Chapter 27 Two Minutes to Midnight
A/N: Second to the last chapter of the entire story. Enjoy.
That's great, it starts with an earthquake
Birds and snakes, an aeroplane, and Lenny Bruce is not afraid
Eye of a hurricane, listen to yourself churn
World serves its own needs, don't misserve your own needs
Feed it up a knock, speed, grunt, no, strength
The ladder starts to clatter with a fear of height, down, height
Wire in a fire, represent the seven games
And a government for hire and a combat site
Left her, wasn't coming in a hurry with the Furies breathing down your neck
Team by team, reporters baffled, trumped, tethered, cropped
Look at that low plane, fine, then
Uh-oh, overflow, population, common group
But it'll do, save yourself, serve yourself
World serves its own needs, listen to your heart bleed
Tell me with the Rapture and the reverent in the right, right
You vitriolic, patriotic, slam fight, bright light
Feeling pretty psyched
It's the end of the world as we know it
It's the end of the world as we know it
It's the end of the world as we know it, and I feel fine
Six o'clock, TV hour, don't get caught in foreign tower
Slash and burn, return, listen to yourself churn
Lock him in uniform, book burning, bloodletting
Every motive escalate, automotive incinerate
Light a candle, light a motive, step down, step down
Watch your heel crush, crush, uh-oh
This means no fear, cavalier, renegade and steering clear
A tournament, a tournament, a tournament of lies
Offer me solutions, offer me alternatives, and I decline
It's the end of the world as we know it (I had some time alone)
It's the end of the world as we know it (I had some time alone)
It's the end of the world as we know it, and I feel fine (It's time I had some time alone)
I feel fine (I feel fine)
It's the end of the world as we know it (It's time I had some time alone)
It's the end of the world as we know it (It's time I had some time alone)
It's the end of the world as we know it, and I feel fine (It's time I had some time alone)
The other night I dreamt a nice continental drift divide
Mountains sit in a line, Leonard Bernstein
Leonid Brezhnev, Lenny Bruce, and Lester Bangs
Birthday party, cheesecake, jellybean, boom
You symbiotic, patriotic, slam but neck, right? Right
It's the end of the world as we know it (It's time I had some time alone)
It's the end of the world as we know it (It's time I had some time alone)
It's the end of the world as we know it, and I feel fine (It's time I had some time alone)
It's the end of the world as we know it
It's the end of the world as we know it
It's the end of the world as we know it, and I feel fine (It's time I had some time alone)
It's the end of the world as we know it (It's time I had some time alone)
It's the end of the world as we know it (It's time I had some time alone)
It's the end of the world as we know it, and I feel fine (It's time I had some time alone)
It's the end of the world as we know it (It's time I had some time alone)
It's the end of the world as we know it (It's time I had some time alone)
It's the end of the world as we know it, and I feel fine (It's time I had some time alone)
(It's time I had some time alone)
It's the end of the World as we Know it (And I Feel Fine) by R.E.M
Angel walked into the mansion followed by Buffy as they headed to the study. Just as Angel entered Dawn stood before him with her arms folded across her chest. Her eyes glared at him and the way she stood before meant he was in trouble. She always had that look.
'Angel has just gotten back from killing some vampires for the night. He has been slaying for a few months now. He snuck back into the apartment but when he turned the corner his little sister stood there. Her arms were folded across her chest, eyes both glaring and judging him. She let out a sigh as Angel stood there. She has no idea what he is now but she knows something is up. She might be eight years old but she was smart.
"You should be asleep." Angel whispered to her as she stood there in her princess Belle pajamas.
"So should you." She added and Angel couldn't argue that. "I won't tell mom." She gave him some reassurance mostly because the divorce was heating up and if Joyce found out Angel was sneaking out at night and returning at one and two in the morning it would make things worse. "Can I know?" Her voice was small and innocent as she asked. But Angel couldn't tell his little sister about what he does. Not because she was eight but it was for her protection.
