Act 2: Healer of the Broken Heart
© 2003 by Chris Regan
Uilliam's Arrival
It was 6:00 AM in the living room of Alden's home as he folds up the paper he had been reading he asks "Uilliam how was your trip, long and busy; the government keeps you on your toes!"
"Yes Uncle Alden, If not one government then the other, I saw Brad's stuff in the hall as usual Dana is dragging her feet."
"Did you get to see Riley this trip?"
"Yes his wife is expecting their first baby; it was at her suggestion that he call me in for the job she was worried that he would get himself killed."
"I can understand her concerned when we met him they were in a reckless situation."
"Brad, you two ready?"
"I am, but you know Dana and how she packs!"
He smiled and shook his head "Yes, she tries to take her hold wardrobe every time."
"It's good to see you Uilliam."
"It's good to see you too Aunt Crystal" as he gave her a kiss on the cheek.
"Uilliam, I guess I should warn you, Dana is going through that time of the month and has had it real bad."
"As bad as her sister Kristal had it."
"Worse than Kristal ever was Uilliam's."
"O Boy! Does that mean I have to act like I'm her parental unit on site?"
With a frown on her face "Sorry Uilliam, but yes she at least listens to you."
"I can see this is going to be a fun tour spoke Uilliam."
"Mom, Dana is twenty-five for god sake," said Brad.
"Honey I know but her hormones are running at super speed, just like when she went into puberty you remember how wild she was, your dad and I came close to chaining her up, the way she would dress to tease the guys at her school I'm surprise some of the guys didn't try to rape her."
With and embarrass look he said, "Well Mom some guys did try back then but found that she was more than they could handle."
She put her hands on her hips "When were you going to tell me about that?"
"Mom, we weren't going to tell you, but since you're on the subject you might as well know little Dana wasn't little from that day. She knocked the hell out of the guys they were afraid of her from then on. She was covered in dirt and blood when she came home that day she broke down and told me what they had tried to do and what she did to them."
Alden sits pretending to read the paper as he listening to the conversation folds the paper up. There, there dear you knew she had changed that day.
With a deep breath "now I know."
You could hear Dana yelling down the stairs from the landing Brad come up here and help me bring my luggage down stairs please.
"Duty calls; I'm at your service your majesty."
"Brad don't call me that, you know I don't like it!"
"Well you're the one that kept the rest of us waiting on you for a half hour."
"Brad and Dana stop right now! I don't plan on listening to the two of you argues all the way to the manor."
"Okay" said Brad as he turned to face Uilliam's and gave him a wink.
She said "Okay Uilliam's" with a look of affection as she walked down the stairs with Brad behind her with her bag. Uilliam's was her favorite cousin and her boss when she was with the band. She and Brad were a year a part which made them bicker a bit more that the rest of their brothers and sisters. Uilliam's was ten when he moved in with them; he was five years older than the two of them.
Brad and Uilliam's had been teasing her about taking her whole wardrobe when she went any where since she was a kid and she teased them back about there taste in girls, until Uilliam found and mated with Beth and Beth gave Dana three younger cousins.
"When are you coming to the manor?"
"We are planning to come over in three days Jana has her hands full, she is worried about Buffy and then is having Lady Malvina over for dinner when we arrive."
"I'll bet you'll be glad to get home for a short break?" Asked Crystal.
"Yea, it will be good to see Beth and the kids again."
"Uilliam what is the bands schedule?"
Uilliam looks at the floor for a moment "we are at Sphinxes a week from this Friday in Los Angeles, be there a week, and are playing at the Phoenix for a weeks gig in London. Then I'm home for week and up to Glasgow for two weeks we are playing at a new club called the Winter Bast and we will be back in London. I'll be home three weeks before Christmas and I should be home until the end of January."
"It sounds like you'll be there we come up."
"Yea I should be."
Dana and Brad had just walked in the house, "You two got your luggage loaded in the van with the rest of the bands stuff?"
"Yes it is all loaded" said Dana.
"Speaking of the band, where are the guys? I didn't see them in the van" said Brad.
"They had running around to do Steve's van needed a tuned up so they took it over to the garage, they are to meet us at the manor."
"Oh" said Dana in a sad voice.
She was hoping to see Steve but it wasn't to be until later that day.
The ride to the manor was un-event full, Beth and the kids heard a sound in the entry hall hoping Giles had found Buffy they went and looked out the kitchen door and found it was Uilliam standing in the hall with a pile of luggage as Brad and Dana brought in the last of it.
"Daddy, Daddy the kids" yelled as they ran to him, with Beth trailing behind them.
"Hi guys, you have grown so much, what you did while I was gone.
"We went on a camping trip with White Wolf "said, Finn.
"You did, did you have fun."
"Liam and I did, the girls were ready to come home by the second day."
