From: owner-buffyfic@lists.xmission.com (Buffyfic-digest) To: buffyfic-digest@lists.xmission.com Subject: Buffyfic-digest V2 #51 Reply-To: buffyfic@xmission.com Sender: owner-buffyfic@lists.xmission.com Errors-To: owner-buffyfic@lists.xmission.com Precedence: bulk Buffyfic-digest Saturday, March 7 1998 Volume 02 : Number 051 In this issue: BUFFYFIC: Hope (23/?) BUFFYFIC: Hope (24/?) BUFFYFIC: Hope (25/?) BUFFYFIC: Inner Demons (13/15) BUFFYFIC: Inner Demons (14/15) BUFFYFIC: Inner Demons (15/15) BUFFYFIC: A mistake with "Hope" BUFFYFIC: A First Step 1/1 by Dawn Murrell BUFFYFIC: Hope (26/?) BUFFYFIC: Hope (27/?) See the end of the digest for information on subscribing to the buffyfic or buffyfic-digest mailing lists and on how to retrieve back issues. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 05 Mar 1998 23:55:26 PST From: "Sara Barton" Subject: BUFFYFIC: Hope (23/?) Author: Sara B. Sara114@hotmail.com Rating: Varies...will be posted at beginning of each part. Disclaimer: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, its characters, yada yada yada belong to Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, Sandollar, WB, and Fox.... I'm just borrowing them, (although I wish Angel was mine!) Everything else belongs to me! Author's note: This is your usual generic story. Angel is still good, so basically in my story surprise/innocence didn't happen. Willow and Oz are together, and Xander and Cordy are still hiding their secret utility closet rondevu's. This is going to be a long story, and will take some time so be patient with me. I'm not very good at story telling, so if this totally sucks and isn't read-worthy, just let me know.Oh yeah, and I want feedback, feedback, and more feedback. I don't care if it's good or bad, just tell me what you thought of it. Part 23 “Have you guys found something out about Hope?” The Slayer asked. “Yes, we have. Hope,” Giles turned to face the girl, “I want you to listen to this.” he read from the book. “There is only one slayer in each generation. She is the chosen one who has the skill and ability to fight and destroy the demons that walk the earth. However, if her power is not strong enough, she may obtain guidance or help. A slayer from the past may reach out to her by bestowing her power on to a girl of the age of 16. It is customary that she be of blood relation. The source of the power may come in a special origin, presumably in an item that was greatly significant to the slayer.” “So does this mean that Mira has given Hope her slaying abilities?” Buffy asked. “Yes, that is exactly what it means. There could be no other explination for everything that has happened in the last two days. Hope was sent here to fight along side you.” Hope was shocked. “I...I don’t think so. I can’t fight with Buffy.” Everyone was bewildered at her confession. “Why not?” Cordelia asked. “Because I just can’t. I don't know the first thing about fighting.” “But your wrong. I saw you fight, Hope. You may not think that you do, but deep down inside, you have every instinct, every skill, every ability that I do. You may not fight as well as I can because you haven’t ever trained, but you can still fight with me.” Buffy stood up and felt a moment of dizziness. She almsot fell over, but Jenny caught her. “Buffy, sit down and rest.” Giles ordered. “I’m fine, I’m fine.” Buffy assured her watcher. “Come with me into the back yard.” They all followed her. She walked into the middle of the grass. “Come here, Hope.” Hope walked over to where she was standing. Before she knew it, Buffy punched her. Hope stumbled back, but didn’t seem too affected. “What the hell was that for!” Hope yelled, angrily. Buffy didn’t answer her, she just went after Hope. She did a roundhouse kick, but Hope ducked just in time. Buffy grabbed her arm and twisted it behind her back. Hope felt a surge of power and flipped Buffy over her head. She quickly rose to her feet, and pushed Hope into a tree. Hope freed herself of Buffy’s grasp, and kicked her legs out from underneath her and Buffy fell to the ground with a thud. She scrambled back up, and Hope punched her. Buffy stumbled back, and tried to kick Hope in the stomach, but Hope grabbed her leg and pulled the Slayer forward and went to punch her again, but Buffy blocked it and grabbed Hope and threw her over her head. Hope landed on the ground with a thud and groaned. Buffy walked over and helped Hope up. “See. You can fight.” She said. Hope smiled. “I think I’m ready to kick some vamp ass.” The two girls laughed and turned to face the five shocked faces. “Well, what are we waiting for? Let’s get a move on! We only have a few hours until sunset.” “Well, first we need a plan.” Buffy said. She put her arm around Hope. “So, are you in? Will you fight with me?” Hope thought for a moment. “You bet!” she said. The group went back into the house. “Now Buffy, where is the house?” asked Giles. “About 15 minutes outside of Sunnydale.” “Well, we need to figure something out very soon. We could get there before the sunsets, or after. Which do you think would be better?” “I think we should wait until sunset.” “Good idea. That way we can get Angel out of the house.” The six friends came up with a plan. Then, they waited for what seemed like an eternity. ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com - - ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 05 Mar 1998 23:57:27 PST From: "Sara Barton" Subject: BUFFYFIC: Hope (24/?) Author: Sara B. Sara114@hotmail.com Rating: Varies...will be posted at beginning of each part. Disclaimer: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, its characters, yada yada yada belong to Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, Sandollar, WB, and Fox.... I'm just borrowing them, (although I wish Angel was mine!) Everything else belongs to me! Author's note: This is your usual generic story. Angel is still good, so basically in my story surprise/innocence didn't happen. Willow and Oz are together, and Xander and Cordy are still hiding their secret utility closet rondevu's. This is going to be a long story, and will take some time so be patient with me. I'm not very good at story telling, so if this totally sucks and isn't read-worthy, just let me know.Oh yeah, and I want feedback, feedback, and more feedback. I don't care if it's good or bad, just tell me what you thought of it. PART 24 PG Angel sat alone in the living room. Spike and Dru were off in the other room doing god only knows what, and vampires were roaming about. Angel didn’t feel right. He felt like he couldn’t remember anything. He knew that Spike and Dru weren’t telling him everything, but he didn’t know what they could be hiding from him. And for some odd reason, he almost felt *bad* for feeding off that girl. He couldn’t understand that. Last time he fed off someone......wait. When was the last time? he said to himself. Angel felt frustrated. He didn’t know what was going on. He felt like something vitally important was missing from his memory. He thought about what Dru had asked him. “Do you remember Buffy?” and when he didn’t, she was strangely happy. His head still ached from getting hit, and all of this thinking was making it hurt more. Something popped into his head. He chuckled to himself. He sighed. He didn’t even know where they were. He knew that they were near the Hellmouth. He could feel it. he thought. The vampire looked at the clock. 4:00. Three hours till sundown. He couldn’t wait...he hated being cooped up in the house. That is another thing that was bothering him. He felt sort of--human like. He almost felt as if he *was* human, or that he had tried to be. he thought. He laid down on the only piece of furniture in the room besides a dirty old yellow chair--the dirty old brown sofa. He decided to kill off the time by sleeping. was his last thought as he drifted off into a deep slumber. ********** Spike and Drusilla sat in one of the bedrooms alone. “Oh Spike, I’m so happy. Angelus is back with us.” Drusilla crooned. “As long as his amnesia holds up till sundown, we are home free. I still can’t believe that he has forgotten everything.” “He doesn’t even remember Buffy.” Spiked laughed. “And that is the best part of it all. I can’t wait to see the look on her pretty little face when she sees him as the Master. It is going to be classic. You know, we should get a camera and take her picture. It will definitely be a Kodak moment.” “Spike, do you like her?” “Like who?” “The Slayer.” He thought about her question. “Of course not, luv. She is a pest. Once Angelus kills her, we can get on with our lives. We can rule the world.” “Your lying to me.” She said, and turned her head. “I can feel that you like her.” “No, I am not lying to you.” he tried to reassure her. “You need your rest. Do you want to take a nap?” She yawned. “No, I want to stay awake.” “Just lie down and close those pretty eyes. I will wake you up before sundown.” She did as he said. “Have a nice sleep, luv.” He stood up and left the room, quietly shutting the door behind him. ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com - - ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 06 Mar 1998 00:03:19 PST From: "Sara Barton" Subject: BUFFYFIC: Hope (25/?) Author: Sara B. Sara114@hotmail.com Rating: Varies...will be posted at beginning of each part. Disclaimer: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, its characters, yada yada yada belong to Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, Sandollar, WB, and Fox.... I'm just borrowing them, (although I wish Angel was mine!) Everything else belongs to me! Author's note: This is your usual generic story. Angel is still good, so basically in my story surprise/innocence didn't happen. Willow and Oz are together, and Xander and Cordy are still hiding their secret utility closet rondevu's. This is going to be a long story, and will take some time so be patient with me. I'm not very good at story telling, so if this totally sucks and isn't read-worthy, just let me know.Oh yeah, and I want feedback, feedback, and more feedback. I don't care if it's good or bad, just tell me what you thought of it. Part 25 It seemed like an eternity till sunset came. Buffy was racked with nerves. She was so scared that something would happen to Angel. Hope was on nerves end too. She was afraid that she would mess their plan up somehow. she thought over and over again. About twenty minutes before 7:15, Willow, Hope, Buffy, and Jenny pilled up into Giles’ car. Xander and Cordelia got into her car, and the seven of them headed with little confidence for that house. Hope didn’t realize it, but her hands and legs were shaking. Buffy, who was wedged between her and Willow in the back seat, noticed her friend’s tenseness. “It’s going to be okay, Hope. Don’t worry. We’ll get through this.” She whispered. Hope just nodded her head ‘yes’. Buffy knew that her friend wasn’t reassured, and to be honest, she wasn’t to confident herself. she said to herself. Willow stared out the window thinking of Oz. she thought. She pictured him smiling, and laughing and playing in his band. She felt herself blush when she imagined kissing him. She smiled, then frowned. Xander. He was her first huge crush. She was in love with him for as long as she could remember. She thought back to when she saw him and Cordelia together...and not