Somewhere In Between
by tainted_blood_chylde
Rating: PG
"It was too easy" The First said as she rounded on Whistler. "I mean, really. Did you honestly think you could POSSIBLY defeat me?" it said as it put its hand on its chest. Whistler looked up at the image of his belated wife. "I always said you never had enough Man in you to satisfy me, like I really wanted a demon husband. Of Course I made allowances. I mean, I already loved you so I tried to accept it. But it didn't save me did it?" it said before it picked him up by the throat and started to cry.
"All I ever wanted was a family, a home. My father beat me and stole mine but then YOU stole my chances of hanving another one, one of my own" it sobbed. "I wanted to get to know, to make this work. But you left me, you ran out and tried to protect me by not putting me in the line of fire. But in the end that's the decision you made that killed me, you should be ashamed of yourself" it tutted before throwing him against the wall. It changed into Angel's appearance.
"Do you have any idea, the trouble that you actually caused?" it said as it picked up Arden and continued to talk to Whistler. "If you'd just let me stay eating out of dumpsters, that slayer wouldn't have survived for so long and the First never would have been given a chance to take on this assault" it said as it tore out Arden's throat and lifted an axe and chopped Rais' head off. "I mean.." it said as it changed back to Buffy and wiped its head. "Coming to the Sactnur was a a good idea.. But face it, your little army.. has all gone bye bye" it said before lashing out at him.
Poof, it missed. The First growled in frustration as he vanished into a small portal and disappeared from its reach. It turned and smiled to itself. At least he could take out its frustrations on the few remaining demons not so fortunate to escape or die in the first few moments of its arrival.
Kennedy's Diary
Wooptidoo. We finally made contact with the people in the house. Like I care. I feel sick. I look at Willow and her pathetic little attempts to get back to her and I just feel like ramming my hand through her chest. I keep remembering all the times we spent "together" and I just feel my stomach turning. Was she thinking about Buffy then? Was she thinking about Buffy when she was screwing Tara as well? She such a slut! She tried to hurt Faith for gettin in the way of her and Buffy. So I guess she really couldn't blame me for hurting Buffy for getting in my way of HER.
Spike's Journal
Bollocks. I haven't really written anything more than a phone number since I was turned. But too much has happened for me not to put it into words. I love Buffy, and it's obvious that SOMETHING has happened between her and Faith. I just want them to be happy. I can't deny I'm jealous. I want Buffy to be happy. That's true love. SO I'm going to do everything in my power to help get these chicks together again. Then when it falls apart, Buffy can see what a great chap I really am. If we ever save the world that is.
Buffy walked up and down her room. If you could call it that, the compartments on the train didn't offer much privacy. Everything Nikki had said kept rolling over in her mind, she was right. She HAD been losing hope and not caring. She was losing who she was. She had to open up, to talk to somebody soon or she was going to disappear entirely.
"You wanted to see me?" Nikki said as she rolled her eyes.
"Yes, sit" Buffy said as she motioned her inside. Sighing deeply in annoyance, Nikki did as she was told and closed the door behind her. "There's a reason I can't talk to you" Buffy said finally before walking over to her and sitting on the chair opposite her.
"Well then spill B, what's the up?" Nikki said and Buffy winced again.
"Please don't call me that" she said softly.
"Why not?" Nikki said as she grinned.
"Because that's what she used to call me" Buffy said quietly.
"Who? The First?" Nikki said frowning.
"No.. Her" Buffy said as she dropped a police file in front of her.
"Faith Spencer, who is this? Some vampire chick?" Nikki said as she glanced over the picture and tossed it aside.
"No, a vampire slayer, like you.. like me" Buffy said calmly, almost distantly.
"Was she..?? Were you close?" Nikki said, a new found respect forming for the girl in the picture that she had so quickly dismissed.
"Very" Buffy said.
"It says here she was arrested for murder" Nikki said as she picked up file again.
"She was" Buffy said quietly "She made up for it though."
"I take it she's... no longer with us" Nikki said cautiously.
"No, she's not" Buffy said as she stood up and turned her back to the younger girl.
"I take it that's why you were so upset when I told you I'd been called" Nikki said quietly.
"Not really, it just took away any hope.. that somehow, she might be out there" Buffy said as she looked at Nikki again.
"I'm sorry" Nikki said. "I should have been more considerate. I had no idea you might have actuallly knew the girl.."
