Chapter 13: To The End

Author's Notes: This has been a long ride. Thanks for sharing it with me!


*~*~*~*~
“Listen to me closely,” Diego said, as he put a satchet around her neck. “Maria’s essence will burn in you when you feel particular emotion, like anger. You will know everything that she knows at that time.”

Buffy glanced at the door that led to the roof, then back to Diego. “Do I still look scary?”

“No, you look fine.”

“I don’t want him to know that she’s with me.” Buffy examined her hand, which appeared normal at last.

“As I said, until you’re really angry or really hurt, I don’t think she’ll rage up against him.”

Buffy caught his arm as he started to walk away. “I’m sorry. I know that you were shocked that she gave me this ... whatever it is.”

Diego squeezed her hand affectionately. “Well, you have given me a far greater gift. Dawn. You should know that I love her. You have freed me of my obligation to my people by having Maria pass this on to you.”


“Wait,” Buffy said. “Do I have some kind of obligation to your people now?”

“No. The cycle is broken. Maria gave her wealth to an outsider. She broke the blood bonds. Our clan is freed.”

“Freed? What? You were hostages?”

“In a way, yes. Our people could only love inside the boundaries our of clan. By bestowing upon you the most powerful form of love, Maria broke the very rules that she put into place. You see, many hundreds of years ago, Maria loved a man who was not a gypsy and he loved her. But he had a family, a hateful wife, a fragile daughter, and a wayward son who took up most of his time. Maria worked in their kitchen and she had relations with this man. She bore a daughter who was destined to become the future queen of our clan.” Diego’s eyes grew dark and ominous as he continued, his grip on her hand becoming painful. “The man rejected Maria and cast her out of his home with her bastard child. Maria returned to the clan and they accepted the girl, the daughter of their queen. Before the girl had wintered eighteen full seasons she was killed by a vampire and Maria cursed that vampire, the half brother of her own daughter, with a soul.”

Buffy sucked in a deep breath. “Angel’s father was Maria’s lover?”

“Yes, Buffy. That is why she could never kill Angel. Her love for Angel’s father prevented her from seeking a blood revenge. And that is why Maria cused our entire clan, that we may never find love with those who were unaccepted by our people. People who were not gypsies. She sought to spare us all the pain that she had endured with a commoner.”

Buffy leaned her head against the wall and exhaled. “This is worse than any soap opera I’ve ever seen! And Spike made me watch Passions for God’s sake!”

“I’m glad that you are taking it well, then.” Diego smiled.

“This is not me taking it well!” Buffy snapped. “I’m in shock! And you suck for laying this on me when I’m about to go up there and face him.”

“Your confused emotions will make it hard for him to pick one aspect of your soul to whisper. He only wants the good in you, Buffy. If he feels the anger, the disarray, the revulsion that now overpowers the love and the peace, he will surely begin to war with you and he will lose.”

“That’s what the serum did. It deadened all the good in me so that only the bad remained. He was supposed to get a mouthful of that.”

“And he will. You’re stronger than you know, Buffy.”

Buffy stared at the stairwell that led to the roof access. “I guess it’s time.”

“It’s long past. May you be guided by a force to be reckoned with.”

“Thanks. I think.”

~*~*~*~*~

Everyone gathered around the security monitors in Angel’s office, intently watching the screens that showed various angles of the rooftop. They could see several minions, each in ragged, dirty clothing, shambling back and forth. It was impossible to keep count of how many of the creatures were milling around. Finally, Angel was able to zoom in on The Immortal.

“Look at the bugger! He looks like Lestat! No one wears ruffled shirts and vests! And what’s with the chaps? Knee boots?” Spike shouted indignantly. “He’s not handsome at all!”

“Oh yes he is!” Willow and Fred chorused as one.

“I like the retro thing,” Willow added. “He’s so ... sinister.”

“And manly,” Fred added. “Look at the way that dark hair falls over his forehead. So manly and charming at the same time.”

“And those arms!” Willow pointed at the screen. “Have you ever seen such a broad chest?”

“Do be quiet,” Giles suggested, toying with the volume. “Why can’t we hear anything?”