just having a nice chit-chat, but really *together*. She had seen them kissing through the open space in the bookshelf. They never noticed her there, and she still hadn’t told him what she saw. She hadn’t told anybody, not even Buffy. But despite her wonderful relationship with him, there would always be a part of her who loved Xander, even thought she knew that they would never be together. In the front seat Giles tried to stay calm. He wasn’t optimistic that their plan would work. But he knew they had to try. If they didn’t, they would surely die. He thought back to when he first found out that he would be a watcher. He was so angry. He had rebelled against his family. Then he met Ethan. Giles shuddered. He hated Ethan, not because of their past, but because he was still evil. Giles had wanted to kill him when he had painted the mark of Eyghon on her. She could have died. He thought about when he first met Buffy. He knew at the instant that he saw her that she was the Slayer. He hoped that he was a good Watcher to her. He prayed that he had prepared her and trained her enough. Tonight could be the moment of truth. In the passenger seat, Jenny forced herself to stay relaxed. She was afraid that she might mess up, not in their plan, but that she might reveal her secret. Her nervousness grew and she felt her hands tremble. She looked at Giles. Forty feet behind Giles old, beat up car, Cordelia and Xander sat in silence. Cordelia thought. She looked at Xander who seemed tense. A frown formed on her face. She smiled. She shook her head. Xander looked at her confused. “Something wrong?” He asked. “Uh, no. Nothing wrong.” She said quickly. “Oh, okay.” He murmured. He rubbed his forehead and sighed. “Something wrong with you?” She asked. He shook his head. “Gee, no. What could be wrong?” “What’s that supposed to mean?” “You honestly don’t know?” “If I knew why would I ask?” she replied. “That is what I’m talking about.” He said exasperatly. “Why are you mysterioso guy all of a sudden?” “Me? Your are the one who never tells me what you want.” “What do you mean?” She was getting annoyed. “Nevermind.” “Fine then!” “Fine!” ***** “There is the house,” Buffy said, “Drive past it and park behind the trees so we won’t be spotted.” He did as she said. When he saw Cordelia’s car he flashed his lights. She parked her car in front of his. Everyone got out of the cars and huddled in a group. “We all have to be very careful. There are vampires lurking about, and could attack us at any minute.” Buffy said. “Does everyone have their weapons on hand?” They all murmured ‘yes’. Each person was armed with stakes strapped to their bodies. Two on each arm, four each leg, one on their stomach and one on the small of their backs. “Now don’t’ forget you have them. If you face a vampire, don’t panic. Just remember what I have taught you.” Giles said. For that past five months, he had involved Willow, Xander, and Cordelia in self defense. He trained them like he trained Buffy. Giles wanted them to be able to take care of themselves if Buffy wasn’t around. Even thought they weren’t as strong as her, or as a vampire, they were trained enough so that if something happened, they would have a good chance of escaping. “All right then. Let’s roll.” Buffy said. ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com - - ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 06 Mar 1998 10:33:50 PST From: "Black Fire" Subject: BUFFYFIC: Inner Demons (13/15) Title:Inner Demons Author: Black Fire Email address: Blackfire42@hotmail.com FEEDBACK: If you wish Rating: PG Spoilers: I've changed this. This story takes place after BBB. Disclaimers: Buffy: The Vampire Slayer and all characters therein belong to Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy and The WB. Jäzen (pronounced Jay-sten or Jay-zen) is my own creation. Author's note: This idea came to me long when Buffy first began. Needless to say, I was very angry at Joss when the Angel episode aired and my idea for a good vampire went down the tubes. But I got over that and since then the idea has... evolved. Summary so far: This is it. The battle you have all been waiting for is about to begin. Who will win? INNER DEMONS Part 13 It was about this time that Buffy decided that moving would be a good idea. As Angelus charged Jäzen, she jumped out of his path. Jäzen did the same, moving in the opposite direction, he evaded his attacker. Angelus came back for a second attempt. This time, Jäzen stopped him with a fist in the face that sent the other vampire to the ground. Angelus looked up, clearly angered by the blow. Jäzen just stood there calmly waiting for the next attack. "What are you waiting for?" Angelus asked as he got to his feet. "For you to realise that this is a mistake," was Jäzen's answer. "Heh," was all the reply Angelus would give. That and a punch to the midsection. Jäzen took the hit and returned it with one of his own. They continued beating each other for several minutes until Angelus was grabbed by the throat and slammed into a wall. "I know he's in there," Jäzen half whispered, half growled as he pinned his opponent. "Who?" Angelus answered in the same tone. "Your better half," was the reply. "He's in there. Trapped, trying to get out." "As I told *her*," Angelus started as turned the tables and forced Jäzen into another wall, "he's dead. Dead and gone, so why don't you give up on it?" "You're lying," Jäzen growled as he freed himself. "You know it and I know it." "Am I?" Angelus made another pass at his elder. "And you would know about such things." "More than you would think," Jäzen answered as he used Angelus' momentum to place him in a choke hold. "Come