"We were not Finn!"
"I thought the four of you were going swimming" said Beth.
"Yea, but Dad's home."
"Go on we will catch up later; I'll be home for a week this time. Plus I want to talk to your mom."
"Okay Dad."
"You know what Dad wants to talk to Mom about."
One of the girls starts to laugh, "Yea I know, we learned about it in human biology class."
"Race you to the pool."
"You're on!"
They ran to their rooms to get there suits.
Beth and Uilliam are watching the exchange between the kids as Dana and Brad came into the entry hall.
Beth gave Dana and Brad a hug then said, "How have you two been?"
They both smiled at her and returned her hug, "I have been talking to a guy about a new CD and DVD that we are planning to do this summer so it can be released Christmas of 2010, at the latest 2011."
"How is that going?"
"Good we have 80% of the songs we want on the album wrote have two to three more to finish."
"So I assume you and the band a going to be finishing up while you are here!"
With a mischievous sound to his voice "Yea, which is the plan we will have live guinea pigs to try them on. He looked at Uilliam which stood there smiling like the purring Cheshire cat in his arms.
Beth looked at Uilliam "Is that what you want to talk about?"
"Yes, Beth, but I was not going to tell you now."
Dana looked a Brad who let the cat out of the bag so to speak "Come on Brad let's get unpacked and leave the love birds to get reacquainted."
"How has Buffy been doing?"
"I should have known business before pleasure! Not good, she disappears this morning. Amanda says she when to the doctor and he said she is PG perhaps ten months a long which is a long pregnancy. Yet what worries me more is she has been missing since early this morning."
In a soft caring voice "Come here, I see you're worried you think of her as one of our kids he gave her a hug."
"Actually I do."
"The diaries said this would happen to her!"
"Yes I know but I don't like it and it is heart breaking to see and know there is not a dam thing I can do to stop it and that you have to let it run its course."
He hugged her then said, "You think of her as if she were one of our kids don't you?"
She looked at him in a quite voice said, "Yes she and the girls I think of in that way."
"I know lets have some fun and join the kids, he smiled this lop sided smile and said Your It!" and ran off toward their room, she was at the door when he opened the drawers and took out the suits he caught her and kissed her before grabbing his suit and changing. She was finished as he came out of the bath with towels, then opened the panel and slipped in, she could hear the echo of his foot fall on the hard rock path, going toward the falls, as she got closer she could hear him in the water with the kids. She slipped in the water and sat soaking in the warmth of the water.
She started splashing him then got out of the water the two were running around like kids, she teasing him until he caught up with her around the pond and kissed her a few minutes later he heard Finn say "Dad get a room!"
Liam said "we don't need to see that type of stuff!"
The two had separated and looked at each other and started to laugh, Uilliam said "We will remember that when you guys get your first love interest."
The boys gave a sour look "Girls yuck" and the girls said "it looks kind of nice."
Beth and Uilliam hand in hand walked up the path back to their room.
When Uilliam came down stairs later that afternoon and when into the parlor he could see that something was on Jana's mind when he found her gazing out the front window holding a warm cup of tea. Beth walked in after him and knowing why Jana was looking out the window checked the pot then said, "Pots all most empty, we need more tea, I'll make more tea."
Uilliam walked up behind Jana "You going to tell me what is worrying you so?"
She jumped "Uilliam, I wish you wouldn't do that!"
"You make it so easy."
"Let's sit down and tell me everything."
"It's Buffy she Beth probably told you that she had disappeared."
"Yes she did tell me."
"Well Giles and the others have been out all morning looking for her, I just got a call from Giles saying they found her around noon and they're at the hospital, I'm so worried Uilliam."
He took her in his arms and gave her a hug then said, "It'll be alright."
"Where did they find her?"
"They found her at Spike's grave and she did change, it was like seeing history replay it's self" said Jana.
"How is the slayer doing?"
"Not well she was shot with darts. She has been sleepwalking just like it was written that Gwenwyfar did before Altair return to her."
"I think that I hear them returning," Getting up and looking out the front window she said "Yes, that is them."
It had been a dark cold day and the rain had started coming down hard the last hour she walked out to the entry; "How is she?"
She's in the hospital Doctor Regan said she is stable, but He would know more after the lab tests came back. We can check on her in three hours. I feel like it's my entire fault."
"And how could that be your fault Giles?"
"I don't know Spike!" Giles had not met Uilliam until now, he was amazed at how much Uilliam looked and sounded like Spike.
Smiling he said "Sorry Giles you got the wrong Smith!"
Giles turned with a shocked look on his face as the others were coming in the door. Kennedy, Xander and Willow came in last as she closing her umbrella the other bumped into each other she looked up then screaming Spike was what she got out before she fainted in Xander's arms.
