| Advanced | by Freefind |
DISCLAIMER:
Buffy and other characters belong to Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, 20th Century Fox, Warner Brothers, et. al and used without permission. No copyright infringement intended & no money earned.
Someone banging at the door woke the Summers' household. Travis answered the door unsure what he’d find. There stood two gorgeous women. He had to say, demons aside, this town had some gorgeous women. Speaking about demons, the two hotties flanked by a tall green dude wearing a leisure suite. He had tiny horns sticking from his perfectly groomed hair. Travis tried not to stare, so let his natural inclinations take over. His bright blues eyes wandered back to the women. One was blonde whose eyes were doing some wandering of their own. He liked her bright smile and perky attitude. The brunette beside her had several inches in height over her companion, which she used to her advantage with ever movement of her statuesque body. Her darkened with each passing minute. Travis felt tempted to draw out their welcome just to watch this one blow a fuse. His lips twitched when her toe started tapping.
"Who are you? Do you have a girlfriend, and do you like sex?" The perky blonde asked, eyeing him up and down.
The brunette shoved her way into the house, rolling her eyes heavenward. "Tell Buffy we’re here," she announced, before making herself at home.
"And you would be?" It took Travis a moment to find his voice. He worked to stop staring at Anya’s smiling face as he tried to dig his mind out of the gutter.
"Hello, Cordy, what brings you out this early?" Buffy walked down the stairs, hand-in-hand with Beck.
"Faith’s right; you do have good taste in men. Does he give good orgasms? Is it true what they say about penis size in proportion to a man's foot, because…."
Lorne covered Anya's mouth, his cheeks matching the color of his horns.
Beck's eyebrow rose at the blonde's question, looking at Buffy as he took a seat. She shrugged before walking into the kitchen for coffee. Cordelia observed the blonde Slayer under her lashes. She admitted Buffy looked good. The Powers' seer wasn't sure why she allowed the others to talk her into this. She admitted she had wanted to check out Buffy's new man, somehow picturing another Riley or Angel clone, but Beck was something altogether different. This man wasn't anyone's clone; he was his own man. Envy licked down her spine as she wondered how Buffy did it.
"You never did answer my question. Why are you guys here?"
Beck pulled Buffy down on his lap when she started toward the sofa. Smiling down at her, he kissed her nose. Buffy just stared at the woman she used to envy, the woman she had hated for stealing Angel.
"Are you two going to talk, or what?" Travis interrupted. "Hello, I'm Travis."
"Did I hear voices in here already this morning?" Momma entered from the downstairs guest room.
Buffy introduced everyone, while she handed out coffee. Momma and Lorne sat quietly exchanging gossip, while Anya circled Travis, ready to pounce.
"The Powers said we need to be in Sunnydale for the big smack down. Angel told us what you said about leaving, and we wanted you to know we can't."
"Can't or won't? What did your vision show, you fighting, or you in Sunnydale, or hiding in the mansion, which one?" Buffy hadn't liked Cordelia's attitude from the minute she barged in this morning.
"I've had it with you, Buffy Summers. You have brought nothing but trouble to my life. For your information, I saw the AI team fighting with you and a few others. If we weren't important to the fight, the Powers wouldn't have sent me a vision."
Cordelia crossed her arms over her chest, her toe tapping a staccato on the floor, and dark brown eyes glared down at the smaller woman. Buffy ignored the temper tantrum from her former classmate. Locking gazes with Momma, the two women shared an understanding without words, and an idea started to form.
"You're right, Cordy…”
"And one more thing," the former cheerleader took a deep breath to continue her diatribe, "…I am. That's right I am." She gestured her head as if agreeing with herself.
"Yep, you're being here is exactly what's needed to help defeat the First. Let me ask you a question." Buffy clambered up from her comfortable seat on Beck's lap. "Do you agree the Potentials are in danger, and need protection?"
Cordelia backed away, not sure, how this discussion got sidetracked, but willing to play along. "Yes."
"Good. Do you agree the First is still trying to eliminate the Slayer Line by killing them?" Cordy reluctantly nodded. "They’d be safer away from here, if they had someone who could protect them?" The seer tried to interrupt, already sensing the trap she had walked into with her mouth and eyes wide open. "And, we have to stop the First before it can open the seal and let out an army of Turok-Han?"
