Chapter Six: The Messenger
The tension was thick in Willow's living room about two hours later. While the
old wiccas were sitting side by side on the sofa, both wearing concerned
expressions, the vampire was pacing the room. Anne on the other hand sat on a
chair and chewed her thumb-nail, deeply irritated with the things going on
around her and even more as the others refused to tell her what was going on.
"But he said he would come," Willow asked for the fifth time.
"Yes," Angel snapped. Then he suddenly stopped and looked at her, "Sorry,
Willow. I have no right to treat you like that."
"It's okay," she smiled. "I would pace too, if I were younger." He couldn't
help but smile at that. She was still so sweet. "It upsets me deeply," the
former red-head went on. "I mean this is so unfair. She's done nothing to...,"
she stopped when they heard a knock at the door. Would demons ever ring a
bell, she wondered shortly and was about to get up, but Anne was quicker and
was at the door before Willow could raise.
"Hi, who are you."
"A friend," a male voice was to be heard.
"Let him in," Angel commanded from the living-room. "He's the one we're waiting
for." When the person stepped into the room, the vampire raised a brow, "good
to see that some things never change. Your taste in clothes left always something to be desired."
"Now, kiddo," Whistler grinned broadly, "no need to get insulting. I love my
hat."
"I doubt it's the hat he was referring too," Anne muttered behind him and made
Angel smile. Whistler wore denims that were two sizes too big and an old
Hawaiian shirt. His shoes were old and worn ... on the whole he looked ridiculous as ever.
"And the two witches of course," the demon looked at Willow and Tara. "Hi, I'm
Whistler."
"He's a good demon," Angel explained at the confused expressions of the women.
"He works for the Powers That Be."
"Oh," Tara's eyes widened, while Willow smiled knowingly.
"Welcome in my house," she greeted him. "I hope you will have an explanation
for this. You are aware of what happened before, I suppose."
"I am," Whistler replied with a nod.
"Will somebody please tell me what's going on here," Anne shouted annoyed. "And
what on earth is a good demon? I thought they were evil," she glanced
accusingly at Willow. The witch hadn't told her that.
With a sigh Willow explained to the young girl what had happened during the
memorial service. Anne's eyes went wide and filled with tears when the witch was
finished. "God, that really sucks," she exclaimed angrily. "I mean, Granny was
a good person, a really good person. This isn't fair either." Shortly her eyes
fixed on Angel who smiled in return. None of the others understood but they
didn't ask.
"So would you now explain, what this is about?," the vampire asked impatiently.
He'd always been annoyed with Whistler's attitude but now he was over that
stage. He was on the edge.
"It's simple," the demon went over to a cupboard and poured himself a glass of
Whisky, "Malt, wow, I'm impressed," he glanced at Willow.
"Whistler," Angel roared.
The demon sighed and sipped at his drink, "As I said, it's simple. She isn't at
peace because her job isn't finished yet," he said matter-of-factly.
"What?," the vampire's voice wore a threatening undertone. Willow was instantly
alarmed. She didn't like the fact either, but didn't look forward to get her
living-room trashed because a vampire would try to kill a demon.
"Maybe we should all calm down," she looked at Angel who smiled apologetically
and then at Whistler. "I really don't need your snappy attitude," she told him.
He raised his hands, "Sorry. Old habits die hard. I know you mourn a friend and
frankly I miss her too. She was a damned good slayer, our Buffy."
"She was never your Buffy," Angel said through gritted teeth.
"Yeah, well. Where was I, oh yes. Her job isn't finished. There's still some
business for her." He took the rest of his drink in one quick gulp and
shuddered slightly. He had to be careful. The vampire wasn't in the mood to play
games.
"I don't believe this," Angel began to pace again. "She's served them 25 years
as a slayer, her husband died at the hands of a demon, we...," he paused and
swallowed hard, "let's not go there. Not to forget that she died in a
plane-crash and had to burry two of her children during her lifetime. Wasn't that enough already. Why can't they let her rest in peace."
"Because it doesn't work that way," Whistler replied simply. "Don't kill the
messenger, kiddo. I didn't make these decisions. I'm only telling you."
"But what do they need her spirit for?," Willow wanted to know.
"I can't tell you," the demon poured himself another glass of Whisky. Oh how he
hated these jobs. He should ask his bosses for a raise.
"Can't or won't?," Angel asked with narrowed eyes.
