Child's Play

"Why are you here?" Buffy asked though she already knew the answer; she was trying to divert Gwynne's attention from Angel.

"What better reason? Vengeance. Blood for blood, and all that rot," Gwynne replied, turning to Buffy long enough to give Angel time to escape. When Gwynne realized Angel was gone, she grabbed Buffy by the throat and threw her against the wall. "I should kill you, Slayer, but I won't. Against my better instincts, I like you and your friends."

"Goodie for me," Buffy replied. Gwynne turned towards the door but paused before she left.

"You might want to get Xander to a hospital. He's lost a lot of blood," she said before disappearing into the night.

The next day, Buffy, Willow, and Giles sat around the table in the library. Actually, Buffy and Willow sat; Giles paced. The main topic of discussion: Gwynne.

"Have you found any other reported cases like this in any of your multitude of books?" Buffy asked, worried. Worried that Gwynne would find Angel during the day and worried that Xander would never wake up.

"No, but I'm still searching. I also have Ms. Calendar searching the internet, but it doesn't look hopeful," Giles answered, equally worried that Buffy might have a new monster to face.

"Guys! I've found something!" Ms. Calendar practically ran into the library, "One of my fellow Technopagans sent me this. Its an article from a newspaper dated 1789." She handed it to Giles, who read it aloud.

"The small village of Inisherone was destroyed this past week. Every one in town was killed except for a ten-and-six years girl, named Gwynndolyn. She was found wandering the road covered with blood. The blood was apparently from her own wounds. Inisherone was burned to the ground by the Church, claiming demon infestation."

"Did she do it? Destroy her own village, I mean," Willow asked.

"No, I did not," Gwynne said emerging from behind the bookcases. "Angel and the blonde bitch Darla did. I just survived to make sure it and all the bodies were burned."

"Was Inisherone the village Angel destroyed before?" Giles asked.

"No," came her short reply, and the look in her eyes deflected anymore questions.

"Do you know about Angel's soul?" Buffy quickly changed the subject with an idea that might save Angel.

"What about it? It left when the demon took control."

"But he was cursed with it back. He lives with the guilt of what he did, and he regrets it. He cares. Blood for blood will not solve anything," Buffy reasoned, "It will just kill the only good vampire in town."

"I will meet with him, let him explan himself. Then I will decide, but only if you answer one question," Gwynne replied.

"Anything."

"You love him, don't you?"

Buffy and Gwynne managed to break in through a small window in the basement of the Bronze. The pair walked through the deserted club until reaching the stairs.

"Angel will be her --," Buffy began.

"He's here," Gwynne interrupted. Angel stepped into the dim light in front of Gwynne. "Explain, do you have a soul?"

"Yes," he answered; Buffy had briefed him on what was going on.

"Do you regret everything?"

"Y...yes," he replied choking on the word as memories threatened to overwhelm him.

Gwynne stopped the questioning to decide what to say next. When she finally decided, a small smile played on her lips.

"Do you love Buffy?" Both Angel and Buffy stared at her in surprise. "Well?" she asked cocking an eyebrow.

"I don't know. I think so," he answered truthfully.

"An honest answer. I admire that," Gwynne replied, "And while it my take me generations to fully forgive you, I'm willing to try. Friends?" Before Angel could reply to her sudden change of heart, the door to the Bronze flew inward. A large vampire stood in the frame.

"Master dead," he said.

"Oh, you're quick," Buffy replied.

"New Master," he continued, pointing at Angel.

"What?" Angel asked confused.

"I think he's trying to say you're the new Master," Gwynne explained.

"No!" Buffy shouted.

BACK to the Scrolls

© 1997 mafdet@rocketmail.com

This page hosted by Get your own Free Home Page