Haunted
By JCP
It was a dark and stormy night. They didn't always have those in Sunnydale, California. A lithe, blonde girl was walking through the Sunnydale cemetery, humming a Creed song to herself. She carried a stake, which she called "Mr Pointy", a stick of garlic, and wore a cross around her neck. She was making the usual check for vampires; they didn't have any immediate problems. She was turning out of the cemetery and onto the sidewalk when she heard a noise behind her. She whirled around. She didn't see anyone. She turned back around and continued walking.
She saw two figures up the sidewalk. ''Xander and Willow.'' She said to herself. She shook her head. She loved her friends, but their habit for taking risks was annoying.
''Buffy!'' Willow Rosenburg said, her red hair totally askew. ''We actually fought off a couple of guys by ourselves! We used the garlic necklaces. They took off like scared chickens!'' Will was very excited by this.
Buffy Summers smiled. She answered, ''Very cool, Will. I'm proud of you. Did you see anything else, or was it just the vamps?''
Xander Harris looked at her. ''No, just the vamps. I did pretty good for someone who laughs in the face of danger and then runs and hides until it goes away.''
Buffy said, ''Well, I've got to check these streets before I head home. Angel said he was checking out the Bronze for me. He actually wouldn't let me. Said he'd seen something that would kick my butt there.''
Xander, who had a crush on Buffy, was not too happy to find out that Angel was helping her out. ''Not many things can kick your butt.''
Buffy grinned at him. ''Yeah, I'm somethin' else, aren't I?'' She slid the garlic in her pocket. She doubted that she'd need it....................................................
Across town, in the creepiest house in Sunnydale, a ghost was flying around in the air. She was mourning a lost love, and refused to go to the other side until she got her wish. She'd been terrifying people all over the place, wanting her love to come back to her. She had enlisted the help of local vamps so she could attack the people she needed to hurt. Being a ghost, she really couldn't hurt others. But since she had the vamps on her side, she'd be able to cause better damage.
A vampire entered her house. He came right up to her. ''I was told that you're looking for vamp protection.''
The morning dawned beautifully. Buffy was in a fabulous mood. She and Angel had been getting closer lately, and that made for a happy slayer. She headed downstairs to get a bagel before going to school. She saw her mother's bedroom door closed, and didn't think anything of it. Her mother must be sick today................
Willow and Xander were waiting for her in the school courtyard. Willow said, ''Buffy, we have something to tell you. Someone was attacked last night.''
Buffy was confused. ''But we did all that checking last night. I didn't see anything.''
Willow said, ''Maybe it was in the Bronze, where Angel was checking.''
Xander said, ''It was a girl. She had bite marks on her body, and all the blood was drained. We haven't found out anything more.''
Buffy started towards the school. ''Maybe we need to talk to Giles.'' Her friends followed her inside.
They reached the library, finding Rupert Giles (He's never called "Rupert") on the computer. ''Hello, I see you've heard about the dead girl.''
Buffy nodded. ''Yeah, and it was so weird. All three of us were patrolling last night, and we didn't see anything weird.''
Giles replied, ''Angel came to tell me late last night. Said it was in the Bronze, where he'd said he would check out.''
Buffy sat down at the table next to the computer desk. ''So what happened? Xander said that it was a vamp.''
Giles nodded. ''Yes, and the vampire left a note, for the Slayer.'' He looked at Buffy.
She said, ''So where is it? And how could he know that I would find it?'' She added, ''Is it on the screen?''
Willow got closer to the screen and read, ''Slayer, this isn't the work of just me. I'm working for a more, shall we say, supernatural being. She wants her lover back. So you'd better be on the lookout. Because she'll keep attacking people until she kills her lover.''
Xander asked, ''If she wants to kill her lover, how would that mean she gets him back?''
Buffy mused, '''Unless it's a ghost. I mean, that would explain why she wants him dead.''
Willow said, ''I don't mean to be gross, but it might be a girl. So we shouldn't assume it's a guy until a vamp says otherwise. I mean, it was a girl he killed.''
Giles said, ''The girl's name is Kristin Fitzwater. She was nicknamed Trish. Did any of you know her?''
Buffy said, ''Yeah, she was the best friend of a vampire victim during the Harvest. Oh, what was the girl's name?'' She hit her forehead, trying to think.
Willow said, ''I'll pull up the records on the deaths during the Harvest.'' Giles moved so she could get to work. Willow was something of a hacker. She could get into any computer system she wanted.
