ftp.xmission.com/2014.06.ftp.xmission.com.tar/ftp.xmission.com/pub/lists/buffyfic/archive/v02.n276

Internet Message Format | 1998-07-27 | 34KB

From: [e-mail] (buffyfic-digest)
To: [e-mail]
Subject: buffyfic-digest V2 #276
Reply-To: $SENDER
Sender: [e-mail]
Errors-To: [e-mail]
Precedence: bulk


buffyfic-digest         Monday, July 27 1998         Volume 02 : Number 276



In this issue:

       BUFFYFIC: "Starting Over" (2/13)
       BUFFYFIC: "Starting Over" (3/?)
       BUFFYFIC: "Starting Over" (3/13) THE REAL VERSION! DON'T READ OTHER ONE
       BUFFYFIC: Disclaimer for "Starting Over"
       BUFFYFIC: Capeside: the Hellmouth (12/?)

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: Mon, 27 Jul 1998 17:50:56 EDT
From: <[e-mail]>
Subject: BUFFYFIC: "Starting Over" (2/13)

"Starting Over" (2/13)
Section 1
by Jaclyn Link


TITLE: Starting Over
E-MAIL: [e-mail]
DISTRIBUTION: Ask me first, but I=92ll probably say yes.
RATING: PG
SPOILERS: None, but if you haven=92t seen Becoming, you might not want to=
 read
=09this.
SUMMARY: Buffy had left Sunnydale via bus after sending Angel to Hell. On=
 the=0Abus =09she met the next Watcher in line, Andrew.
DISCLAIMER: Joss Wheden, Mutant Enemy, Sandollar Telivision, 20th Century=
 Fox,=0A=09the WB, Kuzui Productions, etc. own all the character from the=
 show Buffy the=0A=09Vampire Slayer.
FEEDBACK: Please send it to me.
AUTHOR=92S NOTE: This story is in two sections. The second section will b=
e a=0Asequel =09to this under the same name. Also, special thanks to AleX=
ander=0A=09([e-mail]) for the use of his wonderful ep transcri=
pts which can=0Abe =09accessed at http://slayerfanfic.com/transcript.html=
.
***

