DISCLAIMER: don't own anything, profit off anything, etc… also don't own, the bands the songs and whatever else they can sue me for… (don't sue me I love you)… the bands being "Spirit of the West" and "A Perfect Circle" excellent bands, buy their albums… (ha see band ppl, publicity.. good for sales. Ehh, come on it's the holiday season ppl!) I do own Jay and Sasha and Blade(not the movie or the vampire, MY character) and whoever else I decide to put in this…. (evil genius laugh) muhahahahahahahahahaha!
Heh, on to the fic…
Chapter 5: parties and pasts…
Back at Scooby central…
Jay was trying to think rationally, he paced back and fourth in the room, barely noticing that everyone from a safe distance on the couch was watching him.
If he went back to the monastery empty handed the monks might get suspicious, but if he did decide to follow Oz and Willow, he would probably get his ass kicked. Do I really care? He stopped for a second and looked up. Finally realizing that everyone in the Summers house was watching him and wondering what he would do next.
He examined them carefully going from one person to the next. Wondering how such an odd group of individuals ended up fighting on the same team.
"You know, if you keep pacing like that eventually you will ruin the carpet. We get enough carpentry work done here already, may I suggest the basement? It has a nice concrete floor which you can pace all you want on." Buffy commented pointing towards the stairs.
Jay stopped and stared at the dead serious slayer and cocked an eyebrow "is that it? Send the scary werewolf down to the basement so he doesn't ruin the carpet?" he asked crossing his arms with a grin. "You're not going to have an accident are you? You better be housetrained" Dawn said grinning. "Besides, you're intruding on our, welcome home Oz, trip to the Bronze." Xander said getting up to grab his coat. Giles rolled his eyes. "I could slay you if you want; but you know, again I mention the carpet." Buffy said following Xander's example and getting up also.
Jay stared in total confusion as he watched everyone start to head to the door. "What'll it be wolf boy, basement or Bronze?" Dawn asked, walking out the door. Jay opened his mouth to say something but found himself stunned. He broke though their window and now they were inviting him to a party where the guest of honour had skipped town with their friend. He shrugged; it's better than going back to the monastery and getting frowned upon for not completing a simple task.
They all headed out the door and into the rain as they started down the sidewalk. It was at that point it dawned upon him that this was the strangest group he had ever been in. there was a vampire, a vampire slayer, the slayer's kid sister, an old English dude, a regular guy and of course him, being a werewolf just didn't seem that special when he was in this group.
… When they finally got to the small crowded hole in the wall club, it was pouring. Jay glanced up to the stage and found 3 guys looking slightly confused and depressed standing there attempting to figure out what song they were playing next. This won't do… he thought as he passed through the huge crowd of teens and young adults behind Spike… or at least he thought the vampire's name was Spike, he was never too good with names.
When they finally found a table everyone sat and the carpenter took the drink orders, I put my bid in for a rum and coke, though I too busy wondering who the hell the guys on stage were, they were absolutely murdering an old Zeppelin song, Christ, I could do better, okay, so maybe I couldn't do better, if I was by myself; but if I had an actual band behind me yah, I would be better. It wasn't even the whole band, just the lead singer, sure his voice was okay but the guitar was like he had on 6 inch pink prosthetic nails on and was taking swigs out of a bottle of snuggle detergent. I had to do something…
JAY POV
My fingers twitched as the lovely alcohol arrived. I looked around the table again, my eyes falling on the blond slayer, she was nice. The brunette was good too but she looked a little young, she caught me looking at her and blushed slightly. Yeah, a bit young, and human I found they never did achieve the right amount of stamina. My ears perked up again as the horrible music came to a stop.
I breathed a sigh of relief and took a sip of my drink. By the time I looked up again the horrible guitar player was standing right there.
"Have you guys seen Oz, he was here and then he kinda left…" Devon asked Buffy. Buffy frowned, "Sorry Devon, I don't think he'll be back for a while." Buffy said frowning and glancing at Jay. Devon sighed, "great, back to playing guitar, the one instrument that kills your fingers and then, there's the fact that I'm tone deaf…" Devon said running a hand through his hair. "I'm guessing none of you can be a decent substitute then huh?" he asked grinning at the faces around the table. He frowned as he saw Jay. "Devon" he said holding out his hand. Jay took it and grinned. "So you're the infamous Devon and the Dingoes. I've heard a lot about you." Jay said grinning.
