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buffyfic-digest         Thursday, May 14 1998         Volume 02 : Number 188



In this issue:

       BUFFYFIC: Looking Back Part One of ???
       BUFFYFIC: Looking Back Part Two of ?????
       BUFFYFIC: The Fledgling ~ Part Two of ???

See the end of the digest for information on (un)subscribing to the buffyfic
or buffyfic-digest mailing lists and on how to retrieve back issues.

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

Date: Thu, 14 May 1998 23:40:57 -0700
From: Angel's Lover <[e-mail]>
Subject: BUFFYFIC: Looking Back Part One of ???

Title:  Looking Back
Rating:  PG.. violence, murder.
Story:  A new slayer is born.. someone you'd never expect... visit with
her through her life while she learns, fights, loves and lives as well
as she can.
Posting:  Heaven's Gates:  The Watcher's Diaries:
http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Cafe/3863
Comments:  Please.. to Lea at either [e-mail] or
[e-mail]
Disclaimers:  The characters aren't mine.. they are Joss's, MEP, and
WB's.. I make no money from this and copywright infringement was not
intended.

*******************

    Looking Back

    Part One

    I sat in the library on my spare; Giles and Ms. Calendar were pacing in
front of me, Buffy was sitting on the check out counter, kicking her
legs.   Xander and Cordelia sat on opposite sides of a
table.  They were all staring at me.
    I shrugged, "I don't know where it came from, everything
happened so fast... before I even realized it the stake was in my hand
and I was killing them."
    Giles frowned, "That's all you recall?"
    I nodded, "That's all.. I swear."
    "Don't swear, Will, it'd damned unladylike."
    Everyone in the room groaned, myself included.  "Xander!"
    I looked up with a sort of worry, "Giles, do you think something is
wrong with me?"
    He tapped his fingers against a book as he looked to Buffy and back to
me.  Finally he shook his head.  "To tell you the absolute
truth, Willow, I'm baffled."
    "What do you think is up?"  Buffy looked over curiously.
    Giles rubbed his temples, walking to the weapons cage, and pulling out
the crossbow.  "Willow, would you please hit the target?"
    He indicated to me a bullseye upon the back of a door.  I shrugged,
"Well.. okay.."  I picked up the weapon, pointed, and shot.  The arrow
went unerringly into the center of the target.  "Wow." I muttered in
surprise.
    "Again," Giles grumbled.
    Over and over I shot that target, each arrow splitting the last down
the center, to hit the target.
    Giles sighed.
    Xander chewed on his lower lip as he finally burst out.
"What?!"
    I couldn't hear what Giles muttered next; we all strained
forward as he removed his glasses and nervously began to clean them.
"Willow is.. well, she's..."
    I snapped, "I'm what?!"
    "You seem to be displaying the first signs of being... well..
a slayer."
    I stared at Giles in shock as Buffy's legs stopped moving, Xander's jaw
dropped, and Ms. Calendar almost paced into a bookshelf.
We all were motionless for a moment, my mind was entirely blank as
Giles' statement refused to sink in.  Suddenly, Cordelia began to
laugh, she laughed and laughed until tears poured down her face.
    We all turned to stare at her, first in surprise, then in concern.  She
paied us no mind as she continued to laugh.  Finally,
she stopped on what sounded like a choking sob.
    "Willow's the slayer?" she muttered hysterically, "We're all dead.
This is it, we're all dead!"
    I could have taken offence at Cordelia's hysteria, but it was hard to
be offended when the same thought was pounding in my brain.
How can I be the slayer?  What about...
    "Buffy..." I choked out, and they all turned their attention
back to me.  "Buffy's the slayer.. I always thought of myself as more
of a watcher... no offence Giles.  What about Buffy?"
    Giles sighed, "The next slayer is recognized before the last dies.
This allows the watcher to train her, teach her, and make sure
she is prepared to follow her destiny."  He shook his head as he picked
up an old book and began scanning through the pages.  "What baffles me
is why you have never shown signs previously of being a slayer.  Why
only now?"
    Buffy shrugged, "Maybe it has something to do with all the vamps that
are coming to town.  Maybe she's meant to help me."
    Giles frowned, "Perhaps, but this is highly unprecidented."
    I nervously shifted in my chair, swallowing hard.  "Um... well.. what
are we going to do?"
    Giles raised his eyebrows, and sighed.  "Well, I..I..I..I..I guess
we're going to train you."

