Disclaimer: One day my cousin got a cat stuck up his ass. True story! And
to make matters worse, it was a cat he bought at our town's mall, so it was
all over the news. Anyway, there was this big operation to remove the cat
from his asshole, and then he had to go see a therapist. Then the next
week, he buys another cat and gets it stuck up his ass again. So our town
went through the same thing all over again. Then, a few weeks later, I'm
walking through the mall and I see him coming out of the pet store with
ANOTHER cat! I walk up to him and say, "Hey moron, what the fuck are you
doing? You know you're just going to get that cat stuck in your ass again!"
And he looks at me right in the eyes and says, "Well, how else am I going
to get Joss, the hamster I named for the super genius Joss Whedon who
created Buffy the Vampire Slayer, out of my ass?" My cousin's a strange
guy.
Rating: R- this swell chapter is full of vulgar and casual swearing! Super!
Summary: Buffy, after running away from Sunnydale, comes home six years later with a new identity. While searching for some mysterious evil threatening to destroy all, she begins to see how much she was missed.
Author's Notes: I'm on a roll! Whoo hoo! This stuff just comes running out of my head like the diarrhea that comes out of Anyanka Faith's . . . oh, nevermind! I have a proclamation: FUCK HOMEWORK! Who cares about homework when there is fan fiction to write? I think we all need to band together and go to Congress and demand they stop teachers from giving homework to people who write fan fiction! Who's with me?! . . . No one? Fine, fuck you all! No, you know I love you all! Why else would I write this story? This is to give happiness to all Buffy-shippers out there! And I hope it does. Hugs and kisses and anal probes!
PS: See that disclaimer up there? Well, I stole that from another Kevin Smith movie, Mallrats. Not as good as Dogma or Clerks, but a good romp. I do worship Brodie. He kicks ass, Reynolds style! Are you a lady, Mr. Kent?
Chapter Twelve-What's Important
Oh God oh God oh God oh God oh God oh . . .
Krab felt like every single part of his body was shaking uncontrollably, like an electric current was racing though his body.
He did NOT want to go through that door.
Last night had gone along smoothly. He found the girl, beat her until she didn't move again, then took off. Before he left, he checked her purse. So this afternoon, when he was sure everything was over, he went to the hospital to confirm that a Miss Tara Maclay was dead.
He found her all right, but sitting up, her body showing little signs of trauma. Maybe he hadn't hurt her as much as he thought she did. While he was thinking, he heard the girl say a name.
Pitatch.
She knew. How did she know? Human beings were a weird species.
Now, he had to go report to the Leader, explaining that not only was the girl not dead, but she now knew what was being planned.
Gathering his courage, he raised his hand up, and lightly knocked on the door.
"Come in!" The leader sounded slightly pleased. It would not last for long.
"Um, sir," Krab timidly poked his head through the door, his voice soft, "I have something to tell you."
@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@
He was an older man, the doctor, past the age of fifty, with a grizzled beard and thinning hair. The expression on his face was gloomy. As he spoke, Phoenix reached for and clutched Spike's hand, Xander tightened his embrace around Anya.
"It concerns your child."
All the beating hearts in the room stopped. Time seemed to halt.
A small tear traveled down Willow's face. "What?"
"Miss Maclay, you have miraculously survived this attack, but I don't know if the same can be said for your child. It's too delicate to go through an ordeal like you went through. I've reviewed my notes thousands of times, and have come to the same conclusion." Putting the chart down and seating himself in the chair next to Tara's bed, he rubbed his forehead. "I don't think the baby will survive labor."
Spike released Phoenix's hand, then grabbed the doctor by his throat and pushed him against the wall.
"What the fuck do you mean 'I don't think'?" His blue eyes flashed a bright yellow.
Totally terrified, the doctor choked out his words. "The child has suffered too much, and going through the process of labor may stress its system to the point of heart failure!"
Before Spike could respond, he felt a hand lightly touch his shoulder. He turned. It was Phoenix, looking him in the eyes, gently shaking her head. Getting control of himself, Spike released the doctor and mumbled an apology.
Rubbing his neck, the doctor returned to his seat. "Now, there are a few things you can do."
"What are they?" Tara's voice lacked emotion, as did her face. It was all too much to go through.
"You can let nature take its course and wait for a natural childbirth, which again I do not recommend. We can go through a few tests to determine how well the child is, but that can take a few days and you may start labor by that time. Or," he smiled at Tara, trying to comfort her; "We can perform a C-section."
Ever the guy, Xander spoke up. "Huh?"
