Fic: Convergent Slayers (3/?)

[annelise@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Third Part of a First Attempt At BuffyFic. So no excuses. *sob*
Comments/Flames/Etc. to: ladyvyxen@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
(I do read them!)

#INCLUDE <StandardDisclaimer.txt>

Anne-Lise.

--

"You're what?"
"Together. You know? As in... not apart!"
"Oh." Giles removed his glasses. They seemed, suddenly, impossibly 
heavy. "I see." He fumbled absently for his handkerchief.
"Are you okay? only, Willow seems to be like, dying behind you, and 
we could really use you not being angry, or..." She waved her hand in 
front of Giles' face. "Totally wigged. Giles, you okay?"
"I think we broke him." Willow ventured.

*

"So... You're Tara." The blonde turned and stared into the young 
man's piercing eyes. A very good-looking young man. Pity. She was so 
over good-looking, muscular... very muscular...
"And you are?"
"A friend." He gave her a non-committal shrug.
"I already have friends." 
"I didn't say I was your friend." He threw her a sardonic half-
smile. "But we do share something in common."
"Really." Flat, disbelieving. "What?"
Angel's visage contorted into its true vampiric form. "We've both 
still got our souls."

*

The old man looked up as the door opened. "And there will be a time 
of crisis, " he intoned. "Of worlds hanging in the balance. And in 
this time shall come the anointed; The Master's great warrior. And 
the Slayer will not know him, will not stop him. And he will lead her 
into Hell."
Kyoko caught her breath. "Sensei Kobo?" She winced as Kobo slammed 
shut the thick hide-bound book.
"This is a time of great change, Kyoko-chan. A time of prophesies. 
Without a strong Slayer presence, here, now... all could be lost."
"Then there's trouble. I checked the local cemeteries as you 
instructed, and I found vampires."
Kobo frowned. "Did you encounter any difficulties?"
"Iie, they didn't put up much of a fight."
"Then things are as I feared. The Slayer here is lax." He shook his 
head, angrily. "Rest. I think your skills will be needed much more in 
the days to come."
"Hai, sensei. But first, could we practice? You promised we would 
work harder in improving my middle tantien strength."
Kobo's face lit. "Such dedication." He entered a ready stance. "It 
would be my pleasure."

*

"I don't know what I find strangest. That you and Willow are," he 
gestured, "well, you and Willow... Or that you actually know how to 
make tea." Giles took a tentative sip. "And quite good it is too."
Buffy shrugged. "I just followed the instructions on the side of 
the box. So... you're not mad?"
"Of course not. Just a little... what do you call it, 'wigged'?"
"Well, that's a relief." Willow chipped in. "I thought you might 
be... Well... No, actually, you're reacting exactly the way I thought 
you would."
"He is?" Buffy gave her a mystified look. She turned back to 
Giles. "But you're not mad, right? You're still my warm, cuddly, 
stiff-upper-lipped... English guy..." She span back around to face 
Willow. "Tell me I didn't just say that."
Willow shook her head. If she didn't open her mouth, she hoped, her 
foot wouldn't be able to slip into it.
"No, I'm not mad, and I'm still your..." He cleared his 
throat. "English. Guy. In fact, I'm really very happy for the both of 
you." 
Buffy blinked. "It looks like Giles, and it sounds like Giles."
"I don't suppose you'd remember it now, but when we first met, I 
warned you about the hazards of becoming personally involved with 
someone unaware of your unique condition."
Buffy nodded. "How could I forget. My first date." She pouted. "You 
ruined it."
"Er, yes. But of all the people you've claimed to be in love with, I 
can think of no better partner for you than Willow." He opened his 
arms to the both of them, and pulled them into a tight hug. Buffy 
gave him a happy smile, while Willow just looked like someone had 
organised a sponsored walk on her grave.
"The last time things felt this weird," she admitted, "I was being 
licked by a vampire me." She shuddered. "Icky!"
"You didn't enjoy that?" Buffy asked.

