FIC: Never Free II

["xenarip13" <xenarip13@xxxxxxxxx>]

Title: Never Free II
Disclaimer: Please see prologue for all disclaimers.



Never Free II  Home?


Buffy stands across the street in the shadows watching the house 
where her family has set up operations.  With her improved vision, 
she can see into the front windows at this distance.  She sees Dawn 
clearing the table from what must have been dinner.
`What a beautiful young woman you've grown into,"  Buffy thinks as 
she sees Xander walk up to her and kiss her as he takes the plates 
from her, `Well, that's new, but perhaps right, too.'
The slayer looks into another front window and sees Giles with a 
couple of new slayers pinching the bridge of his nose, `That hasn't 
changed.'   She doesn't see who she is looking for.  In her hand, she 
holds the stone that hides her essence from the world, but especially 
from the red-head.  She rubs it furiously with her thumb.
"Crush it Slayer.  Let her know the truth."  Spike whispers to her.

"I hate it when you do that!"  she hisses.

"Doesn't surprise me,"  Spike taunts, "You hate everything."

"No&not everything."  The blonde sighs.

"So, break the spell."

"I see all the others are fine without me."  She offers without any 
emotional inflection to her voice, "Are you sure she won't give up 
and be okay?"
"She won't give up `til she finds you alive or confirmed dead.  You 
haven't been able to die yet to break the magic so she will continue 
until she has nothing left or she finds you."
"She can't die&not because of me&she can't die&"  Buffy looks to the 
stone in her hand.
"I know, Pet.  You won't let her die, because you&"

"Shut up, Spike!  Don't ever say it!"  Buffy warns.

"It's true though love.  It's truer than anything else about you."

"Just don't speak of it."

"As you wish, but you should make up your mind soon."

"I'm going.  It's time to face them and show them part of why I 
left."  Buffy starts to cross the street.
"They would have loved you anyway&"  Spike whispers, but Buffy 
chooses not to hear him.
As she steps up to the front walk, she crushes the stone in her 
hand.  A small swirl of red smoke and she drops the powdered remains 
to the ground as she steps to the porch.  She takes a deep breath, 
braces her courage and knocks on the door.  She can hear the scramble 
inside as someone walks toward the door.  Within moments it opens, 
Buffy looks into the face of her watcher for the first time in 
thirteen months.
"Can I help you?"''  Giles asks not seeing it is Buffy.

Of course, he seems shorter to her, but he isn't.  It is her who has 
changed.  He looks exactly the same except more tired than usual.  
Buffy doesn't know what to say to him.  

"No one can help me, Giles," she tells the truth, but it isn't in the 
voice he used to know.
"Do I&Do I know you?"  He asks looking more closely at her.

Buffy raises her face to look directly at him.  He looks into her 
blue eyes and as recognition comes over his face, she ducks behind 
her long hair again not able to meet his eyes any longer.
"B-Buffy&"  He whispers.

Before Buffy can answer, they both hear someone running down the 
stairs.  Giles turns around just in time to be pushed out of the way 
by a red-headed missile.  Buffy has little time to prepare as Willow 
slams into her wrapping her arms around the slayer.
"I knew&I knew you weren't de&gone," Willow cries hoarsely, "I kn-
knew it&"  Willow suddenly goes limp in the slayer's arms.

More easily than ever before, Buffy scoops Willow up and looks to her 
former watcher expectantly.  Giles simply stands there in schock.
"You have to know its me, Giles.  Am I welcome in or not?"  Buffy 
cringes at the gravelly sound of her voice, "I would like to put 
Willow somewhere more comfortable."  Giles still looks not 
moving, "Please?"
"What?"  Giles comes out of his stupor, "Oh dear&of course come in,"  
He moves so the blonde can enter with her bundle.
Buffy walks into the house and follows Giles into the living room.  
He places pillows at one end and stands in awe watching his once 
pupil lay the witch down.
As Buffy moves Willow's hair aside to look at the witch, she hears 
Dawn and Xander enter behind her.  She takes one last look at the 
witch and turns to face them.
"Giles, what's going on?  Who knocked?"  Xander asks spotting Willow 
on the couch and a stranger next to her.
"Is Willow alright?  Who the hell is that?"  Dawn asks worried.

