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buffyfic-digest        Sunday, January 3 1999        Volume 02 : Number 405



In this issue:

       BUFFYFIC: Can't Hide the Past (2d/?)
       BUFFYFIC: "Flies to Honey" sequel to "The Necromancer" (04/16)
       BUFFYFIC: "Flies to Honey" sequel to "The Necromancer" (05/16)
       BUFFYFIC: "Flies to Honey" sequel to "The Necromancer" (06/16)
       BUFFYFIC: Torn (8/?)

See the end of the digest for information on (un)subscribing to the buffyfic
or buffyfic-digest mailing lists and on how to retrieve back issues.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Sat, 2 Jan 1999 16:50:05 EST
From: [e-mail]
Subject: BUFFYFIC: Can't Hide the Past (2d/?)

TITLE: Can't Hide the Past
*
AUTHOR: Shadows
*
DISTRIBUTION: Will ya do me a favor and agree to post this somewhere on your
own little archive? Just ask me first. E-mail me at [e-mail]
*
DESCRIPTION: Ok, as I sit down to write this fic, "Amends" is the last episode
that I have seen. I will be following the show from only up to there. Then my
mind will have it's own play.

 Story: 15 years after my own little season three finale, the Scooby Gang
finds themselves thrown together after something *very* strange happens to all
of them.

 Chapter 2: Stupid Xander screws up things for the Scooby Gang, in a majorly
weird way.
*
DISCLAIMER: Ok, I have some stuff to say as to what is not mine and what *is*
mine.

 Rupert Giles: Don't own him. You know who he belongs to. You know who he is.

 Mr. Harlen: He owns himself. He's my neighbor, and Buffy's fictional
neighbor. Such a nice man. Sorry for killing you off, Mr. Harlen.
*
*
*
Can't Hide the Past
Chapter 2
Part D (Cause stupid AOL won't let me post the whole darn thing in one e-
mail!!!)



    Xander watched as the vaguely familiar stranger open his eyes wide and drop
the bags that he was carrying. There was the sound of glass breaking, and then
the stranger winced, muttering something about a carousel. Then the man lifted
one hand up, reaching out to Xander's face as though he was going to touch him
to see if he was real, and then drew his hand back sharply. He backed away, up
to the wall, looking at the library setting around him. He looked at the
people in the back, and as his eyes settled on Giles all the color drained
from his face. A colorful string of swear words erupted from his mouth.

    Then there was silence. Nobody seemed sure of what to do. Then the man,
leaving the bags and much of his sanity behind, walked right up to the
computer and peered at the others.

    Buffy was getting a little nervous, and the way that this man was staring at
her was making her more nervous. "Hey," she snapped, "what're you looking at?"
Actually . . . besides the fact this man might not even *be* a man, what with
him appearing out of thin air, but he was rather good-looking, what with those
muscles and that chest and . . . yummy. Even though he was way too old for
her.

    The man blinked, and then tried to get his mouth working again. "What date is
this?" he asked, his voice cracking like a teen-agers. Then he cleared his
throat and asked a bit more forcefully, "What date is today?"

    Buffy was still staring/glaring at the man, Willow wasn't the world's
greatest speaker, Xander was just joining the, so it was Giles' responsibility
to answer. "Um, today is the 21st. Of December," he quickly added.

    The man rolled his eyes. "I mean, what *year*," he asked.

    "Year?" Willow's asked, her voice up in the high decibels.

    "1998," Buffy said quickly, filling him in. "Or, at least, until next week. I
think"

    The man took this information in, looking down at the ground and his eyes
growing a bit darker. Then he looked up and saying the following very slowly
and very carefully, as though he did not believe that he himself knew what he
was saying:

    "Now, none of you are going to believe this." A pause. "OK, maybe you will,
living on the Hellmouth and all." Another beat. "My name is Alexander Harris.
I'm 32 years old, and just a few seconds ago, I was walking down the streets
of New York, Christmas shopping with my wife. In the year 2013. So if any of
have any ideas about how the hell I just went back 15 or so years in time, I'd
be open to hearing them."

