Act 2: Healer of the Broken Heart
© 2003 by Chris Regan
Tunnel Search
Giles was in the library reading when Willow came into the library. "Have you seen Buffy?"
"Not since she went up to take a nap."
"I checked her room and I thought she came down here."
"No not that I know of, Jana didn't say anything about seeing her."
"I saw Kennedy with the new batch of slayers in the training room she didn't say anything about seeing her either."
"God not again, it took us two full day to find her the last time."
"I know but she is an adult we can't chain her to the bed or lock her in her room."
Andrew walked in the open doorway with a stack of books in his arms they both looked at him "What, what did I do now!"
"Nothing Andrew we just thought…"
"We thought you were Buffy" Said, Willow.
As he sat down the books, "Do I look like her…?
"No" said. Willow.
"Don't tell me she is missing again" as he lend on the stack of book.
"Yes she is!"
"Let me think, I saw her downstairs about three hours ago in the library. She was looking at a diary by Dillon Pratt. Later I came back she had a sketchbook open and was tracing a sketch with her finger, when I brought the last set of books up-stairs. She might still be down there. Help me put these away and I'll help you look."
"Willow could you open that cabinet for me?"
"Sure"
She walked over an open a set of glass doors. It took him a few minutes then Giles opened the secret door in the library and the three went down the passage.
As they walked willow said, "Jana and Les had vacuumed and dusted the passage."
There are fewer spider webs hanging from the lights as they walked along the passage. Stopping at a door, which was normally shut but now stood open? Andrew uttered, "Buffy are you still here!" There was no sound from inside of the room. The light in the room was still on as the three if them walked in Willow spoke "Buffy where are you?"
There was no answer it was as quiet as a tome. After looking for a few minutes, Andrew saw the sketchbook, as Willow and Giles sat down. He picked up and stated, "She turned the pages." As he turned the page children at play, horse with colts, stallions, one had Buffy's face her long hair swept up in a bun with stray hairs holding another tabby cat, there was another youth with her a little boy of eight or ten. Another was Spike with longer hair the last was of a tavern wench with her hair tied in a bun under a gathered cap, with wisps of hair flowing around her face this face that looked back at them was of Cordella. As Willow and Andrew stared at each other, Giles picked up the phone and pressed the button for the kitchen. The phone rang in the kitchen; Les had finish, peeling potatoes for dinner, and is wiped her hands on a towel, she looked at the phone then said, "The downstairs library I wonder…" as she pick up the receiver she said, "Hello"
"Les is Buffy up there?"
She frowned at the telephone then said, "No Giles she isn't here now, she was here about thirty minutes ago, she picked up some fruit and said, "She was going to the downstairs library."
"That's were we are she isn't here!"
"OH my! Not again!"
Giles said, "Yes again!" and shook his head.
"I will tell Jana, she and Kennedy will want to organize a search party."
"We will be up there in a few minutes."
"OK I will tell Jana."
In silent, three of them walked along the smooth path with only the sound of there shoed feet hitting the rock floor, in silent each of them hoping to see Buffy, but when they reached the kitchen she was not there.
They walked in the kitchen as Les was finishing telling Kennedy and Jana the news "Giles can't find her."
"Dam! I came in here for a snack and a cup of tea," Exclaimed Kennedy.
"Where has she gone to now?"
"I know what you mean Kennedy, keeping and eye on her has become a full time job!" said Jana.
"I wouldn't be so worried if Spike were here."
"Willow!"
"I know, but I felt comforted when he was around and she would take off."
"I see, we will find her, but it is getting old, every time she disappears," said Jana.
"My concern is that she will fall off the jagged rocks or off the older underground paths which have a lengthy drop and get hurt," said, Beth.
Taking a breath "Sooner we start the sooner it is over."
Tristan walked in "You call for me Jana"
"Yes Buffy is missing again."
"Again?" God put a cowbell on the girl or better yet lock her in her room.
"Tristan you know we can not do that!"
"Jana you know as well as I do! Why she keeps disappearing."
"What do you mean?" said Giles.
"She is pregnant!"
"We don't know that for sure Tristan!"
"Jana there is a ninety nine percent chance that she is and you know it as well as I do!"
"Excuse me but that isn't possible, I mean the only one she has done it with is Spike and he is dead!" Xander said.
"Maybe she and the immortal you know…"
"No I had a long talk and with him after she came back here... He swore, "With all his charm he tried to get her in bed with him when she was in Italy, she wasn't interest and she was sick half the time when there."
"Jana I have a question said Amanda; "If a vampire willingly got his soul back could he you know…"
"You mean impregnate a human, yes it is possible, but it is very rare, that it happens. "
"What about the same thing happening with a slayer and a vampire?"
"It has happened every few hundred years with a slayer and a vampire, the last time was in 1849; it changes both of them drastically and painfully."
"What do you mean by drastically and painfully?" asked Willow.
"I guess it is time you knew," Jana pulled a chair out and for some strange reason looked older. "When a slayer and vampire mate out of love the slayer changes. Her longing for the vampire doubles but if she becomes pregnant…"
"Do you think she is…?"
"I'm not sure…?"