Laughing lightly, the doctor looked at the clueless brunette. "Cesarean section. Cutting through the woman's uterus and removing the child." He returned his attention to his patient. "It's 100% safe; you and the child will not be affected in any way. If you choose this option, I can have the child out by midnight tonight. There will be some mandatory tests to take, and it will give you some time to rest."
Willow looked at Tara, waiting for her response. Raising her head to look into Willow's eyes, Tara nodded.
"Ok." Willow whispered, still crying, but the edges of a smile peaking at the corners of her mouth.
"Wonderful," the doctor said, standing up to exit the room, "And I want you to rest up, so your guests should leave." Hanging her chart outside the door, he left.
No one spoke, all waiting for Tara's response.
It was laughter.
"I'm gonna be a mommy tonight!" Like Willow, she was still crying, but her laughter took over. "We're gonna have a baby!" She reached for her partner, pulling her into an excited hug. The group wiped their tears away, and noisily began to congratulate the mother.
Before the celebration could continue, Giles coughed. "Not wishing to be the party pooper, but taking that job anyway, I think I agree with the doctor. You need your rest, and what can we do here?" A chorus of groans sounded. "No need to end the party. There's some exciting research that needs to be done at the Magic Box! We need to find this Pitatch."
"Since when did research become exciting?" muttered Xander.
Giles picked up the pile of coats and began distributing them to their owners. "Hurry along now! The mommies need their rest."
Pulling away from Willow, Tara threw her hands in the air. "Oh! I didn't tell you the rest! I know a whole bunch of stuff about Pitatch . . ."
Exiting the room, but stopping briefly to muss Tara's hair, Giles interrupted. " . . . Which you will tell us after the birth. We're going to find some historical references and identify what kind of demon he is, then try to determine what he is planning. You will fill us in with the current information later. Come along!" he yelled, shepherding the guests out of the room.
"Bye!" Willow and Tara yelled as the door closed, alone to rest together.
@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@
I was soooo wrong! Research is a lot more boringer than Scooby meetings!
Anya slammed a copy of "Middle-Eastern Mythological Prophesies" closed, dust rising from the pages. Said dust started wafting through the still air, then entering her nostrils.
Oh . . . . . . . no!
With the force of a jet plane, Anya sneezed, sending loose papers flying through the Scooby conference room.
"Bless you," whispered Phoenix, deeply concentrated on a hardbound edition of "Morton's Encyclopedia for the Supernatural".
Anya turned her attention to the girl sitting next to her.
"Find anything yet?" asked the demon, not wanting to return to the tedious world of research.
Phoenix shook her head, not looking up from the large book.
For some weird reason, Anya felt hurt by the coldness she was receiving from her old friend. Damn these human feelings!
"Is there something wrong?" inquired Anya, hoping to bring out a conversation.
Feeling the attempt by her friend, Phoenix looked up. "Everything. If I don't focus on the research, I'll end up pulling out my hair."
"What? Why?" Anya stood from her chair, then kneeled next to her.
"All the world's going to hell. It's like when I was here before. The moment things started to go right, something happens that ruins it all."
Her stomach jumped when she heard Phoenix speak. There's hope!
"What was going right?" She hoped she wasn't sounding too intruding.
"I started to feel like I was part of the gang again. But, the thing with Tara happened, and brought me back to the world. At least it will all end when leave."
That small amount of hope Anya felt faded away. She gave Phoenix a small smile, then returned to her chair.
Reaching for a leather bound notebook, Anya flipped through it, not finding the heart to do some intense reading. "Where are you gonna go when you leave?"
Turning a page, Phoenix sighed. "I'll go back to Chicago, get my stuff. Then after that, who knows? Maybe I'll go to New York, or Seattle. Or I just might go overseas, to London or Venice."
"You should visit Moscow," mumbled Anya, who was focusing on a section dealing with vampires of Southeastern France.
Phoenix raised her head up. "Why?"
"Oh," Anya came back to the world; "I was there in 1761. Empress Catherine summoned me to kill the Tsar. I put poisonous beetles in his dinner, and he died before dessert was served. I had never seen so much blood come out of a person's mouth."
"That's great," Phoenix lied, making a face of disgusting.
Looking back down at the notebook, Anya's mind began to race.
She's not even considering staying. It's not even an option for her. When, and if, we defeat this Leader-guy, she's gone. And she'll hide. She'll hide even better. We won't be able to find her. And everyone will miss her, and it'll be like the first year she left, except worse. And . . .
Anya stood up quickly, and threw the notebook in her hands against the wall.
