One Last Shot
by Whedonist
Chapter 27
[reviews]
Disclaimer: is that really necessary? I didn't think so. You know who they belong to.
A/N: So this is it. The last chapter. Just wanted to say thanks to everyone that reviewed, cuz that was very bueno of all. More importantly, I wanted to thank all of those that took the time to read the story. So hey everyone, good work team!
Chapter 27
Buffy and Aradia had finished up the last of their interrogations and were headed back to the apartment when Buffy's phone rang. Picking up on the second buzz, she said, "This is Buffy."
"Heya cupcake, we need you and your buddy over to the corner of West and Jane Street. We may have got a location on our bad guy. Your girl, she uh, never mind I'll talk about it when you get here. Just haul ass."
"Be there in," Buffy looked at the street they were on, "Ten minutes if I can find the right cabbie."
"Roger that cupcake. Hurry up, your girl's looking to tango and I don't think Faith or myself's cut out for the job."
"K. Put her on," Buffy waited half a beat when she heard Willow take the phone, "Wills?"
"Buff, did Jimmy tell you where we are at?"
"Yeah Aradia and I are on our way. The old man sounds kinda scared Wills what's the what?"
"Nothing I'm nearly a hundred percent sure this is where that creep's been staying. I got a handy tip from a demon, told us where we could find him. So here we are."
Willow had completely missed her point, but it wasn't something that she wanted to start on the phone anyhow. "Ok, don't move until we get there. Won't be long."
"Ok take all my fun away." Willow pouted and then disconnected.
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Jimmy took his phone back and cast a surreptitious glance at his friend. She looked normal except the eyes. They were blending together with an electric blue color, black, and milky white. He'd never seen anything like it and sure he'd never seen a bunch a stuff until Willow came into town, but this was beyond his realm of acceptance.
"So Red," Faith leaned in, "you got a game plan or are we playing this by ear?"
"I'm working on it." Willow said and continued to stare at the building. She could feel the man in there. He wasn't nearly as strong as she was, but she still had to be careful. On top of his energy, she felt two people in there and while she felt they had no magical potential, she still wasn't taking any stupid risks. Willow reached out and felt Buffy close.
~Buff, where are you?~
~Two blocks away. What's wrong?~
~Me, you, kicking some warlock ass. You up for it?~
~You sound plany baby. You do have a plan?~
~I've got something in mind.~
Buffy smiled, ~Want to fill me in?~
Willow let the grin stretch on her face and filled Buffy in on what she had in mind. By the time she had finished Buffy was pulling Aradia from the cab and looking around the area.
"Hey you guys. It looks li..." Buffy let the sentence trail off as she saw her girlfriend's eyes. "Wills, you ok?"
"Never better, why?" Willow cocked her head to the side.
"You're," Buffy stopped and looked at the two she was with, "No one told her?"
Faith and Jimmy shook their heads no.
"Wills, your eyes are multi colored in an unnatural way. Blue, white, black. It's kinda wiggin' me out."
"Sorry baby, but I can't do anything about it right now. I may have over done it at the bar and well now I'm too pissed to want to control it. Let's just get this over with."
"Are you going to be okay Willow?" Aradia stepped in.
Buffy let out a low growl which caused the other witch to step back. Buffy took her redhead by the arm and led her down the street and out of earshot.
"Willow, please come back to me."
The girl let her hand caress the side of the blonde's face. "I'm here Buffy. I'm just kinda juiced and not in the bad, want to destroy the world way. I'm ok."
Buffy sighed and took the girl in her arms. She felt the okness and nodded, "Fine, but I don't have a nifty yellow crayon story to stop you. Anything goes wrong; well it won't much matter will it?"
"Just kiss me if I go all evil. I don't think that's gonna happen I've got loads more control now, but ya never know if the guy get's me all pissy."
Buffy laughed and let a tear slip down her cheek. She swiped the tear away and smiled, "Sorry no time to get all weepy it's just ya know the past few weeks kinda a lot after doing so little. No wonder we are all so fucked up. I forgot how intense this gets."
"Well just think pretty soon we can go back in to retirement and come hell or well the saying's high water, but for some reason considering we've faced the legions of a hell dimension, high water just doesn't seem that big of a deal. So come hell and the legions of demons residing there, I'm not taking you back out of retirement. You're staying there."
"Yes mistress."
Willow looked up sharply at the blonde, "Darn tootin'. Let's go get this over with." Willow grabbed Buffy's hand and marched back to the rest of the group.
