A Childe Awakens

Phoenixheart79 aka Carl/theblondiebear

A Childe Awakes - Chapter 5/18

A car pulled up at the edge of Sunnydale. Bright pink, with blacked out windows it looked more than a little conspicuous in a quiet neighbourhood like this. The door opened and one long leg swung into view, then another. The driver stood up, drew a drag on a cigarette and coughed before she realised she didn't need to breathe. She shook her head, feeling the soft breeze in her hair and looked at the town spread out before her. "Oh, I've so missed Sunnydale! This is going to be so much fun! My blondiebear is just going to be beside himself!"

Elsewhere

Buffy and Willow wandered the street's, patrolling and chatting. Since Sebastian's arrival they had been able to do it more often, leaving him to watch over the girls. That Buffy trusted him so implicitly was a good sign, Willow thought. If she could share this responsibility, than maybe she would finally begin to get herself back. She had been different, ever since her return. Maybe this would help, sharing the burden. 
"We're lucky, Bastian's proving really helpful. He's amazingly domesticated. I've never seen anyone, even your mom, who can clean as thoroughly as he does and not look like he's cleaning." Willow smiled helpfully.
"Yeah." Buffy replied, "He's certainly earning his way. But, have you noticed, Xander seems really uncomfortable around him. I've never seen him scurry from a room as quickly as he does when Bastian is around."
Willow laughed and Buffy looked at her friend, mild confusion showing on her face "What?"
"Haven't you noticed?" Buffy shook her head. "Oh Buff! Sometimes your so....naive. Bastian has the hots for Xander, that's what's making him uncomfortable."
"Oh. He does? It is?"
"Hu-huh" Willow nodded. "You did know Bastian's gay, right."
"I well, yeah, I guess, but I never really paid any attention. Wow. No wonder Xander's acting so wiggy. Hey, how did you? Did you ask him?"
Willow laughed again and shook her head. "Nope, just....knew. It's one of those things. Like I knew about Kennedy before she even started moving on me."
"Oh."
"I just don't think Xander's used to that kind of attention, at least, not from a guy."
"Well, at least he's not getting all testosterone-poisoned over it, I don't think I could handle it if he did. A strutting Xander, not good at the moment." 
Willow laughed quietly "Yeah, Xander has two methods of coping - run away and strut like the manly-man. Run away seems the better option, given all that's happening. Hey, what's that?" she pointed. A vampire was flitting across the graveyard, headed for a crypt that housed a sewer entrance. In fact, it was the same one she had used all those years ago when she tried to rescue Jesse. "Huh, very stealthy of him. Hey, didn't I stake him two nights ago?"
"Ummm, I dunno Buffy. You stake a vamp and usually it's just poof and gone."
"Yeah, but the clothes Will. How many vamps do we meet that wear a luminous green tank top?"

Silently they stole across the graveyard, cutting across the vampires path without him realising. They reached the crypt almost a minute before him and proceeded inside, Willow slipping into the shadows and Buffy stepping to one side of the door. A shadow passed through the doorway followed by the vampire. Buffy's leg shot out and he stumbled forward, his head cracking against the side of one of the tombs. She stepped forward and grabbed his hair, pulling him to his feet then cracked his head down again before hurling him to one side. He skidded across the floor and stopped near Willow. Slowly she stepped forward, moving to edge away from him. The vamps eyes locked onto the legs moving across his vision. He looked up and saw the face, cast in shadows. Suddenly he scurried backwards, backing up against the nearest tomb and trying to flatten himself against it as much as he could. Panic and fear swept over his face. 
"I - I'm sorry mistress. I didn't mean to lead the slayer here. P-please forgive me." His head was lowered in submission and he didn't even glance again at Willow. Buffy stepped forward and grabbed him round the throat, dragging him to his feet. She swirled around and slammed him up against a wall, his feet dangling in mid-air. Willow stepped up behind Buffy and the vampire seemed to cheer a little as he saw her. Finally she spoke.
"Why did you call me mistress?" She asked. Confusion passed over the vampires face. Whoever he had been had never been in the science club. Or any lessons at all, by the look of it.
"Y-you a-are the mistress." he said.
"Yes, I am." came a voice from the darkness. Buffy whirled and sent the vampire flying in the direction from which the voice had come from. A strangled cry and the gentle 'whump' of a vampire turning to dust filled the confined space. 

