Halfway to Anywhere
by JinHayte
Halfway to Anywhere
[reviews]
TITLE: Chapter 1 - Prophecies; Don't You Just Love Them?
SERIES: Halfway to Anywhere
AUTHOR: Jin Hayte
FEEDBACK: Always. Give it to me here, or at jinhayte@hotmail.com
SPOILER WARNING: Everything up to the end of the last episode of BtVS is fair game.
SUMMARY: With the final battle approaching, Buffy and Willow discover a connection between them that is something more than friendship. But Willow is with Kennedy, and Buffy is starting to feel something for Spike, whether she likes it or not.
DISCLAIMER: Buffy, Willow, Xander, Giles and all the other characters in the syndicated TV-show Buffy The Vampire Slayer belong to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy etc, etc. I do NOT own any of the official characters, their names or their backgrounds. This story, however, is mine.
DISTRIBUTION: http://www.angels-fall-first.com
If you want it, ask and we'll see
RATING: PG-15
COUPLES: B/W, B/S, W/K
CHAPTER NOTES: This chapter contains a few key scenes from 'Get It Done', changed or added upon to build up a suiting background for a B/W 'ship. If you haven't seen the episode or it's been a long time since you did, you might get a little confused by the overall flow.
STORY NOTES: 1) If you haven't gotten it yet, this isn't a straight-to-the-goodness Buffy/Willow fic; Kennedy and Spike are also in the picture. Keep that in mind.
2) This fic will, mostly, follow canon from 'Get It Done' to the end of 'Chosen', but small things here and there will be altered to fit my needs. Also, some things have to change because of the new depth in the B/W relationship.
* * *
Careful not to step on any of the girls lying all around her on the living room floor, Buffy walked through the dimly lit Summers' Residence.
The house was filled with them; girls from all over the world, hunted like animals because they were unfortunate enough to be born with a potential destiny.
Girls who, to the Slayer, were nameless.
Buffy bent down and picked up a book, closed it and placed it on the table. Flicking off the faint desk lamp, she made her way upstairs.
Both Dawn's and her own room looked very much like downstairs; girls sleeping on beds, the floor and some even cramped up in chairs.
Buffy eased open the last door, the door to her old room, which was now inhabited by her best friend.
Willow lay on her side, sound asleep, the covers tossed to the side, one arm under the pillow.
Confident that everyone was where they should be, Buffy turned to leave when an arm appeared from behind the witch, coming to rest on her stomach.
She knew she shouldn't stay. She should leave the two alone. And yet, she couldn't, somehow.
The arm was followed by a leg, circling around the redhead's, enveloping her in a tight embrace, and soon thereafter a head popped up from behind the red hair.
Buffy watched herself lean closely into the witch, kissing her on the head before snuggling in and closing her eyes.
Buffy's forehead was creased with a light frown, but her lips soon formed a smile. She took a step back, out into the hall, closing the door after her.
A sob shattered the quiet of the night. Turning to see who was making the noise, Buffy saw a girl huddled in the far corner of the hallway.
"Chloe?" she asked. They were not all nameless to her; she had learned the names of the first ones. Some of them, anyway.
She took a few steps forward, but stopped when the girl looked up. "It is Chloe, right?" she asked again, but didn't get a reply. The girl just looked at her with red, puffy eyes.
Then, suddenly, Buffy was jumped from the side, tumbled down the stairs and landed heavily on the floor, her attacker sitting on top of her, their faces inches apart.
"It's not enough!" the first Slayer growled at her, her painted face feral.
Buffy woke with a start, sitting straight up. Looking around she immediately recognized her surroundings as her bedroom. Around her the potentials lay safe and sound, asleep.
With a heavy sigh, she rubbed her forehead with a sweaty palm.
* * *
Kennedy walked down the hallway, her arms tightly wrapped around her stomach and a deep frown on her forehead.
