Xander, Anya, Giles and Dawn were sitting around the table in The Magic Box. Willow and Tara were out the back, Tara comforting Willow. It had been three weeks since Buffy's death to defeat Glory and save the world. Everyone was in shock, staring almost blankly at the walls when they were not crying. The bell over the door jingled and a strange man with light brown hair and blue eyes came in, his trench coat hiding all his other clothes except his boots. Everyone glanced up, no one recognised him, though Xander felt as if he should.
"Sorry, we're closed." Giles said, returning his gaze to a point on the wall.
The strange man looked at Xander and bowed slightly.
"Do you wish me to leave, Alexander?" he asked.
"No, Gregory." Xander replied and then he paused. "Wait a second. Do I know you?"
"Yes, My Lord. Metatron send me to greet you and your Lady." Gregory replied.
"Who is Metatron and who are you?" Dawn asked.
Gregory looked perplexed, glancing around the room before settling his gaze on Xander once more.
"Should I unsheathe, My Lord?" Gregory asked Xander, "It is the quickest way."
"Please do." came a voice behind the group.
Tara and Willow had come out from the back room holding hands. It had been Tara who had spoken.
"My Lady?" Gregory asked looking at Tara, dropping to one knee.
"I said unsheathe, Greg." Tara replied with a slight snap in her voice.
"Yes My Lady." he replied.
Gregory stood removing his trench coat, what he was wearing underneath was not normal attire. He wore sliver chain and plate armour on his upper body and leather pants with his hard boots. He also had a sword sheathed at his belt, but the first thing, in fact the only thing, that The Scoobies noticed was his wings. Large shimmering wings, over six feet across, were attached to his shoulder blades, at first glance they appeared to be a shimmering white but they were actually a very pale, blue. The blue of the perfect spring morning of a day when the heat of summer and the cold of winter were perfectly balanced. Gregory knelt before Xander and Tara, who were standing next to each other, bowing his head and offering the hilt of his sword.
"My Lord. My Lady. I wish to re-swear my vows of allegiance. You have my sword till the war is over." Gregory looked up after finishing his words.
Every eye in the store was focused on Xander and Tara.
"Hold your sword till I call for it, old friend." Xander replied.
"Your friendship has always been appreciated, Greg. When you help is need I will not hesitate to call." Tara said, after Xander had finished.
"Question?" Dawn said quickly, raising her hand. "Who is Metatron and what are you three going on about?"
"I am Metatron." said a slightly older man who appeared near Gregory.
"The Voice." Tara whispered.
Metatron, while slightly older that Gregory was still handsome. Unlike Gregory he was dressed in pure white robes that matched his large wings. Tara, Xander and Gregory all faced Metatron and all fell to one knee.
"Uhh... I'm confused." Willow said.
After getting everyone to sit around the table, Metatron explained what was going on. How he was the Voice of God, using his usual quote, "Anyone who talked to God, actually talked to me, or themselves." He also explained that Gregory was an Angel, as were Xander and Tara.
"We're Angels?" Xander asked. "Hah, The Zeppo's an Angel."
Giving Xander a strange look, Metatron continued with his story. Unlike the other Angel's, who were made genitally challenged, "Ken and Barbie dolls," Xander and Tara were made to experience Love. Xander was the Angel of Undying Loyalty, while Tara was the Angel of Tenderness. Together they were the Angel of Love. God had declared that there was only one way to stop the War between the Angels and the Fallen Angels. That way was for the Angel of Love to have a child, who one day would mend the gap and bring Lucifer and the Fallen back to the fold. It was imposable for that child to be conceived or born in Heaven. As a result Alexander, the Angel of Undying Loyalty and Tara, the Angel of Tenderness, were sent to earth, their memories and power dormant till they were needed.
"I don't believe it!" Willow screamed when the story finished.
"I will prove it to you." Metatron replied.
Motioning Xander and Tara out into the middle of the floor, they knelt and Metatron muttered something the other could not hear and a pure white light emerged from him, as did his glowing, pure white wings, with a span of over seven feet. The light consumed the kneeling forms of Xander and Tara, making it impossible to look at them. When the light faded Xander the Zeppo and Tara the Witch were no longer present, instead knelt Alexander, the Angel of Undying Loyalty and Tara, the Angel of Tenderness, who both rose to their feet.