"One day," Angel answered and walked over to her. Once Angel hit the age of fourteen he grew like a weed and while he stands nearly five feet and eight inches and is still getting taller, Dawn was still small. Angel got down to one knee so they could be more eye to eye level. "I'll tell you one day, I promise." Dawn nodded knowing he will tell her when he feels she's ready to know. So she did what she could do and leaned in for a hug.'
Now a much older and wiser Dawn walked up to Angel. He still towered over her and always will but that won't stop her. She kicked Angel in the shin and it was hard enough he felt it and it stung a bit.
"Ow," Angel grunted and looked to Dawn. "What was that for?"
"Dumb ass," Dawn muttered in an answer. Angel then looked over to Xander who sat at the table. In the room with him was Anya, Giles and Willow.
"Don't look at me, this is an O'Brien thing and it's all very violent." Xander counted himself out of the fight. Angel then continued to walk towards the study.
"If mom was still around I would have told her you snuck out." Dawn added as her brother walked passed her.
"Yeah, and I would have told her you've been stealing the cookies at night." Angel countered the argument and Dawn continued to glare at her brother. Buffy walked up next to Dawn putting her arm around her now sister-in-law and they both walked into the study.
"Did you find out anything about the scythe?" Willow asked as Angel stood at the table.
"It slices, dices, and makes julienne preacher." Buffy answered and everyone looked Angel making sure they understood Buffy. She can have a way with words.
"Caleb?" Giles asked making sure he heard right.
"He's dead." Angel answered and there was a huge sigh of relief in the room.
"All right!" Willow cheered with a big smile.
"He had that coming." Anya put her two cents in sounding proud.
"Hey, party in my eye socket and everyone's invited." Xander jumped in but everyone got silent looking to him. He then cleared his throat. "Sometimes I shouldn't say words." Angel nodded to that.
Spike was out at the back porch as he took a drag from a cigarette and then blew out the smoke. Angel went to join the vampire as the night was so quiet. There was nothing out here anymore. The trees that should be so green because of the coming summer were almost bare and dying. The air wasn't warm but still with a cold chill.
"Wish killing the preacher would be then end of it." Spike broke such a silence. "I take it you just pissed off Hell entirely."
"Wouldn't be right if I didn't." Angel added and then reached for his pocket taking out the emulate from L.A. Spike then looked to it. "It's meant to worn by someone with a soul but more powerful than man."
"Buffy should have it." Spike went to pawn it off.
"Spike," Angel sighed. "I'm giving you a chance at something." The slayer looked to a mortal enemy. "You have the power to do real good in this world. And I've seen the lowest of people and they've come back. Buffy, Faith, Willow…me." Angel then held out the necklace. "It's your turn." Spike looked to the emulate and with some hesitation he held out his hand and Angel gave it to him. "Besides…you saved the world once even for a selfish reason." Angel reminded him.
"Good times." Spike answered as he took another drag. "What's the game plan?" But Angel wasn't sure at the moment.
The sun rose for another day but the morning seemed so hazy. The mansion was in full swing of prepping for war. No one really knew when it was coming but you can feel it though. The place was being broken down; the vehicles were getting packed. Maybe it was time to leave Sunnydale and fight elsewhere. With Caleb gone Hell was probably a little chaotic without the First being able to walk physically. It can however find a new body but with the Beast still capable of rising the war was far from over. It was really about fighting the Beast now as it was to still lead Hell onto earth.
Angel at one point was helping pack up but now he sat at the little desk in his room with a photo album. It was old and it was of him and Dawn growing up. His mother and father were in it and they all looked happy. They had no idea what was to come so long ago. Angel turned the page seeing himself standing holding a lunch box with his backpack on. It was the first day of school picture and Dawn was next to him also with a backpack and lunch box. She was starting kindergarten. She looked so small and with her hair up sitting at the top of her head with the strands standing up she looked so cute.
"She looks like an above ground radish." A voice commented and Angel looked up seeing Buffy standing next to him. Angel smiled a little. Buffy sat down on his lap since there was only one chair. She started to look at the album while Angel turned the page. Buffy saw a picture of Angel sitting on the ground holding Dawn in his lap with what looked like unwrapped presents around them.
"Oh here," Angel started to go backwards in the album. "You'll find this funny," Angel then found the picture and Buffy smiled big.
