Mystery Memory!
Chapter One-A key & a cross, that's all I've got.
Cordelia watched from her desk as the door opened and in walked a girl. She looked about 13 but had an air around her that stated otherwise. The girl walked up to the desk.
'I have an appointment.' Said the girl.
'Name please.' Said Cordelia with a false smile.
'My name...is Lucia.' Said the girl.
'My names Cordelia, That's an unusual name.' Cordelia said smiling warmly. Checking her name on the computer for her appointment.
'I think that's my name, it could be a nickname.' Lucia said rather glumly.
'What do you mean? Do you have a real name?' Cordelia said looking at her as if she was a tad weird.
'That's why I'm here. I don't know. I don't remember anything.' Lucia broke into sobs. Cordelia guided her to the couch. Just then Angel came out of his office.
'Cordelia has my 12:30 appointment arrive....Oh hello. Are you ok? Silly question, if you were you wouldn't be here.' Angel said with a smile that made Lucia's heart melt and she couldn't help smiling back.
'This is Lucia; she doesn't remember her real name. Or anything for that matter.' Cordelia said looking at Angel.
'Ok Lucia why don't you come into my office and you can tell me what you do remember.' Angel said putting his arm comfortingly around her and leading her into his office. He sat her down and went and sat behind his desk.
'Ok, in your own time. Tell me what you do remember.' Angel said. As she began to talk he looked at her. She had these incredible eyes. They were light blue with flecks of green. But it was like you could see straight into her soul. She was a deep person. A poet maybe or writer. Her eyes were so sad, so intoxicating. Angel found he was drawn to her. He checked her over. Slim, pretty. Long blond curly hair. Her hair looked so soft, so touchable. He was so tempted to touch it. He resisted the temptation and kept on looking. Around her neck was a necklace with a cross and half a pendant attached to it. She wore a pair of blue glittery jeans that had slits at the bottom and a top that was black and had a giant cross on the front. He smiled and concentrated on what she was saying.
Lucia began to squirm under his pearcing stare. But she began to speak anyway.
'I remember waking up and finding my self at this bar. There were all these weird looking guys around. Most of them Demons, a few vampires. I knew what they were, but I didn't know why. This tall ugly demon comes over and asks if I'm alright. I'm so freaked by now, I can't remember anything and they are all staring at me. I just scream and run out. I didn't know were to go or what to do. I looked in my pockets for something, anything to remind me of who I am. And I find your card. On the back is written, To Lucia, He'll know what to do. Love Buffy. It's the only lead I had so I rang you up and made an appointment. I had enough money for a taxi here and a cup of Coffee.' She took a breath and continued.
'I keep having this one dream. It's so scary. I can see everyone around me. I know that I know them. But I can't see their faces. They're blurred. They laugh at me and I see this guy. Quite clearly but I can't remember his name and always after the dream his image fades from my mind. He carries a knife and walks towards me. He is talking to his hand. Saying something about it being an evil hand and then he holds the knife above my head and plunges it down on me. As soon as I feel the cold blade hit my forehead I wake up. I don't know what else to do. I have no were else to go, no money, nothing just like my memory. Can you help me?' She said beginning to cry again. Angel had been stirred from thought when Buffy's name had been mentioned.
'Hey, it's going to be ok. I know a Buffy. I'll see if it's her and what she knows about you ok. We'll start from there and you can stay here or if you'd prefer you can stay with Cordelia.' Angel said smiling. Hoping Cordelia wouldn't mind. Lucia stopped crying and tried to smile but failed.
'When was the last time you ate, slept, had a shower?' Cordelia asked as she sat making coffee for them in Angel's kitchen.
'I haven't done any of those since I woke up at the bar and before that I don't know. Do I really look that terrible?' Lucia said looking down at her self.
'No you look fine, it's just I heard your stomach rumbling. Gun and Fred should be back with the take out by now. I'm sure we can find something you like in there.' Cordelia smiled 'And here they are. Bout time guys, what took you so long?' Cordelia's smile dropped as she saw them come in.
'Picked up a couple of hitch hikers on way up.' Gun said pointing to Wesley and the petit blond behind them.
'Ah, Buffy. Willow told me you were on your way up. I was wondering if you'd accompany me into my office a minute please.' Angel said smiling at Lucia. Angel led Buffy into his office and sat her in the chair Lucia had earlier sat in.
