Into the Lightby *Stars*
Disclaimer: All characters belong to Joss Whedon & Co.
Spoilers: Possible AtS s1, BtVS s4 & s5
Rating: R –Language, Violence
Warning: ANGST!
A/N: This fic was written for Isis as part of the ‘B/A Ficathon’ hosted by leni_ba.
A/N2: This is a sequel to the fic ‘Beyond the Darkness’.
A/N3: The dialogue in italics is from Angel: the Series, episode #8, ‘I Will Remember You’ written by David Greenwalt and Jeanne Renshaw. All events are subject to author’s discretion and will not stay within canon.
PART I
It was nearly four in the morning when Angel received a desperate phone call from his Seer and confidant of almost two years, Cordelia Chase. She was upset, and crying, and it had nothing to do with the agonizing headache she was being forced to endure due to the vision she had just had. No, Cordy was upset, and not just in her usual, ‘I’ve just seen something terrible,’ way. She was babbling incoherently about someone killing herself.
At first, in his still groggy state, Angel had thought that it was Cordelia herself that was thinking of ending her own life. The notion that one of his greatest fears was coming to light was almost too much for him. He had always considered the possibility that his Seer would one day become too overwhelmed and not be able to handle the constant strain of the visions, not only on her physical health, but on her mental health as well. He was truly frightened that she would eventually end up doing something rash to end it all. It hadn’t been until his friend uttered her name that Angel was able to truly comprehend what Cordelia was telling him.
The vampire was out of bed, dressed, and on his way to Cordy’s apartment in mere minutes. Thankfully the unusually harsh weather that had moved in quickly during the night had kept most civilians off the downtown streets and allowed Angel to speed through the City relatively unnoticed. Normally he wouldn’t have bothered with his Seer beyond the initial phone call, but she had been unable to give him any idea as to a specific location where he would find her, so he had been forced to make an extra trip to visit his friend first. He could only pray to the Powers that they would grant her the answer that he seeked.
These few extra minutes had allowed Cordelia to compose herself somewhat and to rehash her vision and pinpoint the exact location where Angel would find the woman in question, and thankfully, that process hadn’t taken long. As she took a second look into her mind’s eye, Cordelia was able to see that ‘she’ was at the Santa Monica Bay Pier. The Seer sucked in her breath, and dropped the glass of water she’d been holding, sending shards of glass flying across her kitchen floor. It was in that moment that Angel stormed inside.
Rain soaked, and chilled to the bone, the vampire with a soul practically broke down his friend’s door trying to get in. The gasping and broken glass noises coming from within were doing little to ease his already strained nerves. He knew he had little time to waste.
“You could have taken the chain off the door,” Angel chastised as he approached Cordelia who was tiptoeing through the mess in her kitchen, rubbing her temples as she moved, trying to ease the throbbing that continued to distract her.
The beautiful brunette who was still looking a little sleep rumpled rolled her eyes at her friend’s comment. It was typical Angel to think of something so completely off subject to complain about in a situation such as the one they were facing.
“Come on. We’re wasting time,” Cordelia answered flatly as she shrugged off her pain and hurried through her living quarters and out the front door, leaving her boss to trail in her footsteps.
Angel halted his friend’s movements at the end of the walk with and emotional declaration, “You can’t go, just tell me where she is.”
“We don’t have time for this Angel. She’s going to die if we don’t hurry,” Cordelia pleaded tearfully as she stood staring at her friend in the pouring down rain.
“You. Aren’t. Going. Now, where is she?” Angel returned, practically growling his displeasure with his insubordinate employee and friend.
“Santa Monica Bay Pier,” The Seer answered, resigned to accept the vampire’s demand.
Angel didn’t respond. He couldn’t. It was too ironic that she’d be there. The place where it could have all began, it was now on the verge of ending forever. He turned silently, flinging the door to his long black Plymouth open and climbing inside. Hurriedly he sped away.
