If Aaron wasn’t with Julia…..

She bit her lip and lifted her long skirts higher as she raced back to house, top speed.

When Julia had gone on her hunt two days earlier, Aaron had begged to go along. Against her own better judgement, she’d agreed but only with the stipulation that he stayed with his aunt at all times. Evidently, half-way through a fight, the boy had mysteriously disappeared. Julia had simply assumed that he’d gotten scared and run for it. The slayer had dusted all of the vampires which had attacked her so it wasn’t possible that he’d been abducted, at least in her own mind.

Now, however, it was rapidly becoming clear that this whole attack was more planned and organized that it had originally appeared.

And so, as she raced through the darkness, well ahead of her husband and his band of helpers, Bridget couldn’t help but fear for the life of her missing son and those of her remaining daughters.

**

Still busily searching, Spike was walking past an open doorway when he heard the call.

“I’ve found the book!” Angelus shouted from somewhere within the depths of the house.

The blond vampire stopped and backtracked. Poking his head into the room, he sighed.

“And I’ve found Dru!” he yelled back.

The woman looked up, somewhat startled.

Within moments, Angelus’ dark head popped up next to his companion’s peroxide one.

“Where’d you find the book?”

“In the downstairs library.”

“Go figure.”

Shrugging, the two men turned their respective gazes to their female companion.

“Hey, check it out…” Angelus’ face broke into a huge grin, “Dru’s found us a snack.”

The dark haired woman gazed adoringly at them.

Spike wasn’t pleased.

“Oooh, can we keep her Angel darling? Pleasssssse,”  she begged, “isn’t she lovely? Like a living doll!!”

“A pretty tastey doll,” Angelus nodded in agreement

“Look, mate. Let’ s forget about this little one and get out of here, there isn’t tim-,” Spike began in agitation.

“Ahh, excuse me WILLIAM, but I don’t remember anyone dying and appointing you the leader.”

“You want to get caught by the Slayer and her infernal watcher? Fine with me.”

“No one’s getting caught,  moron, not while I’m in ch-,”

“Now now boys,” Dru broke in, clucking her disapproval, “We musn’t raise our voices in front of young Kateri here. It isn’t proper,” leaning down, she kissed the little girl on the cheek, “Isn’t that right, sweetie?”

Mary nodded her silent agreement. She didn’t like these two men. She wasn’t quite sure why, but they made her intensely uncomfortable.

“Whatever. Sure Dru, you can keep her,” rolling his eyes slightly, Angelus suppressed his laughter, “for awhile….”

“Oh good then,” she clapped her hands gleefully, “And you’ve found the book?”

“It’s right here.”

“That’s ma’vellous. So we can leave?”

“Whenever you’re ready milady,” bowing clumsily he extended a hand in her direction.

Spike merely growled under his breath.

Dru giggled airily, “Why thank you Angel!” Pausing for a moment to gather her skirts and stand, she took ahold of the child’s hand as well, “Come now Kateri. We have to go.”

“Go?” the child’s blue eyes rounded, “But my mummy won’t let me go without telling her…”

“Oh but Kateri, sweetie, your mummy isn’t he’ah anymore,” she looked sad, “Not to worry though, auntie Dru will take care of you.”

Pausing for just a moment, Kateri considered her options.  Leaving now might not only make her mother mad, but it would also mean leaving her little sister alone. Kateri frowned. Sometimes little Rena would wake up crying during the night and she’d need her big sister to comfort her. Glancing up, the child swept her blond curls out of her eyes and stared at the grown-ups. It was also obvious, however, that she couldn’t very well say no to these people. There was only one of her and three of them.

Biting her lip, the child made her decision. < I hope mummy doesn’t get too mad. > “Okay, let’s go.” Stooping to pick up her dolly, she took ahold of Dru’s hand.

Humming happily, the graceful vampire led her out of the room.

Giles stooped down and squinted at the very bottom shelf.

“Lake….Lamins……Lark…..Laughlin,” muttering incoherently, he pulled the faded brown book out and dusted it off, “Ahh, here we go….Aaron Laughlin.”

He paused.

