Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters in this story except for Grace. All the rest belong to Joss Whedon and his crew.
Summary: 16 years after Fred's death, someone unexpected finds a way to bring her back.
Rating: I'm going to say PG-13 for some language and mild violence.
Pairings: Mostly just Wes and Fred for now. I might throw some more couples in the mix later.
Feedback: I'd like some. If you're going to criticize, please make it constructive criticism. Other than that, if you don't have something nice to say, don't say anything at all.
Author's notes: I wasn't going to post this, but I actually liked the way it was starting out, so I decided that maybe other people would like it too. Okay for this story to make sense, you're going to have to pretend about some things, and make some assumptions. First off, because this is the most important part of the story, Wesley and Fred have a daughter. Let's say things didn't stop at kissing during Soulless. Pretend Gunn didn't walk in, one thing led to another, and Fred ended up pregnant with Wesley's child. Everything else stays the same, so I guess you'll have to assume that everyone remembers everything except for things to do with Connor, because don't you think it'd be a little strange if Fred was pregnant, but she wasn't sure why? Anyways, so their baby was born just a month before Illyria took over Fred's body. Which I should probably also mention, that Wes and Fred still didn't get together until Smile Time. Wes stuck around for a while, but then he left town before the apocalypse so he could keep his daughter safe. I'm pretty sure that's all you need to know. I'm sorry that this author's note was so long, but I needed to explain these things because I don't plan on explaining them in great detail during the story. If you're still reading this after this extensive note, thank you for your patience.
Resurrecting the Past
Chapter 1: Things Change
I have a strange habit of walking alone in New York City during the night. Maybe it's because I'm not scared. I feel that I could hold my own. Now I know why.
I was walking home from a friend's house during the first night of summer vacation. Things are fairly normal in New York City. Except for your occasional crazy Yankees fan. This night was different though.
Something jumped out in front of me. Let me tell you right now, it was not a crazy Yankees fan. Its face was distorted. I knew right away what it was. I'd seen them in my father's books. It came at me. So I hit it square in face. He was bent over, soothing his now broken nose. So I kicked him in the stomach. When he was down on the ground I kicked him again. I was having a good time, and I wanted one last shot. I quickly pulled out the wooden stake in my pocket and drove it into his chest. He turned to dust and I smiled in satisfaction. I had just staked my first vampire. Carrying a stake around was actually my father's idea. Although now I see, that it worked out pretty well for me.
Someone else lurked in the shadows. I could feel it.
"Why don't you just come out so I can kick your ass now? I have to be getting home soon." I waited in the darkness of the alley.
A man walked out from the shadows. His hair was blonde, and he was short. He didn't look a day over 25. Then again, vampires don't age.
I shoved him against the wall and pulled out my stake.
"Wait!" He screamed. He was terrified. "I'm not a vampire! I'm a watcher."
I let him go. I knew what a watcher was. My father was one years before I was born.
"I didn't know watchers went around stalking girls at night." I said.
"Most of the time we don't."
"What do you want?" I asked. "I didn't lie when I said I had to get home soon."
"Do you know what a watcher...watches?" He asked.
"Slayers." I answered.
"So let's put two and two together. Why would I be 'stalking' you at night, and watching you stake a vampire?"
I swallowed hard. This couldn't be happening to me. I didn't want that life. I've heard of so many slayers dying, I didn't want to be one of them.
"I'm...a slayer?"
The man nodded slowly. "Faith was killed in an unfortunate accident on her way to Los Angeles. You've been called up."
"Faith was killed?" I asked. I'd heard about Faith. In my warped teenage mind, she seemed immortal.
"A pack of about 20 vampires got her. She tried to fight them off, but there were too many for her to fight alone."
The man looked so sad.
"I'm sorry for your loss." I said.
A moment of silence passed before he spoke again.
"I'm Andrew Wells." He stuck his hand out for me to shake it.
"Grace --" He cut me off before I could finish telling him my name.
"Grace Cordelia Burkle Wyndam-Pryce" He said.