The normally twenty minute drive from downtown Los Angeles to Santa Monica was agonizingly longer as the unexpected storm began to rage in a never before seen fury, handicapping the vampire’s normally excellent night vision. If this had been any ordinary vision he probably would have said a few choice words to the Powers That Be for sending such an out of season storm to hinder him from a potential victim, yet this time was different. He couldn’t in his wildest imagination understand why they would be allowing this to happen. How they could let one of their most prized warriors…
Angel’s angry thoughts trailed as the out of control storm suddenly stopped. He wondered if his internal musings had been heard by those in charge? The vampire had no way of knowing, and it really didn’t matter. The ‘whys’ and ‘how comes’ were insignificant, the only thing that he was concerned about at the moment was taking advantage of the break in the weather.
The Vampire had only precious few minutes before the squall began to rage again. Angel had no clue what was going on with the weather, but he could only guess that it was directly related to the vision his friend had just had. There could be no other explanation. Only something as dire as the Slayer making an attempt on her own life could cause such catastrophic events to take place.
Finally, the black Plymouth skidded to a halt in the Pier’s parking lot. Angel darted from his vehicle as a flash of bright lightening lit up the black sky, allowing him just enough vision through the stormy night to see his life’s only love fall from the Pier’s railing into the turbulent waters below.
“NO!” Angel roared as he sprinted with vampire speed to the end of the long wooden Pier.
Using the small bench as a springboard to vault him over the railing, the Vampire with a Soul dove into the black abyss after his mate. It was like looking for a needle in a haystack, but blindfolded. The rough seas continued to disorient the Vampire, and the dark, murky waters mixed with the violent undercurrents were making his search next to impossible. Angel was becoming increasingly agitated with each passing second. He may be able to survive underwater for long lengths of time, but the Slayer could not. Angel was beginning to drown, if only figuratively. As the seconds wore on, the Vampire continued to search blindly for his lover, praying silently for help from those that he felt owed him.
Finally, Angel’s left hand caught hold of what he instantly could tell was human flesh. Grabbing desperately at the body he could only feel but not see, the Vampire clutched what he prayed was his beloved to his chest and frantically fought against the current to swim to the surface of the still raging waters and then on to shore. He continued a mantra of “stay with me baby” as he swam.
Angel hurriedly carried the limp body of the Slayer onto shore, carefully he knelt to the beach’s sandy edge, just out of the roaring tide’s reach. Gently at first he shook Buffy’s pale body. Even if he had not been a vampire, Angel would have instinctively known that the petite woman in front of him had lost a dangerous amount of blood. Spying the long gashes on each of the Slayer’s wrists, the Vampire could tell how desperate she had been to end her life.
“Baby…baby stay with me! Buffy! Buffy, baby, please….” He cried out in vain. She wasn’t regaining consciousness, and her already faint heartbeat was becoming less recognizable with each passing second.
Angel knew what his beloved needed, the breath that he did not possess. His mind flashed back to a time before, when he had been forced to step aside and allow her friend to do his work for him. He had failed her before, in the same sort of life or death circumstance.
As tears intermingled with the pouring rain that was running in rivers down his cheeks, Angel cried out in frustration as he clutched his lover to his chest.
“You promised! You fucking promised me you’d give her more time! You…lied….you lied!!!”
As quickly as the evening’s storm had stopped once before, it cleared again in an instant.
“Sorry man, this wasn’t supposed to happen,” Whistler apologized, startling the Vampire as he seemingly appeared out of nowhere.
Suspiciously eyeing the mysterious man from his past, Angel hugged his beloved closer to his cold body.
“Listen Angel, the Powers didn’t see this one coming. They don’t re-nig on their deals, they’re honest you know. This came out of left field, and it needs to be fixed. They’re willing to make one last deal with you,” Whistler explained.
“Why don’t they just fix it? Make her better. NOW!” Angel demanded.
“You know the rules man. You have to give, to get. They can’t be throwing the balance of things off just because they got side-blinded by something unexpected,” Whistler answered.
“This isn’t fair! I gave up my future with her! They promised!” Angel spat back.
“I would have thought that by now you off all…people… and I use that term loosely, would have learned that life just ain’t fair,” Whistler answered flatly.
“Fuck you,” Angel growled, rocking back and forth and stroking her wet locks, as if it would comfort the Slayer somehow.
“The Powers are willing to make a deal. You in or not?”