"Buffy." The former May Queen, the one who used to rule the school, the one that ruled the AI team, tried to stop the steamroller named Buffy Summers, to no avail.
"Cordelia, if the Powers sent you here to help, then help. Take the Potentials back to LA and protect them."
Her better judgment flew out the window, her hurt feelings took over, and the easy target, the target she’d all these years stood right there. Cordelia did what she always did - attack. "This is about keeping Angel here with you isn't it? You know he won't go and you still want him, don't you? I'm not leaving him here with you. It might surprise you to know I’ve learned how to fight and guard Angel's back when he needs it."
Buffy had heard enough. "Excuse us. We need to talk in private."
"What's the matter, Buffy; don't want your new guy to learn you're using him?"
The Slayer grasped the larger woman's arm, propelling her into the backyard. Lorne and Anya traded glances before rushing to the kitchen window to watch. The tiny blonde shoved the Powers' seer none too gently out the backdoor and into the yard.
"What is your damage? Is violence the only way you know how to handle issues?" Cordelia huffed, straightening her clothes. Consciously, she recognized Buffy wasn't to blame for the problems between her and Angel, but the tiny blonde always set her off.
"With you, yes." The Slayer was close to the surface, and if Cordy wasn't careful, she might find out how violently Buffy could settle a problem. "You came to me, not the other way around. If there are problems in Wonderland, work it out on your own time."
Cordelia laughed realizing Buffy didn't know about the spell. It was too ironic. "You don't know do you?"
Buffy tried to decide what to do; Cordelia wasn't her favorite person, and she’d love to throw what happened between her and Angel in the seer's face. Finding Beck, living away from Sunnydale and its continuous drama gave her some perspective, it wasn’t her place to decide whether the former cheerleader ever learned about it or not. She needed to keep the Hellmouth from literally blowing up in their faces, and the rest of the drama queens could ‘get bent’ if they didn't like it.
"He told me how we couldn't be together. I wasn't in the best shape, Cordelia. You try waking up in your grave after your friends rip you out of heaven, doesn't leave you too rational. What does matter is, you two are together and I'm with Beck. We’re happy and I plan to keep it that way. So, enough with the old baggage, already. No one can force you to stay or go, but if we want to beat the First, then the Potentials and anyone who can't fight, have to go!" Buffy's voice rose as she tried to get the other woman to understand she didn't care about the dynamics between her and Angel, or her and Cordelia, or her and anyone else, she cared about winning this war.
Cordelia started to argue with Buffy about sending people away, when everything clouded over. Bodies lay sprawled on the ground. Turok-Hans tore into the Potentials' tender flesh, drinking their rich blood. Large green pieces of what used to be Lorne lay beside Fred's mutilated corpse. Flashes flew behind Cordelia's eyes, until she collapsed to the ground, weeping.
"What did you see?" Buffy crouched beside the brokenhearted woman, their previous hostility forgotten.
"They were dead, all dead," she whispered.
"Who?" Buffy gently brushed the hair away from Cordy's face, trying to decipher in her eyes what her mind witnessed.
"Potentials, Lorne, Fred, Xander, Anya, Giles, Andrew, Wesley, and…" Cordelia refused to meet the Slayer's eyes. The air between them grew heavy and thick. It was a living, breathing, and tangible entity. Buffy waited, her eyes filled with a resolute light that wouldn’t be denied. A soft sigh escaped the seer's lips, before she murmured, "…Dawn."
The oldest Summers sister already knew to do her job of caring, providing for, loving and protecting her baby sister, she needed to send her away. It wouldn't sit well with Dawn, who believed with the cool new weapons, and a little knowledge, she could run with the big dogs. She didn't know how much of yourself you lost when you faced death each night - possibly your own. Dawn for having lived, actually on, the Hellmouth for the last three years, and in monkey years for the last seven didn't understand evil leaves its mark on you, even if you were the one stopping it. That was why Dawn needed to leave, needed to be safe. Buffy wished to keep her safe, and away from the First's final showdown before Dawn figured it out, or someone/something decided to offer her a hand.
Buffy nodded at Cordelia. She got up from the ground, patted Cordy on the shoulder, and without a word, the small blonde started walking back toward the house.
"Where are you going?"
"To help my sister pack," Buffy said, over her shoulder.
"You didn't accept my other visions, but this one you do. Why, because it says what you want it to?"
Cordelia didn't understand, and Buffy didn’t care.
