DISCLAIMER:Buffy the Vampire Slayer is the property of Mutant Enemy, Joss Whedon, and the WB. I don't own Highlander either, I don't know who does, but it belongs to them. The storyline i mine. AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is a crossover, Buffy/Highlander story. None of the characters from either the Highlander series or the movie are in this story, just the concept of immortals. This takes place after Killed by Death.
9:00 P.M. 5/8/98, Summers' residence>/I>
"You have feelings for him," Angelus had told her a little over two weeks ago.
< Do I, > Buffy thought as she sat alone in her room. < What kind of feelings do I have for Xander. >
Buffy had pondered that question for the past two weeks. < Sure he is my friend, but do I want him to be more then just that. Do I love him? >
Buffy had been avoiding Xander since the day he was shot, she kept finding it harder to talk to him, her feelings were confusing her and she wasn't sure what to say to him. She looked out the window, < Every night I use to hope that Angel would appear there, not the demon but the man I loved, still love. We could forget about all the death and just go back to the way things had been, before... before all of this. But every day that hope fades a little more, I dream of him less with each passing night. Is my love for Angel finally fading and finally being replaced by someone else. Have I found someone to take his place. Could that empty void inside me finally be filled. >
"He probably doesn't even care for you anymore," Angelus had also told her.
Even as she began to think that it was true she began to cry. < He probably doesn't even care for me. A year ago he asked me out and I turned him down, how does he think of me now, how could he possibly love me after all this time, after the way I've treated him. I've ignored him for so long, even after all he has done for me. He did sacrifice his life for me, but he would do that for any of his friends, he would probably even sacrifice himself for someone he didn't even know. He cares about other people more then he does himself, that's one of the things I love about him. >
Buffy sighed as she went over to her trunk and opened it, removing her weapons. < Well I guess I finally admitted it. I do love him, I can't pretend that I don't. Figures, the people I fall in love with I can't have. >
Buffy quietly snuck out her window, she had learned if she kept busy it would help take her mind off her troubles. < Perhaps killing a few vampires will take my mind off of him.>
* * * * *
"So Angelus," Spike began, preparing to remind his sire of his failures.
"Not now," Angelus yelled as he paced back and forth across the room, not wanting to talk at the moment.
"Can't you even kill a bloody human anymore, have you really gone that soft." Spike shouted back, reminding him of the night two weeks ago when he had failed to kill both Buffy and Xander. "He's only a mere boy, why weren't you able to kill him, I thought you were better then that. It's pathetic really, when a vampire can't even take a human, especially one so young."
"I don't get it," Angelus yelled back, quite confused. "I put a bullet directly into his heart, I know I didn't miss. He should be dead. No human could possibly survive that."
"He can," they heard a voice say.
They both turned and saw a short oriental man approaching them, he had quietly entered their room without alerting them, an impressive feat considering their high level of hearing. They didn't think he could possibly be more then five foot six. He had short black hair, dark eyes, and was wearing a long leather jacket. He didn't appear to be older then nineteen.
"And just who the hell do you think you are?" Spike asked.
"The name is Chang," the man replied.
"Not much of a name," Spike said as he looked at the boy like he would be his next meal.
"Neither is Spike," Chang said to the wheelchair bound vampire. "But it's good enough."
"I think it is a very pretty name," Drucilla said from where she played with her dolls. She looked over at Chang and smiled, "This one is very mean, I like him."
"Whatever Dru, he's still dinner. Boys," Spike called out to his vampire servants.
A young male vampire rushed Chang from behind. Chang quickly spun around, pulling a kitanna out from beneath his jacket as he did. In one swift motion he decapitated the vampire and calmly watched as it turned to dust.
"Isn't that scary, he has a sword," Angelus said sarcastically, unimpressed by Chang.
Chang quietly tucked his sword away and looked back at the lead vampires. "Now do you think we could get down to business, I didn't come here looking to kill vampires."
"And what does a boy like you have to offer us?" Spike asked, also unimpressed.
Chang chuckled slightly, "First off I'm not a boy. I'm older then anyone else in this room, I was nearly two hundred years old when you were born Spike."
"And just what is it that you have to offer us?" Angelus asked, now beginning to become interested. It wasn't everyday he got to meet someone older then himself
Chang turned to Angelus, realizing that this was the man, well vampire, in charge. "The deal is this. Their is a man in town by the name of Marcus, you might know him. You help me kill him and I'll help you get rid of that pesky slayer."
