AUTHOR: Ophelia / Rainie
EMAIL: ophelia_rd@yahoo.com - rainee_sl@yahoo.com.au
DISCLAIMER: Joss, not I.
DISTRIBUTION: Let me know where it's going
CATEGORY:
RATING: M
PART: 3/4
FEEDBACK: Yes please!!!
VISIT ME: http://www.oocities.org/dra_gon_fly_er/
NOTE: Please be patient with the dyslectic and the seven and a half finger typist, we are trying - honestly!
Extreme Measures 4/4
"Giles!"
Buffy cut off his incoherent stuttering.
"What exactly are you talking about?"
"It's a gate between our and a Demon Demension."
The moment the words were out, Darla already regretted them.
"It's a trade, a deal - a life for a life."
"It's a contract only death can nullify - that's why they are granting immortality in exchange."
"Hold your bloody horses, Watcher, what the heck are you hinting about?"
Spike's tone of voice stated clearly that he didn't have a clue what was going on and that he didn't like it one bit.
"It's not really dangerous…" Darla sighed.
"You're saying that having some unknown demon feeding of your life-energy is not dangerous???"
The watcher's head almost turned purple.
Right now he felt like pounding some sense into the ignorant blonde vampiress.
"What else?" He drew in a deep steadying breath.
"Nothing, that's it." She replied obediently, silently adding: "At least as far as the slayer's part is concerned."
The tired Scoobys quietly exchanged uncomfortable gazes.
"Well, if that's all…" Spike ever so slowly inched up on Buffy. "…then why don't we get started, so Miss Lazy-bum here no longer relies on the portable shitter!"
"Spike!!!"
An outrageous pillow hit him square in the face.
"What?!?"
The peroxide blonde was a picture of innocence.
"Yeah, let's get started, somebody in this room is seriously begging for a good hiding!"
Buffy gestured Darla to step closer.
"Well…, I can't…, I won't do it again…, not for you…, anyway…"
Giles curiously watchers the stammering vampiress.
"See, that's the part I didn't quite understand," he quietly seized her enigmatic face. "Why would you, a vampire…" Once again he started to fiddle with his glasses.
The moment their eyes met, Darla knew that the watcher knew about her part of the deal.
"Why would you, Darla, guarantee for a human - the slayer of all?"
***
"Duncan!"
Not waiting for him to acknowledge her presence, Jasmine accessed the small rooftop garden of their new home in 25 Draper Street.
The quiet dark figure briefly glanced at the dark-haired girl, but apart from that didn't react.
Jasmine slowly walked over to him.
And together they stared at the black in black scenery of gardens and houses of a still sound asleep Sunnydale.
"I bet half of the kids down there haven't got a clue about vampires or real-life demons…"
Duncan awkwardly stepped from one foot to the other.
"They're laying in their beds… dreaming about tomorrow… waiting for the new day to come…"
A steep frown on her face, Jasmine thought about his words - several seconds.
"Duncan, please," she pleaded with the blonde vampire after quietly deciding his comment didn't make sense. "I need you to go inside. There are only a few minutes left."
His only reaction was an indifferent shrug.
"I know," he stated evenly. "I can smell the sunrise long before it comes."
For another few seconds they quietly stared at the dimly lit streets.
Eventually Jasmine couldn't stand it any longer and anxious- and impatiently turned around to face the cryptic vampire.
"We don't have time to argue right now," she snapped. "So you'll just have to trust me on this - when I tell you it's okay."
An angry growl emitted from somewhere deep within his chest.
"Nothing's okay!" He barked at her in return. "This whole incident has showed me one thing…"
His voice trailed off as he was at a loss for words.
"Has showed you what?"
Jasmine wouldn't have any of that and unyieldingly urged him to go ahead.
By now they were both angry and annoyed with one another.
"And what exactly would that be?"
The lanky girl stepped right in front of the vampire, so he could no longer avoid her blazing green eyes.
