I'm Back

You should not believe everything that you are told. An astute observation that was made by people lied to by those in their immediate vicinity. I had not believed in a lot of things in my short life. I hadn't believed in myself. I hadn't believed that I would find love. I hadn't believed that I would ever be happy, not after my parents died. Not after they left me for the great beyond.

One day, they were there, smiling at me, caring for me. I hated it when my dad playful ruffled my hair or my mom squeezed my chubby cheeks. I'd hated it when my mom scold me. Her face marked with disappointment. I would hate it when my dad would talk to me for hours on end about life, my future, his past.

Then they were gone. Not even a shadow for me to follow. Nothing for me to chase and now, I missed my dad's calloused hands from years of labor messing up my perfectly styled hair. I missed the laugh as I screamed 'Dad stop.' I missed how he would look at me, staring into my frustrated eyes and huff and puff. I missed how he would faux apologize before doing it all over again. I missed how my mom would scold him, a small curve of the lip as she did. I missed how she would pull my cheeks and hug me so tight that I felt as if nothing this world had to offer would ever harm me. I missed her scrunched up face as she pinched the bridge of her nose before exhaling and sighing. I missed my dad taking me out for a walk and would talk about how a random bench was the most philosophical thing ever because even if everyone ignored it, it still helped a homeless man sleep at night. I missed the warmth they'd given me, even from their smiles.

When they'd died, I had stilled. I stared at the kind police lady that had told me that an accident had happened. I gave her a look of confusion. My parents were meant to be invincible. They had promised to always be there for me and now, they had left me, they had run away or so I had thought with my pea-sized brain.

I stare up at the lady with the blue cap and the black vest atop her uniform. She smiled at me. Her eyes showcasing the well of sadness hidden behind the tears.

I didn't know what was happening. I just knew that something was wrong.

"Hello," I say, "If you're looking for my parents, they are out."

She takes off her cap. I can see her eyes getting mistier and mistier. Even as the kid I was, I did not like it.

"Are you Andrew?"

I nod. She pauses for a moment before pulling me into a hug.

"I am sorry to say this, but your parents were in an accident."

Why weren't we at the hospital right now. Unless…

"Are they dead?"

My eyes fogging up before she'd even answered the question/

"Mhmn. They're in heaven," She replies, "They are at peace."

They left me alone? That didn't sound like something my mom or dad would do. They were very responsible people and…They had promised to always be next to me. To infinity plus a quintillion or whatever stupid number that my brain had managed to formulate.

Tears plummeted out of my eyes like an open faucet. I stared at her.

"I'm all alone now."

She pulled me into another hug. We stayed like that for a long while. She placed her hand on my shoulder and bent down until we were eye level.

"You won't be alone forever. You will find your tribe, your people."

She stared into my eyes. Her gaze, fierce. I stared into hers, shaking my head vigorously. Nobody would replace them.

"I only want my mommy and my daddy."

"I know, kid. I know."

We sit at the steps up to the tiny little patio where my dad would tell me stories. We watched as the sun slowly fell asleep and the moon took up its shift.

She turned to me.

"Trust me, you'll find someone."

I only want them.

I never did meet anyone else as caring as they were. I had a short, solitary tenure that ended just as soon as it was about to start. All that I had done was work, work and work. I watched as the kids played as I sat on a patch of grass, alone. I would watch the, 'Yo mama' jokes. I would turn and run to the bathroom because I had no mom. There was only ice within my heart. Darkness had already taken over and though, my teachers praised me. Even though I had somehow managed to finish college. Even though I had accomplished all these things, I would still come back to my small one bedroom apartment and stay there watching as the world turned without me.

If anyone had asked me if I was alright at the time. I would put on a brave face, a large smile would place itself on my lips as I lied as easily as breathing. "I'm okay." I wasn't though. I wasn't happy. I'd lost the only two people in my life that ever cared about me other than because I'd been a straight A student or my work ethic.

