Disclaimer: Buffy the Vampire Slayer and all characters are copyright and trademarks of WB, David Greenwalt, Joss Whedon, 20th Century Fox, and others.
Chapter 10: Will Wait (Arc Finale)
Willow and Dawn shook as the Earthquake roared on and looked at each other while Buffy and Faith battled through it and Xander and Robin struggled to stay on their feet. I stood, staring at this shapeshifting guy. I looked around and as I looked back, he'd transformed into Micah.
" Micah?" I said angrily.
" I had to get to know you." he said, " Didn't plan on actually liking you."
" You liked me?" I said cheerfully, then regained my stone face, " They said that the Titan was coming for me. You're not him?" I asked.
" No. I'm just a messenger. I can shapeshift...not entirely demon, but...look, the thing is that I've been trying to figure out who it is." he said.
" That is trying to kill me?" I asked, " Any ideas?"
" How about everything evil?" he joked, " Could be Doug...or Carlos...or Kelly...or none of the above." Micah said, " I'm not sure. Look, please don't be mad. At first, it was slayer related, then I..." he said.
" We need to get out of here." I said, trying to get some of the blockage out of the way.
Willow and Dawn crawled from under the table and looked around, making sure everything was alright. Willow moved to the window and looked out, noticing that everyone was frantic outside and that there was something strange. Everything was calm.
" Dawny, you okay?" Willow asked, looking out the window.
Dawn nodded, " I'll be better when Austin comes back." she said, " We still haven't really recovered from his birthday."
" I don't think any of us have." Willow said, picking up chairs, " Does everything seem too calm to you?" she asked.
" Normally I'd be glad to have some calm, but I think you're right." Dawn said, now staring out the window, " Where are all the people in chaos?"
" Picking up furniture." Willow said, placing a vase back on the table.
" Do you think he was right at the party?" Dawn asked, looking around at Willow.
" Yes." Willow said without hesitation.
" You didn't need time to think?" Dawn asked, " It seemed like a good idea at the time."
" But we're moving past it. This 'The Titan' is coming and soon he'll be here here." Willow said, turning to the front door, " Someone's there." she said, then the doorbell rang.
Dawn looked from the door to Willow, " How..." she asked.
" Good magic, now get that. I wonder who it could be." Willow said, stopping at the kitchen and looking back.
Dawn answered the door and was shocked to see a zombie, a blue and black demon, another green demon, a vampire and an army of other demons standing outside the door. Before Dawn could move, a demon punched her backwards and she slid until she hit Willow's shoes.
" Dawn!" she said kneeling to check on Dawn, then she swung her hand up at the door and it shut, then she swung it again and an armoire flew into the door and blocked it. As she checked on Dawn, windows began shattering and she could her the growls and groans everywhere.
" I kinda don't get you." Micah said, watching as I tried to find a way out.
I stopped and looked back at him, " What's not to get? Slayer. Really strong, mostly girls, who save the world from bad, evil things. Ringing a bell?" I asked, kicking at the debris.
" Not what I meant." he said, " You. Not like a lot of other...guys."
I looked at him angrily, " I'm not like other...guys? Black guys?" I asked.
" Not to be rude, but yeah." he said.
" Not to be rude, but I'm not generic. Not to knock thugs and gangstas, but it's not how I was raised. It's...I grew up with people who were gangsta and saggy and I just am not that guy." I said, noticing that I was spilling my guts, " Enough info for yOU?" I asked.
" Almost." he smiled, " So, you lied to me too?"
I scoffed, " So not the same thing." I said, growling and turning to the tunnels, " What exactly did you do to Groo?" I asked.
" I knocked him out." Micah said without the slightest concern.
" With all the Ubers patrolling down here, you just left him?" I asked.
" Maybe we should look for him." Micah said, walking past me. I growled in frustration and reluctantly followed him in looking for my friend, not really believing him.
Buffy and Faith sat behind a few boxes, trying not to call attention to themselves. They had staked almost all the vampires when the Turok Han flew out of the tunnel. It was light outside, so there was no worry of them getting to the street, not for at least thirty minutes and the main worry was that now they knew that Austin was in the tunnels and the tunnels had been blocked, not only by rubble but by vampires. Buffy and Faith were unaware of what the other was doing. They both looked for a way out and finally looked at each other.
