"Rustic Chivalry…"
Summary: William and his son are plagued by a curse from the recent past…The very recent past…Using a rather ironic tool…
Disclaimer: Would Joss want his name associated with this? I think not...But anyway all BTVS characters remain the property of Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, and all other owner/creators of the Buffy the
Vampire Slayer series...Though his brother Mort gets nothing...
Archived at the Normalverse page of the Buffy Rebecca verse...
Part II…
A rather wild-and-black-even-to-the-whites-of-her-eyes-eyed Buffy stood in William's doorway, trembling with what appeared to be an insane rage, barely restrained apparently, almost certainly in some way under the control of the little grey-skinned Italian demon who seemed to be in charge of the group disturbing the Walthrop household this formerly pleasant evening. Though dressed in quite the height of stylish Italian fashion, he'd noted…Stake in hand at her right side. While the little demon leader kept carefully to her rear in a cordon of his hulking demon guards…
Actually about the way I'd expected she'd reappear in my life, Will thought, sighing…
Though I'd assumed she'd be acting on some notion of Giles that I must have returned to Evil and be in league with Angel and Wolfram-Hart.
At least seems like she's being compelled in some way to kill me rather than choosing it for the "greater good"…
"Hello, Buffy…" he said. "Assuming it's really you and not some demon shapeshifter or the First gone solid, I take it you're not here of your own free will…?"
"Vendetta…" she murmured, trembling. Vicious hatred oozing from every pore…Black eyes rolling…
"Freea will?" the little demon shook his head, scoffing tone. "Who has such a thing in this modern world where we are at the mercy of thea advertising and the manipulation of the opinion? But, si…As I indicated my people did prepare thea groundwork, so you say."
"Mind control?" Tole Angel we should've tried that… "Or…"
"A littlea this, a littlea that…" the demon shrugged. "Our clan has a special bonding ritual for new members for those who marry…A polite way of putting what usually amounts to slave trading…Into our family. To ensure new members will fulfill theira obligation to the sacred duty to protect our family from all threats and insults. Nice, eh?"
"Marry?..." Will blinked.
"Well, ina this case, it was a bit of a shotgun wedding, as you say. Though the groom wasa long dead and the marriage quite an old one. And we combined it with an ancient Japanese curse. Did you ever here the legend of the Grudge, Signore…?"
"Dead groom? You mean Angel? Or did Captain America Riley try to massacre the wrong village of peasants in Central America and buy it? The 'Grudge'? I've heard of it…Something to do with a rage curse?"
"No, no…Neither gentleman…And si, a rage curse…Which when pooled with our clan bonding ritual makes for a very enrageda Slayer, no?" he indicated Buffy. "She is merely waiting for me, the local clan leader, to makea the signal…"
"Vendetta…" Buffy muttered again, eyeing William with a deadly stare, then rolling eyes and glancing round the room. Eyes briefly resting on Will Jr who stared back at her a moment, then laughed with delight at the latest toy his father had clearly brought for his amusement. Cooing to her…
"But we shoulda have your son with us to enjoy the festivities at such a joyful reunion…" the grey-skinned demon made a nod to two of his guards. Will backing a bit to block them…
"Not a chance, boys…" One raised an arm with a large claw serving for a hand and reached for William's shoulder, its pincers spread. Will grabbed the arm and twisted the large demon round to face the other…
"Ah, your usual approach…" the demon leader sneered. "But I'm nota in the mood for watching a wrestling match tonight." he waved to the other guards, several of whom pulled guns…
"We both know, Signore, these weapons may not harm you. But…" the demon smiled at young Will in his chair.
"If you're going to kill him anyway…" William eyed him. Still holding the now groaning demon guard…Pain sensation being a slow motion process in his particular kind…in his grip.
"Well, Signore. There is the threat of death. And the actual fact…" the demon leader smiled. "And where there isa life, there isa hope. Even when really there isa no hope. Shoot the bambino if he doesn't step aside…" he told the gun-bearing guards.
"Alright…" Will stepped over to let a guard past. Turning to the still mumbling, still-wild-eyed Buffy…
"Buffy…Whatever this clown has done to you, you're the Greatest Slayer. For God's sake if you won't help me, help my son." he appealed to her rage-filled face.
"You killed him. I will kill you." she whispered. "You and all of yours…For mine."