*

"Darkness and terror are but one to a child, as the night brings 
home its unquenchable thirst for victims, who will but fall silent 
and shuddering under heavy blankets, praying not to be noticed or 
heard. Crying, so softly, so as not to disturb whilst hearing war 
raging in rooms on the other side of the wall. Unable to fight, they 
dream of fleeing into other realms, with make believe companions of 
goodness and light. Escaping the night in daydreams, despair lost to 
false happiness, free from the misery that rules over them. Darkness 
and terror are but one to a child who knows nothing more than the 
pain."
The speaker, a young boy who appeared to be no older than five or 
six, stared around the room. Twenty pairs of eyes, some glowing red, 
returned the stare with feral interest.
"Now that we've enjoyed your... recital, do you mind telling us 
exactly what it is you want us to do?" one of the demons asked, a 
seven-foot-tall specimen with dangerously razor-sharp horns.
The child sighed. "Impetuous youth, that's no way to speak to your 
master, now is it?"
"I'm over four hundred years old!" snarled the demon.
"Like I said; impetuous youth. So!" The child-master raised his hand 
to forestall further interruption. What do I want you to do? Well, I 
thought we'd have some old-fashioned fun. Bring back some of the... 
sparkle of the old days." Smiles from around the room greeted his 
suggestion. "I think we ought to engender some fear into the people. 
I think we ought to destroy, maim and kill!" Roars of approval. "I 
think we ought to... destroy the Slayer!"

*

Kobo sank to his knees exhausted. "My spirit is willing, Kyoko-
chan, but I'm tired. You are tantien-adept, your hara is more 
powerful than any I have ever before encountered. I'm proud to be 
your sensei."
Kyoko guided him to his chair, and sat with him awhile until he 
drifted asleep. "Hai," she whispered. "I love you too, Ojiisama."

*

"That went well. I think that went well. That went well. Tell me it 
went well. It did go well, didn't it?" Willow felt all tied up in 
knots inside. "I feel hollow. I'm hollow Willow. That's who I am. I'm 
hollow..."
"Relax, Will. It went well." 
"Oh. Okay." Seconds passed with nothing said.
Buffy nervously chewed a fingernail. "Do you think that went well?"
Willow's eyes widened.

*

Flames crackled in the marble fireplace creating flickering shadows 
on the mansion walls. Despite the cosy ambience, the two vampires 
looked anything but comfortable with each other. 
"If you're so close to Buffy and Willow, how come I've never heard 
of you before?" asked Tara.
Angel shrugged. "I guess its because we have an on-again, off-again 
relationship. We... I... thought it best if we spent some time apart."
"How much time? You do know about her and Riley, right?"
Angel nodded. "By some time, I guess we meant the rest of her life."
"Yet you still watch over her?"
"Some of the time. I love her, and I think she still loves me. 
Somehow. Some way." The lost boy looked down at his hands, 
unashamedly letting Tara see his grief. "We just can't... be 
together."
"You really have it bad, don't you. What did she do to make you love 
her so much?"
Angel laughed, unable to stop himself. "She sent me to hell. And 
when I came back, it snowed."

*

In the privacy of their dorm, Willow pulled Buffy into her warm 
embrace. Her hands roamed freely describing slight circles on Buffy's 
back before dropping seductively lower, caressing Buffy's sensitive 
buttocks. Willow's arms felt soft and her lips tickled Buffy's own. 
Buffy felt her breasts rubbing softly against Willow's, and she 
seemed to lose all sense of balance as she succumbed to that 
deliciously sensuous touch. 
Drifting in her lover's arms, she whispered, "I love you, Willow."
"Love you more," countered Willow, her lips forcibly parting Buffy's 
as her tongue touched the inside of Buffy's mouth. Buffy's wet sex 
pressed urgently against the hard mound of Willow's who writhed in 
pleasure.
"Impossible," breathed Buffy as their lips parted. Unable to stop 
herself, she threw her arms around Willow's neck, running her fingers 
up high into that silky red hair. Willow's lips found Buffy's once 
more and sucked greedily, biting gently as if trying to gain a taste 
of her lover.
And then Buffy looked into Willow's captivating eyes, so large and 
innocent and evocative of tender concern. She moaned and laid her 
cheek against Willow's, her sex nothing but craving and pain, need 
and desire. They no longer functioned as two bodies, but as one 
squirming creature of pure hunger. Their hands clawed one another 
ever more frantically as they slid together, skin on skin, lips and 
tongues and teeth devouring as Buffy's sex closed like a silk-gloved 
hand around Willow's questing fingers.
Gradually they relaxed into the symphony of sensations, finding the 
natural rhythm denied them in Buffy's original inexperienced 
attempts, and their orgiastic cries rang out into the night.
"Hey, will you guys cut it out?" A voice called from the 
hallway. "Some of us are, like, trying to study."
They looked at each other, fighting giggles. "I guess we should get 
ready to go patrol." Buffy admitted.
Willow nodded. "But I have to run some errands first. Meet you at 
the Pump?"

