-Disclaimers: Title belongs entirely to Gabriel Garcia Marquez--just borrowing it for the sake of the story. Buffy, Spike, Whistler and all the memories belong to Joss and his crew. All other characters are entirely mine.
-Summary: Series set 100 yrs after "The Gift," Season five finale. This is part AU and futuristic. Spike has been alive for 100 hundred years after Buffy's death. Whistler comes to him to let him know that Buffy has been summoned to fight a new evil. Therefore she will be brought back to life and needs a "guide". When Buffy wakes she finds that the only one to cling to is the only person left from her past. This is a B/S fiction.
-Rating: Overall rating of series is R. (Language and Violence)
-Spoilers: I will mention everything thaat has happened through "The Gift".
-Distribution: The only people that havee permission to post these series are those who already archive my fiction and have asked me for permission. If you want to post it please ask me. I'll be happy to let you. I just want to know where my fiction goes.
-Author's Note: I adore Feedback, so pleease let me know what you think of the story so far! bih80reviews@yahoo.com
-Special Thanks: Hilary, Allison, and Opphelia for doing the beta--thank you guys!
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The men walked confidently down the hall, towards a meeting that could not be avoided.
Walking down white halls reminiscent of hospitals that were covered with 15th century paintings of Machiavellian men who stood proudly above the people from their hegemonic positions.
There was a soft tapping of Gucci shoes on white marble floors that shone and reflected like mirrors. Some who had reflections, some who didn't.
Walking past guards, past pots of fake plants that smelled of glue, past dimmed lights that whispered terror.
Six of them.
The head of a council so feared — so discreet only a small percentage of the world population knew that they existed. On each of their wrists was tattooed the emblem. An emblem of the head of a wolf. Howling into the night, causing terror amongst the creatures of the night.
They arrived at an oak door that unusually stood unguarded by the marines who usually stood watch.
They entered anyway, filling the cold office furnished in black. An office dominated by the large round table that stood in the center.
As they entered, their gaze centered on the man sitting at the head of the long table.
They stood there watching him.
The man smiled and lit a cigarette. Two more men stood on either side of him holding 10 gauge shot guns.
"'ello, boys," the man said. He brought down his lighter and placed it on top of the oak table, making a clattering sound.
The men with the emblem inside of their wrist said nothing as they looked on at him.
"Fancy a party?" he asked them.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
One moment she was sitting down reading over the transcripts, the next she fell down on her knees — clutching her head with white-knuckled fingers.
"What is it?" Lucy asked Zeta as she kneeled in front of her.
"Loret...upstairs...Buffy." She managed to muster as she gasped for air.
"Loret's dead." Lucy reminded her.
"Well she's alive and kicking...and pissed off."
Lucy ran from the room with Troll on her heels.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"How many times do we have to kill you?" Loret asked as she stepped forward from the shadows.
Buffy backed up, scanning the room for weapons and keeping an eye on a small sleeping form of Vanessa.
"This time he's not here to save you — this time you die, and you won’t come back." Loret kept approaching.
Buffy cocked her head to the side and eyed her evenly.
"Look who's talking about walking bones." No weapons.
Mano a mano.
Loret chuckled, "A little trick of the devil, you know." She looked over to the sleeping girl. "Hmm, mommy dearest trying to protect her little pigeon?"
Buffy stepped between Loret and the bed.
"This is between you and me. Leave her out of this."
Loret clicked her tongue loudly. "But you know this story...she's made out of you. She's you and Spike, the little seed that continues life...a little pebble in my shoe."
Buffy grabbed on to the post of the bed; maybe she could break the wood apart.
"What do you want with us? What did I do to hurt you so badly?" Buffy inquired, trying to keep her hand movements to the minimum.
Loret smiled at her. "Are you always this self-centered, Slayer?" Buffy could now see the long piece of wood in Loret's hand. "You think it all revolves around you, the mirror in the center of a carousel?"
"You're obviously demented, let's get over the chit chat — I don't talk to crazy people."
//SNAP//
The thin post snapped off in the slayer's hand. Now they were even. Wood against wood.
"Inventive. I like that." Loret crouched in fighting position. "Tonight you die your last death and your offspring with you."
"Overconfidence is a debility." Buffy remarked and mirrored her position.
"That it is," she smiled in return and blocked the hit that Buffy threw.
"Now we end this."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Spike...listen to me, you don't want to do this." The senator cried as they were tying him up and gagging him in the small office.
