Date: Sun, 18 Feb 2007 12:01:04 -0800 (PST) From: Jason Decade <femtoka2@yahoo.com> Subject: Slayers United 4 Disclaimer: Buffy the Vampire Slayer and all characters are copyright and trademarks of WB, David Greenwalt, Joss Whedon, 20th Century Fox, and others. Chapter 4: The First...2 The arrow hit me with a resounding "THUMP!" and I yelped. My legs gave away, but Connor caught me and Harmony had already reloaded and pointed the crossbow at us. She pulled the trigger back and shot again, but this one missed! I looked at Connor and he nodded. I laughed louder, rising to my feet, " Harmony, even when I was just getting into middle school, I could tell you were always such a bleach blonde skank." I said with a smirk, " And your I.Q...if you had one..." I said, ripping the arrow out of my abdomen with a scream. She fumbled with the crossbow, " Look, it's not helping me if you talk to me like that!" she said, still trying to load it. " Help you kill me? Gosh, your pathetic." I said with disgust. She huffed, " Look, slayer boy..." but she stopped, " Where's Connor?" My laughed stopped and my eyes darted to her, " How'd you know I was the slayer...and how in the hell do you know Connor?" I asked. Before she could answer, Connor hopped out of nowhere and pinned Harmony to the ground! He pulled out a stake and held it to her chest, " Any last words?" h asked. " Yeah, death to all stupid crossbows." she huffed. I raced to them and pulled Connor off her, " She has info. Info that I want." I said, holding my stomach. " We might want to finish her off." Connor said quickly. I looked at him, " Why?" I asked. He was lookig behind me and I turned to see what he was looking at and I nearly stopped breathing when I saw about seven more vampires. " Get back!" Connor said, stepping in front of me. " Why?" I asked. He ran his fingers around the wound on my stomach, " You're hurt and I don't want you to get more hurt." he said softly. I nodded, " Me neither, but I can help." I said, taking a fighting stance. Connor shook his head, " Please." he pleaded. I kissed him, " Look, when WE fight these guys and win, I'll give you first, middle, and last dance." I said quickly. " You plan on dancing with many others?" he asked. " Not especially." I said noticing Harmony was gone. I looked up to see the vampires running at us. I held my stomach and hobbled over to grab a shovel, " This should even it out." I smiled. Connor punched the first one and jumped into the air and kicked another, " Won't be doin any of that tonight." I said to myself. I shoved the sharp end of the shovel at my own vampires. More had crowded around me, I guess because of the blood, but they were in for a surprise. I swung the shovel, quickly decapitating one of four of them. One of them kicked me in the stomach and I stumbled back into Connor. " Are you okay?" he asked. I felt rage shoot through my entire body, " Oh, I'm good." I said, charging at the three left! I jumped into the air, kicking two of them, then punched the third and pulled out my stake. One tried to clothesline me, but I ducked and staked him in the back. I grabbed one of them and monkey flipped them int a crypt. The last grabbed me and threw me into a gravestone, crushing it! Connor had already disposed of two of his and was almost finished with the third vamp. I felt someone crawl on my back and breath on my neck, but I headbutted whoever it was and rolled over. The other one jumped on my chest, only to land on my stake! The last one charged at me and I was ready with a footsweep and stake him, but a stake flew from nowhere and dusted him! I sat up and stared at Buffy, Faith, Robin, and Angel. I sighed and laid back, " You guys ruin everything!" I laughed. " Are you okay?" Buffy said, running to me, " You're hurt." " Just a mortal wound. I'll be fine." I said, being helped up, " As long as the slayer healing kicks it up a notch." " You sure you're going to the club?" Faith asked. " Takes more than that to keep me from a club." I said getting upset. Faith threw her hands up and chuckled. Angel sniffed the air, " I smell Harmony." he said still sniffing. " And yet, not the strangest thing I've seen tonight." Buffy said, then glanced at Connor and I, " Harmony?!" she said in disbelief. Connor examined my stomach, then looked up at them, " We'll explain after we get bandages." he said, helping me walk back home to get bandaged up. ================================================================================================================== The club was in full effect when we got there! We all sat at a table and soon the adults began talking about boring thinks and drinking, so Dawn, Connor, and I moved to another table and laughed at the drunken older adults. There were a few teens in the club, but most of the kids were about Buffy's age, Xander seemed to be on tonight. Everytime I looked his way he had chicks checking him out. I think it was the eyepatch. It was sexy...not that I had noticed. I was proud that he was moving on. Dawn, Connor, and I laughed happily, sipping drinks. Connor was nineteen, still not old enough to drink so we all drank sodas. We were talking about the gentlemen and the initiative when Dawn stopped and looked across the club. I immediately looked too and saw one of the cutest guys ever! Besides Connor, of course. He was about 6'1, tanned with brown hair and he had a jock type body. He was with a grou, who were all like him. Not identical