What Games Do The Powers Play...
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BtVS Crossovers › Misc - Slash - Male/Male
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Category:
BtVS Crossovers › Misc - Slash - Male/Male
Rating:
Adult +
Chapters:
5
Views:
2,734
Reviews:
1
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
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WGDTPowers Play 5
The Dark Dance of Truth
"Slayers, you killed them?" Came the question from a dark corner of the cargo bay area. Xander sat up from the boxes of contraband chocolate he had been lying on. He watched as River floated in to the light, her light slightly oversized dress hanging off one shoulder.
"You, killed them?" she repeated her eyes taking on a blank look that Xander knew well. He wonders if his own looked like that during his own lost moments of sanity. He nodded at her question then she softly said, " Show me."
*******
Spike sat on the catwalk stairs watching his boy and the ship's Seer, now Slayer and hadn't that bit been a surprise. He always watched his boy around Slayers they were a danger to Xander in so many ways. They loved the boy and hated him, some at the same time. Spike heard the softly asked question and knew the boy would answer her. He wonder if she would like them better than when a young Slayer had asked Spike that question. Spike had told the girl what he knew, for he had been the Slayer of Slayers then...but not anymore, not for a long time. No, that title belonged to Xander now and he was more then deserving of it.
*********
Mal and Simon had come on to the catwalk from the cockpit of the ship. They had seen River approach Xander. Neither of the two trusted the crazy young man or his keeper much. But they did respect their talents. They also knew the truth when they heard it, so when they told of the old ways, the truth of the 'Verse, of demons, vampires and old magicks. Of super powered young girls, they had no choice but to believe for their words had the ring of truth to them.
"It...was that...thing on Isis, we ran into, Mal," Simon said softly. The knowledge of the supernatural world had not sat well with him, "She's been upset since she was injured."
"Yeah, getting stabbed by your own stake," they looked down at the sarcastic voice, at Spike where he was sitting lighting a cigarette, " does that to her kind. Thought with her being a Seer herself she would have understood my boy's cryptic warning and not went hunting."
Mal sighed as her heard River ask,
*********
"The warriors of light, you killed them. How?"
Xander smirked darkly, " We fought, I won, the end."
"That's not..."
"What you wanted to hear? I've killed dozens, upon dozens of your kind. Did you think you were special? Your not." He said with a sneer as he stood up.
"How?" repeated River in a hard voice her eyes growing cold as Xander began to circle her in a predatory manner.
*********
" I don't like this," said Mal as he watched Xander, "something feels off."
"Gal, asked a question, now she's going to learn the answer. Whether she likes said answer or not." Spike said looking over his shoulder at them, " You will not interfere on how she learns them."
"What?" asked Simon warily.
"Some things have to be learned the hard way." Spike murmured softly as her turned back to Xander and River.
*********
While Xander stood behind River he reached out for her suddenly and grabbed her by the back of the neck. She slammed her elbow into his stomach, he hissed in pain but didn't let go of her. Slowly he turned her so she faces him.
"Rule Number One: Don't Die. But you Slayers tended to forget that one so we'll move on to Rule Number Two: A Slayer must always reach for a weapon but you'll find..." Xander pulled River close to him. so close that she could feel him breathe on her face. She watched in horror as Xander's eyes began to glow a demonic green. She could feel the sharp claws of his hand at her neck and on her other arm where he held her.
"That doesn't always work..."
*********
"My god! What is he?" Whispered Simon shocked. Mal started to drawl his gun when Spike said, " You'll be dead before you can fire the first shot, besides he won't hurt her...much."
Mal and Simon exchanged a look; they didn't look too convinced at Spike's answer.
*********
"And I have mine right here..." Xander hissed between his fangs then shoved River away from him. Shaking his head quickly, the demonic face disappeared and then his looked human again.
"But I didn't always have them. I killed my first Slayer when I was human...well mostly anyway. Demons have nothing to fear but one young girl and unfortunately that 'one girl' is not you."
River blinked at that.
"You weren't chosen but activated." Xander said with a sad look in his eyes.
