Not Too Late
Parts 0-6
Author's Note: Here is the completed version of the story. It was one of the first fics that ever wrote. It takes place in the future. Enjoy!
Prologue
Buffy walked slowly along the pier, her eyes watching the shadows cautiously. The skies were clear, and the full moon shone brightly from its fixed point. Normally, she just scanned the wharf from the roof tops, but tonight, something was calling her here. It was an odd feeling, but there it was, in her Slayer's gut. A feeling that told here that she should be here.
[It's supposed to a slow night. So then, why am I here? ] Buffy thought with a frown. [Because of a feeling and a sacred sense of duty, yada, yada...Oh, there's a phone, better call Mom.]
As Buffy placed a quarter into the phone, the black shadows around the buildings grew longer. Colder."Mom? It's me. I'm still patrolling."
"Buffy? Honey, where are you? Rupert said that it would be a slow night for you. Are you all right?"
"I'm fine, Mom. I'm by the pier, I had a feeling, so I came here. But there's nothing unusual going on, so I'll head home now."
"Alright, honey. I'll be waiting up for you."
Buffy sighed as she tried to push back the secret feeling of warm fuzziness. "Mom, you don't have to do that. You need your sleep, you have a big exhibition tomorrow. I'm a big twenty-year-old girl, you don't have to worry."
"I'm your mother,"said Joyce's voice wryly over the phone."It's my right to worry about you, no matter how old you are. Come home soon, honey. Don't come in too late, remember, you have to go to L.A. to see your father."
"Yeah. Mom. I remember. See you later."
"Bye honey, Love you. By the way, you're not wearing the new sneakers that I bought you the other day, are you?"
"Of course not,"Buffy said indignantly as she could when she glanced guiltily at her feet. "I can’t believe that you don’t trust me enough to not wear them until tomorrow. "
"It couldn’t possibly be because I know you like to wear new things as soon as I get them and the fact that they’re missing from the box they’re supposed to be in, Buffy..."
"Love you. Bye now, Mom," said Buffy hastily as she hung up the phone. She smiled slightly to herself. Thing were slightly simpler now that her mother was aware that she was the Slayer. To say that it was rough for her to accept that her daughter was a vampire slayer with a limited life span, well, her mom was dealing with it as best she could. Joyce Summer was learning to be an asset to her daughter and, unfortunately, she also had the tendency to rush into danger where her little girl was concerned. Giles had more than once had to restrain her mom, with considerable expense to his face, groin and knees.
"God help the demon or anything else that tries to kill Joyce Summer's little girl," Buffy chuckled to herself as she turned away from the phone.
"I'm sure that He'll not help her in any way, Slayer," sang a voice from the darkness. Startled, Buffy looked around her. Everything was in total black. There was no stars, and there was no moon. Just total blackness.
"Who's there?" Buffy called out defiantly as she fingered her stake. The voice again talked in a sing-song manner that chilled Buffy to the bone.
"Lilith. I am Lady Lilith and I'm here, Slayer. I'm here for you,my sweet," the voice sang happily. Suddenly, from the darkness, two tentacles reached out for Buffy, and she felt them lift her off the ground. To her horror, Buffy saw three vampires with a body stand next to a beautiful woman with honey brown locks that was swirling about her. Buffy suddenly realized that it was the woman's hair that was holding her up!
Buffy started to struggle, but the hair-tentacle things were like steel bands. Holding her, but not harming her?
"What's with the Medusa act?" Buffy said defiantly. Lady Lilith smiled sadly at her then nodded to the vampires.
"So defiant, Slayer. Do not worry, I am not here to hurt you yet,"Lilith said."I need you alive and unharmed for now. Now,boys, do as you were told."
One laid the body on the pier while another waited paitently for the jacket that was being peeled off of Buffy as she struggled with the hair. The third reached into his pocket and pulled out a gun.
"I cannot allow your friends to find you. So I will set this stage, and make you appear dead. By the time they realize that this is not you, it will be too late, Slayer,"said Lady Lilith musingly as she watched the procedings."By then, it will be a fact. Oh, to ease you, the girl was already dead. Her neck was broken by a lout of a boyfriend. He's dead, but her death will be meaningful."
The vampires clothed the body with her jacket. Then the vampire with the gun shot two rounds into the girl's face. The second then positioned himself over the body, and was staked by the first. Lilith nodded, and then glanced over to Buffy. As she felt a small jolt of energy, Buffy gasped a sharp breath, and then fell forward. Lilith gently placed Buffy into the vampires' arms."Harm her, and I'll eat you."
As they walked away into the lightening darkness, no one noticed a figure huddling in the shadows.
Part One
Joyce gave a small sigh as she hung up the phone. [She'll never change, that daughter of mine. She's definitely wearing those new sneakers that I got her. And out on patrol, too. Oh, well. It won't be my fault if she scuffs them up before she goes to L.A.]
As Joyce Summers warmed up the spagetti and meat sauce, she quietly reflected on the tremedous changes that had occurred in her life. Finding out that your daughter was a Chosen one to fight the vampires and demons in the world was a hard thing to swallow. It was even harder to realize that your daughter had a shorter life expectantcy than yourself. [Especially after twenty hours of labor and a scar.] thought Joyce with a grimace.
But it was hell of a lot easier to know where her daughter was and what she was doing. After that small stint of Buffy's disappearance from her life, Joyce realized that it was better to know everything about the life of slayers and her daughter than to know nothing at all. So she decided to become an asset to her daughter, rather than a liability. Her daughter was the Slayer, and she was the Slayer's mother. And so, that was that.
“To know, is to learn and understand”said Joyce aloud in her best impression of the British librarian who was her daughter's Watcher. [It is always best to be cautious. Oh, poor Giles. He had to put up with so much of me.]
Joyce winced as she remembered the times when he had to physically restrain her from going after Buffy. All the scratches, bruises and that one nasty kick in the groin. [I have got to do something nice for him, one of these days.]
