoping to at least get one kiss. "Lets have one dance then we'll go on home."
"Ok that movie was longer than I thought it would be anyway." Willow said remembering the boring movie they'd just sat through and the fact it was half way through that she decided to try the hand holding deal which seemed to have gone fine.
As they danced to a slow song Willow tried valiantly to not think of Tara but she couldn't help it. Kennedy was doing her best to show Willow a nice time but the witch was having trouble appreciating it and felt badly over it.
Towards the end of the song Kennedy thought now or never and leaned in for a gentle kiss. As she did so the shooting of Tara rang hard in Willow's ears, the bloodied woman laying on the floor sprang into her vision like a light bulb and her eyes went black.
"No!" She screamed as the Windows began to shatter and her body trembled. She broke away from Kennedy racing out the door but Kennedy quickly headed out in pursuit of the dark Wiccan not knowing what to do but realizing she had to do something and fast.
As trees bent and twisted, the wind howled in anger Kennedy caught up with Willow grabbing hold of her. "Willow stop! She's gone! Don't do this to yourself!" As Kennedy shouted Willow could see Warren.
"This is all your fault, you brought Buffy back and your love was the price for her return! You don't get things for free Rosenberg." He smirked at her as the rage fueled through her like a raging fire and the trees began to fall flat to the ground.
"Willow stop this madness now!" Anya shouted as she appeared in front of her. "Tara wouldn't want you to do this, let bimbo here help you!"
The demon grabbed hold of Willow's shoulders roughly shaking her as Kennedy continued pleading with her to relax. Her eyes went green, everything calmed then the flood gates opened as tears came showering from her eyes. "Help me get her back to the house if it's safe there. Those Uber vamp's got Faith."
Faith's eyes opened in the basement of the school with two of those big uglies growling at her. "Oh hell, couldn't you all get more original? It figures this shit is gonna take place at the mouth of hell."
"Tut tut Faithie," the first appearing as the mayor said. "We'll just need some blood to open this thing."
"You do a suckie imitation of the boss man." Faith hissed as she tried to fight off the two vampires who began to hoist her up over the seal.
"You always liked bosses," the first said now appearing as Buffy. "It's ashamed we don't want you, so killing you to unleash the rest of the army will have to do. Buffy always wins F!"
"In her dreams she wins!" Faith said kicking one of the vampires as Spike darts in taking another off its feet then Buffy jumps in the fray.
Shortly the first has disappeared as they all stand watching the seal glisten then open up. "B, I think your blood just opened that thing and more of those big uglies are gonna come bursting out." Faith said with a not so happy look on her face.
"We should get her home Buffy, they did a number on her." Spike said moving over to scoop the dark slayer up.
"Ut uh, big guy, back off, I'm not that desperate." Faith said standing though weakly.
"We've got to figure out how to," Buffy's words were cut off as several vampires jumped from the opening suddenly then all was quiet.
"I say run like five minutes ago!" Spike yelled kicking at one who quickly took him down.
"Damn it!" Buffy yelled as Chance got hurled off one quickly.
"Illuminate!" Came Willow's voice from the stairs and a bright beam of light sent the vampires scurrying to their various places of hiding.
"Wicked cool there Red." Faith said as they all climbed out of the basement.
Part 8, Courage Continued
by Nicholas
The warm sun glistened through the windows as the current occupants of the Summers home awoke a couple of days after the latest encounter with the first and its growing army.
Sonya and Giles were already in the kitchen fixing breakfast when Chance came in. "Ms. Garrison, that event we spoke of last evening, two days time according to my calculations is the correct moment."
Sonya looked at him in a scolding manor after seeing the questioning look on Giles' face. "I have some things to attend to to hopefully aid in the preparation of the ensuing battle." Sonya spoke firmly hoping this would appease the watcher as Anya slumbered into the kitchen.
"Xander still isn't back, do you all think he believed us about Kelly?" She had a concerned look on her face as she spoke.
"You're a vengeance demon, can't you feel if he's in pain?" Chance asked obviously not well versed on all the baddies and how they functioned.
