Not To Late
Part 22 and Epilogue
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Part Twenty-Two
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"Lily wife,"Whistler murmured as he stepped closer to her."You live..."
Lilith looked at the face that emerged from the darkness of the room.”Who calls me that? Who DARES call me that?”
“I dare,”the figure said in a loud voice.
Lilith’s hair started snapping in the air like mad snakes and her eyes grew cold with fury.”You dare much, human. You have no right to call me that.”
“I have every right to call you that, Lily wife,”the figure said as he faced her totally.”It was my right ten thousand years ago. A right you gave to me when we said our marriage vows before the gods. Vows said before your Elemental clans and Adan. Rights given while on our marriage bed. Rights that not even the oceans that swallowed Atlantis could take from me.”
Whistler smiled wistfully as Lilith stood still.”Have I changed so much that you cannot recognize me? You who once knew me in all my forms?”
"Husband? Is that you? You have changed your shape again,"Lilith whispered. She reached out tentatively to the air. Whistler stuck his hand out and his fingers met her."So is it really, really you, my husband?... Oh, by Atlantis, it is you! I thought you dead..."
"And I you, Lily wife,"said Whistler as he came closer to her."Let me see you, wife."
"No!"screamed Lilith as she flung her arms before her face."Don't look! Don't look! I am Death! A monster!"
Whistler gathered her quickly up in his arms."Never that! Never!"
"Look at me, beloved. Look at me, my wife,"Whistler coaxed. Lilth held her head down on his shoulder.”You are still beautiful to me just as when I first met you. Just as when you gave birth to Hawweh. Just as you are now, ten thousand years later.”
"That's Whistler's wife?"Xander said amazed."A geeky looking demon like him was married? I don't beleive it!"
Willow hit him in the arm as Giles rolled his eyes. Xander glared at the two.
"She had a baby?"whispered Cordelia amazed."I hope it didn't have her hair!"
"Why did they name the baby Whee?"Xander asked.Lifting her head, Lilith glared at him, then at Cordelia.
Whistler looked at them annoyed. "My daughter's name was Hawweh. Pronounced like 'whee' with a 'v' at the end."
Willow pronounced the name quietly."Her name was Hawweh? Eve!"
"Close, child close,"Lilith nodded,"Your Hebrew words come close to the pronunciation, but not quite."
"What, what happened to your daughter?"Joyce asked hesitantly. Lilith looked away from her. Whistler answered.
"She was killed by vampires and by-"
"By me,"hissed the female vampire. Lilith spun around."Yes, Lilith I am alive! I survived Atlantis's destruction as well. I live Slayer, and I live uncrowned because of you!!"
"Lith,"Lady Lilith snarled. Ten thousand years had yet to drive the memory of that voice out from her ears.”Traitor! Murderer!”
Her eyes wild, Lith snarled at her.”Bastard child! Demon Whore! Adan was a fool to believe in you! I should have been Chosen! The destiny should have been mine! I was the TRUE princess!”
"Slayer! Destiny!"Giles said, his eyes round. He looked at Angel, then at Spike. "Oh, Heavens! The prophecy..."
“You were nothing but a selfish slut,”Lilith snarled back at her as she circled Lith.”More proud of the blood that flows in your veins than saving your people! The rotted fruit of a rotting tree! With a name that has more tainted water than noble blood.”
Her hands clawed, Lith spat at her as her eyes glowed maliciously.”Better than the name you have now! In these millenia past, your name I have destroyed! They call you child killer! Slut of Adan! Destroyer of Paradise!”
“My name was gone long before that, Lith,”Lady Lilith snarled as her hair writhed madly about her.”YOU that destroyed our people! You who killed my child! You and Adan!”
Lith snarled back at her.”Adan was a loyal fool! The spell I cast should have made him devoted to me! I should have been the queen of his heart! Every wish and every thought granted! But it was you that held him! YOU! The bastard daughter of my grandfather and Mana-kai! YOU that he chose to give the gift of the Chosen!”
"What's going on? I’m sensing bad blood and a cat fight here,"Xander said frustrated. He was hit again by Willow, then bopped on the head by Angel. "Why am I getting hit?"
"Pretty soon, human, you'll be dead!"Lith spun around to hiss at him. Xander yelped then hid behind a battle ready Giles.
Lith then spun to Lilith.She flung herself to attack Lilith, but Whistler caught her in mid-air and flung her away.”Demon! You dare?!?”
