Title: The Marked One
Author: Aset
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PART THREE
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After his talk with Buffy, Giles had found his daughter outside, talking to Cordelia, both laughing. In a way he'd been surprised to find only Cordelia there. She never seemed the type to socialise with his daughter, but then again, he didn't really knew his girl, or Cordelia. After saying goodbye to Cordelia, they'd gone to the motel, picking up Vicky's stuff and then on to his apartment, preparing the guestroom. After having packed out, Victoria made her way downstairs. She spotted her father behind his desk, lost in some sort of encyclopaedia. Vicky smiled. Now she knew why her mom always smiled when she told her about her father. They mustn't have been that different at the time. both crazy about reading and music. She sighed at the memory of her mother and went to sit down in the seat. Giles turned around, 'oh, good, you're back'
She smiled as he stood up, sitting next to her, picking up a photo-album from the table. 'I've some pictures here, of my family, if you want to see them?' Giles shifted uncomfortably. After having spent 3 years with teenagers in Sunnydale, and all this time before as a watcher, he still didn't really knew how to act in front of this girl. She was his daughter. It was still strange to hear. But deep inside he knew it was true and right. For a moment he'd felt anger, he was angry at Carol for hiding the truth from him, but he did understand. She didn't want the girl's world to fall apart because of the demons.
'I'd love too' she said, looking at him. Normally she dreaded photo- evenings, but this time she didn't mind. It would be fun, getting to know her father, and family. learn some things about her mom's youth, and it would keep her mind of the murder. She wanted to tell him about it, but didn't know how. It was strange, and it still scared her. She hadn't been able to sleep for days when it happened, and now still she woke up bathing in sweat, seeing those yellow eyes staring at her.
Over a cup of coffee and some cake they'd looked over the pictures. There were some there of Giles and her mother, at college together. Giles told her some stories, and she was happy. Happy to finally have found her father, and for discovering her mother's youth. Giles didn't tell her about the Counsil. 'Carol never told her, nor shall I'
After they finished the book and the cake, Vicky decided to talk to him about the murder.
'Dad. Do you believe in vampires ?'
Giles almost choked in his last piece of cake. It was the first time she'd called him 'dad', but that wasn't what had startled him. It was the question. 'Do you believe in vampires'. For a moment he thought Carol had told the girl everything, but he decided to go with the normal-people- approach.
'Vampires ?. no'
'Mom was killed by one' Vicky continued. Giles eyes grew larger.
'Not a real one of course, 'cause they don't exist, but some weird dracula- freak.'
Giles sighed in relieve.
'They still don't know how he did it' Vicky said, looking at him, as tears welled up in her eyes once more.
'Who ?'
'The police. how that Stoker-fan drained her. They only found those two holes in her neck.'
Giles had put his arm around her. 'You said you saw him'
'He looked creepy. a cape, a deformed face, pointy teeth and yellow eyes.'
Giles tried not to sound too angry or comprehensive. It had been a real vampire, and he had let his daughter live. According to the girl, they were alone. She was the one who had called the police and the ambulance. None of the neighbours had heard or seen anything. He comforted the girl and reassured her there was none such thing as vampires, and that she was safe in the apartment and that the murderer would be found soon. He had tucked her in that night, causing them both to cry. She told him again she loved having a father, before he turned of the lights.
He'd gone to talk to principal Snyder the next day to let her go to school the next weeks. He'd also phoned to England, to Social services, making sure she could stay with him, at least for a while. They understand he needed time to think, and they both needed time to get to know each other.
Snyder was surprisingly cooperative, and Victoria was registered without any problems. During her free hour, she went to the library, not really surprised to find the Scoobies there. She said she'd love to join the reading group, getting all sorts of weird looks, including from her father.
'Cordy told me you guys were in a reading group, I figured maybe I could join.' Vicky tried to explain. It had been her first day at her new school, and although she'd met some nice people, none of them had really talked to her. She knew it took time to make friends, she'd learned that long ago, at her old school back in England.
'I.uhm. I figure that'll be okay, Vicky' Giles said as he took of his glases and started cleaning them, 'If that's what you want'
Victoria nodded happily. 'What are we reading ?'
'We. you can pick a book out of there. everybody reads what he wants to'
'Oh, okay.' Victoria said as she made her way over to the bookshelves, disappearing between them.
'What now, smart-ass ?' Xander hissed to Cordelia
'What ? what did I do ?'
'You invited her !'
Cordelia sighed, as did Giles. Cordelia had done the right thing, making up what they did in here, but now there was some trouble indeed. He didn't want to push his new-found daughter away, but she couldn't stay either. He didn't want her to get involved with this. Not yet anyway.
