Title: Vacation In Hell
Series: Help From The Future For The Past
Author: Kimberly aka last_days_of_pern
Email: [email protected]
Feedback: *Stands up* Hi my name in Kimberly and I'm a feedback
addict :P
Rating: Pg-13, R at most
Pairings: Willow/Tara, Buffy/Faith, Anya/Xander, Cordelia/Kate,
Dawn/Danny, Iz/Samantha, Giles/Tabitha
Disclaimers: I own nothing please don’t sue me.
Summary: The Scooby vacation goes wrong, real wrong, when their cruise
ship gets sucked into hell. Can they save the day, and salvage their
vacation?
*************************************************
"That is one big boat." Xander stated as he saw the cruise ship for
the first time.
"'Course it is Xand, has to be for so many people to be on it," Faith
responded.
"Yeah but I mean, that is one big boat." Faith just shook her head at
him.
"I'm thinking that Speed 2 wasn't the best movie to watch before we
came here," Danny said as he walked up to Xander and Faith his hand
firmly held in Dawn's.
Faith laughed, "tell you what, see anyone with leeches, or high tech
golf balls and B and I will take care of `em."
"Ok I have room keys," Giles said walking up to the group, noticing
his arrival the two groups of Scoobies merged to hear where they
would be staying, "Willow and Tara you are in room 303 deck D. Buffy
and Faith 304, Xander and Anya 305, Iz and Samantha 306, Dawn and
Tabitha 307, Cordelia and Kate 308, Danny you and I will have room
302. Ok everyone all set and ready to board?"
There was a chorus of `yeses' and `let's gos', and then the Scooby
boarded the really big boat for what was to be the first of the
Scooby vacations. One whole week on a ship traveling to Alaska and
back, it was going to be great.
****************
Willow and Tara walked into what was to be their room on the
ship, "wow," Willow exclaimed as she took in their surroundings.
There was a queen size bed, a couch, TV, radio alarm clock, bathroom,
all the conveniences of home really.
"I second that wow, and raise you a woo hoo." Tara said happily.
"So what do you want to do first?" Willow asked, an impish grin on
her face as she looked at the nice, big bed, that was all theirs for
the week.
Tara noticed the look in her wife's eyes, and decided to have a
little fun, "well the pool looked really nice. Or we could check out
the various decks, learn where things are. The little guy who showed
us to our room said there was some stuff going on on the top deck too."
Tara smiled a very convincing smile at Willow.
So convincing in fact that Willow put a pout on her face and
said, "well if that's what you want to do, then ok."
Tara had to smile, it was just too easy to get Willow sometimes, but
she decided it was time to make it up to her. Instead of answering
Willow Tara pulled the smaller girl to her and kissed her
passionately. Then slowly moved them to the bed, where they remained
till dinnertime.
******************
"So is everything good?" Faith asked as Buffy bounced around the room
looking at everything, and exclaiming it's existence happily.
"It's wonderful, how did you manage to pull off planning this without
me finding out, and more importantly how did you get Dawn to keep it
from me. That kid couldn't keep a secret if her life depended on it."
"Well I made sure she knew that her life did depend on it, and Kate
did most of the planning."
"How did we afford all this?"
"Angel and the mayor."
"Huh?"
"Well the mayor left me that condo, which I sold, that paid for the
cruise for everyone, and Angel pitched in to help tonight's
surprise."
"Tonight's surprise? What surprise? There's more? Tell me!"
"Nope." Faith smirked; she knew how much Buffy hated surprises. But
she couldn't tell, it wasn't just her surprise and it wasn't just for
Buffy, so she wasn't going to tell no matter how Buffy tortured her.
Buffy walked up to Faith and leaned toward her so that paper would
have had a tough time fitting between them. "Please…"
"Not gonna happen B." Faith held her resolve; she would have to have
Willow teach her that face.
"Pretty please…" Buffy leaned her head down and sucked lightly on a
particularly sensitive spot on Faith's neck.
"Cheater," Faith knew that she wouldn't be able to handle this much
longer and not tell Buffy, so she did the only thing she could think
of. She pushed Buffy back onto their bed then straddled her lover.
She leaned down and attached her lips to Buffy's, effectively keeping
Buffy from begging to know the surprise, and Faith from telling what
it was.
*******************
"I've never seen a view like this before in my life," Cordelia said
in awe as she looked out the little window that was in her and Kate's
room.
"You mean your family never took a cruise?"
"Mom and dad did, but I was always left at home." Kate came up behind
Cordy and wrapped her arms around the younger girl lovingly.
"Well then we'll have to make the most of this trip, won't we?"
Cordelia shook her head up and down, then leaned back so Kate was
supporting her weight, letting her head rest on her lover's
shoulder. "Thank you for this."
"Don't thank me Faith paid," Kate said smiling at Cordy.
"Yeah, but you planned it, and with your work, just getting promoted
and all, I wasn't even sure we would be able to go."
"Delia even if work had kept me in Sunnydale you still could have
come."
"Nope, not leaving you behind Katie, where you go I go, and vice
versa."
"I love you."
"Love you too."
******************
KNOCK, KNOCK
"GO AWAY!!!"
"Willow Tara come on it's dinner time, we said we were all going
together remember." Dawn yelled through the door, effectively ruining
the mood inside the room.
"We'll be right out Dawnie," Tara yelled back.
Dawn walked to the next room, "Buffy Faith come on it's dinner time."
She could hear scuffling in the room, and then muffled voices. "Come
on already."
"Just a sec Dawn." Faith shouted as she and Buffy tried to get their
cloths back on.
Dawn walked further down the hall shaking her head, "sheesh is
everyone having sex right now, you'd think they'd want to do
something other than that when we got here, since they do it so often
at home." She knocked on Anya and Xander's door, knowing what they
were doing before she knocked due to Anya's easily carried
voice. "And they say teenagers are bad, they aren't teens anymore."
Dawn officially gave up and sat at the end of the hallway waiting for
everyone to emerge. That's what she got for volunteering to get
everyone while Giles, Tabby, and Danny went to find a table in the
dining room.
The group finally emerged from their respective rooms, and headed
down the hall. Dawn leading the way since she was the only one in the
group who knew where anything was so far. When they got to the
restaurant Giles, Tabby, and Danny were sitting at a large 12-person
table, it being quite convenient since they had 12 people in their
group.
"Have your ordered yet?" Willow asked as she and Tara sat at the
table near the end where Danny was sitting.
"Nope, we decided to wait for you all, well ok Giles decided we'd
wait for you all. What were you doing anyway, took forever."
In response both witches' face turned bright red, that was all the
answer he needed. As soon as Dawn came over to the spot he had saved
for her he jumped up and pulled her chair out, as any gentleman
should. "Aw that's so cute," Tara whispered, but loud enough that
Buffy's slayer hearing picked it up.
"Don't encourage them," she said glowering at the young couple. Danny
had the decency to look up and then look scared, quickly looking
down. Buffy allowed herself a satisfied smirk at that and sat down at
the table across from the Wiccans.
Tara just giggled at Buffy playing the part of the over-protective
sister, which she was, but it was funny in this situation. Willow
smiled at her wife, glad she was enjoying things so far, though the
only things they had done so far were having sex, and the short
orientation while getting on the ship, and going to their room. Still
she was happy Tara was happy. "What do you think looks good?" She
asked while looking over her menu.
Tara who was still feeling a little frisky, amplified because they
didn't get to finish their earlier business, leaned over and
whispered in her wife's ear, "you."
Willow turned red, then turned even redder when she saw Buffy and
Faith look up and smirk at them. Damn slayer hearing. Willow
whispered back to Tara in a stern voice, "behave."
Enjoying the game Tara replied, "or what, going to punish me later?"
Tara turned bright red, and her eyes grew wide; she couldn't believe
she had just said that, out loud no less. Faith and Buffy were both
coughing at the other side of the table, also not being able to
believe shy, little Tara had said that. "Um I… ah…um…" Tara sputtered
out.
Willow smirked devilishly at her wife, "hmmm, well there's a thought,
for later that is…" Tara's jaw dropped open as far as it could.
Buffy jumped up, "I think I need to go find the waiter, yeah that's
what I should do, we need water, lot's of water, to cool down and
all…" she mumbled more as she walked away, and everyone but Faith,
Willow, and Tara looked at her like she had lost her mind. Willow
knew she would have one hell of a hole to dig herself out of later,
she could practically hear the wheels in Faith's mind turning up
crude comments about the conversation that no one else would have
heard if it weren't for the slayers sitting so close.