From behind them, "It is Spike's"
They all turned and looked Dawn she was deep in thought. "I'm her sister I know her moods, she has been this way since before we got down to Los Angeles.
Amanda said, "A guys I guess I shouldn't tell you but I think she is PG Too!"
Beth said, "Oh my god! We have to find her."
Les looked at the shocked faces of Willow and Giles "You had no idea did you."
"No but it makes sense her sickness, moodiness, depression" said Giles.
"I had no idea I just thought she was morning Spikes death, God I have been so blind" said, Willow.
"Willow, dear don't feel so bad you like Andrew and Giles have been out collecting the new slayer, you couldn't have known. It has been only the last month that Beth, Jana and I had suspected…," said Les
"And you didn't see fit to tell us" yelled Giles.
Jana looked at him and knew he was very angry, in a quiet, calm voice that stated she was the head of this household. "Giles, I did what I thought was right! Kennedy and I set up patrol partner for her. We even had patrols that fallowed her when she went out alone."
"And she still got away from you!"
"Yes Giles, she got away for the second time, I never said, we were perfect, but we have tried to keep her safe!"
He turned and walked up the stairs then stood stared out the window at the cats chasing rats that stayed out to long. "Jana I, I… I feel so dam help less!"
She walked up the stairs stopping behind him then wrapped her arms around his waist "I know Giles; I was a child when this type of thing happened with my sister in- law. It was at the end of World War II my brother was over seas and she was staying with us I was eight, mother was so worried but we found her and Giles we will find Buffy!"
"Les get the lanterns. Kennedy goes with her."
"On my way Jana, as she disappeared behind the tapestry with Kennedy on her heels, then they reappeared with oil lanterns sat them on the table got kindling and started lighting them.
"Tristan, send word to the underground folk to keep a look out for her; Giles, Amanda, and I will go with you.
"Yes mum" said, Tristan.
Kennedy, Andrew, Willow, and Beth I will break the rest into groups; to search the grounds and the cemetery each of you will take a group."
"Get changed and grab lanterns I meet you back here."
"Yes mum." The three ran up the back stairs and were back in grubby clothing.
Les I want you to be here keeping water hot for tea, and make a pot of soup, and have cold cuts, rolls ready.
"Sure Jana, you want me to call Alden let him know" said, Les.
"Yes, let him know the new master slayer has disappeared."
"Beth you will take the group that goes to the Cemetery."
"Okay Jana."
It was hour later as Beth and six slayers got out of a car in the cemetery the sun was low in the sky partly covered by pale gray clouds. There was a funeral with people dressed in black, which dampened their sprits even more.
"Beth were do we start?"
"The old part of the cemetery, come on I will show you."
As they walked though what would have been a thick lush forest with birds chirping they just looked around the area as they walked until they got to an old iron gate that had not been painted for a number of years. Beth unlocked the old huge lock that was as big as her hands that had aloud clunk as the enormous key turned in the lock. Then she opened the gate there was a screech of rusty metal that made all of them cover their ears.
"God Beth when was that gate last oiled!"
"A hundred years ago!"
"God help us!"
"Yes Heather I hope he does" stated Beth as she walked through the open gate. The slayers crept through this old over grown part of the cemetery. This is the old part of the cemetery it was closed in 1845 when the new one was created by my great grandfather it was believe it was to dangerous. Many people had broke through the ground falling into the catacombs were the old ones slept."
"A Beth which way?"
"The moon is full we split Karma, Lona, and May take will look around the shore, Hallie, Ria and I take the catacombs, take the car back to the manor we will meet you there.
"Sure Beth, come on girls" as she started to walk toward the first tomb with the other two fallowing. The trees were thick, around and tall, many had come down in the last storm for there were limbs in piles, which the caretaker had not been cut up, and taken away since this was the oldest part of the cemetery and no one came to visit the dead in this place. Nevertheless, Buffy walked there late at night looking for the undead. Even thought Beth, Jana and Les had told her it was unsafe. Their fear was from the tangle of vines and downed trees for they did not want her to lose her footing, and fall into the eroded unfixed underground passages that made up a series the tunnels that wound though the old cemetery.
In the distance, could be heard the sound of the sea pounding on the cliffs. In front of them could be seen a dozen stone crypts, standing among very old trees like gray sentinels, in the receding light of day. Beth, walked to an old gate that had very little black paint, it was in bad shape for the bars and lock was covered in rust as the key was put in there was a rusty creak, then they walked into the old crypt.
"A Beth why are we coming in here? We are supposed to be searching the cemetery?"
She stopped looked down as she thought how best to answers the slayers question. "Hallie, every time the Master Slayer has gone missing she has been found in the under ground. There is a way in from this crypt that is still useable I thought we would work our way back to the castle though the tunnels."
"OH, I didn't know."
"It's okay, Buffy has a pattern of going to the catacombs, Hallie; I tend to forget to communicate to others because I do magic thinking. My sisters and other close members of the family can finish each other's sentence so I for get that others do not have that psychic connection. Any way let's get moving I would like to get back an have a cup of tea we and we have along way to go."
She pressed the secret door they heard a loud click and the door swung open they walked in then the door quietly close.
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