on, Angel. Fight back. Retake control of this body before it does something stupid." Angelus found a way to send his elbow back to connect with Jäzen's ribs. The hit forced Jäzen to release his hold on him and stagger back. "I told you, Angel is dead. There's only me now." "I don't believe that anymore than you do," Jäzen spat. "Believe it," Angelus countered. "Then why are you hesitating?" "I'll show you hesitating." * * * * * The Black Fire Blackfire42@hotmail.com ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com - - ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 06 Mar 1998 10:35:49 PST From: "Black Fire" Subject: BUFFYFIC: Inner Demons (14/15) Title:Inner Demons Author: Black Fire Email address: Blackfire42@hotmail.com FEEDBACK: If you wish Rating: PG Spoilers: I've changed this. This story takes place after BBB. Disclaimers: Buffy: The Vampire Slayer and all characters therein belong to Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy and The WB. Jäzen (pronounced Jay-sten or Jay-zen) is my own creation. Author's note: This idea came to me long when Buffy first began. Needless to say, I was very angry at Joss when the Angel episode aired and my idea for a good vampire went down the tubes. But I got over that and since then the idea has... evolved. Summary so far: The battle continues INNER DEMONS Part 14 Buffy watched helplessly from the sidelines. Every once in a while, she had to run out of the way to avoid being caught in the war. At one point they started whispering at each other. As the fight continued on, she watched as Jäzen put a choke hold on Angelus. When he did, he said something that made her ex-boyfriend really mad. She saw the blow to the chest before it happened. Buffy watched as Jäzen staggered back from it. "I told you, Angel is dead," she heard Angelus say. "There's only me now." "I don't believe that anymore than you do," she heard Jäzen retort. By this time, she knew Jäzen had been trying to reach Angel. "Believe it," came the counter. "Then why are you hesitating?" "I'll show you hesitating." With that, the agument ended and the battle resumed. Only, this time, it was more brutal. The two vampires attacked each other with such speed that it was hard for Buffy to follow their movements. They crashed through the wearhouse doors and into the building. Buffy followed them, never taking her eyes from the combatants. The battle continued for what seemed an eternity. All the while, she could tell that Angelus was weakening from the hits he was taking. Meanwhile, Jäzen seemed to be getting stronger. For a long while, it seemed she knew what the outcome of the fight would be. That's when it happened. Jäzen had grabbed Angelus from behind and was hitting him, repeatedly in the back. Somehow, Angelus found the strength to throw the other vampire off him. Buffy watched as Angelus called on all his reserves to pick Jäzen up and throw him across the room. Jäzen landed on an upended, wooden table half way between Angelus and Buffy. "NNNOOOO!!!" Buffy cried as she saw a table leg portruding from Jäzen's chest. Jäzen, who was facing Buffy, seemed to look passed her, his arm was stretched out, as if reaching for something. In a matter of seconds, the haunted look that had been ever-present on his face, gave way to a look of peace as he crumbled to dust. * * * * * The Black Fire Blackfire42@hotmail.com ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com - - ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 06 Mar 1998 10:40:21 PST From: "Black Fire" Subject: BUFFYFIC: Inner Demons (15/15) Title:Inner Demons Author: Black Fire Email address: Blackfire42@hotmail.com FEEDBACK: If you wish Rating: PG Spoilers: I've changed this. This story takes place after BBB. Disclaimers: Buffy: The Vampire Slayer and all characters therein belong to Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy and The WB. Jäzen (pronounced Jay-sten or Jay-zen) is my own creation. Author's note: This idea came to me long when Buffy first began. Needless to say, I was very angry at Joss when the Angel episode aired and my idea for a good vampire went down the tubes. But I got over that and since then the idea has... evolved. Summary so far: The battle is over. The victor has been chosen. For those of you rooting for Jäzen, I appologize. This part has the same format as part 1. It shouldn't be too hard to guess who is who. INNER DEMONS Part 15 What was seconds for the two who remained, was an eternity for him. The pain was instant and brief. He barely saw the table leg in his chest. Buffy's scream, he heard as a distant whisper. He was distracted by a lighted figure coming towards him. As she approached, she reached out a hand to him, as if inviting him to go with her. He looked up into his sister's smiling face and knew that his long battle was over. He reached out to accept her invitation. As his hand took hers, a feeling of peace that he thought he had lost came over him and the world he had known for 350 years crumbled away. * * * * * The two stood in silence. Staring first at the table, then at each other. A look of hatred came over her face as he smiled back at her. "Good riddance," he finally said as he looked back down at the table. "I think I've done enough for today. See you around, lover." And he disappeared back into the shadows. She was left alone in the wearhouse, filled with feelings of sorrow and hatred for what had happened. She stiffled her tears, they wouldn't help her now. Wouldn't bring him back. She looked back at the table and caught a glint of something in the dust. She moved in for a closer look. It was a large, oval-shaped locket on a silver chain. On the inside were the