Spike stood in front of them and shoved a crumpled handkerchief in his mouth.
"Yeah, I do," he said and watched as Mario set up the explosives.
Satisfied with the way everything was going he turned to address the council that was now at his mercy. "Let this be a lesson you all, gentlemen."
They looked back at him with anger and fear.
"You mess with me, I blow up your business. You mess with my family, my players, or friends and you die. Simple rules. Simple rules that you broke. I may be a civilized man, but I am a dangerous man none the less. I was not chosen 'cause I was saintly. I am not on a mission of redemption, because for all they care I can fuck up a million and one times. Therefore, I play by my own rules. Make my own games, determine the winners."
Mario stood up and started the clock on the bomb.
"And the verdict is, mates." He raised up his thumb, in Roman style. Looking over them, he smiled and flipped his thumb down.
A sick clicking of the timer was heard. Clayton patted one of the senators on his bald head and walked out with Mario following him.
"Now, be good boys." Spike turned and left the room, locking the bolt.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The first loud bang woke her up — causing her to bolt up in bed. And she saw, at the foot of the bed, her mom and that nasty lady fighting in the dark.
"Mommy!" She cried out, clutching the pig to her chest.
Buffy hit Loret hard on the face and made her stumble down to the carpeted floor.
"Go down stairs and find Aunt Lucy, baby. Run!"
Vanessa literally jumped off the bed and ran as fast as her little legs could carry her to the door.
She grasped the handle and tried to ignore when she heard Buffy grunt in pain as the wood crushed her ribs.
It was locked.
She tried with all her might but it was locked. She felt tears dripping form her face. "It's locked!"
She said before she turned around, a hard hand grabbed her arms and unceremoniously tossed her on top of the bed. She screamed again.
Buffy pulled herself to her feet, bellowing in rage when she saw the way Loret had thrown Vanessa. She tackled the woman from the back and sent them both sprawling into the floor.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lucy ran up the stairs as fast as she could, she could feel her heart thumping in her chest — Spike had just gotten Buffy back, when the hell were they going to get a break?
They reached the apartment door and she yanked open but it was locked.
She grunted as she threw herself against the door, becoming more desperate as she heard Vanessa's screams form the inside.
"Let me," the perpetually calm Troll said as he closed his eyes and chanted.
"Hurry," she said, her gun cocked and ready for action.
"Magic...black magic, very potent." He turned and looked at her. "I need Zeta. We must concentrate, perhaps we can brake the barrier."
Lucy sighed in frustration. She grabbed her mike. "Zeta, up here — NOW!"
She tucked her gun in her belt.
"She'll be here in a few," she turned to leave.
"Where are you going?" he asked her confused.
She looked to the ceiling. "The roof." She said and ran off.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Spike watched from the rear-view mirror as the building blew up. Thousands of orange and yellow flickers in the night.
He sighed in relief. It was over.
He ran his hand over his tired features and sagged in the seat.
All he wanted was to get a new slayer, take Buffy and Vanessa back home to Spain and stay as far away from this place as possible.
This place had turned out to be a mess. He had hardly had time to think about mourning Sammy.
The though brought a sharp pain to his heart. He looked out into the street.
"After tonight, you guys are welcomed to go home and take a nice deserved vacation," he told his players.
Dalton chuckled and he couldn't help but to join in on the strange laugh. The relief of it being over washed over him.
"Yuh should come over, got m'self a nice lil' place at da' countryside--might be nice for the rascal."
Spike looked over at him. "I think Buffy would like to visit the states very much. We might even drop a line over ol' Sunnyhell."
"I though there was nothing left of that place," Mario commented.
"There isn't, but there's a little monument I think she might like to see," Spike took out his illegal cigarettes and lit one up. "Actually that's a very good idea."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Buffy kicked Loret's legs from under her and backhanded her, sending her crashing against the wall full of frames. She slid down to the floor and she took the opportunity to run to Vanessa who was crying quietly on the bed corner.
"C'mon, baby," she held out her arms and the little girl threw herself on them, clutching on to her neck.
The slayer ran to the door and tried to pry it open.
Locked.
Seriously locked.
She tried with all her slayer strength but not even a bulge.
Something smelled strange.
A low laugh made her turn to look at the redhead.
"Black magic. There's no way out. Only one of us will walk out of this room alive." She wiped the blood form her lip.
Buffy placed a reluctant Vanessa down. "Hide under the bed." She whispered and the little girl ran and slid herself under the canopy bed.
