A Future Untold
By Jessica Brumley (WillowBBF)
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Buffy related characters. They belong to Joss,
Mutant Enemy, Fox, The WB, and all those. I do however, own Audrey, Alana, and Alfred.
They're MINE!!
Author's Note: Thanks to Kelly, LadyRHood, Juliet, Tracy, and Alana. You guys rock!
Time Frame: Two days after Becoming 2
********************
Prologue
It was on a sunny April day that a man walked into a courtyard bearing a piece of
paper. He stopped when he saw a young woman, about 18 by the looks of it, practicing
with a crossbow. The man quickened his pace. When he got within hearing range he
called out, "Audrey!"
The girl stopped her practice and walked to meet the man. "What is it Alfred?"
Wordlessly he handed her a piece of paper. She peered down at it.
To: Audrey Christine Arlen c/o Alfred Barnabas Williams
From: Watcher's Council
She has fallen. It is time.
Audrey looked up. So it was time. Time for the next Slayer to emerge.
Part 1
Buffy got off the bus. She hadn't wanted to, but this was a far as it went. She looked
around the coast of North Carolina. The sun was just setting. The red, orange, and
purple rays bounced off the water as the sun descended. Everyone who watched drew
in a deep breath of awe and satisfaction. All, that is, but Buffy. Her sad, cold
eyes saw nothing, heard nothing but her pain. She was alone. Totally and utterly
alone. And scared.
she firmly told herself.
With a shake, she looked about for the nearest hotel. She located a Holiday Inn and
paid for two nights. She didn't have much money or possessions, just what she could
gather before leaving Sunnydale…. Unexpectedly the tears started to well up. She
firmly pushed them and all thoughts of her previous life behind her. She was starting
over.
***
Audrey sat silently in her room, looking at a picture of a smiling man and a radiant
woman in a sailboat. A picture was all she had of them now. She hugged her small
white teddy bear closer to her. She had tried to give up Gabrielle, her bear, but
hadn't been able to part with the thing that had comforted her all her life. "One
is forced to put away childish things" she had once been told. Well, she had
done that. If she had to accept the weight of an entire world, saving everyone and
fighting demons, she was certainly keeping Gaby.
Audrey shook her head to clear her thoughts. She grabbed her brush, which lay on
the nightstand beside her bed and started to comb through her glossy, brown locks.
She could see herself in her mirror, and she paused at the reflection.
Audrey Arlen was 18 years old. Her sparkling violet eyes could hold an edge that
would make your blood run cold. Her face was oval, not so much so that she had a
hard face, but just enough to make her face and neck seem slender. This was not the
face that you would expect to see on a hero destined to save the world.
She paused in her reflections to wonder Audrey had been rigorously trained by her
watcher Alfred since she was 15. She was an expert in all weapons and battle techniques,
but she also loved the 'book' part of it all. She would much rather have been a watcher.
She had rejoiced in all the lore that she was required to read and had researched
past Slayers on her own time.
She had studied most on the most recent three slayers, Haley, Buffy, and Kendra.
They were all nice names, and she had wondered what they were like. Haley was described
as a happy redhead full of bounce and cheer until Fabin, a 900-year-old vampire had
put the bite on her. Buffy was a blonde who had been rumored to be the strongest
Slayer every recorded. In fact, she wasn't even dead. But, the brief time that she
had died was enough to call the next Slayer, Kendra. Kendra had had jet-black hair
and took her job very seriously. Audrey didn't think she would have liked Kendra.
But, Kendra had died. A vampire named Drusilla had cut her throat. Actually, she
was helping Buffy at the time, to get her boyfriend Angel back. Audrey found it all
very confusing.
But, Kendra ~had~ died and now it was time for Audrey to assume her place. She was
ready for it, and willing. Audrey had a personal vendetta against vampires. She relished
killing them. After all, they were the ones who had killed her parents. On her 15th
birthday, her family had gone out to a play at night. The vamps had come suddenly
up behind her and taken her parents. She was about to be next when Alfred came. He
saved her, dusted the vamps, and took her home.