    The whole group just stared at him, wide-eyed. Then Giles cleared his throat
again.

    "Xander," he said, staring at the young one. Both turned to look at them,
faces drawn tight in fear and confusion. "I'm afraid that you've messed with
something quite powerful."

    "What's new," growled the older Xander, shooting a glare at his younger self.



////****\\\\ End of the very short Part D, and end of Chapter 2 ////****\\\\
Feedback requested.
~Shadows~

------------------------------

Date: Sat, 02 Jan 1999 21:04:12 -0800
From: "J. Jericho Born" <[e-mail]>
Subject: BUFFYFIC: "Flies to Honey" sequel to "The Necromancer" (04/16)

TITLE: "Flies to Honey" (Part 04/16)
AUTHOR: J. Jericho Born
E-MAIL: [e-mail]
FEEDBACK: Please let me know what you think of my fanfic with some feedback.
DISTRIBUTION: The author reserves rights on this story. Please do not
distribute without expressed permission.
RATING: PG  Contains violence.
SPOILERS: Spoilers to previous fanfic. If you would like to read the preceding
story you can download it at < http://www.sirius.com/~traction/buffy >.
DESCRIPTION: The sequel to "The Necromancer".
DISCLAIMER: The writer of this unauthorized fan fiction is not affiliated with
any of the parties involved in the making of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The
characters are the property of Joss Whedon and whomever else the lawyers may
deem fit, they are used without permission. Technically that is not legal, but
I'm not anticipating any law suits. This work, the plot line, and the
characters introduced that are not already featured on Buffy the Vampire
Slayer are the work of Joshua Jericho Born, Copyright 1998.

==============

Scene 3

Avoiding other students as she went, Buffy turned a hall of Sunnydale High to
come upon the school's computer lab. She had not seen her friend Willow at all
that day and was starting to get concerned. Her worries were quieted somewhat
when she saw the redhead in question diligently hacking away at a keyboard.
Interested, Buffy approached.

"Hi, I've been looking for you," she said pleasantly.

"Hi," blandly replied Willow without even averting her eyes from the computer
screen.

"What 'ya working on?" casually inquired Buffy.

An awkward amount of time passed before Willow spent energy to give a reply.

"I've been going over some of Miss Calender's documents and some necromancer
books to come up with a way of changing Oz back to human," she replied.

"If we ever find him that is," Willow added pessimistically.

"Willow!" Buffy said in shock.

"I told you we'd find him," reaffirmed Buffy.

"Yeah, well, you like to say that, but you're not doing much about it,"
commented Willow.

Buffy was shocked even more. Willow finally looked at Buffy, irritation and
contempt showing.

"It's just that you haven't done a thing to try and find Oz. All you do with
your slaying time lately is guard. . . him," Willow boldly said.

Amazed to say the least, Buffy had no idea that this kind of angst had been
brewing with her best friend. She looked away and thought for a second or two,
cocking her slightly in a hurt, confused gesture.

"I know this must be hard for you. I guess I didn't really look at things from
your point of view. I'm the Slayer, I've learned to accept it," explained
Buffy maturely. Willow looked away and listened to Buffy with her ears, but
not her heart.

Buffy continued, "Part of the job description is having to slay vampires when
you'd rather be out or shopping, or having a life, or even rescuing your
friends. Right now every vampire and his mother seem to be flocking to Abel's
body, so that's where I have to be."

Clicking away with the mouse, Willow saved her work to a floppy disk. She put
it in her backpack and got up to leave.

"It's nice to see you're so grown up and mature and have all your priorities
straight. Don't bother trying to call me tonight, I'm going to be going
through. . . his library to find something that can help Oz," said Willow
while leaving.

"Hey," called out Buffy after her, "If you want I can go with you."

Turning, Willow stopped mid stride. She answered sarcastically, "I'll be fine
by myself. Abel could use some company anyway."