"Such a fine child…" the demon leader beamed at Will Jr as the todder was held up to him for inspection, still happily clinging to the demon guard who'd fetched him. "A pity, truly. Hey, bambino…" he wagged a finger at Will Jr. Who tugged at it, giggling…
"Killed who?" Will eyed Buffy who'd returned to her mumbling, punctuated by cries for "vendetta". No longer looking at him…
"Who did I kill of yours?" he asked her. "They're deceiving you, Buffy."
"Kill him, for the honor ofa your family, Cicely…" the demon leader called.
You likea this, bambino?…He jiggled a set of keys over Will Jr.'s head as the toddler gleefully watched and taking him from the demon guard, turned with him in his arms to face where Buffy was now full-throatedly howling and charging at William who'd taken defensive posture…
"See your papa playing with the inasanea, pretty lady? Who'sa gonna win, eh? Who?" he put his head close to the happily giggling Will Jr., pointing to Will and Buffy.
"Sucha sweet boy…You know, Signore I can guess how difficult it isa to raise a child alone." he called to Will as Will nimbly dodged Buffy's furious charge.
Thank God the ole Slayer tactical brain seems off-line as well, he thought.
Cicely? The name hit him…What the…?
He lurched back just out of range of Buffy's mad stake swipe. Jumping back as she kicked out at him, screaming incoherently.
The guards massed near the door, blocking that way. He fell back across the living room…
"Buffy!" he sharply called, having gained a moment's distance. "Enough of this non-…!"
He barely managed to avoid her flying stake which embedded itself in the living room wall…God, he frowned.
"Damnit, Slayer…You are paying for this if he's too dead to. Pull yourself together." he told the raging Buffy who'd abandoned the stake for another frantic charge.
"For my husband…For my daughter…" she murmured. "Vendetta, vendetta…"
"What husband? What daughter? They've lied to you, Buffy…Hell…" he found himself flying back and striking the living room wall as she tossed him.
Will Jr shrieking with delight at his dad's antics. The demon leader joining in, happily. "Papa, he go flying...Good, eh? Hey, Guido?" Turning to one of the hulking guards... "You boys leave any of those nice cookies we had back in the van? Bring the bambino and me a couple…"
Will had sprung back on his feet as Buffy looked about for a weapon to finish her accursed enemy off with. Pulling a moment at the embedded stake…
"Will you damned well get hold of yourse…" he began. Whoa…He backed away as she lifted his sofa…
"Buffy, stop womanhandling my personal property and tell me. What husband, what child? And what's this about?" he ducked and rolled to the side as she hurled the sofa at him. Which struck the wall, stoving in a large area…
The demon leader chuckled with Will Jr… "Thea couch, she goesa fly, eh? Yay!"
"I'll make you goa fly in a minute…" Will called.
"Buffy, tell me and maybe I'll let you kill me." he addressed her. She paused, blinked at him…
"What?" she said, rather startled apparently. The whites of her eyes suddenly returning white. Though her irises and pupils remained solid black…
The demon leader frowned…
"Tell me what husband and what daughter. If I did kill them, then I'll accept punishment…" Will eyed her. "So long as you promise to spare my boy."
"Hey, hey…" the demon leader called. "This is vendetta, we no negotiate. Kill him now!"
"Vendetta…" Buffy repeated, eyes completely black again. Hands twisting…
"Cicely…If I've wronged you, let my life be my amends." he told her. "But first tell me who you are and how I killed your husband and daughter. I've no memory of ever attacking Cicely or her family…"
She calmed again, slightly…
Uh-oh…Several of the demon guards eyed each other…
"You must die." she murmured. "You killed him…And me…And her…"
"Not to the best of my knowledge…Tell me, are you Cicely possessing Buffy?" he asked.
I hada to be a dutiful member ofa my clan. The demon leader sighed. Coulda just taken the money and gone home, but no…
"You are betraying your family honor." he tried, addressing Buffy. A bit defeatedly…
Well, at least we still got the kid for a bargaining chip. He thought…And negotiation is the greatest skill of my clan.
"Ah, cookies…" he beamed at Guido, who'd brought the box of fine Italian sweet cookies. Taking out one and offering it to Will Jr. who beamed.
"Only one…" Will called. "Too much sugar is bad for him." Still keeping a careful eye on Buffy as she hesitated, seeming to ponder his question.
"Si, only one…Here, bambino, a nice cookie for you."
A crash behind caused all, including Buffy to turn…
"Will! I'm here!" Harmony's voice, calling from the hall…Accompanied by howls from several guards positioned there. "And the kid better be alright or I'll show you guys why I was the vampiress who made men fear the night before I got my soul back!"
She would steal my line…Will thought.