A/N new chapter!
I am so not done chapter 2, but hopefully the next part will be 15 pages or under.
Chapter 3 heavily follows the 'Some Assembly Required' Episode with lines taken directly from the episode. You see a bit of Aisling's backstory (Nothing big, but a bit about her life in Vegas before she moved to Sunnydale).
Also she and Angel have some conversations.
The flashback's take place over a year or so. I may put in actually dates later, but the first flash back's take place around a couple of years before this chapter starts.
Lines taken from Some Assembly Required.
Chapter 3 part 1: Missing Bodies
Flashback
LAS VEGAS
"Did you understand the science lesson?" Donnie, their dark-haired, black-eyed friend asked. Aisling and her four friends walked down the street on their way to the nearest butchershop.
Aisling turned back and walked backward as she answered. "No! I barely could keep awake for the last five minutes."
"God, you guys are lame." Crystal said. She was blonde-haired, blue-eyed and a foot shorter than her twin brother. She flicked her hair over her shoulders. "It was easy!"
"Nerd." Crystal's brother, Travis said, like Crystal he was also blonde-haired and blue-eyed.
Crystal's eyes flashed and she shot her hand out to smack Travis upside the head.
"Guys." Jackson, a dark-haired, tanned boy stepped in between the fighting siblings. "Enough."
Crystal pointed at her brother. "He started it."
"And you continued it." Aisling came in. "Travis if you want to fight someone, there two other people here who are always down to fight."
Donnie grinned and flexed at Travis. "Yeah, come on, I could take you."
Travis looked from Donnie to Aisling and swallowed. "Uh- I'll be good." He said.
Crystal chuckled but stopped when Aisling turned her gaze to her. Aisling paused for a moment then turned around and together all five of them entered the Butcher's shop.
"Ah, Signorita!" The Butcher said raising his hand to wave at them "Your usual order?"
The Butcher was a greying man in his fifties, by the name of Signore Rossi. He always tended to smile whenever Aisling arrived with her friends.
Aisling nodded "Si, the Butcher nodded once and turned to leave in the back to prepare the order.
"Think you can help us with the science homework?" Donnie begged Crystal. "I understood none of it."
Crystal shrugged. "Yeah sure, we're all sleeping over on Jackson's tonight right? We'll work on it then."
Jackson rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I mean unless, you all changed your minds."
Aisling and Travis just rolled their eyes.
"Dude, we are ever not gonna want to sleep over at your place. Your place is great." Travis said.
"Yeah, come on," Aisling said wrapping an arm around him. "Don't deny us the greatness that is Casa di Jackson."
"Oh I get it," Jackson said with a grin. "You just want to hang out with me cause of my things, not because of me."
"Oh, Aye!" Aisling said with a grin. "That's it, that's the exact case,"
"Aw man," Travis said snapping his fingers. "He figured it out."
"Yeah," Donnie said. "Darn I was hoping this could last longer."
"I know. Now I guess I'll just have to hang out at my place now." Crystal sighed.
Jackson mock glared at all of them. "I hate all of you."
"We're just coddin' ya," Aisling said. "We love hanging out with you."
"I know but-"
"Ah – ah," Aisling said wagging her finger at Jackson. "No buts. It's true."
"Here you go Signorita." Signore Rossi said handing Aisling the bag of what she asked for. She quickly opened the bag and did a silent count, 8 pints of cow and pig's blood, Aisling smiled and pulled out her wallet to pay.
"Grazie," Aisling said took the bag and paid him.
Rossi handed back the change. "Ciao!" he said.
"Ciao!" The five friends waved eagerly before they left the house.
"We heading to the hospital too?" Travis asked once they exited.
"Yeah," Aisling said. They said walking off. "Yeah, It's delivery day, they usually have decent bags of blood on delivery day."
Together the five friends walked off taking the bus, Aisling as she walked opened her backpack and hid the blood inside it.
They climbed onto the bus, Aisling checked the time and winced. "You guys should probably head back to Jackson's soon." She said then she turned to Jackson "Curfew is in an hour."
