The Day After the End of the World.
by Forrister
Email address: forrister@hotmail.com
Feedback: Please – I need all the help I can get.
Distribution: Please don’t distribute or archive my story without my permission. Spoilers: Season 5 “The Gift”
Rating: PG 13. Some bad language, some adult concepts, some violence.
Disclaimer: I know Joss owns them all. I know I don’t. (A little knowledge can be so damn frustrating.)
Summary: The End of the World has passed them by once more, but at a horrific cost. Buffy is gone and the Scoobies are left to mourn, remember, and to pick up the pieces.
Note: This is my first attempt at fan fiction and I would really appreciate some constructive feedback. (Not necessarily positive feedback, but definitely constructive.)
**********
“We can’t leave her lying here.” said Giles softly as he walked forward and tried to lift Buffy’s body from the rubble. He winced in pain and clutched his side where his wound, although healing, was still painful.
Spike grabbed a sheet of plastic and pulled it over his head to ward off the rising sun. He cried as he gently lifted Buffy. Giles tenderly put his arm around Dawn, who was still crying silent tears, and followed Spike. Xander carried Anya equally as tenderly while Willow helped Tara through the debris that littered Sunnydale’s streets.
**********
The Magic Shop was still standing when they arrived although the contents were severely shaken. Spike laid Buffy out on her couch in the training room and sat on the floor at her feet weeping. Giles unfolded a blanket and laid it over her but when he went to cover her face he felt Spike’s steely grip on his arm.
“No, leave her like this. She looks as if she could be sleeping.” Spike’s face was a tender mask of grief and tears streamed down his face mixing with the blood from his cut face.
Giles left them and went into the shop where Willow tended to Dawn and Xander was bandaging Anya. Tara came in with all the blankets and pillows she could carry.
Anya was in the worst state with at least one broken rib, severe bruising to the legs and a shallow cut on her head. Xander strapped the ribs and cleaned the blood off her face, touching her cheek and kissing her gently when he was done. For once Anya had nothing to say as tears flowed freely down her cheeks. Xander comforted her without words as his tears flowed just as freely.
Dawn’s cuts were shallow and clean. She was pale, as much from shock as from blood loss and didn’t speak a word as Willow applied antiseptic. It was when Willow was finishing the dressing that Dawn fainted.
“It is a reaction to shock and blood loss” stated Giles in a dead voice. “Keep her warm and let her rest. She will have enough to deal with when she wakes.”
Tara tenderly covered Dawn with a blanket and rested her head on a pillow. Then she cried with alarm as she saw that Willow had quietly slumped to the floor. As she knelt at her lover’s side Giles checked Willow’s pulse and noted how pale and drawn she looked.
“Hmmn… She has been drawing too much on her own energies for the magicks she has been performing.” Giles made Willow comfortable and placed a blanket over her still form.
He then turned to Tara, grasped both of her hands and looked into her eyes.
“Willow took charge when I was hurt. She kept us safe and made it possible for Buffy to defeat Glory.” Giles fiddled with his glasses and struggled to keep his voice steady. “Without her none of us would be here today. She will be fine but she needs rest now.”
He paused, and then went on. “I’ve seen how much she loves you and I’m glad you’re there for her.” He wiped away the tear that trickled down Tara’s cheek. “We couldn’t have stood losing you as well as Buffy.” Giles’ voice broke and the tears began to flow.
Tara looked up at him in surprise and then surprised them both by hugging Giles and gently placing a kiss on his smudged cheek.
They stayed that way for a while, giving each other comfort until Giles stood and looked outside. The early morning sunshine which was partially clouded by the smoke from burning buildings. He turned back to Xander. “Will Anya be alright here for a while, I need you.”
Xander looked back at Anya who nodded and weakly blew him a kiss.
“I’ll look after her” said Tara.
Giles nodded. “Good. Check on Spike later, he may need feeding. There’s fresh blood in the fridge and it should still be cold even though the power is off.”
**********
Tara watched them leave in Ben’s car. She made sure Anya was warm and comfortable, checked on Dawn who was fast asleep, and finally tucked the blanket around her Willow. It seemed that she had been walking in a dream for so long. Now she found herself staring at a sleeping Willow and wondering what it would had been like for her. She brushed the red hair from Willow’s face. Tara recalled the argument they’d had in what seemed like an eternity ago. The words were hurtful and really quite silly but she knew that her Willow had forgiven her. Giles’ words lingered in her mind and filled her with a kind of warm glow. She knew that she had found her true family.
Then it hit her. Her family had lost a beloved sister and half of them were injured. She looked at her lover and her two sleeping sisters and thought on the one who had given everything to save them. Tears streamed down her cheeks and she sat and cried until she felt she could cry no more.
**********
Spike huddled in the corner and looked at Buffy’s body. She didn’t have a mark on her, it was like she was just asleep. She was dead. They had both known that death was waiting somewhere for them. He just thought that it would be his death, not hers. He searched his pockets for a cigarette. Finding only an empty packet he flung it across the room and kicked a punching bag that lay torn and broken on the floor.
“Bloody hell!!” he cursed. “You can never bum a smoke when you need one!”
His eyes were drawn back to Buffy. He had failed to protect her and he’d been unable to protect Dawn. The end of the world had come and gone and he’d failed them both. He wanted to die, he was ready for it. He’d lived too bloody long. He looked around the room at Buffy’s training gear. He knew that the cabinet held a number of sharp stakes. It only took one. He stood up and moved to open the cabinet door.
Tara walked in with the tracks of her tears clear on her dirty face.
“Spike.”
Just one word, one word was enough. Spike’s tears began to flow and Tara found herself taking Spike’s head on her shoulder as they both cried again.
Spike wiped his face with a dirty hand. “I know what Red sees in you. She’s a pretty lucky girl.”
Tara lowered her head, embarrassed.
“No.” said Spike gently as he lifted her chin. “Never get embarrassed when someone tells you the truth.”
He managed a weak grin. “Besides, it you may as well take it while you can get it. It doesn’t come too bloody often.”
Tara smiled weakly back.
“G-Giles said there was some, er, food for you in the fridge. You should, um, eat it before it begins to warm. There’s no power you know.”