=09Buffy=92s face turned red with rage. The one person that I could find =
that I=0Atrust betrayed me, she thought. "I know what you want, but I=92m=
 not going back.=0AI, I don=92t care what you say. I-"
=09He interrupted, "I=92m not trying to get you to return."
=09She eyed him incredulously, "You aren=92t?"
=09"No. Just come home with me. You can stay with me until you are on you=
r=0Afeet."
=09"Yeah, so you can contact Giles and have him come and pick me up. I=92=
m not=0Athat stupid," she hissed.
=09As she started to walk away from him, he grabbed her arm. "Look, I pro=
mise=0Athat I won=92t tell anyone anything about you. Please, come home w=
ith me. The=0Aworld needs a strong Slayer being trained, not one living o=
n the streets."
=09"It=92s not your job to protect me."
=09"Yes it is. As a Watcher, I am responsible for the Slayer. And since y=
ou=92re=0Anot with your Watcher, I am your new Watcher."
=09She thought it over for a moment. "Fine. But only temporarily."
=09"Wait, that=92s not the whole deal. You have to help me train my Slaye=
r,=0Aprepare her for the pain of her destiny."
=09"Isn=92t that your job?"
=09"She needs somebody that she can talk to, relate to. She has no friend=
s or=0Aschool or social life. She=92s completely alone in this world."
=09"Yeah, well, so am I."
=09"Please, just-"
=09"Nobody can prepare her for her destiny. When I was at Hemery, I lost =
all my=0Afriends, got kicked out of school, and was in the middle of my p=
arent=92s=0Adivorce. I thought that was terrible. But I started my life o=
ver in Sunnydale.=0AMade new friends who knew my secret, lived mostly in =
peace with Mom, and was=0Adoing okay in school. I even met Angel. But I l=
ost all that." Tears started=0Afalling down her cheeks. "With one mistake=
, Angel lost his soul, the demon=0Athat wore his face murdered the only l=
ove my Watcher ever had and left her in=0Ahis bed, I was kicked out of my=
 house after I finally told my mother who I=0Areally am, I got expelled f=
rom school because my principal hates me, I let my=0Afriend get murdered =
because I was stupid enough to be lured to the cemetery to=0Afight Angelu=
s while his friends bombarded the library, I am wanted for her=0Amurder w=
hich I didn=92t commit, and I had to send Angel to Hell just after he=0Ag=
ot his soul back. Nothing could have prepared me for that. Nothing!" She=
=0Awiped the tears from her face and calmed down. "Nothing will prepare h=
er for=0Athat."
=09"Don=92t you think it would be good to teach her not to make the same =
mistake=0Ayou did? Just because you=92ve had your life destroyed because =
of being the=0ASlayer doesn=92t mean she has to have hers destroyed as we=
ll. Please, Buffy,=0Ahelp her. Help me."
=09"Fine. But I=92m not going for you; I=92m going for her."
=09After walking two blocks to a parking lot, they drove in Andrew=92s sm=
all car=0Ato his house. During the ten minute ride, Buffy was silent, bro=
oding on how=0AAngel was probably suffering. She looked down at her ring =
and thought of the=0Anight he gave it to her.
=09//My people -- before I was changed -- they exchanged this as a sign o=
f=0Adevotion. It's a claddagh ring. The hands represent friendship, the c=
rown=0Arepresents loyalty, and the heart=85Well, you know. Wear it with t=
he heart=0Apointing towards you. It means you belong to somebody.//
=09This made Buffy think of later in the night. The one night she felt sa=
fe in=0Ahis arms. The one night that she wished she could take back.
=09//Angel, I, I feel like I lost you. You=92re right, though, we can=92t=
 be sure of=0Aanything.//
=09//Shhh=85Buffy, I=85//
=09//You what?//
//I love you, I try not to, but I can=92t stop.//
=09//Me too, I can=92t either.//
=09//Buffy, maybe we shouldn=92t=85//
=09//Don=92t-just kiss me.//
=09If only I could take back those words, she thought. If only I could-
=09Her thought was interrupted as the car pulled into the driveway.  "Wel=
l, this=0Ais it," he said. "I know it=92s not much, but-"
=09"It=92s fine," she said reassuringly. Realizing she had been so rude t=
o him=0Awhen he was opening up his home to her, she decided she would be =
a good guest.
=09They went in through the basement that looked like a gym/library. Book=
s lined=0Athe walls, and weapons lay on the floor. Stakes, crosses, garli=
c, and holy=0Awater sat in a large case. Upstairs, the house looked norma=
l. The only things=0Astrange were a stake and cross in each room.
=09Andrew led Buffy upstairs again to her room. The walls, carpet, and be=
dding=0Awere white and clean, like nobody ever stayed in this room. A lar=
ge cross with=0Aa replica of Jesus on it hung over the bed. A phone sat o=
n the night stand=0Anext to the bed. In the corner was a desk. The room w=
as only slightly larger=0Athan her old one.=09
=09"This is your room. The bathroom connects with Shy Walker, the Slayer=
=92s,=0Aroom.  If you need anything, just ask Shy or me," he spoke.
=09"Thanks," Buffy said.
=09After he left, she started to unpack.  When putting her personal belon=
gings=0Aaway in the bathroom, she noticed Shy reading. Buffy found it har=
d to believe=0Ashe was a Slayer. Only 13 years old, she had long brown ha=
ir and glasses.=0ABuffy thought she couldn=92t be any taller than five fe=
et and couldn=92t weigh any=0Amore than 95 pounds.
=09"Hi," Buffy said, walking into the bedroom. "Whatcha reading?"
=09"Um, uh, nothing," Shy said, trying to hide the cover of the book.
=09"=92The Slayer Handbook=92," Buffy said. "My Watcher didn=92t give me =
one of those,=0Aalthough he should have." The girl gave her a strange loo=
k. "Oh, I=92m sorry.=0AI=92m Buffy." When the girl was silently, Buffy as=
ked, "And you are=85?"
"Shy, the Vampire Slayer."
***
End Part 2

"It hurts sometimes more than we can bear. If we could live without passi=
on,=0Amaybe we=92d know some kind of peace. But we would be hallow. Empty=
 rooms,=0Ashuddered and dank. Without passion, we=92d be truly dead." -An=
gel, Passion=0A

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

Date: Mon, 27 Jul 1998 17:52:37 EDT
From: <[e-mail]>
Subject: BUFFYFIC: "Starting Over" (3/?)

