Title: A Summers End
Series: Help From The Future For The Past
Author: Kimberly aka last_days_of_pern
Email: [email protected]
Homepage: http://www.geocities.com/last_days_of_pern
Feedback: *Stands up* Hi my name in Kimberly and I'm a feedback
addict :P
Rating: Pg-13, R at most
Pairing: Willow/Tara, Buffy/Faith, Anya/Xander, Cordelia/Kate,
Dawn/Danny, Iz/Samantha, Giles/Tabitha
Disclaimers: I don’t own anything, please don’t sue me
Summary: The Summer and the series comes to a close.
*************************************************
***W&T's apartment***
"I don't want to go back." Willow said in a little voice as
Tara held her in their bed.
"Willow you've always loved school, I won't let you quit on
it now, just because…" Tara's voice trailed off, the pain of their
lost friends still too new to talk about.
"Because what? Because one of my best friends in the world
is dead. The person who made school bearable all those years ago
won't be there Tara, how am I supposed to deal with that huh?" Tears
were streaming down her face, but Willow didn't care. First Xander
left for L.A. and now Buffy was dead. Dead. Never to be seen or
heard from again. Everything she loved about school just didn't seem
loveable with both of them gone.
Tara just looked at her wife with tears brimming in her
eyes, she knew her lover was devastated by the loss, but she also
knew it would do no good to just stop their lives, life had
to go on. "Willow, honey, I know you're hurting, we all are, but
what would Buffy say if you gave up school?"
Willow gave the question serious thought then
answered, "she'd yell at me and tell me how stupid I'm being."
Tara gave Willow a teary smile, "exactly, so?"
"I'll register for my classes today." Willow said then
climbed out of bed and went into the bathroom to shower.
Once her wife was out of earshot, and no longer needed her to
be strong Tara broke down. She had lost her best friend too. Even
though it could be said that Faith was her exact opposite, they
understood each other. They were best friends, that's how it
worked. And now she was gone, like Buffy. Never again would she
walk into a Scooby meeting and see them sitting on the table arguing
about some cartoon or another. Tara held her pillow and buried her
head in it, never again would she be able to go to the Summers house
and talk to Faith about some insecurity that the younger girl would
tell her to snap out of. Never again.
*****************
***Hades***
"So this is hell? Must be `cause I distinctly remember you
being Satan."
"Hello Faith, yes this is hell, and I am Lucifer, and you're
in the wrong place."
"Huh? Mean I get to go to Heaven after all?"
"Nope."
"Well then you've lost me."
"You're not supposed to be dead, the world still needs you,
your friends still need you."
"And B?"
"Behind you."
"Huh?" Faith turned around and sure enough there was Buffy,
beautiful as ever.
"B?" Anger rose in the younger slayer, "what the
hell, pardon the pun, are you doing here. You're supposed to be
alive and kickin'," she pointed up, "up there!"
"Faith?" Buffy was still trying to get over the shock of
seeing her dead lover again, which shouldn't have been to big a
surprise since the last thing she remembered was slicing her wrists.
"Welcome to the party of people not supposed to be here,"
Lucifer said from his post near a large fireplace, which was about
all the fire Faith or Buffy could see. Odd, this was hell, where was
rest of the flames and guys with pitchforks?
"So what now? What are we supposed to do?"
"Poseidon has made a claim for your souls, apparently he
promised a watcher or two that everyone would be making it home. I
would send you back myself, but I don't have that kind of power, he
does."
"So our souls belong to Poseidon?" Buffy asked finally
getting over the shock of what was happening.
"Yup, and speaking of…" Just then Poseidon appeared in the
chamber. "They're all yours, no offence, but hope I never see the
three of you, or your friends again." And with that he was gone.
"We get to go home?"
"I'm afraid things aren't that simple Faith."
********************
***Giles's apartment***
"Christine."
"What?"
"Christine Frayer, the new slayer, from some small town in
Missouri. The council is sending her here to be trained, by the both
of us." Giles handed Tabitha a cup of steaming tea.
"Oh, how old is she?"
"15, same age as most. I'm told she's spirited, which is
what they said about Buffy when I was assigned to…" Giles put his
cup down and buried his head in his hands. Tabitha moved over to him
and rubbed his back in silent support. She knew as well as any that
Buffy and even Faith had become like daughters to the older man. And
he had lost both of them, and blamed himself for it. And now, the
rest of his `children' were letting the group they all cherished so
much dwindle, of all the low points, this was truly the lowest.