Giles was a nice man, and the relationship between her and the Watcher was steadily growing better. It was hard to forgive a man that advised her daughter to lie to her mother. Even if it was for the mother's own safety. At the time, the only thing that she could understand and forgive was that he was teaching her daughter how to survive. That was the only thing that redeemed him in her eyes. That he was helping to keep Buffy safe from the creatures of the night. And now he was willing to teach Joyce some defense tactics to protect the Slayer's mother.
A cold shiver went through Joyce as she stood up to take the food out from the microwave. She looked at the clock. It was eleven and it was the darkest that Joyce had ever seen. It seems that all the nights look more foreboding now that she knew how easily she could lose her baby. [At least she remembered to call me this time. Wonder why she's at the pier? Oh, right. A slayer's feeling.] Joyce reflected with a sigh.
There was a chill in her bones that she still couldn't shake and could not like. There was something bothering her, but she couldn't place what. [Cool it, Joyce. You just won't calm until you see your little girl come in walking hale and hearty through the front door.]
Joyce absently started to fill the kettle for a nice spot of tea as she settled down to wait for her daughter.
Three hours later, Joyce and Giles were speeding down to the pier. When she saw to police cars, Joyce started praying with all her soul. When she saw an officer hold up a body covered with a sheet that had a head of blonde hair showing, she felt an animal noise come from her throat. When the officer moved to look at her, and she got a look at the jacket the body was wearing, she started screaming.
Part Two
It was nearly four o'clock in the morning when Angel walked back into his basement apartment outside of Los Angeles. He tiredly tossed his keys onto the counter and looked straight at the smiling picture facing him. He kept it there because, sometimes, when he came home to that empty apartment, he would pretend that she was there waiting for him to come home, safe and sound.
"Hey, there Buffy. It was a quiet night out there. I'm hoping that it was for you too," he said as he traced her smile with a finger. Angel's slight smile disappeared when he heard nothing except the faint humming of the refridgerator. "Hell, it's just another night like always. No one here except you, dead guy."
Angel's eyes looked around his apartment with little interest. There were pieces of furniture that he had aquired after he left Sunnydale. He really didn't take anything from his apartment there, for him it was all apart of his atonement. He left with Whistler, taking nothing with him, except for the clothes on his back and the one picture of Buffy. He still maintained the apartment in Sunnydale, though. He wanted it to be there for the Someday when he would return, whenever that was. It would have been wiser for him to give it all up, but he was still having a little trouble letting go. For now, he left the keys to Buffy, for her to use whenever she felt the need to be alone was strong.
Absently, he walked over to the armoire facing his bed and started changing clothes, He looked over to the sketch that he made of her and smiled wryly at himself. There was something of the Irish in himself still that he would want the picture of his sweetheart looking over him. For now, hers was the face that he wanted to see when he woke up and the last thing that he wanted to see when he was falling asleep. Not even Whistler knew that he had drawn the picture, he had always covered it with clothing that he deliberately tossed over it. It was a private thing.
Angel felt a chill go through him. Cocking his head, he waited to see if he could identify it. Sometimes he got a feeling when there was another demon near and sometimes whenever he sensed something was wrong. But now, after that chill, there was nothing. And that was odd.
[I should get something to eat. It's been two days since I had something.] thought Angel absently as he turned on the T.V. set on the way to the fridge. He was somewhat aware that the early morning news was starting as he tightened the drawstrings of his sweats.
He picked a packet and started drinking with a faint look of resignation and disgust on his face. [And here's why you'll never again be apart of this human race again. It's too late for you, Angel, my boy. Too late.] Angel started to drink again when his ears suddenly focused on the early morning news.
"And in the local news. Police have found the body of a young woman on the waterfront outside of Sunnydale. This young woman seemed to be the victim of a violent gang related crime. The young lady is beleived to be an Elizabeth "Buffy" Summers. She is the second of such crimes on the waterfront. Other news--"
"No! No!" hollered Angel at he grabbed the t.v. But Buffy's smiling face was looking at him. Grabbing it, he flung it against the wall as he ran to the stairs outside. “She’s not dead! That’s not her! Sunnydale!”
[I have to get to Sunnydale. I have to go to her!] he thought wildly as he ran upstairs. Flinging open the door, he was repulsed by the stream of sunlight. "No!"screamed Angel in agony. It was daylight, the sun was shining, the people were coming to life and his world was starting to crumble. It was the begining of hell.
As Angel huddled himself close to the wall, he forced himself to think."O.K. Angel, calm down. Gotta think this through. Gotta get to Sunnydale alive, not as a pile of dust. She has to be alive. Buffy’s tough. She’s smart. She’s alive. She just has to. Or God help the one that killed her."
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[This is all wrong! Buffy’s not here! She’s not! She’s at home sleeping and getting ready to go to L.A! She’s not dead!]thought Willow frantically. Her legs started to take a life of their own.”This way to the coroner’s office!”
Oz frantically tried to run ahead of Willow to prevent her from running into the coroner’s office first. He smelled dried blood and a whisper of the sea. And Buffy’s floral perfume. He ran faster to try and overtake Willow.
[She ain't in there. She's Buffy. She's NOT dead!] thought Xander as hysterics started coming into his throat. His legs took him faster as he raced behind Willow.
Cordelia panted as she kept up behind Xander.[This was insane! Buffy would never be killed by the wharf! She’d know better than to be killed in a disgusting place like that! Buffy would never miss a shopping trip with her dad, so that’s not Buffy!]
Xander and Willow burst into the coroner's office with Cordelia and Oz right behind them as the technician was starting to push a body away. Pausing only for a second, they saw a familiar tweed clad figure turning towards them in what seemed like an eternal moment. A painful eternal moment.
Giles swung around and started to intercept them as they started to shout.[Oh, God! They're here! What do I tell them?]
"That's not her! Where is she?"Xander shouted as Giles caught him by the shoulders. Willow dodged past Giles and ran right into the arms of the coroner. "Let me see! It's not her, it can't be Buffy!"
Then gently, the Brittish voice said as he held the boy tightly in his arms,"It's Buffy. Don't look. I and her mother have seen her."