"Hey," Willow said as she came up the stairs, making the young Potential stop. "You ok? You've been kinda quiet since..." Willow trailed off, not knowing how to say it, to put it into words.
Kennedy turned around, her jaw clenched and her arms now crossed over her chest. "Since you sucked the life out of me?" she asked, an edge in her voice, though her eyes looked vulnerable.
"Yeah, since then," the witch confirmed with a sigh. "Look, it's important that you know what I am...what I'm like when I'm like that."
"I thought it would be...I don't know, cool somehow," the Potential admitted with a sad laugh. She looked down and continued, "I-it just hurt."
"I'm really sorry," Willow said, lifting her arm up to touch her girlfriend but letting it fall down. "It's just, you were the most powerful person nearby, and...well, that's - that's how it works. That's how I work," she admitted, frowning.
Kennedy gave a small nod. "I got that. You told me."
She didn't look any happier as she turned around and opened the door. "I'll see you tomorrow," she said over her shoulder, and took a step into the bedroom.
"Kennedy, I am sorry. But I had to do it, I had to get Buffy back," Willow said desperately, trying to get Kennedy to see things from her perspective.
The brunette stopped and turned around abruptly, her eyes flashing with renewed anger.
"Yeah, Buffy!" the brunette spat the Slayer's name. "You had to do it for Buffy. You do everything for Buffy, whatever she asks!"
Kennedy stepped back out into the hallway, her arms flailing to the sides in wide gestures. "And you're always, always, taking her side, no matter how fucked up she is."
Willow was frozen, shocked by her lover's outburst, her eyes wide. "What-" she started, but was interrupted.
"And don't even pretend like you don't know what I'm talking about!" Kennedy shouted.
"I don't!" Willow insisted, her voice almost matching that of the Potential's. "I don't," she said again in a lower tone, shaking her head.
"I'll see you tomorrow," Kennedy repeated, shaking her head, and stepped into the bedroom, closing the door behind her.
Willow stood stock still for a second, not quite comprehending what had just happened.
"Kennedy, please," she pleaded softly through the door.
"Go away," came the sharp response. "Go to your precious Buffy, it's what you want anyway."
With a deep frown, Willow backed away, leaning against the opposite wall, staring at the barrier between her and her girlfriend.
* * *
Buffy sat on her bed, legs pulled up and her back leaned against the steel frame head board.
She stared at the door, waiting for something, anything, to happen. She had heard everything that had gone down out in the hallway, every single word said and shouted.
Add to that everything that had happened during the day, from her dream, to Chloe killing herself and the vision she had been shown by the Shadow Men, and it made for a very anxious Slayer.
'What do I do if Willow comes in here?' Buffy thought, panicked. 'What do I say? What if she decides that Kennedy's right? No, she wouldn't. Willow doesn't feel anything like that for me. She has a girlfriend. I don't. And after what I did earlier today, she won't be jumping into my bed. Not that I want that, because, hey, I like men. Yep, big, muscular, men with facial hair. Well, no, not facial hair, cause eww. But leather coats!'
Buffy nodded to herself, biting on her left thumbnail.
'I really should apologize to her, though. Wasn't fair to leave them hanging like that. And Willow had to pull me back with magic, again.'
Deep in thought, she hardly noticed how the door opened and Willow stepped into the room.
"How you doing?" Willow asked, still holding onto the door handle.
Buffy looked at her, forcing herself to keep calm. "Thanks for bringing me back. Again," she joked sadly, rolling her eyes.
The redhead gave a small chuckle in relief and let go of the door, walking towards the bed. "Well, that's what I do," she replied in the same joking tone, sitting down on the edge of the bed.
The Slayer looked her straight in the eyes and sighed.
"I was hard on you guys today," she said, matter-of-factly.
"Aw, that's alright. Although, Twinkies and kisses; also peachy motivational tools," Willow said in a cheery voice.
Buffy didn't respond, just looked to the side.
"You ok?" Willow asked with a frown.