because...eww, but they were all hot. " That's the new RJ?" I asked. " RJ?" Connor asked. " Nevermind." Dawn blushed, " His name is Carlos Marcos. And that's his 'group'. You know that soccer is the sport of choice here, so they're all soccer players. The one behind him (Blonde, 6'0 and caucasian) is Micah Jones, the next one is..." Dawn said happily. " Does it matter?" Connor interrupted sourly. I smiled at Connor, " What's wrong?" I asked " What about the dances?" he asked. " We tried that." I said sadly, " I'm sorry I couldn't dance because of the excrutiating pain..." I said angrily. He sighed, " Look, I'm sorry, it's just..." he said softly so Dawn wouldn't hear. But he didn't have to worry about it, Dawn was daydreaming, again. " I know." I said, realizing how Dawn and I sounded. Dawn smiled, " God you guys are so made for each other." she said amused, " They're coming this way!" she said happily. She was right, the boys were walking past! Carlos, Micah and another guy cut away from the group and stood at the table. " Hey Dawn." Carlos said," How are you?" he smiled. His teeth were pearly white and Dawn immediately smiled. " Hey Carlos." she smiled, " Hey Micah, Doug (6'0, brunette caucasian). What's up?" she asked. " Nothing, just havin some fun, heard that this place was the place to be, so we decided to check it out." Carlos smiled. Dawn grinned as big as she could and gestured to us, " This is Austin and Connor." she said, introducing us. We nodded and he introduced Micah and Doug to us. I smiled while Connor frowned and sneered. Connor sighed, " I'm going to the bathroom." he said, leaving. I was going to follow him, but Micah and Doug slid into his spot. Carlos smiled, " Dawn, would you like to dance?" he asked. " Sure." she said, winking at me, then following him to the dancefloor. I nodded and sipped my drink nervously. " So, you're from America too?" Doug asked. " Yeah, Sunnydale." I said carefully. " I heard about that. The whole place crumbled in and some pretty weird things happened there. My favorite band is from there, 'Dingoes ate my Baby'." Micah said cheerily. Doug frowned, " Then there's some odd people who come from there, like your friend, uh, Connor." he said antagonistically. I frowned, " He from L.A. and he's not weird." I said snootily. " All I'm saying is that he's a bit weird...is he like...um, anit-social?" Dough asked, prompting Micah to jab him. " No, he's just a really good judge of character." I snapped. Micah cleared his throat, " He's just...an ass." he smiled. I smiled too and I guess this made Doug angry, " This is so gay!" he said in disgust. " Good, cause I am gay." I said, causing both boys to look at me oddly. " I knew it! Could always tell a fag. How about you get on your kne..." Doug said, attempting to rub my stomach, but I wrenched his arm. Micah looked at me carefully and I let go and stood. I began walking away when I felt and on my shoulder, " Hey! You can't do that and just leave, I'm gonna kick your ass, freak!" Doug said, spinning me around. As he swung his fist at me, I grabbed his arm and punched him in the face, causing him to fall backwards! The whole club stopped to look at the situation and Buffy and the gang came running over. " Alright, score one for Austin." Faith smiled. Buffy looked from me to Doug, " What happened?" she asked. " Ask him when he wakes up." I said, running out of the club. ================================================================================================================= When I finally got outside the club, I was so mad I felt like going to find a vampire, making the vampire bite Doug, then staking him. As I reached the outside, Micah stopped me. " Hey." he said and I turned, ready to kick his ass, " Whoa! Wait, I just wanted to say sorry for Doug." he apologized. I looked at him for a second, " Why would you apologize for something you didn't do?" I asked. " He was my responsibility for the night and I let things go too far. He went too far." he said with complete honesty. " It's okay, he's pretty much far away right now anyways." I smiled. " So, Dawn says you're starting school with us soon." he smiled, " Should be interesting." he said, turning to walk back past Connor and Dawn, who hurried to me. " What happened?" Connor asked, " When I came back from the bathroom, I saw Buffy and the gang trying to revive...erm, Doug?" he asked. " Well, we were talking and he said that you were weird and anti-social, so I told him you weren't and Micah and I were finally having a conversation without him and he said that it was gay. So I told him I was." I explained, " And he said that he knew it and that I should get on my knees." Dawn gasped, " Are you serious?" she asked. Connor turned back toward the club and started walking, " Where are you goin?" I asked. " To kick his ass." Connor said angrily. " Already done." I smirked. " No, he can't get away with something like that." Connor shouted. My head fell to the ground, " I didn't tell you the worst part." I said quietly. Connor and Dawn looked at me with shock, " What was the worst part?" Dawn asked. " When he felt me up." I said slowly. connor exuded rage and I grabbed his shoulder, " It's okay. I mean, he's out cold and I'm feeling better already." I said, still holding his arm. " So where are you going now?" Dawn asked. I shrugged, " Home probably." I sighed. " I'm going too." Connor smirked, his anger still apparent. Dawn looked