AUTHOR: Ophelia / Rainie
EMAIL: ophelia_rd@yahoo.com - rainee_sl@yahoo.com.au
DISCLAIMER: Joss, not I.
DISTRIBUTION: Let me know where it's going
CATEGORY:
RATING: M
PART: 3/4
FEEDBACK: Yes please!!!
VISIT ME: http://www.oocities.org/dra_gon_fly_er/
NOTE: Please be patient with the dyslectic and the seven and a half finger typist, we are trying - honestly!
Extreme Measures 3/4
"I know you don't give a damn about those kids' parents, or Buffy might be tied to this bed for the rest of her life…"
Angel lost the battle over his demon and furiously launched himself at the blonde.
"Well, you may not care," he snarled, his saffron colored eyes drilling into Darla. "Your bad luck, Precious, because I do care, just as everybody else in this room!"
He brutally grabbed a shock of blonde locks and forced her to meet his burning black gaze.
"I don't care what I've gotta do and how long its gonna take - you're the only one who knows Duncan and…"
"NO!!!"
The flood of tears and the desperate note in her voice took them by surprise.
The delicate blonde violently trashed - bucking and kicking and lashing out at each and everybody unfortunate enough to stand within reach.
The idea of facing, even merely thinking about Duncan apparently seemed to scare her more than the combined wrath of Angel and Spike.
Caught off guard by a particularly fierce punch in the yaws Angel out of a reflex let go of her hair.
Just for one second.
However, just about long enough for her to make it to the door.
Just about long enough for her to run.
To run.
Run for dear life.
Run as though there were no tomorrow.
***
No!
Nononononono!
Was all she could think of.
Not now.
Not ever.
Never ever again!
There wasn't a single day she hadn't thought about his.
Not a single day she hadn't cursed 'The Powers there Be' along with her own bloody ignorance.
Cursed them.
Cursed herself.
Cursed Duncan.
Cursed his stubbornness.
Cursed the higher Gods weird sense of humor.
No, there was no way in hell she would tell them about him.
Tell them about Duncan and herself - their entwined history.
There was no way in hell she would strip her soul, make herself vulnerable to help those dumb punks or that snappy bitch of a slayer.
Not now.
Not ever.
Especially not like this.
With more of Drusilla's personality in charge as she wished.
Her eyes stung from floods and floods of shed and unshed tears.
She knew that by now her cheeks probably were covered in blood.
But there was nothing she could do about it.
The tears just kept falling.
All the anger, al the hatred and pain and betrayal welling up - bursting to surface.
Why did he have to make her remember?
Why couldn't he just leave her alone?
She didn't want to remember.
Didn't want to talk.
Not about herself.
And especially not about Duncan.
+I shall stay with thee, Darla, forever.+
Oh yeah, she remembered the whispered words as though it was yesterday.
She remembered his promise - the oath he had kept for almost 200 years.
+I shall stay with thee.+
She sobbed.
+And I shall not turn thee in return, not now - not ever, this I thee swear.+
No, she didn't want to think about it.
Wished with all her might she'd be able to forget.
Blinded by the streams of tears Darla aimlessly stumbled along the dark alleys and streets.
So much wrapped up in her own misery that she almost headfirst bumped into…
***
+What a day!+
The lanky new slayer tiredly shook her head.
Some things were just so different that they already seemed to be alike again.
The black-haired girl swiftly walked along the dimly lit road, leaving graveyards and hospital and injured ex slayers behind.
Well, the last wasn't quite true, at least only in a physical way.
Her mind, however, couldn't but marvel about the tiny blonde girl.
Where Buffy had her little cronies Jasmine had Duncan.
Given, her reinforcement sort of lacked in the human department.
But since there wasn't much she could do about this…
Jasmine shrugged.
Humans… they were such untrustworthy creatures, she shivered by the mere though of…
"Never mind, Jas, you mustn't think about the past - you've got Duncan!"
Immediately her lips curved up.
Yip, she had Duncan.
Her savior.
Her keeper.
Her black knight in shining white armor.
Okay, she wasn't naïve enough to pretend Duncan was without failure.
Too many scream, too many blood and dead bodied had paved their entwined paths.
But still.
As she had told them, Duncan was, always would be a man of honor.
