CHAPTER 2
We got the soul, we got the honey
Stay alive we keep on running
House is on fire we're petrol stained
We stay on the move we ahead of the flames
We are the new accelerators
Faster we go before they make us
Maybe we did maybe we don't
Let's see your face as you throw the stone
I am a fugitive on the run
I carry the weight of what I've done
Those born of sweat
Through eyes of love
Bring more light
Than 5000 hurts
It's not where you're from where you go
And what you believe is more than you know
Open your head open your head
Hold me close as we jump off the edge
I am a fugitive on the run
I carry the weight of what I've done
So don't carry the weight
Don't carry the weight
Don't carry the weight
Don't carry the weight, weight, weight
You can't change the world
But you can change what's to come
You can't change the world
But you can change what's to come
I am a fugitive on the run
I carry the weight of what I've done
So don't carry the weight
Don't carry the weight
Don't carry the weight
Don't carry the weight, weight, weight
Weight, weight, weight, weight
Don't carry the weight, weight now
FUGITIVE - BUSH
1790 – The Landry State
Sir Andrew Landry rode with haste his black stallion. He had reached his home in record time. He jumped of his horse and didn't bother putting him away. He ran up the stairs and opened wide the doors of his house. The house was dark. The rain poured. He only heard a small laugh echo through the halls. "You thought you were going to make it in time", a female voice taunted. "You just made my night". Landry shivered at the thought. His spine melted when he heard Elizabeth's voice again. "Come to the dining room… you family awaits."
Landry did as instructed. Slowly he walked towards the dinning room. He could see light coming from inside. He slowly opened the door and fear washed over his face. His servants were all impaled on the dinning room wall. A wicked smiled was carved into their faces. The candles were lit and the table was set. The food was on the table. And most seats were taken in his twelve spot dining table. Dead bodies were seated in ready to eat positions. They all had carved smiled on their faces. At the end of the table. He saw his wife chained up. Landry ran up to her and tried to remove the chains.
Landry's wife sobbed. "She has Alexia!", she exclaimed. Baby cries were heard. Landry turned and saw Elizabeth carrying a baby girl in her arms. She smiled and caressed the young baby. "She looks like you", the vampire said.
Landry tried to jump her pulling out a stake. "You move another step I brake the neck!" Elizabeth barked.
Landry stopped dead in his tracks and dropped the stake. Elizabeth smiled and continued to rock the baby in her arms. "Father has been a naughty man", Elizabeth mocked with a childlike voice. "He left mommy and Alexia all alone, while he followed his obsession".
"Please", Landry begged as tears starting pouring down his eyes. "Please leave us alone". He put his face down on the floor and screamed. "I am sorry!"
Elizabeth smiled. "Too little too late", she said as she continued making childlike voices to the baby.
"Pleaseeee!", Landry begged with tears pouring down his eyes.
Elizabeth looked at Landry and smiled. "Tell you what", she said. "Because I am in a forgiving mood, I will let your wife decide".
Landry looked confused and turned his attention to his wife who was standing up. Her face showing her demonic form. She was a vampire. "No!", he exclaimed still on his knees.
"YES!", Elizabeth retorted back. "The famous Sir Andrew Landry. Demon hunter. Vampire killer. Reduced to his knees"
Landry's vampire wife walked to Elizabeth. "Can I taste her more?", she asked pointing at the baby. "You said I can taste some more when we played a joke on Andrew"
Elizabeth laughed just as Sir Andrew launched himself at her. Elizabeth just side stepped and showed the baby to Landry's wife. "Come and get her", she said. Landry saw the intention in his wife's eyes and jumped her first. He wrestled her on the floor of his dining room. Wrestled for control. Wrestled for survival. Elizabeth just laughed and danced to the sound of the storm.
