Author's Notes: Set four years after 'Becoming' part two. Buffy ran away, and didn't come back. Now, four years later, she's about to be reminded of who and what she really is.
Rating: PG-13. Language and strong themes. Sorry, kiddies.
Disclaimer: Nothing you recognise is mine. Don't sue, please.
Feedback: Very welcome. Constructive criticism is welcome; flames will be used to help me toast marshmallows.
Chapter Notes: I'm so sorry it's taken me so long to get this out. If it wasn't one thing, it was another, and then I hit some writer's block on the storyline, because I'm coming to a close on it (that's about fifteen, sixteen chapters ahead of this one, though, so don't worry!). I'm hoping to get it all finished by the end of Easter holidays, and then posted by the end of April. No promises, though.
Chapter Twenty-Three: Clan II
"We should have a clan meet," Buffy observed, looking over her family. "Since we're all here. We haven't had one in a while."
"Not a full one," Max nodded. "Not since Marian was born, actually." He smiled over at Ella, who was glowing with a kind of self-satisfied air. She had, a few minutes before, punched Tom. "Besides, I think we need it."
Buffy frowned and surveyed the clan again, feeling out along the bond. "You're right," she said at length. "I should have…dammit, I'm such an idiot."
"Hardly," Sarah snorted. "You've had stuff going on. We get it."
"Well, still." Buffy chewed on her lip. "Right," she began, turning to the Sunnydale crew. "Clan only, people. So Ethan, you're in – Giles too?" Ethan shook his head after glancing at the Watcher. "Faith, you can stay, and Dawn of course. Xander, Willow, Tara and Anya – you guys are gonna have to stand outside with Giles. Angel too."
"What about the kids?" Toni wanted to know. "Zach and Hattie and the others?"
Buffy shrugged, careful of her left arm. "Anyone that's old enough can stay – ten or over? The others…" She turned to Willow and Tara. "Would you mind keeping an eye on the children?" she asked. "I wouldn't ask, but we really need to do this, and some of them are just too little."
"Sure," Willow agreed enthusiastically. "Uh – how many?"
"I'll get them," Max said swiftly. "A dozen or so, I think – no, more. Jake and Samantha's twins aren't quite ten yet, are they?" He drifted off to retrieve the children. Willow looked a little daunted.
"Don't worry," Buffy assured her. "They're all – um. Mostly very well behaved. Just don't let Hattie and Zach try to dress up Marian or any of the other babies, and you'll be fine."
"What about me, pet?" Spike asked from behind her, hands gliding down her arms.. "You need me to go?"
She didn't look at him, revelling in the feeling of safety and love and rightness that she was getting from him. "Uh…"
"You're distracting her, honey," Toni grinned. "Sorry, Uncle Spikey. You can't stay until you're formally mated."
Buffy twisted in his arms and kissed him gently. "Unfortunately, she's right." She cupped his cheek with her hand, thumb rubbing over the scar that crossed his eyebrow. "Soon," she promised. "Soon."
Then she pulled out of his arms, leaped onto what had been the counter of a MacDonald's, and cupped her hands around her mouth. "People! Listen up!" She paused as the clan slowly quieted down, and waited a moment longer as Willow and Tara, helped by Spike, shepherded the children out of the former ice rink. "Clan meet," she announced. "Everyone take a seat. Anyone with a problem, come up to the front." She sat on the counter, ignoring the piles of dust. "Sarah, can you find a bowl or something kind of container?" Sarah nodded and disappeared into the back of the MacDonald's. "And Toni, can I have your knife?" Toni duly handed over the knife she'd used earlier to cut Spike and Buffy.
Buffy took the metal bowl that Sarah handed to her, and carefully reopened the cut on her palm. She let a few drops of blood fall into the bowl, then she passed it and the knife to Max. They would be passed around the clan until everyone had spilled some blood.
She should really do this formally…but quite frankly she could still sense Spike, just outside the door in the reception, and she wished she were out there with him.
"Okay," she announced, going for the quick and easy way. "Who's up?" When a too-thin woman nearing her thirties stood up, Buffy knew she was in trouble. She slipped into formal speech quickly. "What are your words, beloved?" she asked quietly.
"I am Chantra, sister of Simone," the woman began, following the ritualised method of speaking to the clan Alpha at a clan meet. "I come with a grievance."
Buffy cursed silently. "Your grievance will be heard," she answered formally. "Speak, Chantra, sister of Simone." This was not going to be pretty.
"My sister is dead," Chantra began, "by her own hand, but I have cause to believe another was ultimately responsible."
Buffy felt her mouth fall open. She didn't – she wasn't –
"I accuse the Alpha of driving my sister, Third Mate, to her death," Chantra said ruthlessly. "Of neglecting her duties as a mate and as an Alpha."
Silence reigned. Nobody was quite willing to say anything after Chantra's brutal allegation. Ethan stepped closer to Buffy, silently offering his support. He was the only one.
Finally Buffy found her voice. "What proof?" she rasped, unable to form all the words needed for the formalised structure. "What…why are you saying this? I loved her with every molecule of my being. And it is not my fault that she –" She shuddered. "People die. That's life."
"Simone died because of you," Chantra spat. "It's your fault."
"No…"
"And you haven't even mourned!"
Buffy's hands started trembling, then her arms and her legs until all of her was shaking. Her eyes turned white. Ethan and Max started a familiar chant as one, trying to forestall the grief-laden hurricane that Buffy could become.
"I mourned," Buffy growled. "In Phtygiktha, alone, I mourned!"
"She did," Dawn nodded, staunchly defending her sister, unaware of what exactly was happening here.
"Quiet," Sarah hissed at her. "You so don't wanna get in the way of this!"
"What's going on?" Faith demanded.
"Basically?" Toni responded. "Annie and Chantra are going to have it out. Full-on bitch fight."
"Only with magick," Sarah added.
Although there was nothing outward to show it, huge magicks were building up between the two women. Buffy's eyes were still white, but her body was now still and under tight control. She slid onto her feet.
"Take it back," she hissed.
"Make me," Chantra returned.
"Uh, sorry to interrupt the pissing contest…" Buffy faltered at the sudden interruption. Spike came towards her with deadly intent. "Actually, no I'm not. We've got a problem."
"What is it?" Max asked, seeing Buffy was in no fit state to answer the vampire. "What's happened?"
"Glory," Angel answered grimly, shepherding scared and crying children into the room. "She took Hattie."
Buffy felt as though the air had been knocked from her lungs. Her legs gave way and she fell to the ground and slumped over. Glory had Hattie. The hell goddess, the one creature she wasn't sure she could beat, had her daughter. Her flesh and blood. Her child. Her child, like the one growing in her womb.
She was vaguely aware of people crowding around her. She could feel Chantra's demanding gaze on her. Could hear Max saying something. Could hear the whole clan talking, crying, shrieking, making sure the other children were okay.
Spike was crouched in front of her, his cool hands cupping her cheeks, forcing her to look at him. She pulled away. She wouldn't – couldn't – accept his comfort. Not now.
She moaned, a sound that turned into guttural, primal scream. The magicks that had gathered around her exploded, sending everyone flying into the walls.
And then she collapsed onto the floor, staring blankly up at the ceiling, catatonic.
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Coming next chapter:
Hattie and Glory face off.