"Don't be, it's not your fault" Buffy said, dismissing the comment. "I just thought that you should know, I realise I have been quite unfair to you."
"Was there anyone else?" Nikki said softly.
"My Mom, My Sister, My Friends, My watcher. A new slayer Catherine, Spike, Angel. All the Potentials" Buffy said nodding. "Everyone."
"I had no idea there was so many.." Nikki said stunned.
"You wouldn't, cos I can't talk about it. It's too painful, when I stop for a second it hurts so much I feel like I'm being crippled. So I don't, I don't stop. I can't" Buffy said sternly.
"Then we won't" Nikki said as she stood up and put her arms around the older girl. "We'll keep going, and we'll do it together, you're not alone Buffy, and you'll never be alone again" she whispered in her ear as Buffy returned her embrace.
"I can't do anymore" Willow sighed as she sat down gasping.
"I know me neither" Dawn said as she slumped against the wall. Faith and the others were looking through the texts frantically trying to find answers.
"What's going on?" Xander said as the pages stopped moving.
"They must be tired" Catherine said dismissively. She wanted to be outside, this was a watcher's task. It had nothing to do with being the slayer. Her place was fighting the battle, not researching it.
"Calm" Faith said to Catherine. "We'll be out there soon enough."
Catherine nodded softly and eased up. They still had to talk, but now wasn't the time, sunrise was only two hours away, they needed to hurry up and find some suitable answers.
"They're coming!" Amanda shouted as she ran into the living room. Several potentials lifted their weapons, Faith knew it wouldn't be too long before the demons decided to attack the house. Unfortunately, not all demons were restricted to entering with invitations.
They set up their positions with the town's police, no point in hiding their identities in the crisis, Sunnydale's police service were actually quite quick to accept the situation and freely offered as many weapons and men at their disposal. Wave after wave the slayerettes defended their gound, trying to bide time for the slayers to plan their next move.
Rona spat the blood from her mouth and tried to lift herself off the ground but it was useless, she was too weak. Again she begged for a shift and painless death but it was useless, the First had spent the last thirteen hours kicking her ass all around the vineyard. Now all she wanted was to die. The last few months had been spent training and fighting, dodging Bringers and doing everything in her power to try and survive. Now all she wanted was it to end.
"Poor little thing" it said as it took on the form of her mother. "You always tried to act tough baby, but in my eyes you were always so small, so helpless. I should have been there for you more baby. I shouldn't have let your father take us out that day in the car. I didn't know we were going to get into that accident, if we hadn't of been trying to get away from your watcher none of this would have happened. I'd still have been here protecting you" she sobbed.
"How could I have known? You were my baby and I was supposed to help you.. but all I did was to condemn you. When I gave you life I gave you death. How am I supposed to rest in peace knowing that?" the First/Rona's mother said as it sat down beside her.
"You're not her! You're not her!" Rona shouted before getting up again.
"You're right" it said as it stood up and walked around the room in a circle. "I'm not the one that made you, the one that fashioned you to be as you are, you slayers make me sick you know that?" it said as it changed into Rona's watcher. "I did create you, I DID MAKE YOU! Have you any idea how longly I've been?" the First said as it faced Rona.
"You want to know the REAL history of the slayers? WHAT'S REALLY INSIDE YOU? Demons, a demon soul was used to capture the strength. That's what they told you, how they tied a girl to earth. Bullshit. The source of a Slayer's Power comes from the source of the thing that created the need for it. Me" the First said as it smacked her across the face again.
"The real source of the slayers, is me" the first repeated as it knelt beside Rona and stuck its hand into her chest. "Now it's time for you to come home" it said in a voice that sent chills up Rona's spine as it blended Rona's essence with its own, moments later, the girl screamed.
Nikki's Journal
How can you really know what's inside a person? You can't. I never really got that before. And after all my pushing and prodding, it really hasn't gotten me anywhere. I realise now that Buffy wasn't hiding her emotions because she didn't have any. She was hiding them because she had too many. I lost my own family when this started. I saw them die, watched their bodies being ripped apart by those things. Now that I think about it, as horrible as that was, there was a certain comfort in that. I couldn't imagine not knowing what happened to them. Not knowing how I let it all happen when I was the only one who could prevent it. I just hope we find some way to make this all right. We have to. Survivors are getting fewer and far between. Soon there won't be a world left to fight for.
Faith hurried everyone into the basement. It was safer there. The Spell that August did seemed to be holding, still Faith didn't want to take any chances.