Now alone in the commotion of the computer lab, Buffy's jaw dropped
astoundingly. It felt strange to be on bad terms with Willow. Slowly and
bitterly, the reality of the conversation that just occurred seeped in. Buffy
searched for a silver lining to the bleak cloud that just drifted into her
life. Willow finally said Abel's name she realized, but it was little
consolation.

==============

------------------------------

Date: Sat, 02 Jan 1999 21:05:24 -0800
From: "J. Jericho Born" <[e-mail]>
Subject: BUFFYFIC: "Flies to Honey" sequel to "The Necromancer" (05/16)

TITLE: "Flies to Honey" (Part 05/16)
AUTHOR: J. Jericho Born
E-MAIL: [e-mail]
FEEDBACK: Please let me know what you think of my fanfic with some feedback.
DISTRIBUTION: The author reserves rights on this story. Please do not
distribute without expressed permission.
RATING: PG  Contains violence.
SPOILERS: Spoilers to previous fanfic. If you would like to read the preceding
story you can download it at < http://www.sirius.com/~traction/buffy >.
DESCRIPTION: The sequel to "The Necromancer".
DISCLAIMER: The writer of this unauthorized fan fiction is not affiliated with
any of the parties involved in the making of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The
characters are the property of Joss Whedon and whomever else the lawyers may
deem fit, they are used without permission. Technically that is not legal, but
I'm not anticipating any law suits. This work, the plot line, and the
characters introduced that are not already featured on Buffy the Vampire
Slayer are the work of Joshua Jericho Born, Copyright 1998.


==============

Scene 4

None of Willow's exploits into the dark arts had been as black as her current
interest. Necromancy, the study of death itself, had been a lost and forbidden
calling even among those who had outcasted themselves from society by
practicing witchcraft. In order to find out how to undo what Abel had done to
her lost love, however, she must first find out what exactly happend to her
beloved. Therefore into the darkness she went.

Determined, Willow tread into the underground lair, reassuring herself that
her endeavor would not go unrewarded. The air was heavy with the stench of
decaying corpses, obtrusively foul and nauseating. The bodies that lay there
were once reborn as zombies, ready to toil tirelessly, but when their master
fell their puppet life was lost and they returned to their state of worm
feeding and maggot breeding. The disgusting scene hit Willow's senses like a
wet blanket, but she continued on with cringed face and without hesitation.

Stepping over the odd corpse, Willow made her way to an all too familiar room.
She looked over where she remembered being strapped down to a table. Thoughts
of sheer fright gained here had since been repressed into an abstract memory.
Every now and again they would break through and manifest into refound terror,
causing Willow to break into a cold sweat and eye the horizon in search of her
assaulter.

Abel may have looked like a normal, if pallid, young man, but in Willow's mind
he stood eight feet tall, had horns, and bore a resemblance to Lucifer. She
had thought she could never happen to hate someone so earnestly, but Abel had
found the blackest parts of her heart. How dare he use people as if they were
lab rats, something to be experimented on without regard for their feelings?
The repulsiveness of being one of Abel's guinea pigs was nothing compared to
what Willow almost faced: a helpless victim for his sexual amusement.

Thank goodness Buffy had stopped him in time to spare Willow's chastity, but,
it was too late to prevent him from letting Oz loose as a permanent werewolf.
The spot where their enemy had his last conscious thought looked conspicuously
plain, devoid of significance. She walked over to an open book. Presumably
these were the directions that Abel followed in order to be able to attain the
sense of feeling. Written in an archaic, cryptic language, Willow had no use
for it.

The potions, flasks, and bottles in the far corner of the room caught Willow's
attention. She remembered Abel mixing something together, arrogant as he was,
and it being needed to turn Oz into a werewolf. Hopeful, Willow herded a
couple marked bottles into her backpack. Perhaps she could use these to change
Oz back.

With this room's helpful potential exhausted, Willow made her way out. She
continued down the halls, remembering her way so she could backtrack, until
she came upon a room that caught her eye. The desk in the center of the room
was covered by a sea of books and documents while an equally impressive cache
of materials lay neatly tucked away on a bookshelf. Willow entered, shifting
her eyes side to side.

