Disclaimer: Buffy and Company are property of Warner Brothers and Joss Whedon. I'm just borrowing them.
Author's Notes: This story takes place at the end of season 3.
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Part Two
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“Buffy, could you please retrieve a book from my office?” asked Giles from the table in the main part of the library, which was littered in research material already.
“Sure thing. Where is it?”
“You should be able to find it on the shelf in there. It’s called Demon Lore of the Byzantine Empire.”
“Catchy.” She walked into Giles office as Wesley and Cordelia walked in through the library doors.
“Did you prepare the tests?” asked Giles as he noticed them.
“Yes. We mixed all that foul smelling stuff together and created something even stinkier,” assured Cordelia.
“Good,” replied Giles.
“So you really think this will tell us if he’s sick or not?” asked Cordelia.
“Assuming we mixed it correctly, it should be able to detect whether or not he’s been infected with the demon’s evil spirit,” explained Wesley.
“Good, cause I’m definitely not chasing him if he’s a demon. It’s bad enough with Buffy dating or whatever it is that she does with the dead.”
“Cordelia, how can you say such things?”
“You mean you think I should chase him even if he is a demon?”
“Of course not! I just meant...considering the circumstances between you and I it would seem...” began Wesley. At that moment Willow, Oz, Xander and Rob walked into the library.
“Hello all of you!” interrupted Giles. “Thank you for coming, Rob.” Hearing this, Buffy walked out of Giles’ office and joined the group.
“So let’s get on with it,” replied Rob.
“You mean they told you why your here?” asked Buffy.
“You want to ask me some questions, right?” said Rob.
“That’s right,” replied Giles.
“Hit me with your best shot then,” urged Rob as he sat down.
“Alright. Do you have any idea why that snake creature attacked you?” asked Giles.
“Nope.”
“Nothing like this has ever happened before, correct?”
“Correct.”
“When the creature bit you, did you feel something flow through you then?”
“Actually, I was knocked out too soon to notice.”
“Of course, of course. How do you feel now?”
“Fine.”
“Really? Hmm...”
“If you’re worried about rabies or something, don’t be. They tested me for it.”
“Of course.”
“Perhaps now would be a good time to give him the test,” suggested Wesley.
“What test?” asked Willow. “You didn’t say anything about a test.”
“It’s okay, Will,” soothed Buffy.
“Could you please just sniff the contents of this bag and tell me if you can identify the ingredients?” instructed Giles as he handed a small sack to Rob.
“Sniff it? What, is it crack or something? If it is Will, I’m telling your folks...”
“It’s not, Rob. It’s just a study Giles is doing on the human senses,” said Willow. “Right, Giles?”
“Exactly,” agreed Giles.
Rob looked at Willow and then slowly brought the contents of the bag up to his nose. He quickly sniffed the contents and suddenly hurled the small bag across the room as he started to breath heavy. “What the hell was in that!” demanded Rob.
“Just some herbs used in purifying rituals,” explained Giles. “The reaction you gave is typical of someone who has been infected by a creature of darkness.”
“Wait, your saying the snake bite poisoned him with a demon?” asked Xander.
“I don’t believe this. What are you people on!” exclaimed Rob as he stormed towards the door.
“Rob, wait!” yelled Willow. Flanked by Buffy, she followed him out the door. “Please, listen to me!”
“Leave me alone!”
“Rob, this thing is going to kill you if you don’t work with us!” said Buffy. “Feeling good is only temporary. Giles told me that the pain will settle in as the demon takes over your soul and by then it might already be too late.”
“But I feel better then I have in years,” replied Rob as he suddenly halted. “I feel strong and my mind feels at ease for the first time since...I can’t remember when.”
“Wait, you do feel different?” asked Willow.
“Yeah, I knew something was different about me now. But it felt good. I didn’t see any reason to bring it up.”
“It’s only temporary,” repeated Buffy. “It lulls you into a false sense of security and then it finishes you. We have the literature if you want to read it yourself, but please don’t leave now.”