Landry fought his wife hard trying to stop her from reaching his baby. He reached for the stake on the floor and was about to plunge it her heart when he saw his wife return to her normal self. "Andrew", she said softly. "I would never hurt Alexia"
Landry cried hard as he staked his own wife. The stake plunged deep into her heart. Her body began turning to ash and dust. He looked up and saw Elizabeth and the baby gone. He ran towards the door half stumbling half running. Drool coming out of his mouth. His mind slowly beginning to burn. "Elizabeth", he mumbled. "Elizabeth… Elizabeth…"
Sir Andrew Landry reached the front door and only saw the dark storm before him. "ELIZABETH!", he screamed.
Buffy screamed in pain and trashed around the bed. She held her stomach tight in pure agony. Angel jumped from the bed and looked at Buffy confused and distraught. It was four am. He tried to calm buffy down, but she did not stop screaming in pain. "Giles!", Angel called.
The watcher did not need Angel's scream to come into the couple's bed room. When he opened the door, he saw Angel trying to restrain Buffy. But she just tossed him to the side. Angel was back up and this time with Giles, they pinned Buffy to the bed.
Angel struggled to keep Buffy down. He saw her vamp out and look at him. "You will never have her", Elizabeth said. "I will be free". Angel panicked and looked at Buffy's hand. She still had the Amarra Gem. A million questions were pouring in his head. All of the sudden. Buffy stopped and calmed down. She had tears running down her eyes and started sobbing. Angel held her close as Buffy cried. "It's Elizabeth", she said. "She is trying to come out"
Angel did not know what to say. She just hugged Buffy tightly. She felt something wet at her side. He stopped hugging her looked at her teary eyes. HE then saw blood stained on her night blouse. Angel lifted the blouse and saw carved letters on Buffy's stomach.
A.L. it read.
Buffy's eyes were red from crying. She looked through the passenger window of Angel's car. Angel looked at Giles who rode in the back seat while he drove towards the chapel. Between sobs and tears, Buffy had asked Angel to drive her to the chapel. She did not explain why. She did not explain nothing. She just rode in silence. It was five am when they arrived. Buffy regretted sleeping to much. She feared sleep now. The nightmares were to intense. She ran up the stairs to the front entrance of the chapel. The singing was long done. She started knocking while Angel and Giles stood behind her. The door creaked open and a nun who looked some what tired greeted them. "I am here to see Father Michael", Buffy said somewhat embarrassed. "I am sort of late"
The nun nodded and opened the door gesturing for them to come in. Giles and Angel recognized the place well. They had been here when they requested help for an exorcism. They did not understand what was Buffy's need to be here after a brutal nightmare.
Father Michael came down the stairs and looked at Buffy. As soon as Buffy saw the priest she started weeping again. Father Michael calmed her down and sat her on a bench. "Calm down child", the priest said and looked at the two new strangers.
"I am Father Michael", he introduced himself. "I am new to the parish"
Angel shook his hand. "I am Angel", he said. "This is Giles"
Father Michael nodded and looked at Buffy. She was whispering something. It was the Psalm 91. In perfect Latin. "Pray my child", he said. "You are in a safe place". He stood up and gestured Angel and Giles to the back.
"She was here yesterday", he said. "Looking for comfort. It seems she has been having troublesome nightmares". Angel frowned. He had been so tired he hadn't noticed that Buffy was having trouble sleeping. He should have seen this. "I assume she did not mention this by the look on both your faces", the priest continued.
"You know what she is?", Giles asked.
Father Michael just smiled. "I know what most people think she is", he said peculiarly. "She is an old vampire". Angel was kind of surprised the way he said. So calm and relaxed. The priest continued. "The nuns explained what happened to my predecessor and that you helped with the rite a few months back".
"We did our best", Giles said.
"The heavens had your back", the priest said. "This town is so cursed, hope needs every crack of help it can get"
"You were sent here?", Angel asked.
"That is correct", Father Michael said. "I am sent to where I am most needed". He then turned his attention to Buffy as he saw Angel's eyes. "I see love in the air"
Angel blushed a little. He was not comfortable talking to a complete stranger about his love life. "She is my girlfriend", Angel said.