It had taken me a death and hundreds of batman's memories to realize the error of my ways and now I had Anne and the rest of us grifters.

I turned to look at the love of my life as our fingers intertwined. I should have believed her. If I had done things differently maybe…Maybes meant nothing. They were just illusions that were used to help us feel better about things. I had met Anne because I had lived my life the way I had. Yes, I had died. Yes, I had almost gone crazy. Yes, I would run into imminent death if it meant that she could live another day.

I turned to Alex and Rose. They were my family. They would follow me into Hades's realm, not once ever doubting me. They believed in me and cared about me. They had even been willing to save me from the trap that the powers had subjected me through. I could have been there forever if they had not come for me.

There were excuses one could make. 'He's dead' for one. 'It's impossible' for another. It had taken them a month. A month of hunting or decrypting, that I did not know. What I did know was that they had come for me and had helped me escape from my involuntary solitude. I could rely on them. I could take their hand and feel the warmth lay inside. It could invigorate me.

My lips curved into a smile as we walked towards the car. We enter. As I am about to step on the accelerator, I pause and turn to everyone. There are tears in my eyes.

"You know, after my parents died, I had thought that I would have no one. I had thought I would be alone, that in some sick twisted way, that was my fate. I had accepted that. You guys proved me wrong. Alex. You are like the brother that I never had. Rose, you are like a sister to me." I somehow choke out.

I turn towards Anne. The woman that I loved with every single atom of my being.

"Anne. I didn't think that I was loveable. I'd been alone for so long, then I met you and now, I could not imagine a world without you. I love each and everyone of you and I want to thank you guys for helping me out of the pits of darkness. Thanks for saving me."

And I'd meant that both figuratively and literally.

Alex pats me on the back.

"Why do you have to always be so sentimental and shit A-man. You could make a grown man cry," He joked.

Tears slipped out of his eyes. He quickly wiped them and turned to me with a warm gaze.

"You're my brother, man. We are family. Maybe not by blood, but blood's overrated anyways," He smirks.

"You gave us back our bodies. You trained us. The least we could do is save you." Rose smiled.

"You almost died because of me. You were the person that gave me hope when we were in the wish-whatever. You stayed with me until I couldn't cry anymore. You told me that it was going to be okay and you proved it. I-I thought I'd lost you. I love you."

I stare into Annes drizzling thunderclouds as she pulls me by the nape of my shirt and kisses me.

"OooooOoooh," Alex says.

Anne turns and with her right eyebrow up.

"What did I d-Ow,"

Rose nods at Anne.

"No twinkies for you."

Alex looks like he's going to cry.

"B-but we saved A-man."

He's so whipped.

Rose turns and smiles.

"Fine."

We all laugh.

"You all ready to go?"

I turn to see them all nodding their heads.

"Aye Aye captain!"

Alex salutes.

I smirk.

"Let's set a course for Xan's graduation."

I step on the gas. We whizz out of there.

Did I mention that we were in my sexy, vintage, 1975, brown colored ford mustang? Maybe I mentioned it a few times.

I let the wind blow as the sun shined into the car. My body, slowly growing stronger and stronger. I could feel it. I could feel the light giving me power. I was now superman.

I turned to my fellow grifters.

"By the way, I'm S-"

Anne cut me off.

"We get it, you're Batman."

I use my forefinger and middle finger to realign my nonexistent glasses.

"Well, actually, I'm Superman too now."

"You're joking right?" Alex stares.

I ignore him.

"Right?"

I just smile.

"We're here. Let's go see Xander graduate."

We walk up to the stands just as they call his name.

"Alexander Lavelle Harris!"

He walks up to the stage and I turn to Alex who turns to me.

"Let's embarrass the poor dude."

Alex nods.

"GO XANDER!" I scream.

"WOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Alex screams.

We watch as Xander turns to us and quickly scampers off the stage.

