Run

[dragonyphoenix]

Title: Run
Fandom: BtVS
Characters: Xander, Willow, Angelus
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: Joss Whedon: genius; me: just playing with his characters
Warning: I hadn't realized it but apparently I'm being squickly cruel to Xander.

 

Xander scanned the garden as he tried his bonds. No luck. Angelus had tied them too tightly. Even if he could free himself, the garden was at the center of a house, well, mansion was more like it, which was crawling with minions.
 

Not a bad place to die. Not that he wanted to die but also not like his opinion counted for much at this point.
 

He wondered if he'd see Willow before Angelus killed him. Not that he wanted to. If Angelus hadn't killed her, well no, after two years Angelus most definitely had killed her, but if he'd turned her afterwards, Xander didn't want to know. He'd rather go to his death thinking she was well and truly dead.
 

As if his thoughts had evoked her, Willow stepped into the garden, nervously looking over her shoulder but approaching him quickly and confidently.
 

“Xander, thank God you're still alive,” she said, settling before him in the moonlight, which made her skin seem paler and her hair darker than he recalled. No, her skin would be paler now. No sunlight. When he didn't answer, she asked, as if with concern, “Are you OK?”
 

Why do vampires always want to banter, he wondered. “Come on. You're just glad I'm alive so you can torture and kill me yourself. You know it. I know it. Don't play with me.” Stupid move, stupid move, stupid move, he thought knowing that, to a vampire, that kind of comment was just like waving a red flag in front of a bull.
 

Willow bit at her lip as if uncertain. “Xander,” she said, touching his cheek. Her hand was warm.
 

“Willow?”
 

She started untying the ropes. “We have to get out of here quickly. I don't know how long they can keep the vampires distracted.”
 

“Who? What?” Xander asked in confusion.
 

“Demon hunters. They rescued me. I... I'm sorry I didn't get world to you but I couldn't break my cover. Come on, they'll be waiting for us just outside.” Standing, she put a finger over her lips and gestured for him to follow her.
 

They made it out a side door without being noticed. Searching the area, Xander asked, “So where are these guys?”
 

“Church is a couple of blocks that way,” Willow said, following her own train of thought before adding, “What guys?”
 

“The demon hunters. You said they'd be waiting outside,” Xander replied.
 

“Oops.” Willow turned her ridged face towards Xander. “Run,” she said.
 

Xander startled back a few steps. A tear slid down his cheek. “Willow?” he stammered.
 

Angelus stepped out of the shadows. “Was his despair everything you'd hoped for?”
 

“It was but why won't he run? I can't have a hunt if the puppy won't run,” Willow replied.
 

Angelus stepped towards Xander.
 

He ran.

Note: I've been trying to figure out why so many people thought this was dark whenI don't.  In the original version, which was Spander, Spike and a bunch of Slayers are there to save Xander but Willow and Angel get away.  It was a bittersweet, found out WIllow's been vamped, but not too dark, nobody got hurt kind of a story.  This shorter version worked better and I never noticed how dark it was without the original ending.

Comments

[spikesredqueen.livejournal.com]

I absolutely loved this but poor Xander, great job!

[dragonyphoenix.livejournal.com]

Thanks. Yeah, I was pretty harsh to Xander here. ;-(

On the other hand, I still feel all *squee* when I read it. ;-)