“Will, do you believe this?” asked Rob.
“Rob, I think we better listen to them. Please,” replied Willow as she held out her hand to him. He stared at her for a moment and then he took her hand and together the threesome walked back towards the library.
* * *
Willow gently wiped her cousin’s head with a cold washcloth. They had placed him on a cot in Giles office. Around the cot small pillars of smoke rose from small bowls of incense that Giles had prepared to combat the demon that was possessing Rob.
“How you feeling?” asked Willow.
“Like shit, but I guess that’s to be expected,” replied Rob with a weak smile. Then he softly added, “Things are getting muddled again.”
“What do you mean?”
“When I woke up at the hospital I felt different. I felt like I was beginning to understand something.”
“What?”
“It was...it felt like...I don’t know exactly. Probably never will now.”
“Don’t say that. You’ll be fine.”
“But I won’t be the same as I am now. I don’t know if I want to be like I was before. I really liked how I felt.”
“I know. But that’s just a trick. The demon would have killed you. Please trust me on this.”
“I wouldn’t be here otherwise, Willow, because every fiber of my being is saying to get the hell out of here.”
“Look, you need to sleep now.”
“Sing that song then.”
“Rob, I haven’t sung that in years.”
“So?”
“Rob, no.”
“Then I guess I’m doomed to insomnia. I’ll just sit here awake instead of receiving the much-needed energy I could be getting from sleep. I’ll just have to try crying myself to sleep instead or maybe I’ll wrap my head off the wall until I fall unconscious or...”
“Alright! Geez.” Willow cleared her throat and softly began singing, “In your dreams magical thoughts, all things are real unless you dream they’re not. In your dreams love is the plot guided on wings of hope...”
Buffy had heard the singing as she walked by and listened for a moment at the door to Giles office. She sighed and then walked over to the research table in the center of the library. Giles walked down from the stacks in his trench coat and paused in front of the others for a moment.
“Where do you think your going?” asked Xander. “I thought I was errand man.”
“Your confused Xander, but then again error and errand do sound a lot alike,” said Cordelia.
“I have a few books at home I wish to consult,” explained Giles. “Perhaps they can shed some light on a more potent cure for Rob.”
“I hope so, Giles. Because I don’t think what we’re doing now is going to be enough,” said Buffy.
“I hope so too,” replied Giles.
“What if we do lose him?” asked Xander.
“If the demon does indeed prove too powerful for the boy, we’ll have no choice but to kill him,” explained Wesley.
“Giles?” pleaded Buffy.
“Unfortunately, I’d have to agree,” replied Giles. “We’d be doing him a great disservice by leaving him alive in that state.”
“Hurry then, Giles,” said Willow as she emerged from the corner she had been concealing herself in. “I don’t want to have to do him any great services.” The watcher nodded at her and walked out the door.
* * *
Giles fumbled through the keys on his key chain and found the one for his apartment. He put the key in the hole and opened the door. He was about to walk in when he heard footsteps behind him. “Hey Watcher!” shouted a voice from down the street. “Wait up.”
“How...how did you know that?” asked Giles as he reached into his coat and wrapped his fingers around a knife.
“Keep it in your coat. I’m not going to hurt you. My name is Whistler. I talked to your slayer during the Acathla incident.”
“Oh, of course. Buffy’s description was fairly accurate by the looks.”
“Let me guess, really attractive guy with a funny looking hat, right?”
“Something like that,” replied Giles with a smirk. “What brings you here tonight?”
“The Rosenberg kid, Rob.”
“I welcome any advice you can give. Frankly, my own resources are proving insufficient to cure him.”
“That’s because you’re can’t.”
“What?”
“He’s not being possessed by a demon, he is a demon. Big difference my friend.”
“But that’s impossible. He’s Willow’s cousin.”
“Didn’t do your homework, did you? He’s adopted and nobody knows who his parents are. Very sad really. Ask your witch friend yourself if you don’t believe me.”
“If...if that’s true...then the dark power that is engulfing him...”
