Author's Note: This chapter here is basically gonna cover some new ground because I've been wondering what it was like for Buffy as to what she was feeling when she jumped through the portal and how she was feeling before she was heading on over to the other side, or so she thought. A bit different this chapter will be, but hopefully it'll turn out good. Enjoy!
Chapter Two
A million bolts of static electricity sizzled through her mind and body, the pain escalating into unfathomable heights until she closed her eyes against sudden brimming tears and gritted teeth, teetering close to the verge of losing consciousness.
She had wanted to yelp and snarl in excruciating pain, but didn't want to give up absolute control of her emotions. Her mind seeped into withering darkness as everything around her was vanishing into nothingness, leaving flickering shadows and beams of white hot light behind.
But she had noticed something off, something that was not particularly supposed to occur while traveling in the other dimension, the Other Side.
She felt her heart beat steadily, her pulse continuing to throb against her skin. She hesitantly inhaled a deep breath, filling her lungs, her arms pumping against her sides, the blood flowing and circulating in her veins.
She was supposed to be dead, wasn't she? "So how the hell am I still alive? This is not cool, you know," she queried, folding her arms behind her knees to sooth her quivering fear of the unknown, and the unanswered questions.
Why am I here anyways? Did something happened? I don't…..remember, she pondered in thought, searching her mind for answers, her forehead creasing into lines of uncertainty as she took in her newly found surroundings.
Flashes of forgotten memories abruptly developed in her mind, leaving her startled, bewildered. She saw herself standing in front of Angel, saying their goodbyes, kissing for the very last time, her mouth murmuring the words 'I love you' before she jumped into the enlarged portal. She remembered defeating Glory, smashing her to her death with the strength of the hammer in her hands.
Another memory loomed in the horizon, revealing a fallen Angel to his knees, begging her to stay, to not lead herself to her death. She brazenly recalled the distinct words of the First Slayer. '
"Death is your gift," she had said. She then recalled the words she had spoken to her lover, the words that he had needed to hear, despite his heartbreak and despair at the fact that he was losing her because of her duty and unwillingness to sacrifice Dawn.
She felt a pang tugging at her heart at the memories of her loved ones: Dawn, Xander, Willow, Anya, Tara, Giles, her mother, even Spike. She felt another tug, one that had made the Slayer clench her hand into a angry fist, but felt a burst of love coursing through in spite of it: Angel, and the difficult realization that she will never see him again, that they would forever be separated by way of spiritual planes.
"No, it can't be. How could this be? How could this happen?" She wondered desperately to herself, shaking her head furiously, feeling the sting of more tears threatening to spill, and the pain in her heart wanting to shatter into a million shards.
She placed her hand into her pocket, pulling out her claddagh ring, the one that had been given to her by Angel the night they had visited the docks, the very night that he was supposed to leave her behind for Napalm.
She had not told anyone that she had kept the ring during the intense battle with Glory. At the time, it had given her comfort that she had carried a piece that had belonged to her only true love. She had wanted a piece of him with her, in order to give her strength to perform her mission and see it completed.
She had never informed Angel of this.
She clutched the ring tightly, holding it, pressing its smooth coldness against her tear stained cheek, caressing it with a touch as light as angel's wings.
"Goodbye, Angel. Till we meet again. I love you, always," she murmured, placing a soft kiss to the crown and heart of the ring, fingering it before adding it to her left ring finger, the silver material cold and smooth against her warm skin. It glimmered under the beams of light.
"Goodbye? Hardly. You will have your chance to meet again, Slayer. It is your destiny, after all," a voice called from nowhere. Buffy called in a demanding voice, "Who's there?"
"A guardian, perhaps, guiding you on your spiritual journey, of sorts." The voice was female, firm, and gentle as if it were water running over a brook. Buffy's features had smoothed just a smidge. "Show yourself," she barked, and the presence immediately shown herself before her.
At first, the Slayer couldn't identify the being, but instinct had informed her otherwise. "Are you…are you…The Oracles? You work for the Big Guys up there, don't you? The Powers That Be?" Puzzlement settled on her expression. Okay, this is totally giving me the wiggins. How did I know that? I couldn't have. That blue and gold mystic Smurf chick seems familiar….somehow. At least the name does. Huh.
Another flash of distant memory struck the Slayer, her feet staggering, her balance faltering. It struck her as if it were a bolt of lighting. She saw her own voice being spoken in the newly unraveled memory. "'Just like I always wanted. A normal girl, falling asleep in the arms of her normal boyfriend. It's perfect.'"
