Title: Story of a Girl
Disclaimer: I don't own anything. At all. If I did, I'd have more money then God and would never have canceled BtVS and Angel.
Summary: A teenage girl is given an impossible destiny. She's taken away from everything she knows and everyone thinks she's dead. Eight years later, she's back, and in for one hell of a fight.
Distribution: Just ask if you want to use this.
Spoilers: All of Buffy and Angel. Through GoF, and some minor ones from OotP.
a/n: 'Kay peoples! I've got reviews to answer! I'm so happy. I should make up a review dance! Once again, I want to thank all of the nice people who reviewed! Yay you! Now… onto the specifics.
Just Me- Thanks, thanks, and thanks, first of all. Now, onto the question about the tension between the Scoobies and the Hogwarts Crew, it'll ease up little by little. They can't become instant buds or anything because everyone involved is more then a little suspicious of things, and with good reason, given everything they've been through. And no one is really trusting, either. Besides, they have a lot of issues to work out, first.
Lightdemondarkangel- They'll be on the way to becoming friends again, that's true. On the surface they will be. It'll take a lot more then a quick meeting or two for them to get to the Scooby level. A lot more. No, Buffy's not going to become a braniac. I think Hermione had a quick wit and could remember little details of information to put in some form of essay or project. She studied to get those details of information, and because those details interested her. She studied so hard because she wanted to be the best. Buffy has a quick wit and can use little details of information to form some crazy plan that seems suicidal but always works. Buffy chose saving people over studying, and the Gryffindor in her wanted more action then just the books. That's why I think she wasn't put in Ravenclaw and was drawn into Harry's adventures. She used the same drive that made her such a good student to become such a good Slayer, and she is a really good strategist, something she would've picked up in both books and Slaying. That's my explanation, anyway.
Jenna Summers- Thanks! And I'm planning for Ginny to find a real friend, but it won't be right away, and I hope it's unexpected.
clcountry- I really love your story and I hope you work out Chapter Six. Thank you! And the hostility between Buffy and the Order is partly because they're all having some major hurt issues and partly because it finally seemed like Buffy's life was finally coming together, not exactly normal, but better then it had been. I love Cordelia, and she was the character that first got me interested in the show- the first episode of Buffy I ever watched was 'Homecoming', and you never know who's going to pop in to shake things up again once things calm down. (hinthint).
Charmed-angel4- thanks! I'm glad you liked Chapter Five.
Wow! That was even longer then last time. Oh well, time for the craziness of this poor, tortured little story.
Buffy looked out her bedroom window, wondering how things had gone from as perfect as a love-less life could be, to hell- this time, not the literal version of it, just damned close. Speaking of hell, she had to get dressed and go face it- Dawnie was trying to cook, a disaster that could only be rivaled by her own cooking skills. Or lack of, because there were no chefs to be had in Casa de Summers. Buffy hadn't even been able to bake Play Dough as a child.
"Come on, Buffy! They're almost done!" Dawn called from the kitchen.
Buffy winced and walked over to her closet, wishing she had taken longer in the shower. Dawn's meal was sure to be… interesting, at least.
That's right, stay on the positive, Buffy told herself.
It would be colorful, too. Very colorful. And filling. Buffy probably wouldn't be able to eat anything for the rest of the day. At least she would never get fat. Carb counting, schmarb counting, right? The Slayer brightened as she came up with a plan. Maybe shopping would make Dawn finish her breakfast soon. Okay, it was more like lunch, but with the serious Traum-o-rama all last night, eleven thirty something was a very reasonable time to wake up.
And neither Summers sister had gone shopping in London since they had arrived, almost two months before! It was practically a sign of the apocalypse. Buffy half expected some crazy little guy with green horns and pointy shoes to start singing and dancing to the beat of his very own prophecy of death and destruction. After all, demons she could handle, old clothes, Buffy could so not.
The blonde walked over to her admittedly large closet and started browsing around. She found a low-cut, white, baby-doll t-shirt and a pair of tight, low-rise, bleached jeans. Perfect for her purpose- casual, yet cute. Now shoes, a very important consideration. Hmm. Maybe those black ones with the little silver buckles on the side? Nah, to winter-y and heavy for this outfit. Flip flops? No, too day at the beach-y. How about those new white sandals with the high heels? They did make her look about three inches taller, and height was very important to the petite blonde. Did they match her outfit? Yes. Would they be comfy during long hours of shopping? They looked like they would be. New white sandals it was, then.
Her important Shoe Selection Process over for the time being, Buffy got dressed and walked out to the kitchen, a little scared what she'd find brewing. Forget drugs, her little sis's concoctions were way more lethal. Buffy was sure it would be one of the most effective poisons in the world if anyone was stupid enough to ignore the ugly color, thick gloopeyness, and really bad smell to actually try it.
"Hey, Buffy," Dawn said, annoyingly perky for someone who was supposed to have gotten as little sleep as the rest of the Scooby Gang.
"Want some?"
The teenager waved her goo-covered spatula around in the air, making her sister wince when little bits of sort-of-food hit the wall and ceiling and stuck there, defying all known laws of gravity.
