Disclaimers
All characters appearing in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel are copyright Joss Whedon. No infringements of these copyrights are intended, and are not authorized by the copyright holder.
All original characters are the property of Celgress.
The Slayer Squad –Origins Episode One: Abduction
By
Celgress
Chronological Note:
In the original Buffyverse timeline this story would take place after Season One Episode Four - "Teacher's Pet" but before Episode Five – "Never Kill a Boy on the First Date".
"It's a thief in the night to come and grab you. It can creep up inside you and consume you. A disease of the mind it can control you. I feel like a monster."
Disturbia (2008) Rihanna
Sunnydale 1996, evening
"One by one I send them. One by one the Slayer takes them." Growled the Master his terrified minions shrank before the wrath of the ancient vampire. "Both Luke and Zackery were clever and strong yet still she slew them as if they were mere fledglings. It is clear now if I am to rise the girl must die. The only remaining question is how? Whoever answers this question will rule by my aside following the accession. He or she shall have the honor of being designated my right hand and heir apparent."
"I may have the answer Master." Darla said in vamp face. The Master's favorite offspring flashed a predatory smile. "Recently the Slayer was nearly defeated by a human magic user, a witch of all things. The Slayer was incapable of defending herself against the dark magic employed by the witch. If we could use another, equally powerful, magic user against her the Slayer would surely perish."
"While your plan does have merit my dear it also possess a fatal flaw. A human magic user powerful enough to overcome this slayer would prove difficult to control." The Master said thoughtfully, "there may be a way. If we create our own human magic user someone who is completely under my control, in my thrall your plan just might work my dear." The Master said gently stroking Darla's face with the tips of his claws. "First we must locate one with latent magic ability. One who is totally oblivious of his or her gift. Once this person is under my control I will call forth their hidden potential. I will then turn this person into a living weapon, my weapon."
Fishing out a small jewel encrusted device which resembled a dreidel from his personal stash of magical paraphernalia the Master handed it to Darla. "This trinket at one time belonged to the Umayyad Caliphate of Damascus. It is a magic magnet. It will seek out the strongest source of magical energy in the immediate vicinity. The more power the source of energy the stronger the reaction."
"Thank you Master. I will find you the perfect candidate." Darla cooed taking the strange dreidel shaped device from her sire.
"Take the Three with you." The Master commanded. "In case the Slayer or her lapdog your estranged offspring Angelus should yet again attempt to interfere in our affairs."
Darla hated being reminded of Angelus' betrayal. It was painful enough her former lover had turned his back on his own kind worse yet Angelus had abandoned Darla herself, and for a slayer of all things! At times like this Darla truly despised her sire. She swore the old monster took perverse glee in emotionally torturing her about Angelus.
"Go do my bidding, bring me the selected candidate as soon as possible." The Master said flashing his fangs in his version of a smile. Darla along with the Three and several other vampires took their leave of the Master. "One more thing, bring back supper dear."
"Yes Master" Darla said flashing a sinister smile of her own.
The Bronze, night
Willow sat at a corner table with Buffy while Xander danced with some anonymous girl. It was the same every night. The three came to the Bronze Xander hit on girls he had no real chance with while Buffy ran off with the mysterious and handsome Angel. Willow would ultimately end up sitting alone, just another night at the Bronze.
"Earth to Willow" Buffy said waving her hands in front of the red head.
"Huh, oh sorry Buffy, I was just you know…" Willow said trailing off.
"Pinning over Xander?" Buffy said quirking at eyebrow.
"It isn't right Buffy, I've had a crush on Xander since we were kids yet he never notices me. Heck he'd rather suck face with a giant praying mantis. What does that say about me?" Willow sighed looking at Buffy with sad, puppy dog eyes.
"Willow it says nothing about you. Xander on the other hand can we say ewww." Buffy said crinkling her nose in disgust.
"I guess it is kind of disgusting." Willow said visibly brightening.
"Kind of?" Buffy said a sour look on her face, "It is really disgusting, mono disgusting, ultra disgusting even."
Neither Buffy nor Willow noticed Darla and the other vampires slink in through the side door. It was the first time any of the vampires had been to the popular night spot since the failed Harvest. Spying the Slayer Darla and the others kept to the shadows, for the time being.
