Genesis

A/N: Well thank you all for the reviews, they're appreciated, I'm doing my best to update every week, but time isnt always a friend.

Dedication: To Ker, you were patient I thank you


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Chapter 23

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Anya was beginning to wake, as she become more aware of her senses she could hear muffled voices near her but could not quite make them out. She tried to open her eyes but closed them again quickly against the harsh light that was invading her, groaning slightly she tried again.

Hearing a slight moan Faith looked over at Anya, “Guys I think sleeping beauty is waking up.” She alerted the others.

Xander was the first to move from his position at the table, he moved slowly toward the ex-demon in an attempt not to startle her. “An, Anya are you ok?” He enquired gently.

“Xan, Xander is that you?” Anya asked a little confused.

“Yeah An, it’s me.” He smiled and gently placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

Anya blinked a few more times trying to get her eyes to adjust to the light, as she began to focus she saw Xander smiling at her, she smiled back and then tried to sit up to see where she was, as she tried to sit up she faltered slightly but Xander was quickly there by her holding her for support.

“Take it easy Anya, you’ve been out for a while.” He explained.

“Where am I?” She asked trying to recognise her surroundings.

“Well you’re in Cleveland.” Xander offered as way of explanation.

“I made it.” She stated.

“Huh, what do you mean you’ve made it?” Xander enquired a little confused.

“Xander give her some time, come on lets go get her a drink and some food, we can find out everything once she’s got some more strength.” Willow prompted her best friend, she was also anxious to find out what Anya had meant but also realised that Anya needed some time to rest.

“Yeah ok, I’ll be back soon, don’t go anywhere ok.” He smiled at the woman he was still holding.

“Not going anywhere Xander.” Anya answered smiling softly at him.

Xander and Willow made their way to the kitchen followed by Buffy, they prepared food for everyone as no-one had had chance for breakfast yet this morning, Buffy brewed plenty of coffee and prepared some juice for everyone, Xander prepared some toast while Willow cooked up some bacon and eggs, they worked in silence each in their own thoughts. Buffy was remembering when Willow had brought her back and the loss of feeling she had, she hoped that Anya would not be suffering from that, all Buffy had wanted at the time was to die again and be at peace.

Willow was trying to understand how or who had brought Anya back, she hadn’t felt any strong majics being used so could not quite get her head around what had happened.

Xander was trying to get a grip of his emotions he had just started to push down the feeling of loss he had been suffering from when Anya had been taken away from him, killed by one or many of the foot soldiers of the First, and now here she was large as life and in the library. He could not understand how or why she had returned, but he really needed to find out.

Once everything was prepared the three made their way back to the library, Faith had gone to tell the SIT’s that they had the morning off as there was going to be a meeting she explained that as soon as they could they would be informed of the situation.

Everyone had settled again in the library and were finishing the last of the food when Anya began to talk.

“I didn’t think I’d make it here.” She said to no-one in particular.

“What do you mean Anya?” Willow asked.

“Well, when I died I was sort of in limbo I hadn’t gone up or down, I suppose you could say that I was on the ghost roads.” She tried to explain. “I was wandering aimlessly, I couldn’t understand why I was there, I thought surely I should have gone to hell with all the vengeance stuff, but no I was on the ghost roads not knowing which way to go.”

“But how did you end up here?” Xander asked. “And alive at that?” he finished.

“I was approached by soe ore or something, I’m not to sure on the details it’s all a little fuzzy. Somehow I was transported to this white room with nothing in it then someone appeared behind me, as I turned the figure became clearer, there was this young girl she couldn’t have looked much older than eight or nine, she approached me smiling and took my hand, she lead me into another room that was again white but this time there were three people stood in the centre.” She paused while trying to put in order the events that had taken place. “They motioned me to them and I went, I didn’t know who they were until I reached them, it was the Powers That Be, the three of them.”

“Huh, the PTB you mean the fuckers that keep trying to kill us.” Faith exploded.

“No Faith they do not try and kill you, they just send you or one of their warriors or champions to defeat the evil that is on this world and many others, they only have so much control over your destinies.” Anya replied. “I used to think the same of them once but they have given me a glimpse at what it is they do, they have to try to keep the balance between good and evil at all times and in every other dimension, if one side was to become superior to the other then all hell would be born upon every world not just this one.” She tried to explain.

“But that doesn’t tell us why you are here?” Buffy tried to get the subject back on track.

