Giles pulled another book from the stacks. He added it to the pile he and already and moved back into his office. Placing the book next to the pile of other books on the ground he sat down. Giles yawned. He stretched his arms high until the sensation had passed. He picked up the teapot and poured himself another cup. As he did so he examined the star as closely as possible. This was the amulet that two very powerful vampires traversed time to use so he didn’t want to miss any detail the might help in finding a solution to the Vampire-Witch. He consulted the Chronicles of Naull very closely. Noting every passage and, in some cases, every word that was scribed into the volume.
After a long while he stopped. Rubbing his eyes tiredly he turned to face the other person who was sitting with him in the room. Giles wheeled himself over to where the future slayer sat motionlessly. Becky’s vacant stare still filled him with much sadness. The story Angel told them of what happens to the future and, in particular, what happens to Becky cut deep into his soul. He was partially responsible for her current condition so he felt obligated to be responsible for the full solution. He checked to see if any of her bandages need replacing and to check on how she is in general.
“Shift change.” Buffy said calmly from the doorway to Giles office.
Giles turned around to the current slayer and smiled tiredly
“Buffy I didn’t hear you come in.” he replied
“Good, that means my sneakiness is improving. Though you might want a break from Becky watch since you’ve been on call for the last day or so.”
“Well, thank you very much. I was feeling a bit out of sorts. Perhaps a break might do me some good.”
Giles stood up and put on his jacket. Buffy moved in and sat down in the office chair. She looked into the glassy expression of her future niece and frowned sadly.
“She’s really not in there is she?” Buffy said softly
“On the contrary She is entirely in there,” Giles replied, “It’s the fact that she’s not out here that is the problem.”
“How much pressure does a person have to be under to end up like this?”
Giles leant against the wall. He folded his arms and joined Buffy in looking at the catatonic girl.
“If what angel has told us is true I’m quite surprised she held up as long as she did. You have to understand Buffy that, even though you’re the slayer, you still have time to rest and to have recreational activates. Angelus never let up on Becky. Never let her sleep or relax or have any time to herself.”
“She just so angry,” Buffy replied, “ I don’t even know how to begin to help her.”
“We just have to be diligent. Stopping Vampire Willow is our highest priority. If we complete this task I think there is a good chance that we can saving this girl.”
Buffy turned to Giles sadly.
“This whole month has been totally weird. I though the worst thing that would happen is explaining to mom why I was out with a boy so late. Instead I’m coming to school to look after family that won’t even be born for a few decades.”
“If it means anything. I think you are doing an exemplary job.”
Buffy smiled at her watcher. Giles put on his jacket and walked out of the library. Buffy turned back to Becky. She tilted her head curiously and brushed a few stray strands away from her nieces face. Looking at Becky close up she could definitely the family resemblance. Her slayer sense started to tingle. She swung around to see Angel standing in the doorway. The sadness in the eyes of this vampire was unsettling to the slayer. This was the first time she had encountered one with a soul and it was a little hard to get use to.
“How’s she doing?” Angel asked
“The same.” Buffy replied, “She’s been like this for two days now.”
“So no change then.”
Buffy turned to Angel and shook her head in disbelief.
“You mean since you last hurt her?” Buffy asked
Angel looked away. He wanted to reply but the truth is that Buffy was right. Buffy stood up and moved in front of Angel. He couldn’t help but notice that she put herself in a defensive position protecting Becky.
“I want to make something clear to you Angel. I am willing to work with you with stopping the end of the world but I am not going to feel sorry for you. At the end of the day you are still the vampire that nearly killed this girl. So here’s the deal. Once we’ve finished stopping super vamp and the world is safe I want you out of my town or I will find a way to kill you. Are we clear or do I have to demonstrate my point physically?”
“I think you made you’re point.” Angel replied
“So do you have any news?” Buffy said seriously
“Nothing new. I was on my way to willies seeing if I could shake some information out of him.”
Buffy gestured to the door.
“Well . . . there’s the door. Don’t let it stake you on the way out.”
Angel looked at the slayer for a few moments longer. He stepped away from the office doorway and headed out.
