"Daughter of Rosenberg..."
Summary: One year after the events of "Groom of Rosenberg" Buffy the Rosenberg Monster and her honey have returned to ask a special favor of their creators Rosenberg and Praetorius...While Tara faces the more or less Big Bad...
Disclaimer: Would Joss want his name associated with this? I think not...But anyway all BTVS characters remain the property of Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, and all other owner/creators of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer series...Though his brother Mort gets nothing...
Archived at the Cicelyverse page of the Buffy Rebecca verse, www.
...
Part XXI...
"So…Clement…" Angel smiled pleasantly. Having poured him a second foaming mug of Ireland's finest and handed it over with gracious courtesy…
"You're sure you haven't seen either my beloved Buffy…And in her latest form, she's rather hard to overlook…Or our ole pal William the Bloody…Recently, here in Sunnydale?"
"Uh…No…" Clem, trusting that his fur would conceal the sweat beading…
Angel glanced at Wes who gave Clem a cool, non-committal stare. Angel rose and began pacing, stopping to eye Clem again…Moving over to him, leaning over him. Clem staring back…Angel giving the pleasantest of smiles…
"Well…I would never suggest you'd lie to us, Clement, old fellow. But it does seem odd to me that, as Wes here tells us, you ran from your place of employment when he inquired as to whether anyone there had noticed my two friends passing by. Put yourself in my place, Clement…My old love is hideously trapped in a diabolically created engine of evil, perhaps being used by Spike to kill right now, as we speak. Her poor abused soul crying out to me in torment to free her…I must act, you see that, don't you, ole fellow?" he patted Clem's left knee. "What would you do in such a situation? Surely you'd do anything at all you could to help free your dear ole beloved from such a fate, eh?" He straightened…Clem relaxing a tad at his pulling back from him…
"Well…" Clem began…
"Exactly…I knew that you were that sort of…Whatever you are…" Angel nodded. "And you know what a hideous fiend Spike is…You were mates for a bit, I understand."
"I was his cryptmate for a decade or two. We're were good buds. But he has got a soul now, they say…Since his 'operation' last year."
"A soul?" Angel nodded. "Interesting…And a wonderous thing if he's achieved it. So you have kept tabs on your ole mate…?"
"Words gets around town. Spike and Buffy are pretty well known here."
"And there's been word of Buffy too, eh?" Angel smiled. "'Round town'…? Not burned to death in the Rosenberg castle as given out…?"
"Well…I mean…The Slayer…Even dead and resurrected and dead again…Gets attention." Clem nodded.
"She certainly merits it…And what word has there been, Clement?"
"Uh…You know…Resurrected. Sorta a greenish-skinned, seven-foot blonde type now. Kinda less approachable than she used to be. Probably dead in that fire along with whatever they did to Spike. But there are stories…Rumors…"
"Yes…That jibes with what we've heard…And I've seen. Have you seen her, Clement?"
"Uh…No…Nope…Just heard the stories…"
"Curious…" Angel smiled benevolently, leaning over his "guest" again. "And yet you ran…Why did you run, Clement?"
"Don't want any trouble…" Clem feebly noted in explanation. "Just thought your pal might be lookin' for any demons, you know...?"
"I see…" Ummn…Clem stared as Angel struggled a moment with his suddenly locked up artificial arm. Wes rising to help at Angel's impatient signal…
Damned thing…Angel murmured…Then eyed Clem carefully. "This was a present from the thing using my poor beloved Buffy's remains, did you know that Clement?" he raised the artificial arm for Clem to see…
"Uh…Yeah, I heard…" Clem replied.
Really?...Angel beamed. Then glared coolly… "And did it amuse you, Clement? To hear I'd been maimed by that unfortunate beastly aberration of my beloved…?"
"Uh…No…Uh…"
"I appreciate that, Clement…" another pat on knee. "I sensed you were the decent and compassionate type. A good soul trapped by Fate in a demon's body. A creature no doubt anxious to prove its retained Humanity by doing acts of worthiness. Eh, Clement…?"
"Uh…Sure…"
"Good…Than we can depend on your assistance in finding and releasing my poor beloved, can't we, Clement?"
"Uh…Well…"
"Excellent…" Angel smiled.
…
"So let me understand this, dear…" Praetorius frowned at Harmony, who, after an understandable fifteen minutes of trying to keep mum about the afternoon's events to her newly returned employers, had decided it was unlikely she could pass off Oz's being gagged and chained in the bedroom…The chains making a fair amount of noise as he thrashed about…As nothing important…
"You found Mr. Osbourne wandering about in the lower level laboratory…Secured him pending our return. Then Ms. Rosenberg materialized and you knocked her unconscious, then put her in thrall?"
