[#61. Back to a Buffy story. I hadn’t written for a while, as I recall, and this idea came to me after watching the Season 2 DVD. It is the final few hours of “Becoming, Part 2” (where Buffy has to kill Angel to save the world from Acathla). It also includes the note Joyce found on Buffy’s bed. PG]

18 Feb 2004

The Note


Buffy couldn’t think, she was numb. She had just killed the one person she loved more than anything else in the world. She ran her sword through Angel’s heart, sending him to straight to Hell -- sucked through the vortex created by Acathla, and saving the world, again.

Without realizing how, Buffy found herself across the street from her home. Making her way around to the side of the house, and as she had done so many times before, she climbed the tree to crawl through her bedroom window.

Without making a sound, she silently packed a bag, taking as many of her clothes that would fit into it. She took all the money she had saved in her jewelry box, a little over $200. Then she started back out of the window, but stopped. And taking a piece of paper out of her notebook, she hastily scribbled a note to her mother. After laying it on the bed, she crawled back through the window, and climbed down the tree to the ground.


Joyce Summers was coming up the stairs when she thought she heard something.

“Buffy?” she asked out loud as she entered Buffy’s bedroom.

It was empty, and most of Buffy’s clothes were gone. Lying on her bed was a sheet of paper. Joyce picked it up and began to read.
Mom,
I’m sorry I can’t be the daughter you want me to be,
but I didn’t choose to be the Slayer, it chose me.
And since it’s obvious I’m this huge disappointment to you,
maybe it would be better for both of us if I wasn’t here.
B.

As she read it, Joyce began to cry, then sat down heavily on the bed, feeling as if all the breath had been knocked out of her.


Buffy walked to the high school, and standing out of sight, watched as Giles, Cordelia, Oz, and Willow, being pushed in her wheelchair by Xander, talked a bit, then entered the front door to start another school day. She was glad they all seemed to be okay.

Buffy slowly turned away, then with resolute determination, walked to the bus station and caught the first bus leaving Sunnydale.

She would start a new life somewhere else. Someplace anyone could easily get lost, and not be found until she wanted to be.