*

Kyoko felt the insistent tug in her mind as her Slayer sense warned 
of impending danger. She drew her sword, and the unique ring of steel 
rang out stark against the cemetery's deathly quiet. She couldn't see 
her attacker, but that didn't matter. She seized the calm centre 
within herself, the source of her power, her hara. And as she touched 
the cool of her blade against her forehead, she saw in her mind's eye 
the demon that faced her now. She yearned for the battle with every 
fibre of her being. She wished for nothing else. She would not to be 
denied.
With a scream of fury she unleashed her wrath. Her katana sang in 
her hands, its tip whistling in the air as it came about. The blade 
found its mark and rent flesh from bone, tasting blood. The demon 
howled in agony and became truly visible, if only for a moment. Yet a 
moment was enough, and it died gruesomely, its head falling to the 
ground where it rocked momentarily beside a severed claw.
Reeking blood misted the air, yet more was to come. She felt them, 
at first, as a dim presence on the periphery of her vision, circling, 
edging slowly closer. She let the rage suffuse her being, the way 
she'd been so carefully instructed. Her focus became the point of her 
sword, the point of her vengeance. 
"Megumi," she whispered. "For you." 
She spun, in the grip of fury, one with her blade, and attacked.

*

"How goes it?" Xander slid into the chair opposite Buffy, breaking 
her brooding chain of thought as she morosed over her coffee. Despite 
being late, the proprietors of Sunnydale's Espresso Pump had learned 
to keep the doors open well into the early hours. Sunnydale tended to 
attract a late-night clientele.
"Oh, hi Xander. How's things between you and Anya?"
"Same old, same old. One day, she may even find something remotely 
nice to say about me."
"She's still not getting the whole being-human thing, is she?"
"Nope. Not in the slightest."
"No big."
"No, no big. Anyway." Xander broke off. "Have you done something 
different with your hair?"
"My hair? No, why?" Buffy's hands flew up to check her hair was 
still attached to her head. In a town like Sunnydale, strange things 
tended to happen.
"You just seem different." He snapped his fingers. "Broody. You 
look... Broody." He took a breath. "Okay, so who's the guy?" Xander 
leaned inquisitively forward across the table.
"Guy? What guy?" Picture of innocence. Major resolve face.
"There's gotta be a guy. You only ever have the broody look when 
you're with a new guy." Xander grinned. "Like that time you wanted to 
marry Spike."
Buffy choked on her coffee. "You know, I could have happily lived 
my entire life without you, or anyone, ever mentioning that moment 
ever again."
"Yeah, but..."
"Ever!"
"Okay! I'm sorry." Xander meeked. "So, who's the guy? Are you at 
the 'I smile when he smiles' stage yet?"
"Nope. There's no guy, Xander. But there is, well, someone."
Xander's grin widened so much, his head could have been a hinge. "I 
guess our Willow's had a strange effect on you."
Buffy choked once more.

*

"Kami-sama!" Kobo breathed, as Kyoko staggered into the room. He 
laid her down on the futon, and removed her clothing with clinical 
regard. Carefully, he examined and dressed the many wounds. Cruel 
rents in her skin, some of which had already begun to heal, concerned 
him. "Tell me, Kyoko-chan, what happened?"