Pulling the dreidel like instrument from her pocket Darla scanned the crowded club. Several swipes of the area later the centuries old vampiress did a double take. It couldn't be, could it? The Master's toy indicated the Slayer's little friend, the shy red head, was an immense source of magical power. According to the detector every other signal in the place paled in comparison. Oh this was too rich. The Slayer's own friend would be the means of her destruction. Darla could barely contain her glee. Waiting until the Slayer excused herself Darla and the others approached the table where the red head now sat by herself.
"Hi dearie, remember me?" Darla said grabbing Willow's shoulders from behind and forcing her down into the seat. "I remember you. Your friend the Slayer has killed many of my brothers, now it is payback time."
"Wh-what d-do, do you w-want?" Willow asked scared stiff. Willow's entire body was trembling with fear.
"You" Darla said knocking Willow out by pinching the side of her neck obstructing the flow of blood to her brain. "Let's go, I have what we came for." Darla said hoisting the limp body of Willow over her shoulder.
"Hey" Xander yelled barreling toward the group of vampires at breaking neck speed. There was no way he was letting the fang faces take Willow like they had taken Jesse. There had to be something he could do to stop them, right?
"Not this fool again." Darla huffed. "Take care of him boys. I don't have the time for this the Slayer could return any moment."
The nearest vampire delivered a devastating straight arm clothesline to Xander's upper body which nearly decapitated the unlucky young man. Xander was knocked out cold as a result of the brutal blow. In the meantime Darla beat a hasty retreat with her prize out the side door.
However before Darla could make a clean getaway Buffy, alerted by the commotion from the ladies restroom, had returned to the dance floor. Seeing both of her friends rendered unconscious one slung across the shoulders of Darla, Buffy saw red. The enraged Slayer made a beeline zeroing in on the female demon.
"Three you're up!" Darla shouted pushing her way outside. "Do your job, stop the Slayer!"
Following Darla and the other vampires outside into the alleyway Buffy was immediately assaulted by three male vampires wearing medieval type armor. The ferocity of their attack was beyond anything the young Slayer had yet faced. Buffy attempted to gain the advantage several times without success. Each time Buffy made a little headway one of the vampires would blindside her with a punch or a kick. Two minutes into the battle Buffy realised she was fighting for more than victory. She was fighting for her very life! With the desperation of a cornered animal Buffy fought back with strength she was unaware she possessed. Buffy had her three attackers on the ropes when one of them pulled out a dagger and stabbed her from behind through the left side. Another clobbered her over the head with the butt of his sword. The Slayer fell to the damp ground of the alley. Everything started becoming dim. Buffy's eyes fluttered open and shut several times in rapid succession.
So this was how she was going to die. It wasn't fair she hadn't even been the Slayer a full year. What would her mother do without her now that her father was gone? What about Mr. Giles would they send him back to jolly old England? What would the next girl to wear the mantel be like? Hopefully the new girl would be luckier. Only one thing was certain, she had failed. Sorry Willow. Sorry Xander.
Buffy's vision slowly cleared to reveal the concerned face of Angel staring down at her. Lifting her into his arms Angel asked. "What happened?"
"Th-three uber powerful, va-vampires attacked me. Oh my God, they took Willow." Buffy coughed spitting up blood. "We have to find…."
"Sssshhh" Angel said soothingly. "I'll find her. Right now you need medical attention."
"The three vamps, wh-what happened?" Buffy sputtered.
"I took care of them. Willow wasn't with them Buffy." Angel said.
"Blonde v-va-vampire s-she took Willow…" Buffy managed before passing out. Angel's eyes narrowed at the mentioned of his out flame.
The Sunken Church
The Master inspected the frightened young woman in front of him. "You are certain she had the highest degree of magical energy of anyone there?" The Master asked Darla skeptically.
"Here" Darla said handing the Master back the dreidel like device. The small, top shaped object lit up like a Christmas tree the instant it got within teen feet of Willow.
Grinning the Master put the device away. Reaching out with a clawed fingertip he absently played with a strain of the shivering girl's hair. "Worry not little one. I shall not kill you. I have a more important use for you. Besides I am full." The Master said pointing down at the discarded husk on the chamber floor of what was once a teenage body.
