Disclaimers : Buffy, Willow, Xander, Giles et al. are the children of the mind of Joss Whedon and owned by Mutant Enemy (Grr Arrgh...). This disposable piece of carp is mine.
Author's note : I own nothing, please don?t sue.
Spoilers : Season 5
Rating : R, you?ll see. Warning : possible death of a likable character
Archives : Be like Faith : see, want, take, have
Feedback : any and all
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Summary : Set right after Riley and his buddies copter off to South America. Major angst ensues.
Can?t Deny Any More (1/ ?)
by Jonathan Landry
Buffy yelled at the top of her lungs, waving her arms, anything to get the attention of the man she loved, but Riley couldn?t hear her, her futile cries drowned out by the drone of the helicopter. Eventually, the helicopter was just a vague shape in the distance, fading into the night sky like a jaguar that had taken away that which was most dear to her : her beloved Riley Finn. He may not have believed it, but she loved him with all her heart. It had been her taking him for granted and his lack of trust in her that ultimately was their undoing, and those two things fed each other. Unable to bring Riley back, she did the only thing she could do : she cried. She passed Spike, the Bronze, Xander?s apartment, Giles? apartment, Dawn and her mother without a word, just crying. As she collapsed onto her now empty bed (will it be forever empty ? she wondered to herself) her sobs were almost like convulsions, she just couldn?t stop. Her mom and Dawn went to her door to check on her but decided to just let her have some time alone to calm down, they would talk about it in the morning or whenever Buffy was ready. Being the Slayer?s family meant sometimes being kept in the dark.
But Buffy didn?t get up the next morning. Joyce sent Dawn upstairs to check on her sister, but Buffy was asleep so Dawn left her be. Buffy slept all day and all night, she had seemingly shut down and no one knew what to do. But someone had to patrol, so Joyce and Dawn stayed home while Xander, Giles, Willow, Tara and Anya went out patrolling. At Giles? insistence, the two couples paired up, so that no one would be alone, except for Rupert himself who dismissed their concerns for his well-being as well-intentioned, appreciated, but unnecessary. They had walkie-talkies to remain in constant communication. Rupert had an uneventful patrol, just one fledgling staked. He met up as had been arranged with Xander and Anya, they reported two new piles of dust. So the three of them sat and waited for the two witches.
Giles picked up his walkie-talkie and called Will and Tara... nothing. There were only three reasons why they wouldn?t answer ; one, they were in a fight, two they were... distracted with each other and the third...well Giles didn?t even want to contemplate that. "Let?s go" And they were off, tracing the path the two would be on, figuring they would come to them eventually.
And they did. The two were surrounded by a group of 6 vampires three were attacking each, so they didn?t see Giles, Xander and Anya coming. Three were quickly dispatched by stake. Then a fourth. But there were still two attacking Tara. Willow?s eyes began to glow, her hair blew in a halo around her head, and a crackling magical aura formed around her "Leave her alone !" she bellowed. And the white energy enveloped the two vampires and before they could turn around to look at the figure before them, they were no more.
As quickly as the pyrotechnics began, they dissipated and Willow ran to catch her collapsing girlfriend. Xander caught Tara and handed her over to a frantic Willow. Tara had been bitten several times, not to mention many scratches, and bruises. Tara coughed up some blood and started to speak...
"I love you Willow, a-and I-I always wi-will." She passed out.
"She?s losing too much blood, we gotta get her to a hospital" Willow's hands started glowing and a white aura started to work its way around Tara. Xander offered to carry Tara but the look in Willow's eyes said that no one was touching her beloved no way no how. They got her to the hospital and made up a story to explain her injuries, the doctor eyed them skeptically but quickly shrugged it off and tended to Tara. At Willow's insistence, everyone else went home and she stayed at the hospital.
Eight hours later, Willow is dozing off when she feels a hand on her shoulder. She opens her eyes and sees Buffy standing in front of her. A strange mixture of emotions bubbles up within her, happiness to see her best friend and anger that Buffy indirectly caused Tara's injuries by neglecting her patrolling duties, extenuating circumstances be damned. Willow traces the tracks of the tears on Buffy's face.
''I am so sorry, Giles told me what happened. It's all my fault. Slaying and patrolling are the Slayer's responsibilities. My responsibilities. You're just innocent victims in the crossfire of this war.''
They see a doctor walking towards them, Buffy takes a seat next to Willow. Then moves one seat away.
''Miss Rosenberg? Your friend has been severely injured, there is swelling on her brain and we've been able to stop most of the internal bleeding but, for her safety we've put her in an induced coma and we will keep her there as long as needed.''
''May I-we see her?''
''Not yet, you should go home, get some rest and come back tomorrow evening.''
''Alright,thank you doctor''
Willow left the hospital, Buffy trailed behind keeping her distance,as though afraid of Willow,which she was.
Willow went into her dorm room and Buffy just stood in the hall unsure of what to do next.
''You're not a vampire, you don't need to be invited in''
''But you don't just go into someone's dorm room unless you're friends''
''We are friends...Buffy, you don't think I'm that mad at you do you?''
''I don't know what to think''
''Then I'll tell you. We're still friends. Your boyfriend is gone, you don't know where he is or even if he's still alive. As a result of this loss you went into shock, we live on a Hellmouth, bad stuff happened. Not...Your...Fault.''
Buffy took out a pair of handcuffs from her purse. Her hands were shaking as she put them on.
''I took away the woman you loved. My life is forfeit.''
''What? You're not a samurai!''
''No, but I do,or did have honor. Now I am dishonored.''
''I...I...I...''