Lily, the Vampire Slayer
For Michelle: You did great, had nothing to be sick about! Go team! Here's the next installment, probably bored you by now.
Chapter Fourteen
A cluster of resplendent cars sped by the rather humungous yet inconspicuous mansion that nearly occupied an entire block of Great Russell Street. A young girl and a man who was old enough to be her father briskly walked towards the manor, distinctly avoiding eye contact with other passers-by and more so with one another.
As they approached the gate, the man took out a distinctly occultish velvet satchel which seemed to be filled with various herbs.
He extracted a tiny amount between his fingers and discreetly threw it at the sturdy iron gates, muttering in some incoherent language under his breath.
The Society had been more cautious and less negligent and lax when their security was in question for the horrible reminder, the whispers the wind still carried and had been reinforced by the ever-present stench of sulfur and the obviously new bricks which had just been piled up to recreate the headquarters, of the dreadful battle that had taken place about thirty years ago, the time in which World War II had occurred.
Where the Council had not only lost their command center but also hundreds of lives, both Watchers and Slayers and Slayers-in- Waiting alike.
Turning from the magickally reinforced gate and towards the young girl, who had just pulled off her New York Yankees cap while she shook out her hair, Ernie cautiously asked, "Are you ready?"
Unzipping her sweatshirt which was quite impractical in the summer weather, Lily snappily replied, "What do you think I'm doin'? You want me to wear a pleated Sunday dress and a big red bow in my hair?"
Ernie rubbed at his forehead in frustration.
The Slayer had been quite snippy and testy these past few months, Quesnel's priggish ways and the tests she had to endure in school didn't help the situation much either.
"Yo, Ernie! Gonna stand there all day or are you gonna try and keep me from attacking this newbie?"
He looked up and noticed that his Slayer had by now entered the courtyard and was all the way across the field by then.
With a resigned sigh, he straightened himself the best he could after a long train ride, gathered his and the Starfish's numerous amounts of luggage and followed her in, hoping against hope that this new recruit was not going to do anything that might cause his more experienced and therefore stronger Slayer to cause her bodily harm.
***************************************************************** ******************
"Slayer," the salt-and-pepper haired man before her greeted, waving a hand before him, referring to the buttery-smooth leather armchair, asking the Slayer to take a seat.
Lily stared at the chair skeptically, it seemed very uncomfortable to her, but, seeing as to there was nothing else to sit on, she complied.
John Travers offered her a gracious smile. The head of the Council had been one of the few who had trained her, he had confided in her that he had done such because she reminded him so much of a Slayer he had met in the past, some Sophie Cartensen, though Lily had never known her history, she had been known as one of the greatest Slayers in history.
"Tea?" he pushed the silver tray towards her and she calmly took an antique cup dotted with a beautiful painting of a Nightingale and poured herself a cup, then extracted a couple of crumpets onto the offered plate.
"Thanks."
"Well, first of all, welcome back."
She raised an eyebrow at the warm greeting.
He seemed somewhat put-off by her lack of familiarity and self- consciously cleared his throat, a habit that most Watchers did not need, should not have.
"Down to business, alright? Now, you have been briefed of another Slayer, yes?"
She nodded and he continued, "Her name is Hope. Constance Hope. Irish. About your age, maybe even older. She's going home with you and Mr. Erwin, back to New York and-"
"So you replacin' me? That it? That's what's so important that you gotta lay it out for me, put me down gently?"
He seemed appalled at her accusations.
"What-what makes you think that?" he stuttered.
"Well, I've been trained and living under your 'Sacred Rule', so I think I know you boys rather well. Separating me from Ernie, getting me all worked up then finally letting me down like some ass of an unwanted animal."
He face was calm as she said this, she had prepared for the worst and she had laid her cards on the table, it was now the Watcher's turn.
"No, it isn't like that!"
"Well, what is it, then?"
"You aren't being 'put down' as you say, though you are being re- assigned."