Xander paced the room. ''So we have a ghost. I think it's safe to assume that it's a ghost, because she needs vampires to attack the people for her. Ghosts can't harm humans.''
Buffy nodded. ''I think so, too. So Giles, how are we going to stop her? We don't know if she's attacking people at random, or if she has a plan, or what.''
Willow said, ''OK. Here's the names of the victims. There were only four, since we got there in enough time.'' The others looked at her. She hastily said, ''In enough time to save everyone else.'' She glanced back at the screen and read, ''James Smith, Sarah Banks, Elizabeth Carrie Donnell, and Nicholas Minnelli.''
Buffy cried, ''It's the Elizabeth girl. She was a senior, and Trish was a junior. They were both in my English class.''
Willow said, ''Why would she kill her best friend? Does she want her friend back, too? And it obviously wasn't her lover, or she would have stopped.''
Xander said, ''Hey, I remember Elizabeth! She used to make fun of Cordelia all the time. Cordy was always trying to get in with Elizabeth's group, and Liz wouldn't let her. It was actually kinda funny.'' (Cordelia Chase is a girl in the sophomore class. Buffy, Xander, and Willow are all sophomores, too.)
Willow looked at Giles. ''So what do we do? I mean, we can't attack Elizabeth, she's a ghost. We need to find out who this person is. Maybe they go to school here.''
Buffy scrunched up her face, thinking again. ''I think Elizabeth went with this football player. Jonathan or Mark, something like that.''
The bell rang before anyone could say anything more. Xander quickly said, ''We'll come back at lunch. I'll try to talk to some of the football players, see if they know anything.''
Willow added, ''Lizzie and Trish's friend Christina is in my class. I'll try to ask her if she knows who Liz went with.''
Buffy just hurried to her first period class. She couldn't believe a ghost was getting vamps to attack people! This was the weirdest thing she'd faced yet. But the thing is, how do you fight a ghost? You can't attack it, and even if they figured out Elizabeth's plan, and dusted all the vamps, then how do you get rid of Elizabeth?
At lunch, Willow and Xander reported to the library, carrying their lunch trays. They'd told the lunch ladies that Giles needed them for something. Giles was sitting at the table, reading a large book. Xander said, ''Is Buffy here?''
Giles looked up. ''Oh, hello. No, I had hoped she'd be with you.''
Willow shook her head. ''We haven't seen her since this morning. But I talked to Christina, and she said that Elizabeth was going out with a guy named Todd Hobert. He's a senior, too. But they were having problems, and they broke up before she died. She was at the Bronze that night with this girl she met here at school. Christina didn't know the girl's name.''
Xander placed his tray down on the table and sat down. ''So, was she happy she and this Todd person broke up? Or could the girl have been her significant other?''
Buffy walked into the library, carrying a pizza. ''I found out from Elizabeth's sister Katherine that Liz was a closet bisexual. She had had a girlfriend on the side of Todd, and he found out. He wasn't happy, so they broke up.''
Willow asked, ''So why didn't he tell the whole school?''
Buffy sat down next to her. ''Kat said it's because Elizabeth paid him off. Her family's very well off, and she could afford to pay him a lot of money to keep his mouth shut.''
Willow said, ''She was with a girl the night of the Harvest. So was that her girlfriend? Did Kat know her name?''
Buffy shook her head. ''I didn't ask the name of the girlfriend. But she stayed with her, and Kat said she was really broken up about it when Elizabeth died.''
Xander said, ''So we need to find out this girl's name.'' He forked mashed potatoes into his mouth.
Willow said, ''I'll talk to Christina again after lunch.''
Buffy said, ''I'll see if there's any way to get rid of ghosts.''
Giles interrupted their convo. ''I have discovered how to get rid of the ghost. An exorcism. It will require some personal effects of Elizabeth's, but it should work. We'll have to find out what the girlfriend's name is before she kills her.''
Willow replied, ''Yeah, Buffy just said she was going to work on that.''
After lunch, the three split up. Buffy went to investigate the name of the girl problem, and Willow and Xander went to get the 'personal effects' Giles had mentioned. Willow and Xander had used 'Mr. Pointy' to get into Elizabeth's locker. Principal Flutie hadn't emptied it yet. Willow poked around, looking for a sample of hair, anything that was part of Elizabeth's body. Xander looked around for something that said how she felt about the girlfriend. Willow finally said, ''Ah ha! I found a huge wad of hair from her brush.''