The man facing them wore fitted Jeans and a wine colored cotton shirt that was tucked in with a black leather vest, the shirt was tailored in the style from the disco era, but in comparison to then the shirt was a little less tight with more comfort room that skimmed his body and gave him a smooth stature. He was wearing loafers, he eyes were blue but his hair was a chestnut brown.
Jana put her hand to her mouth "O dear I should have told you that Uilliam and his band were coming in today. I'm sorry Giles it slipped my mind with the strain of worrying about Buffy; let's get Willow to the parlor the rest of you just fallow us."
Beth, hearing the commotion in the entry had come out of the kitchen to see what was up. "What has happened Jana?"
"Willow fainted, Beth get the smelling salts we'll be in the parlor."
"All right Jana, I won't be a minute."
Willow came around "Spike from my dream, Spike from my dream, he's here."
"Calm down Willow it's not Spike, his name is Uilliam he is here for a number of reasons said Jana."
All were eyeing this smiling young man standing by the fireplace that sounded and almost looked like Spike. You could tell that the younger slayers were fascinated. Once every one settled he introduced himself "I'm Uilliam Smith many of you have noted that I look similar to the one you call Spike that is because he and I are related." You could hear the room go silent when he dropped that gem of information. It was in his speech and mannerism that differed for Uilliam had the same British accent but something else too. He had a quiet assurance of himself that wasn't over pushy or self-defacing. It made Willow wondered how Spike and he could be related?
Dawn said, "No way, how that can be Spike is dead."
"William and Cecily mated and one of my grandfathers was the result, her father knew of her indiscretion that is how my family got the plantation in Georgia William's cousin and his wife raised the child and ran the property, I have lived in England for the last twenty years.
Beth came in with a cart and the smelling salts and gave it to Jana.
"The tea is ready tea Jana."
"Thank you Beth" said Jana. Xander always being hungry when nervous said "Ah the tea trolley is here." While every one started to gather around it getting tea and the odd cake or what ever from the cart she poured tea.
Jana, stay with Willow "I will bring the tea to you."
"Find Beth."
Beth smile at him bringing over two cup of steaming beverage.
Going back and getting two more cups then taking them to Uilliam, "Uilliam dear here is your tea" as she handed him.
"Thank you dear."
"Hey, why is he getting special treatment?" Asked Xander
"He is her mate and he has been gone on business for a few weeks" explained Jana.
"Her mate neither one looks over thirty" said Xander.
"Why thank you we are both older than we look and have four kids" said Beth
That surprised Xander for he hadn't heard Beth say more than a few dozen words since they had gotten to the castle. She had set her cup on the mantel when Uilliam sat his cup down, and then rapping his arm around Beth's waist. "Beth and I met when she was working at the hospital on nightshift during my internship. While most of the guys were chasing the nurses I found this beautiful kitchen wench."
"Flattery will get you no where Mister Smith" Said Beth with a sparkle in her eye.
"Maybe not now, but it got you in my bed you fiery vixen."
"You just wait till later you devil."
"Does that mean that I get some sugar?"
"Perhaps if you're a very good boy"
"Enough you two" said Jana with merriment in her voice.
Uilliam looked at Beth then at Jana, he could see that Jana was enjoying the banter between him and Beth but also they had guests to consider he shrugged his shoulders and said, as you wish mistress of my humble home.
"Uilliam you definitely take after your seventh generation grandfather."
"I will take that as a complement."
With a smile and trying not to laugh Jana said "you would."
"When do the kids get home?" Said Uilliam
"Around six answers Beth."
Good I wouldn't want work to cut into their time, Buffy is in bad shape and with the attack has made it worse.
"I'm going to call the hospital" said Dawn
Dawn we where just there the lab tests haven't had time to be done let a lone seen by a doctor! "Exclaimed Giles" he shook his head with a deep sigh.
"Its okay Mr. Giles" let her call said Uilliam.
Ring
Ring
"Hello, I'm calling to see if there is any change in Buffy Summers."
"I'm her sister Dawn Summers, sure I'll wait."
"Before you hag up I want to talk to the doctor" Uilliam said.
"The Doctor is with her the nurse sent some one to get him."
"Thanks"
"Doctor Regan"
"Doctor Regan how is she oh not good, getting worse." Dawn handed Uilliam the receiver, sat down, and started to cry.
"David I see you made it over here when did you arrive, two weeks ago, why didn't you let Beth know. No, I just got in and heard about Buffy Summers, she is part of the family you know, sure more than happy to come in and look at the blood work on her."
Jay has been back logged for the last week."
"What is new about that it is a standard there. While you're in town could you help him out?"
"Sure I'll help out while I'm in town, I'll come over tonight and I'll look at the labs David."
"Thanks Uilliam."
