"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 III…
The arrival of the cavalry in the form of souled vampiress/executive secretary Harmony Kendall had caused the demon leader to take stock of the deteriorating situation and order a retreat…
Using William's adopted son as human shield…Will reluctantly urging Harmony to stand down while trying to continue his effort to break whatever hold the Italian demonic clan had gained over Buffy.
She, however, now following the demon leader's order, was withdrawing with the rest. Though continuing to focus on William, muttering threats…
"Is that Buffy? What's with her eyes? Hey, Buffy!" Harmony called as she reached William. The demon leader carefully backing away, with young Will secure in his arms, munching a sweet cookie and gurgling happily. Buffy in front of him in defensive mode alongside several hulking demon guards, all heavily armed.
"They've done something to her. Lord knows what… Listen, friend…Give me back my son and I'll consider letting you live." Will calmly addressed the demon leader.
"Afraid not, signore. As Ia say…I am Italino, not stupido. Cicely, killa them both…Vendetta."
"Vendetta…" Buffy repeated, eyes black.
"She's?..." Harmony eyed Will.
"Probably…" Will nodded. "But possessed or just profoundly pissed at my failure to show in Rome, she's flipped. Be careful…And…" he smiled at her.
"Thanks for coming…"
"For Willy…Anytime…" she grinned back. Buffy eyeing them both coldly. But clearly a bit puzzled by Harmony's arrival. And perhaps a bit peeved, in manner different from her vengeance drive…
"Cicelya…You are committing a great sin against your honor." the demon leader called as he backed away down the hall leaving Buffy and three rather glum-looking guards to hold the two vampires off. "Guido! Hey! Get the van ready! Signore, if you live, we settle this later. During your son's sacrifice to our family gods, eh? Guido! Movea your ass!" he backed hurriedly down the hall, Will Jr. cooing happily in his arms. The glum guards left behind quickly seizing the chance to make their own retreat, leaving Buffy alone, facing the two…
"Cicely?" Harmony asked. "Hey, was she the girl who Dru was always going on about? The one she feared above all things…?"
"Dru…Silla…" Buffy murmured, eyes darting and rolling frantically now. Looking about as if for Dru… "Vendetta…" grim muttering.
"Dru talked to you about Cicely?" Will stared at Harmony while both kept careful eye on Buffy. Who, currently stakeless, was holding a defensive posture…
"God, she never shut up about her." Harm sighed. "But didn't Cicely love you? Or was it you loved her? I never could make it out when Dru started shivering and crying that She…Capital S…Was coming one day for her."
"Drusilla…" Buffy repeated. "She must die. Where is she? Vendetta…" Her fists clenching…
"Technically she's already dead, Buffy…So, problem solved…" Harmony tried.
"You are with him. Tell me where Drusilla is…Or…" Buffy tensed.
"You got me." Harmony shrugged. "Haven't seen her since I went to work for Angel…"
"Angel…Angelus must die…" Buffy eyed William. Pointing with jabbing finger… "He must die."
Wait…William sighed.
Lord, that is low…
"You think I'm Angel?"
Harmony struggled to repress a giggle…
"Angelus made Drusilla. Drusilla killed him. He must die. Vendetta…" Buffy replied. "You…Will…Die…" she tensed for a charge…
"This is William…The Bloody." Harmony shook her head, chuckling now. "God, now you've got me picturing the Boss with blonde hair. Ha, ha, ha…"
"William…?" Buffy looked over at Will, then Harmony. "William?...The Bloody?"
"Resouled William…And I prefer Soames Walthrop for the rest of it. I think I've earnt it…The hardest way." he frowned.
"No offense, Will…" Harmony, sheepishly.
"None taken, Ms. Kendall…" Polite nod.
"William the Bloody…Vampire…Spawn of Drusilla…" Buffy murmured. "He too must die."
Well, so much for hoping we'd found a ticket off this merry-go-round, he thought.
"Buffy, why do you want to kill William? Granted, I might have good reason…" Harmony gave Will a narrow look. "But you loved him. Or at least beat him, used him for sex, and let him sacrifice himself for you."