"Isn't this nice?" The First/Rona said smugly as it appeared at the top of the stairs. "Really got to hand it to cutie, that was a nice trick you pulled. Unfortunately it doesn't keep out everything" it said to August.
Catherine lifted an axe and went into full combat with The First. She used her best combinations and favored techniques, all attempts were swatted off easily and the First giggled at her efforts. Frustrated Catherine pulled out a dagger and tried to stab the First. The First blocked the manover and sent the blade colliding with Catherine's stomach, she fell to floor clutching her stomach in pain.
Enraged several potentials threw holy water and crossbolts in the First's direction. All missed. Instead the sudden cloud of smoke cleared just in time for them to see August falling to her knees beside Catherine, a crossbolt buried deep in her chest. "I just thought I'd make things a little more interesting" it said as it took on Buffy's form and blew a fake kiss at Faith, it vanished.
"We have to give it the amulet" Xander said finally.
Faith rushed to Catherine's side. "I hardly think it's incapable of taking it" Faith said quietly, putting pressure on Catherine's wound.
Several Potentials stared in horror at the body of their fallen comrade.
"Take that upstairs" Faith said quietly before helping Catherine to her feet and tightening the knot on her homemade bandage.
Silently, Xander did as he was told.
Angel ran quickly through the streets of France, Connor wasn't far behind him. Together they had found the demon. It wouldn't take long now, they were gaining on it.
"Father!" Connor called out in pain. Hesitantly Angel stopped and cast a glance back to his son. They would lose the demon if they had to stop now. He ran back ten paces to see the problem. There he stood. Octigell.
Gulping, Angel swallowed hard and pulled out a Dagger. This was going to be a long battle. He thought as he looked at the creature before him. It was an ugly demon, nine foot tall with rough armoured scales and spikes like a hedgehog jutting out from his back. One scratch from the demon's claws was enough to paralyse the opponent and the spikes, which were tipped with poison, could kill you in an hour. Human or otherwise, it was also the only demon he knew that possessed the power to turn back time. Not that there weren't other dieties that could help, but with this current war. They weren't at his disposal.
Octigell was the last of his kind. Except for Nicvian his mate, the species had been constantly battling. Trying to establish an Alpha, it failed, and as the centuries grew onwards, their numbers depleted. They believed that there could be only one. Rather like the Immortals of the last era, they battled themselves to extinction. Now only the two remained. Both too vain to lower themselves to the wants of the other, they ruled out the hope of offspring. So the race was doomed.
Angel would have prefered to go after the female, but gave second thoughts when he learned that the female was twice the size and strength of the male.
Connor screamed with rage and used his best set of combination of punches and kicks to free himself. He was taken aback by the demon's lack of response and in a moment of desperation he reached down and grabbed his blade before slicing at its shoulder. It released him, Gunn and Wesley caught up to him. They readied themselves. The battle commenced.
"There is no time for question gentlemen, we must act now, I fear that we have left the slayers to their own devices for long enough. It's time we prepared for Battle" Quientin Travers said to the room of men and Woman. "We have always thought it more important to save the knowledge and pass on the information to the next charge. To keep the generations of warriors going, now it seems there may not BE a next generation. So we must fight to protect the one we have" he said as he lifted his sword and they stepped off the plane at Sunnydale airport.
The time had come to visit the slayers. Quickly they passed through the streets of Sunnydale in their car. Only stopping to burn down a few buildings that they thought that vampires might be taking shelter in. Slowly but surely they made their way to the Summers house.
The First paced angrily. Things were starting to turn out of her favor, sure she had enjoyed tormenting them at first, but it still didn't face the facts.
The Slayers had not only survived the battle with several of their charges but they had the amulet as well, and now in spite of all those little disasters. The Watchers had arrived. Now she was starting to worry. Many of the demons from the upperrealms had all been dealt with swiftly but that pathetic little demon Whistler was nowhere to be found and they weren't all dead.
This could cause problems. A wounded Caleb shifted uncomfortably through debris. He still hadn't recovered. Still, from someone who had only been raised from the dead over twenty minutes ago, he was looking better than most.
"We have work to do" The First/Rona said sternly.
"We have gathered all that we could, the rest should be here when we are about to commence" Folter said as he walked up to Whistler. He looked around the beach, wave after wave brought their allies to the shore. Ten thousand in total so far. Many more on the way.
