The Cat
Chapter 1
The Cat's Scratch
"Bye guys, I'll be back in a while," said Buffy at sundown.
"I'll come with you, I'm bored," said Xander, putting on his jacket after her.
"Okay."
They left the shop and walked to the graveyard, hearing screeching tires a few miles away. About fifteen minutes later, a black mustang convertible pulled up in front of Xander and Anya's house. A girl stepped out and up to the door, and knocked. A girl with long, light brown hair opened the door.
"Hi. Can I help you?" she asked, uncertainly, looking at the girl.
"If you're Xander Harris, which I don't think you are," said the girl.
She was kinda tall, her hair was ebony black with bright red streaks. She had leather pants and a leather tube top, her bellybutton, every centimeter of the edges of her ears, and eyebrows were all pierced, and she had two tattoos. One was a black sun around her bellybutton, and the other was barbed wire, around her arm.
"No, I'm Dawn. Dawn Summers."
"Oh. The new Slayer's sister. Is Xander here?"
"No, would you like to come in?"
The girl shrugged.
"Sure. Only for a minute, I've gotta see Xander, so I can get out of here."
Dawn backed away slowly and let the girl in, grabbing a crucifix, just in case. Dawn led her to the den where there were three women watching a movie.
"Anya, Willow, Tara. This is-- wait, what's you're name?"
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you."
"Try us, we've seen lots of scary things in our time," said the red- head.
"My name is Love- Angel Ashleigh Harris, but don't call me that. Call me Cat."
"Why?" asked the girl holding the red- head's hand.
"It's a nickname. An old enemy gave it to me, and it stuck."
"Oh. How do you know Xander?" asked the blonde.
"He's my cousin. I've got a question. Who are you?"
"Oh, sorry, I'm Anya. The red- head is Willow, and the brunette is Tara."
"Oh okay. Where's Xander?"
"Patrolling with Buffy," said Tara.
"Okay thanks."
"I remember you," said Willow. "You're the cousin Xander used to bury in the sand at the beach."
She nodded and let herself out and went to find Xander. She found him and Buffy near a mosolium. Buffy turned and pointed a wooden stake at the vampire- looking girl.
"Don't point that thing at me, I'm no vamp. So, you must be the new Slayer. Heard lots of good things about you. Good job."
Xander turned.
"Hey Love-Angel!" he said.
"Don't call me that! I'm Cat, now, okay?"
"Why?"
"Ask the four ladies at your house and the Watcher who never came out of the kitchen. And the youngest had a crucifix, as if to use it to keep me back."
"Oh, what are you doing here?"
"Didn't Aunt Robin tell you? My parents died in a fire, started by vampires. I have to live with you, but if social services call tell them I'm fine, and you'll never hear from me ag--"
A twig snapped.
"Oh looky- looky. The Slayer's found a new vampire friend," said a man behind them.
Cat turned and flipped the guy over and pinned him to the ground.
"I'm no vampire."
"Bugger, I can't get up. Who are you?"
"Spike?"
"Cat?"
"God!" She got up off of him and they both stood up. "Stalking the new Slayer now? I should have known. Wherever there's a Slayer, there's you."
"You flatter me."
"Sorry, didn't mean to."
"Why do you do that?"
"Do what?"
"Instigate."
"Because you're annoying!" said Cat, becoming very angry.
"So, how have you been?" tried Spike, trying to lighten the atmosphere.
"Bored."
"No more vampires for you to hunt?"
"That's the Slayer's job, I'm not the Slayer anymore."
"So, what do you do for fun?"
"Black magic."
"Oh really?"
"Yes, really."
"What have you destroyed so far?"
"Well, there was this one vampire that I was trying to bring back to life, but I accidentally killed him. I was gonna kill him if it hadn't worked anyway." Spike laughed. "It wasn't funny, especially since my mom walked in right when he turned to dust. I had to put her under a spell to held her forget."
"You have changed so much since the last time we met up."
"Times change, so do people."
"I haven't."
"Yes you have. If you didn't you'd still be underground writing poetry, too shy to kill anybody."
Spike crossed his arms and pouted.
"Would not."
"Oh you big baby."
Cat reached over and fixed Spike's collar, which was half sticking up.
"Sorry mother."
"Oh shut up."
Xander cleared his throat, they looked at him.
"Buffy went on up ahead. She said she'd meet us at home. Let's go," said Xander, leading Cat out of the graveyard.
Cat shrugged.
"Whatever. Later Spike."
When they got home, they brought her things up to her new room and they went back downstairs to undergo interrogation.
"Are you allergic to anything?" asked Anya.
Buffy and the others walked in.
"Yes. Cheerleaders, jocks, pains- in- the- butt, jerks, stereotypical nerds, evil demons, and druggies."
