Disclaimer: I own no rights to any of these characters. "The Others" and "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" belong entirely to their creators, but I thank them for allowing me to play with them. The situations I place the characters are my own.
Gist: This is a story about a little family reunion which occurs over March Break in Sunnydale.
Feedback: I'd love some ; there's the review box at the bottom OR catalysts@home.com
Dedication: To Syl (yet again) because she gives me great feedback and she wrote a Nightwing/Angel crossover which kicks butt! ;
More of my work: http://jane.crimescene.org/~wench/
Note: (*) indicates thoughts
Family Reunion Part 3 of ?
By C.D. Hackett
Before Willow or Buffy could clarify Marian's confusion, the women heard the final cries of the last two vampires as they were dusted. In seconds, Spike was back with them.
"Luv, I would have tortured them for you, but I didn't want to leave you alone. What happened? And who's the lookalike?"
"Yeah," Buffy appraised Marian, "And you drive worse than I do."
The Slayer tried to move but couldn't. Her eyes overflowed with liquid terror.
"I can't move my legs!"
Spike bent down and gently picked Buffy up. Then he glowered at the incapacitated Slayer, "Don't get any ideas, Slayer. I'm still Willow's mate. No evil spell-smoochies for you."
The horrified look on Buffy's face set Willow into a nervous fit of giggling. "I don't know what's wrong with me. I kicked some vampire patoot. I called upon a powerful goddess equalivent and my favourite cousin is here and I can't stop shaking."
Marian wrapped her arms around Willow's slight form; "This is all my fault. I never should have come here. I just wanted to get away and be normal for a week. Oh God, Buffy. I have a friend, he's a doctor, and he has special powers. Mark can help you. I just have to get him here."
The Slayer smiled, "So you're the infamous Marian? Sheesh, do you believe it, Will? Here you were, living on the Hellmouth and envying Marian her normal life when she was feeling the same way about you. Guess my favourite brain was actually wrong for once."
"Excellent job of stating the obvious, Slayer," Spike sneered and at a look from Willow, decided to leave Buffy alone for a moment. He then looked at Marian, "Think you can drive or shall I do it?"
"You can. Keys are in the ignition."
The sexy vamp brushed past her to place Buffy carefully in the back seat and Marian flinched as she picked up his centuries of memories.
Images. A young man, a nobleman, unhappy about an arranged marriage, but as the second son he had no sway with his father. He drowned his disgust with ale. He died that night. And rose again. Two dark creatures, faces like angels, were soulless demons. They took him and embraced him into their misguided family of hate, violence and sex.
The sexy vampire looked at Marian with supreme annoyance, "What the fuck is your problem? Get in the damn car."
"Spike," Willow chastised him, "She's my cousin and our guest. Behave."
"Well those who deserve respect get respect so let's just look at your dear cos… She blows into town without warning. Hits Buffy, your best friend, I might remind you… with this ugly car; almost gets you killed by vamps and then bloody well stands there as if she had a brain the size of Xander's!"
Satisfied he'd made his point, Spike snapped his fingers in Marian's face, "Red #2. Get in the auto, now or you'll stay here!"
Distractedly, Marian got into the back with Buffy and stared at Willow's profile. Marian was so tired. All these visions. All the things that had happened to Spike and Buffy and Willow were unbelievably draining. She wished she could shut them all out of her head.
*You can stop them, Mari, concentrate at it. It's easy once you practice a bit.*
The visitor to Sunnydale gasped as she heard Willow speaking in her mind.
"Marian," Willow twisted to face her cousin, speaking aloud now, "Why didn't you tell me you were psychic?"
"Why didn't you tell me that you were a Witch?"
"Oh."
******
"So Giles, until I can walk again, the town is Slayerless? We've got to do something!"
The former Watcher gently took Buffy's hand in his own, "I'm sure you'll snap out of this. We'll just give it time. Until then," he a'hemed and surveyed the group, "I expect everyone to do double-duty."
With a confident grin, Riley stepped forward, "Yes, sir," then he noticed Giles' frown, "Sorry, sir. I mean -- Giles. Yes. Giles, I can select a few good men to help out without notifying the rest of the Initiative. They're loyal to me."
"Fine. Nevertheless, keep them on a need to know basis. For example, they don't need to know about what we all do for this town."
"I'm on it," he crouched next to Buffy and whispered something that made her blush becomingly. Then he kissed her and made a hasty departure.
"So, how can I help?" Marian asked.
"Don't drive." Xander deadpanned.
Willow leaned over and smacked him.
"Hey! What was that for?" Xander protested.
"She's family. I think if I didn't know about vampires and then got chased by some while driving that I'd be distracted too. We're lucky that no one was killed, so let's move on and do planning-type things."
"Fine," Buffy took charge of the meeting, "These are your patrol groups."
******
"So, how come you're not grouped with Xander?" Tara ventured.
Anya snapped, "For the same reason you're not with Willow. When you really love someone, it can sometimes be a liability."
Tara flushed, "That's not true. I love Willow but I don't love her. She has Spike and she's my best friend and," the Witch's voice dropped, "you didn't tell anyone, did you?"
"No. I didn't think anyone would believe me." Anya shrugged nonchalantly, "Besides, if you died of embarrassment, I wouldn't get a chance to --"
"Look out!" Tara yelled as Anya fell to a tazer blast.
A camouflaged arm pulled her into the bushes and a gloved hand clamped over Tara's mouth.
"You don't know what you're involved with here," he hissed, "Get out and I'll try to help your friend, but Walsh sent us out specifically for that girl, I can't help her escape, yet."
"Who are--?" A finger caressed her lips, shushing her gently and avoiding her question.
"Go."
******
Riley's beeper went off and seemed to signal an attack from a cadre of vampires. He fought them off, and yelled at Xander.
"Do something!"
Xander thought about quipping, "Something other than wishing Buffy were here?" Then, he realized that he wasn't paying attention as he was pinned to the ground by an angry vamp.
It exploded to dust and Willow beamed at them.
"Oh yeah. I'm Willow the vampire Slayer. Vamps see me and they, uh oh."
She stumbled as another one fell into her and she staked it quickly. Then she grinned, "I'm bad."
Riley and Xander made short work of the remaining vampires.
"Will, Xander," Riley spoke urgently, "I can't ignore this page. I've got to go to HQ. Will you two be able to do this alone?"
"Definitely," Willow spoke with her newfound confidence and Xander nodded weakly.
"Can you leave me a tazer?"
******
"Agent Finn," Walsh smiled, "Good work capturing this demon. I'm adding a commendation to your file. Pretty soon you'll be competing head-to-head with your brother."
Thomas Finn smiled, "Just like the good ole days."
If Anya had been conscious, she would have said something that was suitably snarky and blunt. However, she was fully incapacitated, just like the other prisoner in room 314.
******
To be continued (yes, I know I'm evil)