I've been away for a year. I worked, at a lot of different places, including the US so I hope my English is a bit better.
Thanks for gopie for reminding me this rare outlet of my geek side. I had this chapter done for a year, but I forgot to post it. I may try to continue it soon.
Please review as usual.
Fireworks
One year before
Wesley looked on his reflection in the pool of the water fountain. It was such a heart breaking sunny day at the park. He didn't felt like he deserved it. It was his first day off from Wolfgang and Hart in a long time. And god knows, he has enough personal issues to deal with.
He killed his father. Well, it wasn't him, but he didn't knew that, did he. He killed him to save Fred. He tried to convince himself about that since quite a long time. Not because a part of him hated his father since he was a child. Because he wanted to see him dead.
"You're the cutest when you're blaming yourself for something. That's why you're so cute almost always." - a woman said behind him. Wesley turned around pretty surprised.
"So... you'll turn up whenever I hit a new low point." - he said smiling.
"Even death can't stop me from doing that." - she answered. They stood there for a minute, not knowing what to do.
"You know, usually when a dead agent of evil appears to you it's not a good sign." - he said. - "But..." - they hugged each other.
"I hear you're having a day off. I did the same thing." - she said - "Working for the same company now."
"Isn't there some kind of policy about separating our personal life from the work environment?" - Wesley asked smiling.
"Well... we were always rebels." - she said - "And I'm pretty sure you hate this rule working with Ms. Skinny now..."
"Fred and I..." - Wesley tried to say but Lila stopped him.
"You know what Wesley. We can't really spend a lot of time with each other, knowing my "condition". Let's not talk about Fred." - she said, and looked into his eyes challenging.
"Deal." - he said. - "So how's death?"
"Little boring, thanks for asking. But, I don't have to pay taxes anymore at least. You know me, the glass is half full. How's life?"
"Even less exciting. Well... I shot a robot who disguised itself as my father. But I still pay my taxes, so..." - he didn't finish his sentence. They just looked at each other for a minute without words.
"What are you doing here Lila?" - Wesley asked again finally. Lila smiled at him.
"Remember my "colleague" Gavin?" - she asked. Wesley nodded. - "Well, he's having this pet-project, that the senior-partners really like, and it..."
"Hold on!" - Wesley said. - "You still work for Wolfram and Hart? And, you still have your rivalry with that Gavin guy? I thought you came up here because... you know... me. Not because you want to beat your co worker." - he asked in disbelief. Lila slowly nodded.
"Yep. Hey, I've been transferred from L.A. to hell. It's not that big of a difference. Plus I really, really hate that guy Wes!" - she said. Wesley knew Lila is trying to convince herself too. She's here, to help him for some reason, but she don't want to admit it. She handled him a file full of papers. After some hesitation he took it and opened it.
"Alternative Sollutions to the Slayer problem?" - Wesley read the title.
"Yes. Gavin presented this to the Senior Partners, and they decided to set it into motion immediately. Read it and destroy it. And then, in the end, for the love of god, be surprised." - she said, as she turned around. She wanted to leave.
"Wait!" - Wesley said. Lila turned back, and silenced him with a long, gentle kiss. This was nothing like her kisses before. The wildness and urgency was gone. Only the emotion left, and it was more clear then ever before.
"I have to go Wes. You're gonna have a hell of a time, but believe me..." - she said - "If you play well... it's gonna end in a light." - she said, and then she started to fade. Noone else seemed to notice it. A moment later she was gone, the only proof, of her being here, was Gavin's papers in his hand. She went back to hell. But the way she said goodbye, and disappeared didn't feel right.
For some reason Wesley thought it was more like an angel going back to heaven.
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Wesley knew this is the battle of his lifetime. He looked over his enemies. An army of heroes assembled to stop him. These people fought gods, ancient powers of the universe, and won. Always won. He died fighting a simple demon. And now, he - a mere mortal - has to face the titans. He saw the crowd. Slayers, witches, and guns pointed on him. He heard Faith enclosing steps. It was all so slow. He had an emergency protocol in place for a situation like this, but he hoped he won't have to use it this early, if he has to use it at all. It wasn't pretty.
There wasn't a single soul on the streets. Like it was prepared for the showdown.
"Kill them!" – the voices said - "Kill them all!"
His whole body was in pure pain. Even if his coat protected him from serious damage, he wasn't in shape to fight this fight. There are wounds, that just can't heal fast enough.
Finally, he found Willow in the crowd. She was there - and that meant he didn't lose yet. .He tried to stand up, but his back was in too much pain.
"Stand up! Fight! Save the world"- the voices said.
"I... can't..." - he said.
"Winifred Burkle." - the voices said. That was a good arguement. He said the name again, stood up, grabbed his gun, and shoot Faith on the head. She fell on the floor dead. Right in that moment, he put on the hood of his coat. Just in time, becouse Gunn and his people started shooting on him. For a moment he was able to see Gunn's face. There was disbelief and unspeakable wrath.