Jolting out of her concentration, Phoenix stared at her friend. "What's wrong?"
Her voice full of anger, Anya began to scream. "You want to know what's fucking wrong?! God, you're so smart, why don't you figure it out?"
"What the hell is your problem Anya?"
"DAMN IT TO HELL!" Kicking her chair across the room, Anya stood so she was looking down the face at her friend. "I want you to take a look at what your life is! You live in a crap-ass apartment in Chicago, making a living as a waitress! You have no friends, no family, and certainly no future! And when things go wrong, you pack up your stuff and move to a new town to start the same life all over again!"
"Shut up," whispered Phoenix.
"You live this pathetic existence, forgetting what you have here in Sunnydale! In this fucking town, you have countless people who love you! Four people who would name YOU as their best friend! A man who would classify YOU as his daughter! A demon who found his humanity before his soul because he fell in love with YOU!" her voice broke as she yelled, tears starting to fall down her face. "And you always seem to forget that! You forget about all the people who you hurt when you left the first time, and who you're gonna kill again when you leave! So excuse me for having a problem with this, because when you leave, I have to deal with Xander and Willow and Giles and Tara and Spike!"
"FUCK YOU!" Phoenix screamed, standing up. "It's so easy for you, isn't it?! You can play the role of 'Mother to the World' because you have that option! I don't! I have the Midas touch of destruction! Everyone I get close to suffers so incredibly because of what I am! It all boils down to the fact that everyone I love dies because I'm the GOD-DAMNED SLAYER!"
Gritting her teeth, Anya stood her ground. "What does that have to do with . . ."
"I saw him! I FUCKING SAW HIM, and I couldn't do ANYTHING!"
Anya backed away, giving the girl space. "Who did you . . ."
"The vampire who killed Dawn!" Her voice shattered, like it was made of delicate crystal. "He was standing right behind her, grinning, knowing she would be an easy kill. I saw him, and I couldn't run over there, or tell her to watch out. I was sworn to protect her, and I couldn't find the courage to say 'Dawn, behind you!' until it was too late. I shouldn't have allowed my baby sister to be so far away from me when we were patrolling. If I had been a good Slayer, or to that matter, a good sister, she would've been home that night, doing her geometry homework and watching TV, while I saved the world."
Putting her head down, Phoenix started to cry, turning away from the shocked demon.
Anya watched her friend for a few moments, understanding everything at once.
"Honey," finally spoke the brunette, putting a hand on the girl's back, "It wasn't your fault. Dawn was killed because something evil randomly decided to kill her. You reacted the way any mortal human would react: shock. There's no way you were even remotely responsible for her death. And what if you could have saved her? She could've been in a car accident the next day, or die from food poisoning a week later. Death is part of the lives of humans. You can't blame yourself every time someone you love gets injured or dies."
Phoenix did not turn around. "That's wonderful Anya. Thank you very much for your words of wisdom."
"Buffy!" Anya forced the girl to turn and look at her. "Yes, Buffy! I'm talking to you! You have a responsibility to your friends and to the world to be a protector. Shit happens. Get over it and do your job." She pulled Phoenix into a hug. "We love you too much to lose you again."
They stood there a while, embracing in the silence.
The door opened, breaking the moment. It was Xander.
"Hey girls, that . . ." he paused, noticing the tears in the two's eyes, "Is there something wrong?"
Brushing away the tears, and sneaking a quick look of gratitude at Anya, Phoenix shook her head. "Nope, Xan-man. What is it?"
He grinned. "Willow was on the phone. They're getting ready to take Tara into the operating room for the G-section, or whatever it's called. So, get your coats, and let's get a move on." He turned, and closed the door behind him.
"Ready to go be an aunt?" asked Anya as she stacked all the papers up.
Phoenix smiled. "I guess so."
@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@
"Now Tara, I'm going to make the first incision. Are you ready?"
"Uh-huh."
As the doctor cut into her flesh, all Tara could feel was a small touch, like a butterfly was dancing across her stomach. The anesthesia made her feel like she was flying eight feet above her body.
"How you doing there, baby?" Willow asked, bringing her back to the world.
Feeling so calm, Tara only nodded. Willow took a hold of her hand and rubbed it, wondering what the doctors were doing on the other side of the cloth divider.
The sight of Willow was quite funny. She was done up in hospital scrubs, an un-attractive blue color, completed by a little paper surgical mask and bonnet.
A nurse stood with them on the non-operation side of the divider, keeping an eye on the patient. "Do you two want a girl or boy?" asked the middle- aged woman.