“Aaron? No….I need Bridget,” sighing, he put the book back and crawled on his hands and knees a few more feet. “Laughlin, Adam…..Laughlin, Alice……Laughlin, Julia….Laughlin, Mary….Laug-,” the Warcher paused again and pushed his glasses further up his nose.

Backtracking, he tried again, “Laughlin, Julia….Laughlin, Alice…..no Laughlin, Bridget, eh?”

Moaning in irritation, he awkwardly gripped the side of the bookcase and pulled himself.

“Didn’t anyone keep any semblance of order during that era? How on earth can you completely just MISS a person who could actually be considered the single most INFLUENTIAL female watcher of this millennium….” he mumbled while dusting off his tweed jacket.

“Have you tried Harris? I don’t really think there’s much listed under Laughlin that you haven’t already seen…”

“Hmm?” Giles turned to address the speaker, “Harris? No, why would I…” his voice trailed off.

“See, tracing the Harris lineage would be most helpful in order t-,” her words were cut off when the Watcher promptly fell backwards and passed out.

Cocking her head to the side, she drew close to his prone body, “Oh my….”

Frowning, she bent over him.

 “Quite excitable, aren’t we?”

The sight which greeted her, however, almost caused her scream.

Aaron’s limp body was lying across the floor, his face contorted into an ugly, painful grimace. The expression stemmed both from the fact that he had been changed into a vampire and the obvious pain he’d endured shortly before his death.

Viloently shoving the tears and anger which shot up within her, her green eyes darted around the room. With one swift motion, she reached into a nearby cupboard and drew out one of the spare crossbows Adam had kept hidden in the case of an attack. Stepping stealthily over the dead body of the poor farmwoman she had hired to look after her children, Bridget swallowed hard.

She may have lost her son, but she’d be damned if they were getting her daughters.

“…and we’ll play games, and have tea and I’ll sew you pretty dresses…,” Dru chattered on as she pulled
the little girl along.

Gasping, the child looked past the pretty dark-haired vampire and made eye contact with her mother.

Setting her jaw, Bridget’s eyes narrowed as she saw the pair and she held her weapon up.

“Oh…hello,” Dru smiled charitably at the new visitor.

“Release the child,” the red-head ground out angrily.

“See? I told you this would happen!”

Darting her gaze to the left, Bridget felt her heart sinking…had it only been one female vampire, she had a chance…but adding on two more males, she was in serious trouble.

Not letting her face reflect her thoughts, she simply took a step backwards and trained her weapon within firing distance of all three of them.

“Let her go,” she repeated icily, “And I won’t kill every single one of you.”

“Please, don’t make me laugh. If you th-,” Angelus stopped in mid-sentence once he got a good look at the woman. Unable to help himself, he gasped. “Miss Bridget?”

All at once, a terribly horrible and sick feeling invaded her stomach. For the first time, she felt her grip on the crossbow weaken, “A-angel?”

An eerie silence decended upon all three of them.

Fighting back tears, Bridget’s green eyes shifted from her daughter’s face to that of her former pupil. < Dear God, not Angel….not him….. > Deep in her heart, the sorrow she felt was not just for herself and her children but also for him. < To take away his innocence…his soul…. > Gritting her teeth, she pushed the thoughts out of her head. Angel was already gone. The monster that was left had killed her son.

It was unforgivable.

“NOW!” she shouted in a slightly high-pitched voice, “Let her go NOW or else I’ll start shooting.”

“Mummy…,” Kateri started whining fearfully as she strained against Dru’s grasp. She hadn’t expected her mother to be THIS upset.

“Kateri, sweetie, mummy’s here,” Bridget replied through clenched teeth, “Don’t be scared…”

“Ohhh,” Dru’s dark eyes suddenly lit with understanding, “This is your mummy? Ooh, she’s pretty!”

For a split second, Bridget’s attention focused wholly on the female vampire. In her mind, she could sense that there was something strange about her….something familiar. Concentrating, she tentatively reached out and brushed lightly against Dru’s mind.

Fully expecting to be attacked by the vicious demon which resided just underneath every vampire, she was mildly surprised when nothing like that happened.

