SECOND
CHANCE
NOTE: I own none of the Scooby gang because they belong to mean old Joss.
A/N: I'd like to say thank you to everyone for the reviews that I've gotten so far. I have a plot planned out for this story but if you have any suggestions or requests then I might fill them in.
CHAPTER 11
Autumn was frantic. On the one hand one vampire was attacking Maggie viciously but her brother and Dawn were about to be harassed by another. What was the red head to do? The vampire that held Maggie grabbed her by the throat again and held her up against the tree, choking her. Autumn's eyes widened as the vampire that was near Jeff and Dawn smacked Jeff away and took hold of Dawn.
"You smell fresh," the vampire hissed.
Dawn struggled out of his grasp. "Ouch! Clingy much?" She got ready to stab him in the heart using the stake she held in her free hand but the vampire not only caught her wrist but also grabbed the stake.
"You know, these things are pretty pesky." With that the vampire used his strength to send the stake through Dawn's leg. She screeched in pain. "See what I mean?"
Dawn fell down in pain, holding her bleeding leg, tears slipping out of her eyes.
"Dawn!" Jeff and Autumn exclaimed at the same time.
Autumn angrily charged the vampire, staking him by surprise.
"Autumn, look!" Jeff pointed to a suffocating Maggie.
Autumn gasped and tried to run up to the vampire that held Maggie. The girl felt herself get grasped by another vampire, who squeezed her tightly. Autumn gasped out then kicked the vampire in the chin, causing him to release her. Autumn decked the vampire in the face. He punched her back, making her fall down. Autumn got back up and hit him in the face again.
Suddenly an arrow came out of nowhere shooting the vampire that held Maggie. It melted into dust. Maggie fell to the ground, bleeding and gasping for air. Autumn looked confused then turned to see Giles holding a crossbow, even though she had no idea who he was.
"Who are you?" Autumn asked, silently thanking him for saving her friend.
"Her uncle," Giles replied simply, gesturing towards Maggie. He rushed over to the wounded blonde girl, lifting her gently into his lap.
Autumn had no time to ask more questions, as she felt herself get punched by the vampire again. She fell to the ground, holding her bloody mouth. The vamp had taken her off-guard. Buffy, Spike, and, much to Autumn's dismay, ran up to the scene. Buffy stabbed the vampire in the heart with a stake before it had a chance to touch Autumn again. Spike growled angrily and went over to Dawn. Jeff held her in his arms. Buffy knelt down to Autumn.
"Are you OK?" the older Slayer asked.
Autumn nodded, slowly taking her hand from her mouth. "Yeah. But I think I'd call tonight successful."
"Successful?" Autumn looked over to an irate Wesley. "You could have gotten killed, you bloody chit!"
Autumn looked at him funny. "Uh, what did you just call me?"
Wesley groaned exasperated, much to Buffy's amusement.
Even though Buffy got a small laugh off of Wesley she had to agree with him. She would kill Dawn.
"What happened?" Spike asked Dawn, meaning her leg.
"That vamp nearly made shish-kabob out of my leg." Dawn nursed the aforementioned limb.
"Hold still." Spike touched the stake, attempting to pull it out.
Dawn winced. "No! Don't touch it!"
"Dawn," said Spike firmly. Dawn whimpered a little. Jeff held Dawn tightly as Spike pulled the stake from Dawn's leg. She gasped out in pain. "You OK, bit?"
Dawn nodded a little, wiping away the last of the tears.
"Here, Dawn, let me help you," said Jeff gently.
Dawn smiled brightly. "Thanks, Jeff."
"Here, Dawn, let me help you." Spike shot a killer glare at Jeff.
Jeff smirked. "And who are you, her daddy?" Spike vamped out scarily. Jeff took all hands away from Dawn. "Right. No touchy, got it."
Dawn rolled her eyes as Spike lifted her into his arms.
Buffy walked up. "You know I'm gonna kill you, right?" she asked her sister.
"I guessed," Dawn moaned.
Maggie's eyes opened as she looked up into Giles's brown eyes. "Hey..."