*********************
***Hades***
"Not that simple, define not that simple." Buffy was getting
angry; she wanted to go home, with Faith at her side.
"Your bodies were buried Buffy, I can't very well just put
your souls back into them."
"So what, reincarnation?" Faith asked, oddly she was the one
keeping a cool head while Buffy was rattling at the seems.
"No, something else entirely."
***************
***Magic Box***
"Thank you, please come again," Cordelia handed the customer
their change and watched them walk out of the store; as soon as they
were gone she slumped back into her chair. She hated having to be
here when no one else was. Even in the best of times when everyone
was happy and in love someone was always hanging out at the store,
which made work so much more fun. But now…she could feel everyone
pulling away from each other. It was like the backbone of the group
was gone and all the other bones were falling off. She had seen the
Scoobies go through the master, evil Spike and Angel and Faith, Adam,
evil Riley, Drusilla and Darla, evil watchers, reunions of the most
heartbreaking themes, Glory and her minions, evil vampire Willow, the
knights of Byzantine, and so much more, and now they were falling
apart. It just didn't make sense.
The little bell above the door went off signaling another
customer, Cordelia stood up and was about to greet who ever it was
when she realized that no one was there. "Hello?" No
answer. "Anyone there?" Again, no answer. "Great now I'm going
crazy." Cordelia was about to sit down again when she saw a small
box sitting on the counter. She was about to reach out for it and
open it when she got flashbacks of the whole Pandora's box
fiasco, "time to call a Scooby research meeting." She muttered to
herself.
****************
***Hades***
"Ok, so how?"
"I've sent a present to your friends, they will be the ones
to bring you back, and when you are, the last memory you'll have is
what ever your last living memory was."
"So the gang is gonna do the voodoo that they do and bring us back?" Faith
asked.
"Yes, and when you go, you'll be able to train your
replacement."
"Replacement? Oh the next slayer, whoo hoo," Faith said
sarcastically.
"It will do the world good to have a warrior elsewhere,
Sunnydale is not the only place demon ridden. Once you have taught
her all you know, she will go out and save the world from somewhere
else."
"Works for me, how long till they get us back?"
******************
***Magic Box***
"Look…engravings…"
"Dawn NO!"
"Hseand owendw aiwndnx nowndaix…what the hell does that mean?"
A bright flash of light filled the room; temporarily blinding
all the Scoobies, when they looked up again they saw Buffy and Faith
standing in the middle of the room.
"How the hell did we get here…?" Faith asked looking around.
"Faith you're alive, and how did we get here?" Buffy threw
herself into Faith's arms and didn't let go.
"Buffy…Faith?" Giles looked dumbfounded at the two girls.
It took only seconds before the slayers were pulled into one large
Scooby sized group hug. The slayers were back!
"Ok, so we were dead? How did we get back here?" Buffy
asked once their friends had stopped hugging Faith and herself and
allowed them to sit down.
"I read the box and poof, return of the slayers," Dawn said
obviously proud of herself and her supposed achievement.
"Box? What box? This isn't another time loop thing is it?"
Faith asked more than a little concerned, she still had time loop
nightmares. She so didn't want to go through all that again…it just
wasn't any fun.
"Um…well…it doesn't appear to be since…well we all remember
you…you dieing…"
"It's ok Giles," Buffy said to let the English man keep his
dignity by not showing too much emotion in public. Even if it was
only the Scooby gang present.
"Oh…oh someone should call Xander and Angel and all of them
in L.A. They were upset and worried, and now they don't have to
be, `cause the reason for upset is over, and you're back…both of you…
which is good, and hey I'm shutting up now." Willow said out of
nowhere, then made a twisting motion in front of her mouth,
indicating that it was locked shut.
She then handed the imaginary key to Tara, who took it and pretended
to put it in her pocked, smiling all the while at her wife's good
mood. "And Marci in San Francisco… she just left yesterday, you
almost got to see her," Tara added after the imaginary key was put
away in a safe place, in case it was needed later of course.
"Yes…good idea, I think that…I'll go make the phone calls
then," Giles walked into the back room so that he could compose
himself as well as make the calls telling everyone both slayers were
alive and kickin'…for some unknown, at this time, reason.
A blue shadow in the shape of a man stood in the background
with a benevolent smile on it's aged looking face, `I always keep my
word watcher.' Then as if it were never really there, it was gone.
Although they didn't know he was there, it would be the last time any
of the Scoobies ever saw or heard from Poseidon, god of the seas,
again, in this life anyway.
