Pawns of Prophecy
Part two
Realignment
Chapter four
Xander found Buffy sitting on a bench on the campus grounds. He thought she was asleep at first, because she was sitting back with her eyes closed. "Hi, Buffy, been here long?" He ventured.
"All night," she looked at her watch. "And the best part of the morning, it seems." Xander crouched on the pavement in front of his friend. He gently lifted the shoulder strap of Buffy's blouse. "Err…Hello, Xander," Buffy said momentarily surprised until she realised he was checking the wound from the night before. She mourned the faint feeling of longing that she had felt during that brief moment. "See?" she said. "All healed. Not even a scar."
"Yeah. That never ceases to amaze me. Mind you, I wouldn't rule out rheumatism in old age."
"Like that's ever going to be an issue."
"If you really think that way why put yourself through college? No person volunteers for extra studying if it's all going to be for nothing."
"It's better than working," Buffy quipped. "Besides, I might be wrong and live to be 90." She gifted her white knight with a smile that was second only to Willow's in its ability to render him speechless. "Witness me," she added. "I can be Positive Buffy sometimes."
Xander shook himself out of his trance. "And Joss?" he asked simply.
Buffy turned away and wrapped her arms round her small body frame. "I can't kill a child." She turned towards Xander again. "He could be the Devil's spawn, but I'd fight a losing battle, Xander to save him; to preserve the innocence he has now. I can't kill an innocent boy because he may turn out to be evil personified." Xander stood up and offered his hand. She took it gratefully and allowed him to pull her to her feet. She wrapped an arm round his waist. "If Anya sees us like this she'll go ballistic," she commented.
"Yea, and she'll force me to make up for it in her own inimitable way."
"Do you ever hear from Cordelia?" Buffy drove the nail in further.
"Thank you, Buffy. Anya and Cordelia in the same conversation. To think that I came here to cheer you up."
She tightened her grip on his waist and giggled as they walked towards her dorm.
-/-/-/-/-/-/-
Faith finally found Tara in MacDonald's with Joss and his new puppy. She chided herself: she would've had quicker luck if she had concentrated her search on Joss They were sitting at a table finishing off a Happy Meal. No one seemed to comment on the dog's presence in the restaurant. Faith had begun to wonder if the mysterious woman was avoiding her, but reconsidered that avoidance probably wasn't her style.
"Hello, Faith."
"Tara." Faith looked around, balancing on the front of one foot then the other.
"Relax," Tara said gently. "We're alone. Joss, go on over to the play-area."
"I was hoping we could chat….chat somewhere a little more private," Faith responded.
Tara made a gesture with her hands and the movements of the other customers slowed down. The Slayer was suitably impressed.
"Now, dear what can I do for you?"
Faith sighed at the remark. Outwardly Tara seemed shy and unassuming. When she spoke to her, however, she always made her feel like a child. "I was hoping for some answers…." She began. Tara wasn't forthcoming. "I offered my life for Buffy's – which I'm grateful you haven't called upon yet – I also bought the boy here as you instructed, despite the fact that you never warned me that Angel and Darla would die first."
"Angel isn't dead."
"Yeah, but he 'ain't fighting demons any more."
"He's doing fine where he is."
"And what about me?" Faith blushed at the desperation in her tone. "When do I have to fulfil the bargain I made….what do I have to do?"
Tara placed a hand on young woman's face affectionately. "Don't worry, Faith." The other occupants of the restaurant returned to normal speed. Faith backed away and left Joss in the woman's care. "Oh, Faith," Tara said to herself. "You have so much to look forward to. I could almost envy you."
-/-/-/-/-/-/-
Angel continued to dream past events.
"I have some good news…or perhaps not….your partner is two months pregnant."
"Say what?" Cordelia blurted out to the doctor's news.
"He means Darla," Wesley contributed.
"I know that! But how?" the brunette asked.
"There must be a mistake," Angel added.
"There must be a mistake," Angel repeated when they were back at his new apartment. Darla was asleep in his bed. He, Wesley and Cordelia sat in his living room nursing strong drinks.
