The Sitch: I wrote this after 'The Zeppo'. It's basically a 'what if they hadn't been able to stop Armegeddon' type scenerio(the Hellmouth opens, and instead of the world being over-run by demons everything's destroyed). This tells how they spend their last time on Earth(not including Cordelia because I didn't want to, and Oz because he was a wolf that night).
And then it happened. In a flash of blinding light, everything gone. Maybe they *could* have stopped it, for now. But it had been inevitable, *this day* had been inevitable. The Hellmouth had opened..the world had been destroyed.
Earlier that day
It had only been earlier that day that things had been fine, that people's lives had went about happily..unknowingly. Nothing had been hanging in the balance between existance and non. One conversation had changed all that.
"Tonight?"
He nodded "Before sunrise. That's what they said."
The Slayer had found the barkeeper, whose clients consisted mainly of the 'darker' population, in a bad state. He'd been beaten badly, and his bar had been trashed.
"Why did they do this?" she asked Willy.
"They were looking for Angel." came the reply.
"Angel, why?"
"They said they were coming after you too," he revealed to her "Nothing could stand in their way because..tonight was the night." The barkeeper coughed in pain "Oh man."
"The ambulance is on its way." she assured him.
"Look kid, my clientel ain't exactly nuns and orphans but..I, uh..I never seen anything like these demons." He had dealt with alot of demons, but this experience had him really shaken.
"I gotta stop them." she told him.
"That Hellmouth opens..they're gonna be the least of your problems is my train of thought." He paused, gasping and coughing. "If I were you..I'd go find Angel..go somewhere quiet together. I'd be thinking about how I wanted to spend my last night on Earth."
Then the ambulance arrived, taking him away to where he was sure would be the last place he ever saw.
Research had failed them, nothing could be done. This was it. The big evil they weren't prepared for..the one they couldn't stop. They had known it had been going to happen, sooner or later. Everything leading up to this had shown them just how close this world was to Armegeddon. And now it would be, in just a few short hours.
"Go home." Giles told Willow and Buffy. Lord knows he wasn't one to quit, but this was it..he could feel it in the air. This was it...
"Tell Xander. And Buffy..your mom." He looked at them with a certain finality in his eyes. They felt it also..the end was near. They left to go spend their last hours on Earth...to make them worthwhile.
And Giles went to walk the streets of the small town..to view the world once more before it became nothing but a memory.
Willow found Xander in his car, parked outside some buildings. She ran to him and wrapped her arms around him, holding him close to her.
"Will, I-"
"Shhhh," she interrupted him softly. She whispered "Get in the car. I'll explain on the way."
"Sure Will, where to?" he asked confused.
"Anywhere." she replied.
"I'm sorry you had to know, Mom." she spoke, trying to comfort her mother from the reality of what she'd just told her. Her mom was sobbing in hysterics, helpless.
"This is where the world has been headed Mom. I tried, but..this has always been inevitable." she hugged her mother close. "I don't want you to spend your last hours crying." she instructed her. The sobbing subsided, replaced by grim acceptance.
"Are you sure?"
Buffy nodded "Giles doesn't just give up, and neither do I. If there were a way.." Her mother nodded. A brief silence followed. "Mom, if it's okay, can I spend whatever time there is left with Angel?"
Joyce's eyes met with her daughter's, and in saddness she nodded. Saddness for the world. "I'll be okay." she told Buffy.
Her daughter hugged her tightly, tearfully. "Good-bye Mom." she said, then left. And Joyce went to sit and reflect on life.
Giles found himself seated on an overlook of the town, in all its beauty. He awed in the way the stars shone, and the light from the full moon. He gazed in wonderment at all the houses, all containing lives which would be torn away. He listened as the wind whispered through the trees on the breeze. For the first time in his life, he just *was*..no questions, no analysis. Just *being*. What peace there actually was in the world, when one just stopped to acknowledge it. It was right there for all to see. Right there. He breathed in the air to its fullest, and just enjoyed the peace he now found in the simplest, most familiar setting.
Xander and Willow sat on the couch, just enjoying each other's presence. Her parents were..well, not here. *They* were here..they were together. If they were going to go, their souls knew this was the way they wanted it to be. Together. Always, in their hearts, together. They held each other close, cherishing every precious second. He kissed her forehead, and held her.
She pushed his shirt off and held him close, kissing him with passion. He held her gently, before lifting her and carrying her over to the bed. They gazed into each other's eyes, knowing this was right..knowing that their last memory would be one of their complete love for each other. He placed her down gently, before their kisses again overtook them with passion. They breathed heavily, kissing all the while..undressing each other. They wrapped the sheets around their two bodies, their arms entangeled around each other. They gazed longingly before holding each other close, their kisses resuming. They soon found happiness and love, within each other...body, heart, and soul.
Joyce sat on a chair out on the porch, thinking about her many blessings as she gazed up at the sky. She had a strong, wonderful, loving daughter. She had experienced love once, and many times, throughout her lifetime..thank's to Buffy and her father, Hank. She sighed and thought of her family, the whole life she'd lived, every good memory she had(and there were many). She thought of everything from the art gallery she held so dear, to the time she'd first held Buffy in her arms. Now another was holding her daughter in their arms. Nevertheless, she was glad if Buffy had found even half of the happiness she herself had. As Joyce thought of her life, of her daughter, she could honestly say that her life had been as great as she could have ever wished it to be. Then, with no warning, the ground beneath her began to shake. With the knowledge of what that meant, she continued to reflect on all of her happiest memories.
The ground atop the overlook began to rumble, and the Watcher knew it was time. He found that he was afriad, but took consolation in knowing that he'd soon be with his beloved Jenny. And despite his great fear, a smile spread across Giles' face..and he looked up at the stars.
Willow held Xander close, fear in her eyes. The ground was beginning to rumble. He looked deeply into her eyes, and kissed her. The kiss deepened with each passing second, love filling their souls..a love that had never gotten to be. Oh well, they were together now.
At the first rumble, she held her lover close to her beneath the sheets. They grasped each other's hands, and lay protected in each other's embrace. He could feel her heart beat with fear...this was the end. Despite this, their souls felt otherwise..and held a knowledge that they'd never part. Not even in death.
And the light flashed, consuming everything in its path as it spread across the land, and over the Earth.
As the light consumed her, she thought of her life..and all the good that had come out of it.
As the light consumed him, he thought of Jenny..the techno pagan whom he had fallen in love with.
As the light consumed them, they thought of their love that had never quite been, and yet always had..the love that could now be.
As the light consumed them, they were aware of nothing but their love for each other..eternally close in the shattering darkness.
As the light consumed everything, all souls were freed..nothing had really ended with Armegeddon. They all flew to the place where they could be with those they loved and held dear..for all eternity. The eternity that could never be denied. The end is never really the end..only a return to the eternity that never left. A return to Home.