The shadows parted and Willow stepped into the light. Buffy and Willow stared in shock. She looked her doppelganger up and down. "Well, look at me, I'm not fuzzy anymore. Shame, it would've been fun to see the change I could bring out in you." Buffy and Willow continued to stare, Willow finally breaking the silence. "I've not been 'fluffy' for a long time. I don't know why you came here, but you should go home now."
"Yeah," Buffy spoke up at last, overcoming her shock, "You should go now, or there won't be a later." The doppelganger smiled. "I wouldn't be so sure of that, slayer." Her fist sped out and connected solidly with Buffy's nose, who reeled backwards. She turned to Willow. "She said not to mess with you, that it'd end bad. I didn't believe her, but now," she sniffed the air "now I do. You reek of power." and wicked smile slid over her face "And a.....woman. I'll rip her heart out and make you wear it on your sleeve." With a flash of light, she was gone. Buffy staggered back to Willow's side. "Will? Did you do that? Send her away?" Willow looked to Buffy,the shock and disgust evident on her face. "I? No, no I. I didn't do this, o-or that. N-no magic for Willow, remember?" she waved her hand to where her doppelganger had stood only moments before. "What's going on Buffy?"
"I have no idea. We'd better let Giles know about this, he isn't gonna like it."

Twenty minutes later they were sat in the Summers living room, hands wrapped around steaming coffee cups whilst Giles paced the living room, removing his glasses and rubbing his eyes. 
"And you're absolutely sure it was vampire Willow." they both nodded their heads in agreement, "Well, whatever it is she's planning, it can't be good. And you say you fought a vampire that you had killed two nights ago?" Again, Buffy nodded, taking a sip of her coffee. "How strange." He took a seat beside Buffy, who looked at him.
"You haven't a clue, have you?"
"Not at the minute, no. But I'm sure that, as they do more, things will become evident."
"Giles, we can't wait. We all remember what she did last time she was here. I don't think we've got much time." Sebastian cleared his throat. 
"Err, I don't. In fact, this is all making about as much sense as, well, it's not making any sense at all. There's two Willows? And one's a sadomasochistic vampire?" They all looked at him and nodded, even Xander standing in the doorway. "Oh. So, were you twins?"
Willow shook her head. "No. I cast a spell, years ago, that pulled her through from another dimension. She decided to have bondage and massacre fun at the Bronze. But we sent her back. It's kinda odd that she's keeping quiet. I mean, I'd have expected her to do something like that again straightaway. I think she's working with someone."
"Me?" asked Xander "I mean, vampire me?"
"I don't know."
"Wait, there's a vampire Xander too?"
Willow nodded "Yup."
"Oh. Say, you aren't a vampire too, are you?" he asked, looking at Buffy. She shook her head, then smiled wistfully. 
"Only in waking nightmares." she saw his puzzled look "Never mind, long story."
"Few years back, all our nightmares came true. Willow ended up on stage, I got chased by a clown and Buffy was a vamp." Xander filled in from the doorway.
"Not that long a story after all." Buffy stated. 
"Oh." Sebastian managed. "You guys ever thought of moving someplace quiet? My aunt lives in Cleveland, says it's real nice." The gang looked at one another "What?"
Giles cleared his throat. "Cleveland is situated on top of a hellmouth as well."
"Oh, it is? Well, Aunt Pat always was a bit of a battleaxe. Not literally." he added at the end, catching their looks.

Sunnydale park

The blond vampire walked through the park, occasionally shouting out "Spike-y! Spike-y! You're little Hum is back!" She moved through a copse of trees and saw Willow standing near a swing, not paying attention to her surroundings. She seemed to be waiting for someone. Harmony smiled. The witch was weak. She'd eat her and leave her as a present for slayer. As silently as she could she stole around the edge of the play park and inched towards Willow from behind. She was stopped short by the icy tones of Willow's voice. "You either show yourself or I rip your head off and lick the blood from your neck."

"Willow?" Harmony asked. In the twilight it was hard to make out what the red head was wearing, but it didn't look like her normal ensemble. "Willow?" she tried again. With lightning speed Willow turned and grabbed Harmony by the throat, yellow eyes staring deep into the blonds' eyes.

"I remember you. I think I eat you when you were in school. And here you are, a vampire." She threw the blond vampire to the ground. "So, you know the slayer and her witch friend?"
Harmony sat on the ground, her jaw slack with shock. It worked up and down twice, but no sound came out. "I think I've got a use for you." murmured Willow.