To her delight, Willow realized that although the manuscripts were in an
unknown language most of Abel's notes were in English. The scribblings ranged
from humorous to disturbing.

"Typical Maldini, always trying to do things the hard way. He'd write a fifty
page step by step description of the technique one can use to locate one's own
ass. Much like one's own ass, Kragen Demons are easier to feel for than to
search for as he prescribes," one note read.

Another note made Willow feel uneasy. Abel had written, "A werewolf! How
exciting! It will be good for me to handle one in my research. Also, the girl
with the amber hued hair that's with him will suffice for my less studious
interests. I can grab them both while their together and kill two birds with
one stone."

Willow was frustrated at not making any progress. She was leaving when she
noticed a few roughly written lines on a small scrap of paper.

It read, "From all I can discern, the same procedure outlined in Bhadoven's
Anomalous Beastiary for 'curing' a werewolf can be used to make a periodic
werewolf more permanent. A few common reagents mixed in equal portions, spread
on the subject, and ignited with a focused blast of hellfire should do the
trick. I'm rather dissatisfied; it's like playing with a child's toys."

Rejoice, that was it! Willow enthusiastically shoved the scrap paper into her
pocket. Then a thought hit her, who was she going to get to summon a blast of
hellfire? She slumped her shoulders back down, disappointed to say the least.
After a few moments thought, she perked back up. It was resolved then, she'd
just have to learn the whole hellfire thing herself.

==============

------------------------------

Date: Sat, 02 Jan 1999 21:06:40 -0800
From: "J. Jericho Born" <[e-mail]>
Subject: BUFFYFIC: "Flies to Honey" sequel to "The Necromancer" (06/16)

TITLE: "Flies to Honey" (Part 06/16)
AUTHOR: J. Jericho Born
E-MAIL: [e-mail]
FEEDBACK: Please let me know what you think of my fanfic with some feedback.
DISTRIBUTION: The author reserves rights on this story. Please do not
distribute without expressed permission.
RATING: PG  Contains violence.
SPOILERS: Spoilers to previous fanfic. If you would like to read the preceding
story you can download it at < http://www.sirius.com/~traction/buffy >.
DESCRIPTION: The sequel to "The Necromancer".
DISCLAIMER: The writer of this unauthorized fan fiction is not affiliated with
any of the parties involved in the making of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The
characters are the property of Joss Whedon and whomever else the lawyers may
deem fit, they are used without permission. Technically that is not legal, but
I'm not anticipating any law suits. This work, the plot line, and the
characters introduced that are not already featured on Buffy the Vampire
Slayer are the work of Joshua Jericho Born, Copyright 1998.

==============

Scene 5

Standing innocently in the doorway, Buffy lingered outside of Giles' library
office. Giles himself had his attentions buried in an particularly interesting
read of a book. A few pages went by before Giles finally donned his glasses to
look over a sheepish, quiet Slayer.

"Oh, Buffy, I hadn't noticed you there. Is something a matter?" questioned
Giles.

"Well, I don't know how to say this, but I was talking with Willow yesterday,"
slowly articulated Buffy.

"Are things not all well between you and Willow?" Giles inquired softly.

"No," quickly replied Buffy with an unsure expression.

After some pause she finally admitted, "Yes." Buffy explained, "You see it's
just that I've been spending so much time with the slayage around Abel's crypt
and Oz is still out there."

"Ah, and I suppose you want me to tell you it would be fine for you to neglect
your duties and pursue locating Oz with more of your time," guessed Giles.

"That'd be perfect," smiled Buffy.

"You do realize that this is not only a choice opportunity to slay vampires,
but that if a vampire did feed on Abel and consequently killed him that the
gateway Abel sealed would be reopened, giving way for more necromancers to
come into our world. As your Watcher I can't very well endorse you forsaking
your responsibilities," reminded Giles officiously.

Buffy dropped her head and remained silent.