The coroner grabbed Willow as he growled at her,”Who the hell are you? This is a restricted area!”
Oz was shaken as he pulled Willow from the coroner’s grasp, but still he held her tightly. Facing away from what was...left of Buffy.”Will...”
As the coroner stood aside blocking Willow’s view of the body, Cordelia’s hands covered her mouth.
"Oz, let me go! I have to see!! Oz! That’s not her! It’s not Buffy!" cried Willow from his arms as she struggled against her boyfriend's strength. Oz only held her tighter, and facing away from the body.
"No, baby. I'm not gonna let you. You don't wanna see," he said softly. And then looked at Giles. The librarian looked as if he had aged overnight. His clothes rumpled and his glasses placed awkwardly on his face. The man did not look good, and he was still trying to block Xander from seeing what was left of Buffy. The younger man was trying to push him away, but Giles would not budge.
"Oh, my God!" said Cordelia in a horrified tone. Everyone swung to look at her. Her brown eyes were filled with horror as she looked upon the uncovered body. The sneakers were well worn with several faded areas in the jeans. Her pink tank top was all bloodied. And there was no face. It was gone, all that there was, all that could be seen was a mass of blonde hair. "Oh, My God!"
Cordelia looked at Buffy's bloody body and started to scream in earnest. Willow tried to look past the coroner's body, but was roughly shoved back into Oz's arms. He forcefully pulled Willow's head down onto his shoulder. He saw what was left of Buffy on the table, and had no buring desire to let his girl see what was left of her best friend.
The coroner, growling curses at himself, went over to the nearby table and grabbed another sheet.
Xander pushed Giles away and went to take Cordy into his arms, his eyes reflecting the horror of what he had seen. He stroked her head and turned her away from the sight. She quieted and muffled her cries into soft mews into his sweater. The coroner quickly covered Buffy with a sheet. It was then that Oz let go of Willow from his arms, but not from his hand. He stood close, ready to stop her should she even try to get to the body.
"What are you four doing in here?" he demanded, then looked at the man called Giles for an explaination."How the hell did you kids get in here? Mr. Giles, do you know who these people are?"
"They are-were friends of hers," he said tiredly. The coroner immediately softened his belligerent stance.
"Oh, god. You poor kids," he said softly. Xander looked at the man, his eyes pleading him to deny what he was asking.”I’m so sorry.”
"Was the body identified yet?" he asked in a wobbly voice. Xander looked at Giles, and knew by his stance what the answer would be, but was hoping that it wasn't.
"The body of Ms. Summers was identified through the license that she had in her jacket," the coroner said coolly. Willow looked at him pleadingly. Her voice holding a false hope. "But jackets and id could be stolen. It happens all the time!"
As his shoulders slumped lower, Giles's weary voice sounded loud in that quiet little room that had the generator working."Willow, Buffy's mother and I identified the body. It was her."
Xander's eyes grew round at the implication. Cordelia's head looked at the Britian in shock."Buffy's mom?"
"Yes, Ms. Summers identified the jacket and body with Mr.Giles before she was sedated,"the coroner said softly. Never had he seen such looks of utter devastation on five faces. The mother's he could understand, but these five. The Englishman was only a librarian and bookstore owner, while the others seemed to be close friends. It looked like they had lost the most important person in the world, and the end of the world would be near."Mr. Giles, now that you have signed the papers, I think that it would be best if you took a look at Ms. Summers. She would have come out of her sedation right now. Tell her that her daughter will be released in two more days."
The Englishman tiredly nodded his head as he indicated for the four young adults to leave with him. The coroner looked at them and nodded his head in pity. So young and too pretty to die. At least, from what he could of what was left of her. It was a pity that one Buffy Summers was dead. He absently wondered if she had a good life and had said all that she wanted to say to her friends. If she hadn't, it was now too late.
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Part Three
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Buffy shook her head groggily before she too a mental inventory of how she was feeling. [I think a mack truck hit me. I haven't felt this way since Willow got engaged to Oz.]
"Oh, are we up yet Slayer? I dreamed you were going to be here and that you were going to hurt," cooed a voice that made Buffy's blood freeze. She sharply lifted her head which immediately caused it to go spinning. "Oh, yes! We are up! Now for the fun to begin!"
"Not in this lifetime, Drucilla,"muttered Buffy. She tried to move to attack her, but found that her arms and legs were chained to the wall. [Not again. Went through this with Snake boy, don't need to repeat the experience again.]
Buffy looked at the vampric form of Drucilla in the dim light. The mad vampire was wearing a leather outfit with a pair of cowboy boots that made her look like a pale cowgirl biker babe. [What IS it with vampires and leather?]"Don't you have anything else to wear? Those boots really don't match the outfit."
"Shut up!" said Drucilla sweetly as she slapped Buffy hard in the face repeatedly. "You've been a naughty Slayer! Naughty! You deserve to die for what you and Spike did to my Angel! I took care of Spike before I left him and now I'll take care of you-"
Buffy looked wide-eyed as Drucilla was flung to the far wall by some mysterious force. Well, not as mysterious, for Lady Lilith was standing right behind her with a pack of vampires. She had an annoyed look on her face. "I told you Drucilla, there was no harm to come to the Slayer! Now be good or else I'll eat you!"
Drucilla wimpered ,"I didn't mean to disobey you, my lady! I was-"
"I am not interested in you exscuses, Drucilla," said Lilith coldly as her hair swirled around her like angry snakes. One strand grabbed Drucilla and started to choke her."I think that you should learn a small lesson, my insane little pet."
Instantly, Drucilla started to struggle madly. But before Buffy's widened eyes, she saw the insane vampire weaken abruptly in the glowing tentacles of hair and saw that the vampire's skin turn to a sickly green. Just as abruptly the glow stopped, and the tentacles threw Drucilla again against the far wall,
"I only took some of your energy as a lesson to you, Drucilla," said Lilith coldly. Then she looked at the other vampires who started to cower away from her."Let this be a lesson to all of you. Anyone who hurts this Slayer before the full moon, I will eat. Is that understood?" The vampires all bowed their heads in understanding. Lilith looked at Buffy with kinder eyes."Are you all right Slayer?"
