Forever, Always, and Then Some

Chapter 114

 

Thursday night August 22, 2002

Burned out library of Sunnydale High School.

Buffy looks at her husband. Her eyes roam over the burgundy silk shirt tucked in black leather pants. She easily recognized the A shaped silver belt buckle as one she herself bought him.

Angel: Hey lover, you looked surprised to see me.

Buffy: Aaaangel.

Angel: Yes.

Buffy: God please not again.

Angel: What’s wrong Buff. You’re not happy? Man you sure like to make me happy. You just give and give and give.

Buffy: But…

Angel: I am sorry did I forget to say thank you?

Buffy begins to back away. He reaches out and grabs her arm. Giles steps forward and Dawn yelps. They glance over to see a knife held to Dawn’s throat.

Angel: Rupert, I recommend you back up unless you want to see Dawn’s throat slit open.

Giles backs ups.

Angel: Now where were we. Oh yeah. Come here, let me show you something.

He guides her to the edge of the opening in the ground.

Angel: Look down there. Remember when it opened before? Well actually the two times it opened. The big green squiggly creature. Boy he had grown the second time. I wonder how big he is now. I guess we are going to find out. Aren’t you excited? I know I am.

Buffy: You know I am going to skip it.

Angel: You can’t. See I know your deepest secrets.

Her lip trembles and tears begin to form.

Angel: I see you understand.

Buffy: This can’t be happening.

Angel: But it is lover.

Buffy sobs loudly.

Angel: What you crying about?

Buffy: Your children need you. I need you.

Angel: You and the brats will be dead soon. So you won’t be needing anything or anyone.

Oz holds Willow from running forward.

Buffy collapses to her knees as the sobs rack her body.

Angel: Crying won’t help.

Buffy: Oh my god.

Angel: You do like that phrase.

Buffy covers her face with her hands as she is overcome with grief.

Angel: Look at our little heroine. Come on lover let’s just get this over with. I am so looking forward to all the little tasty treats filling the streets of Sunnydale. Know who I am really hankering to snack on?

Buffy looks up at him in horror. Willow buries her face in Oz’s shoulder.

Angel: Oh you know. I like them young. Young ones are the sweetest.

Buffy moves to get up and he pushes her down.

Angel: Not so fast lover. I need to tell you what we are going to here.

He pulls out a long dagger.

Angel: This is yours I think. Kind of pretty isn’t it?

Buffy watches as he dangles it in front of him. The others watch in shock.

Angel: Now love you know what you need to do. So stop fighting it. It is your day. You get to make a real mark on this world.

She looks down.

Angel: Hey I think we need to celebrate

He looks over at Erus.

Angel: Did anyone bother to bring some champagne? We need to toast this momentous occasion.

Cordy: Buffy, get your ass up.

Angel morphs and turns toward her. Gunn raises his crossbow. Dawn yelps.

Gunn: Don’t even think about it.

Angel: Now where was I? Oh yeah, I was thinking about champagne to celebrate this occasion.

Erus: Forget the champagne. Let’s get on with it.

Angel: Okay.

He kneels down and places the dagger in her right hand. He stands up and towers over her

Angel: You know what you need to do. You have no other option. If you don’t I will do it for you but you know I won’t stop there. I know your greatest fear, lover.

Buffy looks at him and slowly rises.

Buffy: You want to drink champagne and celebrate my death. Your daughter’s death? The destruction of our world.

Angel: Yes. Isn’t this exciting?

Buffy looks at his smile.

Buffy: (sobs) I give up.

Xander: No Buffy.

Buffy: (sobs) I can not do this again.

She looks at her left wrist.

Angel: Go on. Do it.

The demons clasp hands. The pins begin glowing.

Buffy raises the dagger.

Dawn: NOOO!!!!

A demon hits her. Pike steps forward but stops as he sees the knife press tight against her neck.

Buffy: (struggles to look at Angel through her tears) Break out the champagne.

She runs the blade across her wrist. As the blood begins pumping forth, she raises it above her head. The blood drips down the front of her shirt until Angel grabs her arm and seals his lips around the wound. He wraps his other arm around her waist and holds her snug against him. She looks up as he draws in the warm fluid then back down toward the ground. The demons cheer and their pins glow brighter. The tops of the pins begin opening like a flowers. The demon in the blue robe steps forward.