Not that much later Vicky returned with some large book. She smiled happily and went to sit down next to Cordelia.
'The Ulysses! I just love James Joyce' she said enthusiastically as she showed the book she'd chosen.
'Who? What?' Xander gave her the non-understanding look.
'James Joyce, a reclaimed Irish writer' Giles explained, then said to his daughter, 'You've read Joyce before?'
'Of course! He's great and funny'
'Funny?' Giles frowned although he was quite surprised to discover his daughter's interest in books. James Joyce was indeed a wonderful writer, but difficult to read. Even now his work places people for difficulties and many give up before actually finishing the book.
'Well, the way he describes a falling object... the sound it makes'
Willow smiled at her, agreeing. She really started to like the girl.
'So, what are you reading?' Vicky asked, looking at Xander
'Uhm...Uhm...' he said as he picked up a book, 'Torture in Europe in the Middle Ages' he finally said, a big smile on display, which quickly disappeared when he saw the engrossed looks he got.
Victoria didn't seem that disturbed by that and happily flipped open her book and started reading. The others returned to their research as well, trying to look not to obvious. After a couple of moments Victoria looked up again.
'Do you like that?' she asked Xander, pointing at the book in his hands.
He didn't replied, just smiled shyly before returning to his reading.
'You should read 'Demonic believes and rituals in Flanders during the 15 and 16th Century'. It's written in old English, mostly, but it's really a great volume!'
Now she was the one getting the looks.
Giles frowned also. He'd read the novel himself. It was a rather rare volume, published by the Watcher's council.
'And you've read that one?'
'yes... Mum had it in her library... the one with the books I wasn't allowed to read.' Vicky said, slightly blushing.
'So she'd been reading Carol's watcher-books.' Giles thought.
'If you want to read it, my books will be arriving on Friday...' she added
'What?' Giles looked at her, not really knowing if he heard it right.
'My books, they'll be arriving on Friday together with the rest of my stuff'
'Oh, yes!' he remembered now. She'd mentioned it earlier on, and Social Services had told him that too. They'd send her other belongings to him, by boat.
Before he could say any more, the bell rang and the kids left him, once more alone in his library.
*-*-*-
Author: Aset
°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°° °°°°°°°°°°°°
*-*-*-*
PART THREE
*-*-*-*
After his talk with Buffy, Giles had found his daughter outside, talking to Cordelia, both laughing. In a way he'd been surprised to find only Cordelia there. She never seemed the type to socialise with his daughter, but then again, he didn't really knew his girl, or Cordelia. After saying goodbye to Cordelia, they'd gone to the motel, picking up Vicky's stuff and then on to his apartment, preparing the guestroom. After having packed out, Victoria made her way downstairs. She spotted her father behind his desk, lost in some sort of encyclopaedia. Vicky smiled. Now she knew why her mom always smiled when she told her about her father. They mustn't have been that different at the time. both crazy about reading and music. She sighed at the memory of her mother and went to sit down in the seat. Giles turned around, 'oh, good, you're back'
She smiled as he stood up, sitting next to her, picking up a photo-album from the table. 'I've some pictures here, of my family, if you want to see them?' Giles shifted uncomfortably. After having spent 3 years with teenagers in Sunnydale, and all this time before as a watcher, he still didn't really knew how to act in front of this girl. She was his daughter. It was still strange to hear. But deep inside he knew it was true and right. For a moment he'd felt anger, he was angry at Carol for hiding the truth from him, but he did understand. She didn't want the girl's world to fall apart because of the demons.
'I'd love too' she said, looking at him. Normally she dreaded photo- evenings, but this time she didn't mind. It would be fun, getting to know her father, and family. learn some things about her mom's youth, and it would keep her mind of the murder. She wanted to tell him about it, but didn't know how. It was strange, and it still scared her. She hadn't been able to sleep for days when it happened, and now still she woke up bathing in sweat, seeing those yellow eyes staring at her.
Over a cup of coffee and some cake they'd looked over the pictures. There were some there of Giles and her mother, at college together. Giles told her some stories, and she was happy. Happy to finally have found her father, and for discovering her mother's youth. Giles didn't tell her about the Counsil. 'Carol never told her, nor shall I'
After they finished the book and the cake, Vicky decided to talk to him about the murder.
'Dad. Do you believe in vampires ?'
Giles almost choked in his last piece of cake. It was the first time she'd called him 'dad', but that wasn't what had startled him. It was the question. 'Do you believe in vampires'. For a moment he thought Carol had told the girl everything, but he decided to go with the normal-people- approach.