"Who are you? What's with the Medusa look?"asked Buffy angrily. Defiance was better than fear.
"I am Lady Lilith, not Medusa," she said calmly,"And you are safe enough for now."
"Until the full moon."
"Yes."
"What happens then?"
Lilith smiled sadly at her. A sad smile that only Buffy could see."Then my little Slayer, you and this whole world shall die."
Buffy looked at Lilith defiantly."My friends will come and find me."
Lilith gave her a small smile."No, Slayer, they think that you are dead. It is safer for them to think that, because you will soon be."
"What-" Buffy started to say, then she remembered what happened at the pier. The girl's body. Her jacket. The gunshots to the dead girl's face."No."
"Yes. And even if they do know that you are not dead. It will be too late. I have waited for you for ten thousand years, Slayer. I will not let you go, and you will help me destroy the world."
Buffy nodded her denial. Lilith turned to the other vampires."Take her, we must move from this place at once. We cannot have our plans be interrupted even for the slightest moment. Be gentle with her."
Lilith turned to walk away, then faced the still crumbled form of Drucilla. “You may follow, but do not anger me or touch the Slayer again. Defy me if you will, and I will make you suffer."
Drucilla wimpered her answer."Yes, my lady Lilith."
Buffy started to struggle against the vampires, but it was to no avail. There were too many, and she didn't even have a toothpick on her. [Great. Just *great*. And to top it all off, my clothes are a mess and my new shoes are ruined.]
Part Four
Everyone gathered at Buffy's house. It was dead quiet now in the middle of the afternoon. Giles placed Joyce into her bedroom while the Slayerettes all took care of the phone calls that came to the house. Willow started cleaning the counter in the kitchen while Xander and Oz were outside mowing the lawn. Cordelia was resetting the magazines and papers that were around the living room. Then she looked through them before resetting them again.
Giles came down the stairs from Joyce's room, and looked at his young friends absently. It was odd to see that the four were cleaning the Summers house, but there was nothing that else to do. Buffy was dead.
[His Slayer was dead. Buffy Summers was dead.] That thought kept echoing through out his mind as he blindly sat in the armchair. Suddenly, his mind jumped to the conversation he and Joyce had after he took her home.
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"Joyce," Giles began in a hoarse whisper. But Joyce just looked at him with those crushed brown eyes of hers. They were gleaming from held back tears and her mouth was trembling. Giles had never thought that he would see her like this, but then, for so long, he had never thought that he would have to face this day. The day that his Slayer was dead, the day that Buffy, the pride and trial of his Watcher existence, was dead. "Joyce, please."
She ignored Giles, she could not face the Englishman just yet. She would not crumple in front of him, her daughter's Watcher. She was just to fragile. "I have to lie down, I don't feel very well. Buffy is-was supposed to vist him today, but he called to say that he got stuck in Thailand. When I told Hank, he said that he is coming over as soon as he could. I wasn't-I wasn’t supposed to make the arrangements without him."
"Joyce,"Giles began softly. "I know how you feel-"
Joyce Summers whirled around, he face furious."YOU KNOW HOW I FEEL?!? I think that you know nothing of how I feel! I just lost my daughter! You know nothing of how I feel!"
Giles glared to her. He was hurting too, dammit!"I was her Watcher!"
"And a fine job that you did! You weren't watching over her!"shouted Joyce angrily. "My daughter is dead!"
Giles looked as if she had slapped him in the face, but Joyce was too angry, too sad and too much into her rage to stop now. Tears flooded her face, anguish too raw carved into her."I have tried so hard after she ran away to accept that she was the Slayer. That she was going to have a limited life. I tried so hard not to worry about what night she wasn't going to come back home. And in the end it was of no use. My daughter was still killed, and she died alone. Again. With no one there. And this time, she isn't going to come back. She is never going to come back. And there isn't anything that you can say to make it better!"
“My baby is dead. Buffy is dead,”Joyce cried out in a low moan as she crumpled into herself and fell on the floor, too much in pain to cry. “Buffy..”
Alarmed, Giles lifted her silent curled figure, and sat on the edge of the bed. Holding her tightly against his chest, he vividly remembered the last time he held her like this was when Buffy had run away. He tucked her head under his chin, and simply held her as her grief and his washed over them both.
After a deep breath, Joyce saw the effect that her words had on him, and was sorry. Through crushed eyes and with trembling hands, she reached for him. He caught her hands and held them as if they were a life line. Slowly, she untangled her hands from his. His eyes filled with despair as she pulled away from him.”Joyce....I-”
“Shhh,”she whispered as she placed her hands against the sides of his face, he closed his eyes as if he was seeking strength and control just from her trembling touch.
Her lips trembled as she kissed him on the cheek, she was so sorry. So very sorry. [He loved Buffy too, in his own way. She was his Slayer, and He was her Watcher. It was his duty to help, guide and protect his Slayer at all costs. And he failed her just like I did.] Joyce thought.
She closed her eyes as she whispered to him."Rupert, I'm sorry, I know that it wasn't your fault, and I didn't mean half the things that I said, but I don't think that you understand yet. There will always be another Chosen One, another Vampire Slayer. But I will never have another daughter, another Buffy. And I can't stand the thought of my little girl being gone."
"Joyce," Giles said softly as he held on to her hands, pleading for her to understand. Wanting her forgiveness for not protecting her only child. "I know. There was no warning, nothing to say that we knew that she would die last night. Nothing. It was supposed to be a slow night."
Joyce untangled herself from the comfort of his arms. And wrapped her own around herself."I know, she just went there out of a feeling. And now she's gone, and we have to deal with it. It wasn't your fault that she's dead, I know. But I can't help wanting that she wasn't alone when she died or that she wasn't the Slayer. Do you understand?"