Anne just stares, shaking her head.

"Men."

"I prefer the use of Boy. I'm still young, y'know."

She just sighs.

After a few hours or so, the graduation ceremony ends and we walk up to Xan who's still in his cap and gown.

"So, how does it feel to be free from this prison cell," Alex asks.

He puts his hand close to Xander's mouth as if there's a microphone within it. Xander plays along.

"Good. Good. I honestly feel great. Fuck school."

"What's up A. Been a while."

I turn to see Faith.

"It has."

She hugs me.

"I didn't miss ya or anything," She chokes.

Tears fell from her eyes. I ruffle her dark locs.

I pull her in for a hug as her tears mess up my pretty nice shirt. It was okay though.

I smile at Xander.

"How's life?"

"Well, I've served my four year sentence and have been released today plus, you're back so life's pretty cool right now."

"The orbs serve you well?"

He shakes his head.

"I don't use them anymore. They're a crutch."

A budding little Batman I see.

"So you've been training."

He smirks.

"I can take on a group of vamps on my own now."

"How'd you manage that?"

He smirks.

"I'll show you later. After this whole shebang."

He pulls at the collar of his buttoned up shirt.

"Why did you wear a buttoned up shirt when you would be wearing a gown?"

Lightning seems to strike his two bronze orbs.

"Why didn't I think of that? Damn"

He kicked a trashbin lightly as his back slumped slightly and he began moping around.

"I missed you guys."

Faith stops hugging me and stares into my eyes.

"We missed you too."

I smile.

"Aww," Rose says.

Buffy comes in from nowhere.

"So you're back huh," She says.

I nod and smile at her.

"Just came back from a one way trip to hell," I smile.

She nods.

"How did y-"

I cut her off.

"Later."

I indicate at the many people around us right now.

"Hey Wills, how've you been?"

"Good."

A one word reply huh. Guess it makes sense. We are not close.

I see Xan and Cordelia walking towards us.

"You've met her before but this is my girlfriend, Cordelia."

I smile.

"Nice to finally meet the elusive Cordelia Chase. Xan here talks about you all the time."

She turns to Xan.

"You do?"

He sheepishly scratches the back of his head as she gives him a kiss on the cheek.

"Aww, look at younger me go."

We all just smile.

"Ready to go to Joyce's house?" Anne says.

Joyce House? She never said anything about that but Joyce was cool so…

"Joyce?"

"She's having a small get together for the scoobies and invited me. You're my plus one," Anne smiles.

"Cool. What are we waiting for?"

I grab Anne's hands and we begin walking to the car. Alex,Rose and Faith follow.

I turn.

"You're not coming with us, Xan?"

He shakes his head.

"My Uncle got me a car."

"Okay. See you there then."

He nods.

We soon get to the car and drive off to the Summer's residence.

I ring the doorbell.

DING!

Joyce opens the door with a big smile on her face. She stares at me and it grows bigger. She pulls me into a hug.

"Thank you for saving my little girl."

I nod as she pulls away.

"It was nothing Ma'am."

She shakes her head.

"It was not nothing as you have so nicely put it. You saved my baby. I-I would have lost her after just having found her," Her voice trembled.

Anne holds her hand to stop the shaking.

Joyce quickly wipes her tears away and smiles.

"Well come in."

I smiled. She really cared about Anne. I might not have had a second chance with my mom but it was nice that I could help Anne with hers. It made me happy to see the warmth that Anne had been given.

Joyce cared. She really did and I would always be grateful to her for accepting Anne as quickly as she had done. It must have been weird seeing a clone of your daughter.

Superman had not accepted Connor for months after he had been discovered. The scion of the light had been shaking and had chosen to ignore Connor because it had not been his choice to him. That was all well and good. He was right, it was not his choice but the boy did not take it well. Superman was his hero and his father and he had run away from him like he had cooties.

