Disclaimers: Mutant Enemy and Joss Whedon own it all. I'm just doing this for fun, and hopefully entertainment
Reviews: Welcomed and appreciated
The walk to Joyce's house was done in relative silence. Willow and Cordelia walked in front of the two vampires, Cordelia constantly turning her head to see what they were doing. It boggled her mind that the two of them were walking hand in hand just like regular people. Although she remembered what Angel had been like before he lost his soul, she had no frame of reference for Buffy after she had been turned. She dressed better, that was for sure. Cordelia noticed the designer leather pants and cashmere sweater along with the Italian boots she wore. Vampires must be well paid, she thought. But what kind of being she had become was really a mystery to all that had once known her. Buffy had all but fell off the planet when she had chosen to live her life with Angelus. She did none of the things vampires were expected to do, according to her lover. Willow had told her that Buffy was happy to just live her life with Angel, no not Angel, Angelus. Reading, training, even taking trips with him to Italy and Ireland. How they got there Cordelia could only guess. To Cordelia's eyes, Buffy appeared older, not that she had aged at all, just in the way she held herself. The childish banter that still peppered all their conversations seemed to have fled from the former slayer. Although, to be fair, Cordelia really hadn't heard her speak all that much. Angelus did all the talking. 'Does Joyce know we're coming? Who else will be there? We will only stay a short time.' Buffy looked on, totally detached by the whole event it would seem.
Willow had turned to Buffy, unable to believe she let Angelus control the whole encounter. "Are you fine with all this Buffy?"
She smiled at Willow and nodded. "Of course Willow. Angelus speaks for the both of us. Always."
Cordelia took hold of Willow's hand, never so happy in her choice of a life partner. Willow squeezed her hand back, thinking the exact same thing.
So here were the four of them, walking in uncomfortable silence.
"Will you stop turning around. They aren't going to eat us, I promise." Willow was getting a little impatient with her girlfriend. She had wanted to handle this on her own, but when Cordelia found out Angelus was coming along she insisted she be allowed to accompany Willow as well. "It is totally not fair that she can bring her boyfriend and you can't bring your girlfriend. Besides, I don't trust them. I've been working out, I can protect you. Well, somewhat."
Willow had finally acquiesced. "Just don't antagonize them. We're doing this for Joyce and Dawn."
Buffy took a deep unneeded breathe when they turned onto Revello Drive. She couldn't explain the long absent emotions she was feeling. And she knew Angelus was seething because of it. He hated that she had needed to do this. "I have no reason Angelus, it's just something I have to do." He had thought to forbid her, as her sire he had every right. But he knew if he had, she would've done it anyway forcing him to act as the master vampire he was and where his mate was concerned he knew he couldn't.
He could feel the tension in her. Her stance, her eyes, her very scent were laden with anxiety. An emotion she hadn't felt in the three years they had been together. Angelus knew a very large part of this was coming from the unknown sister they were about to meet. This was a big mistake, he felt it in his very bones. But the course had been set and now it was up to him to make sure his mate came out of this unscathed.
"Remember what I said Buff. No emotions. Keep it quick and keep it simple. And no, you cannot offer to turn her."
She gave a small laugh at his reminder. Buffy's mother would never want to be turned, she was much stronger than that from what she remembered. "I wouldn't think of it my love."
Buffy stopped in her tracks as they came upon the house she used to live in. "I'd forgotten how small the house was." She was barely audible, but Angelus heard her. She looked up at him. "Remember how you used to climb up to my room and sleep on the floor?"
"No. And it wasn't your room it was Buffy's and it wasn't me, it was Angel." He glared down at her.
She looked down at the ground. "Sorry, I meant Buffy and Angel. Sorry."
"Let's just get this over with. And when we get home give me that damn cell phone of yours." This hidden vestige of her old life bothered him more than he could say. He strode ahead of her while the other two girls and knocked on the door and impatiently waited. The door slowly opened, revealing a teenaged girl with long hair and eyes that looked suspiciously like his lovers. Recognition flooded her eyes and she jumped into his arms, surprising him and the three women behind him.
"Angel! I can't believe it's you! I should be so pist at you for taking Buffy away from us, but I'm just so happy to see you." She kissed his cheek.
Buffy's eyes narrowed and she gave a slight growl at the young girl being so presumptuous as to kiss her mate. She turned to Willow. "No one told her about us?"
"We wanted to, really Buffy. But your mom always thought you'd come back and she didn't want Dawn to know what had happened to you. She told her the two of you ran away to get married and you were afraid that she and Giles would hate you and…sorry. I should have told you." Willow faltered.
"Great. Just great. Let's just get this over with. And please, get that clingy little bitch off my mate. Now." She allowed Willow and Cordelia to precede her up the porch, afraid that if she got near the girl, she'd rip her head off.
"Dawnie, look whose here." She moved aside so the girl could get a look at Buffy.