In fact to her he was the most honorable man in the world.
"Prepare to die, slayer!"
She sighed.
Damian!, this time there was no mistaking the voice.
"Why don't you aaarrrgggh…"
The raw metal post took her by surprise.
Her eyes widened in shock.
"You dumb bastard!" She rattled.
Shaken by pain she carefully lowered her eyes in order to inspect the damage.
She gasped, when her eyes met the crude rod sticking a good 3 feet out of her chest.
"Shut up, bitch!"
With a baleful glare the former watcher viciously punched her in the face.
"You have no idea how long I've been waiting for this!"
The young girl didn't, couldn't flinch - hell, she hardly managed to breathe.
She was in far too much pain to even try to defend herself against the raging man.
She willed herself to stay on her feet, but bloodloss along with the throbbing wound in her chest rapidly forced her to her knees.
Although the pole apparently hadn't pierced her heart, something definitely was wrong - apart from the obvious.
Jasmine groaned and swayed, unable to avoid the vampire's mad punches and kicks.
"You have no idea how much you disgust me, little girl!" He snarled, all the while raining series after series of blows on her stomach and head. "Duncan's little charge - not to be touched - bull!"
He spat her in the face.
"You know what? - I made them pick you! I contacted the Council! I…"
The loathing voice died.
But Jasmine was far too far out of it to open her eyes.
Her face twisted in pain she desperately fought to stay on her legs, to maintain consciousness and continue to breathe…
Something soft, feather-like brushed along her skin.
+What the…?+
In a sheer inhuman effort she eventually managed to crack one eye.
Her vision was blurry and she still couldn't quite make out the reason for Damian terminating his attack.
She blinked, trying to get rid of the white dust hindering her sight.
Something was moving, fast.
Around her.
By her side.
Damian!
It had to be him!
She tried to focus.
Tried to prepare herself for his inevitable strike.
She even tried to lift one arm.
A face eventually swam into focus.
Blonde hair, dark eyes.
Her brows almost touched in confusion.
This couldn't…, couldn't…
She blinked several timed.
This simply couldn't be…
Wouldn't be…
Nah, it couldn't be her…
It wouldn't be Darla…
Especially not with one of her stakes in her hand…
***
>>I wish I was a Dixie hooray, hooray…<<
Angel's face would have turned beet root red, had he actually been able to blush.
Under the openly bemused eyes of his family and friends the dark-haired man impatiently picked up his mobile phone.
"Hello!" He inquired, silently wondering who'd call him at this ungodly hour of the day.
"I wish to speak to Jasmine O'Connor."
A gruff male voice demanded without much ado.
"She called me from this phone less than an hour ago!"
"Is this Duncan O'Connor?"
Angel carefully asked, unable to completely mask his surprise.
When the girl had suggested she'd call home he hadn't for believed - not even for the fracture of a second - that her vampire keeper would respond to her call.
"yes, this is Duncan O'Connor," the gruff voice after a split second of hesitation confirmed. "And who would be you?"
"Gimme that phone, mate!"
By the time Angel realized what he was up to, Spike had already grabbed the receiver from him.
"You're listening?" He blonde blared blatantly. "She's not here - that is not anymore…"
"Who is this?" The other man's voice was cold as ice.
"Name is Spike…"
"Well, Spike," the master vampire paid no mid to whatever Spike was about to say. "You tell you companions that, if Jasmine isn't released within 15 minutes Mr. and Mrs. Harris here will be returned one by one and in small, individual pieces - did I make myself clear!?"
"B-b-but I-I-I just t-t-told you…"
"You think about it and call me back!"
***
"Smart move, dumbarse!"
With an angry snarl Angel took the receiver away from his grand-childe.
"He hung up on me…" Spike grumbled through firmly clenched teeth. "The stupid prick wouldn't even listen to me…"
"Tell me about it!"
Angel fixed him with a mad glare.
"So, what did he say?" Willow finally threw in in a hoarse voice.
She and Xander had been extremely quiet since they found out about their parents.
Too shocked, too horrified that the new master would be that ruthless.
Five pair of eyes drilled into Spike.
"Oh, that…, well, we've got 15 minutes to return the dumb bitch!"
Silence.
Death silence.
"We've got 15 minutes to…?"
