Creative Works   

Once Again (Page 8)
By Amy Mina
amymina(at)yahoo.com

Disclaimer: Characters such as Buffy, Angel, Xander and others belong to Joss Whedon and the WB. The few characters that I have made up such as Marissa and Jeff belong to me.

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Part 8

"What is your problem today?" Dan asked himself about Lita. She had been more difficult than usual that night, pounding on him more than necessary. Refusing to do certain exercises. She had been drawn away into her own little world. Dan had gotten used to her constant anger and jerky behaviors, but today was different. Being concerned, he told her to take five and went to his office to relax for a few minutes. Grabbing an ice pack from the freezer, he placed it on his hip and sat down.

Dan watched her through the library window. Lita took a long swig from her watch bottle and sat down at the table. Dan watched as she rubbed her face with her hands and she took in a deep breath. He stood at the window and silently prayed. This is my slayer, Lord, and I don't know enough about her to help her. What makes her the way she is? How can I help her?

Lita looked around at the library not even noticing her watcher standing, watching her behavior. She felt like she was drowning and couldn't hold up her anger today. It had been six years before today. When she was just ten, and vampires had destroyed her life, killing her parents. God only knows why he didn't let them kill her. Today, all she could she was the look on her parents faces as they died. Burying her head in her hands, she let herself grieve for the first time since their funeral.

Dan watched her in surprise from the office window. Before he knew what was happening, he quickly left the office and gathered the crying teen in his arms. Lita threw her arms around him and sobbed into his shoulder. She began crying for her daddy. He held her tightly and sympathized with the young girl. After a time of crying, she slowly backed up and looked at him. He gave her a small smile and handed her his handkerchief. She smiled back and used it to wipe her nose. Dan waited till she was finished. "Want to talk about it?" he asked.

Lita looked at Dan, then looked to her lap. She needed someone to talk to, she knew that. Finally deciding that he could be trusted, she began to tell him her story. "I knew about my destiny when I was only five years old. My mother's father had been a potential watcher, and he had taught her self-defense to help keep her safe from the vampires. As soon as they knew that I was going to be a slayer, they decided to train me themselves. I spent five years of my life training for a destiny that I didn't fully understand.

"One night when I was ten, they left, saying that the former slayer was no longer able to do her job, and that they had to go out for awhile. They made sure that I remembered not to invite anyone in. I was the only one home. I decided to stay up to wait for them. After a few hours, I heard some noises, and looked out the window to see my parents running towards the house. I ran to open the door. When I did, two vampires jumped out of the bushes and grabbed my parents. They were just a few feet from the door." Her voice began to get choked up, and she wrapped her arms around herself. "I watched as they were drained to death. There was nothing I do. The only thing that kept me from being drained as well, was the fact that I wouldn't invite them in."

She paused, and Dan looked at her. "What happened after that?"

"They sent me to live on the Hellmouth with my aunt and uncle. I've been here ever since, remembering that I had a destiny and waiting to be activated."

Dan was silent for a few moments. "Is that why you hate it so much?"

"Hate what?"

"Your destiny."

Lita thought for a minute. "No, I don't really hate my destiny. It gives me a purpose in life. It makes me feel like I'm doing something worthwhile, something that's going to make a different, no matter how small."

Dan smiled, and for the first time, he felt like he was seeing the real Lita and not just some face that was put on every day. Lita smiled back, almost like she was able to read his thoughts. "You probably thought I hated everyone. How mean I am towards you."

Dan gave a small nod and a laugh, embarrassed that he was so easily read. "I guess that's what I believed."

Lita smiled again and laid her hand on his arm. "I'm sorry I treated you all so bad. I really do like you. I know you think about me constantly, and even though I don't share your faith, I appreciate your prayers for me. I think I felt too scared to let anyone fight with me or help me. I keep thinking that if I hadn't been born to be a slayer, my parents would still be alive."

Dan shook his head. "They made their choices in life, and fighting was their choice."

"Just as I have made mine," said Lita. "I have a favor to ask. My aunt and uncle are moving across the country, and I refused to go with them. I have no place to stay, no friends to bunk with. I know I shouldn't be asking this, but considering our job together, my I live with you? At least for awhile?"

Dan looked at her, a little surprised. "I don't know."