"Thanks…" Will frowned.
"Don't mention it…" Harmony grinned. "Well, Buffy?" she eyed the tense, muttering Slayer.
Tense, muttering Slayer in very nice Italian threads… "Say, did you get that dress and those shoes in Rome? Will? We have an office still in Rome, don't we?"
"He is spawn of her who killed him and sent me and mine to the grave." Buffy replied. "I must kill them all."
"Ah…Angelus clan thing…So that's it. Will, she must be possessed." Harmony eyed Buffy with professional air. "We oughta have Lyri check her out, but you can tell by the eyes."
"Right." Frown at Harmony, the expert on the occult who still wonders if she ought to avoid sitting in wooden chairs and drinking water... "Cicely'd not give a damn about Angel or Dru." Will frowned. "She drove me away…Or rather…" he pondered.
"No, she didn't…" Harmony eyed him. "At least not from what Dru told me. And Drusilla didn't fear a mere human."
"What?" he blinked at her. As Buffy suddenly saw a chance at his distraction and charged. Harmony crying out to him.
…..
"Now this…" Angel beamed at his beloved and lovely brunette wife, Nina, and his wonderful son, Connor, as they sat in one of LA's tonier restaurants. Connor frowning as he tugged at his collar and tie… "Is what I save the world for…" he winked at Connor. Nina regarding him wryly…Liam…
"To pay these prices for three meals that wouldn't add up to my normal afternoon snack at school?" Connor frowned at his plate. Definitely a stop at KFC after this one was called for…
"It's all part of being a mover and shaker…" Nina said dryly. "And you certainly managed that, honey. We're lucky there's enough left of Wolfram-Hart to pay for this…"
"Guys…" he sighed. Grinning at them… "Is this the thanks I get?"
"At least the wine doesn't suck…" Nina took a pull at her glass. "But I'll want at least two more glasses before this evening's done. And something remotely edible…"
"Amen…" Connor clinked glass to hers…
"There be many a folk in the ole sod who'd be grateful. Especially since 2008…To be dining on such grub." Angel, mock solemn.
"They'd be calling for a burger. And cursin' the damned fool who'd tried to feed them on a bit of weed and whatever this fish is." Nina poked at her plate.
"You really don't like it?" Angel sighed at both. Looking a bit downcast…
"Well…" Nina sighed. "I do like the wine. And no more for you, Connor…I mean that…"
"The band's not bad…" Connor conceded. "Dad?"
"Mind your mother…" Angel eyed him. "I just wanted to have a fancy night out with you guys. I thought you deserved that."
"It's great…" Nina sighed. "Right, Connor?"
"Yeah…" Connor agreed, likewise sighing.
"Then…If we were to get the hell outta here and find a nice diner…?"
"Now there's the bog-trotting peasant I married." Nina grinned.
"Ouch, Mom…" Connor grinned. "Darla couldn't have done meaner…"
"She eats Darlas for breakfast…Lets go." Angel waved for the check…
"Mmmn…Mmmn…Let me finish the wine." Nina put up a hand.
"There's Irish in her, lad…I sensed it from the first." Angel grinned at Connor.
"Pa, you know Grandpa is gonna be pissed at these stereotypes." Connor shook his head.
"It's your grandmother's wrath I'll be fearin'…" Angel replied. Pulling out his suddenly buzzing phone… "Yes, this is Mr. Angel…What? Oh…" sigh. "I see. Did Ms. Kendall leave an address?"
"Oh…No." Nina frowned. Connor rolling eyes…
"If she or Mr. Walthrop calls, I'm on my way…" Angel closed the phone.
No…Nina sulked. Oh, crap…
"Trouble, Dad? As if I didn't know…" Connor, wryly.
"Looks like it…Nina?"
"What's Spike gone and gotten himself and Harmony into now?" she frowned. "On your one night off…"
"Involves little Will, Harm told the service…" he replied, apologetic look.
Oh…She pulled out of sulk immediately, sitting up.
"Lets go…" Connor stood up.
Maybe this evening won't be a total loss at that…