"Does it really matter? I still can..."
*********
"Like apples from oranges, pet." Spike whispered to himself but was heard by the other two men on the catwalk.
"What do you mean?" Asked Simon.
Spike sighed, " It she was a chosen she would be touched by the Powers That Be, she's not. And demons can tell the difference. She was activated by man and will suffer for it. Her life will be even shorter that a chosen one's. Because she won't have that touch of the divine. Which is bloody unfair if you ask me, the activated ones are almost always the better Slayers. Bloody Wankers That Be..." He muttered the last.
********
"Your wrong..." River whispered. Xander gave a harsh laugh, " If only...But let me tell you something...You, could kill a hundred demons, a thousand vampires, a thousand thousand of both and the minions of Hell will just keep coming. And all they would need is for one," Xander holds up one finger, " just one to have what they are all hoping for..."
"And what's that?" River asked, her sanity seemed a much clearer issue, nothing of that broken insane girl could be seen in her eyes at the moment but it was just for the moment. Xander dropped his hand then leaned close so he could whisper into her ear, " Just...one...good...day..." River reacted, shoving him away from her and he in turn glared at her almost hatefully. Xander knew he had to make his point but it wasn't going to be easy, he had to save her from joining the ranks of the fallen and Slayers only understood one thing...
********
"And that means what? One good day?" asked Mal confused, he understood something important was happening below them he just wasn't sure what, Spike shook his head in annoyance.
'Save me from idiots.' He thought.
"It means that sooner or later little River will came up against something she can't beat and that will be the end of her. Best she learns that now, with him."
Simon frowned, " We'll be there to stop that!"
" Yeah, Doc, you'll be there..." Spike trailed off sadly. Yes, those that loved River would be there, to watch her fall or to join her, " Let the boy teach her, she'll live longer for it...maybe, if she can accept the truth he shows her."
*********
"You know, what your problem is," Xander asked in a darkly purring tone of voice, " you think that just cause you can kill Reavers and a few demons your now immortal. Your not, take it from someone who knows."
"Can handle myself, don't need you to tell me..."River mutters.
"Really," he said in a silky tone her learned from a certain bleach blond vampire, " explain this..." as quick as a snake Xander punched River in the wound she had in her side from where she had been stabbed with her own stake. She doubles over in pain at the sudden blow; Xander's face is blank of all emotion.
"So, that it? Lesson over now..." Rivers gasps out.
"Not even," he said as he eyes her coldly, " get up, we're far from done. You don't get it yet."
********
" We have to stop this, I won't stand here and watch him hurt her!" Exclaimed Simon as Mal nodded in agreement.
Spike growled, " Then leave but your not get past me. As distasteful as this is, it must be done or do you want to see her die?"
"Why are you so sure she wiil die?" Mal asked boldly.
Spike gave him a look, which said Mal was a moron for asking that question, " Cause I've seen hundred of girl like her...Slayers die for one reason or another but mostly cause they seek it out..."
"Seek what out?" asked Simon. Spike looked over his shoulder at them in his true face, feral golden eyes glared evilly at the two men. Ridges graced his brow and fangs filled his mouth.
"Watch and learn the lesson, it's for you as much as it's for her." He hissed.
**********
River slowly straightens up but cringes slightly at the pain in her side and not at the cold look in Xander's eyes. It's dark, deadly, and knowing, oh so knowing it frights her more than her visions or Xander's own insanity. He then lashes out with a spin kick that she easily ducks then he tries to hit her but never lands a single blow. River then manages to grab Xander by the throat and shoves him up against a near by wall. Xander then grins darkly at her and laughs a yippy laugh that sends shiver up her back.
"What?" she asked confused.
"Rule Number Three: You have to ask the right questions. You want to know why I won..."
River nods releasing him and steps back from him,
"The question never was ' why did I win', because I was damn good at killing them. You wonder why I did I'm sure...the reasons don't matter, not now maybe they did then but not now...No, the question you want is 'why did they lose?'"