Spike smiled grimly and wiped the blood and tears from his face with his sleeve. “Yeah, can’t let all that red stuff go to waste. You should go and take care of Red and the nibblet. I’ll be fine.”
Tara looked him in the eye. “Are you sure?” she asked.
“Hey! This is Spike you’re talking to.” He said, looking back at Buffy. “Besides I’ve got a promise to keep”.
**********
Giles and Xander drove through the streets of downtown Sunnydale, avoiding the debris and the cracks that had opened up during the night. Here and there were groups of people as they sheltered from the early morning cold, too frightened to return to their homes in case another earthquake hit.
“Where are we heading?” asked Xander.
“My place first, then B… the Summer’s, and then back to the portal site.” replied Giles grimly.
“But why there? I’ve seen enough of that place to last a lifetime – Spike’s lifetime even.”
“We have a few things to pick up before people start coming out and the authorities start examining the damage.”
“Such as …” prompted Xander
“The robot, Olaf’s hammer,” Giles paused momentarily as he concentrated on negotiating around an overturned semi-trailer. “And we need to get Ben’s body.”
That left Xander speechless for a minute.
“Why?” he finally asked.
“Ben’s body must be disposed of properly so that there is no chance of anything resurrecting him and thus bringing back Glory.” stated Giles.
“Did Buffy …, you know …, kill Ben?”
Giles looked at him sharply. “No!” he snapped. They drove in silence for a while, then he took a deep breath and went on. “Buffy kept hitting Glory with the hammer until she was down. That bit with the wreaking ball helped, by the way.”
“Yeah, Construction Kid, that’s me.”
“Then Glory changed to Ben.” Giles continued sadly. “Buffy couldn’t bring herself to kill Ben. She up went after Dawn”
“And …”
“Ben was severely injured by the punishment Glory had taken. She was a god – he was merely human. He couldn’t move…, then he couldn’t breathe and he died. Giles paused. “I did what I could.”
Giles kept his eyes on the road hoping Xander could not see what was in them.
Xander thought on that for a minute. “Yeah – I’m glad that Buffy didn’t do it. I guess Ben had it coming but I don’t think any of us could kill a helpless man.”
Giles didn’t reply. He concentrated on driving and soon they pulled up in front of his place. The building was mostly intact although there were several cracks in the walls. Xander waited while Giles packed some things in his own car and then they both drove to Buffy’s.
“I need to pick up some things for Dawn. Go to the kitchen and get whatever food supplies you can. I have a feeling that shopping might be a bit difficult for a few days.” Giles tossed a couple of sports bags at him. Anything cold you can put in the cooler you’ll find in the downstairs closet.”
It took less than ten minutes for Giles to return with two suitcases. Xander raided the kitchen for anything worth eating and the pair departed. Then they set off for the site of Glory’s portal.
**********
Willow woke first.
She wondered at the hardness of their bed and smiled as she felt Tara’s soft breathing on her back. She lay there for a minute in that place between sleeping and waking before she suddenly remembered.
Her eyes opened wide.
She was on the floor.
In the shop?
She sat upright and was immediately rewarded by a pain that seemed to drill right through her skull.
“W… Willow?” Tara put out a hand to steady her love.
“Tara, baby.” Willow hugged the bleary-eyed blonde and looked around. Dawn was asleep on one couch. Anya lay pale and bruised on the other. She turned back to her beloved.
“Why are we here on the floor?” “How long have we been asleep?” She winced. “Why does my brain feel four sizes too big for my head?”
Tara kissed her gently on her forehead. “You’ve been doing big magicks without me again.”
Willow frowned, then she remembered. “Glory!” Then in a much quieter voice, “Buffy.”
Tara held her close as Willow remembered what had happened and what they had lost. Tara simply held her as she cried out the tears that she’d been holding back these past days.
“Uh … Do you have a hanky?” asked Willow in a strange voice.
Tara looked at her. The blood was trickling down her lip where her nose had begun bleeding.
“Poor baby.” Tara handed her the box of tissues from the table. “I’ll see if I can find something for that headache.”
“I should be taking care of you.” replied Willow through a handful of tissues.
“You did.” Tara caressed her cheek and went to find the aspirin.
“I always will.” whispered Willow.
**********
Tara checked on Anya for the third time that hour. The girl wasn’t looking at all well and had begun to run a fever. Willow had applied cold compresses and checked the bandages but Anya seemed to be getting worse.
“We’re going to have to get her to a hospital.” Willow announced. “I don’t know what’s wrong but it seems to be getting worse. Giles and Xander sure pick their moments to go out.”
“How do we get her there?” Tara asked. “No car, the phones are out, and we don’t have the strength to carry her far, even if we could do it without injuring her further .”
“Let me think for a minute.” Willow pressed a cold compress to her own throbbing head. “I’ll run down to the local police station, it’s not that far.” They should be able to get us some help for her there.”
“No!”
Willow turned to look at Tara in surprise.
“No.” said Tara firmly. “You shouldn’t be going anywhere with that headache. I’m in the best condition, I should be the one to go.”
Dawn’s small voice piped up from the other side of the room. “I’m feeling a bit better – I can go.”
“No way nibblet.” Spike’s voice wafted in from the back room.
“Well you can’t go Spike.” snapped Willow in frustration and pain. “Afternoon sunlight always brings out the worst in your complexion.”
“Yeah, I sort of noticed that. Makes it tough to get a good tan. Did you hear me volunteering, Red?” Spike replied. “If you stick that little button nose out the window I think you’ll find that Giles is back.”
Tara looked puzzled as Willow checked outside.
“How did you know they were back?” she asked.
“Hey, I’m dead, not deaf!” commented Spike.
Giles came into the shop followed closely by Xander. “We have a problem.” he announced.
“Giles, Anya needs a hospital.” interrupted Tara.
Xander dashed to Anya’s side and began to fuss over her.
“How long has she been like this?” he demanded.
“Just over an hour. We were just trying to figure out a way to get her some help when you got back.” said Willow.
“I’ll take her.” replied Xander. “Help me unload the back of Giles’ car and we’ll lay her in there.”
He turned back to Anya. “It won’t be long, just hold on.”
