Part Six - Sven
"My god, it's Matilda the Hun!," said Xander.
"Don't you mean waltzing Matilda?," asked Buffy.
"Atilla the Hun can dance?," asked Giles.
"Enough! Or I'm taking my horns and going home and you can play without me!," said Cordelia. Dressed as she was, if Cordelia was two hundred pounds heavier she might have been mistaken for an opera singer. If it was dark. Maybe.
"Giles, do you really think this will work? I mean, it's no one has seen a valkyrie, how is Sven going to mistake me for one?," asked Cordelia.
"We know what Sven thinks they look like because he's read the sagas. You'll do fine. Just remember your lines," comforted Giles.
"And keep your cross on. All of you," warned Buffy.
"Cordy, if anyone can pull this off, you can. The horned helmet, the blonde wig and especially the bronze breast plates. Girl, it's a new look but it works on you," said Xander.
"You think?," asked Cordelia, warming up to a compliment. She didn't see Buffy rolling her eyes.
"Xander, are the buckets of water set up for the dry ice?," asked Giles.
"Ready to go. I'll start just before sundown."
"Good. And try to stay out of sight," added Giles.
"Gotcha," said Xander, not convincing Giles.
"Angel, are the back stairs blocked?," asked Giles.
"I chained the door. It should hold."
"Good. And the holy water is in place so stay away from those areas."
"Not an issue," agreed Angel.
"Well then, I suppose we're ready. We've got everything in place," said Giles.
"Just about. The only thing missing is moose and squirrel," said Buffy.
"I don't believe the taxidermist had those. Where in the sagas..."
"Never mind, Giles. Obscure cartoon reference. I just hope Sven shows up right after sunset. He didn't specify a time when he called. We only have thirty four minutes after sunset until the moon rises," said Buffy.
"He'll show on time. He seems almost English in his punctuality," said Giles.
"You mean anal?," commented Xander. He quickly turned to Buffy before Giles could reply.
"Buffy, assuming this works, and of course it will, but even so..."
"Xander, this lifetime."
"Right. If Willow's not going to be mad at you then Oz will be for doing what you did to her."
"Oh, I don't know. I think she looks hot," said Cordelia.
No one said anything.
"What? I'm comfortable enough with my sexuality to say that," said Cordelia, defending herself. "You people!"
* * *
When they heard the footsteps on the floor above them Giles looked at his watch. The sun had set twenty minutes ago. Having only one way into the basement meant that there was only one way out and he wondered if they had enough time.
The strobe light had been his idea, a flashback to his youth. It would confuse the eye into believing more than it had really seen. The fog created by the dry ice was thick and flowing along the floor like a living blanket. Quite an eerie effect, thought Giles, pleased with himself.
His reverie was interrupted when the door to the basement was kicked open. Three of Sven's bodyguards entered but stopped, confused by what they saw. Crates and boxes were strewn about everywhere. Two large, black ravens stared at them, motionless, from atop boxes on either side of the door. Sven entered and nearly walked into his men. Behind him two more vampires led Oz down the stairs. His hands were tied behind his back.
"Slayer! What game is this? Show yourself!," bellowed Sven.
It was Cordelia, not Buffy, that stepped from behind a box in the middle of the room. With the strobe lights and mist, Sven couldn't see her face clearly but he could see that she was dressed not unlike his followers.
"Who are you?," demanded Sven.
Cordelia didn't reply but stood stoically, a spear in her left hand. Music began to play, softly at first and growing louder. By his reaction Cordelia knew that Sven recognized the melody.
"What trick is this? Do you want me to kill the boy?," asked Sven, stepping past his followers and pointing at Oz.
"You can see me?," questioned Cordelia, loudly.
"Of course!"
"Then know that I have allowed that only because I have chosen you!"
"Chosen me? For what?"
"Valhalla."
Sven took another step forward, then stopped. He began to nervously take in his surroundings, as if seeing them for the first time. Cordelia stepped back and disappeared into the fog. At the same time a figure rose slowly up from the floor, taking the shape of a large, gray wolf. Its' jaws were open, teeth bared, but it did not move. It only stared into Sven's eyes as the music reached a crescendo.