Andrew led Buffy upstairs again to her room. The walls, carpet, and beddi=
ng=0Awere white and clean, like nobody ever stayed in this room. A large =
cross with=0Aa replica of Jesus on it hung over the bed. A phone sat on t=
he night stand=0Anext to the bed. In the corner was a desk. The room was =
only slightly larger=0Athan her old one.=09
"This is your room. The bathroom connects with Shy Walker, the Slayer=92s=
, room.=0AIf you need anything, just ask Shy or me," he spoke.
"Thanks," Buffy said.
After he left, she started to unpack.  When putting her personal belongin=
gs=0Aaway in the bathroom, she noticed Shy reading. Buffy found it hard t=
o believe=0Ashe was a Slayer. Only 13 years old, she had long brown hair =
and glasses.=0ABuffy thought she couldn=92t be any taller than five feet =
and couldn=92t weigh any=0Amore than 95 pounds.
"Hi," Buffy said, walking into the bedroom. "Whatcha reading?"
"Um, uh, nothing," Shy said, trying to hide the cover of the book.
"=92The Slayer Handbook=92," Buffy said. "My Watcher didn=92t give me one=
 of those,=0Aalthough he should have." The girl gave her a strange look. =
"Oh, I=92m sorry.=0AI=92m Buffy." When the girl was silently, Buffy asked=
, "And you are=85?"
"Shy, the Vampire Slayer."
***
End Part 2

"It hurts sometimes more than we can bear. If we could live without passi=
on,=0Amaybe we=92d know some kind of peace. But we would be hallow. Empty=
 rooms,=0Ashuddered and dank. Without passion, we=92d be truly dead." -An=
gel, Passion

