Title: The Choice – Part 3
Author: Xanfan
Rating: Mature
Pairing: various, including M/M Slash
Summary: Response to challenge found here http://beyondcanon.brain-insane.com/challenges.php?chalid=38. The Scoobies discover that Buffy’s resurrection has allowed the First to gain a foothold in this world. Xander is told that the balance must be restored, and the only way to do that is for a Slayer to die. Who does he choose? Buffy or Faith?
Spoilers: Up to season 7 of Buffy and 4 of Angel. Cordy never comes back from being a higher being, so, no beast master.
Warnings: SLASH, CHARACTER DEATH
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
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Last Time:
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Xander got in his car and drove. When he came to his destination, he paused and took a deep breath. Cordy begged him to change his mind. She was sure that he would lose himself forever, if he did this.
~~~~~
He walked up to the gate and told the guard, “Xander Harris to see Faith Wilkins. The arrangements should have already been made.”
The guard directed him through gates and down hallways, to a private room, where he waited.
“Yo, boytoy, how’d you swing a face to face?” Faith greeted as she was let into the room.
“What, you don’t think I’ve got connections?” Xander tried to tease.
“What’s up? Something’s wrong, you know you can’t fool me.” Faith said.
“From beneath you it devours.” Xander said.
Faith froze at hearing the words that had haunted her dreams for months.
“That’s what we keep hearing back in the ‘Dale. Apparently, bringing Buffy back upset the balance, making way for the First to come here.” Xander said.
“What do you need?” Faith offered without hesitation.
“Hold my hand?” Xander said.
Faith smiled, confused, but having not had much friendly human contact in the recent past, she didn’t hesitate. It wasn’t until her hand touched his that she recognized the trinket he was holding. It was the object she had used to switch bodies with Buffy after her coma. She was too late to pull away.
She stared at her own face and asked, “Why?”
“Did you know that souls are eternal? When the body dies, the soul is released, but it still exists. That’s why the slayer essence is tied to the body. If it was tied to the soul, and the soul never dies, it wouldn’t pass on from girl to girl.” Xander said, almost conversationally, from inside Faith’s body.
“Xander, what are you doing? What’s going on?” Faith said, with Xander’s voice.
“Balance had to be restored, a slayer had to die, and I had to choose.”
“You chose me?” Faith accused bitterly.
“I couldn’t choose. I love you both so much. I couldn’t choose.”
“Xander, you’re not making any sense.” Faith said desperately.
“You deserve to have a chance, to live. But a slayer had to die. There are letters in my…your pocket. They explain everything. Walk away Faith, go to Angel’s and explain to him. Tell him that I love him and I will forever. Take that body, that chance and go live it. I know it’s not much, but it’s something.”
Before Faith could react, Xander grabbed his old body, pulled a dagger made of bone from a pocket and stabbed his new body in the heart.
Faith held her body with Xander’s arms. She looked into the face that used to be hers and heard words whispered from lips that no longer belonged to her. “I love you. Tell them, I love them too. But, I couldn’t choose, I couldn’t kill either of you.”
With that, Xander died, the body that housed the slayer essence died, and balance was restored.
And somewhere, The First howled in outrage, as its hold on this world was lost once again. But it would find a way back; if it took millennia, it would find a way back.
And Faith, in the body of the greatest man she’d ever known, screamed in horror.
The guards came and took the body, excusing “Xander” of all blame. They had it on video, she had clearly killed herself.
Faith walked away from the prison in a daze, got in Xander’s car and drove to Angel, wondering how she could ever fill the shoes of her boytoy. But, he had given up his life, for her, giving her a new chance and a new life, and she vowed to live it in a way that would honor him.