Buffy took the lead from there, "Faith and Aradia you guys search the area and see if there are any civilians around, get them out quickly. Jimmy you're with us. Stay behind me," The blonde looked the man once over and then giggled, "well stay behind me as much as possible. You need to be smaller." Jimmy cracked a smile and winked. "Ok any questions?"
"B, what's the plan?"
"Well it's pretty much go in there kick some ass and get out. It seems to be the best and most direct approach."
"Shouldn't we, I dunno call G and Xman, then maybe clue Dawnie and Ken in?"
"Rather not have them here to get hurt. We can do this ourselves." Buffy said taking the slayer stance and waiting on Faith to challenge her. When no challenge came, she let her arms drop and took Willow's hand.
"Ok, so anybody have any idea what they want to do when this is all done?"
"I'm thinking a weekend in bed" Willow offered.
"What no shopping?" Buffy asked incredulously.
"Well maybe a little shopping. I could use a new pair of shoes."
"Cupcake I just want to clean up the paperwork that we'll have then maybe go fishing for a few days. Hey maybe you and I could take the vacation time together. I can take the kids on a trip."
"I just wanna go back to Cleveland." Faith stopped and realized what she just said. "Well ya know home. To my bed, where I can relax. No offense B, but your place is to small."
Buffy shot Faith a glare, "My place is the perfect size for two people."
"I need to go back to Devon. Perhaps burn those books."
"Embracing fascism Aradia?" Willow teased.
"Not really, but for some reason having those around doesn't seem like such a good idea."
"We can keep them here. Don't worry about."
"That might be a plan."
They reached the side of the building and were trying to figure out how to get in, when Buffy just ripped the doors off the hinges. She smiled and shrugged. They entered the building with Faith and Aradia completely moving away from the other three. They took the left side of the building and left the other three to find the big bad.
Willow watched as the other two disappeared around a corner and turned to face Buffy and Jim. Buffy cocked her head to the left and allowed the other two to follow her. Unsurprisingly the area opened up in to a factory floor. Not nearly as big as the other one, but the designs on the floor were the same.
~Wills, take Jimmy and see if you can find this guy. I'll go right you two take left.~
~Uh no. Not separating. That always ends with being chased by some monster.~
~You've been watching cartoons again?~
~I may have caught a few episodes of Scooby Doo. Besides, I know where he's at and I don't think he knows we are here.~
~Oh, surprises. I like surprises.~
Buffy stepped back and let Willow take the lead. She weaved her way through a few hallways and found a door that opened up to a set of steps.
"Why are there always steps?" Buffy huffed out, "I swear if I had a nickel for every bady that lived subterranean I'd be so rich."
Buffy stepped forward and started the decent first with Willow in the middle and Jimmy taking up the rear. Buffy glanced back and saw that Jimmy had un-snapped his gun and had it at the ready. She crouched down and looked over the area. She saw the guy towards the back of the room. She tried to suppress a chuckle at the sight of him reclining on the couch completely oblivious while watching TV. Buffy shook her head at the absurdity and turned back to her group to make the international be quiet gesture. She motioned for the two to stay behind her and with the grace that she was used to exhibiting while patrolling, silently made her way to the couch.
She wasn't sure what happened after that. Buffy had reached out and grabbed hold of the guys head with a satisfied smirk at the terror that crossed his face and the next she was panting for air and on her side in the middle of the factory floor. She glanced around and saw Jimmy and Willow near her. Groaning she made to sit up and was stopped by foot in her chest.
"I wouldn't do that slayer." The man said.
Not taking the time to blink, Buffy grabbed his foot, twisted, and shoved out causing the man to go sprawling across the floor some ten feet away. She was on her feet and moving towards him, but was too late to see the pole come whistling through the air and connecting with her right temple. Stars burst behind her eyes and she struggled to stay upright. As nausea rolled in her stomach, she heard the familiar crack of a gun going off not once but twice. Buffy let go of the paper thin control she had on her legs and fell to her knees. She looked over to the guy and saw him sprawled on his back, one bullet hole marring his forehead and the other in a well placed estimation of where his heart was. She turned to Jimmy who was sitting up and still had his gun trained on the body.
He glanced over to Buffy, "You okay cupcake?" He sent the most worried expression he could muster over to the blonde. The pole had connected solidly and the gash was causing blood to run down the side of her face.
"I," Buffy coughed trying to make her voice come back, "I've taken worse." She tenderly touched the side of her temple and winced before it made contact with flesh. She pulled her hand away and saw the bright red liquid glistening on her fingers. "Or ya know maybe I should sit down."