“Keep the bunnies away. They hop all over.” Anya babbled quietly.
Tara grabbed a couple of blankets and pillows from around the room while Giles, Xander and Willow brought in boxes and suitcases from the car.
Giles handed Xander the keys. “Take the girls with you. Willow and Dawn could use a little medical attention and Tara can give you a hand.”
Xander lifted his beloved carefully and carried her outside. Willow and Dawn followed.
“You said something about a problem?” asked Tara.
“Don’t worry about that now, I’ll take care of it.” replied Giles. “Now go.”
Tara followed the others out the door, pausing only to get the box of tissues and the aspirin in case they were needed.
Giles shut the door behind them and went into the back room.
“So we have a problem, do we?” commented Spike. “What now. Not another damned apocalypse. I haven’t had a chance to brush the last one out of my teeth yet.”
Giles looked at him and frowned. “Ben’s body is missing.”
“Shit!” said Spike.
**********
“… and when we got there Ben’s body was gone. Somebody - or something – could be trying to raise him from the dead right now!! I don’t know how we could face Glory again.”
Giles began to clean his glasses for the third time since his explanation to Spike started.
“Now old boy, don’t get your knickers in a knot.” Spike patted his pockets. “Have you ever considered putting a cigarette machine in here? You’d do great business.”
“No I haven’t.” snarled Giles in disgust.
“Your loss.” replied Spike flippantly as he pulled up a chair. “If someone is trying to raise Ben it’s going to take them a little time and a few hard to get ingredients.”
Giles was surprised. “What do you know about it?”
“Well, I helped a friend out with a ‘raise dead’ spell a while back. It didn’t last but I think that was more by choice than chance.”
Giles thought on that for a while. “I didn’t think Willow or Tara would consider it ethical to try such a thing.” he finally said, a little startled by the implications of the idea.
“Not them you bloody idiot! Do you think you lot are the only friends I have!” Spike managed a convincing imitation of being indignant.
“Good.” said Giles firmly. “There are some areas of magick that should be left strictly alone.”
“Yeah, you may be right.” mused Spike.
“So, what are these ingredients?” asked Giles after an uncomfortable silence.
“Most of them are nothing special. The sort of stuff any practicing witch might have around. The biggie is an egg from the nest of a Ghora demon.”
Giles was astonished. “But Ghora demons are reputed to be fiercely protective of their nests.”
“Too right!” exclaimed Spike. “They’re big, mean bastards with a maternal streak a mile wide.”
Giles looked at him sharply. “You wouldn’t happen to know of any Ghora demon lairs nearby, by any chance?”
Spike looked at him and smiled. “Funny, it just happens that I do.”
“Right then. We’ll stake out the lair and find out who goes egg hunting.”
Spike shook his head. “Not so fast professor, I think I may know who you’re looking for. Tell me, were there any other bodies lying under that tower?”
“No, not that we could find and we did check fairly thoroughly.”
Spike thumped the table. “That bastard doesn’t know how to die. Guess I’ll have to teach him.”
Giles frowned with impatience.
“Oh, sorry. Well there’s this geezer named Doc. I don’t know what he is but he isn’t human.”
“How do you know that?”
Spike snorted and tapped his nose. “I still remember what food smells like. Besides, the green scaly tail was a dead give away. Now are you going to shut up and listen or shall I wait till you get all those stupid questions out of your system?”
“Sorry.” Giles folded his hands in his lap and waited.
“Good.” Spike continued. “Where was I? Oh yeah, Doc could be some sort of minor demon, I’m not really sure. He simply looks like a little old man.”
Spike stood and began to pace the floor.
“He’s kind of the local expert on magick, technology, just about everything really. He’s really smart and good at building things.”
Giles opened his mouth to ask another question but a look from Spike made him close it.
“You wouldn’t have heard of him, he worked the non-human side of the street.”
Giles nodded as Spike went on.
“It seems that Doc was, or maybe became, a minion of Glory’s. Xander put a sword through him and I thought he was dead, until he showed up at the tower. It was him – up there with Dawn. Didn’t you see?”
“Ah, not very clearly.”
“The bastard pushed me off. For a little bloke, shit he was strong. I saw him fall not long after that. I guess I just assumed the wrinkly git was dead.”
“Hmmn. Do you know where this ‘Doc’ can be found? It may be that he’s taken Ben there.”
Spike ran his fingers through his hair as he thought for a minute.
“No, I don’t think so. I know about his place, I know about the Ghora demon lair. He’s got to have at least one secret bolthole where he can hide in emergencies – he’s a crafty bugger.”
Giles dashed out and came back with a dusty old book. He sat at the table and began to flick quickly through the pages.
Spike sat down and rubbed his hands. “So, do I sense the beginnings of a bright idea here?”
“Shush. I’m trying to concentrate. …. Ah, here we are, a tracking spell for tracing specific demons. We just need something to connect us with Doc. Hair, skin, claws, …”
“Blood perhaps?” added Spike.
“That would be perfect. But how can we lay our hands on that?”
“Trust me.” drawled Spike “I have an idea or two tucked away. But tell me. Why didn’t you ever use this spell before?”
“It’s far too powerful a spell for me.” admitted Giles.
Spike thought for a moment. “But not for Red, right?”
Giles tapped the book with his glasses. “Actually, at the moment I don’t believe Willow could light a candle let alone manage a spell of this magnitude.”
“Tapped out, huh?”
“Frankly, I’m surprised she’s still standing. She’s been demonstrating amazing levels of power over the last few days. She should recover if she rests.”
Spike shook his head. “No, that’ll take too long. Doc could be getting that egg as we speak. Mind you he may not find it a walk in the park. Last I saw that was one pretty pissed off Ghora.”
Giles raised an eyebrow. “I’m not going to ask.” He checked the front of the shop. “The sun has set now. You should go and check this Ghora demon. See if the nest has been disturbed.”
Giles rummaged around in a trunk until he pulled out a couple of radios. “Something I saved from the Initiative. We can keep in touch with these.” He tossed one to Spike. “You do know how to use one of these?”
Spike gave the radio a passing glance before putting it in his pocket. “Sure. Push the button and talk. Right.”
