Chapter Eight: The Hero Thing"Whoa...Kat! Wait! The hill's too steep!"
Of course, the ten-year-old didn't listen. She trampled ahead of Willow and Venus and David and the others. 'Too steep'. Right. She'd been here loads of times. She knew how to handle herself.
"Katherine!" Her mother yelled fearfully.
Too late. The young girl skidded down a rocky path and an outstretched tree branch whacked her in the head, sending her crashing and tumbling the rest of the way down.
"Wow, that was fun," she muttered as William hoisted her to her feet.
"Don't you ever pull something like that again," Buffy whispered, half in anger and half in fear for her daughter's safety. "Do you hear me?"
Katherine nodded mutely.
"Ka-at, aren't ya gonna cry?" Venus asked, looking up.
"Why?" Katherine replied, puzzled.
"It's just, when I get hurt, I cry. How come you don't? You're hurt all over."
"It'll heal. It always does. I mean, it hurts now. But it'll stop. I don't need to cry my eyes out over nothing."
"Do you ever cry?" One of Celia's friends, Megan, asked in amazement.
"Not even when she was a baby," Willow replied fondly, reminiscing.
"Wow..."
Katherine sat quietly on the wine-coloured sofa, struggling to fight back tears. Grey stood off to the side, watching her uncomfortably, unsure of what to do.
She tried to stop, but the tears kept flowing, so she settled for trying to cry as quietly as she possibly could. With so many mixed emotions swirling around inside her, and with ever repressed feeling of sorrow and anger and hurt, she had finally cracked.
She cried for the death of her friends, whom she hadn't been able to save. She should have. Why didn't she? It wasn't fair.
Guilt, love, loss.
She cried for her dead mother and stepfather. Why weren't they here to help her? She couldn't possibly do this on her own.
Anger, pain, hurt.
She cried for her dead sister, because though, technically, Celia was still alive, the wonderful girl that she used to be was gone. This was not Celia. She had to remember that.
Love, loss, sorrow.
She cried because of the incredibly unreal destiny she had to fulfill. She wasn't a hero. Not like her parents, not like their friends. It wasn't fair.
Injustice, unfairness, cruelty.
She cried because she had escaped Wolfram and Hart. But it hadn't been Angel who had come to her rescue. It had been the person who had put her there in the first place. Where was her father? Why didn't he come? Of course. She was silly to think that she'd instantly become a part of his life. Stupid, stupid girl.
Frustration, confusion, hurt.
"You, um, want some water?" A hoarse voice asked tentatively.
"I prefer to get drugged only once a week, thanks."
"Okay, you have every right to be angry with me-"
"Tell me something I don't know," she snapped. "You're an incredible - God, there aren't even words to describe how low you are."
"Can I explain?"
"Explain what? Why you did what you did? News flash: I don't give a damn!"
Grey stayed silent.
"I can't believe you," she added in an outraged whisper. "You - you just make me feel for you, and then...?" She bit her lip, unwilling to cry again. Taking deep breaths, she calmed down. "Where's Angel?"
"I don't know," he answered truthfully.
"Why isn't he here?"
"When I went to the Hyperion, I heard Angel say that a girl - Cora? - she got...I think kidnapped or something. I agreed to come after you and he went after the girl."
"Oh." Katherine hoped Cordelia was okay. She was cool. But she couldn't help but feel a pang of jealously and hurt. Couldn't Wesley and Gunn have gotten Cordelia? Why hadn't one of them come for her? "...So why you?"
"I wanted to."
"You mean Angel threatened to beat the shit out of you if you didn't."
"No," he replied, his patience wearing thin. "I mean, I wanted to. As in helping you of my own free will."
"Right. Like giving me up to Wolfram and Hart was of your own free will, right?"
"There were circumstances!"
"Would it amaze and astound you to know that I don't care?"
"People's lives were on the line! I didn't know that I'd..." He took a deep breath. "I didn't know what Wolfram and Hart wanted with you. All I knew was that they wanted you."