Giles nodded. Of course he would understand, he would say that he did even if he didn’t. Just to comfort her. Joyce looked at the laughing picture of herself and Buffy beside her bed."Please, I have to be alone. Tell the kids that I'll say good-bye when they leave."
Giles nodded his head as turned to leave. When he started to shut the door, all that he saw was Joyce, one moment facing the window holding the picture of her and Buffy, then her body slowly folded over, holding her pain inside. He savagely quelled the urge to take her in his arms again as he shut the door.
Through the closed door, he heard muffled sobs that followed in his mind down the stairs.
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"Giles? Earth to Giles? Come in Giles."
"Hm?" said Giles. He shook his head and saw four pairs of eyes looking at him. "Yes?"
"Xander, why are you and Oz so dirty?"
Oz and Xander looked at their clothes absently. Oz shrugged."We were mowing the lawn to kill off excess energy. Willow cleaned the kitchen and Cordy rambled through the mags. Nothing big done."
"So what's the deal?" asked Xander."What do we do now?"
Puzzled Giles looked at the boy. "What do you mean?"
"I mean, something had to have killed Buffy. Some great evil that she wasn't ready for, so we're gonna even the score. So what do we do now?" Xander asked impatiently. Cordelia nodded her agreement. Giles looked at their determined faces and lead them all to the living room.
[They were right. The thing that killed Buffy must be stopped. That is the only way to avenge her death.] thought Giles determinedly. He was going to avenge the death of his Slayer. And may the heavens help him.
"Well, I think that we had better start with finding out what happened at the pier. Then we could decide what happened to Buffy and act accordingly," decided Giles. ”We have to find out what was there on the docks last night, and search for evidence of what happened. Then we’ll find out what happened to Buffy.”
"And then we'll find my daughter's killer," announced Joyce from the top of the stairs. Everyone swung their heads to look at the Slayer's mother. "And that thing will pay for killing Buffy. I swear it."
"Ms. Summers, are you all right?"asked Willow hesitantly. Joyce smiled slightly to the red-haired girl. She was her daughter's best friend. "I'm fine dear, just feeling a bit vengeful right now."
"I think Joyce-"began Giles. Suddenly, there was the screeching of tires in the driveway. As Joyce and everyone went to look, they saw a black clad figure bound out of the black car and head toward the door. The hard pounding on the door caused Joyce to run and open it before the hinges of the door would break off.
"Angel!"said Joyce, stunned as he grabbed her by the shoulders. He held her painfully.”Ow!”
"Joyce! Where is she?" Angel said frantically. "Where's Buffy? It was a joke, right? She's not...She can't be..."
Gently, Giles touched Angel's shoulder. He spoke to the cursed vampire not unkindly."Buffy is dead, Angel. She died early this morning. She was shot in the face with two bullets. And there was dust all over her. Buffy's dead."
"No! It’s not true!"Angel howled. He was about to run out the door when Joyce grabbed his arm to force him to face her. She recoiled in shock when she realized that his game face was on.
"I'm gonna find out who did this and I'm gonna torture him,"Angel growled. Giles grabbed the vampire's arm.
"That's what we're all going to do. But it doesn't help to go off half cocked, Angel. We must plan a course of action," Giles said sternly. Angel glared at the Watcher, then returned his face to normal.
"Well, now where were we?"
"We were at the point where we were trying to find out what happened to Buffy. What demon would take guns and shoot someone in the face?" Cordelia said tactlessly."What?"
"Sensitive much?" said Xander as he nodded his head silently towards Buffy's mother whose face was white.”Ignore her, it’s the foundation that’s settled in her head.”
"Not many vampires or demons would do that. Demons have claws and teeth,"said Angel musingly as he forcefully thought about Cordelia’ remark.”Vampires often take...some piece of evidence that they had killed a Slayer. Or allowed another to watch as they killed one, so that it could be recorded...To use a gun is unusual.”
"Yeah, and that Buffy's dead because of this, I mean, why not suck her dry? Or have no body at all? I mean, remember when the swim team left their skin and all their clothes when they turned into a fish? It wouldn't have hurt Buffy to ditch her clothes and those old shoes she was wearing if she was turned into a fish," said Cordelia. Again the eyes were staring at her. [There were times like these when her rambling made her the focus of attention that was less that adoring. If they don't want my input, why am I here?]
"What?" whispered Buffy's mother. Xander looked at her and added consolingly. "Don't mind her, she has too much conditioner on. Makes her babble more."
Cordelia glared at Xander, but Joyce ignored them. She ran into the side closet and started throwing shoes around.”Shoes!”
"Joyce, what-"started Giles, wondering if Cordelia's words had some effect on the woman. A shoe hit him on the head.
"Aha!" shouted Joyce as she triumphantly held a pair of old sneakers for everyone to see. She hugged them tightly to her breast."Look!"
"At what, Ms.Summers?" asked Willow hesitantly as she knelt beside Buffy’s mother. Joyce looked at her owlishly.
"Buffy and I were talking about her shoes last night. She was wearing her new ones and didn't want me to know. The body was wearing old sneakers,"said Joyce expectantly. The others could not follow her, but Willow did.
"So that body was not Buffy, and that means-"
"That Buffy is ALIVE!" shouted Joyce happily. She hugged Buffy’s old sneakers to her breast as that thought washed over her.
Giles's head was reeling with this new information. "Are-Are you sure?"
Joyce glared at him. "I know my daughter Rupert. She would never wear something old unless she had something new. Never."
Willow nodded happily.”Yeah. Buffy like to wear new clothes as soon as she gets them, Giles. It’s a girl thing.”
"But then where is she?" asked Angel quietly." Where is Buffy?"
Part Five
Joyce looked at the shoes that she held in her hands and hugged them tightly to her chest. They were dirty, smelly and had spots of blood on them, but they were beautiful. "Buffy's shoes," she whispered, and them found Willow's face near hers. Her soft brown eyes were filled with tremulous hope.
Willow reached a finger to touch those shoes that Buffy's mother held in her arms. [These are Buffy's. Maybe, please God please, let her be alive]thought Willow as a rush of hope went through her.
