Buffy sat, disguising herself. She was close to tears. She was practically, no truthfully, a fugitive now. Kendra was dead. She had to find the others, to touch base with them. She wanted to go home. Now more than ever she wanted back those she had lost: Angel, Kendra, Sebastian, and Rige. She needed help, and hoped she'd be able to face this. Finally she finished and started to make her way to the hospital, hoping no one would notice her. She ran into the waiting room to see Xander, already patched up and pacing. "Oh my god," he muttered. Buffy raised a finger to her lips and followed Xander down the hall.
"Kendra is dead. They're blaming me," Buffy explained in a hushed voice. Xander nodded stiffly. They turned and entered a room where Willow was unconscious on the bed.
"She's in a coma. They think she might wake up, but the chance lessens the longer she's under," Xander told Buffy. "Ciel went home to try and find something to help us stop Angel." Just then Cordelia and Ciel entered the room.
"Oh god, you're okay!" Cordelia sighed. "I'm sorry I left. I-I had to. I had to run for my life." Xander walked up and pressed a hand on her shoulder.
"It's okay. We get it," Xander assured.
"Where is Giles?" Ciel asked. Buffy looked around.
"God, you're right," Buffy muttered. "Where is Giles?"
August sat watched Giles as the man slowly began to wake. He was actually angered that Angelus took Giles as hostage. Then again, he was unsure he'd be okay with taking any of the crew hostage. It was a queer thing that August actually cared about the whole lot. Perhaps it was because he reminded him of Rige, and the people she kept close. August couldn't say. Angelus chuckled sadistically as Giles awoke. "It's about time you get up. You are going to be my toy for waking up that statue over there," Angelus clicked. Giles just glared up at Angelus, at least until Giles saw August.
"If only your parents could see you now," Giles growled. August said nothing. He couldn't. Why? He knew what shame was. He also felt it. He had turned against his parents who had given up so much for him. Still, what was done was done, and August refused to turn back now.
Ciel sat in the hospital hall. He was human. He didn't know how it happened, but he knew that Rige had to have something to do with it. He wished he could talk to someone, but Rige, Sebastian, and even Giles were gone now. He had nothing left. Ciel was alone. Then Xander stepped out into the hall. "You're awful quiet," Xander remarked.
"It's been a rough day," Ciel sighed. "I feel like I should go check on Buffy's mother. Rige would want me to." Xander sat down next to Ciel.
"You might be right. You know Ciel, you have a sense of duty to others I wish I could have. Right now I'd need that," Xander replied. Ciel shrugged.
"I grew up in Victorian England. I was an earl, working directly for the Queen. I do what needs to be done," Ciel explained. Xander laughed.
"Willow has been my best friend for so long. I don't want to lose her," Xander muttered. Ciel thought for a moment.
"I was in love once too. Her name was Elizabeth. I had to leave England shortly after becoming a demon. I had to leave her behind. I never found out what happened to her after. I didn't want to know. She loved me so much. I feared what she would do when I was gone," Ciel mused. It made his heart heavy. Lizzy was long dead, and Ciel was once more human, without her. He never even got to tell her he truly loved her. Now he'd never be able to tell her.
***Later On***
Willow was finally awake, Oz sitting next to her holding her hand. Ciel had the books and materials ready for the spell. "I can't believe you're trying again," Xander sighed, shaking his head.
"What choice do we have?" Ciel snapped. He had gotten an old amulet from Rige's room this time, an ancient symbol of magic that surpassed time itself.
"Exactly," Willow agreed, pulling herself up. "I was close that time. I could feel it. I just need to not be interrupted this time."
"Let her do it," Cordelia begged. Xander fell silent.
"If you don't want to be here while I do this, then go find Buffy and tell her what we're doing," Willow suggested. Xander bit his lip.
"Fine," he finally caved, walking away.
***With the Mayor***
"Oh goodie, the girl is expelled," the Mayor laughed. Sebastian looked up. Buffy was expelled? He couldn't believe it. There was also still no news concerning Rige. The Mayor hung up his phone and turned to Sebastian. "Now if only we could get so lucky with Ciel," the Mayor sighed. "What do you think?"