"I don't have time to explain." She huffed disappearing obviously upset over Xander, the in her way of thinking, stupidity of the young man as well as the fact she'd be missing breakfast.
Giles exited the room shortly after Anya. He was heading to wake the rest of the gang to get a search party out looking for Xander as Faith strolled in. "Food," she sat down helping herself to a large portion of the prepared breakfast goodies. "So when's the go ahead time?"
"We'll get started the night after tomorrow, if things go well between now and then. It seems young Mr. Harris is missing." Sonya reported in her best professional fashion to try and keep the worry out of her voice.
"B can handle this one," Faith said leaning back. "I got the good stuff the last couple of days."
It was around 2 AM when Xander had crept out of the house alone, he'd decided if they were being honest with him, he first had to seduce Kelly then find a way to knock her out so he could snoop around for some files.
He knocked on Kelly's door with a bottle of wine and roses. She smiled as she led him in. After two glasses of wine and a dance the two began kissing feverishly when one of the harbingers came out of no where gouging out Xander's eye. "Fool, did you think I was that stupid?" She laughed picking up the phone to dial 911 with assurity the scoobies would soon get the message that she wasn't one to be reckoned with.
Buffy and Willow had walked the streets for about an hour when the phone rang. "Yeah?" Buffy enquired nervously.
"Xander's in the hospital." Came a high pitched voice from Dawn. "Buffy, um, his eye was gouged out."
Buffy cuts the phone off while Dawn is still talking and races up the street towards the hospital. It was all Willow could do to keep close to her.
By the time the two women had gotten into the room Anya was already there holding the hand of a very shaken Xander. "They've got him pretty wigged out on medicine but he went off to play hero trying to get information on this mess from Kelly." Anya hissed her eyes glaring with anger.
"Only Kelly knew what he was up to." Buffy said in a slow drawn out almost whispered voice. "Oh God Xander I'm so sorry. This is what happens when I let you all be involved."
"There is no time for a pity the slayer party!" Anya shouted as Willow stood there motionless as well as speechless looking at her childhood friend.
"Xander," she managed to get out of her mouth before the tears began to fall.
"Don't cry Will, now they can call me patch and we can find games that a one eyed man can play and," his voice cracked a bit as he tried to keep his courage up as he'd always done in the face of a crisis so as to not let them see he was falling a part inside.
"I've got to get to the house and start forming a plan." Buffy said rather numbly as she walked out.
"Damn that bitch!" Anya yelled letting the tears trickle down her cheeks as Willow embraced her in a hug causing their tears to mix.
Later that night Kennedy took a light snack and drink up to Willow's room. Dawn and Chance had gone to a movie to try and relax, Giles and Sonya had taken Molly to Giles' apartment to research and get her some training in. Buffy was out on her own doing God knows what and Spike and Faith were keeping watch outside the house.
"Willow, I'm so sorry this happened. We'll get through it and he'll be ok." Kennedy sat the tray down giving Willow a quick peck on the cheek.
"Someone always gets hurt or dies, we can't win this thing Kennedy. It's never ending." Willow said sipping the soda and reluctantly munching on the sandwich and salad.
"Anya will stay with him, she won't let them get to him again and we will win this Willow. We have to, we can't give up hope now or we will all die." Kennedy said sternly not meaning to sound harsh but knowing no other way to get through.
"Can you just stay in here and hold me tonight? I-I-I don't want to be alone." Willow said in a small childlike voice and Kennedy complied placing a few gentle kisses on Willow's lips as she closed her eyes.
Faith stood looking up at Willow's window, she'd got a chance to speak to the distraught Wicca earlier and hoped she was doing better. Whoever she was to help raise and protect she hoped they were able to help end this madness before something worse happened to someone.
As she turned away she noticed a tear dropping from Spike's cheek. Comforting was never her bag but she figured she could at least see what was up. "Spiky?" She asked as he turned towards her.
"I'm just a bit emotional, having a soul is rather difficult at times. Xander could have been killed, so now I wonder who is next."
