Dedication: My sincerest gratitude and apologies to Jenni W.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The Slayer's Hunter
Cordelia: How much longer *is* this story?
Willow: Well, knowing the way these authors can drag things on forever, maybe five or six more parts.
Giles: That doesn't sound very promising.
by Robyn the Snowshoe Hare and Stone Cold
Xander: Again with the rabbit-girl and the wrestler.
Angel: I don't think that the authors are going to change their names, Xander.
Xander: I can always hope.
Disclaimer: Everything belongs to Joss and Mutant Enemy. The only
things that I can lay claim to are Hunter, Jesse, Jenny, and
Trevor. But they are mine, and no one else can play with them
without permission. Sorry, but I never picked up the Sesame Street
concept of sharing.
Buffy: On the bright side, though, it means that we'll never have to suffer through these characters in other fics.
Note: If you don't like angst and unhappiness, I recommend you
don't read this part.
Xander: Well, I don't like angst, but I know that Angel sure does.
Angel: It's a complex genre. A little more so than watching some kid get killed over and over again.
Xander: Kenny is an integral part of South Park!
Buffy: Guys, if you don't stop fighting than we'll *never* get through this.
This is *not* for the faint of heart, or the weak of stomach.
Willow: Well, I guess that counts *me* out.
Cordelia: Lucky you.
I recommend that if you fall into either of these two categories,
that you stop reading this series right now.
Willow: Woo hoo!
However, if you are feeling brave, or daring, please: read on.
Giles: I'm not feeling particularly inclined to either. Does that mean I don't have to read this?
Cordelia: If I have to read this, you have to read this.
Giles: Blast.
And send me your comments, I'd really appreciate feedback. But
leave your flamethrowers at the door.
Angel: Dear Author, this sucked. Please do society a favor and never write again.
Buffy: Hun, that would fall under the category of flame.
Angel: Damn.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
------------
Xander: Oooh, a border.
All: Oooh, ahhhh.
Part Two
Cordelia: When are they going to get to the story?
Willow: Probably never.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
------------
Buffy: *More* borders! Be still my heart!
Everyone had come over, and the birthday party had run long, as
everyone was having too much fun to notice the time.
Angel: The large amount of liquor everyone had been drinking helped with this.
Hunter was curled up on the couch, nestled between his mother and
Grandpa Giles, when he heard his father announce that it was dusk.
Xander: What did I do, just say, "It is now dusk,"?
Cordelia: Knowing this story, you probably spelt it out with charades.
The happiness of the day dissolved in a moment at these dreaded
words.
Buffy: This kid must really not like having to go to bed.
The first rule that Hunter had ever been taught was to come inside
before dusk fell. It was the same with Jesse, Jenny, and Trevor.
None of them ever stayed out alone after twilight. And they were
only allowed outside at night when there were at least two adults
in attendence, and they were *never* allowed to walk even a few
steps beyond their parents' watchful eyes.
Giles: Sadly, tonight was the exeption, they all walked beyond their parents' supervision, were killed, and the story ended.
Buffy: Nice with the sarcasm, Giles.
But now it was dusk,
All: We already know this!
and everyone was still at his house, and they had to go home.
Xander: Gee, imagine people having to go home.
The adults talked very quietly, and very quickly. Hunter could feel
their worry, as if it were a living thing that he watched take form
and substance.
Cordelia: This being the Hellmouth, though, it wouldn't be surprising if it did.
Willow: This being badfic, it wouldn't be surprising if it was named Bill.
Hunter wondered why they were so worried tonight, after all, this
had happened before, when they had friends over after dark.
Usually, they would just walk quickly home.
Buffy: I guess no one owns cars.
But they seemed extra worried tonight. Hunter noticed that his
parents always seemed more cautious about the coming of night
around special days, like his parents' anniversary, or his mother's
birthday, or Christmas, or Valentine's Day.
Xander: Angelus really puts the zing into holidays, huh?
Angel: Do you mind, Xander? I'm still trying to repress everything that happened on Valentine's Day and Buffy's last two birthdays.
Willow: Don't forget about "Amends".
Buffy: Yeah, hun, way to surprise me for Christmas. Try to kill yourself.
Giles: Er, can we get back to reading?
All: Fine.
But they were always very, very, careful around his birthday.
Xander: I guess we didn't want Angel to drop by and give him a card.
He wondered why, at the time, but he was sleepy after the long day,
and he let the thought drift away.