"I think Ciel has too much honor and too high a sense of duty to be expelled. He's used to working underneath the eyes of the law," Sebastian growled.
"That's right. The boy is used to such things. We'll see what happens," the Mayor remarked. Sebastian closed his eyes. He knew something big was about to happen. He just hoped Rige had at least given preparations for it.
***At the Hospital***
The ceremony had begun. Buffy and Spike were to fight against Angelus, Giles' life for Drusilla's was their deal. Xander sulked in the corner. He never told Buffy that Willow was doing to the spell. He wanted Angel dead. He couldn't even understand Ciel's change of heart. Ciel himself was in the other corner, watching. Willow sat on the hospital bed, focusing on her incantation. The power in the room was so heavy. Rige had done her job, preparing Willow for this moment. Rige's own charm hung on Willow's neck as though it belonged. Perhaps it did.
Finally, Willow looked up, her red hair blowing behind her as she finished the spell. The room fell silent, the air slowly lifting. They didn't know. They didn't know if it worked or not, or even realize that despite their success, Buffy had already pushed that sword into Angel's chest, the first sight Angel had with his soul back before he was plunged into the depths of hell.
***A Few Months Later (Summer)***
Ciel, Xander, Cordelia, Willow, and Oz sat in the park. They would once more go hunting for vampires that night. Buffy was gone, and no one knew where. Ciel had moved in with Joyce to keep her company, not that it helped much. August was gone as well, probably with Spike and Drusilla, but no one knew for sure. Willow still wore the charm from Rige's room, and wore it proudly. "Do you think she's okay?" Willow asked, talking about Buffy.
"She's tough. She'll find her own way," a voice chuckled behind them. They all turned to see Rige, her hair cut shorter than it was, just down to her jaw. She wore dark red lipstick and heavy black eyeliner, but it looked sexy as hell to Ciel, Xander, and Oz. Even Willow felt a strange fluttering in the pit of her stomach. Rige's jeans were now leather pants to match her leather jacket which she had slung over her shoulder.
"Rige!" Willow gasped, jumping up and hugging the woman. That was when the other girl stepped out of Rige's car ever so shyly. Her blonde curls looked golden in the sun. Ciel almost felt his heart stop. It couldn't be.
A/N: And thus we finish the course of Season 2! HOORAY! Alright, so, lots of stuff here. I liked the Xander and Ciel moment here. It's nice to see Ciel making friends. Also, once more, there is so much more to this plot but you need to just watch the episode and the one before to understand. Willow completes her first super major spell here. Then... Rige finally returns and she is better than ever. I like the fresh change in her look. This leads me to looking beyond. Let me explain how I am approaching season 3. We start off around the time as the first episode, Anne, but we are not looking at Buffy's perspective. Nothing really changes with that, so we are sticking with home base. Rige is back and she brought her friend with her. There is a lot that will happen with that. I also have my episode choices planned out. Some major ones include Faith, Hope, and Tricks, Band Candy (THAT one will be loads of fun), Dopplegangland (Rige meets bad Willow anyone? That should be fun), and a few other episodes. With this, I am slightly changing my layout of the chapters. If you read The Eastwood Chronicles and you are keeping up with the most recent chapters, you already know what this is. Each chapter will be getting a certain song attached to it. The song will match the mood and overall plot of the chapter, so I think it'll be fun. I already have the first one planned out. However, I may decide to take a slight break after I do the first chapter. I don't know. I may even not do the first chapter for a bit. November is a very busy month for me, and outside of my Nanowrimo project I would love to limit the projects I am working on. Dark Waters is seeming to be a fan favorite, and Something Broken is easy for me to write, so I may focus more on them. It helps that we're at a good break here. But, I'll shut up now. I hope you enjoy the chapter, and have an awesome Halloween this year! I will be spending my evening watching a various set of movies. As always, please leave a review!