pictures of a brother and sister who were reunited now, and on the back was an inscription in German. She clasped the necklace to her heart and allowed herself one more moment to mourn the man who had worn it. She then stood up and slowly walked out of the building. * * * * * He disappeared into the shadows, but he didn't leave. From his vantage point, he watched her pick up the locket and looked at it. She stayed there another minute and then stood up and left. As he watched her move away, something stired in him. A faint feeling of guilt, remorse and loss. He quickly shoved it back down again as she disappeared. And he just stood there, waiting and planning his next move. ~Fin~ So what did you think? The Black Fire Blackfire42@hotmail.com ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com - - ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 06 Mar 1998 14:50:23 PST From: "Sara Barton" Subject: BUFFYFIC: A mistake with "Hope" In part 19 of my fanfic "Hope" I made a few typo's and I just wanted to fix it in case there was confusion. Mistake: <> It was supposed to say: "The group gathered up everything that they could and made their way to Buffy's house. Jenny and Willow went in Giles' car, and Xander went with Cordelia." If there are any more mistakes like that, let me know. Thanks to Kirsten for bringing it to my attention! *sArA* ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com - - ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 07 Mar 1998 00:01:53 -0800 From: Dawn Murrell Subject: BUFFYFIC: A First Step 1/1 by Dawn Murrell Title: A First Step 1/1 Author: Dawn Murrell Distribution Statement: Anya, my site, anyone else just. Spoiler Warning: All of the episodes already aired are game. Rating: PG, just to be safe. Content Warning: Kissing, allusions to sex. Classification: Buffy/Angel romance Summary: Angel=92s soul is back-what now? Disclaimer: I don=92t own Buffy, Angel, or any other characters that are in this story. They belong to Joss Whedon. The song, "Truly Madly Deeply" belongs to Savage Garden. Author=92s Note: Okay, I know I=92m a *little* ahead of myself here, as Angel is still evil on the show, but I was just thinking what will happen when Angel does get his soul back (=91Cause he will! No, I=92m not= in denial:-). A lot of people on the discussion lists are worried about how Buffy and the others are going to react to Angel becoming good again, after all that he=92s done, and this is just my version of what I think might possibly happen. All you really need to know is that he has his soul back. I don=92t really feel like dealing with that right now, but I just might write a prequel to this. Also, if you don=92t like sappy romance, then you should probably skip this. A First Step 1/1 by Dawn Murrell "I want to stand with you on the mountain, I want to bathe with you in the sea, I want to lay like this forever, Until the sky falls down on me." Buffy sat at a table in the Bronze, idly stirring her drink. Her mind was filled with thoughts, all about Angel. She wasn=92t sure how she should be acting toward him, now that he was back to being a "good guy". She was happy that he was back, and she wanted to just jump into his arms and hold him and kiss him until all the hurt went away, but she felt as if she would be betraying her friends, most of all Giles and Willow. They had been the closest to Ms. Calendar, and Angel=92s evil persona, Angelus, had killed her. She just didn=92t know what she should do, and she couldn=92t run to Angel for this problem. That made her think. Before Angel turned, she could run to him with any problem she had. But back then none of her problems involved him. So much had happened since then to change all of that. It seemed like years had passed since that night she spent in his arms, yet she could still remember every detail as if it had happened yesterday. The fear of losing him, the joy of hearing him say "I love you" for the first time, the ecstasy of passion as they made love, the agony of heartbreak as she woke up alone. She remembered every feeling, every sensation, every emotion felt as real as it had that night. She was brought back to the present moment as a new song began. She spotted Angel, and started walking toward him. "I=92ll be you dream, I=92ll be your wish, I=92ll be your fantasy. I=92ll be your hope, I=92ll be your love, Be everything that you need. I=92ll love you more with every breath, Truly, madly, deeply, do." Angel watched as she walked toward him, unconsciously in perfect time with the music. "I will be strong, I will be faithful =91Cos I=92m counting on A new beginning, A reason for living, A deeper meaning, yeah." "Hey." She said softly, searching his eyes for answers to the millions of questions she had in her mind right now. They held no answer, only pain, so much more pain than they had ever held before. She wished she could ease that pain, but it wasn=92t that easy. She knew what he needed right now, and she knew that she couldn=92t give it to him completely jus= t yet. What he needed was forgiveness, love, and trust. She could give him love, and forgiveness, but she couldn=92t trust him again just yet, not completely. And she worried that maybe it wasn=92t enough. "Hi." He replied, just as softly, turning away from her gaze. She put a hand on the side of his face, forcing him to look at her. "Care to dance?" She asked, surprised at how casual she sounded. Her heart was beating rapidly, and she was so nervous, more nervous than she had ever been around him. Suddenly, millions of questions came to her. What if he had decided that it couldn=92t work? What if he didn=92t trust himself enough to be around her