It was decided that Jesse would sleep over with him, and Uncle Oz
would pick him up tomarrow morning, before he started work. Uncle
Oz taught at Physics at the high school, and Aunt Willow taught it
at the college.
Angel: Very math-oriented family.
Buffy: I never really pegged Oz as the teaching type.
Willow: Me neither. Unless it was music-lessons.
They also both did some computer programing on the side.
Cordelia: Living the American Dream?
Willow: Except for the part where I chain up my husband for three days out of the month.
Xander: Okay, that just sounded bad.
Luckily, Aunt Cordelia had had to leave early with Trevor, at about
5:00.
Giles: No reason why, she just left.
Angel: This is badfic. Just keep repeating that to yourself.
But Jenny had an important doctor's appointment early tomarrow,
Xander: Finally found time to go ahead with the labotomy plan?
and was also getting fussy, and wanted to go home.
Giles: Overuse of the word 'and'.
Buffy: Plus, spelling is not this girl's friend.
So Aunt Willow and Uncle Oz got ready to go.
Cordelia: How long did it take us to get to this point?
Willow: Don't think about it, it'll just depress you.
Hunter's mother and father decided to walk with them, just to see
that they got home all right, and his mother volunteered to carry
Jenny if Aunt Willow got tired. Then Hunter's mother gave him a hug
and a kiss.
All: Awwww.
"Happy Birthday, sweetie." she said. Then, a strange look passed
over her face, and she seemed to try and shake something off.
Xander: It turned out to be a fly, though, and she shook it off and got on with life.
Still with a shadow in her eyes,
Angel: Clearly the authors didn't provide decent lighting.
she said: "Be a good boy, and don't take your cross off, we don't
want to lose it." Those were the last words she ever said to him.
Cordelia: Because she ran off to Vegas the next morning.
Angel: To hook up with her old boyfriend.
Buffy: And live a happy life.
He was very young, but for years he would have nightmares about
that moment, when his mother got up to leave. He watched as his
father helped her into her coat.
Xander: See? I'm a good husband.
In his mind's eye, he could still see the loving look they
exchanged.
Angel: Well, if she's about to die, at least that means that there will be no more exchanging loving looks around here!
Her shoulder length blonde hair shimmered in the dim light,
Giles: Again with the lighting.
and her green eyes sparkled as she waved to him.
Willow: Really weird use of lighting.
In his nightmares, he would always scream for her not to go. But it
never did any good, she left, as she always left, with her special
bounce in her walk,
Xander: Which was because of the trampolene-floor.
Buffy: Trampolene-floor?
Xander: Specially designed.
and his father's arm around her waist.
Angel: growling
Giles: Angel, you really have to relax.
And then the door clicked shut behind her.
Xander: This click was brought to you by FX special effects.
Jesse had already fallen asleep, so Grandpa Giles carried him up to
bed.
Giles: I don't approve of this 'Grandpa Giles' trend.
Cordelia: Plus it looks like they're using you as free child-care.
He returned for him, but Hunter begged him for a story.
Angel: Once there was a really obnoxious jerk named Xander, who somehow tricked your mommy into marrying him.
Xander: Once there was an annoying loser named Angel, who went around eating people and abandoned your mommy when she was pregnant.
Buffy: I don't think either of those stories would be appropriate for my son.
Giles gave in, unable to refuse the boy's simple request when he
sat there in fuzzy yellow feety pajamas, with his pleading eyes (so
like his mother's) staring up at him.
Cordelia: Just how late are you letting this kid stay up until?
Xander: Giles, when we left you to care for our son, we expected him to be put to bed. Not running around at all hours of the night.
Giles seated himself back on the couch, and Hunter cuddled up to
him, and his brown hair (in desperate need of a haircut) caught the
static from Giles' tweed vest and began to friz.
Giles: Actually, I use this wonderful fabric softener that keeps my vests static-free.
He told Hunter stories that were fantastic and amazing, but always
ended happily, with the hero winning.
Angel: ..and the vampire getting the girl.
Xander: Dream on, dead boy.
About twenty minutes passed in this pleasant manner, and then the
stillness of the evening was torn
Cordelia: First the happiness was dissolved, now the stillness has been torn.
Willow: This evening isn't holding up very well.
when the door slammed open, and Aunt Willow stumbled in, bleeding
profusely from a gash on her forehead,
Buffy: That's definitely going to need stitches.
half supported by her husband, who carried the body of their
daughter.