"That's you're mom?" She asked and Angel nodded. Joyce had the big eighties teased out hair with the bangs and wearing the shoulder padded jacket. She had the bold red lipstick and hooped earrings. In her arms was a very young Angel. "Wow,"
"Nothing like the eighties." Angel added and Buffy looked to her now husband. It was strange to think that they were actually married these days.
"I don't have a picture of my mom." Buffy stated but Angel has seen her. When he was in heaven Angel met Buffy's mother and Buffy looks so much like her. Buffy then looked back to the album and flipped a page seeing the family of three before Dawn was born. She couldn't believe Angel was so small back then. "Well take this with." Buffy knew they needed this.
"I thought killing Caleb would make things feel different." Angel meant that it felt like nothing changed. The world was still on the verge of ending. The slayer has for the most part felt like he has run out of ideas. Maybe the world wasn't meant to be saved this time. Maybe they were meant to survive the onslaught.
"If only the potentials were able to have the power to fight." Buffy stated and Angel looked to her. "Like, a whole army of slayers, not just potential slayers." She then looked to Angel as he was starring at her. "What?"
"You're a genius," He then leaned forward and kissed her cheek. "I love you."
"What did I say?" She asked as Angel stood up.
"We've had this army sitting here…we just need to activate it." Angel answered. "It was never about killing potentials to keep a slayer from rising," It was all coming together for Angel. "It was keeping us from being an army."
"Great…but how do activate the potentials?" Buffy asked and Angel remembered the words from the old woman he spoke to.
"Use it wisely." Angel more or less said to himself. But Buffy looked so lost.
"Are you seeing spots now too?" Maybe her new husband was losing it. But Angel didn't answer and took Buffy's hand as they left the room.
Angel stood in the middle of the study with the rest of his team sitting around him. He just laid out the plan and everyone was completely silent for a moment. Angel looked around wanting know their opinions.
"So…what do you think?" Angel decided to get the ideas rolling.
"That depends," Xander was going to bite on this. "Are you in any way I don't know…kidding?" Meaning that's how Xander felt.
"You don't like the idea?" Angel asked feeling a little down. This was all he had left now.
"It's pretty radical, Angel." Faith commented as she sat there. "There's probably not much of a crazier plan."
"We attack Hell with humus." Willow threw out there and Faith looked to her and the witch shrugged. Cordelia couldn't help but have a small smile crack.
"I stand corrected." Faith stated.
"Trying to keep the prospective." Willow meant that no this was not the craziest plan but it was up there.
"It's a lot more than that." Giles spoke as he cleaned his glasses. "Angel, what you said, it…it flies in the face of everything we've ever…every generation has ever done in the fight against evil." The Watcher explained. Angel nodded in defeat knowing this was going to get shot down. But then as Giles placed his glasses back on he smiled. "I think it's bloody brilliant." Angel then let a smile grow a little.
"You mean that?" Angel asked and Giles nodded but Willow looked around in a panic.
"Whoa, hey," Willow now stepped in looking around still needing to keep the perspective in place. "Not to poop on the party here, but I'm the guy that's gonna have to pull this thing off." She explained herself.
"It is beaucoup d'mojo." Faith added and Michael looked to her with some confusion as he never heard that word before.
"This goes beyond anything I've ever done." Willow went on. "It's a total loss of control ever more so when I tried to kill Andrew and that wasn't even a loss of control."
"I wouldn't ask if I didn't think you could do it." Angel assured the witch but Willow was still not onboard with the idea.
"I…I'm not sure that I'm stable enough." She was still afraid of losing herself and becoming the evil she once was.
"You can do this, Willow." Giles continued to assure her. "We'll get the Coven on the line, and we'll find out how they can help." Angel nodded as the plan was unfolding.
"This is a plan but it all rides on the idea that the weapon and some how activate all potential slayers, there's no proof." Michael added.
"I'm leaning to the humus attack." Xander stated and Willow nodded in agreement.
"Hell will never see that one coming." Cordelia added.
"This plan also rides on the idea of the potentials wanting to be a slayer." Giles pointed out looking to Angel. Dawn then raised her hand.
