The Island: Season One: The Crash
by Angels Shadow
Sydney, Australia
Buffy shielded her eyes against the glaring sun as she glanced back to the front entrance of the Hilton. “Geez, Dawn, where the hell are you?” Buffy muttered. They were due at the airport twenty minutes ago, just to allow for enough time to make it through security checks and board their plane. Not, of course, that they couldn’t stand waiting another half hour at least before they began pushing their luck, but Buffy would feel better once she was inside the airport. That, at least, would put her one step closer to LA and Angel.
Of course, she wanted to see Angel. It had been quite a few months since he popped in the night before her final battle with the First. But she realized she didn’t want to see him in the same way she used to. In the back of her mind, she wondered at the possibility of their finding a future together someday, but that hope faded with each passing day, and she somehow suspected Angel felt the same way. As a semi retired slayer, Buffy had a life in Rome that she was content with at the moment. She was living … just being a sort of normal person experiencing a modicum of sanity in her life for once.
Then, there was the deal with Sydney when Giles discovered a new Hellmouth had opened beneath the city. Gee, and once upon a time Buffy had been naïve enough to think that good old Sunnydale was the only Hellmouth central. She’d come to find out, destroy one and ten more pop up to take its place. That certainly wasn’t promising. Feeling it was necessary to make certain the proper resources were being utilized to contain the new threat, Giles had all but ordered Buffy to pack her things along with Dawn, and, unfortunately, Andrew.
Since Xander and Willow were now Watchers-in-training under the new Council headed by Giles, he felt it was imperative they come along as well. Something about requiring field experience under pressure … or maybe it was something about learning to organize a new group of slayers and their watchers to deal with the reality of a Hellmouth. Buffy honestly couldn’t remember. Giles usually said too much, and her brain pretty much had a specified off button for whenever Giles talked for more than five minutes at a time.
“Hey, B, tell the little Aussie babe magnet to say goodbye to her ten boyfriends already. Cleveland isn’t going to wait forever.”
Oh, yeah, and Faith had come along for the ride too. Giles had wanted two experienced slayers at the helm, preparing these girls for what they would inevitably be faced with. Buffy shook her head at Faith’s comment even as she continued staring at the glass doors, willing Dawn to walk through them before she was forced to march back in there and drag her sister out. As if Faith hadn’t had her share of Aussie babe fun. Buffy wondered at what Robin might think of all this, and even asked Faith. Apparently, they were friends with the occasional benefit of a “roll in the sack.” Faith wasn’t ready for serious and Buffy was amazed that Robin accepted that … if Faith’s version of the story was to be believed. But then, Robin seemed like that kind of understanding, patient guy who’d be willing to wait for Faith as long as it took. There was obviously some real chemistry between them, but Faith was far too much of a good time gal. It’d be a long time coming before she would be ready for something resembling a normal life – like a steady guy, maybe marriage … kids.
Buffy scrunched up her nose at the thought of Faith being a mother. Nah - that was just too far off the deep end.
At long last, the slim brunette walked out the front doors, dragging her suitcase behind her. Buffy noted that Dawn was positively glowing. As Dawn neared the shuttle, Buffy rolled her eyes at the impossibly cheesy grin nearly taking over her little sister’s face. “Jason, huh?” Buffy questioned, referring to Dawn’s preferred Aussie hunk.
“He said he’ll call. Oh, and his grandma actually lives in Rome. He’s thinking of visiting. Is that not the coolest thing?” Dawn gushed.
“Yeah, they all say that,” Buffy muttered, opening the shuttle door and all but shoving Dawn inside.
“Pushy much?” Dawn grumbled, her fine mood quickly doused. Buffy had a way of doing that. “It’s not like the airport is going anywhere.”
“Here’s the thing, planes do,” Buffy replied, taking her seat beside Dawn.
“And our flight isn’t for like four hours!” Dawn exclaimed, exasperated.
“Security checks are a bitch,” Faith replied, slouching further down in her seat.
“Yeah, hey, was I the only one who felt weird checking the luggage with the wooden stakes and crossbows and holy water?” Xander chimed in.
“At least Giles came up with a really good story,” Willow said. “Who knew wooden stakes could really be ancient artifacts uncovered in a Roman crypt?”