Willow had just started to come to and shook her head as she sat up. "What in the name of Zeus happened?" Willow let her green eyes look to Jimmy, to the dead body, and then finally to the blonde. Her eyes grew wide and she struggled to her feet. "Buffy, are you okay?" Willow crouched next to her lover and tried to inspect her injuries.
"Wills, there are like five of you right now. It's pretty nifty." Buffy let a goofy smile come over her and continued, "Hmmm five Willow's imagine all the naughty fun I could have with five of you." Her brow scrunched and she whined, "Wait, wait, Willow's don't go." Buffy's eye's rolled back and she passed out.
The witch caught her before her head hit the concrete. She lowered her lover down gently and was unsuccessful in reviving her. Willow turned to Jimmy who already had his phone out calling for back up. She turned as Faith and Aradia came running around a corner with two girls at their heels. Willow did a double take as the last girl became visible.
"Red? B?" Faith was worried.
"Willow?" Aradia asked unsure of everyone's injuries.
Willow still had Buffy's head cradled in her lap as she answered, "We are okay mostly. You?"
"Five by five." Faith came over and knelt next to Willow and an unconscious Buffy. More from habit than worry, Faith felt for Buffy's pulse satisfied when she found a strong one.
Willow was still staring hard at the fourth girl from Faith's group. She let her eyes settle on the sandy haired girl and asked, "Amy, what are you doing here?"
The girl stepped to the front. "I..." She sighed out and dropped in to a sitting position. "I was helping him. I gave him the power. Then the bastard drugged me and was going to use me in the spell." She let her head fall into her hands and let the sobs finally come out.
Willow didn't let the tears affect her anger. This was not once, not twice, but three times Amy had taken to fucking with her and her family. "So it was you?"
Amy looked up and shook her head. "At the beginning, yes. Willow I didn't know. I didn't think it would..."
Faith watched the scene play out and interrupted when realization dawned on her. "Wait you're the bitch that took Willow to Rack? You're the one that was the rat?" Faith didn't wait on an answer before she had Amy by the shirt collar and was nose to nose with the girl seething with anger. Faith's voice escalated as she went on, "You did this? Answer me!"
Amy's voice was lost in the wake of fear at the look in the brunette slayer's eyes. She could only shake her head yes and drop her eyes. The last thing Amy saw was Faith's fist coming straight at her head.
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The medics took care of Buffy's wound at the scene and despite strongly urging her to go to the hospital; the blonde had refused the ride. She hopped off the back of the ambulance and gingerly made her way over to where her partner was standing. He had been quite the hero of the hour by talking to the scene techs, quarantining off the area and arresting Amy Madison on charges of accessory to murder. There was still a lot of work to be done, but now that Buffy was moderately achey instead of 'oh my god I'm gonna spew forth every last once of my stomach it hurts so bad' achey she could function and get her job done.
She looked over to Willow, Faith, and Aradia. All three had to give statements and luckily were able to come up with something moderately believable before the cavalry arrived. Her redhead looked up and their eyes met. Both smiled goofily at each other and went back to the tasks at hand.
A search of the area had turned up evidence of all three of the victims; it had also proved fruitful in finding out who the mystery man was that Amy had been in bed with. The guys name was Gregory Brandenburg. Buffy had found some stuff from U.C Sunnydale in his residence area. He had been a part of Riley's frat house and after over turning everything in the man's bedroom had found that he was also an ex-member of the Initiative. She had located his court marshal paperwork and was unsurprised that he had been dishonorably discharged a year ago. Her and Jimmy closed the place down and ushered everyone back to the apartment some four hours later.
Buffy followed behind everyone as they entered her place of residence and couldn't help but smile as she realized that she could kick everyone out and send them home. She could have her life back with Willow and they could fix the problems the past few weeks had wrought. Everyone was seated and just kind of starring blankly at various parts of the apartment.
Xander was the first to speak up, "Well that was kind of anti-climatic don't you think? I mean we go to all this trouble and then wham it's over. I don't know about the rest of you, but I feel jipped."
Buffy was the first to cast a side long glance at her friend, "Xand, my head says otherwise."
Everyone kind of chuckled and then fell silent. It was late and all involved were ready for a nice long nap. Buffy looked at Jimmy and then at Willow, "You to ready to call it a night?"
"I was ready two hours ago short stuff. Come on I'll drive." Jimmy got up and followed Willow to the door.
Buffy moved to and stopped when she reached the front door. Turning back to her family she smiled, "I love you all and sometime soon we'll plan an actual reunion type deal with out all the action and stuff. Until then, I want all of you packed and ready to leave tomorrow. I miss my bed."