Father Michael just smiled. "Explain what happened"
Angel recounted the events. He was sort of embarrassed to the fact that he was in the same bed with Buffy at the moment, but the priest seemed to take it in stride. He explained Buffy's screams and her condition with her soul. As well as the gem of amarra.
Father Michael nodded at all the information. "A vampire with a soul", he repeated as he looked at Buffy. She was looking calmer now. "Can I ask you something Angel?" Angel nodded. If it helped Buffy, he would answer anything. "How well do you know Buffy or Elizabeth?"
Angel was about to answer but caught himself and thought about the question. HE knew Elizabeth pretty well. Well enough to know she was a cold hearted bitch. No remorse. Completely insane. Psychotic. Buffy on other hand, suffered a lot in her childhood. The death of her mother. Her deadbeat father. Abuse. When she had her soul returned, she only fought for her redemption. Buffy thought she had done all those evil things. It was not her. It was Elizabeth. "I know here pretty well", he answered
"How well you know about vampires?", the priest asked.
Angel laughed. It was his bread and butter for nearly five years. Giles had to smile too. "I am the vampire slayer", Angel said. "And Giles is my watcher. We know everything"
Father Michael smiled. "A vampire slayer in love with a vampire", he mused. "Rather poetic". Buffy stood up and joined them. "Feeling better child?", the priest asked.
Buffy nodded. "You should know that vampires have a keen sense of hearing", Buffy said. "Not nice to talk about someone when they are not part of the conversation".
Father Michael smiled. "Burned", he said.
"I have been having extreme nightmares", Buffy confessed as she looked at all of them. "They are all about Elizabeth. About her being a vicious killer. The nightmares include all the atrocities she made"
"Nightmare's", Giles mused. "From what we saw it seems as though you are reliving Elizabeth's acts"
Buffy nodded and looked at the Priest. "I feel in the dreams powerless. Hopelessness", she said. "That is why I come here. I feel comforted in this place. I know it sounds stupid, but I find peace" Father Michael just listened while Buffy explained. "It seems like all the bad things go away"
"This place is made for those who seek redemption", Father Michael said. "It is it's entire purpose"
"Is it all of Elizabeth's victims?", Angel asked.
Buffy shook her head. "It is just this one", Buffy said as the image of the dead demon hunter crossed her mind. She closed her eyes and tears came out. "Sir Andrew Landry".
Giles caught his breath. "Did you say Landry?", Giles asked.
Angel looked at his watcher surprised. "You know that name?"
Giles frowned. "More than I want to", he said.
"It seems as you have it al figured out", Father Michael said with a smile. "And they say that you can't find answers in the parish". Buffy smiled a sad smile. The memories were fresh in her brain. But comfort was found in this building. "The doors of this place will always be open for those who fight for the well being of others. Even if it is to purge their own necessity"
"Thank you", Buffy said as she headed for the door with her friends.
"Just a final thought before you leave", Father Michael said to Buffy. "When you are finished with resolving this situation you have, come back. We will talk about redemption"
"Alex Landry is a professional demon hunter", Giles said as Angel drove them back to the mansion. "He is a descendant of the Sir. Andrew Landry. Trained by the Watcher's council in fighting styles, combat tactics and dark arts"
"He works for the watchers council", Angel asked
"Worked", Giles emphasized as he cleaned his glasses. "He was relieved of his duties six years ago. In part because of me"
"Why?", Angel asked as he turned the corner with his car.
"He was obsessed with killing a famous vampire", Giles said as he looked at Buffy. "A vampire he dared not name. He studied vampire defenses and myths. Completely oblivious to his Council duties. He could get into a demon's head. Cause pain from the inside"
"That would explain the A.L. carved in your skin", Angel said as he looked at Buffy. "It meets his profile"
"I caught him doing something forbidden and punishable by death", Giles said. "I will not mention that now. But the council spared his life and had him banished. I thought I will never hear from him again".
Angel than turned towards Buffy who was silent the whole time. "I need to know", Angel said softly. "We need to know so we can help you. What did Elizabeth do?"
Buffy stared away. She did not know what was worst. The body of the story or the horrific conclusion.