"No, I already planned on sending her away. The vision just gave me a timeline. Whether you want to believe it or not, I'm not your enemy, Cordy."
The former Queen C of Sunnydale High sat on the ground trying to decide what to do. She'd changed a lot over the years, but the one common thread since high school was her resentment, and dislike for Buffy Summers. Could she let it go? What would it mean for her relationship with Angel? Would they survive not only this battle, but Buffy Summers as well? Cordelia saw the Powers intended for Angel to fight alongside Buffy. She just didn't know what her place was in the coming battle. Why didn't the Powers show her what she needed to do? She slowly got up to move back into the Summers house. Cordelia recalled how much she had envied Buffy the warmth and love available to her in this house. Shaking her head, she realized it was time to grow up and accept what she had or change it. She straightened her shoulders and marched back into the house.
Buffy called her group, explaining the vision. Dawn was none too happy about it though. She threw evil looks at Cordelia blaming her for having to leave.
Lorne approached Cordelia, concerned for his friend. "How you doing, princess?"
"I'm fine. We should return to the mansion and persuade the others to head back to LA."
"What about you, Cordykins?"
"I'm staying, Lorne. Angel’s supposed to help them fight and I'm his connection to the Powers. Besides, I'm part demon, remember. I can handle it since he's taught me how to fight."
Lorne patted her arm in understanding. "The big galoot does love you dumplin’. He just doesn't know how to let her go. She was his reason for living, and why he’s the man you love today. First loves are hard to forget. I'm not saying he shouldn't have talked to you about it, or even to her about you. Do you want to go into this fight feeling this way? What would you do if you lost him? Think about it, princess."
Tears ran down Cordelia's face. Could she forgive him? She just didn't know. She knew she wouldn't be able to live with her herself if she lost him. Cordelia wasn't sure if she’d ever look at him the same though. She hated him for that, hated him for killing her trust, for taking away what she needed the most from him. Each time he fell into a dark quiet brood, would she have to wonder if he was thinking about Buffy? Cordelia wondered if the torments she foresaw would be worth the pleasures she found in Angel's arms. Had she angered someone, was fate playing a cruel joke on her? Would the ghost of Buffy Summers plague her life forever? A gentle hand startled her from the deep thoughts running through her mind.
"We better get going, Cordykins, if we want everyone packed and gone before dark."
Cordelia walked over to Buffy. "When you have Dawn ready just bring her over to the mansion. I'll make sure the others are ready before dark." She started to leave, but stopped. "Buffy, I know you're not the enemy, and I'm sorry."
She walked out leaving a stunned Slayer to watch her go. Buffy glanced over to the others.
“Wonder what got into her. This must be the End of Days if Queen C’s apologizing to me."
Angel woke to another dramatic power struggle. He wondered if vampires could get migraines. Everyone wanted to be the leader, which left no one to lead. Angel understood why Buffy left, even if they kicked her out first. The Scoobies thought they knew best about everything, and Willow's lover chimed in with her opinion at every opportunity. The AI team wasn't much better. Wesley and Giles were going through some arcane Watchers battle. Gunn tried to keep a low profile, while Fred spouted probability equations one after another. Cordelia was another matter altogether. She stayed away from everyone, especially him. He understood, she despised being back in Sunnydale, but had hoped he’d have the opportunity to work out their problems once they got alone, which was another story completely. Alone time came at a high premium, it could sell on the Stock Exchange for top dollar, even at a place the size of the mansion they were walking on top of each other. How, the Hell, did they survive in Buffy's much smaller house? Back to Cordelia and the subject of vampiric migraines, Angel rubbed his forehead when his lover's voice hit a high note.
Cordelia stood in the living room with her hands on her hips facing off with Willow and Xander. "I don't care what you think. The people who I saw in my vision have to leave, or they’re going to die. What part don't you understand?"
"I'm not leaving. I've fought by Buffy's side for the last seven years, and I'm not going to stop cause you saw something scary. Buffy has dreams all the time. Not sure how you do it in LA, but in Sunnydale we make sure they don't come true," Xander screamed the words in his former girlfriend's face.
"You're so full of yourself, Xander Harris. First you kick her out then you defend your right to stay and fight beside her. If you want to help Buffy then take the Potentials, and the others back to LA. Don't act all self-righteous. She plans to win this war and the Power just showed her how to do it. "
Angel thought his headache was effecting his hearing. Cordy was defending Buffy. He knew he was the last person this particular Scooby would listen too, but he had to try.