River stares at him blankly not understand this, Xander sighs in frustration then turns up to look at Spike on the stairs.
"I can't..." he mutters. Spike took a drawl off the cigarette then exhaled saying, " There's an old saying, pet, one you should remember,' When the student is ready the teacher shall appear'...do you think it was by chance we picked a ship with a Slayer on it. You know better that, that there is no such thing as chance. Teach her, Xander, she'll understand in the end."
" I wonder, " Xander said as he turned back to River who wore an angry look on her face.
River who was tired of this game and it had to be one, it was to confusing not to be, was boring her. She knew nothing could stop her she was powerful now unstoppable if she chose but she had to find out why that vampire on Isis was able to come so close too... " TELL ME!" she screamed, then attacked Xander with a fury of punches but this time she couldn't touch him.
"There was one, the only one Slayer whoever mattered to me...she was a beautiful, blond, blue eyed girl. She had been my hero," Xander said returning the blows and making every hit he landed count, " She was cunning and resourceful. No Slayer has ever been a match for her...but you...you come close, you fight like she did once."
@@@FLASH@@@
FIVE YEARS ATFER THE FALL OF THE HELLMOUTH.
ITALY.
A WAREHOUSE IN AN UNKNOWN LOCATION.
Xander in his demonic form was thrown through an old wooden wall; he lands hard but quickly rolls to his feet. Knowing she would follow, knowing she couldn't do anything but follow...
@@@@@@@@@
"She was my friend, I wanted to make that dance last forever..."
"Dance," River questions as she pants and tries to hit him again, "...You think this is a dance?"
"Dancing is all I've ever done," he said getting a far off look to his face. River used his distraction to slam into him.
******
Spike looks on the ensuing fight with cold golden eyes.
'Now is not the time, pet.' Spike thought.
As Xander fell against the long railing of the stairs, one came loose; Xander grabbed it and yanked it from the stairs.
@@@@@@
The young blond woman walked using the hole his body had made as a door. He stood up and growls at the woman's cold smirk. She then rushed him; he braced himself for the first hit that landed on his jaw. He shook his head to clear it from seeing the stars and light floating infront of his eyes. They then made a show of trading blows with each other, neither gaining nor losing any ground. Learning and relearning each other's moves. But soon he gained the advantage, he who had spent years watching then training Slayers to fight. And this one, well, her knew her moves almost better than she did. Not one word had been spoken between them. She did manage to back him up against an old glass window and backhanded him across the face. His head bounced on the glass breaking in the shattering sound echoed that of their friendship. He growled again in annoyance this time, that had hurt, showing a set of fangs that would impress any vampire. He then noticed the long metal rail leaning near the window he had broken, picking it up he spun it in his hands as a make shift staff,
@@@@@
Xander spins the metal rail in his hands, " The thing about the dance," River slowly backs away from him, " Is that you...you never get to stop." The rail came down on her arm and she yelled in pain.
@@@@@
The Slayer pulled a sliver dagger from behind her back, he spun the rail hitting her in the arm, the dagger was dropped and slid across the floor, she then yelled in pain.
@@@@@
"On and on, you will fight. Everyday, you will greet the dawn with the same question..."
He blinked, he knew theses words had heard them before, spoke them be for and wondered who he was speaking to River or one of the ghosts of the past that haunted him.
@@@@@
He strikes a blow suddenly to her left leg; she almost lost her balance and staggers back from him.
@@@@@
The ghost seems to follow him across space and time as his moves echo a long ago but never forgotten battle. He strikes her leg and hears her cry.
"...Is this the day I die?"
@@@@@
He brings the rail up and tries to hit her across the face but she catches it, they struggle for control of it. They slam into walls and pillars then he kicks her in the side knocking her away.
@@@@@
River falls against a wall, tiring to catch her breath at the blow.
"It will catch you in it's grip, you won't be able to help yourself..." he watched and idly spun the rail in his hands.
"Death will follow on your heels. You are the Bringer of Death to many, yet it stalks you in return and sooner or later..."
Enraged the River comes at him swinging but he caught her across the stomach knocking the breath from her.