Buffy took a deep breath. " Very well then."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lucy ran up the fire escape to the roof.
She literally slid home as she ran to the edge of the building. Taking out a heavy rope form her utility belt she did a boy scout-style knot and tied it to the nearby roof pipe.
She always hated this damn thing Spike made them carry around but now she could kiss the vampire for his paranoid behaviour.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Zeta got there and Troll was already chanting — he was deep in thought as he focused all of his mental energies on the doorframe. Zeta immediately felt it. This was powerful dark magic and she would need all of her mental strength to do this. She recognized the fragment the old man was saying, taking his hand she started chanting with him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mario pulled the van in front of the building and began to help Dalton and Spike dismount all of the equipment from the car.
"Good day at the office, eh, boys?" Spike asked, smiling — finally he got to spend an entire night with Buffy. The threat was over. Everything was good.
That is until he heard the scuffling sound coming from the roof.
All three of them heard it and they went instantly into alert.
"What was that?" Spike asked Mario. The man took out his binoculars that it seemed to Spike he almost slept with them.
"Lucy — she’s on the roof." He said, narrowing his eyes.
"LUCY!" Spike screamed.
Fifteen stories above the Asian woman looked down. A wave of relief passed through her.
"Loret! She’s in Buffy’s bedroom and we can’t get in!" She screamed.
Spike felt as if he had been dropped in holy water. He dropped all of his weapons and grabbed the large axe that Dalton was holding.
With vampiric speed he grabbed the bottom of the fire escape and started rushing up the building.
"Get inside," he screamed to the men below.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`
Buffy grabbed a fist full of Loret’s hair and yanked her head back, then slammed her fist on her face.
She heard the sick sound of breaking cartilage as blood spluttered from the red-head’s nose.
"Bitch!" The woman screamed.
"Damn, that’s the description I was going to use for you," Buffy said staggering as she landed another blow to her face.
They were both breathing hard, both exhausted, both wanting it to end, both too stubborn to call it quits.
Loret fell on the ground and immediately flipped herself to stand.
"I can feel you getting tired, slayer — won’t you just give up and let me kill you?"
Buffy slammed the back of her leg with her foot.
"I don’t fancy losing," She almost smiled at her Spike-like use of words.
Loret laughed and reached behind her, a long knife came out. "This is the same one I used last time."
Buffy eyed the knife and prepared herself for the coming attack.
"And this time — Lucy Lui ain’t here to help you," she smiled.
"This time is won’t be necessary," she said and tackled her to the ground.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`
Mario and Clayton came in to find Zeta and Troll about to pass out from the exhaustion of the chanting.
Dalton sat next to Zeta and too her hand, closing his eyes in concentration.
He began to feed them his energies.
Mario stared at them. He had been hired for his muscled not for his yoga abilities. His idea of a good workout was a couple of hours in the gym not mantra.
With resentment he sat next to Troll and cleared his mind. The least he could do was support them.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`
Spike reached the roof faster than he had anticipated.
"What happened?" He asked Lucy who was untying the rope from her waist so Spike could go down.
"I have no idea. All we know is that the room is surrounded by black magic. The whole apartment actually."
Spike nodded and took the rope from her hand, tying it around his waist he walked to the edge of the building. With his back to the world and facing her he winked and smiled as he dropped down like a rock climber.
"Show off," she muttered under breath as he disappeared.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`
Loret grabbed the vase that was on the night stand and crashed it against Buffy's head. The slayer fell to a heap on the floor, she tried to stand but Loret grabbed her legs on started dragging her towards the large window the slayer was originally looking through.
Vanessa whimpered as she saw Buffy being dragged, her limp legs underneath her.
Loret grabbed Buffy's throat and started squeezing.
Face to face now Buffy could see though her haze the sinister-mad face of the woman.
"Die, slayer, die," she said smiling.
Buffy wheezed and tried to breathe.
"It all comes down to this, darling, we all die at the end."
Buffy could feel her eyes rolling back to her head as she tried to stay conscious.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As Spike neared the window were he could hear a crashing vase, he felt as if he had been cut by the vase.
He hissed and touched his forehead seeing no blood.
What the hell? He was confused.
Then he felt himself being choked.
He gasped for air, all the while telling himself he couldn't breath. His arms gave out as he felt his trachea shrink.
His body slammed against the building as he tried prying whatever it was from his neck.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`
All four of them were trembling as the power grew so intense that sweat was pouring form them.
