Shaddyr's Eclectic Collection > Pretender Fanfiction > Buffy Fanfiction > Shaddyr > Convergence

 

Convergence
part 8
by Shaddyr

 

 

Giles had Buffy and Jarod sit cross-legged on the grass, back to back in a protective circle in the center of the pentagram. Jarod hung back for a moment, and then took his place with obvious reluctance.

Giles crouched down beside them for a moment, put a reassuring hand on Jarod's shoulder and dropped a fatherly kiss on the top of Buffy's head. "We're going to begin. May God protect you both." He stepped out of the circle as Tara started lighting the candles. Willow lifted a cup of burning incense and began to chant in Latin.

Buffy turned her head to speak over her shoulder to Jarod. "Nervous?"

He gave her a dry chuckle. "Oh, I'd say that's a major understatement."

"Don't worry. We've done things like this before. It can't be much worse then when we fought Adam."

"Adam?"

"A human-demon cyborg cross breed that was brutally murdering demons and people alike."

Jarod processed that for a second. Just as he opened his mouth to respond, a cool mist swirled up around them, snatching the words from his mouth. And then his world suddenly tilted on its axis and all thoughts of demon cyborgs fled from his mind.




Spike paced nervously back and forth a few times before stopping beside Giles. "What's gonna happen, Watcher? This is safe, innit? I mean, nothing can happen to Buffy 'coz of this spell, right? You checked it all over, made sure the witches knew what they were doin'?"

Giles drew a deep breath then slowly exhaled to center himself before turning to deal with the agitaited vampire. "Spike. They know what they are doing. Now stop flitting about and sit down. Or go away. I don't really care, just be quiet."

Spike started pacing again. "You don't understand, Rupes," he continued. "I can't lose her again, I just can't." He stopped and stared at the two figures that were now partially obscured by a swirling haze. "Bloody hell, is that supposed to happen?" Spike strained forward, trying to see. "I swear, Watcher, something happens to her, this bloody chip's not gonna stop me from-"

"Spike, *do* be silent!"

The vampire grumbled quietly, but did as requested. He leaned back against a nearby grave marker and watched the proceedings intently. All his senses were on full alert, and he became aware of someone approaching. He turned to face the intruder, ready to slay whatever vampires, demons or other creatures needed slaying. He was not prepared for the site of the leggy brunette in pajamas being followed by two unknown men.

Giles. We've got company."




Sydney's brows furrowed as he took in the sight before him. Jarod and a young woman sat on the ground in the center of a large pentagram. Another woman read from a book on her lap. Latin, he realized from the bits he heard. A third woman lit candles, then tossed handfuls of shimmering powder on the two figures in the circle. Off to one side stood two men, one who looked somewhat bookish, the other with an aura of danger coming off him and an eye catching shock of blond hair. Sydney realized this was the man Miss Parker had described. Spike.

Broots touched Sydney's arm. "Uhm, Syd? I'm not seeing things, am I? Does that look like some kind of hocus pocus to you?"

Before he could answer, the blond man stepped out in front of Parker, blocking her path. "Thought I told you this wasn't a safe place to be, luv."

Unsurprisingly, she showed no sign of having heard him and tried to continue towards Jarod. He caught her arm, but Parker fought him, flailing about to break free. There was no grace or forethought to her movements, just a blind panic reaction. Sydney could see the surprise in Spike's face, and hurried forward to intercede.

"She can't hear you," he explained. He noted that Spike was fairing better against her then Broots had; he'd simply turned her away from him and wrapped an arm around her, effectively pinning her arms to her sides. "She's sleepwalking," he continued.

"Sleepwalking?" The disbelief was evident in his voice. "Right, mate. And I'm out here for a picnic." As if in reward for his sarcasm, Parker tossed her head back and connected sharply with Spike's face. "Ow! Bloody hell!

The older man stepped forward and studied the struggling woman. He lightly touched her forehead and muttered under his breath, then reached into his pocket and pulled out a small drawstring bag. As Syd watched, he took a pinch of whatever was in the bag, placed it in his palm, and blew it at Parker. For a brief moment, the powder seemed to flare brightly, then faded away. He nodded, returned the bag to his pocket and turned to face the psychiatrist. "Spike is quite right. Miss Parker is certainly not sleepwalking. She is under magical influence."