"I don't care, and she says she doesn't either," laughed Willow, "But I know for a fact she's hoping for a girl."
"Nuh-huh, Bubble Duck," mumbled Tara.
"Bubble Duck?" questioned Willow, looking at the nurse.
"Anesthesia," whispered the nurse, pointing a finger at Tara.
Grinning down at her partner, Willow kissed her hand.
Then, there was a noise. A small gurgling sound, like a river was running right through the operating room. It was followed shortly by a loud cry.
"What's going on?" Willow panicked for a moment.
The doctor, a bright smile on his face, looked over the divider. "Miss Maclay, Miss Rosenburg, I'm pleased to announce you are the parents of a beautiful, healthy, baby girl!" Then his arms reached over, and placed a small bundle on Tara's chest.
As the surgeons began to stitch her up, Tara and Willow met their little girl. At that moment, they fell head-over-heels in love with her. She had a small, heart-shaped face, a tiny button nose, and a crown of bright . . .
"Red hair?" exclaimed Willow, taking a closer look at her daughter's head. "How'd she get red hair?"
Tara smiled. "When you weren't around, I requested that the sperm donor be a red head, so there can be a little bit of the woman I love in her."
Placing a soft kiss on Tara's forehead, Willow felt a small tear fall down her cheek. "I knew there was a reason I fell in love with you. You are the most incredible, glorious woman in the world."
"Damn straight."
@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@
Twenty minutes later, the newborn baby met her extended family in her mother's private room. It was littered with thousands of gifts, flowers, and balloons.
"Lemme see! Lemme see!" screeched Gillian, as she and Derek ran over to the bed Tara lay on, the baby in her arms. Willow boosted the two up so they could get a better look. "Oooh," she whispered, her lips forming an 'O' shape, "She's really pretty."
Ryan, held up by his mother, got a peak at the infant.
"Baby!" he exclaimed, letting the world hear his first word. Anya bounced him up, congratulating her son.
The little girl was passed around the room, each of her aunts and uncles cooing and fussing over her.
"What's her name?" asked Spike, as soon as he finished talking baby talk to the child.
Willow and Tara exchanged a look of agreement, finally settling over the name.
"Laila," announced Willow.
"That's a beautiful name," sighed Olivia, as Laila was put in her arms and she began to rock her softly.
Phoenix finally got to hold the girl just as the doctor came in and began to speak. Everyone, except for her, turned his or her attention to him, but she was mesmerized. Laila was so small, so delicate, that it reminded her of the first time she held Dawn.
I can't leave now. This sweet little girl is going to need me to take care of her. And I'm gonna. I'm gonna be the best aunt a Slayer can be.
"Hey sweetie," she whispered, so no one except for Laila could hear, "Nice to meet you. I'm your Aunt Buffy."
@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@
Elyog hurried down the corridor, ideas flashing in her brain. She had never been requested to speak with the Leader, so reasons why he wanted her kept coming to her.
Maybe he wants me to fix something in the research department, or maybe he wants to compliment me on my work . . . or he doesn't like what I'm doing and is gonna kill me!
Holy shit!
Her thoughts ceased as she rounded a corner and saw the Leader, waiting outside his office. Every so often, he would stare at his hands, covered in slimy goo, and then stare at the door leading to his office.
"Sir?" she asked, speaking in a small voice, "You wanted to see me?"
"Ah yes," he laughed, putting a large smile on his face, "Elyog darling, I've been noticing the work you've been doing the last few months, and I must say, I am very satisfied."
"Thank you, sir."
He scrunched up his forehead in thought. "Wasn't it your group that developed System 6?"
An eager nod came from her. "Yes, we discovered a way to convert a vampire's energy to reverse . . ."
"Marvelous!" he interrupted, wanting to come to the point, "Now, I've had quite a bit of difficulty with my teams, let me tell you. The people who have, in the past, worked for me, seem to forget how important this project is. So, I've let a few of them go, and have been looking for new assistance with a sense of loyalty." Placing his rather large arm around her smaller frame, he drew his head in close. "I would like to offer you a position as one of my top assistants."
She felt her jaw drop, as her eyes grew large with excitement. "Oh my God! I-I . . . thank you so much sir."
"You're quite welcome." He smiled as he removed his arm.
"What do you want me to do now?" she asked, ready to start her new job.
"That's what I like, pushing along," he laughed, taking a handkerchief out to wipe his hands, "I have a bit of a cleaning job for you to do right now, and after that, we can get to work." As he spoke, he turned the doorknob and let the door swing open.