*

"So," said Xander, after an eternity.
"Mm?" Buffy studiously regarded the depths of her cup.
"Does Giles know?"
"Yep, he knows." Mesmerising patterns at the bottom of her cup 
continued to grasp her complete attention.
"He does?" Xander gave her a quirky grin. "Man, I wish I could've 
been there."
Buffy finally looked up. "Yeah, he did, like, go totally wiggins. 
It was so..." her hands flailed as she struggled to find suitable 
adjectives.
"Wiggy?"
"Yeah. Wiggy."
"Does your mom know?" Xander's smile faded away, changing to 
concerned-friend mode.
"Look carefully, examine closely." Buffy breathed deeply in and out 
and Xander tranced, predictably staring at Buffy's cleavage. "This is 
air passing through my mouth. See? I'm still breathing." She waited 
until Xander looked up again, her mouth firming with each passing 
second.
"I hope," Xander said, trying to re-articulate himself, "I mean, I 
really hope, with all my heart, that when your mom does finds out, 
I'm a thousand miles away. Or more!"
"Me too, Xander, me too."
"So, what's the exact geographical opposite of Sunnydale?"
Buffy shrugged. "Not sure."
"Okay, well, how do you go about becoming an astronaut?"

*

"You're pregnant?" The way she spoke, it was a statement, not a 
question.
"No, mom. I'm not pregnant." Willow quailed under her mother's glare.
"Oh thank god! So, if that's not what's wrong, what is?"
"Oh, well, you remember I was dating that... musician?" Willow hoped 
the rehearsed speech would work.
"Oh yes. I remember all right. He seemed like such a nice lad. You 
didn't get married, did you?" Her eyes widened as Willow did the 
speechless thing. "You did?"
"No mom, I didn't!" Willow shot to her feet, fists clenched. "You 
aren't sticking to the script. you're supposed to sit there in quiet 
judgement while I spill my innermost feelings and troubles to you... 
Then you get to rant at me!"
"Fair enough." Sheila crossed her arms. "Well, go on then. Talk."
"Oz and I... We split up mom. And... now I realise I'm a lesbian, 
and I'm in love with Buffy, and, and she loves me too!"
"Oh." Her mother continued to stare with a nonplussed expression.
After a few moments, Willow asked, "Is that all you're going to 
say? 'oh?' I was expecting, like, a major episode."
"I'm a modern woman, Willow. I'm happy you've found a more suitable 
companion than that... 'musician'." The way Sheila Rosenberg could 
say musician made it sound like an expletive. "But from what I 
remember about Bunny, she's athletic, attractive, popular... and a 
good student. I get on well with her mother, too."
Willow boggled. We really don't share the same planet, do 
we? "That's right, mom." And in case the point was missed, "We're in 
love!" This is unreal, Willow's inner voice screamed. I should be 
being shouted at!
"That's wonderful. You'll bring her around on Sunday, won't you? 
I'll put on a buffet, and we can get to meet her properly."
"Nnh?"
"I mean, your father will want to congratulate you both too. He'll 
be so excited when I tell him. he was so worried about you mixing 
with the wrong crowd."
"Nnh!"

*

"Stay away from them!" Angel roared, throwing Tara back hard against 
the wall. Things weren't going the way he'd planned. "Nothing good 
will come from you staying here."
"And who're you to dictate to me?" Tara spoke through the pain. "You 
said yourself that you've killed without remorse."
Angel's vampiric scowl deepened. "That's true. I killed my family 
and their friends. And their friends' children. For a hundred years I 
offered an ugly death to everyone I met, and I did it with a song in 
my heart." He paused. "But that was different."
"Yeah, right. I can tell by your face just how sorry you are." 
Tara's hands flew up, palms out, and an unseen forced smashed hard 
into Angel, ramming him against a table.
"You've killed." Angel spoke as he recovered. "You've tasted blood. 
It changes... everything."
"I thirst, I always thirst. I can't control it!" Tara's exclamation 
became a scream as Angel charged into her, knocking her down. "Its 
not my fault!"
"Do you want to kill Willow?" Angel demanded, using his weight to 
keep the now-savage Tara down.
"Of course not!" Tara's face shifted to its human mode and tears 
formed in her eyes.
"Then leave." Angel demanded. "Please." Beside the fireplace, behind 
Angel, a poker rose silently into the air, guided by kinetic power.
"No," said Tara simply. "I can't." The poker rammed through Angel's 
left shoulder, and he rolled to the floor beside Tara in agony. "And 
if you come after me, or try to stop me, well..." She rose unsteadily 
to her feet. "Next time, I guess I'll aim a little lower."