" Too much debris, B, and I'm not sure he could take on all those Turok himself." Faith said, looking over her shoulder, " He's a machine, but Do you really think he made it?"
" I have to. He's capable of getting out." Buffy panted, " Plus, those vamps didn't have a trace of blood on them. If anything, he took them. Did you see how they ran?"
" Come on, itty bitty Austin scare them?" Faith scoffed, " You're wig's on too tight, B." she sighed and looked at Buffy, who had her phone out, " Whaddya doin?"
" Callin home. That was no regular earthquake...Willow, are you guys okay?" Buffy asked. Faith looked at her and watched her hear something that, obviously, upset her. Faith heard it too, it was Dawn's scream and Willow chanting. Buffy threw her phone in her pocket, " Faith, something's wrong. We have to get back to the palazzo." she huffed, getting to her feet.
" I see two ways out. One for me and one for you." Faith said, pointing out the vertical vents, " Looks like we're gonna hafta be nimble on this one, you up for it, B?" she smiled. Buffy nodded and sped off at her, speeding by the Turoks and up the vent, beating Faith and causing the vamps to look around confused.
Xander and Robin walked around town until they felt the earthquake, which caused them and everyone around them to stagger or fall! When it was over, they looked around and noticed the cracks in the road and the overturned cars and the people running around like headless chickens.
" Are you okay?" Robin asked.
Xander touched himself all over, " Yeah, except I'm missing an eye..." he joked, " But, hey, I was missing that anyways."
" What in the hell was that?" Robin asked, looking around, " It's like the end of the world."
" Again." Xander whined, " We just had one like...a few months ago!"
" Xander." Robin said, peering of into the distance.
" I mean, hello, been fighting the forces of evil since I was sixteen, can I get a month off?" Xander continued.
" XANDER! LOOK!" Robin said, gesturing to the street ahead of them where the crack had been and out popped a claw, then another, then another, then finally a hellhound popped from the crack, followed by a Turok, then by another demon and so on. Xander and Robin looked at each other," Time to get back to command central." Robin said, never taking his eyes off the newly emerged demons.
" Right there wit ya." Xand said, backing away and running in the opposite direction, followed closely by Robin.
Giles and the Slayerettes got off the plane and were immediately appreciative to be back in Rome. Giles would have been even happier to have been back in London, but it oh well. It was night time already and as Giles walked through the airport, he could swear he was being watched. He told the girls to relax while he went to the restroom and he headed there. as he turned the corner, he swept into a dark corner and waited as a stranger walked past.
" Are you following me?" Giles asked. The stranger turned to reveal his platinum hair and long, leather trenchcoat swaying as he walked, " Bloody hell, Spike is that you?" he asked, amazed.
Spike frowned at him, " Rupert, you could have given me a heart attack...if my heart was still beating. Hear you got yourself a good ole' fashioned Apocalypse brewin here." he said.
" What?!" Giles said loudly, " I leave for two weeks and chaos erupts?" he said to himself.
" So you know about that too?" Spike asked.
" HUh?" Giles asked in shock.
" Look outside, Rup, Rome's gone to hell since I been here last." Spike said.
Giles looked shocked and without a word walked past Spike to the outside. The slayerettes sat in the lobby of the airport, waiting for Mr. Giles to come out when Vi noticed a woman sitting next to her. The woman looked very calm and collected an very beautiful. She also looked worried.
" Hello, I'm Vi." Vi said, introducing herself.
The woman snapped out of her daze and looked at the girls, " HI." she said with a very southern accent, " My name is Winifred Burkle, you can call me Fred. How are ya'll doin?" she asked.
" We're good. This is Rona, Kennedy, Caridad, Melissa, Rowena, Satsu, Leah...and alot others. Just call us the 'Ettes'." Vi smiled.
" The Ettes? Are you like a band?" Fred asked.
" No, and yes. Not a band, it's kind of complicated." Rona said, " So, where are you from?"
" Texas originally. I've been livin in Los Angeles. Me and my frie...I came to help friends." Fred smiled.
