Chapter 12

Standing On Higher Ground

A/N: Chapter twelve of the series.

Disclaimer: You all know this belongs to Joss Whedon and the parties involved in getting the shows on the air.

Feedback: As you wish.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"I don't have much time."

Joyce took Buffy by the shoulders and softly pushed her and held her at arms' length. Buffy looked at her mother's eyes, confused.

"There are things you have to know." Joyce said. "There is more to what Cordy and the girls told you."

"Typical." Buffy said, chuckling and wiping some tears from her eyes. "What is it?"

Joyce led her back to the bed and both sat down.

"The girls told you about Balance, right?" She asked. Buffy nodded. "As you may have already guessed, that's not all. We received more info and we couldn't tell you all of it."

"Figures. Why?"

"It's hard for me to tell you, but war is imminent."

Buffy smiled. "You angels kinda made that clear."

"You're not getting it." Joyce clarified. "Both the Powers That Be and the Senior Partners agreed that war is what they both wanted."

"Why?"

"To recover Balance."

"Enough with balance, they were hoping to catch us unprepared?"

"Exactly." Joyce replied. "You are not supposed to be able to fight back."

"What?" Buffy said, standing up. "And you're helping them?"

Joyce sighed.

"There is nothing I can do." Joyce said, standing up as well. "But I can tell you other things."

Buffy crossed her arms and remained silent for a long time.

"I don't have that much time, dear." Joyce said. "No one knows I'm here. I'm acting without the knowledge of the Powers and that means I'm acting without permission. I'm here to tell you why this is happening."

Buffy did not answer, only nodded her head.

"I'm sorry about what you're going to hear." Joyce said. "But I thought it'd be better if you heard it from me."

Joyce held Buffy's face with her hands and looked deeply into her eyes.

"It is because of you that Balance is broken."

Buffy rolled her eyes and smirked.

"Already heard that one, mom." Buffy said. "The First Evil kept yammering about it."

"Nothing like that, dear." Joyce continued. "You were supposed to stay dead."

"Right." Buffy sarcastically said. "That's why the lousy First was allowed into this reality. To end the line of slayers and wipe us out of existence. Heard that one before. Fought that war. Won that war."

Joyce shook her head.

"Wrong again, honey." Joyce said. "You won, yes, but Balance was already faltering. Your victory sent it over the edge."

Buffy laughed.

"I can't believe this." She said. "What was I supposed to do, then? Lie on my back and let the First kill all of us?"

Joyce didn't answer and avoided her daughter's eyes.

"Great. That's just great." Buffy said. "Are you telling me I wasn't supposed to win?"

Joyce ran her hand through Buffy's hair.

"Listen to me, dear, please." Joyce replied. "Slayers are not supposed to have any help. It's all part of Balance. Slayers are given powers that are not human and demonic in nature."

Buffy cringed, remembering how she'd learnt that lesson and what the shamans had tried to do to her.

"That power and responsibilities are yours and yours alone." Joyce continued. "I thank God for those friends of yours, but their interference began to disrupt Balance."

"How?" Buffy asked, a bit too forceful.

"Slayers were meant to fight alone." Joyce repeated. "You broke every rule. Even Whistler had his share of fault, asking Angel to help you."

"I'm not following." Buffy said. "Are you telling me it was my fault Balance is broken?"

"Let me explain." Joyce continued. "Please let me tell you everything and then you get to ask me everything you want, ok?"

Buffy nodded.

"Slayers were meant to help humans and keep them safe from vampires and demons." Joyce began. "They are meant to be a human fighter with the powers of a demon. As a slayer, you get powers but no weaknesses and evil inherent to a demon. You had everything to do your job on your own. Then came your friends, making you the first slayer to ever have any kind of help besides the advice given by a watcher. That began the change. I have to tell you, dear, you were supposed to stay dead the first time. When Xander brought you back, it disturbed everything, for a second slayer was called and then earth had two slayers in it. Balance had to be restored; Kendra died so there would be only one slayer."

Joyce took deep breaths. She knew the worst part was still to come.

"When she died, Faith was called and given the powers of the slayer, and once again, there were two slayers alive, when only one was supposed to exist. Balance was once again disturbed, but held together when Faith lost her way. It was all right again, because there was one slayer fighting for humanity and the other one was kept in control. In a coma or in jail, it didn't matter; Faith was no longer an issue. Then you died a second time."

Joyce took another Dep. breath. Even though she didn't need to physically do so, she found it soothing.

"All was fine. Earth had one slayer and Balance was restored again. But your friends, those who loved you so much, brought you back. Balance was practically shattered at this point, and you saw a physical manifestation of it when a demon attacked you the very night you were brought back. Giles had it wrong, honey; the demon wasn't part of an exchange or anything of the sorts. It was sent to bring you back to the netherworld, where you belonged. As it failed, it opened the window of chance the First Evil needed. You know what happened next."

Buffy looked away.

"It was all so very complicated already, but it got worse." Joyce continued. "Because of Spike."

Buffy cringed and her eyes once again were fixed to her mother's.

"Spike was supposed to play a large part in the war." Joyce said. "But his heart and desperation won. He wasn't supposed to die there and in such a way. He died giving you a gift he thought you deserved. He changed the course of history."

"How?" Buffy asked, her voice soft.

"Angel was never meant to become human." Joyce revealed. "Things were written and meant for the vampire with a soul. Because of Spike's actions, there was no vampire with a soul to begin with. Balance was completely out of shape. Later on, the first war erupted."

"First war?"

"Your battle with the First." Joyce replied. "That war meant the destruction of Balance. Two slayers entered the fight, and because of your decisions, Balance was broken beyond repair."