“Fine. Whatever they want, just bring her back,” Angel choked out. His emotions were beginning to get the best of him now. He knew that if the Powers didn’t intervene, she would be lost to him, and the world, forever.
“You shouldn’t rush to a decision so fast Angel. There are always consequences with things like this,” Whistler cautioned.
Angel pulled back so he could look at his beloved once more. He knew he had no other choice.
“Angel….” Whistler prodded.
“What. Ever. They. Want. But do it NOW!!!” Angel bit back dangerously. He didn’t care what the consequences were. He could careless if he ended up in a fiery pit of hell for eternity for this, it didn’t matter. As long as she was alive, he was fine. He’d deal with any consequences.
“You sure?” Whistler asked one last time.
“NOW!” the Vampire growled in answer.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Angel sighed contently as he watched Buffy sleep. He momentarily pondered the reality of their new situation. He was human. Finally. And that meant a whole new life that awaited him, and hopefully his beloved would want to be a part of it. Startled out of his revelry by the sound of a door opening, Angel hurried out of bed, careful not to wake his sleeping beauty. The former Vampire quietly padded out of his bedroom, shrugging into a robe as he spied Doyle coming down his apartment stairs.
"Hey, that…” the half-demon began before quickly being cutoff by Angel’s signal to keep his voice down. Doyle continued in a softer tone, “Mohra demon regenerated more then just you."
"What?" Angel questioned, surprised by the news.
"I had a vision. It regenerated itself," Doyle answered.
"Where?" Angel asked, knowing that he must somehow take care of this problem.
"In the tunnel where you fought it. Then it was in some sort of factory. I thought I tasted salt. Could have been the margarita."
"No, it needs a lot of salt to live," Angel replied as he began pacing the room.
"Well, it was very much alive in this vision, and angry if I might mention," The half-demon stated emphatically.
"I'll have to kill it again," The former vampire said flatly.
"Yeah, but you're human now. They released you," Doyle reminded his friend.
"You want to let that thing roam free? You saw it in a factory. There is a saline plant in Redondo, We'll start there," Angel retorted as he began to pull on a pair of black slacks.
"Yeah, but if it can regenerate itself, how can you kill it?"
"We'll figure it out. Just grab the Book of Kelsor. You’ll read, I'll drive,” Angel instructed.
“Doyle?" Angel prodded at his friend’s hesitance.
"I think we should bring someone a little - supernatural?" The Seer suggested as he eyed the sleeping Slayer, hoping that his friend didn’t want to try taking on the powerful Mohra alone, and especially in his newly human state.
Angel pulled his black sweater over his head and looked to where Doyle was looking.
“Don't you want to wake the girl?"
"Not for the world," Angel answered with a crooked grin.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Angel and Doyle found the Mohra precisely where the Seer’s vision had shown them. This time though, the former Vampire was prepared to end the life of the demon for good. Doyle had found the information they needed on the short drive to Redondo thanks to the Book of Kelsor that Angel had suggested they bring. He figured it had been some divine intervention that had kept him from reading the passage that related to the destruction of the Mohra in the first place. Had he done his research and known that the large demon could only be killed by destroying the jewel in his forehead, he would never have been graced with the chance at a second life.
The two men made quick work of the demon. Angel effectively struck the Mohra with his broadsword square on the face of the beautiful ruby jewel. As the demon fell to his death, Angel was left with a weird feeling of déjà vu. He had a peculiar sensation of having done this same deed before. Knowing that was impossible, the former Vampire shrugged of the odd occurrence and turned to his winded Seer.
After burying the body of the Mohra under a pile of loose rocks found down an abandoned corridor, Angel and Doyle wearily climbed into the black Plymouth for the short ride home. The pair stared quietly ahead for the first half of the trip, too exhausted from their initial battle with the Mohra and then with the extra exertion of energy used to drag the demon to a suitable cloaked sector of the tunnels, neither felt like forcing a conversation.
Finally, Doyle broke the silence.
“So…wha’d ya think’s gonna happen now between you and the lass?” Doyle asked sincerely.