Their features were the same, but their clothes and hair were different, as was the fact that they now had wings, spanning about six and a half feet. Alexander stood, dressed in white leather with gold trimming, even to his boots, ending about two inches above the ankle. He also wore a platinum chain mail tunic and breastplate with golden scrollwork and hardened white leather bracers, starching from wrist to elbow, with gold inlays. At his belt hung a sword, with a brilliant white caved handle with gold wire wrapping the cross guard and white leather scabbard with gold trimming. The sword itself was slightly curved, with a single edge, similar to a katana, with beautiful gold inlay work along the inner, blunt curve. His wings were bone white with platinum veining and his hair was slicked back over his head, flaked with platinum. All in all he looked very handsome and almost regal.
Tara looked stunning. Her dress was bone white, the same shade as Alexander's wings, a semi-tight fitting to the waist before pleating into a skirt with a slit up the side of her right leg, almost to the waist, allowing freedom of movement. The dress, like the lightweight, golden, ceremonial breastplate that covered it, had platinum trimming. Along her arms, were bracers, like fingerless gloves that extended up her forearms, shining with platinum inlays along the hardened white leather, strapped over her dresses arms with more white leather. She also wore white leather sandals, similar to the roman design. Her wings were truly spectacular; a shimmering white that actually changed colour depending on how the light hit them, each feather trimmed in gold, making a gold line pattern in her wings. Tara's blond hair, usually hanging strait down her back, was curled in ringlets that framed her face and seemed to glow with a light golden sheen. She also wore a sword at her belt, but unlike the katana type blade that Alexander wore, hers was a rapier, thin, long and sharp. The hilt of the rapier was wrapped in platinum wire, with a golden hand guard while the white leather scabbard had intricate designs inlayed in platinum If any doubts were left as to the truth behind The Voice's story were laid to rest as Alexander and Tara caressed each other's face.
"I missed you Alex." Tara said.
"I missed you too, Tara." he replied.
At these remarks both Willow and Anya stood and turned towards the back room, Willow starting to sob as she hurried away from the one she thought she loved.
"Wait! There is more to tell. You can't go yet Slayer." Metatron shouted after the girls.
The whole room went instantly quiet.
"Buffy was the Slayer. She died three weeks ago." Alex said.
"Yah." Willow said spitting venom (metaphorically) at The Voice. "She died for you people and went to hell for it."
"You could not be more wrong." Gregory said. "I saw her two days ago."
"WHAT?!?" all the Scoobies yelled.
Metatron sighed before telling of Buffy.
"You are wrong on two points." The Voice explained. "Firstly, Buffy did not die for us, she died for you because she loved you all, as a father figure (pointing to Giles), as a sister (pointing to Dawn) and as friends (motioning to all the others, including Alex and Tara). Secondly, she is not in Hell. She fulfilled her destiny, in fact she fulfilled it years ago, she had died fighting a demon, she had killed it but had sustained mortal injuries. Not the Master as you think Alex. When she was offered her place in Heaven, she refused, saying she had work to do here. She wanted to protect you all. So her wounds were healed and she was returned."
"That was Buffy alright. Can't keep a good Slayer down." Xander chuckled, emerging slightly from Alex.
All of Xander and Tara the Witch's memories were still present, but so were those of their lives as Angels. How can twenty odd years on earth ever compare to the thousands upon thousands of years they had been together in Heaven.
"I think everyone need some sleep, or time alone to work through this. Can we start again in the morning Metatron?" Giles asked.
"Sure. I'll be back then. Are you coming Gregory?" The Voice responded.
Gregory nodded, bowed to Tara and Alex again and both he and Metatron disappeared in a flash of light. Giles ushered Dawn out of The Magic Shop, he was going to take her to his place to get some sleep. Alex and Tara stood next to each other for a few minutes before trying to explain to their ex-girlfriends the new situation. Willow and Tara were talking in the back while Alex and Anya were talking in the shop.
