Not Too Late: Part Five
by Ahn
Render what is Joss and the WB's what is theirs and allow me to claim what is mine. Namely, the plot, imaginary creatures and characters and whatever else that I put there and cannot remember what which hath sprung forth from my imagination based upon Joss's work.. (Don't mind me, having dinner with a priest four three hours and wondering about BtVS was enough to make me wonder what's going in my own mind.)

Author's note: Takes place after Joss decides to bring back Angel from Hell and way after "Becoming". Enjoy!



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


Part Five

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

Joyce looked at the shoes that she held in her hands and hugged them tightly to her chest. They were dirty, smelly and had spots of blood on them, but they were beautiful. "Buffy's shoes," she whispered, and them found Willow's face near hers. Her soft brown eyes were filled with tremulous hope.

Willow reached a finger to touch those shoes that Buffy's mother held in her arms. thought Willow as a rush of hope went through her.

"Joyce, how can you be sure that Buffy-" Giles started. Joyce looked at her daughter's Watcher with a slight smile, then slowly rose, still clutching the shoes to her breast.

"Because, Rupert, I know my daughter," she said patiently."Buffy would never wear anything old, if she had something new to wear. You have no idea of how many things that I've had to hide from her in order to get her to wear trhe stuff that she already has."

"Yeah,"Willow agreed feverently."Buffy would *never* wear anything old if there was a new outfit. She even borrowed her mom's new silk aqua blouse once."

"My new one? The one that I hid at the back of my closet?" Joyce interrupted with a frown as she looked at Willow." *I* haven't even had a chance to wear it yet!"

Willow looked at Joyce with a red face."Uhh...Well..."

Oz, having mercy on his fiancee, covered for her."So, then dead she's not. That's great!"

"Yes, she's alive," said Joyce with no small relief. Xander let out a shout. "Buffy's NOT dead! That's great!"

"So then, where is she?" Angel asked out loud in frustration."Where is Buffy?"

Xander looked at the vampire in extreme dislike."Thank you undead guy for allowing us to have that extremely small happy. Always knew we that we could count on you to bring such a downer."

Angel simply glared at Xander and was about to reply when Giles spoke up to avoid the cutting words between the two. "Yes, that is what I would like to know myself. The question is where is Buffy if she is not the dead person in the morgue?"

"My question is, why is that dead body in the morgue?" asked Cordelia. Everyone focused their attention at her and she gave them an annoyed look."What? I mean, like I'm not being morbid much but don't you guys think that it's way freaky that there's a body in the morgue that looks like Buffy's?"

"Oh, God,"whispered Joyce. She dropped Buffy's old shoes and grabbed at Rupert's arm. Her nails dug into it so hard that he winced slightly."Rupert,Buffy...she said that she had a feeling that told her to go down to the pier last night. Everything that has happened since last night has been planned!"

"What are you talking about?" asked a bewildered Xander. Joyce didn't seem to hear him as she was pacing around the foyer.

"Buffy, when she called said that there was a strange feeling that was calling her to the docks. Then we find a dead body that was covered with vampire dust and Buffy's jacket which had her id. The face was blown off, but there was enough evidence to convince all of us, even her own mother that she was dead. But why?"

"And who?" asked Willow."I mean, vampires don't normally go around with guns blowing people's heads off. Right, Angel?"

"Especially a Slayer's," said Angel slowly."If one vampire kills a Slayer, there has to be definite proof that the ancient enemy of the vampires is dead. The drained body of a Slayer would often do for most vampires."

Angel looked up from his brooding and saw Joyce's hard eyes looking at him for a moment before she turned away. Angel hesitated before he spoke softly to her. "I'm sorry Joyce, but you know that Buffy is the Slayer...And I would never hurt her-"

"Let's just leave it Angel," said Joyce brusquely."I can't think about that tonight. I just want to know one thing right now, who?"

"Who what?" asked Giles, and received an impaitent look from Joyce. Xander looked at Giles in puzzzlement.

"Yo, G-man, you okay? You look like you were distracted for a moment there." Giles saw the concern floating in their eyes and reddened.

"I was thinking of the amount of work that has to be done in order to find Buffy. And, ah-wondering if Joyce would stop digging her nails into my arm because even through the tweed, it's starting to hurt me a bit." Joyce looked at Giles sheepishly as she let go of his arm.