*

"We ran into difficulties, master." The demon stared down at the 
floor affecting an abashed tone.
"I thought so." The child sighed. "It was the strange reduction in 
your numbers that gave me an inkling. How did it happen?"
"She had a sword. We couldn't even get close to her. Well, not close 
enough."
"A sword? How unexpected. I guess we'll have to change our strategy."

*

"You look down." Willow gave her lover a concerned look as they 
patrolled. "I was only gone for a few hours." She flashed a bright 
smile. "Did you really miss me that much?"
"Mmm? Oh! My bad, Willow. Xander stopped by. I told him. About the 
us thing. You know?"
"He knows? What did he say?" 
"Oh, you know Xander. Nothing fazes him for long."
"I know," she said quietly.
"Actually, it reminded me of the time he asked me out."
"When you shot him down, you mean." Willow giggled.
"Yep. He said, 'Willow's not looking to date you. Or if she is, 
she's playing it pretty close to her chest.'" Buffy shrugged. "Sort 
of ironic now."
"Yeah. I went to see my mom."
"Wha?" Buffy tried to turn mid-step, and tripped over.

*

"Buffy?" Giles answered the door and instead came face-to-face with 
a grim-looking Angel. Nonchalantly, he reached out and grabbed the 
crossbow from the shelf he'd fixed up next to the door for this very 
purpose.
"Come in," he said, training the crossbow in the region of Angel's 
heart. Cautiously the two made their way inside.
"Are you going to do this every time I come visit?" Angel stared 
along the business end of the crossbow bolt.
"I think I'm entitled to, yes." 
Angel nodded. "I just thought that after I helped with those 
Chumash indians, you'd start trusting me again."
The crossbow didn't waver. "So, why have you graced me with your 
presence this time?"
"There's a new master in town." Angel offered.
"Are you sure?" Giles lowered the crossbow and put it back on its 
shelf. Under his breath he muttered, "The surprises just keep on 
coming."
"I'm sure. I don't think there's a vampire or demon in the area that 
hasn't felt the pull, the lure."
"I'm grateful for the warning."
Angel glanced briefly into Giles' honest face for a moment, then 
said, "Something else. Willow may be in danger." He took off his 
jacket revealing the raw wound in his shoulder. "I ran into a 
fledgling vampire earlier. Its Tara, Willow's friend. She used 
witchcraft to ram a fire-poker through my shoulder."
"Tara?"
"Yes." Angel caught Giles' eye, and said in a pained voice, "She's 
already killed, Giles, she can't help herself. But she still has her 
soul!" Angel's eyes gleamed with inner pain as he turned and fled 
into the night.

*

"In the aftermath of this night's tragedies," The child spoke out to 
his demonic brethren, "I will ask only one task of you. Tomorrow 
night you will perform an act that will drive fear into the people." 
He looked around studying the demons as they listened. "It will be a 
task even you can manage." He added.
"Ask, and it shall be done," offered a particularly unpleasant 
acolyte.
The child smiled. "You will bring me the heads of five children." 
He sniffed. "I don't care which five. Oh, and leave the torsos 
somewhere public. I think that should cause the appropriate reaction."

*

"Well, that's not something you see every day." Angel murmured. The 
darkness had just begun to fade, and he was heading back to his 
mansion house to weather the day. Despite his advanced age, the sight 
of a young woman standing in a graveyard wielding a sword was a new 
experience even for him. And this from someone who'd spent major 
Slayage time with Buffy. "What's your beef?" He asked.
Kyoko turned, her eyes widening. "You!" She clutched her sword 
tighter, the muscles of her legs, arms, and shoulders strained with 
tension demanding release. "Prepare to die."
It was like a moment from the Princess Bride. Angel tensed, then 
turned and ran like the hounds of hell were following on his heels. 
>From the shadows of his converted tomb, Spike watched them go.
"A new Slayer," he mused. "Oh great."