The rest of the gang smiled at her and nodded. Buffy waved goodbye and walked out the door.
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Buffy sat on the roof top looking out over the neighborhood. The view wasn't as good as the one she used to have, but this place had its benefits. Her head rested on her knees and she continued a brooding that would have made Angel proud. Not that she had an urge to make him proud, just that well, you get it.
Neighborhood's not bad. Definitely quieter that Manhattan. The house is nice. I still can't believe that she talked me into buying a house right next door to Jim. I still can't wrap my head around that. I gave my nice posh apartment up for a 60 year old house and a sizable mortgage payment. Lucky for she caught me in post orgasmic fuzzies and I had agreed. An awful lot changes in 6 months.
I'm here in New York still, happy and finally content in the way my life has turned out. Sure you can't really turn your back on destiny, but I've found that the PTB has a way of making up for sticking you with a shitty calling. And I guess that's not true either. It's not a shitty calling. It just is. A calling that is. I didn't pick it and I couldn't choose otherwise, but that's not a horrible thing. Really. I'm not saying this to convince you. I'm saying it because I finally believe it. I, Buffy Anne Summers, am finally at peace. There are no more nightmares, or restless nights. There's no waiting for the other shoe to drop. There's just me and Willow together after all these years. Gotta say it's good to be me.
And Willow. Everything I am now I can thank her for. I mean I could have probably thanked her prior to us getting involved, but I can say thank you to her and not feel guilt or regret or anger. That's been one of the biggest changes. I no longer feel like I am a walking death sentence to the people around me. Death is no longer my gift; if it ever was. Willow says that maybe I misunderstood the first slayer's attempt to explain to me why I'm here. Maybe she's right, but it doesn't matter much anymore. I am beyond that. I'm a slayer in an army. I may be the oldest and the most experienced, but one day that to shall pass and I'm kinda giddy at the thought.
"Heya Cupcake, whatch you doing all the way up there?" Jimmy asked from his back porch.
Buffy was brought out of her rambling's by the sound of her partner's voice. She smiled down at him and couldn't help but show off a little. She stood and took a leap off the edge of the house and somersaulted in to her partner's back yard. Landing on her feet, she grinned mischievously up at the older man.
"Not much. Just thinking." She shrugged.
"Didn't mean to interrupt." He said kicking his feet.
"Nah, no big. If I think too much bad things happen anyhow." Buffy gave him her best smile. "So where's that witch of mine?"
"Finishing diner. I came to collect you." Jimmy slung his arm over the girl's shoulder and then whispered in her ear, "You do know she's kinda bossy?"
Buffy laughed and nodded in agreement. "Yeah, but don't call her on it. Makes her cranky and pouty."
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Arms of Buffy, breasts of Buffy, naughty bits of Buffy. Heaven has nothing on where I'm at right now. Post coital snuggles and the soft snores of my girl. Life is good for Willow Rosenberg. I've been here nearly a year and besides the whole Amy, Aradia, dead girl thing, things have been good. Kinda strange in that really weird, but nice way. School is easier than I thought. I've got extra classes and I should have my MD by the end of 2008. I've got my residency spot picked out thanks to Nekko. I know I said I didn't plan for the future, but that's changed to and that isn't of the bad. In fact I'd wager that is very of the good.
Progress still needs made, but hey Rome wasn't built in a day and neither is a life. With Buffy by my side all things are possible even if the things I want are as mundane and boring is a steady job and life with the girl of my dreams. Yeah, yeah, I know how can someone like me be satisfied after everything I've seen and done? You really want to know the answer?...Because the fighting, the war on the evil forces invading this world, takes it's toll on the strongest of us and sure it could be argued that we, we being the Sunnydale gang are the best, it is very very true that even the best need rest. So here I am, here Buffy is, with the resting and sure it might not last, the resting, not Buffy and I, cuz that's going to last, but at least I get a break. At least I have right now to relax and enjoy where my life has brought me. And if you want to know the whole truth, nothing is better than where I'm at.
Willow felt a hand caress the underside of her breast. She smiled lazily as she turned in the arms of her lover. Looking into hazel eyes, she snaked her hand between their bodies and began her favorite past time. Smiling into the embrace, the redhead let the world fall away to only her and her mate.
She smiled even wider as the last thought that crossed her mind before Buffy's mouth covered an erect nipple, 'Lunchtime be damned.' Who needs food when you have a blonde slayer to nibble on?