"You could've done better, you know," she stated out of the blue. "That Watcher you gave me? Total snobsville."
He smiled. "Well, you did have your way, didn't you? We were training him, and, well, his father was one of our best. He seemed disappointed when he returned, didn't he?"
She allowed a smile to flit past her features. "Served him right."
"Well, I'm here to tell you that you are returning to Hogsmeade after this summer, the board has unanimously decided that you help this new Slayer adjust."
She frowned. "What, you guys didn't train her that well? Where's her Watcher, you should kick his/her ass for not preparing her."
He sighed. "That's just it. We didn't foresee her as a Slayer, we failed to pin her as one, as we had done with you and the other Slayers-in-Waiting."
"So, you gonna have me and Ernie train her, and she take over my city, that what you saying?"
He nodded.
"I'd normally tell you to fuck off but hey, got another one just like me, so what the hell, at least I'll have someone going through the same crap I'd been through, so. yeah, whatever."
"Thank you."
She stared at him for a while, making him uncomfortable.
"Well, you gonna assign her to Ernie aren't you?" she asked softly.
He opened his mouth to reply, yet nothing came out. So he was resigned to nodding.
"Why?"
In that moment, John Travers had never seen this Slayer so frightened, had never seen any Slayer this scared in his entire life. And he had seen his share of Slayers.
He had met Lily Evans when she was twelve, the age her parents had given their consent for her training, and even then, she had never been as fearful as she was now.
He understood that Joseph Erwin was the only family she had left.
"The Council Board thought it would be best not to get too emotionally tied, mentors and students should not have that relationship. And they voted and this was how it had come out."
"So, that's why I got Quesnel," she nodded, trying to understand, trying to forgive the man before her. "Which way did you vote for?"
"I voted against it."
She gave him a grimaced smile. "Well, thanks for trying."
She vacated the chair and headed towards the polished oak double doors.
John shamefully directed his glance towards the tabletop and noticed the untouched tea and pastries the Slayer had taken yet had never touched.
"Lily?"
She turned, her hand on the brass knob, its smooth metal surface cool against her warm hand. "Yeah?"
"Aren't you going to stay and finish tea?"
She grinned. "You wouldn't want me dead before I kill that Donn person and train Hope, now would you?"
And with that, she exited the cavernous room, closing the door silently behind her.
John Travers grinned, taking the platter of poisoned cuisine and discarding them at the wastebasket beneath him.
No one will ever put one over that Slayer.
***************************************************************** ******************
Lily promptly discarded her bag onto the bed situated in her room, the bed that she had not used in two years. A sudden affable wave swept through her as she threw away the urge to suppress her happy thoughts. She plunked down onto the bed and ran her palms through the forever soft and affably warm homemade quilt that one of the Watchers had taught her to make.
Burying her head deeper into the feathery cotton coverlet of her pillow she let out a silent sigh escape from her lips, concealing her obvious pleasure as she heard evenly paced footsteps approach her bedside.
"How are you, Lily?"
She lifted her head at that voice and came face-to-face with a pair of sparkling and warm orbs which she had always matched up with Alaina de la Croix-Travers, for none could seem more kind and gentle yet so intimidating than the ones this past Slayer-in- Waiting held.
"I'm alright, I guess. Just a bit apprehensive about this new Slayer, that all. Kinda excited about going home though."
A smile flitted before Mrs. Travers face. "You will surely get along fine with Constance, such an amusing child."
Lily looked unconvinced.
"If you would like to meet her, a few Watchers are training her right now, I think that they would be in the gym."
"Thanks."
She hesitantly got up and noticed for the first time that the mattress beside hers was occupied, and that the wall behind it had a Rolling Stones poster.
"You'll be fine, Lily, she's friendly though not overly so. She's the type of person I can see you treat as a sister."
Lily didn't quite know how to respond to that. After being passed as a possible Slayer by the Powers-that-Be, Alaina had petitioned to become a Watcher, pointing out her obvious experience in the field. She had also taught Lily how to use a bow and arrow.
