Uncursed

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 6 & Angel Season 3 A.U.

Author's Note: Yay, Buffy's awake! But...we've got a beastie and possible apocalypse to deal with too. Shucks...the celebration never lasts long lol.

Chapter Eight:

"Hello?" Dawn's voice spoke through the phone.

Buffy was still for a moment, only the sound of breathing going through the phone.

"Hello? Is someone there?" Dawn said.

Buffy clicked the prepaid phone off, throwing it on the bedside table next to her. Beside her on the bed, Lexi lay awake, chewing on a stuffed dog.

The days after Wolfram & Hart had been put in the ground were tense, to say the least. Everyone was distrustful of each other but they all agreed to distrust and despise Lilah—except Wesley who was conflicted about all of it.

Buffy mostly kept to herself in her room. She played with Lexi and took care of her, enjoying the feeling of not being hunted by evil lawyers. Once Wolfram & Hart had been squashed by the Beast, they no longer persued Buffy.

The blonde Slayer despised Lilah and avoided her at all costs. Occasionally Angel would come up into her toom, asking how she was, was Lexi okay, did they have enough to eat. Sometimes he played with Lexi and it still surprised Buffy how well he was with her.

As for the rest of the people in the hotel, she didn't have much contact with them. To be honest she didn't know any of them (okay she once knew Wesley and Cordelia but a lot could change in four years) and din't know who to trust and not to trust.

She'd even skipped the research parties though Angel told her they were getting at some sort of headway. They'd found something about a prophecy that they thought might have something to do with what was going on . . . but they weren't sure yet.

It was pretty hard to do research though when you suspected that one of the people researching with you would stab you in your sleep.

Her slayer senses suddenly perked up and she recognized his footsteps before he even reached the stairs. She stood up, taking Lexi in her arms and going toward the door.

There was a knock on the door. "Buffy, can I—"

She opened the door. Angel's mouth was still open. "-come in . . ."

"Hi," She spoke quietly, holding Lexi close to her heart.

"Hi," His voice was as quiet as hers.

She stepped aside, allowing him to walk inside the room ahead of her. She closed the door, going back to sit on the bed. Angel sat beside her. She bounced Lexi gently up and down in her arms. The baby cooed contently in her sleep.

"Any luck down there?" Buffy asked, her focus still on her daughter.

"Not much," Angel shrugged, "Gunn and I went around town, going after demons who know who might know something."

"No dice?" Buffy guessed.

"Well, we did already know that the Beast is planning something. Or, actually, its Master is planning something and using their right hand rock to do the dirty work." Angel said. Buffy nodded. "One demon we talked to mentioned something about a son or sun we're not really sure which he was talking about."

"What do you mean?" Buffy said.

"We don't really know," Angel told her. "We're not even confident about how valid his information was anyway.

"Oh," Buffy deflated, sighing.

"Yeah," Angel said. He watched her watch Lexi, an expresson of thought in her features. "What's on your mind?"

She looked down, using a smile to cover her thoughts. "Nothing."

"Is everything okay?" Angel said.

"I'm fine," She insisted, hoping he'd back off about it.

"You'd tell me otherwise?" Angel said. She looked up.

"Promise," Buffy nodded. She looked out the window, noticing that it was now dark out. "Hey, could you take Lexi for a little bit? I just want to go out for a bit, flex my muscles. You know, keep the Slayer in me sane and in supply of fresh monsters to fight."

"Sure," Angel nodded. "I can definitely do that." She handed Lexi over to him.

Buffy started packing her Slayer's bag—which she'd somehow managed to keep track of even through all the times with Wolfram & Hart.

Angel held Lexi, watching her get ready to go. "You will be careful, right?" His voice was low, barely above a whisper.

"Angel," She pulled on her shoes, tying her hair back in a ponytail.

"You won't do anything stupid like,say, run or get yourself killed." The way he looked at her—correction, through her—sent a chill down her spine.

"I'm not some psycho head case who's going to run off the first chance I get okay? Been there done that. I'm not Faith either. I didn't murder anyone and you can stop treating me like a ticking time bomb."

Angel sighed, nodding. "No. But you've been through a tough time."

"You know better than that," She countered. "You know me better than that."

"I really don't anymore," Angel said. "The Buffy I knew would knever leave her sister and friends behind because there was something she didn't know how to handle." She stepped back, hurt by his words. "Why did you leave Sunnydale?"
"I don't know," She mumbled. "I don't know why. Because I did, okay? The strip turned pink and the only thing that felt like the right thing to do was go. So . . . I did." She said. "Does that satisfy your curiosity?"

He didn't answer. She sighed, slinging her bag on her shoulder and left.

Connor watched from afar as Buffy left the courtyard of the Hyperion, a duffel bag at her side. She was dressed to kill—literally—in sweats, tennis shoes, and an oversized shirt. An outfit like that let enemies and other hunters alike know that you mean business and intend to get dirty doing it.

Intrigued by her attitude—especially since she'd been cooped up in her room since awaking—he waited a bit before following her down the street. He stayed back far enough so she wouldn't know he was there but close enough so he wouldn't lose her.

She ended up leading him to the cemetery. It seemed to add up from all that Holtz had taught himm about the Slayer. They hunt at night, especially in cemeteries and other burial grounds. It all added up so far.

He was just about to enter the cemetery after her when he realized he couldn't sense her anymore. He searched the cemetery for an hour . . . but she was just gone.

Where'd she go?

Buffy caught on as soon as she left the hotel. She give Angel one thing: Connor was more like his father than either of them realized. As soon as Connor started following her, she could sense him just as she could always sense Angel. Once she was aware of this, she did all she could to lead him one place and lose him. The cemetery seemed an appropriate place to do this.

All so she could reach her real destination: the post office. Or rather, below it. It was time to have another chat with the Powers That Be.

The celestial "oracles" didn't appear to be ass willing or happy to have another chat with the Slayer.

"Slayer . . ." the word echoed as soon as she stepped foot in the cave.

"Well a big hell to you too," Buffy replied.

"The Powers that Be do not wish to be pestered with your questions, Slayer." The two-voices-in-one reprimanded her.

"I don't exactly get my jollies being a hired help—without the money part, mind you—for a bunch of god-like whatevers who sit on their noncorporeal asses and let humanity do the work either." Buffy said. "But here I am. So . . . I will ask my question and you, you's, whatever will patch me through. Got it?"

There was silence for a good long while before he/she boomed out an answer. "As you wish."

"Great," Buffy sighed. "Now that we're best buds we can get down to business." She put her hands on her hips. "Now, what the fuck is the deal with this rock demon? Oh, and it'd be nice to know who spent their thirty pieces of silver to betray the good guys."

"We are not permitted to answer," The two voices spoke.

"Let me translate: The Powers have no idea," Buffy rolled her eyes. "Wonderful. What can you tell me?"

"The vampire with the sould and his people are searching in the right place," They said. "However they will need your help."

"What am I supposed to do? I've never been research girl, even in Sunnydale." She said.

"Your involvement in crucial," They said. "You must help them and watch over your daughter. Her death will mean great suffering for all."

"Wait, what?" Buffy tensed.

"That is all, Slayer. Keep watch. Protect your daughter." They said. There was a supernatural shifting in the atmosphere and Buffy knew they were gone.

"Why is Lexi important?" She shouted.

But there was no answer.

To Be Continued . . .