*****************************
***B&F's room; later that night***
"I can't believe they finally left us alone, and unsupervised
even," Faith said as she stretched, then slipped into bed next to
Buffy.
"Well you did threaten to just strip in front of them if they
didn't," Buffy replied with mock terror, "imagine the damage that
could do to fragile minds." Buffy couldn't help but smirk at her
lover, it was just so much fun teasing her, something she didn't
think she would ever get to do again.
"Oh yeah what a threat that is, naked Faith, ah scary," Faith
grumbled sarcastically as she slipped her arms around the smaller
girl and pulled her close, "mmmmm, good to be home." She lightly
kissed Buffy's collarbone and then rested her head on Buffy's chest.
"Well I can't say that naked Faith has ever scared me," Buffy
joked, "but I am the big bad slayer, immune to most scary things.
Which is good, don't think I could afford any more mental scars." For
her effort Faith pinched her belly. "Hey, ouch!" This of course
started an all out tickle war. Which abruptly ended when Faith
noticed tears in Buffy's eyes. Buffy answered the unspoken
question, "god I didn't know I'd ever see you again, I love you so
much!" Buffy pulled Faith to her in a crushing hug, and sobbed for a
while over what she almost lost.
"Hey B, you ok?" Faith asked after Buffy's sobs finally quieted and
her breathing became normal and unhitched.
Buffy sniffled a little then answered, "yeah, guess so…don't ever do
that to me again though…ok?" She asked in a tiny voice that
threatened to break Faith's heart.
"Right, no more dieing, gottcha," Faith cuddled up next to
Buffy, "now get some sleep, we'll talk more in the morning."
Another few sniffles, "ok."
************************
***Giles's Apartment; wee hours of the morning***
"Not one bloody mention of that damn box or the engravings
anywhere in all these blasted books!" Giles slammed yet another book
closed. Tons of ancient tombs were scattered all over the place,
from his frantic search for anything mentioning the little box that
had appeared from nowhere and supposedly brought his slayers back
home.
"This has got to be some kind cosmic joke. Damn deities have nothing
better to do than play with people's lives. Powers that be
interfering with all kinds of things…" He muttered under his breath…
after all wouldn't want them to know he was down here cursing them…
that could be bad for his…well his life really.
Giles stood and stretched his aching bones then cleaned his
glasses for the millionth time that night. "Tea. Definitely need
tea." He walked into his kitchen and went about making the tea, his
mind never straying from the task at hand. If it was the last thing
he did in all his life he would find out how the box had brought back
Buffy and Faith, if in fact it was the blasted box that had done it
at all in the first place.
*********************
***W&T's apartment***
"Are you asleep?" Willow whispered into the dark poking Tara
in the side, hoping her wife would be awake and willing to talk.
"Yes," came the muffled reply as Tara burrowed herself deeper
into the pillow and blankets in a feeble attempt to be reclaimed by
sleep. Sleep was good. She wanted more sleep.
"Liar," Willow chuckled then pulled down the blankets from
her lover's face so that she could see her better, "talk to me?" She
asked in a more serious voice, willing to plead if she had to.
Tara opened one eye and looked at the clock on the night
stand, 4:30 in the morning way too early for a heart to heart, she
sighed and rolled over so that she was looking at Willow, "everything
ok love?"
"Yeah, fine," Willow answered very unconvincingly like.
"Honey what's wrong?" Tara sat up and turned on the lamp on
the bedside table so she could better see Willow's face.
Willow was teary eyed but didn't know why, she had gotten two
of her best friends back today, er yesterday, she had her wife next
to her, willing to talk to her before the sun even thought of coming
up in the sky, she couldn't think of anything else she could ever
want. Well except a million dollars, but hey you live with what you
got. "I don't know…it's just…something's wrong…I can feel it…"
"Shh…it's ok I've got you," Tara pulled Willow to her and
kissed the top of her head. She couldn't help but feel a sense of
doom come over her. Willow's powers had been getting stronger; this
feeling could be a foretelling of something bad to come in the not so
distant future. "Can you describe it? … The feeling I mean." Tara
asked gently.
Willow pulled back from the comforting embrace and put on a
face of intense concentration, "it's like… all the air is being
sucked out of the room, and replaced by this white…I'm not making any
sense…it's just what ever it is… it isn't good."
Tara nodded and pulled Willow to her again, turning off the
light she settled them back into the warm covers and cooed Willow
back to sleep, although sleep eluded her for rest of the night…er
morning. After all that had just happened to them, a bad feeling was
very unwelcomed…well ok bad feelings were never welcomed, but you
know what I mean.