Spike looked at the newcomer, "And just what makes you think that you can take the slayer when the rest of us have failed. Just what is it that makes you so special?"
Chang drew a small knife from his jacket. He made a deep cut along his arm, ignoring the pain. The assembled vampires watched in shock as small bolts of electricity appeared along the cut, healing it instantly.
"Pretty," Drucilla said in awe.
#2 Meeting Another Part One
*~*~*
9:00 P.M. 5/9/98, Sunnydale High School Library
"You have to be quicker then that," Marcus said as he held his sword to Buffy's neck.
"Well it's not my fault. You have a sword and here I am armed with a little staff, it's kinda of unfair," Buffy replied indignantly, not really caring that Marcus had beaten her, again, her mind was on other things that she cared more about. She bent down and picked up the staff which he had knocked from her hands, ignoring him.
Marcus sighed, < How did I get stuck with both of them? > Since he had arrived not only was he teaching Xander but Buffy as well. < How did Giles manage to talk me into this. Oh yeah, I remember, he used that bit about helping the world out. That I would be better trainer for the slayer then he would with all of my experience. In reality he was probably just tired of getting knocked on his ass. >
"Can I talk to you for a minute Buffy, in private?" Marcus asked.
"Does that mean we are done for the day?" an exhausted Xander asked hopefully, these late night practice sessions really wore him out.
Marcus looked at his young student who appeared ready to collapse if he did any more training. Surprisingly they had found out the boy had a great aptitude for sword fighting, especially the art of fencing. If only he had some kind of work ethic.
"Sure," Marcus replied, he was also tired. That happened when you trained with energetic teenagers for nearly an hour a day.
"Great," Xander said as he picked up the trenchcoat Marcus had given him and tucked his rapier beneath it, another gift from Marcus. He went over to Willow to see what she was doing on the computer. "So, is Oz going to be here tonight?" Xander asked.
"It's a full moon tonight Xander, remember," Willow said, concentrating on the computer. "Is Cordelia still away visiting her relatives?"
"Yep. We have three more Cordelia free days before she will return," Xander said, not sure if he should be happy or sad.
Buffy and Marcus quietly entered Giles' office. As soon as Marcus shut the door Buffy began, "Look, if you are going to yell at me because I made a bad move..."
Marcus interrupted her, "I'm not going to yell at you Buffy. And I'm not going to tell you as the slayer you can not afford mistakes, you're human just like everyone else, even if it is going to get you killed. I just need to talk to you. You should be able to beat me one out of two times, even with the quarterstaff. At least one out of three, you're a very good fighter, a bit unorthodox, but still very good. But lately you've only been able to beat me about one out of ten. Something's bothering you, distracting you. I'm worried that if I can beat you so many times some vampire will be able to also. What's wrong?"
Buffy silently looked at the floor, avoiding his gaze, not wanting to answer him.
"Is it Xander?" Marcus asked softly.
"No," Buffy quickly shouted.
Even though Buffy denied it Marcus knew his words were true. "Yes it is. He's also noticed, well not your feelings but that you are distracted. He is very concerned about why you are not talking to him. He's worried that you don't want to be around him anymore. He thinks you don't like him because of what he is, because he's different then you."
"Of course not. I don't care if he's an immortal," Buffy replied. Shocked that Xander could think that she didn't want to be around him because he is different.
"I know. I told him that you had been able to date a vampire, and that you yourself were different, being the slayer and all. So him being different wasn't causing the way you were acting. So now he's going around trying to think of what he could have said that has made you so mad at him. That's silly also but from what I gather that's the way he is," Marcus told her.
Buffy smiled thinking about Xander, < Yes that's the way he is. >
Marcus looked at her, glad to see her smiling. He hadn't known her long but he already considered her his friend, and thus didn't want her to be suffering. "You're going to have to tell him how you feel. You are causing him a lot of pain by not talking to him. You are very important to him."
Buffy began to look very sad, the last thing she wanted to do was hurt Xander. "But ... but what if he doesn't feel the same way about me."
Marcus smiled reassuringly, "One thing you will never have to doubt is Xander's love for you, nothing on earth could make him stop."
Buffy turned away from him. She looked out the office window and watched as Xander and Willow talked about something on the computer. "The last person who's love I didn't doubt is now trying to kill me, he almost succeeded two weeks ago."
Marcus walked up behind her, trying to ease the pain she felt. "No, the person trying to kill you is not the same man you once loved."
Buffy watched as Willow and Xander laughed over something he had said. She tried to change the subject, not wanting to talk about Angel. "But he is dating Cordelia now, what would happen if I told him."
