Ryan Harris was absently staring at the 'mystery meat' that was oozing on
his lunch tray when he heard someone sit down next to him. He looked up
with a goofy grin on his lips expecting his eyes to met with the familiar
form of Beau or Elena. His witty comment about the so-called meat died on
his tongue when he realized that the person sitting opposite him was not
one of his friends but a beautiful brunette who appeared to have walked
directly out of vogue. "I'm sorry, but I think you have the wrong table,"
Ryan explained with a smirk, "cheerleaders and jocks sit over there." He
motioned to a table that was occupied by blonde girls and thick-necked
guys.
Her only response was a wry smile and, "Your Xander Harris' kid, right?"
Ryan's fork, which was posed in front of his mouth, clattered onto the table. Ryan's dark brown eyes grew large in shock and confusion, "Yeah," he managed to choke out.
"I'm Gaia, Cordelia Chases daughter," she explained stretching her perfectly manicured hand across the table.
With a glance at her French manicured he mumbled, "I can't believe I didn't see the resemblance," then shock her hand with, "Ryan Harris, nice to finally meet you."
"Same here," she answered with a smile.
"So," he said running a hand through his brown locks, "what are you doing here?"
Gaia was about to begin her story when a guy and girl, who were laughing loudly at a private joke, sat down next to Ryan. It took the guy slightly longer than the girl to notice Gaia because his complete attention was devoted to the blonde at his side. "Whipped," Gaia mused to herself.
"So Ryan, would you like to introduce us to your new friend," the blonde asked. Although her voice sounded pleasant and her presence welcoming, Gaia could read the caution and distrust in her blue eyes.
"Ellie and Beau this is Gaia Gunn, Cordelia Chases daughter, Gaia, this is Elena Hunting and Beau Ozborne, Willow and Oz's son."
Beau and Elena looked equally shocked at the news of Gaia's parents and she noticed that Elena's distrust seemed to melt almost instantly and she seemed much more open to her now that she knew who she was.
Gaia had assumed that Beau was Willow and Oz's son when he had sat down, he had Willows eyes and Oz's hair, but she had no idea what Elena's story was. Although she was sure it had something to do with the distrust in her eyes.
"So," Gaia said filling their shocked silence, "I was about to tell Ryan my life story before you guys sat down." All three of the teenagers looked interested at this statement so Gaia began the cliff notes version of how she ended up in Sunnydale.
The three Sunnydale natives were again shocked into a silence. After a few seconds Beau broke it, "So Buffy's alive?" he asked cracking his knuckles, a nervous habit he had had since childhood. He wanted to be certain he heard everything right. At Gaia's nod he moved on to his next question, "And she has a daughter?"
"Un Hun."
As he continued his questions it became apparent to Gaia that although he inherited his father's eyes he did not have his habit of speaking monosyllabically, "Who is going to be a very important fighter for the side of good?"
"Yep."
"But she doesn't know anything about vampires or the forces of darkness."
"Thinks they're things nightmares are made of," Gaia agreed with a nod of her head.
"And we can't tell her the truth?" continued Beau, asking the question that everyone at the table wanted the answer to.
"Unfortunately, no."
Ryan stopped Beau from his next question by stating, "This may be a wild guess here," his eyes were glued to a beautiful brunette who stood at the end of the lunch line. She was nervously fidgeting with her hair, eyes searching the cafeteria for a familiar face. Ryan's eyes didn't leave her as he continued, "but I think that's her."
Gaia turned around and Beau and Elena eyes followed Ryan's to watch as April finished paying for her lunch and stood awkwardly alone.
"April," Gaia yelled while waving her hands, "over here!"
The look of relief that washed over her face could be seen clearly all the way across the cafeteria. April quickly made her way over to their table, expertly dogging other students and gracefully moving around the tables. As soon as she reached their table she dropped down in the seat next to Gaia, offering the three students across from her a small smile. She immediately recognized all three of them. The handsome brunette who was smiling goofily at her was the cute boy who she saw pleading with his teacher during first period. His intense brown eyes and charming smile made her easily relax and she realized that she could definitely become close friends with him. As she looked at him she couldn't help but notice that he had the slightest dimple on his right cheek and his eyes twinkled mischievously as he grinned.
She recognized the other two from her encounter with Taylor. The beautiful blonde discussed in baggy clothing and the boy with strikingly hazel eyes had been the ones that had unfortunately bumped into the prom queen.