@@@@@
He was spinning the rail was he watched her catch her breath. Waiting for her next move, he didn't wait long, she lunges as him, and he spins around and away but hit her on the back with the rail.
@@@@@
" You find that, you want it, more addicting than any drug. If only to stop the fear and uncertainty, cause deep down...you love it...as much as you fear it."
River suddenly backhands him across the face causing him to stumble back from her.
@@@@@
He stumbles back from her then grins a deadly smile at her and attacks again with the rail.
@@@@@
"Death is your art, you'll make it every night. Each kill will became more beautiful than the last..."
@@@@@
He hits her with the rail hard enough to knock her down. She rolls over on her back to keep him in sight.
@@@@@
River stared up at him with wide eyes.
"...That final breath, that look of peace. All Slayers want to know. You'll be no different from them..."
@@@@@
The blond kipped up to her feet; before she could gain her balance he knocked her in the stomach with the rail.
@@@@@
" In the end, it won't be the punch you didn't throw or the weapon you didn't pick up. Every single one of you...Every Slayer has...a...death...wish." He growled out then hit the downed River on the stomach, she moaned in pain.
@@@@@
She looked at him with true fear in her in her blue eyes. As if she finally figured out that he wasn't playing, that they weren't just sparring, that this time it was real. That he was going to end it for her the way he had for her sister Slayers. She smiled softly.
@@@@@
"I'll be there...when you fall," he whispered dispassionately, " When you fail...and finally succumb to the darkness..."
@@@@@
He stared at the downed Slayer as she panted for breath, her eyes looking widely up at him. He spun the rail before he slammed it down. He heard the crunching sound as her chest bone broke...
@@@@@
"I guess...I'll have myself..."
@@@@@
...Could almost feel the skin and muscles tear. Almost saw the instant when the metal rail ripped apart the Slayers heart. He watched with dead eyes as the Slayer died with a shocked look in hers...so, she thought he wouldn't be able to do it...knowing this would be her death, her dance was over now.
@@@@@
"...A...really...good...day..."
Xander looked down at the unconscious River, the metal rail buried into the floor of the ship between her arm and torso.
"Lesson over." he whispered before sinking to his knees down next to her. Slowly he reached out a hand and began to stroke her dark hair and watched her shallow breaths. As if to convince himself that she still lived.
Spike stubbed out the cigarette then walked down the stairs. With out looking he knew the other two men would follow. They had watched the lesson Xander had dealt the girl but he wondered if the really understood what he had tried to teach her. He doubts it. He walked up to Xander and sighed as he ran a hand through the boy's dark hair.
"Poor pet." Spike said softly as he felt Xander begin to shake under his hand.
"Why?" the question was his out by Simon as he knelt down to check on River.
"There is no why, it is what it is. Just be grateful, she still lives, the others that went up against my boy didn't," Spike said still petting Xander's hair, " He showed her and you that in the end she is still only human. That she can and will be beat, she started to chase death, seek out the hunt, if she keeps chasing...Well, there's only one way that will end. It's up to you, her brother, and you," Spike said glancing at Mal, " to protect her, save her from the darkness."
"How?"
"Show her how to live. That's she's just a girl for all her power and a young one at that. She needs to be love and protected."
"Protected?" Echoed Mal, " She can bench press a grown man..."
Spike snorted, " So, what? She's going to have problems more so cause she's not in her right mind. Love the girl, protect the girl and the rest will fall into place."
"Will it?" muttered Simon picking River up, ignoring Xander who seemed lost in his own mind if the glazed look in his mind mean anything, then walking to the Infirmary.
Spike sighed as he was Mal follow Simon, he froze when he heard the whispered word from Xander, then cursed as Xander began to repeat the whisper over and over.
"Buffy"
@@@@@
He sank down onto his knees by the dead blond Slayer, he slowly reached out and stroked her hair, staring at her unmoving chest as if to convince himself she was really dead.
"Buffy?" he whispered.
But there was no answer. It was in that moment, that he felt himself slip away. All that Xander Harris was or had ever been was gone now and someone new was in his place.
