Chapter 13. lucky 13!
Bad things happen to good people
Shock. Pain. Anger. Hurt. Loss. Everything that Buffy had in her life was lying on the couch. Dead. She blinked. Tears rolling down her cheeks unstoppable. Xander stared. Willow stood with her hands over her mouth unable to move. Buffy stood at the side of her mother unable to lift a finger. There was no hope in reviving her. She lay there with her eyes open staring at the ceiling, her chest flat, breathless. Xander took a step forward towards Joyce's body.
'Don't! Don't move. We cant touch the body..' Buffy realised what she just said. This wasn't a body, this was her mother, her life! Buffy fell to the floor, crying and sobbing harder then she ever realized her body could jerk. Willow still didn't move. There was no way this could be happening. Not to Joyce. The woman that had nurtured the group since they had first been introduced to the Summers residence.
'Electra knew!' screeched Buffy. 'Electra killed my mother and she's laughing the bitch!' Buffy composed from the crumpled heap on the floor. She stood with tear marks scarring her face. Her pain worn on her expression. She walked towards the door slowly like there was no need for her to hurry. Her whole being had gone when her mother stopped breathing.
'Where.. Buffy where are you going?'
'Stay here. I need to see someone.' she said between heavy breathing motions. She opened the door in a daze, waiting for her mother to jump from the couch and excuse herself for falling asleep. She walked to the graveyard without barely looking up from the floor. She came to the crypt door and stared at the hard cold stone that stood before her and her mothers murderer. Her face scrunched. She wanted to cry so hard. But she couldn't let anyone see her at her weakest. Especially not Electra. She pushed open the door with all the strength she had left which didn't feel like a great lot.
She looked ahead and saw Electra sitting on a hard slab of stone, which presumably where Spike and herself rested. But as Buffy walked towards Electra, she never lifted her head up. She knew it was Buffy. She could feel the energy as soon as Buffy had seen her mother. The pain surged through Electra like daggers piercing her skin. Hot blades scorching her heart. Buffy stopped in front of Electra and just looked. Looked at her. She looked at how her head hung. Shame? Guilt for what she'd done.
'I didn't kill your mom Buffy. I know what your thinking but I didn't kill her.' Her head was still hung to the floor.
'You knew she was dead. So if you didn't kill her how did you know?' she quizzed with a flat tone.
'Because I felt your connection to your mom stop. When you saw me with Willow, you knew something wasn't right and I confirmed it.'
Yeah you killed my mom!' Buffy screamed at her. She couldn't hold the tears back any longer. Electra's head shot up
'A blood clot to the brain killed your mom!' Electra spat. ' You think I enjoy feeling this! Having headaches every time someone dies of a brain tumor or my heart ripped out every time someone dies of a heart attack. Or how about piercing neck aches every time some vamp decides their hungry! Huh!? You think I revel in your loss you selfish heartless cow! You just wanna pass the blame onto me so you have some one to avenge your mothers death, well I'm sorry to disappoint ya but I'm not the one to blame here! Maybe you should have kept your priorities a little more organized and put your mom first instead of your fuckin patrolling!' Electra was stood at this point. Buffy stood open mouthed. Electra was right. She didn't like this.
SMACK!
Electra's head shot back.
'That make you feel better did it?' she said looking at Buffy with a stern look on her face.
'Buffy...' started a familiar voice. Buffy turned to see Spike stood in the doorway.
She turned back to look at Electra.
'Take me to her.' she said staring straight into Buffy's eyes.
'No way. You come anywhere near me or my friends or what's left of my family and i'll....'
'Take me to her' Electra interrupted 'I can bring her back Buffy.'
Buffy stared at her. Stared at Electra's face. Her expression. She wanted this to be true. She begged for it to be true. And by looking at Electra's face she knew it was possible.
'What If I do.. what do you want. Me? Is that it. One life for another?'
'No.' she said.
'Well what do you want then? I don't want anything just yet. But If you let me I'll bring Joyce back to you.'
'Electra you can't be serious?!' started Spike now approaching the two. Electra looked at him. She smiled. He didn't feel Buffy's pain like she did. She couldn't live with this pain. This pain would last her eternal life. And she couldn't bear it.
'Fine' agreed Buffy a tear rolling down her face. But as quick as it had appeared it was wiped away.
Electra was stood outside the Summers house, staring at the door. The amount of hurt that filled the house was unbearable. She was frozen. The anger and heated emotions were too strong.
'Electra what's up?' asked Spike who had tagged along. Electra wanted him there with her. Her new partner.