Giles asked tenderly, "Are you all right?"
Maggie groaned. "Not so much but I'll be fine."
"Good. That won't be lasting long." He picked her up.
Maggie felt like kicking herself. Too bad she was in too much pain already.
Autumn sat quietly, waiting for Wesley to say something. Wesley just extended his hand to her. Autumn smiled sheepishly, taking the hand and getting pulled to her feet by the Englishman. As they all started to make there way to the car Wesley leaned in to whisper in Autumn's ear.
"You are as good as dead."
A rush of fear flooded through the red head. She gulped.
When they all made it to the Summers household Spike sat Dawn on the couch, supporting her leg on the table. He'd ripped off a piece of his sleeve to bandage the cut with it. Jeff was about to sit right next to Dawn but Spike glared at him. Jeff moved over to an armchair. Maggie sat at the end of the couch, leaving Autumn to sit in the middle.
"I'd like to say that I am terribly disappointed in each of you," said Giles, arms crossed. He looked at Autumn. "You, I don't know."
"Um, Autumn Tucker," Autumn clarified.
Giles nodded.
"I'm big with the disappointment here, too," said Buffy. She looked at Jeff. "Um, you are...?"
"Jeff. I'm Jeff Tucker," said the raven-haired boy.
"My brother," Autumn added.
"Ah, a family affair. Quite nice." Wesley looked sternly at Autumn. "Can I see you in the kitchen?"
Autumn slouched against the couch. "I prefer to be around all the nice witnesses." Wesley gave her a killer glare. Autumn slowly stood and went into the kitchen with him.
"Margaret, I'll see you upstairs," said Giles.
Maggie moaned.
"You can use my room," Buffy told Giles.
Giles nodded and gestured for Maggie to follow him.
The battered girl went after Giles, going upstairs.
Wesley paced back and forth in the kitchen. Autumn sat at the table watching him. He moved from one side of the room to the other, backward and forward. He'd said nothing. Autumn slowly got annoyed.
"Could you please say something?" she suddenly exclaimed. Wesley stopped and walked up to the table, angrily smacked the palm of his hands down on the table. "But, you know, pacing is good."
"You're a little fool," Wesley said calmly yet heatedly.
Autumn was taken aback. "Well, isn't that kind of harsh?"
"I was about to call you something else but that being a teacher thing got in my way again." Wesley sat down at the table with a deep sigh. "I'm so upset with you, Autumn."
Autumn felt a guilty sensation flow over her. "I'm sorry..."
"Sorry? I told you not to do this and you did it, anyway. That was disobedience and in-subordinate."
"Big words..." Autumn fidgeted a bit. "Scared a little."
Wesley stared Autumn right in the eye. "I'm sorry, Autumn, but if you can't learn to listen to me I doubt I want to be your watcher."
The red head couldn't believe her ears. "You're serious, aren't you?" Wesley looked at her. Autumn just sat there in silence.
Upstairs Giles was looking over Maggie's injuries. The back of her head had stopped bleeding but her head was filthy from all the blood that had already spilled. Plus her face was scratched and she had light bruises covering her neck. Giles grabbed a bowl, filled it with hot water, and grabbed a cloth wipe. He slowly patted the bruises after dipping the wipe in the hot water, causing Maggie to wince.
"Shh. It's all right," Giles assured her softly. "Look at you."
"I know." Maggie sighed. "I must look horrid."
"Yes, but..." Giles sat the wipe down. "You shouldn't look this way."
"What do you mean?" His niece looked confused.
"You shouldn't go out looking like you get abused and beaten. You shouldn't..." Giles trailed off, slightly teary. "This shouldn't have happened to you. Why would anyone hurt a child?"
"Well... I might as well have worn a t-shirt that said "take me, I have a gooey filling inside" with going to the graveyard like that," Maggie had to admit.
"Yes, I should thrash you for that later."
Maggie chuckled. Giles gave her a look. "Oh." Maggie's face fell. "Not kidding."
Giles sighed deeply. "Lucky for you that you've been hurt enough tonight."
Maggie smiled a little. "Yes, quite true."