*

Buffy opened the note. She loved the whole receiving-the-note 
thing. It was the way her mind became wet cement every time she tried 
to reply that she hated.


I burn with fire and you're the fan 
as raw desires appear undaunting; 
Unfulfilled through depths of wanting 
to only know the softer touch, 
and feel caressed; ask I too much?

- Willow.


As was fast becoming their custom now, she flipped the paper over 
and scribbled hastily on the back before her brain, floating 
somewhere in the meadows of blissland, caught up with her words.


If there's a God, I do not know. 
But if He put you on this world, He must be a wondrous being. 
For you have given me all I ever wanted: 
Love, perfect and true, a caring soul to ease my pain, 
and a heart with a fire that burns brighter than the sun. 
But if there's a God, then my soul is already at rest. 
For if there's a God, then surely, you are my Heaven.

- Buffy.


Maybe there's hope for us after all, she thought, as she furtively 
passed the note back. She discreetly watched Willow as she read her 
heartfelt words, and when Willow looked up, gracing her with that 
dazzling smile, life suddenly seemed worth living again. Nothing 
could possibly ruin her day.

*

"Ah, the mocha!" Xander surveyed his steaming cup. "King of coffee. 
May all pretenders bow down before you." Xander glanced up from his 
fine-bean introspection just as Riley entered the Pump.
"Xander?" Riley came over and joined Xander's personal bubble of 
isolation. 
"Oh... Hi. Take a seat."
"Have you seen Buffy lately?" Riley got straight to the point.
"Nice to see you too," Xander pointed out. "She's still living in 
the same dorm."
"Cool." Riley got up. "I wanted to see... Make sure she's..." He 
broke off and left.
Xander blinked, twice. "Some people might call that guy 
distracted," he mused, cocking his head to one side. "But I..." He 
held up his cup. "I don't care. I have mocha!"
"You're a strange guy," pointed out a passing waitress.

*

"Buffy?" Willow tentatively called out. "Are you in there?"
"Go way." Buffy's voice came from the dark recesses of the dorm's 
walk-in closet.
"Its not like the end of the world!" Willow sat on the end of 
Buffy's bed peering into the darkness. A sudden thought struck 
her. "My god, its not the end of the world, is it?"
"Sort of. Your mom rang my mom to ask if she wants to join us at 
your house for dinner on Sunday. What with them being sort of like 
mothers-in-law and everything."
"Eek!" Inopportunely, the phone chose that moment to ring and Willow 
got up to answer it. "Oh, hi Giles. Uhuh. 'K. I will. Bye." She hung 
up and sank back onto the bed.
If there was one thing that could drag a terminally depressed 
Slayer out of a closet, it was overwhelming curiosity. She clambered 
out looking dishevelled. In one arm she hugged Mr. Gordo, her stuffed 
pig. "So what did Giles want?"
Willow sounded numb. "Oh. He asked us to go over to his place. He 
thinks its the end of the world."
"Oh. Again?"

*

"Hey man, its me." Spike stood on Giles' doorstep, a ratty blanket 
over his head, smoking slightly. "I've got news, so invite me in!"
"Come in." Giles offered and Spike shot past him. Giles shut the 
door unable to keep the smile from his lips. "Warm out there, is it?"
Spike gave him a Look. "New Slayer," he said without preamble, "and 
this one's nuttier than that last one."
"What? But that's impossible. I would have heard... What did she 
look like, what did you see?" Giles' expression reflected his true 
feelings; Confounded.
"I saw this Japanese chick enter the graveyard, right? She drew a 
sword and killed a few demons." Spike peered into Giles' fridge. "And 
by a few I mean well into the 'teens."
"Oh my!"
"Then she left for awhile. Well, most of the night actually. I sort 
of lost track when the baseball came on." He sniffed at a block of 
cheese. "Then she came back and poked around some more. Oh, and then 
Angel came walking by. Talk about bad timing."
"Angel?"
"Yes, Angel. They spoke a few words, and she chased him off. That 
was the last I saw of her. What the hell's this?" He held up a bottle.
"Non-alcoholic beer." Giles frowned. "I need to make a call. If you 
want to stay... try and keep quiet, will you?"
"Yeah, yeah." Spike dropped onto the couch and reached for the TV 
control. "No need to thank me or anything," he muttered. "Non-
alcoholic beer? What's the point?"