"I'm so sorry Willow. Alex and I were made for each other. Literally. We had no memory of our pervious lives. I really do love you Willow, as much as I love Alex, it is just how can under a year ever compare to the amount of time me and Alex had together?" Tara said trying to help Willow past her anger.
"How long was that?" Willow asked, fearing the answer.
"Since before the creation of the earth. Maybe a few billion years." Tara replied, knowing she had deeply hurt Willow.
"WOW!"
Willow's hurt was hidden by surprise
"Time really runs differently in Heaven, it is more about the moment."
"First you give me a ring, then I can't tell anyone and now you are dating Willow's girlfriend." said a very annoyed Anya, hitting Alex in the arm.
"One, Ouch. Two, I was dating Tara before you were born. Three, Ouch." Alex said, letting the Xander personality come through.
"What do you mean? I'm eleven hundred, you two are like twenty."
"Anya. Tara and I are Angels. We were created before the earth was, literally created for each other; we have just been in these bodies for twenty years. Look to put it in terms you would understand, I am 'technically' cheating on Tara with you, as she is 'technically' cheating on me with Willow. If anyone should be hurt it would be Tara and me. You and Willow just need time to work through this situation." Alex told her, appealing to her skewed logic, from being a demon for eleven hundred years.
"But I like having sex with you." Anya complained.
Alex rolled his eyes. (AN: From this point on Alex is the Angel personality and Xander is the human personality. And yes, I think Anya's view on life is very skewed)
After Willow and Anya left the store to either sleep or be alone, Alex and Tara sat on the stairs, talking quietly and holding each other till the others showed up again in the morning, Angels having much less need for sleep than humans. After spending several hours reminiscing on the highlights of their lives in Heaven, they move on to the topic of Buffy.
"Why do you think she did not go before?" Alex asked.
"Well. I did not know her then. But she did have a good heart, always did, from what Willow told me." Tara said.
"So you think she turned down Heaven because she believed that we, the Scoobies, the world, needed her?"
Tara nodded, laying her hand on Alex's knee and looking into his eyes.
"Buffy was like Greg, like most of the Angels. She felt the burden of duty but had the strength of will not to crumble under the pressure. If she felt it would save even one other life, Buffy would have gladly spent an eternity in Hell." Tara told Alex, knowing he needed to hear it.
"Did we even help at all?" Xander asked, "Or did we just make her job harder."
"You all helped her through. As long as she had you and Giles and Willow, even Oz and Cordelia, she never had to bear the entire burden. That burden is too much for any one person. That is why most Slayers burn out and die so quickly."
"I know." Alex said, "But Xander needed to hear it, he always felt useless." Tara smiled slightly.
"He was never useless. Neither are you, my love."
She rested her head on Alex's shoulder and they sat quietly till the others arrived in the morning.
Dawn walked along Main Street, next to Giles, heading to The Magic Box. She looked up at the sky occasionally, as if she could see up into Heaven and catch a glimpse of her sister.
"I hope you are happy Buffy." she whispered.
When they reached the store, she saw Willow and Anya standing outside, as if they were afraid to enter. They all entered together and were slightly shocked at the sight that greeted them. Alex and Tara were sitting on the stairs to the upper stacks, still dressed like yesterday but with their wings sheathed (folded in behind their backs), both had their eyes closed and Tara's head rested on Alex's shoulder.
"Morning everyone." Alex said without opening his eyes.
The entire group felt deep contentment and love radiating from the pair like heat radiating from a fire. The feeling had been present the previous night, not as strongly, but had been ignored or suppressed by feelings of anger, hurt and shock.
"Morning Xander." Dawn replied happily.
"Please call me Alex." he said as both of the Angels opened their eyes and smiled at the group.
The Angels moved down from the stairs into the shop.
"Metatron!" Tara called into the stunned silence.
The Voice appeared almost instantly.
"We have a request." Alex told the new arrival.
"We wish permission to take Dawn to see her sister. It would be pleasant to see home again." Tara continued.
"I'll go ask God. Be right back." Metatron said.
"Tell her I said hi." Alex said before The Voice disappeared.
"Her?" Giles said.