Faced with this unbelievable diagnosis, Sydney decided to tackle the less preposterous part of what the man had just said. "You know Miss Parker?"

"Not exactly," the other man replied, extending a hand. "Rupert Giles. I assume that you are Sydney. Jarod spoke of you."

Sydney took the proffered hand, bemused by the strange circumstance. "I see. This is Mr. Broots." He introduced the dazed computer tech and took a moment to collect himself. He and Giles watched as Broots approached Spike and tried to help calm Miss Parker. Broots earned a kick in the shin for his efforts.

Sydney pulled his attention back to Rupert Giles. He glanced meaningfully towards Jarod, the woman with him and the ritual taking place. "Perhaps you might explain what exactly is going on here?"

Giles paused for a moment, then nodded. "It will likely challenge your ability to believe."

"Of that I have no doubt. It seems there are a great many happenings of that nature in Sunnydale."

"Quite so. To the point, then. This is a binding spell. The Convergence has come. Buffy and Jarod are the Chosen. Only together will they be strong enough to fight the coming evil."

Sydney blinked, watching as the younger men still struggled to control Miss Parker. His mind flashed back to her dreams "This is what she's been seeing for days."

It was Giles' turn to blink. "Seeing? She has visions?" He leaned in closer, eager for new information. "What did she tell you?"

As Sydney quickly described the dreams, Giles became grim. "Did it always end with her father asking her to join him?"

He nodded. "I realized that her Inner Sense was trying to show her something-"

"She's the missing piece."

"Pardon me?"

"The prophecy says that the Centre shall rise. As far as we could understand, the reference was to the place. But I don't think that was it." Giles shook his head, frustration evident as he tried to puzzle it out. "Jarod ran a - a sim I believe he called it - to try to better understand the prophecy. In doing so, he set events in motion. I believe that Miss Parker has been summoned here to complete the Convergence."

Further discussion was forestalled as a brilliant light shot straight up from the protective circle like a sheet around the two figures within. It distracted Spike for a fraction of a second, but that was all Parker needed to break free.

"No! You'll bollocks everything up!" He lunged after her and knocked her to the ground, keeping a very tight grip on her arms, despite the pain in his head. There was no telling what might happen if she stepped into the circle right now.

Broots was torn between getting Miss Parker free and letting the other man keep her under control. He looked over at Sydney then back over at the man restraining her, his body wavering with indecision.

Sydney was suffering a similar quandary, wanting to go to Jarod and yet feeling an obligation to keep Miss Parker from harm. There was so much happening that he didn't understand. He looked pleadingly at Giles. "What can we do?"

It was then Spike noticed that the green haze that had enveloped the high school was now creeping over the ground, little crackles of energy leaping and sparking as it advanced. "Oi, Watcher!" Spike called out. As Giles turned to look at him, he was suddenly overcome by an incredible feeling of exhaustion, a lethargy that sapped the strength from his body and pulled him toward the ground. The others outside the circle seemed likewise to be affected; he watched Sydney crumple and Broots stagger to his knees.

"Tara!" Giles struggled to speak. "Spell..."

She slowly lifted her arm, her hand shaking with the effort; her fingers described a pattern in the air while she muttered an incantation. As the protective spell took effect, the sluggishness began to fade.

While they tried to regain their wits, a figure coalesced before them from within the vapor. An instant later, a well-dressed, older man stood there. He looked congenial, a welcoming smile on his face. Broots' jaw dropped and he unwittingly fell back to his knees as he recognized the man. Sydney felt a deep sense of shock settle in on him as Mr. Parker stepped towards them.

"Sydney! Broots! I see you brought my little girl. Thank you."

The appearance of her father seemed to free Parker of the thrall she'd been in. "Daddy?" Her voice shook as hope and disbelief warred within her. "Is that you?"

"Yes, Angel, it's me." He laughed, the deep chuckle that those who had known the chairman recognized. Then his voice became very soothing and inviting. "Angel, I've come for you. I told you that the new Parker Legacy begins with you. It's time for you to join me."

Her face was a study in confusion. "You jumped, Daddy, I saw you jump from the airplane."

Mr. Parker clucked his tongue and took a step toward her. "It's all right now, Angel." He extended a hand to her. "Come to me."