All: Whoa!
Angel: Gotta say, I didn't see that one coming.
Willow: Now I feel guilt for the death of my fictional child.
Buffy: Everyone needs a pet psychosis.
Six-year-old Jenny Seneca's neck had been snapped, like that of her
namesake, Jenny Calender, dead for eleven years.
Cordelia: You were just asking for trouble when you named her after Miss Calendar.
Willow: Jeez, just give me *more* guilt.
Later, the police were amazed that Oz Seneca had been able to both
support his wife and carry his child, because his arm had been
snapped in three places.
All: Ouch!
Hunter's father came in behind them. His hands were covered in
slashes, and his shoulder was bleeding from a shallow knife wound.
Xander: Ow. Why am I always hurt in these fics?
Willow: Hello? Death of a child and husband's arm broken over here.
Xander: Oh, right.
His face was a mask of agony and loss, but not because of his
wounds.
Giles: It was because he had just realized what college costs were likely to be for his son.
Xander Harris didn't even know about them. In his arms lay his
beloved wife, bleeding from numerous small wounds on her arms and
face. But Hunter didn't see those then. What he saw was where his
mother's throat had been ripped open.
All: Eeeeewwwwwww!
Cordelia: That kid is going to need *serious* therapy for that one.
Buffy: At least I'm out of the story now.
It was years later that Hunter ever wondered why there had been so
little blood at that massive wound.
Giles: Of course, little can be a relative term.
He blamed it on the memory of a child, even though he knew that the
memory was crystal clear. All Hunter could do was kneel by his
mother's body, and sob. Just as his father was doing.
All: Awwwww.
Hunter never shed a tear after that awful night. As he stood
between his father and Giles, watching as his mother's coffin was
lowered into the ground, he made a promise. To his mother, the
person he loved most in the whole world. He promised that he would
Cordelia: Always eat his vegetables.
Xander: Clean his room.
Buffy: Floss.
avenge her. That he would become what his name meant. He would
become a hunter.
Buffy: Of what?
Giles: Well, this being Sunnydale...
And he would also do the last thing his mother ever told him. He
never took his cross off again.
Cordelia: Wouldn't that make it hard to shower?
Xander: He also swore off showers.
Willow: Eeeww.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The Slayer's Hunter
Cordelia: How much longer *is* this story?
Willow: Well, knowing the way these authors can drag things on forever, maybe five or six more parts.
Giles: That doesn't sound very promising.
by Robyn the Snowshoe Hare and Stone Cold
Xander: Again with the rabbit-girl and the wrestler.
Angel: I don't think that the authors are going to change their names, Xander.
Xander: I can always hope.
Disclaimer: Everything belongs to Joss and Mutant Enemy. The only
things that I can lay claim to are Hunter, Jesse, Jenny, and
Trevor. But they are mine, and no one else can play with them
without permission. Sorry, but I never picked up the Sesame Street
concept of sharing.
Buffy: On the bright side, though, it means that we'll never have to suffer through these characters in other fics.
Note: If you don't like angst and unhappiness, I recommend you
don't read this part.
Xander: Well, I don't like angst, but I know that Angel sure does.
Angel: It's a complex genre. A little more so than watching some kid get killed over and over again.
Xander: Kenny is an integral part of South Park!
Buffy: Guys, if you don't stop fighting than we'll *never* get through this.
This is *not* for the faint of heart, or the weak of stomach.
Willow: Well, I guess that counts *me* out.
Cordelia: Lucky you.
I recommend that if you fall into either of these two categories,
that you stop reading this series right now.
Willow: Woo hoo!
However, if you are feeling brave, or daring, please: read on.
Giles: I'm not feeling particularly inclined to either. Does that mean I don't have to read this?
Cordelia: If I have to read this, you have to read this.
Giles: Blast.
And send me your comments, I'd really appreciate feedback. But
leave your flamethrowers at the door.
Angel: Dear Author, this sucked. Please do society a favor and never write again.
Buffy: Hun, that would fall under the category of flame.
Angel: Damn.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
------------
Xander: Oooh, a border.
All: Oooh, ahhhh.
Part Two
Cordelia: When are they going to get to the story?
Willow: Probably never.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
------------
Buffy: *More* borders! Be still my heart!
Everyone had come over, and the birthday party had run long, as
everyone was having too much fun to notice the time.
Angel: The large amount of liquor everyone had been drinking helped with this.