"Yah" Tara responded. "God is a woman."
After a few minutes Metatron reappeared.
"She said it would be OK, but only the Slayer's sister. Also her memory of most of Heaven will be erased when she returns, only her time with her sister will she remember." The Voice told them.
"Is that acceptable Dawn?" Tara asked.
Dawn nodded enthusiastically. Metatron disappeared again, while Tara motioned to Dawn. Standing with Dawn between them, Alex and Tara clasped arms, enclosing Dawn, and folded their wings forward so that the tips touched. A bone white light, laced with Platinum and Gold surrounded the figures, growing bright quickly and fading, leaving empty space where the Alex, Tara and Dawn had been. Giles, Willow and Anya, having nothing to do, sat down around the table to wait. One question was silently asked by all of them at least once. Which of the two girls was the new Slayer?
The bone white light faded slowly, leaving Dawn staring at a very different scene to the interior of The Magic Box. Metatron was standing a few feet away, but Dawn could only stare at the scenery. To Dawn most of the buildings were brilliant white, sometimes hinting at other colours that she could not place. Very few buildings in Heaven are actually white; they are simply colours that are beyond the capacity of the human mind to handle.
Among what appeared to be palaces and auditoriums from a range of periods in history, seamlessly blending together into a breathtaking city, were many parks and fields that never looked out of place despite their bright colours. Everywhere walked the winged angels and normal humans, obviously those who had died and been admitted into Heaven. In the distance what looked like a normal human walked through the streets, however all the surrounding humans and Angels bowed to her.
"Is that God?" Dawn asked excitedly, felling wonder and awe at this place.
"Yep." Alex said.
"Can I talk to her?" Dawn said, her face beaming.
"Umm. No." Metatron said.
"You're not dead yet Dawn. If you heard her speak you're head would explode and you heart would implode." Tara quietly explained.
"Yah, we went through five Adams before we figured that one out." Metatron said rolling his eyes.
"OK. Where's Buffy?"
"This way Dawnie." Xander said leading the group through the streets.
Joyce Summers was cooking happily in the kitchen. She knew, of course, that there was no need to cook, there was no need to eat, but she had always found cooking both relaxing and fun. Buffy entered the house and came to help her mother in the kitchen. Buffy had just been out in one of the many parks having drinks with her friends. They both were very happy here in Heaven, however they both missed Dawn, and Buffy missed her friends, but most of the time the negative feelings were submerged in happiness, contentment and belonging. The house they occupied was an exact replica of the one they had occupied in Sunnydale. Once dinner was cooked and the table set, their meal was slightly delayed by three figures entering the house, two of them obviously Angels. Buffy and Joyce rose before Buffy recognised the human.
"Dawn! What are you doing here? How did you die?" Buffy asked anxiously.
"She didn't die." said a melodious female voice from one of the Angels that seemed vaguely familiar to Buffy.
"Calm down Buffster. She got special permission to come see you." said the male Angel stepping out of the silhouetting of the doorway.
"Xander! You're and Angel." Buffy said startled.
"As is Tara." Alex replied, as his mate move up beside him.
"Won't you join us? There is always plenty." Joyce said, motioning to the table.
"Thank you Mrs. Summers." Tara replied.
Discussion at the dinner table continued long after the meal finished. After several hours Dawn fell asleep and was carried up to a bedroom by Alex, before he returned to the table. The discussion ranged across a variety of subjects; from reminiscing about their lives (both human and Heavenly) and Dawn's future on earth, to the new Slayer and Alex and Tara's yet to be conceived baby. When Dawn woke in the morning Alex and Tara said goodbye to the deceased Summers women, leaving with Dawn to visit their Heavenly home. Before they left Buffy grabbed Alex's arm and pulled him aside.
"As to what you asked me last night. (Pause) I would be honoured." Buffy said.
Alex nodded and walked back to Tara, linking his arm in hers and whispering quietly in her ear.
Giles was going through his books, Anya was fondling the money and Willow was looking through a spell book. They were just passing time; it had been four hours since the Dawn had gone to visit Buffy. A brilliant white light flared out in the body of the shop leaving behind four figures. Dawn came running down to greet everyone while Alex, Tara and Metatron walked slowly down.