"Starting Over" (3/13)
Section 1
by Jaclyn Link


TITLE: Starting Over
E-MAIL: [e-mail]
DISTRIBUTION: Ask me first, but I=92ll probably say yes.
RATING: PG
SPOILERS: None, but if you haven=92t seen Becoming, you might not want to=
 read
=09this.
SUMMARY: Buffy had left Sunnydale via bus after sending Angel to Hell. On=
 the=0Abus =09she met the next Watcher in line, Andrew, and decided to li=
ve with him=0Aand his =09Slayer, Shy.
DISCLAIMER: Joss Wheden, Mutant Enemy, Sandollar Telivision, 20th Century=
 Fox,=0A=09the WB, Kuzui Productions, etc. own all the character from the=
 show Buffy the=0A=09Vampire Slayer.
FEEDBACK: Please send it to me.
AUTHOR=92S NOTE: This story is in two sections. The second section will b=
e a=0Asequel =09to this under the same name. Also, special thanks to AleX=
ander=0A=09([e-mail]) for the use of his wonderful ep transcri=
pts which can=0Abe =09accessed at http://slayerfanfic.com/transcript.html=
.
***
=09"Why are you here?" Shy asked resentfully.
=09"What?" a confused Buffy asked.
=09"Why are you here? Aren=92t you supposed to be in Sunnydale with your =
family=0Aand friends and your beloved boyfriend Angel having fun? Having =
a normal=0Alife?"
=09"I wish," Buffy said. "My life is nowhere near normal or fun. Not on t=
he=0AHellmouth. As for Mom, and Angel, I let them both down. Mom kicked m=
e out when=0Ashe found out my secret. I sent Angel to Hell-long story, do=
n=92t get me=0Astarted. And my friends-I couldn=92t face them after being=
 expelled from high=0Aschool and being wanted for murder."
=09"Oh," she said, "I=92m sorry. It=92s just that I-"
=09"It=92s okay. Almost really. I know what it=92s like to see everyone a=
round you=0Ahaving a normal life and having fun."
=09"Still, I shouldn=92t have-"
=09"Don=92t worry about it." Buffy smiled. "And how do you know so much a=
bout me?"
=09"Andrew told me about your life."
=09"That=92s funny," Buffy said with a small smile. "Giles never mentione=
d a thing=0Aabout you."
=09"He said that you had the life of a normal teenager, that you went to =
parties=0Aand had a boyfriend and friends that knew your secret. But your=
 family didn=92t.=0AMy family shipped me off to Andrew when I was twelve,=
 and I haven=92t seen them=0Ain a little over a year."
=09"Wow, that=92s rough. My mom didn=92t know that I was the Slayer until=
 a few days=0Aago. She totally wigged out. I don=92t-didn=92t-live with m=
y Watcher. He is the=0Alibrarian at the school library."
=09"I can=92t imagine having to go to school and be the Slayer. Then agai=
n, I=0Acan=92t imagine having friends or being in love."
=09"Having friends is great. I loved having people to talk to, to confide=
 in.=0AIt=92s nice to be able to depend on other people, not only yoursel=
f. Being in=0Alove is the best thing you could ever imagine. Especially A=
ngel. He was the=0Aone crazy thing in my crazy world that made sense. I t=
rusted him with my=0Alife."
=09"So what happened?"
=09"The Cliff=92s Notes version? I slept with him and he lost his soul. H=
e became=0AAngelus again."
=09"You slept with a guy? Andrew doesn=92t even like me talking to them. =
He says=0Athat they distract me from my duty."
=09"Giles didn=92t like Angel much either. Then again, Angel was a vamp."=
 She=0Asighed. "We have more in common than I thought we would."
=09"Yeah. It=92s nice to be able to talk to someone who understands what =
the other=0Ais going through."
=09"Your Watcher seems a lot more like Kendra=92s than mine, though. From=
 the way=0Ashe talked about him, I=92d die if I ever had to live with him=
. He was so=0Astrict."
=09"Kendra was the Slayer before me, right?"
=09"Yeah. I only met her twice, though. Once before Angel=92s transformat=
ion and=0Athe other before she died." A sad, guilty expression came upon =
her face.
=09"What=92s wrong? You look like you feel responsible."
=09"I am. It=92s all my fault."
=09"How can you say that? You weren=92t the one who killed her."
=09"Yeah, but if I was so stupid. If I had just thought about the last ti=
me-"=0Ashe felt close to tears. "Never mind. I=92m really tired. I think =
I=92ll crash.=0ASee you tomorrow?"
=09"Yeah."
=09Buffy went into the bathroom and brushed her teeth. After she turned o=
ff the=0Afaucet, she her Shy reading something in Hebrew. Opening the doo=
r, she saw her=0Areading from a prayerbook.
=09"Yitgadal veyitkadash shemei raba bealma divera chireutei, veyamlich=
=0Amalchutei bechayeichon uveyomeichon uvechayei dechol bet Yisraeil, baa=
gala=0Auvizeman kariv, veimeru: amein. Yehei shemei raba mevarach lealam =
ulealmei=0Aalmay."
=09"What=92s that," Buffy interupted.
=09"It=92s a prayer for people who=92ve died. My mom passed away a couple=
 of weeks=0Aago, or so Andrew told me."
=09"Oh, I=92m sorry. I know what it=92s like to lose someone you=92re clo=
se to.=0AActually, more than just one person you=92re close to."
=09As Shy continued, Buffy sat on the bed, listening to the words and thi=
nking=0Aof Jenny, Kendra, and Angel. "Yitbarah veyishtabach, veyitpaar ve=
itromam=0Aveitnasei, veyithadar veyitaleh veithalal shemei dekudesha, ber=
ich hu, leeila=0Amin kol birechata veshirata, tushbechata venechemata, da=
aminran bealma,=0Aveimeru: amein. Yehei shelama raba min shemaya vechayim=
 aleinu veal kol=0AYisrael, veimeru: amein. Oseh shalom bimeromav, hu yaa=
seh shalom aleinu veal=0Akil Yisrael, veimeru: amein."
***
End Part 3

"It hurts sometimes more than we can bear. If we could live without passi=
on,=0Amaybe we=92d know some kind of peace. But we would be hallow. Empty=
 rooms,=0Ashuddered and dank. Without passion, we=92d be truly dead." -An=
gel, Passion

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

Date: Mon, 27 Jul 1998 19:20:25 EDT
From: <[e-mail]>
Subject: BUFFYFIC: "Starting Over" (3/13) THE REAL VERSION! DON'T READ OTHER ONE

I'm sorry about all the confusion, but I sent the other version here by=
=0Amistake.