Angel quietly contemplated his answer. He wasn’t sure what was going to happen now between he and Buffy. His life had become less complicated and more complicated all in one shot. On one hand he was human again. He could finally do all the things with Buffy that he had yearned to do before, the same things he had given as his reason for leaving her only months earlier. Yet, on the other hand, he now had a new life and new responsibilities. People depended on him, and it wasn’t like either one of them could just pick up their lives and leave.
“I don’t know Doyle….I just don’t know,” Angel finally answered with a sad sigh.
“This is what you want’d though….isn’t it? You and the lass with a normal life?” Doyle questioned.
Though the Seer knew from personal experience that everything wasn’t always roses, even when it appeared to be, he did know that this was something his boss had been dreaming of since the night the Vampire walked away from the Slayer in a smoky haze.
“It’s *exactly* what I want. That’s the trouble I guess,” Angel replied honestly.
“Yeah, every time ya think ya got what ya want, they pull the carpet out from under ya,” Doyle sympathized.
“Pretty much,” Angel agreed as he pulled up to the curb in front of his office building.
The two friends solemnly exited the vehicle and trudged up the building’s concrete steps. Doyle slapped his friend on the back.
“What ever happens with the Slayer, you know me and Delia’ll be here for ya,” The Seer reassured.
“I know. Thanks, that means a lot,” Angel answered with a thankful smile before opening the front door to his office.
What the two men found inside was far beyond anything either could have imagined. Perched on the edge of the old leather couch in the waiting area of Angel Investigations was a sobbing Slayer. Wrapped tightly in a cream colored sheet that she had obviously grabbed off of his bed, Buffy was held tightly in the arms of the ex-cheerleader turned secretary. Cordelia was doing her best to comfort her former high school friend, but was clearly failing in her attempt.
“Buffy? Buffy, what’s wrong?” Angel asked with concern as he walked further into the office.
The Slayer’s teary sobs were quieted with the sound of her lover’s velvety words. She had woken from a dreamy sleep to find herself alone in Angel’s bed. Again. That moment took her screaming back to the day after her 17th birthday when the situation had ended with the same result. She had panicked, thinking that somehow against all odds, she had found a way to release Angelus on the world again.
Scrambling out of her friend’s arms, Buffy rushed towards Angel. Throwing herself into her lover’s welcoming embrace, the Slayer buried her head in his chest and continued to sob, though this time her tears were of joy and not pain and fear.
Although he was initially dismayed by the Slayer’s appearance, Angel quickly realized what had upset her. Scooping the petite blonde into his arms, the former Vampire made no comment as he turned and whisked his beloved back down stairs to his apartment. They had things to talk about, a lot of things to talk about, but the first and only thing he wanted to do in that moment was reassure Buffy that everything was okay. He was okay.
“What’s wrong with the lass?” Doyle questioned once he and Cordelia were alone.
“Bad flashback. It’s this whole thing,” Cordy answered cryptically with a wave of her hand. She’d just been like a real friend and comforted the hysterical Slayer, it was a little much for her system. She’d had enough being a Girl Scout for one day.
“Let’s go get a sandwich, they’ll be down there for the rest of the day,” The brunette continued with disinterest as she gathered her purse and sweater. Doyle was given little opportunity to prod the sultry secretary for more information on what had provoked such emotion from the normally stoic, at least in his opinion, Slayer. Without another word, the dark haired Irishman followed his secret crush out the Office doors and down the City’s streets towards their favorite lunchtime deli.
PART II
~~Two Months Later~~
Buffy Summers’ day was seemingly going from bad to worse. She had woken early that morning with an apparent case of food poisoning. Obviously the two-day old Chinese food hadn’t agreed with her. And then she had been forced to skip her morning shower due to the unusual onslaught of students that had taken over every available stall. Left with no other option, Buffy rushed to dress and scurried off to make it to her first class, Psychology. The Slayer wasn’t at all looking forward to sitting through an hours worth of evil stares from her one time, sort of boyfriend, Riley Finn, but she had no other options. It was too far into the semester to request a transfer now.