He knew the skin of the Freayah demon will save his life once. It was a pretty dangerous hunt, but it worth it. The monster's skin was pretty hard to cut, but after it's death it's skin becomes almost invoulnarable. This way the demon defended himself from a parasite in his own dimension.
The coat he made from the skin was also very light and flexible. The perfect protection.
They were still shooting at him, and a lot of the bullets hit the coat. It was pretty painful, but nothing he couldn't bear. He turned around, to see Spike looking at the corpse of Faith in disbelief. He saw, how the anger changed his face into the face of the demon. The vampire attacked him immediatly.
"How could you?" - he screamed. With a move of his hand, Wesley made the sword appear from the device on his hand.
"Sorry." - he said. There was nothing more left to say. The fight with Spike wasn't anything like the fight with Angel. The furious bloodsucker predicted his every move, and forced him to defend himself. It took only a few seconds for the vampire, to knock his weapon out of his hand, and kick Wesley in the chest, that made him fly away and hit a wall in the nearby ally. Most of the impact was absored by the coat, but his vision got a little blurry for a while. He couldn't see the angry faces on the blockade anyomre. Slayers. Heroes. He just understood, he became a villain. A Big Bad. He only saw Spike walking towards him. And what's more important, Willow wasn't in sight anymore. He only has one choice left.
„Sin. Initiate the Sky Is Falling Protocol, now!" – he screamed into the little communication device he wore in his ear.
„But boss... „ - said the vampire on the other end.
„Do it!"
„Okay dokay" – answered the cheerfull vampire voice in the comlink.
„Who are you talking to Head Boy?" – he asked.
„Drusilla. He wants me to go over tonight." – answered Wesley between his teeth.
„You bloody sick bastard." – the vampire said. Obviously, Spike didn't see how Wesley could joke like this after shooting Faith in the head. He grabbed Wesley by the collar.
"Buffy wants you alive." – he said – "But I don't really see why should I. It's obvious you simply gone bananas. So, give a me a reason, to let you live. Till Charlie boy gets his hands on you of course. They were engaged you bastard."
"Gunn played a part in Fred's death. I just returned the favor."
"There's a difference between signing a paper and shooting someone in the head!"
"But not that much. Of all people, you should know it." – Spike raised one of his eyebrows.
"You're stalling. Trying to buy time. Why?"
"Spike!" – it was Buffy through the Spike's com device – "Spike, listen, there's something happening. Willow feels it. What is he doing?"
"Nothing." – Spike said – "I got him." – an then an answer, he only heard a lot of confused voices who shared the same channel.
"Oh my god, what is that?" - "Slayers down! Three slayers down!" -"Shut the hell up Andrew" – "Nothing hurts it! It got through the perimeter! I repeat..."
And the a solo sober voice from the chaos:
"Spike, get out of there, now!" – Gunn said. It obviously took great efforts from him to come over his grief. Spike grabbed Wesley even harder.
"What have you done you little weasel?" – he asked.
"What do you think the most powerful organization in creation would do, if a single being annihilated all their agents on the continent?"
"What are you talking about..."
"They would try to harvest that force to their own goals of course. You don't have any idea how hard it was to snatch It from the Senior Partners."
"I swear I'll snap your..." – then, a giant arm grabbed Spike's shoulder. It was tougher than anything he experienced before. The hands slowly turned him around. A giant face of stone stared back at him.
"Oh bloody hell."
"Hold him, but don't hurt him." – Wesley said. The giant rock creature obeyed.
"Spike, meet the new Beast. Designed after the knife made from the bones of the original. He possesses the same level of invulnerability as his predecessor, but unfortunately, has a considerably shorter lifespan. It will be nothing more, than a giant pile of rock in an hour. Shame really. He's presence would be a most useful asset."
Four slayers, and two gunmen just appeared at the entrance of the ally. One of them, was Buffy herself. The men pointed their rifles at him.
"Don't move Wesley. It's over."
"Yes it is." – Wesley said – "I will walk out from here. And you will stand aside."
"Keep dreaming." – Buffy answered.
"You will. If you don't, my new pet here will tear of the blonde head of the only eligible vampire bachelor left on the planet."
"Spike can take care of himself." – she said – "We can handle your new toy."
"Not this one." – Gunn said as he walked in. – "It's the Beast. Once it starts killing, it won't stop."
"Hello Charles." – Wesley said. Gunn didn't say a word. It was obvious he just wants to shot Wesley like a dog.
"Don't let him go!" – Spike said with the little air the Beast let reach his lungs.
"Where the hell is Willow?" – Buffy asked.
"Let me go, or your best champion left will turn to dust." – Wesley said – "I'm trying to keep bloodshed on a minimum here. But your not making it easy."
There was a moment of silence, as Buffy thought through the situation.
"No." – she said. And then all hell got loose.
Next:
The Beast has been released again. But what else is in the Sky Is Falling Protocol?
How will Gunn react to the death of his fiancé.
And whose side is Willow really on?