"I think I made a mistake," the Slayer admitted.
"What?"
"Those men that I met, you know, the Shadow Men?" she looked at Willow to see if she knew what she was talking about. "They offered me power, but I didn't like the loophole."
"So you turned it down? It's ok, Buffy," Willow shook her head with a smile. "We'll get by. We always do."
Buffy frowned and looked down at the bed cover. "I don't know. They showed me..." she hesitated.
"Showed you what?"
The Slayer didn't look up. "That the First Slayer was right; it isn't enough."
Willow's skin crawled at her friend's words and how hopeless she sounded. "Why? Buffy, what did they show you?" she asked, leaning forward involuntarily.
Buffy kept staring at the bed as she saw the vision in front of her. "Hundreds. Thousands. God, Will, they're so many," she said in a small voice, hugging her legs closer to herself.
Willow scooted closer as the Slayer retreated, putting her hand on her friend's knee, giving it a gentle squeeze. "Hey. It's alright, Buffy," she tried to comfort.
Buffy shook her head. "No, it's not. It's twenty odd girls plus us Scoobies against an army of über-vamps, Willow."
She paused, looked up into Willow's eyes and swallowed. "We're gonna lose," she stated, simply, her voice devoid of emotion.
Willow was quiet for a moment. She didn't know what scared her most; the army of Turok-Han or Buffy's empty voice.
"Buffy, we're not gonna lose. So we're up against an army of vicious killer vampires," she said, then made a 'pffft' noise, flicking her hand to the side. "So what? Odds are always against us, and yet we always make it out in the end."
Buffy shook her head, refusing to listen to her friend's words. "No. It's different this time."
"It's always different," Willow admitted. "But you can't give up, not now. Everyone depends on you, they need you...I need you," she said without thinking.
"What do you expect me to do?" Buffy asked quietly.
Willow pushed up and crawled over next to the Slayer, leaning her back on the head board.
"Lead us, guide us. Be a friend. We both know from experience; when there's an apocalypse coming, stay close to your friends. Otherwise everything goes kablooey," she said with a soft smile, gazing into Buffy's eyes.
The Slayer didn't respond, she just leaned her head on Willow's shoulder, closing her eyes.
"Thank you," Buffy said after a moment.
Neither girl said anything for a good long while, both just enjoying the comfortable silence and the closeness of the other, without giving their close proximity a second thought.
Minutes passed, they could hear Dawn and some of the Potentials that were still awake start making ready for bed.
"What time is it?" Buffy asked.
Willow glanced at the big old-fashioned desk clock. "Quarter to three."
"You should go to bed," Buffy said, though she didn't move from her position.
"Mmm, can't," Willow hummed. "Kennedy kicked me out," she said it like it was no big deal.
The Slayer was quiet for a second, deciding what to say; she already knew about this.
"Why?" she asked, simply.
"She's...upset, cause of the spell. So the bedroom is closed for me tonight." Willow said, looking away.
"Oh," was all that Buffy said.
'Just ask her, there's nothing between us,' she thought. 'She doesn't want me and I certainly don't want her. Not like that.'
"You could sleep here," she offered.
Willow looked down at the blonde with a smile. "You sure? You know I'm a blanket thief."
"Yeah, I'm sure. And yeah, I know," Buffy said, matching Willow's smile, as she pushed up from the bed and went around the bed towards the bedroom. "Just gotta take a shower."
"Ok," Willow nodded and started pulling the covers off the bed.
* * *
Buffy lay on her back, eyes wide open, staring at the dark ceiling. She had tried counting sheep, counting backwards from a hundred, repeating lines in movies; nothing had worked. She couldn't fall asleep. Even though her body was in dire need of rest, not to mention her mind, and her eyelids felt like two sacks of potatoes, she was unable to step into the world of dreams.
She sighed heavily.
She'd like to pretend that she didn't know why she was still awake. Or that it was because of the vision she had been shown. Or just simply because she was restless.