It was quite a sight. Krab, the Leader's apparently former assistant, was lying headless on top of the large desk, his stomach ripped apart and intestines scattered across the room. She found his head, a few feet away, sitting on the armrest of a small chair, his mouth open in terror.
Noticing her reaction, the Leader came up behind her. "I would call this sight a slight incentive to do a good job." With that, he turned to wash himself off in his private bathroom.
Holy shit!
Rating: R- this swell chapter is full of vulgar and casual swearing! Super!
Summary: Buffy, after running away from Sunnydale, comes home six years later with a new identity. While searching for some mysterious evil threatening to destroy all, she begins to see how much she was missed.
Author's Notes: I'm on a roll! Whoo hoo! This stuff just comes running out of my head like the diarrhea that comes out of Anyanka Faith's . . . oh, nevermind! I have a proclamation: FUCK HOMEWORK! Who cares about homework when there is fan fiction to write? I think we all need to band together and go to Congress and demand they stop teachers from giving homework to people who write fan fiction! Who's with me?! . . . No one? Fine, fuck you all! No, you know I love you all! Why else would I write this story? This is to give happiness to all Buffy-shippers out there! And I hope it does. Hugs and kisses and anal probes!
PS: See that disclaimer up there? Well, I stole that from another Kevin Smith movie, Mallrats. Not as good as Dogma or Clerks, but a good romp. I do worship Brodie. He kicks ass, Reynolds style! Are you a lady, Mr. Kent?
Chapter Twelve-What's Important
Oh God oh God oh God oh God oh God oh . . .
Krab felt like every single part of his body was shaking uncontrollably, like an electric current was racing though his body.
He did NOT want to go through that door.
Last night had gone along smoothly. He found the girl, beat her until she didn't move again, then took off. Before he left, he checked her purse. So this afternoon, when he was sure everything was over, he went to the hospital to confirm that a Miss Tara Maclay was dead.
He found her all right, but sitting up, her body showing little signs of trauma. Maybe he hadn't hurt her as much as he thought she did. While he was thinking, he heard the girl say a name.
Pitatch.
She knew. How did she know? Human beings were a weird species.
Now, he had to go report to the Leader, explaining that not only was the girl not dead, but she now knew what was being planned.
Gathering his courage, he raised his hand up, and lightly knocked on the door.
"Come in!" The leader sounded slightly pleased. It would not last for long.
"Um, sir," Krab timidly poked his head through the door, his voice soft, "I have something to tell you."
@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@
He was an older man, the doctor, past the age of fifty, with a grizzled beard and thinning hair. The expression on his face was gloomy. As he spoke, Phoenix reached for and clutched Spike's hand, Xander tightened his embrace around Anya.
"It concerns your child."
All the beating hearts in the room stopped. Time seemed to halt.
A small tear traveled down Willow's face. "What?"
"Miss Maclay, you have miraculously survived this attack, but I don't know if the same can be said for your child. It's too delicate to go through an ordeal like you went through. I've reviewed my notes thousands of times, and have come to the same conclusion." Putting the chart down and seating himself in the chair next to Tara's bed, he rubbed his forehead. "I don't think the baby will survive labor."
Spike released Phoenix's hand, then grabbed the doctor by his throat and pushed him against the wall.
"What the fuck do you mean 'I don't think'?" His blue eyes flashed a bright yellow.
Totally terrified, the doctor choked out his words. "The child has suffered too much, and going through the process of labor may stress its system to the point of heart failure!"
Before Spike could respond, he felt a hand lightly touch his shoulder. He turned. It was Phoenix, looking him in the eyes, gently shaking her head. Getting control of himself, Spike released the doctor and mumbled an apology.
Rubbing his neck, the doctor returned to his seat. "Now, there are a few things you can do."
"What are they?" Tara's voice lacked emotion, as did her face. It was all too much to go through.
"You can let nature take its course and wait for a natural childbirth, which again I do not recommend. We can go through a few tests to determine how well the child is, but that can take a few days and you may start labor by that time. Or," he smiled at Tara, trying to comfort her; "We can perform a C-section."
Ever the guy, Xander spoke up. "Huh?"
Laughing lightly, the doctor looked at the clueless brunette. "Cesarean section. Cutting through the woman's uterus and removing the child." He returned his attention to his patient. "It's 100% safe; you and the child will not be affected in any way. If you choose this option, I can have the child out by midnight tonight. There will be some mandatory tests to take, and it will give you some time to rest."
Willow looked at Tara, waiting for her response. Raising her head to look into Willow's eyes, Tara nodded.