"Any substances other than high school groupies?"
"Cigarette smoke and pollen."
"Okay, thank you."
"Whatever."
"Well, Cat here is best friends with Spike," said Xander.
Cat looked at him as a spoon hit the floor.
"We're not best friends, actually, we've almost killed each other, several times. Always has been and always will be like that."
"What do you mean? How long have you known each other?"
"Since about... Ancient Greece, no, wait, Ancient Egypt. I was a nobleman's daughter and he was my servant. Then we met back up in Ancient Greece, he was trying to take over Corrinth, but I had already conquered it, then we met up in early Renaissance and were lovers, but that soon ended, then we were split up in the eighteen hundreds. He was in Britain, and I was in Italy. Then we met back up again in Boston, nineteen- twenty, when he was a vamp, but I was mortal, then a few years ago, in Maryland, where I lived. We fought constantly."
"Interesting," said the Watcher.
"Who're you? I've met everyone else."
"I'm Giles, pleased to meat you."
"I'm Cat."
"What's your real name?"
"Love-Angel Ashleigh Harris."
"As in the one who stopped the first Assension, single- handedly?"
She nodded.
"Yup. That was Ancient Egypt. My father wanted to overthrow the Romans, who were ruling over us. I wasn't about to let him, because I knew what would happen. And I was in love with the prince, but that's a different story, but I tried to warn him, but he didn't listen. He sent our family, servants, and belongings to India, only without me. I stayed behind, to stop him, and I did."
A few weeks later, once Cat had gotten settled in, and was in school, she was sitting in the shop doing her homework at nine o'clock at night when Buffy sat down next to Cat.
"You said you used to be the Slayer, when?"
"All past lives, except for this one."
"How did you die, each time?"
"In Egypt, a friend of my fathers killed me, after he tortured me; in Greece I died of oldness; Renaissance, suicide; Eighteen hundreds, murder by my husband who was having a affair; Nineteen twenties, car accident; and now, I'm not dead yet."
Buffy laughed.
"Why suicide?"
"Spike."
"I almost married him once."
"I actually did. We eloped and he kept leaving and coming back, but once, he didn't come back, so I killed myself."
"Wow, so no vampires ever killed you?"
"Nope, can't get near me, I can smell them when they get within fifteen feet of me, AND THERE'S A VERY IDIOTIC ONE RIGHT OUTSIDE THE DOOR!"
Spike walked in.
"I heard that," he said.
"I would have been wasted if you hadn't," said Cat, grinning.
"I brought you something you might like."
He set the large box on the table, and they opened it to find little labeled boxes. One was in hieroglyphics, another was in Greek, and the rest in English. The first one, in hieroglyphics, said, 'Love-Angel 1852'. The one in Greek said 'Love-Angel 59' both were BC. The next one, in English said, 'Love-Angel 1282'. The next said 'Love-Angel 1892'. And the last was labeled 'Love-Angel 1923'.
"Spike wha--"
"I thought you might like these back."
"Thanks, but what's in them?"
"Look."
Cat opened the first one (in order that she read the labels) in it was a silk dress, beads and a golden headdress.
"My dress-- Spike."
"Your things went to India, even if you didn't."
She opened the next one, inside was a jewel- encrusted sword, and a crown.
"My sword! I was wondering where this had gone."
"I stole it from you after the Great War."
She opened the next one and pulled out a beautiful red dress from the Renaissance. Then a lavender one after that, then a painting of a man and a woman looking into one another's eyes. Cat gasped
"Spike-- I-- where?"
"I got it from the man who had painted it when I came back, to find you-- dead."
She opened the next one; a long light green sleeveless dress with lace around the shoulders and bottom, and pink ribbon lacing up the front, and a diamond necklace.
"You were in Britain."
"I came for a visit, but you were asleep, with your husband, so I thought it a bad time. So, when I heard you were murdered I went back, because I didn't believe it. Then I took them, because I knew you'd come back."
She opened the last one to find an old dress from the twenties, a bottle of champagne, and a pearl necklace. Cat held up the champagne.
"What's with this?"
"It's your favorite, I believe, and since it was illegal then I thought I might keep it, just in case."
"Thanks, and-- er-- what's with stealing my dresses. You-- dress- stealer you!"
He laughed.
"I've got a question."
"Okay."
"What changed you over the past two years?"
"It's called independent teenager."
"Ahh. Will you do something for me?"
"What?"
"Will you or won't you?"
"Sure."
"Wear that red dress for me, one more time? It always looked good on you."
"No."
"You said you would."
Cat sighed.
"I can't do it here."
"Tomorrow night."
"Okay, come up to my room, at Xander's place."
"No, my place. Nine o'clock."
She sighed again.
"Fine."
"Great, see you tomorrow night, beautiful."
