DISCLAIMER: The characters of Buffy are not mine! Charlotte and Jana are.
RATING: this chapter= PG-13
SPOILERS: After Redemption in "Angel"
"A Start"
Prologue
"Are you ready, Lady O'Connor, to fulfill the role as a watcher and guide young Jana as a slayer?" one of the council members asked the Irishwoman.
"Aye, I am, sir. She will fill the place of the last," she replied.
The slayer, Faith, had been in a coma for 8 months, and it seemed as though she would never get out. So the council summoned another, one of Celtic decent. Little did they know that Faith had already woken p, and faced battles of her own after her own redemption.
"You are…" a voice called to the rouge slayer. She was dreaming.
"A mess…look hon, I'm no one's protector. I can barely protect my own ass…" Faith replied in her low voice. She moved her raven curls back. The girl staring back at her was attractive with shoulder length hair, although the color could not be specified in a dream, and expressive eyes. She looked at Faith sadly, afraid.
"Then the balance is no more. I will die tonight…" She cried to Faith.
If there was one thing Faith didn't like, it was an attractive girl crying. The slayer inside knew this girl already. She felt her. So Faith had to give in.
"Alright…what do I do?" Faith asked.
At that point, the girl moved closer and pressed a small hand to Faith's cheek and smiled. "Find me," was all she said before softly pressing her lips to Faith's.
Faith jumped from her dream to feel the crisp, autumn afternoon in L.A. She had just been released from prison, and Angel was there to greet her. Soft wind blew against her porcelain skin, caressing her long, raven hair. Her deep brown eyes began to water as the hope inside her rose. Finally, Faith was free.
"You ok, Faith?" Angel asked, in his concerned, brooding voice.
"Yeah, five-by-five, y'know?"
He smiled, but it quickly faded, knowing that there was business at hand. "Faith, I've sensed some new..."
"Presence? Yeah. Me too. Not sure what it is, though. Want me to check it?" She asked.
"No. Not alone Faith, you need to regain your strength."
"Relax, I'm fine," she replied, getting antsy.
"We'll check it out tomorrow. You can stay at my place until we get you settled," Angel offered. He needed to keep am eye on her road to both recovery and redemption. After a few moments, Angel's cell rang. It was Cordelia, talking in a frantic tone, more so than usual.
"I'll be right there," he replied, and then hanging up.
"We motorin'?" Faith asked.
********Before the call************
The young girl looked at her watcher, with innocent eyes. "Charlotte, why is it we are all the way on the West coast?"
"Because, lil baby," Charlotte started with her thick Irish accent, "this is where we are needed."
The girl flipped her shoulder-length blond hair back. She was very impatient and did not like moving place to place and not having many friends. But in her case, Charlotte was the only friend that mattered. As the approached the huge mansion, Charlotte faced the young blond.
"Jana-dear, please be on yer best behaviour."
"I will. I will."
Charlotte knocked on the door, and awaited an answer. A young Englishman answered. "Yes?"
"Wesley, I presume? I am Lady Charlotte O'Connor and this is Jana Cornwal. We were told that you were expecting us here in Los Angeles," she replied.
"Y-yes, come right in," he replied. They followed.
No sooner had they entered than a gang of demons held an ambush. Apparently they knew of the new slayer being called and decided to put an end to her.
"Charlotte!" Jana called, fighting her way. Three of the demons lunged at Wesley and knocked him out. Two had Charlotte, while another placed a knife to her throat. They had thought that the young girl, Jana, was knocked out and left for dead.
"Your slayer doesn't have a chance," it mocked her, pressing the knife across Charlotte's throat.
"Me baby is stronger than you think," she replied back, spitting on it.
"Charlotte!" Jana yelled, running at the demon. All in vain, however, as she ran into the arms of another demon.
The leader looked at her perversely. "This will be your last lesson, slayer. You continue your fight, you will end up like this." He slit the throat of Charlotte, who then fell to the floor.
"Be strong…me Jana…" she whispered.
Jana screamed and began thrashing at the demon. "NO!"
He laughed, throwing her to the floor as well. "So much for a fighting spirit." There, leaving a dead watcher with a broken slayer.
Moments later, Cordelia walked in, noticing the door open. Her brown eyes looked around and widened as she saw Wesley lying on the floor. "Wes? Wesley?"
He groaned. "Oh…my head hurts…" Then he looked to Jana, who was rocking back and forth, her eyes tear-stained. "Charlotte…"
At that moment, something clicked in Jana's eyes. She stood up abruptly, and began to freak out. "I should have fricken been stronger!"
"Cordelia, call Angel," Wesley asked her.