*****************
***B&F's room***
"We still alive?" Buffy asked sleepily, "'cause if not I'm
in heaven."
This earned her a chuckle from her bedmate, "yeah B, we're
still alive…"
"Goody…oooh I smell sweet rolls…come get sweet rolls!!"
Another chuckle, "alright, alright, give me a sec will ya…
sheesh." Buffy clapped her hands together like a little kid in
anticipation. She loved Samantha's sweet rolls. After a few minutes
both girl were in presentable morning cloths. They both headed
downstairs to the gathering that was already there. The usual people
who lived in the house were there of course, but so was the rest of
the Scooby gang, this includes the L.A. chapter and Marci. "Hey it's
a party."
Marci jumped off the stool she was previously occupying and
ran to Faith. "You're alive!"
"Yeah me and B already established that this morning, but
thanks for reminding me Marc…and if you don't let go I won't be for
much longer." Faith choked out despite Marci's death grip on her.
"Sorry," Marci said with a sheepish grin as she pulled away
from the friendly embrace, but didn't move far away.
"So where's your little witch?"
"Phoebe had a premonition just as we were leaving, she had to
stay behind and help her sisters vanquish something or other."
During this exchange between friends Buffy made a beeline for the
sweet rolls. "Mmmmm good!" Faith rolled her eyes and looked around
at the people standing in the kitchen. Who knew she'd ever have this
many friends.
The watcher types were off in a corner being boring adult watcher
types. Dawn had turned on the TV to cartoons, and Faith plopped down
next to her to watch Bugs Bunny do his thang. The supernatural types
were discussing something that you just shouldn't discuss over
breakfast. The witchy types were just trying to stay awake. And the
normal people were taking in the scene of domestic bliss with smiles
on their faces. All in all, things were good…for now.
**************************
***UCS registration offices***
"Name?" The overworked office handler barked out to the
student sitting across from her.
"Nikki Simms."
****************************
***Magic Box; one week later***
"Get your classes all settled?" Buffy asked Willow and Tara
as they walked into the magic shop hand in hand.
"Yup, we even managed to get some classes together, plus so
with you." Willow beamed, her usual spark finally back in place.
Faith walked in behind them, a scowl on her face. "Faith didn't have
as much fun as we did." Willow added conspiratorially.
"Hell was better than that mad house! And Lucifer was a hell
of a lot nicer than that lady who got me registered." Faith grumbled
as she sat down at the Scooby only table, where all the fun time
Scooby meetings were held.
"Aw poor baby," Buffy cooed mockingly. Although she could
still remember when she registered for freshman year, it was
torturous in the extreme. She took a seat next to Faith, and across
the table from the Wiccans. "So what did ya get?"
"Jus' the normal intro classes…" Faith answered, being very
firm like in her grumpy mood.
"Aw come on, be happy you're a college student now… that’s a
whoo hoo…right? I'll buy you ice cream if you cheer up…" Buffy said
in her best `convince a kid' voice.
Faith raised a perfectly shaped eyebrow, and was about to say
something, no doubt in the snippy category, so Tara decided to jump
in and save the day. "So when did you register Buffy? `Cause next
time I'm going when you do…early like."
"End of last year when they were hanging around telling
people it would be better now than later, I went then. Saved a
headache and was guaranteed the classes I wanted." Buffy said
proudly.
"Show off," Willow accused, earning her a comical best friend
like glare from Buffy.
While glaring Buffy thought, "yeah ok you're right." The
matter-of-factness in the way Buffy said it made everyone laugh,
which is what the scene was when Iz and Samantha walked in.
"Telling Anya jokes again?" Iz asked with mock sternness,
although they were some of her favorite kinds of jokes to listen to.
"Nope…really scouts honor," Faith replied to the disbelieving
look, while making a scouts honor gesture.
Buffy leaned over and asked in her ear, "were you ever really
a scout?"
"Guess you'll never know," Faith taunted. Which caused Buffy
to grumble…although her own mood had vastly improved.
Cordelia looked over at the small group from the counter.
Everyone was laughing and having fun, just the way it should be. And
luckily there hadn't been any big disasters lately, or little ones
either. Ever since the slayers came back from the dead there was
hardly even a vamp a piece at night. But since fall was coming in,
so would the nasties, things never stayed so un-evil like in
Sunnydale for very long.
CRASH!
