BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER
STILL BORN
WRITTEN BY MEGAN LUTZ 31/12/01
DISLCAIMER: I own nothing. Well except for Tuckmako. All other characters belong to the master, Joss Whendon and who ever else however minor you are - sorry but you are! Joss is a GOD! Okay, I am over it.
Malaysia, 1998
Inside the busy hospital, everyday doctors work together to save lives. Everyday over one million children are born. Some make it, some don't. Inside a labor room woman, a, with a fat belly and blood between the thighs cried out for painkillers. "It's too late for pain killers" The doctor replied to her demand, "We're almost there. One more push. I can see the head. It's a boy!" However, unlike normal deliveries there was no wail. Immediately everyone present in the room knew that there was a problem. As the nurses rushed for the incubator and resuscitation unit, the woman on the gurney yelled out, "What's wrong!" "One two three" was her answer as the doctor, covered in blood, tried to make the small lungs breathe, "Again!" Overwhelmed by what was happening the woman with the bloodstained legs fainted back onto the gurney as the medical team worked together trying to save this little soul.
Waking up fuzzily, the woman pushed the smelling salts away from under her nose. Looking around her, she found the doctor standing upright, a small bundle in his arms. "My baby! You saved him! Oh thank you! Thank you" The woman cried throwing her arms open wide. The doctor shuffled his feet uncomfortably, "I'm sorry Ms Kachao, we were unable to resuscitate. I'm afraid your baby was born still dead" He placed the bundle in her arms, "If there is anything we can do.." His voice trailed off as the woman began to cry over her blue-skinned baby. "My baby, my baby" She kept crying as the tear fell, unable to be stopped.
Malaysia, 6 months later
The woman walked down the street as if she had no care in the world. She whistled as she pushed the pram along. Seeing one of her friends, she called out, while waving, "Saukoi! Hi! Wait up" And she ran up to her friend, giddy as a teenager, pulling the pram along behind her. "Tuckmako. Good to see you" Saukoi replied, looking warily from her friend to the pram, "It's been a while" She heard about what happened at the hospital. Could it be that every one got the story wrong? "It's been ages. I think the last time we saw each other, was just before I went into labor. Speaking of which, have you seen my baby boy? Isn't he the cutest baby ever? The doctors said that he was dead, but I didn't believe them. I knew that in my heart that he was alive. Ha! It just shows how much doctors know! Anyway, I wanted to have some professional photos done of him, but the photographer wouldn't take them. I'll just go to another," While Tuckmako was babbling, Saukoi looked inside the pram, expecting to see a cute baby boy. Instead, she found herself looking at the plastic face of a boy doll. Stepping back, gasping, Saukoi looked at her friend in disgust, while she cried, "Tuckmako Kachao! Are you playing some kind of sick joke?!" "No..." "Then you need some serious help!" "Why? Are you insulting my baby boy.?" Tuckmako began to look like she might cry. "Are you crazy? This is a doll," Saukoi said the words very slowly as if she was speaking to a child. "NO!" Tuckmako cried, picking up the doll as if it were a real baby, "How dare you say that! You're just jealous, because your brat looks like a hideous little monster" Turning away, feeling sorry for her friend who desperately needs help. Saukoi replied, "You need help my dear, and I pray that it will be soon"
Later that night, Tuckmako put the doll inside the cot while murmuring, "You were a good boy today. Maybe tomorrow we can go out to the park and play on the swings. You would like that wouldn't you my baby?" The blanket covered the doll's plastic nose, "I'm so happy to have you in my life. You are the reason why I bother to wake up in the morning. Without you, there would be only darkness in my life. I'm so glad that the doctors made a mistake" She silently turned off the light and closed the door. Inside her room, Tuckmako prepared for bed. As she stepped out of her jeans, she is over come with a feeling of enlighting within her. Looking towards the open window, Tuckmako felt herself lift off the carpet floor. Instead of feeling scared, Tuckmako accept the action as if she was born to fly. She levitates towards the open window, where to transform under the light of the full moon. She had transformed into a deformed looking demon. Pushing herself out of the window, the demon flew towards the safety of the trees, leaving behind a house of pain.