Joyce had no choice in Anne's birth, it had been another her, in another world, in another circumstance. She did not have to welcome her with the warmth that she had but she did so anyway because Anne was her daughter. I really loved that about Joyce. She seemed to really care.

We sat on her couch along with the scoobies.

Rose smiled at Wills.

"Hey Wills, how've your spells been going along? Did you follow my lessons?" Rose asks.

So she had been teaching her huh? I might have to warn her about the whole dark Willow thing. I hoped that with my intervention, things would change but still. While Willow had been angry, she should have stopped at Warren, why would she go to the lengths of ending the world. If she truly missed Tara and it hurt her that fucking bad then why didn't she bring her back like she did with Buffy? Why did she wish to end everyone with her?

I guessed that she had realized how bad she had fucked up in reviving Buffy and knew Tara's stance on the whole messing with death thing but, she knew that Tara also would not wish for anyone to be harmed. Tara had been a peaceful witch. At most, maybe Warren and the trio deserved death, not the entire fucking world. Would Tara have been happy to have seen what she had done? What she had become? No and yet she had foolishly done. She had shown signs that she did not care what others thought. She had messed with Tara's memories, her mind. Willow, this Willow honestly scared me, because she did not listen until she was forced to do so and even then, when you were not watching, she would do what you told her not to behind your back. While that made for a good tv show, it wasn't good for being in close proximity to such a person.

Willow nodded.

"I have learned how to make my own spatial pouch."

"Go Wills," Oz smiled.

"What happened to you?" Buffy asked.

"Buffy!" Joyce glared.

It was rude but I didn't really care.

Everyone turned to me.

I shrugged.

"Oh, you know. I went to fight the Mayor, got trapped in a dimension with thousands of hungry Vamps, killed them all and then waited for my family to come get me."

"H-how'd you do that A?" Faith asked.

"Invoked Janus. Got superman's powers. I'm pretty strong now."

"Wait, so you weren't joking when you said that you had superman's powers?"

I nod.

"Damn. My brother is superman. Cool." Alex adds.

"Pretty cool. Anyways, anyone going to college?"

"Hell no!" Xander shouts.

"Language."

"Sorry."

"Me and Buffy are going to UC Sunnydale," Will says.

I turn to Buffy.

"So you decided to be the slayer?"

She nods.

"Watch out for Maggie Walsh and Riley Finn."

"Why?" Buffy inquires.

"They are part of an initiative that does unethical tests on the supernatural. Really dark stuff," I say.

I grab a nacho from the table, nonchalantly.

"Let's"

Knock!

Knock!

Knock!

"I'll get that."

I open the door to see a demon of some kind standing outside.

"I'm Fook Yu, The Annihilator. Is this where the slayer lives?"

I shake my head.

It groans, A part of its face peeling off.

"Ok then. Bye!"

Buffy walks to the door.

"Who's that?"

Fook Yu glares. Well Fuck you too then.

"You lie. The Slayers here. I have come from the mystical lands of China. I have searched for years on end. Killed many in my pursuit of the slayer. I wi-"

"Could you shut the fuck up? Why do you have to be so edgy. I know I'm Batman but damn."

"I'm Fook Yu, Annihilator of the seven stars, Killer of th-"

"Your parents because they named you Fook Yu?"

It paused.

"How did you know that? I never told a single soul about that. It would bring great dishonor to my name."

I did not know that.

"Fuck me."

"I am Fook Yu not Fook Mi."

"Well then, Fuck you."

I swatted him away like a bug.

"Let's eat."

Buffy's eyes widened.

"You really do have superman's power."

"Of course, I never lie."

She just stares in shock at the demon whose head is stuck in the ground.

"Aren't you going to kill it?"

I shrug.

I snap my fingers and it disappears.

"Let's eat."

Buffy just stared at me with wide eyes.

"Cheater," She mutters under her breath.

"Says the slayer."

She just glares into my uncaring eyes and sighs, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"Let's just eat."

