Pawns of Prophecy
Part two
Realignment
Chapter seven
"Perhaps we should all sit down," Tara suggested.
"I'll remain standing, if that's all the same," Buffy responded carefully.
"As you wish. Oh, Willow," Tara said to her lover. She gently kissed her on the cheek. "Please don't worry. Whatever I'm about to say has no bearing on my feelings for you."
"Just who are you?" Willow asked, her tone almost a demand. She stepped back only slightly, but enough for Tara to notice and make her sad. She sat down which prompted everyone but Buffy to follow suit.
The new stranger in their midst took a few seconds to compose herself. "Who I am," she spoke up eventually, "is not important. Suffice to say that I was sent here to first watch over the Slayer, and then the Child of Light, when he was born."
"Is Joss the Child of Light?" Xander asked.
"Oh, no," she replied in a matter-of-fact manner. She looked over to Joss, who smiled in return. "Considering his lineage, he could only be the opposite. No, the Child of Light could only be born of a Slayer."
"But, Buffy and Faith are….you're not pregnant are you?" Xander asked confusedly.
"I'm guessing the Watcher Council has the other child," Faith suggested. "Buffy died last year, remember. A new slayer would have been called."
"Well done," Tara was pleased. "I knew I was right to choose you," she added cryptically. "Yes, a new slayer was called when Buffy died. She bore the child at the same time Darla had Joss. She is doing very well in their care."
"She?" Willow asked, speaking for the first time.
"Yes and quite a pretty thing she is. Naturally, the Council originally wanted Buffy to bear her, but you weren't too cooperative as you may recall," she looked up at her. "Despite their attempts to persuade you to tow the line," she added sadly, referring to the kidnapping of Buffy's mother.
"They only had to ask," Buffy whispered. She wiped a tear that was forming. "I might have…." She massaged her eyes and temples before looking at Tara. "Why did Wolfram and Hart send Darla to Angel? They must have known she was pregnant. Why send her to their worst enemy?"
"They knew that he would look after her and the child."
"They were hoping they would be a Trojan horse." Xander stated insightfully.
"Probably. Whatever their reasons, it was very fortuitous for us. All that was required further was for someone to suggest they be brought to Sunnydale."
"That was my job," Faith added.
"We just couldn't predict when or how the Council would first act."
"Now, this is where I get confused," Xander stood up to emphasise. "I mean, the Council have the girl, in order to control no doubt. So, they try and kill the boy. I don't approve of either plan, but I can appreciate why they would do both. Against that Faust & Co are probably behind sponsoring Joss. If Joss is the Child of Dark, then why are we being attacked by demons?"
"Because they know the truth."
"Sorry, that does nothing but muddy the waters more."
"Start from the beginning, Tara," Joss suggested. "It's a good story," he assured the others, with childlike enthusiasm.
Tara laughed. "Okay. I might preface that the story goes back to before my time, just in case you think I've been concealing my real age….or concealing it more than I actually have, that is." She took a deep breath and exhaled again as though preparing herself for a marathon. "A long time ago one of the Powers mistakenly opened a portal to Hell. This action allowed demons to return to this world. Unfortunately, being unable to take direct action in this reality, The Powers could not close it again. Conscious, however, of their duty and responsibility, they created the Slayer to counteract the demon threat. Eventually, after many years, the Hellmouth was closed. It was opened again many times after that and in many places, but there was always a slayer to close it. The demons soon tired of this. Though they succeeded in killing successive slayers they were never able to prevent a replacement being called. The Powers then set in place a prophecy that in years to come a child would be born to a Slayer and another to a demon-taken woman. Both children would bring about the end of the demon occupation. The Master of that period got to hear about it…."
"How?" Willow asked.
"He probably overheard the plan in a tavern. The Powers liked to mix with mortals and one probably boasted about it to gain attention."
"These powers don't seem very bright," Xander observed. His eyes darted around quickly, as though expecting to be struck down for his insolence.
"The Powers are imbued with very human traits," Tara agreed. "About the only thing that separates them from us is their immortality….and their powers, of course. Anyway," she continued, "suffice to say the Master found out. Not being able to prevent the prophecy, he decided to influence the manner in which Humanity reacted to it. He first arranged for someone to watch over the slayers…."
