A Childe Awakens

Phoenixheart79 aka Carl/theblondiebear

A Childe Awakes - Chapter 9/18

Buffy and Giles strolled down Main Street. Almost every thing was closed. A few people were leaving the Sun Cinema, heading home or for the late night coffee shop. They’d been on patrol for nearly two hours and had not seen a single vampire. In fact, they’d seen nothing. No vampires, no demons and, aside from those who were leaving the cinema, no people. Even in Sunnydale, where the majority of the populace had learnt, through no conscious decision, to stay indoors after dark, that was unusual. There was always someone who decided to "go for a stroll" or "check on aunt Bette." and ended up hostage or worse.

"Something’s not right here. We should have seen or heard something by now." Buffy said, looking a little restless.

"Yes, Buffy, I gathered that from the oh, two dozen times you’ve mentioned it." Buffy gave him a sharp look.

"Sarcasm does not become you Giles."

He smiled wistfully, "Be that as it may, you look agitated Buffy. Is everything okay?"

"I just don’t like this, it’s far to quite. Something’s up."

"Up?" Giles asked.

"Yeah, you know, wrong, bad, sour, off-kilte..." Giles sighed, cutting Buffy off,

"I know what you meant Buffy, I was asking what you thought was up."

"Oh. I knew that. Just teasing ya."

"Of course. Thousands would doubt you, but not me." he smiled and Buffy had to smile back. She missed this Giles. With all his brooding recently, it was a pleasant change.

"Again with the sarcasm. But something’s definitely not right here, I think they’re planning something big Giles. I think they know we have a piece of the totem and they’re gonna want it. And that’s bad. I wanted us to take it to them, on our terms. But if they know and come for it..." She trailed off. Giles stopped and laid a hand on her shoulder.

"Buffy, everything will be fine. With the totem in your house, there’s no way they can get it. No one will be stupid enough to invite them in. Well, maybe Andrew, but we can keep him tied and gagged in the basement."

Buffy had to smile, "I’m liking this plan already." They resumed walking. "We should head back, there’s nothing out here." They carried on down Main Street, then disappeared down a side street and made their way home.

The Mansion

Amy sat cross legged in the main hall of the mansion, within a circle, white candles at five points, a small bowl of incense and a small purple cushion with a key upon it. She spoke softly under her breath, her hair moving in an intangible wind that blowed within the circle, yet affected nothing else. She held her hands over the key and black light flowed from her fingers, seeping like oil towards the key, wrapping around and flowing over it.

After a few moments, the key could no longer be seen, covered as it was entirely by the seething black mass. But as Willow watched, the blackness began to shrink, exposing more and more of the key. At first, she had thought it was simply evaporating, but now she could see that the key was absorbing it. With a tiny black flash, the last of the oil was gone, leaving a shining silver key on the cushion.

Amy closed her circle, snuffed out the incense and candles, then stood, picked up the cushion and key and approached Willow, a twisted smile on her face. She held the cushion out in front of her, "Behold, a universal key."

Willow reached out and picked up the key, glinting in the half light of the wall mounted candles. The mansion had electricity, but both she and Amy liked the candle light, the shadows and tricks it played were fascinating. She smiled and beckoned the sentry from the door over.

"Pass the word. We attack at dusk."

Amy stepped a little closer and leaned against Willow, "And tell them to pick up some guns, this slayer excels in close combat. If we shoot her, our problems are over."

The sentry nodded and left the room. Willow dropped the key into her cleavage then stepped forward and turned back to face Amy, her demonic visage distorting her face. She punched the vampire witch on the nose, splashing blood across the floor. Amy dropped onto her back on the floor, cradling her nose, blood seeping through her fingers. She moved her hand down a bit and licked the blood from her fingers, smiling. Willow dropped down, straddling the younger vampire and smiled, a smile so chilling it would make even The Master blanche. She trailed a finger around and over one of Amy’s breasts, the black latex shining softly in the candlelight.

"Now, about that torture..."

Westfield Cemetery

Xander picked his way through the headstones, Sebastian a few feet ahead of him. They’d been out on patrol for over an hour now and hadn’t seen a single demon or vampire. They also had barely spoken. Sebastian had tried, but to no avail. The young man was just not in a talkative mood. But he was nothing if not persistent.

"Hey, Xander." Silence. This was frustrating. Then he smiled, an idea forming, "Alexander?"

Xanders’ voice came back, distant, "It’s Xander." Sebastian turned, a smile on his face and ready with a quick-fire crack to raise a smile when he saw that Xander was crouched in front of a gravestone about twenty metres back. As Sebastian watched, he reached out and gently laid a hand on the gravestone. Quietly he stepped up behind Xander and looked at the gravestone. It was simple, not one of those modern, over the top monstrosities. It read, ‘Tara Maclay. Oct 16, 1980 ~ May 7, 2002'. A personal message below the dates was obscured behind flowers. A pair of small stones sat atop the gravestone. He crouched beside Xander, his head bowed in respect. He glanced sideways at Xander. When he spoke, his voice was hushed, almost a whisper.

