Author's note: Hey, thanks for the reviews.
FeretGirl: As you can see, I changed the names as you wished.
WhiteRabbit: Thanks for the reviews. You were my lonely reviewer for a while, and it helped me a lot to continue :)
I bet at the end of the chapter some of you will want to stake me. But don't do that, till you read the last chapter please :)
By the way, it's a bit long, but lot of stuff happens in it.
"Dust to dust"
The little boy was pretty scared from the monsters in the books. And his environment - Father's working room, wasn't helping much, because Father was almost as scary as the monsters. Still, he couldn't help it - he always sneaked into the room, with the huge shelves full of books, and the great fireplace. Father spent hours here, reading these ancient and rare books. Wesley couldn't read them yet - he had the ability to read since he filled the fifth year of his life - but none of these books was written in English. But the pictures amazed him. All kinds of horrible drawings about huge horned and winged creatures. Creatures who should never walk on earth. And still, he had no doubt they are - Father was a most rational mind, he would not care about something useless us imaginary monsters.
On the rare occasions, when Father decided to spend a little town with his son, he told him fantastic stories, about little girls, fighting the demons, and about the masters of the girls. It was a part he never understood. And when father told a story about a girl, who was killed by his masters, because he was weak, Wesley couldn't stand to ask.
"Why did they do that father?" - he asked.
"Because they had no choice son. The girl refused to fight. So his masters had to eliminate her, so someone else could take her place. Someone must fight the monsters Wesley."
"But why can't his masters fight them. Why can't we help the girl?"
"Because we're mortals son. This fight wasn't meant to be fought by mortals. We're too weak for that."
"But... in every story the knight can slay the dragon all by himself, to save the princess..."
"Those are fairy tales son." - his father said in anger. - "If you really want to fight those monsters, the best thing you can do is to help the girl, with you're knowledge Wesley. You're too weak to fight." - it didn't surprise Wesley to hear this from his father. He knew most stories he told was true stories. And he told them, to prepare him.
"So... you can kill an innocent girl, if she's not willing to fight instead you..." - the boy asked. His father stood up in furious anger.
"Don't push you're luck lad!" - he said - "These things are more complicated, than you should understand them!"
"No, father! There is good and bad!" - he said - "And killing an innocent girl is defiantly bad!" - he said. He almost never opposed his Father. But what he said - for some reason, he couldn't understand yet - made him really angry. He just couldn't bear, when people said there is no good and evil. He knew they're wrong. Knew it with his heart.
"That's children's talk Wesley. You will understand when you become older."
"I'll never kill in the name of good Father. That's foolishness!"
"We will see Wesley. We will see."
MANY YEARS LATER
"ARE YOU READY FOR YOU'RE FIRST KILL?" - the mirror asked the naked man. He was meditating in front of it.
"Yes." - he answered. - "Let it be."
"Have you choosen you're target?"
"Yes." - he said. - "The one who needs to be punished the most."
"Well done." - the mirror-creature said.
"When will you restore Fred?"
"We've talked about this Champion." - it said - "When you proved yourself trustworthy."
"You won't be disappointed. Now... let's save the world."
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Kennedy just couldn't find the way, to help Willow's sadness. They came here, to Xander's room every day, and tried to ease his pain. But it was obviously killing Willow inside, to see his best friend suffering because of her fault. It was probably worse for her, than for Xander himself. At least, he was on painkillers. But there was nothing to help Willow's pain.
"I can't believe I called you back from Africa for this." - Willow said to Xander who was laying on the bed.
"Chill Will. I alway wanted to see New York."
"Well, you can't see much of it." - she said. She called back Xander to the U.S. a month ago, because she found a way, to grow his missing eye back. And it worked pretty fine - in a moment there was the wounded, useless muscle, and a moment later, Xander had a brand new operating eye. But then, Xander's screaming proved that, his system wasn't ready to accept an organ so fast, so his brain just... blocked down. His brain was not able to accept visual information anymore. Willow made him totally blind.