Whistler spread his arms as he stood protectively between Lith and Lilith.”I dare, Traitor! Murderer! You warped Adan for what? You killed my child for what? To gain the gift of the Chosen. To gain eternity of power. You are nothing, Lith! You have nothing!”
Lith wiped her face and then lept on to the altar."It matters not. The Slayer's death will cause Gaia's power to kill this world and all in it. The Slayer's life will open the Gates of Hell! Either way it is the Chosen one who will destroy this world!"
"What's going on?"shouted Xander as he poked his head from behind Giles.
“Death is what is going on!” Lith smirked at him and then ran into the ring of fire, laughing madly.
As the ground began to tremble, Whistler grabbed at Lilith."Stop the spells. You can do it. Stop them."
Lilith looked away."I cannot. I will not. This world needs to be destroyed. The vampires need to die."
"You will not allow the good to die with the bad. You cannot, Lilith," Whistler said. Lilith shook her head.
"I will not save this Slayer, I will not save this world. This miserable world and its vampires killed my child,"Lilith said angrily as she wrenched her arm away."I have accepted who I am. I am Death. I am a monster, not the Slayer. Nevermore."
As the ground started to tremble more violently, Whistler cried out in frustration and looked away from his wife. His eyes settled on the rapier that Willow still clutched. He grabbed it, and then looked at Buffy's still form, and saw.
"My Lily wife, look at me,"Whistler said slowly. He waited until she looked at him, and her eyes widened at the sight of the rapier in his hands. He walked slowly to her."You are Lady Lilith, Daughter of the First House of Atlantis. Born, you were,Princess to the Throne of the Sacred Circle. Mana-kai child of the water and air. The Chosen One.The Slayer."
"That is, what I once was. Of a time long dead. The Princess of a dead kingdom. Once a Mana-kai child. Once the Chosen One, the Slayer," Lilith whispered as her face filled with pain. "Lady Lilith now. Bringer of Death now. A monster now. Now and forever."
Shaking his head violently, Whistler continued.”No.”
"No you still are as you were born to be, a princess of the Sacred Circle, a Mana-kai, a Slayer. But most important of all, my beloved wife,"Whistler looked at her hard."And mother of my child, whose body is long dead. Whose spirit is reborn."
"What?"
Whistler pointed with the rapier to Buffy's still body in Spike's arms."Look at her, wife, and see. That Slayer is our daughter reborn. She is the Slayer, just as her mother was. Just as her mother is."
Lilith tenatively took the rapier from Whistler's hands and looked at it. She looked up from it, to him. She brought the handle to level with her eyes, and hovered it close to the Slayer’s body. When she gazed at the Slayer's still form with it, a tear rolled down her cheek."She is a Slayer...Slayers do not kill...the good...the living...I have killed...I am Death..."
"You are the Slayer. Forever. Stop the spell,Lilith. Stop the destruction, my wife. It's not too late, Lily wife,"Whistler whispered as he closed his hands over her trembling ones.”You are the Slayer. Now. Forever.”
“I am...”Lilith looked at him, her mouth trembling, her body shaking. Then her eyes hardened.”I am...I...choose...”
Just then vampires broke into the room. Lilith took one look at them, and ran forward, the rapier moving through the air. Within seconds, before anyone could move, there was dust all over at her feet. She looked up at the group before her."I am the Slayer. Now. Forever."
She stood straight, her rapier above her, then pointed at the Slayer’s still form."I call upon Kuan-Yin, I call upon Ganga, Hear my plea. See this Slayer before me, She is still, she is worn, allow her to heal, allow her to mend, this I ask, so I will, so mote be."
Lightning flashed through the sky. A clap of thunder roared as Buffy's eyes fluttered opened and saw Spike's face. She struggled weakly against him, so he put her gently down, but still keeping a secure arm around her."We're still not out of this yet, Slayer."
Buffy ignored him as her head rolled over, and saw a pair of warm brown eyes looking at her. She whispered,”Mom?”
“Shhh, baby. Mommy’s here,” soothed Joyce as her trembling hand stroked her baby’s hair. Joyce kissed her forehead.”Shhh...”
Slowly, Lilith walked towards the altar. Then faced the room."Gaia, on this night and on this hour, I have done all to please thee. The woods growing on the earth is here, the air fuels the fire. Water among the metals, hear my pleas. On this one night, Mother grants a plea, I ask that you give this to me...Halt that hand of death. So I ask, So I plea, Mother Gaia, So I will, so mote be..."
The earth rumbled, and everyone scrambled to stay on their feet. More vampires rushed into the chamber, but stilled as they watched Lilith at the altar in complete awe.