***************

    My training was a slow progress; though I have battled with
Buffy for over a year, my physical condition was sorely lacking.
    Though my aim appeared true with a crossbow, throwing a stake needed
work, and I lost repeatedly in hand to hand with Giles.  The day that I
was finally able to defeat Giles was a long time in coming.  Two months
had past, months in which I spent mornings and afternoons in the library
training with Giles and Buffy.  Evenings I spent at Buffy's working with
her on my slaying techniques.  The nights I followed Buffy on patrol,
learing as I helped her work.
    I never knew how she felt about my being a slayer.  She never acted
differently to me afterwards, automatically shifting herself into
a position where she could help me survive.  She never seemed ingrateful
of my help, which she sorely needed as the numbers of vampires had not
decreased.
    None of the following nights had been as bad as the first.  We were
slaying upwards of five or six vamps a night, but so far we were able to
hold our own.  However, both Giles and I noticed the toll too many
sleepless nights was taking on Buffy; her reflexes were slowing, degree
by degree, and I was beginning to worry.
    The day of my greatest success in my training was the day everything
hit the fan, so to speak.  Giles had been so preoccupied
with me, his research had suffered.  As a consequence the Eve of
Martok came upon us, and disaster followed.
    Giles and I were scrimaging, he was heavily padded, I on the other hand
had chosen to fight free of restraint.  His quarter staff
flew at my head, I paried lightly, bringing my staff beneath his knees,
cutting up to hear him yelp in pain.  Again his staff came down upon me,
trying to cut into my ribs.  Newly toned reflexes allowed me to drop to
the floor, bring my leg around to catch Giles' legs.  My friend hit the
floor hard, and before he could react I had the staff posed over his
heart ready to end his life.
    Immediately Buffy leapt off of the check out counter on which
she had been sitting, leaped across the library, and with a yell of
triumph hugged me close.
    The feelings coursing through me at the time are hard to describe;
there was the obvious feeling of triumph as I giggled at my defeat of
poor Giles.  There was relief and joy at Buffy's excitement
on my part.  But there was also fear.. fear of something I could not
define.
    Ms. Calendar burst into the room.  "Rupert, we have a problem."
    And so it begins.

*******************

    Giles almost groaned as Ms. Calendar activated her laptop and
led him to her bookmarked pages on the Eve of Martok.  I read swiftly
over Giles' shoulder, learing of the blood that had been shed on this
evening for the last several hundred years.
    Martok had been a master vampire, creating an army of the undead to
converge upon country after country.  The army killed, mauled,
mutilated, recruited, and fed from dusk till dawn on this one night of
each decade.  Their victims were no match for their superior strength,
each country turning for the most part into one long schmorgas board.
The worst information was yet to come.  Martok had been defeated by the
slayer on this very night of the year.  His army had taken one vow, one
oath pledging that on the Eve of Martok they would kill the slayer.
    Finally Giles nodded, "That would explain the last few months
increasing population of demons.  The vampires are gathering to kill
Buffy."
    I frowned, "What do we do?"
    Buffy chewed on her lower lip as she slowly paced the library, "Let me
guess, this Eve of Martok thing is tonight?"
    I nodded and began scrolling through the remaining files on Martok.
"The hour of destruction is between eleven and midnight.  It only comes
around once every ten years due to some configuration of the moon and
sun... unfortunately they don't go into details.  Anyway, if they can't
slay you by midnight, seven vampires will be offered up for sacrifice
and things should return to normal."
    Buffy scowled.  "Whatever normal is."
    Giles grew very serious.  "Buffy, call Angel.  Find out what he has to
say about tonight.  Willow I want you to find Xander and
Cordelia; we need stakes, holy water, everything we can get our hands
on for tonight."
    Both of us nodded as we flew out of the library, leaving Giles and Ms.
Calendar to prepare.