"Friend?"

Xander looked at him, a single crystal tear in his eye.

"Girlfriend?"

Xander shook his head. "Family." His hand caressed the T. "Tara, Willows girlfriend. She was shot."

Sebastian was silent for a while, then he spoke, voice still subdued, "Did they catch the killer?"

Xander shook his head, "No need, he’s dead."

"Oh. How? No, don’t answer. I’ll leave you alone, I’ll be over there." He pointed to a crypt 30 metres away and slowly stood, head still bowed. He walked slowly away, but stopped when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"No, it’s okay. You should know, you deserve to. I know that you and Willow are becoming friends and I don’t know what she’s told you, but..."

Sebastian paled a little, "Willow killed him?" Xander nodded. "How?" His voice was even quieter than before.

"You might not know it, but Willow is one of the most powerful witches ever."

Sebastian nodded, "Yeah, I remember Buffy’s speech. And that Willow was reluctant to.." his voice trailed off as realisation dawned on him. "She lost control, didn’t she? Killed him with magic?" Xander only nodded. Sebastian turned back to the grave. "I had no idea. I don’t know what I’d do in that situation." He paused, "No, I do. When it finally sunk home about Liz, I was back in the flat, surrounded by her, her things, her smell. Some bloody teenage thugs were outside, trashing a neighbours car. I lost it. Put all seven of them in hospital." He lowered his head in shame, "I didn’t even know what I was at that point. I put them all in intensive care without breaking a sweat. Fortunately, no one saw me, it was dark, the kids couldn’t ID me. Still, I can guess what Willow feels now, at that moment, if it had been the guy responsible for Liz’s death, I’d have torn him apart."

He crouched down in front of the grave. "Tara? You don’t know me, but I know Willow. I will watch out for her, as if she were family."

"As you watched out for me?" A familiar voice drifted across the graveyard. Sebastian whirled around and Liz stood amidst the graves, perhaps ten metres away. Shock spread over his face, his skin paling.

"Liz?" His voice was strangled, barely audible. Xander looked in the direction Sebastian was staring and talking. Sebastian stood and took a step forward. "Liz? Is that you?" He dropped to his knees and began to sob, great racking sobs, "Liz. I’m so sorry I wasn’t there for you."

Xander stared at Sebastian then hurried over, crouching behind the slayer. "It’s not her, it’s the first. It can manifest itself as any dead person." As soon as Sebastian turned to him, the anger on his face painfully apparent, Xander knew that had been the wrong thing to say. Sebastian’s open hand caught him in the chest and he sailed backwards, slamming into a gravestone and slumping to the ground. Sebastian turned back to the visage of his sister, the tears streaming down his face.

"How can you watch out for that witch," Liz said, her voice dripping with disdain as she uttered the word witch, "When you couldn’t even look after your own twin sister."

"Because he has the strength of his friends love." A soft but firm voice floated towards them. Sebastian looked back and a pale, translucent figure hovered about a foot above the gravestone behind him.

Xander pushed himself upright. "Tara?" his voice came out soft, a reverent whisper. The spirit looked to him.

"Xander. Thank you." She smiled, the same beautiful smile that had turned the dullest day into sunshine.

"Thank you?" His face was puzzled.

"For saving her." Tara turned back to Sebastian and, Xander presumed, The First Evil. "He has friends and family now. No matter what you say or do, that will not change. Go now!" She raised her arms and a mist trailed from them. In that instant, The First became visible to Xander. He knew immediately that this form was that of Sebastian’s sister. The similarities between them were striking, yet each was an individual. The mist trailed towards The First, wrapping around it, smothering it.

"You won’t save him, spirit!" It’s voice was ice, then it vanished, the mist from Tara dissipating.

Xander stepped forwards, tears rolling down his cheeks freely. "Tara. It’s....it’s..." The spirit smiled and nodded.

"Strange. I know. I came because of the love he feels for you all. You may not know it, but you’ve all found a new brother." She turned to Sebastian, "And you have found a new family. Look after them, because like all families, if you grow complacent, it will fall apart. You cannot afford to be divided, not now."

Sebastian wiped tears from his eyes and looked at the spirit, "Why?"

"A great battle is coming. Only your love and trust for one another will see you through." Tara’s form swirled slightly, as though someone had twirled a finger in her. "I must go, it's hard to exist here." She turned to Xander. "Tell Willow I will always, always, love her, but that she must live her life. And tell her, I like Kennedy." She smiled and faded away, becoming a white mist that vanished on the soft night breeze.

Xander reached down and helped Sebastian to his feet. "Come on, we should go. Nothings happening here. Lets check in with the others."

Together they walked from the cemetery, talking quietly. The bonding had begun, over tears and not violence, Xander thought to himself, no matter what Buffy says.

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