Giles sighed. He held his radio in front of Spike. “Pull up the antenna, turn the knob, then push the button and talk.”
“Whatever. So what’s keeping you busy while I’m doing the grunt work?”
Giles stood in silence for a moment. “I have to make … arrangements… for Buffy.”
Spike put his hand on Giles’ shoulder. “Is there anything I can do?”
Giles returned the gesture. “Flowers would be nice.”
They stood there awkwardly for a moment before Giles broke the moment.
“Now get out of here! You have work to do!”
Spike tapped Giles’ chin gently with his fist. “I love it when you talk tough.”
He turned and walked out into the twilight.
**********
The hospital corridor was filled with the injured, both those waiting for treatment and those who had been treated. Anya was one of the lucky ones – she had a bed. Admittedly it was in the psychiatric wing but it was a bed none the less. The storm and earthquake had resulted in record numbers of injuries and for some reason the hospital management could not fathom, the psych ward was completely empty. Anya had several cracked ribs, two fractures in her right leg and a mild concussion. Her fever had been brought down and she was receiving IV antibiotics.
Dawn had passed out again while they were waiting, frightening everyone, but after examination the doctor decided that she was simple faint from shock and loss of blood. There was some fuss about a parent or guardian to give permission for treatment but Willow had signed the paper using Buffy’s name. Dawn was in the next bed to Anya and was being given a transfusion to replace the blood she had lost the night before.
Xander slept in a chair between the two beds with his head pillowed next to Anya’s. His hand clasping the hand that now openly wore their engagement ring. Xander had been filling out forms for Anya’ admittance when he came to the part about ‘next of kin’. He smiled and filled in his own name. Then as they waited for X-rays he’d placed the ring on her finger. Willow stood with her mouth open in astonishment while Tara merely grinned like an idiot.
Willow and Tara had left the hospital in the early hours of the morning after Anya and Dawn were settled into the ward. Neither one of them could stand being in the psych ward a moment longer than necessary. Recent memories of the place haunted Willow, while Tara had a confusing feeling of unease, so they left as soon as was practical. Tara drove carefully back to the Magic Box. The National Guard had been mobilised and there was a sense of calm order in the streets. Repair crews were busy restoring electricity and phone connections and clean up crews were clearing debris from the streets. Willow leaned her head on Tara’s shoulder and slept most of the way back to the shop.
They quietly let themselves in the back door, hoping not to wake Spike or Giles. They hadn’t expected what they saw before them.
**********
Buffy’s body was laid out on the large work table, covered with a plaid blanket. On a chair near her feet sat Giles, his head in his hands and sobbing his heart out. Willow was stunned with the terrible awfulness of his cries. She had never seen him like this and it scared her while at the same time tearing deep into her heart. Tara hesitated briefly as well but she literally flung herself across the room and wrapped her arms around him. Astonishment flitted briefly across Willow’ mind before she too joined them and there they all stayed until the tears once more were stilled.
Giles blew his nose and looked up at the two young women who had comforted him.
“I’m so sorry. I never meant for you to see me like this.” he admitted.
“Don’t worry.” said Willow. “We all need to cry. I’ve been crying all day. I think I only stop to get in a new supply of tears so that I can cry again. I can’t believe she’s gone.”
“Yes, well, ah-hem.” Giles cleared his throat. “Perhaps you can help me with a task that I’m finding very difficult at the moment.”
Tara laid a hand on his shoulder as he continued.
“It is a Watcher’s duty to prepare the Slayer to fight evil and when that fight is done it is also the Watcher’s duty to prepare the body and conduct the funeral.”
Willow’s eyes widened. “You mean …?”
“Buffy’s body needs to be washed and dressed and laid in her…” Giles could not go on.
“C-c -coffin.” Tara finished the sentence for him.
“I simply couldn’t.” said Giles very, very softly. He put his head in his hands once more.
Willow’s mind was too full of the enormity of the whole thing to speak. Tara stared at Buffy, also too overwhelmed to speak for a minute. Finally she turned to Willow. “Buffy was like a sister to us. She shared her life with us and she died for us. We have to do this last thing for her because we love her.”
Willow took a deep breath and nodded. Giles looked so grateful she almost couldn’t bear it.
“Do you have the clothes …?” asked Tara
“In that suitcase over there.” replied Giles. “B-Buffy and I discussed this possibility some time ago and she chose those things herself.”
“Why don’t you wait outside?” suggested Tara gently. “We’ll call you when we are done.”
Giles hugged both women and went outside.
**********
Tara set about gathering the items they needed. Willow filled a silver bowl with water and added cinnamon and myrrh to it. Tara got several soft cotton washcloths and filled a silver oil burner with olive oil. She lit it and sprinkled frankincense in the flame.
Together the two young women called a blessing on their task. Tara held her hand over the water and it took on a luminescent glow. In a ritual as old as humanity they gently washed the dust from Buffy’s body. Their tears mingled with the oil scented water as they worked slowly and with reverence. Where their cloths passed incandescent sparkles lingered momentarily before fading. They dressed her in the white gown she herself had chosen. Finally Tara and Willow kissed her forehead before anointing it with tuberose oil.
They stood there in grief and love for a time. Then Willow called another blessing on them all and the task was done.
**********
Giles busied himself by tidying up the shop. Somehow the familiar act of shelving books seemed to comfort him. He heard a knock at the door.
“We’re closed!” he said automatically.
“Let me in you pratt!!” Spike’s voice sounded urgent. “Hurry!!”
Giles dashed to the door and pulled Spike inside.
“Why the panic?” he inquired.
Spike paused for a minute to count to ten before answering.
“The streets are crawling with sodding chocolate soldiers just looking for looters to shoot.”
“Er… Chocolate soldiers?” Giles knew as soon as he said it that he would regret asking.
“Yeah, not quite the real thing and too many can make you sick!” Spike sneered. “They’d just love to catch me with this.” He unwrapped a large sword from the dirty sheet that had been covering it.
Giles examined the sword. It was stained with blood.
“You wanted some of Doc’s blood. Well this is what Xander used to skewer him with. Enjoy.” Spike slumped into a chair.
“Just a minute.” protested Giles. “What about the Ghora demon?”