"Can't," Whistler said. "They didn't tell me. That's not for us to know. These
things will happen in the future and they won't let us interfere with the
future. They're still angry for your nice little game, witch." He shot Willow a
look and she blushed guiltily.
"I can't believe this is happening," Anne who had listened so far, threw her
hands in the air and fell down in her chair. "It's like waking up in a fucking
science-fiction movie."
"Anne, mind your words," Willow scolded gently.
"Oh, Auntie," Anne groaned. "We're all adults, well almost, but I haven't been
raised in the ozone. And you," she pointed at Whistler, "do not only have no
taste in clothes but are deeply annoying too and think you're sooo funny." She
rolled her eyes.
"She doesn't like my jokes," Whistler said in fake disappointment, but
instantly sobered when he saw the look Angel cast at him. "I really wish I could
tell you more, but I don't know anything. But I do know, that you," he
glanced at Anne, "will be called as a slayer tomorrow."
"Tomorrow," Willow shot up from the sofa. "B-but I thought it would be on her
18th birthday."
"Change of plans," the demon informed her and shrugged. "Not my doing. As we
talk the current slayer in Oregon is going to die by the hands of a master
vampire."
"Oh God," the witch whispered and lowered herself back down, gratefully smiling
at Tara who took her hand comfortingly.
"The council is aware of the situation and the new watcher has already arrived
in Sunnydale," Whistler added.
"Do you want to tell us that the Council knows when their slayers are going to
die?," Willow asked incredulously.
Her only answer was a nod from the demon. Then he turned to Angel, "As the
witch already told you, you are meant to stay with her. Help her as you did it
with her Grandmother. And keep your hands off her."
"Whistler," Angel growled dangerously and took a step towards the demon who
raised his hands in defence.
"No offence. Sorry, my friend. It's just good advice, you would probably be
very sorry soon," he said.
"Cut the cryptic crap," the vampire was still trying to control his anger and
narrowed his eyes again, "I don't know why but I think you know much more than
you're telling us."
Quickly averting his eyes, Whistler cleared his throat, "No, I already told
you, I don't."
Exchanging a glance with Willow Angel nodded after a moment, "Alright, we will
let it be." When he saw the demon sigh in relief he added, "For now."
End Chapter 6
The tension was thick in Willow's living room about two hours later. While the
old wiccas were sitting side by side on the sofa, both wearing concerned
expressions, the vampire was pacing the room. Anne on the other hand sat on a
chair and chewed her thumb-nail, deeply irritated with the things going on
around her and even more as the others refused to tell her what was going on.
"But he said he would come," Willow asked for the fifth time.
"Yes," Angel snapped. Then he suddenly stopped and looked at her, "Sorry,
Willow. I have no right to treat you like that."
"It's okay," she smiled. "I would pace too, if I were younger." He couldn't
help but smile at that. She was still so sweet. "It upsets me deeply," the
former red-head went on. "I mean this is so unfair. She's done nothing to...,"
she stopped when they heard a knock at the door. Would demons ever ring a
bell, she wondered shortly and was about to get up, but Anne was quicker and
was at the door before Willow could raise.
"Hi, who are you."
"A friend," a male voice was to be heard.
"Let him in," Angel commanded from the living-room. "He's the one we're waiting
for." When the person stepped into the room, the vampire raised a brow, "good
to see that some things never change. Your taste in clothes left always something to be desired."
"Now, kiddo," Whistler grinned broadly, "no need to get insulting. I love my
hat."
"I doubt it's the hat he was referring too," Anne muttered behind him and made
Angel smile. Whistler wore denims that were two sizes too big and an old
Hawaiian shirt. His shoes were old and worn ... on the whole he looked ridiculous as ever.
"And the two witches of course," the demon looked at Willow and Tara. "Hi, I'm
Whistler."
"He's a good demon," Angel explained at the confused expressions of the women.
"He works for the Powers That Be."
"Oh," Tara's eyes widened, while Willow smiled knowingly.
"Welcome in my house," she greeted him. "I hope you will have an explanation
for this. You are aware of what happened before, I suppose."
"I am," Whistler replied with a nod.
"Will somebody please tell me what's going on here," Anne shouted annoyed. "And
what on earth is a good demon? I thought they were evil," she glanced
accusingly at Willow. The witch hadn't told her that.
