Part 3
Buffy ran quickly through the cemetery for once not being chased by anything. While her plan to retrieve the necklace hadn’t gone according to plan she never the less clutched the prize in her hand. Her haste was because of a burning need to see the person she had left behind. Anya had to be frantic by now. Plus the sooner she got back the sooner they could leave this twisted version of home and return to the real thing. As she raced along she realized that for the first time in far too long she was…happy.
She slowed her pace as she approached the entrance to her home of the last few weeks and cautiously entered. Feeling nothing was wrong and her slayer senses assuring her that the only occupant was an anxious ex-demon she rushed down the entrance happy to be back with her companion for this strange escapade. She was so excited at the prospect of returning that she never noticed the blunt object swung at her head until it made contact.
“I’m so sorry!” cried Anya looking down at the wincing slayer on the floor. “You took longer than you said and I got scared and then I heard the noise coming down the tunnel…and what was that all about anyway?” she babbled. “You never make that much noise!” she added indignantly.
Buffy looked up sheepishly a grin replacing her pained look. She reached over and took the hand that was stroking the side of her face. “I was happy to be back” she said with a shrug.
“Oh…that’s okay then” Anya replied, a faint blush showing on her face. Buffy stared enraptured. She had never seen the usually shameless Anya blush before. Warmth filled her as she realized she was the cause of the reaction.
“Did you get it?” she asked to break the tension.
“Right here.” Buffy replied holding up the necklace. “Ready to go home?” she asked.
“Yeah…no wait!” came Anya’s response as Buffy lifted it in preparation to smash it. “If we get separated we should meet at your house” She reach down and encircled the Slayer’s neck with an arm. “In case it doesn’t work right” she explained as she lightly brushed her lips to Buffy’s just as the Slayer brought the necklace down with shattering force upon the cold concrete floor.
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Buffy woke in her bed next to a sleeping Dawn with tear streaks staining her face. She noted that her sister was fully dressed in clothes that when she had last seen her had fit, but that now hung off her too thin frame. And from the smell she had been wearing them for some time now. The bags under the eyes spoke of little if any sleep before now.
This sight would have barely fazed her before her trip to the alternate Sunnydale, but now it tore at her heart that her sister had suffered so much. That she had disappeared so soon after her resurrection must have been torment for Dawn and all of their friends. She moved her hand to the younger girls hair and stroked it lightly
“Dawn…Come on Dawn, time to wake up” she called gently. Her little sister stirred sleepily, grumbling and rubbing at her eyes. Buffy could tell the second that Dawn recognized who had awakened her because for the space of several heartbeats the other girl just froze.
Then suddenly she threw herself into Buffy’s arms knocking them both off of the bed. “BUFFY!” she shouted excitedly. “Oh god, Buffy! What happened to you? All we could find was your jacket in the cemetery. We thought something had happened to you while you were patrolling” she told her as tears streamed down her face. “I…I thought…” she was unable to finish the sentence.
“Well…something did happen. I’m sorry Dawn, if I could have found a way to let you know what had happened and that I was okay I would have.” Buffy pulled her into another hug. “I came back as soon as I could” she added. She couldn’t help but feel guilty for enjoying even a small part of her forced trip.
“I’m glad you’re back” Dawn said simply.
“Dawn, are you okay?” came a yawning voice from the hall just a second before the door opened and a concerned Tara looked in. She stared in shock for a moment, and then with a grin ran back down the hall calling for Willow.
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Anya’s return home was far less desirable. Although if the truth were to be told three weeks ago this would have been exactly what she had wanted. She let out a groan as Xander embraced her while still asleep in that a gesture she had once made her feel safe and secure, but now only made her realize how much she missed waking in the comfortable arms of Buffy. Sure the demons were bad, and they had to scavenge food and there was the issue of the smell that had draped over the place, but that wishverse definitely had its good points.
Distracted by the turn her thoughts had taken, she didn’t notice when Xander’s eyes open or the brief looks of recognition, shock, and finally joy that crossed his face.
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Xander dreamed that Anya had returned to him. When she and Buffy had vanished on the same day he had known that whatever had happened that they were together and if Buffy had any say in it they would be back someday. In dreams that day had arrived. Anya had shown up at his door and wanted him back. And as always he wanted her. The dream had shifted and they had found themselves in his bedroom where they had made love and now lay cuddled together.
But now came the part he hated. It was time to wake up and he knew that with consciousness that the dream would fade as it always did. Only the feel of her skin on his arms didn’t fade. The smell of her hair was still with him. And as he opened his eyes her angelic face, lost in thought, was right next to his.
And as she finally became aware of his attention he said what he had wanted to say since the second she had walked out of his door. “Anya, I love you so much…please don’t ever leave me again.”
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She just looked at him for a moment. After all the hurtful words of their parting she couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She had thought that he never wanted to see her again. And now here he was begging her not to leave him. Tears began to flow from her eyes.
“I…I can’t stay, Xander” she told him softly. She got up out of the bed and backed slowly so that she was still facing him.
He let out a sigh, “It Buffy isn’t it? Something happened while you two were missing.” It was a statement. “Anya, I love you. Isn’t that enough? We have something good and special and you want to throw it away for something that will only lead you to pain. She’s the Slayer, Anya. Sooner or later something’s going to kill her again, and this time there won’t be anyone to bring her back. I don’t want to see you hurt like that.
Anya made it to the door and reached behind her to turn the knob. “I love you too, Xander, and everything you’ve said is true. But when I think about life without her…I can’t imagine a pain worse than the one I get at even the thought. And as much as I love you, I know that if something happened to you it would hurt, but it wouldn’t feel like this. Bye, Xander.” And she was out the door headed for a certain Slayer’s home.
THE END
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