“Is his birthright. He’s from a clan of demons known as the Goa Clan.”
“Goa Clan? Are you sure.”
“Not just any demon makes the rest of us shiver when they start to realize their powers.”
“It sounds familiar.”
“You’ll find it in your books.”
“Does that mean there’s no hope of preventing his change?”
“He is what he is. You can’t change that. Best thing now is to show him how to use his powers.”
“Train a demon in how to become a proficient killer? Are you mad? That breaks every vow I ever took as a watcher.”
“Lucky for us you’re not a watcher anymore.”
“I won’t do it.”
“Then you better kill the kid now. Because if you don’t show him how to use his powers he’ll find someone else who will.”
“You truly believe we can keep him from turning to the other side?”
“He’s got the parts. You can’t change that. But you can show him how to use them right. You try to ignore that and you’ll push him away so he won’t ever be coming back. It’s your choice really.” Whistler started to walk away.
“Whistler!” shouted Giles. He blinked briefly and by the time he had opened his eyes an empty street stretched out before him, lacking the short sage who had been there moments ago. He ran into his apartment and grabbed the books he had came there for. He quickly flipped through the pages and found some passages that he quickly scanned and book marked. Shortly after he sped away towards the school in his trusty chariot of metal.
* * *
Rob opened his eyes slowly. He looked around the room that had become his cell. The herbs still smoked steadily with the same energy sapping fumes that he’d been breathing all night now. His body had periodic spasms and he ached everywhere. A bucket had been placed nearby his bed and he had vomited in it four times in the last two hours. Something new grabbed his attention continued to survey the room. There was a young woman standing next to his bed that he did not recognize. She was wearing a red summer dress. Her short hair was black and her eyes were wide and brown. “Who are you?” he asked.
“An angel,” replied the girl.
“Shit! You mean I finally bought the farm?”
“Kidding. My name is Reina. I’ve come to take you away from here.”
“Leave? But I can’t leave or I’ll become a demon. Willow and her friends said this would help me.”
“Look, I know they want to help, but they’ve made a terrible mistake. This isn’t helping you, this is killing you.”
“Why do you say that?”
“I don’t have time to explain. They’ll be back any minute. We have to get out of here now. If you value your life, you’ll come with me.”
“I don’t know...”
“I can tell you more about yourself than they could ever hope to. I can make you understand. But we have to leave, now!”
“Understand how?” asked Rob as he started to rise from the bed. He stood up briefly, but then his weakened body gave in as his legs collapsed. He fell to the ground with a heavy thud. Reina quickly came to his aid and he used her to steady himself on his feet again. She led him to a nearby window where she had entered. At that same moment the door to the room opened as Willow and Oz came in. “Go, quickly!” urged Reina as Rob slowly slid out the window.
“Rob!” shouted Willow as she and Oz ran towards the stranger.
“Stay back!” commanded Reina as she hurled black flames from her mouth, creating a barrier fire between herself and her would-be captors. She then slid out the window herself.
“Buffy!” yelled Oz. Within moments the slayer and her new watcher ran into the room.
“Oh God,” muttered Buffy.
“Black fire,” said Wesley as he inspected the flames. “What happened?”
“The demon took him. Buffy, it tricked him!” exclaimed Willow. “It was pretending to be human and now its gonna kill him.”
* * *
“Feeling better?” asked Reina as she and Rob walked down the street.
“Yeah, a lot better. I guess that means the demon’s winning, huh?”
She giggled slightly. “It’s a little late to worry about that.”
“What do you mean?”
“Sweetie, you’re a demon. You’ve been right along, that’s why they couldn’t help you.”
“A demon? Me? You’re shitting me, right?”
“Look into my eyes.” He gave her a funny look. “Just do it.” He complied. “Now look closely, right into my soul. Do you feel it?”
“It’s warm. Feels familiar somehow.”
“Demons do that to each other. They sense each other and it sets off the sensation your feeling.”
“Wait, wait, wait. Are you saying you’re a demon too?”