She wouldn't let it go. "I need to understand, Daddy. Don't ask me to do this, to trust you until you make me understand."

Mr. Parker's expression became murderous. "You *will* come to me. I'm your father, and I told you- "

"Are you?"





Jarod slowly became aware that something was different. He opened his eyes and looked around. A wall of white light surrounded him. He glanced down to find two forms lying before him - his and Buffy's.

//Oh my god, is she okay?//

//I'm fine,// came Buffy's voice from within his mind.

He was surprised. //Somehow I was thinking that when we did this, we wouldn't sense each other. We'd just be one entity.//

He felt her laughter. // We are one entity. We just happen to define the term split personality.// The humour was a welcome if momentary respite from the seriousness of their situation. Soon, however, they focused once again upon their current state.

//So, what have we become?//

Jarod/Buffy held up their hands and saw the physical expression of energy - but the body was unimportant. Knowledge of Purpose washed over them. Jarod was the thinker, the strategist - Buffy was the indefatigable warrior. They were the Chosen. They would defeat the evil or die trying.

They stepped through the curtain of light.






Mr. Parker loomed over his daughter, who was still in Spike's grasp. "You are my daughter in all the ways that matter. Come to me. The Centre shall rise anew, the way it should have always been."

She shook her head. "Momma told me I was going to have to choose. I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to. I was afraid I'd make the wrong choice." She looked up at the man she'd called father all her life. "You said it was the Parker madness that started the Centre. Now you want to start another one?" Shaking her head, she continued. "You've lied to me, deceived me so many times. I'm so tired of being lied to. No, Daddy. I need answers first. I want to understand, please, help me understand..."

He sighed loudly. "I tried this the easy way, but if you insist on being stubborn..." He reached out to grab her, but Spike shifted her behind him and smoothly rose to his feet.

"I believe the lady said no, mate. So bugger off."

Mr. Parker's lips pressed together in a thin line and his nostrils flared slightly. Then, with a mere flick of his wrist, he sent the vampire flying into a headstone. With no more thought to Spike than one would accord a fly, Mr. Parker turned his attention back to his daughter. A hand descended on his shoulder and held him in place.

"You should look into an anger management course or something," Jarod/Buffy said as s/he stepped around him to place him/herself between him and Miss Parker. For a moment, Jarod's attention wavered as he tried to ascertain Miss Parker's state and Buffy was distracted with trying to convince herself she was not worried about Spike laying motionless on the ground. The Chairman's lips curled up into an unpleasant smile, and again he flicked his wrist.

Jarod/Buffy staggered back a few steps. S/he felt like s/he'd been hit with a Troll hammer. The Jarod part lifted the particulars of what a Troll hammer was from Buffy as he chided her - and himself.

//We have to stay focused!//

//Yeah, I know.// There was anger in her reply, and humiliation. Jarod felt her resolve to not be caught off guard again. S/he drew herself up straight and faced the Chairman. "Is that the best you've got?"

Then came the demons.

//I had to ask...//






Chaos. There was no other word for it. There were demons of every kind Buffy had ever seen - Jarod absorbed their names as she automatically catalogued them - as well as a bunch she hadn't. S/he fought with mechanical precision while taking in the scene around him/her.

Willow was maintaining the protective field around their bodies while Tara managed to keep Giles, Sydney, Broots and Willow safe with her ward. The sickly green haze had enveloped the protective bubble she'd placed around them, attacking it. There were already places that looked to be weakening.

Spike and Parker were both trapped outside the ward, and Jarod/Buffy was fighting in earnest to keep them alive. The blond vampire had come to and was gleefully throwing himself into the battle, but the sheer number of demons was overwhelming. S/he'd get close enough to fight Mr. Parker, when suddenly there would be a fresh onslaught and s/he would again be distracted with keeping Miss Parker safe. And Spike while s/he was at it.

Finally, there was a break in the mass and s/he stood facing Mr. Parker.

"Let's mambo."

The Chairman flicked his fingers and an energy surge flew at Jarod/Buffy. S/he rolled with it, the blast dissipating harmlessly behind him/her. Mr. Parker scowled.

"You can't win," he stated confidently and threw another volley.

As s/he ducked it, Mr. Parker managed to get a hold of his daughter. She punched and kicked, but he simply laughed at her efforts and quieted her with a blow to the head. She was stunned, but not defeated.