"Starting Over" (3/13)
Section 1
by Jaclyn Link


TITLE: Starting Over
E-MAIL: [e-mail]
DISTRIBUTION: Ask me first, but I=92ll probably say yes.
RATING: PG
SPOILERS: None, but if you haven=92t seen Becoming, you might not want to=
 read
=09this.
SUMMARY: Buffy had left Sunnydale via bus after sending Angel to Hell. On=
 the
bus =09she met the next Watcher in line, Andrew, and decided to live with=
 him
and his =09Slayer, Shy.
DISCLAIMER: Joss Wheden, Mutant Enemy, Sandollar Telivision, 20th Century=
 Fox,
=09the WB, Kuzui Productions, etc. own all the character from the show Bu=
ffy the
=09Vampire Slayer.
FEEDBACK: Please send it to me.
AUTHOR=92S NOTE: This story is in two sections. The second section will b=
e a
sequel =09to this under the same name. Also, special thanks to AleXander
=09([e-mail]) for the use of his wonderful ep transcripts whic=
h can
be =09accessed at http://slayerfanfic.com/transcript.html.
***
=09"Why are you here?" Shy asked resentfully.
=09"What?" a confused Buffy asked.
=09"Why are you here? Aren=92t you supposed to be in Sunnydale with your =
family
and friends and your beloved boyfriend Angel having fun? Having a normal
life?"
=09"I wish," Buffy said. "My life is nowhere near normal or fun. Not on t=
he
Hellmouth. As for Mom, and Angel, I let them both down. Mom kicked me out=
 when
she found out my secret. I sent Angel to Hell-long story, don=92t get me
started. And my friends-I couldn=92t face them after being expelled from =
high
school and being wanted for murder."
=09"Oh," she said, "I=92m sorry. It=92s just that I-"
=09"It=92s okay. Almost really. I know what it=92s like to see everyone a=
round you
having a normal life and having fun."
=09"Still, I shouldn=92t have-"
=09"Don=92t worry about it." Buffy smiled. "And how do you know so much a=
bout me?"
=09"Andrew told me about your life."
=09"That=92s funny," Buffy said with a small smile. "Giles never mentione=
d a thing
about you."
=09"He said that you had the life of a normal teenager, that you went to =
parties
and had a boyfriend and friends that knew your secret. But your family di=
dn=92t.
My family shipped me off to Andrew when I was twelve, and I haven=92t see=
n them
in a little over a year."
=09"Wow, that=92s rough. My mom didn=92t know that I was the Slayer until=
 a few days
ago. She totally wigged out. I don=92t-didn=92t-live with my Watcher. He =
is the
librarian at the school library."
=09"I can=92t imagine having to go to school and be the Slayer. Then agai=
n, I
can=92t imagine having friends or being in love."
=09"Having friends is great. I loved having people to talk to, to confide=
 in.
It=92s nice to be able to depend on other people, not only yourself. Bein=
g in
love is the best thing you could ever imagine. Especially Angel. He was t=
he
one crazy thing in my crazy world that made sense. I trusted him with my
life."
=09"So what happened?"
=09"The Cliff=92s Notes version? I slept with him and he lost his soul. H=
e became
Angelus again."
=09"You slept with a guy? Andrew doesn=92t even like me talking to them. =
He says
that they distract me from my duty."
=09"Giles didn=92t like Angel much either. Then again, Angel was a vamp."=
 She
sighed. "We have more in common than I thought we would."
=09"Yeah. It=92s nice to be able to talk to someone who understands what =
the other
is going through."
=09"Your Watcher seems a lot more like Kendra=92s than mine, though. From=
 the way
she talked about him, I=92d die if I ever had to live with him. He was so
strict."
=09"Kendra was the Slayer before me, right?"
=09"Yeah. I only met her twice, though. Once before Angel=92s transformat=
ion and
the other before she died." A sad, guilty expression came upon her face.
=09"What=92s wrong? You look like you feel responsible."
=09"I am. It=92s all my fault."
=09"How can you say that? You weren=92t the one who killed her."
=09"Yeah, but if I was so stupid. If I had just thought about the last ti=
me-"
she felt close to tears. "Never mind. I=92m really tired. I think I=92ll =
crash.
See you tomorrow?"
=09"Yeah."
=09Buffy went into the bathroom and brushed her teeth. After she turned o=
ff the
faucet, she her Shy reading something in Hebrew. Opening the door, she sa=
w her
reading from a prayerbook.
=09"Yitgadal veyitkadash shemei raba bealma divera chireutei, veyamlich
malchutei bechayeichon uveyomeichon uvechayei dechol bet Yisraeil, baagal=
a
uvizeman kariv, veimeru: amein. Yehei shemei raba mevarach lealam ulealme=
i
almay."
=09"What=92s that," Buffy interupted.
=09"It=92s a prayer for people who=92ve died. My mom passed away a couple=
 of weeks
ago, or so Andrew told me."
=09"Oh, I=92m sorry. I know what it=92s like to lose someone you=92re clo=
se to.
Actually, more than just one person you=92re close to."
=09As Shy continued, Buffy sat on the bed, listening to the words and thi=
nking
of Jenny, Kendra, and Angel. "Yitbarah veyishtabach, veyitpaar veitromam
veitnasei, veyithadar veyitaleh veithalal shemei dekudesha, berich hu, le=
eila
min kol birechata veshirata, tushbechata venechemata, daaminran bealma,
veimeru: amein. Yehei shelama raba min shemaya vechayim aleinu veal kol
Yisrael, veimeru: amein. Oseh shalom bimeromav, hu yaaseh shalom aleinu v=
eal
kil Yisrael, veimeru: amein."
***
End Part 3