"But we need to discuss your punishment."
"I don't recall that as being part of the moving to America deal," Maggie attempted to clown.
"Let's revisit that thrashing idea," said Giles firmly.
"Just kidding," Maggie said then laughing at her own quickness.
Giles gave her a little smile then went back to cleaning her face with the wipe. "I can't lose you, Margaret."
Maggie looked at him. "The feeling is mutual, Uncle Rupert. I'm so sorry about all of this."
Giles just nodded and went back to cleaning her face.
Downstairs Buffy, Dawn, Spike, and Jeff were all still in the living room. Buffy had her arm around Dawn, sitting on the couch, pretty much thankful that she was all right. Spike had been glaring from Jeff to Dawn.
"Well?" Spike nudged Buffy.
"Well, what?" Buffy asked.
"Don't you have something to say to the bit, Slayer?"
Buffy sighed. She'd been wanting to hold it until Jeff had left. "Dawn, that was stupid," Buffy started. "Big with the stupid."
"I know. It just sounded like fun, you know? Plus don't be mad at Autumn or Maggie. I practically begged them to let me go with them," said Dawn.
"How's your leg?" Jeff suddenly asked.
Dawn smiled at him. "Fine. Thanks."
Jeff smiled back at her.
Spike glared his best glare. "Enough already." He turned to Jeff. "Shouldn't you be getting home, mate?"
Jeff raised an eyebrow. "What did you just call me?" He and his sister sounded so much alike.
Autumn entered the living room then, clearly upset. "Jeff, let's go."
Jeff looked at her. "What's with you? And who is that English guy?"
"Talk on the way." Autumn walked up to him. "Let's go."
Jeff rolled his eyes. "Fine." He smiled at Dawn again. "Hope I see you again soon."
"No, you won't," Spike muttered.
Buffy glowered at him.
"Oh, wait." Dawn grabbed the nearest pad of paper and scribbled something down. She handed it to Jeff. "My number. You know call and stuff."
Jeff nodded with his cute boy with great hair smile.
Autumn rolled her eyes at her brother. "Bye, Dawn." Autumn looked at Buffy. "Could you tell Maggie I'll call her?"
"Sure," said Buffy. "Doubt she'll be able to use the phone anytime soon, though."
Autumn nodded and she and Jeff left out of the house.
They quickly re-entered the house.
"What is it?" Buffy asked.
"We... don't know how to get home from here," Autumn replied sheepishly.
Giles dropped the two teenagers off at the end of their block. As they walked up to their house Autumn filled Jeff in on who Wesley and the others were. Autumn noticed that Jeff actually listened to her and didn't make his usual sly comments. When they got to their front porch Mrs. Tucker sat there, a puff of gray smoke came out of her mouth, a cigarette in her hand. Autumn and Jeff looked alarmed as they walked up to her.
"I see you two actually made it home." Mrs. Tucker puffed her cigarette again.
"Mom? When did you start smoking?" Jeff asked.
Mrs. Tucker shrugged. "I get an urge every time I'm around your father."
Jeff shook his head and went into the house.
Autumn walked up to her mother. "Listen, Mom, I know we're really late but I—" She got cut off by Mrs. Tucker handing her an envelope. "What's this?"
Mrs. Tucker didn't respond. Autumn opened the envelope to find a small stack of photos. One was a picture of her father knocking on a hotel room door. Another was a woman at the door. The third picture showed Mr. Tucker and that woman kissing each other passionately in the hall. Autumn stopped looking then and turned to her mother.
Mrs. Tucker puffed her cigarette. "I hired someone to photograph him," she replied to Autumn before the red head could even ask a question.
"No, Mom, this can't be right," said Autumn, her voice a little upset.
"It is. It explains everything. He was always yelling, always drinking, working late. I knew what it really was."
Autumn had never seen her mother that way. She quickly went into the house, ran up the stairs, and slammed the door to her bedroom, wishing that night had never happened.
A/N: I'm sorry if there's anything wrong with this chapter. I didn't get to re-read it right because I'm so sleepy that my eyes can't stay open. Please review.