Everyone's heads snapped to the now shattered window at the
front of the magic shop. A rock had just sailed through it and
landed in the middle of the floor, with a note attached to it. Buffy
got up and went to the rock, while Faith went to the window to look
out to try and see anyone who might still be lingering from the
vicious attack on the helpless window. Buffy read the note out loud
for everyone to hear.
Slayers,
We are coming for you! Tonight will
be the end of you, FOR GOOD!
"Huh, how unoriginal is that?! Just once I wish someone with
creativity would try and kill us." Buffy threw the rock and note on
the table.
Tara looked over at her wife with fear in her eyes and
mouthed the words, `your bad feeling?'
Willow's mouth went dry, she nodded her head and then tried
to tell Buffy about it, but Giles came into the room immediately
asking question about his poor window. "What in the bloody hell
happened to the window?!"
"Rock." Buffy explained with a bored tone.
"And?!"
"It went through the window," Faith finished the explanation,
wondering what in the hell had gotten into her girlfriend, "I didn't
see anyone though." Faith shot Buffy a questioning look, that Buffy
didn't respond to.
"Said they're gonna kill us all dead and stuff…tonight
even." Buffy added, in the same bored tone as before. Willow
watched her best friend, and decided that it would be better to tell
Giles and Faith about the feeling she had gotten. Something was
definitely up with Buffy.
That afternoon Willow managed to get both Giles and Faith
alone at the same time. Not an easy task mind you, what with all the
Scoobies always hanging around, not to mention Buffy, who was who she
was concerned about in the first place. She screwed up all courage
and plunged ahead, "have you guys noticed anything weird with Buffy
lately?"
"You mean the whole no one can touch me `tude she's got
workin' for her?" Faith responded calmly, although inside she was
completely freaking out over her girlfriend's attitude.
"That would be what I'm talking about." Willow answered.
"What are you talking about?" Giles inquired, he was
completely lost. Earlier when the rock had come through the widow he
was more concerned about the window than Buffy's reaction.
"She's kinda in a, `oooh no one can hurt me' mode right
now." Willow explained. "I'm worried about her."
"I'm sure she'll be fine, this is Buffy we're talking
about." Giles said reasonably.
"That's what I'm afraid of," Faith said under her breath and
walked out into the main room of the Magic Box, where rest of the
Scoobies were sitting around. Willow followed her out, the worried
expression never leaving her face.
After a few minutes of everyone researching in quiet Tara
said, "um, I think I found the box."
Giles got up and walked to where Tara was seated and glanced
over her shoulder. Sure enough it was the box that had appeared in
the Magic Box. "Poseidon's trinket. Well that doesn't sound so
bad. Nothing about the inscription though."
"So all this research for a jewelry box?" Iz scowled, "well
that was time well spent," she remarked sarcastically.
"So basically he wanted us to know the spell to bring back
Buffy and Faith so he sent a little box to us hoping someone would
read it?" Sam asked, slapping her girlfriend's thy under the table
and giving her a stern look, which just made her scowl more.
Giles sighed, "that's what it appears to be."
Dawn was sitting at the table all just itching to mention
that she was the one who read it, so Tabitha spoke up, "yes Dawn, you
did good." Dawn clapped her hands happily, but refrained from saying
anything for the time being. She would no doubt bring it up later,
and often after that. Tabitha just shook her head at the young
girl's antics, `sheesh, she and Danny are just too perfect for each
other.' The thought made her smile.
"So one big mystery solved on to the other?" Tara asked.
"Other? Oh yes, the ah…matter of who it is who bro…I mean
threatened Buffy and Faith."
"No worries, we'll take care of `em who ever it is, right
baby?" Faith just nodded her head, she was going to have a long talk
with her girlfriend later…really long talk.
"Um well yes, that's good and all…but we should be prepared…
you need to know who it is you're facing."
Spike with his impeccable timing walked in just at that
moment and said, "Kelots." When everyone just stared at him with a
blank expression he rolled his eyes. "Kelots," he spread the word
out like he was talking to small children, "type of demon. Likes to
eat their victim's essence, stronger the essence, more it wants to
kill ya. Which make you two," he indicated Faith and Buffy, "prime
targets."
"Kelots…never heard of `em. How did you come by this
information Spike?" Tabitha asked, even as Giles headed towards his
trusty books.
"Just spent an hour talkin' to the blokes at Willy's…nice
guys if you ignore the whole unicorn thing they have goin'."
"Unicorn?" Faith asked, getting some interesting images of
fighting a big horse with a horn and wings.
