Aftermath and College
by Bwriter
Chapter fourteen
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Chapter fourteen
Buffy sat on the couch, opposite Willow who sat on the armchair.
"So... what do you want to know?"
Willow looked up.
"Your... different. What did you do over there?"
Buffy eyebrows creased in that adorable way when she was thinking.
"Balance. I found my balance. It's like a coin. There's two sides, but each side needs the other. The power in me, it was always there, I just didn't know how to control it, or use it. Now, I can use it, I can call on it whenever I want, bend it to do what I want it to do, but its still hard to control sometimes, and it... I could become dangerous, that's why I have to have Tom and the guys with me."
Willow stood up and moved over to sit on the couch, though a little away from Buffy.
"What was it like?"
Buffy leaned back into the softness of the cushions.
"At first, it was weird. It was very hard to control. I had to go through all these meditating techniques. It was kind of scary... no not kind of... it was scary."
Buffy trailed off and looked at her hands.
Willow hadn't thought about what it would have been like for Buffy, being over there, alone, learning things about herself she never knew.
Reaching over, she gave the Slayer's hand a quick squeeze before backing away again.
Buffy gave her smile.
"What about you? What's been going on in the last two years?"
Willow copied Buffy, and leaned back into the couch.
They talked for ages, and only stopped when there was a knock on the front door.
"Seems Faith and the guys got tired of waiting."
Willow turned a confused look to her.
"How do you know its them?"
Buffy just looked at her.
Willow rolled her eyes at herself.
"Right, of course."
She made her way to the front door and opened it to let in Faith, Tom, Mike and Jonny, without actually inviting them in.
"They were worried." Faith plonked herself down and rolled her eyes and Buffy.
"You were supposed to meet us," Mike grouched.
Tom noticed a light in Buffy's eyes that he hadn't noticed before and nudged Mike to shut up.
"She didn't do it on purpose."
Buffy sent him a smile and stood up.
"I guess we really should patrol. Thanks for the chat Will."
Willow stood up and grabbed her coat.
Buffy noticed and her eyes narrowed.
"What? Faith actually lets us patrol with her, unlike some people who will remain nameless." Willow looked pointedly to Buffy.
Buffy turned murderous eyes to the other Slayer, who had the decency to blush.
"I don't let them get hurt B."
"We will be talking about this later." Turning to Willow, Buffy was about to tell her she couldn't go when she stopped.
She was there, Faith was there and the guys were there. Willow would be alright. Besides, she wasn't ready to say goodnight.
"Okay. Lets go."
Everyone's surprised expressions followed Buffy out. No-one, including Willow, had expected Buffy to let the redhead come along.
They reached the first cemetery and Buffy let Faith take point, but it was only so the younger Slayer didn't begin to feel redundant, because Buffy could sense practically ever demon in the place.
"How come you let me come?"
Buffy ignored the feelings those words brought and looked sideways at Willow.
"Your complaining? I thought you wanted to come?"
Willow turned her face away to look forward.
"I did, I was just wondering." She didn't sound as upbeat as she had before.
Buffy sighed, sure she had messed up, but not having a clue how.
Reaching down, she squeezed Willow's hand, not unlike Willow had done earlier.
"Because, I wasn't ready to say goodnight."
Willow smiled at Buffy before realising that they were holding hands.
Not wanting to complicate things, she let go of Buffy and noticed the sad look Buffy tried to hide.
"So, do you sense anything then?"
Buffy shook her head no.
Tom caught up with Faith.
"You sure this is a hot spot?"
"Used to be," Faith snorted.
Willow was going to say something when Buffy stopped and turned her head to the left, looking past Willow.
"Faith, demons, five of them. Seven o'clock."
Faith spun in the direction Buffy had called out and could make out the demons her sister Slayer had spotted.
"Damn B. Your good."
But Buffy didn't answer, she was already calling on the power that she had at her disposal. Walking a few steps forward, she waited until they came into view, before sensing something else as well.
"Faith, I'll deal with these guys, you take the Vampires are trying to sneak up from behind." Her voice was much deeper than usual.
Faith had sensed them too spun around to see three Vamps, trying to attack from behind.
"No probs B. Take care of yours, I'll take out these guys and protect the others."
Buffy nodded her head that she had understood, and got ready for battle.
Tom, Mike and Jonny all formed a circled around Willow, but she didn't complain, not when she finally caught a glimpse of the demons Buffy was going to fight.
"I... will she be okay?"
Tom nodded his head at her and offered her a smile.
"You kidding, she'll kick their asses."
Buffy turned around, facing away from the demons.
"You know what to do?" The serious tone didn't go unnoticed by Willow.
Tom nodded his head at her as did Jonny and Mike.
Buffy nodded once before letting the power consume her. She turned to face the demons, a feral smile crossing her face.
"What is she talking about?" Willow looked from Tom, to Mike and finally to Jonny.
"Later, kind of busy right now."
Willow was about to say something when she saw Buffy kill two of the demons in a flash.
"Wow."
Buffy was moving fast, throwing punches, kicks and jumps faster that Willow could see.
Faith had already finished off her Vampires, and was watching the fight, open mouthed.
"Are you guys seeing what I'm seeing?"
"No, your seeing every move she makes, we aren't, she's going to fast," Tom deadpanned as he strained to watched Buffy move.
Launching herself behind the last remaining demon, Buffy could feel the power inside her wanting to break out more.
Breathing calmly, she tried to hold it in, but she was too far gone.
Tom finally caught Buffy's eyes. Turning to Mike he nodded his head and make a hand gesture.
The three made the way towards Buffy, but they weren't fast enough.
Buffy met Tom's eyes, and knew he understood what was happening, but she knew it was to late.
She didn't know why, but she couldn't seem to control the power tonight for some reason.
The demon turned and lashed out, but he was too late.
Buffy's hand shot out, gripping his throat.
"Uh uh." She shook her head at him before throwing him free.
He tumbled head over feet before coming to a stop three feet away from Faith and Willow.
Buffy's hazel eyes went wide before turning stormy.
When it was all over, no-one was able to say what had happened, the only thing they could see, was tiny demon parts, covered in blood, guts and every other kind of bodily fluid imaginable.
And there was Buffy, standing in the middle.
tbc