**************

    Dark had long since fallen.  We were all sitting tensely in the library
having forgone the suggestion that we get Buffy out of town.  Xander and
Cordelia sat off to the side, the weird closeness that had grown between
them for once coming silently.  Buffy and Angel stood in each others
arms.  To this day I wonder if either couple knew what was coming on
some internal level that warned them to take these few quiet moments
together.  Giles, Ms. Calendar and I sat at a table, pretending we were
flipping through books, but we all knew different.
    Surprisingly enough the vampires did not come for a long while; whether
they were waiting for the hour of destruction, or were unable to find
us, I do not know, but in the end it doesn't matter; they came.
    I will not go into all of the details of this battle; some are only
vague images of blood and dust in my mind as I fought to stay
alive, some are things I don't wish to remember.
    I fought as hard as I could, staking, stabbing, thrusting, straining,
kicking, biting, killing, saving, and surviving.  I moved about in
almost a daze, fighting desperately.  It was only as I heard Xander cry
out that I became fully conscious of my surroundings.
    My heart leapt in terror as I turned, praying desperately that Xander
would be unharmed.  Fortunately Xander was fine, but Cordelia...
    Even now as I look back upon events that had happened so far
into the past a tear comes to my eye.  Cordelia may not have been my
favorite person in the world, but I had grown to love her as a friend;
seeing her like that put a scar on my heart that has yet to fade.
However, losing Cordelia had not been the worst event of that night,
not by far.
    Buffy, too, had turned at the sound of Xander's cry, a look of
incredulty upon her face.  None of us had ever really been harmed in our
battles before, and it seemed she, like myself, had never believed it
would happen.
    It was during that one moment of surprise, her one hesitation ever in
her job that a vampire was able to slip out of the darkness and reach
out for the slayer.  In my mind what had happened next occured in slow
motion.  I was across the room, unable to help.  Xander was
fiercely protecting Cordelia's body from the vampires looking for a
quick meal.  Angel was being converged upon by vampire after vampire
and could not pull himself free.  Even Giles and Ms. Calendar were too
far away to save her.
    Angel glanced up just in time to see the vampire grab a hold of Buffy,
thread its fingers into her hair, and with one quick twist broke her
neck.  I watched as immortal agony ripped across his fingers, at
the same time trying to smother my own scream as my best friend's body
slid motionless to the floor.
    The rest of that night is no more that a blur.  I can recall
the vampires cheering in triumph to the sound of inhuman wails of grief
I later found out were my own.  I know that once the demons had left,
gloating in their victory, Giles had helped Angel and Xander carry Buffy
and Cordelia to the tables, laying them out gently.  Somewhere deep
inside themselves they had found the strength to cover the faces of my
friends.
    I, on the other hand, sat for a long time upon the library
floor, rocking back and forth, my heart breaking as mind numbing sorrow
coursed through me.  Images of Buffy and Cordelia, both living and dead,
haunt me to this day, but that night they were overwhelming.  How long I
was like that I don't know.  I don't recall Giles or Ms. Calendar trying
to bring me out of it, though later they informed me of their frutal
efforts.  I don't recall Angel leaving, though he must have, for when I
awakened he was gone.  I don't even recall Xander coming to sit with me,
but when I finally did awaken I was wrapped in the warm comfort of
Xander's arms.  Gently he rocked me back and forth, murmering comforts
into my ear.  I had never felt so safe in all my life, and slowly I
began to cry.

****************

End Part One

- --
Angel's Lover (fondly known as Lea)
"Love makes you do the wacky!"
"I'm SO the net girl!"
Come visit Heaven's Gates: http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Cafe/3863
Defender of David Boreanaz... you know, the man with the fangs! ~VV~

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

Date: Thu, 14 May 1998 23:48:51 -0700
From: Angel's Lover <[e-mail]>
Subject: BUFFYFIC: Looking Back Part Two of ?????