“Gone - hasn’t been there for a while. Could be dead – could have skipped town.”
“Ghora demons aren’t noted for their timid nature and they sit on their nests until the eggs hatch.” observed Giles.
“I didn’t see any broken eggshells.”
“That’s not a good sign.” Giles remembered something. “Why didn’t you use the radio I gave you? Did you forget how?”
“No I didn’t, Sherlock,” retorted Spike. “But even I know that radios only work when they have batteries in them.”
Giles had the good grace to look embarrassed.
“Er, sorry.” he muttered. “Ah, well…, er.
Spike sat down in disgust. ”Right. It’s too late to do any more tonight. So - we wait until tomorrow night. We get the witches to do that tracking spell, we hunt down Doc. We kill him.”
Giles frowned.
Spike revised his plan. “Oh, yeah, we kill him after we get the cross-dresser’s corpse.”
**********
It was late afternoon the next day when the scoobies assembled at the Magic Box to deal with the new crisis. Anya remained in hospital and Dawn, although officially discharged that afternoon, stayed with her so that Xander wouldn’t worry. Xander didn’t want to leave but Anya decided that his place was with the rest of the group. She kissed him goodbye with the parting words, “If you die, I’m going to bring you back – and kill you!!” Xander just barely managed to keep a straight face.
The scoobies sat around the table and listened intently as Giles outlined their plan of attack.
“I still don’t understand?” complained Xander. “How can you bring someone back from the dead? Without them being a vampire or zombie or some really ickky thing. “ Xander shook his head. “If it was that easy surely it would happen more often.”
“It’s not only known in magick, it is well-documented. Well, the idea is anyway.” Giles paused trying to find the right words. To his amazement it was Spike who spoke.
“It’s wrong. You don’t do it for the person you love, you do it for yourself. It’s selfish. In the end everyone gets hurt.”
“Huh?! When did you get all moral?” Xander’s exclamation seemed to echo everyone’s response to Spike’s sudden revelation.
“Bugger! I’ve got to stop watching ‘Oprah’ while disembowelling small furry animals.” Spike somehow managed to look sheepish while sounding indignant.
“Huh?” repeated Willow.
“Just forget I opened my mouth. “ Spike retreated to a chair in the corner where he promptly busied himself with rolling cigarettes from a tobacco pouch he ‘acquired’ the night before.
“Spike is, surprisingly enough, absolutely correct.” Giles stared at Spike for a moment over the rim of his glasses before continuing. “It was realised by true wiccans a long time ago that raising the dead would seriously damage the balance of the universe and cause untold harm, so they took an oath not to do it or to pass on the secrets of doing it. Unfortunately, demons and evil mages don’t have the same moral sense.”
“What about vampires?” asked Xander.
“Drop it monkey boy!” snarled Spike.
Giles ignored them and went on. “Willow and Tara can do a tracking spell which should help us find Doc.” he began.
“Do you think you’re up to it?” whispered Tara to Willow, who still looked a bit pale and drawn.
“Sure.” whispered Willow.
Tara held her hand tighter as Giles continued.
“Spike and Xander deal with Doc, I’ll get the body and we’ll keep Willow and Tara for backup.”
Xander nodded. “Sounds like a plan to me! I’m in!”
Spike mumbled from his corner. “Yeah, I can’t wait to rip that little snot’s arm off and beat him to death with the wet end. Then I’ll tear his head clean off his body and pi….” He stopped as he realised that everyone was looking at him. “Hey, the guy ticks me off, ok! Shit! Some days it just doesn’t pay to get out of your crypt!”
Xander tried, but simply couldn’t resist it. “So speaks our sensitive, new-age, vampire.” he smirked.
“Shut up.” said Spike miserably.
**********
Tara and Willow cast their circle and began the spell.
Lady of light, hear my plea.
Like calls to like, so mote it be.
Gold and red sparkles began to fill the air
Lady of light, hear my plea.
Like calls to like, so mote it be.
The sparkles grew brighter as the power of the spell increased.
Lady of light, hear my plea.
Like calls to like, so mote it be.
The sparkles seemed to flow into a small phial that held some of Doc’s blood which Giles had scraped from the sword. The circle, the witches and the phial flashed with an incandescent brilliance for a second and then faded back to normal.
“Wow, pretty!” muttered Xander.
“Yes, it can be quite spectacular.” commented Giles proudly.
“It looks so easy!” observed Xander.
“It requires too much power for most practitioners of magick.” stated Giles. “It’s hard to get an accurate fix on a demon.”
“Can we get on with this?” whined Spike.
Willow sat with her head in her hands. Tara scrambled across the floor to hold her tightly.
“Are you alright?” she asked tenderly.
“Headache.” replied Willow. “I need aspirin, … and cuddles. Definitely cuddles first.”
Tara held her closely as Giles went for aspirin and a glass of water.
Spike took the phial and looked at it. It just looked like a phial with black powder in it. Giles returned and noticed the vampire’s curiosity. Handing the glass and the aspirin to Tara he began to explain.
“We’ll tie a thread to the phial and it should pull in the direction of Doc. As we get closer that pull should get stronger.”
“Then do it and we’ll go.” said Spike, handing the phial to Giles.
“Yes, yes. Just a minute.” Giles wound a piece of strong cotton around the phial and tied it securely. He held the end of the thread and the phial seemed to pull in an easterly direction.
Giles turned to Willow and Tara who were still sitting on the floor with their arms around each other. “Ahem. Are you two fit to continue?”
Willow looked up, pale but determined. “Let’s get it over with.”
Tara helped her to her feet.
“Finally!” exclaimed Spike. “Let’s go kick some demon butt!”
**********
It was a surprisingly clear night in Sunnydale. The stars were shining and the air was still. The evening dew glistened from the gargoyles on top of the gothic-style crypt. Giles was still holding onto the thread that held the phial of Doc’s blood, although the pull was now so strong that the thread was almost horizontal.
Giles was about to enter when Spike’s hand on his shoulder stopped him.
“Not so fast professor. I think that a little looking before we leap may be in order.”
Spike peered cautiously into the open doorway and then carefully slipped inside. The rest of the scoobies waited in silence until they heard Spike yell “Run!!”