Praetor: This is a glorious night. Our ambitio is close at hand. We will rule for eternity.

Erus: Hell will be ours.

Small tendrils of blue energy slip from the friends and family watching the couple. Tears stream down their faces. Buffy looks back up as the negative energy flickers through the air. She looks into Angel’s face. Her right hand drops the dagger. As it clatters to the ground, she reaches out a grabs his rear.

Buffy: I just love you in leather.

Angel looks down at her. He pulls away form her wrist and laughs.

Angel: You have told me that before.

She glances at her healing wrist and wraps her hand into his hair as he leans down and presses his warm lips on hers. As he kisses her, a purple haze slowly forms around them. The others smile at the change in the couple and the blue wisp become purple and travel toward the open pins. The demons panic. One reaches out and grabs Willow, dragging her toward the opening. Oz moves forward and quickly loses control transforming into the werewolf. He pounces on the demon. Faith and Spike take advantage of the distraction to beat down the demons holding Dawn. The pins begin glowing orange as they fill with the purple tendrils of energy. As Oz kills the demon he looks up and moves toward the humans. Wesley raises a pistol and shoots a dart into him. He collapses on the floor. Suddenly a sharp sound is heard. Everyone turns toward the fallen demon. A whole is in his chest where the pin was attached. Another small explosion and another demon collapses.

Erus: No! We will not be defeated.

Wesley pulls Fred into his arms. His mouth latches onto hers. Cordy grabs Gunn and kisses him deeply. Willow walks over and takes Xander and Giles hands. She pulls their hands to her face. She places a kiss on both the soft knuckles and the construction roughened ones. More pins explode killing their wearers.

Praetor looks at Faith. She stares at the movements around her. She stares at the couples. She stares at the love surrounding her. Small fingers of blue energy seep from her. Praetor smiles and moves toward her. His pin pulls in the blue wisps. She looks down. Spike steps up closer behind her. He brushes his fingertips across her open palm.

Spike (w): You are not alone, love.

She slowly looks back up. Spike slips his fingers between hers and squeezes her hand. The blue wisp lighten until they look white. Praetor stops at the change.

Spike: (w) Show him who has the real power.

The wisps grow and quickly change form the neutral white to a bright purple and fly into Praetor’s pin as he turns to run. He grabs at the pin. He screams as his hand catches on fire form the heat of the pin. He grapples for the buttons of the robe just moments before the pin explodes in a fireworks of lights. Praetor falls to the ground. A gaping hole where the pin once sat.

Erus seeing this looks for a means of escape. The Scoobies and AI block the entries. Purple wisps flicker around them. The last of the demons fall to the ground. Erus is alone. His pin draws in the tiny purple flickers.

Giles: Think happy thoughts.

Erus looks at each of them. He heads toward Dawn. She stares into his eyes.

Erus: You can’t fool me. I know pain when I see it. No one has time for you little one, do they?

Dawn: You are wrong. I have family and friends.

Erus: But you can not even trust them.

Dawn: Leave me alone. I am happy.

Erus: Happy? Happy to be sneaking around?

Dawn: What do you know?

Buffy: (m to Pike) You love her? Then now is the time to show her.

Pike looks around and his eyes glances at Buffy looking at her. He moves toward Dawn.

Pike: Buffy and Angel know about us. It’s not a secret.

Dawn looks at him as he walks toward her.

Erus: You going to believe that? Come on little one.

Dawn looks at Buffy. Buffy nods her head.

Erus: You think they will accept it?

Dawn looks at Angel. He looks into her eyes.

Angel: (m) Dawn, I will always love you. Nothing can change that.

Dawn glances back at Erus. Suddenly a green glow seeps from her eyes and flows downward. It runs over the ground. All the purple wisps dive into the purple stream of energy as it moves toward Erus. He backs up watching the rivulet tracking him. As it reaches the bottom of his robe it quickly engulfs him. Everyone stares from Dawn to Erus.

Erus: Nooooo!!!! Stop it!!!!!

The green and purple fog swirl and slide into the open pin. The pin swells under the pressure. Angel dives for Erus and shoves him into the gapping opening.

Angel: Run!!!!