Sunnydale, Present day
Anya screamed with pain as the doctor encouraged, "That's it. You're doing great. One more push." As Anya pushed, the gang stood around the delivering table in shock. This was Anya's and Xander's first child, both saying that there will be more, even though Anya nearly killed everyone while being pregnant. Xander stood gripping his wife's hand for support, frozen white in fear that something might happen to Anya or the baby. Spike and Willow stood behind the doctor, who was guiding the baby into the world. Spike and Willow found this experience exhilarating. "So that's where they come from," Spike commented as he watched the doctors hands, covered in blood. Buffy on the other hand, cringed into Tara's shoulder, who murmured into her hair, "Don't worry love, I won't ever put you through that" "Thank god" Buffy sighed with relief. A piercing scream cut through the room as Anya and Xander sighed with relief and happiness. "Anya, Xander," The doctor said, cutting the umbilical cord, "You are the proud parents of a beautiful baby boy" The group all clapped and cheered as the doctor placed the bundle into Anya's waiting arms.
Inside Anya's room, the gang crowded around Anya's bed, where little Junior laid in her arms. Willow gently compares her hand with the baby's. "He's so tiny," She whispered in astonishment. Tara who was leaning against the doorframe, with Buffy's head on her shoulders said, "I wish Giles was here. He would have enjoyed this. It's a pity that the council had him go do that refresher course" "I still don't know why he had to go. It's not like he forgot to be a watcher," Buffy commented, backing Tara up in a backward sort of way. "When your mother calls, you go running. It is the same with Giles and the Council," Xander said staring in amazement at his son. *I did it* He thought, * I made this human. He is so beautiful, like his mother* Taping his son on the nose he stated to the baby, "You're going to be just like your daddy..." "God I hope not," Came Spike's mumbled reply. Xander paid no notice to the snide remark and continued, "You're going to be just like your daddy, big ... and well, big" Anya looked up from the bundle and scolded, "Xander! Stop talking about our son's penis and comparing it to yours. He has a lot of growing to do. It may turn out bigger than yours. Anyway, he is much too young to learn about the pleasures of sex. We should wait at least 2 days before informing him." Buffy smiled at the happy couple, as she said, "You guys are going to be a sex crazy family" Xander looked at his first crush, as he replied, "No we won't. Some how, Anya and I will contain ourselves. At least, we are going to be a close family. Have no secrets. NO! We're not going to be that close. Will, get your mind out of the gutter you dirty thing. There is no way I will take my son to a public whorehouse where you can watch, like my father did to me. An, remind me, never take Junior to see the parental units. He doesn't deserve that sort of torture."
Meanwhile inside the hospitals nursery, the babies wailed uncontrollably. Bending over a blue cot, a hideous black haired creature sucked the life and blood out of a baby boy. Walking inside the room, the night nurse was unprepared for what she found. When she switched on the light, her eyes fell immediately upon the abhorrent creature, she let out a bloody curling scream. The creature looked up at the noise, and the nurse was sick to notice, the blood dripping from its hairy mouth. Walking backwards in fright, the nurse bumped her head on the cupboard and with the fright of the creature and the bumping, she fell into a heavy faint. The creature swiftly picked up the screaming baby and flew out of the window. The name on the cot read, 'Steve Paul Wilson'. A baby boy.
A few days later Anya and Xander were allowed to take junior home. When they finally got everything settled a few days later, an unexpected knock came at the door. Looking at the clock on the mantle, Anya asked, "Who can be calling at this time of night?" Xander walked up to the door and opened it. Looking over his shoulder he yelled, "A rude British man who apparently hasn't ever heard of calling first" As Xander pulled back the door, Anya watched in amazement as Giles stepped into the room. "Giles!" Anya cried running up to him, giddy as a child, "You're back!" Smiling, Giles returned Anya's hug, "I am. And I must say congratulations about the birth." He shook Xander's hand who puffed up with pride. "Come sit down. I'll make tea" Anya called as she made her way over to the kitchenette. Sitting down, Giles looked around the apartment with respect, "You guys have got this place looking really nice. Real family life" Shrugging, Xander couldn't keep the smile off his face, "Yeah well. Couldn't bring Junior back to the squalor" Anya came back into the room with the tea. *Everything's different * Astonished Giles, *Anya has changed from a freaky ex demon to a comely wife! I never would have thought I would see the day that this would happen. Why, she's even wearing an apron * Sitting down next to Xander, Anya asked, "So how was England?" Taking his glasses off, Giles replied, "Dreadfully boring," in a thick accent, "I told you, and I told them that I didn't need that course. It hasn't changed a bit. I must admit it was good to be in the Mother Country once again" Leaning closer to Giles, Anya whispered excitedly, "Would you like to see Junior?" Standing, Giles smiled, "I thought you would never ask"
Tip toeing into the nursery, which also acted as a bedroom for Anya and Xander, Xander filled Giles in with the details of the delivery. The nursery filled with light as Anya switched on the light. Suddenly a piercing scream of horror filled the room. Standing over the crib of Junior was an ugly old hag, or creature. No one could tell. Anya screamed and Giles and Xander rushed forward to tear the creature off Junior. Staring at the people in disgust, with blood dripping down its face the creature backed away towards the window, only there to fly away into the night. The ambulance took five minutes to reach the apartment. At the hospital, Junior had to have a blood transfer for the loss of blood. Anya and Xander never left his side.