"Buffy? Oh my god Buffy." She ran to the woman who used to be her sister. "I'm so glad you're here. I've been so scared and mom's been so ill." She wrapped her arms around her sister's neck and cried, not noticing how cold she was or the anger that was seething beneath her sister's calm façade. Angelus however did. He stood back with his arms crossed over his chest and that half smile, half smirk on his face, waiting to see how his little Buff was going to handle this.
Buffy disentangled herself from the girl and held her at arms length. "Sorry Buffy." Dawn thought Buffy was anxious to see their mother. "Guess you want to get in to see mom. Come on in to the house. I'll make your favorite coffee." She turned to make sure Buffy was following. "Mom always keeps it on hand, just in case."
Buffy hadn't moved, not sure she should. Dawn turned and looked at the both of them. "Come on you two, get in here. Mom'll be going to sleep soon and I know you came to see her." Dawn knew she should be royally pist at her sister and Angel, but she was just so relieved to have her here, finally, she didn't care. Buffy was home and that was all that mattered.
With the invitation including the both of them Angelus took Buffy's hand and led her into the house on Revello Drive. The house that held some interesting secrets Buffy was anxious to learn.
Buffy entered the house that seemed so familiar yet so foreign. This is where she fell in love with Angel, she thought to herself. As if reading her mind, Angelus painfully squeezed her arm. "Don't get all nostalgic on me. Get up there and see her so we can get the hell out of here."
"Buffy, Angelus. We really appreciate your help with this. Joyce…well I think seeing you may set her mind straight." Giles came from the living room to greet them.
"What the hell is he doing here?" Angelus growled, he looked down at Buffy. "Did you know he would be here?"
"No, I didn't" She turned her attention to her ex-watcher. "How could you not tell Dawn what I am? What we are? That was so not fair Giles." Buffy was livid that she had been put in this position.
"Once you are gone I'll explain it all to her. But Joyce never wanted her to know and now, well. It just wasn't on our list of priorities." Giles remove his glasses to rub the bridge of his nose.
Buffy shook her head and shrugged. "Whatever. Okay, so where is Joyce?"
"Up in her room. Do you want me to go with you?" Giles hoped he hadn't made a mistake.
"No, I can handle this." She turned to Angelus. "I won't be long."
As she climbed the stairs, memories came flooding back in waves. The first day she and her mother saw the house. They had driven up from L.A., Buffy silently crying at the thought of leaving her father, knowing it was all her fault her parents were splitting up. As if reading her thoughts, Joyce had parked the car and turned to her. "It had nothing to do with you sweetheart. This was a long time coming, your father and I were the ones who couldn't keep it together anymore." She leaned over to Buffy and kissed her forehead. "We are gonna make a great life here Buffy. I promise." Joyce had pointed to the house, "So, what do you think of it?"
"It's nice. I think we're gonna be just fine here mom." Buffy and Joyce got out of the car and walked into their new life.
Buffy felt Angelus' eyes on her and turned to look see him at the bottom of the stairs. "Do this Buffy, get it over with now or we are out of here." He turned and went back into the living room.
She shook her head and proceeded up the stairs, clearing all thoughts of Buffy's past life. Coming to Joyce's room, she slowly opened the door to see her former mother lying on the bed. Her eyes were closed, but she spoke. "I knew I would see you at least one more time." Opening her eyes she saw the form of the woman who was once her daughter and caught a glimpse of the girl she used to be. "Buffy?"
Completing the walk to Joyce's bedside, Buffy sat down. She looked at the frail woman who had given birth to her and felt a very slight pang in her chest. "I…I'm sorry you aren't well. Giles thought it might help if you saw me again…I don't know…" Buffy felt herself foundering, unable to say the right thing. This was not her, not the woman she had become. This was her old self and it scared the hell out of her.
"Buffy, I told Giles I needed to see you. Please, I know what you are, what you have become. I still love my little girl but I'm not stupid enough to think that you are her. At least not all of her." She took a deep breathe, still feeling weak. "I'm not at all sure I am going to get through this, but something is going on Buffy. Something I can't explain and it frightens me. I need your help. It's about Dawn. Buffy, I'm not sure who she is, where she came from. I have all the memories of her. Giving birth, raising her, all the details, all of them. But Buffy, she's not real. She's not my daughter. She somehow came to us fully grown and I can't talk to anyone about it because all they do is blame it on the tumor." Joyce's panicked eyes pleaded with Buffy to understand.
Buffy nodded in agreement. "I know. I have no memories of her what-so-ever. But for some reason she remembers me. What do you remember right before she came to you?" Buffy was intrigued. She knew she was risking Angelus' wrath, but she had to solve this mystery. Since she had been with him all her time, her whole reason for being was to be his. And she was totally satisfied in her choice, she would never take it back. But she felt that something was missing. She needed to do something, find some purpose. Something besides making love with Angelus and reading and shopping and arranging his parties. She needed something of her own, she just didn't know what.