She looked at Angel and pointed her rapier to him."I call upon Kali, I call upon Shiva, I call the gods that watched the Slayer dance. I call the gods of destruction and beg them for a chance, to stay their bloody hands and ask for a boon, a small gift of life for pleasing you. One year and a day from this night, a gift of life that would start with the coming sun and would end at the night's end. One year and a day, the gift of life would end, and all that was will be the same again. This is the boon I that ask. Hear me, Kali, hear me Shiva. Grant this to me. As I ask, as I will, as I plea, so mote be."
With her last word, Lilith fell to the ground. At the same time,Angel grabbed his gut screamed in pain. Whistler gathered her in his arms.
"Is it all right now?"Giles asked. Lilith looked at the Watcher, then looked at the Slayer’s disoriented form. The reborn form of her child.
"Your Slayer...Buffy, shall live. The world shall live, and I shall find another way to destroy the demons of this world, Watcher,"Lilith said as she gazed at Buffy."She has no destiny as of yet. The destiny she makes shall be her own, Watcher. Guide her well or you shall answer to me. And her...earth mother.”
Giles followed Lilith’s gaze to Joyce who was hovering over her daughter, axe still in hand. Lilith turned slightly to look at Whistler...her husband.
"I must go, husband, to think,"Lilith said as she stroked his face gently. She caressed his face.”To plan what I should do...I must go.”
“Take me with you,”Whistler said softly as his forehead rested on hers.”Take me with you, Lilith.”
Lilith pulled back.”Why? After all that I have done, why would you want to come with me?”
"To quote another, you complete me, wife,"Whistler smiled, then looked at Willow and back."Ten thousand years ago, you once were my wife, and you still are my wife. Where you go, I go."
"You never did know how to say your heart without quoting another,"Lilith smiled as her hair wrapped around them, and they both disappeared.
"I guess we can go,"Cordelia stated. A vampire growled at her.
"Think again, human."
"No, I think that you should let us go,"Hlin said calmly. She looked at the vampires with a cold smile as she slit her wrist. A second later, screams were heard outside the chamber.”Listen to the sounds of your death...”
Then through the wall came a stone dragon and a wolf. After it came a stone unicorn. All the animals were bloody and covered with dust."These magicks of the Mana-kai will kill you all if we do not go. Would you like to risk it?"
The vampires looked at her then at each other. Spike called out."Let them go or else it'll make us all dust. You can leave, considering that you helped save the vampire race."
"Don't remind us,"grumbled Xander as he headed towards Oz’s still form. Cordelia followed closely behind. Giles helped Willow put Oz on top of the stone wolf.
"Uh, he's gained a little weight,"Xander muttered and was promptly smacked by Willow and Cordelia.”I think you girls have given me more bruises than the vampires.”
Hlin looked at Spike and spoke to him in a low voice.”Because of your...aid, you will have two minutes to leave this place. The figures shall be set loose and destroy all the undead in the area.”
Still holding the Slayer steady, Spike nodded.”I get the picture, Elemental.”
Hlin nodded as she turned to watch the other vampires in the chamber carefully.”You are all about ti die again-”
Letting go of her child, Joyce walked over to Hlin.”Thank you. I know that you dislike him because of what he is, but thank you.”
“I...It...Though it is odd that Spike...well, my lady, he deserves this chance for his aid to the Slayer and her mother,”Hlin finally said. Then she looked at Spike again.”My lady, if you would just tell him to-”
"Give me Buffy,"Angel demanded. Spike looked directly into his eyes and then looked at the still lethargic Buffy. He grinned rakishly and tipped her over, giving her an initimate kiss on the mouth.
Angel growled and flung Spike away while catching Buffy in his arms. Spike landed neatly on his feet, near Joyce. Spike taunted."It'll gall you, Irish, that I was the one that saved your precious Slayer, and then kissed her. Oh, how it will gall you!"
"Liam,"Joyce said with resignation. He looked at her with affection, and she pulled his head down for a kiss on the forehead."Take care good of yourself. And avoid Sunnydale."
Spike blushed, and then glared at the other vampires who were staring at him with horror. Joyce looked at Spike, then at Drucilla who was glaring balefully at Buffy who was cuddled in Angel’s arms. Spike followed her gaze and sighed.”Least I found Drucilla.”
At his resigned tone, Joyce marched over, and before Spike could stop her, smacked Drucilla upside her head. Amazed, Drucilla only wimpered as she grabbed her head.