"Don't you see, Angel? Just agree. I want your willingness. The things to come - it will be a wonderful future, but you must choose it."

Jarod/Buffy's foot lashed out. The kick sent Mr. Parker sprawling, freeing Miss Parker from his grasp. She scrambled towards Spike, who disposed of the demon he'd been fighting, then stepped over to interpose himself between her and her father once more.

"Looks like she did choose, mate."

With a look of fury over being thwarted, Mr. Parker waved some of the demons over. "Kill him."

With a sickening crack, Spike broke the neck of something gray and slimy as it rushed him. "Haven't had a fight this good in bleedin' ages!" he proclaimed, a wicked grin on his face. "Just so ya know, mate," he said conversationally as a vampire came flying at him, "I don't kill so easy, what with already bein' dead and all." He whipped out his stake and impaled the demon in midair.

Jarod/Buffy watched Spike as he fought, and Buffy could see he was injured and tiring fast. SO then why was he jumping into the center of the fray? The answer hit her like a ton of bricks. //He's getting ready to go out with a bang of glory!// she mentally shouted, her anger and fear flooding over Jarod as well.

He had discovered something interesting; every time feelings of concern for Spike escaped Buffy's control, they were filled with new strength. But as soon as she realized what she was feeling, she clamped down on it. The distraction allowed the attacking demons to get the upper hand and wear her/him down.

For the life of him - quite literally, it seemed - Jarod could *not* get her to see what was happening.

//Would you just let it go?// the Buffy part of them insisted. //I don't care about him and, hello? Busy fighting for our lives here!//

A fresh influx of demons had filled the space between him/her and Mr. Parker.
S/he twisted the head off a vampire, punched right through a scaly demon's chest and pulled it's heart out, then pivoted on one foot and let the other one fly in a brutal snap kick that broke some armor-plated demon's neck.

Jarod's thougt-voice rose above the pitch of battle. //We fight better when you allow yourself to admit you care about him. That you love hi-//

Her/his hands shot out and grabbed another demon by the head, smashing its face down into her/his knee repeatedly.

//I do *not* love him!//

//Do you usually sleep with men you don't love?//

S/he faltered for a moment, and an ugly orange monster got its paws on him/her, sending Jarod/Buffy crashing to the ground. It began pummeling him/her, but s/he wriggled free and knocked it on its pumpkin-coloured ass.

//Do you mind? I'm trying to repress! And again with the saving the world here!//

They finished off mean, orange and ugly, and then a pair of horned demons stepped up to the plate. As s/he engaged them in a deadly dance, Jarod forced the point. //Buffy, you can lie to him. You can even lie to yourself.//

She tried to ignore him. Demon number one went down.

//But I'm here in your head, hearing your thoughts and feeling your feelings. //

Demon number two buckled beneath his/her onslaught, melting into goo as s/he snapped its spine.

//You can't lie to me. You love him. //

She tried to launch into another round of denial and the distraction got him/her punched in the back of the head by a vampire.

//I *can't* love him!//

S/he staked it, then turned and grappled with something unidentifiable.

//You already *do*. What you mean is you don't want to. You're afraid to.//

S/he was hit by a blast of whatever it was Mr. Parker was throwing around. The pain lanced through him/her, leaving him/her stunned. Mr. Parker laughed.

"You can't fight me. Your energy is in discord. It's a delicious feast."

//Can't you see?// Jarod demanded. He felt Buffy's mind go rigid, her feelings freezing up entirely. //He's sucking us dry because we're fractured. Buffy, I'm not telling you to run out and marry Spike. I'm just asking you to admit that you're in love with him - at least here and now, to yourself and to me. If you won't, we're going to end up dead, along with all the people we love.//

In spite of Spike's valiant efforts to defend her, the Chairman managed to get a grip on his daughter once more. Jarod/Buffy fought to get through the mass of demons separating them.

"Now, Angel. It's time to make your choice."

She looked him square in the eye. "Never. I will never willingly choose to join you." There was fear in her face, but she held her head up high. "I don't know who you are, but you're not my father."