"Well I will. And with these awsome new eyes. I never really liked my eyes so much, they were so common." - Xander said. Willow found a method with his students - now they were growing new eyes to Xander - eyes that they can re-attach to his brain. But it was a helluva painful and slow process. "Plus, I'm in a house full of young Slayers, and I'm so vulnerable, and that means irresistible at last. That newbie Mia was here all last night. She felt like she must take care of me. Please tell me she's hot and blond!" - Willow and Kennedy looked at each other.
"Of course she is." - they said in the same time.
"Are you guys lying?"
"Yes." - they admitted. There was a minute of uncomfortable silence between them..
"We've got you the War of the Worlds radio-play for you from Orson Welles." - Kennedy said, as he got a CD from her purse.
"Andrew said, they covered a huge demon invasion with this stuff back in the fifties. They told the people this thing caused the mass hysteria, about a martian attack. But for real, huge Galroch demons attacked the country."
"Lovely story." - Xander answered - "Please, put it in the player for me." - he said. - "Then go out, have some slayer-wicca-lesbian fun."
"We won't leave you Xander."
"C'mon! It's Halloween. No evil smurfs in town tonight, and you're in the most entertaining city of the world. Everybody's having a party, but you two. Go, I'll be fine!"
"But..."
"No buts! Get out of here!" - he said.
"Okay." - Willow murmured - "We will check back on you, when we come back." - she said as they left the room. Right in that moment Willow started to cry.
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A man arrived with a motorcycle to the building of the Chase Foundation. His coat was lately made from the skin of a Freyah-demon, what made it actually bullet-and-sword proof. The arsenal he was hiding under it would have been enough to destroy a major part of the city. But the man didn't had does kind of goals. He only came here to kill a girl - the first on his list. He hated this task, but he knew he must do it. Once he pretended he is a Rouge Demon Hunter, with small value of life, who's ready to do anything necessary for the greater good.
He was done pretending years ago.
He choose this night, because he knew, there will be only a few people in the building. Everybody will go out. He wasn't a party-person himself, so it was the best night he could possible choose. As he walked into the lobby, two guards stepped into his way. They were pretty, young girls.
"Excuse me sir, but we're closed. Come back tomorrow morning, and we will help you with you're problem. " - the blond one said.
"Good evening ladies." - he said. They were Vampire Slayers, Wesley was able to tell that from their eyes. - "Hmm... You have to work on the night of Halloween. You must be pretty pissed off."
"It was our turn sir." - the red headed girl said. - "I will have to ask you to leave now."
"I'm here to talk to Faith." - he said with a grim voice.
"You're a friend of her?"
"I was her watcher." - he answered.
"Nice try buddy." - the girl said, as she grabbed his arm to walk him out. - "But her watcher is dead."
"Well, I've got better." - he said, and with a simple move, he put his hand out from his pocket, and shot an injection into her arm. He calculated the dose very carefully especially for vampire slayers. It will pass her out, but won't damage her. - "If you will be in this business as long as I am, You will get used to these kind of things."
As the blond slayer fell on the floor, the other one attacked him immediately. Wesley almost waited for the opportunity, to see how can he stand a fight against a Slayer now.
And he was most satisfied with the result.
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"Chuck, you're back!" - Faith screamed out with a huge smile, as he noticed the man standing at her door. She ran to him, and kissed him immediately. She would have never considered skipping a party for a man before. But the last year changed her life pretty much.
"Hey! You're happy to see me! That's new!" - Gunn said, with her arms around him.
"So how was Brazil?"
"Cool. I've met an Ubervamp in a pyramid. One ugly son of a bitch! Spike cut his ugly head off. End of story."
"Hmm... sounds fun. I'm kinda missing killing those guys." - she said as she kissed Gun again. She knew after all these years without serious feelings or serious relationships she may coming on too strong, but she couldn't help it. It was too interesting to have a boyfriend, it made her behave like a teenage schoolgirl.
"So... will you let me have a shower, or...?"
"Defenetley "or"!" - she answered, as she started to unbutton Gunn's shirt.
Right in that moment, his communicator activated. They've got these things from the Initiative, and it annoyed her pretty much.
"For all available personnel, intruder in the headquarters. Two slayers down!" - he grabbed the communicator.
"Jesus Christ Andrew, cut this Black Hawk Down shit out!" - Gunn said. - "What happened again?"