"The first Watcher! You're not telling us that the first Watcher was a demon?!" Xander blurted out.
"No." Tara smiled. "The First was very mortal and sincere in his aims to protect the Slayer, but did not realise that he was being sponsored by the leader of the very people he was fighting. The Master sent the details of the prophecy to the Watcher in the form of visions. However, he made subtle changes to it. The poor Watcher went mad, but not before he jotted down the corrupted version. The same script the Council and the Lawyers are following." Tara relaxed back in her chair, which the others took as being the end of the tale.
"Wow, that was actually quite a fascinating story," Xander confessed.
"If you don't mind the fact that we are players in the last chapter," Faith added.
Willow turned round in her chair, her legs curled up under her. "We've seen the Prophecy, Tara. Child of Light and Child of Dark will war against each other for dominion over the Hellmouth," she quoted from memory. She recalled sadly the evening Giles had first read the words from his copy of the First Watcher's diary.
"Just one line, but radically changed. It should have read that the two children would come together as guardians of the World."
"They will work together rather than against each other; Light and Dark not good and Evil," Buffy quietly concluded.
Tara nodded her confirmation. "Without darkness light has no relevance and vice versa. When they meet and touch, the Hellmouth will cease to be."
"So, you don't have to kill me, auntie Buffy," Joss added looking up at the blonde slayer standing in the corner.
At this Buffy began shaking. She wrapped her arms round herself in an effort to hold herself together. Xander noticed and approached her. After hesitating a few seconds, he took Buffy in his arms and hugged her close. She buried her face in his chest and wept. "Thank you, thank you," she repeated brokenly, as though bodily contact was all she had needed. Xander lifted her into his arms and carried her to one of the bedrooms where she fell asleep almost instantly.
-/-/-/-/-/-/-
The small girl wrapped both her hands round the door handle and used all her strength to turn it; such was the age of the workings. However, once opened, it moved on its hinges smoothly. She stood in the doorway and regarded the elderly man sleeping a few feet away. The light from the hallway stretched over him but her shadow only reached halfway emphasising her short stature.
The man awoke and turned over to face the light, a hand held over his eyes to avoid the glare. He eventually discerned who had woken him up. "Marti, is that you? It's…." He looked over at clock by his bed. "…early yet. Can't you sleep?" He asked, not unkindly.
"I'm fine thank you, uncle Gerald. You told me to come to you if I remembered."
Gerald sat up quickly. "Do you remember, child?"
"Yes, uncle. Was I right to wake you?" She asked with concern.
"Yes, my dear. You were quite right. Go back to your room and get dressed whilst I call your other uncles."
"Yes, sir. There is also something else I need to tell you when we are all together."
"What would that be?" The Watcher was curious. The Child of Light did not usually speak so confidently.
"It's about the Prophecy - the words are wrong."
-/-/-/-/-/-/-
Lyndsey McDonald sat at the same table as the senior partners of Wolfram and Hart. It was late, but then their hours tended on the late side; such were their clients' habits. One such client, who appeared outwardly human, although it was anything but of that species, sat at one end of the table. The demon wore an expensive suit and a face to launch a thousand ships. Smart and handsome, Lyndsey thought; two traits that he found quite often screamed evil beyond redemption, although he conceded Angel was an exception to that rule.
The Demon holding sway that evening was angry and Lyndsey noted with some satisfaction that his peers were visibly afraid. He only felt embarrassed; the Firm had made an enormous blunder, it would appear, in allowing the Child of Dark to fall into Angel's hands and then escape to Sunnydale. The demon revealed that the Prophecy document they had been following was flawed.
He couldn't see why their guest was so angry with them. The document had apparently been dictated by a demon to the first Watcher with the sole intent of misleading whoever might read it. Why should they be blamed for following the written word to the letter? It was surely their client's responsibility to update them in good time before the Child was born. However, the sharply dressed speaker wore a suit of the finest cut and had a handsome face. No one therefore was going to argue semantics.
To make amends the firm agreed to contact all of their clients, advise them of the situation, and instruct them to make their way to Sunnydale to prevent the meeting of the Children.
"You can be sure that the Watchers will mobilise their forces. We will match them army for army."