"I want to be a slayer." Dawn spoke up.
"Besides you." Giles meant Dawn's words didn't count but then Buffy rose her hand.
"I want to be a slayer and a vampire, how awesome would that be?" Buffy defend Dawn.
"I mean as a whole." Giles explained himself. "If this actually works then all the girls that are potentials out there will be a slayer and they will not have a choice."
"Because I had a choice." Angel stepped back into the conversion. "Because Faith had a choice." Angel looked around the room. "I'm not going to do it just to do it. I'm going to offer them the choice to be a slayer because I never had it; Faith never had it. It's about freewill right?" There was no way to argue that statement.
"So," Xander decided to give one final thought to the insane plan. "Knowing we're going to die, small chance of success…what the hell are we waiting?" And it meant to the A-Team let's do it.
The living room was filled up with the potentials now as it was time to introduce the insane idea. The A-Team stood behind Angel while the slayer looked around to the girls before him. So how was he going to propose this idea? Would they go for it?
"I hate this." Angel started and everyone looked to him. "I hate being here. I hate that you have to be here. I hate that there's evil, and that I was chosen to fight it." And it was all true because so much had been lost and so many have suffered. "I wish, a whole lot of the time, that I hadn't been."
The room was quiet as everyone listen to him. "But this isn't about wishes. This is about choices. I believe we can beat this evil. Not when it comes, not when its army is ready, now." The potentials started to look around at each other but the A-Team remained silent behind him. "Tomorrow morning I'm opening the seal. I'm going down into the Hell Mouth, and I'm finishing this once and fucking for all."
The small side conversions started amongst the potentials and rightfully so. "Right now you're asking yourself," The room's noise died down. " 'What makes this different? What makes us anything more than a bunch of girls being picked off one by one?'" Angel looked around the room. "It's true none of you have the power that Faith and I do." If this was supposed to be that uplifting speech it was about to fail…well only for a moment. "So here's the part where you make a choice."
The girls looked around at each other a little confused. "I'm giving you a choice because I didn't have one." Angel looked around. "What if you could have that power...now?" He asked and the whole demeanor of the room changed. "In every generation, one slayer is born... because a bunch of men who died thousands of years ago made up that rule. They were powerful men." Angel agreed to that but then point to Willow.
"This woman is more powerful than all of them combined." Willow did a nervous smile not wanting Angel to hyper her up. "So I say we change the rule. I say my power is yours, it's ours." The potentials all sat there in both silence yet smiles started to grow.
"How about this," Angel continued. "From now on, every girl in the world who might be a slayer will be a slayer. Every girl who could have the power will have the power…who could stand up will stand up. Slayers, all of us." That was the idea and while as insane as it sounds…what other choices they have. The room fell silent and Buffy decided to add one more thing, something she had said to Faith once and it applied now more than ever.
"We make it through this by standing together." Buffy started. "This world is always changing but we can change it for the better. We can change but still keep our humanity. And it's always been about the choice…about life and death. It's about how you live and how you die. Nothing can take that away, so what will your choice be?" Buffy finished because she had made her choice a long time ago. Before the group of potential slayers were a group of people all different but all have made their choice.
"We're all going to die." Angel stood next to Buffy. He was going to be honest. "Just like Buffy said, this was always about life and death, about the choices. It was never about how many vampires were killed or demons destroyed. It was about what we risk our lives for that was the only choice. It was about how you lived in this world so when you died your choices mattered." Angel looked around to everyone in the room making the situation very clear and what they were about to face. "Not all of us will make it, some of us who should be here aren't." Cordelia bowed her head slightly feeling the threat of tears. Willow as well stood there starring off. Oz and Doyle should be here. Tara should still be here. "The choice is how do you want to meet it? You want to meet it on your feet or your knees?"
It was a huge decision to make and not a lot of time to make it. "Regardless of your choices, this might be our last night on earth, be with each other as friends." Angel finished and it was time to do nothing right now. "In the morning you guys can declare what you want." And with that Angel left the room as the A-Team filed out.