"Eh, Spike…, y-y-you r-r-realize, M-m-mss St Pierre left a-a-almost one h-h-hour ago…!"
The Slayerettes' faces visibly paled.
"Why didn't you tell him?"
"That's because the flamin' prick hung up on me before I could make my fucking point!"
The two vampires exchanged a long murderous glare.
But before they had a change to further deepen their aversion a low, high-pitched wail threw them off track.
"What is it, Dru?"
Spike was by her side with the blink of an eye.
"…the slayer…she's weak…"
Out of a reflex they all craned their necks in order to check on Buffy.
"What?" The blonde snapped defensively. "Bad legs, tell me something I don't know!"
"…pain…beautiful pain… so much pain…"
The raven-haired vampiress clutched her hands in front of her chest.
"…and blood, warm red blood…"
Her clouded black eyes sobered for a second.
"The slayer is dying!"
Her statement was serenely and plain.
However, it took several seconds for her word to sink in.
"Angel, give me that phone!" Buffy was the first to recover from her surprise. "I'll deal with Duncan - you go and find Jasmine!"
***
"Bloody hell, slayer!"
Thanks to her enhanced reflexes Darla caught the young girl moments before her head hit the street.
When she'd seen the big vampire attacking the kid, she'd reacted without thinking.
But now, with all the rich blood in her nostrils and the dying slayer in her arms…
Alright, Angel had told her off once.
But Angel wasn't here.
Angel didn't even have to know…
Darla involuntarily shifted into game-face.
"…Duncan…yes, we've found her…"
Four gorilla-like vampire plus the most ugly purple-scaled demon she'd ever seen, seemingly materialized from out of thin air.
"…doesn't look good…"
On closer inspection Darla realized that one of them was talking into a mobile phone.
Fear clamped down on her throat.
They had to be Duncan's men.
What if they hadn't seen the whole thing…?
What if they assumed…?
"…nah, we got here too late…"
Unaware of the vampiress' distress the bear of a man kept talking into his cell phone.
"…dunno, some blonde bint…"
He looked her over from head to toe.
"…must be new…"
The huge vampire quietly waited for further instructions.
"…alright, Sir…"
He finally confirmed.
"…we'll bring her along then…"
With a quick jerk of his head, he gestured his fellow escorts to grab the fair-haired vampiress.
"You, carry her!"
He then instructed the unsightly demon, before he once again spoke into the cell phone.
"…we are on our way back - shouldn't be more than five minutes…"
He silently awaited some final instructions.
"…alright, Sir, team IV out…"
***
"Okay, let's see."
The former slayer suspiciously eyed the small mobile and eventually settled to try the reverse-dial-button.
She waited.
"Miss Edith thinks the slayer is no longer in love with my Angel."
Buffy's head shot up.
The highly concentrated look on her face ever so slowly turned into a frown.
"Duh-hu???"
The vampiress' unwavering black eyes almost made her drop the small cell phone.
"Buzz off, Drusilla, the luni-bin's on the third floor!" Buffy huffed, openly annoyed.
She was upset.
However, she couldn't really say why the nut's silly talk had affected her that strongly.
Of course she still loved Angel…
It was just that they couldn't be together…
And of course that he wasn't there anymore…
So why again had she just been so mean to Drusilla, it wasn't as though had deliberately tried to hurt her.
Still, why couldn't she just quietly trudge after Darla and leave her lone and to her own despair.
"Miss Edith says, this was low, even for you, slayer!"
The slayer's eyes grew big as saucers, surely Dru hadn't just said what she'd just heard.
The vampiress' enigmatic face didn't give her away.
"Why don't you go and check on the others?"
"Miss Edith thinks the slayer's got feelings for my Spike."
The little girl shot her a murderous glare.
"Buffy thinks you better get lost - now!"
Despite the unmistakable threat Drusilla remained on spot.
She even had the nerve to flash an almost ridiculously sweet smile at the raging blonde.
"Dru-sil-la!!!"
The older woman's silvery laughter pushed her over the brink.
"You god-damned nuisance of a vampire," Buffy yelled.
Unfortunately of all moments Duncan O'Connor had to pick this to answer the call.
The slayer's face paled, then viciously flushed.
