Anya - Heartbreak

[GATEGOD]

Title: Anya - Heartbreak
Author: GATEGOD
Summary: AU story takes place after the events in Hell's Bells.
Characters: Follows Anya, lots of other characters will also show up. Some include Halfrek, Xander, and many others.
Info: This is my first ever fanfic, and I wrote the first draft on my iPod, so feel free to critique and leave feedback, just keep it in mind. Is the writing style/format wrong?

Chapter One: Part one

Tears fell from her eyes as Anya walked back towards the crowded room filled with humans and demons alike. 'The best day of my life.' she thought as a tear trickled down her cheek. She felt dead inside.

All eyes fell on her. The wedding music began to play and Anya could feel in this one moment, her heart break. Wiping away the tears from her eyes she continued down the aisle towards the altar where the priest stood, book in hand.

The music cut as they realized her tears were not tears of joy, but of pain and hurt.

"What is it sweetie?" asked Halfrek. She had risen from her seat as Anya entered. She knew something was wrong.

Anya didn't know what to say. She was still trying to stop herself from crying when Hallie reached her. "The... the wedding is off." Anya couldn't believe the words which came from her mouth.

'It was really over.'

"Aww, come here." Hallie responded, moments before they embraced.

Anya couldn't hold it in any longer and with that embrace Anya let everything out, for all the world to see. "It's over... he left me." she barely got out, choking on every word. Her eyes wet, makeup running down her face, Hallie's hug was the only thing keeping her from dropping to her knees.

Chatter erupted from the crowd as they turned on one another. Anya's side was in uproar blaming the Harris side of wedding goers, while they turned back blaming the freaks.

Mr. Harris was in shock. Half drunk and berating his wife his mouth dropped. "All my money.." It was obvious he was more concerned with what he had lost than for his son's well being.

D'hoffryn let a smile wipe across his face before letting it pass, then placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "It will be alright Anyanka. It's not the end of the world." But to her it was the end of the world. The only person she had ever loved had just told her he didn't want to marry her.

"Why? Why?" she cried out in Hallie's arms. It crushed her. Moments earlier her soul was shining bright, but now it was a mere flame being extinguished infront of there eyes. That joy of life, all seemed to slip from her grasp as her tears continued to fall. She didn't understand. 'Why would he leave me. I loved him.'

To keep from responding, most of those in earshot around her continued to bicker with one another, too afraid to say the wrong thing to her. Hallie though was not one to hold words. She easily responded, thinking she knew everything. "Why? Because he's an idiot. He doesn't deserve you."

"You think?" she asked, not really believing her as she let go to take a handkerchief which D'Hoffryn had dangling from his hand. She sniffled, wondering why he had it in the first place. 'Did he know? Did everyone think this was going to happen?' She wiped away the tears in her eyes and blew into the handkerchief as Halfrek responded to her question, trying to help her in any way she could.

"All human men are fools Anyanka. You know this. Anyone who would hurt you this much doesn't deserve the life they were given."

Anya was conflicted. She still loved Xander so very much, but at the same time Hallie's words hit her. 'That bastard' flickered into her mind as she she sniffled again then looked up at the wedding decorations, at everything she had wanted, at everything that was now for nothing. "I want to leave."

 

[GATEGOD]

Chapter one: Part two

[Anya's Apartment]

Wearing her pajamas Anya slowly crawled into bed. She pulled the cotton sheets close and wrapped them around herself while her head lay buried in the nearby pillows. She curled herself into a ball and tried to stop replaying the day's events over again in her head, but she couldn't. Rain was now fully pounding the top of the roof of her apartment while branches struck the window as the wind blew harder with every passing breathe. The storm looming overhead seemed to match exactly how Anya was feeling. Darkness was all around her. Not a single light was lit nor was there any hope of moonlight through the thick stormy clouds which were reeking havoc on the outside world.

Her sheets were wet with tears. If it wasn't for the beating of the branches and the loud cracks of thunder her sobs of pain and sorrow would be heard throughout the block. A light flickered fast, she saw through the window. Then a loud echoing boom of thunder tore through her apartment. She cringed. She missed the feel of Xander's warm arms, his sweet embrace, lying next to her. A tingle of fear rippled down her spine as she realized she was alone. The thunder scared her but she didn't know why. Clutching the blanket tight she pulled it over her head and tried to blot out the noise of the outside world.