"It hurts sometimes more than we can bear. If we could live without passi=
on,
maybe we=92d know some kind of peace. But we would be hallow. Empty rooms=
,
shuddered and dank. Without passion, we=92d be truly dead." -Angel, Passi=
on

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

Date: Mon, 27 Jul 1998 20:27:31 EDT
From: <[e-mail]>
Subject: BUFFYFIC: Disclaimer for "Starting Over"

Sorry, everyone, to bother you, but I forgot to put a disclaimer on the first
parts of my story. Since I don't want to get sued, here's the disclaimer.

DISCLAIMER: Joss Wheden, Mutant Enemy, Sandollar Telivision, 20th Century Fox,
the WB, Kuzui Productions, etc. own all the character from the show Buffy the
Vampire Slayer. I just borrowed them for my story, "Starting Over."

 -Jaclyn

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

Date: Mon, 27 Jul 1998 21:58:18 -0700
From: [e-mail] (Charity C. T.)
Subject: BUFFYFIC: Capeside: the Hellmouth (12/?)

TITLE: Capeside: the Hellmouth #12 Seeing Is Believing
AUTHOR: Taygeta
E-MAIL: [e-mail]
DISTRIBUTION: Sure...just tell me where it's gonna go.
RATING: PG
SERIES: A Dawson's Creek/Buffy Crossover
DISCLAIMER: The characters and any other reference to Dawson's Creek are
the property of, creator, Kevin Williamson. The characters portrayed and
in reference to Buffy the Vampire Slayer belong to its creator Joss
Whedon, and it's owners Mutant Enemy Productions, Kuzui Enterprises,
Sandollar Productions, and 20th Century Fox.  In other words, they do not
belong to me and I am just borrowing them.  No copyright infringement is
intended.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Capeside: the Hellmouth
#12 Seeing is Believing
By: Taygeta

    Buffy roamed the halls towards the libraryàshe hated 6th period.
Being a junior, she didn't have anyone from the Scooby Gang in her
History class since Xander had the same class in 2nd and secondly, it
took the longest time to reach Slayer Headquarters.  Sighing and walking
as fast as her feet could carry, she tried to ignore the lovey-dovey
couples in the halls, which ultimately reminded her about her
non-existing romance statusàdefinitely not a comfort in her eyes.  Just
when she was about halfway towards the library, she met upon a couple she
*really* could have gone without seeing.

    "Xanderàhoney, you promised you'd stay with me until five,"
Druscilla said in a sugary-sweet voice that made Buffy want to retch
after she had silently mimicked her with a disgusted look.

    "I know I did, Dru, but Joey promised to help me in Trig and I
could use the help," he tried to explain so that she wouldn't get angry
with him.

    She sighed, "You *always* go to that stuffy libraryàI don't
understand itàand it's bad enough that you talk to Joey, but you have to
make it worse by hanging with that weird Summers girl?  Her clothes are
so last year and that make-upàshe needs to learn how to apply, and not to
mention - "

    Buffy smiled when she saw that Xander looked angry at the things
she was saying, "HeyàI've known her for a long while and we've been
through a lot of things togetheràeven before I came here.  She's one of
my best friends, the only best friend I really have right now, I wouldn't
trade her for the world, and I don't want you talking trash about
heràsoàdon't."

    Dru looked meek and apologetic, "I'm sorry, Xander, I didn't know
she meant that much to you.  I won't say anything about heràeven if my
friends say stuff."

    <That's my cue,> thought Buffy as she started towards them and
pretended not to see them as she walked by.

    "Buffyàheyàwhere to?" he called out to her.

    Turning to see him, she walk backwards, "Uhàthe usualàya coming?"

    "Hang for a sec," he called to her and she stopped to stomach the
kiss he gave Dru on her cheek before he walked towards her with a smile.

    "Why is it that no matter what dimension we end up being in, you
always end up with the strangest girl?"  Buffy questioned.

    "Dru's not strangeàshe's just Dru," he said with a shrug.

    "Of the evilly spooky former back home," she added.