“I still like the idea of them being used as props in an upcoming Peter Jackson film,” Andrew grumbled from the back seat.
“And like anyone is ever going to believe that,” Xander replied. “Lord of the Rings: When Elves Become Vampires.”
“Hey, it could work,” Andrew said. “Peter is a genius, and he could make it work.”
“Can someone please shove something in his mouth?” Faith snapped.
“Yes, really,” Giles finally said. “I’ve heard quite enough about Peter Jackson this past month to last me a lifetime. If you mention Lord of the Rings one more time, Andrew, I swear I will throw you from the plane myself.”
“And the G-man gets feisty,” Xander concluded, turning around to look at Andrew, triumphant. Andrew just crossed his arms over his chest and pouted.
“Do not call me that,” Giles warned, glaring at Xander now. Andrew proceeded to stick his tongue out at Xander as it was now his turn to gloat.
Meanwhile, Buffy merely massaged her temples, wishing everyone would just have the decency to shut up. All she kept replaying in her mind was Angel’s urgent message requiring her assistance. If there was one thing Buffy realized, it was that Angel wouldn’t call her, asking for help if the situation weren’t dire. He hadn’t elaborated on what exactly was going down in LA, but instinct told Buffy it might as well be the end of the world.
God, if this was retirement, it sure did suck. Her semi normal life in Rome looked like it was just going to have to wait a little longer.
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“Uh-uh, no way!” Dawn exclaimed. “You got the window seat on the flight out. The window seat is mine this time! I called it.”
“Dawn, must we go over this again?” Buffy questioned condescendingly. “I am older, I am wiser, and I am stronger. Therefore, I get first dibs on everything.”
“That’s not fair,” Dawn complained. “It’s not my fault you were born first and born a freak of nature. And you’re so not smarter. You – you barely passed high school!”
“Uh, hello? Night job?” Buffy replied.
As the two sisters continued to bicker, frustrated passengers began to push by them even as a flight attendant made her way over to see what the problem was. Buffy and Dawn didn’t even notice a tall, well built man in a black button down shirt that hung down past his hips and jeans slide into their debated window seat.
“Okay,” Buffy hissed as she noticed both the flight attendant and Giles’s disapproving frown from a few rows back. “Just sit in the damn window seat.”
Dawn grinned triumphantly as she turned to take her prize when she noticed the man slouching back quite comfortably in her seat. “Hey, I was gonna sit there. So, how about moving?”
The man glanced up at her, an arrogant smile playing at the corner of his lips. “Sorry, sweet cheeks. Got tired of waiting.”
“But-“ before Dawn could finish her protest, Buffy seized her by the shoulder and forced her down into the seat next to the man. Then, she took her place beside Dawn.
“Just deal with it,” Buffy snarled. Willow sat beside Buffy, appearing decidedly relieved that their argument over who got the window seat was over. The distraction they’d been causing had been more than a little embarrassing.
As Buffy and Willow fell into conversation, Dawn glared at the man beside her. “Do you have any idea how hard I fought to get that seat?”
“Don’t really care,” the man responded, as he leaned his head back, closing his eyes.
“You want the window seat, and you’re just going to sleep!” Dawn exclaimed.
He opened one eye and looked at her. “Life sucks, princess.”
Dawn huffed as she crossed her arms and slumped back in her own seat. She glanced at Willow and Buffy, hoping to join their conversation, but they appeared engrossed in whatever they were whispering about, and Dawn knew when she wasn’t included. God, this was going to be a boring flight. She glanced over at the man next to her. Well, damn it, if he was going to take her hard earned seat, the least he could do was talk to her. “So, what’s your name?” Dawn prompted.
“Why do you care?” the man murmured.
“Because I’m bored, and you took my seat. So suffer the consequences. What’s your name?”
“Do you ever shut up?”
“No, not usually. Deal with it. You’re stuck with me.”
“Lucky me then.” The man paused, finally opening his eyes again. “Sawyer – name’s Sawyer.”
“I’m Dawn,” she replied, pleased she was making some progress. “So, you’re from the South?”
“Gee, how could you tell?” Sawyer replied sarcastically, knowing anyone would have to be deaf not to hear the accent.