'I cant... I can't go in there..'
'Why not. You've got to! Your not pulling a stunt like this..' said Buffy with anger on her face now.
'You don't understand' whispered Electra
'No you don't understand. That's my mother in there and if I can get her back then I'm not gonna have you or anybody else stop me if it means killing you or Spike to do so.'
'Look just lay off her alright!' yelled Spike. He didn't like the way Buffy was yelling at her.
' Tell the others to leave. I can't do it unless their gone. There's too much energy in that house.' Electra explained
'Fine!' stormed Buffy. She opened the door and told the others to leave. Without hesitation they left. Angel and Giles had appeared after Buffy had gone. They all clocked Electra and glared. She felt the anger they had towards her but there was no point in fighting it.
'Actually. Angel. You stay.' said Buffy stopping Angel as he was walking out the door. 'If Spike is staying then my condition is Angel stays.'
'Fine..' Electra said through gritted teeth. She walked through the door and looked at Joyce that was still in the position that Buffy had left in. Electra closed her eyes and let out a deep breath. Spike looked at her concerned. He didn't like this. That she was doing this that could harm her or hurt her in any way. And she was doing the slayer a favour! Buffy looked at Joyce and then at Electra. Electra walked towards Joyce and knelt down beside her. She looked over her shoulder at the three observing. Buffy's wide eyes glistened with hope. Angel stood not knowing what to do or where to look. Spike nodded in her direction. That was his way of letting her know he was there with her till the end. She turned back to Joyce. She closed her eyes and placed her hand on Joyce's chest. And there it lay for what felt like forever. Then in the blink of an eye a golden glow surrounded them both. Buffy whimpered. She knew her mom wasn't gone. A mist approached Electra and Joyce and placed itself over Joyce. Then it dropped. Dropped and seeped into Joyce and that's when they saw it. Joyce blinked. Buffy thought it was her imagination but it happened again and Electra let go falling back on the floor coughing and breathing heavily. Spike rushed over to her to check if she was ok. The glow had gone but Joyce now lay awake. It took a minute for her to adjust. Buffy stood. Not knowing what to do. Whether to move or to speak or to cry.
'I'm sorry dear, did I nod off?' asked Joyce, confused by her surroundings.
Bad things happen to good people
Shock. Pain. Anger. Hurt. Loss. Everything that Buffy had in her life was lying on the couch. Dead. She blinked. Tears rolling down her cheeks unstoppable. Xander stared. Willow stood with her hands over her mouth unable to move. Buffy stood at the side of her mother unable to lift a finger. There was no hope in reviving her. She lay there with her eyes open staring at the ceiling, her chest flat, breathless. Xander took a step forward towards Joyce's body.
'Don't! Don't move. We cant touch the body..' Buffy realised what she just said. This wasn't a body, this was her mother, her life! Buffy fell to the floor, crying and sobbing harder then she ever realized her body could jerk. Willow still didn't move. There was no way this could be happening. Not to Joyce. The woman that had nurtured the group since they had first been introduced to the Summers residence.
'Electra knew!' screeched Buffy. 'Electra killed my mother and she's laughing the bitch!' Buffy composed from the crumpled heap on the floor. She stood with tear marks scarring her face. Her pain worn on her expression. She walked towards the door slowly like there was no need for her to hurry. Her whole being had gone when her mother stopped breathing.
'Where.. Buffy where are you going?'
'Stay here. I need to see someone.' she said between heavy breathing motions. She opened the door in a daze, waiting for her mother to jump from the couch and excuse herself for falling asleep. She walked to the graveyard without barely looking up from the floor. She came to the crypt door and stared at the hard cold stone that stood before her and her mothers murderer. Her face scrunched. She wanted to cry so hard. But she couldn't let anyone see her at her weakest. Especially not Electra. She pushed open the door with all the strength she had left which didn't feel like a great lot.
She looked ahead and saw Electra sitting on a hard slab of stone, which presumably where Spike and herself rested. But as Buffy walked towards Electra, she never lifted her head up. She knew it was Buffy. She could feel the energy as soon as Buffy had seen her mother. The pain surged through Electra like daggers piercing her skin. Hot blades scorching her heart. Buffy stopped in front of Electra and just looked. Looked at her. She looked at how her head hung. Shame? Guilt for what she'd done.
'I didn't kill your mom Buffy. I know what your thinking but I didn't kill her.' Her head was still hung to the floor.