"Don't get all broody on me like fang does." Faith said trying to get a smirk out of him.
"Angel, now there is a piece of work. He always got everything, even Drucilla loved him more, Buffy, the scoobies, everyone. I'm always left with the short end of the stick but it was even like that before I was turned. I was a real momma's boy you know." He crinkled up his mouth to keep his lips from quivering at the sudden display of emotion coming from him. "I guess you sort of know where I'm coming from, I had a certain not so good perception of you till we actually talked, one given to me by her highness. Now I don't think you're so bad."
"You're not so bad either Spiky." She said lighting a cigarette as the two exchanged smiles.
Part 9, Courage Continued
by AnyaRocks
Anya pulled into the driveway bringing Xander home from the hospital. She turned the car off and turned to face him. "Sorry I'm quiet An." He said. "Truth is I'm scared, now Buffy is trying to push us all away and I'll probably only get someone hurt. I'm useless now."
"Xander you're not useless to me, I won't let you get hurt again I promise." She takes his hands in hers. "Since we're being all honest here, the truth is I regret having chose the demon road again. I know I put you humans down and I did what I did because you hurt me but I actually was beginning to enjoy the human experience."
"An I'm sorry for what I did to you. It was stupidity and fear of being like my dad talking." She pulled him into a hug then came the kiss as Faith peaked out the door.
"Looks like 7-minute man gets the good demon." She says turning to see the smiles on everyone's faces.
"Maybe she should get him out of here." Buffy says.
"B, he's done good by you all these years. You've got to chill out man. These guys take risks because they want to fight the good fight, not cause they feel obligated to help you."
"Faith you don't understand." Buffy stands.
"Lets do this later, we've got a celebration." Giles said as the newly made up couple came in.
"We don't have time to celebrate, we have a battle to win and if you all want to live it up and ignore it I'll do it on my own." Buffy said defiantly.
"Not to worry, he just came in for his hugs then we're going to his apartment for a private celebration. One you seem to be in need of there Buffy, it might ease some of that tension." Anya said as everyone including Spike hugged Xander stifling laughs.
At around 3am Faith quietly went into the kitchen where Sonya was zipping up a bag. "What's the game boss?" She said getting a Pepsi.
"First thing, I'm going to hand Chances ass to him tomorrow. I can't believe he went off with Buffy knowing how the sister was taking a liking to him. Next thing is, you will take this bag and head for the address I give you. I will bring Tara there around midnight and you are not to tell anyone." Sonya said standing.
"Tara as in Red's girl? The woman I've been helping deal with all her crap and the woman who got kinda loud with Kennedy waking me up?" Faith's eyes darted around the room as she tried to keep her voice low.
"Yes that Tara, but Faith, you must not tell anyone. This may not even work." Sonya said firmly.
"Yeah yeah, more secrets," Faith grumbled knowing what Sonya was doing was for the best.
"Faith you've all displayed a great deal of courage these last few days, might I suggest you keep it up and lose the sarcastic tone. It's in your best interest not to mention everyone else." Sonya said getting a little nerved.
"Call me courageous Faith." She said walking out of the room.
Buffy lay sleeping in an old motel room with Chance standing guard. She saw the rolling hills, beautiful trees, flowers and meadows that went on as far as the eye could see. Then the demon of the first grabbed her slamming her to the ground. "It's not enough, law, power, it's not enough." It said fiercely before disappearing as Buffy woke up.
""Dream again?" Chance said coming over.
"Yeah, I wish I knew what this all meant, this slayer demon throwing me all around, this stupid bringer phrase of from beneath you it devours. Maybe I'm not enough." She wipes her face with her hands.
"You're the slayer Buffy, you're like it, you know?" He grins sheepishly.
"Yeah well sometimes it isn't enough, thanks for standing guard for me to rest. I'm sure Dawn hates me now." She frowns.
"I told her she's a bit to young, I mean you're older but she's not eighteen yet and it's not like we had sex or anything." He babbled as she smiled at him.
"Well its almost sun up," she scoots over. "Your turn for some rest."