He stood silently and nodded. Lifting his axe and cradling his wounded arm, he led the troops towards the Summers house.
The First looked over the scene in front of her with increased panic, her eyes narrowed. It was time to even the score.
Caleb gathered his army together, standing over them he looked out upon his army, ubervamps, demons, regular vampires, pure demons and their less pure cousin that regularly inhabited the area. All had gathered here at the hell mouth. He smiled with pride. This was their day. The goodie too shoes wouldn't last long. He had made the mistake of underestimating the slayers, that had cost his troops dearly. Still, he could see how well fed they looked.
The First/Rona walked up behind him. He looked to her for any sign of approval. The First merely looked sourly at the troops and folded its arms before continuing to pace back and forth. "Well done."
"Oh come on is that it?" Caleb said disappointedly. "Where's the almighty speech about bringing terror and destruction? They've got you worried don't they?" Caleb said as walked over to the First and placed his hands on her shoulders. Using Rona's child-like expression it peered back at him and nodded sadly.
"Well don't be, I know they have more troops now, but that won't get in our way. It just means more bodies to take out your frustrations on" Caleb smiled. The First smiled back in agreement but then both of them darted their gaze upwards to see a row of Helicopters making their way into the centre of Sunnydale. The First/Buffy frowned.
"Fix this, or I will put you back in the ground permanently!" it growled.
Riley's Latest Report
We finally touched down in Sunnydale, we met our contacts at the Summers' house. Unfortunately the main contact, Buffy Summers was no longer available. We have been aiding Faith and Catherine, the two current and only surviving slayers. The Watchers Council arrived at least twenty minutes after our landing and we have aided them in setting up defenses around the surrounding perimeter.
Mission seems to be getting increasingly difficult and after discussions with the local law inforcement, we have given up hope of finding anymore survivors at this time.
A demon named Whistler and several of his allies have joined us in our battle. Troops are still gathering and we are hearing reports of an army twice three times the size of ours has been building up in the outskirts of town.
At this point we continue to contact the spirits of Willow Rosenberg and Dawn Summers. May Buffy forgive us for not arriving sooner.
Nikki paced the room, it was so tiring waiting for Buffy to get back. She worried. Food was getting scarce, the vamps finally figured out that the best way to try and deplete their numbers were to destroy sources of available food. Meant they had to travel further into the cities and go above ground.
The thought of it still made her furious. Why did they have to be going through this? Wasn't there a god or anything?
"Stewy!" Nikki called.
"Yeah" he said as he carried Gorgina and Ralo in his arms as he came into the room. He looked tired, his long hair was unkempt and his goatie was getting over-grown, to be honest, her friend looked like death.
"I thought I could take care of the kids for a while, you need sleep" Nikki said.
"But.." he began to protest.
"No arguments, Nicolas can take over this for me" Nikki smiled. "You need sleep, and I need to be doing something other than watching that damn door" she smiled.
"Okay" he said handing Ralo to her, the three year old certainly wasn't light. "Be good" he said kissing Gorgina on the head.
"Will you tell us a story?" Gorgina said.
"Nikki, I'm hungry" Ralo said quietly.
"Well how about I get you something to eat in the food cart and then I tell you both a story" Nikki smiled.
"I should at least help you with that" Stewy smiled. Taking Gorgina back in his arms they both headed towards the food cart. Nikki halted suddenly.
"Don't you hear that?" Nikki said quietly.
Stewy frowned. "Hear what?" Moments later the sound happened again, a faint rumble in the back compartments. There was something other than human on the train.
"Take him and get the hell out of here hurry!" Nikki said handing Ralo to Stewy.
"What about you?" he protested.
"Don't worry about me, get Nicolas and find Buffy, hide in the water towers. That's where she told me to send you if anything went wrong" Nikki said. He still stayed put, giving her a worried glance. "If not for yourself then for them" Nikki pleaded. "Look Stewy I'm a Slayer, I don't entirely know what that means but I know that I have to be the one to do this" she said finally.
He looked at the two frightened children in his arms. She was right. He saw how Buffy could fight, and he knew next to her that Nikki was the strongest and most capable, if anyone stood more of a chance of holding back the things quickly moving down the train long enough for them to escape, it was Nikki. He reached out and kissed her hard on the lips.
They looked at each other intensely for a moment.
"I love you" he said before doing as he was asked and hurrying down the train.
Bracing herself, Nikki pulled out her axe just as the door swung open.
...continued in part 61...