“Where at in the south?” Dawn continued, ignoring his sarcasm.
“Look, what the hell difference does it make?” Sawyer demanded. “Ain’t like you and I are gonna be best friends for life. And if we were, I’d ask real nice for someone to put a bullet in my head right about now.”
“Has anyone ever told you you’re a jerk?” Dawn questioned.
“Sweetheart, I’ve been called far worse.”
“You know, you should be nicer to people,” Dawn pointed out.
“If I’m such a jerk, then why are you talking to me?”
“Because you took my seat.”
Sawyer straightened and turned to look at Dawn directly. “Are you gonna bug me the whole damn flight?”
“Mmm-hmm,” Dawn confirmed.
“God damn,” Sawyer muttered as he stood. “Take the damn seat then and please shut the hell up.”
Dawn smiled, hopping up. “Thank you,” she said brightly.
“She’s got a way, doesn’t she?” Buffy said as Sawyer took the seat between her and Dawn.
“Damn right she does. It’s called annoying,” Sawyer informed her.
“Hey, at least she knows what she wants,” Buffy replied, hardly put off by Sawyer’s rather rude comment. There were plenty of times when she was tempted to call her little sister something far more than annoying.
“A window seat. Brilliant. You must be so proud. Little sis knows she wants a window seat outta life.”
“Gee, are you always this nice or did something just find its way up your ass this morning?” Buffy questioned sweetly.
“Are you gonna talk my damn ear off too?” Sawyer asked.
“Don’t worry, I prefer my men a lesser brand of ass hole.”
“Praise the Lord,” Sawyer muttered as he leaned his head back once more and closed his eyes. Damn women anyway.
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They were a few hours into their flight, flying over nothing but clear blue ocean below. The water sparkled off the rays of the sun. Xander closed his one eye, gripping the arm rests a little tighter. He’d be thrilled when this flight was over. He hated flying. He wasn’t so afraid that he couldn’t deal, but, well, he just preferred his feet being on land.
He opened his eye again and watched as a pretty flight attendant wheeled a cart down the aisle, stopping beside his row and smiling at the young, dark haired man on the end. “So, how’s the drink?” she asked.
“It’s good,” the man responded.
“That wasn’t a very strong reaction,” the flight attendant chastised, obviously flirting.
“Well, it’s not a very strong drink,” the man returned, offering her a small smile.
The flight attendant handed him two more bottles. “Shh,” she whispered conspiratorially. “Just don’t tell anyone.”
“This of course breaks some critical FAA regulations.” The man placed one of the bottles in his coat pocket as he opened and drank the other one, and Xander wondered for the millionth time why he couldn’t be the one sitting on the end. He watched as the flight attendant continued down the aisle just as the man stood. He was nearly run over by a shorter, thinner blonde man who appeared to be in quite a hurry to reach the bathroom. Xander noted briefly the blonde man looked horrendous – like death. Well, and Xander had seen enough dead people in his life to know.
The middle aged black woman a few seats down from Xander glanced at the blonde then back up at the object of the flight attendant’s earlier flirtations. “Guess he really had to go,” she pointed out with a shrug just as two flight attendants rushed by, apparently in pursuit of the younger man for whatever reason. Perhaps they were worried he was extremely ill and carrying some crazy, monkey disease like the guy from Outbreak. He looked it, at any rate.
Xander watched the dark haired man sit once more just as the plane hit turbulence. The plane jolted, and Xander immediately reached for his seatbelt, suddenly feeling sick himself. Over the intercom, a flight attendant requested that everyone return to their seats and fasten their seatbelts. Xander listened as the two people beside him talked.
“It’s normal,” the dark haired man assured the middle aged woman who looked frightened – jumpy.
“Oh, I know,” she replied with a wave of her hand. “I’ve just never been a very good flyer. My husband keeps reminding me that planes want to be in the air.”
“Well, he sounds like a very smart man. I’m Jack, by the way,” he said.
The woman smiled. “Rose. And I’ll be sure to tell him that when he gets back from the bathroom.”
Xander dug his fingers into the padding on the arm rests as the plane shook violently again. He glanced about for the rest of the crew, wondering if they were as frightened as he was at the moment. Probably not. Well, except for maybe Andrew. He might be hiding under the seat by now, thinking Darth Vader was launching an air raid against them, or something crazy and very Andrewish like that.