This time at the hospital, Junior got his own room. The room was filled with blue bunnies and balloons. Over beside the wall laid the two bunk beds, for Anya and Xander. The crib was placed in the middle of the room, like a treasure, waiting to be discovered. Anya, Xander, whose eyes were both red from crying, Giles, Spike, Willow, Tara and Buffy stood around the tiny crib where Junior slept, a drip in his tiny arm. Xander put his arm around Anya's shaking shoulders. Spike whispered soothingly into the shaken Willow's ear. The room is filled with angry silence, as the gang absorbed what happened. Anya accepted the tissue from Giles, and then turned to Buffy, her eyes clear as she said, "Buffy, I want you to kill this thing. I don't care if it is demon, vampire, ghost or human. Kill it" The gang looked at Anya sharply, when she said human, however, Buffy nodded understandingly, " I will An" Giles pulled Buffy away from Tara's shoulder, and whispered in a hushed tone, "Yes Buffy, you must kill it. I have just been conversing with the nurses and they have told me that a creature has been able to come in at night and attack the babies in the nursery. We must stop this thing." Smiling Buffy punched Giles' shoulder as she replied, "God, its good to have you back. You know, I actually missed the way you talked" Smiling, Giles' patted his slayers blond head, "Its good to be back actually" Buffy turned to Anya, who looked at her expectantly, " Don't worry An. I'll find this creature, hunt it down, and kill it. If it is the last thing I do" She turned to Giles as she continued, "Giles you said it has been coming to this hospital's nursery. Tonight we wait. When it shows, we strike" Anya managed a watery smile as the tears filled her eyes again.
It was around midnight when the creature arrived through the window. Flying in through the curtains, it failed to notice Buffy, Willow, Spike and Giles hiding among the cribs. Tara had decided to stay with Xander and Anya. "need comforting" she has said. The creature, which looked more hideous by the minute, looked around the nursery, and started to walk over to a blue crib. Willow, looked at the name of the crib and whispered to Buffy, "Buffy! Do you notice? It's only going after the baby boys" By this time, the creature was bending down to the sleeping baby. Just when it was about to attack, Buffy snapped on the light and the whole room lit up with bright lights. The gang could see that the creature was a beautiful woman, with pain and anger in her eyes. The sneer on her face, turned her beautiful face ugly. Stepping forward, Willow cried, "How can you do this to innocent babies? They never did anything to you" The creature laughed sardonically as she replied hoarsely, "Why should over woman have baby boys when mine was taken from me?" "Child welfare?" Buffy asked superficously "I would have made a good mother! But no, he was born dead. I tried to get on with my life, tried to get over the pain, the guilt, the misery, really I did. But fate had another choice for me. One night I flew out into the trees, preying on other mother's joy, to make them as unhappy as me" The creature waved her arms crazily in the air. Buffy stood firm as she said, "That's sick you know and you know you must stop" "NEVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" The creature cried. The gang was surprised that the babies never woke up, only an occasional stir. Buffy and the creature began to dance around the cribs, making hunting into an art. The creature, determined to live, Buffy, determined to kill it. The fighting took place amidst of the cribs. Careful not to wake the babies, the opponents met each others moves. No one could get a break. Without warning, the creature stopped in the middle of a low punch, aimed at Buffy's stomach. As Buffy stepped back, the creature began to disintegrate into a pile of ashes, until only a black pile of clothes was left. Spike stepped over the clothes, displaying the stake he had used to kill the creature. Willow rushed towards him, wrapping his arms around him lovingly. He turned his smirk towards the slayer who stared at the blond vampire in anger. Spike shrugged at her and said, "It looked like you needed help and with the pace you were going at, we would have been here all morning" Before Buffy could retort, Willow said, "I feel sorry for her. She must have been in a great deal of pain. Every woman deserves to be a mother, and not have her child taken away" Giles led the way out as he replied, "Yes well. That's what not getting over things in life, will do to you. Drive you insane, until you are only left with anger and sadness. Those emotions become your whole life." All four of them walked back to Junior's room, warm with the knowledge that he will be safe.