He walked slowly down the streets of Sunnydale. He was in no rush to get anywhere so he took his time. The images of the last few years play on his mind like a psychopathic film festival. The enjoyment Angelus felt in toying with the teenage colony leader made him sick to his core. He had to make it up to Becky but he wasn’t sure how or even if he could.
How do you say I’m sorry to the girl you orphaned when you’re the demon that ordered the attack that killed her mother and surrogate father. He gritted his teeth. This was a lot to carry even for someone with 250 years to atone for.
He entered the bar about an hour later. The bartender, Willie, was as slimy in the past as he was when he first met him. With his slicked up hair and weasel like features. He was that type of man you rather punch then greet if you met him on the street.
Willie looked up to his new customer and smiles.
“Hey there pal,” he said happily,” welcome to . . .”
He didn’t have time to finish his greeting. While he was talking angel stormed up, grabbed him by the collar, dragged him over the counter and dropped him hard onto the bar floor. He morphed his face and growled angrily at the bartender.
“Hello Willie,” Angel said angrily, “looking for a vampire.”
“Correct me if I’m wrong but aren’t I lookin’ at one?” Willie replied
Angel dragged him off the floor and threw him hard against the wall. The demon clientele scattered as the bartender flew past them
“Don’t toy with me Willie. This vamp is special.” Angel threatened
“Hey what Willie’s told Willie keeps alright pal?”
“Wrong answer.” Angel replied as he hurled the bartender across the room.
As he collides with the doorway angel rushes up and pins him hard. Willie grimaces in pain as angel applies more pressure.
“Okay, okay. I think I know about your vamp!” He replied
Angel lets go and Willie drops to the floor and massages his throat. He stands up and scrutinizes the vampire before him.
“There’s been some chatter ‘bout this lady vamp. They says that her and the daylight agree with each other know what I mean?”
“Where is she?”
“Whish I knew. Willie would make a truckload selling that juicy piece of info to every vamp who’s looking for her right now. I did hear something about her heading to L.A. There’s this Lungord demon who says he heard this lady vamp say something about heading abroad to get some help with some apocalypse that has happened or was going to happen I don’t know really don’t speak Lungord to good. Anyways she’s skipped town for a while.”
Angel considered what Willie just told him. He wasn’t sure what ‘mother country’ meant but at least it buys them some time to come up with a strategy.
Buffy woke up with a start. The sun streamed in through the office window in the library, which made Buffy squint. She blinked a couple of times until the world was brought back into focus. Her eyes ventured over to Becky, who remained in the same position she was in when Buffy fell asleep. She smiled
“Morning.” she said softly.
The Library doors closed loudly.
“Hello?” Xander called out
“In here.” Buffy replied.
Xander and Jesse walk up to the doorway. They lean in like bookends.
“There’s our lady friend,” Xander said ”So Buffy did you slay any vampires last night. Am I saying that right?”
Buffy grinned at the goofy teenage boy
“Yes and yes. There were a few stragglers ‘round Shady oaks that won’t be seeing moonlight again.” Buffy replied
“So how do you do it? Is it like karate style or kung fu style? Do you’re lips go out of sync when you talk?” Jesse asked excitedly
Buffy surveyed the two boys in front of her.
“You two are very strange people?” she replied
“That’s why you like us though right? Our wacky, zany, antics?” Xander replied
Buffy shook her head and rolled her eyes in amusement. She tried to look behind the boys.
“Where’s Will?”
Xander looked behind himself.
“She was with us a minute ago.”
The library door opened and Willow sneaked in.
“Ah there’s the willster now.” Xander said cheerfully
Willow looked at Xander in a panic. She frantically gestured that she doesn’t want to be seen. Xander looks at her mime show with uneasy curiosity.
“Or not,” Xander continued trying to decipher her strange sign language, “I think it’s just a giant . . . rat?”
“Will?” Buffy called out from behind the boys
Willow froze. She stood awkwardly as Buffy walked out of the library office and bounced up to her.
“There you are you seek,” Buffy replied
“Hey, ah, hi Buffy.” Willow replied nervously
Buffy folded her arms and gave a mock scowl to Willow.
“Thought you said that you would help me study.” She replied
“I did, ah, I mean I will. There’s just these thing that I have to do.”
Buffy unfolded her arms and looked at Willow carefully.