"All I remember was coming home from work one day and there she was. It was as if she had always been. And everyone else had their own set of memories of her as well. She has a birthday, her favorite blankey from when she was a child, journals she started when she was 7, a whole life. Even Hank remembers her and used to pick the both of you up for visits. Which by the way he doesn't do anymore, no surprise there. Anyway, I started to have moments with no memories of her at all. The first one really scared her, which is why Giles insisted I see a doctor. The tumor must have triggered, or untriggered reality." Joyce moved closer to Buffy and spoke in a whisper. "Buffy, I am afraid something bad, something supernatural is going to happen and no one will hear me. And if I am not here to protect Dawn, what will happen to her?"
"Why do you think it something negative? Maybe the powers wanted to give the slayers mother a daughter to replace the one she lost. I mean, I don't think a slayer has ever made the choice to follow her lover in death like this." Buffy reasoned.
Joyce gave a small laugh. "Oh sweetheart, I wish it were so simple. In the hospital a lot of people were being brought in, all in the throes of insanity it would appear. When Dawn walked past them they became agitated, well more agitated. They said she was a beautiful luminous light. Buffy, they called her the key." She took her daughter's cold hands in hers. "Buffy, I know you owe me nothing, you owe Dawn nothing. But I am begging you, please Buffy. Help me protect her. I don't know what to do, I don't know what's coming. All I know is that it is."
Buffy watched the silent tears of desperation fall from her 'mother's' eyes and felt a tug at her unbeating heart. "Did you explain all this to Giles?"
"I'm afraid he'll just dismiss me because of the tumor. But the tumor is gone Buffy, they got it all but the knowledge is still here." She paused. "Will you help me Buffy?"
Biting her lower lip, Buffy nodded. "Yes, yes I will. But let's keep this between ourselves for right now. Let me do a little more research and then maybe I'll have something to give to Giles." Unconsciously Buffy leaned forward and place a small kiss on Joyce's forehead. Quickly straightening up in confusion Buffy stood up. "Sorry. I have to go now, but I'll keep in touch."
"Buffy. Thank you so much. For the first time since all this has happened I feel a sense of relief, a sense of peace. I know you have no reason to do this for me which is why I am even so much more grateful." Joyce smiled at Buffy.
"Yeah, well. I have to go. Angelus is waiting for me." As she quietly closed the door behind her she spoke. "So, you heard it all I suppose?"
Leaning on the wall, his arms folded across his chest, he replied in a hushed angry tone. "I did. Were you planning on telling me?"
She rolled her eyes. "Of course. Who do you think is going to help me solve this?" She and walked down the stairs, turning once, "So, are you coming or do you feel like a visit with Joyce?"
Dawn looked up to see the two of them coming down the stairs. Buffy had been up there almost an hour and she was more than a little curious to know what they had talked about. Maybe Buffy and Angel would move in. She crossed her fingers behind her back in hope. She practically pounced onto the two of them, causing Buffy to fight back a smile. "So, how did it go? Are you all made up? Are you moving back? I mean your old room is more than big enough for two people." She grabbed Buffy and Angelus' hands and led them back to the living room. "God, you are so cold Buffy, do you want some coffee?"
"Coffee? Coffee would be good." She tried to give her 'sister' a recognizable smile.
"Oh and Angel. I picked up some blood on the way home from school. Do you want me to warm some up for you?"
Gracing her with his best Angel look he nodded. "That would be great sweetheart."
She slightly blushed and ran to the kitchen leaving the six of them to talk. Xander had joined the group while Buffy had been upstairs. Which was the main reason Angelus had gone upstairs to wait for Buffy? He was sure he would rip the boys head from his shoulders any minute.
Buffy acknowledged his presence. "Xander."
He looked up at her. If anything she was more beautiful than he remembered. Her hair pulled back from her face, her skin like delicate porcelain. "Buffy. Or is it Buffylus now?"
"Boy, watch that tongue of yours or I'll pull it right out of your head. You don't have a protector anymore and I have no compunction to ending your useless life." Buffy put her hand on Angelus' arm to hold him back.
"Baby, calm down. He's just a little boy." She turned her attention to Xander. "The name's still Buffy. But that's all." The cold hard stare she gave him caused him to shiver.
"God Xander, do you have any idea of the concept of self-preservation? Just zip until they leave." Cordelia shook her head.
"Wise advice from the Sapphic boy. You should heed it." Angelus sat down on an armchair, taking Buffy with him.
Cordelia smiled. "Thank you."
Willow winced. "Cordelia."
"What? He may be evil and all but at least he recognizes wisdom."
"Children, please." Giles turned to Buffy. "How did it go with Joyce?"
"Well I think. She said she felt peaceful. I promised to come and see her again. That's all really." She turned to Angelus, "We should probably go."
"Go? You can't go. Look, I have coffee and blood and cookies." Dawn had entered the room carrying a tray, a forlorn look over taking her previously smiling face.
"Buffy, we can't go just yet. Your sister has brought refreshments." He smiled at the young girl.
"Yes, you're right. Besides, we need to talk." She got up and took the tray from her 'sister'. Handing the cup of blood to Angelus, she took Dawn's hand and led her to the chair next to Giles and knelled before her. "There's something mom, something Giles, should have told you…"