-/-/-/-/-/-/-
Tara stood in the doorway watching Buffy dreaming in her sleep. Joss walked up to her. The others were sleeping in the second bedroom. The boy looked up at his guardian. "You still didn't tell them all of it."
"If they knew the end result, if we succeed, it may effect their responses to the battle ahead."
"I understand," the boy said simply, trusting Tara completely.
Chapter Eight
Buffy slumbered and she dreamt. She felt her essence, that part of her that contained her self-awareness, fly the distance between Sunnydale and Los Angeles. She knew where the dream was taking her and whom it was taking her to. She relaxed on the invisible stream and let it transport her willingly. It did not surprise her, therefore, when she saw Angel. Once there the traveller felt hesitant, but found herself dragged down and into the body of the vampire with a soul. Buffy became a passenger: experiencing his thoughts and feelings and moving along with his actions.
-/-/-/-/-/-/-
Angel sat in the theatre bar cradling a Jack Daniels. It had been a full house despite it being only a matinee. He had just seen a play starring his favourite actress: Buffy Anne Summers. He was not ashamed to admit his infatuation with the actress, although his business partner, Wesley, likened it more to an obsession. Angel was sure she was heading for the big time: having already worked on a successful daytime soap followed by a critically well-received stage performance. Her number one fan wanted to be there at every stage of her career. He decided to relax with his drink. Cordelia could mind the shop. She could probably run it as well, he thought, to his chagrin.
He felt a hand on his shoulder. "Hello, Angel." He looked up to find a young woman standing by him. She looked vaguely familiar, he thought.
"Have we met?"
"Can we join you?" the woman asked in a friendly manner. She had long brown blonde hair worn behind and her clothes were comfortable, rather than stylish, but suited her smile. "Sit down, Joss," she instructed a small boy who had been standing next to her.
Angel wondered how the boy had gotten in; minors weren't allowed in the bar.
"Don't you recognise me? I'm Tara, Darla's friend. I'm Joss's nanny, by the way."
"I'm sorry…" Angel tried, but couldn't seem to grasp a memory hovering at the back of his mind.
"That's OK.…believe me. You came here to see Buffy Anne?" Angel nodded.
"Hello, Mr Angel," the boy said.
"Hello, Joss." He shook his hand.
"How's Darla?" Tara enquired.
"I don't know. We split up some time ago."
"Will you take me to the wash room, please?" Joss politely asked Angel.
"Ah….yes, sure."
Angel walked Joss to the far side of the bar. "I've heard she comes into the bar after she does her acting to thank everyone," the boy informed.
"Are you certain?"
Just then a waitress attracted his attention. "The boy's not allowed in here, sir. You'll have to take him outside."
Angel escorted him back to the table. Tara was not to be seen so he took her ward outside. Shortly afterwards the woman emerged from the bar. "Sorry, I had to pop in the rest room myself. Hey, you just missed her. Buffy, I mean. She came into the bar and said thank you to everyone."
Angel failed to hide his disappointment. "Don't worry, Mr Angel," said Joss "You will see her."
-/-/-/-/-/-/-
Angel and Wesley ran a bookshop. It was a fairly successful venture that allowed Angel to indulge in his desire to keep himself separate from everyday society. He was not a social person: preferring instead to immerse himself in a good book rather than go to a party. For Wesley the bookshop was a necessary way to finance his main interest: which was the investigation of the occult and demonology. Angel rarely discussed the topic. He had agreed that his partner could operate an occult section in the shop, and so far it had attracted enough customers to justify the space it took up.
"I met an odd little boy in the theatre bar yesterday," Angel submitted.
"What were you doing there?" Wesley enquired.
"I'd just seen a play starring Buffy Summers."
"Who's she?"
"She's very talented and beautiful and I'm sure I've driven you crazy talking about her before."
"Darla was all those things. You should have stayed with her." Wesley proffered straight-faced.
"Is this the same Darla you said was a demon in disguise?"
"Maybe you could invite her to the shop," said Wesley ignoring the previous comment.
"Who, Buffy or Darla?"
"The actress. She has a biography coming out. You could offer her a signing session at the store."
"Some hope. You know, I almost got to meet her yesterday. It's so frustrating," Angel sighed.
"If you're so smitten, why don't you write her a fan letter?" Wesley teased.