“Will are you okay?”
“Me? Course I am what’s there to worry ‘bout on such a nice day?”
“How about you ending the world?”
“Yeah there is that.”
Buffy sighed and put her hand on willows shoulder.
“It’s okay to be scared Will. You just have to remember that things are different now. You don’t have to be that girl.”
“I know Buff,” Willow replied sadly,” it’s just kinda weird looking at you know I’m sorta the reason that you die.”
“That future’s not going to happen any more. We can change it Will. At least now Becky has a chance at a normal life when she’s born.”
“How is she?”
Buffy dropped her head slightly
“I wish I knew. She hasn’t move since that night.”
Willow looks at Buffy and smiles softly.
“I’m sure she’ll be okay. She super lady like you.”
“Thanks Will,” Buffy replied, “You think you’re life is weird. I just woke up next to the daughter of a sister I don’t have who the monks give to me in the future.”
Willow pouted thoughtfully.
“It doe’s have a certain ‘huh?’ quality doesn’t it” she replied
Angel walked back onto the campus of Sunnydale High a few hours later. He was careful not to be noticed by the faculty. He figured since he was responsible for the principals death they would be less then welcoming. He entered the library and looked around. The place was deserted. He looked around the main for a moment for venturing in the direction of Giles’s office. He leaned in the doorway and just stared at Becky.
What had he done to this poor girl? She did nothing to him yet, for five years he slowly drove her to this point. His mind briefly flashed back to when he sired Drusilla. He spent months torturing that woman until her mind was completely gone then, on the day she gave herself to god, he turned her into a servant of the devil. But Becky was different. No matter what he threw at her or who he killed she bounced back to fight another day. She was a rock and he was the chisel slowly chipping away at her until she was molded into the shape he wanted.
Stop it! That was Angelus not him. He was tired of cleaning up Angelus’ messes.
Angel slowly moved into the Office. He dragged the chair away from the desk and sat opposite the comatose uber-slayer. He looked away for a moment as he tried to collect his thought. There was so much he wanted to say and the recently souled hero didn’t know where to start. He took Becky’s good hand held it lightly. It was so soft and smooth to touch. Sometimes he forgets that Becky’s only sixteen years old.
“I know there is nothing I can say to you that would make you forgive me,” Angel started, “I’m not even sure I deserve forgiveness. I’ve tried so hard to get atonement for my past and over the last few years I was selfish enough to think that that was even possible. When I first heard about the shanshu it was the first time in a long time that the light in the tunnel was bright enough for me to see. But it was a trick. A ploy to do Wolfram and hearts dirty work for them. They didn’t take my soul I handed it to them on a silver platter with my arrogance. Not anymore. I swear to you Becky I’m going to fix everything. We’re going to stop Willow and you’re gonna be able to live like any girl you’re age deserves to.”
He let’s go of Becky’s hand and places it lovingly on her lap. He leans back in frustration and looks into the slayers blank expression.
“Hell I don’t even know if you are listening.”
“No I think she heard you.” Giles replied from the door
Angel didn’t move. He didn’t want to take his eyes off Becky.
“How long have you been standing there?” He asked the librarian
“Long enough.” Giles replied as he walked into the room, “it take a strong character to admit to someone when they made a mistake.”
“This isn’t a mistake,” Angel replied in a depressed anger, “a mistake is something you do by accident. This was done with purpose.”
“That may be, but this wasn’t you who did this.”
“I let the beast out Giles, It might as well have been me.”
“There were circumstances beyond you’re control.”
Angel shook is head
“Do you know what I did for this girls thirteenth birthday? I got thirteen girls her age and made her choose which one of them would live while she watched the other die.”
Giles looked thoughtfully at Angel
“Angel. I’m not going to be your confidante I’m also not going to be your accuser either. What has happened has done so in the past. I’m not saying you should forget it just remember that you are not that demon anymore.”
Angel looked up at the watcher in interest.
“How come you’re so willing to forgive?”
“Because I just watched a vampire apologize to a victim that may have never have heard his words. That is something you don’t take lightly”
Angel thought about this for a moment.
“So, any new on our Vampire-Witch?” Giles asks
“Spoke to Willie. Willow skipped town for a while.” Angel replied
“This gives us a window of opportunity. I think I’m close to something with the star that might help us.”