She was also a psychic, one of the Council's most highly esteemed visioners.
"Well, I guess I'll hafta, I mean I am supposed to be working with her all summer, aren't I? Better now than never."
"You don't have to make it sound like torture, Slayer."
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Constance Hope had an open, friendly heart-shaped countenance framed by impossibly even strawberry-blonde hair streaked with a shade of red distinctly similar to Lily's own locks which her depthless clear blue eyes complimented. She was a few inches taller than Lily and was paying close attention to the field operative who was endearingly instructing her.
She seemed nice and as Lily observed, almost everyone was attracted to her charms.
In short Hope was everything the Council wanted, and in turn everything Lily was not.
Lily could not help but hate her, the newly called Slayer reminded her too much of Ermstead.
Ernie, who had been casually observing his new charge, did not appear to lose interest in his old one.
"Constance," he called, signaling for the smiling Chosen One to approach. "I'd like you to meet Lily."
Constance, as Lily noticed, had almost half-skipped her way towards them. She held out her hand and spoke in a deep, melodious Irish accent, "You be Lily? I'm Constance."
"I could figure that."
She was being mean, but it was absolutely not her fault, this newbie was stealing her Ernie, she must've been so presumptuous as to think that she could win Lily's friendship after all she had done.
The Celt showed her obvious confusion. "Alright."
Ernie frowned, showing immense disapproval. "Constance, Ariana, would you excuse us for a moment?"
Then, without waiting for an answer, he dragged Lily out of the training room and into the hallway, slamming her onto the wall none too gently.
"What's that all about?" she glared.
That seemed to fuel his anger even more. "Do you need to be treated like a child in order to act civil before others?"
She growled. "What do you care? You didn't raise me!"
"That is just it! I did!"
"And what? You think this is gonna reflect badly upon you? You ashamed of me now? Can't face the fact that you can't change me? That you failed?!"
"Do not raise your voice at me!"
"You are not my father! You will never be! Just shut up already! I'm a failure, alright? I died, if you can't deal with that, then I'll be glad to let you know that they're sending me off on a suicide mission! You don't have to see me again after this summer's over! I can keep outta your face for three months since you'd be too busy taking care of your new and better Slayer!!!"
She hated him right now but she cried anyway, she knew he hated to see her tears, so she let them fall, if he felt bad, then he could blame no one but himself for causing them.
"That's it isn't it?"
Ernie had finally understood her icy civility towards the newer Slayer. Throughout time, Slayers have been known for their scarce temperament and their surprising protectiveness towards their loved ones, ready to battle any possible threat that would ruin the relationship, harming any who might even think of hurting the ones closest to them.
Lily felt threatened by Constance.
"What the fuck are you talking about?!" she screamed, voice clear through all her tears, glaring at her Watcher.
"Lillian," he was patient, using an almost scolding tone. "What have I told you about swearing?"
"Don't change the fucking subject!"
"Alright, I will hold my reprimandations for another time, but you don't have to worry yourself, child."
"Worry myself with what? You? You ain't worth my trouble, you know."
Though he knew the words were hollow and meaningless, spoken by an irrational child, the words still hurt him and he nearly flinched and it took all the discipline he had developed over the years to control his emotions.
"I will never replace you, you're one of a kind, in the world and in my heart. You needn't worry, I may be her Watcher now, but you'll always be my little Lillian. She can never take that away from me, nor supersede you, you will always be the little girl I trained and raised, the little girl who used to bring stray pets home and took care of them, the little girl who rolled around in the mud and brought me mud pies. Constance will never have the memories and experiences we shared, and to me, she will never be my little Lillian Marie Evans."
He reached out and hugged her, knowing full well how she easily rejected anybody's attempts at reconciliation with her. She did not pull back and he was believed, he had not lost her after all.
"I only hope that when you age, you shan't forget your Watcher," he chuckled.