"What's up with her?" Dawn asked oblivious to why her sister suddenly
started acting like a mental patient.
"Um, sea nervous," Faith answered, still smirking at the blushing
Wiccans. This was just going to be too easy, dinner tonight was going
to be a blast. Faith's smirk grew just a little bit more evil, and
Willow and Tara both gulped audibly.
"Well the Caesar's salad sound yummy, think I'll go with that."
Willow said, trying to get her mind onto things it should be thinking
about at the dinner table, like food for instance.
"Huh, oh yeah, yummy, think I'll get that too." Tara agreed.
"Are you two alright, you look kinda red." Sam asked looking over at
Tara and Will.
"Um, yeah, it's just a little warm in here is all," Tara answered,
which was the truth; it was definitely getting hot in there.
"Are you getting' sick, doesn't feel hot, maybe your just feeling a
little `whipped' from the trip here." Faith said, her face looking
serious, to anyone else it would seem as though she were merely
concerned about her friends. Willow and Tara knew better.
"Wonder where Buffy is with that water," Willow croaked out,
definitely sounding as though she needed a drink, and soon.
Just then Buffy came back helping their waitress carry trays of water
for the group. "Thanks," the girl said to Buffy as she set the trays
down and started putting the glasses on the table. "Are you ready to
order?" The group proceeded to do just that.
The dinner conversation was interesting to say the least, for those
who knew what was being talked about that is. "anyone check out the
deck yet?" Iz asked.
"Naw not yet, they got plenty of life boats up there for us, hate to
end up being on Titanic II." Faith said, just gearing up for the
punch line.
"Yeah there were lots of them."
"Would those happen to be `paddle' boats?" Faith directed the paddle
at Willow and Tara, who couldn't get and redder if they tried.
"Yeah guess so, they all had big oars with them." Iz answered,
completely unaware of why Faith was so interested in this particular
subject.
"Bet one of those would hurt like a bitch if they say, someone
smacked your ass around with one." Buffy started coughing again,
trying to stifle her laughter.
"Yeah guess it would, so try not to get beat up with one." Iz said
giving Faith a funny look then deciding to talk to the people on the
other side of her, Faith was getting to weird even for her.
"So how's that salad Red? Did they `slap' it together good?" By this
point Willow wasn't even going to attempt speaking, she'd just dig
herself into a bigger hole if she did, so she merely nodded her head
to the affirmative. "Well that's good, wouldn't want a salad that
didn't cut it, it would just be `torture'." Willow nodded her head
again. Faith seeing Will wasn't going to play along decided to try
her luck with Tara. "So Tar how you like things so far?"
Tara not seeing the danger in answering that statement
said, "everything's fine, it's nice here." Willow cringed when Tara
answered Faith, she didn't know what Faith's response was going to
be, but she knew it wasn't good, she looked way to pleased that Tara
had answered.
"Really, `cause I was thinkin' that the chairs were a little hard on
the butt, whatcha think, your's feeling ok?" Faith's face showed
nothing but concern to the others, although they thought it a funny
question to be asking.
Tara really, really regretted ever answering Faith; she regretted her
earlier statement to Willow even more though. But she was too far in
to let it drop now, she had to answer. "I'm fine." Tara studied her
salad almost scholarly.
"Well that's good, they shouldn't make chairs so punishing though.
But there are those who like them uncomfortable, pain can be a
friend, whatcha think Red? Personally, being a slayer and all, I
don't see how feeling like someone just `spanked' your ass could feel
good." The only indication of Faith's challenge was her raised
eyebrow.
Willow having quite enough of the, pardon the pun, torture decided to
rise up to the challenge and answered, "gee Faith I wouldn't know,
it's you and Buffy who always come back looking `spanked', not
playing nice with all the demons and all." Neither Faith nor Willow
noticed that they had the attention of the whole table now. The
others, even the ones not knowing what was going on, could feel the
electricity in the air, there was definitely a challenge going on.
"Yeah well not everyone has magic to `beat' someone's `ass' with."
"Right, some prefer wooden toys." Those at the table with more
perverted minds (Xander and Danny) started to catch on to the meaning
of the conversation, although they told themselves that it wasn't
what was really going on, just what their minds wanted to be going
on. If they only knew.
"Toys can be handy," Faith conceded, she was almost giddy, it wasn't
often she got to do this kind of mental sparring, it was fun! "but I
would never underestimate your ability to `whoop' someone's ass,
Will, all that magic just ready to be snapped loose. I'm sure if you
wanted you could really `wallop' someone huh?"
"And don't you forget it." Willow answered.
Seeing it was definitely time to break apart whatever was going on
Cordelia said, "so everyone done and ready to go?"
"Nah, think I'll have some ice cream with `whipped' cream." Faith
answered as most of the group stood to leave. Then she remembered
that they couldn't go, or the surprise would be ruined. She gave Kate
a quick look, begging with her eyes for some help on an excuse.
"Oh um that sounds good Faith, Delia will you split some with me?"
Kate gave her best puppy dog eyes and Cordy conceded.
"Alright, but just `cause you asked so nicely, and you're going to
help me work it off in the gym later."
"Deal. Iz, Sam you going to stay?"
Iz hastily agreed, also knowing what was going to happen, what with
helping to plan and all, didn't want to miss out. "Willow, Tara why
don't you stay too, I've been dieing to hear about your trip to the
city by the bay." Both women cast a glance at Faith, who gave them a
face reassuring she would behave if they stayed. The surprise was
partly for them after all.
The rest of the group went their separate ways all agreeing to meet
on the deck at a later time that night to see the fireworks that were
always set off the first night. So the small group that was left
ordered their ice cream, all thoughts of torture, of any kind, were
set out of their minds, for now.
Kate looked at her watch for what must have been the thousandth
time. "Katie, are waiting for something?" Cordelia asked, growing
tired of her girlfriend's constant time checking.
"Huh?" Kate looked to Faith for help, if their little surprise didn't
show up soon, they were going to have to tell what was going on to
keep everyone there.
"So Kate how's work been goin'?" Faith asked coming to the rescue.
Buffy being the only one who was to be surprised and knew about it
was getting giddy. By they way Faith and Kate were acting it would be
happening any time now.
"Well…" Kate was about to answer the inane question when all the
lights went out, leaving only the spotlight on the stage to light up
the figure there.
"May I have this dance?" Faith asked Buffy who still didn't really
know what was going on. As Faith did this Kate was also asking
Cordelia to dance, thankful that their late surprise had finally
showed. Faith started leading Buffy out to the dance floor.
"Hey you two this is your surprise too, get your butts out on the
floor." Iz said as she led Samantha out as well.
Both women stood and did what they were told, on the stage music
started, then the "surprise" which, or rather, who was Melanie Doane.
She started singing the opening lines to "I can't take my eyes off
you" and everyone looked at Kate and Faith unbelieving.
"Hey now you have no idea how much it cost to get someone to do a
concert like this, dance, and congrats on your numps." Faith pulled
away from the group and then pulled Buffy close. "Surprise."
**************
Willow and Tara eventually came out of their stupor and clinged to
each other, the song bringing back lots of happy memories. "I can't
believe they did this." Tara said in awe.
"Well I guess I can forgive her for dinner since she did this."
Willow said in a similar state of awe.
"Well no one else knew what she was really talking about, so she'll
let it blow over… eventually."
Willow smirked and pulled her wife closer, "still can't believe you
said that, and just what was on your mind may I ask?"
"You."
****************
"You like?" Kate asked, fearful that Cordelia wouldn't like the
surprise. She really had no reason to worry though; in Cordelia's
eyes she could do no wrong.
"Yes. How did you manage to pull this off?"
"Well Faith and Iz helped, and Angel paid, it wasn't as hard as you
might believe." Cordelia rested her forehead against Kate's. "Love
you."
"I love you to, so much." After a few seconds of silence Cordy asked
out of the blue, "Katie, what do you think about kids?"
"Um," Kate had no idea where Cordy's head was right now, which was
odd for them. "They're fine I guess…"
"Ok what do you think about, kids and us?" Cordelia asked looking
directly into Kate's eyes.