Mr. Parker gave her a cold smile. His features began to melt, morphing into a horrifying amalgam of her father's human face and some unknown demon. She tried to pull away, but he had her in an iron grip. "Perhaps not. But I posses all that is left of him. As I did his father before him. As I will possess you. It would be so much less painful for you if you had just given over willingly, but I'll take you either way."

Jarod/Buffy realized at once that this was the moment of Convergence. Once that thing merged with Miss Parker, it would be powerful enough to open the Hellmouth. As s/he struggled on in the fray, Jarod's feelings of love for his huntress swept over Buffy. His fear that she would suffer and die, or worse yet, be changed by the thing that Mr. Parker had become. The wish that she could have seen beyond their hunter/prey relationship to accept his love for her and in turn admit to her own. The regret that he and Sydney weren't closer. The longing for his family. And the crystal clear truth of what he had seen inside Buffy's soul. Her love for Spike.

The moment she capitulated, a dam broke within her spirit, and the brief flashes of strength they had felt before were nothing compared to the tidal wave of power that now crashed down and infused them. A quiet voice spoke in their shared mind.

>>You have found unity. You are one. <<

//Mrs. Parker?// Jarod's mental voice sounded shaken.

>>Only together will you have victory. <<

With renewed resolve, Jarod/Buffy made his/her way over to them, arriving just as Miss Parker started to scream. S/he grabbed the demon thing by the shoulders and pulled him away from her. Spike managed to catch her before she hit the ground and pulled her out of the way.

"You really need to hone your listening skills there, pal," s/he commented, then landed a right cross that sent the demon staggering backwards. "You show up on my turf, mess with my Hellmouth and threaten my friends. This is not of the good." Spin kick, followed by a 1-2, chest head combo. "This has been an unbelievable hellish year for me and you are *really* startin' to piss," *Whack!* "me," *Thud!* "OFF!" His/her finally blow never landed as the demon caught his/her fist in its hand.

"Enough of this foolish banter!" It wrapped its arms around Jarod/Buffy's torso and began to squeeze, while at the same draining his/her energy. The lethargy was fast becoming incapacitating.

The Buffy part of him/her struggled, but the Jarod part silenced her.

//No. This is what the battle was meant to come to. This is how it must be won. The only way to destroy this thing is to be something it cannot consume.//

//What?// She was groggy and confused.

//It was absorbing our discord, thriving off the negative energy. This thing lives off fear, hate, pain and insanity. Everyone who read the scrolls went mad and it consumed them. Let's give it indigestion.//

//And how?//

//You know the answer, Buffy.//

He was right. She did know. Together, they pooled all their hope and all their love. Then s/he focused on it and forced it out at the demon holding him/her captive.

"Aaargh!" The thing stumbled back from him/her as if burned. Jarod/Buffy pursued it.

"What, did I leave a bad taste in your mouth?" This time, s/he wrapped his/her arms around the creature, willing the connection into existence, trying to send the positive energy to the demon in his/her grasp.

The thing convulsed, thrashing wildly to break free as it keened a high pitched wail of pain. It finally threw him/her off and backed away.

"You've won this battle, but don't for a moment imagine you've won the war."

Before their eyes, the sulfurous green fog that had been clinging to everything seemed to withdraw in on itself, fading into nothingness. The heavy blanket of dark magic that had been draining them also receded, and the hordes of demons seemed to melt into the dark as well.

"When next I return, you will - "

He stopped speaking quite suddenly, a shocked look on his face. Whatever he was going to say was lost forever as he disincorporated, leaving only a few tendrils of oily black smoke in his wake.

Spike stood there with a large axe he'd grabbed from the weapons that had been brought from the magic shop. "Bloody pretentious wanker." He tossed the axe on the ground near the open bag he'd liberated it from, wiped away some blood that was dripping in his eyes, then glanced around at everyone.

"Right then. I think we're done here. Anyone up for a beer?"






The nest morning, Parker walked into the Magic Box followed by Broots and Sydney. All three of them were still in varying degrees of shock over the events of the previous night. Broots looked like he had a million questions, but was holding back because he was afraid of the answers. Sydney was pensive, lost in thought. Miss Parker was subdued, her normal tough as nails image giving way to a quieter more contemplative appearance.

A door at the back opened and Giles stepped into the main part of the shop. Parker caught a glimpse of what looked like it might be a gym before she closed the door.

"He's gone, isn't he?"