"Joyce, how can you be sure that Buffy-" Giles started. Joyce looked at her daughter's Watcher with a slight smile, then slowly rose, still clutching the shoes to her breast.
"Because, Rupert, I know my daughter and it’s a girl thing," she said patiently. "Buffy would never wear anything old, if she had something new to wear. You have no idea of how many things that I've had to hide from her in order to get her to wear the stuff that she already has."
"Yeah,"Willow agreed feverently."Buffy would *never* wear anything old if there was a new outfit. She even borrowed her mom's new silk aqua blouse once."
"My new one? The one that I hid at the back of my closet?" Joyce interrupted with a frown as she looked at Willow." *I* haven't even had a chance to wear it yet!"
Willow looked at Joyce with a red face."Uhh...Well..."
Oz, having mercy on his fiancée, covered for her."So, then dead she's not. That's great!"
"Yes, she's alive," said Joyce with no small relief.”Buffy is ALIVE!”
Xander let out a shout. "Buffy's NOT dead! That's great!"
"So then, where is she?" Angel asked out loud in frustration."Where is Buffy?"
Xander looked at the vampire in extreme dislike."Thank you undead guy for allowing us to have that extremely small happy. Always knew we that we could count on you to bring such a downer."
Angel simply glared at Xander and was about to reply when Giles spoke up to avoid the cutting words between the two. "Yes, that is what I would like to know myself. The question is where is Buffy if she is not the dead person in the morgue?"
"My question is, why is that dead body in the morgue?" asked Cordelia. Everyone focused their attention at her and she gave them an annoyed look."What? I mean, like I'm not being morbid much but don't you guys think that it's way freaky that there's a body in the morgue that looks like Buffy's?"
"Oh, God,"whispered Joyce. She dropped Buffy's old shoes and grabbed at Rupert's arm. Her nails dug into it so hard that he winced slightly. "Rupert, Buffy...she called me from the pier. She said that she had a feeling that told her to go down to the pier last night. Everything that has happened since last night has to have been planned!"
"What are you talking about?" asked a bewildered Xander. Joyce didn't seem to hear him as she was pacing around the foyer. Thoughts whirling around her head.
"Buffy, when she called said that there was a strange feeling that was calling her to the docks. Then we find a dead body that was covered with vampire dust and Buffy's jacket, which had her id. The face was blown off, but there was enough evidence to convince all of us, even her own mother that she was dead. But why?"Joyce said, her thoughts whirling in her head so much, she had to grab Giles’s arm for support. Her nails dug into his arm, but Giles made no sound as he covered her hand his.
"And who?" asked Willow."I mean, vampires don't normally go around with guns blowing people's heads off. Right, Angel?"
"Especially a Slayer's," said Angel slowly."If one vampire kills a Slayer, there has to be definite proof that the ancient enemy of the vampires is dead. The drained body of a Slayer would often do for most vampires."
Angel looked up from his brooding and saw Joyce's hard brown eyes looking at him for a moment before she quickly turned away. Angel hesitated before he spoke softly to her. [She's Buffy's mother. She knows that I love her, but she doesn't trust me with her so long as she remembers me trying to hurt Buffy.]"I'm sorry Joyce, but you know that Buffy is the Slayer...And I would never hurt her-"
Giles covered Joyce’s hand with his free one. He looked from her face to Angel’s pained one. Then back to hers. She was giving him the same shuttered look that he had often received after Buffy had run away. It took a long time and much effort of his part to remove that look from her eyes. Studying her, he wondered if she would ever look at him with warmth again.
"Let's just leave it Angel," said Joyce brusquely."I can't think about that tonight. I just want to know one thing right now, who? Rupert, who do you think would plan it?"
"Who planned what?" asked Giles, and received an impatient look from Joyce. Xander looked at Giles in puzzlement.
"Yo, G-man, you okay? You look like you were distracted for a moment there." Giles saw the concern floating in their eyes and reddened. [What the devil should I say?]
"I was thinking of the amount of work that has to be done in order to find Buffy. [Liar] And, ah-wondering if Joyce would stop digging her nails into my arm because even through the tweed, it's starting to hurt me a bit." Joyce looked at Giles sheepishly as she let go of his arm.
"Right. Thank you. Now to assess the situation: One, Buffy is missing. Two, someone has put a great deal of planning to allow everyone who knows her to think that she is dead."
"And the million dollar question is: Why?" asked Xander.
"Yeah, why go through all this planning to get Buffy?" asked Cordelia. "I mean, she's the Slayer, and every bade in two wants to off her, but why go through this huge production?"
"My question is: Who would want Buffy bad enough to go through this entire production?"said Oz. When he saw the puzzled looks, he elaborated. "Vampires want to kill the Slayer, I'm down on the info on that, and every bad dude wants to off her because she screws up their plans, but not any of them would care enough to put a big production to make us think that she was dead. So who wants us to think that she was dead and why would that person want to?"
"So," said Angel "I guess that the plan is to find out who or what took Buffy and why. We have to split up."
"Right," said Giles as he looked at everyone and started to assign groups. "Angel, you find out what you can. Oz, Xander and Cordelia, both of you go down to the pier and see if anyone had heard or seen anything. Willow, I think that you and I should start on the research. Joyce, I think that you should come with us after you call the coroner about that dead girl."
"No, Rupert, I don't think so,"said Joyce calmly, though she was clenching her hands together.”I’m going with Angel.”
"Beg pardon?" asked Giles asked as looked at her. Everyone took a step back as the anticipated a brief, but active argument between the Slayer's mother and the Watcher.
"I'm going with Angel after I call the coroner's,"said Joyce calmly. Her chocolate brown eyes met with Rupert's."I have to know who might have my daughter. And I have to know if she is alive. If I stay inside that library with you, I'll go crazy with the wondering, Rupert. Buffy's my only child. I have to go. I need to go."