Sven, wide-eyed, stepped back from the creature. Just as slowly as it had risen the wolf sank down and disappeared into the mist. Sven turned to yell something at his men and heard a large crack as he moved. He bent down and picked up several shards of a broken mirror.
"Sven! You wanted to meet me, well here I am! Now let Oz go!," yelled Buffy from across the room. Next to her stood Willow, her hair now a golden yellow in color.
"Lisa! What have you done?," said Sven. "Your hair!"
"You don't like it? But she told me you would. I did it for you!," said Willow, putting a hand to her hair.
"All deals are off, slayer! You'll pay for this!," bellowed Sven.
"Xander, now!," yelled Buffy.
Xander stood and pulled on a rope. He was immediately covered in holy water. The vampires did not get wet. Xander's shoulders drooped and he looked up.
"Get him," commanded Sven.
Xander backpedaled as the three vampires walked towards him. Each had a small ax in hand. Then Xander tripped over the tail of the wolf and fell onto his back, a mushroom cloud of mist swooshing up over him.
"Tucker, watch her. If you have to fight just stall them, keep them busy but don't close with one of them," said Buffy over her shoulder as she ran to protect Xander. Tucker emerged from behind a barrel and took Willow's hand, leading her away.
Buffy ran and hurled herself at the first two vampires, a foot catching each one in the chest and knocking them to the floor. Angel appeared from nowhere out of the fog and attacked the third vampire.
"Xander, run!," yelled Angel.
"This is one time I agree with you, dead boy," said Xander under his breath.
One of the vampires guarding Oz joined into the fray and the other couldn't decide whether to stay behind or fight. Then he winced and pulled a dart from his neck. As he looked at it, trying to understand what had happened, he collapsed. And as Giles began to reload his tranquilizer gun, Oz doubled over in pain and fell to one knee.
"Buffy, hurry! It's time," warned Giles.
Buffy had little to say in the matter. She was knocked backwards, rolled and sprang back up. Her quickness surprised the vampire and she landed a hard kick. No one noticed that Sven had slipped behind the fight.
"Well, well. Tucker. So we meet again. Was ist los? You don't seem happy to see me. What's wrong? Once bitten, twice shy?"
"Afraid to fight me without a weapon, Sven? Come on, just you and me, man to man," challenged Tucker.
"One problem there. I'm not a man. But if you want me get rid of my spear, I will do that. This one is no longer worthy!"
As Sven raised his arm to throw his spear, Tucker realized that he wasn't the target. He pushed Willow hard to the floor, ruining Sven's aim. And then he felt the spear rip into the back of his leg with such force that it broke through his kneecap. Tucker screamed in agony and fell on top of Willow.
"Tucker!," yelled Angel. He was now fighting back to back with Buffy and had seen what had happened. Buffy had not.
"Buffy, he needs help back there. Go! I'll keep these two busy!"
Buffy didn't hesitate, trusting Angel could hold two vampires off in a fight. But as she turned she knew she was in trouble. Sven had left Tucker and was swinging his ax, two fisted, at her midsection. Buffy couldn't move in time to avoid it and braced herself for the pain she knew would come.
The pain never came. Buffy was knocked off her feet by something crashing into her. She heard the sickening sound of cracking ribs, a wet squishing thud and a gasp of agonizing pain. Before she could figure out what happened, Buffy saw Sven tackled by a large wolf. It was Oz! He had changed but it wasn't Oz who had knocked her down.
Buffy reached out and rolled over the person who had knocked her down, who had taken the full force of the ax and had saved her life. It was Lisa! Somehow she had found her way down here during the fighting and no one had seen her. Lisa was in vamp face, holding her side. She was bleeding badly but Buffy didn't think it would be fatal for a vampire. Painful and slow to heal but not lethal.
"Get Tucker and Willow. I've got her," said Angel, gently lifting Lisa up. Lisa winced and cried out from the pain nonetheless.