Tentatively, she prodded a bit deeper until she found the problem.

It wasn’t until then that she realized what was familiar about the vampiress. Granted, she was typically morbid and in possession of a very feisty demon….but that wasn’t the worst part of it.

Bridget felt an intense sadness wash over herself again.

Dru’s mind wasn’t tainted with evil….it was tainted with good.

Such intense good that even the demon couldn’t consume it all.

It had caused her to go mad.

“I-I’m so sorry….,” Bridget shook her head incomprehensibly.

The men looked on in mild confusion at the exchange between the two women.

For the briefest of moments, a look complete clarity entered the other woman’s dark eyes and she smiled faintly.

‘Thank You.’

The voice echoed in Bridget’s head just as Dru’s eyes glassed over again and she started humming.

“Mary, luv, you look JUST like your mummy!” she squealed happily.

In the background, Spike could here the soft sounds of approaching men. The Watcher would be back in minutes. With growing apprehension and frustration, he threw his hands up in the air, “Look pet, put the bloody crossbow down and we’ll give you the little brat.”

“You want to be the first to die? Keep talking,” she growled while training her weapon at his heart.

Spike merely snarled back, his eyes growing a faint yellow.

“Stop it!” Kateri clamped both hands over her ears and squeezed her eyes shut while burying her face in Dru’s long skirts.

“Now now, Spikey wikey,” the graceful vampire threw her consort a lazy smile, “Play nice.” Turning back to Bridget, she smiled brightly, “She’s such a li’le doll! And very well-mannered.”

Somewhat perturbed and a bit confused as to what to do next, the red-head hesitated, “Ahh…thank you….”

“Auntie Dru,” impatiently, Kateri tugged on the long red gown, “Can I go over to my mummy?”

Dru looked surprised, “Well of course you can, swee’hea’t!”

“You won’t be lonely? I mean….without your mummy?”

Cocking her head to one side, the vampire smiled sadly, “Well..maybe just a li’le..but not too much. I’ll be brave, luv..”

“Dru!” Angelus shouted harshly.

She turned towards him, her eyes flashing angrily for a moment, “Wha’?”

“If you give her back, her mum’ll kill us.”

Dru looked mildly horrified, “Well of course she won’t!”

“Dru!” Spike barked, “Yes she will!”

“I think not,” indignantly, the tall brunette smoothed out her skirt, “It’d be improper.”

“Kateri, come to mummy,” Bridget whispered.

“But that man says you’d shoo-,”

“KATERI!” her mother pleaded in anguish, darting her daughter the briefest of glances, she dropped her tone again, “Come…to….me.”

Defiantely, the child turned back to her new friend, “Auntie Dru, I want to give you something before I leave.”

Boldly, she thrust her arm out.

“Your dolly?” Dru looked torn between surprise and utter glee, “But won’t you need her?”

“No, I think she’d like to live with you. She thinks you’re nice.”

Gingerly picking up the doll, the vampire stroked the soft hair lovingly, “She’s beau’iful…what’s ‘er name?”

“Miss Edith.”

“What a lovely name…”

“Mary Kateri Laughlin, come HERE!” Bridget ground out, her grip on the crossbow tightening.

The use of the child’s full name shot like a bolt of electricity through her tiny body.

“Yes mummy, sorry mummy.” Obediently, she skittered across the floor and well out of Spike and Angelus’s reach.

Now, with the child clinging heartily to her mother, the group found itself at an impasse.

Edgily, the red-head shifted the weapon from one vampire to another. She was torn between trying to shoot them now and risking waiting for her husband to show up. It was then that another concern shot through her head, “Kateri, where’s your sister?” she murmured, darting a glance downwards away from Dru’s face for just a moment.

“Rena? I dunno, I didn’ see ‘er…”

In that split second of distraction, Spike caught his chance.

With blinding speed, he hefted a saucer sitting atop the counter next to him and flung it at the woman.

Simultaneously, Bridget, Kateri and Dru shrieked.

Ducking to protect her daughter, Bridget let go of her crossbow causing it to fall to the ground and discharge its arrow which flew just past Angelus’ right ear and lodged into the panel behind him.