She shook her head, burying her face in his shoulder, soaking his tweed jacket. "I'm more scared that you'll forget me, just one of the Slayers you trained and that you won't even be at my funeral, y'know." She let out a choked laugh and felt a bit nauseated at the thought of the other Slayers-in-Waiting inside the Headquarters.
Her death would mean their succession, their triumph, so many of them waiting for an opportunity, a time for her to fail, as Hope had, to gain their own reputation and power. Her world spun and she felt truly sick.
She was near fainting. She had already failed, if she failed once more, it would truly mean her end, no more second opportunities, she can not cheat death for a second time, her continued existence was thanks solely to luck and through the endeavors and exertions of others. She had long since known that her life was not her own, it solely belonged to the Powers That Be and her actuality was only for the safety of others.
She had nothing to live for.
Few would remember her.
Sparse will mourn her.
Her deeds would go unacknowledged.
She would die alone and unloved.
These thoughts swirled around her head and she nearly fainted at their implications. She went limp in Ernie's embrace.
He noticed. "Lily?"
She nodded. "I'm alright. Queasy but fine."
"Do you want to talk about it, then?"
"Maybe later, I think I've gotta get some shut-eye, I was pretty restless on the ride over here," she lied, pulling out of his hug, walking towards her room.
Ernie knew that her problem did not lie on her lack of rest but on something bigger. He knew she was lying, yet he dared not confront her, she had gone through too much in such a short period of time, he would not press her for now. But he would confront her at a better time, she was the most complex Slayer the Council had dealt with and her problems he would take as his own.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
She woke up after a fitful kind of sleep, rubbing her eyes, trying to rid the last vestiges of a troubled dream out of her. She threw her comforter to the floor, sliding her feet into comfortable bunny slippers Ernie had gotten her when she was eleven. Still a bit oversized but they were for function, not fashion.
She stepped into the bathroom adjoining the Slayers quarters, happy to finally take a hot water bath, she had only allowed herself to take showers back in Hogwarts, her being a late riser and sharing a bathroom with four other girls.
Stepping out of the bath and about to button up her flannel shirt, she was distracted by a knock on the door. "Hold on! I ain't decent yet."
Quickly pulling on some jeans, she approached the door and opened it. There she found Constance standing before her, obviously just finished with her 'military training', seeing as to her sweatshirt and sweat pants were covered in mud and her hair had remnants of a pine tree sticking out from it.
Lily stepped aside and started to towel-dry her hair when she heard Hope clear her throat.
She looked up and raised an eyebrow, and almost felt pity when Hope nearly flinched.
"What?"
"Well," the girl stuttered, something Slayers rarely do. "I know we've gotten off to a bad start and I just-"
"You've gotta be blind not ta have noticed," Lily mumbled, mentally kicking herself for not giving Hope a chance. This might be an opportunity for her to actually bond with someone. "Sorry, my mouth just goes rocketing off without me thinking."
Hope let out a wry smile. "I can't sympathize but I think I can understand."
"They've got you haven't they," Lily guessed, noticing her syntax was too proper for any teenager to have.
"They have trained me from birth."
"I've been here since I was eleven. Kinda musty, isn't it?"
"Yes, I guess it is, not exactly made for teenaged girls."
"Sucks, doesn't it?"
Constance grinned. "I guess it does."
"So, don't you love all this destiny crap or not?" Lily shook her head.
"It is what I have been born for is it not?"
"They've got you brainwashed, haven't they?"
"I do not think so."
Lily shrugged. "I always thought I was a freak, y'know. Being different and superhero-ish. Kindo like an insecure Superman."
"Well," Hope smiled, showing her sympathy. "At least, you are not the only one, now."
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A/N: Sorry this chapter took so long, my muse kinda left for a while there. This is surely not my best because I'm looing forward to writing the next chapter more than this one. Kinda bad, I know, but I'll get the next one out faster. I'm almost done with it. This one is for Mech, kinda sorry for boring you with my talking about this and never writing it, well, here it is. Great game by the way. :):)
For Michelle: You did great, had nothing to be sick about! Go team! Here's the next installment, probably bored you by now.