"I'm right here in the lobby. Someone took Emma and Helga down!"
"Are they alright?"
"Yes, they will be fine... Oh, Gandalf, who can take down two slayers in one time?"
"Let's find out. Fast." - Angel said. He just appeared in the door, handling a huge sword. Just as usual. He was skipping the party too, watching basketball. He was pretty depressed in the last few months. They took his destiny away from him - three little girls saved him from the heroic death in the ally.
"You so need to get laid." - Faith said. As they all followed him.
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"What's wrong honey?" - Kennedy asked her girlfriend. Willow looked pretty shocked. Not "Oh my, what have I done to Xander" shocked, but "I just realized, I accidentally created the Bermuda triangle in my sleep" shocked.
"It's... him... He's alive!" - she said with a cheerful tone. - "It's Wes! I can feel him!"
"The psycho-watcher? Are you sure it's not... her?" - Kennedy asked. Of course she was referring to Illyria . She disappeared months ago, when she realized Wes is not coming back. Nobody knew where she is.
"No, it is him for sure." - interestingly, Willow was one of the people most concerned about Wesley's death. She got an unexpected mail from him, a few days before he passed away. The message didn't made any sense. She suspected Wesley must have lost his mind in his last days, after what happened to Fred. Why else would he write such a message.
"Nothing is what it seems. Help me hide them."
And some strange, meaningless symbols under it.
But if he wasn't dead... where the hell was he in the last few months?
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The man was looking at the huge world map in the "meeting room".
"The design must be Andrew's"- he toughed. "So cliché." As he looked over the huge table with several chairs, and the computers, he almost seen the meetings with his own eyes.
Angel with his oh-so serious face, Gunn, concentrating so hard to understand the issue, Spike, wisecracking and Fred with her intelligent... no. Fred is gone. There is probably Faith or some other Slayer is sitting in her place. But a part of him still wanted to be part of these meetings.
Someone just kicked in the front door. Angel appeared, with a huge sword in his hands, and a really desperate look on his face. Faith and Gunn was standing behind him.
"You just made a huge mistake buddy!" - he said, but when he noticed who's standing there, he stopped. - "Wes?"
That moment seemed to freeze forever.
"Westley!!!" - Gunn shouted out after some time, and he ran to his one time friend in disbelief.
"Chuck, wait!" - Faith cried out, but Gunn hugged Wesley by then - "Okay, he's corporeal. Go on."
"Man, where the hell were you, Dog?" - he asked - "God, we toughed you were..." - but he couldn't say any more, because Wesley grabbed his neck, and knocked his head into the table. He hit the right spot - passing Gunn out for several minutes.
"Sorry Charles." - he said, as Gunn fell on the floor unconsciously - "But let's not make this any harder."
Wesley never thought hurting his friends will be this hard. He just repeated two words inside. "Winnifred Burkle"
"Wes!" - Angel said.
"This is none you're business Angel. I'm here for her." - he said, looking at Faith.
"Who do you think you are?" - Faith asked, as he run to check out Gunn.
"I'm so sorry Faith." - he said - "But I have to do this."
"What?!" - she asked as she stood up from Gunn.
"You must die tonight Faith. I really sorry." - he said, not as a treat, but us a fact. Faith was pretty angry seeing Gunn on the floor. She was a little overprotective when it came to his man.
"And you want to kill me, huh, geek-boy?"
"Yes. I'll try to do it fast." - Angel just stood there. He couldn't believe Wesley is talking seriously. Faith attacked Wesley in a horrible rage. Wesley stepped aside, and using Faith's own dash, he throw the slayer right into the huge monitor, that was showing the world map. After some lightnings of electricity, Faith fell on the floor. She had lots of cuts from the shards of the monitor. An ordinary woman would have died from this much electricity, but Faith was still conscious. But she wasn't able to move a muscle.
With a simple move is hand, Westley made a giant sword appear from the device he had attached to his hand under his coat.
"Let's finish this." - he said, as he raised the sword, to finish Faith. But Angel stepped in his way.
"Get out of the way, Angel." - he said, but Angel attacked him with his sword. He raised his sword to defend himself. He did nothing else than avoiding the attacks of the vampire. He didn't wanted to hurt him. Wasn't sure he could do it even if he wanted.