Elena couldn't believe she hadn't recognized April when she first saw her, earlier today. Taylor had made her so mad that she wasn't functioning straight. Also, she thought, you weren't expecting to see the daughter of a 'dead' slayer.
"April this is Elena Hunter," Gaia said motioning to the blonde, "and these two guys here are Beau Ozborne and Ryan Harris. Their parents used to be really close with your Mom," she explained.
April smiled warmly at them as Gaia introduced her to them, "Guys this is April, Buffy's daughter." It was weird to be introduced as 'Buffy's daughter.' Back in Oakpark it had always been the opposite, 'Oh, I'd like you to meet Buffy Summers, April's mother," or "Oh this is April's mom, Buffy Summers.' But as April had already figured out, things in Sunnydale were anything but normal.
"So," Elena started, "how did your meeting with Satin go?" At April's look of total confusion, Elena clarified, "Taylor Orr." The question was filled with honest interest and she seemed to trust April just as she had begun to trust Gaia. Ryan found this amazing. Ellie didn't trust people, it was that simple. She just didn't. He couldn't believe she had let these two girls, who had been complete strangers twenty minutes ago, so quickly into her life. He watched as April answered Ellie's question, full of life and unknown strength and beauty. Ryan knew that the lives of everyone who sat at that table were going to change drastically in the next few months. He could only hope it would be for the best. As he watched April blush deeply at a comment Beau made, eyes twinkling, he had a feeling it would.
He felt a true smile begin to form on his face.
............................................................................ ............................................
Five minutes.
That's all she had. Five minutes. Five minutes until she came face to face with everyone.
Everyone.
Five minutes until her delusional world of hugs and kisses came crashing down.
She knew there was no way Xander would be as forgiving as Willow. Buffy's mind returned to the fight they had had after she returned from her run away summer. They had almost come to blows and that was just a summer. Just a summer, this had been 17 years.
17 years.
It had taken a house full of zombies to let him forgive her. If she was lucky, this would only take an apocalypse.
She wondered what Oz would say. Probably nothing. Or just a reassuring smile. Or maybe 17 years had changed him. What if he couldn't stop talking now? Maybe he would be making up for lost time. Were he and Willow married? She noticed a ring on Will's finger at Giles' house, but the red head had wanted to know everything about Buffy and April's life for the last 17 years that she hadn't learned anything about the scoobies. Did they have children? Were they April's age?
God, she had so many questions.
What about Anya? Willow had mentioned her name. That meant she was still around right? Had she regained her powers? Did she ever learn to blend in with humans?
Buffy had missed so much in the years that she was gone. So much that she would never be able to experience. Her friends weddings and childbirth. She would never be Willow's maid of honor or through her a baby shower. April never got to call Xander her uncle or let Grandpa Giles teach her English terms with Spike. She would never be able to hold Anyas hand threw the pangs of labor or see the look of pure joy on Xander's face as he got his first look at his brand new baby.
Her daughter had to grow up in a world were her mother was meek and feeble and shy. She didn't know who Buffy was. Who she really was. And Buffy didn't just mean the slayer part of herself. She didn't know the part that didn't care that Cordelia Chase thought she was a freak. The part that wouldn't let her back down from a fight. The part that made her stand up for herself. In Oakpark she didn't have those luxuries. She had to blend in. She couldn't be noticed. It could cost April her life. So April had grown up thinking her mother was flat and weak.
Not for the first time she cursed the Powers that Be.
The Slayer's eyes traveled again to the clock. One minute! In one minute she would know if she would be excepted or hated.
She wondered if Giles had told Xander what was waiting behind door number one or just told him he was getting a surprise. Oz, Buffy was sure, would know. Willow would be bubbling with the need to tell him.
The minute seemed to stretch on for eternity. Buffy watched the second had slowly Tic. Tic. Tic. Tic. She watched in horror as it past the 12. The knock didn't come.
Her eyes stayed glued to the clock as she watched two minutes past.
Two minutes.
What if they weren't coming? What if Giles had told them and they felt so betrayed they couldn't even look at her.
Buffy's pacing and 'what ifs' were stopped by a hesitant knock on the door. For a second she wasn't even she heard it. For a second she thought she had imagined it. Until a single strong knock followed.