Willow was unable to utter a word. She was literally frozen with fear. "Now look into my eyes little one. Lose yourself in my gaze."
Willow tried to look away but Darla held her head in a vice like grip preventing Willow from turning her head. Willow closed her eyes but the voice of the Master was there coaxing her to open them. Soon Willow lost the battle of wills. Her eyes fluttered open the blood red stare of the monster dominated her vision and soon her mind.
Sunnydale Hospital
When Buffy awake early the following morning she found herself in Sunnydale General Hospital. Angel was gone. A few hours later the Sunnydale PD had questioned Buffy about the 'kidnaping of her friend and her own stabbing'. Buffy told them all she dared. That three men had jumped her outside the Bronze when she had tried to stop their female accomplice from escaping with Willow and that they'd been frightened off by a male friend who happened by. The Police assured her they'd do their best to locate the assailants.
Her mother, Joyce, had stopped by to check on her condition during lunch. Buffy actually caught her usually tough mother choking back tears at one point. Joyce was the first to tell Buffy the Police had been unable to locate Willow in spite of their best efforts.
After school both Xander and Giles visited Buffy. Xander was especially upset about Willow. Xander blamed himself for what had happened reasoning if he had only been stronger or at least more skilled in the art of demon repelling he'd have saved Willow. Xander wanted to take the fight to the Master and his minions in their underground lair. Both Giles and Buffy warned against such a course of action correctly reasoning Xander would only get himself captured or worse. Grudgingly Xander agreed with their assessment. By the end of the meeting Xander had taken a different tact now he was begging Giles to teach him the tactics of demon hunting. Giles told the overly egger teen he'd consider it.
Angel didn't put in an appearance until well after sundown. In spite of official visiting hours being over the tall, dark stranger entered Buffy's room. Angel had a sadder look than usual on his handsome face. Fearing the worse Buffy asked him if he'd either found Willow's drained body or seen her walking around as a newly minted vamp. Thankfully Angel confirmed he hadn't witness either horrendous happening. Buffy breathed a sigh of relief. Angel explained he was upset because in spite of his best efforts he couldn't gain access to the Master's underground dwelling. The place had been heavily fortified with barricades manned by multiple guards at every access point. It was as if the brethren of Aurelius didn't want to be disturbed. Upon hearing Angel's report Buffy began to openly weep. Seeking the nearest human contact she reached out for Angel who hesitantly returned her embrace. Buffy sobbed into Angel's broad chest. The two remained like that for some time.
In front the Harris Residence, two days later
Three days after the incident at the Bronze Buffy was more or less fully recovered from her injuries. She was walking home with Xander when the two of them spotted somebody they feared they'd never see again. There wobbling up the road. Her hair matted and dirty, he clothing soiled and ripped was none other than Willow! Overjoyed the two friends ran towards their lost comrade.
"Willow is that really you?" Xander asked ecstatic.
"Willow you're back!" Buffy shouted. "Where were you all this time? What happened?"
"I need to go home. My clothes are a mess." Willow muttered in a daze. Buffy and Xander both noticed their friend looked paler than usual, ignoring the perplexed Xander and Buffy Willow stumbled into her home.
Many questions were asked of Willow over the course of the next two weeks. Willow could not remember what had happened to her or where she had been taken. Her doctor had run a rape kit, including a pregnancy test, just to be certain mercifully both came back negative. Willow spent the first week after her return in virtual seclusion.
While Willow was recovering from her ordeal Buffy was facing her own challenges. There was a new villain in town, another witch. Unlike Amy's mother this witch was much younger and a real fighter. The young woman was decked herself out in typical, Halloween type witch's outfit complete with hat and cape, and even a cloth mask which obscured most of her face save the eyes. The only different between this witch and those you usually see was her color scheme, red rather than black a vibrant shade matching her hair. In fact she called herself the 'Crimson Witch." She would soon become one of Buffy's bitterest rivals.
Buffy and Angel first encountered the Crimson Witch the night after Willow returned. Buffy's first night back on regular patrol. Buffy and Angel were staking out a local cemetery for fledging activity when she appeared along with a group of vampires.