Joyce paused, unsure of how to say her next words.

"You caused Balance's destruction." Joyce said. "Because you chose to share the power of the Slayer with all potentials. That single act shattered all equilibrium in this dimension."

"What?"

"There is only one slayer in each generation, honey." Joyce said. "One. Balance couldn't continue to exist with all those slayers alive. The source of that power was confused and Balance didn't know which way to bend. It all got even worst when Angel destroyed the Circle of the Black Thorn. The second war was supposed then to return Balance to its shape, but you won and exiled the Senior partners out of this plane. Every semblance of equilibrium disappeared."

"But all I wanted to do..."

"I'm sorry, Buffy, I'm so very sorry." Joyce said. "You weren't supposed to survive the first war, or the second. You were supposed to stay dead the first time. Not the second, but the first time. Your very existence and that of all the slayers is destroying this dimension."

Buffy was shocked beyond words. She couldn't understand how her choices had created so much trouble.

"There must be something I can do." She whispered.

"There is." Joyce said, a sad smile on her face. "I don't know how to tell you this, but..."

"Tell me." Buffy whispered.

"You can stop a senseless war, dear." Joyce said. "You'll have to make the same choice you did back in Sunnydale. This time, instead of sharing your power, you'll have to take it all back. Take it away from all the other girls who are not supposed to be slayers. Become the slayer again. The one and only. One girl in every generation."

Buffy's face revealed the shock she felt. She couldn't believe what she had just heard.

"You're telling me the only way to avoid war is to take their power away?" Buffy asked. "To rob them of their power? To take away from them something that is rightfully theirs? To rob this world of people who fight fir peace? That's what you're asking me to do?"

Joyce felt the anger rolling of her daughter like waves. She knew the conversation would go in such a way.

"Yes." Joyce answered. "That's what I'm asking you to do. You don't understand, Buffy. You simply don't understand."

"I don't care." Buffy replied. "We will fight this and we will win. We'll find a way to restore Balance."

"There is no other way." Joyce said. "I have seen the army you are about to fight."

"Bring it on." Buffy said, lifting her arms on the air. "We've fought other armies before. We've won before, because of those slayers. I can't take that away from them. I just can't."

Joyce sighed.

"I knew you wouldn't want to." Joyce said. "Let me show you something." Joyce slowly placed her hand on top of Buffy's eyes, who couldn't help but feel the warmth and softness of her mother's skin. Buffy took a deep breath, enjoying the physical contact and relaxed, knowing what was about to happen. She felt her pupils dilate and a bright light shone in front of her. When she opened her eyes, she was standing in the middle of an enormous dark cave. She looked around and noticed she couldn't see where the cave began or where it ended.

"This is camp base for the Senior Partners." Joyce said, appearing next to Buffy. The slayer crossed her arms.

"I see no army." She defiantly said. "I can't believe you agreed to do this. I never believed my own mother would ask me this, I..."

"Hush." Joyce said. "Look behind."

Buffy sighed but did as instructed. She turned around and froze; a cold shiver running through her back. She stared at one end of the cave, where thousands of demons marched, each wearing rudimentary armor and weapons. Behind the demons, thousands of Turok Han's growled and walked, probably those who survived the Sunnydale episode. Above them, dozens of fire breathing dragons flew in circles.

"Nothing we haven't fought before." Buffy lied, remembering the Hyperion and realizing they could never beat such an overwhelming amount of monsters.

"Oh, Buffy." Joyce said, caressing her daughter's face. "I know you have never fought this kind of army." Joyce again looked at the thousands of demons marching.

"That army?" She said. "Is merely the first wave of attack."

"What?"

"This is their first battalion." Joyce continued. "There are thirty other battalions, like this one, waiting for their orders."

Buffy's face went white.

"But that means..."

"Yes." Joyce interrupted. "That would make them millions. That's why I offer you a way out. Ask Willow to undo what she did in Sunnydale."

"Are you sure it would work?"

"Pretty much." Joyce answered. "It's worth a shot, isn't it?"

"And what if it doesn't work?" Buffy asked, looking at the army marching in front of her. "What if all I do is take away the only defense this earth has against this army, and render them powerless? What would happen then? All earth would be helpless and the Senior Partners would take hold again in this dimension."

"You said it yourself, mom." Buffy said, staring at her mother's eyes. "They want war. Well, they'll get their war."

Joyce sighed. Light erupted from her again, causing Buffy to shield her eyes. When she opened her eyes, they were again in Buffy's house.

"I must leave now, dear." Joyce said. "I knew it was a long shot, so now I can only ask you to be very careful." She took Buffy into her arms and hugged her. "I can't tell you how to fight this war, but please, take care of yourself, your sister, and that beautiful granddaughter of mine."

Buffy smiled, tightening her grip on her mother.

"Have you seen her?" Buffy asked.

"Yes." Joyce answered. "Such a lovely child. Just like you were."

"Thanks." Buffy said. Joyce let her go and smiled.

"There is one last thing you need to know." Joyce said. "The army I showed you needed a leader, so the Senior Partners sought someone strong enough to take on a slayer, and they found the perfect candidate."

A sense of dread washed over Buffy and her stomach turned.

"They recruited a powerful vampire to lead their army." Joyce continued. "One who has already killed slayers in the past."

Buffy felt her stomach heave and her mind turned upside down, as she prayed her mother wouldn't say the name she thought about.

The name her mother said wasn't the one Buffy had expected to hear, but it still left her fearing the moment she'd go against the army's leader, a name that spoke of madness and power.

A most formidable foe.

Drusilla.