    Xander sighed, "Okayàso back home she was wiggin-triggered, but
she's not like that here."

    "Well, as long as your of the happy Xander, and not the
depressive, I'm happy for you," she returned with a smile,  "Although I'd
be more of the happy if you showed your face around the slayer abode more
often."

    He glanced at her and protested, "I've so been abodedàyou're just
too preoccupied with you, you, you that you just don't see it."

    "Uh-huh, me, me, me, and what about you, you, you, and Dru, Dru,
Dru?" she said and laughed, "Xanderàyou and your threesies!"

    "HeyàI had one threeàyou're the one with the triple play," he
paused.  "We gotta get back to better sarcasm, Buffsteràor we won't get
to see the famous look we always do from our highly vocabularized
steroid-induced Scooby Gang and Giles, their leader."

    She gave him her raised eyebrow look, "Umà'highly vocabularized
steroid-induced' who are you and what have you done with Xander?"

    "I've been Joey-possessed," he said as they approached
Headquarters, "That girl can talk a storm if you let her, and use big
words in between.  Check this outàI've mastered Capeside and Giles
speakàor at least I can mock it for funàI've acquired a rather
exponential vocabulary in the miniscule time frame of my current
residency of this here, Capesideàwhat did you think?"

    Buffy looked at him blankly, "I thinkàI'm really scaredàI've
officially seen the spookdom when you, Xander, have lost the economy of
phrasing."

    He returned her blank look with a wide-eyed stare, "Noànoànot the
economy of phrasingàfor the love of all that is the lack of wordsàhelp."

    They entered the library and Giles greeted them in his trying
funny sort of way, "So glad you can join us," which surprised the
Sunnydale formers that Joey and Ms. Calendar actually laughed slightly.

    "So says the leader," nudged Xander to Buffy suddenly with a
smile.

    Pursing her lips tightly, she restrained a laugh at the pop
culture reference, that made Joey give them a strange look, "It wasn't
that funnyàwas it?"

    Buffy muttered sarcastically, "Tickled the funny boneà" just so
loud that Xander could hear and said brightly to the rest, "Inside
jokeàsoàhey when did the troops get diminished?"

    They glanced at her curiously and Xander said, "Diminished?"

    She said hotly, "HeyàI can make the Buffy vocab not totally
uber-suckàor wellàat least try."

    "Theàumàdiminishing of troops, as you stated, is due to the fact
that Oz and Willow are taking part in the funeral procession of the
Master Magician," explained Giles in his matter-of-fact tone.

    "And Mr. Master Magician Guy would beà" lingered Xander
carefully.

    Joey continued, "He's this renowned magic person who's not part
of the witches or the wizardsàkind of the supreme guy.  These kind of
things tend to make Witches and Wizards forget about their rivalry for
awhile."

    "Okayàthat explains our magic minion, what about Joey and De -
Angel?" he continued and hoped that no one, especially Buffy, notice his
slip of almost calling Angel, Dead Boy.  "He told me that he'd be jamming
here right after his class."

    As if on cue, the library's phone rang and Ms. Calendar who sat
behind the counter picked it up, "Sunnydale Library, may I
àwhoaàwhoaàslow down, Angel, what happened?  Uh-huhàokayàohmygodàgo onà"

    "Why do I get the feeling that this is not of the good?"  Xander
asked glancing at Buffy as Ms. Calendar jotted down information on a
nearby notepad.

     She squeezed his hand reassuringly, but replied, "Because it
never is."

Their eyes fell to their hands, and they met each other in a glance, but
they quickly looked away and Buffy reluctantly let go of his hand when
they heard the phone slam on its base.

    "Okayàwe gotta goàthat was Angel," Ms. Calendar said hurriedly as
she grabbed her coat and purse as she talked, "Seems that he was about to
get over here when there was a huge crash in front of Sunnydale U.  A
couple of students on the Sunnydale High field trip to the university
museum were walking back to the school when a drunken jerk rammed right
into them.  Most of them are okay, but about three of them were injured
and one of them is in ICUàandàumàit's Jen."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

    Buffy and her friends lingered in the waiting room for two hours
and, yet, there was no word of Jen's condition.  Angel could only say so
much, considering that the only things he knew were the one's being said
on the ambulance ride to the hospital.  Every minute without information
seemed like agony to them all and they all hoped that Mrs. Lindley would
receive Angel's message and get here soon.

    "Mrs. Lindley," Buffy said as she saw her step out of the
elevator beside the waiting room.