"What just happened?" She clawed a hand through her hair, her mouth agape, baffled. "It appears you may have regained a lost memory from a lost day," the Sister Oracle announced, hands folded. "Lost day? What lost day? Did I forget a day or something? Because usually I have super awesome memory." Buffy had distinctively noticed another image in which she was tucked underneath mounts of red velvet duvets, embracing next to Angel, sleeping soundlessly and peacefully, but her mouth shut itself in a line in disbelief.
"No, Slayer. This lost day…was intentional. You were not supposed to remember the memories, due to the danger that was foreseen. The one memory you had just uncovered, is the first in many."
"Ohhh. And what danger?" She breathe in, allowing herself time to reveal the next question. "And why was Angel in the memory?"
"That I cannot tell you. The lost day was never supposed to be revealed to you, but it appears that the time may come for Angel to do so."
"Is that why I'm still alive?"
Unquestionable silence, and then," Yes. You had defeated Glorificus, and once again, saved the world, but it was not your time to cross over. Your destiny belongs to the vampire with a soul. And the world will need you once more, just as he will need you. The world needs its' Champions to fight off the coming darkness. Your destiny is to assist him and raise his son to be the strong, noble warrior he is destined to become. You will be his mother, his surrogate."
With that, a bulb of white light flashed before the Slayer's eyes, blinding her until she was forced to raise her hand to shield herself. "Where are we going?"
"To the place, where you belong," was all the Sister Oracle answered, in a cryptic fashion.
Seconds later, they stood in the middle of what appeared to be an empty apartment. They appeared in the center of the living room, the sounds of crackling wood emanating from a nearby fireplace.
Even in the darkness, Buffy had noticed that the interior decoration was designed in post modern upholstery, beige curtains fluttering against a cool breeze that was sweltering throughout the room.
Silence befitted the room. "What are we doing here?"
"Come with me," the Sister Oracle ordered, and the Slayer soon followed her into what appeared to be a master bedroom. Buffy noticed that she was in a corporeal form. A ghost. "Kinda cool," she muttered, eying her image in a nearby wall mirror. The Sister Oracle gave out what resembled to be a snort.
Immediately they stopped before a closed door, entering without having to turn the brass knob. A few feet away, Buffy's adjusted eyes saw a large form huddled underneath a thick quilt, heavy with what appeared to be slumber. She knew it was impossible, if the chance of it being Angel was underneath. "Angel?"
The Sister Oracle nodded. Buffy scooted quickly to the edge of the bed, her ghostly form perching against the right corner.
She tucked the quilt aside, eyes locking upon Angel's, his chocolate orbs grazing upon the ceiling, stained with tears and an emotion that nearly shattered the Slayer.
It was as if he was immobile, unable to move. "Why is he like this?" She almost cried, her eyes half-slits, threatening to spill salty liquid onto the sheets, she tilted her head upward, her ghostly hand caressing his sunken face.
Bottles of various sorts of alcohol and pig's blood laid scattered amongst the carved tables that were seated against both sides of the bed.
"Heartbreak. Mourning. He grieves at your loss, Slayer. He has been comatose for nearly a day. If you cannot save him, all will be lost. The world will succumb to darkness. It will need him, and you, to lead it back to the light. Before it is too late."
"What about his son?"
"Look over there, Slayer. He is well." It took only a nanosecond until the Slayer scampered to a dark blue crib where the infant laid asleep. Connor. She hovered over him, cradling his small hand with her phantom fingers.
"How do I save them? If Angel's smashed, who's protecting Connor?" She didn't tear her gaze away, her eyes remaining on the child. "Unfortunate in that the child is now unprotected without his father. A much bigger challenge lays ahead in that there are dark forces attempting to invade him in order to bring him to the dark side." At this knowledge, fury and protectiveness blossomed on the Slayer's face. Fire raged in her narrowed eyes.
" The more important question at hand, Slayer, is are you more than willing to give up your potential at peace? To protect those you loved? To protect the child? To protect the world once again?"
A difficult question to answer, and the Slayer was well aware of it. Was she willing to give up a new life of happiness and peace, a life without constant Slayer patrolling and life-risking, in order to rescue the man she loved? Was she willing to become the Slayer once again to protect both himself and Connor from the forces of evil?
Another look thrown towards her beloved, and the answer came immediately without hesitation.
"Yes."
~~~~~/////
This is the final chapter guys, as I had intended for this story to have a maximum of just two, but don't worry, there will be a sequel in the works. Holtz will not be the one who will kidnap Connor and turn him against Angel. The sequel will go entirely AU. Big apologies for the cliffhanger. I wanted to try something different this time. Thank you all for the reviews!! The sequel will be posted soon.