When Devon looked confused, "Oz was in my band too, back in Miami. Though he refused to let us see any of his old Goddamn sheet music. Said you would come after him if we ever made it big." Jay said grinning. Devon grinned too, "that I would. Don't suppose you can play guitar?" he asked. "Well, I can give it justice, though I could never match Oz in a million years." Jay said looking longingly towards the stage.
Devon laughed, "good enough for me!" he exclaimed holding out his thrift store 6 string. I got up and looked around the table, no one looked too surprised. Although, Spike cocked an eyebrow in his direction. Jay shrugged it off and a sly grin slid onto his face as he turned and walked towards the stage. This was going to be fun…
Willow tried to hide her surprise. She had never thought of Oz as a fatherly figure before, now it just seemed surreal. As she sat in the front seat of the van hugging her knees and listening to the soft thuds of the rain on the windshield. Her reaction had surprised her to be frank; it didn't really sink in at all. It just stayed on the surface.
She looked over at Oz who had been silent for a while. Still suck in his thoughts. His face was as unreadable as a foreign language, she remembered once being able to detect the smallest signs of hurt or humor in the depths of his eyes. Now all she saw was blank again. She picked up the bear she had found on her bedside table in the hospital and hugged it to her chest.
"Why does it always have to be this hard?" she asked the darkness. Oz turned his head and stared at her, his eyes searching hers. "I never got to stand at the alter and confess my undying love to her. I never got to see her round pregnant stomach and feel our baby kick. People like us just can't have normal predictable lives. Sure that's what we want and sure that's what we strive to accomplish everyday, but sooner or later we have to just give up hope and accept the fact that it's just not in the cards. Everyone knows it, buries it in the back of their mind but, we never want to bring the horrible thought to the surface." Oz stopped for a second and took in breath.
Willow stared out into the open road. On each side of them there was trees, she shivered self-consciously; she felt so different like her body wasn't even hers anymore, like she was about to jump out of her skin. She felt like the only person in the world at that second and she shuddered. She stared at the bruise that had now formed on the top of her pale hand, from where the drip had been. She wondered idly if things could ever be the same as when she and Xander had gone to high school and tried to count the syllables in the word 'Echinacea' while his drunk parents argued over the tax's upstairs. She doubted it. She sighed and waited another seconds before Oz spoke again.
"There's always the defining moment the one where you just suddenly give up to the inevitable, where you just realize that your doomed, that there's no hope in hell that you can ever live in peace, that no matter where you go or what you do shit like Blade always ends up happening. Remembering something good that's happened in you life only brings back painful memories and reminders of when things were almost normal." Oz finished with a slight sigh.
Willow frowned. Wondering what had finally broke his spirit. Which final notch in his plank that had confined him to his current dark cocoon. Was it her? Blade? Sasha? Or being discharged from his 'pack?' or was it a little bit of everything slowly eating up his damaged soul? Willow bit her lip. God, I have so much to learn. She sighed and took a deep breath into the stuffed bear's fur. Xander she thought suddenly a mental image of him appeared in her head. It was so sudden she had to say it to make sure she wasn't dreaming. "Xander!" she exclaimed into the quiet of the cab.
Oz turned and looked at her a smile had appeared on his face. "Already… not bad Will. But that was an easy one." He said whilst sharply turning onto a dirt road. Willow smiled. "If you don't mind me asking…. Where exactly are we going?"
Just then they drove up to a small log cabin. From what Willow could tell, they were in the middle of nowhere. "It's not a five star hotel, but there's electricity and running water." Oz said getting out and tossing the keys over the van and into Willow's out stretched hand. "Where are you going?" Willow asked. "Breaker box." Oz said jogging to the back of the cabin. Willow smiled. And got her stuff out of the van, then she began walking towards the house
Jay was having a great time. The Dingo's had some great songs and an even better sound. It felt good playing something so different from what he was used to. He stepped off the stage for another drink and a break, the crowd cheered. Jay grinned and took an over exaggerated bow. He then sauntered back to the table.
"Hey all!" he exclaimed as he turned his chair around and straddled it. "That was insane!" Xander exclaimed. Most of the tabled nodded in agreement except Spike. Even Giles gave a halfhearted shrug. "It was fun too. I gotta do that more often." Jay said taking a sip of his drink and catching Buffy's eye. He gave her a wink and looked around the table again.