EPILOGUE
The creature fell down into this fiery tunnel until she landed at the bottom with a THUD. Looking around, she noticed that she was at a crossroad. Looking towards her left, she saw, just out of her reach, the beautiful cloud, where heaven was waiting, beckoning her. On her right, she saw the fiery and ever glowing hell. The judge walked down from his thrown and clucked his tongue at her, as he chided, "Tuckmako," He shook his head, "Where to put you indeed that is the question of the day. As a human, you were the model citizen, definitely destined to go to heaven. But as a demon, I believe it was the Langsugar to be exact," He looked at her expectantly. She nodded and he continued, "You were pure evil, black as the night sky, destined to go to hell." Tuckmako bent down on her knees and pleaded, "Please, please, I won't be evil. I just want the misery to end" The judge placed a kindly hand on her shoulder, lifted her up, and replied, "My dear, misery surrounds us all. On earth, in heaven, in all of the demon hells. Memories never fade, and that is where the misery lays, always there, waiting for you" Crying Tuckmako pleaded, "What are you going to do with me?" The judge looked down at the papers in his hands, which mystically appeared and replied, "Frankly, I don't know," he paused for a moment, the continued, "Yes, I do know! Good work brain! I hope you like heights" Tuckmako stared at him with puzzlement as he snapped his fingers. Tuckmako disintegrated from her human form, into a ball of light. Pointing his finger to the stars above the ball of light flew up to the night sky, there to watch over the humans ( and their babies) for all eternity.
THE END. WRITTEN BY MEGAN LUTZ
STILL BORN
WRITTEN BY MEGAN LUTZ 31/12/01
DISLCAIMER: I own nothing. Well except for Tuckmako. All other characters belong to the master, Joss Whendon and who ever else however minor you are - sorry but you are! Joss is a GOD! Okay, I am over it.
Malaysia, 1998
Inside the busy hospital, everyday doctors work together to save lives. Everyday over one million children are born. Some make it, some don't. Inside a labor room woman, a, with a fat belly and blood between the thighs cried out for painkillers. "It's too late for pain killers" The doctor replied to her demand, "We're almost there. One more push. I can see the head. It's a boy!" However, unlike normal deliveries there was no wail. Immediately everyone present in the room knew that there was a problem. As the nurses rushed for the incubator and resuscitation unit, the woman on the gurney yelled out, "What's wrong!" "One two three" was her answer as the doctor, covered in blood, tried to make the small lungs breathe, "Again!" Overwhelmed by what was happening the woman with the bloodstained legs fainted back onto the gurney as the medical team worked together trying to save this little soul.
Waking up fuzzily, the woman pushed the smelling salts away from under her nose. Looking around her, she found the doctor standing upright, a small bundle in his arms. "My baby! You saved him! Oh thank you! Thank you" The woman cried throwing her arms open wide. The doctor shuffled his feet uncomfortably, "I'm sorry Ms Kachao, we were unable to resuscitate. I'm afraid your baby was born still dead" He placed the bundle in her arms, "If there is anything we can do.." His voice trailed off as the woman began to cry over her blue-skinned baby. "My baby, my baby" She kept crying as the tear fell, unable to be stopped.