“Glad you caught that. I was trying to break it as gently as I could.” They came to an old apartment building and walked inside.
“Why do I get this feeling that I’m going to be explaining this to a psychiatrist sooner or later.”
She laughed. “It’ll get easier, I promise.”
“So why are you doing this?” asked Rob.
“Doing what?” replied Reina.
“Helping me. And how do you know so much about me?”
“Part of the reason I’m helping you is because you remind me a lot of myself. I mean, we’re both demons.” They came to door in the hallway and she used a key to open the door. Together they walked in. It was a fairly small apartment. A small living room connected the kitchenette and bedroom. The rooms were all a tad dusty with white plaster walls that had more cracks than a sidewalk. She took his hand in her own and together they sat on a faded green couch in the center of the living room. “But you’re right, I do want something.”
“Here we go.”
“I want you to be the Adam to my Eve.”
“Demons using Bible allusions, kind of ironic don’t ya think?”
“Perhaps, but appropriate still.”
“Adam and Eve. The first two humans.”
“The founders of their race.”
“I don’t get it. You want me to knock you up or something?”
“It’s not a hard thing to grasp. I want to give you my mind, spirit and body.”
“I hardly know you. How could I screw you?”
“How could you not. Human sex…well, let’s just say it would leave you wanting.”
“Exactly how wanting?”
“Like a conductor who realizes only his triangle player came to the concert.”
“Yikes.”
“I can unlock the potential inside of you in matters of love and I promise you won’t regret it,” said Reina as she wrapped her arms around Rob’s neck and began to gently kiss his lips.
He slowly wrapped his own arms around her mid section and coaxed both of them so they were lying down on the couch. She began to unzip his pants when he suddenly stopped her hands. “You know I’ve always dreamt a girl would do this. Just throw herself all over me without any reason.” He suddenly stood up and fixed his pants.
“Then why are you getting up?” asked Reina.
“Because dreams aren’t real. You’re real. You can’t just want me for no reason. You have motives, and you still aren’t telling me what they are.”
She sat up straight again and tried to regain her composure. “Why couldn’t you have made this easy on me? Why couldn’t you have just been some asshole who wanted a one night stand?”
“Gee, sorry about that.”
“No, it’s I who should apologize. I just didn’t want to be alone anymore.”
“What do you mean?”
“You and I are the last of our clans.”
“Clans?”
“You’re the last of the Goa and I’m the last of the Metssu. Both are descendants of the 12 great demon clans that ruled this land before the age of man.”
“I’m listening.”
“The 12 clans began to feud with each other at some point that even I don’t really know the details about. They began to make alliances with each other, eventually consolidating their power into two main clans, our clans. The fighting between the two clans became so intense that they feared they would destroy this dimension, which both longed to possess. In a rare moment of agreement, both clans voluntarily banished themselves to a demon dimension where they could continue their fighting without damaging their prize. For eons this continued until only two demons remained.”
“You and me.”
“Yes.”
“That’s why you wanted me to get you pregnant so badly?”
“Yes. I was planning on leaving in the morning and you would never have seen me again.”
“Yeah, but one time together doesn’t mean you get a baby.”
“One night doesn’t equal one time, trust me.”
“Let me guess, demon endurance?”
“I told you we were different from humans.”
“Note to self--kick yourself hard in the ass,” muttered Rob. “Okay, I get why you wanted me to get you pregnant, but why did you feel like you would have to run from me after? I mean, I...that is you make me...I just don’t get it.”
“Because I knew that sooner or later you would find out the truth about me and you would hate me.”
“And the truth is?”
“I was sent here to kill you.”
“Kill me?”
“My father, Rugal, was the chief of the Metssu clan. He and the leader of the Goa were both about to unleash terrible magical attacks on each other in the demon dimension. Realizing that the attack would most likely destroy both clans, the leader of the Goa clan sent the spirit of his son to earth to be born as human in order to ensure the survival of the clan. My father came to know this information and sent me here to destroy the Goa child. I had to wait for twenty years for you to break out of your human guise and finally give off some indication of your whereabouts, but by then I no longer cared. My father and my people never contacted me and the Goa clan never came after me, leading me to one conclusion--our tribes obliterated each other in the demon dimension.”