Title:  Looking Back
Rating:  PG.. violence, murder.
Story:  A new slayer is born.. someone you'd never expect... visit with
her through her life while she learns, fights, loves and lives as well
as she can.
Posting:  Heaven's Gates:  The Watcher's Diaries:
http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Cafe/3863
Comments:  Please.. to Lea at either [e-mail] or
[e-mail]
Disclaimers:  The characters aren't mine.. they are Joss's, MEP, and
WB's.. I make no money from this and copywright infringement was not
intended.

*******************


    Looking Back

    Chapter Two

    The Eve of Martok seemed to be the pivitol moment of my career for a
long while.  Long months passed where I saw few vampires, and
even fewer demons.  We spent those months in mourning, burrying Buffy
and Cordelia, helping Mrs. Summers pack Buffy's things into flimsy
cardboard boxes, taking what we wanted to remember her by, sending the
rest to good will.  I chose to take with me two pictures of Buffy,
Xander and myself, her diary (which I later gave to Giles for his
records), and two stuffed animals, a cow and a pig.
    In those months I never laid eyes upon Angel, he seemed to have
disappeared once we had confirmed Buffy's death.  For the briefest
moment I thought I saw him during Buffy's funeral.  At her request we
held a moonlight graveside service for her; I could have sworn I saw
him standing a little ways back from us, watching the ceremony with
from the shadows.  Though I patroled the cemetary every night since,
he never appeared to me, and I began to wonder if he ever would again.
    One night, however, a light tap came at my window, and I turned to see
him standing outside my bedroom, illuminated by the moon's white light,
waiting to be invited inside.
    Angel seemed more pale than normal; his face was tighty drawn, his eyes
were sunk into his head, and he seemed to have lost weight.
He had taken her death very badly, seeking solace in solitude, but that
night he had needed to talk.
    I laid on my bed, he on the floor, his hands cradling his head
as he spoke.  He told me of their time together, their stolen moments,
their amusing moments, their romantic moments.  Together we shared
memories that until then had remained private thoughts between Buffy
and ourselves.
    His eyes later caught sight of the pig sitting on a shelf over
my computer where it had remained untouched since I brought it home.
He slowly picked the pig up off the shelf and cradled it to him.
    "This was hers."
    I nodded, "We helped her mother pack her things.  She let us
take what we wanted from her room."
    "I know.  I sit in her room some nights.  Just thinking."  His hand
slowly caressed the pig, his eyes half closed as some memory made him
smile.
    I picked up the cow and held it close as I watched him silently for a
while.  Finally, I walked over and placed a hand upon his arm.  "Would
you like to keep the pig?   She'd have wanted you to have something."
    He hesitated, and then nodded.  I doubt I could have taken the stuffed
toy away from him had I tried anyway.
    He left not long after that, going back to his dark apartment, perhaps
to feed, perhaps to lay down and dream wistful dreams of the
love he had lost.  It was hard on him, I know, to lose his only chance
at love.  How many others could get past the vampire thing to love him
as the man he was inside?  Only Buffy.
    I slept little that night as images of the heart broken vampire refused
to leave my mind.