*

"This isn't the way to Giles' place," Willow pointed out as they 
headed in the opposite direction.
"I know. We're making a slight detour." Buffy steered Willow along a 
side-street.
"A detour?"
"Yep. I want a beer." 
Willow blinked. "Beer? Buffy! Beer is not good for you." Willow 
spoke with true moral authority. "In fact, beer is bad!"
"Maybe, maybe not. Its refreshing. Comforting." Buffy's voice 
drifted off dreamily. "Foamy." She resumed her resolve face. "And if 
I have to face possible armageddon," she shuddered, "and whatever 
Giles has in store for us, then I need a beer!"
"Well if you put it like that you can count me in!"
"Yay for Willow, party animal!"
"But here?" Willow looked nervous. "This is Willy's place. There's 
more than just peanuts in the bowl here, you know."
"I know, but seriously, I think its worth us stopping by to hear 
what Willy has to say. You know, about the world ending, or whatever."
"Oh, well, that sort of makes more sense."
"And I really, really, want a beer."

*

"You seem troubled." Kobo regarded his charge with paternal concern.
"I saw him, but I wasn't strong enough to kill him."
"You saw Angelus?"
"Hai... But I was still too tired from my earlier fight."
"Then rest, heal. If Angelus is here, I'm sure your chance will 
come. This cannot be simple coincidence!"

*

"I can't help you!" exclaimed the weaselly bartender. "Hit me," he 
whispered under his breath. Buffy obliged. "Ow!"
"Once enough?" Buffy enquired, sweetly.
"Beer and violence," mused Willow. "I guess there really is a 
connection!"
"You just wanted beer?" Willy looked more than a little put out.
"Well, we are students." Buffy pointed out. "Some of us are actually 
known for our fine hop cravings."
"I'd like some crisps." Willow added, looking around. "Its quiet in 
here. I thought there'd be more... denizens."
"Actually, most of my custom is just before sunset." Willy poured 
two beers from the only pump that actually held beer. "Although some 
of the daywalkers will be here in a few hours."
"You have a piano!" Buffy exclaimed happily, going over to the small 
upright. "Ew. Dusty!"
"You can play the piano, Buffy?" Willow took a small sip of her beer.
"Used to. Before I was called. I've not really had the time since." 
She came back over to the bar. "No big."
"Shouldn't we threaten and extort the barman some more?" Willow gave 
Willy her most innocent smile.
"Hey! You've already hit me once!" Willy reminded them. "What d'ya 
wanna know? Its the new master, isn't it?"
"That'll do for a start," breathed Buffy.
Willow dropped her glass, her expression one of utter shock.

*

"Get inside, the both of you." Giles ushered Buffy and Willow into 
his home.
Buffy raised her hand to speak but instantly forgot what she was 
going to say. She frowned, puzzled. Willow hiccuped.
"Once again," Spike said, "I'm humbled by the awesome resources of 
the Slayer." As Willow hiccuped again, Buffy fell to the floor like a 
tree being felled.
"Put the kettle on, Spike. We're going to need coffee." Giles 
stalled peroxide boy's reply with a raised-eyebrow glance.
"Coffee sounds good," agreed Xander, as he and Anya turned up in the 
still-open doorway. "How're the lovebirds?"
"Knock!" exclaimed Anya, while Xander took in the vertically-
challenged Slayer and the swaying witch.
"Beer bad!" Willow informed them as she sank to her knees beside 
Buffy.
"Foamy." Buffy mumbled from the plane of inebriation.
"Well," said Xander rubbing his hands. "I'm glad we all remembered 
that lesson."