Sadly her attempts failed and she heard another defining boom as light filled the room around her. Scared, she slowly poked her eyes up over the covers to see the face of someone she had known for many lifetimes. D'Hoffryn. He stood looking seven feet tall, wearing a dark silk robe which encompassed his entire body. He nodded his head and their eyes met. "Anyanka."

"What do you want?" she asked trying to wipe away her falling tears.

"What? Me want something? Can't the Lord of Arashmahaar make a house call to comfort one of his fallen demons?" He asked in a tone Anya was accustomed to. D'Hoffryn had given her everything, she wouldn't be here without him, but he was not one to be trusted. He was the Master of Vengeance demons and with that came great power and strength which let him say what he wanted, when he wanted, and in any manner he wanted. No one dared challenge him and live to tell about it. And yet she wasn't afraid, he was like a father, or an uncle.

"No." she said sitting up trying to smile through her tears as he walked closer towards her bed.

"Ah, you know me too well. We... or I, so to say, have convened the others and we have come to a decision. We want you to rejoin the order."

Anya was confused, a million thoughts were playing all at once inside of her. She cocked her head to the side and raised her eyebrows. 'They want me?'

"I want you to rejoin us. Become a vengeance demon again, lay waste to all those hurtful men that roam the earth. I want to give you back your immortality Anyanka. What do you say? Join us."

'My immortality' she thought. She was terrified of growing old and dieing, this was one of the greatest gifts anyone could give another, but the price was high. 'The killing, the hurting. Xander would never forgive...' She wanted to accept, she did, but the thought of Xander still held her back. Did she want to live forever in pain? 'Would I live forever in pain? Will Xander come back to me?' She didn't know, she couldn't know. She couldn't say yes, not now.

"I.. I'm flattered... but I can't. Not yet... I'm not ready."

"He isn't worth your pain and tears Anyanka. He's an unimportant, know nothing, sidekick. You could do so much better than him. Please reconsider my offer. It will not last long. I will be in touch."

His words seemed colder than before. She tried to respond but with a flash he was gone, out of her reach and out of her apartment. She fell back into bed, but couldn't find the urge to sleep. The sounds from the cracking branches and falling rain still rattled the apartment. It was nearing midnight and the skin around her eyes were stained red. Her eyes hurt as her she tried to close them to ease the pain, but that didn't help. 'What can I do? What can I do?'

An echoing boom lifted her back up. She tore off the covers, sniffled her cute little nose and quickly got out of bed. She couldn't handle laying there anymore, doing nothing. Walking into the kitchen she took out a container of fruit punch from the refrigerator. She grabbed a glass from the cabinet above the sink and filled it halfway. She took a sip but it was missing one final touch. Walking back to the other side of the kitchen she also took out a bottle of 'the good stuff' and filled the glass to the top, just barely overflowing it leaving her to quickly take a sip before it overflowed to the floor. She smiled, then frowned, then walked over to the couch and planted herself down. Placing the bottle on the table she chugged down the glass in her hand and sighed feeling the rush of liquid flow through her.

'More'

Anya grabbed the bottle and took a swig. That was the last thing she remembered. When she opened her eyes again the clock on the far wall read 9 a.m. She was stretched out across the couch and the bottle lay on the floor. It was empty. Pain rushed through her head as sunlight through the window struck her eyes. She grabbed her forehead and moaned in pain. She had a splitting headache. A hangover. The pain over rid the past days memories and for a few short minutes she didn't think of Xander or the wedding. She stumbled across the living room and entered into the bathroom. Trinkets and makeup were scattered across the counter. When she looked up she saw her eyes still red reflected in the mirror. She glanced away and walked over to the shower.

'It was a new day. A day without Xander' The thought was heart wrenching. She shook her head "Stop it!" shouting to herself as she glanced back towards the mirror. 'A nice relaxing shower. That is what I need.' She turned the knobs, and heard the pounding of water against the bathtub. It hurt her ears and she flinched covering them quickly. But the headache was so strong she continued on, hoping the shower would relieve her torment.

Anya slowly removed her pajama pants and they fell, sliding down her legs. She stepped out of them and placed them on the counter. Steam was toppling over, coming from above the shower curtain. It began to fill the room and cloud the mirror. She slipped out of her shirt, lifting it up over her head and dropping it next to her pants. The air was cold and she shivered in place for a second before reaching out and pulling open the curtain. She lifted her foot and slid it in feeling the warmth of the water as it hit her soft skin. She stepped in fully and closed the curtain around her, trying to trap the heat inside.