"What are you doing Wesley?!" - Angel asked. It was disturbing enough, Wesley was back from the death. Under other circumstances he would have thought Wesley is some evil other dimensional counterpart, or a demon masquerading in his form. But he felt it was really Wesley. Deep down, in his heart he knew it.
"If I have to kill one of you people, I will choose her." - Wesley said - "She needs to be punished, and she knows it."
"She's changed." - Angel said. He was amazed by Wesley's sword fighting skills, and he knew, the ex-watcher is holding back. What the hell happened to him.
"You know, you forgive to a hot pair of boobs very easily, even if she's a murderer. Unfortunately, you found it a little more hard to forgive me a few years ago. If I was a hot chick, maybe you wouldn't try to kill me, when I was lying on a hospital bed." - he said. As he thought about it, he got really angry. It became harder and harder not to hurt Angel. The sound of their swords crossing filled the whole building. - "Of course it wasn't you she tortured for hours. It was me. Well... as I think about it, it's not that strange I became a little grim lately."
"Get over it." - Angel said.
"Listen to me Angel. There are bigger things at stake right now than you're playing the hero for a girl. She must die. Or you want me to take you instead of her?"
"Why would you punish me?"
"Well... thousands of slaughtered innocents... I'll think of a reason." - he answered.
"I had no soul back then." - Angel said. Wesley's style of fight became more furious and furious. Angel knew, if it's continue this way, one of them will be seriously damaged.
"Like you're the picture of innocent since then. Just for example, you sired that poor solider boy at that submarine, and then let him go. What about his victims?"
"You can't blame a man for something he didn't do on purpose!" - Angel said. Right in that moment, with a single move, Wesley cut Angel's right hand off. The vampire looked at his falling sword and hand in disbelief, then he looked at Wesley. He raised his head, and showed the scar on his neck.
"It never stopped you from blaming before." - he said. Angel understood, the wounds in Wesley's soul were deeper, than he ever imagined. It was partly his fault, but this man was ready to kill, and needed to be stopped. So, with a fast, and risky move, he jumped over Wesley - hoping he will hesitate to cut his head off - and grabbed his neck with his left hand.
"I don't know what happened to you Wesley, but I won't let you kill anybody."
"I will save the world, like it or not." - he said. - "You're not the only one with a mission Angel. Nor with secrets." - Wesley said the word secret with a strange tone. Was that some kind of message? Willow and Kennedy just arrived at the door. They were surprised, seeing that Angel is holding Wesley in the air. Wesley looked at Willow in question. Slowly Willow nodded at him.
"You will come and explain why are you doing this."
"I'm sorry Angel." - Wesley said. - "But I can't let you stop me now. I really wanted you to survive this. But you bought some time to Faith, if it makes you feel better."
"What are you talking..." - but he couldn't finish it. Wesley was holding a grenade in his hand, that he got out from under his coat. He looked into Angel's eyes with a sad expression. He pushed the detonator, that blown up with the power of a microscopic sun. It burned Wesley's hand a little.
Faith wasn't able to believe what she had seen. After the explosion of light, it took a little till she won back her ability to see.
"As I said, he bought you some time Faith. Use it well." - It was Wesley's voice without of doubt. When she opened he eyes Wesley was gone, just like Angel. There was only dust left. Willow and Kennedy looked at the dust in disbelief too. A sun-grenade from this close meant sure death to a vampire. Faith heard Wesley and Fred was working on a bomb like this back in the Wolfram & Hart days. They said it's not possible to do it finally. Looks like Wes knew the other way.
The Champion, the first vampire with a soul, who saved the world several times, was nothing more, then some dust on the floor of the meeting room. It was damn hard to believe it.
On that night the phones rang all over the world, in every single Council Headquarter. Angel's death was really important to many people. A lot of them shown up at his ceremony three days later. Thrice as much then they did at Wesley's funeral.
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Hey, it was long. Excuse me for that, but I didn't feel like make it into two chapters.
NEXT: The hunt begins for Wesley, led by the Prime Slayer, Buffy herself.
Don't forget to click on that funny review button. :)