"I have told Liam time and again to dump you and see another girl. You are trash, and if I ever hear that you hurt him again, you won't have to worry about my daughter hunting you,"Joyce threatened as she brought up her axe. When she saw Drucilla wimper again, she turned heel and started to walk out the door. Then she looked at Spike."I'll not see you in Sunnydale, Liam. Buffy will hunt you and her if you are there."
"Yes, Mum,"Spike called as he gathered a wimpering Drucilla in his arms. "Let's hide before dawn comes."
As the Slayerettes gathered between the three stoned figures, a leader of the vampires stepped forward to stop them from escaping. The stone dragon growled, and he stepped back.
Cordeila looked at the vampire and smirked.”Stay back or Puff the Dragon will get you. Oh, wait. He’ll do that anyway. My bad.”
Shaking his head at the bad quip, Giles turned and saw Angel carry Buffy in his arms.”Put her on the wolf with Oz. She’ll be safe enough there with him. And you must hurry to the van or-Joyce what did you drive in?”
“My jeep,”Joyce said as Angel settled Buffy on the wolf. She smiled tiredly at him.”Angel, you can go in my trunk. More room.”
“Oh, great. The dead body of Dead Boy in the trunk. Does anyone feel like they’re in one of those gory mobster movies?”Xander quipped, then promptly ducked when Angel reached to slap him upside his head. Then screamed when he felt pain at the back of it.
Grabbing the back of his head, Xander turned to see Giles flex his right hand.”I suggest you move quickly else your bruises will get bruises.”
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It was outside the limits of Navidad before Buffy was acting a bit more coherent. Joyce stopped the car when Buffy expressed a desire to stop. Cordelia parked the van behind the Summer jeep.
As Buffy weakly got out of the car, she leaned against it.”What’s that red glow over there?”
Giles took out his binoculars.”It looks like the town burning up. And those stone animals are all over the place decimating the place.”
“It is what they are supposed to do,”Hlin said softly as she leaned heavily against the Summers jeep.
"What happened?"Xander asked. Buffy looked at him and then looked at the dawning skies.
"We were saved by clay figures that magically came to life,"said Willow. "And a whole lot of spells were cast.How did you do that, Hlin? Hlin?"
Hlin smiled at Willow, and then fell to the ground. Screaming, Willow gathered Hlin into her arms. Hlin smiled again."It was magic. Slayer, it was an honor to protect...you.”
Buffy looked at the woman in Willow’s arms with horror.”What? Protect me? Why? Were you hurt in the fight? I don’t even know your name! Mom, we have to get her to the hospital!”
“No hospital. It is...to late for me,”gasped Hlin as she closed her eyes.“I am Laurel Adams, I am the Mana-kai of the house of Ceres, designated Hlin to the Slayer by my-my Elders. I can die, now that the Slayer is safe."
"Why? Why?"Buffy asked confused."I caused this?"
Opening her eyes briefly, Hlin smiled sadly at the young Slayer."No, it is the price that we that protect the Slayer must pay. For using magicks to aid the Slayer. My...my Elders are now dead, for it was their lives that animated the figures. I am to join them, do not weep, it was meant to be, Slayer. Another shall come and will guard you. This...guardian...the Hlin...will be from the first house. And will be the Sotiera...I asked this for you. Slayer, you shall have a great destiny. I wish I could...see it."
Hlin's hand slipped from Buffy's face, and her body fell lifeless.Giles covered Hlin's body with his jacket, but a second later, it vanished.
"What happened?"Cordelia asked as she jumped back, freaked that there wasn’t a dead body where it was supposed to be."Where did her body go?"
"Of the Earth, Lilith said, spells based on the powers of the earth,"Giles mused."She went back to the earth. We must go back to Sunnydale. Buffy, you are going to be..."
"In trouble?"
"Not as far as I know,"Joyce replied."Just pampered a bit."
"Great for her, but then what?"Xander asked.
"I have no clue, but I think that life is going to get a little more complicated now,"Buffy said.
"It's going to get a little more complicated,”Giles said with a sigh.”Shall we go now?”
“And please watch the pot holes,”Angel called out from the trunk of the Jeep.
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EPILOGUE
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"Mom?"
"Yes, dear?"Joyce answered as she glanced at her daughter's sleepy form.
"How did you know it wasn't me that was dead? The way Lilith did it, I mean it looked pretty convincing."
Joyce glanced at her daughter and then back at the road."It was at first, honey. It was at first."
"But how did you know?"