"As an adult and dare I say father figure, however, I can tell you that there
are times in one's life when the welfare of those close to you are many times
greater in your heart than responsibilities that one doesn't even want," added
Giles gently.

Her head now raised, Buffy quizzically glanced at the grin on her Watcher's
face. She answered it a small smirk of her own.

"Thanks," said Buffy plainly. Giles nodded in awknowledgement, his inner
character showing through his simple gesture.

==============

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 3 Jan 1999 19:33:39 EST
From: [e-mail]
Subject: BUFFYFIC: Torn (8/?)

TITLE: Torn
AUTHOR: Danielle Loughlin
E-MAIL: [e-mail]
DISTRIBUTION: Ask and ye shall receive.
SPOILERS: Through Lover's Walk, one slight reference to Amends
RATING: this part, PG, mild language
SUMMARY: Willow's caught between Xander and Oz
DISCLAIMER: Buffy & Co. is Joss & Co's. No copyright infringement intended.

DEDICATION: To all of you who wrote and told me how much you loved this story
and for encouraging me to keep writing it. Here's the next part!

If you need any earlier parts, let me know, it's not up on my website yet.

Torn - Part Eight

Willow tiredly pulled back the covers to her bed and crawled under the warm
blankets, burrowing deep. She was so tired.

Buffy had taken care of Spike's minions and gotten them out of the factory
unharmed. Even Buffy was bewildered as to why Spike had wanted her that night,
because the master vampire hadn't even given the Slayer a reason. But it must
have been something.

Willow was too tired to think about it right now. Let Buffy and Giles deal
with Spike.

Xander, Oz, and Willow hadn't exchanged a word since Buffy had come through
the door. They'd silently parted ways, Oz going in one direction, Xander in
another, and Buffy and Willow in a third. It was on the walk home that Willow
had confessed to Buffy all her crazy, jumbled, mixed-up feelings. Buffy had
been totally sympathetic, but of course, she hadn't been able to help Willow
make a decision. Willow wished Buffy could just tell her. Xander or Oz. At the
rate things were going, she might as well flip a coin for them.

She was right back to square one. Xander or Oz. Oz or Xander. Willow groaned
into her pillow and rolled over. She couldn't think anymore. She'd worry about
it tomorrow . . when she could think more clearly . . . yes . . tomorrow . . .

*****

Willow walked into the Bronze. The club was empty, closed. The sound of
Willow's footsteps seemed to reach into the far, dusty corners of the
converted warehouse. Willow wandered through the maze of tables and chairs. A
movement to her right caught her eye.

Willow turned, and a single spotlight illuminated the stage. The musical
instruments belonging to Dingo Ate My Baby were scattered across the wooden
floor, except for one, the guitar. Oz sat on a stool, softly playing the
guitar. Willow recognized the melody as the song he'd written for her. Oz
looked up, right at Willow. His lips turned into the smile he got whenever he
saw Willow. "Hey, baby," he said.

"Oz," Willow said, stepping towards the stage.

"Don't come closer," Oz told her.

"Why not?" Willow asked. "Oz . . I love you! Why can't I come closer?"

"You don't love me, Willow," Oz said sadly. The last strains of the song died
out and Oz put the guitar down. " But I love you. I'll always love you."

"Oz, no! I do love you! I love you so much!" Willow protested. Oz got up and
headed offstage. "No, Oz, don't leave!"

"I have to," he told her.

"No," Willow whimpered. But Oz was gone, vanished into the swirling shadows of
the club. Willow was alone again. "Oz?" she cried out. "Where are you?"

"I'm here," a voice said. Willow whirled around. Xander was sitting on a
loveseat in a small alcove near the bar. "I'll always be here, Willow."

"Xander? Where's Oz?" Willow asked him. "Why did he leave me?"

"I don't know," Xander told her. "But I'm here. Don't you want me here?"

"Of course I want you here. You're my best friend," Willow said.

"Oh, really?" Xander asked. "Is that all I am? Your best friend?"

"Yes. . no. . I don't know. Xander what's going on?" Willow said in confusion.

"You know what's going on, Willow," Xander said cryptically. "You always
know."