Rupert reluctantly nodded his head after a quick look at Angel. The vampire had simply nodded slightly. "Both of you will be careful? Joyce? Angel?"
“We’ll be fine, Rupert. Don’t be such a worry wort,” Joyce said as she started up the stairs.”Let me just get my jacket, Angel”
Xander looked at Giles worriedly.”You think that it’s a good idea for her to go with Angel, Giles? He’s not exactly going to get info from the nicer parts of Sunnydale. Maybe we should all leave now before she comes down.”
Giles quirked an eyebrow at the boy.“And have her go haring off on her own after she dismembers me and Angel? That’s a splendid idea, Xander. A wonderful way for her to get hurt on her own.”
Xander grimaced.”Just a thought. I forgot what happened the last time we tried doing that.”
Giles nodded as he turned to look at Angel.”Angel. I need not-”
"I'll take care of Joyce," said Angel quietly to him. Then gave a slight grin to Giles. "Besides, if I let anything happen to her and Buffy finds out about it, she'd kick me until I was black and blue. Not to mention what you would do to me, Giles."
Giles's face flushed at the implication. [Bloody hell. Does that man know that I'm starting to look at Joyce differently?] He cleared his throat."Well, then let's get started. Buffy has to be found and fast."
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"Well, my dear, I'm sorry about the chains, but after those two attempts of escape, you left me no choice,"said Lilith calmly."I had to restrain you."
Buffy's glazed eyes simply could not focus on Lilith's face. Involuntarily she tugged at the chains that were wrapped around her. Lilith's face simply clouded with concern. With a single look, she dismissed the vampire guards.
"Don't do that, child. You will simply hurt yourself," chided Lilith in her sing song voice. She outstretched her arms."Look at this small place here, this will be our temporary abode for now. We must get to the edge of town, to that special place that I have prepared for us, soon. You would like it, I think. It is quite beautiful, and so much more comfortable than this place. I am sorry, Slayer, but we must travel slowly. More vampires are joining us as we travel, and I need every one of them."
"Why?" croaked Buffy. Her throat was sore and her body ached. Though the vamps that had her didn't physically hurt her, they weren't exactly gentle when they put her up and down from their breaks of carrying her. "So the army can feed on a one Slayer? Isn't that like having one plate at a banquet? How cheesy!"
Lilith's eyes were very serious when she looked at Buffy."Child,these vampires will never feed on you. When you die, you will feel no pain. I can promise you that. Instead you will feel a great release from this life that you have. Indeed you will."
"How very fortunate for me, but I've been dead so I've been there and done that already, and now I'm ready to move on." sneered Buffy. Lilith gave her an amused smile.
"Yes, I know that you've been there and done that dead scene. That's why I need you so, child. It's because you have risen from the dead again. I told you, I have been waiting for you for the past ten thousand years,"said Lilith. Then she leaned over to whisper,"That's why you and all these vampires that are gathering around me are all going to die."
Lilith smiled brightly at Buffy's shocked face before she turned to call the vampires back."Well,boys, guard her. But don't hurt her. Some of you can go and get something to eat, but the others must stay and watch her. Go in shifts. I'll be back later."
Lilith gave Buffy a stern look."Be good child. I'm off to get you something to eat."
Part Six
BAM! "Now, one more time Willie, do you have anything to tell me?" said Angel pleasantly as he started pushing the smaller man's head into the bar table.
"Hey, man! You can't do this! I'm outta the loop! I don't know nothin' 'bout your girl disappearin'! I swear!"shouted Willie as best her could from under Angel's hand. Angel pulled the smaller man from the table and brought his face closer to his. Angel's game face caused the snitch to squirm.
"I think that you know something, so you had better spill it out right now!" Angel threatened through his teeth. "Or else everything could get pretty ugly, and soon."
A figure from the doorway came into the dank and dirty little bar that was hidden from most pedestrian sight. The figure looked around at the scene, and took in the damage that was done. Chairs were broken, glass all over the floor. smelly food that was all over. There was a musty odor to the place when she came in, and now, it was overwhelming. It was not clean place, and the two men had, in some way and some how made the dirty little bar even dirtier. Carefully stepping over the debris, she walked over to the two men. [Well, the small man and the vampire.]she amended.
"Angel,"said Joyce quietly."Let him go."
"Huh?"Angel said as he spun around. He looked at Joyce and frowned as his face reverted back to normal."But-"
"Angel,"Joyce said more severely as she pulled Willie from Angel's grip."I said let him go."
Angel looked stunned as he saw Buffy's mother lead the little worn to the bar counter and seat him there. Willie, himself, looked a bit disoriented at what was going on. "Are you all right? Here, let me wipe that blood off your lip."
As she started wiping Willie's lip with a discarded napkin, Angel frowned in confusion. [What the hell is going on? Why is she here?]
"I thought that I told you to stay in the car,"Angel said as he approached the two. Willie cringed at the menacing sight Angel made. Joyce frowned at her daughter's boyfriend.
"You did...but I could hardly stay in there with all the noise that you two were making,"she said as she frowned. Joyce looked at her handiwork and smiled gently to Willie."Hello, who are you? Do you own this place?"
"I-I'm Willie. Yeah, I own this joint,"he stammered. He darted a quick look at Angel. The blonde woman seemed to have a pull on Angel. Which was fine by him."What's it to you?"
Angel growled at the disrespect that Willie showed to Buffy's mother.
"Nothing. I'm just sure that you see a lot of activity that goes on around here,"said Joyce brightly. Willie looked at her suspiciously. But Joyce continued blithely on,"I'm sure that an observant gentleman like yourself could see the changing patterns in his business. I know that I can."
"Wha? Oh, you mean if the regulars come in or not and all that stuff," said Willie. When Joyce smiled at his brightly, Willie started to relax a little. As long as she kept that homicidal Angel from beating on him, she was o.k. "What kind of business you got?"
"I run a gallery."
"Where they get art and stuff like that?" Willie frowned,"I don't know much about art and stuff. Never saw the need for it."