"Ok." Willow whispered, still crying, but the edges of a smile peaking at the corners of her mouth.
"Wonderful," the doctor said, standing up to exit the room, "And I want you to rest up, so your guests should leave." Hanging her chart outside the door, he left.
No one spoke, all waiting for Tara's response.
It was laughter.
"I'm gonna be a mommy tonight!" Like Willow, she was still crying, but her laughter took over. "We're gonna have a baby!" She reached for her partner, pulling her into an excited hug. The group wiped their tears away, and noisily began to congratulate the mother.
Before the celebration could continue, Giles coughed. "Not wishing to be the party pooper, but taking that job anyway, I think I agree with the doctor. You need your rest, and what can we do here?" A chorus of groans sounded. "No need to end the party. There's some exciting research that needs to be done at the Magic Box! We need to find this Pitatch."
"Since when did research become exciting?" muttered Xander.
Giles picked up the pile of coats and began distributing them to their owners. "Hurry along now! The mommies need their rest."
Pulling away from Willow, Tara threw her hands in the air. "Oh! I didn't tell you the rest! I know a whole bunch of stuff about Pitatch . . ."
Exiting the room, but stopping briefly to muss Tara's hair, Giles interrupted. " . . . Which you will tell us after the birth. We're going to find some historical references and identify what kind of demon he is, then try to determine what he is planning. You will fill us in with the current information later. Come along!" he yelled, shepherding the guests out of the room.
"Bye!" Willow and Tara yelled as the door closed, alone to rest together.
@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@
I was soooo wrong! Research is a lot more boringer than Scooby meetings!
Anya slammed a copy of "Middle-Eastern Mythological Prophesies" closed, dust rising from the pages. Said dust started wafting through the still air, then entering her nostrils.
Oh . . . . . . . no!
With the force of a jet plane, Anya sneezed, sending loose papers flying through the Scooby conference room.
"Bless you," whispered Phoenix, deeply concentrated on a hardbound edition of "Morton's Encyclopedia for the Supernatural".
Anya turned her attention to the girl sitting next to her.
"Find anything yet?" asked the demon, not wanting to return to the tedious world of research.
Phoenix shook her head, not looking up from the large book.
For some weird reason, Anya felt hurt by the coldness she was receiving from her old friend. Damn these human feelings!
"Is there something wrong?" inquired Anya, hoping to bring out a conversation.
Feeling the attempt by her friend, Phoenix looked up. "Everything. If I don't focus on the research, I'll end up pulling out my hair."
"What? Why?" Anya stood from her chair, then kneeled next to her.
"All the world's going to hell. It's like when I was here before. The moment things started to go right, something happens that ruins it all."
Her stomach jumped when she heard Phoenix speak. There's hope!
"What was going right?" She hoped she wasn't sounding too intruding.
"I started to feel like I was part of the gang again. But, the thing with Tara happened, and brought me back to the world. At least it will all end when leave."
That small amount of hope Anya felt faded away. She gave Phoenix a small smile, then returned to her chair.
Reaching for a leather bound notebook, Anya flipped through it, not finding the heart to do some intense reading. "Where are you gonna go when you leave?"
Turning a page, Phoenix sighed. "I'll go back to Chicago, get my stuff. Then after that, who knows? Maybe I'll go to New York, or Seattle. Or I just might go overseas, to London or Venice."
"You should visit Moscow," mumbled Anya, who was focusing on a section dealing with vampires of Southeastern France.
Phoenix raised her head up. "Why?"
"Oh," Anya came back to the world; "I was there in 1761. Empress Catherine summoned me to kill the Tsar. I put poisonous beetles in his dinner, and he died before dessert was served. I had never seen so much blood come out of a person's mouth."
"That's great," Phoenix lied, making a face of disgusting.
Looking back down at the notebook, Anya's mind began to race.
She's not even considering staying. It's not even an option for her. When, and if, we defeat this Leader-guy, she's gone. And she'll hide. She'll hide even better. We won't be able to find her. And everyone will miss her, and it'll be like the first year she left, except worse. And . . .
Anya stood up quickly, and threw the notebook in her hands against the wall.
Jolting out of her concentration, Phoenix stared at her friend. "What's wrong?"
Her voice full of anger, Anya began to scream. "You want to know what's fucking wrong?! God, you're so smart, why don't you figure it out?"
"What the hell is your problem Anya?"