Chapter Fourteen
A cluster of resplendent cars sped by the rather humungous yet inconspicuous mansion that nearly occupied an entire block of Great Russell Street. A young girl and a man who was old enough to be her father briskly walked towards the manor, distinctly avoiding eye contact with other passers-by and more so with one another.
As they approached the gate, the man took out a distinctly occultish velvet satchel which seemed to be filled with various herbs.
He extracted a tiny amount between his fingers and discreetly threw it at the sturdy iron gates, muttering in some incoherent language under his breath.
The Society had been more cautious and less negligent and lax when their security was in question for the horrible reminder, the whispers the wind still carried and had been reinforced by the ever-present stench of sulfur and the obviously new bricks which had just been piled up to recreate the headquarters, of the dreadful battle that had taken place about thirty years ago, the time in which World War II had occurred.
Where the Council had not only lost their command center but also hundreds of lives, both Watchers and Slayers and Slayers-in- Waiting alike.
Turning from the magickally reinforced gate and towards the young girl, who had just pulled off her New York Yankees cap while she shook out her hair, Ernie cautiously asked, "Are you ready?"
Unzipping her sweatshirt which was quite impractical in the summer weather, Lily snappily replied, "What do you think I'm doin'? You want me to wear a pleated Sunday dress and a big red bow in my hair?"
Ernie rubbed at his forehead in frustration.
The Slayer had been quite snippy and testy these past few months, Quesnel's priggish ways and the tests she had to endure in school didn't help the situation much either.
"Yo, Ernie! Gonna stand there all day or are you gonna try and keep me from attacking this newbie?"
He looked up and noticed that his Slayer had by now entered the courtyard and was all the way across the field by then.
With a resigned sigh, he straightened himself the best he could after a long train ride, gathered his and the Starfish's numerous amounts of luggage and followed her in, hoping against hope that this new recruit was not going to do anything that might cause his more experienced and therefore stronger Slayer to cause her bodily harm.
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"Slayer," the salt-and-pepper haired man before her greeted, waving a hand before him, referring to the buttery-smooth leather armchair, asking the Slayer to take a seat.
Lily stared at the chair skeptically, it seemed very uncomfortable to her, but, seeing as to there was nothing else to sit on, she complied.
John Travers offered her a gracious smile. The head of the Council had been one of the few who had trained her, he had confided in her that he had done such because she reminded him so much of a Slayer he had met in the past, some Sophie Cartensen, though Lily had never known her history, she had been known as one of the greatest Slayers in history.
"Tea?" he pushed the silver tray towards her and she calmly took an antique cup dotted with a beautiful painting of a Nightingale and poured herself a cup, then extracted a couple of crumpets onto the offered plate.
"Thanks."
"Well, first of all, welcome back."
She raised an eyebrow at the warm greeting.
He seemed somewhat put-off by her lack of familiarity and self- consciously cleared his throat, a habit that most Watchers did not need, should not have.
"Down to business, alright? Now, you have been briefed of another Slayer, yes?"
She nodded and he continued, "Her name is Hope. Constance Hope. Irish. About your age, maybe even older. She's going home with you and Mr. Erwin, back to New York and-"
"So you replacin' me? That it? That's what's so important that you gotta lay it out for me, put me down gently?"
He seemed appalled at her accusations.
"What-what makes you think that?" he stuttered.
"Well, I've been trained and living under your 'Sacred Rule', so I think I know you boys rather well. Separating me from Ernie, getting me all worked up then finally letting me down like some ass of an unwanted animal."
He face was calm as she said this, she had prepared for the worst and she had laid her cards on the table, it was now the Watcher's turn.
"No, it isn't like that!"
"Well, what is it, then?"
"You aren't being 'put down' as you say, though you are being re- assigned."
"You could've done better, you know," she stated out of the blue. "That Watcher you gave me? Total snobsville."