He came tearing out of the crypt followed closely by a ball of fire which flew over his head as he threw himself to the ground.
They waited for a moment and then, when it was apparent that nothing more was coming, they gathered together again.
“So what happened?” asked Xander.
“A sodding trap!” snarled Spike. “There was a pressure plate inside the door. I told you that bastard was cunning.”
Giles carefully examined the indicated spot. It appeared to be a ‘one shot’ trap. “We should proceed with caution.” he said as he carefully moved into the crypt.
Inside there were four elaborately carved walls and a large stone sarcophagus. Giles and Xander examined the floor for more traps while Spike checked over the stone box in the centre of the room. He pushed the end of his crowbar under the lid and shifted it a few centimetres. Xander and Giles hit the floor while Willow and Tara ducked back outside. Spike just stood there and grinned.
“Made you duck!” chuckled Spike.
“You idiot!” yelled Xander. “You could have blown us all up!”
“Hey, I checked first.” Spike gave the lid a push and it fell to the floor with a thud, breaking into several large pieces.
Willow stuck her head around the door. “No boom?”
Giles picked himself up and dusted himself off. “Come in. It seems to be safe.”
Spike looked inside the sarcophagus. There was a spiral staircase leading down into the darkness. He dropped a piece of the lid down the stairs. There was a flash of light and a tongue of flame leapt up to the ceiling. Xander jumped again.
Spike started downstairs. “Anyone coming?”
Xander grimaced, shook his head, and followed him. Giles helped Willow and Tara down and then took the rear guard and followed them into the darkness.
**********
The stairs led to a long passage with a door at the far end. Spike led them cautiously down the passage. The door was ajar and there was light coming out. He began to carefully push open the door when a soft noise from behind them caught his attention.
“Heads up!” he yelled as they all ducked.
Behind them four vampires now blocked the passage behind them.
Giles shot the nearest one with the small crossbow he was carrying. It disappeared in a cloud of dust. Spike was trying to push past Xander in the narrow corridor.
“Move! You bloody great lump!” snarled Spike.
Giles was struggling to reload his crossbow when he heard Willow yell “Duck!” He just managed to hit the ground when she cried “Inflammare!”
A ball of fire shot over his head and the remaining three vampires burned briefly before being utterly consumed.
Giles picked himself up and dusted himself off. “Where did they come from?” he inquired.
Spike shrugged his shoulders. “Hey, strays have a habit of following me.” He reached down and grabbed Xander by the collar and yanked him to his feet.
“Hey!” protested Xander.
“Follow me.” said Spike.
**********
The room was large and lined purple velvet drapes which were hung from golden ropes. The floor was covered in rich carpet. In an alcove at the far end a body lay on a stone altar, covered in a cloth of gold. There were several of Glory’s demon minions kneeling in front of the altar worshipping their fallen goddess.
They were barely inside when the door slammed behind them.
“How did I know that would happen?” muttered Xander, under his breath.
Three huge, great, hulking demons appeared from behind some drapes across the other side of the room. The minions scurried for cover as the demons moved to attack. Giles fired his crossbow and hit one demon dead in the heart. It looked down, plucked the offending bolt out of its chest and continued on.
“I was afraid of that.” muttered Giles as he pulled an axe from his belt.
Spike didn’t hesitate. He whirled an axe around his head and ran screaming at the lead demon. In a fluid movement he parted its head from its body and it disintegrated in a pile of green goo.
“The bigger they are the slower they get! Aim for the neck!” yelled Spike as he repeated the move on a second demon.
Giles and Xander converged on the third demon who picked up a standing candelabra and used it like a huge club sending them both flying into the wall.
Spike paused a minute to see if the two men would get up. When they failed to move he stepped in to confront the huge demon.
“Keep back!” he yelled to Willow and Tara.
Spike rushed the demon and ducked under the swing of the candelabra knocking the demon’s legs out from under it. He rolled to his feet and brought the axe down in a clean strike which severed the demon’s neck.
Spike stood there for a minute catching his breath. He didn’t see Doc step out from behind a curtain.
“Spike! Look out!” yelled Willow as she grabbed Tara’s hand and began to cast a spell of binding.
Doc didn’t hesitate in the least and pulled the trigger on the Uzi pistol he was carrying.
Several bullets hit Spike in the chest, throwing him back into the drapery. He slid down the wall and was covered in a tangle of curtains and rope.
Suddenly Doc found himself held almost immobile by a shimmering field of energy. Tara could feel Willow’s energy being drained, and tried to send more support to her lover. Willow gave a small cry and sank to the floor. The spell faltered and failed.
Doc shook himself free and pointed the pistol at the two witches.
“No!” shouted Tara as she stepped in front of her Willow.
Her eyes misted over and shone with a clear gold light. Doc sent a burst of bullets flying at her but they seemed to hit a solid barrier and dropped harmlessly to the ground. She murmured a few words and made a gesture. The ropes holding the drapes snaked across the floor and wrapped themselves around Doc’s legs, making him fall to the floor. They continued winding round him until he was immobilised.
He struggled to free himself as Tara walked slowly towards him. Her eyes glowed as she bent to grab his chin.
“Listen carefully. You have gone far down an evil path and revenge stalks you.
But know this. On the day you continue down that path you will surely die.”
Tara’s eyes flashed with golden lightning and Doc fainted.
She turned and took a few steps back towards her Willow before the power pouring though her suddenly cut off and she toppled to the ground.
**********
Spike finally managed to tear through the curtaining and got to his feet. He examined the holes in his favourite jacket and swore. He looked slowly around the room and took in the situation. Glory’s minions had run like the cowards he knew they were. The demons had been slimed. Then he saw Doc who was neatly tied up and either dead or unconscious. Spike grabbed an axe and was about to make very sure that Doc was dead when he spotted Tara sprawled on the floor next to a motionless Willow. The sight froze him where he stood.
Spike’s features changed and a low growl came from his throat. He tightened his grip on the axe and grabbed Doc.
“I’m gonna leave you in pieces so small the rats will think they’re finger food.”
He raised the axe to strike but was stopped by a single, quiet word.
“No.”
Tara lifted her head slightly. “Help Willow!” she whispered before closing her eyes again.