Hunter was curled up on the couch, nestled between his mother and
Grandpa Giles, when he heard his father announce that it was dusk.
Xander: What did I do, just say, "It is now dusk,"?
Cordelia: Knowing this story, you probably spelt it out with charades.
The happiness of the day dissolved in a moment at these dreaded
words.
Buffy: This kid must really not like having to go to bed.
The first rule that Hunter had ever been taught was to come inside
before dusk fell. It was the same with Jesse, Jenny, and Trevor.
None of them ever stayed out alone after twilight. And they were
only allowed outside at night when there were at least two adults
in attendence, and they were *never* allowed to walk even a few
steps beyond their parents' watchful eyes.
Giles: Sadly, tonight was the exeption, they all walked beyond their parents' supervision, were killed, and the story ended.
Buffy: Nice with the sarcasm, Giles.
But now it was dusk,
All: We already know this!
and everyone was still at his house, and they had to go home.
Xander: Gee, imagine people having to go home.
The adults talked very quietly, and very quickly. Hunter could feel
their worry, as if it were a living thing that he watched take form
and substance.
Cordelia: This being the Hellmouth, though, it wouldn't be surprising if it did.
Willow: This being badfic, it wouldn't be surprising if it was named Bill.
Hunter wondered why they were so worried tonight, after all, this
had happened before, when they had friends over after dark.
Usually, they would just walk quickly home.
Buffy: I guess no one owns cars.
But they seemed extra worried tonight. Hunter noticed that his
parents always seemed more cautious about the coming of night
around special days, like his parents' anniversary, or his mother's
birthday, or Christmas, or Valentine's Day.
Xander: Angelus really puts the zing into holidays, huh?
Angel: Do you mind, Xander? I'm still trying to repress everything that happened on Valentine's Day and Buffy's last two birthdays.
Willow: Don't forget about "Amends".
Buffy: Yeah, hun, way to surprise me for Christmas. Try to kill yourself.
Giles: Er, can we get back to reading?
All: Fine.
But they were always very, very, careful around his birthday.
Xander: I guess we didn't want Angel to drop by and give him a card.
He wondered why, at the time, but he was sleepy after the long day,
and he let the thought drift away.
It was decided that Jesse would sleep over with him, and Uncle Oz
would pick him up tomarrow morning, before he started work. Uncle
Oz taught at Physics at the high school, and Aunt Willow taught it
at the college.
Angel: Very math-oriented family.
Buffy: I never really pegged Oz as the teaching type.
Willow: Me neither. Unless it was music-lessons.
They also both did some computer programing on the side.
Cordelia: Living the American Dream?
Willow: Except for the part where I chain up my husband for three days out of the month.
Xander: Okay, that just sounded bad.
Luckily, Aunt Cordelia had had to leave early with Trevor, at about
5:00.
Giles: No reason why, she just left.
Angel: This is badfic. Just keep repeating that to yourself.
But Jenny had an important doctor's appointment early tomarrow,
Xander: Finally found time to go ahead with the labotomy plan?
and was also getting fussy, and wanted to go home.
Giles: Overuse of the word 'and'.
Buffy: Plus, spelling is not this girl's friend.
So Aunt Willow and Uncle Oz got ready to go.
Cordelia: How long did it take us to get to this point?
Willow: Don't think about it, it'll just depress you.
Hunter's mother and father decided to walk with them, just to see
that they got home all right, and his mother volunteered to carry
Jenny if Aunt Willow got tired. Then Hunter's mother gave him a hug
and a kiss.
All: Awwww.
"Happy Birthday, sweetie." she said. Then, a strange look passed
over her face, and she seemed to try and shake something off.
Xander: It turned out to be a fly, though, and she shook it off and got on with life.
Still with a shadow in her eyes,
Angel: Clearly the authors didn't provide decent lighting.
she said: "Be a good boy, and don't take your cross off, we don't
want to lose it." Those were the last words she ever said to him.
Cordelia: Because she ran off to Vegas the next morning.
Angel: To hook up with her old boyfriend.
Buffy: And live a happy life.
He was very young, but for years he would have nightmares about
that moment, when his mother got up to leave. He watched as his
father helped her into her coat.
Xander: See? I'm a good husband.
In his mind's eye, he could still see the loving look they
exchanged.
Angel: Well, if she's about to die, at least that means that there will be no more exchanging loving looks around here!
