A/N: here you go Buffy fans. I sat down and reread my story so far. I realized that this story needed to pick out the pace a little so here you go guys. Please R&R.
Chapter 9: Paintings
Buffy summers strolled trough the halls of the new watchers council building. Things had been very quite for several days now. Buffy wondered if the vamps in Cleveland were afraid of the council's presence. As strange as it sounded Buffy missed the action. She had half a mind to go on patrol with the girls tonight. She knew she couldn't though the younger girls that couldn't patrol needed her. She walked into one of the rec. rooms and found Illyria sitting with a few of the girls on the floor finger painting. It was a comical sight to see the half demon with red and yellow paint all over her fingers and little splotch marks on her face. In a way Buffy had adopted her as well. Though she had all of Winifred's memories she did not understand what it was to be human. Buffy felt sorry for her she wanted desperately to help her. One of the girls saw Buffy and waved her over to them. Buffy could not help but smile. As she got closer she could see that Illyria had painted a house and three little stick people. Buffy crouched down besides her examining the paintings as well. Thankfully the floors were made of linoleum and not carpet because the girls had paint everywhere.
"Why is it that you all like painting on the floor so much." it was a stupid question because she knew kids had a natural penchant for wanting to be close to the ground. She thought to herself that it must have something to do with babies spending so much time on the floor before they learn to walk.
The girls all looked up at her and the slayers one by one hugged and kissed her neck. Sitting down between Illyria and a little blonde girl named Cherish she looked closer at Illyria's painting.
"Having fun Illyria?" Buffy said rubbing Cherish's back. Cherish leaned her head against Buffy's shoulders and continued painting with one hand.
"Yeah, I've never done this before." Illyria smiled and wiped paint from her cheek with the back for her hand.
"Well what is this supposed to be a picture of?" Illyria rolled her eyes 'it's my family' she said continuing to paint a sun in the sky.
Looking around she noticed that all of the girls were painting the same thing. There were a few differences of course but they each had painted three stick figures and a house. She was crushed she understood that they must all be painting the parents they had had before coming to the council. In some levels she was jealous. Illyria must be drawing Fred's family.
Placing her chin on the top of Cherish's head she looked down at her painting and pointed to a sick figure with long hair and something long in its hand. "Who is this hon?"
Cherish looked up at her and gave her a big smile. "That's you mommy."
Buffy almost cried when she realized the picture of her must be holding a stake. "That's beautiful sweetheart and who is this?"
Buffy pointed to another stick figure she could not tell what it was supposed to be. "That's supposed to be daddy put I don't know what he looks like."
Buffy's heart fell. It had to be hard on these girls to not have a dad. Illyria held up her picture for Buffy to see. "Do you want to see mine?"
Buffy smiled and took the painting. Placing it in Cherish's lap she examined the three stick figures. The one in the middle was shorter than the other two and had faint little blue lines overtop of the arms and face. To the right of what she could only guess was supposed to be a little Illyria was a taller stick figure with yellow hair and a blue jacket. On the other side was a tall figure with a long black coat and black hair. "Who are they supposed to be Illyria?"
Her smile became even brighter as she pointed to the one with long hair "that is you mommy." and pointing to the other figure "and that is daddy."
Buffy smiled, these girls must be rubbing off on her. "And who is daddy?" she asked kidding more than really asking.
"That's Angel." Illyria's eyes were full of joy. She seemed to think that they really were her family. Buffy couldn't help but think that she may be more right than not. Angel had been there for her more than anyone else.
Buffy sat and watched them paint for nearly a half an hour. She wouldn't admit it but she wished Angel would get off his ass and be the father her girls needed.
After the girls were done she sent the slayers off to bed and walked back to the suite floor with Illyria. Illyria had taken James advice a little seriously. She had gone to the mall with Dawn the day before and bought several bright pastel coloured shirts and shorts. It was a strange sight to see a twenty something woman wearing matching 'Hello Kitty' shorts and shirt. The look was thrown off even more by the predominance of her arteries on her skin. She had spent all of her time with the younger slayers. Not that Buffy minded in fact she would rather see her like this than the aggressive person she used to be. She seemed perfectly innocent like this.
Turning a bend they were almost run over bye Giles.
"Hey Giles what's the rush?" Buffy said taking in his dishevelled appearance.
"There is a group of vampires on the street outside of the building. And all of the able slayers are on patrol." Giles struggled to catch his breath. "James said he would take care of them but I doubt he can take them on is own. And there is no one else here Angel and the rest are out with the slayers."
Buffy sent a glance Illyria's way just before running off to the elevator. At the same time Illyria ran to James office to locate his weapons.
By the time Buffy reached the front of the building James was already outside. Walking outside Buffy counted fifteen vamps all wearing leather and carrying chains or clubs. James simply smiled at them and told them to leave. He was completely unarmed unless he was carrying something in his trench coat that Buffy could not see. He seemed so confidant though. She couldn't figure it out. Illyria rushed out of the building carrying a long katana in a black scabbard. Jogging up to James' left side she handed him the sword. Calmly James grabbed the hilt of the sword with his white gloved hand.
"I'm sure we can come to a peaceful solution to what ever your problem with us is." James said. Buffy could not figure this man out he seemed to not be afraid of the vamps at all.
A vampire with a large scar on his face simply spit him in the eye. Slowly wiping the spittle from his face James took off his gloves and stowed them in his inside coat pocket. Taking off his coat he handed it to Illyria. Buffy looked over at her and she seemed to be enjoying something because she had a large grin on her face. Turning to the two women James gestured for them to step back.
"I wouldn't want you to get blood and ash on your clothing ladies." once they had taken a few steps back James focused his attention back on the vamps. "Now I hope you all realise that you have brought this upon yourselves."
Drawing his katana out of its sheath with his right hand James flipped the scabbard around in his left hand like he planned on using it as a club. Buffy noticed that the blade of the sword looked like it was only half there. Upon closer inspection she realised that the sword was being licked by shadow like fire. With out making any noise James charged at the vamps and began cutting them down. With a quick bop to the head by the scabbard James turned and sliced the lead vamps head clean off of his shoulders. One by one he turned and twisted dusting vamps before they knew what was going on. It only took thirty seconds for him to dust all fifteen of them. Sheathing his sword James walked back to the two girls and straightened out his black button up shirt. "Well they weren't as menacing as they looked were they." Buffy felt like her jaw was dragging the ground.
"How they hell did you do that." she said looking him over. "You dusted them without using wood."
James simply smiled and walked back into the building with Illyria and Buffy hot on his heels.