Malaysia, 6 months later
The woman walked down the street as if she had no care in the world. She whistled as she pushed the pram along. Seeing one of her friends, she called out, while waving, "Saukoi! Hi! Wait up" And she ran up to her friend, giddy as a teenager, pulling the pram along behind her. "Tuckmako. Good to see you" Saukoi replied, looking warily from her friend to the pram, "It's been a while" She heard about what happened at the hospital. Could it be that every one got the story wrong? "It's been ages. I think the last time we saw each other, was just before I went into labor. Speaking of which, have you seen my baby boy? Isn't he the cutest baby ever? The doctors said that he was dead, but I didn't believe them. I knew that in my heart that he was alive. Ha! It just shows how much doctors know! Anyway, I wanted to have some professional photos done of him, but the photographer wouldn't take them. I'll just go to another," While Tuckmako was babbling, Saukoi looked inside the pram, expecting to see a cute baby boy. Instead, she found herself looking at the plastic face of a boy doll. Stepping back, gasping, Saukoi looked at her friend in disgust, while she cried, "Tuckmako Kachao! Are you playing some kind of sick joke?!" "No..." "Then you need some serious help!" "Why? Are you insulting my baby boy.?" Tuckmako began to look like she might cry. "Are you crazy? This is a doll," Saukoi said the words very slowly as if she was speaking to a child. "NO!" Tuckmako cried, picking up the doll as if it were a real baby, "How dare you say that! You're just jealous, because your brat looks like a hideous little monster" Turning away, feeling sorry for her friend who desperately needs help. Saukoi replied, "You need help my dear, and I pray that it will be soon"
Later that night, Tuckmako put the doll inside the cot while murmuring, "You were a good boy today. Maybe tomorrow we can go out to the park and play on the swings. You would like that wouldn't you my baby?" The blanket covered the doll's plastic nose, "I'm so happy to have you in my life. You are the reason why I bother to wake up in the morning. Without you, there would be only darkness in my life. I'm so glad that the doctors made a mistake" She silently turned off the light and closed the door. Inside her room, Tuckmako prepared for bed. As she stepped out of her jeans, she is over come with a feeling of enlighting within her. Looking towards the open window, Tuckmako felt herself lift off the carpet floor. Instead of feeling scared, Tuckmako accept the action as if she was born to fly. She levitates towards the open window, where to transform under the light of the full moon. She had transformed into a deformed looking demon. Pushing herself out of the window, the demon flew towards the safety of the trees, leaving behind a house of pain.
Sunnydale, Present day
Anya screamed with pain as the doctor encouraged, "That's it. You're doing great. One more push." As Anya pushed, the gang stood around the delivering table in shock. This was Anya's and Xander's first child, both saying that there will be more, even though Anya nearly killed everyone while being pregnant. Xander stood gripping his wife's hand for support, frozen white in fear that something might happen to Anya or the baby. Spike and Willow stood behind the doctor, who was guiding the baby into the world. Spike and Willow found this experience exhilarating. "So that's where they come from," Spike commented as he watched the doctors hands, covered in blood. Buffy on the other hand, cringed into Tara's shoulder, who murmured into her hair, "Don't worry love, I won't ever put you through that" "Thank god" Buffy sighed with relief. A piercing scream cut through the room as Anya and Xander sighed with relief and happiness. "Anya, Xander," The doctor said, cutting the umbilical cord, "You are the proud parents of a beautiful baby boy" The group all clapped and cheered as the doctor placed the bundle into Anya's waiting arms.
Inside Anya's room, the gang crowded around Anya's bed, where little Junior laid in her arms. Willow gently compares her hand with the baby's. "He's so tiny," She whispered in astonishment. Tara who was leaning against the doorframe, with Buffy's head on her shoulders said, "I wish Giles was here. He would have enjoyed this. It's a pity that the council had him go do that refresher course" "I still don't know why he had to go. It's not like he forgot to be a watcher," Buffy commented, backing Tara up in a backward sort of way. "When your mother calls, you go running. It is the same with Giles and the Council," Xander said staring in amazement at his son. *I did it* He thought, * I made this human. He is so beautiful, like his mother* Taping his son on the nose he stated to the baby, "You're going to be just like your daddy..." "God I hope not," Came Spike's mumbled reply. Xander paid no notice to the snide remark and continued, "You're going to be just like your daddy, big ... and well, big" Anya looked up from the bundle and scolded, "Xander! Stop talking about our son's penis and comparing it to yours. He has a lot of growing to do. It may turn out bigger than yours. Anyway, he is much too young to learn about the pleasures of sex. We should wait at least 2 days before informing him." Buffy smiled at the happy couple, as she said, "You guys are going to be a sex crazy family" Xander looked at his first crush, as he replied, "No we won't. Some how, Anya and I will contain ourselves. At least, we are going to be a close family. Have no secrets. NO! We're not going to be that close. Will, get your mind out of the gutter you dirty thing. There is no way I will take my son to a public whorehouse where you can watch, like my father did to me. An, remind me, never take Junior to see the parental units. He doesn't deserve that sort of torture."