anymore? She quickly squashed these thoughts, deciding to concentrate only on the here and now, and not worry about what he was thinking. The look in his eyes told her more than words ever could. "Buffy=85" Angel started to reply, but Buffy put a finger to his lips, silencing him. She saw the uneasiness in his eyes, the insecurity. She took his hands in hers, attempting to lead him to the dance floor, but he stood his ground. "Please?" She begged, pleading not only with her words but with her eyes as well. He couldn=92t avoid her eyes, and he finally gave in. He wasn=92t sure where they stood in their relationship, but he could tell she was trying to make a start. "Okay." He gave in. It wasn=92t as if he needed much persuasion to hold her in his arms again. "And when the stars are shining brightly in the velvet sky, I=92ll make a wish, send it to heaven then make you want to cry The tears of joy for all the pleasure in the certainty That we=92re surrounded by the comfort And protection of the highest power, In lonely hours, the tears devour you." She smiled slightly and slowly led him to the dance floor. He put his hands on her waist, despite the strong urge to pull her closer, not wanting to be too forward. He knew that Buffy needed some time to get used to having him back. But, once again, Buffy proved to be stronger than he thought. She twined her arms around his neck, pulling him close enough to rest her head on his shoulder as they started swaying to the music. They danced for awhile, and then she looked up into his eyes again. "Oh, can you see it, baby? Don=92t have to close your eyes, =91Cos it=92s standing right before you. All that you need will surely come." Angel felt a wave of desire flood over him, and one look in Buffy=92s eye= s told him she wanted the same thing. He leaned down, their lips slowly drawing together, each savoring the sensation that they had been denied for so long. This kiss meant more to them than any of their previous kisses. To Angel, the kiss meant forgiveness, love, and maybe the tiniest bit of trust. To Buffy, the kiss was a first step, tentative and hesitant. She gently broke the kiss, returning her head to Angel=92s shoulder. "I=92ll be you dream, I=92ll be your wish, I=92ll be your fantasy. I=92ll be your hope, I=92ll be your love, Be everything that you need. I=92ll love you more with every breath, Truly, madly, deeply, do." "I love you." She whispered ever-so-softly into his ear. His heart soared at hearing those words. He had thought he would never hear her say those words to him again. He kissed the top of her head tenderly, then replied. "I love you, too." He whispered back just as softly as she had. She pulled away slightly and looked into his eyes. He meant it. Not like the last time those words had come out of his mouth. She kissed him once more, a short sweet kiss, then, as the song came to a close, she pulled away slowly. "So, see you =91round?" Buffy asked rhetorically, her parting words givin= g Angel a strong sense of deja vu. Only this time when she said it, her voice contained much more maturity, much more pain. And much more hope. Angel smiled. "I certainly hope so." He replied. She smiled before turning away. He watched as she disappeared into the crowd, then turned to go home. He sighed. It was going to take some time for things to get back to anywhere near "normal". They just had to take it one step at a time. And tonight was the first. The End Dawn http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Academy/9592/index.html - - ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 07 Mar 1998 17:12:51 PST From: "Sara Barton" Subject: BUFFYFIC: Hope (26/?) Author: Sara B. Sara114@hotmail.com Rating: Varies...will be posted at beginning of each part. Disclaimer: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, its characters, yada yada yada belong to Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, Sandollar, WB, and Fox.... I’m just borrowing them, (although I wish Angel was mine!) Everything else belongs to me! Author’s note: This is your usual generic story. Angel is still good, so basically in my story surprise/innocence didn’t happen. Willow and Oz are together, and Xander and Cordy are still hiding their secret utility closet rondevu’s. This is going to be a long story, and will take some time so be patient with me. I’m not very good at story telling, so if this totally sucks and isn’t read-worthy, just let me know.Oh yeah, and I want feedback, feedback, and more feedback. I don’t care if it’s good or bad, just tell me what you thought of it. This story is coming along slowly but surely. Thanks for the feedback, and for bearing with me! Part 26 Angel watched as two vamps prepared for the ceremony. They were a good distance away from the house, in an open space among a small grove of trees. One of them stole a sheep from a nearby farm and gutted it. In the middle of the grove, he spread it’s blood in a big circle, then put some in a small bowl. The other spread candles all around, each one lit. He then placed a table in front of the pool of blood and set a large book down on it, with two candelabra’s on each side. Angel got a closer look at the book and read the inscription which was written in sliver. “‘El Noche del Ascende’? What the hell is that?” He said quietly. He watched as Spike walked up to Angel, wearing a black robe with the hood hanging down in back. “Put this on.” He ordered, and threw a robe at Angel. “I don’t want to put this stupid thing on.” Angel said, and threw it back at him. Spike growled. “Just put the damn thing on, Angelus. It’s part of the ceremony.” “Fine.” he said, and slipped the robe on over his