Xander made a face. ''That is really gross. Are you sure that's what Giles meant by 'personal effects'?''
Willow nodded. ''Yep. It is kinda gross, huh?'' She said, slipping it into the baggie she held.
Xander continued to poke around. ''Hey, wait. I found this poem. Listen:
''You fill my every waking need
I couldn't love you more
Please take my hand,
I want to get to that everlasting shore.
I don't need a man
All I need is you.
Please love me back, I don't think
I could stand the pain if you said no.
So please take my hand,
because, girl, all I need is you.''
Willow said, ''Wow, that's a great poem. I can't believe she wrote that. Elizabeth was in remedial English. Gosh, that's great.''
Xander looked at her. ''OK, Will. Don't freak me out. It's great, but she wrote it to another girl. That's kinda weird. I'm still trying to get used to the idea she was bi.''
Willow said, ''Sorry. It doesn't mention the girl's name. Guess we'll have to keep searching. Let's take these to Giles, see if they're enough.'' She closed the locker door shut.
The two of them entered the library. Giles was nowhere in sight. Xander said, ''OK, great. For once in his life, Giles is out of the library. I wish he'd waited to take such a big step.'' Willow looked at him. Xander continued, ''I mean, when we didn't need him. The guy practically lives in here.''
Willow was going to say something more when Buffy entered the room. ''OK, I found out the girl's name, where is Giles?'' Buffy asked.
Xander shrugged. ''Will and I were just trying to figure this out ourselves. Giles picked a great time to leave the library.''
Buffy walked through the stacks, looking for him. ''Nope. No Giles.''
Giles surprised them all when he appeared from his office, absorbed in a book. He went behind the nearby counter and suddenly placed down the book, murmuring to himself. Finally, he looked up, noticing the three of them standing there. ''Oh, hello. I was just reading through the exorcism ceremony. It has to take place on the full moon, so we've got to wait until tomorrow night.''
Buffy said, ''And I found out the girl's name. Her name is Jammie Shannon. She doesn't go here now. She dropped out. She couldn't take the memories of Elizabeth here.''
Willow handed over the baggie to Giles, and Xander surrendered the poem. ''We got the 'personal effects' of Elizabeth's. Flutie hasn't emptied her locker yet. It's not healthy, but it sure helped.''
Buffy said, ''So what do we do in the meantime? It's going to be kinda hard to help Jammie, she doesn't go to school here.''
Giles said, ''Just make sure there aren't any more vampire killings, and we'll be able to do the spell tomorrow night.''
After school, Willow, Xander, and Buffy all went to the Bronze for some fun before they patrolled later that night. Willow had gone to see Jammie after school, and made sure she would stay home with the door locked, so nothing happened to her. Buffy heard some noises on their way in, so Xander and Willow went ahead, and Buffy kicked another vamp's butt. Then she headed inside.
Willow waved her over to their table. ''Can we talk for a minute?'' She asked her best friend.
Buffy nodded. ''Sure, Will. What's up?''
Willow stared at her napkin, seemingly working up the nerve to say whatever it was she wanted to say. ''Buffy, since this whole mess started, I've been thinking about Elizabeth, and her bi thing, and I've been thinking it wouldn't be such a bad idea.''
Buffy was confused. She asked, ''Will, are you trying to say that you might be bi? If you are, then, anything you want. Xander and I will still be your friends.''
Willow said, ''Well, I've been looking at it like this. I didn't think I could be a full lesbian, because I still like guys, I just have started noticing girls, and actually, it was right before this whole thing. I'm actually glad this happened, because I was trying to find a way to tell you and Xander.''
Buffy said, ''Well, it's OK. You have to do what makes you happy.'' She was going to say more when Xander joined them. ''Oh, hi, Xander.''
Xander said, ''Guys, I was just talking to Cordelia. Why I can't tell you, but she says that she was at Jammie's house this afternoon, and Jammie told her that she'd better watch out, because things unseen hate her.''
Willow asked, ''So what does that mean? Is a vamp going to attack Cordy?''
Buffy said, ''I don't know, but I'd better be on the lookout. You didn't see anything when you were talking to her, did you Xander?''
Xander shook his head. ''No, and I looked around the area after she left. No one was there. But hold on, what were you and Will talking about so intensely?''