"So how old are you exactly?" Jay asked as he sat down on his stool; finally his gaze finally landing on Spike. "120." Spike growled taking another shot of whiskey. (The bar had been quite busy that night) "Ah, that's young for one of us. Man, I know this monk. 300 years old. The guy should be dust. No, he should be dust's dust. And there he is wasting every moment of it meditating. Now, that's all great, but us immortals gotta have some fun. Christ! If I spent all my time on meditating my ass would get sore, not to mention the boringness would be up tenfold. What about you what do you do in your time… not still eating people are you? Dirty habit, I'd take a nice rack of ribs, pizza and a green salad any day." Jay said shrugging.
Spike glared and Buffy covered up a whoop of laughter with a not so convincing sneeze. Just the thought of Spike eating a salad was enough to have her rolling around on the floor. That was almost as bad as catching him with some nicotine patches and gum, mumbling under his breath, bite. Bite. Don't look at the tasty human. STOP.
Luckily Dawn changed the subject. "So how old are you?" she asked Jay. Jay grinned. "Wouldn't you like to know?" he raised an eyebrow. "Naw, just joshing' ya, I'm 2 years younger than Oz, that would rack me up as a nice healthy 21." Jay grinned. "And you've always been… like you are?" Xander asked frowning. "Ah don't get rational, I was six when I got kidnapped and bitten. Part of this whole evil scheme, didn't work, although I gave us a whole new generation of wolves. The kind that actually get off their asses and have some fun at points." Jay grinned.
"By the way, anyone up for a dance… digg'in the song here, don't leave me hanging." Jay glanced at Buffy who hesitated. Jay wiggled his bottom lip, eyes growing huge. The puppy dogface, a classic. Buffy thought. It was good to see that again, she had started to think it had been lost forever. She bit her lip and finally nodded. He'd won; the cuteness had been getting to her all night. She made to get up and felt a hand around her wrist. She looked down at Spike. He scowled making it very clear he didn't like this idea. All the more reason why she should go. She tugged her wrist free, gave Spike a smirk and rushed to the dance floor. Xander and Dawn got up too.
Which, of course, left Giles and Spike all alone, together.
Willow had been waiting in the cabin for the most part of 15 minutes. She sighed and summoned up a ball of light. It was small but cozy; soon she found some candles and had lit a fire in the fireplace. She had just backed up to admire her handy work when Oz came through the door soaking wet. "Power's out" he said finally. He looked around and a smile crossed his face. Willow grinned. "Found the candles," she said at last. Oz chuckled. "I could tell." He came over and sat on the couch where Willow joined him.
She took in their surroundings quietly, making sure not to miss a single detail. A dust-covered guitar donned the corner. The curtains were tattered. There were two other rooms a bedroom and a small, very small, kitchen. Other than that there were cobwebs in the corner and the rest was quite bare. Willow frowned. "Where are we again?" she asked
Oz cocked his head slightly. "I lived here for a year and a half till I drove down to see you." He explained. Willow frowned at the guitar. How did the world change so much in 4 years? It looked like he hadn't touched it in ages…
Willow sighed heavily, and for a while all they could hear was the soft thudding of rain on the roof. "Oz?" she asked finally, her voice sounding hollow in the silence. "I maybe wasn't as honest about what happened in Sunnydale after Tara died. Well, was murdered…" Willow's voice trailed off. This had been bothering her all night. Oz turned toward her, concern filled his eyes.
"I-I can't explain properly… I have to… show you." Willow finished knowing in her heart that Oz had to know for them ever to re-gain the friendship they had before.
Giles was laughing, and not just the sarcastic chuckle he normally used to display his emotions, this was seeping into the realm of hysterics. Spike was trying to ignore him as he glowered at Jay and Buffy cutting the rug on the dance floor. The look on his face was priceless.
Buffy on the other hand was having the time of her life; Jay was an awesome dancer, much better than Angel and the wide shoulders that somehow always ended up whacking her. Or Spike, who she had never seen dance in his entire death/life thingy. Jay looked from her to the stage, his eyes shining with good humor as he stopped dancing with the song, took a sweeping bow that ended in him kissing Buffy's hand, and ran off.
Jay hopped onto the stage and took up the microphone, "hi there, I would like to sing a song. So listen…"
You'll have to excuse me, I'm not at my best
I've been gone for a month, I've been drunk since I left
These so-called vacations will soon be my death
I'm so sick from the drink I need home for a rest.