Donnie, Crys, Travis and Jackson all simultaneously looked at their watch. "Oh shoot," Jackson said.
"Aye." Aisling winced. "Alright, You four head off to Jackson's, I'll be there as soon as I can."
"No. Your dad would have our heads if he finds out we left you out alone." Donnie said.
"Agreed." Travis and Crystal said.
"Travis and I will go with you, Donnie will take Jackson home." Crystal said.
"Guys come on," Aisling said shaking her head.
"Your dad is always saying how vamps are just like any other predators. Most of them tend to go for the easy kill. Your not an easy kill, but you'll be even less of an easy kill with friends." Crystal said. "And it's Delivery Day you know there's gonna be vamps hanging around after nightfall."
Aisling groaned. "Ugh fine, it's not like if vamps show up you all are gonna be some deadweights anyway."
Crystal and Travis grinned. "Exactly, your father trained all of us," Travis said.
Aisling sighed and pulled out her phone. "Hey dad, it's me." She said when Dad picked. "Gonna be slightly late coming by. Can you drive me, Crystal and Travis to Jackson's tonight?"
After receiving an affirmative from Spike she thanked him before hanging up.
At the next stop, Donnie and Jackson got off while Aisling, Travis and Crystal stayed on.
Twenty minutes later, they got off the bus and hurried to the hospital as fast as they could. Just because they sent Jackson off ahead didn't mean they couldn't dilly dally. They had to be away from the hospital before the sunset or they would be screwed.
The nurse who normally sold the blood was sitting behind a table in the back entrance of the hospital. She looked up and smiled. "Hey, Aisling, Travis, Crystal, where are your other friends?"
"It's almost curfew," Aisling said. "We sent Donnie and Jackson ahead."
Knowledge flickered behind the nurse's eyes before she smiled. "Ah, good thinking. Better three out late than all five of you. What shall it be today?"
"It's Delivery Day today right?" Aisling asked. "Any nonexpired blood for sale?"
"No, O-" The nurse said.
Aisling rolled her eyes. "Yea, I know. Anythin' else?"
"Some A positive and negative, B-, and AB+" the nurse rattled off easily.
"Great, two of each, if you can spare. And regular order for the expired blood." Aisling said.
"Gonna cost you a pretty penny." The nurse said.
"Good thing I have it," Aisling said.
"Besides we'll spot her if she needs us to," Travis said. "Consider it an early birthday gift."
"Uh-huh," Aisling said before looking up at the ceiling her hands pressed together in mock prayer. "Please o' please let me have enough money for this." She said while the nurse left to get their order.
"Haha," Travis said. "I'm only kidding. You can pay us back at 10% interest."
"He's joking." Crystal said, as though she was fighting a grin. "10% is far too low, 20% is so much better."
Aisling's eyes widened and she had to physically stop herself from chasing them around the room. Then she calmed and glared at them. "Liars."
"Got you for a good minute though didn't we?" Travis said.
"Nope!" Aisling said with a grin as the Nurse came back out with the order, Aisling grabbed the bags and paid for them.
"Great," Travis said stepping forward. "How dumb do you think it would be to openly flaunt a bag of blood at every vampire we pass by?"
Aisling and Crystal just stared at him unimpressed. "You get bitten, we will happily leave you to die." Crystal said.
Aisling nodded. "I'll tap dance on your ashes singing about stupid you were."
Travis pouted. "You guys are just mean!"
Aisling put an arm around Travis's shoulder. "You know we love you."
"But if your gonna be willfully stupid." Crystal said.
"We're gonna have our fun." Aisling finished.
Travis rolled his eyes failing to hide a grin, as he all but ran out of the hospital, Crys and Aisling's laughter followed them out of the hospital and into the setting sun.
"Here you go." The Butcher said handing the bag to Aisling. She gave a small smile as she triple-checked the order. "Thank you." She said softly.
"Yeah." The Butcher said already moving on to the next person.
She stayed for a moment before she left the shop.
It was dark by now. She sighed. Shoot. Dad was going to be so disappointed in her that she was out after dark, alone.