Angel pressed several buttons and everyone jumped as static blasted from the speakers. They could hear the grunts and gurgles that came from the minions as well as The Immortal’s footsteps as he slowly and meticulously paced across the middle of the roof.

“Look at his walk! What a pansy!” Xander shook his head. “Even a half blind man can see that he’s a pansy!”

“Why don’t you jaunt on up there and tell him that, then?” Spike crossed his arms over his chest. “Where the hell is Buffy?”

“Diego wanted a few moments alone with her to explain Maria’s powers.” Willow, who had been sitting on the edge of Angel’s desk, stood and nervously crossed to the windows to peer outside. “We need to be doing something.”

“Like what?” Fred asked.

“I don’t know.” Willow turned to face the room at large. “It just seems wrong to be sitting here while she’s in so much danger.”

“She’s been in danger before,” Giles said. “Even if we could do assist, which we can’t, it’s something she has to do for herself. I know this is a contradiction and please don’t tell her I said this, but this really is *her* war.”

“Plus she got all veiny on you, right?” Xander smiled. “You were freaked out to see her like that.”

“Well, the last time someone, namely Willow, got all ‘veiny on me’ as you so poetically put it, I very nearly died.”

“It was ink!” Willow cried. “And remember how we’re leaving me out of this?”

Angel shook his head. “I really don’t want to know.”

“No, you don’t,” Spike told him. “I’m glad I missed it.”

Before anyone could reply, the speakers crackled with the sound of a door opening and they all turned to face the monitors.

“Showtime,” Xander said.

*~*~

Buffy stepped out into the fierce sunlight and shielded her eyes. It had been a while since she had been outdoors. The minions who were closest to her immediately ushered her forward and blocked the doorway, effectively trapping her on the roof. She saw him, his hands behind his back, standing at the edge of the roof looking into the distance. Taking several deep, calming breaths, she began the long walk toward him.

Diego had given her a few pointers to cloak the outward appearance of Maria’s power, but she felt it circulating through her with every step she took. It gave her a sense of security that she had never felt before. Maria was with her.

When she was halfway across the roof, The Immortal turned and watched her approach. Even with the sunlight making her eyes water, she could see the hatred etched across his features. He beckoned her with a hand, and in defiance, she stopped and shook her head. “You think I’m coming to the edge so you can push me over?”

“You think I’d push you over when there are so many more painful ways to punish you?”

Buffy chuckled. “Punish me? Please!”

“If memory serves, Buffy, you like the way I punish you.”
“Well, the memory is the first thing to go.”

The Immortal stepped toward her and Buffy held her ground. This seemed to surprise him, for he stopped several feet from her and said, “You do not wish to flee?”

“I don’t run.”

“Yet you have been. I know about the serum. When I tortured your gypsy friend I read it on her pain.”

“You don’t have the balls to torture anyone. Remember? You make other people do that for you because you don’t have what it takes to play with the big dogs.”

“I wonder ... do your friends know that you did my dirty work for me?”

Buffy swallowed hard. “Anything I did for you was because you forced me. Against my will.”

“If I wanted to break you right now I could let you remember all that you have done. It would drive you insane in an instant.”

“You tried to break me and couldn’t.”

“Shall I give you a taste?”

Before Buffy could reply, he smiled, his dazzling teeth and dimples making him seem youthful and beguiling.

Instantly, she felt something whisper against her cheek and ruffle her hair, and then she saw the face of a little boy staring up at her. He took her hand and said, “You’ll help me find my mommy?”

“I’ll help you,” she heard herself reply.

And then the vision shifted and The Immortal was taking the child’s soul as Buffy watched in a corner, sipping a glass of wine in a fluted glass.

She fought to feel no emotion, but her heart beat faster in her chest. “You’ll need to try harder.”

Instantly, her mind was filled with screams and she watched herself tearing a new born baby from the open arms of the mother, who was sprawled in the back seat of a taxi. Blood covered the woman’s dress and the taxi driver pleaded with her to return the child, not to hurt the baby. Buffy watched herself stuff the infant into her Slaying bag and kick the taxi driver, hard, in the face. Blood and teeth came shooting out the man’s mouth and she leaned down, telling the mother, “My master will feast for days.”