"Where have you been for the last four hours?" Giles asked.
"Visiting Buffy." Dawn said smiling.
"Actually it was forty-eight hours in heaven." Tara said.
Everone moved to the table at sat down.
"Here's a question. Which one of us is the Slayer and why now, Buffy's been dead for three weeks?" Anya said, motioning to herself and Willow.
"If it is alright, I'll answer the second question first." Metatron said.
Everone nodded.
"Two days ago, earth time, I visited Faith in prison..."
Metatron explained that after Buffy had died at the hands of the Master, her call had been used and although she was alive, if she died again, no new Slayer would be called. On his visit to Faith, Metatron had convinced her to give up her call rights so that the world would have a Slayer to fight. The new Slayer would be called now, instead of at Faith's death. Faith seemed to think that her death becoming totally meaningless was ironically appropriate for a rouge Slayer on the path to redemption.
"That explains the why now question." Giles said
"I'm getting there Giles. The new Slayer is Anya. Called a bit late but never mind."
Everyone stared at Anya, then at Metatron.
"WHAT?!?" Xander said. "A bit late! She's been a demon for eleven hundred years, now we're recruiting Slayers from the enemy!"
"Calm down, honey." Tara said laying a hand on his arm.
"Anya was never supposed to become a demon, she cast the vengeance spell and got recruited one day before she would have been called, so we went with another candidate. Anya, you will have your Slayer powers as of now. Giles, I expect you will act as her Watcher?" Metatron asked.
"I guess." Giles responded.
"Good. I had hoped you would. I ask your help." Metatron said motioning to Giles, Anya, Willow and Dawn. "Help to raise and protect the baby the Alex and Tara will have, she will be important to the world."
"I'm in!" Dawn said instantly.
"Why not. We've saved the world before." Willow said.
"Yah." Anya commented.
"Of course." Giles said. "What's one more Apocalypse?"
"There'll be a few of those, but this will stop the final destruction of earth." Metatron said.
"Stop the End of Days before it begins." Tara said.
Giles raised one eyebrow.
"Cool." He whispered.
"We've corrupted him. He's speaking American." Xander laughed.
"Yes, quite. Some American colloquialisms are efficient in describing complex, abstract ideas in an economic use of words." Giles said.
"And we're back to stuffy British Watcher." Willow said.
Metatron chuckled then turned to face everyone.
"I must be going now. Any questions you have will be answered at a later date." he said before disappearing in his pure white glow.
Alex and Tara moved to a cleared space in the store.
"I guess we had better change." Alex said.
A Platinum glow surrounded Alex and a Golden glow surrounded Tara and when the glowing faded Xander the Zeppo and Tara the Witch stood where the Angels had been, back in their street clothes and with their regular hair. For a second Anya and Willow each thought that they had just had a long and involved hallucination, but then they noticed Xander and Tara holding hands.
Anya turned towards the back room, figuring that she could work off some of her anger at the Angels on a punching bag; she was quickly followed by Giles, who wanted to measure her skills. Willow, afraid that she would use magic against her former best friend and former lover, stormed out of the store hoping fresh air and a long walk would help. Willow was followed by Dawn, wanting to make sure the red haired witch was alright and eventually to tell her about the meeting with Buffy.
"You and me against the world again, huh?" Xander said to his eternal love.
"Always." Tara replied with a grin. "They just need some more time. It is hard to lose someone like this. It happened to me before I moved to Sunnydale."
"Least it is not as bad as dating a giant bug that wants to kill you or an Incan mummy who sucks peoples life force out." Xander said wrapping his arm around Tara's shoulders.
Still in their human forms, Xander and Tara finished their Tai Chi exercises. Deciding to get some heaver exercise, bowing they faced off against each other in fighting stances. Xander and Tara fought for almost an hour, not trying to hurt each other, but probing defences and remembering forgotten skills. They constantly changed styles, adapting for attack, defence or just for a change, and they were completely focused on the contest. Tara was always faster, with a more flowing movement, while Xander was stronger, with solid and accurate moves. When they finished they, again, bowed to each other.
