Chapter Twenty-Four- Future Events Part II

(2016)

It was Alexis’s prompt to come out of hiding. “You’re sending me?”

Surprise overcame Buffy. Her head sprung over toward Alexis. She examined the direction her daughter had emerged from. She frowned as she saw Sirena step shyly out of the kitchen as well.

“How much did you hear?” Buffy asked.

“Everything,” Alexis confessed.

A sigh escaped Buffy. She sat back. “It’s for the best that you did, I suppose.”

Just then someone entered the house. He was bleach-blonde and wearing a very worn duster. “They want me to work Saturday. Bloody hell,” he muttered. He stopped when he took them all in. The expressions of worry on his wife and Giles were alarming. “What is wrong?”

Buffy went over to meet him. She met his gaze. “Spike,” she whispered.

He reached out and hugged her. She buried her face in his chest. He stroked her silky hair. “What’s the matter, luv?”

Spike shifted his eyes to Giles. “What’s Rupert here for?”

The only reply the former watcher gave was, “Hello, Spike.” Not quite a tone of friendship, but of acceptance.

“I’ve been elected to visit the past,” Anne informed her father. She sounded giddy.

Spike blinked. “Huh, what?”

Buffy stirred. She drew away from the comfort of Spike’s warmth. And then it hit her, how important this was. If Alexis didn’t go back, she wouldn‘t have this. Judas would probably kill her and Alexis would never be born. The world would be never be cleansed. Vampires would walk among the land until eternity.

Buffy wiped her eyes. She was ready to handle this. She led her husband to the couch. “It‘s time.”

Those words seemed to answer everything. Alexis and Sirena were the only ones clueless, needing the whole scenario explained. Somehow Spike already knew exactly what was going on, which his daughter thought was strange.

“You have to warn your parents in the past. If you don‘t Judas will likely kill your mother. Which will prevent you from being born,” Giles concluded. “Vampires will never become human again. Demons won’t be sent back to hell.”

“No problem,” Alexis commented. “I’ll just go kick some demon a. . . butt.”

She was so excited. She’d listened to all the stories about her mother saving the world. She wanted to do the same. Life for her was so boring, too mundane. She longed for adventure, being the heroine. She’d make her parents proud.

“This is serious, Alexi. It isn’t fun and games!” Buffy scolded.

“Your mum’s right,” Spike backed up. “She actually died from the mojo that happened back then.”

A sudden determination swept through her. “Well, I’m gonna keep it that way. ‘Back then.’ If someone doesn’t stop this thing, darkness will continue into now,” Alexis said.

Buffy hugged her daughter. She was so proud of her, but so scared at the thought of losing her.

“You have it in you, what makes the slayer. The flame that keeps ya goin. That’s what made your mum so successful. We’re just afraid of what you’ll do to achieve it,” Spike told Alexis.

“Don’t go ballistic. I’m not gonna jump into any big balls of light,” Alexis assured them.

“Good. Cuz I’d bloody well would go to heaven and drag you back here,” Spike said.

Alexis smiled. She knew he would too.

Giles turned to Sirena. The girl had stood, silently, in the corner listening. “Sirena, please go tell Willow and Tara that they are needed.”

Sirena blinked. “Okay,” she said, lowly. Then she headed to the door.

The former slayer, now wife and mother, watched her family with tenderness. Finally, after a long suffering hell on Earth, she had reached contentment. An ache rose inside her chest. She didn’t know what she would do if it were taken away.

***********************

The whole gang arrived. Tara and Willow prepared for the time portal, setting up ingredients. Xander and Anya arrived with their son, Nick. William had been dragged from the neighbor’s house, very displeased.

“We were just about to play this new video game,” Will had complained to his father. That was until he learned why he had been brought home. Then he became very quiet.

“This is very important, Alexis,” Giles told her. “Don’t tell our past selves why you are there. It could drastically change the order of things. We aren‘t supposed to know of things until it is time.”

“Um . . . Okay,” Alexis

Tara and Willow announced that they were ready.

Everyone said their goodbyes to Alexis.

Buffy kissed and hugged her daughter. “Be careful,” she said.

Alexis nodded, hugging her mother back.

“I know you’ll do great, sunshine,” Spike remarked, using his nickname for her.

“Don’t do anything stupid,” Anya warned. “And if your parents don’t act exactly like they do now don’t be too alarmed. They eventually will shape up and have many wonderful orgasms without guilt.”

Her husband shook his head. He was used to her outbursts by now.

Nick and Alexis stared at each other, not quite sure what to say. Alexis had a huge crush on Nick, but she wasn’t sure if the boy felt that way about her. She knew he liked her as a friend, though he had given no indication that he wanted to progress further.

Surprising everyone, Nick quickly kissed Alexis on the cheek.

“I’ll see you when you get back,” he said.

Alexis blinked. Her heart beat furiously. Now if that wasn’t hopeful. . .

William stared at the floor, uncomfortably. Then he stepped forward. He embraced his sister.

“I’m scared, Alexi” he confessed.

“Don’t worry, Will,” Alexis told him.” I’ll be back in no time and boss you around like I always do.”

They smiled at each other.

Tara and Willow conjured up the portal. It spun in the room like a whirlwind.

Before stepping through, Alexis shifted to her parents. “Oh, when I get back can Sirena spend the night?”

With shimmering eyes, Buffy replied, “Of course. Just come back safely.”

And then Alexis was gone.

***********************

Buffy leaned against Spike. The portal had closed, leaving the living room in silence.

“Tell me she’ll be all right,” she asked her husband.

“She’ll be all right. You remember, right? She does a good job.”

“Yes, but what if she somehow changes the past? Ugh, this time travel stuff is so confusing.”

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What do you think?

Yep, Buffy and Spike have a son. : )

And they remember Alexis going back because they remember their past. Does that make sense? If not it will hopefully be explained in the next chapter.