Buffy decided to take the new members of the gang through Sunnydale and they walked all the way from Buffy's house, through the cemetary, which they conveniently went past Spikes crypt, to the Magic Box, then out past UC Sunnydale, the Bronze ("We have to take you there," squealed Buffy, who was excited to see her cousins again) and the rubble that was the high school right before the Scoobies had blown it up, before turning to go through the park that led straight to the end of Revello Drive.
It was getting later and later and by the time they got home, which was at about five thirty, Elle unlaced her fingers from Claire's even though it killed her to do so. Chinese was ordered just after Xander left, Anya dragging him out the door because he wanted Chinese, and Dawn and Lyle set up the small picnic table in the back yard for the kids to eat at while the adults sat on the swing on the veranda.
Elle had slightly been interrogated by Joyce about where she was from and how she got to be so badly injured, while in Buffy's room, the Slayer questioned Riley about the tension between him, Elle and her Uncle. Elle's response to that badly injured bit was, "Bad family household." It wasn't a complete lie.
"Okay, what's going on between you and Elle?" asked Buffy, closing her bedroom door behind her. Her boyfriend was probably expecting a make-out session.
"What do you mean?" he asked, trying to act innocent.
"You obviously know her. I swear when she walked past you and into the house, she shocked you. Even though she claimed it was static. Spill, Riley," ordered Buffy.
"You can't tell anyone," he said, continuing. "She's the boss' daughter."
"Walsh had a daughter?" asked Buffy, slightly shocked. Elle didn't look anything like Maggie Walsh.
"Not Walsh. Elle is Walsh's boss' daughter. The Initiative was given orders, not by the military even though the soldiers had that training. The Company gave Doctor Walsh the orders on what to do, where to go, what to look for and how to experiment on them. Just before college started, I was in New York, sightseeing. I got recruited by Bob Bishop, her father. I was like a favourite to them 'because to them I was the perfect experiment. A human experiment. They captured Vamps, Demons, and all sorts of things. But they wanted to make the perfect soldier. They pumped me with chemicals and put that chip in me. That's why I was a favourite. Then just before the Initiative moved to Sunnydale for the Hellmouth, I was ordered to look after Elle. Five years ago. She became like my sister. We had something in common. We were both experiments to them."
"What is she? If they did stuff to her," asked Buffy, trying to process the fact that her cousin's girlfriend had a history with her current boyfriend.
"She was a human experiment. Tortured with electroshock, anything electrical. I read her file before I started to baby-sit her. By the time she was seven, which was just after they started testing on her, Elle could light up entire city blocks at a time," he explained, dropping himself onto Buffy's bed.
"Why is she mad at you?" she asked.
"I was assigned to look after her when she turned sixteen. Elle wanted to go out. She hated being stuck inside. So I took her to a movie, after we left, I got knocked out and she was taken. Tortured. Beaten, Things like that. She blamed me 'because I let her get taken. Then we got moved a year later after she was found. They had her for about a month, before Bob found her. He personally put a bullet into the heads of anyone that was included in the kidnapping of Elle Bishop," he finished.
"You telling my life story, now Riles?" asked a voice from the door. Both of them had failed to notice the door open and Elle standing there. He remained silent and Elle walked back downstairs. "Food's here."
Later that night just after Claire had fallen asleep and Elle was pretty sure the rest of the house was as well, she heard a noise like footsteps outside the door. Being held captive for two and a half weeks meant your senses enhanced, so you knew who was walking outside your cell, could smell which bastard got to beat you that day. She was positive the front door opened and closed so the small and frail girl slipped from the bed, pulled from shoes and a jacket on and went to leave the room only to be stopped by Claire.
"What are you doing? You tortured for two weeks and you need to rest," she said in a hushed yell.
"Put some clothes on and follow me, quick. Trust me," said Elle, as Claire pulled her own clothes on over her pyjama's, knowing that Elle wouldn't give this up. Following the older girl to the front of her Aunt's house, her girlfriend's head whipped to the right as a shadow could be seen. Elle was positive that it was Buffy and Riley.
Pulling the cheerleader in the direction of the shadows, Elle linked her hands with Claire's again for the second time that day, always happy when she was able to touch her.
"Where are we going?" asked Claire, cold and tired.
"You trust me, don't you?" asked Elle, straining her eyes in the darkness even as flash backs invaded her mind.
"Yeah, you know I do," replied Claire.
"Then trust me. I want to check something out," she replied, Claire pulling her forwards into the direction that they were originally headed in. A ten minuted walk later and they arrived outside the cemetary. Elle made to walk in but Claire stopped her.
"I am not going in there," said Claire.
"Aww. Is the indestructible cheerleader scawed?" asked Elle, in a babyish voice.
"I'm not scawed. I'm scared shitless It's a friggin' cemetary and its past midnight. You don't know who or what could be in there," said Claire, crossing her arms over her chest, after pointing into the darkened graveyard.
"I got a pretty good idea. What if I said, 'I'll protect you'?" smiled Elle, pulling the younger girl to her for a small kiss by her waist.
"Then I would say, 'you got beaten and tortured for two weeks. I'd be the one protecting you'," said Claire, wrapping her arms around Elle's neck for another kiss. "Fine."
A growl came from somewhere in the cemetary, not too far from the entrance, as well as the sound of people being thrown around. By instinct Claire ran forward, dragging Elle with her, who pulled her back as they reached the source of the sound. There was Buffy and Riley surrounded by at least twelve vampires, waiting for one of the blood sucking fiends to make the first move. When no one did, Elle pushed Claire gently behind her as she let out some major shots. The sharp shooting training really paid off as seven vamps turned to dust right in front of their eyes.
Taking the advantage, Buffy and Riley punched and kicked the remaining five as Elle shocked another one, sending it into an old tombstone, exploding on impact. She was starting to get dizzy and used the wall as a support while Claire grabbed her waist, sitting her down on the stairs of the mausoleum. Sticking her head around the corner of the building was a bad idea as a very sharp sword went through her shoulder and nearly caused her to scream out in pain.
As the Buffy dusted the final vamp, she rushed to where her sword went, positive that she heard it go through something that sounded like a body. Cautiously she and Riley made their way around the mausoleum. Sprinting forward when she realised that she hadn't hit a demon or vampire, but rather her cousin, who was beginning to cough up blood.
"Claire, what the hell are you doing out here?" asked Buffy, throwing her stake over her shoulder and hitting another vampire in the heart.
"Pull out the sword," said Claire, her breathing becoming shallow. She couldn't heal until whatever had hurt her was out of her body.
"No, we have to get you to a hospital," said Buffy, moving to pick her up.
"Elle, can you please pull the damn sword out," yelled Claire, painfully pushing Buffy away.
Elle stepped out of the shadows as her dizzy spell ended and did as her girlfriend asked. She pulled the sword from Claire's shoulder and drove it into the ground. Buffy and Riley stood there in slight shock at Claire. Sure they had seen some weird things around. But never had they seen someone who could heal themselves.
"Are you okay?" asked Buffy.
"You stabbed me with a sword!" said Claire.
"She really hates it when people do that," stated Elle, receiving a mock annoyance glare from Claire.