Buffy stopped breathing. Stopped thinking. Stopped moving. Stopped being.
All she could do was stare at the door.
Stand and stare and pray that they would forgive her.
Another knock sounded.
............................................................................ ..............................
Hey I hoped you liked it. Sorry it took so long but school's hell and my computer was dead for a while. Please tell me what you think. Even if you think it sucked.
Her only response was a wry smile and, "Your Xander Harris' kid, right?"
Ryan's fork, which was posed in front of his mouth, clattered onto the table. Ryan's dark brown eyes grew large in shock and confusion, "Yeah," he managed to choke out.
"I'm Gaia, Cordelia Chases daughter," she explained stretching her perfectly manicured hand across the table.
With a glance at her French manicured he mumbled, "I can't believe I didn't see the resemblance," then shock her hand with, "Ryan Harris, nice to finally meet you."
"Same here," she answered with a smile.
"So," he said running a hand through his brown locks, "what are you doing here?"
Gaia was about to begin her story when a guy and girl, who were laughing loudly at a private joke, sat down next to Ryan. It took the guy slightly longer than the girl to notice Gaia because his complete attention was devoted to the blonde at his side. "Whipped," Gaia mused to herself.
"So Ryan, would you like to introduce us to your new friend," the blonde asked. Although her voice sounded pleasant and her presence welcoming, Gaia could read the caution and distrust in her blue eyes.
"Ellie and Beau this is Gaia Gunn, Cordelia Chases daughter, Gaia, this is Elena Hunting and Beau Ozborne, Willow and Oz's son."
Beau and Elena looked equally shocked at the news of Gaia's parents and she noticed that Elena's distrust seemed to melt almost instantly and she seemed much more open to her now that she knew who she was.
Gaia had assumed that Beau was Willow and Oz's son when he had sat down, he had Willows eyes and Oz's hair, but she had no idea what Elena's story was. Although she was sure it had something to do with the distrust in her eyes.
"So," Gaia said filling their shocked silence, "I was about to tell Ryan my life story before you guys sat down." All three of the teenagers looked interested at this statement so Gaia began the cliff notes version of how she ended up in Sunnydale.
The three Sunnydale natives were again shocked into a silence. After a few seconds Beau broke it, "So Buffy's alive?" he asked cracking his knuckles, a nervous habit he had had since childhood. He wanted to be certain he heard everything right. At Gaia's nod he moved on to his next question, "And she has a daughter?"
"Un Hun."
As he continued his questions it became apparent to Gaia that although he inherited his father's eyes he did not have his habit of speaking monosyllabically, "Who is going to be a very important fighter for the side of good?"
"Yep."
"But she doesn't know anything about vampires or the forces of darkness."
"Thinks they're things nightmares are made of," Gaia agreed with a nod of her head.
"And we can't tell her the truth?" continued Beau, asking the question that everyone at the table wanted the answer to.
"Unfortunately, no."
Ryan stopped Beau from his next question by stating, "This may be a wild guess here," his eyes were glued to a beautiful brunette who stood at the end of the lunch line. She was nervously fidgeting with her hair, eyes searching the cafeteria for a familiar face. Ryan's eyes didn't leave her as he continued, "but I think that's her."
Gaia turned around and Beau and Elena eyes followed Ryan's to watch as April finished paying for her lunch and stood awkwardly alone.
"April," Gaia yelled while waving her hands, "over here!"
The look of relief that washed over her face could be seen clearly all the way across the cafeteria. April quickly made her way over to their table, expertly dogging other students and gracefully moving around the tables. As soon as she reached their table she dropped down in the seat next to Gaia, offering the three students across from her a small smile. She immediately recognized all three of them. The handsome brunette who was smiling goofily at her was the cute boy who she saw pleading with his teacher during first period. His intense brown eyes and charming smile made her easily relax and she realized that she could definitely become close friends with him. As she looked at him she couldn't help but notice that he had the slightest dimple on his right cheek and his eyes twinkled mischievously as he grinned.
She recognized the other two from her encounter with Taylor. The beautiful blonde discussed in baggy clothing and the boy with strikingly hazel eyes had been the ones that had unfortunately bumped into the prom queen.
Elena couldn't believe she hadn't recognized April when she first saw her, earlier today. Taylor had made her so mad that she wasn't functioning straight. Also, she thought, you weren't expecting to see the daughter of a 'dead' slayer.