"DAMN IT TO HELL!" Kicking her chair across the room, Anya stood so she was looking down the face at her friend. "I want you to take a look at what your life is! You live in a crap-ass apartment in Chicago, making a living as a waitress! You have no friends, no family, and certainly no future! And when things go wrong, you pack up your stuff and move to a new town to start the same life all over again!"
"Shut up," whispered Phoenix.
"You live this pathetic existence, forgetting what you have here in Sunnydale! In this fucking town, you have countless people who love you! Four people who would name YOU as their best friend! A man who would classify YOU as his daughter! A demon who found his humanity before his soul because he fell in love with YOU!" her voice broke as she yelled, tears starting to fall down her face. "And you always seem to forget that! You forget about all the people who you hurt when you left the first time, and who you're gonna kill again when you leave! So excuse me for having a problem with this, because when you leave, I have to deal with Xander and Willow and Giles and Tara and Spike!"
"FUCK YOU!" Phoenix screamed, standing up. "It's so easy for you, isn't it?! You can play the role of 'Mother to the World' because you have that option! I don't! I have the Midas touch of destruction! Everyone I get close to suffers so incredibly because of what I am! It all boils down to the fact that everyone I love dies because I'm the GOD-DAMNED SLAYER!"
Gritting her teeth, Anya stood her ground. "What does that have to do with . . ."
"I saw him! I FUCKING SAW HIM, and I couldn't do ANYTHING!"
Anya backed away, giving the girl space. "Who did you . . ."
"The vampire who killed Dawn!" Her voice shattered, like it was made of delicate crystal. "He was standing right behind her, grinning, knowing she would be an easy kill. I saw him, and I couldn't run over there, or tell her to watch out. I was sworn to protect her, and I couldn't find the courage to say 'Dawn, behind you!' until it was too late. I shouldn't have allowed my baby sister to be so far away from me when we were patrolling. If I had been a good Slayer, or to that matter, a good sister, she would've been home that night, doing her geometry homework and watching TV, while I saved the world."
Putting her head down, Phoenix started to cry, turning away from the shocked demon.
Anya watched her friend for a few moments, understanding everything at once.
"Honey," finally spoke the brunette, putting a hand on the girl's back, "It wasn't your fault. Dawn was killed because something evil randomly decided to kill her. You reacted the way any mortal human would react: shock. There's no way you were even remotely responsible for her death. And what if you could have saved her? She could've been in a car accident the next day, or die from food poisoning a week later. Death is part of the lives of humans. You can't blame yourself every time someone you love gets injured or dies."
Phoenix did not turn around. "That's wonderful Anya. Thank you very much for your words of wisdom."
"Buffy!" Anya forced the girl to turn and look at her. "Yes, Buffy! I'm talking to you! You have a responsibility to your friends and to the world to be a protector. Shit happens. Get over it and do your job." She pulled Phoenix into a hug. "We love you too much to lose you again."
They stood there a while, embracing in the silence.
The door opened, breaking the moment. It was Xander.
"Hey girls, that . . ." he paused, noticing the tears in the two's eyes, "Is there something wrong?"
Brushing away the tears, and sneaking a quick look of gratitude at Anya, Phoenix shook her head. "Nope, Xan-man. What is it?"
He grinned. "Willow was on the phone. They're getting ready to take Tara into the operating room for the G-section, or whatever it's called. So, get your coats, and let's get a move on." He turned, and closed the door behind him.
"Ready to go be an aunt?" asked Anya as she stacked all the papers up.
Phoenix smiled. "I guess so."
@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@
"Now Tara, I'm going to make the first incision. Are you ready?"
"Uh-huh."
As the doctor cut into her flesh, all Tara could feel was a small touch, like a butterfly was dancing across her stomach. The anesthesia made her feel like she was flying eight feet above her body.
"How you doing there, baby?" Willow asked, bringing her back to the world.
Feeling so calm, Tara only nodded. Willow took a hold of her hand and rubbed it, wondering what the doctors were doing on the other side of the cloth divider.
The sight of Willow was quite funny. She was done up in hospital scrubs, an un-attractive blue color, completed by a little paper surgical mask and bonnet.
A nurse stood with them on the non-operation side of the divider, keeping an eye on the patient. "Do you two want a girl or boy?" asked the middle- aged woman.
"I don't care, and she says she doesn't either," laughed Willow, "But I know for a fact she's hoping for a girl."
"Nuh-huh, Bubble Duck," mumbled Tara.
"Bubble Duck?" questioned Willow, looking at the nurse.
"Anesthesia," whispered the nurse, pointing a finger at Tara.
Grinning down at her partner, Willow kissed her hand.