When the Slayer returned from Los Angeles two months earlier, she immediately ended her budding relationship with Riley. Though she liked him and thought he was a nice guy, she had no desire to continue things with him when the true love of her life was only a couple hours drive away. At first Riley had been understanding and considerate of Buffy’s feelings. ‘At least she had been honest with him and not strung him along,’ he had said to her, but as the weeks wore on, and the ‘old boyfriend’ didn’t exit the picture, Riley became less and less diplomatic about the situation.
Buffy’s unlucky day continued with a ketchup stain on her favorite sweater during lunch, the five page report on ‘Othello’ that was due at the end of the week, and a cranky Watcher who had left one too many messages on her answering machine. Then there was Willow, who was doing her best to put on a brave face, but was falling short at all turns. Buffy was trying to comfort her morose friend, but the funk that the witch had fallen into since Oz had left town was even more than the Slayer could handle.
So, when the day from hell finally came to an end, and the Slayer was left to do what she did best, slay, Buffy was finally smiling. Regardless of how horrible her Monday had started off, Buffy Summers couldn’t possibly deny the giddy feelings she was having from her short visit with Angel over the weekend. Patrolling through Sunny Rest Cemetery, Buffy mentally recanted all the smooching and cuddling that she and her boyfriend had done. Their agreement to take things slow was becoming increasingly difficult for both of them, yet they knew it was the mature thing to do. They had been given a second chance at a life together and aside from that first day that Angel had turned human, the pair had done an excellent job of acting like adults and not two hormonally challenged teenagers.
Three hours and one dusted vampire later, Buffy was on her way back across Sunnydale to her dorm room when she was attacked from behind. With one hand over her mouth to prevent her from screaming, Buffy unsuccessfully struggled with her assailant’s other arm that was wrapped securely around her midsection. The Slayer was just about ready to resort to drastic measures and bite her attacker’s hand when she was suddenly freed. Spinning around in her fighting stance, Buffy was shocked at what she found.
Lying unconscious on the wet grass was a darkly clad, masked figure, and towering over the body was Angel. Buffy wasn’t sure what had sparked Angel’s sudden appearance in Sunnydale particularly since they had just seen each other the previous day, but she wasn’t into looking a gift horse in the mouth, especially one that saved her life.
“Angel,” Buffy said breathlessly.
“Buffy…” Angel answered as he stepped over the unconscious body lying in front of him and moved to embrace his beloved. He had made it in time, and that was all that mattered to him.
“What..what are you doing here? Not that I’m not glad to see you, ‘cause I’m *really* glad to see you….. but you know…just there. Did I say how glad I was to see you?” Buffy rambled her question.
“Doyle had a vision,” Angel said simply, pulling Buffy into a tighter hug.
“Oh.”
The pair was disturbed from their intimate moment when the lean body lying behind them began to moan. Whatever or whomever was responsible for attacking the Slayer was about to be unmasked and given a proper lesson in paybacks. The former vampire unceremoniously hauled the form up off the ground to an assisted standing position before tearing off the dark ski mask the assailant was wearing.
“Spike?” Buffy asked in shock.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Angel growled in disproval.
There was no response. The vampire was still slightly dazed from the hit he had taken on the back of the head by his former kin.
“Spike, what are you doing?” The Slayer questioned again, this time with more annoyance in her tone than shock.
“I was just…I was just tryin’ to save the bint,” Spike answered with a grimace towards Angel who was being none to careful with the arm that he had pinned behind Spike’s back.
“Saving her from what?”
“Uhhh….that!” Spike nodded towards the hulking figure walking towards them.
The “thing” that was coming at them was like nothing any of the three had seen before. It was a mixture of man, machine and beast. Someone had pieced together the most deadly aspects of each, and sent it after the Slayer. The former vampire quickly discerned that no one knew what they were dealing with and quickly decided it wasn’t worth risking Buffy’s life to try to stop the demon then.
“Let’s go,” Angel ordered releasing Spike and grabbing Buffy’s arm, the trio quickly headed down the street and towards the Slayer’s house on Revello Drive.
It didn’t take the threesome long to noisily descend on the Summers’ home. One behind the other, they stormed through the front door and into what they each hoped would be camouflaged safety. After Spike entered the house unobstructed by the normal barrier to vampires, Angel became agitated once more with his former childre.