head. “You know, you haven’t told me what all this is about yet.” “As soon as everyone gets out here, you will.” he said. “Come on you morons! Get your lazy asses out here NOW!” He yelled into a cell phone. Angel could hear a voice on the other end, but couldn’t make out what they were saying. Spike hung up. “Lazy bastards.” Angel heard the sound of a vehicle nearby and saw two black drive up. Numerous vamps ran into the grove, each one was wearing the same robe and carrying a black candle. “It’s about bloody time.” “Are we ready, Spike?” Dru asked, walking up to her lover. “Yes, luv.” He said, and gave her a kiss on the nose. “Angelus, stand in the middle of the blood.” Angel did as he commanded. The vamps formed a large circle around Angel, Spike, and Dru. “Everyone put your hoods on.” As Spike opened the book, thick dark clouds passed over the moon, taking away all of their light, except for the flame that shown from the candles. “Give me your claddagh ring.” He said, and Angel wiggled it off his finger and threw it at Spike. He took the ring, and pulled Buffy’s out of his pocket, and set them down next the the book. Thunder boomed over the desolate land. He looked at Drusilla and smiled. “It’s time.” ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com - - ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 07 Mar 1998 17:19:10 PST From: "Sara Barton" Subject: BUFFYFIC: Hope (27/?) Author: Sara B. Sara114@hotmail.com Rating: Varies...will be posted at beginning of each part. Disclaimer: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, its characters, yada yada yada belong to Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, Sandollar, WB, and Fox.... I’m just borrowing them, (although I wish Angel was mine!) Everything else belongs to me! Author’s note: This is your usual generic story. Angel is still good, so basically in my story surprise/innocence didn’t happen. Willow and Oz are together, and Xander and Cordy are still hiding their secret utility closet rondevu’s. This is going to be a long story, and will take some time so be patient with me. I’m not very good at story telling, so if this totally sucks and isn’t read-worthy, just let me know.Oh yeah, and I want feedback, feedback, and more feedback. I don’t care if it’s good or bad, just tell me what you thought of it. Part 27 PG-13 Willow gasped as a vampire jumped out in front of her. “Agghhh!” She screamed. She pulled the stake that was wrapped to her wrist, and kicked at him. He was barely stunned, and lunged at her again. She ducked, and he flew over her, landing with a thud at Buffy’s feet. He looked up at her and she waved at him. His eyes opened wide as she plunged a stake into his heart. Willow sighed. “Good job, Will.” Buffy said, smiling at her friend. “Yeah, right.” Willow said, still a little shocked. There group had split up. Willow, Buffy, and Jenny went together and Hope, Xander, Cordelia, and Giles went together. They were planning to attack the house from all sides, Buffy taking the front and Hope taking the back. They made their way to the front door. “Something’s not right.” Buffy said. “This place is deserted.” “Maybe they all left.” Willow said. “No, they have to be around here.” Buffy said. “Do you sense anything Buffy?” Jenny asked. “I sense danger.” She said, and kicked open the door. She walked in and flipped the nearest light switch. Nothing happened. “The power has been cut off.” Looking around the room she frowned. There was one chair, one couch, and both looked about a hundred years old. “Yuck.” She heard the sound of glass breaking. “Oh...So we aren’t alone.” she turned to her friends. “Stay here and don’t say a word.” The Slayer made her way down the hallway. “AAAggghhhh!!!!!” She heard a voice scream and a figure jumped out in front of her. It kicked her and she stumbled backward. It lunged at her, trying to punch and kick her. She blocked all of its blows, and gave him a hard punch to the face. She knew who it was by the clumsiness of her attacker. “Xander, it’s Buffy.” she said dryly. “Who? What? Buffy?” he said, scrambling to get up. She looked up to see Giles, Hope, and Cordelia run into the hall. “Xander stop!” He yelled and came to a halt in front of Xander. “What the hell do you think your doing?” “He was just playing hero,” Cordelia said as she walked up them. Xander shot her a dirty look. Giles looked up at Buffy. “Any luck?” “No. I haven’t come across anything. Not even a hint or a feeling of a vampire.” She replied with a heavy sigh. She looked at Xander who was rubbing his now swollen jaw. “You okay?” She said sympathetically. “Oh I’m fine! All except for my face which now requires it’s own zip code,” he grumbled sarcastically. “I’m sorry. But you’ve learned your lesson. Next time let Hope attack the unknown,” she said and smiled. “Yeah, yeah.” he grumbled. “Well this house seems deserted. They couldn’t have gone very far--” Buffy was cut off shortly by a quiet voice. “What’s that?” Hope asked, staring out the old, dirty window in the small kitchen. “Come over here and look at this,” Hope motioned Buffy too follow her outside. They walked out the back door of the old house and Hope stared into the sky. “Hope, what is it?” Buffy asked earnestly. “Look into the sky.” Hope murmured. Buffy craned her neck upward. “I don’t see anything,” she told her. She stared into the endless space above her. “Over there,” Hope murmured. Buffy followed her gaze to a grove of trees. She watched the dark clouds form a circle around a batch of trees. The sky thundered and the power in the house went out. An orange glow arose from the trees, hovering beneath the clouds. “What is that?” Xander said, amazed. “I