"And did you know that all those people you think you saved, that they would have died if Wolfram and Hart had gotten what they wanted from me?"
"Doesn't matter now, does it?" He turned to leave the small bedroom. "We're all gonna die anyway."
"What do you mean?"
"Thought you didn't care."
"I didn't say that...exactly. I...wait. I'm not at the Hyperion, am I?" She pulled her leather jacket closer around her shoulders.
"Of course not. That's the first place Wolfram and Hart would go to find you again."
"I have questions for you," Katherine said quietly after a moment's pause. "A lot of questions. But right now, there are more important things."
"Like?"
"Like how about you tell me about these people that are going to die."
"Why?"
"Because I wanna help."
"Leave me alone!"
"Not until you take it back."
"I said, leave me alone!"
"Then take it back!"
"Leave me alone!"
The bigger girl drew back her hand, ready to knock the the younger girl into next week. No one called her a bully and got away with it. No one got away with anything with her. She tried to pull her arm forward, but found that she couldn't. Something was holding her back.
"It's cliched, I know, but how about you pick on someone your own size?" Fourteen-year-old Katherine stood a few inches taller than the intimidating blonde and held her fist with an iron grip.
"Let me go! She has what's coming to her."
Katherine looked from the livid face of the bigger blonde to the scared, tear-stained face of the younger one. "And why would you say that?"
"She called me a bully."
"Right. And picking on defenceless eight-year-olds is an act of sainthood." She scoffed and tightened her grip, making the girl cry out. "Try this nonsense again and this pain you're feeling right now will seem like nothing." She let go and the other girl scrambled off.
"Thanks," the small blonde mumbled, her tears subsiding.
"No problem. ...You know you could have taken her on yourself, right?"
"No way. I'm too little."
"...Ever heard of a Slayer?"
"No."
"She's a hero. She has incredible power."
"...Are you a Slayer?"
Katherine laughed politely. "Me? No way."
"But you saved me. You're a hero."
"No, I'm not. But you are. Or, you will be, once you get trained up a little. ...C'mon, my mom's over there. She'll help you."
"Thanks," the little girl said again.
"You don't need to thank me. You're safe. It's all that matters."
"You're wrong, you know," the little girl continued philosophically. "You are a hero."
"No, I'm really not."
"Well, maybe not now. But you will be."
"How do you figure?"
"I just know."
"So...all of you?" Katherine murmured. She was seated with Grey and his grandfather, Matthew, the leader of his family.
"Yeah. All of us. It's only a matter of time until Wolfram and Hart realize I pulled a switch with you and your sister. You know, if they haven't already," Grey added.
Katherine bit her lip. "But...I...can't you fight back or something?"
"We are not a violent people, Ms. Summers," Matthew replied tiredly.
"But Grey can fight."
It was the first time she had called him by his name. He liked it.
"Yeah, well, Wolfram and Hart trained me up. Figured I'd need it if I was going up against you."
"But you can't just stay here, defenceless! You can't wait for them to come for you!"
"You mean, wait for the inevitable?"
"It doesn't have to be! You have to stand up for yourselves!"
"It is not that simple, child."
"It never is," she replied quietly. "...What do you want me to do?"
"I beg your pardon?"
"I want to help you. You can't just give up. There's always a way, and I'll find it."
The elder man smiled. "I am correct in assuming you are not entirely human?"
"Well, I...how did you know?"
"Eros demons have a certain weakness for human mates."
"'Mate'?" She squeaked out, avoiding Grey's eyes.
"But, as you know, some demons can pass as mortal, such as we. Which is why we can sense demon blood within those who look like human."
"I see." If that was true, if all demons could do that, then it was no wonder she hadn't been able to do the stealth thing as well as her mother. She still had not processed the part about Grey being a demon.
"You are...part...vampire?" Matthew looked at her questioningly.
"It's kind of complicated," she admitted.
"Might I inquire as to where you got your vampire blood from? I only wonder because vampires having children is an unprecedented thing."
