Buffy's Godsisters Book Two

Chapter 72

Buffy the Vampire Slayer 2x19 

I.O.H.E.4.U Part 3 

~

It wasn't before long we were back at the house. I was leaning against a wall while the others were seated around the coffee table. Jenna was pouring herself and Giles a cup of tea. There was coffee for those who wanted it.

"The good news is none of you girls weren't shot," Giles said. "Well, we've established, based on all the parallels and-and-and Aurora's visions, that it's James' Spirit."

"So what do we do? About James," Willow asked.

"Well, he's obviously reliving the night of the Sadie Hawkins Dance when he killed Ms. Newman," Jenna voiced. "It's common enough for a spirit to recreate a tragedy."

"Hey," Cordelia said as she munched on a cracker before asking. "If Sunnydale High School shuts down forever, do we automatically graduate?"

"But why? What does he want?" Xander questioned before thinking about Cordelia's question. "Actually, that's an interesting point."

"He's, he's trying to... resolve whatever issues are keeping him in limbo," Giles stuttered. "W-w-what exactly those are, I'm not..."

"He wants forgiveness," I interrupted.

"Yes," Giles said as he leaned back and got up. "I imagine he does." He walked over to me. "But when James possesses people, they act out exactly what that night. So he's experiencing a form of purgatory instead. I mean, he's, he's doomed to, to kill his Ms. Newman over and over again, and... forgiveness is impossible."

"Good," I replied. "He doesn't deserve it."

"To forgive is an act of compassion, Aurora," Jenna responded. "It's not done because people deserve it. It's done because they need it."

"No. James destroyed the one person he loved the most in a moment of blind passion," I voiced. "And that's not something you forgive. No matter why he did what he did." I took a breath before continuing. "And no matter if he knows now that it was wrong and selfish and stupid, it is just something he's gonna have to live with."

"He can't live with it, Rory," Xander responded. "He's dead."

I looked back at them for a moment before stalking off to the kitchen.

"Okay," I heard Cordelia say. "Overidentify much?"

~

I walked into the kitchen with my hands in my pockets and felt a piece of paper inside. I pulled it out and unfolded it. It said, 'Class of '55 Sadie Hawkins Dance' flyer. I placed the leaflet down on the counter as I heard something.

"I need you," A faint male voice said.

All of a sudden, I felt possessed as I walked towards the kitchen and walked out.

~

Back at the house, Willow had gotten from her chair.

"So, what do we do next?" Willow asked. "Do we go in again?"

"Well, not now. The spirit is too angry as well as too powerful," Jenna responded.

"No, we have to work out exactly how and, and if this thing can be defeated," Giles told them.

~

By the time I got to the school, it was still surrounded by wasps. I possessively walked up to it as the swarm parted ways to let me in. As I reached the door, they opened open for me. I walked in as the swarm of wasps closed the gap behind me, and doors closed as I walked down the hall.