"Right. Thank you. Now to assess the situation: One, Buffy is missing. Two, someone has put a great deal of planning to allow everyone who knows her to think that she is dead."

"And the million dollar question is: Why?" asked Xander.

"Yeah, why go through all this planning to get Buffy?" asked Cordelia. "I mean, she's the Slayer, and every baddie in two wants to off her, but why go through this huge production?"

"My question is: Who would want Buffy bad enough to go through this entire production?"said Oz. When he saw the puzzled looks, he elaborated."Vampires want to kill the Slayer, I'm down on the info on that, and every bad dude wants to off her because she screws up their plans, but not any of them would care enough to put a big production to make us think that she was dead. So who wants us to think that she was dead and why would that person want to?"

"So," said Angel "I guess that the plan is to find out who or what took Buffy and why. We have to split up."

"Right," said Giles as he looked at everyone and started to assign groups."Angel, you find out what you can.Oz, Xander and Cordelia, both of you go down to the pier and see if anyone had heard or seen anything. Willow, I think that you and I should start on the research. Joyce, I think that you should come with us after you call the coroner about that dead girl."

"No, Rupert, I don't think so,"said Joyce calmly, though she was clenching her hands together.

"Beg pardon?" asked Giles asked as looked at her. Everyone took a step back as the anticipated a brief, but active arguement between the Slayer's mother and the Watcher.

"I'm going with Angel after I call the coroner's,"said Joyce calmly. Her chocolate brown eyes met with Rupert's."I have to know who might have my daughter. And I have to know if she is alive. If I stay inside that library with you, I'll go crazy with the wondering, Rupert. Buffy's my only child. I have to go."

Rupert reluctantly nodded his head after a quick look at Angel. The vampire had simply nodded slightly.

"Both of you will be careful? Angel?"

"I'll take care of Joyce," said Angel quietly. Then gave a slight grin to Giles."Besides, if I let anything happen to her and Buffy finds out about it, she'd kick me until I was black and blue. Not to mention what you would do to me, Giles."

Giles's face flushed at the implication. "Well, then let's get started. Buffy has to be found and fast."



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


"Well, my dear, I'm sorry about the chains, but after those two attempts of escape, you left me no choice,"said Lilith calmly."I had to restrain you."

Buffy's glazed eyes simply could not focus on Lilith's face. Involunarily she tugged at the chains that were wrapped around her. Lilith's face simply clouded with concern. With a single look, she dismissed the vampire guards.

"Don't do that, child. You will simply hurt yourself."chided Lilith in her sing song voice. She outstretched her arms."Look at this small place here, this will be our temporary abode for now. We must get to the edge of town, to that special place that I have prepared for us, soon. You would like it, I think. It is quite beautiful, and so much more comfortable than this place. I am sorry, Slayer, but we must travel slowly. More vampires are joining us as we travel, and I need every one of them."

"Why?" croaked Buffy. Her throat was sore and her body ached. Though the vamps that had her didn't physically hurt her, they weren't exactly gentle when they put her up and down from their breaks of carrying her. "So the army can feed on a one Slayer? Isn't that like having one plate at a banquet? How cheesey!"

Lilith's eyes were very serious when she looked at Buffy."Child,these vampires will never feed on you. When you die, you will feel no pain. I can promise you that. Instead you will feel a great release from this life that you have. Indeed you will."

"How very fortunate for me, but I've been dead so I've been there and done that already, and now I'm ready to move on." sneered Buffy. Lilith gave her an amused smile.

"Yes, I know that you've been there and done that dead scene. That's why I need you so, child. It's because you have risen from the dead again. I told you, I have been waiting for you for the past ten thousand years,"said Lilith. Then she leaned over to whisper,"That's why you and all these vampires that are gathering around me are all going to die."

Lilith smiled brightly at Buffy's shocked face before she turned to call the vampires back."Well,boys, guard her.But don't hurt her. Some of you can go and get something to eat, but the others must stay and watch her. Go in shifts.I'll be back later."

Lilith gave Buffy a stern look."Be good child. I'm off to get you something to eat."


This story archived at: The Slayer\'s Fanfic Archive
The Slayer\\\\\\\\'s FanFic Archive - http://www.slayerfanfic.com/viewstory.php?sid=521