But if she was honest with herself, she knew exactly why. The reason was but two feet from her, sleeping peacefully with her back turned towards the Slayer.
'If this was yesterday, I would have no problems sleeping,' she thought.
And it was true; just little over twenty four hours ago, she hadn't had her prophetic dream yet, she hadn't seen a horrible yet wonderful and confusing vision and she hadn't heard the argument between Willow and Kennedy.
Now, though, her mind was filled with images of possible futures, missed opportunities, feelings that felt new but at the same time familiar. All of them focusing on the redhead sleeping in the same bed as her.
'Ugh, this is ridiculous!' she berated herself. 'I'm behaving like a teenager! Just go to sleep! It's...' she looked at the clock to her left, the hands glowing in the dark. 'Four thirty. Gotta sleep. Sleep now.'
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, tried to calm down. Ten seconds later, she grunted and turned on her side, her back facing Willow.
Unwittingly, her thoughts wandered to the Shadow Men, the power that she had denied, the army of Turok-Han. Mostly, though, they focused on a particular part of the vision; Willow and her in a tight embrace on the edge of an underground cliff, kissing.
Her pulse increasing and her mouth going dry, Buffy opened her eyes and let out another sigh.
"What am I gonna do?" she whispered desperately.
* * *
With wide eyes, The Slayer stood on the edge of the cliff, staring down at the swarm of über-vamps, covering every inch of the giant cave floor. Their battle cries resonated off the walls, creating a constant, ear-piercing noise.
To her left, Spike and Faith took a step backwards. Their usual self-secure and cocky attitudes were gone.
On her right, holding her hand, Willow stood with a red axe-like weapon, her body glowing white.
Behind her, the Potentials clutched their stakes and swords to their chests, the fear evident on their faces.
When the vampires turned around as one, staring up at their enemies, The Slayer steeled herself.
"This is it!" she shouted, doing her best to be heard, as the army began their march towards them.
She turned to the redhead and reached for the axe.
"Thanks," she said, looking into green eyes. She leaned forward and kissed her, chaste but lovingly, on the mouth. Not breaking eye-contact, Buffy pointed towards the exit, shouting "Now, go!"
Willow shook her head. "No! I'm not leaving!" she responded, turning to face the on-coming horde.
"Willow, please!" Buffy pleaded, grabbing her shoulder and trying to push her away.
The redhead shook the hand off. "No! I'm staying," she shouted, her eyes turning black.
The Slayer didn't have time to respond because suddenly, they were surrounded by demons, and she had to focus on the battle.
Though she managed to fend off every attack with her weapon, her companions didn't fare as well; the Potentials didn't stand a chance against their much stronger foes, the dark haired Slayer was quickly losing against a group of vampires and the blond vampire was nowhere to be seen.
A fire ball sizzled passed her, just a few inches from her head. She turned around to see the witch setting her opponents on fire, one after another, effectively turning them into dust.
"Sorry," she shouted at the Slayer, grinning.
Buffy didn't smile back though. She just stared in horror at her friend, her red hair now black and her porcelain skin marred by angry veins. The grin on her face looked inhuman; she seemed to be enjoying herself immensely.
When the grin turned into a hoarse laugh, Buffy forced herself to look away, only to realize that most of the Potentials were now dead, and Faith lay on the ground, motionless.
"Keep the line together!" Buffy shouted desperately. "Drive them to the edge! We can't let them-"
Her voice died.
Looking down, she saw the edge of a sword sticking out of her body, the steel bloody.
As her attacker pulled the sword out of her, she fell powerless to the ground, face first. She kept falling into the abyss, rolling down the hard cliff, her flesh tearing, her bones breaking. Seconds of pain turned into eternities.
Finally she landed, barely alive, on a rock floating in a sea of red lava.
With her life quickly pouring out of her, she struggled to lift her head, looking around with bloodshot eyes.