He understood now in that moment, what the darkness that the Slayer fought was, what their death wish was...and he well, he would give them that. There was no hope, no love, no peace for him now. Now he truly was what he had fought against for so many years, now he truly was a demon.
The Dark Dance of Truth
"Slayers, you killed them?" Came the question from a dark corner of the cargo bay area. Xander sat up from the boxes of contraband chocolate he had been lying on. He watched as River floated in to the light, her light slightly oversized dress hanging off one shoulder.
"You, killed them?" she repeated her eyes taking on a blank look that Xander knew well. He wonders if his own looked like that during his own lost moments of sanity. He nodded at her question then she softly said, " Show me."
*******
Spike sat on the catwalk stairs watching his boy and the ship's Seer, now Slayer and hadn't that bit been a surprise. He always watched his boy around Slayers they were a danger to Xander in so many ways. They loved the boy and hated him, some at the same time. Spike heard the softly asked question and knew the boy would answer her. He wonder if she would like them better than when a young Slayer had asked Spike that question. Spike had told the girl what he knew, for he had been the Slayer of Slayers then...but not anymore, not for a long time. No, that title belonged to Xander now and he was more then deserving of it.
*********
Mal and Simon had come on to the catwalk from the cockpit of the ship. They had seen River approach Xander. Neither of the two trusted the crazy young man or his keeper much. But they did respect their talents. They also knew the truth when they heard it, so when they told of the old ways, the truth of the 'Verse, of demons, vampires and old magicks. Of super powered young girls, they had no choice but to believe for their words had the ring of truth to them.
"It...was that...thing on Isis, we ran into, Mal," Simon said softly. The knowledge of the supernatural world had not sat well with him, "She's been upset since she was injured."
"Yeah, getting stabbed by your own stake," they looked down at the sarcastic voice, at Spike where he was sitting lighting a cigarette, " does that to her kind. Thought with her being a Seer herself she would have understood my boy's cryptic warning and not went hunting."
Mal sighed as her heard River ask,
*********
"The warriors of light, you killed them. How?"
Xander smirked darkly, " We fought, I won, the end."
"That's not..."
"What you wanted to hear? I've killed dozens, upon dozens of your kind. Did you think you were special? Your not." He said with a sneer as he stood up.
"How?" repeated River in a hard voice her eyes growing cold as Xander began to circle her in a predatory manner.
*********
" I don't like this," said Mal as he watched Xander, "something feels off."
"Gal, asked a question, now she's going to learn the answer. Whether she likes said answer or not." Spike said looking over his shoulder at them, " You will not interfere on how she learns them."
"What?" asked Simon warily.
"Some things have to be learned the hard way." Spike murmured softly as her turned back to Xander and River.
*********
While Xander stood behind River he reached out for her suddenly and grabbed her by the back of the neck. She slammed her elbow into his stomach, he hissed in pain but didn't let go of her. Slowly he turned her so she faces him.
"Rule Number One: Don't Die. But you Slayers tended to forget that one so we'll move on to Rule Number Two: A Slayer must always reach for a weapon but you'll find..." Xander pulled River close to him. so close that she could feel him breathe on her face. She watched in horror as Xander's eyes began to glow a demonic green. She could feel the sharp claws of his hand at her neck and on her other arm where he held her.
"That doesn't always work..."
*********
"My god! What is he?" Whispered Simon shocked. Mal started to drawl his gun when Spike said, " You'll be dead before you can fire the first shot, besides he won't hurt her...much."
Mal and Simon exchanged a look; they didn't look too convinced at Spike's answer.
*********
"And I have mine right here..." Xander hissed between his fangs then shoved River away from him. Shaking his head quickly, the demonic face disappeared and then his looked human again.
"But I didn't always have them. I killed my first Slayer when I was human...well mostly anyway. Demons have nothing to fear but one young girl and unfortunately that 'one girl' is not you."
River blinked at that.
"You weren't chosen but activated." Xander said with a sad look in his eyes.