    "Buffy," she greeted her houseguest with a hug once she saw her,
"I came as soon as I got the message," and she turned to Angel who stood
silently by, "Thank you."

    The corners of his mouth lifted slightly as he shook his head,
"No problem."

    A doctor entered the dark room and walked towards Jen's
grandmother, "Mrs. Lindley, I'm Dr. Carlisleà"

    "Doctoràhow is she?" she demanded.

    He took a deep breath, "She's in emergency surgery at the moment,
and still listed as critical.  If you can sign these forms, Mrs. Lindley,
and we'll update you with every change in her condition."

    "Thank you," she said quietly and she sat down and busied herself
with the forms that he had handed to her.

    A few hours later, after the sun had fallen from the sky, Dawson
arrived to the hospital, "Any change since you called?"

    "She's gotten out of surgery, butàit's hard to tell," Joey
explained with a sigh and she muttered, "As if they tell us much."

    Dawson looked at her sympathetically, "It'll be all right Joey,
I'm sure she'll be okayàwhere is everybody?"

    "They all went to see JenàI couldn't stomach it," she replied,
"Funny, of all the things I've seen and I can't bear to see her look like
that."

    He wished he could stay, but he knew that any second now, Mrs.
Lindley would come back, "I have to goàtell Buffy, I'll take care of the
patrolling with Giles and Ms. Calendaràsee ya."  Dawson began to walk
away, but Joey grabbed his hand before he could leave and he looked at
her curiously.

    "Thanks," she said softly and gave him a warm smile and he
nodded.  They lingered a moment longer than necessary, before Joey let go
of his hand and he walked out of the room.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

    The pale, limp body of Jennifer Lindley was connected to a
billion surrounding machines and her head and wrist were heavily
bandaged.  Every once in awhile a painful moan would come from her
swollen, dry lips, but she had yet to awaken.  They couldn't have
believed all the injuries the doctors had detailed, but once they had
entered the room and saw her, they believed.  It tore them that of all
the things that they had done for the world, they couldn't do anything to
help Jen.  Only sit idly by and wait, but with this in mind, they
wondered what it was they were waiting for?

    Mrs. Lindley gripped her granddaughter's hand tightly and glanced
at Buffy, "Oh, I don't know what I would do without her.  Ever since her
father and mother died and left her in my careàI couldn't imagine life
without her.  If she goesàthere won't be anyone left."

    "I'm sure she'll be fine," Buffy insisted as she stood beside
her, "The doctor said that there was a good chance of recovery."

    "I do hope the doctors are rightàbecause if they aren't, it'd be
like losing her mother and my son againà" she sighed as she removed her
necklace and opened its locket, revealing two pictures, "They died in a
car crash, y'know, when they went on their second honeymoon.  May the
Lord bless us and them and I pray that there are angels watching down on
us especially today."

    Buffy looked at the two pictures carefully, particularly the one
on the right of the golden heart.  She swallowed hard and asked, "M-may I
see that, please?"

    The woman handed her the necklace with a smile, "Wasn't Jen's
mother beautiful?"

    "Uhàgorgeous," she said quietly taking it into her hands.

    Xander, who was sitting down stood up carefully and stood beside
her.  He eyed her with much concern as he noted her forced tone and her
incessant blinking.  As he led her away from Mrs. Lindley he whispered,
"Buffyàheyàyou okay?"

    She looked at him carefully and he saw tears form in her eyes as
she showed him the locket, "Xanderàuhàlook how beautiful Jen's mom is."

    He glanced at the picture carefully and he heard himself in take
breath, and muttered slowly, "Oh my godà"

*******
End of Part 12

_____________________________________________________________________
You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail.
Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com
Or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866]

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

End of buffyfic-digest V2 #276
******************************

To subscribe to buffyfic or buffyfic-digest, send the command

    subscribe buffyfic-digest

    or

    subscribe buffy

to [e-mail].  You will need to go through a
confirmation process, and the listowners have to manually
approve your subscription request, so it may take some time.

To unsubscribe, send email to [e-mail] with

     unsubscribe buffyfic-digest

     or

     unsubscribe buffyfic

in the body.

Back issues of this digest can be found at:

    ftp://ftp.xmission.com/pub/lists/buffyfic/archive/

Dalton Spence has also provided an index of the buffyfic archive at:

    http://www.hwcn.org/~ag775/BUFFYFIC.HTM

For help, contact Jill Kirby ([e-mail]) or sah ([e-mail])