Erus’s scream reverberates through out the chamber. Angel scoops up Buffy and runs for the exit. Spike throws oz over his shoulder as everyone pours out of the library and into the hallway. The run down the charred passage. Dawn trips only to be yanked to her feet by Faith. They stream out the doors and into the night air. As they flee across the yard the first rumble is heard below the ground. No one stops until they stand amongst the trees across the street. They quickly take notice that everyone escaped.

Buffy: What now?

A thunderous sound is heard followed by two more. The school walls shake and tremble. The remaining section of roof collapse.

Giles: Get behind the trees.

Everyone moves for cover. The school groans as it shifts and twist. The walls begin moving. Slowly the entire school slides toward the hellmouth. Another explosion is heard. As they look on the school is sucked into the hellmouth. Another faint rumble and then silence.

Buffy: Is it over?

Giles: I am not sure. Let’s just stay put.

Xander: I have to say I am impressed with the demolition work.

Angel: For once I agree.

Cordy: So why has it not been torn down before this?

Willow: Politics.

Buffy: City council can’t decide if they want blue or black pins. Never mind the fate of a blown up high school.

Angel: I don’t hear anything. I think it is over.

Buffy: Good.

Cordy: Can we go home?

Giles: I don’t see why not. I think our work is done. But I think we should come back tomorrow to be sure.

Wesley: I agree.

Cordy starts walking off and the others follow.

Buffy: Angel, I need to go by Xander’s and get Conner. I will meet you a the house.

Angel: Why don’t I walk with you?

Buffy: Sure.

Xander, Buffy, and Angel head toward his apartment and the others head toward the house.

Buffy: How long before Giles and Wesley make Dawn a research subject?

Xander: I suspect it has already started.

They arrive at the building and enter the elevator.

Angel: Nice place.

Xander: We like it.

They get off the elevator and stand outside the door. Angel leans against the wall. Xander unlocks the door and opens it allowing Buffy to enter.

Anya: Your back. You are alive.

Xander: I promised we would be.

Anya: So I guess it went well.

Buffy: Demons are history.

Crystal walks in with Conner.

Crystal: He heard your voice.

Buffy: Come her sweety.

Xander looks over at Angel.

Xander: Come on in.

Angel looks shocked and walks in.

Anya: Hello Angel.

Angel: Hi Anya.

Buffy: Well I guess we need to get this little guy home. Crystal are you staying with us tonight?

Crystal: Yes. Too late to go home. I told my dad I was staying there.

The phone rings.

Buffy: Well lets get his stuff and head home.

Anya: That was Willow. Seems they are picking up Pizza and stuff. Looks like you are going home to a party.

Buffy: Fine by me. Just hope they don’t expect me to do any of the work.

Xander: Sounds like fun. An?

Anya: Sure. Why not? I could use a little fun.

Xander: Plus pizza.

Anya: Of course pizza.

They place Conner in his stroller and head to the house.

 

Later at the house.

Angel opens the bedroom door.

Angel: Is he asleep?

Buffy: Yes.

Angel: Good. Come with me.

Buffy: Where?

He takes her hand and leads her across the hall and into the bathroom.

Buffy: You read my mind.

Angel: Wasn’t too hard.

He kisses her.

Buffy: Thank you.

He leaves and she slips out of her dirty clothes and into the warm water.

 

Downstairs

Angel walks in.

Cordy: Where is Buffy?

Angel: Taking a bath.

Cordy: Alone?

Angel: I hope so.

Cordy: I just thought you might want to wash away the grime of Sunnydale High School.

Angel: Are you telling me to join her?

Cordy: Unless it would make you too happy.

Angel smirks: It might.

Cordy: Oh.

Angel: I was kidding. I’m not sure I am welcome right now.

Cordy: Why not?

Angel: Because I know the last time I had to pretend to go bad she needed some time apart.

Cordy: That had more to do with Faith then Angelus. The girl just went through hell tonight. Don’t you think she deserves a happy?

Angel smiles: You think?

Cordy: Don’t believe me? Go ask her.

Angel smiles and walks back upstairs. He knocks and enters.

Buffy: What took you so long?

Angel: I thought you want to be alone.

Buffy: As if. I love you in leather, but I love you naked better. Now get you butt in here.

He smirks as he quickly strips and slips into the warm water.

Angel: God this feels good.

Buffy: It gets better.

© 2005 Tara