She winced when it started vibrating in her hand. With a sigh, she opened it with a flip of her wrist and put the phone to her ear. "Yeah I know, I'm sorry." She said. "I'll be home soon."
"You better," Spike said. "I don't like you out this late, alone, so close to a Hellmouth."
"I know," Aisling said. "I have your blood. I'll be home as soon as I can."
"And don't even think about trying to find human blood. I can do without it."
At full strength maybe. She inwardly scoffed. "I'll be home as soon as I can" She repeated. "I love you Da'"
"I love you too," Spike said. "Just be safe alright? I couldn't bear it if something happened to you."
Aisling bit her lip. "Same." She said. She straightened when heard something move behind her.
"What was that?" Spike said.
"Got to go," Aisling said snapping the phone shut. She winced as she did so I'm gonna hear it when I get home.
"I have a stake, cross, and holy water on my person I am the last person you want to attack right now." Aisling threatened.
"Good senses." Aisling turned to see Angel walking out of the shadows, a little smirk on his features before it settled onto a more serious stare. "Who were you talking to?"
"Buffy may find your stalking cute," Aisling started walking away pulling out her car keys as she did so. "I don't. Go home."
"I wasn't stalking you."
"That so?" Aisling asked. "Great." She smiled, then her grin fell and she glared at him again, "Go home."
Angel shook his head. "I'm concerned about you."
"That's sweet," Aisling said with a bland expression. She turned away from him and walked toward her car. "Leave me alone."
"I think you're in danger."
"I'm not," Aisling said though she knew it was worthless to insist. "Now, I have places to be. Go away."
"I can help you," Angel said. "I'm not like other vampires. I have-"
"A soul. I know. Don't care." Aisling said. She opened the car door and entered. Angel stopped the door with his hand before she could close it all the way.
"Aisling," Angel started exasperated. "I can smell the blood you just bought."
"Great," Aisling said her voice dripping with Sarcasm. "I happen to like Blood Puddin'. Now get lost."
Angel shook his head. "I know your hiding something."
"I am entitled my secrets," Aisling said putting the key in the ignition and starting the car. "Just as you are."
Angel stopped and glared at her suspiciously. "What is that supposed to mean?"
Aisling put a hand in her purse. She trusted that Angel didn't want to hurt her, but she also needed to get going. "It means leave me alone. Or I will start snooping into your past. And I will tell Buffy everything I find."
"I just want to help you." Angel defended.
"Then listen to me. I. Do. Not. Need. It." With a flick of her wrist, she tossed a bottle of holy water at him. Angel jumped back to avoid getting hit and in the second she had, she snapped the door closed and drove off.
She leaned back as she drove, taking several fake turns just to make sure she wasn't being followed. Heading to the hospital is out of the question since that's probably the first place he'll expect me to go. Aisling sighed and banged her head against the headrest. Damn it.
"Hey Willow," Aisling said as she walked up to the Science Fair Sign Up Table.
"Hey, signing up for the Science Fair?" Willow asked.
"Not like I have a choice," Aisling said rolling her eyes. "So stupid makin' it mandatory. Bad enough they grade us on our knowledge but then to force us to put it on display when science may not be our strong suit?" Aisling shook her head.
"Don't like science?" Willow asked.
"Not the point I was trying to make, Science can be interesting, I'm just not good at it." She said scribbling down her chosen science fair project.
Willow looked over her shoulder and stared up at Aisling with a raised eyebrow. "Volcano?"
"Yep," Aisling said. "Did it last year, Still have my notes too."
Willow looked at her concerned. "Isn't that cheating?"
"How?" Aisling asked. "The work's still mine."
"Yeah, but…"
"Smile!" Aisling blinked when she saw the sudden flash of a camera right in her eyes.
"What the bloody hell was that all about," Aisling shouted, shaking her head trying to get rid of the dark spots.
Fortunately for the teenage boy with the camera, he had already moved on to his next target. "Check out those legs." He said.
"No, thank you," Willow said.
"Eric will you knock it off." A tall blonde boy said walking up to the table.
