FIC: Episode 1 in T.C.P.S. "Home is Where the Stake is." (5/6)

[~~Kimber <kacoe@xxxxxxx>]

TITLE: Episode 1 in T.C.P.S. "Home is Where the Stake is." (5/6)
AUTHORS: Heather (nerdgurrl@xxxxxxxxx) & ~~Kimber (kacoe@xxxxxxx)
DISCLAIMER: All recognizable characters from the television show Buffy the Vampire Slayer
belong to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy. Any additional characters mentioned are the
property of the authors and may not be used without permission. This arrangement of words
in cyberspace is also owned by the authors and may not be displayed, copied, quoted from
or used without permission. This is a work of fiction done for enjoyment and the authors
who are in no way receiving monetary compensation for their efforts.
SUMMARY: Episode 1 in Heather and Kimber's "Convergent Paths Series". The alternate
universe version of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
SPOILERS: Season one thru four including all season five speculations.
DISTRIBUTION: None. Lists only.
AUTHORS? NOTES:
Thoughts enclosed in <. . .>
Flashbacks enclosed in ((. . .))
Emphasis is denoted with *. . .*

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"So what? Now you're leaving again? Stopped by to grab a few extra stakes and you're on
your way?" Willow looked at her accusingly. "It doesn't work that way, Buffy."

"Then tell me Will." Buffy's voice cracked. "How does it work? Cause it sure as hell
doesn't work if you don't show up."

Willow looked at her and winced. "I called, but you were already gone." She walked
towards the Slayer. "And besides, I had something to do that couldn't be cancelled."

"Yeah? Like what? Avoiding Buffy 101? Cause I think you'd ace it at this point."

Willow winced again and felt the tears start to build up. Oz got up off the couch and
stepped in between them. "Okay, stepping in. Bein' referee guy here." He looked back
and forth between them.

"Let them go, Oz. Being nice doesn?t work. May as well try trading some insults." Cordy
quipped. "Works for me."

"You want to know where I was, Buffy? I was at karate class with Xander. We've been
taking classes at the Y, so we can do *your* job." She folded her arms across her chest
after wiping at a hot tear rolling down her cheek.

"Karate? You can't be serious Will. You could get hurt."

"Oh, and vampire Slayage is the next safest extracurricular activity?" she asked
sarcastically.

"Will, I. . .I wanted to call every day, I swear. I took off and it was wrong. . .I know
that and knew it even when I did it but-" She shrugged. "I was. . .scared. I fought
Angel and I won and." She sniffled and wiped away a few tears of her own. "I didn't feel
like much of a winner." Buffy wrapped her arms around herself. "Everything was falling
apart...Kendra...You were in the hospital...the cops were after me for murder. . .Giles
was missing. I felt like I let you down, all of you. . .I thought you'd be better off
without me. . .behold the fantastic fun that is Buffy's life, and I didn't want to put you
all through it anymore. . .and it was *all* because of me. . . .If I hadn't. . .with Angel
then. . .then you wouldn't have. . ." Buffy slid down the wall to her knees and broke
down. "God Will, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

"Oh, Buffy." Willow knelt down beside her and gathered the Slayer in her arms. Sobbing
like this, she didn't seem like a big bad Slayer at all. She seemed like a frightened
teenager with more than the weight of the world on her shoulders. She smoothed the hair
back from Buffy's face and held on to her. Like this, she wasn't the Slayer at all. She
was Willow's best friend, and she was hurt and scared. "It'll be alright Buffy. I
promise," Willow whispered to her. "You're home now. I've got you. I've got you." She
repeated it over and over again, reciting the mantra just as much for Buffy as she was for
herself.

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The gang left. Willow saw them out a little while ago, and Buffy was upstairs in her
room. She felt bad that it was getting close to dark and Oz would have to lock himself up
in the book cage. He was a little hurt by it too, but seemed to understand. Willow had
to be with Buffy right now. It was going to be a 'not-so-regular girls night' seeing as
there would probably be tears, chocolate, tissues and more tears, but what were best
friends for anyway?