nervous, " Do you need best friend? I'm totally there, even though I'm having such a good time..." she pouted. " Then stay." I said happily, " We'll find something to do." Connor smirked and Dawn looked at me with shock, " oh, no. I mean like...my side really hurts and from what I'm told, you need your side to..." I trailed off. " You're a virgin?" Connor smiled. Dawn smiled, " Thanks." she said walking back to the club. " You owe me one." I shouted. " No, you owe me one." she winked. I smiled and walked in the opposite direction with Connor. ======================================================================================================================= Luckily it was just Connor and I. We sat on the couch with popcorn, watching Veronica Mars by the fire. I had undressed and slipped into gym shorts and a t-shirt. Connor had opted to stay in his clothes, but I was fine with that. I felt really comfortable with him and it was great. " So, how is college life?" I asked him. " Exciting, for a while. Just to be a normal kid is exciting." he answered. I sighed, " Tell me about it." I said. " Have you ever had a...boyfriend?" he asked. I nodded, " Two, one was serious and one was doomed." I said honestly. " Have you ever had...sex, or are really a virgin?" he asked. " No. I'm a virgin." I said simply. " Oh." he smiled, " Why not?" " I just never wanted to do it." I said with a smile, " But things change." He smiled and kissed me. As we kissed his hands moved down to my crotch and I moaned. I felt like giving in, but I couldn't, " I can't. It's not time." I said softly. He nodded and backed away from me, " It's okay. I didn't expect to." he said. " I want to, god do I want to, but things change after sex. It could be a good change or a bad one...and it's just not the right time for us. I don't want you to be mad." I said, staring at him. " I'm not, it's just that I think I need a nice, cold shower." he said, backing away, " But I'll be back soon." he smiled, leaving. I slumped onto the couch with the popcorn, watching Veronica and Logan self-destruct. I watched the obvious signs of a break-up, then remembered that it was tv. I looked at the fire and was amazed by the beauty, or maybe it was just because the fire was pretty. It made me realize that it was a new year...2007. A new country, a new school...old friends. I thought about Connor. I wanted to have sex with him, he was hot and everything, but I didn't know how. I wasn't ready. I wanted to be, but I wasn't. I threw popcorn in my mouth, but stopped at the sight of Cordelia Chase standing in front of me. This wasn't the Cordelia I knew, though...short curly hair, always the fashionable one, and still it was her. " Hey pipsqueak." she smirked. " Hey STD queen." I smiled. " Long time no see." she smiled, " I can't stay long, but I came to give you some advice." I leaned forward, " And what is that?" I asked. She smiled and leaned in, " Connor is not yours." she said, causing me to lose any note of happiness I ever had. " And why is that?" I asked. " Because." she said. " Because?" I asked, " Are we six?" " He's a disturbed guy. He gets the wigs every now and then." she said, " Plus, he's been through the whole hell dimension thing..." " And. I mean, it didn't stop you from doing him." I said untouched by her comments. " True, but even then he was a total whack job." she said confidently. I smirked, " Anything else?" I asked. " He will hurt you. That's what the 'Angel genes' do." she said, making me frown, " Let me elaborate. They are good guys and they don't mean to hurt people, but they do. He can't make you happy even if you were normal." she said snidely. " What does that mean?" I asked. " Let's not play, we all know there's something wrong with you. Ha, a male slayer?! That's so last year." she said. " What's that got to do with Connor?" I asked. " He's not someone that you can wake up to. And at the end of the day, that's what a slayer needs, someone to wake up to. Someone to be there when you feel you can't do it. Someone to support you and your slaying. He can't be that...it's not in the cards, babe." Cordelia smiled. She winked at me, then disappeared. I got up, threw the popcorn away, extinguished the fire and went to my room and found my cell phone, dialing Buffy's number. ================================================================================================================== I sat on my bed with my backpack in hand, shaken over what had just occured. the room was dark except for the light from the moon shining through the window. I stared up at the window, trying not to move an inch. I feared moving. Moving was a no no and I felt almost spastic. I was shocked when Buffy showed up at the opened dor and moved through it to the window. She stepped into the light of the window and smiled into the night. " Are you okay?" she asked, not turning around. " I'm not doing backflips but, yeah." I said, watching her. There was something about her that was off to me. " You'd be surprised." she smiled, " There is something wrong though." " What?" I asked. She turned to me and lost her smile, " You have to die. There's this whole thing with you dying and the world being saved. No time for specifics." she said, " You're not normal...even in supernatural terms...a male will..." she trailed. I eyed her with tears, " what? But the First Slayer said..." I squeaked. " There is something she didn't tell you. You have to die to save