FIC: Trinity's Child 25/25

[CDRERamius@xxxxxxx]

TITLE: Trinity's Child 25/25
AUTHOR: Tony McD
DISCLAIMER: All characters belong to Joss Whendon, Mutant Enemy, WB and 
others. This is for fun, not profit.
SUMMARY: Sequel to Terra Australis Incognito. 17 years on Buffy, Xander, 
Willow, and their child must face very different evils to save the world 
(again).
SPOILERS: None really. AU.
RATING: MA 15+ (Australian system)

Trinity's Child 25/25

They were flying back to Sunnydale for what would be the last time. As 
they flew south, they went over the plan to stop the Chief Watcher.

"Let me get this straight. You guys went to high school which was 
built right over the Hellmouth. All kinds of weird shit happens there until 
you guys blow up the school. They then rebuild the school exactly as it was, 
including the library being over the Hellmouth?" Billy asked.

"Yeah, that about sums it up." Willow said. Billy rolled his eyes in 
disbelief.

"Only in America. Isn't going to high school dangerous enough without 
adding the gates of hell?" Billy grumbled. His comms pack started chirping. 
While he took the call, Buffy, Willow, and Xander went over the lay out of 
the school with the other team members.

"There's a skylight above the library, but the only access is through 
here." Buffy said pointing to the layout of the school.

"Other than that there are two entrances to the library. Behind the 
stacks here" she pointed again to the layout. "And through the front door 
here." Billy interrupted.

"Buffy, can I see you and the others down the back for a second?" 
Billy asked, motioning towards the rear of the plane. Buffy, Willow and 
Xander followed Billy to the back, leaving the team members to plan their 
assault. When Xander and the others caught up with Billy, he thrust a message 
at Xander.

"Read." was Billy's only comment. Xander quickly read, then re-read 
the message. It didn't take an empathic link to know the horror, joy and 
sadness that flooded Xander. He handed the message to Willow while Buffy read 
over her shoulder.

Xander looked down at his feet, his vision blurred by the unexpected 
tears that threatened to break loose. He blinked a few times to rid himself 
of his tears before he looked up again. Xander silently gave a quick prayer 
of thanks for the vampire that had not only saved his daughter, but had also 
saved the world.

"He kept his promise. He died to protect her." Xander said when Buffy 
and Willow had finished reading.

"He kept his promise. So will we." Buffy said determinedly.


Several vans sped through the night time streets of Sunnydale. In the 
lead van Buffy went over the final plan with Billy.

"If it's human, you and your boys take care of it. If it's got horns 
and an attitude, leave it to us." Buffy said indicating to Willow and Xander.

"No argument from me." Billy said simply. The van came to a sudden 
stop.

"What's going on?" Buffy asked. She went forward to see the driver who 
pointed out the window. They were near the school, but so were dozens of 
vampires. Billy had a look too.

"Shit! What are they doing here?" Billy asked.

"I guess that they must feel that someone is trying to open the 
Hellmouth and that's attracting them." Willow suggested. Billy swore again.

"OK boys and girls, change of plan." Billy said and jumped out of the 
van. The other vans pulled up and the teams disembarked. Billy started to 
issue orders.

"Johno, Dave, you're with me. The rest of you take care of the vamps 
while we go in. Remember, this is a built up area so take your shots 
carefully." he instructed them. Billy turned to Buffy, Willow and Xander.

"Me, Johno and Dave will follow you guys in and take care of the Chief 
Watcher's goon squad. OK?" Buffy nodded.

"Let's do it." she said as the teams started engaging the vampires. 
Buffy lead the small group into the school, dusting a few vamps that got in 
her way. They entered the school and started toward the library. 

Just then the earth started to shake and tremble. Buffy, Willow and 
Xander looked at each other in dread.

"Too late." Buffy breathed. The group sprinted down the halls and 
burst into the library.

In the centre of the room stood a massive demon, around him lay the 
broken and bloody bodies of the Black Ops team. In the far corner stood the 
Chief Watcher, a wicked smile on his face.

"How nice of you to drop by to die, Slayer." The Chief Watcher said, 
clearly insane.

The Cacodemon roared as Willow sent a ball of fire at it. On instinct 
Billy and the two other soldiers opened fire on the demon with little effect. 
Xander unstrapped his battle axe and stood between the demon and his 
soulmates. A strong hand grabbed the axe and shoved Xander out of the way.

It was Buffy.

"Not this time, Xander." she said and launched herself at the demon.

Buffy swung the axe at the demons head, just missing it as the demon 
ducked out of the way. Pain ripped through Buffy's rib cage as the demon 
kicked her, breaking several ribs. Her next swing sliced into the demons 
shoulder. The demon slashed at Buffy's head with long claws, cutting open her 
cheek.

Buffy tried to kick the demon but it knocked her to the ground and 
started to kick her. The sound of her bones breaking and the sight of Buffy 
laying bleeding was too much for Xander and Willow.

Xander ran at the demon and grabbled its legs. He yelled to Willow to 
knock the demon over with her magic. The demon crashed to the floor.

This was the break that Buffy needed. With the last of her strength, 
she raised the axe over her head cut the demons head off. Buffy then 
collapsed, her strength gone.