'Vampires ?. no'
'Mom was killed by one' Vicky continued. Giles eyes grew larger.
'Not a real one of course, 'cause they don't exist, but some weird dracula- freak.'
Giles sighed in relieve.
'They still don't know how he did it' Vicky said, looking at him, as tears welled up in her eyes once more.
'Who ?'
'The police. how that Stoker-fan drained her. They only found those two holes in her neck.'
Giles had put his arm around her. 'You said you saw him'
'He looked creepy. a cape, a deformed face, pointy teeth and yellow eyes.'
Giles tried not to sound too angry or comprehensive. It had been a real vampire, and he had let his daughter live. According to the girl, they were alone. She was the one who had called the police and the ambulance. None of the neighbours had heard or seen anything. He comforted the girl and reassured her there was none such thing as vampires, and that she was safe in the apartment and that the murderer would be found soon. He had tucked her in that night, causing them both to cry. She told him again she loved having a father, before he turned of the lights.
He'd gone to talk to principal Snyder the next day to let her go to school the next weeks. He'd also phoned to England, to Social services, making sure she could stay with him, at least for a while. They understand he needed time to think, and they both needed time to get to know each other.
Snyder was surprisingly cooperative, and Victoria was registered without any problems. During her free hour, she went to the library, not really surprised to find the Scoobies there. She said she'd love to join the reading group, getting all sorts of weird looks, including from her father.
'Cordy told me you guys were in a reading group, I figured maybe I could join.' Vicky tried to explain. It had been her first day at her new school, and although she'd met some nice people, none of them had really talked to her. She knew it took time to make friends, she'd learned that long ago, at her old school back in England.
'I.uhm. I figure that'll be okay, Vicky' Giles said as he took of his glases and started cleaning them, 'If that's what you want'
Victoria nodded happily. 'What are we reading ?'
'We. you can pick a book out of there. everybody reads what he wants to'
'Oh, okay.' Victoria said as she made her way over to the bookshelves, disappearing between them.
'What now, smart-ass ?' Xander hissed to Cordelia
'What ? what did I do ?'
'You invited her !'
Cordelia sighed, as did Giles. Cordelia had done the right thing, making up what they did in here, but now there was some trouble indeed. He didn't want to push his new-found daughter away, but she couldn't stay either. He didn't want her to get involved with this. Not yet anyway.
Not that much later Vicky returned with some large book. She smiled happily and went to sit down next to Cordelia.
'The Ulysses! I just love James Joyce' she said enthusiastically as she showed the book she'd chosen.
'Who? What?' Xander gave her the non-understanding look.
'James Joyce, a reclaimed Irish writer' Giles explained, then said to his daughter, 'You've read Joyce before?'
'Of course! He's great and funny'
'Funny?' Giles frowned although he was quite surprised to discover his daughter's interest in books. James Joyce was indeed a wonderful writer, but difficult to read. Even now his work places people for difficulties and many give up before actually finishing the book.
'Well, the way he describes a falling object... the sound it makes'
Willow smiled at her, agreeing. She really started to like the girl.
'So, what are you reading?' Vicky asked, looking at Xander
'Uhm...Uhm...' he said as he picked up a book, 'Torture in Europe in the Middle Ages' he finally said, a big smile on display, which quickly disappeared when he saw the engrossed looks he got.
Victoria didn't seem that disturbed by that and happily flipped open her book and started reading. The others returned to their research as well, trying to look not to obvious. After a couple of moments Victoria looked up again.
'Do you like that?' she asked Xander, pointing at the book in his hands.
He didn't replied, just smiled shyly before returning to his reading.
'You should read 'Demonic believes and rituals in Flanders during the 15 and 16th Century'. It's written in old English, mostly, but it's really a great volume!'
Now she was the one getting the looks.
Giles frowned also. He'd read the novel himself. It was a rather rare volume, published by the Watcher's council.
'And you've read that one?'
'yes... Mum had it in her library... the one with the books I wasn't allowed to read.' Vicky said, slightly blushing.
'So she'd been reading Carol's watcher-books.' Giles thought.
'If you want to read it, my books will be arriving on Friday...' she added
'What?' Giles looked at her, not really knowing if he heard it right.
'My books, they'll be arriving on Friday together with the rest of my stuff'
'Oh, yes!' he remembered now. She'd mentioned it earlier on, and Social Services had told him that too. They'd send her other belongings to him, by boat.
Before he could say any more, the bell rang and the kids left him, once more alone in his library.
*-*-*-