I nod.

Joyce brings out a green bean casserole. It smelled delicious.

"Who was it at the door?"

"Some dude named Fook Yu."

"I don't know any Fook Yu," Joyce says.

"Chinese dude. A face that only a mother could love. He's yay high."

I indicate with my hands.

Joyce just gets more and more confused.

"It was a demon mom."

"Oh. Is it gone?"

I nod.

"Yup."

She turns to Buffy.

"He swatted it away."

"Well, let's eat."

I begin serving myself a corner piece of the delicious smelling green bean casserole. Corner pieces were the best. They had a slight crunch to them and were just as juicy as the rest of it. I placed one square piece on my plate and began eating.

"This is great Mrs. Summers."

She smiles.

"Thanks for the compliment."

"No, thank you for the delicious food."

"Thanks Mrs. J," Faith says.

She's scarfing down the food at a quick pace. She rivals Xander who manages to mumble a "Thanks" in between bites.

We soon finished eating.

I turned to Anne, yawning. I covered my mouth.

"Wanna head home? It's been a long day."

She nods.

"Yeah let's."

I turn to Rose, Alex, Xan and Faith. They shake their heads.

"We'll probs stay for a bit longer," Xander says.

"I'm helping Willow with magic," Rose says,

"I want to have more of that casserole," Alex says.

"What X2​ said," Faith replies.

I shrug.

"See you guys tomorrow then. Anne."

I extend my hand. Anne takes it.

I turn to Mrs. Summers.

"Goodnight Mrs. Summers and thanks for the food. It was delicious."

"Bye Mom," Anne waved with her free hand.

Mrs. Summers waved and then spoke.

"Goodbye and I just want to say thank you again for keeping my daughter safe."

I shake my head.

"I love her."

Mrs. Summers giggles. A lot of warmth is emanating from her gaze.

"I can't wait to have grandkids."

"Mom!"

Mrs. Summers just giggles happily as Anne pulls me out of the house as quickly as Slayerly possible. Which was pretty fast.

A vamp jumps out of nowhere and Anne stakes it into dust. We enter into the car.

I start driving.

Anne rests her head upon my shoulder.

"I thought that you died because of me."

I turn to her for a second. I stare into her dim thunderclouds.

"Hey, hey, hey. Look at me."

I hold her hand.

"I'm here. I'm alive. We're together again. That's what matters."

"Still. I ran in and almost got you killed."

I turned to her.

"Would you do the same for me?"

She looks away.

"Anne please," I cooly whisper.

"I-I would," She chokes.

"You messed up. That's okay. We all mess up in life. I've messed up before. We are all humans, with human emotions and human reactions. You are not perfect Buffy Anne Summers."

"I didn't just mess up. I messed up big time. Because of me, you were stuck in a place filled with thousands of vamps. I fucked up real bad. What if you hadn't survived? I don't know what I would do if I lost you."

"I chose to do it because I loved you. You just admitted that you would do the same for me. You have learned from your mistakes so it's cool."

She just stared into my eyes, hopefully feeling the warmth that I was trying to release.

"You don't even seem to care."

"I don't care because I would do it again. Why would I be angry about something that I did voluntarily? Besides, it wouldn't be the first time that beings have sent me to another world because they felt like it. I didn't want to put you through that. It's…not fun."

She nods.

"I don't like it."

"I wouldn't like it if you had gone to that place either. It's called care babe and I care about you all the way to infinity."

She chuckles.

"I care about you to infinity x thousand," She smiles.

"I care about you to infinity x infinity. I win!"

"Hey!"

I kiss her on the lips, quickly shutting her up. This is my perfect victory. That's right, I win. Our lips part as Anne stares lovingly into my eyes.

"Fine, you win."

Hey guys, Author here, a somewhat light chap. I hope it was fun. I was pretty tired while writing this so...Oh well.

What did you think?

Was it fun?