“Good, keep at it.” angel replied as he stands up from the chair.
Willow took some books out of her locker. She shut the door and leaned heavily against it. This anxious sinking feeling she’s had since Angel explained the future had left her feeling unsure of her self and her own future. There had been times when she was lying in bed that she thought about running away. Maybe that would be the best thing for everyone if she weren’t around to be turned into a vampire. She bit her bottom lip to stop herself from crying again.
From behind her Xander walked up and covered her eyes.
“Guess who?” he asked
Willow laughed softly
“Ah . . . Santa?” Willow joked
Xander uncovered her eyes and she turned around.
“Hey. Are you calling me fat?” Xander replied
“No of course not silly,” Willow replied wrapping her arm around his waist, “I think you’re perfectly Xander shaped.”
Xander smiled at his girlfriend and kissed her softly. After he looked at her seriously
“Will what’s wrong?” he asked
Willow started to pout. She snuggled tighter into Xander.
“Do you think I could be evil?” She asked him
“Will that’s crazy talk. Remember the time you cried when I killed that cockroach we found in your kitchen?”
“Hey that wasn’t his fault. He got all turned around and, and ended up in the kitchen,” Willow replied sadly, “I mean underneath. Do you think I have this bad inside of me? Like some kind of evil water balloon that just gonna to burst.”
Xander stopped her. He’d know her long enough to know that once she starts on a train of thought she wasn’t going to stop anytime soon.
“Willow stop. I know you’re scared. We’re all scared. I think we just need to stick together and we’ll get through this.”
“Maybe I should just lock myself away. Like in a cave or, or a big box or something.”
“I don’t want you to do that. I’d miss my Willow to much.”
Xander swung Willow. He leant down and kissed her passionately.
That evening Buffy walked slowly through the graveyard. Tonight the vamp activity had been unusually slow. By now she should have at least come across at least one vamp by accident but so far the place had been dead. As she approached one of the mausoleums she heard some activity. Slowly she approached the door and peered in. Inside three vampires were wrestling with a skeleton inside. This skeleton had in its hands a map and these vampires were desperate to get it. Buffy leaned against the doorway
“I think you should double check with you’re real-estate agent. Don’t think the lease is up on this place yet.” Buffy quipped
The vampires turned around and glared at the slayer. They growled and moved it. Buffy pulled out her stake and stood ready.
“Wait!” the lead vampire yelled, “forget her just get the map!”
The two attacking vamps stopped. They turned and went back to wrestling with the skeleton. Buffy shrugged in confusion.
“What am I invisible?” Buffy complained
“Sorry slayer. If this was a normal night I’d have you screaming for mercy by now but we need to find it before she does!”
“Okay. What the hell is going on here?!”
“There’s no time slayer!”
Buffy glared angrily. She stormed up and yanked the lead vamp against the wall. She held her stake against his chest.
“Ow geez slayer.” the vamp complained
“Feel like talking now?” Buffy asked seriously
The other two vamps were prepared to move in but the lead vamp motioned them to stop.
“Alright. There’s this seer. He told a whole bunch of us that the world was gonna end unless we stop this chick vamp.”
“Stop how?”
“He told us to come here and grab this map. He said it leads to something called the Gem of Armani or something.”
“Gem of Amarra?”
“That it? The seer told us that girl vamp was going to bring them all back if we don’t find it first.”
Buffy pressed in harder. The vamp winced
“Who? Bring who back?”
The lead vamp realized that he might have said too much. He nodded to his friends. They rushed in. Buffy staked the vamp she was integrating. She dodged the attacks of the other two vamps them staked them both.
From under the dust Buffy picked up the map and dusted it off. She looked at it carefully. This was quickly getting out of hand. If a vamp was willing to ignore a slayer to try and save the world then the Vampire-Witches plans are more serious then Angel let on.
The pile of books surrounding Giles was slowly growing. Jesse and Xander walked down from the stacks carrying more books. Xander slammed them down and glared at the watcher.
“You’re right Giles,” he said angrily, “This is much more fun then a night of carefree dancing at the bronze.”
“I never use the word ‘fun’ Xander I said it was more important. Just put those over there.”
