Dust to Dust

Married life seemed to suit Buffy and William. They had moved into one bedroom and had shared a bed for the last three years. All had been going well until a few days earlier. They sat at the dining table, both occupied by the food on their plates.

"What's wrong?" Buffy asked, finally setting down her fork.

William looked up. "It's nothing."

"It's something…you have something face. What is it?"

"I…have I done something to displease you?"

Buffy's brow wrinkled. "No, of course not. Why…do you think you did?"

"I do not know. We have not…" he trailed off.

Buffy blinked. "Oh…I…I guess we haven't." She paused. "It's not that I don't want to…I do…I just…have to be ready in case…Angelus and Darla show up again looking for a rematch."

"You've been saying that for years now. If they have not returned by now, they are not going to come."

"You don't know that. He's…determined. He'd come back just when I would least expect it. It's how he works."

William stood up abruptly and began to walk away from the table. Buffy let out a huff and followed him. "William, stop."

He turned to face her, his expression colder than she'd ever seen it before. It vaguely reminded her of Spike.

"I promised you children, didn't I?" she asked, winding her hand up his arm.

"You did."

"You'll have them. Just…be patient."

He let out a breath and looked at the woman at his side. Seven years they had been together and he had never raised his voice to her, let alone been cross with her. He tried to understand her fears of bringing children into the world. He let out another breath and pulled Buffy closer to him.

"When you are ready then," he said.

She leaned her head against his shoulder, her arm still intertwined with his. She had to admit, the idea of getting pregnant in any time was a little scary. But she wasn't a child anymore. She was 25.

"You know...when we do have children, I think I'll be the first Slayer ever to have a family."

"Is that so?"

"Most Slayers don't live long...part of the job."

"I hope you will not continue the trend."

"I'll try not to," she said, giving his hand a squeeze.

"Good."

They stood together for a while, not speaking. The sun was on its way towards the horizon but it was still too early to go out on patrol. They vampires had been hiding as of late, keeping a low profile. Buffy couldn't remember the last time she'd slayed a vampire.

"Should we go out tonight?" William finally asked.

Buffy nodded. "If we don't, they'll think they don't have to hide. Cocky vampires are never good."

"Right then." He let go of her arm and headed for the back door.

"Where are you going?"

"I believe I still have a crossbow to repair."

Buffy smiled. "I forgot." She watched him disappear before clearing the dishes from the table.

As she washed she couldn't help but think of her friends and mother. They wouldn't believe the life she'd had in the last seven years. It had been wonderful, an experience she couldn't have had in the present.

At the town limits, a carriage pulled to a stop, the horses pawing the ground nervously. Muffled sounds came from inside the carriage as the animals whinnied in fear. Finally, the door opened and two bodies fell out, necks bearing puncture marks. From within, a second pair climbed out, both wearing satisfied grins. The man looked around for a moment or two.

"Home sweet home," he laughed.

"Now, darling. We mustn't keep our friends waiting," his companion said.

"Very well, my love. We shan't."

Together, they stepped over the dead bodies and up the road. The sun had finally set, allowing them to walk freely. It had been four years since they had last seen London. They'd ravaged Italy and France before the bug bit Angelus again. He had renewed his desire to kill the Slayer and this time Darla agreed. It would after all be a short trip through England before they went somewhere else.

"Where shall we go after this?" she asked.

"Wherever you desire. Spain perhaps? Or Romania. I hear they have lots of tasty morsels there."

"Romania sounds nice."

"Romania it is then," Angelus sighed.

--

The day seemed to drag on for Ethan. He found it rather difficult to breathe while gagged. He was fairly certain his nose was broken as it hurt to inhale. Angel had disappeared several hours ago, no doubt to sleep. The man did his best to try and untie himself but found it was no use. The ropes were too tight and his arms too tired from being bound. He could see the sun's movement through the sky from the sliver of light between the curtains hanging from the entrance way.

'Almost evening,' he thought.

Suddenly, the sliver of light was obscured by a large form. Footsteps echoed on the stone as the curtains parted to reveal Faith. Ethan would have laughed if he'd been able.

"Well look at you, all tied up and gagged. Kind of funny don't you think?" Faith taunted as she moved closer.

Ethan simply glared at her. She laughed at his expression and bent down to his eye level.

"You got something to say?" she asked, yanking the fabric from his mouth.

Ethan gasped for air, doing his best not to cough. "No."

"Too bad." She slid into lap, straddling his legs. "I have a feeling you're going to want to walk and real soon."

"Are you going to kill me?" he wheezed.

"God why do you keep asking that. You're no good to us dead, moron."

"I'm frankly no good to you at all. I can't bring the other Slayer back."

"No, see that's where you're wrong. It's not can't. It's won't. You scared of something? Scared of what Buffy will do when she finds out you were behind this?"

"She'll never know."

Faith reached a hand out, clamping it around his wind pipe. Ethan began to rasp for breath as she pressed harder. She was too focused on suffocating her victim to hear Angel walk in.

"Faith, I didn't hear you come in."

She looked over her shoulder. "Oh, hey baby. Just thought I'd come play with our friend here. Funny, he's not saying much."

"Maybe because he can't breath?"

"Really?" She squeezed harder. "You sure?"