She saw herself walking over the molten rock, a luscious smile on her face. Then the apparition turned into Willow; red hair, green eyes and with no veins on her face.
The First stopped a few inches from her, looking down with a smile.
"You lose," it said, the smile turning into an evil, cheek-splitting grin.
Buffy's face contorted into a mask of misery as she opened her mouth and screamed a silent 'No!'
* * *
"Buffy! Wake up!"
The Slayer jolted awake, pushing up from the bed, shouting "No!"
Willow put her hand on the blonde's shoulder. "Relax, it was just a dream." she said softly, trying to calm her down.
Buffy blinked, looking around confused. "Willow?" she asked weakly.
"I'm here."
The blonde threw her arms around her friend, hugging her closely, shivering.
Willow stiffened at first, surprised by Buffy's reaction, but she put her arm around her, returning the hug.
"I lost you," Buffy whimpered, on the verge of tears.
"Shh," the redhead cooed, patting Buffy's back. "It was just a dream."
Buffy breathed heavily, not letting go, her mind still not letting go of the dream.
"Buffy?" Willow asked, releasing her hold a little to look at her friend. She pushed away a strand of blonde hair from the Slayer's face, looking into her eyes imploringly.
The Slayer held her gaze for a second. Their faces were but inches apart, their breathes mingling. Buffy's eyes flicked down to Willow's lips, her breath coming in heavy puffs. Every cell in the Slayer's head screamed at her to kiss her friend, to taste the lips of the person she, just a few seconds ago, had thought was dead.
The second turned into a moment, the moment into a minute, and neither girl moved. Their eyes kept looking down at the other's lips and back up. Buffy felt like in a daze as she leaned forward, almost involuntarily, wanting, needing to feel Willow's lips on her own.
Willow's eyes widened a bit when their lips met, though she soon closed them, enjoying the soft kiss.
Buffy moved on automatic, inching forward a bit, pressing their lips together tighter, more brazen, hugging their bodies close.
"Mmmmmpfh!"
Willow's moan at the increase in body contact morphed into a grunt-like sound as she realized what was happening. She broke off the contact, pushing away from Buffy, her eyes wide and her cheeks red. She raised her hand to her face, touching her throbbing lips with her fingers.
"Sorry," Buffy coughed, looking like a deer caught in a headlight. She pushed away, sitting back down on her side of the bed, bringing her hand up to rub her hot forehead.
Willow released a heavy sigh, still dazed. Blinking a few times, she looked at the Slayer concerned. "You ok?" she asked, gently putting her hand on Buffy's shoulder.
The Slayer shook her head a little and emitted a joyless chuckle. "Yeah, just - sorry," she apologized again, not looking up.
Willow just shook her head. She wasn't sure what had just happened, other than that she had enjoyed the kiss very much, no matter how surprising an experience it had been.
"You wanna talk about it?" she asked. Then, as Buffy seemed to freeze at the question, she added, "The dream."
"Uh, no," Buffy shook her head firmly, pushing off the bed. "I'm gonna have a shower," she said and quickly escaped into the safety of the bathroom.
Buffy resolutely closed and locked the door, sighing in relief. Shaking her head, she leaned against the sink, staring at her reflection.
"Stupid!" she hissed, pushing her tussled hair behind her ear.
She turned around to the bathtub and reached over to turn on the shower when she realized that she had taken her shower last night.
"Dammit!" she cussed.
She stood still for a moment, looking back at the door, taking deep breaths. Again shaking her head, she turned the faucet for the hot water.
In the bedroom, Willow looked at the door with sad, longing eyes. She knew Buffy didn't need a shower, that she only used it as an excuse to get away from her.
'Not that I blame her. I feel a strange need to climb up a tree myself.'
When she finally heard the shower, she sighed and fell back down on the bed, staring up at the ceiling.
The morning sun found its way into the room through a gap in the curtains and brought a bright trail across her pale face.
* * *
- to be continued -