“I’m sorry. I don’t know what to say.”
“You know, I wish I could have been like you. You didn’t have to worry about the war or our rivalry. You were able to live in peace as a human.”
“Hold it right there. Don’t go admiring me. You have no idea what it’s been like for me. I’ve always felt like I was different. I never understood myself and because of it I tried to kill myself time after time after time.”
“You weren’t afraid to die?”
“Of course I was! Shit, I was scared to death each and every time I decided to try and kill myself. I never wanted to die.”
“Then why did you do it?”
“Because I guess I thought the answers to my questions were on the other side. That God would have a Dear Abby section just for me. But I was wrong. The answers aren’t on the other side, they never are. You can only find them here with the questions and the problems.”
“Does that make me your answer?”
“I hope so,” replied Rob as he held her hand gently in his own. She smiled and nestled closely to him.
* * *
Buffy walked into the library with her friends as they half-heartedly fell into chairs around the main table. Wesley walked out from the stacks and asked, “Well?”
“Nadda,” replied Buffy.
“We looked everywhere around the building for something that would tell us where they went, but by the time we snuffed out the fire...” Xander shrugged his shoulders.
Giles walked into the library at that same moment. “Everyone, I have terrible news to report,” exclaimed Giles as he set down the books he was carrying with a heavy thud.
“So do we,” replied Buffy. “Rob’s gone.”
“Damn, I’m too late,” lamented Giles.
“Wait, what do you mean? You knew this would happen?” asked Willow.
“Not when I left, but...” Giles opened one of his books and started skimming it, “Whistler paid me a visit and offered some new insights. He told me that your cousin is actually a demon.”
“You’re joking, right?” replied Willow.
“I’m sorry, Willow,” replied Giles.
“That would explain why we couldn’t cure him,” muttered Xander.
“Well, that leaves us only one option doesn’t it?” said Wesley.
“No!” exclaimed Giles. “We’re not going to kill him.”
“But he’s a demon. You said so yourself, it’s the only decent thing to do,” continued Wesley.
“But Whistler said...” began Giles.
“As I recall, Whistler is a demon as well. How do we know this isn’t a trick?” asked Wesley.
“If it really was Whistler then you can trust him,” assured a familiar voice as Angel appeared from the stacks.
“Angel, what are you doing here?” asked Buffy.
“I saw a couple of people racing away from the school while I was patrolling, so I tailed them. Thought maybe you knew something about it.”
“Not yet, but we’re drawing very near to the point where we know something,” assured Oz.
“Quite so,” agreed Giles. “It appears that both Willow’s cousin and his assailant are members of a very ancient race of demons. A clan of demons that are rumored to be quite human actually,” explained Giles.
“Hello! Demons can’t be humans. That’s why their demons,” said Cordelia.
“Then maybe demon was just a poor translation. At any rate, it says here that his clan of demons die. They expire eventually just as humans do. Their lives last much longer than ours do of course, but they do die. In fact they must reproduce through the same means that we do in order to perpetuate themselves.”
“That still doesn’t excuse the fact that dark powers reside in him,” said Wesley. “The herbs we used wouldn’t have produced the effect they did if he wasn’t a potential threat.”
“And guess who turned out to be his biggest threat? Us!” lamented Willow. “We wouldn’t listen to him when he told us how he felt and then we poisoned him!”
“Will, calm down,” pleaded Buffy.
“I will not! I’m a terrible cousin. He comes out here to help me and I get him kidnapped by a demon that’ll probably kill him.”
“Sidestepping the blame thing for a moment,” said Xander. “Why would someone from his own clan want to kill him?”
“While the demons originated from the same clan, at some point there was a division among two strong sects within the clan which spawned two new clans--the Goa and the Metssu,” explained Giles. “These new clans began a bitter war with one another that has yet to reach a conclusion.”