We arrived in December and London was cold
We stayed in the bars along Charing Cross Road
We never saw nothin' but brass taps and oak
Kept a shine on the bar with the sleeves of our coats
CHORUS:
You'll have to excuse me, I'm not at my best
I've been gone for a week
I've been drunk since I left
And these so-called vacations
Will soon be my death
I'm so sick from the drink
I need home for a rest
Take me home...
Euston Station the train journey North
In the buffet car we lurched back and forth
Past old crooked dykes through Yorkshire's green fields
We were flung into dance as the train jigged and reeled
- CHORUS -
By the light of the moon, she'd drift through the streets
A rare old perfume, so seductive and sweet
She'd tease us and flirt, as the pubs all closed down
Then walk us on home and deny us a round
You'll have to excuse me, I'm not at my best
I've been gone for a month
I've been drunk since I left
And these so-called vacations
Will soon be my death
I'm so sick from the drink
I need home for a rest
Take me home...
The gas heater's empty, it's damp as a tomb
The spirits we drank now ghosts in the room
I'm knackered again, come on sleep take me soon
And don't lift up my head 'till the the twelve bells at noon
You'll have to excuse me, I'm not at my best
I've been gone for a month
I've been drunk since I left
And these so-called vacations
Will soon be my death
I'm so sick from the drink
I need home for a rest
Take me home...
Jay stepped off the stage and took another long sweeping bow. The small crowd cheered and Jay walked back to his table downed his rum and coke and walked outside to get some fresh air. His nose tingled with the scents of random perfumes and cologne; he shook his head trying to get his sense of smell back. A nose like his could only take so much. Although Buffy really did seem to dig it, and that was the important thing. Jay smiled and leaned back on the brick wall. Just like old times, well minus the small town and the lack of Oz, and Sash. Jay sighed.
Which in turn was about the time where Spike burst out of the club with a look of contempt playing across his perfectly chiseled features. He glared at Jay for at least a second then said, "Never touch her again." Jay cocked an eyebrow, "from what I saw she was the one wanting the touching. I guess your cold hands would just get kind of boring after a while." Jay said crossing his arms. Spike glared. His fists balled and he gave Jay a warning look. "What? Can't take the competition?" Jay said cocking his eyebrows. "What competition? All I see here is a bloody werewolf. What could you possibly have that I don't?" Spike asked
"Um, is that a trick question or do you really want me to answer that? Cause that would take a really long time… I mean, if you really want, I could write them down or something, but, that would probably take a really long time." Jay said staring. Spike stood there for a second not really knowing what to say. When he was silent Jay sighed. "Fine, lets see, what could I have that you don't… hmm, a pulse, soft manly features, a beautiful singing voice, I can walk in the sun, make babies, and," Jay whipped something out of his pocket "a pair of sunglasses." He finished sliding on his sunglasses.
Spike stared, "touché, but, I could beat you in a fight." Spike said crossing his arms in triumph. "Wanna bet?" Jay asked grinning now. "Winner walks her home," he added. "Bring it on hairy." Spike said vamping out. "Oh, so now I'm hairy?" Jay asked, he then frowned, "well, if that's how you want it." Jay gave Spike a grin and started to grow hair. Spike backed away slowly not really sure what was going to happen next. Finally the hair stopped growing and Jay looked like something from out of the movies. "Bloody hell…" Spike said frowning. "Cool huh? Learned this trick down in Canada, the locals thought I was big foot." Jay said grinning. "Now, where were we?" he asked. Spike growled, "right, lets go." At that both super humans faked a punch and roundhouse kicked at each other, both trying to knock the other backwards. Their feet collided in the middle and both struggled to maintain balance.
Oz and Willow were settled cross-legged on the floor candles surrounded them. Oz frowned, "so how's this going down?" he asked. Willow bit her lip, knowing that no matter how she explained what she was about to do that it would sound slightly creepy. The she realized she was talking to Oz and stopped. "Your mind is going for a short trip into my memories and you experience what I did at that point." Willow tried to explain. Oz frowned, "isn't that a little bit complicated?" he asked cocking an eyebrow.