"Grandfather, please. She wants to help us. Don't make her rethink that choice."
"It's cool," she assured Grey . "My dad's a vampire, and I still want to help. In fact...yeah, I'm having a thought. ...Okay, that's definitely an idea. ...And now I'm having a plan."
"And what does this plan entail?"
"Are you particularly fond of Los Angeles?"
The elder man sighed wearily. "Perhaps you don't understand what Wolfram and Hart is like."
"Oh, I understand exactly what Wolfram and Hart is like."
"Then you know that there is nowhere we can run to. They will always find us."
"Maybe there is no where you can run to," she agreed. "But how about a when?"
"It's a hell of a plan," Grey told Katherine afterward as they made their way back from the magick shop. "Pretty risky."
"Those are usually the best kind," she replied, her sneakers crunching gravel. Before going to the magick shop, they had made a risky stop at the Hyperion. Katherine was dismayed to see the place trashed, but they had come up against no obstacles, and she quickly changed her club clothes for more suitable fighting attire.
"How do you know this is even going to work?" Ian asked. Ian was Grey's third-cousin-twice-removed, or something equally complicated. He and another Eros demon, Brianna, had been chosen to accompany Katherine and Grey in case they ran into trouble.
"I don't," Katherine replied truthfully. "But it's the best we've got."
"What's New York like?" Brianna asked, gazing up at Katherine.
"Well, it used to be a pretty amazing place. There were tons of things to do, and so many places to go, and all the lights..."
"'Used to be'? What happened to it?"
"My sister," Katherine replied shortly, staring straight ahead.
"What do you mean?"
"Enough questions," Ian said abruptly, noticing Katherine was uncomfortable. When Brianna stopped to look at stakeboarding equipment in a store window and dragged Grey along, Katherine gave Ian a grateful smile. He grinned back, and she noticed that he was very cute. Then she wondered if all Eros demons were attractive, because Brianna was quite beautiful, and she could even tell that Matthew had been handsome in his youth.
Grey tuned out Brianna and looked over to where Ian and Katherine were and a small flame of jealous ignited within. Right now, he felt like grabbing her and kissing her. Hard. But she'd probably kick his ass if he came within a foot of her.
"And then again, she might not," Brianna spoke up.
"God," Grey said, startled. "Don't do that."
"The sneaking up on you thing, or the mind-reading thing?"
"Both."
"Fine. But all I have to say is, you have some very perverted fantasies."
"Shut up," he growled, blushing.
"Are you okay?" Ian asked as the two pairs grouped together once more.
"Fine," Grey replied.
"Are you sure?" Katherine asked.
"What do you care?"
Katherine's friendly demeanor faded. "You're right. I don't." She walked quietly ahead of them, blocking out her conflicting emotions about Grey and keeping alert for any signs of danger. Her fingers were gripping the plastic bag of magick supplies so tightly, her knuckles were turning white.
"What a ladies man," Ian grinned.
"Shut up," Grey muttered, making sure to stay exactly eight steps behind Katherine.
"You must really piss her off, if she's resisting the pheromones." Brianna observed.
"I'm not putting out any."
"Wow. You must really like her, then," Ian commented. "Too bad she doesn't feel the same way."
"I wouldn't be so sure of that," Brianna murmured. But, as usual, Grey had tuned her out and hadn't heard what she had said.
"Okay, this is weird." Katherine stood in a vast gray expanse, feeling very cold in her jeans and black button-down shirt.
"You're telling me."
Katherine gaped at the figure before her. "David?" She whimpered.
"In the flesh," he grinned. "Well, you know, not literally."
"How?"
"Good question."
"Why?"
"Another good question."
"Am I dreaming?"
"Well, yeah," he replied. "Thought that was obvious."
"So...then, you're not real," she concluded defeatedly.
"Didn't say that."
"David, stop with the cryptic, please."
"Sorry. I keep forgetting...well, as painful as the dying thing was for me, you were the one who had to deal with all of that."