"She's right, Xander. Cordy's visions are never wrong. If Buffy needs you gone, then leave. Or is it more important for you to stick around and tell her how you think she should fight?"
Xander hated the souled vampire more at that moment than he could ever remember, because he was right.
"And if the vision says that you should leave, Deadboy, would you?"
He turned so his dark brown eye could peer directly into Angel's. Cordelia watched Angel interested in her lover's response.
"Then I leave, no questions asked."
"Fine!" Xander knew when to give up. "I'll go pack."
Xander!" Willow couldn't accept her childhood friend giving up that easily.
"No, Willow, they’re right. Someone could get hurt trying to protect me. Or, because my aim is different, I might accidentally end up hitting them. You stay and help kick the First's big ugly butt."
"If Willow stays, I stay," Kennedy declared to the room at large.
Cordelia walked over to the dark haired Potential whose leg was still in a cast. Kennedy watched her uncertainly; her chin went out, waiting to hear what the seer had to say. Cordy pushed against the belligerent girl's chest, sending her spiraling backward to land in a heap of tangled limbs and crutches. Willow rushed over to help her lover, forgetting their estrangement. Once she righted the younger girl, she turned on her high school nemesis.
Her eyes darkened and her voice held a note of menace, "How dare you? Why did you do that? Do you think…"
Cordelia ignored the power show with a bored look on her face. "Oh, shut up. I was proving a point. Your little girlfriend can't even stand on her own, let alone fight. Someone needed to give her a reality check."
Willow's power and anger fizzled out. She hated it, hated all this. Everything was falling apart. Nothing had been right since Tara died, and Willow wasn't sure it ever would be again. She looked at Vi, ignoring Kennedy, and the argument sure to follow.
"Vi, pack Kennedy's stuff when you pack yours."
Sunnydale found its human population cut by more than half. The ones affected by Cordelia's latest vision had left hours ago, and night had fallen once again. Buffy knew she needed to return to the vineyard. Spike explained about the monastery, which only confirmed it, giving her little comfort.
"You're awfully quiet. Want to tell me what's on your mind?"
Beck came up to stand beside her on the back deck. They looked up at the stars not saying anything for a few minutes.
"Trying to figure out when’s the best time to go back to the vineyard."
He hated her being in so much danger, but understood there was nothing he could do about it except support her. "Let me load up."
Buffy tilted her head to see his face better. "You aren't going to try to talk me out of it?"
"Do you want me to?" He smiled, flashing those deep dimples.
"Still not used to having someone treat me the way you do."
Beck picked her up so they were eye to eye. Dark brown eyes that usually sparkled with mischief or softened with tenderness, had turned serious. "Get used to it. The quickest way to lose a fight is to doubt yourself. Let me ask you something. When you were in New Orleans, how did you feel?"
"Happy, free." Buffy stopped for a moment cocking her head to the side, closing her eyes as she allowed her mind to take her back to the Quarter. "For the first time I can remember, I didn't doubt myself."
"Don't start. Sometimes you have to let your childhood friends go, because they don’t understand the person you’ve become. They’ll always see you as the friend they’ve known all their life. It's rare to keep the same friends throughout your life."
"How’d you get so smart?"
"Don't forget good-looking." His dimples flashed when he smiled at her.
"That too. We best stop this Oprah moment, before Dr. Phil shows up, and I can't stand him. Let's go see what toy surprise the First has for me."
Buffy leaned forward lightly brushing her lips across Beck's. It wasn't a kiss to ignite passion. This kiss was one of giving and thanks; a sharing between two people who gave the emotional support the other needed without asking. They headed back into the house to grab weapons before going to the vineyard.
Momma closed the door, after watching the ragtag group walk down the street. The voodoo priestess noticed the way the three men protected the small woman. It didn't matter that she was in a better position to protect them. Each man would lay down his life protecting hers. Momma said a silent prayer it wouldn't come to that. She turned with surprising grace and vigor, hurrying back to the bedroom she had claimed for her stay in Sunnydale. Momma had transformed the nondescript room with candles in all shapes and sized, placing them on every available surface. The combined scent created a soothing effect on the senses.
