"Children Of The Grave"

"Revolution in their minds - the children start to march
Against the world in which they have to live
and all the hate that's in their hearts
They're tired of being pushed around
and told just what to do
They'll fight the world until they've won
and love comes flowing through

Children of tomorrow live in the tears that fall today
Will the sun rise up tomorrow bringing peace in any way?
Must the world live in the shadow of atomic fear?
Can they win the fight for peace or will they disappear?

So you children of the world,
listen to what I say
If you want a better place to live in
spread the words today
Show the world that love is still alive
you must be brave
Or you children of today are
Children of the Grave, Yeah!" Black Sabbath(Master of Reality 1971)


Fighter’s scurried around in a mass of what looked to be complete chaos. Voices rose and fell in a steady tide. Orders were passed, information received and files traveled from one set of hands to the next. In the center of the large room Angel leaned over a map of the California landscape. Pins marked various confirmed locations of the Initiative facilities.

Angel had been fighting them for eight long years. He’d lost several friends to this war and desperately wanted this fight to end. With the help of Wesley and Giles, Angel had been raiding the Initiative shipment centers. Once the prisoners were released and any lethal demon killed, Angel and his group of rebels worked to ship the survivors to Europe. Even if the Watchers Council didn’t care if the soldiers killed demons or half demons, they at least weren’t going out of their way to eradicate those who were harmless. It hadn’t always been that way. Once Rupert Giles had taken over the Council that policy had changed. Now the Council was actively setting up safe houses for the harmless demon and human refugees.

“Hey.” A soft female voice drifted up from behind him. Turning Angel gladly wrapped his arms around Cordelia’s waist. Hugging her tightly, he simply held her close and breathed in her scent. Cordelia had been by his side since day one. She had continued to fight the soldiers and sooth the refugees even when her visions had been killing her. Thanks to the Powers That Be they were no longer a problem and neither was his soul. In this maddening world, the Powers could not afford to lose any Champions.

“Hey back.”

“We have a meeting with region five’s leader. Apparently their seer has had a vision.” Cordelia informed Angel.

She didn’t want to do this to him. It had been four months since they had lost communications with Buffy and most of her group. She had been leading a band of rebels near what used to be Sunnydale when the soldier had let lose a group of feral vampires. Buffy’s group had scattered, as they were taught. That way at least someone had a chance of making it back to one of the many rebel bases. Two months ago Jake, one of the many human rebels, finally made it back to Angel’s base.

Buffy had been caught by the soldiers and was now imprisoned in the Citadel. Neither Cordelia or Angel had really rested since. Everyone was running on fumes already but with the recent tragedy nerves were being pushed to their limits.

“All right. Lets go.”

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Daniel refused to lift his head from the cool solid surface of the table he was seated at. His head was pounding and he felt like his brain was going to dribble out of his ears. Daniel had only agreed to become a seer because it would help bring down the soldiers who had killed his Willow. Though if he were being honest with himself, he’d have suffered through pain a thousand times more brutal than the headaches caused by these visions. His Willow was gone. That was cause enough.


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Four Years Ago

Nothing registered. All sound had disappeared. His vision narrowed and sharpened. He no longer heard the shouts of enemy and friend. Bullets streaked past, but he took no notice. Willow lay crumpled on the pavement. Her lovely red hair fanned out around her. No spark could be seen in her dull green eyes. The scent of her rich magic laced blood heavy in the air. Willow wasn’t moving. Why wasn’t she moving? Oz didn’t seem to notice that part of her skull was laying scattered in pieces on the ground.

Oz never felt the wolf take over. He didn’t even remember moving. Oz had no idea how long he’d been gone, but when he came too there were chunks of soldiers scattered all around him. Some parts clung to his skin and hair. His clothes were long gone, ruined by his transformation into the wolf. Blood coated his entire body, but still he made no move to leave. His simply sat, holding Willow’s broken form in his arms.

“Willow....Willow…wake up…”

How long he’d sat there, he didn’t know. Someone must have stood guard because no soldiers returned. It was was starting to get dark when someone came up and placed a soft blanket around his shoulders.

“Geeze kid, that’s quite a mess you’ve made.” When Oz merely growled in reply the speaker simply squatted down into his line of vision.

“Hold on Wolfie. I’m not the enemy. That would be these little bitty pieces you’ve so artfully scattered the ground with.” Raising dead eyes, Oz simply started at the strange demon in the garish suit and ugly fedora hat.

“I know you want revenge. I can give you the means to get it, but you gotta do the Powers a favor.”

“Okay.”

Satisfied, Whistler stood back. With his back turned to the young wolf, Whistler made sure no one would interrupt his grieving. A small part of Whistler wished that they would. That would mean one less soldier left in the world.


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Kelly quietly watched Daniel from across the table. She hated to see anyone in so much pain and felt helpless as to how she could help. Kelly would always be grateful that Willow and Daniel had found her after the soldier’s attack. They had become the family she’d always dreamed of having since she’d lost hers. When Willow died, a part of Kelly had died too. She had wanted nothing more than to crawl into Daniel’s comforting arms, but he was broken. At the tender age of thirteen, Kelly had already lost too much. Watching Daniel slowly waste away was like losing her brother and Willow all over again.


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Five Years Ago

“Oz! Over here!” A distant voice called out.

“Oh Oz. She’s just a baby!”

“She’s alive. We’ll bring her with us.” A soft male voice answered.

She wanted to cry but couldn’t move. Her head hurt and her eyes wouldn’t open. Kelly wanted her Julsie. She wanted to go back in time. Kelly couldn’t help thinking that this whole mess was her fault. If she only hadn’t wanted to go to the park, Julian would have been safe. They could have been at the home watching TV and eating ice cream. Julian always got her ice cream when she felt bad. It made her smile and remember happier times with her Mommy. Now all she felt was the cold gravel and the ache in her chest and head. Everything hurt and nothing would ever be right.

“Do you think she has a home?” The worried female voice asked.

“Won’t know till she comes too.” Kelly could feel strong arms lifting her from the ground. The man’s heart beat steadily in her ear. Pretending, for awhile that it was Julian’s heart instead, Kelly slowly let herself fall into the welcoming darkness.