" Oh, us too." Kennedy said, " Is that what you do for a...SPIKE?!" Kennedy said, shocked at the sight of Spike.
" There's no time for introductions, Kennedy. You should have a look outside." Giles said, " I think we're late to the Apocalypse."
" So, Apocalypse is now-ish?" Vi asked, looking back at Fred, who was now Illyria, " Ah! What happened to Fred?"
" This is Illyria." Spike said, introducing her, " She's with me. We have to go, Buffy's probably lost without her new little posse."
" Let's go the." Giles said and they all rose and walked out of the airport, stopping on the outside.
" Maybe it's too late." Rona said, shocked at how Rome looked now.
Giles could not believe what he was seeing! Rome was a ghost town, cracks in the road, demons running around and people running as fast as they could away from the demons. Debris laying everywhere and cars laying over on their sides, " Bloody hell." was all Giles said, taking off his glasses and wiping them with his hankerchief.
Willow and Dawn had Barricaded themselves in the palazzo, away from windows and Willow had tried to black the doors with a spell, but it was taking its toll on her. Demons of every sort had come to their palazzo from...well, they were coming and that's all they knew. Willow was worried that Dawn might have to protect herself if worse came to worse.
" Dawny, we need to get out...before...before..." Willow said, but she was cut off by the window beside them shattering, " Buffy?!" Willow said happily, getting up and walking to the living room. She saw that one of the hellhounds had gotten in and was mauling another...hellhoud, but this hellhound wasn't a hellhound. It was a werewolf. The werewolf snapped the hellhound's neck and loped to her. She put up a weak shield immediately and felt a hand on her back and turned to see Dawn standing behind her, then she looked back at the wolf and into his eyes and said, " Oz?"
Dawn's eyes bulged out of her head, " NO FREAKIN WAY!" she said, staring at him. They all stared at each other for a moment, but stopped at the sound of a crashing and a Turok slammed into the house, turning to dust.
Buffy and Faith hopped inside and built the door back up, " Are you guys okay?" Buffy asked.
" It's like a convention of evil and everyone's invited." Willow said quickly, " Where are they coming from?"
Dawn ran to Buffy and hugged her, " Oz is here!" she shouted.
Buffy broke the hug and looked at Willow, " I'd say the deepest pits of hell." she said, looking at Oz, " Long time, no see." she smiled.
Faith chuckled, " Even as a wolf, you're pretty short, huh?" she smiled.
The telephone ran and Buffy annswered it quickly, " Giles? Yeah, I can sorta hear you...wha...no, Xander and Robin are still out there looking for Austin. Well, we were at the hospital and...Connor was in the hospital because...Giles, yes, he's back. Austin is not here. We think he's in the sewers because at the hospital...What? Spike? Giles...Giles!" Buffy said, looking at her friends.
I streaked past tunnel after tunnel, searching for Groo. I couldn't let him die down here, not like this! Micah jogged behind me. I wasn't stupid, I knew there was a chance that Micah could have been Groo all along,but I could feel that he wasn't. Something told me that I had to keep looking and running he'd be there. What something didn't tell me was what would be there when I finally found him. He was lying in a tunnel made to look more like a room. The room was filled with candles and photos depicting me and the gang. I turned to look at Micah, who smiled.
" You are Titan." I said, not really in shock.
" No. I just worked for him. Titan is in Los Angeles, at Wolfram and Hart, but he sends his regards." Micah smiled, " I actually started to like you." he said.
" So, you're what, the psychotic assisstant?" I asked.
" How'd you guess?" he asked.
" I watch a lot of Veronica Mars." I said, backing away to Groo, " Did you kill him?" I asked.
" No. I told you I knocked him out." he sighed, " So I guess that's a no."
" Whatnow?" I asked.
" Us." he said.
I chuckled, " Us? Seriously?" I laughed, " You'd be lucky if I didn't shove that pipe through your head."
" Sorry it'll have to be that way." he smiled, " I guess it's not all about us...I'll give you a six minute head start to figure it out."