don’t know, but it can’t be good.” Hope turned to her friends. “We need to check this out.” “You’re right, Hope. Let’s go.” The two girls began walking in the direction of the grove, with the rest of the group behind them. Buffy turned around. “No, don’t come with us. You all need to stay here. Or better yet, go back to the cars.” “Buffy you are NOT going out there alone.” Xander and Giles said in unison. “Let me go with you!” Jenny said suddenly. All eyes turned on her. “I think I should go.” “Why?” Giles asked. She didn’t know what to say. “Well, because that way if something happens I can hopefully escape and come get you all for help. If you stay behind in the cars, we have a better chance of keeping our presence discreet. If we need your help, we will let you know.” She said. He pondered. “W..Well, a..are you sure about this?” She looked at Buffy, who nodded in approval. “Yes, I’m sure.” “Okay then, we are wasting time.” Buffy said. “Let’s go.” Buffy, Hope, and Jenny marched through the vast field of wildflowers toward the trees that lie ahead to them in the distance. Jenny gave Giles one last look before she left. ********* PG-13 Spike grabbed Dru’s hand and held it high into the air. “I call upon the all the fires of hell!” His deep voice bellowed into the night sky. The flame on the candles grew two inches higher. “Come to me now!” The blood around Angel’s feet began to boil, as did the blood in the goblets. “This is the Night of the Rising. This is the night the new Master will take his place. He will rise from the remains of the previous Master, and lead us!” Drusilla grabbed a red velvet pouch from the ground and sauntered over to Angel. She opened the bag and sprinkled the contents into the blood. “The ashes will bring you power.” She said, and emptied the bag. One of her minions walked hurriedly toward her, holding an old, wooden box. He bowed to her, kneeling on one knee. He held the box over his head, as if her was offering it to her. She opened it slowly, revealing a sharp dagger. The black, onyx handle was carved into the shape of a dragon’s head, and the long blade gleamed under the night sky. She carefully lifted it out of the box. “With this dagger I will kill your soul,” she, her eyes full of hate and lust. Drusilla ripped Angel’s black robe off of his body, revealing his bare chest. She shoved the blade into his chest, and carved a star. He winced in pain as his blood gushed down the front of him, into the pool. Smoke arose, and the sky bellowed in thunder. The same minion brought her a crystal goblet, half filled with blood. Drusilla took it from him, and held it under Angel’s outstretched arm. She slashed his wrist, and let the blood drain into the goblet till it was full. She mixed the blood with the dagger, and handed it to Angel. He brought the goblet to his lips. Tilting his head, he drank it all. The pool of blood around his feet boiled rapidly. “Its almost finished,” Drusilla murmured to Angel. “Then you’ll be with us forever.” She grabbed the rings from the table and held them in front of him. “Say buh-bye,” she whispered, and dropped the rings into the steaming pool. “Out of his remains, the new Master will ascend. He will rule in Hell over the vampires, and the minions will serve him.” Spike stood before Angel, holding a large ring. “This was worn by the Old One. Now you will wear it, taking his place.” Angel slipped the black ring onto his index finger. It glowed brightly, causing them to wince their eyes. “Now you are the Master.” Angel felt power pump through his veins and he grew stronger and stronger. His soul vanished as the Master’s soul was driven into his body. Angel’s face transformed, and his vampiric face grew more defined. The ridges around his eyes and nose were larger, his eyes were a bright shade of yellow, his fangs grew bigger. Spike took a candle touched the flame to the blood at his feet, causing it to immediately exploded into a blaze. Towering flames surrounded Angel, engulfing his body. He raised his hands into the air, as the vampires bowed down to him. They were bowing down to their new Master. The flames died down, and Angel felt as he never felt before. The immense power he now possessed flowed like a river through him. He grinned evily at Spike and Drusilla. “Don’t smile yet, Angelus. We aren’t finished yet.” He looked at her puzzled. “We have a surprise for you.” The same minion as before brought Drusilla a different box, this one bigger and more elaborate looking. She opened it, and pulled out a large crystal ball. It was an Orb of Thessulah. She screamed into the night sky, “Masters and demons of Hell, bring her back to us! Bring her back to rule with Angelus!” A lightening bolt crashed down from the sky, striking the orb. It burst into a fireball in her palms. A terrifying laugh emerged from her small throat, and threw the ball to the ground beside Angel. It exploded. Sparks flew about the vampires, as the fireball began to take the shape of something. She watched in glee as it took the form of a woman. She had a black robe on, covering body. The blaze died down, and the woman threw the hood back, revealing her familiar face. She smiled. “I’m back.” ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com - - ------------------------------ End of Buffyfic-digest V2 #51 ***************************** To subscribe to buffyfic or buffyfic-digest, send the command subscribe buffyfic-digest or subscribe buffyfic to majordomo@xmission.com. You will need to go through a confirmation process, and the listowners have to manually approve your subscription request, so it may take some time. 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