***************
"Well this is a nice surprise," Sam smiled at Iz as they danced.
"Happy anniversary."
"And here I thought you had forgotten." Samantha's smile only grew.
This was the most romantic thing Iz had done for her since their
first anniversary.
"I could never forget, I love you so much Sammy. And it killed me
when I had to leave you, you know that right?" Tears were forming in
both girls' eyes.
Samantha pulled Iz close and held on as tightly as she could, "shh,
it's ok, I know. It hurt me too when you left, but we're together
now, and always."
"Always." Iz said firmly, holding on just a little tighter.
*****************
"Me huh? And spanking just happened to come to mind?" Willow asked
playfully.
Tara laughed, "no, I was just… flirting…"
"Flirting huh? Well you know you don't have to do that, you already
have me."
"Yeah but I never flirted while I was trying to get you, I'm making
up for lost time," Tara kissed Willow tenderly, pulling back before
either could deepen the kiss. Even now neither being completely
comfortable with public displays of that kind of affection.
"I know part of this was for us, but how long do you think we have to
stay, I really want to go back to the room and make love to my
beautiful wife right now." Willow said her eyes growing somewhat
droopy with desire.
"Two, three songs max I'd say."
******************
*Ancient Greece*
In a small shack perfectly fit for the popper who resided there a
scribe of no real education wrote what would be the most important
prophecy for so many lives. If one were to translate it into English…
"Poseidon created a ring with two blue stones embedded in the symbol
for infinity, and Hades created one similar but with green stones.
Neither god knew that his brother was making a ring, which was to be
sent to Earth, and worn by a warrior who was destined to wear it. And
use it's power to fight in the battle against Lucifer himself. Two
people wore the rings not even knowing that there was someone out
there on the same path. They fought bravely against odds that no
mortal should expect to beat.
"The battle ended but wasn't finished and the rings were passed down,
in each generation they were given to two people to get ready for the
last battle. Neither ring wearer ever knowing the other. The rings
never even came within the same country as the other, that is until a
slayer was handed the ring for passing the 18th birthday test, and
was sent to America. Where she met a witch who knew the kind of magic
matched only by Merlin.
"The witch had eyes as blue as you could imagine, reminding the
slayer of the ring she wore on her hand. Just so happens that the
ring the witch wore on her own hand matched perfectly the green of
the slayers eyes. The two warriors chosen had met for the first time
in history, and a bond was formed, a bond so strong that even the
early death of the slayer could not break it.
"The witch took the ring off of the body of her best friend and put
it in a box with her own, the witch closed the lid to the box,
oblivious to the stones glowing, threw the box in the river and then
threw herself off a cliff at the young age of 20.
"The box floated a ways, stopping only when a gold miner saw it
coming toward him. Curious he waded out to it and picked it up. The
rings stopped glowing for the first time since they were put
together, this was not the person to which they belonged. Thinking
he'd get a good price for them he took them to the local trading
post, where a young Indian girl saw the rings. Doing so set off one
of the visions the powers that be had cursed her family line with.
"In the vision she saw two young women, one blonde the other red-
haired, they were putting the rings on the other's finger, saying
something the Indian girl couldn't hear and if she could wouldn't
understand. When the man left with a suitable amount of money for the
rings the girl used all she had to buy them. Knowing that if they
were worthy of a vision they must be important.
"She took them to the magic wielder of her tribe, who told her it
would be her destiny to make sure the rings went where they belonged.
The girl didn't know how to do that, so she held on to them, as did
her line after her, each passing it on to their child to pass on…
"In the year 1996 A.D. one of these children moved to a southern
California town, Sunnydale. Once there awhile the young man figured
out he didn't have the kind of money it took to live in California.
He with a heavy heart pawned the rings to get the money to go home.
The pawnshop in turn sold it to the local jeweler, where they sat,
together until sold to two young women as wedding rings.
"Poseidon and Hades had in the meantime learned that the other had
made a ring with the same intent, and had a meeting in the under
world where they watched the witches put the rings on each other's
finger. Not knowing why this was happening, for there was no way
these could be the warriors chosen, they consulted the powers that
be, their creators, the powers that be told them that the two now
wearing the rings would be those who fought the war. Not ones to
question beings even greater than they, they stood back and let fate
take the path it would.
"Knowing it was finally time to end the chaotic way the underworlds
were run, or lack there of, they put together all the power they had
as gods, and sent the witches to Hades. Where the final hellish war
would be."
The scribe not knowing what it was his possessed hand had just
written threw the blasphemous scroll out into the street to be
forgotten. A small boy who was walking past saw the scroll and picked
it up, seeing no one for whom it could belong took it home. He gave
it to his father who read it, and put it in a vase, that he later
placed in one of Poseidon's temples.
*****************
*Present day*
Tara shot upright in bed causing Willow to wake as well, "Tara honey
what's wrong?"
"Just a dream, and a really weird one at that." Tara rolled the ring
on her finger around a few times then settled back into the bed,
letting Willow rest her head on her chest. Everyone being asleep
didn't even notice the huge red swirling mass that started to
envelope the ship, then sucked it up completely. It dropped off the
radar as if it had just gone through the Bermuda Triangle.
*****************
*Willow and Tara's room on the ship*
When Tara woke up the room was covered in an eerie red glow. Opening
her eyes more fully Tara noticed a man sitting on the table in her
and Willow's room. This of course upset the young Wiccan. The man was
tall with dark hair, and a crown on his head that Tara was sure was
made of bone. In the bone-crown were little skeleton heads carved,
spaced evenly throughout. Around his neck the man wore a cape, on the
outside it was black, the inside a deep shade of midnight blue. All
in all he made for a frightening sight first thing in the morning.
The man made a sound that sounded like a snort, "so you are the
chosen?"
"Um chosen two room 304." Tara said, regretting it the moment she
did, one bad way to wake up slayers was to being attacked. But
instead of going to find the slayers the man stayed put, which was
odd, as if him being there in the first place wasn't.
"Time to get up, and get dressed, her too," he motioned to Willow
who was still asleep by her wife's side, "we have much to
discuss."
"W…who are you?" Darn that didn't sound nearly as assured
as she had wanted it to. Instead of answering the strange man walked
out of the room. Well there was no way this was going to be good.
"Willow honey time to wake up." Tara shook her wife softly, not
wanting to wake the sleeping beauty into a bad mood, not that Willow
had ever woken in a bad mood.
"Mmm, still sleepy time, cuddly and stuff," Willow mumbled in her
half awake, half asleep state. Regardless of the situation this made
Tara giggle some.
"Aw come on darling, there was a really creepy guy in our room who
told me to wake you up and get dressed, don't want to upset the
creepy guy do we?" Tara asked trying to coax the sleeping woman into
a state of wakefulness.
Even in her sleep-muddled mind what Tara said registered and Willow
practically jumped up, "what? Where?"
"He went outside, so we could get dressed, he said we had lots to
talk about. And I think we do."
"Huh, why?" Willow was hoping this was just a weird dream, the result
of sleeping on a really big boat. The color of the room added to this
hope, but the look on Tara's face diminished it.
"Well, the guy, I think he was in my dream last night."
"Really, who was he in the dream?"
Tara looked down at her hands that were fiddling with the blanket
that was the only thing covering their naked bodies. "Hades." Tara
said so quietly Willow wasn't sure she had heard right.
"Say again."
"Hades, as in the god Hades."
"Sheesh haven't we had enough gods to deal with for one year?!" Both
woman got out of bed and started to dress. They didn't want to go out
there and face a god, but they figured Buffy and Faith had a better
chance of hearing them scream if they were in the hall than if they
were in their room.
*****************
*Hallway in front of W&T's room*
"I still can't believe that they are the chosen, they seem so…. so
weak."
"We do not know that brother, calm yourself."
"Calm myself, all that I know could be taken if they fail!"
"The powers do not think they will fail, and the powers know all."
"We should have asked the fates before we took action, we would have
been better prepared that way."
"Hades, all will be as it should, have faith brother."
"It is easy to be calm when you are not the one threatened Poseidon.
And why isn't Zeus here, does he not care?"
"He has much to deal with without taking on the problems of ours, be
it the seas or the underworld."
"I don't want to loose this battle! Lucifer is not fit to run the
beneath."
"And he shant, the mages will be successful, wait and see."