I threw Groo over my shoulder and started to run through the tunnels, seeing cracks above and trying to look for an entrance or crack big enough for us to squeeze through. I had already deciphered the ingenius riddle, he was going after my friends, and it made me run faster. At the same time, Xander and Robin were making their way back to the palazzo. Xander and Robin slowed down long enough to look behind them and hear, " HELP!" come from under the street.
" Do you hear that?" Xander asked, looking to Robin.
" Yeah." Robin said, looking around, " Where's it coming from?"
" The street!" Xander said, " Someone's down there!"
" Xander?! ROBIN?! You have to get us out of here before Micah gets to the palazzo!" I said, looking up at Xander and Robin.
" Ok, we need to find a manhole." Xander said, looking around for a manhole.
I heard a growl and looked around to see a group of Turok-Han, then I jumped up at the crack and held on. I passed Groo up and was almost out when I felt something grab my foot!
" Hold on!" Xander said, tugging me up.
I thought, in that moment, that I should give up. I felt myself give up. I felt the hopelessness wash over me and I sunk downward. Xander screamed at me and I looked at him, ready to die there. I thought back to my mom and dad...to Micah...to Buffy and the gang...to Connor...to Dawn...to the soulless creature on my leg and I got angry! I let go of Xander and snuck into the sewers. I could hear Xander yelling, but I stood surrounded by Turok-Han. They were ready to pounce and they did, but I ducked and kicked on, then back kicked another, grabbing some loose wiring and lasso one around the neck and decapitating it! I pulled out a stake and drove it into one's chest, then got slammed against the wall! I got up and punched the uber-vamp in the mouth and staked him and pulled it out as fast as I could flipped it, staking the last one! I looked up and jumped to the crack, boosting myself over the top and to the street.
Xander ran to me and hugged me, " I thought you were..." he started.
" No worries. We have to get to the palazzo, like, now." I said angrily.
xander nodded and looked down the road, " It's about a mile or two, but then we got all these cars." he said, referencing all the overturned cars, " You could run."
I nodded, but stopped when Robin said, " Or, you could use the bus coming straight at us!" and the bust stopped right at us and Giles hung out the side, " Xander, Robin, you found Austin and..." he said.
" Groo. We need to get to the palazo, ASAP." I said, running to the bus. Xander andn Robin, carying Groo, followed. once we were on the bus, I noticed Spike, " SPIKE?"
" You what all this fuss is about?" Spike asked, closing the door, " Hold on, kiddies, I don't exactly know the streets."
" Like that ever stopped you." I said, causing him to chuckle, " Drive through the cemetary."
" What about the angry spirit?" Rona asked, " No poltergiests, right?"
I looked back, " Well, look." I said, pointing to the graves, which were empty, " I don't think they'll mind."
Spike looked up at me and smiled, " I always liked you." he said, driving straight through the cemetary.
I hugged Giles, " Giles..." I said.
" Yes." he chuckled.
" Thank you." I said, turning to the slayers, " Look...wow, four to a seat? Anyways...wait who are you?" I asked, looking at Illyria.
" She's with me. Almost there, I think." Spike said.
Xander stood, " How can you tell?" he asked.
" By the tremendous amount of demons trashing the house." Spike said, driving into a few demons.
" Look, slayers, Sunnydale was the warm-up. This is going to be tougher and your objective here is to stop all the demons. I, and probably Buffy and Faith, ae going to be kicking Micah's ass. Don't let this distract you. You are all slayers now, capable of beating anything. When I found out that I was a slayer, truly, about a few months ago, I was so angry. but now I know what it means. The power. The strength. They shared it, now we need to use it. You all have the strength and since Sunnydale, you've been using it, but not the fullest. I just took on a butt load of Turoks and you're twice the slayers. We're connected and I can feel you. Buffy and Faith are the queens, but you're the princesses. Younger, more deadly." I said, almost preaching.
" That'd make you king." Kennedy said.
" If so, I proclaim we go and kick ass. We're slayers, strong kick-ass and freakin sexy." I said, looking them all in the eye.
" Damn." Rona said.
" What?" I asked.
" You're the male Buffy, you know it?" Spike said, opening the door, " Now go kick ass, kiddies."
" Where are you going?" I asked.
" Thought I was ready, but..." Spike said, chickening out.
