Brethren, Where Art Thou?

Truths

She lay next to him. Her nose almost touched his, but where his eyes were closed, hers were open. She traced over his skin with the tip of her fingers. His wrinkles fascinated her. Was each line created with every stressful moment, every death? Was hers among them? Was it the ones around his eyes, the eyes she loved and missed and wished were open. She felt small next to him, his body not curled up and little like hers. With all the power she retained, next to Giles, Buffy felt weak.

Angelus had tortured him.

Not like he had before, but he did it. He tortured the Watcher with pain, blood and words. Words like ‘Jenny’ and ‘not strong enough to save’. All the things Rupert believed to be true, he was a failure, he had failed all the people he loved.

But to Buffy, he was stronger than her. She didn’t even have the strength to save herself.

Rupert Giles had strength. He’d saved himself, revived himself when she died. She knew how much he had loved her, probably still did. But to him, she wasn’t the same person, she was soulless and evil, and monstrous.

He was wrong.

She hadn’t fed in days. Pretended to go out hunting in the evenings, instead sat on the roofs of mausoleums, gazing at the stars.

Mentally and physically, she was tired of this charade. Surely the great Angelus had noticed her decline in evil doing, but sadly he had thought nothing of it. Buffy almost wanted him to notice, give her a reason to break her heart with wood. Give her a reason to stop this, stop the pain and stop the suffering of all the people around her.

“Giles?” she whispered. “I’m sorry.” Buffy put the palm of her hand to his cheek and tried to smile. She rose from the cold stone floor and wiped her eyes. Tears stained her cheeks.

“I never blamed you…” The Watcher murmured as she left the room. But she heard.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Do you think she’ll come for us?” she asked, eyes wide and innocent, cold arms wrapped around Xander as they huddled together.

“For once, I don’t even have a comment or un-funny wit. I really don’t know what’s gonna happen and…”

“It sucks.”

“Yeah.” Xander hugged Willow tightly and prayed. Prayed that he wouldn’t have to look upon the face of the girl he had loved for over two years, and know it wasn’t her.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

He looked over the mansion. The ivy slithered up the side of the walls and the heavy black door wasn’t closed properly. He looked over his home, the home he shared with two of the three most dangerous vampires on the planet. But they were his family too.

Hadn’t laid a hurting finger on him, unless it was in the spirit of lusty play.

Spike looked at Morgan, hoping he didn’t look too guilty, but she only nodded.

“I’ll just wait for you here then, luv, yeh?” he suggested hopefully, eyes wide and Spike thrust his hands in his pockets. Then he turned his gaze to the floor as Morgan’s expression already determined her answer.

“Spike, I need you, alright? I can’t beat them alone.”

“I don’t even think the two of us will be able to beat them. Can’t we just throw a brick through the window so that Peaches and the Bit come outside, then you run in past them, pick up your folks and go. I’ll just, you know…chat.”

Morgan stared at him, tilting her head to one side and raising an eyebrow.

“Fine.” The vampire murmured, huffing childishly and storming inside. “Yoo hoo. Spikey’s home.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Buffy put her back against the wall and tried her best not to close her eyes.

“Where are they?” Angelus snarled, pushing her hard and maybe breaking some bones.

“I told you, I don’t know, love.”

“Don’t try and win me over, you whore.” He brought his head dangerously close with hers and Buffy tried to smile.

“If you kill me, you won’t know. If you don’t, you’ll never know if I’m lying.” She raised an eyebrow, put a foot behind one of Angelus’, raised a hand to his chest and pushed the vampire as hard as she could. Vampiric and slayer strength combined, it managed to throw the master vamp across the room.

Buffy peered cautiously around, prayed that Angelus was unconscious and knocked three times on the wooden door behind her. The door slowly opened and Xander popped his head around it.

“We’re good to go, captain.” she whispered, forming a sad smile. She knew that they could never be friends again, never. The teenager patted her on the arm, and suddenly brought her into his embrace.

“Thank you.” he whispered, taking hold of a very white Willow and rushing her quickly through the house.

“Xander.” Buffy shouted in a whisper. He turned around. “It’s the other way!” She smirked at him and couldn’t help but laugh as he comically turned them around. She waved shyly and went to guard over Angelus.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

They met at the front door.

“Morgan?” Asked a chorus of, well, two voices. Spike was almost shy, and almost blushed, avoiding all eye contact. "Morgan!"

“Uh, you!” she replied, wrapping her arms around Willow and Xander like she had never seen them in a thousand years. “I was so scared I’d lost you…” she sobbed. “Where’s Giles!”

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