"Nonono, Sir, you've got it all wrong…," she hurried to say. "Of course I wasn't talking to you…"
The words died on her lips when the only reply came in form of the disengaged tone.
"See what you've done!"
Clearly outrageous about the misfortunate phone call, Buffy scowled at the brunette picture of innocence.
"You made him hang up on me!"
A half-eaten chocolate bar barely missed the vampiress' head.
"You're wrong, slayer," Drusilla returned matter of factly and maddeningly unimpressed. "Miss Edith says he hung up on you because he's found his lost princess."
***
"Jasmine!"
The master vampire was on his feet, the moment the huge CerJthag set foot in the hallway.
His eyes narrowed, when he took in the rough metal rod piercing the girl's chest.
"Who did this?" He roared, full demon to the fore.
"Bennett," one of the hulking minions hurried to answer. "She dusted him!"
The big man non-too gently pulled a struggling, horrified Darla into the limelight.
"You!"
Their eyes met and held for the briefest of seconds, then the blonde master abruptly turned away.
"Find me someone to fix her up!"
With that he crouched next to the limp figure in the CerJthag's strong arms.
***
He hadn't forgotten/
Almost two centuries had passed and he still held a grudge against her.
She hadn't made him to treat her like this.
It wasn't as though they hadn't been there before.
She surprised herself, when she felt a trace of the old Darla clawing on her - stirring somewhere deep inside.
+One wrong death…+
+One wrong decision…+
No, she hadn't been wrong!
She didn't regret!
After all, he was family.
And certain things didn't just change with the blink of an eye.
Then why did it hurt so much?
Still?
She quietly watched the motionless figures.
There was no way she could change past decisions.
But maybe…
Maybe she could make up for them somehow.
After all, he was family - in more than one way.
And it wouldn't hurt to offer.
Right?
***
"So, what we gonna do now?'
The five friends watched the heavily guarded building in Draper Street number 25.
There wasn't a chance in hell to sneak inside without anybody noticing them.
"Front door!"
Before Xander, Willow, Angel or Giles had a chance to react, their peroxide blonde companion had already approached the front gate.
"We're here to see Duncan!" Spike arrogantly informed a three times his size, thoroughly unimpressed guard.
"Says who?" The 300 pounds fledge barely spared him an eye.
And Angel could see his hotheaded grandchilde getting ready to pound a few tacts of respect into the younger man's skull and hurried to save him from the blonde's explosive self.
After all, they hadn't come here to start a war!
"We're here because of the slayer."
Not very original, he admitted to himself, but since it was all he could come up with it would have to do.
"The slayer is non of your business!"
The minion's icy tone would have frozen hell.
"W-w-we c-c-come to warn him…, t-t-the g-g-girl is in d-d-danger…"
"Thank you very much, Sir, but we knew this already."
The guard's voice remained polite but the hint of yellow in his eyes clearly stated his growing annoyance.
He gave them a dismissive wave.
"Listen, you arrogant prick!"
Pointed end of a stake hovering above the vampire's unbeating heart, Xander forced his way passed the strong gate.
"My friends here and I wish to talk to your master," he growled, shoving and pushing the heavy guard towards the front door. "Do you have a problem with this?"
The dark-haired boy increased the pressure so the stake would almost but not quite break the vampire's skin.
"No…, not a problem, Sir!"
That was too easy.
Spike sensed the trap the moment they stepped through the heavy cast-iron gate.
He should be right.
A solid wall of not less than 20 sturdily build vampires seemingly appeared out of nowhere.
Encircling them, cutting off their only way back.
"This way, Sir!"
The first guard gleefully announced.
"What?" He laughed into the puzzled boy's face. "You didn't think my Lord would allow any guard around him and his assets who'd even consider to place their lives above his!"
***
Darla!
Apart from a huge throng of scurrying vampires Drusilla's latest, pain-in-the-ass childe was the first thing to strike their eyes on entering the vast hallway.
"What's she doing here?"
Xander was the first to voice his annoyance.
"Well?" He reproachfully turned to glare at their vampire captor, as though the blonde's presence was his personal fault.
"What the…?"
Although the voice wasn't particularly loud or menace the small gathering hurried to rush out of the way.
Allowing view of a tall crouching figure next to…
"Ohmigod!"