"I understand, some people don't. But I can tell that when a person likes something from a certain artist, a little bell goes off in my mind to get more of that artist's work. That way I'd sell more. No use in buying things if it's just going to sit there,"said Joyce as she looked at Willie politely. Angel started to come closer, but he saw the militant look in Joyce's eyes that told him to stay where he was."Think that works the same for this place of yours?"
"Yeah, it kinda does. Gotta have the stock that the people buy. Or else it stays like forever."
"Have you stocked up alot of liquor lately?"
"Nah, that stuff doesn't sell as much anymore. Used to, but not with all the laws nowadays. Sell more pig's blood now though" said Willie, then he clammed up when he realized to what he said. Joyce pretended to ignore what he said.
"Yes, the government seem to have a handle on everything these days. Even on art. Do you still get a lot of your regular drinkers in these days?"Joyce asked innocently. Willie looked at her. He couldn't tell if she was really an innocent in knowing at what he did or if she was stupid. Plus she really looked familiar.
"I still get them. More new people though,"he said under his breath. Joyce looked at him. [I don't think that he's going to tell me anything else. I wonder if I should let Angel handle the rest...]
Joyce darted a glance at Angel and saw that he was getting impatient, but he was listening to what Willie was telling him. [I don't think so.]
"Willie, look at me,"said Joyce gently. She waited until he looked at her. "Willie, you know that there is something going on with the vampires. You know them, and you see a lot of them. The Slayer is missing, and I think that you may have an idea why."
Willie looked at this strange lady that was looking at him intently."I dunno why the Slayer's gone, I ain't got no love for the super-chick. She beat me up the last time I saw her. But I ain't got no love for them vamps either. It's all just business, see?"
"Yes, I do Willie, but what we need to know is, do you know alot of the vampires that have been coming in?"
"Nah, seen alot of new faces. And that freaky chick of Spike's. She came in with a cowboy, they were all giggling and making happy faces with each other, you know what I mean?" said Willie hopefully."I ain't got no love for them, but they're my main source of business, you know what I mean? So I can't make 'em angry. Understand?"
"I do, Willie. And I also know that you also are afraid that they'd do something to hurt you, but I think that I should tell you, you won't have Angel to fear if anything happens to the Slayer," she said to Willie calmly. Joyce nodded to Angel and he started to leave as she started to rise from her seat." he won't be the worst thing that you should be afraid of."
Willie looked at her suspiciously as he also rose from his seat."Yeah? Well, wanna tell me who have I got to be more afraid of than the vamps and Angel here?"
Joyce looked at Willie straight in the eye for a moment. And she smiled so sweetly at him, his money-grubbing heart went cold. After a moment, Willie had to look away. "Me."
"Who the hell are you?" asked Willie to Joyce's retreating back.
Joyce smiled coldly at him as she walked back to the smaller man. She stood nose to nose as she looked down at him."I'm the Slayer's mother. And *God* help you if you know something that could save my daughter's life. And if she's dead, I'll come after you!"
Willie's mouth dropped down as Joyce left the bar. [Damn! I never knew that the Slayer had a mother!]
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Angel waited for Joyce nearby the car. He opened the door for her and Joyce got into the driver's seat. Neither said a word to the other. Joyce started the car, but didn't start to drive.
"There are more vampires in town."
"Yes. It means more trouble, something's going on."
Joyce sighed."It's not hard to find that it means that they have something to do with Buffy's disappearance." She looked at Angel and saw him studying her. "Drucilla's back in town."
"Yes, and that means so is Spike."
"I think that we had better tell Rupert this,"said Joyce calmly as she started to drive towards her house. [Please, God! Let Buffy be all right! And let Spike and Drucilla not be here!]
Neither noticed the figure that came from the shadows to watch the two drive away.
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"Well, hello there sweet thing," drawled a familiar voice. Buffy opened one eye, and groaned. It was Lyle Gorch, the friendly little demon who burned down that village before he was a vamp. He reached over and pulled Buffy up by her chains."Fancy meetin' you here, sweetheart. Guess you're all tied up for now."
"Hello there you hick,"Buffy said, her voice mocking his drawl."Still applying for some brains?"
"Now, why don't you be nice? 'Specially since yer all tied up?"
"Why don't you just disappear?"
"Well, now, I don't think so, 'specially since this Lilith gal is supposed to have this big shindig soon an' promised to have a gay old time for us vampires,"drawled Lyle pleasently."Think I'll start by bashin' yer face in for Tector."
"Who do we have here?" said a voice gently. Buffy stifled another groan. [This is turning into a long reunion meeting from hell.]
Drucilla looked at the vampire that was holding Buffy by the chains and ready to punch the Slayer. Her eyes lit up as she looked at the cowboy vampire's bulky, yet well kept, shape. "Hello. Who are you?"
Lyle Gorch looked at the beautiful vampire and lost his long dead heart."Well, HeLLo there, ma'am. You're just about the prettiest thing that I've ever seen. Name's Lyle Gorch, and I have some business with the Slayer."
Drucilla giggled in pleasure."I'm Drucilla and I'm a princess."
"That you certainly are, pretty."
"Why don't you two just leave before you make me yak," Buffy taunted. Both vampires glared at her."Both of you are gross and no doubtably make a good couple: The loony and the dip. Didn't they make a movie about that?"
"Why you little pest,"snarled Lyle as he brought his fist back to punch her. Drucilla quickly held back his arm and looked at her in puzzlement."Wha-?"
"I tried to hurt the Slayer, Lilith got mad and tried to eat me. She said that if anyone hurts the Slayer before the night of the full moon, they will die,"said Drucilla sadly."So we can't hurt the bad Slayer yet."
Drucilla paused, then her face brightened suddenly,"Want to come up to my place and see my dollies and Miss Edith?"
Lyle dropped the Slayer hard. Buffy bit her lip from groaning out loud. "I'd love to see your dollies and little Miss Edith, Drucilla. Torture you later, Slayer."
"Yeah, don't come back soon," muttered Buffy. [Giles, Mom, I hope that you figure out what's going on soon.]