*****************

    The next evening found me in the library running through the motions of
training.  Even with my mind only half on what I was doing,
I was still able to defeat Giles easily.  My lack of attention,
however, did not go unnoticed.  As Giles and Xander waited impatiently,
I finally chose to answer their questions.
    "I had a talk with Angel last night."  I murmered quietly.
    Their eyebrows raised, "So dead boy's still hanging around is he?"
Xander joked, weakly.
    I frowned, "He looks pale."
    "Isn't that a natural result of a blood sucking freak?"  When neither
my nor Giles' expressions changed, he sighed.  "Or not."  He paused, "He
hasn't gotten over her?"
    I shook my head.  "Have any of us really?  I know I think about her
almost every moment of every day."
    Xander nodded.  "I know.  I saw Cordy's parents the other day.. they..
well, they're not doing so good either."
    "Mrs. Summers is thinking about moving.  Now that Buffy's
things are packed away.. well.. she says there's nothing here for her
but the gallery.. and she has no passion for it any more."
    Giles sighed.  "This has all gone horribly wrong.  I knew Buffy was in
immenant danger of being destroyed, but I should never have allowed her
to involve the rest of you.  Willow, I can see that your destiny was to
work with us.. train before training.. however in the cases of Xander
and Cordelia...  They should have never been placed in circumstances
that could get them killed.  I blame myself for Cordelia's death."
    Xander stepped in. "Whoa there G-man.. if anyone is responsible for
Cordy's death, its either me or the vamp that did her.  I'm not sure
which.  I should have been watching her back.. she was my girl.. and we
all knew she wasn't up for a big fight."
    Giles nodded.  "I suppose it is neither of our faults.  However
I still believe that neither of you should have been involved.  I plan
on rectifying that situation in Willow's course as the slayer.  No more
friends involved.  Should anyone discover this secret, they will not be
told any more than what they know.  Is this clearly understood by both
of you?"
    Both Xander and I nodded in unison.  Neither of us wished to go through
the pain we had been suffering since Buffy and Cordelia were killed ever
again.  Xander looked at me.  "Well, I suppose it's down to you and me
now, kid.  Wonder what our prophecy is gonna turn out to be."
    I looked to Giles in curiosity.  "Xander has a point, Giles.
Is there a prophecy written for the slayer following Buffy?"
    Giles gave me a blank look.  "Well.. I.. I.. hmm.  I really have not
checked to see."  He cocked his head to the side.  "You and Xander
go on now.. I think I will stay and do some reading to find the answer
to that question."

***************

    Xander decided to walk me home that evening.  There was a chill in the
air, a chill that grew deeper with in us as we passed by the
home of our one time friend.  I glanced up at Buffy's bedroom window..
the lights were turned off, but even still I could see a dark shadow
prowling around inside, coming to rest upon her bed.  He disappeared
below the window line as he lay down, and I sighed.  Angel needed to
move on, we all did, but I knew that right now it was too soon to do
so.
    I chose not to point out Angel's presence to Xander, knowing
that my friend would only become upset.  He had never liked Angel,
especially once we discovered Angel's vampire nature, but they had
almost seemed to be making progress.  Buffy's death changed all that,
possibly forever.
    We continued walking in silence, until a stick snapping caught both our
attentions.  We turned.
    He was standing behind us, a devilish grin crossing his demented face.
The vampire raised an eyebrow.  "Well, what do we have here?
The ex-slayer's flunkies come to play?"
    Xander stepped in front of me, as if to protect me, and I
rolled my eyes.  It was a sweet gesture but unnecessary.  I pulled a
stake out of my bag, and pushed Xander lightly to the side.  I glared
at the demon.  "What not enough room in hell, you had to ruin our day
too?"  Okay, so I wasn't Buffy with the witty comments.  I try.
    "Since the slayer is dead, I guess I will settle for you.. children."
The vampire sneered the last word.
    Xander lifted his chin in a cocky voice, "The slayer is dead, long live
the slayer!"  With an exaggerated bow, Xander stepped back
from me and extended an arm towards the vampire.
    I raised my stake and launched herself into a Buffy-like flip over the
vampires head, slamming my foot into his back, knocking him to the
floor.  The vampire snarled and dropped into a stalking stance.
    "Welcome, slayer, to the eve of your death!"  He propelled himself
forward, slamming into me, sending me flying across the street.  He
turned to Xander and grinned.  "I hope you count five minutes as
long, boy, cause that's how long this little girl is gonna last!"
    A shocked expression flashed across his face as I landed in
front of him, and drove the stake through his heart.  I grinned.  "Buh
bye!"
    The vampire exploded into millions of dust particles; Xander
and I continued on our way back to my place.  He sighed.  "And one more
vamp bites the dust."
    I shrugged.  "At least he won't be able to inform Spike and Drusilla
that I'm the slayer now."
    Xander nodded.  "There is that."
    The rest of the night was uneventful.. for us anyway.  We made
it home, I went to bed, and Xander went off to do whatever Xander does.
    Underground, however, was another story.  I didn't find out
until long after that night, but Drusilla already knew who I was.  My
identity came to her in a dream that very night, a dream that started
yet another change in my life... one that came about nearly five years
later.