I looked at Giles, " Whatever, Giles, got any info that could help?" I asked.
" Kick his ass." Giles said, surprising everyone.
I nodded and led them off the bus and the demons turned to us. All the girls on the bus ran and started fighting the demons, some with weapons, some without. i hurried past the demons, punching and kicking the occasional demon on the way to the house. When I got to the door, Buffy and Faith flew out of the window and landed on the ground! Dawn, Willow, and Oz came running out of the palazzo and stood beside me.
" Austin!" they squeeled, hugging me admist all the fighting, " Who's in the house?" I asked.
Dawn looked backwards, " Micah." she said in disbelief.
" Yeah, and he's not being nice." Willow said.
" I saw." I said, looking at Buffy and Faith, who now stood beside me, Xander, Giles, Robin, Oz, and Groo.
" Who's driving that bus?" Buffy asked, craning her neck, " We need to take out that guy's ass!"
" The driver?" Willow asked.
" NO! The guy in the house." Buffy said, looking back at us.
" Let's go back up and show him a real ass whoopin, yo." Faith said, heading back inside.
" No." I said loudly, " It's my fight."
" Listen to yourself, he just kicked our asses and you wanna face him alone?" Buffy asked.
I nodded and Faith chuckled, " Boy's got balls." she smirked.
" I'll do what I need to. Plus, there are so many demons out here! Go!" I said, shooing them off the porch. I took a deep breath and stepped into the house, slamming the door behind me, " Come out, come out wherever you are." I said, looking around the house.
" I'm everywhere." Micah's voice came from in front of me.
" Come on, vague doesn't suit you." I said, walking farther in.
" I'm gonna snap your neck and play in your blood, then I'm gonna really have some fun." he said, laughing insanely.
I smiled and nodded to myself, " I like it when you talk all dirty. Now come one out before I..." I threatened.
" Do WhAT? SLAY ME?" he asked.
" You brought the demon snake here...and you work with Harmony. And every other thing that's happened was you fuckin wit me, right?" I asked.
" I should have put my moves on you when I had the chance." he chuckled.
" I thought you did." I laughed, " Wouldn't have worked anyways, you never had a chance with Connor alive." I said, trying to make him angry. I stopped at the blood dripping from the ceiling. I looked up and Carlos was bleeding down. He choked and fell from the ceiling and I shut my eyes.
" Surprise." Micah said, causing me to open my eyes to a punchin in the face! I flew back and landed at the stairs!
I got up and stared at him, " You sick bastard!" I said, running to him and punching him in the face, then I ducked one of his punches and kicked him into the wall! I grabbed his head and threw him across the room, then jumped into the air to kick him, but he grabbed me and slammed me, causing me to fall, in a heap, to the floor. I scrambled to get up and he threw me against another wall! I rolled as he tried to bring his foot down to my stomach and got to a floor lamp and wielded it as if it were a staff. I moved fast with the lamp, but so did he and soon I lost the lamp and he punched me so hard in the chest that I flew backwards through an armoire and a wall into my room! I didn't quite make it out the bed and my left hand caught my backpack and ripped it to the floor.
" Face it, you're not a real slayer. None of you are, except Buffy and Faith. You can't defeat me, I have experience, I have power, and what do you have? Nothing! You have..." he said, noticing me digging through me bag.
" Hope!" I said, stabbing him in the balls, " Once again< I have hope!" I said, getting to my feet and taking the Dagger of Hope from his balls.
" The Dagger..." he said.
I twirled it, " Hope. It's all I need." I said, plunging it into his heart! Immediately after, I heard a screeching and went to the window to see the demons all turn to dust and fly away in the wind. I sighed and slumped down against the wall, hearing footsteps come down the hall. I inhaled and waited for it (whatever it was) to get to my room. When it did, I smiled.
" Are you okay?" Connor asked, running to me and noticing the blood on me, " Oh my god, I love you so much!" he said, kissing me passionately, our tongues colliding for the first time in so long.
" I love you too." I said, kissing him back. I noticed Buffy and Dawn at the door and they breathed a sigh of relief, " It's over...or just beginning...I so miss the Bronze."