-/-/-/-/-/-/-
The following day Angel still felt the overwhelming sensation that he had seen Tara before, and also the boy. It wasn't, however, through Darla. The night before he had been invaded by dreams of them both and others as well. He decided to run it by Wesley. "I had a weird dream last night."
"We're not talking NC-17 are we? With that actress?"
"I'm serious. You were in it. We were both demon hunters. Buffy was one too and my ex-lover. The child and her nanny were also part of it. I tell you it was weird and seemed so real."
Wesley didn't look up from the book he was reading when he spoke. "Considering it contained characters and elements of real life, it's just your sub-conscious juggling them and setting a different script," he offered.
"It was so tangible, though," Angel persisted.
"Visit a hypnotist. You'll probably find you had a past life or something. Or," Wesley eyed him mischievously, "you could be demon in disguise."
"Well, funny you should say that…"
-/-/-/-/-/-/-
At the end of the day, as Angel was closing up shop the young woman from earlier that week approached. He caught her reflection in the large plate glass window. "Tara, how are you?" He greeted.
"Do you have time for coffee?" She asked.
"Of course."
Tara nursed her cup of coffee, holding it just short of her mouth. She had a strange knowing expression. Angel felt it made her seem wise beyond the years her looks portrayed. It also made him feel very uncomfortable. "I dreamt of you and the boy last night…..nothing weird," he added realising how creepy that must have sounded.
"Yes? That's interesting. You know, Joss feels real bad that you missed talking to Buffy that day."
"I don't think I would have got the chance to speak to her."
"She passed right by our table. He wants you to meet her. Angel, he feels very guilty; he didn't sleep well last night. He wants you to write her a fan letter. Tell her how much you respect her talent. He feels sure you'll get a reply."
"I don't think so. Although, she has a book coming out….."
"A signing, that's a good idea. Will you do it, for Joss?"
"OK," Angel conceded, although he was warming to the idea. "Joss is a odd child…to worry himself about
something like this."
"He's not actually all there, I'm afraid: a complication at birth. He does come out with the strangest things sometimes. His latest is that he is some child of destiny." Tara detailed.
"What, he thinks he's God?"
"Oh no, and please don't suggest that to him or he'll be insufferable. No, he just thinks he has some task to complete or something. He has no answers when quizzed on the subject. Anyway, will you write to Buffy?"
"Yes. I'll write it tonight."
"Joss has written it for you already. You can change bits if you like, but not too much."
-/-/-/-/-/-/-
Three days later Angel received a telephone call. "Mr Angel? This is Buffy Anne Summers. I got your letter."
His felt his heart beat fast; sweat started to form on his brow. "Hello, Miss Summers."
"Please, call me Buffy."
"OK, thank you. And it's Angel…my first name, that is."
"The reason I'm calling," Her voice was quick and, Angel thought, emitted a kind soul behind it. "First, thank you for the lovely letter; I'm so glad you liked the play. Secondly, the book signing sounds a great idea. I'm not that famous yet; not everyone watches daytime soaps, and a public signing will raise my profile….and sell some books hopefully." He imagined her smiling on the other end of the line.
"I'm glad. Did you want to come down and discuss the details?"
"I was wondering whether you wanted to come to my place, I've just moved to town."
Angel was grateful he did not have Skype. He was able to agree to her suggestion without betraying his true feelings.
-/-/-/-/-/-/-
Angel reached her apartment block on time. It was a white art deco structure and he was suitably impressed. Just right for an anti-social and stuffy bookseller, he taunted himself. When he entered her new home he found Buffy wearing blue denim and a white buttoned down shirt. The latter was un-tucked with the sleeves rolled up. Her golden hair was held back in one long ponytail. The apartment was sparsely furnished, giving it an uncluttered minimalist feel.
"Hello, Angel," she greeted him holding out her hand. "Forgive the disorganised state of the place; I've just moved in and can't get into the spirit of house arrangement yet. I'm New York-born and miss it loads, but my agent said I must move here to get the parts."
They eventually sat down and discussed practicalities of a signing session. The conversation then drifted onto what books they both liked, then music, then films. Finally the topic reached food and Buffy stood up. "I'm hungry," she said.
"I know a good restaurant near here," Angel offered.
"Nonsense, I've got a wonderful kitchen here; it was one of the attractions that made me choose this place. You can help me christen it."