"Yep big horn center of their heads…they use it to stick in
their victim's heart, suck out the essence and all that."
"Ah here it is…well no wonder we haven't heard of them.
They're an endangered species."
"Endangered, my favorite kind of demon," Buffy smirked.
"Well um it says here, mind you this was the 40's, that there
were only 20 left in the world."
"Spike how many were at the bar?" Tabitha inquired.
"Two, but they have four more friends, which gives ya six
of `em to fight…did I mention the whole 12 feet tall bit?"
Faith groaned, "six 12 feet tall demons, this should be
fun." She looked at Willow and Tara, "got any plans tonight?"
"Well I was planning on doing my laundry but…sure why not."
Willow said playfully. Tara nodded her head to show she was willing
to help.
"Oh count me in too," Iz said.
"Well then I guess I got nothing better to do," Samantha
smirked.
"Well that evens us out, hey Spikey wanna go out and play
tonight?" Faith asked wiggling her eyebrows.
"Oh yeah! Although it will be almost a shame killing `em,
what with them being all endangered." Spike said very unconvincingly.
Giles was about to say that he would join them when Faith cut
him off, "hey G-man, feel like hanging out with a teenage boy-crazy
girl? Big fun."
"I'm not boy crazy…I'm Danny crazy." Dawn defended herself.
Giles groaned, which made Tabitha grin at him, "oh come on
I'll bring Danny over, we could get movies, make a night out of it."
This placated Giles somewhat. But he wasn't looking forward to
keeping Dawn and Danny from making out all night.
During the whole playful exchange Buffy sat quietly. `I'm
the slayer, Faith and I don't need them to kill some demons…'
*****************
***Sunnydale; Warehouse district***
"So that's them?" Faith asked looking at six of the biggest
demons she had ever seen, all at once anyway.
"Yep, those two off to the left are the ones from Willy's."
"How can you tell, they all look the same." Willow asked
staring at the Kelots, mentally going over every spell she and Tara
fished out of books to use against the huge endangered demons.
"Smell."
"From here?" Faith asked, completely not believing the
neutered vamp.
"Yup…beer meets sewage, interesting combo, could smell it
from three blocks back."
"So that's what the smell is?" Faith asked scrunching up her
nose.
"Are we going to sit here and chat all night, or are we going
to do something about them?!" Buffy asked angrily.
"Sure B, just calm down, save it for the bad guys."
Buffy stared daggers at her girlfriend, but didn't comment
anymore; instead she headed out and started sneaking towards the
lounging demons, a huge sword in hand. For demons that promised to
kill them tonight they were sure taking their time about doing
anything. From the look of it they were playing poker. Suddenly one
demon jumped up and threw his cards down, yelling at another, the
words of a language none of the Scoobies knew.
The demon being yelled at stood up, the force throwing his
chair backwards 10 feet. The two were yelling loudly at each other,
providing plenty of distraction for a Scooby attack. Buffy and Faith
came out of their hiding spot, and each cut the head off a demon
using the large swords they carried.
Spike jumped on one's back and started beating it in the
head. Samantha and Iz shooting it with crossbow bolts. Willow and
Tara started chanting and one of the demons began to glow, then
simply burst. Buffy and Faith each charged another of the demons,
making quick work of them. The final demon, which had been sitting
at the top of the large table sat quietly. Not seeming to mind the
destruction of his brethren. When all the demons but the leader were
dead all the Scooby gang turned on him.
"You are already to late slayers."
"Huh? You're the one that threw a rock in our window saying
you were gonna kill us tonight, or did ya forget that already."
The demon gave an evil smirk to Faith, and repeated, "you are
to late slayers, you fell right into our plan, stupid mortals," he
glanced at Spike, "and immortals. The essence we sought is being
drained as we speak."
Being tired of the ramblings, Buffy chopped off it's head.
All the Kelots were dead. "What the hell did you do that for, he was
a second from the `evil discloses evil plan' part of the
discussion?!" Faith yelled at Buffy, who just shrugged.
"Um guys," everyone looked to Samantha who was holding what
looked like blueprints, "I think these are the blueprints to the
house."
"Why would the essence eating demons want a blueprint to the
house-o-Summers?" Faith asked walking around the table to get a look
at the blueprints.
Buffy's face went white and she whispered, "Dawn." Although
quiet it was loud enough for all to hear. Everyone looked at each
other, hesitating for only a second, then all ran to the door to get
to the Summers' home.
********************
***Summers' Home***
"Well that's two hours of our lives we'll never get back."