So what do you do on your last night on the earth? The potentials needed to talk about their decision and they did. It didn't take long though and now everyone was about the mansion. Willow and Cordelia were together talking and reminiscing about high school and Oz and Doyle. Their boyfriends were so weird back then all the way up to their deaths. But they missed them so much. There are times when the both of them can manage not to think about Oz and Doyle, when the war outside is on their minds more than Oz and Doyle.
"They were stupid some times." Cordelia agreed and Willow nodded. "But they were our stupid men."
"Well, you're a seer now because of Doyle." Willow smiled to Cordelia. "He went down fighting to save you and gave you a power…" Willow then paused and Cordelia could tell something was wrong. The witch's eyes turned glassy all of a sudden. "Oz…he didn't do anything…" Willow went quiet looking off into the distance. "He was just standing there smiling at me…" Cordelia scooted closer to Willow pulled her in for an embrace as Willow started to cry. Two people who once had nothing in common seven years ago were now close friends and they shared so much in common now. Tomorrow might be the end but this is was how they were going to spend it, two friends holding each other up because that's what was left.
But tonight is when Willow and Cordelia wished Oz and Doyle were here. But since they were gone, in their memory and honor the girls pulled away and started to laughed and giggled a little. Willow wiped the tears away knowing she had to be strong for tomorrow. Cordelia also wiped a few tears away taking in a deep breath and regain herself. She too had to be ready to fight tomorrow. But they continue to talk about those days that have long passed, the good days that will never be forgotten and those memories will be needed for tomorrow.
In the dining room at the big table laid out a map. At the table were Giles, Xander, Andrew, Dawn and Anya. Giles held a drink in his hand most likely scotch in the glass as he study the map.
"I'm…I'm…I'm all turned around. You're here?" Giles asked and Xander nodded.
"By the pillar, yeah. I'm protecting this area." Xander waved his hand around the area. It looked like they were gearing up for tomorrow, possibly running scenarios.
"That puts me over by the door." Giles pointed and then looked around. "Demons around the perimeter…Right! I open the door." Giles declared and looked to Andrew who was wearing a red hooded cloak. Andrew then looked to a little book and began to read.
"You go through the door and are confronted by Trogdor the Burninator." Andrew read the scenarios and Giles looked upset and defeat and took a quick sip of his drink.
"Oh, bugger…fine." Giles muttered and then put his drink down on the table. "Fight." He declared his move and picked up dice and rolled it. The dice roll on a number and Andrew smiled.
"Adios to 5 hit points. Trogdor has badly wounded you." Andrew went on and now Giles looked even more upset.
"Well, wait a minute. What about my..." Giles reached for his glasses while pulling out his game card. "Bag of illusions?" He asked and Andrew laughed a little.
"Illusions against a Burninator?" Andrew asked. "Silly, silly British man." Giles then picked up his glass of alcohol and took a rather big gulp.
"I invoke a time flux on Trogdor." Dawn stepped in as she played the game. Andrew sharply turned his head to Dawn not liking the call. They were playing a game of Wizard Master and Andrew was the game controller.
"Step down, girlfriend, you can't just…" Andrew was about to step in but Dawn was already moving on.
"Ninth level sorcerer, and I carry the emerald chalice." Dawn sounded regal as she explained why she can make such a bold move. "Trogdor is frozen in time. Deal with it." Dawn then began to write down what she did and Andrew just glared at her while Xander sipped his beer with a smile.
"Smack down on Red Riding Hood, this could get ugly." Xander commented and looked to Giles. The Watcher looked baffled as he sat there holding his glass in one hand and letting his head rest in the other.
"Could it possibly get uglier?" He asked and sipped his drink. "I used to be a highly respected Watcher, and now I'm a wounded dwarf with the mystical strength of a doily." And then he downed the last bit of his alcohol and sighed. "I just wish I could sleep." It nearing midnight now and the whole mansion should be asleep but no one was.
"What kind of person could sleep on a night like this?" Dawn asked and then everyone at the table heard snoring and looked towards the noise seeing Anya passed out with her head on the table. Xander smiled and rubbed her back.
"Only the crazy ones." Xander answered and it was time to get back to the game.
Michael stood outside as his friend Rafael was before him.