"I understand," said Lita. "But I can't leave, and I need someplace to go."

Dan thought for a few minutes before a smile lit his face. "I have the perfect idea. Joyce and Rupert, a former watcher and a slayer's mother, are having twins in six months. Joyce isn't real young, in her forties. I think they would let you live with them for awhile, if you could help with the new babies in your spare time."

"Oh, I don't know," said Lita. "What if I endanger them? It could kill their kids."

"I'll talk to them," promised Dan. "Until then, once your relatives leave, you can stay with me, on one condition."

"Name it," replied Lita.

"Be yourself, not some distant stranger."

"Deal," said Lita, shaking his hand firmly.

"Are you up to patrolling some tonight?" he asked.

"I think so."

"Okay, good, I'll come with you."

"Why?" asked Lita, watching him as he ran back into his office.

"It's a good idea for the watcher to go out with the slayer every once in a while," he replied, coming out of his office. "You don't mind, do you?"

"I do, a little," Lita admitted, "but I'll deal with it."

Dan nodded. "Okay, let's head out then."

. . .

Angel woke up, drenched in sweat. Something wasn't right, and he had no clue what it was. He grabbed the cane standing next to the sofa, and exited the room as quickly as possible. Walking into his bedroom, he headed right to the bed. Slowly bending over it and feeling for Marissa, he discovered that she was sleeping deeply. He breathed a sigh of relief and left the room. But the feeling wasn't gone. He still knew that something wasn't right. Angel walked over to Xander's door and knocked. It took a minute, but Xander finally answered it.

"Angel?" came the voice, groggy and slightly annoyed "What's wrong?"

"Something's not right, Xander," Angel answered, wanting to make his understand.

"Excuse me?" was Xander's reply.

"Something just isn't right. I checked on Marissa she was fine, but something is still wrong."

Xander sighed in exasperation. "Go back to bed, Angel. There is nothing wrong, it's your imagination."

"No, Xander, there really is something wrong," insisted Angel.

"I think it's the father side of you," replied Xander. "Listen, give it an hour. If this, this feeling doesn't go away, we'll talk some more. Now go get some sleep."

Xander shut the door and headed right to the bed. Angel headed back to the sofa and pressed the button on watch, and discovered that it was only one-thirty. Trying to push aside the annoyance at being treated like a child by Xander, he turned on his side and attempted to sleep.

. . .

Buffy kept a stake she had taken from Willow's house tightly in her hand. Walking as quick as she could, but with the skill of a hunter, she headed towards the address that she had found in Willow's house. Buffy felt badly about sneaking out on her friend, but couldn't wait any longer to see Angel and Xander. Taking a quick break on a nearby bench, she looked around. She noticed two people walking, a young girl, probably no older than eighteen and a young man, who had to be around twenty-five. They each carried a backpack and stay close to each other. Buffy thought back to her hunting days with Giles, and how much fun it was at times. Getting up, she began to walk again, when two guys stepped in her path. When they didn't move for a few seconds, she looked up at them.

"Move out of my way," she said, quietly but firmly. One grinned at her, and the other kept a poker face. "Now," she said, a little louder.

"What if we're hungry?" asked the one with the poker face.

She took a closer look at the two men and reached inside to wake up the slayer feelings in her. Within moments, she knew that these weren't humans, they were vampires. She gave them her hunter's smile that she used to flash at vampire's before killing them. "I don't know," she replied. "Guess you're just going to have to deal."

The grinning one appeared young and stupid to Buffy. He bared his teeth, and didn't even see her punch coming. Once it connected, Buffy felt pain through her hand. Muttering a few nasty words, she held her hand tenderly. She didn't have the strength to fight with them, and not enough to run.

"I'm sorry," she said, trying to cover her pain. She shrugged to appear nonchalant. "It slipped."

"Let's see if you can do this," replied Mr. Smiley, as she dubbed him. He jumped forward and attempt to throw his arms around her. Buffy improvised quickly and stuck out her stake. He ran into it, and turned to dust.

Buffy smiled in pleasure. She felt right being back and fighting the vampires. Looking at the poker faced one, she saw surprise, and then recognition. "The slayer, the old slayer," he muttered.