With a sigh Willow explained to the young girl what had happened during the
memorial service. Anne's eyes went wide and filled with tears when the witch was
finished. "God, that really sucks," she exclaimed angrily. "I mean, Granny was
a good person, a really good person. This isn't fair either." Shortly her eyes
fixed on Angel who smiled in return. None of the others understood but they
didn't ask.
"So would you now explain, what this is about?," the vampire asked impatiently.
He'd always been annoyed with Whistler's attitude but now he was over that
stage. He was on the edge.
"It's simple," the demon went over to a cupboard and poured himself a glass of
Whisky, "Malt, wow, I'm impressed," he glanced at Willow.
"Whistler," Angel roared.
The demon sighed and sipped at his drink, "As I said, it's simple. She isn't at
peace because her job isn't finished yet," he said matter-of-factly.
"What?," the vampire's voice wore a threatening undertone. Willow was instantly
alarmed. She didn't like the fact either, but didn't look forward to get her
living-room trashed because a vampire would try to kill a demon.
"Maybe we should all calm down," she looked at Angel who smiled apologetically
and then at Whistler. "I really don't need your snappy attitude," she told him.
He raised his hands, "Sorry. Old habits die hard. I know you mourn a friend and
frankly I miss her too. She was a damned good slayer, our Buffy."
"She was never your Buffy," Angel said through gritted teeth.
"Yeah, well. Where was I, oh yes. Her job isn't finished. There's still some
business for her." He took the rest of his drink in one quick gulp and
shuddered slightly. He had to be careful. The vampire wasn't in the mood to play
games.
"I don't believe this," Angel began to pace again. "She's served them 25 years
as a slayer, her husband died at the hands of a demon, we...," he paused and
swallowed hard, "let's not go there. Not to forget that she died in a
plane-crash and had to burry two of her children during her lifetime. Wasn't that enough already. Why can't they let her rest in peace."
"Because it doesn't work that way," Whistler replied simply. "Don't kill the
messenger, kiddo. I didn't make these decisions. I'm only telling you."
"But what do they need her spirit for?," Willow wanted to know.
"I can't tell you," the demon poured himself another glass of Whisky. Oh how he
hated these jobs. He should ask his bosses for a raise.
"Can't or won't?," Angel asked with narrowed eyes.
"Can't," Whistler said. "They didn't tell me. That's not for us to know. These
things will happen in the future and they won't let us interfere with the
future. They're still angry for your nice little game, witch." He shot Willow a
look and she blushed guiltily.
"I can't believe this is happening," Anne who had listened so far, threw her
hands in the air and fell down in her chair. "It's like waking up in a fucking
science-fiction movie."
"Anne, mind your words," Willow scolded gently.
"Oh, Auntie," Anne groaned. "We're all adults, well almost, but I haven't been
raised in the ozone. And you," she pointed at Whistler, "do not only have no
taste in clothes but are deeply annoying too and think you're sooo funny." She
rolled her eyes.
"She doesn't like my jokes," Whistler said in fake disappointment, but
instantly sobered when he saw the look Angel cast at him. "I really wish I could
tell you more, but I don't know anything. But I do know, that you," he
glanced at Anne, "will be called as a slayer tomorrow."
"Tomorrow," Willow shot up from the sofa. "B-but I thought it would be on her
18th birthday."
"Change of plans," the demon informed her and shrugged. "Not my doing. As we
talk the current slayer in Oregon is going to die by the hands of a master
vampire."
"Oh God," the witch whispered and lowered herself back down, gratefully smiling
at Tara who took her hand comfortingly.
"The council is aware of the situation and the new watcher has already arrived
in Sunnydale," Whistler added.
"Do you want to tell us that the Council knows when their slayers are going to
die?," Willow asked incredulously.
Her only answer was a nod from the demon. Then he turned to Angel, "As the
witch already told you, you are meant to stay with her. Help her as you did it
with her Grandmother. And keep your hands off her."
"Whistler," Angel growled dangerously and took a step towards the demon who
raised his hands in defence.
"No offence. Sorry, my friend. It's just good advice, you would probably be
very sorry soon," he said.
"Cut the cryptic crap," the vampire was still trying to control his anger and
narrowed his eyes again, "I don't know why but I think you know much more than
you're telling us."
Quickly averting his eyes, Whistler cleared his throat, "No, I already told
you, I don't."
Exchanging a glance with Willow Angel nodded after a moment, "Alright, we will
let it be." When he saw the demon sigh in relief he added, "For now."
End Chapter 6