Willow and Buffy both got up from the table. Willow said, ''We'll tell you later, Xander. Right now, we've got to look for any vamps that might try to attack Cordelia.''
Buffy went outside, Willow and Xander stayed inside to patrol. She pulled a stake from her pant leg and brandished it, whirling around when she heard a noise. She wasn't sure if there was anything to worry about, she had vanquished that vamp before she even entered the Bronze. She'd thought he was just another run of the mill vamp, but maybe he'd been going to hurt Cordy........then she heard a scream. Buffy immediately threw herself into action. She ran down the alley beside the club and saw a vampire attacking Cordelia. Buffy didn't even stop to think about why Cordelia was even out here to begin with, she just ran up and gave the vamp a mighty kick. He went flying backward, and then Buffy descended on it with the stake, driving it through his heart. He dusted right before her eyes. Buffy then stood up and turned around. ''Are you OK, Cordelia?''
Cordelia just said, ''You are so weird, Buffy.'' She turned and headed back inside.
Buffy rolled her eyes and checked one more time around the perimeter before going back inside, to catch up with Xander and Willow. She found them back at their table, sipping their Cokes. Buffy said, ''I dusted a vamp, what about you?''
Willow replied, ''Nothing. But I told Xander about our conversation. You're fine with it, aren't you, Xander?'' He just nodded. Buffy knew it was going to take some getting used to. Willow continued, ''There's even this girl I was talking to! She's really nice, and really pretty.'' Willow seemed excited.
Buffy smiled. ''Good for you, Will. So, I think Cordelia will be OK. Did she come back in?''
Xander nodded. ''Yeah. She came back in and started talking to her followers.''
The next morning, Buffy, Willow, and Xander met in the hall before school. They all walked to the library. Giles had assembled everything they'd need for that night. Buffy asked, ''So is there anything we can do to get ready for tonight?''
Giles looked up, he was behind the counter, reading a book. ''Oh, no, just make sure Jammie is alive. I've explained the situation to her, and she's going to accompany you around school today, Buffy. I need you to keep her safe. She has to be here tonight when we do the exorcism. It will bring Elizabeth's ghost here, and you'll probably have to fight the vampires.''
Buffy asked, ''So keep Jamez safe. I can do that. Alright, then, let's go, guys.'' The three of them left the library.
Xander asked, ''So, Will, who's the girl that you were talking to in the Bronze yesterday?''
Willow grinned. ''There she is!'' She points to a tall, dark haired girl, wearing tight leather pants and a tight purple top. She smiled when she saw Willow. She was gorgeous, with pretty brown eyes to match her dark hair. Buffy and Xander followed Willow. Willow said, ''Guys, this is Faith. She's a Slayer, too. Her Watcher's name is Wesley.''
Faith smiled, and took Willow's hand. ''I met Will here yesterday. I'm glad to meet you, you must be Buffy and Xander.'' She brushed her dark hair back with her other hand.
Buffy nodded. ''Yeah. We are. So, Wesley needs to meet Giles, he's my Watcher. Um, I'm guessing you're going to help me with the vamp slayage tonight?''
Faith nodded. ''Yeah, I am. Willow and I actually need to do some research. So we'll see you later?'' She walked off with Willow, hand in hand.
Xander and Buffy stared after them, shell shocked. He said, ''That's Willow's new girlfriend? God, is she hot or what?''
Buffy said, ''I guess, she isn't ugly or anything. Jeez, I'm surprised.''
Willow and Faith were sitting in the library, out of the way of Giles' prying eyes. They were looking through some books for their history class. Willow finally said, ''You have really pretty eyes, you know.''
Faith looked at her. ''Thanks, you do, too. So, Will, do you want to go on a date tomorrow night? I can take you to the new pizza place. It's supposed to be great.''
Willow smiled. She really liked this girl. But how could you not? She was gorgeous, and Willow hated to think like a guy, but she had a great rack. She replied, ''Great! That would be great. Then we can go to my place after, I mean, my mom won't be home. My dad, either. What do you say?''
Faith smiled at her. ''It's a date.'' She then kissed Willow on the cheek and got up. ''I've gotta get to class. Tell Buffy I'll meet her back here at eight, OK?''
Willow watched her go, psyched that she had a date that night!