"Ummn…Only to keep her from doing you and the Master harm, Doc…Doctor." Harmony nervously noted. "She's ok…I didn't take much. And Oz is ok, I just had to tie him up. Willow gave me some magics-powered chains to help hold him down…"
Dracula sighed…
Lovely…
"I couldn't help it…Sirs." she looked at Andrew's frowning, then Dracula's sympathetic if concerned face…
Well, better than if the other way round, I'd say…
"Really, really sorry…"
"And Ms. Rosenberg is back with her friends now. But still under your thrall?" Dracula asked.
Hmmn…Perhaps not all bad…
"Well, I tole her to forget everything except that Oz was fine and everything here was hunky-dory." Harmony nodded eagerly. "I don't think she'll give us any trouble…"
"Why was it necessarily to attack her?" Andrew, angrily. "Do you realize you might have killed her?"
'Doctor…" Dracula tried to calm his partner. "There's no serious harm done as yet. It was an unfortunate incident but clearly unavoidable."
Harmony anxious to make amends for any faux pas…
"I didn't want..Well, I woulda enjoyed it actually…Killing her, I mean. Sorry, it's my nature. But you made me promise not to kill humans. So I really didn't know what else to do…Sirs." wanly… "If I screwed up, I'm really sorry. Stake me if you think you must."
"Now, now…" Dracula patted her arm. "From what you tell us, you had little choice. You see that, don't you, Andrew?" he turned to Praetorius who was still fuming…
"Perhaps…Still…" Andrew glared. "We are left with the problem of Mr. Osbourne. As a werewolf he's unlikely to be a good candidate for thrall even by you, Count. And there is the strong potential that Ms. Kendall's little tranquillization thrall of Ms. Rosenberg will be detected by the Slayer's colleagues…"
"I'm sure Ms. Kendall handled things properly with Ms. Rosenberg. And that she can keep Mr. Osbourne safely secure and fully intact until our work is done here." Dracula replied. Reassuring smile to Harmony who beamed…
"And it does leave us with a potentially useful hold on Ms. Rosenberg…" he noted. "Which of course we would exploit only for the sake and duration of our project." he eyed Andrew's annoyed face…
Hmmn…Well…
Perhaps it would be easier than the sort of blackmailing negotiations I had in mind… "But I must insist that Ms. Rosenberg's health be put before the needs of the project. No harm must come to her…"
"And none shall, Doctor…I would not offend Elisabete's memory and soul by doing harm in the course of this action. Should Ms. Rosenberg be at risk at any point we will abandon our effort. You have my solemn word on it." Dracula nodded.
"I'm really good at thrall…" Harmony noted. "I don't think I ever lost any one I didn't want to kill…"
Hmmn…Andrew gave her a sour look.
Though come to think of it…I don't remember ever not wanting to kill a victim. She did not say…
…
"Are you sure you're ok, Wil?" Xander asked as they headed for Sunnydale General…Willow looking up at him from the passenger seat. Hmmn?
"Eh, yeah…Just a long day I guess…" she sighed, rubbing her forehead. "Tara was ok when you left?"
"Very much so…Don't worry." he smiled at her briefly.
"Wish we could figure out what might be tying her to Dracula. If it is Dracula involved here…" she sighed.
"God knows…And as usual is enjoying keeping the secret." he smiled again. "But we'll get to the bottom of it, we always do. So Oz was good? And is set for tonight?" he glanced out the window at the darkening sky…
"I guess…" Willow replied vaguely. "I mean, yeah…Sure…He's all set." she shook herself. "Sorry…I'm just pooped."
"Bedtime for Bonzo after we see Tara, I'd say." he turned the car into the Sunnydale General's visitor lot. Pulling into the nearest open spot…
"I was hopin' to stay tonight with her…"
He looked at her, shutting off the motor… "I don't think that's such a good idea, Wil. You seem all in. Why not go home, get some decent shut-eye in your own bed while An and I take first shift with Tara, then come back early in the am?"
"I shouldn't leave her…" Willow shook her head.
"You're no good to her like this, Wil."
"I'll be fine…"
He sighed…Well, best to let Tara handle this…
Bang on the glass…
"Hey An…" he called without looking. As Willow jumped a bit in her seat…
"It's the hormones…Don't take anything she says the wrong way." he hissed as they got out to meet Anya's annoyed face.
"You two took your time…" she insisted. Looking from one to the other…Rather suspiciously, even the exhausted Willow noted.