"That's the plan?" Rafael asked in shock and Michael nodded. The second Power That Be shrugged. "At least he thought of it…might work…might not."
"We need to try something and…what about the others?" Michael asked.
"I've rallied a few soldiers…the rest however feel this is a lost cause, all the seals are open and the Beast is ready to walk." Rafael answered. "At least the First cannot walk…well for the time being." That was a plus but the Beast can still bring forth Hell without the First unit it finds a new vessel but it can still command.
"You and the others who have joined are the second front." Michael gave the orders and Rafael nodded.
"You just be sure I don't have to use it." Rafael added.
"What if Gabriel finds out?" Michael asked and once more the powerful being shrugged.
"Always wanted to make him mad and kick him off his high horse even for a second." Was Rafael's reasoning for the fight although it wasn't the best reason. The two old friends looked to each other for a moment longer. "Be careful."
"See you soon, hopefully not to soon." Michael said his good bye and turned back towards to the mansion as he heard a set of wings flap away. He turned around slightly seeing that Rafael had disappeared.
Spike sat in the basement looking at the emulate that he was now wearing. The only thing that is known it's powerful and its meant for a champion. But was Spike a champion? Angel is, he's the slayer that fought against all odds. Buffy is the vampire with a soul that will become human once her fight is over. Dawn is or was a key now turn to a possible slayer. But Spike? He thought what has he done this far to earn that title?
Sure he fights along side the slayer but has the good he's done so far out weigh the bad from the past? They'll find out come tomorrow. Spike dropped the emulate so it hung around him and he lit up a cigarette and heard someone coming down the stairs and he looked up. It was Faith. She probably wanted to stay away from the others, have one last night of peace to herself.
"We can all use a little company love." Spike invited her Faith nodded as she went to sit next to him in his corner. Spike passed her a cigarette and she lit hers up to relax. "Think Angel's plan will work?" Faith shrugged to the question.
"What else is there to do?" Faith asked as she sat there. "If we don't do anything then we lose completely. At least we can put up a fight." Spike nodded in agreement.
"Burn the house down while we're in it." Spike laid out the plan that was going to happen. Most likely the majority of them if this works won't live.
"This is probably our last night on earth." Faith looked over to Spike a little seductively. "How do you want to spend it?" Spike looked to her as she was offering something. He put his cigarette out and Faith followed.
Angel and Buffy were trying to get some sleep but right now they couldn't. So instead they laid in bed together. One small candle lit the room and it was enough to see each other's faces. They were just talking though much like Willow and Cordelia were, remembering the early days. Buffy was telling him where she had spent the summer after Willow went evil and after they broke up.
"Why France?" Angel asked her.
"My mother was French and I feel more closer to her than my father obviously." Buffy answered. "Elizabeth spent a lot of time in France too, she and Darla." She went on explaining. "I want to take you there when this is over." Angel smiled a little. "I'll take you to Avignon first." Angel smiled on how she pronounced the city with a French accent. "It's gorgeous out there. We'll drive the countryside; see the hills. Then of course we'll go to Paris." That was both Buffy's and Elizabeth's favorite place. "What?"
"I like the accent you have when you speak French, it's cute." Angel answered and she smiled a little bit.
"After Avignon I'll take you to the Champagne Valley where real champagne is made." Buffy went on to talk about the coming adventures they could have. They didn't get a honeymoon so maybe France will be it. "There's endless fields out there. Then Paris. We'll see and climb the Eiffel Tower." Angel will get to see Buffy's past and maybe a little beauty from Elizabeth. "We'll go to the Notre Dame Cathedral, the Palace of Versailles. There's a river out there where on a bridge called the Lover's Bridge. You bring a lock and two people can lock away their love and toss the key away into the river. They called the pad locks used cadnenas d' amour." Angel just listened to what was to come for them. "I'll take you to Italy and we'll go to Rome. We'll go to Venice where the city sits on water." Angel liked this plan and it made it seem like tomorrow wasn't going to be bad.
"I love you." Angel declared. He couldn't say it enough to her especially because what was about to happen. Buffy smiled at him and they leaned in for a kiss.