"Creep," Aisling said. "Who is that guy?"
"Eric Gittleson," Willow said. "And that's pretty much the reaction everyone has toward him." She turned to the blonde guy and smiled. "Hey, Chris."
"Hey," Chris said.
Willow looked over Chris's shoulder when Chris noticed Willow explained, "Oh I- I was wondering what you were doing this year?"
"Why?"
"Cause every year you win, and I place second, so I thought I would see what I'm up against."
"Want to know what the key is? If Mr. Clark doesn't understand your experiment, he gives you higher marks so it looks like he understands your experiment."
Willow showed him her signup sheet. "The Effects of Sub-Violet Light Spectrum Deprivation on the Development of Fruit Flies'?" Chris smirked. "That'll do it."
Aisling snapped her fingers in mock annoyance. "Darn, you mean my volcano experiment won't place first?" She said, "Whatever shall I do?"
Willow shook her head eyes wide as she tried to placate Aisling. "Oh no, it's possible-"
"I'm joking Willow." Aisling cut in as Cordelia walked toward them with purpose.
"Okay, I'm doing this under protest. It is not fair that they're making participation in this year's science fair mandatory. I don't think anyone should have to do anything educational in school if they don't want to."
"Imagine the horror." Aisling quipped.
Willow looked confused. "Didn't you just-"
"I think it's unfair to be forced to enter a competition of a subject you're not good at and then ranked in front of the entire school. The entire point of school is education."
Willow looked confused before looking at what Cordelia had written. "Tomato: Fruit or a Vegetable?"
"Wanted something I could do in a weekend," Cordelia admitted.
"Nix vs Hedden." Aisling said.
"Bless you," Cordelia said.
"No, it's a supreme court case that ruled on that very same question back in the 1890s."
"And you just happened to know that?" Cordelia said.
Aisling shrugged her shoulders. "I fell down some weird rabbit holes this past summer."
"Wow, a Supreme court case just to rule a tomato a fruit," Willow said her voice dripped with sarcasm.
"No, they ruled it a vegetable, actually," Aisling said. "Taxation purposes."
Eric appeared and snapped a picture of Cordelia. Cordelia covered her face "Stop it what are you doing! We are under florescent light, for God's sake."
"The camera loves you!" Eric said snapping another picture.
"I didn't think yearbook nerds didn't come out of hibernation 'til spring," Cordelia grumbled.
Eric snapped another picture. "This is for my private collection." He said then he winked.
"Oh gross!" Aisling wined.
"Eric! Will, you quit it?"
"Yeah, before I take the camera and shove it right up your-" Aisling started before she was cut off by Buffy running through the hall.
"Coming through. Sorry." Eric snapped a photo from her Buffy gave Eric a confused look before turning back to Willow. "Sorry to interrupt Willow, but it's the Bat-Signal."
"Okay, Sure. See you later Chris."
"What happened?" Aisling asked as she hurried alongside Willow and Buffy.
"I found the grave of Meredith Todd open and empty," Buffy said, "Need to know why."
"Vampire?"
Buffy shrugged. "I don't know, it's why I need Willow to look into it. Evidence suggests she was dragged out."
"Huh."
"Yeah, Giles thinks it might be someone making zombies, or flesh-eating demon. If not a Vampire."
Aisling winced. "Zombies. Dad's run into those a couple of times. Never fun. Especially since zombies are incredibly hard to kill. Only sure-fire way is to either burn it completely to ashes, cut its head off, or end the spell."
"Oh fire… hope it doesn't come to that, I so can't get in trouble for burning down another building." At the look, Aisling gave her Buffy quickly explained. "Had to burn down the gym at my old school because of Vampires."
Aisling winced. "Yeesh, that why you moved here?"
"Yeah. Not pleasant. Nearly quit because of the whole ordeal." Buffy said.
"I can imagine."
"This won't take long, I'm probably the only person in this school that has the morgue marked as a favorite place," Willow said sitting down at the computer table, her fingers already typing away at the keys.