He smiled. "Well, you did have your way, didn't you? We were training him, and, well, his father was one of our best. He seemed disappointed when he returned, didn't he?"
She allowed a smile to flit past her features. "Served him right."
"Well, I'm here to tell you that you are returning to Hogsmeade after this summer, the board has unanimously decided that you help this new Slayer adjust."
She frowned. "What, you guys didn't train her that well? Where's her Watcher, you should kick his/her ass for not preparing her."
He sighed. "That's just it. We didn't foresee her as a Slayer, we failed to pin her as one, as we had done with you and the other Slayers-in-Waiting."
"So, you gonna have me and Ernie train her, and she take over my city, that what you saying?"
He nodded.
"I'd normally tell you to fuck off but hey, got another one just like me, so what the hell, at least I'll have someone going through the same crap I'd been through, so. yeah, whatever."
"Thank you."
She stared at him for a while, making him uncomfortable.
"Well, you gonna assign her to Ernie aren't you?" she asked softly.
He opened his mouth to reply, yet nothing came out. So he was resigned to nodding.
"Why?"
In that moment, John Travers had never seen this Slayer so frightened, had never seen any Slayer this scared in his entire life. And he had seen his share of Slayers.
He had met Lily Evans when she was twelve, the age her parents had given their consent for her training, and even then, she had never been as fearful as she was now.
He understood that Joseph Erwin was the only family she had left.
"The Council Board thought it would be best not to get too emotionally tied, mentors and students should not have that relationship. And they voted and this was how it had come out."
"So, that's why I got Quesnel," she nodded, trying to understand, trying to forgive the man before her. "Which way did you vote for?"
"I voted against it."
She gave him a grimaced smile. "Well, thanks for trying."
She vacated the chair and headed towards the polished oak double doors.
John shamefully directed his glance towards the tabletop and noticed the untouched tea and pastries the Slayer had taken yet had never touched.
"Lily?"
She turned, her hand on the brass knob, its smooth metal surface cool against her warm hand. "Yeah?"
"Aren't you going to stay and finish tea?"
She grinned. "You wouldn't want me dead before I kill that Donn person and train Hope, now would you?"
And with that, she exited the cavernous room, closing the door silently behind her.
John Travers grinned, taking the platter of poisoned cuisine and discarding them at the wastebasket beneath him.
No one will ever put one over that Slayer.
***************************************************************** ******************
Lily promptly discarded her bag onto the bed situated in her room, the bed that she had not used in two years. A sudden affable wave swept through her as she threw away the urge to suppress her happy thoughts. She plunked down onto the bed and ran her palms through the forever soft and affably warm homemade quilt that one of the Watchers had taught her to make.
Burying her head deeper into the feathery cotton coverlet of her pillow she let out a silent sigh escape from her lips, concealing her obvious pleasure as she heard evenly paced footsteps approach her bedside.
"How are you, Lily?"
She lifted her head at that voice and came face-to-face with a pair of sparkling and warm orbs which she had always matched up with Alaina de la Croix-Travers, for none could seem more kind and gentle yet so intimidating than the ones this past Slayer-in- Waiting held.
"I'm alright, I guess. Just a bit apprehensive about this new Slayer, that all. Kinda excited about going home though."
A smile flitted before Mrs. Travers face. "You will surely get along fine with Constance, such an amusing child."
Lily looked unconvinced.
"If you would like to meet her, a few Watchers are training her right now, I think that they would be in the gym."
"Thanks."
She hesitantly got up and noticed for the first time that the mattress beside hers was occupied, and that the wall behind it had a Rolling Stones poster.
"You'll be fine, Lily, she's friendly though not overly so. She's the type of person I can see you treat as a sister."
Lily didn't quite know how to respond to that. After being passed as a possible Slayer by the Powers-that-Be, Alaina had petitioned to become a Watcher, pointing out her obvious experience in the field. She had also taught Lily how to use a bow and arrow.
