Episode 1.5 "Exposition"
"Bloody Hell" Spike screamed staring at the demon god "She played us"
Illyria stood in the doorway, head cocked to the side staring at the blond vampire. "I do not understand"
Angel gave her a hard look, anger rising in him. "I told you not to do that" walking toward the shell of his dead friend.
"What’s all the commotion about? I heard yelling"
The voice made Angel stop in his tracks. He turned to see Fred walking down the stairs. He looked back at Illyria. Then back to Fred.
"Damn, this is a freak show" Faith said. The remark was meant to be funny, but she found no humor in it. She looked over at Xander who was starting to turn pale. She grabbed him and helped him walk up the stairs, getting him out before things got even crazier.
* * *
Faith helped Xander get into bed. She tucked the sheets in around him making sure he was comfortable.
"I really appreciate the help" he said as his consciousness was starting to slip "But you don’t have to stay with me"
She smiled at him "I’m not going anywhere. You just go to sleep. Get your rest"
* * *
Fred’s eyes drifted from Angel to a blue demon standing behind him. "It that really what I looked like?"
Angel looked over at Willow who seemed to have come out of her state of grief and looked as confused as the rest of them.
"Willow, what did that spell do."
"I-I don’t know. When I took the power from Illyria it must have taken the demon out of the body and left Fred."
Angel pondered that for a moment. It made sense, since Illyria forced her way into Fred’s body there must be a way to force the demon out. "But that still leave’s one question. Why is she here?" he asked pointing at Illyria.
"Maybe when they spell was over and it no longer needed the power it recreated from the original entity it made a new body since the host body was no longer available."
"Why couldn’t it just force it’s way back in like Illyria originally did?" Spike asked trying to make sense of the situation.
Willow just shrugged. She didn’t know a lot about Illyria and wouldn’t be much help in that area. She looked around the room and studied the faces. She didn’t see Xander or Faith, she figured Faith took him upstairs. Everyone else was still there listening intently to their conversation. Except for Buffy. She spotted the Slayer through the window. She was sitting outside her head in her hands, totally oblivious to what was going on inside. Willow was about to walk out and talk to her when Angel spoke up.
"She was dead last time, that’s how Illyria was able to take over her body. But this time Fred was alive and her soul was still in her body, not allowing the demon to enter."
"While that is all very interesting, the only thing I want to know is where Wesley is"
* * *
Buffy sat on the edge of the fountain outside of the hotel. She was overjoyed that Spike was back, more than he would ever know, but it just made her life more complicated. She often looked back on the last days before the final battle with the First. His words "You’re the one Buffy" echoed in her mind whenever she thought of him.
There was also Angel. Her first love. Even to this day her heart leapt when she thought of him. It was even hard having Riley around. The normal boyfriend she had. Normal for her standards, at least.
Then there was the Immortal. She wasn’t sure what his role was in this and right now she really didn’t want to think about it. She snapped back into reality when she heard yelling inside. The group was huddled around two figures and they looked like they were deep in conversation. Buffy got up to see what was going on, then stopped.
"I don’t want to know" she said tur ning.
Faith heard a noise and quickly opened her eyes. She looked over and heard Xander snoring softly. She looked at her watch and noticed that she had dozed off for about an hour. She went over and sat at the edge of Xander’s bed, feeling his forehead. He was burning up, sweat starting to form on his brow.
Faith laid a cold cloth on his forehead and took his hand. The color was once again draining from his face and his skin looked ghostly white. The sight unnerved her. She was starting to develop feelings for the man. She wasn’t sure if they had always been there or if she was compensating for the loss of Wood. She laid his hand back down and sat back in her chair, closing her eyes trying to shake the thoughts from her head.
"Ah, Fred about Wes" Angel started, his voice catching. He wasn’t sure how to break the news to her. He was about to tell her when a cell phone went off. He turned to where the sound came from and saw the Immortal take out his phone and start to walk out of the door.
"Can you at least show some respect?" Angel glared at him.
"I don’t need to show you anything. I really don’t care about your problems"
"Then why did you come here?" Angel asked clenching his fist, ready for another fight.
"I came here for Buffy. I could have cared less if all of you died." The Immortal said a mischievous grin forming on his lips "If you’ll excuse me I have some business to attend to"
Once he was outside, The Immortal answered his phone "How long?" he asked simply.