Cordelia walked into the library at that moment. "Hi. Sorry to interrupt your little undead playgroup, but I wanted to ask Aisling if she'll help me with my science fair project."
Aisling looked at Cordelia confused and pointed at herself, "Me?"
"Yeah, would have asked Chris, but that would have just brought up painful memories of Daryl, besides you're the one who told me about the whole Supreme Court case."
"Still say it's a fruit," Willow said as she typed away on the computer. She smiled as she found what she was looking for. "Found it! Meredith died in a car accident last week."
"Course I have learned to deal with my pain," Cordelia said looking up thoughtfully.
"How was her neck?"
"Fine, except for being broken," Willow said as Giles came out of his office.
"Hello! Can we deal with my pain, please?"
"Sorry," Aisling said turning back to Cordelia. "Who's Daryl?"
"He was my boyfriend," Cordelia said. "He died a year or so ago."
Aisling's eyes widened and put a hand to her mouth. "Oh, I'm so sorry."
Cordelia's smile was brittle. "Thanks. I'm mostly over it but…"
Aisling winced in empathy. "Things happen, and people and places remind you of it?"
"Yeah…" Cordelia said. "You lose someone?"
"My friend died a couple of years ago. His anniversary is coming up. He and I were… close before he died." She said. "At least I thought we were." She muttered under her breath.
Cordelia looked at her in in relief. "So you get it?"
Aisling nodded, her smile sympathetic. "A little."
"It says that Meredith and two other girls in the car were killed instantly. They were on the Fondren High Pep Squad on the way to a game."
"You know what this means," Buffy said.
"That Fondren might actually beat Sunnydale in the cross-town body count competition this year?"
Aisling looked horrified at Xander. "Jesus, Xander."
"Someone did dig up her corpse."
Cordelia complained about why every conversation she had with them had the word 'corpse' in it.
"So it's either a body snatcher or someone creating a zombie."
"Zombie army. Most voodoo practitioners would need more than one." Giles said.
"So we should see if the other girls from the accident are AWOL too," Buffy said.
"Oh joy. Gravediggin'." Aisling said.
Buffy looked over at Aisling, "You ever dig graves?"
"Nope. But everything about it seems wrong."
"I know, but we need to know."
"Yeah, still don't like it."
"So, we dig up graves tonight?" Xander asked.
"Think Angel's gonna be there?" Willow asked, Aisling wrinkled her nose at the mention of the souled vamp but said nothing.
"Angel I have been… let's just say as far as Angel's concerned I'm takin' the night off alright?" Buffy said.
"You gonna be there," Willow asked turning to Aisling.
Aisling shrugged. "Dunno depends on-"
"Yeah, yeah your dad," Xander said.
Aisling hands fisted even as rolled her eyes.
Cordelia declined the invite, arguing that she had cheerleading, and an actual life to get back too.
Aisling snorted. "That's cold Cordelia."
"I am the reigning Queen B of Sunnydale." Cordelia said unapologetically.
Spike found her sitting on the floor of her room. She wore an all-black long-sleeved dress that went down to her knees. Block stockings covered her legs, and even her shoes were black ballet flats.
What hurt the worst was the tears that streamed down her cheeks.
He knelt beside her and put a comforting hand on her soldiers, "Ready to go?" He asked her.
She looked up at the ceiling. "No." She said hoarsely but she stood up anyway. "I'll see you later?" She asked.
The funeral was during the day, meaning that Aisling was stuck heading their alone, fortunately, she would be seated with Jackson and Donnie. So she wouldn't be by herself at the actual funeral.
But the walk there was going to be hard, just her alone with just her thoughts.
"I'll be a phone call away," Spike said rubbing her back, as he walked he to the door. "And I'll be at the reception alright?"
Aisling nodded and wiped away the tears. "Aye." She said. She gave him a tight hug. The hug went on so long that Spike was worried that she wouldn't let go, but then loosened her grip, she stood on her tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek, that he returned. Then, with a barely audible 'bye', she walked out the door.
Walking to the church alone was hard, her mind going over and over what had happened, and how things could be different. She knew she couldn't change what had happened but it didn't stop her from trying to figure out just what she could have done differently.