Willow stood on the terrace, looking out onto the city. The damages were being cleaned up and the city was working again. Definitely "Sunnydale Syndrome". Willow wondered how long it would be before they'd go back to California, or the U.S. for that matter. She turned and looked at Oz, who was just staring at her. They had talked all night about Tara, the monks, Kennedy, and even Evil Willow. It had been a night for talking Everyone seemed to want to talk.
" So, you're not going to Tibet?" Willow asked.
" No. Things are bad in the world and people need my help." Oz said, walking to the rail, " I've been hiding too long."
" I know the feeling." willow said.
" Yep, so I'm going to help the only male slayer, the alternate dimension man, and the son of an Angel." Oz smirked.
" Yeah. I thought after we faced the Hellmouth it would be less hectic and dangerous. And now I'm fearing less that a vampire will kill me and more that anything will kill me." Willow pouted.
" I'm sure Kennedy will save you." Oz said, " Dawn's even more grown up."
" Yeah. I call her little wome...an" Willow chuckled.
Oz smiled, " Do you think Austin is ready?" he asked.
" Buffy was younger than him and she wasn't ready, and it worked out." Willow said, unsure, " So who knows..."
" You know, I was going to suggest that we go to Cleveland, but Faith beat us to it." Oz chuckled
" Damn your good luck. So, L.A. again. The Hyperion. Good place of evil...and lawyers." Willow smiled.
" Same thing." Oz said, looking onto the city.
" It's nice having you here." Willow said carefully.
Oz turned to her," Ditto." he smiled.
Connor was packing as I walked into his room. I stopped and looked at him, trying to be as quiet as possible.
" Now who's sneaking up?" Connor smiled.
I smiled and kissed him passionately, playing with his tongue, " I'm just gonna miss you." I frowned.
' you're gonna live in the hotel, right?" Connor asked, " Cause when I get back, Oz, Groo, and I are gonna do some cleanin and get started with Agency." he smiled.
" Agency?" I asked.
" Angel Investigations." he smiled, " I'm sure dad won't mind."
" What about school?" I asked, concerned.
He stopped packing and looked at me, " Look, I'm not a normal guy. I liked the whole normal life thing and I'm still gonna go to school, but I'm never gonna fit there like I do here." he said, kissing my confused face, " Don't worry."
" I am." I said, " But...It's gonna be a while before we see each other again, so I want you to...be my first." I said.
" First...as in lover?" he asked.
" You decide." I said, kissing him. I shut the door and sat on the bed. Connor walked over and kissed me and we fell backwards onto the bed. Connor kissed my stomach as I took off my shirt and he took of his. I felt his tongue glide across my skin and I shivered moaned in ecstasy.
" I'm going to help the process." Connor said, sliding off my underwear, " It might hurt, but it'll be okay, alright?" I nodded and he inserted a finger. After I got comfortable, he inserted another and began moving them in and out. Then he moved up and kissed me, then his mouth found my neck and he sucked and licked at my neck. Connor came back up to eye level and said, " Ok, this is going to hurt a little, if you want my to stop, just say so, ok baby?" he asked. I nodded and I felt something near my ass. I felt something press against my anal ring and I felt it slip in and the pain shot across my body and I watched Connor's face fill with pleasure and his mouth shot open as if he was about to scream and I lifted my head up and kissed him to keep us both quiet. Connor slid all the way into me and stopped. We were moaning into each other's mouths as he started to move in and out. The pain began to dissipate and pure pleasure filled me as he began moving in and out of me and we began to make-out furiously as he slid in and out of me.
" Fuck, Connor." I moaned, " I love you."
" I love you too." Connor moaned, " You feel so good."
He fucked me for about an hour before we finally stopped. When he finally came, he came inside me and rolled over, kissing me as I snuggled under him.
" Was I..." I started.
" The best." Connor said groggily.
" Sleepy?" I asked.
" A little. More tired than sleepy." he smiled.
" I should go. I have stuff to do." I said, getting up from the bed. I couldn't stop smiling and neither could Connor.
" I really love you." Connor said as I left.
" I love you too." I said leaving the room.
After a shower, I walked to the kitchen and found Xander, " Hey, Watcher." I said quickly.