"You'll never know unless you ask?" Marcus replied philosophically.
Buffy turned to look at him, "But ..."
Marcus interrupted her, "I can't help you anymore Buffy, I wish I could but I can't. I may have nine hundred years of experience but I barely remember what it was like to be a teenager. Most of the time I can hardly understand you. You can try talking to Willow or perhaps Oz or maybe even..." Marcus suddenly stopped talking and he tensed up.
"What?" Buffy asked.
Marcus did not answer her. He pulled out his broad sword and dashed back into the library.
"Figures, it was actually beginning to look like I was going to get some sleep tonight," Buffy said to herself as she left the office.
As Buffy entered the library she noticed the Xander also had his sword out. Willow was standing by her computer, uncertain as what to do. Giles had come out of the stacks, wondering what the commotion was about.
Everyone watched as the library doors opened and a small oriental man walked in.
"Chang," Marcus said as he stepped forward. "Where have you been? I nearly tore the world apart trying to find you."
"Marcus, glad to see you to, been awhile," Chang replied. "One hundred and thirty years I believe. And for all that time I've been just a few steps ahead of you."
"You've come for me I take it. Good, I wish it had been sooner." Marcus said angrily as he prepared to attack.
"Sorry Marcus, not today, you'll have to wait a little longer. Soon, but not today," Chang said. The library doors opened again and Angelus and Drucilla stepped into the room, followed by three other vampires.
"Angel," Buffy said shocked.
"Buffy always a pleasure," Angelus said sarcastically while smiling at her. "Marcus nice to see you again to."
Marcus had started to back up, "This is against all the rules."
"You have you're friends," Chang said as he pointed out the people around Marcus. Then he gestured back at the vampires, "And I have mine."
"This is between you and me, leave everyone else out of it," Marcus said as he sized up the vampires.
Chang laughed, "You know me Marcus. I'm not the type to just go out and start a fight. I like to plan it out, and I like to involve others, it's more fun that way. See ya soon." Chang suddenly turned and left the library, followed by the vampires.
"Old friend?" Willow asked after they had left.
"You could say that," Marcus gestured at the table, indicating that they should all sit down. His face had become very sad, "Everyone have a seat, this will take sometime,"
As everyone sat down Marcus began his tale, "He goes by Chang and I met him in San Francisco roughly one hundred and thirty years ago."
* * * * *
3:00 P.M., 1870, San Fransico
"I tell you Maria, this is the place to be," Marcus said to his new bride as they walked arm in arm down one of the busiest streets in town. Listening to bustling activity of a thriving city.
"And just why is that?" the young woman asked. She already knew how he would answer, they've had this conversation many times.
"Because this is where things are happening, we are watching as history passes us by," he replied.
"I'm sure that those people who will live forever can take the time to watch as history happens. Us mortals however would rather live out our short lives in the comfort of a nice east coast city," Maria replied smiling at her immortal husband.
"But your nice modern cities have all that snow during the winter, and it gets so cold, here it is always warm." Marcus replied also smiling.
"You mean this intolerable heat," Maria said, looking up at the sun.
"But your modern cities are just so dull," Marcus said, not wanting to lose this argument, even though he usually did.
Maria looked back at Marcus, putting on her sweetest smile. "Some of us happen to like dull."
"You didn't like dull when I had met you," Marcus said as he bent down kissing her with passion.
< How was I ever so lucky as to find her, > Marcus thought as he pulled away from her. He had known Maria for six months and married her only a week ago. When he had met her she had been a runaway from Boston, seeking adventure in the new frontier. Marcus had found her in an alley, her beautiful blond hair dirtied by grime and her body thin from lack of food.
Marcus had taken her in, cared for her, and eventually fallen in love with her. Marcus looked at his wife, she was now dressed in a frilly dress and was the most incredibly beautiful woman he had ever seen, she appeared nothing like the woman he had met a mere six months ago. Now if they could only get over their argument as whether to live in Maria's hometown city of Boston or San Francisco. Both of them actually knew it really didn't matter, they were perfectly happy wherever they were, as long as they had each other.
"My thirst for adventure ran out months ago, when I met you. Who needs adventure when we have each other," she said as she pulled away for a moment.
As Marcus bent down and kissed her again he thought, < I couldn't be happier. >
Marcus suddenly pulled away from her as he felt the buzz inside his head. He began to look around, searching for the immortal who he knew had to be somewhere nearby.