Just then Willow and Tara walked out of their room to see the now two
men standing there. The creepy one who had been in the room when Tara
awoke, and now an older looking man. With a long white beard, and
flowing blue garbs. He held what looked like a blue pitchfork, he
reminded the two Wiccans of the father in the little mermaid, only
without the fins.
"Hello little ones." The newer figure said after giving Willow and
Tara a moment to take in his appearance. He voice was deep, and
soothing, the way a grandfather's voice sounds. Smooth, yet strong,
carrying with it years, or in this case millennia of wisdom with it.
"Um, hi," Willow said giving a little half wave, reaching for Tara's
hand with her unoccupied one.
"Do not be frightened child, we mean you no harm," Poseidon added
gently, Hades just snorted and began to pace again. Content to let
his brother do the talking for now.
"Then what do you mean us?" Tara asked speaking for the first time
since coming into the hallway.
"The truth. Your destiny. The chance to put back right what is now
wrong."
Despite themselves Willow and Tara found that they did trust this
grandpa looking man before them, and decided to listen. If they could
help, then a god would be a good ally to have for doing so. "Um, I
hope you can tell us more than that," Willow said, letting her stance
show she was willing to listen, for now anyway.
Poseidon smiled; the girl had spirit that was for sure. She reminded
him of the first to wearer the ancient ring that now took position on
the small red head's ring finger. So long ago that he made that ring
in preparation of the coming battle, and it all came down to the two
small frames in front of him. Not the strongest, not the bravest, not
the most strategy wise. It seemed as though fate had a certain sense
of irony. Of course knowing the fates personally he knew this as
true. "Why don't we wake your friends first, that way there will only
be need for explanations once. I'm afraid we don't have the kind of
time it would take to explain many times over."
Willow and Tara both nodded their heads and went to the different
rooms, knocking and waking them up. The red glow surrounding them,
that should have been gone by now, still surrounded everything.
Another bad sign.
***************
*Outside the ship*
The large cruise ship was now instead of sailing the open seas, going
down the Styx in the underworld. The shapes of lonely people roaming
the shores, looking out at the other side, to a place they would
never make it to.
A very tired looking Scooby gang was assembled in Willow and Tara's
cabin on the ship, looking at the two men standing together in front
of them. Once everyone was settled Poseidon was the first to
speak, "is this everyone little one?" He asked looking in Tara's
direction. For a reply she simply shook her head. Everyone except
Dawn and Danny was there, and there was no reason to wake the teens
up, they got grouchy without their sleep. "Very well, we will tell of
your purpose here now."
Faith cut him off asking, "and where is here?" She had looked out the
window as she and Buffy got up, and didn't like what she saw at all.
Hades was the one to answer Faith's question, "you are in the
underworld, Hades, the land of my rule."
Everyone looked shocked, and therefore didn't ask any more questions
for the time being, so Poseidon continued. "This is my brother," he
gestured to the man standing next to him, "Hades, as you may have
already guessed. As for me, I am Poseidon; the sea is where my reign
extends. We are here because you have been chosen," this time the old
man gestured towards Willow and Tara.
"By who and for what?" Willow asked, not liking this chosen business
at all, for a second she wondered if this was how Buffy and Faith had
felt when they were told they had been `chosen'.
"By the powers the control all there is, and for the task of putting
back what was made wrong."
"Wow someone more vague than the oracles, who would have thought," Iz
said sarcasm dripping from every word.
Poseidon reacted in a way no one would have thought; he smiled. "Yes
child I'm afraid it is vague, let me tell you a story and see if it
helps clear things up for you." Everyone nodded and the god
continued, using his best story time voice. "A long time ago the
world was ruled by the gods of ancient Greece," he gestured to
himself and Hades, "known to all the world, by both Greek and Roman
names, some even overlapping in both Egyptian and Norse cultures.
These gods held humanity in the highest regards; they were our lambs.
We taught them right from wrong, evil from good, all the lessons
needed to live on this plane. We cast out the creatures of the night,
and for ages man knew not of the creatures that had once ruled over
this space. But as it does for all rulers, the time to be overthrown
came, and the Christians began their rule over Earth. With this came
the one known simply as God, and his angels.
"Not all of these angels appreciated what was going on. One in
particular was unhappy, and let in what we had set out. The demons
returned, and with a vengeance they took out on human kind. Mixing
their blood with humans and creating vampires, then mixing their own
blood and creating new cultures of demons. The age turned dark as
evil sprang up everywhere, through hellmouths. Lucifer was pleased with
what his allies were doing to Earth, but was not satisfied with the
amount of power it afforded him. He wanted a kingdom of his own, so
he came to Hades and a great battle was fought. In the end it was a
standstill, and the ancient gods and the new angles formed an
alliance to protect humans.
"First a single warrior was chosen to protect her fellow human, she
was the slayer. She fought bravely till her death, when a new one
would take her place. I saw that this was not enough, and set about
making a warrior of my own. Mystical in origin is he or she who wears
the ring. Power of timeless ages put into a single band of silver, worn
about the finger of the most valiant of fighters. The powers that be
chose who would wear this ring in each generation.
"What I didn't know was that my brother had created a similar band. A
gladiator to protect what was his. The powers similarly chose this
warrior. For millennia the rings were passed on, as the title slayer
was. Men, women, and even at times children fought. Fought war.
Fought disease. Fought death. And even when it came to it, they
fought each other. Never did the wearers of the two rings meet. Until
early last century, when lines were blurred, warriors were one and
the same. A slayer was given one ring, while a mage a continent away
was given the other.
"The slayer passed the test that their protectors saw necessary and
was sent to watch over the hellmouth, the last of it's kind, in
California. There the slayer and the mage met. The stones in the
rings, which hold the ring's power, began to glow as the relationship
of the wearers became strong. When the slayer died, the mage took off
her ring, put it in a box with her friend's and sent the box down the
river to be done with what destiny would. And then killed herself.
"This act caught the powers' attention. They joined the souls of the
two warriors, so that they might meet in each next life, and connect.
For a long time the rings were inactive, waiting for the souls whom
to which they belonged to come back and claim them." Here Poseidon
stopped, pausing a brief moment before dropping the biggest bombshell
on the already shocked crowd. He walked to Willow and Tara and knelt
before them.
"Little ones, you are those joined souls, together again, to fight
the last battle, to reclaim Hades for the souls who should reside
there, and cast out the treacherous angel who took it away from
them." Poseidon now looked over to Faith and Buffy who were sitting
close to their friends, "all the warriors on Earth, brought together
in one lifetime, you will join with the army of gods and angels, and
we shall win. But it can not be done with out you." The god of the
sea held Tara and Willow's hands, the ones wearing the rings he had
just told so much about.
The stones began to glow, then were almost humming with the power
they held. The power doubled by the souls of who wore them. "This is
your destiny, will you fight beside us, make right what now is so
wrong. Look out your window, millions of souls who will never know
the peace they so deserve, will you help them?"
Tara turned head from Poseidon for the first time since he started
talking. She looked into Willow's eyes, eyes that had held her heart
since the first glance. And in each other's eyes they saw the truth,
they saw their first lives together. Their first deaths. "Yes, what
ever we can do…"
"We will." Willow finished for her beloved wife. This is why so many
of the world's protectors were together, they were about to embark on
the greatest protection that would ever be. The protection of the
souls of all people; past, present, and future.
Tara looked past Willow to Buffy and Faith, who both nodded; she
never had a doubt they would be by their side in this. She looked to
Cordelia; Cordelia looked back, then at rest of the group, and nodded
her consent as well. Two slayers, two powerful witches, a seer, and
an army of both gods and angels, how couldn't they win?
******************
*Earth; Rome*
The young priest looked over the scroll, there was no denying what
was to come. The day dreaded since the first was upon them. It was
time to stop those who would have it undone. The creatures of the
night would have to be stopped, it was time to call upon all those
who would fight, fight for god, humanity, and life, as all know it.
*****************
*The heart of Hades*
"I will not let them win!" The once angel Lucifer, the now demon
Satan, looked through the looking glass at the two gods, explaining
to the mortals who they were and what they were willed to do. "I have
not come this far to let it go to them! I have controlled the
Christians, and the other people this long, and I will continue to do
so forever."