" Hey, slayer." he joked, " You feelin okay? I mean with everyone leaving?" he asked.
" Yeah. I can't believe you're going back to Scotland. You and Buffy and Willow and the slayers." I said wistfully.
" We've got to." Xander said, " Don't worry, I'll be keeping my eye on you." he said, hugging me.
" I could so see you as a gay guy. Anya was very lucky." I smiled, " And whoever ends up with you is the luckiest person in the world."
Xander chuckled, " Enough with your sucking up. I have to go pack." he said, leaving the kitchen. I left too and head to the terrace.
" Hey guys." I said.
" Hey Austin!" Willow said, hugging me, " How ya feelin?"
" Like a truck hit me, how bout you guys." I said.
" Going to L.A. again..." Oz smiled.
" Going back to Scotland." Willow nodded.
" so, you're coming to L.A.?" Oz asked.
" Yeah, but first I have to pass Trig." I smiled, " That's gonna suck." I said, " I've gotta go. Me and Dawn are going to order caps and gowns." I said, leaving to find Dawn.
We all stood in the middle of the terminal, Willow, Xander, Faith, Robin, Giles, and the slayers getting on one plan and Oz, Connor, and Groo getting on another. They all did the hugging thing, but Dawn and I were way too torn up to say or do anything.
" I'm gonna miss you, Slayer Jr." Faith said, hugging me,
" Give 'em hell Faith." I said, quickly, " It was nice meeting you Robin." I said, shaking his hand.
Willow and Xander hugged me right away, " If you need anything, call me!" she said teary eyed.
" You'll be back for graduation, right?" I asked.
" Definitely, we wouldn't miss it for any apocalypse in the world." Xander said, rubbing my head.
" Giles." I said, hugging him, then laughing at his stiffness.
" Yes, Quite." he said stiffly.
" You're so gonna miss us, aren't you?" I smiled.
Giles chortled, " Yes, now go. We have to get back before Andrew screws something up." he said.
" You left Andrew in charge at Scotland?" I asked.
" No." Giles said, making it obvious that he did, " I think I was drunk."
I stood facing the slayerettes, " Remember what I said. We're connected." I said, giving them a salute and getting it back.
They all waved as they boarded the plane and I almost broke down again. Then I turned to Oz, Groo, and Connor.
" Have you and Dawn prepared for different schools?" OZ asked.
I nodded, " Yeah, she's cool as long as I spend the summer with her here." I smiled.
Oz hugged me, " We're gonna be waiting." he said, turning and boarding the plane.
I turned to Groo, who rubbed his head, " Is your noggin ok?" I asked.
" Noggin?" he asked.
" Head." I answered, " You gonna be okay staying at the Hyperion with Connor and Oz?"
" Yes. I have done so before, when Cordelia was alive." he smiled.
" What's with you guys and Cordelia?" I asked, hugging him, " I'll be there in a few months."
Groo frowned, " A few months?" he asked.
" Yeah. I've gotta get through my senior year and then I'm good." I said, " Be sure to clean it up a little."
He smiled and followed Oz to the plane and I turned to Connor and almost lost it," What are you gonna do?" I asked Connor.
" What do you mean?" he asked.
" Until I see you again?" I asked.
" I will wait. Forever if I have to." Connor said, kissing me, then turning to board his flight.
I turned to Buffy and Dawn, who came up behind me and comforted me and I just smiled, " We have work to do." I said, smiling at Buffy, " Something new is coming and I need to be in the know."
" I command an army of five hundred slayers. We are based in Scotland, and the thing with the Immortal was a joke. I have two look-alikes, one in the ground, one with the Immortal. The only reason we came here is to meet with Angel and Connor." Buffy explained, " Welcome to the know."
" I was tortured." I blurted, " No secrets. Before I got here, I was tortured by...It was horrible. My mother and father left me to be tested on by a sicko and when you did your little spell I was able to escape and when I did, I called them and told them and they were...happy to hear from me. They said that they didn't know and they wanted me back home. I ran as fast as I could and when I finally got there, they were cold." I said, leaving them speechless.
This is the end of the 1st arc, so if you like it, let me know. I probably won't update this story for a while, but I might.