"Um, what is it?" Buffy ventured cautiously.
"A frozen peas and broccoli, carrot juice, ketchup, bread, and peanut butter smoothie," Dawn answered.
Trying not to comment on anything that might hurt her sister's feelings, Buffy asked, "Where'd you get the frozen stuff? And the carrot juice? I know we don't use any of that here… well, until today, anyway." She added.
"Oh, it was some of that stuff Giles keeps dropping off. Why does he do that, anyway? Doesn't he get that vegetables are for health nuts and old people who wanna turn young?" Dawn asked as she poured her smoothie out into a cup.
"Dawnie, why do you have a spatula?" the Slayer asked.
Dawn shrugged.
"I tried to turn it into an omelet after I put the smoothie stiff in the blender, but if just kind of flopped- so smoothie city!"
Buffy inwardly cringed. Distraction would be good right now.
"Hey! Why don't you put your smoothie in the fridge and we can go shopping!" the blonde said, hoping her smile didn't falter as she looked at the Icky Cup of Grossness in her sister's hand.
Dawn looked even more hyper.
"Oh, shopping!" she agreed immediately.
The brunette's smile fell as she heard someone knock at the door.
"Or not," Dawn continued, "I hope it's not that crazy religious lady from next door. She scares me."
Buffy nodded emphatically as she went to answer the door. Mrs. Hinkley was a middle-aged woman who lived with her daughter. She'd already been by the apartment twice, trying to convince the girls to go to church more often before going off on long theological sermons that had actually made Buffy fall asleep the last time.
"Hi," Buffy said as she opened the door, then she saw who stood behind the door and her polite, but pissed off expression changed into one that was blank and expressionless- a mask.
"Dawnie, call Giles," the Slayer called over her shoulder.
"Okay. What do I tell him?" Dawn yelled back, smoothie in one hand and phone in the other.
Buffy didn't answer, just stepped back and let their visitors come in. Dawn's mouth formed a perfect o of surprise, and the teen turned around and went into the kitchen, most likely to rant to Giles and call the Order members some words that Buffy didn't want to know Dawn knew. The Slayer put a false smile on and a convincingly polite tone. She wished that things were easier on them all, but there was too much history between the leaders of the two completely different groups, and too much pain. But everyone would join the Hellmouth patented Twelve Steps To Repairing Friendships program, and things would be peachy again. Step Number One, don't resort to violence. Killing and maiming people is bad. You can't make up with someone if they're dead.
"Hey guys, glad you dropped by," she chirped.
Harry looked mildly surprised by her cheerful welcome, but that wasn't surprising, considering they had been faced with a pissed off Willow and a cat eyed Slayer. Not the best way to restart things on the right foot.
"Yeah, well, we thought that it would only be polite to take you up on your offer," he quickly recovered, the precise British words contrasting with the blonde's light, relaxed accent.
"That's great. So… how've you all been?" Buffy's words were awkward, and she could tell that Harry and Ron hated this as much as she did, but there didn't seem any way to go back to normal.
"So, are we going to actually do anything, or is standing here like a bunch of poncy gits with our wands stuck up our arses the order of the day?" a voice drawled.
Buffy's eyes widened at the sound of that voice. Could it be? Her eyes flew up to those of the speaker. As soon as the thought flew through her mind, she immediately rejected it. The differences were there. Icy gray eyes as opposed to silvery blue, platinum blond hair that hung long and loose, instead of short and spiky. The voice wasn't as low. He was shorter then her vampire, and not as toned and lean. Fit for a human, yes, but without the muscle mass of a vampire. The clothes were baggy and blue, compared to the tight fitting black leather Spike had loved so much. The cheekbones were a little bit lower, though not much, the way he held himself so different from the cocky stance of the second vampire with a soul. It wasn't Spike. He wasn't Spike. Disappointment flooded Buffy's stomach. It had been a far-fetched idea to think that Spike was back, but she hadn't been able to stop herself from hoping.
The strange blonde man looked at her, surprised.
"Who are you?" Buffy asked him, mostly composed again, leaving the others wondering as to the reason behind her sudden freeze up.
To the Slayer's surprise, the blonde man began to laugh. Buffy looked at him like he was competing with Drusilla in the Most Insane Person In the Universe Pageant.
"Was that funny?" Buffy asked him dryly. "Because you've got a kind of humor that's not. Geez, talk much? I mean, you obviously don't get out a lot, since the dead look is way old, I mean, what are you? A Living Dead wannabe? And your manners? Got a little something missing. It's a teeny tiny little thing called being normal. You know, where you go all the way outside your little hole in the ground and talk to the geeks in the cave next door."
The blonde didn't know why, but something about the annoying blonde man just pissed her off. It was the only explanation she could give herself as to why she had suddenly started on a high school Cordelia insult spree. The fact that the young man actually seemed mildly impressed and more then a little amused by her bit of Spike Jr. bashing was just adding to it.
He raised an eyebrow at her.