Billy and Willow rushed over to Buffy while the two other soldiers 
grabbed the Chief Watcher. Billy examined Buffy then started to bandage her 
wounds. A panicked Willow fluttered over Buffy.

"Is she going to be OK?" she asked Billy as he tended to her wounds.

"Yeah, she's lost some blood and has a couple of broken bones, but 
she'll be fine. Give it a week or two and she'll be tap dancing again in no 
time." Billy told a relieved Willow. Xander, however wasn't relieved. He was 
angry. Furious. Murderous. He grabbed his knife and went over to the Chief 
Watcher.

Xander pinned the man up against the wall, a cold hard look in his 
eyes. He slowly traced the knife across the Chief Watchers face.

"You die. For Joyce, for Tina, for everyone you ever hurt, you die. 
Slowly." Xander said, his voice cold, dangerous, almost inhuman. Willow 
quietly went up to Xander.

"Xander, don't." she warned him gently. All the rage and fury that 
Xander had bottled up was coming out. And Willow was scared that it would 
turn him into a murderer. Xander ignored her. He wanted to cut open the Chief 
Watcher slowly, to watch his slow and painful trip to hell. Xander was 
consumed by his hate for the man before him.

"Xander you can't!" Willow pleaded and went to grab Xander's arm. 
Xander spun around to face the person who was trying to stop his vengeance. 
His fist was raised to strike them down.

Willow saw Xander turn around. She saw the inhuman coldness and 
hardness of his eyes. She saw his fist raised, poised to strike her. She 
braced herself for the blow.

It never came.

In his state, Xander didn't recognise Willow. But he recognised the 
look on her face. It was the same look his mother gave just before his father 
hit her. It stopped him cold. He recognised Willow. He had nearly hit Willow. 
He had nearly hit the woman he loved more than life itself. He had nearly 
become something he vowed never to become, the Ghost of Christmas Past.

His father.

Xander's fist lowered. Willow saw Xander's eyes soften. The chocolate 
pools that were his eyes returned. Tears filled his eyes. Willow recognised 
the look in his eyes, a look she had not seen since they were children. The 
look of a terrified little boy.

Xander sank to his knees and Willow held his head close to her chest 
as he cried his heart out. Willow held him, rocking gently, smoothing his 
hair and reassuring him the same way she had done when they were children.

After a few minutes Xander had regained himself enough to stand up. 
Willow held on to him reassuringly. She looked to Billy.

"You can lock this asshole away in jail." she said, gesturing to the 
Chief Watcher. Billy stood up and went over to the Chief Watcher.

"He's not going to jail." Billy said as the other two soldiers held 
onto the Chief Watcher. Billy pulled out a piece of paper and started to read 
it out loud to the Chief Watcher.

"You have been charged and tried in absentia by the International 
Court of Justice for crimes against humanity and endangerment of the planet. 
You have been found guilty of both charges and have been given the maximum 
possible sentence.

"Death. 

"Sentence to be carried out immediately." Billy said and pulled out 
his pistol. He levelled it to the Chief Watchers head.

"May God have mercy on your soul." The shot caused Willow to jump a 
little.

It was over.

Almost.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

They were gathered together by Giles' hospital bed at his insistence. 
The past day had seen Buffy, Willow and Xander come to deal with their 
daughters new role as the Slayer. There had been a change in Jenny, they 
noticed with a little sadness. She had grown up more, her wide smile less 
frequent. They knew she was holding something from them, but up until now 
they had been unable to get anything out of her.

Now, as they stood by Giles' bed, the sadness had returned to Jenny's 
eyes. The look of sadness on Giles' eyes was evident. Buffy was shocked to 
see the look of a frail old man on her Watcher, the man who she loved like a 
father.

There were two others in the hospital room other than their family. 
Buffy recognised Durrum Mandupi, who had taken over the role of tribal elder 
after Albert died several years ago. He went up to Xander.

"You have the Black Opal?" he asked. Xander removed the tiny bag with 
the opal in it that hung around his neck. Xander handed it to him with a 
sense of dread. Durrum then handed it to Jenny who looked like she was about 
to cry.

Buffy realised that this was goodbye.

Tears flooded her eyes. Buffy went to her daughter and hugged her 
tightly. Willow and Xander came over and together the family held each other 
for the last time.

"I don't want to go." Buffy cried.

"I don't you to go either. But you have to." Jenny whispered to her 
mother as her tears soaked her father's chest.

"We don't want to leave you." Willow told her daughter. Jenny slowly 
extracted herself from her parents.

"The fight is mine now, you know that. You have to fight The Twelve. 
I'll be fine. I'll have Paul and Grandpa and the Slayers Council. But most of 
all, I'll have you all in my heart." Jenny told them as she held onto Paul.

Buffy, Willow and Xander went over to Giles and hugged the man who 
they all regarded as their father. There was no sign of his stiff upper lip 
as Giles wept holding his children.

"As I have loved and cared for you all as my own children, so will I 
care for Jenny. I promise." Giles told them. After a few moments they let him 
go.

"It's time." Durrum said. Jenny put the Black Opal in her hand and 
held it high into the air.

"I love you." Jenny said as white light danced about her parents. They 
seemingly glowed white then disappeared in a flash of brilliant light.

Slowly Jenny lowered her hand.

The hand that held the Black Opal.

The Black Opal warmed by the life force it held.

Trinity.