Spike was torn for a second between revenge and compassion. He shook his head and his features returned to a more human form. He flung the axe across the room and went to check on the unconscious women.
**********
Xander slowly managed to get to his feet. He staggered over to Giles who was also beginning to come around.
Spike was sitting on the floor cradling Willow in his arms while Tara crawled over to hold her hand. Willow’s eyelids fluttered and she opened her eyes to see the clear blue of Spike’s eyes looking down at her.
“Hey Spike!” she said weakly.
“Hey yourself.” said Spike, with tears in his eyes.
She turned her head to see Tara.
“Hey Cutie!” she whispered.
Tara swept the hair from her lover’s face.
Spike smiled. Blondie was a bit of a cutie at that. He left Willow in Tara’s arms and went to help Giles.
**********
It didn’t take long for Giles to do what they came there for. He placed a small talisman and some herbs on Ben’s body, stood back and uttered the words “Incendere Consumere!”
The body burned intensely from within for a few seconds before being consumed into ash.
Giles carefully swept the ashes into a bag and put it in his pocket. They would be scattered at sea to make sure they couldn’t be used in any way.
Xander carried Willow while Giles assisted Tara out the door. Spike stood looking over the scene for a minute and was about to turn to leave when he noticed that Doc had managed to free a hand and was pointing the pistol at him.
“Good!” said Spike as he moved to finish off Doc once and for all.
Doc raised the pistol to fire but gave a scream as tongues of flame burst from his chest. He writhed in agony as he was consumed by fire from within. Soon he was nothing but a smoking pile of ashes.
“Wow!” exclaimed Spike. “Remind me never to get the witch mad at me!”
“What’s keeping you?” Giles’ voice echoed from the corridor.
“Nothing.” said Spike.
“Doc’s decided to take up smoking, but I think he’ll stop soon.”
Smiling the smile of the righteously smug, Spike turned and walked out the door.
**********
Willow lay there watching the gentle breathing of her love as she slept. It meant so much to her that Tara was there with her. Willow had realised over the last week that for her, Tara was life itself. Not just smoochies and cuddles, not just a friend and a soul-mate, but essential – like breathing.
Tara stirred slightly in her sleep. Willow reached out and gently swept a stray lock of hair from her face. The blue eyes opened and Tara reached up to caress her beloved’s cheek.
“I love you.”
“And I love you.”
Willow leaned down and kissed the sleep from her lover’s eyes. Their lips touched and in that moment it seemed that all the universe was condensed into their embrace. Time had no meaning and only they existed.
**********
Tara snuggled into Willow’s arms. She was safe, loved, and somehow complete in a way that she had never dreamed of before. She had always thought the traditional wedding vows to be hollow, empty promises that meant little, but now she recalled the words. “For better or for worse, in sickness and in heath, for richer for poorer…” They had meaning now , in Willow.
**********
Willow loved this part of the morning. The time when she could lie in Tara’s arms and they’d talk of anything that crossed their minds. Often the conversation was silly, or funny, but today it was unusually deep and serious. The conversation had somehow turned to Spike and his new found morals.
“He’s a vampire. Vampires are evil.” reasoned Willow. “I will admit he’s kinda nice, in a growly, broody, bad boy sort of way. and he’s been pretty good lately but … he’s a vampire!”
“Isn’t Angel a vampire?”
“Well, yes. But he has a soul. You should have seen him without one. That’s real evil.”
“So, he has a soul. Hitler had a soul. Was he somehow less evil?”
Willow couldn’t think of anything to refute Tara’s logic and wondered how to get her involved in the debating society.
Tara continued. “Spike is only as evil as he himself chooses to be.”
Willow knew she was back on solid ground. “Spike is only as evil as that chip in his head allows him to be.”
Tara smiled. “The chip is an excuse. It only stops him from physically harming a human. Don’t you think, if he really wanted to, he could round up a bunch of evil minion types to do the actual hurting part for him. He wouldn’t even get a mild headache.”
Willow contemplated that idea for a second and decided that Spike would definitely never hear about it from her.
“So, what’s stopping him?” she asked.
“He is. At first I think it may have been the chip but now I think he genuinely cares about us. Mind you, I think you could stake him before he’d admit to it. “ Tara giggled.
“Look how sulky he got yesterday.” Willow smirked.
“He cares about Buffy and I know he and Dawn have a sort of big brother – little sister thing going.” added Tara.
Willow thought on that. “Buffy trusted him, so I guess she saw his better side too.” Her face clouded.
“I can’t believe we’re lying here talking about Buffy like she was still here. I mean … well …, I keep expecting to see her walk in and I forget for a minute…, then I remember - but it feels like a bad dream, but then I can’t wake up and …. I expect to hear her voice, but she’s not there… and, well, it’s all horrible!”
Tara stroked Willow’s hair and held her close. “Yes.” she said softly. “It’s so horrible that it can’t be real and because it is real, it’s more horrible.”
She looked into her beloved’s eyes. “Together we’ll get though this. We’ll never be quite the same but we will get through this.”
Willow hugged her until they were interrupted by Giles walking into the shop.
“Ahem… I’ve, er, um. I thought you might like some breakfast.” Giles very carefully looked anywhere else but the two women in their makeshift bed on the floor. He put a tray holding various foods on the table.
Willow gathered her dignity and got up. “Food! Food is good. Now that you mention it I am a teensy bit starving.”
“We have Weet-bix, toast, crumpets, sausages, and eggs. Oh, and tea, of course. I’ll be ‘mother’, shall I?” Giles turned the pot three times in some obscure British ritual and then began to pour.
“None for me, thanks. I’m a coffee-gal in the morning.” Willow helped herself to some eggs and then decided to go the whole hog and try the Weet-bix.
“Extra white, no sugar please.” said Tara, sitting down and helping herself to toast and eggs.
Giles watched Willow struggle with the dry Weet-bix for a second and then relented. “Ahem. You might find them more palatable if you add milk and perhaps a bit of honey to the bowl.”
Giles poured the tea, found some coffee for Willow and buttered himself a crumpet.
“I thought that while it was quiet we might be able to discuss the, ah … , the funeral.” Giles fixed his gaze firmly on his teacup and continued.