The vision shifted again and Buffy saw herself at a playground, watching as two small children sat side by side in a sandbox. One little boy saw her watching and asked her to play. Buffy sat next to them, taking a bucket in hand. The next instant, she was carrying the little boy into The Immortal’s mansion, setting him on his feet then kicking him toward The Immortal. “You like them better when they’re in pain,” she said in a hollow voice, removing the gag from the child. “See how he bleeds for you, Master?”

Buffy shook her head to clear it. “Is that all you got? Because here’s the thing, Im ... you’re showing me lies.”

“What gave it away?”

“I would never call you ‘master’. If I had called you ‘idiot’ in those fake memories, I may have believed it. Besides, Maria prepared me, told me what you’re capable of.”

“Maria died crying your name.”

“Again, you’re trying to upset me so I’ll let you in. Guess what? Buffy’s brain is no longer open for business.” Buffy reached into her pocket, pulled out a fighting star, and sent it whistling through the air. It pierced right through his chest and exited his back. “But your body certainly is!”

“How did you-”

“Keep trying to get a taste of me!” Buffy took several steps forward and kicked his feet out from under him. “That’s anger you’re feasting on, asshole, and it makes you ache to find something more filling, doesn’t it?”

The Immortal tried to rise, and reached out toward his minions. “Stop her. Stop her now.”

One corner of Buffy’s mouth turned up when the minions bowed to one knee and stared up at her with a look of reverence on their mutant faces. “Aww, they don’t like you.” Buffy put her boot against his throat. “I made a little deal with them a long time ago. If you were the all knowing that you claim to be, that wouldn’t be surprising you right about now.”

“Stop!” he shouted, clawing at her foot. “You can’t- I can’t be-”

“Beaten?” Buffy increased the pressure on his neck and watched his eyes bulge. “This is way too easy.”

One of the minions stepped forward and handed Buffy a glass that appeared to have water in it. Buffy tipped it over and poured it into The Immortal’s handsome face. He began to smoke, deep ridges in his forehead. “Well, well, well, I guess it’s true,” she said, handing the glass back to the minion. “You are part vampire.”

“I am in no way affiliated with those vile and loathsome creatures!” The Immortal raged, covering his face with his cloak. “My father-”

“Your father was a whack job who didn’t love you. He created a monster where his son once stood.”

“Stop it!”

“How did you do it? How are you able to walk in the sunlight, but Holy Water still burns you?”

“My secrets die with me! If you want your vampire to have this ability, let me live, and I shall teach you all the tricks!”

“Get up!” Buffy released the pressure on him and watched as he fought to stand.

“You are merciful,” he said, shielding his face with his hands.

“That’s not mercy. I just got a better aim this way.” Buffy spun, the stake in her hand slicing through the air like a bomb. It landed, square in his heart and he dropped to his knees.

“No!” he cried.

Buffy bent low, pushing his hair back so she could whisper in his ear. “That won’t kill you. But it will hurt.”

The Immortal drew in several, deep, raging breaths and met her gaze. “Ah, Slayer, I can feel it. You weep on the inside for your friend.”

She felt his intrusion then, felt him pushing past her facade into her soul where he fought to take what he could to gain strength. Buffy felt a moment’s fear, but then she smiled. She could feel Angel’s heart covering hers, pushing The Immortal away. She could almost hear Spike telling The Immortal to ‘bugger off’ as he stepped in the way, arms over his chest.

“What’s the matter, Im?” Buffy asked sweetly. “Did you hit a roadblock?”

“You vile bitch!” The Immortal screamed. “I know what you did with them! Slut! Whore!”

“Ouch!” Buffy poked out her bottom lip. “That rage is gonna consume you and spoil my fun.”

“You must stop this! I need sustenance.”

Buffy gripped his face in her hands. “Eat all you want!” she cried, kissing him fully on the mouth.