Willow flushed slightly, "yeah, but I've done it before. As long as I keep an open mind you can just flow right in there." Willow said trying to explain. Oz frowned "I think I get it. I've done this before too, just kinda different." Oz said frowning. Willow gave him a questioning glance but said nothing. "Okay, so close your eyes and concentrate and I'll do the rest, unless you think you can help." Willow said placing the final herbs in the center of their 2-person circle.
Willow sighed and closed her eyes and concentrated, she focused on the energy from the earth flowing into her body, starting from the tips of her fingers and through out her body. The feeling was so familiar it was comforting. Finally she concentrated on the task at hand. She opened her mind and began pulling Oz's essence into it. The she focused on those memories of what had happened those 4 years ago and her mind went blank. That's where things went wrong…
Giles barged into the middle of the two super-humans just in time. Spike got mad and trudged home and Giles explained that everyone had decided that Jay was to sleep at Giles's house that night and that they were going to walk there.
"So you're Giles…" Jay said as they started walking. "I pictured you more James Bond-ish, with some harsh tat.'s" Jay said putting his hands in his pockets. Giles frowned and looked at Jay. "Well, you know, Oz was always slightly jealous of your vinyl collection and from what I've heard, I am too." Jay said laughing. Giles raised his eyebrows vaguely remembering Oz borrowing his vinyl with the ultimatum of him moving in.
"All of you may have gotten the wrong impression tonight. About Oz, and well, everything. I just thought maybe I should explain better." Jay said running a long fingered hand through his dark brown curls. "Really? So what's the right impression?" Giles asked frowning. Jay grinned "Oz was like my big brother, well in essence, I'm like a foot taller than him, but you get the point. Sasha and him were like family and when they were both kidnapped, I would have done anything to get them back. Which I did, for Oz at least; by the time we had broken him out the humans were all over us. Jake said we should have stayed but I told him no. I couldn't break the code of the C.W. I've followed it and up-held it since I was like six." Jay paused looking over at Giles who looked confused, "what exactly is the code of the C.W.?" he asked.
"The code of the Civilized Wolf." Jay said rolling his eyes. Giles sighed. He had had no idea that something like that had ever existed. Jay grinned. "Not many, even the ones in the loop know of us. Don't feel bad. Your business is in Vampires demons and other soulless creatures, you shouldn't have to worry about us too." Jay said pulling his hand through his hair again. " So what do these C.W.'s do exactly?" Giles asked frowning. "Well most of them are monks, the rest of us are what they call agents. The monks train the noobs if they see fit to do so and the agents find out what they can about hunters, the newly turned and report back to the monks who instruct us and stuff." Jay said frowning. "Noobs?" Giles questioned. "The newly turned." Jay explained frowning.
"Anyways, now I wonder if I did the right thing. About leaving Sash there. I shouldn't of. I know it would have been wrong to kill those humans but now I think it was also wrong I left my one of my best friends behind. I know the only reason holding me back from getting her out was my orders. The eld's said she wasn't a priority. Can you believe that? A priority! She did more for them then most of them did for themselves and they were just willing to lose her because she didn't want to be a full agent. She liked her freedom and they killed her for that." Jay said shaking his head.
"Sounds like you're having second thoughts. Have you told Oz any of this?" Giles asked frowning. Jay shook his head. "I haven't told anyone. Especially Oz, I killed his fiancé and maybe his unborn kid. I can't face that. Even if I could I couldn't reach him, he disappeared no one could. Back there was the first time I have talked with him in years and I fucked that up pretty bad." Jay said shaking his head. Giles gaped for a second at the thought of Oz being a dad, but said nothing. "The truth is, I want out, I can't do the whole monk thing anymore, the rules, sure they seem to make sense but, if people die just because they aren't on the team or they don't match up to so-called specifications then something's not right. The truth is man, if Oz would have asked me, that night he saved Sasha, I would have gone with him, hell, if I knew he was even going to try to attempt to pull a stunt like that I would have gone with him. The C.W. is good, but they aren't willing to bend the rules, and if they can't do that, then in the end, they aren't going to be any help to anyone." Jay said finally.
Giles was taken aback; this may not be the kid he initially thought Jay was. He was smart and willing to give up the people he loved and had grown up with in order to do the right thing. He wondered casually if Jay and Oz would somehow make it out of this mess friendship in tacked. The way it seemed now everything was up in the air. Only fate would lead them down the correct path. Giles shook his head slightly, still in deep thought as he entered his house with Jay.