Buffy throws her hair back out of her face and looks at Dawn.  Giles 
still slightly in shock takes a minute to answer, but Dawn sees all 
she needs to.
"It's Buffy, your sister."  Giles croaks.

"Haven't you done enough?!"  Dawn screams, "Why did you come back?!"  
she rushes at her sister pummeling her with blows.
Buffy stands there and takes every blow her sister dishes out.  She 
wishes Dawn could hurt her.  She deserves it for leaving her.  
Slowly, the blows stop and Dawn almost collapses, but Buffy catches 
her and holds her as she cries.  Again, she marvels at the size 
difference.  She is still as slim as before, but the height.  She is 
now taller than her sister.  She enfolds her easily.
"That's Buffy?" Xander asks finally.

"Yes,"  Giles removes her glasses, "Willow knew it without even 
looking at her,"  He pinches the bridge of his nose.
Buffy looks at Xander as she holds Dawn.  She wishes she could smile, 
but she doesn't remember how to do that anymore.  She simply keeps 
looking at him hoping he will see her inside her shell.
"You&you hurt us&" He spits out.

"I know, Xander."

"You d-don't sound&" he stops.

"or look very much like myself.  I know."

"Your face and eyes are the same except the&"  he drops his head not 
able to continue.
"Except the scar&" Buffy finishes for him, "I'm not the same, 
Xander.  I haven't been for&"
"Thirteen months&"  Dawn pushes out of her sister's arms, "Thirteen 
fucking months!"
Dawn backs away.  Buffy pushes her arms up in surrender.  She looks 
at her sister for the first time noting the differences.  Her hand 
covers her mouth in shock.
"MY God Buffy!  What did you&what happened?!"  Dawn cries out.

"Nothing I didn't earn, Dawn."  The blonde husks out.

"Your voice&I should hate you, but&"

"You can hate me Dawn.  I left you.  You have every right.  I have no 
rights here."
"I don't know what I feel,"  Dawn admits.

"Can I stay here?  I won't if you don't want me to." Buffy asks, "but 
I'd like to stay here&"
"You can always stay, Buffy." Giles speaks first, but Buffy looks to 
Dawn and Xander.
"Yes, you can stay," Dawn answers sitting in a chair wearily.

"I'll show you your room,"  Xander says quietly.

"I have a room?"

"Yeah, Willow," Xander looks at his unconscious friend, "she 
insisted."
"Could you show me later?" Buffy sits on the floor by the couch 
facing away from Willow, "I'd like to stay right here for awhile."
"Sure&" Xander slowly walks out of the room.

"I better check on him," Dawn offers as she stands, "Thirteen months, 
Buffy.  We thought you were dead&again&for good." She stops looking 
at the stranger that is her sister.
"I&" Buffy shakes her head, "N-not now Dawn&but soon&okay?"  she 
chokes out.
Dawn nods and walks out after Xander.  Giles keeps looking at his 
surrogate daughter.  He is in awe over the differences in her.
"I am different, Giles."  Buffy answers his unspoken questions.
"We were sure you were dead&" Giles states, "All of us except, 
Willow. She wouldn't give up on you."
"Parts of me&just parts of me might be dead, Giles," she sighs 
heavily, "It's killing her&I'm killing her&"
"That's why you came back&how did you know?"

"It's a long story and I can't right now&soon," Buffy pleads, "I know 
you all deserve more from me, but&"
"It will keep.  Right now, she deserves the most from you&whatever 
you can give her," Giles nods to the red-headed Wiccan.
"She deserves more than me&where's Kennedy? How could she let this 
happen?"
"She tried, but Willow pushed anyone away who thought you were dead&
Kennedy left with Faith months ago for Rome with some of the girls.  
I don't even know that Willow noticed she was gone really."
"She left her&"

"So did you&" Giles snaps, "After you&"

"Promised."  Buffy finishes, "I know."

"I know you didn't plan to come back.  I can feel it."  Giles 
stands, "I'm glad you came to save her.  She deserves it."
"Yes, she deserves the best," Buffy sighs.

"I'll leave you, now.  You owe me the story thought."  He walks away, 
but stops, "This time you owe us all, but her the most."
Giles exits the room leaving Buffy sitting waiting for her once best 
friend to come back to her.
TBC.





Willow: "It's a good fight, Buffy, and I want in."
Buffy:  "I kinda love you."
                     'Choices'

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