"Should I be afraid that you know all of that?"
"No, but that's quite a long name."
"Yeah well, my parents were a little crazy."
"How's your father?" He asked.
"Probably worried sick. I was supposed to be home an hour ago."
"Come on. I'll walk you back. We need to have a chat with your father."
We walked back to the apartment I lived in with my father, in complete silence. I was trying to digest all of this information. Andrew was a watcher. I was a slayer. Faith was dead. It all seemed a little surreal.
"Dad?" I called out as I entered the apartment.
"Where have you been?" He asked, as he came into the living room from the kitchen.
"Daddy...there's someone here to see you." I stepped aside and let Andrew walk inside.
"Andrew?" Dad stood there with a shocked expression on his face.
"Hello Wesley." Andrew and my father shook hands.
"Would you like some tea?" Dad offered.
"No thank you. I'm just here because we need to talk."
"Yes, of course. Please come in and have a seat."
Dad sat down on the recliner next to the couch. Andrew sat on the couch, and I sat next to him. There was a strange tension in the room. I felt like somehow, Dad knew what was coming.
"Wesley, I'm just going to cut to the chase here. Faith was murdered by a pack of vampires on her way to Los Angeles. Grace has been called up to replace her."
Dad shook his head.
"No, I'm not letting my daughter have that kind of life."
"There isn't much of a choice."
"There are hundreds of slayers because of Willow's spell. Let one of them take Faith's place."
"They're all stationed at different places around the world. A hell mouth has been opened in LA. That's where Faith was headed. Grace has to go there now."
"No. I've seen the things that go on in LA. I don't want my child being a part of that."
"Wesley, you don't have much of a choice. We need her."
"No."
"Angel and Spike are still there. She'll be safe."
"If Angel and Spike are there, then why does she have to go?"
"Because the hell mouth has been opened. There's so much evil brewing there, more than usual. They can't handle it alone. They need a slayer. That's why we were sending Faith there."
"Can't Willow undo the spell?" Dad asked. Sometimes he was a very crazy man.
"No. We need all the slayers we can get. Even if she could, it wouldn't change anything. Grace wasn't meant to replace just anyone. She was meant to replace Faith."
"Andrew, I don't want Grace doing this. We've built a life here, a life away from evil. She's safe here."
"Was she safe just a while ago when she staked a vampire?"
"She what?" Dad looked over at me. I smiled, still basking in the glow of my triumph. Sure it was just one vampire, but it was my first. That's a victory a girl never forgets. However, I assume most girls don't have the chance to stake a vampire.
"Andrew, why don't you let Dad and I talk for a while. If you leave me a number I can call you in the morning."
Andrew nodded. "I can do that, but please call me as soon as you can."
He handed me a business card with his number on it, bid goodbye to my father, and left.
"Dad, I think we both know what I have to do." I said.
He shook his head. "No, I won't let you go there. I won't let you be put in danger like that."
"Dad, they need me. I don't want to go either, but this slayer thing...it's my destiny. I can't ignore it. I can't run away from it. You always taught me to do what's right. The right thing for me to do is to go to LA. To fight the good fight. Just like you used to."
"I can't lose you." He said.
"You won't, but we have to go. It'll be okay. We'll be there together. You can even help out. After Mom died you quit fighting. Now's your chance to 'help the helpless' again." I gave him a reassuring smile. "She would be proud of us."
"Are you sure you just want to leave so abruptly? You're leaving behind your whole life."
"I know, and I'm not happy about it. I gotta do, what I gotta do though. If that means packing up and moving to LA, then I guess I'll just have to deal with that."
"Well then I guess you should call Andrew and tell him we're going to LA."
Dad got up from his chair, kissed me on the forehead, and went into his bedroom. I knew he was a bit wary about going back to LA. After all, so much had happened to him there. I guess he can't avoid the past forever though. Plus, I was looking forward to meeting the people he used to work with. Things were really changing for us. It was scary, but exciting all at the same time. I was in for the ride of my life.