"Is she alright?"

Willow turned around to see Buffy's mom standing behind her. "Huh? Oh, I think she'll be
okay. I'm gonna stay tonight if that's alright?"

"It's always okay, Willow. You stayed here a few times when she was. . .away. Why not
now?" Joyce smiled. "Go be with her. Help my daughter." Joyce gave her a brief hug and
went off to bed.

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Willow crept into Buffy's bedroom. It was dimly lit by light streaming into the room from
the street, but she could see well enough to detect a curled up little Slayer-ball in the
middle of the bed. She walked over and sat down next to her. "Hey."

"Hey yourself." Buffy looked at Willow and managed a small smile.

"So. How ya been?"

Buffy chuckled. "Been better. And you?" She figured a little light humor couldn?t hurt
the situation any.

"Okay. Though, a little sore from class. I got put on my?"

"*Don't* finish that sentence," Buffy warned with a smile and pointed her finger at
Willow. "You've been taking humor lessons from Xander again, haven't you?"

Willow shrugged and smiled. She tilted her head to the side and appraised Buffy perhaps
for the first time since she'd seen her in the ally a few days ago. She looked sad. Much
sadder than Willow had ever seen her. "Buffy. . ."

"Uh oh. It's gonna be one of *those* talks. Isn't it?"

Willow nodded. "What happened," she whispered, "with Angel."

Buffy sighed. "Angel," she whispered, "Angel was cured."

Willow looked at her dumbfounded. If Angel was cured, then that meant. . .

"Your spell worked at the last minute, Will." She felt the tears threatening but knew she
had to get it out. All of it. "I was about to take him out, and, um. . .something went
through him. . .and he was Angel again." She smiled thinly. "He-he didn't remember
anything that he'd done. He just held me." Buffy smiled when she felt Willow's hand take
her own. "Um, but i-it was. . .it was too late, and I, I had to. So I, I told him that I
loved him. . .and I kissed him. . .and I killed him." She exhaled deeply.

"Buffy. . .I didn't, I mean, we didn't know."

"You couldn't have Will. I saw you guys. Outside of school the next day. I felt. .
.ashamed." She smiled when Willow produced a tissue seemingly out of thin air. "I felt
like I put you in that wheelchair with my own hands." Buffy got a far off look in her
eyes. "Giles was. . .so banged up. Xander too. I just, couldn?t face you guys. So I
ran." Buffy wiped the tears from her eyes with the back of her hands. "But I don't want
to talk about that anymore right now. I wanna talk about you."

"Buffy," Willow hedged. "Are you sure? I mean, this is big. . .it could even be
considered capital letters BIG. You sure you don't want to-"

"Cry my little heart out," Buffy smiled slightly. "No. I'm sure. We have plenty of time
for that. I want to hear about you. So, um, karate Will? You don't strike me as a Ralph
Machio groupie. What gives?"

"Well, Xander and I figured we should, you know, get with the program. And it's a very
good workout, but the sensei can be a big bear sometimes if we're late. . .oh! And we
learned this really cool move where you spin and kick you leg and slam, boom, crash! Your
opponent is kissin linoleum." Willow had a very self-satisfied grin on her face.

Buffy wasn't buying it for one second. "So, um. . ." Buffy tilted her head and looked
questioningly at her best friend.

"All right, fine, we were getting whooped, okay? Besides, a little work out never hurt
anyone." Willow pouted.

"I'll make a deal with you Will. Help me pass chemistry and I'll teach you some moves.
You can have your very own Slayer punching bag. Sound good?"

"Really?" Willow's eyes went wide. "Cause, learning from The Slayer. . .I'll be kickin
undead booty in no time!"

"Really. Is that a deal?"

"Deal." Willow took Buffy's hand and shook on it.

They talked well into the night about everything. School would be starting soon, and
Willow was overly excited about it. She told Buffy everything about her summer and how
the gang got a lot better at keeping the un-dead count down. After a brief interruption
by a phone call from Xander and a promise to hangout, they were back to chattering till
dawn.

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