Work Text:
By Her Side
by Ragna
In the back of her mind, Buffy knew that this was not the way things were supposed to have been. Up until now, up until this threat from the Mayor of Sunnydale, everyone had been happy. That was not the emotional state the Slayer and her friends should have been in.
Jenny and Giles, they'd gotten married a few days ago. When she could have used her Watcher, he was on his honeymoon, reluctantly. She'd wanted him to go, the same way she'd made up a reason for her mother to leave town...they'd be safe that way.
Xander and Cordelia were the same as they had been. Bickering, sniping, fighting, making up, making out...it was a same old, same old situation. Made Buffy smile...it proved some things never changed.
Willow and Oz had broken up, though. That had been surprising; Buffy had thought it be the end of Xander and Cordelia, not Willow and Oz. Oz just couldn't handle being a werewolf anymore, and eh broke up with WIllow and left to find himself. At least he was going to be safe. He'd promised Buffy that once he got the wolf under control, he'd carry on her fight, whether she was still alive or not.
Kendra had died. Somehow, that seemed to be the only thing that had happened that seemed normal. Maybe it was because she was a Slayer and died in the line of duty. Her replacement, Faith...bad seed. Also something that seemed right.
Spike was gone, and so was Drusilla, after she killed Kendra. One night, she'd gotten away from the factories, away from Spike's watchful eye, and she'd caught Kendra unaware. The poor girl hadn't had a chance.
Spike realized their time in Sunnydale was over. Whatever plans they had they abandoned, and Spike struck a truce with Angel, allowing him and Dru safe passage out of Sunnydale. Angel made him agree that if they ever came back, Buffy or whatever Slayer was around would be able to come after them.
Angel...that was the strangest thing of all. When it got out the he and Buffy had slept together, Jenny had gotten the strangest look on her face. That was when her truths came spilling out, that Angel's curse, the Romany curse, was supposed to have a moment-of-true-happiness clause.
At first, Buffy was crushed, thinking her time with Angel had meant nothing. But then Angel opened up about his secret: when Whistler had realized that there was an attraction on Angel's part towards Buffy, he had taken a few mystical precautions, including the anchoring of Angel's soul. It overrode the curse, while still having the effect that the Gypsies wanted, to an extent.
And for months afterwards, with minor problems, things had been okay, until last night. Last night Buffy found out about the Mayor's real plan.
And now, as she lay curled next to Angel's still form, her thoughts racing through her head, she wondered if this was truly the way things were supposed to have happened.
She leaned over and kissed his lips softly. For a little while, she had been happy. She could deal with death, because she had lived her life as best she could.
In the end, it didn't matter, she decided. Things were as they should be. She just hoped they'd stay that way long enough for them all to survive. With Angel by her side, she truly believed they would, because this must have been what their fate was.
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