******************
Poseidon, Hades, Giles, and Tabitha left to go research, and learn
what would be needed to know for the big fight. Kate, Xander and Anya
went to keep an eye on the younger teenagers. Leaving just the
Wiccans, the slayers, the time travelers, and the seer. They were all
sitting there, trying to let everything set in. It was a lot to be
told that you were chosen to save the souls of, well of everyone.
Willow held tightly to Tara's hand, needing the support from her
rock, her wife, her Tara.
Buffy looked at the Wiccans, they seemed scared. She wished she had
something to tell them, some great knowledge she had gained from
being the slayer, and saving the world on countless occasions. But
the truth was, she just didn't have the words. Really, what do you
say to someone when this happens? Merrick hadn't really told her
anything other than she was destined to save the world and die young,
and that just wasn't the pep talk she wanted to give to two of her
best friends.
Cordelia was growing uncomfortable in the silence, hadn't they always
dealt with scary death like things by talking? Ok, so it was usually
witty comments about other things, or just plain out jokes, but it
was talking. And talking was so much better than this…silence.
Iz knew exactly what Willow and Tara were feeling right now. She
still remembered everything said during the conversation with the
Oracles where she found out she was destined to give up everything
she knew, to save a world that would never even know what she
sacrificed for them. It was a bitter pill to swallow. Of all the
people she knew though, she couldn't think of anyone more capable of
taking on the devil himself.
Faith was staring off at an undefined spot in front of her. Not
really seeing what was there, not really caring either. Her best
friend, and her wife, just joined the chosen club. It wasn't
something she would wish on her worst enemy much less Willow and
Tara. And all because of those damn wedding rings they had picked
out. No, that wasn't true, if they really were destined for this, and
they were, those rings would have found them sooner or later anyway.
If she hadn't ever met a vamp, or a watcher, she would still have the
blood of a slayer. Destiny sucked like that.
The silence was broken when Faith started laughing. "Um is she ok?"
Willow asked looking at her friend like she had grown a second head.
"Faith, honey, whatcha laughing at?" Buffy asked looking at her
girlfriend, who still seemed to be in her own little world, staring
off in space. When she didn't respond Buffy kneeled in front of her
and took her hands in her own lightly. "Baby?"
Faith shook herself out of her own musings when she felt Buffy take
her hands, she looked down at her lover, who was not kneeling in-
between her legs, `How she get there?' "Huh?"
"What were you laughing at?"
"Huh? Oh just thinkin' `bout somethin'."
"Wanna share with the class?" Cordelia asked, she hated being out of
the loop, even if the loop at this point only consisted of Faith's
mind.
"Chosen one," Faith pointed at Buffy, "chosen two," this time she
indicated herself and Buffy, "then you got the chosen three," she
added Cordelia this time, "chosen four," Iz was added to the growing
number, "now chosen five and six," Faith pointed to Willow and Tara,
giving each a number, "we're like the frickin' ten little Indians in
reverse. Instead of counting down, we're counting up." Faith chuckled
again, remembering the nursery rhyme that had started her laughing in
the first place.
The other people in the room looked at each other in question, then
at Faith like she had finally lost it. "That's um…interesting baby."
Buffy got up and retook her seat next to Faith on the arm of the
chair where the younger girl was sitting.
"Oh god that doesn't mean we'll end up with ten does it?" Cordelia
asked, something akin to horror in her eyes. This made everyone
laugh, which felt good. They were always able to laugh when death
stared them in the face, why should this be any different?
****************
*Giles' cabin on the ship*
"How much time do they have to prepare for this?"
"Not long I'm afraid. You care for them?"
"As if they were my own blood," Giles answered the god of the sea
without hesitation. And it was true, Buffy may be the one he was sent
there to look after, but all of the Scoobies held a spot in his
heart, he couldn't love them any more if he was their real father.
"So they will be using magic to fight, right? I mean you said the
rings held some sort of power right?" Tabitha asked while she was
pacing the small dimensions of the room nervously.
"Yes, magic will be the weapon of which the wield in this battle."
Poseidon answered.
Hades for the first time since he arrived in the Wiccans' room
spoke, "do not worry, this is their destiny, it is written that the
battle will be won in the name of good, and Lucifer will be defeated.
So says the prophecy."
"Yes, well we don't have the best of luck with prophecies I'm afraid.
And just because it says we win, doesn't mean we, they don't die."
Giles responded, his anger growing at the situation.
"It is ok to fear for your life too," Poseidon put his rather large
hand on Giles' shoulder, "if it is the last thing I do, I will make
sure all your children come out of this alive. You have my word as a
god on that."
*******************
*W&T's cabin on the ship*
Willow and Tara sent their friends back to their own rooms, they
needed some alone snuggle time. Tara lied down on the bed, and
beckoned for Willow to join her, which she did. "I'm scared." Willow
stated as she lied down with her head resting comfortably on Tara's
chest, listening to the most comforting sound in the world, Tara's
heartbeat.
"I know, I am too. But we can do this, together, we can do anything.
We helped our friends beat a god, and next to that an angel, a bad
one even, should be a piece of cake."
"Do you really believe that?" Willow asked, her voice sounding like a
frightened child's, so small and fragile.
"Of course I do. Look at me Willow," Willow turned her head up and
looked trustingly into Tara’s eyes, "we will get through this, we always do.
And if destiny says this is what we are supposed to do, then who are we
to go against it. And I think it's a good thing we're scared, it will
make us more careful. And we will always have our friends there
watching our backs."
"I know. I wouldn't want to face anything like this without you."
"I wouldn't let you." Tara stated firmly, pulling Willow all the more
closely. Truth was, she didn't know if they would survive this, but
she would do everything humanly possible to make sure Willow wasn't
hurt. She would gladly give her own life to save Willow's.
*****************
Cordelia walked into her room after Willow and Tara kicked everyone
out. When she got passed the door she saw her lover sitting staring
out the window. "Hey Katie."
"Delia. They ok?"
Cordelia didn't need to ask whom Kate was talking about, it was
obvious, "I think so. If not they hide it pretty good. They're scared
though, I think we all are." Cordelia started walking towards her
girlfriend when a vision smashed it's way through her brain. She fell
to the floor cradling her suffering head in her hands.
Kate rushed to Cordelia's side, "what is it honey, what do you see?"
"Oh god she's dieing."
"What? Honey who?" Kate asked frantically, trying to get Cordelia to
tell her what she was seeing. Cordelia didn't answer, the ever-
growing pain of the visions caused her to blackout in her lover's
arms. Kate gently laid the prone girl down on the bed and rushed out
of the room to get everyone to tell them what little she knew.
After only a few minutes everyone was in Cordelia and Kate's room,
waiting for the former queen of Sunnydale to wake up. Kate sat behind
Cordy on the bed and held her lover's head gently, while speaking
nonsensical things to her quietly.
The rest of the Scooby gang stood back from the touching scene, not
wanting to interfere. Tabitha whispered to Buffy, "did she say who
dies?"
Buffy shook her head, "just that it's a she, which counts Xander,
Giles and Danny off the list, and Cordy and Kate, the rest of us are
up for grabs I guess."
Despite herself Tabitha looked relieved, her son and her lover were
both safe from the inevitable that Cordelia saw just moments
earlier. "so that leaves what? Nine of us that it could be?"
Buffy did a mental count: Herself, Faith, Willow, Tara, Dawn,
Tabitha, Iz, Samantha, and Anya. "Yup, which is why we need her to
wake up, we don't know who to watch extra carefully unless she does."
"Or who to keep back." Tabitha responded.
Buffy gave a weak smile thinking of all her friends who were
there, "can you really see any of them staying behind just `cause the
powers that be say they might die?"
Tabitha shook her head in response; she had never seen such brave,
yet headstrong young people before, especially together. "We need to
rethink our strategy."
Buffy nodded her head, and quietly started gathering everyone
together, she walked over to Kate who was still cradling Cordelia's
head in her lap, "we're going to the Wiccans room to talk, will you
be alright?" Kate nodded her head, and Buffy squeezed her shoulder
reassuringly. Buffy and the rest walked out of the room.
Kate leaned down and lightly kissed Cordy's forehead, "hey baby you
gotta come back, you know I can't live without you. Plus I don't know
where anything in the apartment is, I'm lost without you Delia." Kate
kissed her head again and gently stroked the girl's hair. "I love
you."
******************
"Really big not good!" Willow said as they all entered her and Tara's
room on the ship.
"Has this ever happened before?" Tara asked worriedly.