"This….occurrence," Wesley searched for a better term "….is too much of a coincidence not to be linked with the prophecy."
"And, I'm thinking that Light is not our allotted choice here - considering Darla's former role," Cordelia continued. "I'm not thrilled with the idea of having Damien around for the next seven months telling his mother to do bad things."
"Cordelia, you watch too many horror movies." Wesley chided.
"Are you kidding? I don't any more. Kevin Williamson films and the 'it's behind you' culture hold no fun for me now. After all the things I've seen, now I feel sorry for the victims too much."
"You're awfully quiet, Angel," Wesley directed toward his employer.
"Getting a word in edgewise might be nice," he commented dryly. "Whether we have the child of light or dark in the next room is irrelevant until the birth…" he stopped short on noticing Faith standing in the doorway. Wesley looked round and glared at her. The desire for a weapon close at hand was written clearly upon his face.
"Fuck!" Cordelia was the first to speak. She looked at her companions' shocked looks. "Hey, I'm stressed out, okay? What are you doing here?" The former beauty queen addressed Faith rudely.
"I…..I was asked….told by someone that I should come. I wouldn't have otherwise," the younger slayer added, acknowledging Wesley's feelings. "I was instructed to tell you to take the child to Sunnydale."
"A phone call would have sufficed surely," the ex-watcher responded ungraciously.
"That's enough!" Angel stood up and put himself between the two protagonists. He faced his partner. "Faith has shown her willingness to atone. I know you have read Buffy's account of what happened after her mother was killed."
"Well I'm sorry, Angel. My wounds don't heal as quick as a vampire or a slayer."
"I thought you'd gotten over it by now."
"I didn't get over it. I just stopped talking about it."
"Hey, excuse me," Faith butted in indignantly. "*it* is still in the room."
"Stay out of this!" the Englishman spat.
"Wesley! I swear I'm this close to…."
"Close to what? To start on me again? Finish where you left off? I mean, we only got round to three of the five torture groups."
Faith closed her eyes briefly. "I….I've passed on the message so I'll be going now."
"You don't have to," Angel added quietly.
"Oh, I think I do," the slayer stated looking at Wesley and Cordelia in turn.
"Where are you staying?"
"With a friend of yours actually…tall brooding vampire hunter."
"Gunn?"
"That's him. Nice guy…in a physical sort of way."
"Oh, please!" Cordelia sighed.
Chapter Five
Buffy was returning from her patrol. The smell of smoke hit her senses before she saw its tendrils grey against the sky lit by Sunnydale's street lamps. She was curious more than worried initially, until she realised that she was getting closer to the location of the fire. She started to run and stopped suddenly at the corner of Giles road. "No!" She screamed desperately at the scene before her. She made out several demons of different species feeding the flames pouring out of the windows of Giles' apartment with anything flammable they could find. "No!" she screamed again and ran the four hundred meters that separated her from her friends. "Giles!" she shouted from the front lawn. She lashed out almost as an afterthought at a demon that leapt from the grass incline to her. She ran up, slipping on to her front on the grass. She recovered by scrambling up the final feet of the incline on all fours desperate to reach the top. A demon appeared at the top of the steps to the apartment block. Buffy slashed into it with her stake, opening up its stomach whilst she sprinted by. As she entered the courtyard, a demon fell backwards through the shattered front door. The one that had only recently been repaired.
"Faith?" The brunette appeared in the doorway. Joss, with his puppy in his arms stood by her side. Buffy could not tell whether he was excited or frightened.
"Behind you!" Faith shouted. Buffy turned and high kicked hitting home on the jaw of an approaching vampire. He was one of many.
"Where's Giles?" she cried desperately.
"Gathering his books."
Buffy's expression was a mixture of disbelief and anger. "Take the boy. I'll get Giles," she instructed.
"There are too many of them…..and take him where?"
Buffy was torn. She knew her duty, but could not leave without trying to save her mentor. "Giles!" she screamed into the inferno.
"I must get my books…."
"Leave the books!" She entered the apartment a couple of feet but was thrown back by the back draft of flame caused by the ceiling collapsing in front of her. "Giles," she pleaded into the smoke and fire that blocked her way.