"Is Tara ok?" Xander asked.
"She's fine. What took so long?" brittle angry tone.
"Oz is good too…" he replied. "We'll meet you inside Wil, just a min."
Willow nodded and headed for the entrance. Anya watched, then looked at Xander's calm stare…
"I'm doing it again?" she sighed.
"'Fraid so…" he nodded.
"Oh…But Oz was ok, right? He won't die?" her voice quavering a bit. "I'm really sorry I shoulda asked…"
"No…" he patted her. "Oz won't die and neither will Anya Harris. I won't allow it."
She stared at him, tearing up…
"You're a good man, Alexander." she embraced him…Sobbing.
"An…"
…
Having seen Tara briefly, Dawn had sent Jonathan off to attend to his duties at the Rosenberg estate. And as soon as opportunity permitted to contact Buffy and William to warn them of the gang's determination to lay either the rumors about their continued existence, or their souls, to rest…
She returned to find Giles in the waiting room with Xander and Anya…Willow now with Tara, Xander explained. All three eyeing her…
Hmmn… "Jon's off to check things at the estate…" Ummn? She looked about…
"Where's Faith?"
"Like Jonathan…" Giles eyed her coolly a moment.
What do you two idiots take us for? His expression clear…
"…she had important business to attend to…" he noted.
"Daughter of Rosenberg..."
Summary: One year after the events of "Groom of Rosenberg" Buffy the Rosenberg Monster and her honey have returned to ask a special favor of their creators Rosenberg and Praetorius...While Tara faces the more or less Big Bad...
Disclaimer: Would Joss want his name associated with this? I think not...But anyway all BTVS characters remain the property of Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, and all other owner/creators of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer series...Though his brother Mort gets nothing...
Archived at the Cicelyverse page of the Buffy Rebecca verse,
...
Part XXII...
"I cannot give you all the details of our project, Mr. Osbourne…" Dracula sighed. "And I truly regret…As does my friend the good doctor and does Ms. Kendall." he eyed Harmony standing by the bed in which Oz lay, magic chains holding him down…Gag in place…Harmony quickly nodding, with no little fervor. "That you had to be involved in this manner…"
"Truly regrettable. Osbourne…" Andrew agreed. "But entirely accidental…"
"Indeed…And I can assure you, sir…" Dracula continued. "This project is in no way associated with an evil goal. It is both a redemptive effort and a rescue. The rescue of my beloved's soul from torment, in fact."
"I can verify what the Count says, Daniel." Andrew noted. "There is no threat to any human being here…And the goal is quite laudable."
"The situation with Ms. Rosenberg is likewise deeply regrettable…" Dracula sighed. "But, given Ms. Kendall's demon's nature, she did show great restraint in merely enthralling her."
Oz glaring at the two males…Harmony trying to look both properly guilt-ridden and pleased to have done the right thing…
Vampire on the side of all things Light, that's me…
"And Willow is quite all right, we assure you…" Andrew chimed in. "And will be perfectly normal when all is done and the Count has made his attempt."
"Which I pledge to you…As I have to Dr. Praetorius…I shall abandon…For my wife's sake as well as my redemption. Should any harm seem likely to come to Ms. Rosenberg." Dracula motioned to Harmony who cautiously stepped to Oz's side and removed the gag.
"You crazy maniacs…!" he fumed. "You 'assure' me Willow will be ok? Bullcrap!...This is insane…You let me out of this!" he shook his chained hands. "And you let Willow go. And we'll tbeb talk. I'll even put in a good word with Faith the Vampire Slayer before she kills you all!"
"Daniel…" Andrew sighed. "This is why we must keep you confined a short while longer. Your feelings and motives do you great credit."
"Indeed…" Dracula nodded.
"…But this project, if successful, may save countless lives from the fiend loose in the Count's poor wife's body. And secure the Count's redemption, likewise ensuring the safety of countless millions…"
"Fine…Then let us both go. And we'll clear things with Rupert Giles and then you guys can go nuts…Nuttier…"
"Much as I respect the Council in general and Mr. Giles specifically, in principle." Dracula sighed. "I fear they would not understand the implications of our efforts in time to allow us to reach completion while we have time and opportunity."
"Time is critical here, Osbourne…" Andrew agreed. "The Count's wife's soul will be difficult to retrieve and Drusilla will fight desperately to hold her place on Earth even with the presently favorable season and the Count's long hours of preparatory work to weaken the demon and contact the soul. Not to mention, my cloned brain will only survive a few days in its dormant state. We must proceed very soon or fail."