The steam began to soothe her, slowly diminishing her headache. As the water ran down her back she sighed in relief then reached over towards the rack which jutted out of the wall and picked up a bar of soap. She wanted to wash away the pain. Plus she had to wash herself...

The soap was slippery in her hands. She rubbed them together then started on her stomach. The water was massaging her back, steam was soaring overhead, and soap was dripping off of her. She started to take calm concise breaths trying to hold back her emotions. But she had forgotten the cardinal rule of showering. Well the cardinal rule if Xander wasn't with her. She was all alone. All she could do was think. She didn't even realize she was doing it until she looked down at the soapy suds on her stomach. Xander's name appeared out of the clutter. She couldn't stop it. The sound of the water seemed to fall out to the background as a conversation began to unfold. A conversion with herself...

'We loved each other.... I loved him.'

'I thought he love me back.'

'What did I do?'

She breathed in through her nose. It seemed different. It hurt. She brought her hand up and felt it. Must have been chapped from crying the previous day. As she touched it there was a slight pain, making her wince and pull back. She could relapse at any moment. She could feel the tears as they tried to form behind her eyes. She missed him so much. She loved him so much. She wondered, as she came back to reality, 'What was Xander doing at this very moment?'

 

[anyatara]

Great Fanfic! 🙂 I love it. You really captured the characters. Can't wait to read the rest x

 

[Spirit_Of_Fred]

aw, poor anya! 🙁 Bof is right! i love this story! first, its about anya, so its amazing right there! 😀 i always liked seeing how she interacted with d'hoffryn and hallie. they are good characters as well, though not as good as anya. second, you write it well! you really do have the characters down. and third, i want to know what happens, considering it can be a little AU. write more soon 🙂.

 

[Angelic Slayer]

Definitely a great start GG!

First off, I really like how you post your chapters in Parts (large enough segments to be "post-worthy", yet short enough that you don't feel overwhelmed by the length of the chapter), and your placement of new lines/paragraphs is also really well done-- makes it just SO much easier to read! Yay!

I also have to agree with BOF on how you captured the characters. From Halfrek to Anya, you really seem to have thought it out (don't show Anya as the "stereotypical" knows-nothing-about-emotions person that I know a lot of writers make her out to be!). Somehow the "why" scene from "The Body" stands out-- it's then that we really got a glimpse of her more "human" side, which you really are bringing out in this. So kudos for that!🙂


The only thing I would watch is your "punctuation" style. Given, the ipod thing obviously would have something to do with the writing style (😉) but when I was reading the chapters I noticed a few different styles going on. In Part 1 you used a lot of commas, more line breaks and put some of the speaking sections in the same line as a paragraph. Then, in the Part 2 (the first half of it) you have VERY few commas (some run on sentences at the beginning) and seperated the speaking sections a bit more. And in the second half of Part 2, you have a really nice, balanced mix of the two "styles" that came before it-- which was probably the nicest one of the three to read, I thought! (That part was really nicely done!)

It's not a HUGE deal, but maybe after you're done writing a chapter, just take a few minutes break to get it out of your head, then go over that chapter as a whole and make sure you have consistency there. Reading it out loud I find is a silly sounding but REALLY good trick to figuring out when commas, semi-colons, etc should maybe be used, and the more you go over your work and edit the little things, the more steady your writing style will turn out. So just watch for that, otherwise no complaints! 🙂


Overall though I REALLY enjoyed what you have up so far and for sure write some more soon! I'm anxious to see what more you have in store for us! 😀

Kudos! :thumbs:

 

[palabravampiress]

I told you over e-mail that I liked it, but I figured I'd make an appearance here on the thread to show my support, as well. 🙂

Edit:

GATEGOD agrees: haha Thank you! Want to tell me what you think of the next part when I finish it?

Sure! You can e-mail it me when it's ready. 🙂

 

[GATEGOD]

Chapter two: Part one

[The Magic Box]

The noise of the slow echoing clock behind Anya filled the silent shop, bringing agony to her ears. It was inescapable. 'Tick Tock' 'Tick Tock' 'Tick Tock' It was driving her mad. She had brought herself to actually leave the apartment and venture to her safe haven, The Magic Box, only to find this 'Tick Tock' She was regretting that decision with every passing second. Since she had arrived at eleven and opened up the doors there had only been three customers, totaling a whopping thirty dollars. She hoped that the money would comfort her. Usually it would, but today it didn't seem to have the same intoxicating effect.

