Author's Note for Section One: Angel season four and five - It was all lies… In reality Angel and Cordy are living together (would living with Cordy make you that happy?), start raising Connor and take over WH in order to fight evil from the inside, plus Cordy wanted the pay raise! Deal with it! Fool For Love and Chosen quotes in Ch2. Beta wonders for this section were the fab Oracleholly and the lovely Caitie.

Part One

Chapter 1

May 2003

Willow: Yeah. (smiles) The First is scrunched, so... what do you think we should do, Buffy?

Faith: Yeah, you're not the one and only chosen anymore. Just gotta live like a person. How's that feel?

Dawn: Yeah, Buffy. What are we gonna do now?

As the others chatter around her, Buffy just stares straight ahead at the hole formerly known as Sunnydale. As she contemplates what's next, she smiles.
- Transcript dialogue from end of “Chosen.”

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June 2003 - England

Dawn stared off into the distance. Only a little over a month had past since they destroyed the First, since Sunnydale became a crater in the ground and since Spike died saving the world. The group debated on where to go and what to do for about a week, but in the end they realized that they really had no where to go and regroup without money.

Los Angeles was out of the question…something Buffy had said about cookies that she never quite understood. Setting up in Cleveland had been difficult without the resources of the council. So, it wasn’t much of a surprise when Giles announced he was traveling to England to try and recreate the Council’s resources. Willow jumped on board with offers of hacking and mystical slayer tracking…. Unfortunately that meant Kennedy followed.

Dawn shuddered at the thought of the brash slayer. She hadn’t paid much attention to her while they were preparing for the battle with the First, but now seeing her on a daily basis in England grated on her nerves. What did Willow ever see in her? She was NOTHING like Tara… perhaps that was the point? Even so, couldn’t Willow pick someone else less….annoying?

Shaking off thoughts of the Kennedy, she contemplated the other changes to the group. Faith and Wood settled in Cleveland - determined to keep the hellmouth guarded, while Giles regrouped and rebuilt the Council with the precious resources that weren’t destroyed by Caleb. In the meantime, Xander had taken off to parts unknown, locating slayers and sending them to England, where Dawn and the more experienced slayers had started to hold classes and slowly forming the new Watcher’s Council.

The only problem had been Buffy. After the battle with the First she seemed to withdrawal into herself.

“I understand”, Dawn mutters to herself, “Spike was my friend too, but Buffy didn’t really love him…care about him yes, but she couldn’t love him, not with the way she treated him… so why is she acting this way. It is getting so old. She just needs to move on with her life, not pout.” Dawn felt a twinge of conscience over her muttered words, but brushed it off as she walked over to her new Council car, not noticing a stricken Buffy standing in the garden’s shadows.

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Two Weeks Later

Willow glanced up at her friend… “Did you need something Buffy, because I have to finish this cataloging before Giles gets back with the new set of slayers from Asia, or was it Brazil? Anyway… he went to the airport and he wants me to whip up a Slayer 101 when he gets here, and Kennedy wants to go clubbing…and then slaying. Hey do you want to come? Because Willow and British clubs… not so mixy, but Kennedy wants to get out, so why not… and anyway what were you saying you needed again?”

“I’m leaving Wills. Being here in England, it’s too much… I want a chance to get away from everything….” Buffy looked down at the ground, her voice trailed off….

“But we have so much to do with the new Council. There are responsibilities, and training, plus don’t forget that,” ring… ring

Willow looks at the phone and then back up at Buffy. Knowing that her friend really needs to talk right now, she felt guilty that she had so much to take care of in order to get the school ready for September. The phone continued to ring as Buffy stared off into the distance.

“Oh hold on… Willow Rosenberg here. Yes… yes… when will the house be ready? It will house a girl’s academy…yes… great eleven is perfect… bye”

“Buffy…wait,” Willow stared at Buffy’s retreating form as the phone rang again. “Willow Rosenberg here…”

********************************************************

“Seriously Giles, she said she was leaving and then she just ran out… I tried to stop her, what should we do?”

“Let her go Willow. Buffy has done far more then her share of work for the Council, and we can not force her to stay. I am afraid she is suffering from fatigue and as much as I hate to admit it… missing Spike. Perhaps it is for the best to let her go her own way.”

“But shouldn’t we do something?”

“Do what? Hold her hand and pretend that we are sorry that a chipless vampire died? Yes, he died a hero, but so did a lot of those girls. Our responsibility is to them and to this world, not to the memory of a vampire or any feelings the Slayer thought she had for them.”

Dawn walks in, “Hey guys what’s up?”

Willow looks up - “We are talking about Buffy leaving”

“What! She can’t go – I need her! She should be here with me! What did you guys say to her?”

Giles sighed, “Nothing, Dawn. I am afraid I am no longer your sister’s keeper, nor does she need one. After Spike died…” his words died on his lips as he saw Buffy walk in. He took a moment to study her – she looked lifeless… her complexion had already lost her golden tan; her beautiful blonde hair was limp with brown roots showing and her eyes…. they were haunting. Gone was the sparkle of life or determination they once had; now it was replaced with a defeated look.