Despite the snarling minions, Giles was on his knees and next to the master vampire within a second.
"Somebody call an ambulance!"
He gestured Angel to go ahead before he remembered that he no longer had his mobile phone.
"You!" He ordered the guard Xander had held by stake-point. "Call 911!"
The vampire didn't budge, although his eyes slowly drifted from Giles towards his master.
"Well, what are you waiting for!" The Englishman barked. "The girl's going to die…"
"What difference does it make?"
The tall blond master vampire gracefully jumped to his feet.
"She is going to die anyway - because that's what she's designed for."
Not a trace of emotion swung in his crystal clear voice.
"So why bother if another on will be called the moment she'd gone?"
"NO!!!"
The watcher frantically reached for the girl, trying to somehow - anyhow - remove her from this place.
"Giles…, Mr. Giles…"
The almost inaudible whisper made him hold in.
Barely breathing, her green eyes clouded with pain, Jasmine sturdily held his gaze.
"…Duncan is right…"
She flashed the grim vampire a flat painfilled smile.
"…we agreed not to go through this again and again…"
They had to read the last words from her lips since her voice had died mid sentence.
Blood seeped from her ears, mouth and nose as life rapidly was leaving her body.
All eyes focused on the indifferent looking vampire.
That was all eyes, except for his minion who wouldn't dare looking let alone openly questioning their Lordship.
"I'm sorry, Jasmine."
The blonde man silently met the girl's tormented gaze.
"I know, I promise, but I just can't!"
"You!" The then briskly turned towards the huge coloss of a CerJthag. "Come over here and get her to a doctor!"
***
"How bad is it?"
Eight pair of eyes - hopeful, tired or plain curiously gazed at the door.
"She's asking for her!"
Xander, who had spontaneously claimed Jasmine his baby sister and therefore had been allowed into Intensive Care, pointed a reproachful finger at the already uncomfortable looking blonde vampiress.
For the fracture of a second the small gathering flocked in Buffy's little room stared at the dark-haired boy in bewilderment.
Then, however, all hell broke loose and everybody started to yell, growl, curse or shout at the same time.
"Darla? Why Darla???"
"Why would she want to see her???"
"You must be wrong, she doesn't even know her!"
"…???"
"…!!!"
In the end it was Dru, who managed to cut through the racket.
Not because of volume but her words shut them up within the fracture of a second.
"I think you should go!"
Angel, Spike and even Darla's eyes almost popped out of their sockets.
Either one of them being able to count the occasions of Drusilla referring to herself in the first person on one hand.
"Come again, ducks!"
Spike was the first to somewhat recover.
The raven-haired girl gave him an innocent smile.
"I think Darla should talk to her brother's charge."
Darla visibly paled and immediately bolted for the door, right into her former childe's waiting the arms.
"Are you saying, Drusilla," Angel easily held the struggling blonde. "Are you saying, Darla and Duncan are not just sire and childe, but real life siblings?"
"He is my twin brother."
The fair-haired woman eventually supplied, when Dru failed to explain - causing a small tumult amongst the unprepared Slayerettes.
"But you're almost 200 years older than Duncan…"
Having recalled the data collected on Duncan Willow gave the blonde a questioning look.
Darla's shoulders slumped forwards and she quickly shielded her eyes with her hands.
"Will you explain it to them, sire?" It wasn't a question. "Meanwhile I shall go and have a word with the girl."
With this she disentangled herself from her former childe's, now grand-sire's strong hold and pathetically gestured Xander to lead the way.
***
"One at a time!"
A resolute looking nurse non-too gently grabbed Xander by the arm, while at the same time she shoved his reluctant associate forcefully into the dimly lit room.
"Not more than 10 minutes!" She ordered in a brisk voice.
The blonde vampiress quietly nodded and ever so slowly approached the closer to dead than life girl.
"Why me?" She asked, after the door had clicked shut and she could be sure the nurse would be out of earshot.
"We both know the answer, Darla."
It was true.
And only because it was true, the vampiress could read the words from the girl's soundless lips.
"I've not much time left - so, will you do it?"
Green eyes drilled in to hazel brown orbs.
"You don't know what you're asking for."
Darla's mind drifted.