“Now that the phones are back on, I’ve been calling around to make some sort of arrangements, but in the current circumstances it seems that the earliest a traditional service might be held is in three weeks, which I find totally unacceptable.” Giles glanced briefly at Willow before biting the bullet and going on.
“Well, I do have a place next to Joyce already arranged and the necessary permits are easily obtained and I thought that we could arrange the ceremony ourselves. That is, er, if you could…, would…, help me. “ Giles ran out of steam completely at this point and sat staring at the table.
Willow and Tara looked at each other. Tara nodded. Willow took Giles’ hand. “What can we do?”
**********
They’d taken most of the morning in deciding what form the ceremony should take and how to go about it. A church ceremony was eliminated almost immediately, Partly because of Angel and Spike, but also because Buffy wasn’t the church going type. Her beliefs had always been very private. Only some of the late night talks she’d had with Willow in their dormitory days gave any hint of their depth. It was finally decided that the ceremony should involve magick and that effectively eliminated the need for a chaplain or minister.
Giles showed them the four warding seals that were to be placed around a Slayer’s grave to ward it from all evil. The polished silver disks were inscribed in Latin ‘Hic Iaceo Interfectia Quo. Defensor Humanitas’ on one side and were engraved with the Watcher’s seal on the other. It was decided that the setting of the seals should be incorporated into the ceremony but they realised this would mean that they would need four active spell-casters. Willow and Giles went back and forth for nearly an hour on the subject. Spike was eliminated for the obvious reason, Xander didn’t have any magick ability and Anya was too badly hurt. They began to think about Wesley.
Tara had remained silent to this point but she interrupted them now. “Why not ask Dawn?”
Giles immediately rejected this idea. “She’s only a child. She shouldn’t have to be burdened with any of this.”
Tara shook her head. “She’s young, but she’s gone through too much to be ‘only a child’. Besides, she’s Buffy’s sister and has a sister’s right to be part of this.”
“You’re right.” said Willow slowly. “Dawn should be in this. She certainly has the ability and being involved may help her deal with all of this.”
Giles said nothing for a while. It was almost possible to see the emotional conflict moving back and forth across his face until he finally reached a decision point. “Very well. I will ask her when I pick her up today. But I won’t push and it must be completely her own decision.”
“Are you bringing her here, or are you taking her to her house?” asked Tara.
“I thought her own room might be the best thing at the moment.” replied Giles. “I’ll be staying there myself for a while.”
“I think that Tara should stay there too.” suggested Willow. “Dawn will need as much support as we can give her.”
“Where will you be?” asked Tara, worried at what Willow might have in mind.
“I’ll leave for LA tonight.” Willow took Tara’s hand. “Angel should be told and he deserves more than just a phone call.”
Tara nodded. “I understand.”
“I wish I could take you with me. This is going to be so hard.” Willow took a deep breath. “But Dawn needs you just now and … you know.”
“I understand.” said Tara slowly. “But hurry back, because I need you too.” She leaned over to give Willow a cuddle.
Giles cleared his throat. “We’ll have the ceremony in three days. That should be time enough to make the arrangements.”
“And I’ll be back by then.” promised Willow.
**********
It was early evening three days later when a small group stood around a carved wooden casket which was placed over an open grave. Dawn, Willow, Tara, and Giles stood in a circle around the casket. Angel, Wesley, and Cordelia were on one side while Spike was standing with Xander and Anya, who was in a wheelchair, on the other.
Dawn put her seal on the ground before her, took a deep breath and began.
I call upon thee Ra-pha-el
Guardian of the East
Spirit of Air
Lift us up.
Willow placed her seal and followed.
I call upon thee Mic-ha-el
Guardian of the North
Spirit of Fire
Purify us.
Tara set her seal in the earth as she intoned solemnly.
I call upon thee Ur-i-el
Guardian of the South
Spirit of Earth
Protect us.
Giles lowered his seal to the ground and completed the ward.
I call upon thee Gab-ri-el
Guardian of the West
Spirit of Water
Bring us peace.
A cross of light connected the wards as they sank into the earth.
Willow raised her hands to the night sky.
“We ask a blessing on the spirit of the one who is gone from us.”
Giles continued.
“She gave herself for us.”
Dawn followed, with tears glistening in her eyes.
“That by her death we might live.”
Tara lifted their oath to the heavens,
“And we will remember her gift to us.”
Together they stood as Spike and Angel lowered the casket into the grave.
“Let the earth open and cradle her.
Let the soft rain fall upon her.
Let the gentle breeze caress her.
Let the sun shine down upon her.”
The earth closed, filling the grave and leaving a bare patch of ground.
Giles concluded the ceremony.
“Blessed be this resting place.
Let no evil or evil intent come here.
May it always be like her memory.
Evergreen.”
It seemed like a ray of moonlight fell gently to the earth below as a carpet of green grass and covered the grave.
Xander wheeled Anya over to Dawn and they both hugged her before leaving. Wesley and Cordelia followed. Spike knelt down in front of the girl and clasped her tightly for a few seconds before walking off. Tara and Willow surrounded her in a big hug and then left, following the others.
Giles and Dawn stood there for a long while, hand in hand. Giles handed Dawn his handkerchief and she dried her eyes. They stood for a while longer. Then, hand in hand, they turned and walked away.
**********
No one saw Angel leave or noticed where he went. After Giles and Dawn finally left he stepped out of the shadows. He stood vigil over the grave until it was nearly sunrise.
**********
It was a week later that the headstone was placed.
Buffy ANNE SUMMERS
1981-2001
Beloved SISTER
Devoted FRIEND
She SAVED THE WORLD
A LOT
The End
*****************************************************************
“Hic Iaceo Interfectia Quo. Defensor Humanitas” translates very loosely as “Here lies the Slayer. Defender of Humanity” (with apologies to real Latin scholars everywhere)
Thanks to all those people who sent me feedback and pointed out my mistakes. Culpa est mea! I hope you enjoyed this story. Credit also goes to Karen who acted as my sounding-board, answered stupid questions at 2am, and fed me occasionally.
Forrister.
Edited by: BytrSuite at: 10/21/03 3:29 pm
Very, very nice. 