It was then that Adam chose to enter the house.

“My God!! Aaron!!”

< Damn! He’s back. We’re out of time. >

Not waiting to see what would happen when the Watcher saw the rest of the party, Spike rushed past Angelus, scooped up a loudly protesting Dru, and with blinding speed exited through the back of the house.

“Spike!? What on earth are you doing? Why did you throw that dish at her? SPIKE?! How outrageously rude!!!”

Hissing softly, Angelus took off after the pair.

In the time that it took her to cautiously look up from her crouched position, the room was empty.

“Bridget?”

“Adam!” her call was a cross between a whimper and a growl.

“Bridget?” cautiously he stuck his head into the room.

“Daddy!” joyfully, Kateri ran for her father.

Somewhere in the back of the house, Rena started crying.

“Sweetheart!” His voice full of relief, he clutched the blonde child, “Are you okay?”

Nodding happily, the four year old leaned her head against her father’s shoulder.

For a few seconds, Bridget stood watching the pair. Suddenly, the full impact of what had just happened, hit. Slumping to the ground, she felt the grief and anger rush over her.

“Mummy? Are you hurt?”
 
Numbly, she reached out to embrace her daughter as her husband appraised the cut on her forehead from where she’d been struck by a piece of the saucer.

“Mummy?” the child repeated the question, without realizing that her mother couldn’t hear her.

Bridget shook her head when she realized the disgusting truth.

“It doesn’t sting, does it mummy?”

Her son was dead.

“Muummmmyyyyy…..!!!”

The curse had been passed on.

**

Shivering involuntarily, Willow quickened her pace towards the school.

“Geez, Wills! Hold up!”

She heard his sneakers thumping behind her and within an instant, an arm was slung around her shoulders.

“You okay?”

Nodding numbly, she blinked back tears as she crossed the lawn.

“I-I’m sorry…about what Angel said.”

Briskly, she picked up the pace, “Not your fault. Not his fault,” she squeaked.

There was a brief pause as they continued towards the library.

Vaguely, she could feel the comfort that he offered almost enveloping her. It was an odd sensation.

One which needed to stop.

Shrugging him off, she picked up speed again. She had just reached the door to the library when he caught up again.

“Willow,” grasping her arm gently but forcefully, he pulled her to a stop, “You know that it wasn’t your fault too, don’t you?”

More silence.

“Willow?”

“I…I think you should go home Xander.”

“Absolutely not.”

“Xander, this is dangerous. I don’t need you to get involved.”

“I’m already involved. Didn’t you remember the dream WE had last night?”

She shook her head, “You’re getting influenced through me. If we break off now, it’ll stop. I know it will.”

“You know more than you’re telling me, don’t you?”

Averting her eyes slightly, she shrugged her slender shoulders. There was no way in hell she was telling him about the origins of the curse or her current feelings. It would just complicate things even more, “Can you just trust me on this one? You’re in trouble just being here. You can’t stop this. Only I can. Now go home. You can’t protect me.” Shoving him away, she tried to open the door.

 Within a second, she felt a hand on her shoulder, “NO! We stick together, remember?”

“Xander!” she yelled harshly, “This isn’t the third grade. You have no idea what you’re getting involved with. People have DIED because of what my ancestors did.” Who knew how much she was responsible for over the years? Buffy’s near demise? Xander’s possession? Jessie’s death? The list went on and on…

“People have died because of a curse your ancestors were unable to stop. The point is that you obviously can’t do it alone. You don’t know enough about this curse and after what happened to Bridget, you have a pretty good idea that you can’t just outrun it.  How do you know I can’t help you?”

Unable to look at him, she entered the library, “I just do.”

“Wil-,” he broke off when the door slammed shut. With a slight ache in his chest over her blatant rejection, Xander yanked open the door and followed her in anyway.

She’d stuck with him throughout his life.

As little sister, confidant, conspirator, advocate, teacher, helper and friend, she’d given herself to him without ever expecting anything in return.

Their relationship meant way too much to just let this go. Her life was in danger and there was no way he was abandoning her now.

He loved her too much.

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