"Help me," Ethan croaked.

"Let him go, Faith. We don't need him blacking out again."

"Oh come on. You and I both know you don't care how many times he blacks out."

"We aren't in the business of killing humans, Faith."

"Vampire, remember. Kind of is your game."

"No, it's not. Not anymore."

"Maybe you're just a little rusty."

"Faith, I said let him go."

"Ok, ok." Faith let go and climbed out of his lap.

Ethan heaved several deep breaths, trying to fill his burning lungs with air. He did his best not to hyperventilate as the air passed through his lips.

"You're wasting your time," he finally got out.

"Sun's almost down. We should bring him back to the school," Faith said.

"Yeah. Guess we should."

"Look...untie me and I swear I'll go willingly. I won't run."

"Now why don't I believe you...oh that's right because you're a lying piece of crap who sent my girlfriend back to last century."

"Besides, you're all into black magic. You'd probably just give us the slip some other way."

"Alright, I swear I won't try anything."

Angel and Faith took a few steps away from him.

"I don't like it," Angel whispered.

"Keep a crossbow on him...less likely to split if he knows we've got weapons on him."

"You sure you're trigger finger's fast enough?"

"Whoah, ok I got mad skills."

"Alright...untie him."

They walked back over and began to untie him. Faith rooted through Angel's weapons chest and finally found a crossbow.

"Ready to go?" She asked, leveling the weapon at Ethan's back.

"Let's do this." Angel kept a firm grip on Ethan's arm as they left the mansion.

By the time they reached the school, Willow and Giles were back to arguing about magic.

"Giles, come on please. It's the only way we're going to get Buffy back."

"I said no and I meant it. We'll find another way."

"You just don't like that I'm using magic."

"That's not it."

"Yeah, it is. You don't like that I can control the elements and summon spirits."

"Wait...hang on...since when are you summoning spirits?" Xander interrupted.

"Ok...so not spirits but still. I can handle the magics, Giles."

"I don't think we'll need to worry about it," Faith said as she and Angel walked in.

"Did he give you anything?" Giles asked, momentarily distracted from the argument.

"No...but we had some fun bonding time," Faith answered.

Angel led Ethan over to a chair and forced him to sit. Giles looked at the man and then to the others in the room.

"I'd like a few minutes alone with him."

"You sure that's a good idea?" Angel asked.

"Yes."

The vampire nodded and led the other four out of the library. Ethan watched them leave and then turned his attention back to Giles.

"Is this the part where you threaten to unleash all manner of hell upon me if I don't help you?"

"No." Giles leaned against the table. "This is the part where you tell me what the hell you were thinking trying to send me back to the past. What would it accomplish?"

"Would've been funny is all, mate."

"Yes, we're all having a good laugh about it."

"What can I say, Ripper. I haven't changed."

"No, you have changed, Ethan. The costumes, the bewitched chocolate, those were fairly harmless. This, you've irrevocably altered history. You're lucky the Council hasn't arrested you for what you've done."

"Funny...don't see how they could. Not part of their little organization now am I."

"I can assure you, they take affronts to the Slayer very seriously."

"You're lying."

"I rather think not."

--

Evening had fallen completely over London and Buffy and William had taken up residence in one of the larger cemeteries. There had been several burials there in the last few days. If they were going to find any newly sired vampires it would be there.

"Do you suppose we'll have a son?" William asked.

"What?"

"A son...do you suppose we'll have a son?"

"I don't know...maybe. I mean it's fifty-fifty either way."

They both stopped moving as the sound of a twig snapping filled the air. Buffy spun around, stake raised but found nothing. She knew better than to trust what appeared to be right in front of her. Vampires were notoriously fast. But so was she. She felt the presence behind her even before William called her name.

"Anne!"

Buffy spun around and found herself face-to-face with Angelus. She looked to her husband.

"I told you he couldn't resist coming back."

"Right you were, love," William agreed, keeping his crossbow trained on the man standing nose to nose with his wife.

"Taking the lad out with you, Slayer?"

"It's something of a family affair. Not something you'd really understand."

"Wouldn't he?" Darla called, stepping up to wrap and arm through William's.

"Ok...what part of stay out of my town didn't register in your extremely empty brain?" Buffy asked.

"The part where it means I don't get to kill you."

"Well go ahead and try."

Angelus let out a laugh as Buffy took a few steps back before landing a kick to his ribs. He stumbled back a step or two before lunging at her. As they fought, Buffy couldn't help but remember the last time she'd had to kill him. Willow had just restored his soul. She would have loved to let him live but she had the rest of the world to think about. This time she had her family and somehow that seemed just a little bit more important.

"William, crossbow!" she shouted.

William blinked and looked down. "Oh. Right." He did his best to throw it to her with Darla's hand still clamped firmly on his arm.

Buffy caught the crossbow in one hand and leveled it at Angelus' heart.

"Haven't we been here before, Slayer?" Angelus asked.

"I seem to remember telling you next time I wouldn't miss."

"What are you waiting for, then?"

Buffy released the catch on the weapon, sending an arrow fling straight through his heart. He looked surprised that she'd taken the shot. Before he could utter a sound, he turned to dust, particles floating away on the wind.