“It’s okay Dawnie – I just need some time away from here, away from the memories…” Buffy turned, not catching the sympathy in the gang’s eyes. It was too much for her to deal with on a daily basis, besides all the Scoobies were scattered now. Those who died were honored; yet there was no room in their new lives to truly remember them, to cherish them.

Buffy felt a surge of anger at the irony. Willow killed and then retreated to England; Xander escaped by traveling the world, searching for the slayers but left alone in his thoughts; Dawn mourned her lost friend, but really she had been moving on with her life. They all had, which left Buffy. Why did everyone she loved always leave? With that thought Buffy’s anger was gone. Taking a cue from her thoughts, she turned and left.

Chapter 2

August 2003 – Los Angeles

Buffy sighed as she gazed along the stretch of the pier. She should have known she would end up in LA. The place represented so much - where she became a slayer, the city that Angel left her for, and the city that her father never ventured from, unless on ‘business’ with whoever was the new young woman in his life, and the city where dreams began and where they ended.

Angel and her father…. So ironic that the two men in her life who would never be there for her, yet they liked to pretend otherwise, both chose the same city. She saw ‘him’ two weeks ago.

She had it all planned out. He would embrace her, and she would finally be able to cry; he would not judge her, tell her to get over it, or question her love for the man he’d never met. He would hold her and mummer fatherly words until she was better. Reality sucked.

Reality was a 20-something opening the door bedecked in a skirt shorter than her shortest and some really gaudy jewels. Reality was her Dad being surprised to see her, topped with a confused look about why she was there, especially without calling to see if he was free. Reality was her Dad rushing off to some party with a vague kiss on the forehead and a promise to call her. Did he even remember that Sunnydale was no more, and he wouldn’t have her new number? Reality blew!

Her experience with Angel was no better, but at least that had been an accident. Who knew the vampire she dusted the night before was a client of Angel’s? And exactly why was Angel defending vampires, demons, and all sorts of evil?

**********************Flashback**************************

(Buffy sat at a table in an outdoor café, twirling her straw around her iced coffee, when Angel walked up to her table)

“Buffy, what are you doing in Los Angeles?”

A smile broke over Buffy’s face. Ever since she left England she had been feeling out of touch and lonely. While that was the point of her own ‘time out’ - to get away from it all, and to allow her heart to recover, it was still good to see an old friend.

“Angel, hi! I was just taking some time off and thought I would come to LA…” before she could finish, Angel interrupted.

“That’s not what I meant Buffy; I meant what are you doing? You should have contacted me the moment you got in. I have been working on a delicate balance here, and you just storm in and start dusting people? That vamp you dusted just happened to be a client’s childer, and now he is in an uproar over a Slayer coming in and killing indiscriminately. You should have checked in, and I would have told you that.” Angel looked at her condescendingly, “This is not Sunnydale; there are other factors to consider here.”

Buffy looked stunned at this mini-tirade, “Clients...what? Wait a minute – what do you mean I should check in? I don’t answer to you! I’m the Slayer; I slayed!”

“Just a slayer Buffy, not the Slayer… but isn’t that the point? Giles called me, and told me that you took off from England. He thought you might come here, but Buffy, I can’t be with you right now. There have been some changes in these last few months… I don’t want to hurt you, but it’s for the best if we don’t see each other while you’re here.”

With that last statement, Angel turned and walked off. Buffy sat in her seat for a few minutes, stunned, and then gathered her stuff and walked off towards the pier.

*********** End Flashback**************************

‘Doesn’t anyone even know me anymore?’ Buffy thought, her mind dwelling upon Angel’s words. So strange. Strange that, while she was happy to see Angel as a friend, he still left her even when he was suppose to be her friend. Three months ago, he was kissing her and listening to her cookie analogies, but now he was chiding her for dusting a vampire. One who was without a soul or a chip. She had only been doing her job, and yet she was the one who felt ashamed.

Night after night she slayed; rescued the helpless; those who would never know her name and never notice if she died. As soon as the dust settled she was out. All the cities blended together, all the cemeteries looked alike, and all the vampires looked the same - ugly. The nights blended together, while the days seemed too long and too lonely.

The only comfort she found rested in her dreams where she replayed the last years of her life. If only she would have been brave and admitted his or her own mistakes, except for Buffy. Everyone was allowed to choose their mates and live their lives with the ones that they loved – however short those lives may have been.

Yet, Buffy was always denied, both by her own fears and her blind obedience to the expectations of everyone around her. Their expectations fed into her fears, and she never lived her own life. Angel was right… she was not THE slayer, she was a slayer. And ironically even though she was one slayer among many, she felt more alone then ever.

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Later that night

Everyone’s words kept echoing through her mind… “Just a slayer”, “Didn’t really love him”, “No you don’t but thanks for saying it.” The last one was the worst. She had denied her feelings to the end, and when she was finally ready to admit it, ready to embrace everything that love would entail, it was too late.

At the very moment that the Turok-Han sliced her with its sword, she realized what she had been denying for so long. What she and Spike had was real… not some fantasy, not the remnants of a spell, nor the idealized concept of love she thought she had with Angel. It was real, it was messy, and it would never go away.