To them her life was a joke, they didn't care if she had a baby or a major art and singing career ahead of her. They said she died for the cause, there was no cause because she never talked, she didn't tell those creeps where we were and what we were doing, not a single fucking word and her reward in their eyes was to die with the ones torturing her. The cause was to keep our organization a secret, and that's what she did. The fact that she died saving us and wasn't part of the team was funny to them, they never thought in a million years a mutt would do that and they didn't find it noble they found it funny until they lost Oz in the process.
Willow found herself standing in the middle of a messed up living room. The first word that came to mind when she saw this place was messy but cozy. There were black and white posters on the walls and a houseplant that seemed to be more than a little water deprived. Bleached seashells lined the mahogany shelves as well as other trinkets including a magic 8 ball. The walls were painted a deep purple with accents of gold. Old band tee shirts and boxers were strewn across the floor as well as bras. Then she noticed the curtains were torn. There was blood on the carpet, Willow turned slightly and jumped as she saw blondish-red hair over the top on the oversized cushy sofa.
Willow suddenly realized something was wrong. This wasn't her memory. She took a few more steps towards the couch and found Oz. He was slumped down, apparently frozen in time for now. He had in his hands a small velvet covered box, tears shone on his pale face. Willow frowned and waved her hand in front of his face. He blinked but nothing else.
"Dead as dead can be," my doctor tells me
But I just can't believe him, ever the optimistic one
I'm sure of your ability to become my perfect enemy
Wake up and face me, don't play dead cause maybe
Someday I will walk away and say, "You disappoint me,"
Maybe you're better off this way
Then there was a booming knock at the door. Oz got up and walked towards it, leaving the box placed carefully on the couch. He reached out for the handle but it opened before he could get to it. A curly haired, brown-eyed guy, who Willow recognized as a slightly younger version of Jay; stood in the doorway panting slightly. He stared at Oz for a second attempting to read his face. The he started. " FUCK OZ! WHAT THE HELL DID YOU THINK YOU WHERE DOING?" he cried letting himself in and closing the door with a slam.
Leaning over you here, cold and catatonic
I catch a brief reflection of what you could and might have been
It's your right and your ability
to become…my perfect enemy…
"All those people. HUMANS OZ! It's against the code! You know that!" Jay said slamming his hand on the nearest wall so hard pictures fell off. Oz watched with a slight scowl. "You know as well as me, the pack wasn't coming back for her. She wasn't a full member. She didn't want to be, what's another free range between friends! Just because she didn't want to take orders! She helped the pack more than most of those elders ever did! They left her Jay; you know that! Don't try to tell me they were devising a plan or any of that Bullshit, they didn't care! No they were sitting on their orange cushions and drinking tea while she was getting TORCHURED!" Oz cried. "She was right in the beginning; what kind of group is this that won't put their necks on the line for GOOD and innocent people?" Oz asked shaking his head.
Wake up and face me,
don't play dead
Cause maybe
Someday I'll walk away and say, "You disappoint me,"
Maybe you're better off this way
Jay opened his mouth to retort but Oz cut him off. "She was raped Jay, they starved her to death, kept her in a cell and… her fingernails…" He shook with anger his breathing had turned wheezy and harder. Jay opened his mouth again, but Oz kept talking. "You don't know what it was like there… they had these needles… I couldn't let her die there" Oz half whispered. Jay's face muscles relaxed and he slumped down slightly. "Where is she?" he asked more calmly the Willow has thought possible from what she had just witnessed. Oz motioned to the bedroom. His back towards the doorway and went back to the couch.
Maybe you're better off this way
Maybe you're better off this way
Maybe you're better off this way
You're better off this; you're better off this;
Maybe you're better off!
Willow turned towards the doorway where Jay was headed and through the crack in the door saw a nail-less female foot handing over the side of a bed. She shuddered; her stomach did a summersault and turned towards Oz again. Not being able to bear what was behind door number one. She only had to wait a few seconds before Jay came out of the room again, paper white. "How long has she been…" his shaky voice wavered and faded into the silence of the room. "About fifteen minutes." Oz croaked from the corner. Jay was shaking his head in disbelief. "I was sent here to kill you, you now that right?" he asked. Oz nodded but stayed silent. "You killed them all…" Jay said again shaking his head in disbelief. "I know…" Oz wheezed. It was silent again, except for the labored sounds of Oz's breathing. Then Jay spoke again. "What are you gonna do now?" he asked looking up from the tears streaming freely down his cheeks and into Oz's eyes. "Leave, go somewhere else." Oz said getting up. Jay nodded. He knew Oz would have to leave soon. Oz knew too. He slowly got up and started shoving clothes into a very familiar duffel bag silently.