Moving confidently into the room, Momma pulled a shallow bowl out from under the bed. A cross-shaped candle stood in the middle surrounded by water, oils, and herbs. Placing the bowl on a small table, lighting this candle first, she then continued around the room lighting the others. Humming a melodious tune, while age roughened hands never stopped working. The melody grew from a hum to a whisper, until the words filled the room. Space grew tight and escape became a necessity, the words and melody raced into the rest of the house. Momma's small body swayed from side to side, her hands dipped into the mixture in the bowls.
Raising gnarled hands to her eyes, she spoke for the first time. "Open her eyes, let her see, let her see."
Cupping her hand, she brought the fragrant water to her ears. "Open her ears, let her hear, let her hear."
Brushing it across a wrinkled brow. "Open her mind, let her know, let her know."
Smoothing it across a chest flattened with age. "Open her heart, let her trust, let her trust."
Gathering the mixture once more, Momma threw it above her so it rained down on her body.
"Mind, body, heart and soul.
Use her gifts to keep us whole
Protect and guide
Hide and keep
Hellmouth's last Guardian
World's only chance
The Final Battle
The Last Dance"
The words were a chant, a prayer, a hope for the future. Momma's voice filled the house until the walls creaked unable to contain it. The front door burst open, the candle flames shot up, and the words, those words raced out into the night like a hound from hell.
Momma shakily sat down on the bed. Her heart raced as she tried to catch her breath.
"I've done what I can for now, little girl. The rest is up to you and the boys."
Faith and Angel argued while the others refereed. "I'm not going to hide here, waiting for B to come tell me to come out and play. It's time to do some damage."
"Faith, we need to speak to Buffy to coordinate our efforts," Angel answered exasperated.
"Would you grow a pair, or does Queenie keep them in a glass by her bed?" Faith smirked, glaring up at him.
Cordelia shrieked. She was happy to stay quiet until Faith dragged her name into their fight. "I'll have you know they’re firmly attached and in working order." Forgetting for the briefest moments her anger, Cordelia smiled at Angel. It suddenly dawned on her what she was doing. "Faith’s right."
Two dark heads shook, wondering if their hearing was going. Gunn and Willow glanced up afraid lightning might strike somebody in the room.
"I am. That's right, I am."
"The Powers said we needed to help out in Sunnydale. We aren’t helping standing around here arguing over whose is bigger."
Cordelia walked over to the weapon's chest to grab her sword. In true Queen C fashion, she marched from the mansion, expecting the others to follow her lead.
"She's a bitch, but she's got style." Faith chuckled at the confused expression on Angel's face.
A feral light entered her dark eyes as the Slayer anticipated the coming hunt. Faith stalked out already scenting her prey. Willow picked up the small ax Xander had made especially for her, while Gunn grabbed his own battle-axe. Angel sighed, admitting defeat, his fingers already curling around the hilt of his favorite broadsword. The souled vampire couldn't stop the nagging feeling they were making a mistake, a huge one. The way things stood no one was willing to listen to him. Angel wondered if this was how Buffy felt before they kicked her out. It reminded him of when his own team wouldn't believe him about Darla. An incident which led to disaster and he had a bad feeling this would too.
Cordelia wasn't sure where she was going. She wasn't about to let anyone know that after her grand. A sigh escaped her lips when she heard Willow and Gunn join her. A noise from the alley alerted them that they weren't alone. Immediately moving to stand in a circle with their backs facing one another, they prepared to fight when a lone figure stepped into the light. It was Robin Wood.
"I thought you left days ago, after Faith told you to…" Willow stopped mid-babble.
"No, this is my town and I'm not leaving. My mother died fighting, and if I have to, so be it." A stubborn look came over his face reminiscent of Willow's resolve face.
"Hey, Pops, how's it hanging? You're looking good."
Faith sauntered up to the high school principal, all leather pants, and sex on a stick. Robin hated that she could still twist him in knots.
"Faith," he said tersely, trying to keep his cool.
Against his better judgment, knowing everything his mother had gone through; Robin had still fallen for a Slayer. Nikki Woods and Faith Lehan had nothing in common, except for their callings. Faith had not lost her want, take, have mentality while in jail, just toned it down. Nikki dedicated her life to others. They were still destined to die young at the hands of a monster. Speaking of monsters, he wondered where the original souled wonder had gone. Slayers willingly working alongside vampires was wrong, soul or not.
"You're awful quiet there, stud. If I didn't know better, I'd think you were shy. We know better though, don't we, tiger?"