'You knew she was dead. So if you didn't kill her how did you know?' she quizzed with a flat tone.
'Because I felt your connection to your mom stop. When you saw me with Willow, you knew something wasn't right and I confirmed it.'
Yeah you killed my mom!' Buffy screamed at her. She couldn't hold the tears back any longer. Electra's head shot up
'A blood clot to the brain killed your mom!' Electra spat. ' You think I enjoy feeling this! Having headaches every time someone dies of a brain tumor or my heart ripped out every time someone dies of a heart attack. Or how about piercing neck aches every time some vamp decides their hungry! Huh!? You think I revel in your loss you selfish heartless cow! You just wanna pass the blame onto me so you have some one to avenge your mothers death, well I'm sorry to disappoint ya but I'm not the one to blame here! Maybe you should have kept your priorities a little more organized and put your mom first instead of your fuckin patrolling!' Electra was stood at this point. Buffy stood open mouthed. Electra was right. She didn't like this.
SMACK!
Electra's head shot back.
'That make you feel better did it?' she said looking at Buffy with a stern look on her face.
'Buffy...' started a familiar voice. Buffy turned to see Spike stood in the doorway.
She turned back to look at Electra.
'Take me to her.' she said staring straight into Buffy's eyes.
'No way. You come anywhere near me or my friends or what's left of my family and i'll....'
'Take me to her' Electra interrupted 'I can bring her back Buffy.'
Buffy stared at her. Stared at Electra's face. Her expression. She wanted this to be true. She begged for it to be true. And by looking at Electra's face she knew it was possible.
'What If I do.. what do you want. Me? Is that it. One life for another?'
'No.' she said.
'Well what do you want then? I don't want anything just yet. But If you let me I'll bring Joyce back to you.'
'Electra you can't be serious?!' started Spike now approaching the two. Electra looked at him. She smiled. He didn't feel Buffy's pain like she did. She couldn't live with this pain. This pain would last her eternal life. And she couldn't bear it.
'Fine' agreed Buffy a tear rolling down her face. But as quick as it had appeared it was wiped away.
Electra was stood outside the Summers house, staring at the door. The amount of hurt that filled the house was unbearable. She was frozen. The anger and heated emotions were too strong.
'Electra what's up?' asked Spike who had tagged along. Electra wanted him there with her. Her new partner.
'I cant... I can't go in there..'
'Why not. You've got to! Your not pulling a stunt like this..' said Buffy with anger on her face now.
'You don't understand' whispered Electra
'No you don't understand. That's my mother in there and if I can get her back then I'm not gonna have you or anybody else stop me if it means killing you or Spike to do so.'
'Look just lay off her alright!' yelled Spike. He didn't like the way Buffy was yelling at her.
' Tell the others to leave. I can't do it unless their gone. There's too much energy in that house.' Electra explained
'Fine!' stormed Buffy. She opened the door and told the others to leave. Without hesitation they left. Angel and Giles had appeared after Buffy had gone. They all clocked Electra and glared. She felt the anger they had towards her but there was no point in fighting it.
'Actually. Angel. You stay.' said Buffy stopping Angel as he was walking out the door. 'If Spike is staying then my condition is Angel stays.'
'Fine..' Electra said through gritted teeth. She walked through the door and looked at Joyce that was still in the position that Buffy had left in. Electra closed her eyes and let out a deep breath. Spike looked at her concerned. He didn't like this. That she was doing this that could harm her or hurt her in any way. And she was doing the slayer a favour! Buffy looked at Joyce and then at Electra. Electra walked towards Joyce and knelt down beside her. She looked over her shoulder at the three observing. Buffy's wide eyes glistened with hope. Angel stood not knowing what to do or where to look. Spike nodded in her direction. That was his way of letting her know he was there with her till the end. She turned back to Joyce. She closed her eyes and placed her hand on Joyce's chest. And there it lay for what felt like forever. Then in the blink of an eye a golden glow surrounded them both. Buffy whimpered. She knew her mom wasn't gone. A mist approached Electra and Joyce and placed itself over Joyce. Then it dropped. Dropped and seeped into Joyce and that's when they saw it. Joyce blinked. Buffy thought it was her imagination but it happened again and Electra let go falling back on the floor coughing and breathing heavily. Spike rushed over to her to check if she was ok. The glow had gone but Joyce now lay awake. It took a minute for her to adjust. Buffy stood. Not knowing what to do. Whether to move or to speak or to cry.
'I'm sorry dear, did I nod off?' asked Joyce, confused by her surroundings.
