Uncursed
Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 6 & Angel Season 3 A.U.
Chapter One:
10 months later . . .
"Come out, Slayer . . . come out, come out wherever you are!"
Buffy raced down the dark and dank alley, her newborn child close to her body. The vampire chasing after her was catching up, so she ran faster. Her blonde hair whipped in her face, and her daughter Lexi was bawling up a storm. But who could blame her? The one-month-old infant didn't know what was going on.
Buffy turned the corner and went deeper into the alley. A few seconds later, the vamp turned the corner too. Buffy didn't take time to look back, but only ran faster. Using her super strength and agility, she easily jumped over a fence and kept moving. Her lungs were burning, but she ignored it and didn't stop.
"I'll get you my pretty . . . and your little brat too!" the vamp shouted. Jeesh, Buffy thought, This guy is just hittin' the cliches today, isn't he? She kept running, running . . . until she came to a dead end. On three sides of her, there were huge, thick, brick walls. The only way out was where the vamp was coming.
When he caught up with her, he smiled, "Where're ya gonna go now Slayer? Got ya all backed in a corner, I did."
"Where in the hell did you learn your grammar from? 'Grammar For Dummies'?" Buffy shot back. She rocked Lexi up and down in the crook of her arm.
"I wouldn't be so cocky if I was you, Slayer. Especially with that tiny, delicious, little babe ya got there," the vamp licked his lips. "I've never tasted the blood of a slayer's offspring. A slayer either . . . but I've heard stories. I can't wait to taste if it's true."
Buffy used her free hand to discreetly pull a stake out of her back jeans pocket. "One thing you didn't count on: I don't need two hands to fight." She raised the stake and he lunged at her. She moved the baby out of the way and kicked the vamp in the stomach. He barely flinched and brought his fist down on her face. It collided with her mouth and she tasted blood. Spitting the copper-tasting liquid out, she kicked the vamp in the shins. He sank to the ground and cried out in pain. "Oh god, my leg!"
"Deja vu anyone?" Buffy said. While the vamp was still on his knees Buffy gently set Lexi down where she would be out of the way and safe for the moment. The infant bawled and squalled as her mother went back to the vamp. Swinging her arm she brought the stake down and punctured the vampire's undead heart. He shouted and cursed.
"Bitc–" the vamp said just before exploding into dust.
Buffy went back to Lexi and picked the little girl up. "Some people should just learn to watch their language around children," she said to Lexi, who was still crying. Buffy sighed and started making her way out of the alley and toward the bus stop. Sitting on the bench she started singing a lullaby to calm Lexi before the bus arrived.
~*~
Lorne the empath demon hummed as he walked down the sidewalk. He was on his way to a private reading a couple of blocks away. The night was quiet and the moonlight made his green skin glow. He was from a dimension called Pylea, in which the natives were green with red horns. Lorne had left Pylea because he was different from his fellow Pyleans. He could read people's auras when they sang. And of course there was no music, love, or art in Pylea. Only cranky green demons and 'cow' slaves. Cow referring to what Pyleans called humans, of course.
Anyway, it was quiet until Lorne could hear a very loud cry that sounded like it was coming from a baby. And boy, did that kid have a ripe set of pipes. He also heard a woman singing. Her voice was very beautiful and knocked the sense right out of Lorne. Literally.
While the woman sang, he automatically read her. She was a new mom, trying to make it on her own. And besides a beautiful voice she also had a genuinely warm and caring heart. He could also tell that she'd been burned by love more than once. Then . . . bam.
She was a Slayer! And in her head Lorne saw that she knew someone Lorne was also familiar with. Angel, the vampire with a soul. They had been lovers in the past and were now just friends. The reading ended and Lorne blinked. He had to talk to her! Without thinking, he ran up to her.
The minute she saw him her eyes went wide in surprise and she went on the defensive. She stood up and went after him. Before he could say anything, her fist collided with his face and he was out. The last thing he saw before passing out from his position on the ground was the Slayer running way.
~*~
After that horrible demon attacked them, Buffy ran to the one place she knew she could get answers: The Oracles. Giles had once told her about them and how to get a hold of them. Also, the part about the gift. So, she went to the cave where the Oracles were, with Lexi in her arms, and shouted for them to come to her. "I need to talk to the Oracles! Please! It's really important!" She looked up at the ceiling, waiting hopefully, "Please!"
"Silence lower being!" two voices, a man and a woman shouted at the same time. There were no bodies to be seen.
"Please, I need answers," Buffy pleaded.
"What have you brought us?" the Oracles said.
Buffy pulled a dagger from her pocket, "Dagger of Lex." The dagger floated out of her hand and onto the altar in the middle of the cave.
"Very well, your answers will be given," the Oracles said, "You wish to know about the demon who you think is after your offspring."
"Yes. Why is it after us? Is Lexi in danger?" Buffy asked, rocking a sleeping Lexi.
"No," the Oracles said, "You must learn, Slayer, that not every demon is on the side of evil. The answers you seek lie within your heart."
Buffy raised her eyebrow, "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
"Patience, Slayer. The demon with a soul, Angel. Go to him. Therein lies the sanctuary you have been searching for. Follow your heart, for it will guide you well. But beware, the answer is among you," the Oracles spoke. A bright, white light filled the room and Buffy closed her eyes. When she opened them, she was in front of a hotel. She heard voices from within.
~*~
"What are you trying to say, Lorne?" Cordelia said in frustration.
He panted, out of breath from running all the way from the bus stop after he woke up. "I was at the, ah . . . I was at the bus stop. There was a woman there, with a baby." He stopped to catch a breath.
Angel, Cordelia, Fred, Gunn, and Wesley all anxiously waiting for Lorne to finish his story, "Well?" Fred said.
"The baby was crying, and the woman was singing to her." Lorne said.
"How do you know the baby was a girl?" Angel asked.
"That's a very good question, Angelcakes. The same way I know that you know who the woman is," Lorne said.
"Who is it?" Angel said.
"Hmm, she has blonde hair, green eyes, is really strong and agile even though she's short and tiny? Goes by the title of 'Vampire Slayer'? Ring any bell?" Lorne said.
"Buffy!? Buffy's in L.A.?" Angel shouted.
"There's more than that Angelcakes, a lot more. Which you can see by the huge bruise on my face," Lorne said, wincing.
"Buffy hit you?" Cordelia asked. Lorne nodded.
"Are we talking about the same Slayer who died and came back to life?" Fred asked.
"Yes," Angel said, "Hey, did you say that Buffy has a baby?"
"Yep. Kid's as cute as a button. No, scratch that, cuter than a button. If Judy Garland and Tony Bennet had a beautiful love child it would look like the Slayer's child. Anyway, she has had a tough time these past months." Lorne said.
"Where is she? Why didn't you bring her here?" Angel said.
"I was kind of busy with the passing out. Before I could even say anything, she socked me in the face!" Lorne said.
"Well duh!" Cordelia said, "You walk up to the Slayer with her child in her arms lookin' all green. It's like walking up to an bear with cubs by her!"
"Cordelia's right," Fred said, "It's a natural maternal instinct. Plus the fact that Buffy has never met Lorne. She didn't know he was good. She probably thought he was evil. Naturally she would assume he was going to attack her child."
"Well, I didn't know that!" Lorne protested.
"Guys, shouldn't we go find her?" Gunn asked.
Angel ignored him, "Lorne, tell me more about what you saw when you read her."
"Sorry Angelcakes, but I think blondie over their should tell you her story," Lorne pointed towards the front door. Everyone looked to where he was pointing.
To Be Continued . . .