"I don't think so, she has said it's been getting worse, I'm afraid
nothing like this though," Giles took of his glasses and cleaned them
with a handkerchief from his pocket.
"There was that time with the demon where she almost died, well
that's what Wesley said anyway," Xander said, hating himself for
everything he had done to his once girlfriend. Anya held his hand and
kissed the knuckles. He smiled at her and pulled her close.
"Ok so praying that that isn't the case here, we're going to assume
she gets better, in time or not we don't know." Giles replaced his
glasses on his head, and sat heavily in a chair. Then remembered
Poseidon's words, "He said they would come back." Giles put his head
in his hands, valiantly trying to hold back the tears that threatened
to fall.
The younger members who didn't know what he was talking about all
looked at each other questioningly, Tabitha stood behind Giles and
put her hand on his shoulder, then spoke, "Poseidon assured us that
everyone would make it out of here, I guess we assumed he meant
alive." There was such a pain in her voice that it made the others
turn so as not to take on it's force full throttle.
Tara took in a breath, then said something she really didn't want to
say, but knew her wife would back her up, "I don't think any of you
should be there."
Buffy and Faith's heads whipped around to look at the two Wiccans.
Willow who was sitting had stood to stand behind Tara, letting
everyone know she agreed. "Nope, not gonna happen, so don't even
consider it."
"Faith we don't want any of you getting hurt. We were chosen for
this, you shouldn’t be at risk, the world needs it's slayers. It could
be any of you that Cordelia saw in her vision." Willow stated firmly.
"And it needs you too, what if it was about you, or Tara, and we
weren't there to help. Sorry Red but we're going, we do this together
or it doesn't get done." Faith rose up to her full height, and put on
the slayer face that had vamps wishing they had never been dug up.
Willow not Tara backed down though, "If it comes to it, we will make
sure you're not there. If one of us…" Tara paused, trying to talk
through the lump now in her throat, "if one of us is in trouble, the
other will be there, always." The last of Tara's statement was said
more to Willow than anyone else, the redhead smiled at her, knowing
it was the truth.
Buffy and Faith looked shocked, they would have to play along and
then be there when needed. But they couldn't very well let the
Wiccans know that, "and just what ya goin' to do Tar?" Faith asked of
her best friend.
Tara looked at her, her eyes sad beyond anything any of the Scoobies
had even seen them be, "whatever it takes to keep you safe." In that
moment not one of the group doubted that Tara would do just that. She
had always been the one in the background, the one who didn't like to
fight, but when it came to someone she loved, and the prospect of
loosing that someone, Tara could be just as fearsome as any other,
more so than most even.
"Ok Tatter-tot, calm down, we'll stay here. But if you die on me I
will track you down in this place and give you one hell of a piece of
my mind, got it?" Faith asked looking directly into Tara's eyes, and
then added to her statement, "goes for you too Red."
Willow and Tara both smiled at their friend, neither knowing that she
and Buffy were planning on being there no matter what.
****************
Mean while in Cordelia and Kate's room Kate watched every breathe
that Cordelia took in. She couldn't help but feel like her world was
crashing in around her. The damn visions were getting worse each
time. And now… and now Cordelia wouldn't wake up at all. Kate was
crying, but didn't realize it till she saw the little drops fall on
to Cordelia’s perfect face and fall down her cheeks as if she had been
the one crying all along.
"Come on Delia, you gotta wake up, you're scaring the hell outta me
baby."
Just at that at that moment Cordelia sat straight up and screamed,
startling Kate half out of her mind. "Oh god we have to stop her!
Stop! No!" And then promptly fell back into Kate's lap, unconscious.
"Oh god baby, I don't know how but we will I promise, we always
help `em right, this time is no different." Kate caressed Cordelia's
cheek, wiping away the tears that were now falling out of the proned
girl's eyes.
Kate never let her eyes fall away from the seemingly slumbering form
of her lover. Hours after the vision and she still hadn't regained
consciousness. "Come on baby, you gotta wake up some time…right?"
Tears filled the older woman's eyes. If the visions kept up like this
it would kill Cordelia. And if it killed Cordelia, she'd die right
along with her.
She didn't even want to try and imagine her life with out the woman
who held her very soul. More tears fell down her cheeks, falling onto
the brunette head in her lap. When she had lost all hope in life
Cordelia was the one that was there to help her pick up the pieces,
made her snap out of the funk she had fallen into. No wouldn't,
couldn't live with out her, not now, not ever again.
Cordelia stirred a little, and then resumed her still pose; head
comfortably nestled in her lover's warm lap. The visions in her head
had stopped long ago, but she just couldn't get herself to wake up,
tell them what she needed to tell them to save them. Her. Save her
from the early, inevitable ending of her life. She knew if she didn't
wake soon there would be no hope, and if was one thing that had to be
held onto it was hope, so she tried again. Using all her might to try
and work her way out of the dark that had surrounded her for hours.
But as before, and before that, it was no use, she was stuck there
till divine intervention decided to stick it's head in.
*****************
***W&T's room***
"Child?" Tara looked up to see Poseidon standing in front of her;
obviously she was the `child' he was referring to, as there was no
one else around at the time.
"Um, yes?" She asked uncertainly, she wasn't very fond of gods ever
since Glory terrorized the Scoobies.
"It is time you and your mate learn how it is to use the rings."
"Um ok, Willow is in the shower, so as soon as she gets out?"
"Very well, Hades and I will wait in the hall." Before Tara could
respond Poseidon walked out of the room and closed the door behind
him.
"Was that the door?" Willow asked stepping out of the bathroom, still
slightly dripping, clad in only a towel. Tara looked at her wife with
the most serious expression she could muster. "Oh god what's wrong?"
Tara's eyes closed slightly, making them only slits on her face, "you
know if we were in a different situation then I would have
to rip that towel off of you right now." Tara's face broke into a
sexy smile; one she knew made her lover weak in the knees.
"Well then we'll just have to get this over with quickly then won't
we?" Willow gave a smile of her own, and sauntered up to Tara,
capturing her lips in a slow sensuous kiss.
"As much as I could do this forever…" Tara stepped away from the
barely covered Willow hoping the space would make it easier to think
properly, it didn't work, "um…ah…POSIEDON…he and um Hades need to
show us…how to ah…rings." Tara held up her left hand where her ring
resided, not being able to talk right, she just gave up. Willow just
didn't know how sexy she could be sometimes, or maybe she
did, `vixen.'
Willow smiled, `score one for me,' but decided to let Tara off the
hook for now. "Ok, give me a sec to get dressed." Tara sat on the bed
and watched her wife scurry around looking for what she wanted to
wear. Giving triumphant little whoops when she found what she was
looking for. It made for an enjoyable site indeed.
When Willow was finally clothed, a process that took longer than
usual due to her going excruciatingly slow `cause she knew Tara was
watching her every move, Tara opened the door to let the brother gods
into the room.
"Are you ready to learn of the rings powers?" Hades asked without
preamble.
"Shoot," Willow answered.
"Fine then, the key is to follow your heart, well that's all for us,
good luck." Poseidon smirked at the outrageous looks Willow and Tara
were giving his brother. He had spoken the truth, but the way he
delivered it was a little… frank.
"What?! That's it?! There has to be more to it than that!" Willow
shouted incredulously.
For the first time Hades cracked a smile, "'fraid not witch, the way
to work the rings is simply to use your heart, the rings will know
what to do when the times comes, they will tell you."
"Tell us how?" Tara asked curiously.
"You see when…" the small window in the room crashed in and a small
reddish creature ran at Willow. Before even thinking about it Tara
held out her left fist, ring proudly jutting forward, and fried the
little demon. "Lucifer has let us know he knows of your presence, the
next step is yours."
Tara looked at her hand dubiously. "I'm never shopping for jewelry in
Sunnydale again," she groused. Willow smirked at her lover, but
nodded her head in agreement all the same.
Buffy and Faith came dashing into the room, "what the hell was that?"
Buffy asked, referring to the loud bang they had heard while walking
towards the Wiccans room.
"A messenger, the fights on." Tara looked at her friends
seriously, "time for us to go, and you to stay here, right Faith?"
Faith had a somewhat dangerous glint in her eye, she knew after this
her friendship with the witch wouldn't be the same, but she couldn't
let them face Satan himself with out her help. After all she had been
fighting him her entire life. "Right." There was a hard edge to her
voice and she knew Tara heard it.