'Angel, I came here because I'm really worried about someone.' Buffy rushed out before Angel could talk. 'Two months ago a girl came to my door. I had never seen her in my life. Yet she knew who I was. She looked petrified but still beautiful. She had these deep blue eyes with flexes of green in them and she wore a cross T-shirt and these glittery jeans with slits down the front. Her hair was a perfect curly blond and she wore a cross necklace with half a pendant. She seemed about 13 but when I asked her how old she was she said she was 18. She told me that she hadn't much time. She needed someone to help her. She had uncovered a giant secret that could destroy the world. She didn't want to talk about it and she kept apologising. When I asked her why she was apologising she said that by coming here she had put everyone I knew and my life in danger. But I was the only person she could turn to. She knew of no one else. I gave her your card and wrote some message on the back. She gave me a key and said if she wasn't back in a month or two then I should disappear or keep a low profile for a while and destroy the key. That was the main thing. Destroy the key. She made it sound as if the fate of the world relied on this small key.' Buffy finished, producing the key from her pocket.
Angel smiled at her. 'Let me guess, her name was Lucia.'
'How....How'd you know? Did she see you? Did you help her? Angel do you know what happened to her. She seemed so afraid, petrified. So young and innocent. Angel what happened to her. I haven't been able to think of anything else except those eyes, staring at me asking me to help her as if her life depended on it.' Buffy broke of and looked as if she was about to cry. Just then there was a knock on the door and in entered Lucia.
'Oh my god Lucia.' Buffy said running to her and squashing her in a hug. Lucia looked uncomfortably at Angel.
'Do I know you?' She said not looking into Buffy's eyes. Buffy held her at arms length and looked her over.
'It's me Buffy.' She said staring into Lucia's eyes willing her to remember her.
'Buffy, let Lucia go and sit down. There's something you should know.' Angel said. Buffy walked to the chairs and sat down. Lucia lingered near the door until Angel pointed to a seat next to Buffy and she sat down. Not looking at Buffy or anything else but the floor.
'You see Buffy, Lucia has no memory up until about a day ago when she woke up in Lauron's bar. She only had the card you had given her on her so she came here.' Angel finished looking at Lucia sadly as he saw she was still staring at the ground. He noticed tears falling onto her trousers. Buffy must have noticed as well because she took her into a big hug and wouldn't let go of her until she stopped crying.
Cordelia came in at that moment with some food on a tray.
'Hey Lucia, look what I've got. I didn't know what you liked so we each donated a bit of our food. I hope it'll do. There's a drink of coffee with it. I suggest you take it up to bed and eat it and then sleep. You look exhausted.' Cordelia smiled. Lucia hadn't realised how tired she had felt until Cordelia had mentioned it. She let herself be guided to a room next to Angel's and then was left alone to eat and sleep. She had been given one of Fred's nighties, as Fred use to sleep there as well. She scoffed down the food. Even the stuff she didn't like. She was starving. She began to look around the room. Which led her to discover a bathroom. She locked the door and began to run a bath. Down stairs everyone talked about what they should do.
'I think we should go to Lauron's bar and see what he knows about her.' Suggested Cordelia.
'I'll get Willow to find out what she can on the web.' Buffy suggested.
'What I don't get is the fact that she knew they were demons and vampires.' Gun said trying to get his head around it.
'She could be friends with a slayer. It's a long shot but I'll check with the Watchers Council.' Wesley suggested.
'I've got to get back now. So I'll ring if we find anything.' Buffy said walking to the door. She half expected, half hoped Angel would ask her to stay but he didn't he let her go.
'All good ideas. Cordelia you're with me, Gun check your sources. Fred do you mind staying here. It's just I don't want to leave her on her own.' Angel said smiling at Fred.
'No it's ok. I've got work to do anyway. I'll see if I can do anything here.' Fred said watching them all leave. She sighed, why was she the one that was always left behind. She didn't mind. She just wished, just once they'd ask her to come on a case with them. Oh well. She sat at the receptionist desk and began working on cases'.
Upstairs Lucia got into her bath. She sat there and relaxed. Letting the warm water wash over her. She began to get sleepy and soon she fell into a deep sleep.
She opened her eyes and found she was strapped to an operating chair. She looked around and saw a circle of people around her. There was no light except for the spotlights on the circle of people. They cast shadows over the people's faces making it impossible to see their features. She looked around and only one face was clear. It was Buffy's. She was crying. Then she heard the familiar tap, tap, tap of someone walking towards her.
'They gave me an evil hand. An evil hand. That will be the end of the world. Will destroy the world.' It ended in a maniacal laughter and then silence. She heard a swooshing noise and felt cold steel upon her forehead. And then all went black.
'Lucia, Lucia. Are you alright.' Came a voice from the darkness. She heard the sound of wood splitting and then two hands grabbing her. She opened her eyes.