"It's one of them isn't it," Maria said in fear, she had seen Marcus fight an immortal three months ago and it scared her that she could lose him.
"You could say that," they heard as a small, and very young, oriental man say as he stepped out of a nearby saloon. "You must be Marcus, correct. I am called Chang."
"Are you looking for me?" Marcus said as stepped in front of Maria while reaching under his jacket for his broad sword.
"Yes, I came for your head, I've heard a lot about you, but don't you think here is just a little bit to crowded for that sort of thing," he said as pointed at the people on the street. "Come down to the wharf, ten minutes, I'll be waiting," he turned and disappeared around the corner of a building.
Marcus turned towards Maria, he kissed her once again. She had tears in her eyes, "I have to go. I wish I didn't but it's something I have to do. If I don't come back..."
"You will," Maria said in a weak voice.
"But if I don't, get out of town, go back to Boston," he told her.
"I don't want to go there without you," she said as she began to cry. "I don't want to go anywhere if it's not with you."
He bent down, kissing her one last time, "I'll be counting the seconds without you, you are everything to me."
She smiled up at him as he turned and left her, walking towards the wharf, preparing for the fight that he knew was inevitable. Her one wish was that she would see him again. She suddenly felt a hand reach up around her and clamp over her mouth, silencing her screams as she was dragged into a dark alleyway.
* * * * *
< Well it looks like he is not going to be showing up, he's already a half an hour late. Well I'm not going to let it bother me, if he wants me he can come to me. > Marcus thought as he began to walk home, his thoughts now turning to Maria.
When Marcus arrived at their house, he sensed the presence of another immortal. < Chang, but why would he be ... oh no. > Marcus pulled out his broad sword and ran into his house.
"Maria," he screamed, hoping for some form of reply.
He dashed into the bedroom and was horrified by the sight before him. His wife lay upon their bed, a deep sword wound through her chest.
He bent down next to her, noticing she was still breathing slightly. He whispered, "Maria."
She slowly forced her eyes to focus on him while she silently mouthed the words, "I love you." Marcus watched in agony as the light slowly drained out of her eyes.
Marcus heard, and felt, as Chang entered the room behind him. "These mortals how can you stand to be around them, they die so easily."
Marcus looked away from his wife's body. He saw Chang standing in the room, a bloody kitanna in his hand.
Marcus roared in anger as he launched himself at Chang, swinging his sword wildly, determined to take this fiend's head.
As Chang began to parry Marcus' attacks he started to laugh. "You should know that she died screaming your name."
"No!" Marcus yelled while charging Chang. He slammed into the other immortal and drove both of them through a window and out into the street.
They paused their fight as they saw the numerous people on the street watching them, wondering what was going on.
"Another time," Chang said as he tucked his sword away and began to melt into the crowd.
"Make it soon you bastard," Marcus called out to the departing figure.
Marcus silently returned to the house, ignoring the shocked crowd. He went to the bedroom that he and Maria had shared for a brief moment of time. And for the first time in nearly a century, he cried.
* * * * *
"And what happened after that?" Willow asked saddened by the story.
"I buried her, like I've buried so many others. Then I spent the next couple of decades searching for Chang. But he had disappeared, I couldn't find him anywhere I went, I learned all I could about him but I never managed to find him. I thought perhaps someone else had taken his head. In time I moved on, I stopped looking for him and settled down again. I buried the painful memories, I stopped letting my grief haunt me, it's something you learn how to do after a nine hundred and fifty years," Marcus said somberly.
"And now he's here for you," Giles said, also saddened.
"He's here to finish what he started one hundred and thirty years ago," Marcus replied. "And he'll go about it the same way. He'll try to hurt those who may mean anything to me, try and make me have nothing to live for. He won't openly fight me, he never does, he'll make me fight by his rules, play the game his way."
"What about the vampires?" Buffy asked, her thoughts on Angel.
"He using them. I don't know how he got their help but he'll use them for his own purposes. They're his pieces in his game."
"It's so sad," Willow said, almost beginning to cry.
"Sometimes that's the way life is," Marcus replied wisely.
"So what do we do now?" Xander asked, wanting to help his teacher, the man he had grown to consider a friend.
"Now we get you home. Chang knows about you now and you are an easy target, he won't miss the opportunity. So first we get you safe and then I find Chang and I kill him. I'm sorry Xander but that is how it works, I know you would like to help but these are the rules we have to follow them, one on one. C'mon, let's go," Marcus said as he led Xander out the door, followed by Buffy and Willow intent on protecting Xander in anyway they could.