Buffy crawled over to Tucker. Even though he was in pain he was holding on to Willow, trying to prevent her from running to Sven. Sven wasn't moving and the werewolf was ripping away at his chest. Even Buffy was disgusted at the noises made by the cracking bones and slobbering bites. Suddenly Oz cried out with a whimper and collapsed. Buffy looked up and saw Giles lowering his rifle. Oz would sleep until morning.
It was quiet. The music had stopped. Sven's vampires were either killed or had run away. Willow had stopped struggling and was looking around, scared and confused. Buffy stood, walked over to Oz and kicked him gently off Sven. She hadn't even realized that she had a stake in her hand; it was just second nature to her, drawn by reflex. She looked at the mess that was left of Sven and wished he was conscious so that he would feel pain. Guessing where his heart should be (it was hard to tell) Buffy drove the stake down hard. Sven vanished into dust.
Buffy turned to see Tucker pull the spear from his leg. He cried out even though he was biting his lip and nearly passed out from the pain. She knelt down beside him and raised his head, cradling it with her arm. Tears streamed down Tucker's cheeks.
"Lie still, Tucker. The bleeding isn't so bad but we have to get you to a hospital. No arguments, okay? We'll make up some story," said Buffy, wiping the tears from his eyes with the back of her sleeve.
"Willow?," asked Tucker through clenched teeth.
Buffy looked at her best friend.
"I think she'll be fine. By her expression I don't think she remembers much."
"And Julie?"
"See for yourself," said Angel, carrying the girl he knew as Lisa and lying her down beside Tucker. "She was asking about you."
"Wagner's Funeral March. Nice touch, Giles," said Julie, wincing and holding both hands to her side. She was still bleeding. Giles smiled in appreciation but didn't answer her.
"Tucker, there's so much that I want to explain to you," she said softly, struggling to a sitting position.
"Later. We can talk when you're better."
"I'm not getting better. And I'm not talking about this wound."
"Julie, can you change your face back for me?," asked Tucker, ignoring what she said.
"Even if I wanted to, Tucker, I couldn't. I'm in too much pain. But I don't want to. This is what I am. I'm not Lisa, my name is Julie. But Julie's dead."
Tucker closed his eyes.
"But you're different. Like Angel," protested Tucker.
"I thought so too. But Sven was right. Something's wrong. How can I explain this to you so that you will understand?"
Xander, Cordelia and Giles stepped closer behind Buffy to hear Julie. Only Angel hung back.
"I'm dead. But somehow my soul is still in here," said Julie, placing a blood-covered hand to her chest. "As I feed my memory comes back. And as it does, the demon I share with this corpse gets stronger. Eventually it will take over. I'll be in here but I will have no control and I'll be forced to watch what it does, who it kills and feeds on. Can you imagine the hell I'll be living in? Now do you understand? Even now I'm fighting this thing."
Tucker didn't answer. He couldn't. No one else spoke.
"Tucker, I love you. And I need you to help me. I can't ask Buffy to do it."
Tucker nodded. "I know, but..."
"Shh...," said Julie, touching Tucker's face with her hand. She began to cry. "Buffy, hand me a stake."
Buffy placed a stake in her hand but couldn't look Julie in the eye.
"Julie, how can I?," said Tucker, sitting up. He was fighting back tears.
"I'll help you. Give me your hand." Julie wrapped Tucker's fingers around the stake and he placed it on her chest.
"A little higher. Here." Julie placed the stake over her heart and held Tucker's hand to it. She looked at Buffy.
"Thank you. For being there for me," she said to Buffy. Buffy nodded and mouthed the words ‘thank you', but no sound came out. She tried to smile. Couldn't.
"Tucker..."
"I understand, Julie. This will give you peace. I still love you. You know that, don't you?"
Julie put her arms around Tucker.
"And Julie loved you. Remember that, Tucker. Remember me."
Julie hugged Tucker. Hard. And the stake went into her. She vanished without a cry. Tucker stared at the stake in his hand, then dropped it. And he began to cry. Buffy reached for him and held him. She couldn't hold back her tears either. The others looked away. Cordelia began to cry and Xander put his arm around her.
End of Part Six.
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