"Buffy!" Faith called desperately from outside. Buffy cried tears of despair mixed with those caused by the smoke as she backed out of the doorway. Faith was barely holding her own; the combination of shielding Joss and fending off the claws of two demons clad only in their body hair losing her the battle. "I need some help here!" She managed to add between swipes of her stake.
Buffy charged into one of Faith's attackers and plunged her stake several times through the fur of the monster's body. Each time she withdrew the weapon it released blood. It was dead long before she stopped stabbing.
"Buffy, there are more of them and I think you are more than done with that one," Faith shouted from nearby.
The blonde Slayer got to her feet and staked two vampires: one who was taunting Faith and the other who had tried to chance his luck with her. More were there to replace the fallen, however. "Faith, pick Joss up. We've got to get away from here!" She received no argument and the two slayers with the living prophecy under the brunette's arm rammed their way out of the courtyard and on to the street. They were barely at the foot of the grass incline when they were thrown off their feet by a gas explosion from the burning apartment behind them.
-/-/-/-/-/-/-
Angel continued to dream of past events.
Darla's scream woke everyone up. Except Angel who had already been up for several hours. He had been kept awake by thoughts of the current situation. He had no real feelings for Darla and there was no question of him being the father of her child. However, he felt a need to help her. She appeared mortal again, several steps up the ladder of humanity from himself. He could not help feeling a little resentful; what had she done to deserve a second chance?
He realised that he had never really delved into Darla's past, before she was turned. Had she been meek and reliant as she appeared now? A docile Darla was itself something to get used to; she had dominated his early life for over a century. And now they were contemplating returning to Sunnydale. One question was causing him concern; why had Wolfram and Hart sent Darla to him? He jumped up at her scream and ran to his bedroom.
Darla was writhing in agony on his bed. Her stomach had the appearance of a full term pregnancy and she was clearly going into labour. Angel then caught sight of Cordelia standing up against the wall, a look of fear on her face. "Cordelia?"
She looked over at him eventually. "Sorry. Angel I'm getting wicked déjà vu here. The doctor…"
"Don't worry. I saw the scan myself. It's a normal healthy child…"
"But, she was only supposed to be two months gone…." They were interrupted by further screams.
-/-/-/-/-/-/-
The Slayers entered the cave system that led to the old Initiative headquarters. The latter was blocked off, but the cave itself would hopefully offer some protection since they had discovered Buffy's home was being watched, and they did not want to lead the fight to the college or any other highly populated location. It had been a long run and both girls were exhausted.
Buffy sat on the rough floor of the cave away from Faith and the child. The latter played innocently with his puppy. Finally having time to think, she started to shake uncontrollably. "I had to leave him," she said several times in a whisper to herself.
Joss approached her. "Why are you crying, Auntie Buffy?" Buffy realised she was indeed crying. She wiped her eyes quickly and forced a smile for the child's benefit. "Is it because uncle Giles is dead?"
Faith approached and took Joss's arm. "Come over with me, Joss Let Buffy guard the entrance alone." She gave her friend a sympathetic glance.
Buffy noticed that Faith was bleeding from a wound to her stomach. It was unnervingly close to where Buffy had stabbed her the year before. She stood up and lifted her shirt which was sickeningly damp. "You've lost a lot of blood," she observed.
"I…I didn't feel anything…Ow! But I sure felt that, B, thanks!" Faith exclaimed when Buffy continued her examination. "It'll heal soon enough."
"What the bloody hell are you doing here?" The refugees turned round at Spike's voice. "Have I interrupted some kinky slayer thing?" He then noticed the boy. "The Child of….you bought him here! To my home! You must really hate me."
"Spike," Buffy uttered. "I wish you dead and buried, if you must know."
"B, he's already kind of dead."
"I was buried as well, as a matter of fact." Spike added helpfully.
"I thought you lived in that crypt," Faith added.
"Sod that. It was like living in Piccadilly Circus. Do you know how many people like visiting old crypts? I actually had a group led by a tour guide come in one day. No, this may be short on architectural merit," he said surveying the cave, "but it is safer. Until now that is."