He left.
Chapter 1
The Cat's Scratch
"Bye guys, I'll be back in a while," said Buffy at sundown.
"I'll come with you, I'm bored," said Xander, putting on his jacket after her.
"Okay."
They left the shop and walked to the graveyard, hearing screeching tires a few miles away. About fifteen minutes later, a black mustang convertible pulled up in front of Xander and Anya's house. A girl stepped out and up to the door, and knocked. A girl with long, light brown hair opened the door.
"Hi. Can I help you?" she asked, uncertainly, looking at the girl.
"If you're Xander Harris, which I don't think you are," said the girl.
She was kinda tall, her hair was ebony black with bright red streaks. She had leather pants and a leather tube top, her bellybutton, every centimeter of the edges of her ears, and eyebrows were all pierced, and she had two tattoos. One was a black sun around her bellybutton, and the other was barbed wire, around her arm.
"No, I'm Dawn. Dawn Summers."
"Oh. The new Slayer's sister. Is Xander here?"
"No, would you like to come in?"
The girl shrugged.
"Sure. Only for a minute, I've gotta see Xander, so I can get out of here."
Dawn backed away slowly and let the girl in, grabbing a crucifix, just in case. Dawn led her to the den where there were three women watching a movie.
"Anya, Willow, Tara. This is-- wait, what's you're name?"
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you."
"Try us, we've seen lots of scary things in our time," said the red- head.
"My name is Love- Angel Ashleigh Harris, but don't call me that. Call me Cat."
"Why?" asked the girl holding the red- head's hand.
"It's a nickname. An old enemy gave it to me, and it stuck."
"Oh. How do you know Xander?" asked the blonde.
"He's my cousin. I've got a question. Who are you?"
"Oh, sorry, I'm Anya. The red- head is Willow, and the brunette is Tara."
"Oh okay. Where's Xander?"
"Patrolling with Buffy," said Tara.
"Okay thanks."
"I remember you," said Willow. "You're the cousin Xander used to bury in the sand at the beach."
She nodded and let herself out and went to find Xander. She found him and Buffy near a mosolium. Buffy turned and pointed a wooden stake at the vampire- looking girl.
"Don't point that thing at me, I'm no vamp. So, you must be the new Slayer. Heard lots of good things about you. Good job."
Xander turned.
"Hey Love-Angel!" he said.
"Don't call me that! I'm Cat, now, okay?"
"Why?"
"Ask the four ladies at your house and the Watcher who never came out of the kitchen. And the youngest had a crucifix, as if to use it to keep me back."
"Oh, what are you doing here?"
"Didn't Aunt Robin tell you? My parents died in a fire, started by vampires. I have to live with you, but if social services call tell them I'm fine, and you'll never hear from me ag--"
A twig snapped.
"Oh looky- looky. The Slayer's found a new vampire friend," said a man behind them.
Cat turned and flipped the guy over and pinned him to the ground.
"I'm no vampire."
"Bugger, I can't get up. Who are you?"
"Spike?"
"Cat?"
"God!" She got up off of him and they both stood up. "Stalking the new Slayer now? I should have known. Wherever there's a Slayer, there's you."
"You flatter me."
"Sorry, didn't mean to."
"Why do you do that?"
"Do what?"
"Instigate."
"Because you're annoying!" said Cat, becoming very angry.
"So, how have you been?" tried Spike, trying to lighten the atmosphere.
"Bored."
"No more vampires for you to hunt?"
"That's the Slayer's job, I'm not the Slayer anymore."
"So, what do you do for fun?"
"Black magic."
"Oh really?"
"Yes, really."
"What have you destroyed so far?"
"Well, there was this one vampire that I was trying to bring back to life, but I accidentally killed him. I was gonna kill him if it hadn't worked anyway." Spike laughed. "It wasn't funny, especially since my mom walked in right when he turned to dust. I had to put her under a spell to held her forget."
"You have changed so much since the last time we met up."
"Times change, so do people."
"I haven't."
"Yes you have. If you didn't you'd still be underground writing poetry, too shy to kill anybody."
Spike crossed his arms and pouted.
"Would not."
"Oh you big baby."
Cat reached over and fixed Spike's collar, which was half sticking up.
"Sorry mother."
"Oh shut up."
Xander cleared his throat, they looked at him.
"Buffy went on up ahead. She said she'd meet us at home. Let's go," said Xander, leading Cat out of the graveyard.
Cat shrugged.
"Whatever. Later Spike."
When they got home, they brought her things up to her new room and they went back downstairs to undergo interrogation.
"Are you allergic to anything?" asked Anya.
Buffy and the others walked in.
"Yes. Cheerleaders, jocks, pains- in- the- butt, jerks, stereotypical nerds, evil demons, and druggies."