Giles nodded. "He left something for you, though." He walked across the room and stepped behind the counter, rummaging under it for a moment till he found the item he sought. He pulled out an envelope and handed it to her.

"So what the hell does the lab rat have to say this time?"

She ripped it open and unfolded the note inside.

"It looks like the prophecies were real after all, Miss Parker. We've played our parts, fulfilled the destiny we were born to. But nothing was written about what happens next.

I run, you chase? You were right - that choice was made for us a long time ago. I think it's time we chose our own destinies.

You made the right choice last night. Now you have to make another one - a choice about us. I hope you choose wisely.


~J

She folded the letter carefully and replaced it in the envelope.

Sydney gave her a curious look. "Anything to share?"

She shook her head. "No." She looked back over at Giles. "You'll pardon me if I tell you this was not fun and I hope I never see you again."

His lips quirked into a smile. "I think, given your experiences in Sunnydale, I understand."

She glanced around briefly while Sydney and Giles said their goodbyes, promising to keep in touch. Her gaze fell on Broots who was nosing through an assortment of candles and incense that were advertised to enhance ones sexual appeal to the opposite sex.

"C'mon, Romeo," she intoned dryly, chuckling at the flush that coloured his cheeks. "We're outta here."





Buffy stepped out of the training room as the three of them left the shop.

"Thank god. I was wondering if she was *ever* going to leave."

Giles looked surprised. "I admit she is rather brusque, but I didn't find her impossible to deal with."

Buffy snorted. "Well, you obviously didn't have her stick a 9mm in your ribs. Tends to make me a little cranky."

"Yes, I imagine so." He pulled off his glasses, absent-mindedly polishing the lenses before replacing them. "So, how did you find your warm up? Any residual effects from the spell?"

"Nothing serious." She thought for a moment. "My balance is a little wonky, but it's no big. I could feel it improving even as I ran through my kata."

"Good, good. We should take some time this afternoon to record last night's particulars."

"No can do, Giles. I have plans today."

"Buffy, I would prefer to record your account of what happened while it's still fresh in your mind. This sort of information could prove invaluable one day to a future slayer."

"And I feel all kinds of guilt over that. Really, I do. But this is important."

The Watcher fixed her with a stern look, and then sighed. "I don't know why I thought you might listen to me today when you never have in the past."

She gave him a grateful smile and a hug. "Hey, you can preoccupy yourself analyzing Jarod's report. I'm sure you have enough there to keep you busy for a month."

Giles perked up at the thought. "Yes, there is that..."

Buffy grabbed her sweater and slipped out of the Magic Box, glad that Giles was distracted. She was doubly glad that before Jarod had given Giles an interview, he'd agreed to leave Spike's name out of it and just focus on the think-lovey-thoughts aspect of fighting the demon. She wasn't quite ready to deal with Giles trying to deal with her feelings for another vampire. She was barely ready to deal with them herself.

As she walked, she mused about the events of the night before. After Spike finished of the demon and they had made sure the danger was over, Tara and Willow had released the binding spell. She and Jarod had both been groggy and disoriented after being slammed back into their respective bodies. Spike had been at her side in a moment, holding her hand, helping her sit up. Giles and Sydney had been busy dealing with Jarod and Miss Parker, and Willow and Tara were so exhausted they'd gone straight home. So she'd been left alone with Spike and all the revelations that had been forced upon her to prevent the end of the world

Nothing like being forced to deal with the truth, she thought as she kicked a pebble before she turned off the sidewalk to walk across the grass.

She hadn't wanted him to touch her, afraid that he'd be able to read her like an open book. Unsurprisingly, he'd interpreted it as disgust and loathing. As soon as he got her home, he'd walked away, tight lipped and furious.

And she'd felt horrible.

She stopped in front of the familiar crypt, her stomach in her throat. This was the point of no return. She could go back home and act that it never happened. She could keep pretending that she didn't have these feelings. And she could keep killing Spike by inches, denying him happiness because this was so wrong.

She pushed the heavy door open. Since when had she who had never read the Slayers handbook ever worried about the rules?

"Slayer?" a sleepy voice called across the room.

She smiled. Buffy didn't know what the future would hold, but it was just possible that it might contain a convergence of their own. She shut the door behind her. "Spike. We need to talk."


~fin