Wake up and face me,
don't play dead
Cause maybe
Someday I'll walk away and say, "You fucking disappoint me!"
Maybe you're better off this way
"You shouldn't have to… It's not fair" Jay said shaking his head and collapsing onto the couch. His gaze hit the door to the bedroom and her shuddered. "Nothing in life ever is." Oz said squaring his jaw before crossing the room and grabbing the velvet-covered box from Jay's hand, not bothering to look him in the face. Jay sighed conflicting feelings towards his best friend and the ones that had supported him ever since he was six filled his head in a flood of frustration. He looked back to where Sasha lay cold on the bed. "You scared me man." Jay said finally. Oz followed his gaze and sighed. "I scared myself Jay, I never thought in a million years I could ever… I couldn't let them die there. Never." He said shaking his head.
Go ahead and play dead
I know that you can hear this
Go ahead and play dead
Why can't you turn and face me?
Why can't you turn and face me?
Why can't you turn and face me?
Why can't you turn and face me?
You fucking disappoint me!
Jay looked into the eyes of his best friend there was still the remnants of his torture on his face, bruises and cuts. His breath came out in weak coughs, he would never fully heal from the tortures he had been put through, never run or love. He had been thrown a physical and mental curveball and it was all because of one person. "Them?" he questioned his friend suddenly. Oz looked away and stared out the window towards the lightening sky over the ocean. A single tear fell down his face and he whispered. "Spread her ashes over the beach and the water, on a day with a strong eastern wind. Take her home…" and with that he swung open the door and left the apartment for the last time. Leaving Jay standing in the middle of the room open-mouthed and devastated.
Passive aggressive bullshit
Willow was left standing alone with Jay. She walked over to a picture and picked it up. An image of the woman on the bed with birthday cake icing on her nose and Oz in a birthday hat, noisemaker secured in his mouth filled the frame. Willow had gotten an answer to her question; that was the day where he lost faith that anything in his life could ever be good. Frankly, she didn't blame him. The memory soon faded and she felt herself sitting on the cold wood floor of the cabin again. She felt Oz's spirit flow into her and felt her world turn black.
"I thought he was trying to make me choose." Jay explained whilst rummaging in Giles's fridge and finally taking out a bag of mini carrot sticks and some cheese-whiz. Giles looked up from the couch, frowned at Jay's lengthy explanation, and went back to organizing his laundry. "He really wasn't though, he just wanted me to realize what was going on. It took a while but I did. Anyways, this seriously isn't the way you spend your Friday night is it?" Jay said flopping onto the couch and turning on the dusty T.V.
Giles looked up again. "What's wrong with doing this?" he asked. "Well, the fact that it's Friday night and you're sorting through your lights and darks." Jay said cocking an eyebrow in Giles's direction. Giles frowned.
" Come on now. How long has it been since you played? Be honest." Jay said raising both eyebrows now. Giles gave him a blank stare. "Guitar? Hello?" Giles frowned. "The fingers give it all away." Jay elaborated with a grin. He raised his hand and showed of his calluses. "About 2 months." Giles finally answered. Jay grinned. "Ha! I knew it. Now, again, I ask what's a guy like you, cool, and not old enough to be boring and laying around in bed talking about the old days, doing here. In a dark room folding socks. When you could be out with a werewolf fighting evil, eating carrots and listening to some kick ass music? You're reminding me of the O.T.'s. A hard feat to achieve" Jay said shaking his head and taking a bite of his whiz-covered carrot.
Giles stared, "O.T.'s?" he asked. "The Orange Togas, a.k.a. the monks a.k.a. the boringist people on the face of this earth, no joke." Jay explained. Giles frowned. "Well then, where are we going?" he asked throwing his socks aside and getting up. Jay grinned and jumped off the couch, carrots still in hand "let's blow this sock fest!" he exclaimed heading for the door.
Heh, man I love those cliffhangers! Yes, yes I do. So review complain that Willow still hasn't changed into a wolf like I promised, hey, this is only half a chapter my friends… don't hurt me… but review… I might write faster. REVIEW! Please… I'll give you stuff… well that would be kinda difficult but I can try…