"Mother's instinct,"Joyce quiped, then looked at her daughter seriously."And the fact that Cordelia noticed the girl's shoes."
"Her shoes? Shoes?"Buffy asked confused. "You knew I was alive because of a pair of shoes?"
Joyce glanced at Buffy."Your new pair of shoes. The ones that you *weren't* supposed to wear."
"My shoes?"Buffy repeated, and then her face flushed pink."Oh, you mean *those* shoes."
"Yes, those shoes. And I have to ask you about my new silk aqua blouse. The one that you wore without permission,"Joyce started. Buffy suddenly yawned.
"Gee, I'm tired, think I'll sleep right now,"said Buffy as she squeezed her eyes shut. Joyce surpressed a smile.
"We'll talk about it later, young lady,"Joyce said gently."We have time now that it's not too late."
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Joyce pulled up to her house and into the driveway. She opened the garage door and then shut it behind her. Willow pulled up in the van after her. Buffy woke up and rushed to the trunk to release Angel. Joyce opened the entrance to the house to give her daughter a little time with Angel.
Angel crawled out from the truck, and then grabbed Buffy close to him. He rained small kisses on her face."Oh, god! I thought I lost you! I thought I lost you this time! Buffy..."
Buffy started to kiss him back."It's o.k. Angel. I'm o.k."
Joyce re-entered the garage, intent on calling the two out of the garage. She stopped at the doorway, and stared.
"Angel..."Joyce started, unable to beleive her eyes.She called out louder to them."Angel...Buffy..."
Angel lifted his head from Buffy's mouth, and looked sheepishly at Buffy's mother."Uh..sorry...Mrs. Summers?"
Buffy, dazed looked at her mom."Mom? What's wrong?"
"Angel,"Joyce cleared her throat."Angel's standing in the sunlight."
"What?'Buffy exclaimed, startled. Angel looked at Buffy's mother, confused.
"I can't be, or else I'd be burning,"Angel said.
"Buffy, look,"Joyce pointed. Buffy stepped back and saw what her mother did. The most of Angel's body was in the dark of the garage, but his back had the sun on it. "Angel...Angel turn around."
He did so, slowly, until the sun was directly hitting him on the chest. "What? What? I... Buffy, what's...."
"The spell...the spell that Lilith casted..."Buffy whispered."Angel, she gave you the gift of life..."
"Oh, my god...."Angel stammered. Willow and the others entered the garage.
"Hey, what's taking you guys so long..."Willow's voice trailed."Angel! You're standing in sunlight!"
"What?"Xander exclaimed. Giles stood at the doorway looking stunned.
"Is this possible?"he asked aloud. Joyce held his arm.Rupert looked at her.
"It was a gift from her soul's first mother, Lilith,Rupert,"Joyce said gently.
"Buffy...we gotta open the garage door...no wait, we'll go out the front door, that way I'll start life in the right way. But, "Angel said excitedly."No better make it the garage door. But..."
"Angel, Angel,"Buffy said as she grabbed his face between her hands."Pick a door, and we'll go through it together."
Taking a deep breath, Angel nodded."The front door..."
Buffy grabbed his hand and everyone rushed to see, and held their breath. Angel opened the door slowly, Buffy readied her self to jerk him back from the dangerous sunlight. When nothing happened in the lighted shade of the porch, he opened the door wider. And then walked on to the porch. He looked back at Buffy and smiled. She went closer to him. And he stepped back, and on to the lawn, fully into the sunlight. "Angel!"
He looked at her, his smile as wide as his face. His arms open wide, as if he could embrace the sun. Then he looked at her, and she ran into his arms. He swung her around in a huge circle.
"I'm in the sun! I'm in the sun!"Angel cried, exhilerated. He set Buffy down on her feet."And you are so beautiful in the sun!"
Angel bent his head down to kiss her warm soft lips.
A frantic honking was heard as a car drove up to the Summers house. Joyce frowned until she recognized the driver."Hank!"
"Dad!"cried Buffy from Angel's arms.
"Honey! Are you all right? Where were you? What happened?"Hank Summers cried as he pulled his daughter into his arms."Who's this man?"
"Dad, this is Angel...he's, uh..."Buffy looked at Angel.
"The man that Buffy is in love with."Angel said as he shook Buffy's father's hand.
"Uh, Joyce?"
"It's o.k.Hank. It's a long story,"Joyce said gently as she led Hank into the house."Meet the rest of Buffy's friends...."
"Including that incredibly rude, Englishman on the phone?"
"Uh..well.."
~Fin