She could feel it transferring into him, the rage, the anger. Everything bad inside her, the cold hearted warrior within, fled into his body where it ravaged him. As soon as she broke free, agony consumed her and she curled into a ball, sobbing as though her heart had been ravaged. She cried for Maria, for the Scooby Gang, for Anya, for Xander, for Kennedy and Willow. All the pain, the misery, and the torment that she had bottled up, pushed aside, erupted from her.

From some dark corner of her mind, she could hear the minions cheering and it registered that The Immortal must have withered and died. She opened her eyes in time to see a ghostly white bubble hovering overhead. “Maria?”

Part of the cloud rained down on her and the anger returned, but the biggest part kept hovering. “Shhhh,” she heard Maria whisper. “I’ve given you all the anger you’ll need. I’ll take the rest with me.”

“Wait!” Buffy cried, pushing herself to her feet. “Maria, don’t go. You - you can stay!”

“My time is short, Buffy. You put all of me inside him. You didn’t need to, but I do thank you. He suffered far greater than I did.”

“But Diego said that -”

“I know, child. I could stay within you forever, but you don’t want that. And I grow weary. I must rest now. The curse is broken. The clan is free. And you, child, are also free.”

“But-”

“Go,” Maria said, her voice fading. “Your people await you.”

“Thank you.” Buffy reached up to touch the paling apparition, but her fingers went right through it.

“Buffy!” Giles shouted, slamming open the door. When he saw her, he began to run toward her.

Buffy raced across the rooftop and threw herself at him. He kissed her face, her hair, and held her tightly in his arms. “The cameras stopped functioning. We thought that-”

“It’s okay,” Buffy whispered.

Xander rushed up onto the roof behind them, wielding an axe. “Giles, man. You’re fast for an old guy.”

Willow slammed into Xander, magic crackling from her fingertips. “Where is he!? I’ve got a little something for - oh.” Straightening, she put her hands behind her back. “Nice view up here.”

“Willow, were you doing magick?” Buffy asked in her best parental tone.

“Heck no.” Willow waved her hand nonchalantly, saw that it still shone with mystical light, and shoved it back behind her. “So, what happened?”

Angel and Spike stood just inside the doorway, out of the sun, and surveyed the damage. Spike glared at the minions, who had silently grouped themselves together. “Are we going to kill these things?” he asked.

“No.” Buffy stepped forward, bending at the waist so she could look the leading minion in the eye. “Your work is done.”

“I can go home now?” came a child’s voice. As soon as it spoke, the ghastly features of the minion vanished and a little boy emerged. It was the boy in Buffy’s vision. He threw his arms around Buffy and hugged her. “You didn’t lie to us, Buffy. You helped us! You showed us our voice.”

Instantly, all of the minions began to speak and children, each varying in age and size, gathered around Buffy where the minions had once stood. “You’re all going home,” Buffy told them, a tear slicing down her cheek. “We’re all okay now.”

*~*~*~*~

“I don’t get it,” Xander said for the fifth time. “How did all those kids live?”

“It was a curse.” Buffy sipped her hot cocoa and snuggled deeper into the blanket that Angel had draped around her shoulders. “That sounds good to me.”

Xander shook his head. “I’m tired of that being the answer. Those kids were all his victims, right? He sucked their souls dry?”

“Losing a soul doesn’t mean you lose your life.” Willow, who was rapidly updating the demon database from Angel’s computer, said. “I think once The Immortal died, all those souls went back to the people he borrowed them from.”

“But he fed on babies, too. Where are the babies?” Xander asked.

“They grew up into kids!” Willow snapped. “Now shut up about it!”

Fred entered the room, securing her hair in a ponytail. “Well, the last of the kids are gone. Most of them knew their names so it won’t be hard to find their families. Can you believe how stupid the cops are? Oh, officer, we found all these kids on the roof. We think that they were in the black market or something because they’re foreign.”

“This day has been horrible.” Xander stood. “I’m hungry. Anyone want food?”

Everyone said no and Xander left, forcing Spike to accompany him to show him where the kitchen was. Dawn, who had been trying to sink into the shadows, sat next to Buffy and stared at the floor. “I know why you did it,” she finally said. “I mean, I’m not mad.”

Buffy said, “Okay.”

