Trinities
By Sarah Marie
Disclaimer: I own nothing. However, if Joss would like to give me Angel… Yeah, I didn't think so, but it was worth a try.
Author's Notes: I'm a huge Buffy/Angel shipper, so that's what you're going to get in this fic. If that's not what you want, then maybe this isn't the story for you (especially if you're a Buffy/Spike shipper). Also, in this story, there is no Conner. Giles is still around, and Buffy and Spike haven't even kissed, let alone get horizontal. Since my cable company doesn't have UPN and just got the WB, all of my information is probably way off. But hey, it's a piece of fiction, so get over it. Constructive criticism is helpful, but flames will be ignored. Now on to the story.
"The power of the number three astounds me," the brown haired customer said, seemingly out of nowhere.
"What's that?" Giles asked, looking up from one of his books.
"The number three," she repeated. "It seems that things always come in threes. They say deaths or bad news comes in threes. Three Mighty Ducks' movies. Three sisters for magic on that show, uhm, Charmed. Three Slayers…."
"What was that?"
"Three Slayers. Buffy…Faith…Me."
"What are you...?"
"Don't play dumb, Mr. Giles."
"Your name is?"
"This time around, it's Lily."
"This time?"
"Mr. Giles, you do know of The First, don't you?"
"The First?" he questions, paling at the term.
"The First Slayer," she begins.
Giles thinks for a moment, and then continues, "born of the world. Destined to carry the burden until she is reborn the last."
"So they still teach that, huh? I've never been a fan of the council myself. I mean really, a bunch of stuffy men in suits with no powers."
"You're the first?"
"Yes."
"Reborn the last?"
"Who knows? I'm reborn every time I die with all of my memories still in place."
"How? Why?"
"Buffy dies, I was reactivated. I must say though, she has more lives than a cat."
"Yes, it appears she does. Do you have a Watcher?"
"Thankfully no. I was actually born into a family of Watchers this time."
"Why now? Buffy d…she was gone…"
"It took me a while to fully translate the prophecy."
"P…prophecy?" Giles stammered.
"Yes, the Prophecy of the Trinity. I will explain everything, but it would be easier if you brought your Slayer and her friends together. I bet that really pisses off the council."
"Yes. I will call them."
"The council?"
"No, no Buffy and her friends."
"Oh, that makes much more sense."
Giles went and called Buffy then came back. "They are all assembled at Buffy's house. I thought it would be much easier if we just went to them."
"Yes, I agree."
Giles closed up t he shop, and then gave Lily a ride to Buffy's. They entered the house and Lily doubled over in pain. Giles, immediately concerned, asked, "Lily, what is it?"
She slowly stood up, while saying, "I'll be fine. Just a very odd, conflicting presence."
"Ah yes, that would probably be Spike," Giles replied as he lead her to the awaiting Slayerettes. "Everyone, this is Lily. Lily, this is…well everyone."
"Hello," Lily said.
"Hey," the confused Slayerettes replied.
"Yes well, Lily has some important information to share with us," Giles said, sitting down.
"Buffy, when you faced The Master and momentarily died, Kendra was activated. When she dies, Faith was activated."
"Could ya tell us something that we don't know," Xander interrupted.
"I will. When you died for the second time, Buffy, I was fully activated."
"There's three Slayers?" Buffy asked.
"Yes, which leads me to the reason why I'm here. But first, let me make sure I have everyone's names right. You're Buffy. You'd be Dawn. Willow and Tara, the training Wiccans. Anya, the ex-vengeance Demon. Spike, the vampire with a chip that won't let him hurt anything with a soul. And you'd be Xander," she said, pointing everyone out.
"Yeah, how'd you do that?" Dawn asked.
"It was mostly in the file that I liberated from the council. And I thought I was the only one who pissed them of on a regular basis."
"If you were just activated when…" Buffy started to ask.
"That's part of what I'm here for. I'm sure Mr. Giles can fill you in more, but I was the first Slayer. I'm reborn every time that I die retaining all of my memories. I always get activated as the Slayer. Well, except for when I was born as a guy."
"First Slayer? Reborn?" everyone shouted.
"Yes, so anyways, I have a prophecy to share, but we're missing some people?"
"Who are we missing," Giles asked, looking around.
"I believe they're located in Los Angeles."
"Angel?" Buffy asked.
"Amongst others, I believe."
"You believe?" Spike sneered.
"Hey this translating and deciphering of ancient prophecies isn't exactly easy. Have you ever done it? No, I didn't think so. You always…" she trailed off.
"I always what?"
"Are you always this sweet?" Lily asked sarcastically.
"Whatever Duch."
"What did you call her?" Anya questioned.
"Duch," Lily answered. "William always used to call me Duch."
"But you can't be. I killed Emily," Spike shouted.
"Yes you did," Lily said as she started to pace. As she moved, her clothes and body completely changed. "Have you ever noticed how it was quite easy to kill the Slayers that you did kill," she said as she changed again, "but all of the other ones that you encountered," she continued, changing again," you weren't strong enough to kill; only barely escaping." As she finished, she transformed into what she looked like when she walked in.
"It can't be," Spike said, getting up and walking over to her. "Why?"
"Could you kill me?" At his nod she continued, "Love. I could never kill you because of the love I had for William. I knew that another Slayer would take my place. I knew that I'd eventually be the Slayer again. But you, or William, there's only one of." With tears streaming down her face, she turned to face the entire group. "I will explain everything, but I'd like to do it only once. Will you all come with me to Los Angeles?"
"I'm there," Spike answered.
"Sure."
"Why not?"
With everyone agreeing to go, Lily sent them all to pack for at least the weekend. She walked back to The Magic Box to get her car. She pointed her finger at the lock on the door to t he shop and let herself in. She found a blank sheet of paper and a marker and wrote out a sign reading, "Family Emergency – Will Be Closed For the Week."
She arrived back at Buffy's in a sleek black convertible with tinted windows. Everyone was ready to go. Lily informed them of the note in the door of the shop, and then asked, "how many vehicles do we have?"
"Yours, Giles', and the Jeep," Dawn answered.
"That will work," Lily replied. "We just need to split up then."
"Can I ride with you, I want to know how you did that changing thing," Willow asked.
Anya caught the look on Spike's face and said, "but her car's the only one with tinted windows."
"Oh."
"There will be time later. It was a transfiguration spell."
"But you did it so easily."
"I've been studying for centuries."
With everyone loaded up, Spike through a blanket over himself and made a run for it. The three cars all started on their two hour drive to L.A.
In the Jeep, Buffy, Dawn, Willow and Tara were talking about Lily and Spike. Xander, Anya, and Giles were doing the same in Giles' car. In the convertible, Spike and Lily were talking about William and Emily. "I'm so sorry."
"It wasn't your fault. I'm the Slayer; I knew what you were when I let you in."
"Why?"
"You were my weakness."