That night, Buffy, Faith, Xander, Willow, and Jammie were all at the library, waiting for Giles, who actually, was going to be on time. The others were twenty minutes early. Willow and Faith were sitting at the table, talking about their date the following night. Buffy and Xander were trying not to listen, since it was technically eavesdropping. Jammie sat by herself, watching Faith and Willow.
Faith excused herself from Willow and said, ''Hey, B, can I talk to you a minute?'' She asked, beckoning Buffy over to the stacks, where they could speak privately.
Buffy followed, not sure what the girl wanted, they'd only met a little while ago. ''What is it, Faith?'' She asked, knowing that if Willow liked her, the girl could be around a long time.
Faith said, ''OK, I know that you would know. Is Willow the real deal? I haven't been into girls long, and I don't want my first girlfriend to be like, a player or something.''
Buffy smiled. ''Yeah, Will's great. Don't worry about anything.'' She turned to go.
Faith said, ''The first time I saw you, I liked you. Don't get me wrong, I really like Will, you're just so sexy.'' Without any warning, she kissed Buffy. Buffy didn't fight her, either. Although, she should have. Faith let her go when she'd run out of breath. ''Whoa, great kisser you are, Slayer. I wonder if you fight vamps as good.'' She turned and walked away, to go back to Willow.
Buffy stood by the stacks, stunned. She wasn't surprised that Faith had kissed her, she was surprised that she'd actually felt tingly feelings all over her body. What was up with that? She joined her friends again so they could prepare for the exorcism.
Giles and Wesley were setting up, with Faith, Willow, and Xander all getting out stakes, in case the vamps decided to crash the party. Giles suspected that they would, since Elizabeth would know that Jammie was here, and send her vampires to attack.
Buffy and Faith suited themselves up with stakes. Buffy kept glancing at Faith, noticing how tight the girl's leather pants were. She mentally told herself to stop looking. Willow liked this girl! And besides, Buffy wasn't gay or bi. So why couldn't she stop thinking about their kiss?
Angel entered the library through the front door for a change. ''I heard about the thing you're trying to do tonight.'' He said.
Buffy straightened up from putting a stake in her pants leg. She had been checking Faith out at the same time, much to her chagrin. She said, ''OK. So I'm assuming you're going to help?''
Angel said, ''I can't stay. I just wanted to tell you that there's going to be a lot of vampires here tonight.''
Faith smiled at him. ''Me and B can handle it, Mr. Big and Silent.'' She slid a stake up her sleeve.
Angel just turned away and walked back out the door. Then he looked back through the door to see Buffy before he left, and saw her checking Faith out! He was disappointed....................
Giles and Wesley started the exorcism, with Willow helping as best as she could, and Xander keeping Jammie safe, since he figured he'd let Faith and Buffy fight the vamps.
As the spell started working, vamps began breaking down the door. Buffy and Faith began fighting them together. Faith flipped them back to Buffy, who staked them. They must have fought at least twenty vamps that way. Then all of a sudden, the spell brought Elizabeth herself into the room.
Jammie nearly lost it when she saw her old girlfriend. ''Why are you trying to kill me, Liz?'' She got up, hoping to get this over with, because she wanted to see Angel again. He was gorgeous! She missed her girlfriend, but she was ready to move on.
Elizabeth was looking very sad. ''I miss you, and the only way I can have you with me is to have you die, since I obviously can't come back to life.''
Jammie said, ''Liz, I miss you a lot, but I would like to move on. If you want, you can haunt me. I don't care, just please stop trying to kill me.'' She smiled at her.
Elizabeth seemed to consider this. ''Well, alright. Just don't get a new girlfriend. OK?''
Jammie nodded, thinking of Angel. ''OK.''
Buffy watched as Elizabeth disappeared, and Giles and Wesley started to clean up the mess. She watched as Faith talked to Will. She looked disappointed, but she nodded and joined Xander. Faith walked back over to Buffy. Buffy asked her, ''What did you say to her?''
Faith smiled. ''I told her that I wanted to be with you. And I thought you might like me back. So I was going to take a chance.''
Buffy wasn't sure what to say. Should she say she liked Faith, too? She obviously did. She hadn't thought about Angel at all since she had seen Faith this morning. And the kiss! Finally she smiled. ''Well, it paid off.'' She kissed Faith tenderly on the mouth.
Jammie had left the library to find Angel. Xander had told her he hung out in the cemetery. She found him in the mausoleum, looking upset. Jammie said, ''So, hottie, what time are you picking me up tomorrow night?''
The End