Meanwhile inside the hospitals nursery, the babies wailed uncontrollably. Bending over a blue cot, a hideous black haired creature sucked the life and blood out of a baby boy. Walking inside the room, the night nurse was unprepared for what she found. When she switched on the light, her eyes fell immediately upon the abhorrent creature, she let out a bloody curling scream. The creature looked up at the noise, and the nurse was sick to notice, the blood dripping from its hairy mouth. Walking backwards in fright, the nurse bumped her head on the cupboard and with the fright of the creature and the bumping, she fell into a heavy faint. The creature swiftly picked up the screaming baby and flew out of the window. The name on the cot read, 'Steve Paul Wilson'. A baby boy.
A few days later Anya and Xander were allowed to take junior home. When they finally got everything settled a few days later, an unexpected knock came at the door. Looking at the clock on the mantle, Anya asked, "Who can be calling at this time of night?" Xander walked up to the door and opened it. Looking over his shoulder he yelled, "A rude British man who apparently hasn't ever heard of calling first" As Xander pulled back the door, Anya watched in amazement as Giles stepped into the room. "Giles!" Anya cried running up to him, giddy as a child, "You're back!" Smiling, Giles returned Anya's hug, "I am. And I must say congratulations about the birth." He shook Xander's hand who puffed up with pride. "Come sit down. I'll make tea" Anya called as she made her way over to the kitchenette. Sitting down, Giles looked around the apartment with respect, "You guys have got this place looking really nice. Real family life" Shrugging, Xander couldn't keep the smile off his face, "Yeah well. Couldn't bring Junior back to the squalor" Anya came back into the room with the tea. *Everything's different * Astonished Giles, *Anya has changed from a freaky ex demon to a comely wife! I never would have thought I would see the day that this would happen. Why, she's even wearing an apron * Sitting down next to Xander, Anya asked, "So how was England?" Taking his glasses off, Giles replied, "Dreadfully boring," in a thick accent, "I told you, and I told them that I didn't need that course. It hasn't changed a bit. I must admit it was good to be in the Mother Country once again" Leaning closer to Giles, Anya whispered excitedly, "Would you like to see Junior?" Standing, Giles smiled, "I thought you would never ask"
Tip toeing into the nursery, which also acted as a bedroom for Anya and Xander, Xander filled Giles in with the details of the delivery. The nursery filled with light as Anya switched on the light. Suddenly a piercing scream of horror filled the room. Standing over the crib of Junior was an ugly old hag, or creature. No one could tell. Anya screamed and Giles and Xander rushed forward to tear the creature off Junior. Staring at the people in disgust, with blood dripping down its face the creature backed away towards the window, only there to fly away into the night. The ambulance took five minutes to reach the apartment. At the hospital, Junior had to have a blood transfer for the loss of blood. Anya and Xander never left his side.
This time at the hospital, Junior got his own room. The room was filled with blue bunnies and balloons. Over beside the wall laid the two bunk beds, for Anya and Xander. The crib was placed in the middle of the room, like a treasure, waiting to be discovered. Anya, Xander, whose eyes were both red from crying, Giles, Spike, Willow, Tara and Buffy stood around the tiny crib where Junior slept, a drip in his tiny arm. Xander put his arm around Anya's shaking shoulders. Spike whispered soothingly into the shaken Willow's ear. The room is filled with angry silence, as the gang absorbed what happened. Anya accepted the tissue from Giles, and then turned to Buffy, her eyes clear as she said, "Buffy, I want you to kill this thing. I don't care if it is demon, vampire, ghost or human. Kill it" The gang looked at Anya sharply, when she said human, however, Buffy nodded understandingly, " I will An" Giles pulled Buffy away from Tara's shoulder, and whispered in a hushed tone, "Yes Buffy, you must kill it. I have just been conversing with the nurses and they have told me that a creature has been able to come in at night and attack the babies in the nursery. We must stop this thing." Smiling Buffy punched Giles' shoulder as she replied, "God, its good to have you back. You know, I actually missed the way you talked" Smiling, Giles' patted his slayers blond head, "Its good to be back actually" Buffy turned to Anya, who looked at her expectantly, " Don't worry An. I'll find this creature, hunt it down, and kill it. If it is the last thing I do" She turned to Giles as she continued, "Giles you said it has been coming to this hospital's nursery. Tonight we wait. When it shows, we strike" Anya managed a watery smile as the tears filled her eyes again.