Taking the tone as an indication that Faith wasn't happy about it,
but would stick by the deal made, Tara grabbed Willow's hand and they
waved then headed out the door. No reason to say goodbye to anyone,
they were sure they were coming back. Well pretty sure, almost sure,
kinda sure at the least.
Faith stood looking out the broken window with Buffy till they saw
the Wiccans outside, working their way to the land on the Hades side
of the Styx. "Let's go." Faith said firmly, knowing Buffy wanted to
go help their friends as much as she did.
"Right behind you." Buffy and Faith walked out, and took the same
path as Willow and Tara had, that being one of the lifeboats on board
the ship.
Back on the ship Poseidon looked to his brother, and Hades looked
back. "I'll not break my promise." Poseidon stated firmly.
"If she interferes she will die, it is not my choice nor yours, it is
a fact, Atropos has said it."
"Damn spinsters, I don't care what the fates say, I WILL KEEP MY
WORD, they will all go back."
"It won't be as human, and you know it, what would you do, send back
a creation with the girl's soul? Would they appreciate that brother?"
Poseidon walked away from Hades, not answering his question. He
didn't even know for sure if the girl would interfere and die, he
would ponder the problem when it arose, if it arose.
*****************
"Well this place is um…"
"Creepy," Willow finished for Tara while she was trying to come up
with a suitable word to describe their surroundings.
"Yeah, creepy works," Tara reached for Willow's hand and held it
firmly within her own when she found it. "So how do we find him?"
"Maybe if you ask nicely he'll appear," a deep voice responded from
behind the two Wiccans. Simultaneously both girls turned around,
expecting to see a large red beast with horns and tail, holding a
pitchfork. What they saw however was a handsome man in an expensive
looking black suit and white tie. His hair was jet black, and
fashioned in a modern style. He looked more like a high priced lawyer
or businessman rather than the devil he was.
"L-l-lucifer?" Tara questioned.
"Yes, that's me. And who might you two lovely ladies be? And maybe
more importantly, why are you here?"
Willow puffed out her chest and tried her best to look intimidating;
it wasn't working however, "we're the ones here to destroy you."
Lucifer chucked a little, "my dear, destroy me? You should know that
you can't do that. It would upset the balance. For, light there must
be dark, for love there must be hate, and for good there must be
evil. You destroy me you destroy all that is good as well. And then
where would your world be? Chaos? Are you ready for that to be placed
on your shoulders? If you are, then by all means…destroy me."
Willow's shoulder slumped as she took in Lucifer's words. That was
something she hadn't counted on. She looked down at her hand where
her ring was glowing, practically humming with magic, just waiting to
be used for what it was created for. Tara looked to Willow and saw
her hesitating, she couldn't blame her wife, she didn't want to be
blamed for sending the world into chaos either.
"Girls, I really do have things to be doing…what will it be?"
****************
*Earth; New York City*
"The end is coming! Save your souls while you can, give yourself to
the lord Jesus. Let him wash you clean!"
****************
"Hades and Poseidon told us what you did, you took over Hades and
kicked him out. He's the one who is supposed to be here, not you."
Willow said with much more strength than she felt.
Lucifer threw his head back and just laughed. "Dear, dear misinformed
little girls. I'm here instead of Hades that is true. But this is
where I'm supposed to be."
"And why should we believe you?" Unnoticed by anyone Faith and Buffy
snuck up behind the Wiccans and prepared to attack when they were
needed.
*******************
*Earth; Los Angeles*
"The end! It is coming! Pray your souls will be saved! No one is safe
from his deception, he will blind you, do not be fooled!"
******************
"You should believe me because I'm an angel." Lucifer said smugly.
"An angel who abandoned his post!" Tara said angrily, the ring on her
finger glowing even brighter than before.
*****************
*Earth; CNN Headquarters*
"Around the world today mass hysteria has broken out. Thousands are
foretelling the end of the world. Members of all religions are holed
up in their centers of worship, praying they will be saved. Martial
law has been declared in the United States of America, and in several
other countries. Everywhere people are looting, and panicking that
the day foretold since the beginning of organized religion, has
finally arrived.
******************
"Christian lies. I was sent here by his greatness himself. Asked to
watch over the underworld so that his people would be able to rest
once their earthly lives are finished."
"But you're evil," Willow said, loosing her drive to fight, she was
believing him, the one person anywhere that you shouldn't ever
believe, and she was believing him.
*****************
*Earth; Rome*
"I must see his holiness NOW, it is urgent!" The young priest burst
into the pope's private rooms searching for the head of the Catholic
Church.
"Son, calm yourself, what is it?" The pope asked as the young priest
knelt before him.
"The prophecy, it is coming true, it has already begun."
"Then only God can stop it now." Sadness filled the old man's eyes,
and he rubbed them gingerly, if ever there was a time to pray, now
was it.
******************
"Yes I am evil, which is why I was sent here. God could not destroy
one of his own chosen, this was my destiny in his plan, and I'm
fulfilling it."
"What about Hades?"
"No longer matters child. This is hell now. This is the way it must
be, you can not change that."
******************
*Aboard the ship*
Cordelia slowly opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was the face
of her lover looking down at her, tears in her eyes. "Hey."
"Oh god, you're ok! Baby…don't you ever do that to me again, I was so
scared."
Cordelia sat up and took Kate in her arms, "shh baby…Katie I'm fine,
see?" Cordelia held Kate's face between her hands, to better show the
older woman that she was indeed fine.
"Delia, who…?"
"Faith, it's too late now, they all already left." Cordelia said
sadly.
"What no! We can find them, we have to save her…Delia?" Cordelia just
shook her head sadly, there was no time left.
********************
"Have you made your decision then? Destroy me and the world as you
know it…or go home, where you belong."
Neither Tara nor Willow knew what to do; they were saved by Hades who
appeared between them and Lucifer. "Lucifer."
"Hades, long time no see."
********************
*Earth; Sunnydale*
The rubble of the old high school had sat undisturbed for a long
time. Since the mayor of Sunnydale had tried to eat the entire class
of '99 to be exact. Sitting idle is not something evil does well.
The hellmouth that lie just below the rubble began to shake. Causing
the ground above it to shake as well, an earthquake is not something
normally noticed so much in California anymore, but this one caused
every demon within 100 miles to run…the other way.
****************
"You set the poor little girls up? I expected more from a…god."
Lucifer said the last part with barely restrained disgust.
"Well I do hate to disappoint, but it wasn't I who chose them, it was
the powers."
"Ah the meddling fools." Lucifer now had a fond smile on his face.
For he was one of the few chosen to know who the powers that be
really were, the little sneaks. "You didn't however tell them why
they were really here though, did you?"
Now it was Hades turn to smile, "no. It was so much more fun making
them think they were saving the world, not destroying it." Tara and
Willow's head snapped to Hades as his words registered in their
minds.
"W-what?" Tara asked, being the first of the two to be able to speak.
Still in their hiding spot Buffy and Faith exchanged a look, this was
going to be harder than they thought.
"Come now, did you really think you could trust me? Did you never
study mythology? Although I will concede that convincing my dear
brother that this was the way to go helped. He always was the calmest
of the three of us. Even Zeus couldn't handle humans as well as
Poseidon."
"But why?" Willow asked, for the life of her she couldn't figure out
what his motive was. She was hoping he would shed some light on it,
the bad guy always told his evil plan right before the good guys
destroyed him, she was hoping for this outcome.
"Why, such a loaded question. Before the gods were the titans, before
them, chaos, such sweet chaos. I want that back, plain and simple. I
couldn't get back here on my own, so I created that blasted ring, so
the "warrior" would lead me here. You've done a marvelous job my
dear." Hades sneered at the two Wiccans.
"I think it's time you two leave," Lucifer said calmly, no fear
showing what so ever.
Willow and Tara started to back up slowly, having no problem letting
Lucifer handle the psycho god. "I don't think so," Hades turned to
the two Wiccans and shot a power burst at Willow. Willow stood
frozen, not knowing what to do, before she knew it Tara had thrown
herself in front of the power burst. Willow screamed, then realized
that her wife had not been hit for some reason. Looking behind Tara
she saw the reason, Faith lay on the ground, motionless.