The dark haired Slayer ran a hand across his chest before heading lower with a wicked gleam in her eyes.
"Could you possible paw the poor man you've scarred for life later?" Cordelia snapped waspishly. "I thought you were all gung-ho on killing something."
Angel arrived in time to catch the end of Cordelia's speech. "She's right. If we're going to do this, then we need to take it seriously. Faith, you know where the trouble spots are, we'll follow your lead."
Everyone looked at him in shock. Willow knew they had replaced Buffy with Faith as the leader, and in theory that role should be hers, in theory. Cordelia and Gunn started to protest, when Faith stepped up to the plate.
"The cemeteries are empty, except for a couple of stragglers. Bringers jumped us outside the Bronze, and before B left, the preacher man knocked her around the high school. Reckon they're holing up in either place."
Willow mulled over Faith's words. She wondered why when listening to them coming from this Slayer rather than Giles or Xander, or even Kennedy, they didn't make sense. Faith repeated the same logic the Scoobies threw back in Buffy's face, forcing her from her own home. She thought about protesting, when Faith spotted a Bringer and took off without a word. The rogue Slayer didn't know or care if the others followed her. Left with no other choice, they took off after her. Each person wondered if they'd live through the night.
Buffy stood outside the vineyard, with her eyes shut and her senses open. She felt Beck's steady heartbeat, Travis' pulse racing, and the signature silence that was pure Spike. The stillness surrounded her, almost to the point where she felt suffocated. Pushing further, guiding the Slayer power like a tracking hound, pushing it to go further, do more, the mystical essence extended finding the enemy. She didn't even realize what she had done until it was over. Controlling the Slayer rather than having to accept it as a separate part of her was an idea foreign to her. Having it as a weapon, she could use at will opened a world of possibilities. Buffy turned around giving the three men behind her a glorious smile.
"Oy, Slayer, what's got you so blooming happy?"
"Just realizing a few things. Like how to kick Caleb's ass."
She shrugged a shoulder watching Spike's face for a reaction.
"Bloody hell, Slayer. Why didn't you do that before he kicked your arse?"
Buffy stuck her tongue out at the annoying vampire. An evil glint lit hazel eyes as the Slayer essence once again rolled through her. Stalking toward Spike like a jaguar after an antelope, Spike took a step back as the changed woman drew closer. The inherent need to survive had Spike in fight or flight mode. With a blinding speed, he never thought possible Buffy wrapped a hand around his throat.
"I'm confused," Travis said in a stage whisper, "isn't he with us?"
Beck grinned at his friend, throwing a large arm around his shoulders. "Watch." He didn't know how or why, but he knew what Buffy was doing. Beck felt her power wash over him like a caress. It called to a part of him, and that part answered back.
Spike looked into the eyes of 'the Slayer'. He understood and relaxed into a submissive pose. After living with Angelus for almost fifty years, he knew what he needed to do. Bowing his head, no longer keeping eye contact, his lean body hung in the air, held up by her small powerful hand.
"What do you need, Slayer?" It wasn't her nickname; it was her title.
Buffy slowly allowed the power to withdraw, pulling it back to its normal level. She took a deep cleansing breath before gently placing Spike on the ground, and smoothing the skin previously held in a vice-like grip.
"It doesn't control me anymore, Spike. No more endless nights of patrols and workouts because the Slayer's pushing at me, the power’s different, more concentrated."
Spike thought about what she’d said. He tried to understand what could’ve caused this change, but not seeing anything except magic - gave up.
Deciding not to look a gift horse in the mouth, he announced, "We best get in there and see what the bloody git’s hiding. Ought to be right interesting to see preacher boy's face when he gets an eyeful of the new you, pet."
She grinned at the bleached blonde vampire then surprised him by going over, and giving him a warm hug. "Thanks for watching out for Dawn while I was gone. I didn't get a chance to tell you before and I should have."
"No worries, pet. Niblet kept me on my toes. She's right good with a crossbow." Spike drug the toe of his left boot across the ground, unused to the praise. If he could blush, he would have, Buffy didn't know how much her words meant to him. Spike's entire face lit up, his azure blue eyes glowed with pride. "Let's go kick some ass, Slayer."
"That's what I'm talking about."
Travis rattled his shotgun and stomped his feet in a circle. Everyone laughed before moving off toward the vineyard.
©CJSPlace 2004-2010TOP