Dawn turned to face her. “I mean, I am mad because you don’t trust me with the truth at all and you always try to do stuff like this and treat me like I’m twelve, but I understand why. It’s because we’re family and you have to protect your family because that’s your biggest gift in the world.”

“I’m glad that you listen to Diego.” Buffy smiled. “And he’s right.”

“Just don’t ever, ever fuck with your soul again.”

“Don’t say fuck.”

Angel smiled as he watched Buffy and Dawn hug. Giles stood next to him, also watching the exchange. Finally, Giles cleared his throat and said, “I won’t ask what transpired here with you, Buffy, and Spike. I will say, however, that she doesn’t need to be hurt again.”

“I know.”

“Just checking,” Giles tipped his glass at Angel. “Carry on.”

The phone rang and Angel answered. “Hello?”

“Angel, I’ve been looking for you.”

“Hello, Nina,” he replied. Buffy caught his gaze and he saw the look on her face. “I need to speak with you.”

*~*~*~

Buffy had packed her bags and purchased two very large boxes of chocolate from the kitchen. She walked slowly down the hallway, offering smiles of greeting to people who passed. She paused outside the infirmary and collected her thoughts. She could hear Mort complaining about the linens being too starched and about the food. She took a deep breath and stepped inside.

“Ahhh!” Mort cried. “What are you doing here!? You better not be here to bludgeon me to death with ... ooooh, chocolate!”

“It’s for you,” Buffy said, holding out the candy.

“Did you poison it?”

“No.” Buffy opened the lid on the top box and took a piece, biting into it. “See?”

“Well, give it here then! You don’t buy a gift for someone and then eat it yourself!” Mort snatched it from her and stuffed two pieces into his mouth. “Oh, pure delight! You know, they’re trying to starve me to death here.”

“Yeah, hospitals do that.” Buffy sat down next to his bed
and watched as he ate three more pieces of the candy.

Mort realized she was sitting next to him and flinched. “What? Go away!”

“Look,” Buffy began. “I’m sorry about everything. I shouldn’t have hurt you.”

“Oh crap!” Mort yelled. “Am I dying? Did they tell you that I’m dying?”

“No!” Buffy stood, putting a hand on his shoulder. “You’re not dying. As a matter of fact, the doctor said you may be able to leave today.”

“Oh,” He ate another piece of candy and eyed her. “Are you dying, then?”

“Sorry, no,” she replied. “Look, you’re Angel’s friend and he trusted you to look out for me which means that he regards you very highly.”

“Can’t prove that by me. I think he sent me on a suicide mission when he told me to keep you safe.”

“He didn’t. And I normally wouldn’t have attacked you ...”

“Is that what you call it? How about blinding torment? Raw torture?”

“Well, Mort, not many people can claim that they’ve been tortured by a genuine Slayer and lived to tell the tale.”

“Ohhh, you’re right!” His eyes widened. “I can say that I bested you.”

“I’ll agree.” Buffy nodded her head vigorously. “You were just too badass for me.”

Mort smiled, showing three rows of blade like teeth. “You think Angel will give me a raise for that? I really want a new Playstation.”

“I’ll talk to him.”

Mort chewed thoughfully on another piece of chocolate. “He loves you. Angel, I mean. He really, really loves you. When it was time for me to fly over to Italy, he took me aside and gave me this pep talk that ended with all the ways he would mutilate me if I let anything happen to you.”
“Well, you were a good spy. A little obvious, but good.”
“What happened with The Immortal anyway? People were all in an uproar earlier.”

Buffy explained what had happened. Mort shook his head. “I guess you really are the best Slayer ever.”

“You got that right.”

“And I beat you.” Mort reminded her. “I had you crying for mercy, man.”

“Yep.”

“Look, I accept your piss poor apology,” Mort said. “But if you screw with Angel again, I really will beat you.”

“Duly noted.” Buffy stood and gathered her things.

“You’re not so bad. I mean, as far as humans go you look okay. Your face is straight, your ears are okay, your boobs are a little small-”

“Hey!”

Mort smiled again. “Take care. I won’t be spying for Angel again. Ever.”

“Well, I’d rather have you than anyone else.”