'Maybe I need more?' She thought.

Her elbows lined the counter and her face was in her hands. She looked out across the store to see just one lonely customer. He was a small, tan skinned man, with a balding head. He had walked up and down the store browsing a variety of goods. She couldn't help but calculate how long he had been here for. 'Thirty six minutes and seventeen seconds' The clock was weighing on her. She looked back down and starred aimlessly at the cash register. The clock's relentless motions were like poetry... If poetry were like nails on a chalkboard.

'Ten seconds' passed

'Twenty seconds'

'Thirty'

'Fort...'

The bell above the door chimed together. It was music to her ears. 'A new customer? My friends?' As the bell clanged its final ring she looked up to greet the new arrival, only to find an empty store. No new customers. No friends. No Xander. No one. The man had left. She was alone again. She pouted her lips and a wave of disappointment and sadness washed over her.

'This was a bad Idea. I never should have come.'

She shook her head, trying not to cry. She had managed to hold herself together since she had arrived a few hours ago. She could manage no more. Her fingers trailed across the counter as she walked across the shop. On the table lay her coat. It was black with wool lining the inside. The colors signified her emotion. She slipped it on,allowing the lining to caress her skin as she poked her hands through the openings. It felt good. For a split second a smile touched her face. But only for a second. She fixed her collar then flipped off the lights. The clock was still ringing out its annoying tick tock. She was happy to get away.

The bell clattered together ass he opened the door. Taking a final look at the empty store she sighed and closed the door behind her. Outside the air was cold and the wind was furious. It blew across her face making her shiver and nearly making her eyes water. The storm had since subsided but its after effects were still present. Puddles lay waste to the sidewalks and rain droplets still clung to the windshields of parked cars. Trying to avoid the puddles she walked watching feet with every step. She was so immersed in not getting soaked that she didn't even notice Buffy until she called out "Anya"

'A voice? Buffy!'

Anya looked up to see Buffy walking towards her, avoiding every puddle without thought. Anya didn't know what to say. Buffy spoke first.

"Hey.. How ya doin.." Buffy asked biting back on her lip and placing a comforting hand on Anya's shoulder.

"Well." Anya began. "My heart feels like a pack of bunnies are biting down and tearing it to shreds with their evil bunny claws. Other then that, I'm great."

"I know it hurts now but.." 'It gets better'

"BUT what!?"

Buffy realized the whole 'Over time things will get better speech was going to fail' She herself wasn't sure about it. She hoped XXander would come to his senses. "Xander didn't know what he was doing. He wasn't ready to get married.."

"If he wasn't ready then why did he Propose!?" Rehashing this was only bringing her more pain.

Buffy fell silent. She saw Anya's side. She felt Anya's pain, she saw it in her eyes, but Xander was her best friend she couldn't hate him. Even though she did hate his decision. She was torn. She took her hand away and took a step back.

"So, how is he?" Anya asked, holding her fingers below her waste and nervously looking down. She stilled loved him. 'Even after his betrayal'

"I haven't seen him. Not since the wedding..."

"Oh." She pouted again picturing all the things Xander could be doing in her head. If her eyes weren't wet yet from the wind they were now.

Buffy moved in close again. "I was.. just heading back home. If you want to come?"

"Really?" Anya almost lit up. She didn't want to feel alone. She knew nothing she did could ever replace the comfort and safety Xander gave her, but she would try anything. She had to. She needed to.

 

[Spirit_Of_Fred]

i wish i had some better constructive criticism, but i am totally in love with this! maybe that puts a veil of 'its perfect' over it :silly:. the sadness was captured wonderfully, once again, and the characters were well portrayed! poor anya! 🙁 please write more! i want to know what happens next! 😀

 

[Fake Shemp]

well.......... more! you know how much i love this... or you should... and i do... i dont know how far you could take it before the show would kick back in tho.

 

[MSchett]

This story is amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love it you've got Anya down so well! I read this story and felt that it was exactly the way Anya would've been!!! Keep it up!

 

[Perny]

Oooooh I like this! Poor poor Anya