As the plane sort of steadied again for a moment, Jack continued, “Well, I’ll keep you company until he gets back. Don’t worry, it’ll be over soon.”
Suddenly, the plane lurched, sending one passenger flying out of his seat. He crashed with the ceiling, and that was when Xander realized the end of the world was truly here … the end of his world, at any rate. The plane continued to shudder as people became panicked, shrieking and screaming. The oxygen masks fell. Though frantic, instinct kicked in, and Xander grabbed the mask, putting it on. He’d known fear before. How many apocalypses had they faced down together? Nine, ten … a hundred? But this was worse. He couldn’t have his blind faith that somehow, someway, Buffy would see them through this. If the plane was destined to crash, slayer strength meant nothing.
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Dawn slipped into the aisle, assuring Buffy she was just taking a much needed restroom break. As she began walking up the aisle, she was nearly run over by a blonde man who looked like he was about to be seriously ill all over the floor of the plane. “Excuse me,” he grunted, British accent obvious in just those two words. He hurried past her.
Dawn just shook her head, feeling kind of sorry for the guy. It must suck to get motion sickness in the air. Or maybe it was just the altitude. That made a lot of people nervous. Dawn headed to the restrooms at the back of the plane where she saw Faith emerging. Before Dawn had the chance to say anything, the plane lurched violently, sending her colliding into Faith. Both women tumbled back into the restroom, landing with a thud.
“Ouch,” Dawn hissed, landing awkwardly. “What the heck is going on?” she wondered aloud as she heard a woman’s voice over the intercom system, warning passengers back into their seats.
“Just turbulence,” Faith reasoned, though she appeared slightly shaken herself, which was unusual. They both tried to stand, but the plane shuddered again, throwing them back to the floor. “Okay, maybe it’s a little more than that.”
Dawn heard the screaming as the people on board panicked. No, this was definitely not just your usual bit of friendly turbulence. At that point, the world felt as though it were torn out from under her as the plane blew apart, rendering it in two. Dawn screamed for Buffy just before everything went black.
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“Oh God, oh God,” Willow murmured over and over again even as she reached out with trembling hands and grasped the oxygen mask, placing it over her face.
Buffy was about to follow suit before she realized Dawn had not returned from the restroom. She stood, prepared to find her sister when a jolt sent her sprawling across Sawyer’s lap. For the first time since he took his seat beside them, the jerk apparently didn’t have a smart ass comment. He simply helped her back into her seat before putting the oxygen mask on.
And then, Buffy felt it. The back of the plane tore off … she heard the helpless screams of passengers as they were sucked out by the sheer force of the plane plummeting thousands of feet. And she knew if she somehow lived to see tomorrow, those sounds would haunt her until the day she died. Her nails dug into the fabric of the armrests, cutting through the fabric in her desperate attempt to hold on. And then Buffy realized Dawn had gone to the restrooms at the back of the plane … which was now gone. Before she could think of anything beyond that, something cracked her skull, and she was engulfed in a black void.
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“This is not good. This can’t be good,” Andrew said after the plane hit its first bout of turbulence.
“Its normal,” Giles responded irritably, wondering how he managed to get stuck with Andrew.
“Not good, not good, not good,” Andrew continued repeating.
“Will you shut up?” an attractive, young golden haired woman beside Andrew snapped.
“Real nice, Shannon,” the man next to her chastised angrily. “The guy’s scared. Leave him alone.”
“What the hell is it with you and feeling sorry for everyone, Boone?”
“I don’t know, Shan, maybe it’s because I was born with a conscience.”
“Not good!” Andrew nearly screamed, drowning out Shannon’s retort as the plane jolted again, sending the man a few rows back flying out of his seat. The oxygen masks dropped shortly after the flight attendant warned everyone back to their seats. Andrew’s eyes widened as the plane severed in half and he watched the small flight attendant reach out helplessly for anything that might save her before she was sucked screaming out of the plane.
“My God, we’re dead,” Giles breathed as he realized nothing was going to stop the plane from crashing. After all these years of battling demons, facing down apocalypses, this was truly the end.
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