Xander and Jesse slammed down the books. Angel paced backwards and forwards reading one of the books from the pile. So far most of the books in the library haven’t yielded a solution to counter act the Amarra invulnerability spell. He closed the book he was reading and grabbed another. Inside the office Willow slowly covered Becky’s lap with a blanket. She tucked her in and smiled at the future slayer. Xander watched this then joined her.
“Hey, what you up to?” he asked
“She looked cold. So I thought I’d make her more snuggly.” Willow replied sweetly.
Willow sat on the office chair. And looked into Becky’s eyes.
“Xander. Do you think she’s scared where she is?”
“We’re talking about a girl who can lift a dumpster Will.”
“I’m serious Xander. Do you think she’s gonna come back?”
“Hard to say. This girl has had a life that would make John Connor cry. But if there’s one thing I learned about slayer they are tough nuts to crack.”
The library door burst open and Buffy stormed up to the table. She slammed down the map and glared at her watcher.
“Buffy?” Giles asked curiously
“I just pulled this off a group of vamps who were more interested in it then me!”
Giles looked at the map he was quickly joined by Angel
“It looks like some kind of map.” angel commented
Buffy folded her arms and shook her head in disappointment
“I am so glad that you’re on our team to tell us these things Angel.” She snapped
“But a map to what?” Giles asked
“Before I dusted them. One of the vamps said something about the Gem of Amarra.”
Buffy moved deliberately up to Angel
“You never told us the gem was here.” She said angrily, “Any other pearls of wisdom you’re holding back Angel?”
Angel looked at the map for a second. A look of shock crossed his face as he sat down next to Giles.
“My god. She still gonna do it.” he said
“Do what?” Buffy replied
“She’s gonna end the world.” angel replied
~ Sussex, England – 1996 ~
Gwendolyn sat calmly with the rest of the witches in the central chamber of the coven. They connected themselves to the earth to sense for disturbances. Slowly she opened her eyes
“You are not welcome in this circle dark one,” she said forcefully.
Vampire Willow walked out of the shadows and pouted sadly at the head witch.
“Awww. And I wanted to play with the other children.” She replied, “So you are aware of me.”
“Yes we are. We are also aware of the second slayer.”
“Then you already know what I’m going to ask you.”
Willow walked closer to the coven.
“Tell me,” Vampire Willow said playfully, “How do I break the protection spell on the slayer?”
Gwendolyn remained silent and the other witched followed suit.
“Not going to play? Okay I’ll play my own game.”
Willow walked around the circle slowly. She patted each witch on the head.
“Duck, duck, duck, duck . . . Goose.”
She twisted the head sharply of the witch under her hand. She collapsed to the ground dead. Gwendolyn reacted slightly to the death of one of her fellow witches but it was more important to hold the secret.
“How do I break the protection spell?” Vampire Willow asked again.
Gwendolyn still remained silent. Vampire Willow smiled and continued her game
“Duck, duck, duck, duck, Goose.”
Another witch fell. Gwendolyn sensed the tension from the other witches.
“How do I break the protection spell?”
Gwendolyn didn’t move. She tried to send out a calming energy to her sister but it was not much help. The Vampire-Witch sighed and continued her game
“Duck, duck . . . ”
“I will tell you dark one.” one of the younger witches called out
“Athena, be silent!” Gwendolyn snapped at the witch
“She will kill us all if we don’t give her this information.”
Vampire Willow smiled.
“See. There’s no reason we can’t be friends.”
|
|
|
|
Rave
Barbie Girl (Becca)
biscuit07
Filmtheory (Jim)
Malice (Jess)
MebbtheScribe (MichaelB)
Reset (Allie)
Shay (Marrisa)
somnambulist29 (Shea)
Stephanie Loss
Wendyness (Wendy)
Questions?Contact Us
|
|
All stories on this site have been archived with the authors' consent. Do not copy these stories for your own uses without the express consent of the author themselves. Buffy the Vampire Slayer TM and Angel TM are © UPN, WB, Fox and its related entities. All photos on the site are © UPN, Fox, Warner Bros, and/or their respective owners. No profits are being made by use of these images.
Powered with the assitance of eFiction.
|
|
|