It was around midnight when the creature arrived through the window. Flying in through the curtains, it failed to notice Buffy, Willow, Spike and Giles hiding among the cribs. Tara had decided to stay with Xander and Anya. "need comforting" she has said. The creature, which looked more hideous by the minute, looked around the nursery, and started to walk over to a blue crib. Willow, looked at the name of the crib and whispered to Buffy, "Buffy! Do you notice? It's only going after the baby boys" By this time, the creature was bending down to the sleeping baby. Just when it was about to attack, Buffy snapped on the light and the whole room lit up with bright lights. The gang could see that the creature was a beautiful woman, with pain and anger in her eyes. The sneer on her face, turned her beautiful face ugly. Stepping forward, Willow cried, "How can you do this to innocent babies? They never did anything to you" The creature laughed sardonically as she replied hoarsely, "Why should over woman have baby boys when mine was taken from me?" "Child welfare?" Buffy asked superficously "I would have made a good mother! But no, he was born dead. I tried to get on with my life, tried to get over the pain, the guilt, the misery, really I did. But fate had another choice for me. One night I flew out into the trees, preying on other mother's joy, to make them as unhappy as me" The creature waved her arms crazily in the air. Buffy stood firm as she said, "That's sick you know and you know you must stop" "NEVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" The creature cried. The gang was surprised that the babies never woke up, only an occasional stir. Buffy and the creature began to dance around the cribs, making hunting into an art. The creature, determined to live, Buffy, determined to kill it. The fighting took place amidst of the cribs. Careful not to wake the babies, the opponents met each others moves. No one could get a break. Without warning, the creature stopped in the middle of a low punch, aimed at Buffy's stomach. As Buffy stepped back, the creature began to disintegrate into a pile of ashes, until only a black pile of clothes was left. Spike stepped over the clothes, displaying the stake he had used to kill the creature. Willow rushed towards him, wrapping his arms around him lovingly. He turned his smirk towards the slayer who stared at the blond vampire in anger. Spike shrugged at her and said, "It looked like you needed help and with the pace you were going at, we would have been here all morning" Before Buffy could retort, Willow said, "I feel sorry for her. She must have been in a great deal of pain. Every woman deserves to be a mother, and not have her child taken away" Giles led the way out as he replied, "Yes well. That's what not getting over things in life, will do to you. Drive you insane, until you are only left with anger and sadness. Those emotions become your whole life." All four of them walked back to Junior's room, warm with the knowledge that he will be safe.
EPILOGUE
The creature fell down into this fiery tunnel until she landed at the bottom with a THUD. Looking around, she noticed that she was at a crossroad. Looking towards her left, she saw, just out of her reach, the beautiful cloud, where heaven was waiting, beckoning her. On her right, she saw the fiery and ever glowing hell. The judge walked down from his thrown and clucked his tongue at her, as he chided, "Tuckmako," He shook his head, "Where to put you indeed that is the question of the day. As a human, you were the model citizen, definitely destined to go to heaven. But as a demon, I believe it was the Langsugar to be exact," He looked at her expectantly. She nodded and he continued, "You were pure evil, black as the night sky, destined to go to hell." Tuckmako bent down on her knees and pleaded, "Please, please, I won't be evil. I just want the misery to end" The judge placed a kindly hand on her shoulder, lifted her up, and replied, "My dear, misery surrounds us all. On earth, in heaven, in all of the demon hells. Memories never fade, and that is where the misery lays, always there, waiting for you" Crying Tuckmako pleaded, "What are you going to do with me?" The judge looked down at the papers in his hands, which mystically appeared and replied, "Frankly, I don't know," he paused for a moment, the continued, "Yes, I do know! Good work brain! I hope you like heights" Tuckmako stared at him with puzzlement as he snapped his fingers. Tuckmako disintegrated from her human form, into a ball of light. Pointing his finger to the stars above the ball of light flew up to the night sky, there to watch over the humans ( and their babies) for all eternity.
THE END. WRITTEN BY MEGAN LUTZ