"Yeah. Well."
"Right." David could sense that his friend wasn't feeling particularly chatty at the moment. "So...how's life?"
"Life sucks. Really, you're not missing anything."
"You sound mad."
"Well, I am."
"At me?"
"Never," she replied, startled. "More at myself," she admitted.
"Why?"
"You were there, David. You know why."
He took a deep breath. "It wasn't your fault," he murmured. They began to walk alongside each other down the gray roads.
"Maybe not, but it still feels like it. And now I'm in the same situation again. I'm responsible for people's lives again. And I hate it."
"You don't have to help them," he reminded her lightly.
"If I don't help, then I as good as killed them. ...And...I can't let him die. I let you die, and..." She bit her lip to keep from crying again. Twice in twenty-four hours wasn't a good thing.
"This is the part where I'd give you a hug. But, I kind of can't, so..."
She looked up at him, confusion in her eyes. "Where are we?"
"The Ghost Roads. It's where we go after we die. We travel the roads until we find our destination."
"So you've been...here all along?" Katherine shuddered. The Ghost Roads seemed so very lonely.
"I haven't been alone. Venus was with me," he added off her look.
"Where is she?" Katherine became hopeful at seeing her friend once more.
"She passed on," he replied gently.
"How come you didn't?"
"I stayed behind to give you a message."
"Don't."
David raised his eyebrows. "Why? It's kinda important."
"'Cause if you give me the message, then you'll go away, and I'll never see you again." She hated how childish and vulnerable she sounded.
"Aw, Faith. Best friends always, remember?"
She smiled sadly. "What's the message?"
"Be careful. You're going up against Wolfram and Hart. Not many people have done that and survived. You're going to need to stay focused and be strong."
She nodded. Having delivered his message, a white hole opened up in front of David, and for a moment, the gray drained away and he looked exactly as he did when she last saw him, minus the grievous injuries.
"Bye, David," she murmured, giving him a small wave. He hugged her and she was suprised to feel that he was both solid and warm.
"Later, Faith. Take care of yourself."
"You, too."
"I'll see you again someday," he promised. "Just make sure that, that someday is a long time coming, all right?"
She nodded and gave him one last half-smile, then watched as he moved on to his final rest.
"Katherine, wake up."
"Hmmm?" She murmured. She opened her eyes and saw a face framed by deep auburn hair, and another person with short dark hair a few feet away. "V? David?"
"No, Katherine. It's me, Brianna."
Katherine rubbed her eyes and stretched her arms. "Sorry. I was dreaming."
"Kinda figured that," Brianna smiled. "Good dream?"
"Depends on how you look at it," was Katherine's cryptic reply.
"Spell's almost ready," Grey interrupted. "Just need you to go over some things."
"Sure," she said, pulling her hair back into a ponytail. "Lead the way."
He obliged and led her through a maze of corridors; Katherine had seldom left the room Grey had put her in, and she could now see that the Eros demons lived underground in a maze of channels and stone rooms. She passes families and little children playing and running around; every so often, one head would turn and give her an odd sort of look. She figured they were probably picking up on her vampire blood.
"Sorry I fell asleep," she murmured.
"It's fine," Grey replied shortly.
"I mean, I really shouldn't have been sleeping when there's stuff this important to do-"
"It's fine."
"Oh. Okay, then." She stayed silent until they reached their destination, a large, cavernous room with a dirt floor and craggy walls. She noticed the spell ingredients and spellbooks in the corner of the room and immediately went for them. Picking up a book, she began to flip through it. Grey picked up another book, and sat beside her.
"Are you really half vampire?" He asked after he noticed that he read the same passage eight times.
"I think you can answer that question yourself," Katherine replied lightly. "And anyway, I get to ask the questions."
"So, ask."
"Why'd you bring me here?"
"'Cause the Hyperions not safe."
"Yeah, but...I mean, if Wolfram and Hart are after me, and you've already pissed them off, wouldn't having me here make you guys an even bigger target?"
