Chapter 6 and Epilogue
Catherine Madison raged as she walked down the street. How dare that bitch try and find her! Forget about being patient. Her mother was already near death right now, thanks to the spell she just cast. But the woman was going to die the moment she entered her sacred circle. And so would the rest of those imbeciles that the bitch stayed with. Oh, those Slayerettes would pay for imprisoning her and defying her wishes. They would die slowly, painfully. And there wasn’t going to be much to put in their funeral coffins. And when she was done, she’d get her brat and bastard ex-husband.
“Hey! You!” a voice cried out. Catherine turned around and glared at the source of the voice. ”You Catherine Madison? A witch with a jumpsuit that makes her look fat?”
White with rage, her hand flew out and a lightening bolt struck the vampire. As he was engulfed in flames, she shouted at him. “I am not fat!”
“Get her!” another voice shouted out against a chorus of animal roars. ”And someone get the Slayer.”
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
The vampire ran fast as he could to Willie’s, wondering if he would find the Slayer there. Then he struck something and was on the pavement. ”What the hell?”
“Where’s the fire mate?” asked a familiar voice. The vampire looked up in relief.
“Spike! Great it’s you! A mess, man. Witch is killing Slayer’s mother, Slayer about to go on a rampage if her mom dies. We just found the witch bitch between Whedon and Main, gotta tell Slayer,” the vamp said as he got up to his feet. ”Then Giorgi says we hit on the Slayer and her mom when they’re weak. Or let the witch and Slayer finish each other off. Gotta go.”
Spike lit another cigarette as he headed off to the direction of Whedon and Main.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Buffy slapped Willie again. ”And you have no info? At all? Don’t screw with me Willie, I’m not in the mood.”
“I spread the word, no one’s coming back yet. The place has been empty place since sundown. You’re an hour early, ”Willie protested. ”Need time to get the info.”
“No can do, Willie. We’re all out of time,” Buffy said as she threw Willie to the ground. She looked at Angel. ”Let’s hunt-”
“Slayer!” shouted a voice from the doorway. ”Found the witch. We’re trying to hold her. Witch is fighting somewhere in an empty side street near Whedon and Main. She’s winning so far.”
Buffy nodded as she strode towards the door with Angel. The vampire hastily moved out of her way. She stopped. ”Better leave town tomorrow. Business as usual. First and last warning.”
The vampire nodded, then fainted.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Catherine Madison was getting tired of the stupidity. She threw more lightening bolts out at the last batch of vampires that attacked her.”And that, takes care of that. Stupid vampires, thinking they could take me on with brute force.”
“Oh, I agree. They should have used a bit more cunning,” said a voice from the darkness. Catherine shot an annoyed look at the dark alley.
“Oh, please. Throwing your voice? What is it with you vampires and darkness?” Catherine said as she rolled her eyes.
Spike spun the woman around and grinned at her through his game face. ”Better to confuse you with. You’ve been a very bad, bad witch, Kate.”
She laid on the pavement, her once lovely face smashed beyond recognition, her fingers smashed, jaw, arms and legs broken. Blood gushing from the puncture wounds in her body, her vocal chords barely working, she focused her eyes on the vampire. ”Why?”
Wiping a bloodstain from his cheek, Spike lifted her by her hair. “Going after the Slayer is fine. I’d even help or cheer you on. But going after her mum? That’s a no-no, want to know why? Because I like her. And I take it very personally when someone attacks her. And I take it even more personally when someone tries to kill her. In fact, it puts me in a very bad mood. Homicidal, in fact. Say good night, sweet Kate, you’re not going to be getting a head in this life.”
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Angel lifted his head up into the air suddenly. Buffy looked at him. ”What is it?”
“Screaming.” Buffy followed Angel as he ran quickly to the place. He stopped, then swung Buffy around. ”Don’t look. She’s beheaded and dead. They tortured her, hopefully after she died.”
Buffy said, coldly. ”Can’t say that I’m sorry.”
The cell phone in her pocket rang. Buffy answered it. ”Hello? She’s dead, Giles. Beheaded by vamps. How’s Mom? Okay, be there soon.”
Angel looked at Buffy, there were tears streaming from her eyes. ”Buffy? Is she?”
Buffy said simply, ”She woke up.”
As the Slayer cried in Angel’s arms, Spike allowed himself to be enveloped by the shadows of the dark alley.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Buffy met Giles in the hall. ”That wasn’t poison you gave me was it?”
Giles shook his head. “It was diluted almond flavoring. Nasty and vile stuff,” Giles said with a delicate shudder. “Smells a bit like cyanide, but it won’t harm you.”
“Yeah, It’ll just kill my taste buds,” Buffy said with a grimace. “I’m going to have to use a gallon of mouthwash to get rid of the taste.”
“I guessed your back-up plan and made a back-up o of it,” Giles added.
Angel gave a small laugh as Buffy shook her head. ”Great. A back up plan for a back up plan. Go home, Giles. I’m staying here with my mom.”
“We’ll all stay,” Giles said as he followed her and Angel into the room.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Two days later, Spike walked into Willie’s bar from the back room and leaned against the counter. Willie looked warily at the vampire. ”What can I do for you, Spike?”
“It’s more of something that’ll be healthy for you, mate,” he said as he lit a cigarette. Willie waited for Spike to continue. Spike just inhaled his cigarette and looked at its red tip.
Nervous, Willie looked at him. ”What’d be healthy for me?”