“I’m getting to it.” Anya replied as Buffy moved to sit next to Faith, instinctively as she sat Faith placed her arm around her shoulder and Buffy snuggled in.

“You’re orgasm buddies!” Anya exclaimed as she witnessed the exchange. Both Buffy and Faith blushed at her directness, but the comment proved that the woman in front of them was definitely their Anya.

Buffy turned to look at Faith as she answered. “I guess you could say that.”

“Well about time.” Anya replied and continued on with her story. “Anyway, I was there presented to the Powers, they told me that as I had chosen to fight against evil when I gave up my powers as a vengeance demon that I had shifted the balance of good and evil, you see for centuries the Powers had been losing the battle, there were not enough fighters for good and for a one time evil doer to become a good doer it helped shift the balance. But that’s not all you see there wasn’t just one of us that changed that balance, Spike was one also, you see he chose to fight for his soul for whatever the reason, and he also shifted the balance but there was one more.” She lifted her gaze to meet that of the dark slayer. “You see Faith you were the third one and with all of us together in the last fight it gave me the opportunity to live again.”

“Me? What did I do?” Faith asked shocked.

“Well you have been fighting for redemption after you turned to the side of evil, that turn in itself hadn’t altered the balance previously as it was not your real choice it was forced upon you with the situation so you were in like a limbo stases not belonging to either side, but when you chose to fight on the side of good it was a decision that was made by your soul and not by your head, you helped shift the balance again.”

Faith was stunned that she had been part of weighing the balance but then she was chosen to fight for good but got rather lost along the way only she knew that when she went to fight along side the Mayor that she had done it as she felt there was noting left for her. She felt Buffy as moved more into her and felt a strong arm wrap itself around her, she glanced down at the blond who had an understanding expression on her face, she smiled lightly as they listened to Anya.

“Well as there were three of us that helped tip the balance in goods favour, the Powers decided that we should all have a choice in what we wanted next, Faith as I can see has already made that choice, Spike, well he’s helping Angel he decided that..”

“Wo Spike, did you say Spike, he died he burnt, he, he” Buffy stammered she remembered how she had left him and then ran for her life.

“Yes I told you the Powers have given us all a choice, Faith, Spike and myself, Spike knew that he could never be with you Buffy he wanted you to remember him as a hero as a champion, he knew your heart belonged to someone else he just didn’t know who he wanted to give you the chance of finding that someone, and by the looks of it you have.” Anya stated lightly.

“Yeah I have.” Buffy answered honestly looking once again into the soulful eyes of her lover.

“So how did you come back?” Dawn asked while she was busily taking notes of the whole conversation for later review.

“Well, I had the choice to come back and fight, or I could continue on the ghost roads, you see I hadn’t earned enough, I suppose you could say goody points to go into heaven, but I was no longer required to serve eternity suffering for my indiscretions as a demon. The problem was if I wanted to come back and fight with you I had to prove that I was once again worthy, I had to prove that I would not take the temptation of evil again. I can not remember all the details but I suppose I won cause I’m here.” She smiled looking into Xander’s eyes.

“Yep you are.” He replied smiling.

“Anya that is amazing, but you must be exhausted why don’t we all take the rest of the day off to take all of this in, and I’m sure you will want to catch up with everything that’s been going on.” Giles offered to a very tired looking group.

“Yes Giles, I think that is a very good idea I think I could sleep for a while.” Anya replied smiling at her former boss.

“I’ll show you around later but for now I think you can sleep in my apartment.” Xander offered.

“Apartment, how big is this place?” Anya asked with wide e

“Oh pretty big.” Xander smiled.

With that they all dispersed from the library, Willow and Kennedy followed Xander and Anya up to the apartments while Buffy and Faith decided to go for a walk around the property, Giles and Dawn had decided to stay behind and try to catalogue the events.

Once in the apartment Xander escorted Anya into the bedroom, when she had laid on the bed he covered her with a blanket and began to retreat. “Xander please stay.” She asked in a small voice.

“Sure.” He replied slipping in behind her and wrapping his arm around her.

“Thanks, I just don’t want to be on my own.” She shared.

“It’s ok, you sleep I’m not going anywhere.” He replied. He lay still as he sensed her breathing become shallow and soon she was asleep, he lifted himself gently and looked down at her, he couldn’t believe she was there that he was holding her. He settled himself and soon he to drifted into a peaceful sleep.


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TBC

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Sorry its short, but there's good stuff coming i promise.......

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