End Part Three!


- --
Angel's Lover (fondly known as Lea)
"Love makes you do the wacky!"
"I'm SO the net girl!"
Come visit Heaven's Gates: http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Cafe/3863
Defender of David Boreanaz... you know, the man with the fangs! ~VV~

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

Date: Thu, 14 May 1998 23:59:15 -0700
From: Angel's Lover <[e-mail]>
Subject: BUFFYFIC: The Fledgling ~ Part Two of ???

Title:  The Fledgling
Rating:  PG..
Story:  A vampire child is born.. half vampire, half human.  Angel and
Buffy attempt to raise it to respect humanity and turn her back on her
vampire side.  BTW:  Niamh is pronounced NEEV.
Posting:  Heaven's Gates:  The Watcher's Diaries:
http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Cafe/3863
Comments:  Please.. to Lea at either [e-mail] or
[e-mail]
Disclaimers:  The characters aren't mine.. they are Joss's, MEP, and
WB's.. I'm not making money from this and no copyright infringement was
intended.

**************


    The Fledgling ~ Part Two

    Angel and Buffy began their training of the fledgling the next morning
in his darkened loft.  As it was a saturday, Buffy needed no
explainations for where she was going and when she would return, her
mother was satisfied merely with that she was going to hang with some
friends and would stop by later before heading to the Bronze.  It
wasn't a lie, really, so her mom assumed she would be out with Willow
or Xander... but she had never actually mentioned either of her
closest companions by name.  Xander, she knew, was hesitatingly
spending the day shopping with Cordelia.. a thought that made Buffy
giggle in sympathy for the boy.  Willow would probably spend most of
her day on her computer as she had recently purchased a new program
that had her more excited than Buffy had seen her in a long time.
It was safe to say that until they were to meet at six for dinner,
neither of her friends would be calling her home during the day.
    She settled into the sofa and watched as Angel sat down with Niamh and
began to relate the history of the vampire race.  He began by explaining
the need Niamh felt to draw the life essense from within
every creature she came across.  "The need for blood in vampires is the
same for the need for food and water in humans.  Vampires need to ingest
blood to return what our nature deprives us of.  We are the undead; our
human organs no longer function.  Our lungs do not breathe oxygen.  Our
bodies no longer require food.  Still we need the nutrients in blood to
continue the use of our limbs, to feed our systems, and so forth.
Without it we will die.  Still, no matter how badly we need blood, we
must not kill to get it."
    Niamh cocked her head to the side.  "To eat one must kill."
    Angel shook his head.  "No, there are other ways.  Especially
for you."
    "Why?"
    Angel sighed.  "You are not a full vampire.  In essence,
although you are undead, you are still half human.  Your mind is still
human while your body is vampire."
    Niamh looked from Angel to Buffy.  "You're human."
    Buffy nodded.  "Some would argue.. namely Principal Snider..
but yeah, I'm human."
    Niamh looked back to Angel.  "You're vampire."  He nodded.
"Then you must kill."
    "No!  I did once, but not now."
    "Why?"
    "My soul is human."
    A thoughtful expression crossed her face.  "Vampire's have no soul, you
said so yourself, therefore you are not vampire."
    Angel passed his hand across his eyes.  "I was cursed.. or perhaps
blessed.. by a gypsy tribe.  They returned my human soul to my vampire
form.  I no longer kill, but I am still a vampire.  Nothing can change
that, but you can change what you are.  You can still choose."
    "To be what?"
    "You can choose to be either a benefit to the world you live in, to
help Buffy and myself fight against the vampires and other creatures
that live on the Hellmouth."