“How the hell did you get in here without an invitation?” Angel growled.
“I invited him,” Dawn answered casually from the couch, as if it were an everyday occurrence for her sister, her sister’s former creature of the night boyfriend and her, as in Dawn’s, current vampire friend to come storming through the front door.
“You shouldn’t have done that,” Angel shot back quickly without so much as looking in Dawn’s direction.
“Spike isn’t evil anymore, and besides you don’t live here, you can’t tell me who I can invite into the house and who I can’t,” Dawn retorted spitefully. Who did Angel think he was anyway? Her dad? Not hardly. He may have her older sister wrapped around his little finger now that he was all with the Joe human thing, but not her.
“Dawn! Don’t talk to Angel like that,” Buffy scolded.
“It’s the truth,” Dawn spat back.
“I need to talk to you Peaches. In private,” Spike stated plainly, and in complete disregard for the Lil’ Bit’s proclamation.
“What is it?” Angel asked through gritted teeth. He was in no mood for one of Spike’s games.
“Are ya deaf mate? I said in private,” Spike retorted angrily.
“Whatever it is…” Angel began.
“What it is, is important, and not something I care to share in front of the ‘Bit,” Spike answered emphatically with a nod towards Dawn.
“I’m not five you know. I can handle you guys talking about death and killing and stuff. Buffy talks about it in front of me all the time,” Dawn whined.
“This is different ‘Bit. Needs to just be me and Peaches. No you, no Buffy,” Spike replied sincerely.
“Excuse me?” Buffy asked in surprise. Dawn may not be five, even though on most days she seemed to act like it, but she was still young enough to be sheltered from demon talk. She on the other hand was the Slayer. She’d been dealing with death and killing and everything that went bump in the night for ages now, there was certainly no reason she shouldn’t be in on the conversation.
“Sorry Slayer. This one’s just for the boys,” Spike answered flatly as he grabbed Angel by the elbow and ushered him out of the living room and into the kitchen, where they would hopefully be out of earshot.
Jerking his arm out of Spike’s grasp, Angel growled. He wasn’t inclined to be escorted around by anyone let alone Spike, and especially not in Buffy’s home by Spike who wasn’t suppose to be allowed in the house to begin with.
“What is it?” Angel demanded bitterly.
“It’s about the Slayer,” Spike answered coolly.
“What about Buffy?” Angel asked, his short temper becoming increasingly evident.
“She’s…”
“She’s WHAT?” Angel flared, grabbing Spike around the neck pushing him against the refrigerator.
“Sh…she’s…’pec…” Spike stuttered to answer. Angel may be human now, but he hadn’t lost much of his vampire strength, Spike knew that much from his former grandsire’s grasp at his throat.
“Again!” Angel demanded as he released some of the pressure to Spike’s vocal chords.
“She’s…exp….expecting,” Spike choked out in a hushed tone.
“Expecting what?” Angel asked in confusion as he released Spike from his grasp completely.
“Your offspring you Ponce,” Spike bit out.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Sixteen years and about a ba-zillion dusted vamps, beheaded demons and a hell of a screwed up extended family later the next Slayer is Called.
Me.
Yes, I said me.
Ragan Mackenzie Summers.
Daughter of Angel and Buffy Summers, Niece to Dawn Summers, Granddaughter to Rupert and Joyce Giles, God Child of Alan Francis and Willow Rosenberg-Doyle, eternal pain in the ass of my Mom’s sister Slayer, Faith, and my Dad’s sometimes friend Spike and last but not least, loving adopted Niece of Xander and Cordelia Harris.
Did that catch you up to speed? No. Well, then I guess there is some explaining to do then huh? Okay, well then pull up a chair and get comfortable, because this could take awhile.
About fifteen years ago my mom was faced with one of the toughest decisions of her life, and no it had nothing to do with me. She had to choose between saving her sister, or saving the world. Not an easy choice to make, and at the time my Mom had no idea she was being totally screwed with by some Hell Bitch named Glory. All she knew is the crap that some mental Monk told her, and then what this Glory chick said. She had to make a split second decision based on that.