*

"What are you doing here?" Angel ushered Tara deeper inside his 
mansion home away from the painful sunlight. "I mean, the last time 
we spoke you threatened to kill me if we ever saw each other again."
"You told them, didn't you. About me." Tara's eyes sparked, as if 
lit by an inner fire. Her smile seemed darker than death itself.
"I told Giles. What else did you expect me to do? I won't let you 
hurt them!"
"Hurt them? You think I'd want to hurt them? I love Willow!"
"She's already over you." Angel hoped this news would convince Tara 
to give up on her unhealthy affixation. "Besides, what could you 
say? 'Hi Willow, I'm still the same girl you knew and loved. I just 
need to kill your friends and feast on their entrails every now and 
then?' Give it up."
"You think it doesn't hurt that I'm forced to kill?"
Angel pulled her into a hug, a move unexpected by the both of 
them. "I know it hurts. I saw you crying after you killed in the 
park. I know how much you regret your actions."
Tara pulled away. "That's just it. I'm not sure I do anymore." 
Angel continued to hold her as she dissolved into tears, wanting to 
help but not knowing how.

*

"The end of the world," Giles informed them. "Again."
"Correct me if I'm wrong," Xander began, "and I know that my track 
record in the knowing-things department isn't great, but shouldn't 
Armageddon happen just the once?"
"Well, yes, you are correct," Giles acknowledged ignoring the smug 
look on Xander's face. "But as it hasn't actually happened yet it 
still exists. In potentia, as it were."
"Great. So what do we have to do this time?" Xander asked. "Mug the 
four horseman and steal their horses?"
Giles shook his head. "No, we just have to..."
"Kill the master," Buffy interrupted, dusting herself off.
"That's right. You're sober already?" Giles gestured over to Willow, 
who lay fast asleep wrapped in a bundle of sheets on the couch. Buffy 
went over and laid the back of her hand lovingly on the wicca's 
forehead, before leaning down to give her a quick kiss.
"I'm sober," she claimed, turning to face the other scoobs. "Oh come 
on guys!" She put her hands on her hips. "You're gonna have to get 
used to us being together. Anyway... Slayer metabolism. Heals broken 
bones, keeps me trim, and fights those evil toxins and poisons. 
Including alcohol!"
Xander broke the spell first. "So, what's this about a new master 
in town?"
"According to Angel," Giles spoke up, "the new master has the power 
to summon demons from all around the area."
"Its true," Spike agreed. "I've felt it."
"You saw Angel?" Buffy demanded. She held up her hand. "Whatever. 
Bartender Willy told us something's going down tonight. The whole 
death of five thing. Cult of Areleus."
"Ah yes," Giles removed his glasses and rubbed his forehead. "The 
anointed one."
"Wow. Talk about your deja vu." Xander chipped in.
Anya looked puzzled. "This has happened before?" Anya shrugged. "So 
its no big deal then. Just do what you did last time and we can all 
go home for orgasms." 
"Speaking for myself," said Buffy, as Xander performed a convincing 
fish imitation with his mouth, "I'd rather find a way to save the 
world without dying." She sighed. "Its kind of a drag."

*

"Its beautiful," breathed Willow as she sat with Buffy watching the 
sunset.
"No, its purple." Buffy pointed out.
"It can't be both?"
"Well, I guess so." Buffy shrugged. "But personally, I don't like 
sunsets."
"Curse those evil sunsets and all they beget." Willow shivered from 
the cold and cuddled up tighter to Buffy. "Is it because the setting 
sun heralds the onset of those unyielding forces of evil that you've 
gained these unhealthy anti-sunset tendencies?"
"That's a very good reason," Buffy agreed. "But the truth is purple 
just sort of makes me feel blue."
"I know what you mean. I used to hate yellow. Yellow would always 
make me feel blue." She thought about it some more. "I guess between 
us we're kinda plaid."
"That almost made sense," said Buffy cheerfully.
"Yep. Its amazing what intro-psych can teach you."
"Speaking of which," Buffy leaned down and picked up her weapons 
bag. "Let's go back to school." Together they entered the charred and 
ruined entrance of Sunnydale High.

*

End Part 3.