"Wow!"
The comment, made by Dawn, caused Xander and Tara to turn and face the Scoobies. Dawn looked at them in awe. Willow and Anya had mild looks of shock on their faces while Giles had a look of surprise and interest.
"We were just practicing. You learn a lot of things when you live as long as we have." Tara said slightly guiltily.
"Umm. Food." Xander said spotting the Chinese food on the table. "I'm starved."
They all sat around the table, Xander and Tara were using chopsticks like the hade used them for years, which they probably had. This surprised the others, considering Xander never used to be able to handle them. Everyone sat quietly eating for a while, with Willow occasionally glancing at Xander.
"I know what you are thinking Will. No we couldn't have, and she is in a better place." Xander said, seemingly out of the blue.
"You could have and she wouldn't have died." Willow shot back at Xander.
"We did not have the ability then. Relax Willow, you will all get to see Buffy in a few days." Tara said soothingly.
A shocked silence descended over the table.
"We'll get to see her?" Giles said.
"Yah. What, you think she would miss the wedding?" Xander replied.
Willow and Anya stared at Xander trying to process what he had said.
"God would get extremely angry if I got pregnant before we were married. Trust me you do not want to see God angry." Tara said.
"Nuclear PMS." Xander whispered to Giles.
Tara elbowed Xander in the side, making him grunt.
"We could teach you what we know. Improve you're fighting skills." Tara suggested.
This statement was greeted with unanimous consent.
"I think this could wait till after the wedding?" Xander asked.
Buffy and Joyce Summers, along with Metatron, Gregory and God, had appeared about an hour ago, joining Dawn, Willow, Anya and Giles for the wedding. The Scoobies had spent considerable time talking to Buffy and Joyce while Metatron, Gregory and God had stood apart, speaking occasionally with Alex and Tara. Metatron, Alex, Tara and Gregory were all dressed in their Angelic clothing. The female Scoobies, Joyce and God were all in formal dresses and Giles was in a tweed suit (AN: big surprise there).
Alex and Tara knelt before Metatron, with their wings folded behind them, in the middle of The Magic Box. Tara's right hand resting on top of Alex's left, with a red ribbon resting over their wrists.
"We are here to bond Loyalty and Tenderness. Through this bonding the parts become whole, never to be separated again. What are the parts alone?" Metatron asked.
"Loyalty without Tenderness can never be more than friendship" said Tara.
"Tenderness without Loyalty is destined to end in hatred and pain." Alex responded.
"In union what do they become?" Metatron said.
"Tenderness and Loyalty, eternally entwined will always produce Love and Hope. Love to counter Hatred, Hope to counter Despair, with balance achieved then piece shall forever be." Tara and Alex recited together.
Intertwining the ribbon between their hands, placed on atop the other, Metatron recited the last portion of the ritual.
"Joined eternally, Body to Body, Soul to Soul and Heart to Heart. May Love and Hope spread form this union and forever bring piece."
Alex and Tara rose, kissed each other and turned, hands still bound, to face the group behind them. Buffy and Joyce, with Dawn, stood on the left, on the right stood Willow and Anya, with Giles in between them. In the centre, directly in front of the newlywed couple stood Gregory and God. After a few minutes of congratulations and hugs, Buffy, Joyce, Gregory, Metatron and God all disappeared in a flash of light, returning back to their homes in Heaven.
"You know, the words of that ceremony sounded familiar, I think I have read them somewhere." Giles said.
"I'm not surprised. They were used for the first two weddings ever." Alex said.
"Yes, although Adam and Eve just copied the wording of our Angelic wedding. It did not have the same significance as ours." Tara responded.
"What was that about balance and piece?" Willow asked.
"Our firstborn daughter will be the Angel of Love and Hope. Her destiny is to win the heart of Lucifer and end the war between the Angels and the Fallen Angels by bringing him back to God, along with the other Fallen." Alex explained.
The wedding party quickly broke up, Anya and Willow going off to do a quick patrol, Giles, who had officially become co-guardian of Dawn with Willow, escorted his charge home to bed while Alex and Tara retreated to Xander's apartment, after changing back into human guise, for some alone time.