Troll having all the weight on his as he fourth the spiritual battle. He kept chanting in Latin, never losing the pace, never faltering. The power of the other three keeping him adrift as he felt the invisible wall breaking down.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`
Buffy could've sworn she died again. But it was one thought, one thought that did her in.
Little Vanessa all alone. If she died, Spike died. She would be left all alone.
Like Dawn had been.
But this time there was no Scoobies, or Spike or Giles to take care of her little girl.
She could see Dawn's face.
"Buffy." she said.
"Dawnie?"
Her mind was blur.
"You have it in you, Buffy."
"Wake up."
"Wake up"
Buffy shook her thought and opened her eyes.
She had no air but she didn't need any.
She grabbed Loret's hands in hers and pried them from her, crushing the slender bones of her pale hands.
The woman screamed as he bones were ground to nothing.
The slayer grabbed her by the lapels of her shirt and lifted her up.
Loret looked down at Buffy in awe.
"Don't mess with this slayer." She said.
With the strength that came form places she didn't know she pushed the woman.
Pushed her though the glass window.
Pushed her until she fell through.
Loret screamed as she fell back, -crashing the window into a million piecces and just...floating.
Buffy watched as the woman flapped her arms and fell.
Down fifteen stories, down to the cement floor.
The slayer walked to the window and looked down at the body splattered on the floor.
"And this time stay out."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The barrier fell so suddenly that all four of them collapsed forward in a heap.
Mario was the first to recover; he crawled to the door.
Reaching to the handle, the door opened as if it had never been locked.
"Well I'll be damned."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Buffy heard the gasping sound from outside the window.
She tentatively looked out to find Spike wheezing, hanging limply on the side of the window.
"Spike!"
She cried out and reached out for him.
"Give me your hand!" she cried out to him.
His eyes were rolled back and he looked dead...not that he wasn't.
"Wake up, you annoying vampire," she went out and stood on the frame, reaching her hand to him.
He motioned to move but his hand went down again to his side.
"Spike, please. I really don’t want to wait for all of your bones to heal after you fall fifteen stories!" She reached out.
He opened his eyes and tried to focus on her.
She smiled.
"C'mon, baby, give me your hand, I'll pull you in."
He coughed, but reached out limply to her.
"A little further," she said reassuringly.
He coughed again and the rope gave out, sliding him down further.
She screamed.
"Please, Spike!"
She climbed out a little bit more.
"You can do it, Spike — where's that strong vampire I know?" she was breathing hard, her night-gown torn and flapping in the high wind. Her hair danced around her as her body strained, trying to reach his limp hand.
He looked at her again. His head wobbled to the side.
"Your hand--give me your hand!" She screamed at him.
He closed his eyes again.
Ok. Time to get nasty.
"If you don't wake up and give me your hand I swear to god I'll kick your ass from here to Sunnydale!"
That did it.
He smelled his old slayer.
Prying his eyes open he locked eyes with her. The strength in her eyes jolting him to reality.
Realizing he was just about to fall from his own building he reached out to her.
She almost cried out in relief.
They joined hands in a powerful grasp. "I got you," she said as she pulled him up.
He helped her by pulling himself up.
She pulled him through the window and they both tumbled to the floor in a heap.
Both panting, though only one needed to breathe.
"I got you," she whispered again as she wrapped her arms around him.
The door burst open as the entire group that was chanting outside nearly fell in.
"Buffy!" Zeta cried out before she saw the scene in the room.
Spike rolled off his love and stared at the ceiling. A ceiling that was dimly lit by the faint rays of a rare October dawn.
"What the fuck was that?"
Buffy panted and shock her head.
"Don't know-. I thought you killed her." She looked at him.
There were nasty purple bruises forming on his neck and blood had begun to drip from his forehead. Just like her.
"What happened to you?" She asked him.
"I got beat up by air." He said, looking over at her. Her neck was also bruised, and blood was dripping from her forehead.
"You two ok?" Mario said, lifting Buffy up. Lucy had rushed into the room and was helping Dalton get Spike on top of the bed.
"Don’t people stay dead?" Spike mumbled.
"Agreed," Lucy said. "Where’s Vanessa?" she asked looking around in the room.
The players went quiet as they looked around the empty room for the little girl.
Buffy kneeled. "She’s under the bed." She squatted down to look for her. "Honey—it’s ok, you can come out now. The bad lady’s gone."