Her thoughts of Spike forced her to get to her feet and fight on qith the knowledge that he was there and that there was so much left undone between them. If she had known that he wouldn’t make it, would she have managed to fight on?

Buffy was knocked out of her musings by a tingling at the back of her neck. Spinning around, she noticed that it was yet another 80’s reject. She began to say something; however, the quip died on her lips as she realized that she finally understood now what Spike had told her so long ago…

“The only reason you've lasted as long as you have is you've got ties to the world... your mum, your brat kid sister, the Scoobies. They all tie you here, but you're just putting off the inevitable. Sooner or later, you're gonna want it. And the second- the second- that happens...”

A sob welled up in Buffy’s throat as the first punch connected with her face. A flurry of kicks and punches go back and forth. With tears streaming down her face, she understood. For the first time, she truly understood what he was saying. Slayers fight alone, walk alone and in the end they die alone.

She had no one left to live for. Both her friends and her family were living their lives. They would be happy, get married, have kids and that damn white picket fence. Buffy would never have that. She would never experience that kind of life; never experience that kind of love and devotion. She had had her chance. The only person who could love her like that was dust and there would never be another Spike.

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The young vampire struggled to block the blows of the blond slayer. This was the one who killed the Master’s Childer, and her death would elevate his status within the family. After twenty years, he was still considered to be a fledgling; that would change with the Slayer’s death.

He had heard that this was *the* Slayer that killed *THE MASTER*, but he didn’t believe the stories. That slayer was known for her quips and quick death; while the girl before him was weak. The vampire snarled with disgust and knocked her down.

Quick as a flash she was up and kicked him back into a post; raising her stake she lunged for the heart… and hit air. Thrown off balance, she stumbled and swung around.

The vampire grabbed her neck and sank his fangs into her neck.

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Buffy felt the life being drained away and struggled against the fledgling… she could hear the echo of Spike’s voice… “One good day.” A sigh escaped her lips. With relief, her eyes fluttered shut… she could be with Spike now, in life denied, in death complete.

Chapter 3

A woman stared into the pond…. “The bonds are breaking, my brother. The Champions have departed the plane and are lost to each other.”

The man gazed at the woman, “How did this come about? We were so careful. The threads were cut and woven into the tapestry. I placed them myself. Angel, the original souled one would wear the amulet in a glorious battle against the First Evil. Upon victory he would be reduced to ash, but return in his human form to remain with the seer Cordiela and together they would raise his son, Conner. They would have another child, who would be instrumental in the fight against evil. That child, their daughter, would ultimately destroy Wolfram and Hart with the knowledge gained from the father and the visions provided to the mother.”

“Buffy and Spike, would fulfill an ancient prophecy that had already began. The awakening of the Scythe has led to a surge of slayers throughout the world. Yet the slayer line is incomplete without the ritual. Without the ritual, not every potential slayer received their powers. Only those who were directly eligible to become slayers should the Guardian fall received their powers. Those whose time was past and those whose time was yet to come did not awaken.”

The woman shuddered, “Yes, the prophecy… without the champions the ritual of renewal will fail. With that failure, the slayer line will die. Not today, nor tomorrow…but no more will new slayers be called, even among those who have yet to be born. When the last slayer dies, the line will cease and the demons will rebel. The balance is in peril, and I fear our Champions have been misused. The world must be put right.”

“A reward?”

“A reward.” The female power confirmed. “We cannot change the sequence of events which led to the downfall of the Champions. However, we can return our Champions to the lives they led before. Allow them to decide their fate, knowing all that has transpired. Let our champions decide how to live their lives with free choice and knowledge of what could be.”

“Do you have a plan my sister?”

“I will allow the weeping tree to complete her long lost spell. The Champions shall be reunited and rewarded with that which they should not forget.”

********************Cut to England*****************

Dawn jumped up “Hey guys, really cool! It’s a prophecy about Buffy!”

Giles looked over, “Really Dawn that was what you said about the last three prophecies.”

Willow agreed, “Yeah Giles, you’d think they would name these slayers. We only have a few thousand… I thought prophets were all knowing… couldn’t they start naming the slayers once we got more then one. For that matter what is with the vagueness? Can’t they just come out and say Buffy will be killed by the Master. Beware!”

Dawn again pipes up, “No, seriously guys! It says:


The scythe shall be found
By those from whom it disappeared, destroyed
The tree shall feed the power
The One no more
The One guards
The One unites
The One is never more
One becomes Two
Dark and Light
The ritual of renewal
Bring forth the many
Shall the light dim
The many will vanish
The Two shall become One
The One becomes none
The Guardian has failed
The demons rebel.


Willow looked up, “Are you sure that is a prophecy? It’s kind of pretty – maybe some guy’s poem he just jotted there? What? It could happen!”

When the phone rang, Giles looked over and sighed in relief, “Rupert Giles speaking…. Just a minute please…” He handed the phone over to Dawn.

“Hello, this is Dawn Summers……” The phone crashed onto the floor as the young girl collapsed, tears streaming down her face…. ”Buffy!”

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TBC...