Giles said disgustedly as he pulled DVD out of the player.
"Oh come oh Rupert, it was…interesting." Tabitha said from
her perch on the couch.
"I thought it was good," Danny said.
"Me too…I just love that Eliza Dushku she totally rocks!"
"I just liked the little cheerleader uniforms," Danny smirked.
Dawn tossed a pillow at her boyfriend and glared at him, but
couldn't resist his goofy smile and smiled back, "I'll get you for
that later."
"Promise?" Danny wagged his eyebrows making Dawn dissolve
into giggles. And making Tabitha and Giles groan, how did they get
roped into this again?
"It brought bad memories of Cordelia and Buffy trying out for
the cheerleading squad." Giles said reclaiming his seat by
Tabitha.
"Oh I remember that, sorta…" Dawn said with a mildly puzzled
expression, which made Giles and Tabitha chuckle.
"Well what happened?"
"Well a girl was set on fire, Amy was taken over by her
mother, Cordelia was blinded…"
"Speaking of, where is Cordelia, and Kate for that matter?"
"Flu, I believe one gave it to the other, and now they're
both at home suffering."
"Tell us more about the weird cheerleading stuff?" Danny
asked, "and who's Amy?"
"Amy is now Willow and Tara's pet rat, you see her mother was
a witch, and…" A loud crash stole everyone's attention, "what the
bloody hell was that?"
Giles started to get up only to be over powered by one of the
Kelots storming the house. "You!" It pointed it's large hand at
Dawn, and started to head to her. Danny jumped in front of Dawn,
Tabitha in front of Danny, and Giles in front of Tabitha. There were
only three Kelots, but their size plus the fact no one had any
weapons with them made the odds extremely bad for the watchers and
teenagers.
"Leave!" Giles yelled in his best commanding Ripper voice,
it had no effect though.
"Give girl, you live." The Kelot said in broken English,
obviously not his native tongue.
"No!" Giles said protectively. The Kelot slapped Giles
aside, taking Tabitha with him, leaving just Danny to stand between
the demon and Dawn.
The demon shoved Danny into the couch and put his head
forward ready to stick the horn into Dawn's chest to suck out her
essence to feed on. Danny jumped up and threw himself in front of
Dawn just as Buffy and the rest ran into the house. The Kelot had
gained too much forward momentum, and couldn't stop himself, everyone
watched horrified as the horn was shoved into Danny's chest, then
lifted into the air.
"Noooo!" Tabitha and Dawn screamed at the same time. Buffy
wasted no more time, and rammed her sword into the demon, while Faith
and the Scoobies took out the others. Danny's body fell to the
floor, and Tabitha ran to him. She put her head on his chest trying
to hear a heartbeat.
Nothing.
Dawn fell to her knees and stared at her boyfriend's body.
He was gone, because of her. All that could be heard in the room was
Tabitha's wailings over her lost son, and in that moment something in
the room shifted, changed. Something irreplaceable was taken from
them…
*****************
***Magic Box; two day later***
"Hey Giles, how's Tabby doing?" Faith asked coming out of
the training room with Buffy, rest of the Scoobies were sitting at
the table, all still visibly upset over what happened.
Giles took off his glasses and wiped them off, and sighed, "I
haven't the slightest, she won't let anyone see her, I wish…"
The little bell on the door went off and everyone looked up
to see Tabitha walk in. She walked to the center of the main room,
looking at everyone there, and then spoke, "I'm leaving."
"What? Leaving?" Faith asked, she didn't want to loose
another watcher.
"I will not bury my son in this god forsaken town," Tabitha
replied coldly, shaking with the effort it took not to cry, "I'm
taking him back to Ireland."
"Are you coming back?" Giles asked putting his glasses back
on finally.
Tabitha stared down at the floor in front of her, "no," she
finally answered quietly, "I already put in my resignation papers
with the council, and surprisingly, they're letting me go without
argument, please do the same." And with that she turned around and
walked back out of the shop for the last time. Everyone was to
stunned to say anything. They could understand though, so no one went
after her, it would be easier that way.
After a long silence Buffy said, "I should get home and check
on Dawn." She walked out, not looking back.
"So this is it?" Tara asked sadly. Everyone left looked at
her, waiting for her to explain her question. "This is how it beats
us, this is how we fall?"
"I didn't really think it would ever happen. What have we
let ourselves become?" Giles asked sinking down into a chair at the
ever present table.