"In about two days sir. We have a team taking care of it now" a voice said from the other end of the phone.
"Good" The Immortal smiled looking back in the direction of the hotel "This problem is only getting worse."
* * *
Angel closed the door behind him, hearing Fred’s sobs through the door. He told her about Wesley, Gunn, and everything else that had happened since she had died. She took the new of having a demon double of herself, pretty well considering what else she had been through. His heart broke for his friend, the only old friend he had. He had just realized the she was the only member left from his gang. Then he remembered. Conner. Questions started to fill his head "Did he make it out okay?" was the one he kept coming back to.
Angel raced down the stairs and headed for the door, determined to find his son. He was stopped short when Spike appeared in front of him looking distressed.
"What is it?" Angel asked trying to read the vampire’s face.
"Buffy" Spike said worry showing in his eyes " I talked to her last night. She hasn’t been back since. I even restrained myself and asked Rico Suave over there" Spike pointed to The Immortal "He hasn’t seen her. Bastard isn’t even worried. What if he did something to her?"
Anger flashed in Angel’s eyes contemplating Spike’s theory "No" Angel finally said shaking his head "He wouldn’t. She probably went out on patrol. You might want to go look for her though"
"Where are you going, mate?"
"To find my son"
Spike stood outside the Hyperion trying to think where Buffy would go. Her scent was long gone he had no idea where to start his search. He remembered the conversation he had with her before she disappeared and hoped it wouldn’t be their last. Something triggered his memory and he had a pretty good idea of where she had gone.
Buffy stood at the edge of the crater where Sunnydale used to be. She just stood there staring at the gaping hole in the land, wondering if anyone had even cared enough tp remember there used to be a little town there. But to most people it was nothing more than a map dot. She continued to stand there for most of the day, just thinking about how her life had taken her to this spot. She heard footsteps and knew exactly who it would be.
"I always said I’d come back" she said trying to keep her voice even "I thought that maybe if I came back you would be here or that there would be some way for me to bring you back"
"What stopped you?" Spike asked standing next to her.
"Nothing. I just never came. Told myself a million times that I wasn’t that lucky. There would be no way for you to come back." she paused tears starting to form in her eyes. "Every night I save you" she echoed his words barely above a whisper.
Buffy could feel his eyes burning into her. She wanted to look up and meet his gaze, but her eyes wouldn’t leave the ground.
"The dreams came every night. Not always of the battle, but some of the moments we shared. I told myself it would be time to come back when they stopped"
"W-When did they?"
"They haven’t" she finally looked up into his eyes. She saw the love he still held for her and was amazed at how much was still there. They stood there in silence for a long time just staring at each other.
"I-I" Spike said breaking the silence "I’m staying here. In Los Angeles"
"Spike"
"No Buffy. You don’t need this anymore. You made your choice. I love you and I hope you still know that. That’s why I’m going to let you walk away from me" he said wishing the words never left his lips. He closed his eyes not wanting to watch her walk out of his life forever. After what seemed like an eternity he opened his eyes ready to follow her lingering scent back to Los Angeles.
He found himself staring right at her. His shocked expression made her giggle, but then she got serious.
"I’m tired of having people decide what’s best for me. I’m with the Immortal right now, but I’m not sure what I see in the future with him, if there is a future. So let’s just see what the future holds. Do you get what I’m saying?"
"An inkling of hope" he said smiling.
She smiled back , extending her hand out for him to hold "Walk me home?"
* * *
"What? What happened?" Xander slurred starting to wake up.
Faith bolted from her seat and sat next to him on the bed. "Xander! Thank God you’re awake."
"What?" he asked again, awake, but not coherent.
"The fight. You were hurt, but I took care of you. You’re okay now" Faith said glad he was awake.
"Anya?"
Faith’s face fell "No, it’s Faith" he looked at her more closely finally realizing who he was talking to.
"Oh, sorry. I think I’m delirious"
Faith just smiled. She grabbed the first aid kit and took out everything she needed to change his dressing , telling him of his heroics during the battle.
* * *
Antonio walked the shadows, watching the Slayer and the Vampire walked down the road hand in hand. After listening to their conversation he decided to set things in motion a little quicker than planned.
"Call The Master" he said looking at his partner "Tell him we have a problem"
Written by: Meghan
Edited by: The members of "The Good Fight"
Created by: Spangfuffy Network
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