"April this is Elena Hunter," Gaia said motioning to the blonde, "and these two guys here are Beau Ozborne and Ryan Harris. Their parents used to be really close with your Mom," she explained.
April smiled warmly at them as Gaia introduced her to them, "Guys this is April, Buffy's daughter." It was weird to be introduced as 'Buffy's daughter.' Back in Oakpark it had always been the opposite, 'Oh, I'd like you to meet Buffy Summers, April's mother," or "Oh this is April's mom, Buffy Summers.' But as April had already figured out, things in Sunnydale were anything but normal.
"So," Elena started, "how did your meeting with Satin go?" At April's look of total confusion, Elena clarified, "Taylor Orr." The question was filled with honest interest and she seemed to trust April just as she had begun to trust Gaia. Ryan found this amazing. Ellie didn't trust people, it was that simple. She just didn't. He couldn't believe she had let these two girls, who had been complete strangers twenty minutes ago, so quickly into her life. He watched as April answered Ellie's question, full of life and unknown strength and beauty. Ryan knew that the lives of everyone who sat at that table were going to change drastically in the next few months. He could only hope it would be for the best. As he watched April blush deeply at a comment Beau made, eyes twinkling, he had a feeling it would.
He felt a true smile begin to form on his face.
............................................................................ ............................................
Five minutes.
That's all she had. Five minutes. Five minutes until she came face to face with everyone.
Everyone.
Five minutes until her delusional world of hugs and kisses came crashing down.
She knew there was no way Xander would be as forgiving as Willow. Buffy's mind returned to the fight they had had after she returned from her run away summer. They had almost come to blows and that was just a summer. Just a summer, this had been 17 years.
17 years.
It had taken a house full of zombies to let him forgive her. If she was lucky, this would only take an apocalypse.
She wondered what Oz would say. Probably nothing. Or just a reassuring smile. Or maybe 17 years had changed him. What if he couldn't stop talking now? Maybe he would be making up for lost time. Were he and Willow married? She noticed a ring on Will's finger at Giles' house, but the red head had wanted to know everything about Buffy and April's life for the last 17 years that she hadn't learned anything about the scoobies. Did they have children? Were they April's age?
God, she had so many questions.
What about Anya? Willow had mentioned her name. That meant she was still around right? Had she regained her powers? Did she ever learn to blend in with humans?
Buffy had missed so much in the years that she was gone. So much that she would never be able to experience. Her friends weddings and childbirth. She would never be Willow's maid of honor or through her a baby shower. April never got to call Xander her uncle or let Grandpa Giles teach her English terms with Spike. She would never be able to hold Anyas hand threw the pangs of labor or see the look of pure joy on Xander's face as he got his first look at his brand new baby.
Her daughter had to grow up in a world were her mother was meek and feeble and shy. She didn't know who Buffy was. Who she really was. And Buffy didn't just mean the slayer part of herself. She didn't know the part that didn't care that Cordelia Chase thought she was a freak. The part that wouldn't let her back down from a fight. The part that made her stand up for herself. In Oakpark she didn't have those luxuries. She had to blend in. She couldn't be noticed. It could cost April her life. So April had grown up thinking her mother was flat and weak.
Not for the first time she cursed the Powers that Be.
The Slayer's eyes traveled again to the clock. One minute! In one minute she would know if she would be excepted or hated.
She wondered if Giles had told Xander what was waiting behind door number one or just told him he was getting a surprise. Oz, Buffy was sure, would know. Willow would be bubbling with the need to tell him.
The minute seemed to stretch on for eternity. Buffy watched the second had slowly Tic. Tic. Tic. Tic. She watched in horror as it past the 12. The knock didn't come.
Her eyes stayed glued to the clock as she watched two minutes past.
Two minutes.
What if they weren't coming? What if Giles had told them and they felt so betrayed they couldn't even look at her.
Buffy's pacing and 'what ifs' were stopped by a hesitant knock on the door. For a second she wasn't even she heard it. For a second she thought she had imagined it. Until a single strong knock followed.
Buffy stopped breathing. Stopped thinking. Stopped moving. Stopped being.
All she could do was stare at the door.
Stand and stare and pray that they would forgive her.
Another knock sounded.
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Hey I hoped you liked it. Sorry it took so long but school's hell and my computer was dead for a while. Please tell me what you think. Even if you think it sucked.