"I'm a monster."
He gave her a long challenging look.
"And you know it."
They looked at one another, hard.
Then all of a sudden the slayer turned around on her heels.
"Somebody once told me," she philosophised. "It's all about choices."
She quietly watched the ever so slowly lightening morning sky.
"You take one turn, things happen - you take another turn, things happen again, and again…"
A muscle twitched on the vampire's forehead.
However, he still remained silent.
The slayer allowed him another few seconds, before his lack of response got on her nerves.
"Well, but then again, maybe you're too much of a coward for that - then burn!"
Her voice was raw and angry, although she couldn't totally suppress her tears.
"Yeah, greet the sunlight - do something truly heroic!"
The fierce almost hateful spoken words hit a nerve.
"What do you want me to say?" Duncan equally furiously roared. "You want me to go all hearts and flowers on you - or even proclaim my undying love? I'm a demon, for fuck's sake…"
The words died on his lips when Jasmine stepped backwards and quietly leaned into his chest.
"That you don't have to, Duncan!" She told him plainly.
His arm involuntarily went around her waist.
"Some deeds say more than a thousand words."
She let her head fall back, so she could see his eyes without turning.
"Well?" The vampire placed a quick peck on the tip of her nose. "Go ahead, you may just as well get it all out of your system."
She flashed him a dirty grin.
"If you insist…, there actually is one tiny little thing."
The teasing smile melted away.
"Shoot."
"Promise me, that I never - never ever - have to talk you out of a suicide attempt!"
Avoiding her piercing green eyes, Duncan rested his chin on her forehead and concentrated on the approaching daybreak.
But Jasmine wasn't quite done with him, yet.
"Promise me that you'll stay with me, no matter what happens - for better and worse - promise me that…"
Her voice came to an abrupt stop.
She blinked.
And blinked again.
"What the fuck…???"
Eyes big as saucers she stared at the brilliant flashed of lightening crackling along the no longer orangy-red sky.
"Fucking run!!!"
She turned on her heels - as did Duncan.
Trying to escape the cold gushes of rain.
However, too late.
***
"Uh-oh, Duncan…"
"Hm?"
"I almost forgot, Darla…"
"How come I'm not surprised?"
"Well she asked me to tell you, and I quote: 'My life is now in your hands, yours and Duncan's, I trust you to take good care of it.' - whatever that means."
"It means, Darla is an idiot…"
"Charming!"
"…and that I owe her my gratitude, and an apology…"
***
…and while most of Southern California is enjoying a balmy hot day, an extreme low has sprung up out of nowhere around Sunnydale, where they are reporting heavy thunderstorms and as many as 26,000 flashes of lightening have been counted per hour. Sunnydale residents shouldn't expect to see the sun all day today. That low isn't going anywhere. With temperatures in the high 30s means you better bundle up if you're planning to go outside and enjoy the change in weather…
Half-heartedly listening to the newsreader, seven literally thunderstruck faces watched the never seen nightly spectacle.
Only Drusilla seemingly unimpressed kept humming and swaying along to some inaudible tune.
"Well, what do you think?"
Spike asked into the silence and it was clear to the others that, although his eyes remained glued to the window, he wasn't at all referring to the flashy performance.
It was a rhetorical question, though, and the vampire didn't really expect an answer.
All the more he and everybody else stared in surprise, when Dru, with a dreamy look at the slayer announced in her best sing-sang voice: "Don't worry, my Spike, everything will be fine."
***
And somewhere far away in London, England…
//This is the answering machine of Tamlin Grey, I can't come to the phone right now. But if you leave a name and number I'll call you back as soon as I can.//
"Tamlin, this is Quentin, we've just received word that Damian and his girl were wasted in a vampire attack. I want you to be ready by 7.00 p.m. - you and…, and…, oh yes, here we go…, you and Vivienne are going to Sunnydale!"
-the end-