1793 – London Asylum for the Insane
Sir Andrew Landry banged his head softly on the wall of his cell. The straight jacket that imprisoned him held him tightly. "Alexia…", he mumbled. "Alexia… Alexia… Alexia…"
A flash of lightning and then deafening thunder gave light to the room. In that instant, Landry saw the silhouette of a shadow. He slowly turned his head and saw Elizabeth inside the cell with him. Elizabeth pouted. "Poor Sir Andrew", she said. "Famous demon hunter, reduced to a babbling, drooling buffoon".
"You have taken everything from me", Landry said.
"Well you started it", Elizabeth said retorted. "You just could not leave it alone could you".
Landry turned back his head and started bashing his head again. Softly. Almost to the sound of a clock. Elizabeth sighed as she got close to him. "I promise to visit you every day", she said.
"Where is my daughter?", Landry asked. He dreaded for the answer.
"Landry", Elizabeth said faking insult. "It hurts. You would think I would kill a 4 year old baby". Landry looked at Elizabeth as she approached him until they were both face to face. "Of course life is hard in the old London", the demon said. "I mean… I killed your entire family. Nobody remembers who you are but a sick and disturbed old man that killed his own wife and disposed of the his own child". Tears were coming down Landry's eyes now. "Poor little Alexia has no home", the demon continued. "I had to leave here on the street". Landry started to drool now. His eyes were gone. "Without family…", Elizabeth continued. "And her old man in the loony bin, the star of your eyes will grow up in shame. Without recollection of her name. Probably become a hoar". Elizabeth turned to her demon self now. "Of course, if she makes it to that sweet age".
Landry's eyes were gone as well as his mind. Elizabeth just giggled at the scene as she slowly walked away from the cell.
"Landry died three days later", Buffy said as Angel parked the car in front of the mansion. "I remember being angry because he had not lasted longer to the torment". Buffy than turned toward Angel. His face was worth a thousand words. "Angel", she said. "I know you say that Elizabeth is another person… but…"
"She is someone else", Angel said. "I love Buffy, not Elizabeth"
"You don't get it", Buffy said tears dropping. "Elizabeth is in here…", she says this pointing to her chest. "… In here. She doesn't eat… she doesn't sleep… she doesn't rest until she is free"
"Then you fight", Angel said. "You fight until you got no more. And I will be there with you".
Buffy took a deep breath as she stepped out of the car. It was early morning. The sun was coming up. Giles and Angel followed her. For a moment they just stared at the vampire as she stood in the shadow of the big mansion. The sun slowly came up and Buffy tried to receive the sun light touch her skin. As the light touched her body, Buffy opened her eyes in horror. Her body started to smoke. The sun was burning her. She jumped back into the shadow to avoid the light. She looked at Angel and Giles in terror. "The Gem of Amarra", she started. "Something is wrong. It is not protecting me"
Angel was at her side in an instant. "We will figure it out", Angel said. He than looked at Giles who had a grim look on his face. There was not any comfort. They slowly entered the mansion. Angel quickly headed to the windows and started pulling the curtains, so that no sunlight came in. Buffy sat down on the couch shaken up. Giles headed towards the book shelves.
"OK", Angel said. "Alex Landry is the descendant of Sir Andrew Landry and he wants revenge on Buffy because of what Elizabeth did. Does that sum it up?"
"Alex Landry is an expert in the dark arts", Giles said. "He is also proficient in finding demon's weaknesses. It is possible that he managed to block the gem's power leaving Buffy vulnerable"
"Vulnerable enough to kill me", Buffy said sadly. She clutched her face with her hands in desperation.
Angel saw the desperation in his Buffy. He reached for her and hugged her. "I will not let him touch you", he said. "I will protect you"
"Really?", Alex Landry said from across the room.
Angel, Buffy and Giles turned towards the entrance. The dark demon hunter stood at the door with five demons behind him. He was tall and menacing. His black hat covered his dark intentions.
"I am dying to know how you plan on doing that", he said with a wicked smile