Out of the 20th century…
Out of the sterile hospital room…
To a time she'd rather wanted to forget…
To a life, a place she rather not wished to remember…
To an old burned down barn that once had been her home…
To the beheaded, mutilated bodies of her parents and siblings…
All the blood…
And Duncan…
Her beloved twin brother…
More dead than alive…
How outrageous he'd been - her master - when he'd found out about him…
+Let me stay with you, Darla…+
+As your brother and friend…+
Despite her demon and even despite her Lord's unmistakable order to dispose of all human bonds she had kept him alive.
Had tended his wounds, even taken food from her victims' houses.
Years had gone by, and Darla eventually had become her master's favorite childe.
A privilege granting her access to her Lord's secrete library at will.
It hadn't taken her long to find what she'd been looking for.
Something that would allow her to keep Duncan by her side - forever - just as he'd promised.
+I'll stay with you, Darla…+
"On my own free will…+
That was until her master had found out about her secret.
Until he'd found out about the spell.
Found out about…
"Darla?"
It took her a good minute to snap out of her daydreams.
"Darla?"
The slayer was dying.
Every single one of her enhanced vampire senses sang in delight.
"Will you help me?"
There was nothing that connected her to the frail brunette.
Nothing but Duncan.
The man who'd walked out on her after her master had almost killed her, killed either one of them for his mere existence.
The man who'd walked out on her after he'd found out about what he'd called her utter betrayal.
But how could she have watched him die?
How could she have walked away, if it took so little to save him?
"Darla?"
"I'll do it."
She had no idea why she gave in to the girl's silent plea.
Surely not because she felt sorry for the rapidly fading slayer-kid.
"If you know how to do it, the ritual itself is plain simple."
"Thank you."
Their eyes locked.
And something in the other girl's agonized look told her that her decision was right.
***
"I need clothes!"
A slightly panicky Darla hard on her heels the tall black-haired slayer blatantly burst into her predecessor's room.
"Buffy, quick - shirt, trackies, anything..!"
Not bothering to wait for an answer, Jasmine impatiently rummaged through the cupboard.
"Great, that's just what I need!"
Jumping on one leg, while trying to wiggle into Buffy's favorite pair of jeans, Jasmine gave a quick wave and - tee shirt still under her arm - disappeared with a smooth 180.
***
"Well, well, look what the cat dragged in!"
Darla quite literally shrunk under Spike's hot-dagger glare.
She quickly took a step backwards, trying to get some space between herself and the mad vampire.
Spike, however, wouldn't have any of this.
"Have a seat, blondie!"
The hotheaded vampire seized her by her wrist with the blink of an eye.
"Enlighten us, precious," he scoffed and pushed the surprised blonde onto a chair. "What the fuck have you done to the slayer?"
***
Who would have thought…
His mind was restless and his long dead heart heavy and sad as he looked down at the seemingly sound asleep city.
Everything seemed so peaceful up here…
Far away from the dirt and filth…
The sleepy streetlights and the few solemn cars…
The tall sand-color-haired man let out a long heavy sigh.
He'd fucked up, majorly!
After all, he'd given her his word.
He'd promised to protect her.
Promised that if he couldn't protect her, he wouldn't interfer.
He forced himself to drop his line of thought.
Forced himself to concentrate on the early morning sky.
He loved and always had loved this time of the day.
The ultimate battle between light and dark.
The oh so subtle, yet breathtaking transformation from soulless pitch black into the deepest, richest most beautiful blue.
There was no way he could have watched her die.
She was the only thing sane, the only thing light in his black, dismal existence.
Oh yeah, Duncan and Darla…
Truly one of a kind…
Neither able to honor a promise…
Alright, over the years he'd come to understand her point of view…
The risks she had taken…
A mere fledge…
Hiding a mortal from her master…
For close to 200 years…
No wonder he had almost killed her, killed the two of them, once he'd found out.
Duncan purposefully drew in the faint changes of the ever so slowly brightening morning sky.
The stars, one second all shiny and bright, one by one disappeared.
Why couldn't she just have left him to die?
After all, she had promised…
They've had more years together than they ever could have wished for being human.
So how could she betray him like this?
How could he betray her like this?
Jasmine…
Her eyes…
Her piercing green eyes…
He had betrayed her trust.
Just as her mother.
And her watcher.