Two large explosions cut off their conversation. They were suddenly enveloped in dust from the entrance and debris from above fell on top of them. Several minutes later someone felt it was safe enough to speak. "Is everyone OK?" It was Buffy. She stood up and switched on her torch, which was miraculously still intact. She shone it around and was relieved to see Faith and Joss stand up and shake dust from their clothes. The cave was a ruin, however, and the entrance blocked with rubble. "Thank God we're still OK Were they mortars or bazooka shells, do you think?"
"Demons with heavy artillery. Kind of scary."
"Err…..excuse me, ladies, but I could do with some help here."
Buffy shone her torch in the direction of Spike's voice and revealed him lying beneath a layer of fallen rock. She sighed and went over to try and release her nemesis from his predicament. However, she found the job too strenuous to accomplish alone. "You know, you could push from beneath as I pull." It was no use however. "We'll try again in the morning," Buffy reassured. "Faith's wound should be healed by then."
"Don't think I'm not appreciative…."
"I couldn't care less what you think..…."
"I've no doubt, but I do have a little problem." He glanced up at the ceiling. Buffy followed his line of sight and saw that the explosions had created a large opening in the roof of the cave. "When the Sun comes up I'm going to be like a bug under a magnifying glass."
Buffy took off her jacket and placed it over Spike's face and neck. The rest of his body was concealed under rubble.
"Is he dead?" Joss asked.
"Yes," Buffy replied.
"Hey!" came a muffled complaint from the jacket.
They spent the next couple of hours in silence for the most part, interspersed by Spike's attempts to make conversation. Buffy was in no mood for pleasantries. "Hey!" She shouted. "This isn't some Hollywood disaster movie where all the players bond in adversity."
"Yea, but ironically enough we do have an escaped murderer, a cute kid and a dog trapped with us. None of you would happen to be pregnant, by any chance," Spike added.
"I was released," Faith added from the far end of the cave, her tone dangerous.
"And the dog's dead." Buffy corrected.
"That's so sad," Spike offered unconvincingly. "I don't suppose I could…."
"No you bloody can't! And that's really gross, by the way."
"It'd make a change from pig's blood, believe me."
"You'll get something to drink when we get out of here."
"And how do you plan on getting out?"
"I'll phone Xander on my cell phone in the morning…"
"You have your mobile on you! Why the hell don't you call now?"
"And have him run into your colleagues out there! I've already lost one friend tonight…." She trailed off and left the vampire to utter further objections. Faith threw a mean sized stone at his head to persuade him to keep silent.
Buffy turned round suddenly. "Spike, why did your kind attack the boy tonight? The council I can understand; they at least have a valid reason even if their actions are kind of Machiavellian. But why would demons want Joss dead?"
-/-/-/-/-/-/-
Tara met with Gaya the following afternoon. "Is the child safe?" The elder disguised in the form of a young girl asked.
"Yes," Tara replied. "Xander and the rest of us were able to release them from their tomb. But, Mother, we came close to losing him and we have another problem …"
"…..the important thing is that Joss is safe. The problem is irrelevant; the slayers will cope with it."
"That's unfeeling of you, Mother. Joss was very fond of Giles as well."
"Irrelevant. We must concentrate on looking after the child until he remembers the role he is destined to play."
"He shows no sign of remembering yet." Tara advised.
"I know. That's why I think a new approach is necessary. A new setting, perhaps. I think a visit to his adopted father may be helpful."
"Angel's unconscious."
"Physically yes. But he's very awake mentally. I think it is time we changed his dreams." Gaya cryptically announced.
Chapter six
Angel found himself lying on a richly dressed bed in what he assumed was a temple of sorts: he recognised Greek furnishings, Roman art and two handmaidens dressed in Egyptian robes. Just as he was about to comment on the Hollywood pastiche-ness of his surroundings he noticed two children, a boy and girl of about six, approach with a young woman. He realised that the latter was Tara. He knelt on the marble floor to better see his adopted son. "Hello, Joss"
"Hello, father," Joss countered simply and walked over to the balcony leaving Angel still kneeling.