"Yeah…" Harmony chimed in…Eager to assert her enthusiasm. "We gotta move on this, Daniel…"
"And Ms. Kendall too will be helped before we complete our project." Dracula noted. "The same process which shall retrieve my Elisabete's soul will call hers back as well. And her soul will then be free to choose her fate, which we will respect…"
"Yeah…" Harmony nodded…Perhaps just a tad less enthusiasm…
Still, if the Master wishes…Soul it is.
Maybe I should marry that Angel. If we don't decide to stake ourself. My soul being so noble and all I'm sure to choose either a noble death or an immortal existence as a saving type. Harmony the Protector of Humanity…The Chosen One…
Course I'll be in Hell watching…Still, it's not so bad. Like being the world's greatest cheerleader…
"I'll fight you…I'll stop you." Oz glared. "Unless you let Willow go, right now…"
"Willow has gone, Osbourne. She's safe with her and your friends."Andrew noted. "She doesn't even remember what happened. So, you see, we've no ill intent here…"
"She's still under his thrall…" Oz eyed Dracula.
"Regretably, yes, via Ms. Kendall…" Harmony giving nervous smile after slight miff for her role being ignored… "But only for a short while longer. We will need her to assist us in retrieving Elisabete's soul." Dracula sighed. "But again, I promise no harm will come to her and I will abandon the project should she be at any real risk."
"Easy for you to say…And she's already been harmed." Oz, shaking head, then chains…
"It's much simpler than having to pressure her with regard to her creations, poor Buffy and William." Andrew noted. "She'll bear no responsibility for our project. With luck and your cooperation, she won't even remember her participation…"
"No deal…" Oz, coldly. "I will get out of here. And I will stop you."
"I believe you will do your utmost to protect the woman you love, my boy." Dracula nodded. "And I can only hope you believe my feelings are as pure as yours. I fully respect your intentions and understand. I regret only that I can't allow you to interfere. But as soon as the project is complete you will be free to go, whatever you wish to do regarding me. Though, please…Accept that Dr. Praetorius is cooperating only for the greater good. Any blame should fall upon me and me alone…"
"We'll leave you now with Harmony. Please don't take any risks, Osbourne. We mean you no harm but you are still recovering and in a more fragile state than you may realize. And Willow would be heartbroken if anything happened to you. I am sorry, good night, my boy." Praetorius turned for the door…Dracula pausing…
"Guard Mr. Osbourne well, my dear…" he addressed Harmony carefully. "But no harm is to come to him, whatever happens. Contact me or the doctor if any trouble arises…"
"Right, sir…But if he makes trouble? I can't thrall him." she glanced at the twisting Oz, struggling again with the chains…
"No harm…Between the chains and his weakened condition, you should be able to restrain him without violence. Just focus and watch him carefully. Contact the staff if he needs anything as to food or medication…Daniel." he regarded Oz. "Again, I am truly sorry…Good night…"
The two left quietly…Praetorius frowning at Harmony. "A close watch, my girl…"
"Yes, Doctor…" she nodded.
The door closing, she took a seat in a chair next to the bed…Looking round a bit. Hmmn…
Well, I've been a babysitter to Drusilla…How hard can this be?
"You wanna watch TV?" she offered. "We can see if there's something decent…I think there's an 'Ugly Betty' rerun if you don't like the Fashion Channel."
…
Angel's and Wesley's hotel room…
"You don't want to follow him…?" Wesley eyed Angel who smiled thinly…
"Clement?...No, no need right now. We want to let our bait float round a bit and see what bites. I can find him quick enough when the time comes…"
"He may know very little. I doubt Spike or Buffy would trust him with anything important…"
"He's an innocent…Much as a souled demon can be. A transformant, probably a curse victim… And for whatever foolish reason, it's clear he's protective of them. He'll lead us to them eventually."
"I agree, he's clearly not evil in nature. But, Angel? If he's protective of them, as you say…Isn't it possible the stories about William and her…The soul…? Are true?"
"I have a duty to my beloved, Wes. I won't let foolish sentiment get in the way of that. Spike's as adept as Angelus was at using such fools as his tools."
"But can't we at least agree to give them a chance? See if there's any hope that they're not what you believe? We owe them that much…"
"If they're not…What I believe…Surely God will protect them, as my mother would say. And if He delivers them into my hands…" Angel shrugged. Folding…Damn…He fussed with the locking stiff arm…Wes moving to assist…
…Folding arms… "…then we must assume that my feeling is the correct one…"
Hmmn…Wes sighed.
The Almighty tends to work rather slow in these matters, it's been my experience…