She wouldn't have told him about the addictive side of the supernatural, that was for sure.
She met up with her friends, Crystal was barely consolable, Jackson, Donnie and Aisling each took turns hugging her as tightly as they could.
"Is your dad coming?" Crystal asked.
Aisling shook her head. "It would raise too many questions if he entered with a smokin' blanket. He'll be at the reception."
Crystal nodded and looked at the church, she put a hand to her mouth as though to force her cries to stay locked inside her throat.
Donnie put his arm around her.
"Where are your parents."
"Mom's sitting in the front middle pew." Crystal said. "Dad… I don't know where he is, he's been coming home late since…" Crystal trailed off before she shook her head. Under her breath, she muttered, "He's likely passed out drunk somewhere."
Aisling, Donnie and Jackson simultaneously decided to ignore what she said.
"Ready to go inside?" Aisling asked.
Crystal looked at the building and shook her head. "No." She said sounding hoarse and broken, "But I don't think I'll ever be." She said. "Let's go."
"Hey," Aisling turned to see Chris Epps sitting beside her.
"Hey," Aisling waved as Chris sat down.
"Heard about your brother." Aisling started, Chris turned to stare at her surprised, so Aisling hurried to explain. "Cordelia told me that he died."
"Oh," Chris said, almost sighing in relief. Aisling tilted her head in confusion but Chris just continued speaking. "Yeah, he died in a rock-climbing accident. Harness broke when he slipped, and…"Chris trailed off unsure of what to say,
Aisling could only just imagine the rest. "Sorry for your loss." She said.
"Thanks," Chris swallowed. "It's been hard."
"Yeah" Aisling nodded. "Friend of mine lost her brother a while ago. It was hard on her too. Hard on everyone."
Chris turned to her, "Yeah?"
Aisling nodded. "He, uh… he had an addiction problem… it, um… it ended poorly for him. I know it's not quite the same but…"
"But he's still gone," Chris said nodding. "Were you and your friend's brother…."
"Close?" Aisling smiled sadly. "He was a part of the group. We hadn't dated or anything, but …"
Chris nodded. "I get it. The parents…"
Aisling looked down. "The mother kind of shut down, according to Crystal. The dad…" Aisling shoot her head. "Crystal doesn't talk about her dad. Hasn't spoken about him since her brother died."
"My mom is the same," Chris said. "All she does is watch the tapes of Daryl's games."
Aisling nodded sympathetically. "Crys had a hard time lettin' go, but when she finally did… she started gettin' better."
Aisling decided to go. She'd told Spike that her friends were going to be hanging around the graveyards, and outside of a 'be careful' 'bring weapons' and 'call me every hour' he told her to go.
She held a shovel in her hand and dug with Giles and Xander while Buffy and Willow sat on the sidelines.
"Daryl Eeps was Chris's older brother. Daryl was a running… running…' Willow started.
"Runnin' back?" Aisling cut in.
"Uh… yeah I think so," Willow said. "Anyway, all the girls were crazy for him."
"He broke Cordy's heart? Possibly proving its existence?"
"That's cold," Aisling muttered under her breath.
"He died," Willow said. "Wall climbing or something? He fell."
"Poor Chris." Aisling and Buffy said.
"Yeah, ever since then he's been real quiet. In his own world. I hear their mother doesn't leave the house anymore.
"Yeah, losing a sibling can be hard," Aisling said her voice far away as she continued digging now around the casket. "Some people…" Aisling shook her head. "Some people would do anythin' to get to them back. And keep them there."
"Think we're there," Giles said.
After some minor arguing over who would open the casket Aisling sighed and opened the casket.
Only to find that it was empty.
A/N It feels prudent to point that I personally do not hate Angel. I like Angel, I like his story and I like his TV show... Aisling however has been raised by Spike. Everything she knows about Angel is colored by Spike's biased, whether he intended to do so or not, that is what happened. Mix that in with her desperation to keep Spike a secret until she knows that Spike won't be hurt and it comes out as her not having a lot of patience with him.