"This is Gaya, Joss's friend," Tara offered. She led the smaller girl by the hand to Angel. "She's a little older than Joss."
"Hello, Gaya," Angel greeted, but he didn't want the distraction of speaking to her; he wanted to look at Darla's son. "How long?" He questioned the blonde witch.
"About a month."
"Is he alright? I've been dreaming so much. They always end when the accident occurs, but I never see what happens to Joss. I think a part of me always knows that I am dreaming."
"You killed my mother," Joss stated as he rejoined the others.
The sudden accusation shook Angel. "It was an accident…" the vampire defended.
"Before that. I read your thoughts while you dreamed. You stabbed her and she burst into dust."
"That was a long time ago, Joss," Gaya added.
The scene around them changed. Angel now found he was seated at a dinner table with the others. "Who are you?" He levelled at the small girl. She gave him a child like stare of curiosity. "You must be someone or something, else why are you here?"
"Very good," Gaya acknowledged. She closed her eyes and gradually morphed into an attractive middle-aged woman. "Is this better, dear?" She addressed Tara.
"Much better, Mother."
"OK, that just prompted several more questions," Angel said. "However, I'll accept an answer to my first."
"We cannot reveal who we really are," Tara answered. "Believe me, we'd be here all night answering questions. Suffice to say that we are here to look after Joss until he remembers what he is here for."
"He is the Child of Dark, isn't he?" Angel sought.
"Oh yes. I don't think even he doubts that. The others, Buffy etc. have spoken about it in his presence enough times. He just doesn't know what it means or its significance. But, then very few do."
"You do though and….your mother. Are you really her mother?" Angel asked Gaya.
"Of course. But, then I like to think I'm everyone's mother in some fashion."
"How is everyone else?" Angel tried a different subject. He felt he wasn't going to get much more than cryptic answers.
"They are doing as best as can be expected." Gaya responded.
"They are all sad," Joss added. "Because uncle Giles died."
Angel failed to conceal his shock and looked to Tara for an explanation.
"He was killed when a gang of demons attacked his apartment to kill Joss," she informed.
"Is Buffy…."
"She's fine and so are the others, but they mourn. So do I…..he was a good man."
"Why were demons attacking? Considering who he is….."
"Because they too know the truth, which is the main reason for us being here."
"You need Joss to remember," Angel stated.
"The attacks will only get more frenzied if he doesn't soon."
"Will you go to Sunnydale?" Joss asked suddenly.
Again, Angel was taken aback. However, he knew his limitations. "No," he replied. "I'd like to return to Los Angeles."
"To cry in your blood every evening over Buffy's picture," the boy quoted with an element of malice.
"Cordelia said that."
"I know. I saw it in your dreams. You spend all your free time thinking about Buffy. Why don't you go to her?" The young boy asked.
"I've tried that. It won't work…." He trailed off finding it difficult and resenting having to continue such a conversation with a six-year-old child. "Besides," he spoke up, "I assume that going back anywhere is out of the question." He looked at Gaya and Tara. "I wouldn't have been brought here to dream if I could have gone back." The women remained silent. "I can remember the crash followed by a huge fireball. One conjured rather than natural."
Gaya stood up. The dining scene dissipated. She Tara and Joss stood round the bed that held the sleeping form of Angel. "Time to return?" Tara enquired.
"I think so," Gaya responded "Pity really, I was enjoying talking to him."
"You would have soon got tired; he has the tendency to frown a lot. Not at all the life and soul of the party and I know how much you like to party."
"Still, one can't help but feel for him. Have you arranged everything?" Gaya asked.
"Yes, mother. I think he will be happy with the new world we have created for him. He probably wont know we've done it, but he will be happy."
"Very good. Joss dear," The boy looked over to Gaya. He remained standing, regarding his father's still form with a curious expression on his face. "Did you have a nice time?"
"Yes, thank you."
The three conscious individuals vanished from the temple.
Angel woke up in his apartment in Los Angeles. He got up out of bed and opened his curtains to let in the bright morning sun.