Then, there was a noise. A small gurgling sound, like a river was running right through the operating room. It was followed shortly by a loud cry.
"What's going on?" Willow panicked for a moment.
The doctor, a bright smile on his face, looked over the divider. "Miss Maclay, Miss Rosenburg, I'm pleased to announce you are the parents of a beautiful, healthy, baby girl!" Then his arms reached over, and placed a small bundle on Tara's chest.
As the surgeons began to stitch her up, Tara and Willow met their little girl. At that moment, they fell head-over-heels in love with her. She had a small, heart-shaped face, a tiny button nose, and a crown of bright . . .
"Red hair?" exclaimed Willow, taking a closer look at her daughter's head. "How'd she get red hair?"
Tara smiled. "When you weren't around, I requested that the sperm donor be a red head, so there can be a little bit of the woman I love in her."
Placing a soft kiss on Tara's forehead, Willow felt a small tear fall down her cheek. "I knew there was a reason I fell in love with you. You are the most incredible, glorious woman in the world."
"Damn straight."
@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@
Twenty minutes later, the newborn baby met her extended family in her mother's private room. It was littered with thousands of gifts, flowers, and balloons.
"Lemme see! Lemme see!" screeched Gillian, as she and Derek ran over to the bed Tara lay on, the baby in her arms. Willow boosted the two up so they could get a better look. "Oooh," she whispered, her lips forming an 'O' shape, "She's really pretty."
Ryan, held up by his mother, got a peak at the infant.
"Baby!" he exclaimed, letting the world hear his first word. Anya bounced him up, congratulating her son.
The little girl was passed around the room, each of her aunts and uncles cooing and fussing over her.
"What's her name?" asked Spike, as soon as he finished talking baby talk to the child.
Willow and Tara exchanged a look of agreement, finally settling over the name.
"Laila," announced Willow.
"That's a beautiful name," sighed Olivia, as Laila was put in her arms and she began to rock her softly.
Phoenix finally got to hold the girl just as the doctor came in and began to speak. Everyone, except for her, turned his or her attention to him, but she was mesmerized. Laila was so small, so delicate, that it reminded her of the first time she held Dawn.
I can't leave now. This sweet little girl is going to need me to take care of her. And I'm gonna. I'm gonna be the best aunt a Slayer can be.
"Hey sweetie," she whispered, so no one except for Laila could hear, "Nice to meet you. I'm your Aunt Buffy."
@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@
Elyog hurried down the corridor, ideas flashing in her brain. She had never been requested to speak with the Leader, so reasons why he wanted her kept coming to her.
Maybe he wants me to fix something in the research department, or maybe he wants to compliment me on my work . . . or he doesn't like what I'm doing and is gonna kill me!
Holy shit!
Her thoughts ceased as she rounded a corner and saw the Leader, waiting outside his office. Every so often, he would stare at his hands, covered in slimy goo, and then stare at the door leading to his office.
"Sir?" she asked, speaking in a small voice, "You wanted to see me?"
"Ah yes," he laughed, putting a large smile on his face, "Elyog darling, I've been noticing the work you've been doing the last few months, and I must say, I am very satisfied."
"Thank you, sir."
He scrunched up his forehead in thought. "Wasn't it your group that developed System 6?"
An eager nod came from her. "Yes, we discovered a way to convert a vampire's energy to reverse . . ."
"Marvelous!" he interrupted, wanting to come to the point, "Now, I've had quite a bit of difficulty with my teams, let me tell you. The people who have, in the past, worked for me, seem to forget how important this project is. So, I've let a few of them go, and have been looking for new assistance with a sense of loyalty." Placing his rather large arm around her smaller frame, he drew his head in close. "I would like to offer you a position as one of my top assistants."
She felt her jaw drop, as her eyes grew large with excitement. "Oh my God! I-I . . . thank you so much sir."
"You're quite welcome." He smiled as he removed his arm.
"What do you want me to do now?" she asked, ready to start her new job.
"That's what I like, pushing along," he laughed, taking a handkerchief out to wipe his hands, "I have a bit of a cleaning job for you to do right now, and after that, we can get to work." As he spoke, he turned the doorknob and let the door swing open.
It was quite a sight. Krab, the Leader's apparently former assistant, was lying headless on top of the large desk, his stomach ripped apart and intestines scattered across the room. She found his head, a few feet away, sitting on the armrest of a small chair, his mouth open in terror.
Noticing her reaction, the Leader came up behind her. "I would call this sight a slight incentive to do a good job." With that, he turned to wash himself off in his private bathroom.
Holy shit!