He clearly remembered their very first meeting.
The mortal Damian approaching him accompanied by a tall black-haired woman.
At first he hadn't noticed the tiny little thing.
The mere thought of getting his hand on a slayer initiate…
Ready to be shaped to his will…
Ready to fight the enemy with their very own weapons…
He could smell the sunrise approaching, rapidly.
The first he'd get to see I 200 years.
Their time was up.
She now was the slayer.
And it never had been heard of a vampire allied with a slayer.
No, their time definitely was up.
"It's all about choices."
He remembered telling the younger Jasmine, spellbound by her fearless green eyes.
"All about cause and effect - you take one turn, things happen, you take another turn, things happen, and so on…>
"But I never had a choice, I'm just a stupid dumb kid that gets in the way."
Something in here eyes, something in her tone of voice had appealed to him more than all rivers of tears, or all prayers for mercy would have dome.
It had been an night like this.
Desperate and lonely - the sickle moon hanging low, laughing at the macabre scene.
It had taken him two seconds to make up his mind.
Two seconds to realize he might, by chance, had found something far more precious than an initiate slayer.
"If you had the choice, what would you choose?"
"Is this about them?"
The look she'd given her mother and watcher had been a look of utter betrayal.
"Cuz if it is - I'm not going back with them…"
The way she'd stuck her bottom lip out to stress her point involuntarily had made him smile.
"Then you just made a choice."
Her eyes had been clouded and sad, when she'd turned back to look at him.
"I know - but it wasn't a wise choice, cuz I've got nowhere to go…"
Their eyes had locked and he'd instinctively know that now the tables were up to him.
Not that he had to think about it.
"Yes you do!"
He remembered the shock in their eyes.
His minions.
Her mother.
Her watcher.
And finally he himself.
"Okay."
She'd held out her hand.
Quietly stood by his side.
Never looked back.
Never inquired about the whereabouts of her traitorous parent.
Never challenged his decision to keep and turn Damian Bennett.
The sun was getting closer.
He stood up, in honor of her.
The ultimate winner over the dark.
His heart was heavy.
But he knew it had to be done.
It was his way of keeping his promise.
So that the next time he wouldn't be round to interfere…
***
"now again, what exactly have you done to her?"
"How come, she didn't have a heartbeat?"
"And what is it about this instant recovery?"
Question after question was thrown at her.
Questions she wasn't sure she could, let alone wanted to answer.
She sighed, knowing they wouldn't leave her alone until she'd come up with some kind of explanation.
"Miss Edith says: It's a general anti-aging spell that also fixes physical defects in a mortal!"
Darla would have breathed a sigh of relief had her sire's plain, straightforward statement not taken her so much by surprise.
All attention immediately focused on Drusilla, who quietly and unaware of her thrilled audience moved her head to an inaudible tune.
"Miss Edith also says: That the master has been very angry with his little girl, when he found out about her disobedience."
This they could imagine.
Although, as always, an explanation a la Drusilla didn't explain much at all, the little bit it actually did, immediately captured their combined attention.
So Darla had rebelled against the master…
Had even gone so far as to hide her human brother from him…
"Darla!" Once again Spike was the first to regain his voice. "…fi this…, this spell…, if it worked on Jasmine…, couldn't…, wouldn't…?"
"…fix Buffy?" Willow rushed to fill in for the stuttering vampire.
Again, all eyes focused on Darla and the petite blonde knew that this time there would be no escape.
"The girl is right." Taking a deep unneeded breath the vampiress finally spoke up. "The spell would fix the slayer's legs."
This time she didn't flinch under the Slayerettes' impatient dark gazes.
"The catch?" She gestured towards Spike and Angel. "You've already pointed it out yourself - no heartbeat, no pulse…"
She fixed the remaining mortals a challenging look.
"So she's dead?"
Willow tentatively dared to ask.
"No."
The answer was simple, and surprisingly supplied by Giles.
"She is not dead, but she's also not human any longer, am I correct?"
On the vampiress' nod and his friends' duh-hu expressions the Englishman hurried to explain.
"The ritual, the spell, or whatever you want to call it - is far beyond simple magic."
The older man uncomfortably fiddled with his glasses.
"Well, I didn't even know, such knowledge still exists…"