She was also a psychic, one of the Council's most highly esteemed visioners.
"Well, I guess I'll hafta, I mean I am supposed to be working with her all summer, aren't I? Better now than never."
"You don't have to make it sound like torture, Slayer."
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Constance Hope had an open, friendly heart-shaped countenance framed by impossibly even strawberry-blonde hair streaked with a shade of red distinctly similar to Lily's own locks which her depthless clear blue eyes complimented. She was a few inches taller than Lily and was paying close attention to the field operative who was endearingly instructing her.
She seemed nice and as Lily observed, almost everyone was attracted to her charms.
In short Hope was everything the Council wanted, and in turn everything Lily was not.
Lily could not help but hate her, the newly called Slayer reminded her too much of Ermstead.
Ernie, who had been casually observing his new charge, did not appear to lose interest in his old one.
"Constance," he called, signaling for the smiling Chosen One to approach. "I'd like you to meet Lily."
Constance, as Lily noticed, had almost half-skipped her way towards them. She held out her hand and spoke in a deep, melodious Irish accent, "You be Lily? I'm Constance."
"I could figure that."
She was being mean, but it was absolutely not her fault, this newbie was stealing her Ernie, she must've been so presumptuous as to think that she could win Lily's friendship after all she had done.
The Celt showed her obvious confusion. "Alright."
Ernie frowned, showing immense disapproval. "Constance, Ariana, would you excuse us for a moment?"
Then, without waiting for an answer, he dragged Lily out of the training room and into the hallway, slamming her onto the wall none too gently.
"What's that all about?" she glared.
That seemed to fuel his anger even more. "Do you need to be treated like a child in order to act civil before others?"
She growled. "What do you care? You didn't raise me!"
"That is just it! I did!"
"And what? You think this is gonna reflect badly upon you? You ashamed of me now? Can't face the fact that you can't change me? That you failed?!"
"Do not raise your voice at me!"
"You are not my father! You will never be! Just shut up already! I'm a failure, alright? I died, if you can't deal with that, then I'll be glad to let you know that they're sending me off on a suicide mission! You don't have to see me again after this summer's over! I can keep outta your face for three months since you'd be too busy taking care of your new and better Slayer!!!"
She hated him right now but she cried anyway, she knew he hated to see her tears, so she let them fall, if he felt bad, then he could blame no one but himself for causing them.
"That's it isn't it?"
Ernie had finally understood her icy civility towards the newer Slayer. Throughout time, Slayers have been known for their scarce temperament and their surprising protectiveness towards their loved ones, ready to battle any possible threat that would ruin the relationship, harming any who might even think of hurting the ones closest to them.
Lily felt threatened by Constance.
"What the fuck are you talking about?!" she screamed, voice clear through all her tears, glaring at her Watcher.
"Lillian," he was patient, using an almost scolding tone. "What have I told you about swearing?"
"Don't change the fucking subject!"
"Alright, I will hold my reprimandations for another time, but you don't have to worry yourself, child."
"Worry myself with what? You? You ain't worth my trouble, you know."
Though he knew the words were hollow and meaningless, spoken by an irrational child, the words still hurt him and he nearly flinched and it took all the discipline he had developed over the years to control his emotions.
"I will never replace you, you're one of a kind, in the world and in my heart. You needn't worry, I may be her Watcher now, but you'll always be my little Lillian. She can never take that away from me, nor supersede you, you will always be the little girl I trained and raised, the little girl who used to bring stray pets home and took care of them, the little girl who rolled around in the mud and brought me mud pies. Constance will never have the memories and experiences we shared, and to me, she will never be my little Lillian Marie Evans."
He reached out and hugged her, knowing full well how she easily rejected anybody's attempts at reconciliation with her. She did not pull back and he was believed, he had not lost her after all.
"I only hope that when you age, you shan't forget your Watcher," he chuckled.