"So the little bookworm finally grew some teeth," he commented in that annoying, familiar drawl of his, "and a few other things, too."
Familiar?
Buffy could feel his eyes looking her up and down, savoring the tight outfit she was wearing. She twirled in her cute, but comfy heels.
"You like?" she asked seductively.
Sure, she was so not interested in someone who could easily pass for her ex's twin- again, a wound that wasn't healed yet- but a little harmless flirting wouldn't hurt. She twirled backwards, so that she was going closer and closer to the stranger. Soon she was pressed right against his body, and still twirling. He moved his arms to stop her, but the Slayer caught them and held them around her, still twirling them both backwards. She backed him against the wall, pushed on top of him, crushing him there, and letting a few of those assets that he had just admired do some talking. The small blonde rose up on her tip toes, pressing even harder as she did so. She stopped when her mouth was even with his ear.
"I think you do, or do you have two wands in your pants?" her breath tickled his ear, hot and intense.
Buffy gave him a sultry grin and ground her hips into his, copying a move Faith had used far too many times to count. She stepped back keeping one hand on his chest and using it to hold him against the wall.
"You might be a halfway decent human being, Malfoy," she smirked at him, still not letting him up, "and maybe even a good fuck."
Draco gulped as she stopped applying pressure to his chest. The Slayer turned around to find not five, but thirteen pairs of eyes staring at her, and thirteen mouths hanging open. Then Xander let out a whistle.
"Faith would've been proud of that, Buff," he said appreciatively.
Kennedy gave her a lascivious grin.
"Wanna join me and Will some time?" she asked, looking incredibly horny, like only a Slayer can.
Buffy returned the grin and Xander looked like all of his dreams had finally come true.
"Any time," she responded, eyes sparkling.
"Okay," Ron said huskily, "how come she treated us like she wanted to bite our head off, but practically shagged Draco?"
"Who?" the Scoobies asked.
"Draco Mal-," the flustered blonde began to introduce himself, but was cut off by about half a dozen very loud interruptions.
"SPIKE!"
Draco shook his head at the crazy Americans. What was wrong with them, anyway? Granger spent eight years with them, and it had had turned her into some scary, cat eyed harlot, Merlin only knew what the others would end up doing. Then his lust filled mind registered something said mad woman and two more- one was the frightening red-turned-white head with all of the powers and glowy green eyes, and the other the small, flirty looking brunette- had said a few minutes ago. Granger wanted to shag the girls!
In the middle of Buffy's explanation that Draco was not Spike, he ruined any chance for dignity he might have had- which, admittedly, was not a lot- by bursting out with,
"You boff women?"
Which immediately set everyone except the two women who did just that into fits of laughter.
"Do you have a problem with that?" Willow asked sweetly, her eyes narrowing dangerously.
Draco shook his head hurriedly, not wanting to incur the Wicca's wrath again. His fellow Order members especially loved this. One rarely ever got to see the unflappably cool Malfoy heir- which he still was, mainly thanks to the shortage of other Malfoys and the multitude of more pressing tasks- uncomfortable, let alone outright stunned. It was a rare and happy moment- for those who would use this day as blackmail for the rest of the unfortunate one-time ferret's life.
"So, since there's no blood on the floor I'll take a stab at the Daily Double and guess you're finally speaking to each other," Giles surmised.
"Pretty much," Buffy agreed, "but we're pretty far from the mushy-gushiness."
"I figured that much," Giles told her.
"Can someone translate that?" a young woman with shaggy black hair asked.
"Okay, - hold on, who are you?" Buffy asked.
"Nymphadora Tonks," Tonks answered, "but I'll hex anyone who calls me by my infernal name. It's Tonks."
"You're name is Nymphomaniac?" Buffy gasped, "Wow, you're parents weren't too optimistic about the future, huh?"
For some mysterious reason, everyone in the room began to suffer from coughing fits. Tonks looked indignant.
"My name is not Nymphomaniac, and I most certainly am not one. Do any of you think of anything besides sex?" she asked, irritated.
"You say that like it's a bad thing," Anya commented.
The Scoobies all closed their eyes and bit back groans. This was not going to be an embarrassing day, right?
As if.
Buffy walked along the sidewalk, chatting with Ginny. The Scooby women were introducing the two Order of the Phoenix representatives to the wonderful world of Muggle fashions. Needless to say, they loved every minute of it. Giles and Xander had taken the other guys back to Council Headquarters, and Andrew… well, Andrew had just tagged along with them, muttering little comments that made no sense to anyone who didn't have the brain and DNA of a geek.
The tension was there, no one was revealing anything personal, and everything was strictly kept to the lighter subjects, but it was a start. And so far, Buffy, the Scoobies, and the other witches and wizards were acing Step Number One of the Twelve Steps To Repairing Friendships Program. Now, all they needed was another few months of normalcy.
That hope was completely shattered in Bloomingdale's. Anya began to levitate and the other women quickly pulled her into an empty dressing room. When the vision was over she looked at Ginny and Tonks.
"You need our help," she said.
The two witches looked at each other but stayed silent.