Buffy nodded. "And glad to be back and kicking," she replied. He kicked her arm. Buffy wasn't prepared for this, and the stake went flying. Buffy looked at him, trying to anticipate his next move. He began to circle, so she did the same. They continued like this for a few moments, till he jumped forward into her legs and they both went flying backwards. She twisted in his grip, and attempted to scoot over to the stake. He climbed up her body, and had her pinned on her stomach within a few minutes. He moved her hair away from her neck and breathed on it.

"It is such a privilege to kill the slayer that killed the master. Goodbye."

"Not that you'll be able to do it," came a female voice from behind them. The vampire turned around and was kicked off of Buffy. She crawled over to the stake and gripped it tightly. Turning around, she saw the young couple from earlier, with the girl fighting the vampire. With in a couple good, hard kicks, he was eliminated. The girl and man looked at Buffy, and the man's jaw dropped.

"Lita," he said, trying to get the words out. "Do you realize who this is?" Lita shook her head, and the man continued to stare at her.

"Who?" she asked. Buffy stood as the couple looked her over. "Another slayer?"

Buffy looked at the girl and noticed the physical fitness and agility. She knew this was another slayer. The man just continued to stare at her. Buffy took matters into her own hand and introduced herself to the girl. "Hello," she said, sticking out her hand. "I'm Buffy."

"Lita," responded the girl, firmly taking her hand. Something about Buffy's name rung a bell, but she couldn't think of what it was. "And this," Lita replied, dropping her hand and pointing out the man next to her, "Is Dan."

"Hello," said Buffy, giving him a little wave. She turned back to the girl. "Your watcher?"

Lita nodded her head, remembering her quick suggestion about the girl being another slayer. "Yeah, he's usually more talkative than this," she added, teasingly. Lita gave Buffy another smile. "There's something about your name that sounds familiar," she said to Buffy.

"You're here," said Dan, finally finding his voice. "Angel, you."

Buffy smiled in surprise and amusement. "You know Angel?" she asked.

"Of course we know Angel," replied Lita, Dan once again appearing to be speechless. She thought for a few minutes, and finally realized where she had heard her name before. "You're her!" exclaimed Lita.

When both of her new friends fell silent, Buffy looked at them closer. "Okay, guys, hate to interrupt your self-realization, but who is 'her?'"

"You're Buffy? Angel's girl? The one who's been in a coma for six years?" asked Dan.

"That would be me," Buffy replied. "The one and only Buffy, the vampire slayer with Angel, the formal vampire. Why?"

"What are you doing out here at the middle of the night?" he asked. "When did you wake up? How did you wake up?"

"I'm on my way to see Angel, I woke up earlier today, and I don't know why I woke up, I'm just glad to be back. Do you think you could help me get to Angel?"

"Sure," replied Lita. She ran over and picked up the backpack that she had dropped when she went to fight the vampires. Seeing Dan still standing in the same spot that he had been for the past few minutes. Lita motioned to him and laughed, with Buffy joining in. Lita and Buffy each took one arm to pull him along. Dan continued with them and the young women laughed at his continual speechlessness.

. . .

Angel pushed the button on his watch and found that is was already three in the morning. Not being able to wait any longer, he got up from the sofa as quickly as he could. He didn't believe me then, he's not going to believe me now. I'm going out for myself. Angel took his cane, and raided his secret stash of stakes that he had kept for awhile. Knowing it was stupid, but not being able to stop, he got ready to head out and look to see what was making him feel like there was something wrong. When he was about to open the door, he heard someone knock at it.

"Who is it?" Angel called out.

"Dan and Lita, open up." Angel quickly opened the door, and he could hear them rush in. Listening quickly, he heard a third pair of footsteps.

"Who's with you?" he asked. Neither of them said anything for a few minutes, and he felt the air around his face move. Becoming annoying and feeling the urge to hurry and find the problem so that he could fix it, he grabbed the hands that were roaming around his face. "Who are you?" he asked the person whose hands he grabbed.

"Angel," came a quiet face. "It's you, you're really blind."

Angel felt confusion at this comment and tried to place the voice. Digging into his past, he could remember it. "I love you," it had once said to him. Angel leaned heavier on his cane. Even though he wanted it to be her, he didn't believe it. He reached out and found her face. "Buffy?" he asked.

"Angel," said the voice, breaking. She threw her arms around him and he hugged her right back.

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