Lost Angels: Soulmates: Part 9
by Angelisa
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this story, although they have been twisted for my own use. I apologize profusely to Joss Whedon for my butchering of his creation. Buffy The Vampire Slayer is owned by Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, Sandollar Television, Kuzui Enterprises, 20th Century Fox Television and the WB Television Network. Wow, that's a mouthful!
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Part Nine
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Whistler watched the two teenagers sleep; Xander in the chair and Willow stretched out on the couch. It wasn't exactly prime viewing, but somehow Whistler had a feeling he should be watching them. It wasn't as if he needed sleep anyway.
They had all had a very busy night, and Whistler knew it wouldn't get any less busy. In fact, he had been the one to insist that they get some sleep. They were good kids, even if they would hate him calling them that. But who else would drop everything to come to LA cause of some power thirsty demon? The best friends of the Slayer, that's who. Still, it took a special person to be without powers and still be willing to fight the things that go bump in the night.
Xander moaned softly in his sleep. . Willow stirred slightly at the noise. As Whistler watched her, Willow' s eyes opened and she yawned.
"What time is it?" She asked as she sat up.
"It's only about ten in the morning. You should get some more rest. We'll have a long night tonight".
"Not tired. I'm hungry though." She arched her eyebrows hopefully and Whistler smiled at her. They were good kids he decided. He just hoped that they'd get through this one like the rest.
"Hungry?" Whistler said. "Come on. I'll get you something to eat."
Willow followed him into the kitchen.
"Demons eat?"She asked.
"Don't have to. But I like to. I mean, can you imagine going without the finer things in life? Like oh, hot dogs and chocolate?"
"Twinkies?"
"Naw, never had a taste for those things. Too much like a sponge with cream fillin'."
As Willow looked on, Whistler rummaged around in his cabinets looking for something edible.
"Looks like cereal." He finally said. "There should be milk in the fridge. Hopefully it's still good. So, how is the kid?"
"The kid?"
"Buffy. She holding up?"
"Oh," Willow suddenly became very busy serving out a bowl of cereal. "Yeah, she's her sunny Slayer self."
"But she misses Angel."
"Yeah."
"Well, who wouldn't."
Now Willow became very intent on her cereal. She ate it thoughtfully, bite by careful bite.
"Kid?" Whistler said.
"I don't know anything else. Not me. I am very good at keeping secrets."
"Uh huh. Look, I know after all he did, it's hard to trust him again. Even though Buffy wants him back, she doesn't really trust him, or herself really. After all, having your boyfriend turn psycho on you is enough to make you question your ability to read people. But hey, he's trying."
"It wasn't him. It was the demon. Right? I mean, the vampire doesn't have the human traits, right?"
Whistler looked at her for a moment, trying to decide how much to say.
"Yeah," he said. "Right."
"Not very convincing."
"Hey, you keep your secrets kid, I'll keep mine."
Suddenly there was a loud pounding on the door.
"Oh no! Willow said. "Xander's out there asleep."
"Yeah, but Will, would an enemy be knocking on the door? Come on."
They both hurried out into the living room. Xander was almost at the door, but he stopped when he saw Whistler and Willow rushing out of the kitchen.
"Okay," he said. "You can get the door if you want."
Whistler pushed past Xander and opened the door. A very bruised and beaten Nathaniel stood there with blood on his forehead. He was visibly shaking, trying to keep on his feet.
"Willow," Whistler said. "There's a First Aid kit in the bathroom. Xander, help me get Nathaniel to the couch."
As Willow hurried to get the First Aid kit, Xander and Whistler worked together to get Nathaniel inside without hurting more than he had been. Whistler was dying to know what had happened, but he kept his mouth shut.
Willow returned from the bathroom. Wordlessly she handed the kit to Whistler who began to treat the most visible of Nathaniel's wounds.
"Okay," Xander said after a few minutes of silence. "Nobody else is going to do it, I know it, so I'll suck it up and do it myself. What happened?"
"Oh god," Nathaniel gasped. "They got her, oh god. I am such a fool. They got her."
"Oh nice, incoherent. Well, what do we do with the babbling fool?"
Willow shot Xander an angry look
"Sorry," Xander said instantly sobered. "Just, you know how I deal Will, I didn't mean anything. Is he alright?"
"He'll live," Whistler said. "Though it'll hurt worse in the morning. Nathaniel, who got her? And while we're at it, who's ‘her'?"
"Lissa," Nathaniel said, gulping back sobs. "They got my sister."
"You have a sister? Wait, who's ‘they'?"
"The followers of the Order of Dramoco. At least I guess so. They came in through the front door and...and grabbed her and knocked me out. I think she was only grabbed. I don't think she's dead".
"Okay, this is going to sound like a stupid question," Xander said. "But if she was killed instead of grabbed, wouldn't there be a dead body?"
Nathaniel stared at his hands for a tense moment.
"There would be," he finally said, "if she were human."
"If she were human?" Xander said. "What else could she...oh."
The light seemed to click on inside Xander's head. Willow frowned at him for a moment, then the light clicked on for her too. They both turned to look at Whistler.
"Hey," Whistler said. "I got it when he was confused about her being dead or grabbed. A vampire wouldn't leave a body. But you know Nathaniel, if they had staked her, there would probably be a lot more dust in the room."
"No," Nathaniel said. "If they wanted her dead, they would have killed her a long time ago instead of making her a vampire."
"So then, what's the deal? Why weren't you afraid of letting her in your house?"
"She...she isn't like most vampires."
"She met up with some gypsies?" Xander chimed.
"Some gypsies?" Nathaniel repeated. "No, she..." Nathaniel sighed. "My family comes from a long line of Watchers. The eldest in the family becomes the next Watcher. Lissa was my older and only sister. She had been called and went to the Academy. I only knew she was going to school. As you know, she was sworn to secrecy. But then, she...she sent me a letter telling me about demons. I didn't believe her, but she told me everything. But, she was getting too close. In her last letter, she told me that Dramoco's followers were stalking her. She told me that she was going to get out. It never happened. Some vampire sired her. I knew the night it happened. Technically she was dead, so the next Watcher had to be Called from the family, and that was me. I didn't want to. I barely understood But...because she was already something of mystical origin, she was...different. She doesn't have a soul per se...but...still...she is..different."
"Okay," Whistler said. "She doesn't have a soul, but she's not a killer."
"Somewhat."
"And now she's kidnaped."
"Yes, by the followers of Dramoco, I am sure of it. She knew they were making their move. I told her to get out."
"Don't worry, we'll kill two birds with one stone. We'll get your sister back and stop Dramoco at the same time."
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