"You're not safe on your own. It's better you stay here with m- us."
"Uh huh." She knew there was more.
"And...maybe...after you came up with your little time-travel idea, I figured you could come with us."
She smiled sadly. "'Fraid I can't. I have to stay here, so that hopefully the future you guys go to is the way it was meant to be."
"And what if it was meant to be the way it is now?"
"It can't be," she replied simply. "And besides...my place is here."
"In Los Angeles?"
"With Angel."
"Why? ...Oh."
Another few moments of silence passed before either one of them spoke again.
"What did you dream?"
"What?" Katherine asked, startled.
"I - sorry. Forget it." Grey had no clue why he'd asked that. "Sorry I asked. Dreams equals private thoughts. I get that."
"No, it's - it's fine. ...The dream...well, I'm not even sure if it was that, or just that. Just a dream, I mean. I saw a friend of mine...but he died a few months ago."
"Friend? Like, boyfriend?"
Katherine, despite herself, did her mother's famous half-smile. "Nice attempt at casual. And actually, not. Boyfriend. That is, he wasn't my boyfriend. My mom and his dad were friends since they were in, like, high school. So we grew up together. Best friends since birth."
"I'm sorry," he said quietly. "I'm sorry he died, and I'm sorry that you're in this mess."
"Thanks. ...I've kind of gotten used to losing people, as morbid as that sounds. Doesn't make the losing any easier, but...well, I've kinda learned to block out the pain. Makes the dealing easier. ...As for this gigantic end-of-the-worldy-predetermined-destiny thing...I figure, either way, if I beat Celia or I don't, either way, it ends."
Grey was quiet. He had no idea that she carried so much pain and hurt inside her.
"I'm sorry I sold you out to Wolfram and Hart."
"It's fine."
"How can you say that? Because of me, you almost died. Everything you fought for, it would have been for nothing."
"And because of you, I'm alive," she retorted, staring him in the eye. "Not that I'm saying there weren't other options that you could have taken, like going to a certain detective agency, Mr. I-Don't-Need-Any-Help...but I get why you did it. I understand. And it's fine. We're all gonna be fine, anyway."
He smiled. "I admire your optimism."
"C'mon. You just gotta have a little faith," she grinned, stretching her arms. He raised his eyebrows. "Don't you love those double entendres?"
"Oh, how," he replied, smiling mischievously.
"Funny."
"You started it."
"And how mature."
"Maturity's overrated."
Katherine grinned at the familiarity of those words.
"Can I ask a question?"
"You just did."
"Funny."
"I know,' she smiled. "So, what's the question?"
"Why are you helping us? You don't have to, you know."
"I know. But I want to. I should. Help, that is. I can't just not do something. Not when you could die. Your whole clan, I mean," she added, a tinge of pink appearing on her cheeks.
"Thank you, for your help," Grey replied sincerely, ignoring her minor slip of the tongue. "I mean, I nearly get you killed, and then you do the hero thing for us-"
"I'm not. A hero, I mean."
"I think you're wrong about that."
"No, I think I'm right. Heroes are people like Angel and Buffy and Willow and Spike and Xander, strong people, brilliant people. I mean, how many times have they saved the world? How many apocalypses have they stopped?"
"Maybe you're stronger than you think. Heroes can be Slayers and vampires with souls. But they can just as easily be seventeen-year-olds who have no reason to, but help people just because, who cope with unimaginable loss and pain and destinies. Like, maybe, oh, I don't know....you."
She couldn't help but smile. Ignoring everything her mind screamed, ignoring the warning that should she act on everything she was trying in vain to suppress, that she would only get hurt again because he was going to leave, Katherine accidentally-on-purpose moved her hand over his.
Pleasantly surprised, Grey was about to lean in for the kiss he'd waited so long to give her, when the the ground shook and the faint sounds of an explosion startled them. Brianna raced into the room, looking panicked and terrified.
"They're here!"
TBC...
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