    "Or?"
    "You can choose to murder, and die."
    "You would kill me?"
    "Niamh, it's not what I want to do, but if you force me to I will."
    "Understood."
    Angel stood to his feet and brought back a glass for the girl; the red
liquid within sloshed against the sides but he was careful not
to let any spill.  "Are you willing to try this my way?"
    Buffy glanced up.  "Our way."
    Angel nodded.  "Our way."
    The girl shrugged, taking the glass of blood.  "Whatever."
    Angel kept his hand firmly on the cup.  "Not whatever, Niamh,
yes or no."
    "If I say yes I live like a recluse.  If I say no I die.  So I say
whatever.  Neither choice is great."
    He sighed.  "I'm not a recluse, not any more.  I have Buffy.. a few
friends.  You just need to learn how to live within the boundaries our
lives dictate."
    "Can I eat now?"
    Buffy grinned at the agrivation Niamh was causing Angel.  He'd teased
her last night about her own frustration in dealing with the
girl, now the tables were turned.  She leaned over and whipsered into
Angel's ear.   "Well, she's definately not a daddy's girl."
    Angel scowled at her then rolled his eyes.  He turned back to Niamh.
"Yes, eat."
    The glass was raised to her lips swiftly, the blood swallowed even
faster.  Angel and Buffy watched her feed with raised eyebrows.
He turned to look at the slayer and shrugged.  "Want a pop or
something?"
    Buffy grimaced.  "I think not."
    Niamh drew her hand across her mouth, setting the glass back
down upon the table.  She turned to Buffy.  "So what're you still doing
here?"
    "Growing old."  Buffy met the girl's hostile gaze with one of
her own.  "Listen, Niamh.  I hear that you're confused, and torn
between two worlds and so on and so forth.  But so are the rest of us..
it's called being a teenager.. well, with the exeption of dino dude
here.  I'd say in the two worlds department we're about equal.  I kill
your kind.. in secret.  You try keeping nightly slayage a secret.  At
least you get to sleep at some point."
    The girl shrugged.  "Whatever."
    Buffy growled. "Could you please find something to say other
than "whatever"?  You're driving me insane!"
    "Whatever."
    Buffy tossed a sofa pillow across the room. "Impossible, the
girl is impossible."
    Angel chuckled.  "Guess she's not a mama's girl either."
    Buffy brandished another pillow at him.  "I loathe you."
    "You guys are beyond weirdness."
    "Yeah well notice and accept.  You're not exactly normal yourself."
    "Whine much?"
    Buffy's jaw dropped open with the use of her own phrase from
this vampire child.  She scowled.  "Die much?"
    Niamh shrugged.  "Only just lately."
    Angel stepped in between them.  "Okay.. so now we've gone from infant
to toddler straight into teenager in the span of a day."  His
eyes trailed from one girl to the other.  He sighed.  "Maybe I should
think moving back in with Spike.  Less hazardous to my health."
    Buffy glanced at her watch.  "Walk me out Ange?  I gotta get
home and make an appearance before meeting Will and Xand."
    "Still tied up in mama's apron strings, Buffy?  And I thought
you were soooooooo independant."
    "Watch your mouth, kid, or you're gonna be tied up deligating which
side of hell you're going to spend eternity in!"
    She shrugged.  "Didn't I do that a minute ago?"
    "I say we give her to Spike.  He and Dru can fight over which half they
get."
    "Buff, don't be mean."
    "Tell that to her!  We save her life and all she gives us is grief!"
    He ushered her out of the door and onto the darkend streets.  "You're
beginning to sound like your mother."
    She blinked.  "Oh, God.  I am.  I'm my mother reborn."  An expression
of horror crossed her face.
    "Ah, come on.  She's not so bad."
    "I'm old at seventeen."
    Angel nuzzeled her neck.  "At least you still look good."
    Buffy giggled.  "Cad."
    "You know it."