"Does it really matter? I still can..."
*********
"Like apples from oranges, pet." Spike whispered to himself but was heard by the other two men on the catwalk.
"What do you mean?" Asked Simon.
Spike sighed, " It she was a chosen she would be touched by the Powers That Be, she's not. And demons can tell the difference. She was activated by man and will suffer for it. Her life will be even shorter that a chosen one's. Because she won't have that touch of the divine. Which is bloody unfair if you ask me, the activated ones are almost always the better Slayers. Bloody Wankers That Be..." He muttered the last.
********
"Your wrong..." River whispered. Xander gave a harsh laugh, " If only...But let me tell you something...You, could kill a hundred demons, a thousand vampires, a thousand thousand of both and the minions of Hell will just keep coming. And all they would need is for one," Xander holds up one finger, " just one to have what they are all hoping for..."
"And what's that?" River asked, her sanity seemed a much clearer issue, nothing of that broken insane girl could be seen in her eyes at the moment but it was just for the moment. Xander dropped his hand then leaned close so he could whisper into her ear, " Just...one...good...day..." River reacted, shoving him away from her and he in turn glared at her almost hatefully. Xander knew he had to make his point but it wasn't going to be easy, he had to save her from joining the ranks of the fallen and Slayers only understood one thing...
********
"And that means what? One good day?" asked Mal confused, he understood something important was happening below them he just wasn't sure what, Spike shook his head in annoyance.
'Save me from idiots.' He thought.
"It means that sooner or later little River will came up against something she can't beat and that will be the end of her. Best she learns that now, with him."
Simon frowned, " We'll be there to stop that!"
" Yeah, Doc, you'll be there..." Spike trailed off sadly. Yes, those that loved River would be there, to watch her fall or to join her, " Let the boy teach her, she'll live longer for it...maybe, if she can accept the truth he shows her."
*********
"You know, what your problem is," Xander asked in a darkly purring tone of voice, " you think that just cause you can kill Reavers and a few demons your now immortal. Your not, take it from someone who knows."
"Can handle myself, don't need you to tell me..."River mutters.
"Really," he said in a silky tone her learned from a certain bleach blond vampire, " explain this..." as quick as a snake Xander punched River in the wound she had in her side from where she had been stabbed with her own stake. She doubles over in pain at the sudden blow; Xander's face is blank of all emotion.
"So, that it? Lesson over now..." Rivers gasps out.
"Not even," he said as he eyes her coldly, " get up, we're far from done. You don't get it yet."
********
" We have to stop this, I won't stand here and watch him hurt her!" Exclaimed Simon as Mal nodded in agreement.
Spike growled, " Then leave but your not get past me. As distasteful as this is, it must be done or do you want to see her die?"
"Why are you so sure she wiil die?" Mal asked boldly.
Spike gave him a look, which said Mal was a moron for asking that question, " Cause I've seen hundred of girl like her...Slayers die for one reason or another but mostly cause they seek it out..."
"Seek what out?" asked Simon. Spike looked over his shoulder at them in his true face, feral golden eyes glared evilly at the two men. Ridges graced his brow and fangs filled his mouth.
"Watch and learn the lesson, it's for you as much as it's for her." He hissed.
**********
River slowly straightens up but cringes slightly at the pain in her side and not at the cold look in Xander's eyes. It's dark, deadly, and knowing, oh so knowing it frights her more than her visions or Xander's own insanity. He then lashes out with a spin kick that she easily ducks then he tries to hit her but never lands a single blow. River then manages to grab Xander by the throat and shoves him up against a near by wall. Xander then grins darkly at her and laughs a yippy laugh that sends shiver up her back.
"What?" she asked confused.
"Rule Number Three: You have to ask the right questions. You want to know why I won..."
River nods releasing him and steps back from him,
"The question never was ' why did I win', because I was damn good at killing them. You wonder why I did I'm sure...the reasons don't matter, not now maybe they did then but not now...No, the question you want is 'why did they lose?'"
River stares at him blankly not understand this, Xander sighs in frustration then turns up to look at Spike on the stairs.