Her shoulder length blonde hair shimmered in the dim light,
Giles: Again with the lighting.
and her green eyes sparkled as she waved to him.
Willow: Really weird use of lighting.
In his nightmares, he would always scream for her not to go. But it
never did any good, she left, as she always left, with her special
bounce in her walk,
Xander: Which was because of the trampolene-floor.
Buffy: Trampolene-floor?
Xander: Specially designed.
and his father's arm around her waist.
Angel: growling
Giles: Angel, you really have to relax.
And then the door clicked shut behind her.
Xander: This click was brought to you by FX special effects.
Jesse had already fallen asleep, so Grandpa Giles carried him up to
bed.
Giles: I don't approve of this 'Grandpa Giles' trend.
Cordelia: Plus it looks like they're using you as free child-care.
He returned for him, but Hunter begged him for a story.
Angel: Once there was a really obnoxious jerk named Xander, who somehow tricked your mommy into marrying him.
Xander: Once there was an annoying loser named Angel, who went around eating people and abandoned your mommy when she was pregnant.
Buffy: I don't think either of those stories would be appropriate for my son.
Giles gave in, unable to refuse the boy's simple request when he
sat there in fuzzy yellow feety pajamas, with his pleading eyes (so
like his mother's) staring up at him.
Cordelia: Just how late are you letting this kid stay up until?
Xander: Giles, when we left you to care for our son, we expected him to be put to bed. Not running around at all hours of the night.
Giles seated himself back on the couch, and Hunter cuddled up to
him, and his brown hair (in desperate need of a haircut) caught the
static from Giles' tweed vest and began to friz.
Giles: Actually, I use this wonderful fabric softener that keeps my vests static-free.
He told Hunter stories that were fantastic and amazing, but always
ended happily, with the hero winning.
Angel: ..and the vampire getting the girl.
Xander: Dream on, dead boy.
About twenty minutes passed in this pleasant manner, and then the
stillness of the evening was torn
Cordelia: First the happiness was dissolved, now the stillness has been torn.
Willow: This evening isn't holding up very well.
when the door slammed open, and Aunt Willow stumbled in, bleeding
profusely from a gash on her forehead,
Buffy: That's definitely going to need stitches.
half supported by her husband, who carried the body of their
daughter.
All: Whoa!
Angel: Gotta say, I didn't see that one coming.
Willow: Now I feel guilt for the death of my fictional child.
Buffy: Everyone needs a pet psychosis.
Six-year-old Jenny Seneca's neck had been snapped, like that of her
namesake, Jenny Calender, dead for eleven years.
Cordelia: You were just asking for trouble when you named her after Miss Calendar.
Willow: Jeez, just give me *more* guilt.
Later, the police were amazed that Oz Seneca had been able to both
support his wife and carry his child, because his arm had been
snapped in three places.
All: Ouch!
Hunter's father came in behind them. His hands were covered in
slashes, and his shoulder was bleeding from a shallow knife wound.
Xander: Ow. Why am I always hurt in these fics?
Willow: Hello? Death of a child and husband's arm broken over here.
Xander: Oh, right.
His face was a mask of agony and loss, but not because of his
wounds.
Giles: It was because he had just realized what college costs were likely to be for his son.
Xander Harris didn't even know about them. In his arms lay his
beloved wife, bleeding from numerous small wounds on her arms and
face. But Hunter didn't see those then. What he saw was where his
mother's throat had been ripped open.
All: Eeeeewwwwwww!
Cordelia: That kid is going to need *serious* therapy for that one.
Buffy: At least I'm out of the story now.
It was years later that Hunter ever wondered why there had been so
little blood at that massive wound.
Giles: Of course, little can be a relative term.
He blamed it on the memory of a child, even though he knew that the
memory was crystal clear. All Hunter could do was kneel by his
mother's body, and sob. Just as his father was doing.
All: Awwwww.
Hunter never shed a tear after that awful night. As he stood
between his father and Giles, watching as his mother's coffin was
lowered into the ground, he made a promise. To his mother, the
person he loved most in the whole world. He promised that he would
Cordelia: Always eat his vegetables.
Xander: Clean his room.
Buffy: Floss.
avenge her. That he would become what his name meant. He would
become a hunter.
Buffy: Of what?
Giles: Well, this being Sunnydale...
And he would also do the last thing his mother ever told him. He
never took his cross off again.
Cordelia: Wouldn't that make it hard to shower?
Xander: He also swore off showers.
Willow: Eeeww.