**********************

    "You did WHAT????"  Xander and Giles burst out in unison.
    Buffy shrank back from the anger exuded from her friends.  It
was just after seven... all through dinner the secret of Niamh ate
away at her, and finally she pulled herself to her feet and asked her
friends to meet her at the library.  Of course Giles had been there..
it was saturday night, where else would he be?  The telling had not
been easy.. how does one explain the rescue of a vampire by the slayer
herself?  Images of telling the others of her relationship with Angel
came to mind.  That had been bad.  This was worse.
    Giles stepped forward.  "Buffy, I understand from where you are
feelings towards this girl are coming, but she's a vampire.  We cannot
just over look that fact.  She must be dealt with, no matter what Angel
has to say in the matter."
    "Giles, I know.. I tried.. but you have to see her to
understand.  She's just a kid.  She's not like the other vampires.  I
mean sure she's hostile, and angry, and has all the personality of
hell's minions, but don't all teens?  And besides, she still has her
soul.. err.. well.. most of it anyway."
    "You spoke in a similar matter about Angel.  He had a human soul
therefore he was no longer an animal, yet for months he reigned terror
upon the entire town.  He killed, maimed, and nearly brought the world
to it's knees, not once, but twice.  I cannot help but wonder what
dangers would ensue should this vampire child choose it's demon nature
over humanity."
    Buffy sighed.  "Angel realizes that should she go wacky she
dies.  He said he'd kill her himself if it came to that.  Call me
sentimental girl but I think we should give him the chance."
    Xander scowled,  "And you're basing your decision on what?
His last attempt at vampire conversion therapy?  Come on, Buff, get
with reality here.  Vampires are vampires not fuzzy little puppies you
pick up off the streets and bring home."
    Willow giggled, "But they can be kinda cuddley, can't they, Buffy?"
    Buffy relaxed at her friends joke and smiled, "Yup, just as cuddley as
a werewolf!"  She paused and frowned.  "We're really warped, you know?"
    Xander raised an eyebrow.  "Now you figure that out?"
    "Come on!  Rational relationships on the Hellmouth just aren't
possible."  Buffy giggled, "If Will and I aren't good enough for ya,
Xand, you're our prime example!"
    Willow clamped a hand over her mouth as Xander scowled.  "At least I'm
dating a human." He muttered.
    Before she could stop herself, Willow blurted out, "Maybe in
some other dimension!"
    "Children please!"  Giles' voice cut through their fun, and once again
Buffy, Willow and Xander were returned to the situation facing them.
    Buffy sighed.  "Reality beckons."
    Giles stepped forward and placed a hand on Buffy's shoulder.
"I can no more tell you what to do in this situation than I could when
it came to Angel.  You have your own mind... well.. mostly.."
    "Hey!"
    Giles smiled slightly and continued, "You are very stubborn,
but intelligent in your own way.  I will support your decision should
you choose to raise this.. fledgling.. however if she turns on you, I
am trusting you to complete your duties as the slayer."
    "Giles, you know I will."
    "And that would be why I have decided not to contest your
choice.  Have Angel bring Niamh? to see me.  I would like to examine
her, perhaps have Willow run a few physical tests while I examine her
mental capabilities."
    Buffy grinned and turned towards the door.  "Will do!"  She paused,
"Hey, Will, you wanna come with me to get Ange and Niamh?"
    Willow shrugged, "Sure, why not?"  She paused and frowned, "Of course
the why not could consist of pointy teeth in my neck leaving a nasty
mark that my mom will probably blame on Oz."
    Buffy giggled.  "She'd get over it.. eventually."
    Willow giggled too, "Yeah, but Oz may not!"
    The girls moved to the door, peering back at Xander scowling at them,
and Giles looking worried.. as usual.  Buffy shrugged off her friend's
unhappiness in lieu of chatting with Willow.
    Together they began the long walk back to Angel's to pick up the
vampire and his new ward.

    End Part Two!

- --
Angel's Lover (fondly known as Lea)
"Love makes you do the wacky!"
"I'm SO the net girl!"
Come visit Heaven's Gates: http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Cafe/3863
Defender of David Boreanaz... you know, the man with the fangs! ~VV~

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

End of buffyfic-digest V2 #188
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