She had been so scared and confused. Thinking back, Audrey didn't know why she had
trusted Alfred. Maybe it was because of his name. Yes, that must have been it. Audrey
had always thought you could judge a person by their name. Her own name meant "noble
strength" "Chosen" "Pledge" It was rather fitting for a
Slayer. Alfred's name fell along the lines of "wise council, trusted advisor",
and she trusted him more than she could say.
A yawn interrupted her thoughts. she thought drowsily, and quickly fell into a deep
sleep. So deep, that not even her usual dreams assaulted her.
Part 2
Buffy became disgusted with herself as she stumbled over a fallen tree branch for
the second time. she thought. She drew herself back to the matters at hand when she
heard someone approaching. She whirled around to face the newcomer. He was male,
that was easily distinguished, but his face was concealed by the shadows. When he
stepped into the light, Buffy gasped.
"Angel!! How? Why?" she sputtered, emotions warring across her face.
Angel said nothing. He merely starred at her. The silence was almost frightening.
Finally, Angel spoke.
"Why? Why'd ya do it Buffy? I didn't deserve it. I thought you loved me."
"I-I do. Angel, I'm so so sorr….."
But Angel was gone. He had vanished right in front of her eyes. Echoing in her head,
she could hear an anguish filled scream. Angel's scream.
***
"Angel!"
Buffy's cry threw her awake. She glanced wildly about the room, dazed and confused
until her memory came back. She was sitting in her bed, in a Holiday Inn. Throwing
the covers off, Buffy quickly got out on bed and poured herself a glass of water.
Clutching it with shaking hands, Buffy sat down in a nearby chair. she reassured
herself. But, God, it had felt so real. The hurt, the betrayal, the pain she had
seen in his eyes was all too real.
She glanced out her window to the streets below. Wilmington was actually a pretty
city. The ocean was a restful sight. But Buffy didn't want to fall asleep. She didn't
want the nightmare to return. She threw on some clothes and started for the door.
She paused at the table near her door. A small stake was lying on it. She started
to head out the door when she paused again, As if she had two voices, a devil and
an angel waging war on her shoulder, she heard the devil speak. But the sense of
duty won out, and Buffy shoved the stake up her sleeve.
She wandered aimlessly around until she came to a park. There she saw a young girl,
around her age, walking. That wasn't what Buffy feared, it was the vampire walking
behind her.
***
Audrey prepared herself. She pulled on the jacket Alfred had given her for her 17th
birthday and shoved two stakes up her sleeve. With some encouraging words from Alfred,
she was out the door.
Alfred and she had fought all day. He had wanted to accompany her on her first night
out as the Slayer. She had argued that she felt even stronger than she normally did,
and he wouldn't always be there when she fought. She might as well get used to going
stag. Finally, Alfred relented. Audrey had been relieved. Sure, these reasons she
had given him were sound enough but she really wanted to go out on her own because,
well, she didn't actually know why. She just knew this was something she had to
do herself.
Aimlessly wandering, looking for anything paranormal, Audrey soon found herself on
a course to the park. Vampires really seemed to jam on parks. Why was that? She was
growing tired of looking. She wanted to see some action.
Audrey halted a little at the girl's words. No, she didn't seem to be paranormal
but there was something odd about her, something almost….familiar.
"Who are you?" Audrey demanded.
Breaking out of her and Angel's dialogue, Buffy replied warily, "I might ask
you the same thing. However, since my mom taught me nice manners, I will answer first.
My name's Buffy. Now be a good girl and answer my question."
"Audrey," she replied automatically before the girl's words sunk in, "Wait!
Buffy? That's not a common name. D-did you…no! It's impossible."
"What's impossible cryptic girl? I'm not much good at these puzzles. Now, since
you dusted a vamp, I'm gonna assume you are what we call a good guy. Am I right?"
"Buffy…Summers?" gasped Audrey, still in almost shock.
Buffy did a double take. "What the hell? How'd you know that! Who are you? I
mean, really?"
"My-my name's Audrey Arlin. I'm a Slayer, like you."
Buffy's mouth dropped open.