"I can't..." he mutters. Spike took a drawl off the cigarette then exhaled saying, " There's an old saying, pet, one you should remember,' When the student is ready the teacher shall appear'...do you think it was by chance we picked a ship with a Slayer on it. You know better that, that there is no such thing as chance. Teach her, Xander, she'll understand in the end."
" I wonder, " Xander said as he turned back to River who wore an angry look on her face.
River who was tired of this game and it had to be one, it was to confusing not to be, was boring her. She knew nothing could stop her she was powerful now unstoppable if she chose but she had to find out why that vampire on Isis was able to come so close too... " TELL ME!" she screamed, then attacked Xander with a fury of punches but this time she couldn't touch him.
"There was one, the only one Slayer whoever mattered to me...she was a beautiful, blond, blue eyed girl. She had been my hero," Xander said returning the blows and making every hit he landed count, " She was cunning and resourceful. No Slayer has ever been a match for her...but you...you come close, you fight like she did once."
@@@FLASH@@@
FIVE YEARS ATFER THE FALL OF THE HELLMOUTH.
ITALY.
A WAREHOUSE IN AN UNKNOWN LOCATION.
Xander in his demonic form was thrown through an old wooden wall; he lands hard but quickly rolls to his feet. Knowing she would follow, knowing she couldn't do anything but follow...
@@@@@@@@@
"She was my friend, I wanted to make that dance last forever..."
"Dance," River questions as she pants and tries to hit him again, "...You think this is a dance?"
"Dancing is all I've ever done," he said getting a far off look to his face. River used his distraction to slam into him.
******
Spike looks on the ensuing fight with cold golden eyes.
'Now is not the time, pet.' Spike thought.
As Xander fell against the long railing of the stairs, one came loose; Xander grabbed it and yanked it from the stairs.
@@@@@@
The young blond woman walked using the hole his body had made as a door. He stood up and growls at the woman's cold smirk. She then rushed him; he braced himself for the first hit that landed on his jaw. He shook his head to clear it from seeing the stars and light floating infront of his eyes. They then made a show of trading blows with each other, neither gaining nor losing any ground. Learning and relearning each other's moves. But soon he gained the advantage, he who had spent years watching then training Slayers to fight. And this one, well, her knew her moves almost better than she did. Not one word had been spoken between them. She did manage to back him up against an old glass window and backhanded him across the face. His head bounced on the glass breaking in the shattering sound echoed that of their friendship. He growled again in annoyance this time, that had hurt, showing a set of fangs that would impress any vampire. He then noticed the long metal rail leaning near the window he had broken, picking it up he spun it in his hands as a make shift staff,
@@@@@
Xander spins the metal rail in his hands, " The thing about the dance," River slowly backs away from him, " Is that you...you never get to stop." The rail came down on her arm and she yelled in pain.
@@@@@
The Slayer pulled a sliver dagger from behind her back, he spun the rail hitting her in the arm, the dagger was dropped and slid across the floor, she then yelled in pain.
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"On and on, you will fight. Everyday, you will greet the dawn with the same question..."
He blinked, he knew theses words had heard them before, spoke them be for and wondered who he was speaking to River or one of the ghosts of the past that haunted him.
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He strikes a blow suddenly to her left leg; she almost lost her balance and staggers back from him.
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The ghost seems to follow him across space and time as his moves echo a long ago but never forgotten battle. He strikes her leg and hears her cry.
"...Is this the day I die?"
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He brings the rail up and tries to hit her across the face but she catches it, they struggle for control of it. They slam into walls and pillars then he kicks her in the side knocking her away.
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River falls against a wall, tiring to catch her breath at the blow.
"It will catch you in it's grip, you won't be able to help yourself..." he watched and idly spun the rail in his hands.
"Death will follow on your heels. You are the Bringer of Death to many, yet it stalks you in return and sooner or later..."
Enraged the River comes at him swinging but he caught her across the stomach knocking the breath from her.