He hung the phone up and with a mischievous look on his face. I was going to take all of you out for so you will have to be my dinner. He broke into a mad fit of laughter, sounding like he was howling like a mad werewolf."
Beth with a discussed look on her face said "Uilliam Smith you're an impish devil you have been off drinking human blood from the vein for years. Stop scaring them! Now I know where the kids get it. Don't pay him no mind he won't drink blood from any of you he is just full of beans and apple butter."
Xander spoke up and said "That is good to hear."
"I'm sorry folks I just couldn't resist the look on your faces it was a Kodak moment."
"Well if Buffy where here she would kick your ass" Said Willow "Now that I think of it Spike would be right behind her." She had no reason but the thought of Buffy between to persons that look like Spike made a smile come to her mouth then she started to laugh at the sight that was roaming through her head.
Giles said, "Come on Willow lets take you up to your room."
"No Giles I'm fine now, really I am, I was thinking of Buffy between Spike and Uilliam it struck me funny. Remember the passage you read to us Jana about the twins?"
"Yes what about it!"
"Spike and Uilliam both are vampires, from what Beth just said about Uilliam both are off human blood at least from the vein."
"Hmmm… Willow that is an interesting point now you bring it up, but Spike is still a ghost."
"No he isn't, Giles just got word from Wesley that he is Corporal now. My dreams show both of them together and Buffy's hand fine. I don't know if you knew that she thinks her hand isn't healing. I looked at it the spot that hasn't healed is in the shape of a lopsided heart.
Uilliam held his hand out toward Willow "Does it looks like this?
Willow looked at his hand, which happened to have the same heart shaped mark. Yes it looked exactly like that.
"Then the time grows near for the joining.
"What is the Joining?" Asked Giles
"It is hard to explain, but I will try, it is a time when the person with that mark is tested as to whether the male or female loves one that has given their life for the group, most of the time it is a slayer that has strong feelings of trust for a vampire if there is more than one which in this case there is the vampires are also tested by the Earth Goddess Creide. Beda loved Spike in a past life and lost him, but if it is as I suspect that Buffy is her reincarnation she will take on the persona of her past self. If he is alive he will come to this place, for he feels the pull" said Uilliam.
"In fact, both Vampires will most likely come here" said Jana.
Buffy has fallen in love with Angel and she let him drink her blood and Spike on the other hand has been with her for the last three years" Stated Xander
"Yea as if Spike is going to rise from ashes to come here" said Kenney.
"The truth is Spike did rise from the grave."
"Then where is he Giles."
Giles looked at Jana she said "It is time for them to know Giles." He nodded "OK Jana, he has been in Los Angeles California assisting Angel."
When did you find out and when were you going to tell me Giles?" asked Willow.
He scratched his face "I…"
Andrew spoke up "It is not his fault Willow, Spike did not want her to know he put it this way "How can I pop back into her life after going out in a blaze, I can't top it and she didn't really want me around any way"
That may be so but still both vampires will find their way here they are linked to her the more they fight it the more insane they will get, unless there is some amount of trust between one or both of the demons and the slayer.
Dana came down stairs and to the parlor wearing a black lace skirt and peasant type of blouse, which she had pulled down so it just covered her round breasts. She came in and poured a cup of tea for herself and sat down on the floor cross legged she knew the guys were looking down her blouse and she was enjoying there stunned faces.
"This is my cousin Dana" said Uilliam. "Jana keep and eye on her while we are at the hospital I was going to pick up another batch of blood from a colleague that works night shifts there, which means Dana you are not to go after the nice people while I'm gone."
"What if I go after them?" Said Amanda.
"Then you get put down stairs in manacles for the rest of our stay" said Uilliam.
With a pout, she said, "you wouldn't dare."
"Yes I would, you know I would to keep the others safe."
"I'll tell my dad then you'll be in trouble" said Dana.
"Yea right where you think I got my orders" said Uilliam.
"Not dad."
"No the real boss of your house your mom, so you better be a good girl while I'm gone."
"O shucks."
"Are you going to need help?" Asked Willow
"Yes Willow, could you get a plastic picnic cooler and ice."
"Sure Les should have that stuff I'll go ask her."
"Did you get David's message Uilliam?"
"Yes I'm planning to check Buffy's lab reports while there. That will be our first stop then we will pick-up the blood, why don't all of you come with us spoke Uilliam.
Giles is sitting there in thought then looks at Uilliam if you are off human blood why are you picking up human blood?
I was hoping you wouldn't note that Giles, we celebrate the solar equinox every three month the blood is for the Clan gathering.
Oh so the Clan drinks the blood for the event?
That is the only time we allow ourselves to drink human blood the rest of the time we drink animal blood. We find it keeps the ravenous human blood craving away and renews our strength and our mental abilities. It's getting late we better go if we want to be there before visiting hours are over."
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