Spike kneeled down with her. "C’mon, pigeon. Dad’s ‘ere, nothing’s gonna hurt you, luv."
The little girl carefully slid herself out and wrapped her arms around Spike.
Everyone sighed in relief. "Another day on the job," Mario commented, lighting his own cigarette.
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"Hoy nos reuinimos en memoria. Memoria por aquellos que tocaron nuestras vida de una manera especial. Aquellos que con su humildad de corazon nos enseñaron que en la vida se puede tener felicidad..." (We are gathered here today in remembrance. Remembering those that have touched our lives in a special way. Those that with humble hearts taught us that still in life there can be happiness…)
Padre Berrio’s words drowned in the mists of his thought as he watched the seven coffins before him. They were all white. White was a good color.
Buffy’s hand around his felt warm—a warmth he hadn’t felt in a long time.
He swallowed at the thickness in his throat. Buffy pulled his hand to her lips and kissed it gently—in a reassuring way. He squeezed hers back in thanks.
He watched as the father gave the final blessing.
Before the torchers came with the fire a light breeze passed through the crown that had gathered on top of la Montaña Ilsa.
It was the type of breeze that told you rain was coming. A warning type of a breeze, yet a gentle one.
He looked down at Vanessa who clung to his leg. He bent down and picked her up.
"Are Mommy and Daddy in heaven?" She asked him.
He nodded and nuzzled her braided hair.
"And my brothers and sister?" She asked.
"Yes," Buffy said as she watched the coffins light up.
And on top of the mountain all dressed in black they watched them burn. The flames reached high above the sky into that place we would most like to see. That place that perhaps lies maybe in our deepest thought. That place is a promise.
They watched in until it turned to ashes and they were the only ones left.
With Vanessa in his arms and taking Buffy’s hand he walked away, they headed home.
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October 25, 2104
Dear Diary,
I have never stopped and looked at the sea. The way it talks, so alive and so full of tales. The waves are a terror to those who do not respect it, but to me, here high above the sky, it looks peaceful.
If you would’ve asked me when I was fifteen what I wanted out of life I would have told you I wanted a normal life.
Just get to married, have kids — the whole white picket fence deal.
I look in front of me. Spike is asleep, I know he must be exhausted. Vanessa, our daughter, fast asleep on top of him, her head resting on his shoulder, drool dripping on his polo shirt.
He'll be ticked when he wakes up.
I know now that this as normal as it will get. This moment is my life. A daughter I never thought I'd have, a man I never thought would stay.
And I love them both.
It's weird how life turns out, a wise man once told me that what I have might not be pretty but it was real.
Well, baby, this is as real as it gets, and as beautiful as it will be. And I love it.
I've loved every moment of it and I will not change a thing.
I miss my family, my mom, Dawn, Giles, the gang. Sometimes I miss them so much it hurts. But I cannot live my life wondering and dreaming of past times. They lived their lives and so must I. This is my life now, this is my family.
I thought I knew plenty before I died. Now I know I was wrong.
I have learned so much in the months that I've been back it frightens me at times. But I have Spike and everything will be OK.
He stirs and looks at me.
I look at him.
He's got that look in his eyes. The moment between sleep and waking.
He smiles.
The world stands still for that one moment.
He smiled.
I knew I loved him before, but I had never stopped to think why I loved him.
I knew he was loyal to my family and to the 'cause'. But why does Buffy Summers love him?
The answer is there in his smile.
That tiny speck of satin smooth skin that raises itself a mere half inch and charms me all over again.
He loves me.
That's my reason.
When they ask me — and I know they will, why do I love him?
I will say I love him because he loved me first.
Because he didn't let go, he didn't turn away frightened by my somewhat stubborn nature.
Because he loved me.
I look at him again and smile back.
He knows. He understands, never will I find a man that understands me better, I know this. Why do you think I haven't killed him — aside from the fact that he melts me inside.
So I say what I have to say.
Thank you. Thank you Spike, for loving me.
I know someday I’ll die, I know he’ll die with me, but if there’s one thing I am sure of is that life is not about regretting what happened yesterday and what you feel you failed to do. Life is about taking those mistakes, wrapping them in Christmas tissue paper and looking forward to your New Year’s resolution.
I find myself at times wondering if there’s more to life than this. But looking back at those I love, at those people around me that support me no matter what…I know that it’s enough.
Life ain’t that bad after all.
Buffy Summers
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Next in the Series - Epilogue: Full of Life Now
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