-/-/-/-/-/-/-
Although it wasn't discussed, everyone seemed to accept that the flat above Giles' shop was the best place to meet; Buffy's house was already well known to the local demon population, and they had moved out of the college dorm. The three remaining members of the gang and Anya and Faith were silent. It was an odd affair; no one had anyone there to cling to; Riley had gone and Anya wasn't prone to open shows of affection to Xander - beyond the physical. Tara was out with Joss
Willow sat red eyed. Only hours before she had been hysterical, which made Tara's offer to take Joss out mysterious, as the petite red head desperately needed comforting. Buffy and Xander were not able to help. Willow craved the embrace of her lover.
Xander was angry. He paced back and forth across the living room. Buffy was quiet, almost catatonic. She had made her way to the flat trance-like as though she were sleep walking. She had to remind herself several times that she wasn't dreaming. She was now lucid enough to wish she were. She was woken up from any such thought by Xander. Her self appointed White Knight kicked the large cabinet on his return trip from the other side of the room. "Ouch!" He exclaimed. He swept the items from the top on to the floor, half in follow up to the kick and part in annoyance at the pain it had caused.
"Thank you, Xander," Faith contributed. "I really need a splitting headache to take my mind off everything."
Xander ignored her comment. "I tell you," he said, however, "that kid better be worth it! Worth the sacrifice of…I mean, who is he? What is he?"
"He's a little boy that everyone wants dead," Buffy answered him in an even tone.
"Yea, but everyone else round him seems to die." This was met by silence, which Xander broke again. "I mean, have we got to wait for him to grow up before we know if we shouldn't have let him grow up?"
"Do you want me to kill him now?" Buffy spat. "Do you want me to slay him in front of you, Xander?" He didn't reply. "It would save a lot of grief, wouldn't it," the blonde slayer continued. "But then it would be just be my grief to deal with, which is OK as I've done worse in the past, haven't I?"
"Buffy, Xander, please!" Willow pleaded, trying to intercede.
"Giles allowed Joss to live with him," Buffy continued. "I trust his judgement, despite the fact it cost me the most important person in my life."
"Don't personalise this, Buffy!" Xander accused her angrily. "We all lost a friend. Besides, I thought Angel was the most important thing. A bit fickle aren't we….." Anya, showing remarkable instinct, leapt up and went to Xander's side to placate him. Although it wasn't necessary, the young man was immediately contrite. "Buffy, I'm sorry….. I didn't mean."
He was cut short by the entrance of Tara with Joss into the room. Willow ran to her partner. Joss jumped onto Faith's lap.
"Hello, Tara," Faith broke the silence. "You've missed quite an interesting conversation here."
"H….have I," the Wicca responded.
"Oh yeah. I think we need your input at this point."
"In what way," Tara asked, slightly lowering her timid college-student veil.
"You know what. Tara, we're falling apart here. Please give us some reassurance. Share your secrets."
Tara's expression changed from their shy friend to the alter ego Faith had come to know. "Now is not the time."
"Just when will it be the time?"
"Tara, what does she mean?" Willow asked worried at the tone of the conversation. "What do you mean?" She levelled at Faith.
"Faith and I have an agreement," Tara answered. "Other than that, she doesn't know anything else and at best is probably just guessing."
"How about Faith telling us her guesses and you revealing how accurate they are," Xander added from behind.
"I'm governed by an order of events. I cannot pull details from the line without events taking a particular turn."
"Hey!" Buffy called from the corner of the room. "It's kind of cold over here. I don't suppose you could let me in?"
No one spoke. "I guess not," the Chosen One conceded. She picked up her coat.
"Don't go, Buffy," Joss climbed down from Faith and stood by the blonde girl.
Buffy looked down at the boy standing in front of her. The act was strange to her since she was rarely confronted by people or demons smaller in stature than herself.
"You want to know who I am and what I'm here for," Joss stated. Tara looked round sharply. The boy noticed and forged on. "Yes, I remember. Our little visit to my father worked."
Tara smiled affectionately at Joss
"I'm guessing this means we've come to the front of the line here," Xander spoke up.
To be continued.