After they had eaten dinner at an old pine table in the modern kitchen, Buffy sat back in her chair
"You know something?" She said. "I keep having this recurring dream that I'm not an actress at all. Instead, I'm this heroine: a hunter in the night. It's very Gothic sometimes." She smiled weakly, embarrassed at her forwardness. "Weird, huh?"
"Not really….." Angel hesitated. "I sometimes dream of such things. I'm an enigmatic hero who broods alone in his mansion."
"We're a fine pair: your mansion and my ivory tower." She stood up grabbing the bottle of wine and two glasses from the table. "Let's go into the next room." Buffy sat on the sofa, her legs curled up under her. "This is good," she said taking a sip of the wine. "Tell me about yourself. How long have you been a bookseller?"
"Several years now." He replied sitting next to her.
"Have you ever thought of leaving LA?"
"All the time. I've always wanted to live in a quiet coastal town. Somewhere large enough for just one Starbucks."
"That sounds nice. Although I love New York, it would be nice to retreat some day. I certainly don't want to live here too long." She leaned her head back against Angel's arm and shut her eyes. "Could you rub my back please? I ache from standing on that stage for hours. It hurts just here." She reached her hand round and indicated the flesh between her shoulder blades. She leant forward and he began the massage. "That feels good," she murmured. "Angel?" She asked eventually.
"Yes."
"Your dream….was I part of it?"
-/-/-/-/-/-/-
Buffy opened her eyes. She lay on her back motionless, staring at the ceiling, but her attention elsewhere.
"Are you alright?"
"Good morning, Tara." Buffy sat up and stretched her legs over the side of the bed. She was relieved to still be dressed; Xander had resisted the obvious cliché. She pulled her wayward hair back and tied it in a bun with a scrunchy. "That was the second dream of mine you've put a guest shot in," she stated calmly.
"After the first time I couldn't resist." Tara smiled. Buffy glared at her. "Only joking. So, what did you notice?"
"Duh! That it was real. That I was eavesdropping, not dreaming," she replied disdainfully. "…..Is he happy?" She asked quietly turning her face away from Tara.
"Very."
"And we….. They get together and live happily ever after?"
"I've no idea; I can't predict the future."
"It's not fair," Buffy wailed, her voice still low. "Why can't he live here with me? The real me."
"My dear Buffy, Angel died two centuries ago. He doesn't belong here. He never did."
"But, where he is now isn't real! It's an illusion of a life. Deep down he probably knows it, which would explain the dreams he's having."
"Of course it's real," Tara emphasised. "There are more realities than this one we inhabit. I admit we transplanted him there, which would explain his active imagination, but it is just as real as we are."
"But, my Angel no longer exists here! You have taken away the hope I had for the both of us…" Buffy rubbed her eyes wearily. "You wouldn't believe how much it has helped to have that hope to cling to."
"If Angel were to remain here he would be as he was; a vampire, albeit one with a soul. Furthermore, if we succeed here I cannot say whether he will be banished to Hell or remain."
"I realise all that. I'm just…..sulking," she smiled weakly. "We had so little time together…..really together."
Tara appeared to hesitate as though contemplating saying something else. "I can reveal something to you; something that was hidden," she stated cryptically. Buffy was suitably curious. "You might not thank me for it and I wont be able to hide it again."
"Let's both risk it," Buffy consented.
Tara closed her eyes. Buffy felt like she had been hit. She staggered backwards falling onto the bedside cabinet, knocking the lamp off. Memories flooded her mind. She gaped wide-eyed at the woman standing in front of her. Tara opened her eyes.
"That didn't happen," Buffy said first. "But, I remember." She stood upright and edged closer. "I can remember everything yet I can remember not remembering. Oh my God, I can remember everything." She held a hand over her mouth.
"I'll leave you alone for a while," Tara offered and turned round in the doorway.
"Tara," Buffy called from behind. The blonde woman looked back at the slayer. "Thank you."
Left alone Buffy remembered everything. She remembered the adrenaline rush of fighting alongside Angel in the sewers beneath the streets of Los Angeles. She remembered the exquisite tension of facing him across his kitchen table. Most of all, she remembered eating cookie dough fudge mint chip ice cream with an Angel that was human.
To be continued. Please review.