Spike smiled at the small, weasel-like man. ”Facts. Like this one. Spread the word around. Slayer’s mother is off limits to any vampire, demon or witch. She dies from anything other than old age, they’re dead. And then I come after you, Willie. That’s all they need to know. Got it?”
Willie’s head nodded furiously. ”Got it.”
Spike then blew smoke into Willie’s face and headed out the back door as Willie stood coughing away the smoke. Willie thought fast.
”There’s talk that Giorgi was planning to use her as bait,” he called after the retreating vampire.
Spike’s voice came back faintly as he left the bar. “He won’t. Giorgi and his friends just had a fatal urge to kiss the sun this morning.”
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Buffy smiled as she sat at the foot of her mother’s bed. She continued to chatter happily, ”And then I said to Giles-”
“Hello,” greeted a voice from the doorway. Joyce turned her head and smiled. Giles lead the way of the parade coming into her room. ”We come bearing presents.”
“Isn’t there a saying to beware of geeks bearing gifts,” asked Buffy as she saw Giles haul in a large bouquet of pink roses with red tips and Wesley bringing in some flower arrangements with balloons attached. She watched Giles as he handed the flowers to her mom. ”Giles? Those are from you?”
“I think the proper word is Greeks,” Wesley corrected.
”Not in this case, Wes. Hi, guys,” Buffy said to her friends as they entered the room. Then she turned her attention back to Giles, then her mother who was sniffing at the roses. ”Giles, did you get those roses for my mom?”
His face red and standing closer to Joyce, Giles stammered. ”Well, I, ah. No. They’re ah-”
“The nurses at the front asked us to bring these roses up, no card except to say that they’re for your mom. Giles brought in the dinky honeysuckle and balloon thing. Wesley brought in the carnations and balloon arrangement,” Cordelia said as she rolled her eyes. ”Think alike much? And this is for you, Mrs. Summers.”
“Who are the flowers from, Mom?” Buffy demanded.
“A friend of the family. Might have been Nana or William,” Joyce said as she smiled at her daughter. She looked at the small brightly colored bag Cordelia presented to her. ”How lovely. What is it?”
“Sample size make-up, with shampoo and rinse included,” Cordelia said proudly. ”Figured you were feeling grungy after being here for a week with all the sick people.”
“Thank you, Cordelia,” Joyce said as she smiled at her. ”It was... thoughtful of you to think about my grooming.”
“That would be nice reading material. Willow, Oz, thank you,” said Joyce. She didn’t mention that it was more about art techniques than artists. Willow and Oz beamed at her.
Willow stood next to Oz as Xander offered his gifts. ”Here’s some Green Lantern, Green Hornet and Green Arrow for you to read, if you don’t want to read or play with Oz and Willow’s things.”
Giles coughed to cover his amusement as Joyce’s eyes grew wide at the pile of comic books on her rollaway table. ”Thank you, Xander.”
“Isn’t that a bit green for comics?” Buffy asked. Xander sniffed at her.
“Hey, she was up to the G pile over the summer, oh, and I got you some Snicker Doodles,” Xander said proudly as he presented the jumbo bag of chips.
“Thank you Xander, I’ll read them soon. And for the Snicker Doodles. Anybody want?” Joyce said her twinkled merrily. When she saw several hands raise, she gave the bag to Giles to open and pass around.
Xander looked pointedly at Buffy. ”So Buff, what’d you get your mom?”
“Other than my charming self?” Buffy asked. Then she reached under her mother’s bed and brought up a bag. ”This.”
Buffy unwrapped the plate proudly. Xander cocked his head as he looked at it. ”And this is what? Smashed fried bread with red and green toppings? Or is it a small flying saucer with E.T. in there?”
Buffy frowned at him. ”No, it’s a chocolate chip and banana pancakes with tomatoes and peppers. Want some? Willow helped me make them. But they looked kinda bland, so I added the tomatoes and peppers to give some color.”
All accusing eyes went to Willow. “Well, it’s edible, mostly. She added the other stuff after I left. Don’t think we’d be poisoned by it.”
Buffy scowled at her best friend. ”Thanks, Will.”
“She knows your talents, honey,” Joyce’s smile grew bigger as she nodded. ”And that’s a plus.”
“Did Angel get your Mom anything?” Xander demanded.
Buffy dug into her bag and handed a wrapped gift to her mother. She shrugged, ”I have no idea what it is.”
Joyce unwrapped it and started laughing. Curious, Giles looked over her shoulder and started laughing as well. Her eyes narrow, Buffy looked at her mother. ”What did Angel give you?”
“I just have to know, did you tell Angel what you were making me?” Joyce asked.
Buffy’s eyes narrowed more. ”I might possibly mentioned to him that I was going to make you something to eat. Why?”
Laughing, Joyce lifted the gift from its wrappings. It was a small box of Alka-Seltzer. As everyone started laughing, Buffy muttered, ”He is so ash.”
“Look at it this way, Buffy, least he won’t die from your cooking,” Xander joked.
Buffy stuck her tongue at him, then grinned.
“Good afternoon, all,” Nurse Watson walked in. When her eyes rested on Mr.Giles, she beamed at him. He was hovering over Mrs.Summers. ”Mr.Giles, glad that you’re here. The emergency staff would like to ask you something.”
Giles straightened. ”Yes? Is there a problem?”
Nurse Watson scratched her ear. ”Not exactly. Now that Mrs. Summers will be leaving tomorrow, the staff would like to chip in and get you something for the wedding. And we’d like to know if you’d proposed yet and when the wedding will be?”
Both Joyce and Giles looked at Buffy who winced.
The End.