"What do I know?" Willow asked. "Xander, tell me!"

"You know. You'll see," Xander said. "I can't tell you, but you'll see." With
that last statement Xander started to fade away into the darkness.

"Xander! Don't leave me!" Willow cried.

"I'll never leave you. . . I love you," Willow heard Xander's voice, but he
was no longer there. She was alone.

Alone . . alone . . alone.

*****

Willow bolted awake. "Xander!" she cried out, not quite realizing what she was
doing. The feeling of intense lonliness and abandonment still lingered. Willow
took a deep breath. She looked around her room . . she wasn't alone . . she
was safe in her room. Her parents were down the hall and her fish were in
their tank and her stuffed animals were still surrounding her. She wasn't
alone. Slowly, her heart rate returned to normal.

Willow lay back down, haunted by her dream. Haunted by the images of Xander
and Oz disappearing. Was her subconscious trying to tell her something? That
she could be with neither of them? That she was going to be alone?

*****

Xander climbed the stairs to his bedroom with a heavy heart, ignoring the
shouts and sounds of destruction coming from the kitchen, where his parents
were engaged in one of their weekly drunken brawls. He didn't care about that
anymore. He didn't care about anything.

Except Willow.

Once he'd admitted the truth to Willow in the factory basement, he hadn't had
the faintest idea what to say to her. Apparently she had no idea what to say
to him either, because the two hadn't exchanged a word. The only communication
between them had been a simple goodbye nod.

He wanted so badly to call her, even though he had nothing to say. He just
wanted to know that she was connected to him, to hear her breathing through
the telephone wires. Maybe if he did the words would come to him. There was so
much he wanted to tell her, but he didn't know how to form the words.

Xander entered his bedroom and slammed the door behind him, venting his
frustration on the door. His eyes looked around the room and he took in the
chaotic state of his surroundings. He let out a sigh as he glanced toward the
bed. There was no way he'd be able to sleep.

He picked his way across the floor to his stereo system and turned on the
radio, turning the volume to low. The music playing softly in the background,
so softly it was almost inaudible, did little to soothe Xander's frazzled
nerves. He had so much pent up energy. He bent down and picked up a dirty pair
of jeans, balled them up, and threw them across the room in the general
vicinity of his clothes hamper. The jeans fell through with a dull swish. Two
points, Xander thought halfheartedly. He scooped up another armful of dirty
clothes and deposited them in the hamper.

For the first time in eight years, Xander Harris was cleaning his room.

Once the dirty clothes were cleared away, Xander could see the clutter around
his room. A pile of stakes and a bottle of holy water had been unearthed under
a pile of dirty underwear. Better hide those, he reminded himself. Not that
anyone came into his room other than him anyway. The shiny glint of a picture
frame caught his eye. Xander stepped over and picked up the picture. It was of
him, Willow, and Buffy, taken on a carefree day at a nearby amusement park.
They'd accosted a stranger to take their picture. He was in the middle, one
arm draped around each girl, grinning crazily. Buffy was laughing, and Willow
was smiling that big smile of hers, looking up at him. For the first time,
Xander noticed that the look in Willow's eyes was almost adoring. Loving.

Harris, you idiot, he told himself. Right there, right in that picture. Willow
was looking at him so openly, so obviously in love. And he hadn't seen it?
Worse, he'd been flaunting his the girls he did see in front of her? Buffy . .
Ampata . . Cordelia . . god how could he have done that to Willow? It must
have killed her. He wished he could go back in time, to make things right. He
wished Buffy had never shown up that night she returned from Los Angeles, the
night he and Willow had been walking with ice cream. If Buffy hadn't shown up
. . maybe that kiss would have happened. And he would have known. Before
Cordelia. Before Oz. Before everything. Maybe he'd be happy right now if it
had.

He dusted off the picture and set it on the table next to his bed. A reminder.
Of what he could have had. And what he had lost.

End Part Eight, Part Nine coming soon!

------------------------------

End of buffyfic-digest V2 #405
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