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He was spinning the rail was he watched her catch her breath. Waiting for her next move, he didn't wait long, she lunges as him, and he spins around and away but hit her on the back with the rail.
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" You find that, you want it, more addicting than any drug. If only to stop the fear and uncertainty, cause deep down...you love it...as much as you fear it."
River suddenly backhands him across the face causing him to stumble back from her.
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He stumbles back from her then grins a deadly smile at her and attacks again with the rail.
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"Death is your art, you'll make it every night. Each kill will became more beautiful than the last..."
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He hits her with the rail hard enough to knock her down. She rolls over on her back to keep him in sight.
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River stared up at him with wide eyes.
"...That final breath, that look of peace. All Slayers want to know. You'll be no different from them..."
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The blond kipped up to her feet; before she could gain her balance he knocked her in the stomach with the rail.
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" In the end, it won't be the punch you didn't throw or the weapon you didn't pick up. Every single one of you...Every Slayer has...a...death...wish." He growled out then hit the downed River on the stomach, she moaned in pain.
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She looked at him with true fear in her in her blue eyes. As if she finally figured out that he wasn't playing, that they weren't just sparring, that this time it was real. That he was going to end it for her the way he had for her sister Slayers. She smiled softly.
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"I'll be there...when you fall," he whispered dispassionately, " When you fail...and finally succumb to the darkness..."
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He stared at the downed Slayer as she panted for breath, her eyes looking widely up at him. He spun the rail before he slammed it down. He heard the crunching sound as her chest bone broke...
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"I guess...I'll have myself..."
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...Could almost feel the skin and muscles tear. Almost saw the instant when the metal rail ripped apart the Slayers heart. He watched with dead eyes as the Slayer died with a shocked look in hers...so, she thought he wouldn't be able to do it...knowing this would be her death, her dance was over now.
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"...A...really...good...day..."
Xander looked down at the unconscious River, the metal rail buried into the floor of the ship between her arm and torso.
"Lesson over." he whispered before sinking to his knees down next to her. Slowly he reached out a hand and began to stroke her dark hair and watched her shallow breaths. As if to convince himself that she still lived.
Spike stubbed out the cigarette then walked down the stairs. With out looking he knew the other two men would follow. They had watched the lesson Xander had dealt the girl but he wondered if the really understood what he had tried to teach her. He doubts it. He walked up to Xander and sighed as he ran a hand through the boy's dark hair.
"Poor pet." Spike said softly as he felt Xander begin to shake under his hand.
"Why?" the question was his out by Simon as he knelt down to check on River.
"There is no why, it is what it is. Just be grateful, she still lives, the others that went up against my boy didn't," Spike said still petting Xander's hair, " He showed her and you that in the end she is still only human. That she can and will be beat, she started to chase death, seek out the hunt, if she keeps chasing...Well, there's only one way that will end. It's up to you, her brother, and you," Spike said glancing at Mal, " to protect her, save her from the darkness."
"How?"
"Show her how to live. That's she's just a girl for all her power and a young one at that. She needs to be love and protected."
"Protected?" Echoed Mal, " She can bench press a grown man..."
Spike snorted, " So, what? She's going to have problems more so cause she's not in her right mind. Love the girl, protect the girl and the rest will fall into place."
"Will it?" muttered Simon picking River up, ignoring Xander who seemed lost in his own mind if the glazed look in his mind mean anything, then walking to the Infirmary.
Spike sighed as he was Mal follow Simon, he froze when he heard the whispered word from Xander, then cursed as Xander began to repeat the whisper over and over.
"Buffy"
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He sank down onto his knees by the dead blond Slayer, he slowly reached out and stroked her hair, staring at her unmoving chest as if to convince himself she was really dead.
"Buffy?" he whispered.
But there was no answer. It was in that moment, that he felt himself slip away. All that Xander Harris was or had ever been was gone now and someone new was in his place.
He understood now in that moment, what the darkness that the Slayer fought was, what their death wish was...and he well, he would give them that. There was no hope, no love, no peace for him now. Now he truly was what he had fought against for so many years, now he truly was a demon.