"Any substances other than high school groupies?"
"Cigarette smoke and pollen."
"Okay, thank you."
"Whatever."
"Well, Cat here is best friends with Spike," said Xander.
Cat looked at him as a spoon hit the floor.
"We're not best friends, actually, we've almost killed each other, several times. Always has been and always will be like that."
"What do you mean? How long have you known each other?"
"Since about... Ancient Greece, no, wait, Ancient Egypt. I was a nobleman's daughter and he was my servant. Then we met back up in Ancient Greece, he was trying to take over Corrinth, but I had already conquered it, then we met up in early Renaissance and were lovers, but that soon ended, then we were split up in the eighteen hundreds. He was in Britain, and I was in Italy. Then we met back up again in Boston, nineteen- twenty, when he was a vamp, but I was mortal, then a few years ago, in Maryland, where I lived. We fought constantly."
"Interesting," said the Watcher.
"Who're you? I've met everyone else."
"I'm Giles, pleased to meat you."
"I'm Cat."
"What's your real name?"
"Love-Angel Ashleigh Harris."
"As in the one who stopped the first Assension, single- handedly?"
She nodded.
"Yup. That was Ancient Egypt. My father wanted to overthrow the Romans, who were ruling over us. I wasn't about to let him, because I knew what would happen. And I was in love with the prince, but that's a different story, but I tried to warn him, but he didn't listen. He sent our family, servants, and belongings to India, only without me. I stayed behind, to stop him, and I did."
A few weeks later, once Cat had gotten settled in, and was in school, she was sitting in the shop doing her homework at nine o'clock at night when Buffy sat down next to Cat.
"You said you used to be the Slayer, when?"
"All past lives, except for this one."
"How did you die, each time?"
"In Egypt, a friend of my fathers killed me, after he tortured me; in Greece I died of oldness; Renaissance, suicide; Eighteen hundreds, murder by my husband who was having a affair; Nineteen twenties, car accident; and now, I'm not dead yet."
Buffy laughed.
"Why suicide?"
"Spike."
"I almost married him once."
"I actually did. We eloped and he kept leaving and coming back, but once, he didn't come back, so I killed myself."
"Wow, so no vampires ever killed you?"
"Nope, can't get near me, I can smell them when they get within fifteen feet of me, AND THERE'S A VERY IDIOTIC ONE RIGHT OUTSIDE THE DOOR!"
Spike walked in.
"I heard that," he said.
"I would have been wasted if you hadn't," said Cat, grinning.
"I brought you something you might like."
He set the large box on the table, and they opened it to find little labeled boxes. One was in hieroglyphics, another was in Greek, and the rest in English. The first one, in hieroglyphics, said, 'Love-Angel 1852'. The one in Greek said 'Love-Angel 59' both were BC. The next one, in English said, 'Love-Angel 1282'. The next said 'Love-Angel 1892'. And the last was labeled 'Love-Angel 1923'.
"Spike wha--"
"I thought you might like these back."
"Thanks, but what's in them?"
"Look."
Cat opened the first one (in order that she read the labels) in it was a silk dress, beads and a golden headdress.
"My dress-- Spike."
"Your things went to India, even if you didn't."
She opened the next one, inside was a jewel- encrusted sword, and a crown.
"My sword! I was wondering where this had gone."
"I stole it from you after the Great War."
She opened the next one and pulled out a beautiful red dress from the Renaissance. Then a lavender one after that, then a painting of a man and a woman looking into one another's eyes. Cat gasped
"Spike-- I-- where?"
"I got it from the man who had painted it when I came back, to find you-- dead."
She opened the next one; a long light green sleeveless dress with lace around the shoulders and bottom, and pink ribbon lacing up the front, and a diamond necklace.
"You were in Britain."
"I came for a visit, but you were asleep, with your husband, so I thought it a bad time. So, when I heard you were murdered I went back, because I didn't believe it. Then I took them, because I knew you'd come back."
She opened the last one to find an old dress from the twenties, a bottle of champagne, and a pearl necklace. Cat held up the champagne.
"What's with this?"
"It's your favorite, I believe, and since it was illegal then I thought I might keep it, just in case."
"Thanks, and-- er-- what's with stealing my dresses. You-- dress- stealer you!"
He laughed.
"I've got a question."
"Okay."
"What changed you over the past two years?"
"It's called independent teenager."
"Ahh. Will you do something for me?"
"What?"
"Will you or won't you?"
"Sure."
"Wear that red dress for me, one more time? It always looked good on you."
"No."
"You said you would."
Cat sighed.
"I can't do it here."
"Tomorrow night."
"Okay, come up to my room, at Xander's place."
"No, my place. Nine o'clock."
She sighed again.
"Fine."
"Great, see you tomorrow night, beautiful."
He left.