"Hello there." The Crimson Witch said in her sign song voice. "You must be the two demon hunters I've been told so much about. Hmm, you don't look so tough."
Uttering an incantation in a language neither Angel nor Buffy recognized Crimson Witch caused the tree roots under their feet to entangle the pair. Buffy and Angel barely get free before several vampires were upon them. Dispatching the vampires Buffy and Angel prepared to attack. Crimson Witch leapt on top of a tombstone and used another incantation to break apart two nearby grave markers. The debris showered Buffy and Angel the latter taking the worse of it as Angel used his body to shield Buffy from harm.
"Aw how cute lover boy is protecting the itty bitty Slayer, to bad he's one of them." Crimson Witch taunted from her place atop the monument. "Oh I'm sorry didn't he tell you Slayer. Angel is a filthy vampire, no better than the ones you profess to hate worse than most in fact. Certain people might even call you a hypocrite because of your ahem partnership with tall, dark & gruesome here. Hey I don't judge, maybe he's demon in as well as out of the sack", Crimson Witch winked at the devastated Buffy before levitating away.
"Get off me!" Buffy yelled pushing Angel away a look of total betrayal on her face. "Is it true? Please tell me it isn't true?" Buffy asked several awkward moments later.
"I'm sorry Buffy" Angel said studying the ground. Angel then reached out to help her up.
"Don't" Buffy said shrugging off the contact. "Don't touch me. Don't ever touch me again." Buffy got to her feet staring daggers at Angel.
"I wanted to tell you, but…" Angel began.
"But what, but what Angel?" Buffy glared.
"But I was afraid you wouldn't understand." Angel said after taking a deep breath.
"I wouldn't understand what that you're a bloodsucking monster." Buffy chuckled bitterly wiping a few tears from her eyes. "Its' not fair, I finally meet another boy I like and he turns out to be a vampire. I don't deserve this. I've done everything asked of me dammit!"
"I'm sorry Buffy. I can't help what I am." Angel said finally meeting her gaze.
"Was it all a lie? Were you only helping me to cover your tracks? God have you been feeding?" Buffy asked mortified by the possible implications of her last question.
"I don't feed on humans. I haven't in a long time." Angel said his voice falling to a whisper when he spoke the last bit.
"Do you care about me, really, honestly, care?" Buffy said looking deep into his eyes.
"Yes" Angel said without a moment of hesitation. "You're the first person I've truly cared about in a long time."
"Where does this leave us?" Buffy wondered aloud. Asking herself as much as Angel, neither answered.
By the time Willow returned to school the following week Buffy, Angel and even Xander had several more encounters with the Crimson Witch. Each time Buffy and her allies were swiftly defeated usually by Crimson Witch herself, though sometimes she received an assist from the newly emboldened Aurelians. One particularly memorable encounter occurred the night before Willow's return to Sunnydale High School. Buffy, Angel & Xander were out patrolling when they noticed a group of vampires robbing the local magical emporium called the 'Magic Shop'.
"If it isn't the Slayer's, pet." Crimson Witch taunted Xander levitating several feet off the ground. Nearby Buffy and Angel were engaged in a furious rematch with the Three.
"If it isn't the Crimson Bee'itch" Xander flung back putting up his fists.
"Please" Crimson Witch giggled behind her mask. "You're no match for me darling." Crimson Witch said an incantation Xander was blown across the street by a sudden gust of wind narrowly missing an oncoming car.
Outraged Buffy lunged at Crimson Witch who merely floated out of the way. "How dare you try to kill one of my friends! Leave him alone! He's no threat to you! He doesn't even have any powers!"
"His lose" Crimson Witch giggled saying another incantation which made the ground shake beneath Buffy's feet.
"We are done here", barked the dark skinned vampire preacher Absalom leaving the ransacked store.
"Aw to bad, I was just getting warmed up." Crimson Witch whined like a spoiled child before saying one last incantation which caused the vines growing all over the mansion's stone gate to surge around Buffy and Angel holding the heroes fast. By the time they had freed themselves, with a little help from the recovered Xander Crimson Witch and her accomplices were long gone.
"Nice girl" Xander mutter, "a real keeper."
To Be Continued
There you have it folks the first full episode. Please give me feedback, via reviews or IMs, thank you.