***************
*Aboard the ship*
Cordelia hung her head…the worst had happened. It was too late to
save the slayer now, or ever, she was gone. A new slayer was called,
the chosen two were broken, …. But not yet beat.
****************
"NOOOOOOO!" Buffy screamed. She watched frozen as Faith rushed past
her and ran right into the power burst, saving the lives of the
Wiccans, but loosing hers in the process.
Lucifer took the opportunity to strike at Hades as he stood watching
the scene play out before him. Being the most powerful of all the
angels…an even match for any ancient god…Lucifer struck down Hades
with merely one blow to the head. The god fell…for the last time.
*****************
*Earth; Sullivan, MO*
A young girl gave a frustrated cry, why was everyone always treating
her like a child, it wasn't fair! Looking around her looking for
something to vent her frustration on the girl saw a tree and walked
over to it. "Damn them!" She punched the tree as hard as she could,
somewhere in the back of her mind knowing that it was a stupid idea,
but not caring. Instead of her hand crumbling like should happen when
a small fifteen-year-old girl punched a tree ten times her size, the
tree cracked in half. "That's new." The girl said in awe as she
looked at her hand, then the tree.
****************
Buffy ran to her lover's side, pulling the younger girl's head into
her lap. "Faith?" Tears were streaming down Buffy's face as she
gently cradled the lifeless girl in her lap. "Please no."
Willow and Tara walked over to their fallen friend, "Buffy I'm so
sorry," Tara said, tears obscuring her vision as she watched her
friend hold the dead body of her once best friend.
Buffy didn't hear her though; she couldn't hear anything over her own
cries over her fallen lover. The love of her life, gone.
******************
*Earth; Sunnydale*
As quickly as the quaking had begun it stopped.
*****************
*Earth; Rome*
"And it is done…order restored." The old man lay down on his bed and
closed his tired eyes. The life of one warrior, for the lives of
billions…it was never an even trade.
*****************
Lucifer quietly approached the four women, three crying, one
gone, "she saved the world you know."
Tara looked up at the man, noticing his kind eyes for the first time
she believed that the man before her truly was an angel. "W-what good
d-does it do h-her, she's d-d-dead."
"Perhaps." Everyone looked up at the new voice, Poseidon.
"YOU!" Willow stood, her eyes turning black with the magic that
coursed through her. "This is YOUR fault!"
"I was as deceived as the rest, and by my own brother." Poseidon
shook his head sadly. "It is time we all go home." With a single
flash Buffy, Willow, and Tara found themselves back on the cruise
ship. No longer in the underworld, but on the crystal blue sea off
the coast of Alaska. Their concerned friends surrounded them.
Buffy fell to her knees and let out a strangled cry, "FAITH!!"
*****************
*Sunnydale*
Willow with the help of Dawn led an almost catatonic like Buffy up
the stairs to the Summers' home. "Buffy we're home." Dawn told her
older sister, trying to get some response out of her. But like all
the times she tried in the few day before Buffy just stared out at
space before her, not responding to anyone or anything around her.
Dawn moved her sad gaze to Willow, who could do no more than offer a
reassuring smile to the young girl. She had no idea how to help her
friend, and it was all her fault. Her fault Faith had died. Her fault
Buffy was in the state she was in. Her fault that the Scooby gang
seemed to be falling apart before her eyes. And she could do nothing
about it.
Dawn and Willow managed to get Buffy settled in Dawn's room. Thinking
it wasn't wise to put the girl back in her own room, at least until
Faith's belongings had been removed. Taking one last glance at Buffy,
who was sitting on the edge of Dawn's bed, both girls walked out, and
down the stairs to where their other friends awaited them.
Willow took in the despairing faces of her friends. Cordelia, who
also was blaming herself, had large dark circles under her eyes, as
though she hadn't slept in days, which she probably hadn't. Xander
looked like he was going to break back into tears any moment, and was
leaning heavily on Anya, who didn't look much better (Faith had been
the only one willing to talk about sex and other things that
interested the ex-demon, she was a good friend). Giles was holding up
Tabitha, who looked as though she had just lost her own daughter, and
in a way, had. Oz who was known for not showing emotion sat on the
couch, s few tears still rolling down his face from the earlier
funeral. Tara held out her hand for Willow as she came into the room,
and Willow thankfully took all the support her wife offered. All in
all, it wasn't a pretty site.
Giles was the first to break the silence, "well it ah…it was a nice
service…I think she would ah…would have like it…" Tears once again
fell down his face, he had failed yet another.
"Friend, Lover, Fighter…can't believe she had picked out what she
wanted her gravestone to say." Iz said sadly, although the words did
fit the woman to a T. Those and so many more.
"She was a slayer, she knew she'd die young, only makes since to have
picked it out already," Spike said logically. He had not been able to
attend just like Angel, because of the sun. But they both planned on
going to pay their respects after sundown.
"What about the next?" Dawn asked.
"The next? Oh the next slayer? I haven't ah…I haven't called the
council yet to inquire." Giles took off his glasses and cleaned them.
"Oh," Dawn answered simply. After a long silence Dawn was again the
one to break it, "Marci said she would be here tomorrow." A few heads
nodded, and again the room filled with silence.
"At least," Anya broke the silence, "at least she had happiness
before…she had a hard life, she deserved to be happy, and she got it…
that's good right?" Again heads nodded and lapsed into silence. For
people who dealt with death on a daily basis, they weren't dealing
well at all.
"Go home." Everyone's heads snapped up to see Buffy standing in the
doorway staring at them.
"Buffy," Dawn said almost excitedly seeing her older sister acting…
alive again.
"Go home." Buffy repeated when no one made a move to go. "Now. Please
I just…go home." Without waiting for anyone to say anything Buffy
walked up the stairs and went into her and Faith's room and sat on
the bed.
She looked at all the things that belonged to her and Faith. The
dress she had talked the younger girl to wear to Willow and Tara's
wedding hung on the door to the closet. A pair of Faith's infamous
leather pants were folded over the desk chair along with her leather
jacket. Faith's make-up was mixed in with Buffy's own on the vanity.
A picture taken of the two of them while Faith was tickling Buffy
sitting on the night table on Faith's side of the bed, Buffy picked
up the picture and studied it. They both looked so happy in it. Buffy
held the picture to her chest and let the tears she had held back
stream down her face.
"I can't do this baby," she said to the Faith of the picture, "it was
supposed to be you and me, die together remember? I can't do this
with out you. I don't want to do this without you." Buffy raised her
head, and something shiny caught her eye. It was Faith's knife, the
one she had stabbed Faith with so long ago. Buffy stood up, the
picture falling from her lap to the ground where it landed with a
thump. Picture face up, now with a crack in the glass that sat over
Faith and Buffy's smiling faces. She walked towards the dresser and
picked up the still very sharp knife, "can't do it without you," she
repeated.
**************
"I'm worried about her," Willow said when Buffy left the room again.
"We just…she needs time Willow. She's strong, she'll come back to us
in time." Giles said with more belief than he felt. He was worried
too, they all were.
"No, I don' think she'll come back…not from this." Willow said to the
room, no one had anything else to say.
***************
Buffy walked into the bathroom and sat in the tub. A tub she had
shared so many bubble baths with Faith after long patrols. She
thought about it, but decided not to fill it up, the water would only
alert someone…no she wanted time…time to die.
Buffy looked from the knife in her left hand, to the wrist of her
right. It would be so easy, just put the blade to her wrist and
slice, then she would be with Faith again. So easy.
***************
"I think we should respect her wishes and go," Giles said looking at
Tabitha. Tabitha shook her head and she and Danny got ready to leave
with Giles, who had driven them there. Kate and Cordelia also stood,
along with Willow and Tara, Xander and Anya, and Angel and Spike.
After the two vampires were well covered they said their goodbyes to
Dawn, Iz, and Samantha, then left.
"I'll go make us some lunch," Samantha said, squeezing Dawn's
shoulder lightly as she passed the young girl. Knowing it was
especially hard for her. She had lost her mother, then someone who
was a sister to her, and now she was loosing her real sister.
****************
"I'm sorry I failed." Buffy said to the air, then the blade descended
to her wrist and she cut…deep.
****************
Every one of the Scoobies stopped dead in their tracks as they felt a
cold chill run through them. All chalking it up to the dreary day
they continued on their way, oblivious to what happened.
Series Concluded in "A Summers End"