the world. Unlike me...it's not reversible. I don't want to kill you, so I'm gonna give you a choice." She said somberly, " I can kill you, or you can kill yourself." I frowned, " Kill myself? There's got to be another way." I said frantically. " There isn't. I wish things could be different, things happen so fast, it's hard to process. I figured I'd come and be with you when it happened." Buffy said regretfully, but I caught the smirk...the brief glimpse of the smirk and I realized what was happening. " Kill myself? You almost...nah, the Cordelia bit was over the top." I said boldly, " The real Buffy would never let me kill myself or die. She'd fight to the end." I said moving past her into the light. " Smart boy." she said, transforming into my mother, " Honey you've always been smart. I remember when you were five, you'd run around the house playing..." it smiled, but I cold take it anymore! " Shut the fuck up!" I yelled, " You like hearing youself talk, huh." It looked at me as if I'd just been out of line, " Austin Carmichael Young-Daniels! You watch your mouth." it frowned, transforming into my father, " We raised you better than that!" " I said stop!" I said, shuddering at it's appearance. " Do you know who we are?" it said, once again transforming. This time, it transformed into Janice, " You cannot hope to know us." it said. " Really? What do you think Buffy?" I said, gesturing to Buffy, Faith, Angel, Robin, Willow, Xander, and Giles, " How'd I do?" " Oscar-worthy." Willow smiled, " If i had gold stars, you'd have...not the point, right?" she said sheepishly. Buffy stepped forward, " Thought I kicked your ass back in Sunnydale." she smirked. The First sneered, " Maybe. You won the battle, but the war is just beginning. It's only a matter of time before the next Apocalypse. The upcoming battle shall be an interesting one." it smirked, watching me walk to the bed, " What are you doing?" it asked. I picked up my bag and grabbed something out of it, " Well, I found this nifty little dagger in Sunnydale." I said, holding up, " I think it's called the 'Dagger of Hope', right? What better to face all evil, right? Hope." I asked, moving to stan beside Buffy. The First smiled, " I should have killed you all when I had the chance." it said. " You tried, it didn't work. Remember." Faith said angrily. " Not together, but individually. I could have killed you all so many time." it smirked, showing faint signs of a frown. It stared at me, " They will never accept you into their little gang...you're irrelevant. what will you have when they leave you?" it sneered. "Hope." I said, plunging the Dagger into it's chest! It screeched and manifested into one of the biggest demons ever! The force of such a blow knocked Buffy and the gang back, but it sent me hurtling through the doorway and through another door! =========================================================================================================================== " You're taking this hero thing too far." Anya's voice came from behind me. I wheeled around to se Tara, Anya, Cordelia, Wesley, and Oz. " What the hell?" I asked, walking to them. We were in the Magic Box and they sat at the table by the stairs with crystal balls. " You're taking this 'Why do I have to save the world' business too far." Anya repeated. " I...Tara, Wesley, Cordy, and Anya...you're dead, but Oz, why are you here?" I asked. " I don't know. I just fit the dream. Stoic, quiet guy." he said. I nodded " Back to the problem. This whole 'Why am I the slaye?' thing is crap!" Anya said from nowhere, " Can't you just accept it." " You're asking me not to question things? You, who asked why Joyce couldn't have punch." I asked with concern, then I saw Joyce. She was standing far away and I could still make her out. " Look, I died in the beginning battle with big evil. I should get the benefit of the doubt." she said in her own 'Anya' tone. " You kinda sound like the first." Cordelia said. " Really? Menacing?" Any asked. " No, annoying a confusing." Cordelia said. Tara cleared her throat, " The thing Anya isn't explaining so well is that you have to move on from this. There is something coming and you need to be over this." she said softly. I looked at Oz, " What she said." he smirked. " How..." I began but he shrugged. " Not sure. Could have something to do with the monks chanting and...nevermind. The point is that you have to survive the...you have to survive! There are futures at stake." he said. " Anything else? Anya?" I asked. " Something wicked this way comes...um, can you return a movie for me. I rented it when I was a vengeance demon and it's wicked late." Anya nodded. " Right, now anything useful?" I asked. " Beware heart. It plays tricks on the brain and eyes. Not all demons are bad and not all people are good. Be in the now, the past won't help." Tara said. I nodded, " I graduate in a few months...where am I going?" I asked. Oz raised his hand, " I have a feeling I'll be there." he smiled. Cordelia cleared his throat, " It involves Dawn, Connor, and Oz...oh yeah, and a lot of undead things. You might find helpful to employ a groo or two. And what the first said was wrong. Connor is...Sorry, can't ruin the ending." she riddled. I nodded, " I miss you guys, but you make even less since when you're dead." I said, attempting to hug them, but before I reached them, I opened my eyes to Connor smiling down at me. " Hey." he smiled. " Hi." I said back.