"What that's it?! You're…you're just going…going to give
up?! We…we can't give up, not…no not after coming this, after doing
as much as we have!" Willow almost shouted. Tara pulled Willow to
her and held her, letting the smaller girl cry out her frustration.
"We're not giving up Willow," Faith said calmly, still
looking out the door Buff had just left from, "we'll still patrol,
we'll still have to research, and…"
"And it will never be the same?" Willow asked from her
sniffles, turning her pleading eyes on Faith, wishing the younger
girl had the answers she needed.
"No," Faith said sadly, "no things can never go back now…time
moves forward, and we…" Faith sighed and walked out without another
word.
The rest of the group who had until now sat quietly now
started to move, "I should get some work done," Kate said and rose
from her spot next to Cordelia.
"Yeah me too, after all I do work here," Cordelia and Kate
shared a brief kiss, then went their separate ways.
Iz and Samantha looked at each other, then to the remaining
people, "we should…" Iz hung her head sadly, "goodbye." At this
point people stopped asking if the goodbyes were the last ones, it
was obvious in the body language that most were.
Finally just Willow, Tara, and Giles sat at the Scooby
table. "C'mon, let me take you home," Tara said gently to the still
crying Willow, she was the only one still shedding tears, the rest
were all cried out, and ready to move on with life. Willow nodded
her head, and Tara lead her out, neither said goodbye. The would
stay…they would research what needed researching…and they would still
use their magic to help out when needed…
Giles looked around at the empty shop, "and so comes to an
end…the mightiest have fallen." Giles got up and went into the back
room to get some work done.
The main room of the Magic Box sat empty…
SERIES END…?
*******************
Epilogue:
Willow and Tara:
Willow came into her apartment to see her
wife already home sitting on the couch reading the paper, "hey."
"Hiya," Tara gave her wife a half-hearted smile, which was
returned. She put the paper down, and Willow came over and snuggled
up to her. "How was your first day?"
"Long, I missed you." Willow answered. She had started her
first classes of the new semester today…her senior year.
"I missed you too, but hey I'll be there tomorrow," this time
the smile was genuine.
"How did you get out of having Monday classes?" Willow
pouted.
Tara leaned down and said in Willow's ear, "magic."
*******************
Buffy and Faith and Dawn:
"How was school kiddo?" Faith asked when Dawn wandered into
the kitchen.
"High school is so much bigger than jr. high…and my teachers
are meaner…I should have flunked."
Faith smiled at the younger girl, "aw c'mon it couldn't have
been that bad. Dawn just gave her a look saying, `oh yes it
can', "alright, then how about we go out tonight, no sense in
torturing you further with my cooking."
Dawn's mood brightened some, as bright as it ever got since
Danny's death, "ok…is Buffy gonna come?"
Faith looked up at the ceiling since Buffy was upstairs,
something about her girlfriend just hadn't been the same since she
died and came back…it was like a part of her stayed dead. "I don't
think so kid, she's in one of those moods again." Dawn nodded her
understanding and the two left to get something to eat…alone.
*******************
Cordelia and Kate:
"Well?"
"It's nice, not to sure how I like the idea of living across
the hall from my former boyfriend, but the apartments nice."
Cordelia said walking around. She and Kate had just moved back to
L.A., and were staying with Angel while the looked for a place.
Needless to say both were itching to be on their own again.
Kate took up a job as a private detective, handling all the
normal cases that Angel Investigations handled, and Cordelia worked
as just the seer, since Anya had taken her old job.
"Does that mean yes to the apartment?"
"Yes." Cordelia replied and kissed her now wife soundly on
the mouth.
"We'll take it," Kate said to the little man still standing
at the door waiting for their decision.
*******************
Iz and Samantha:
"So let me get this straight…you're great to whatever degree
aunt now goes to UC Sunnydale?"
"That's what it seems like, her name it Nikki, when I was
talking to her I just kept getting this feeling, so I checked into
her, and sure enough her little sister who lives in Texas still is my
great grandma, to some degree."
"Weird…"
"Feel like taking a trip to Texas?" Samantha asked wagging
her eyebrows, "I mean you got to see your dad here and all…"
"Oh all right…not like anything is keeping us here anymore,"
Iz answered sadly.
"I'll make the arrangements."
*******************
Others:
Tabitha:
Tabitha Emma Cook
1964-2001
Mother, Friend, Mentor
*******************
Spike:
Spike walked off the ship after what seemed like months, and
onto the docks, finally he was back home where he belonged.
*******************
Angel, Xander, Anya, Gunn, Wesley:
All employed by Angel Investigations
THE END.