She shook her head, burying her face in his shoulder, soaking his tweed jacket. "I'm more scared that you'll forget me, just one of the Slayers you trained and that you won't even be at my funeral, y'know." She let out a choked laugh and felt a bit nauseated at the thought of the other Slayers-in-Waiting inside the Headquarters.
Her death would mean their succession, their triumph, so many of them waiting for an opportunity, a time for her to fail, as Hope had, to gain their own reputation and power. Her world spun and she felt truly sick.
She was near fainting. She had already failed, if she failed once more, it would truly mean her end, no more second opportunities, she can not cheat death for a second time, her continued existence was thanks solely to luck and through the endeavors and exertions of others. She had long since known that her life was not her own, it solely belonged to the Powers That Be and her actuality was only for the safety of others.
She had nothing to live for.
Few would remember her.
Sparse will mourn her.
Her deeds would go unacknowledged.
She would die alone and unloved.
These thoughts swirled around her head and she nearly fainted at their implications. She went limp in Ernie's embrace.
He noticed. "Lily?"
She nodded. "I'm alright. Queasy but fine."
"Do you want to talk about it, then?"
"Maybe later, I think I've gotta get some shut-eye, I was pretty restless on the ride over here," she lied, pulling out of his hug, walking towards her room.
Ernie knew that her problem did not lie on her lack of rest but on something bigger. He knew she was lying, yet he dared not confront her, she had gone through too much in such a short period of time, he would not press her for now. But he would confront her at a better time, she was the most complex Slayer the Council had dealt with and her problems he would take as his own.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
She woke up after a fitful kind of sleep, rubbing her eyes, trying to rid the last vestiges of a troubled dream out of her. She threw her comforter to the floor, sliding her feet into comfortable bunny slippers Ernie had gotten her when she was eleven. Still a bit oversized but they were for function, not fashion.
She stepped into the bathroom adjoining the Slayers quarters, happy to finally take a hot water bath, she had only allowed herself to take showers back in Hogwarts, her being a late riser and sharing a bathroom with four other girls.
Stepping out of the bath and about to button up her flannel shirt, she was distracted by a knock on the door. "Hold on! I ain't decent yet."
Quickly pulling on some jeans, she approached the door and opened it. There she found Constance standing before her, obviously just finished with her 'military training', seeing as to her sweatshirt and sweat pants were covered in mud and her hair had remnants of a pine tree sticking out from it.
Lily stepped aside and started to towel-dry her hair when she heard Hope clear her throat.
She looked up and raised an eyebrow, and almost felt pity when Hope nearly flinched.
"What?"
"Well," the girl stuttered, something Slayers rarely do. "I know we've gotten off to a bad start and I just-"
"You've gotta be blind not ta have noticed," Lily mumbled, mentally kicking herself for not giving Hope a chance. This might be an opportunity for her to actually bond with someone. "Sorry, my mouth just goes rocketing off without me thinking."
Hope let out a wry smile. "I can't sympathize but I think I can understand."
"They've got you haven't they," Lily guessed, noticing her syntax was too proper for any teenager to have.
"They have trained me from birth."
"I've been here since I was eleven. Kinda musty, isn't it?"
"Yes, I guess it is, not exactly made for teenaged girls."
"Sucks, doesn't it?"
Constance grinned. "I guess it does."
"So, don't you love all this destiny crap or not?" Lily shook her head.
"It is what I have been born for is it not?"
"They've got you brainwashed, haven't they?"
"I do not think so."
Lily shrugged. "I always thought I was a freak, y'know. Being different and superhero-ish. Kindo like an insecure Superman."
"Well," Hope smiled, showing her sympathy. "At least, you are not the only one, now."
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
A/N: Sorry this chapter took so long, my muse kinda left for a while there. This is surely not my best because I'm looing forward to writing the next chapter more than this one. Kinda bad, I know, but I'll get the next one out faster. I'm almost done with it. This one is for Mech, kinda sorry for boring you with my talking about this and never writing it, well, here it is. Great game by the way. :):)