"I love you too." She whispered to him and they leaned their foreheads together for a moment. Just then something popped into Angel's head.
"Who's going to watch Dawn?" He asked and Buffy started to giggle.
"Giles can. He can take her to London and they can do British stuff together." Buffy answered and Angel nodded in agreement. But they fell silent again. Angel looked to the ticking clock on the wall and it read eleven fifty eight.
"Try to sleep." He insisted but that was going to be hard to do. Buffy got closer to him so she could lay her head on his chest and hopefully the steady beat of his heart would lull her to sleep. Angel held her as he went to kill the light from the candle and the room was now dark.
Something seemed to wake Buffy although she wasn't completely asleep. She was in that weird place of sleep where you don't know if you're asleep or not. Buffy sat up and Angel was asleep for now. Buffy tossed the covers off of her and walked to the balcony and went outside to dark night. The stars seemed so dim as if they knew what was about to happen. Just then Buffy looked to her left seeing Caleb next to her.
"Pretty, ain't it?" Caleb asked and looked to Buffy but she was un-waivered by him.
"You're not him." She stated and he nodded.
"No, Angel killed him right and proper. Terrible loss. This man was my good right arm. 'Course, it don't pain me too much. Don't need an arm. Got an army." The First went on boasting on what it still had.
"An army of vampires. However we will…" Buffy was then cut off.
"Every day our numbers swell. But then you do have an army of your own. Some thirty-odd pimply-faced girls, don't know the pointy end of a stake." The First stated what they have at the moment and so far his army will win.
"Have you ever considered a cool name?" Buffy turned to the First full. "I mean, since you're incorporeal and basically powerless. How about 'The Taunter? Strikes fear in the hear…" Again she was cut off.
"I will overrun this Earth." The First declared. "And when my army outnumbers the humans on this Earth, the scales will tip and I will be made flesh once more." Buffy nodded to it.
"Talk on. I'm not afraid of you." Buffy stood her ground and the First smiled and rolled it's eyes. But then he looked to the sleeping slayer and Buffy stepped in front of the First telling it if it's a fight it wants now it'll be with her.
"He can't help you. Nor Faith, nor your friends, certainly not your wanna-slay brigade. None of those girlies will ever know real power unless he's dead. You know the drill." Then the First morphed into Angel. "Into every generation, a slayer is born. One girl, in most cases, in all the world. She alone will have the strength and skill to…There's that word again. What he is. How he'll die. Alone. Where's your snappy comeback?" The First asked. Buffy didn't say anything. "I can save him though…just need one thing. There is one more vessel strong enough for me…" The First then morphed into Buffy or Elizabeth depending on how you see it.
"No." Buffy stated. The First was offering her a chance to keep Angel safe if she gave herself to the First. But then Buffy realized something. The First was coming all the way out here asking for her help and that made Buffy smile a little. "You must be so desperate to come to me." The First then back away. "You're in so much trouble tomorrow."
"You all will die tomorrow." The First was now angry as Buffy stood her ground.
"Get out." Buffy was angry for it to come here like this. The First then disappeared and Buffy looked back inside to the room. But what just happened gave her hope, the First was actually afraid; they could actually win this.
That's the second to the last chapter. One more to go. Are you guys excited? Ready for this to final end? No sneak peek and of course at the end of the next chapter I'll do all my thank yous and what not. So hang tight and in the next day or so the end will be here. Thanks for reading, commenting and sticking it out this far. You readers are awesome.
Chapter 28 The World
Welcome to your life
There's no turning back
Even while we sleep
We will find you
Acting on your best behaviour
Turn your back on mother nature
Everybody wants to rule the world
It's my own design
It's my own remorse
Help me to decide
Help me make the most
Of freedom and of pleasure
Nothing ever lasts forever
Everybody wants to rule the world
There's a room where the light won't find you
Holding hands while the walls come tumbling down
When they do I'll be right behind you
So glad we've almost made it
So sad they had to fade it
Everybody wants to rule the world
Everybody wants to rule the world
Everybody wants to rule the world
Everybody Wants to Rule the World version by Lorde original song by Tears for Fears