“So that puts us in the middle of a blood feud,” noted Oz.
“Then we have to save him,” said Willow.
“I can take you to them,” offered Angel.
“Why bother. Rob isn’t going to believe us now. I mean, he already listened to her over us once,” observed Cordelia.
“Not to mention she’s a hottie,” mentioned Xander.
“Just like a guy to chase after a pretty face. Why can’t guys use their heads?”
“Well depending on your definition…” began Xander.
“Maybe we won’t have to get him to believe us,” said Oz.
“What?” asked Willow.
“Oz, you’re having a plan,” stated Buffy.
“How could you tell?” asked Oz.
“It must have been the way that nonchalant expression crept into your face,” replied Xander.
“Will, would you and Buffy be so kind as to escort me to the chem lab?” replied Oz. The trio then left the library.
* * *
“So what are you up for? Chinese, Denny’s or something else?” asked Rob as he exited the apartment with Reina. The streets were bare with only the dim glow of the streetlights illuminating them.
“Whichever you prefer,” replied Reina.
“You don’t have a favorite?”
“Well, truth is I don’t eat much...or at all.”
“Oh, I get it. Demons like you don’t have to eat.”
“You’re that kind too.”
“Really?”
“It’s a slow process, but you’ll notice your human craving for food will vanish soon.”
“In the meantime, I’ll have to find a restaurant.”
“I hope you’re not disappointed that I won’t eat with you.”
“Are you kidding? This is way better than having to go Dutch.”
At that moment the pair heard the faint sound of glass breaking nearby. Within seconds a sweet smelling gas enveloped them. “What the...I don’t feel so...gas...” muttered Rob as he started to fall. Reina caught him and gently set him to the ground. “Who’s there?” she asked as she took up a defensive posture--obviously unaffected by the fumes.
“You were right, Giles. It didn’t work on her,” said Buffy as she, Angel and Giles walked into Reina’s sight.
“She’s not limited by her human form. It is simply a ruse,” replied Giles.
“We’ll just have to do this the other way then,” declared Buffy as she dropped into a fighting stance.
“I won’t let you take him back and torture him to death,” said Reina.
“I suppose you want to save that pleasure for yourself then,” replied Angel.
“You can’t stop me from taking him with me.”
“Maybe not,” replied Buffy.
“Now!” shouted Giles as Willow and Oz ran up from behind Reina and threw a net over her head. She struggled as Xander picked up Rob’s limp body and ran away from the scene with Willow and Oz close behind.
“But we’re sure going to try like hell,” said Buffy as she ran up to Reina’s struggling form and drove a stake through her heart. Reina screamed, but only paused briefly in her struggle to remove the net from her body. Buffy stood back in disbelief as Reina finally stood up under the strains of netting. Her body radiated a soft purple glow as she suddenly began to morph, increasing in mass to the point where the net around her snapped. After the odd colored aura subsided only a snake creature remained where Reina had been moments ago.
“A shape shifter,” cursed Angel.
“I bet Rob hasn’t seen this side of you, “muttered Buffy. She swung her fist into Reina’s stomach and tried to follow up with a punch to the head, but Reina caught her fist and tossed her off balance. Buffy fell to the ground.
“It was coming though,” replied Reina as she deflected a punch from Angel and kicked him in the head.
Buffy rose to her feet. “Oh, I see. You’d have just told him oops or I’m sorry, my bad for trying to kill you during rehearsal,” taunted Buffy as she kicked Reina in the head.
“Rehearsal? What rehearsal?” asked Reina as she staggered back from the impact of the blow.
“You attacked us at the school this morning during rehearsal,” prompted Buffy.
“You’re in band?” replied Reina truly puzzled by this exchange.
“Wait,” interjected Giles, “You’re unaware of the events we’re speaking of?” Reina silently shook her head in a negative reply. “Buffy,” continued Giles, “If she truly didn’t attack you earlier today then…”
Then combatants both paused as a horrible realization gripped them.
“Rob,” uttered Reina.
“The guys,” echoed Buffy.
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