So, in the name of doing the right thing for the greater good, she took out my Aunt Dawn and then herself. I know what you’re thinking, how can I fit into the equation if my Mom died right after she killed her sister?
Well, she didn’t…exactly. Okay, so she technically died, but that’s for later. Anyway, Mom does the big deed, and at the same time my Aunt Cordy has a vision, because she was all vision girl for my Dad at the time. So Dad goes and tries to save Mom from killing herself, but he doesn’t make it in time.
So, Mom’s banging on death’s door and Dad’s begging the Powers that Be for her life. He agrees to whatever terms they set as long as it will give my Mom another chance. Well, you have to understand how the Powers work. They are a tricky group. They brought Mom back, but to a time fold that was almost a year earlier.
See, Dad had accidentally been turned human, and then begged to be turned back to a vampire because he couldn’t help fight anymore with no strength or whatever. He said he’d be no good to Mom as just a regular guy. I say cop out. To me he sounded more like a big chicken, but that is something we learned to keep to ourselves a few years ago.
Regardless, the Powers thought that They needed to correct an error that They made during that time by not allowing Dad to keep his super strength. So they sent Mom back in time to the day that she didn’t remember Dad taking away from her, and when they both woke up, neither had any clue that an entire year and everything that took place within it had just been taken away from them.
That time fold meant that my Aunt Dawn wasn’t murdered, or that my Grandma Joyce didn’t die from an aneurysm. It also meant that my Uncle Doyle didn’t die and my Aunt Willow didn’t have a girlfriend, Aunt Cordy didn’t get to be vision girl and Uncle Xander didn’t fall in love with greedy money girl Anya. And most importantly, it meant that Dad got to keep his super strength and remain human so he and Mom could start over.
That’s how the last sixteen years started off. Mom and Dad getting to know each other again, and then wham! Uncle Spike figures out that Mom’s pregnant with me and tells Dad. From the way Aunt Cordy and Uncle Xander tell the story, the fireworks started on that day. Dad went psycho and accused Mom of cheating on him, even though they weren’t technically “together” yet. Mom got all hormonal and locked herself in her bedroom for two days, refusing to speak to Dad or anyone else. It was this whole big thing.
Eventually, Mom and Dad made up, and the fun began. Dad moved back to Sunnydale, dragging Aunt Cordy kicking and screaming with him. It wasn’t Dad who so much cared about where Aunt Cordy lived, but Uncle Doyle was head over heals in love with her when all this happened, and wherever Dad went, Uncle Doyle was contractually obligated to follow, or so he puts it. Obviously since Aunt Cordy is married to Uncle Xander, and Uncle Doyle is married to Aunt Willow, things changed dramatically from when everyone moved to town, but that’s how it all started out anyway.
Mom and Dad were forced to get married as soon as Grandma found out about me. Aunt Dawn said it was like a war zone living with Mom and Grandma at first, because of all the yelling and screaming that they did. I guess Grandma didn’t take the news to well. She kept mumbling ‘where did I go wrong’ all the time. That was according to Uncle Spike, who found it incredibly amusing that Grandma Joyce refused to speak to my Dad whenever he’d come over.
Grandpa Giles was about as happy about me as Grandma was. I think that’s why they ended up getting together. For some reason they both thought they failed my Mom some how. I’m pretty sure that they have different views on what happened now, or at least I hope they do. Mom said that everything was fine the moment they both laid eyes on me. I was apparently quite the cute baby.
So, Mom and Dad got married in what they had hoped would be a nice quiet ceremony, but instead it was overrun by Adam, the big bad that was after Mom. Since the day that Dad found out about Mom being pregnant, he wouldn’t let her fight anymore, which Grandma Joyce later admitted she was thankful about. But anyway, he had somehow managed to get Aunt Faith out of Prison so there would be an active Slayer patrolling the Hellmouth and thankfully she had been at the wedding to help Dad and Uncle Spike take out Adam.
I don’t think Mom or any of her friends were happy at first to have Aunt Faith back into the mix of things after all the trouble she caused before, but when the heat was turned up on the Gang, Faith stepped in and took charge, and no one has looked back since.
I guess that’s why I have to say this right now, even if it is sort of out of place in my story telling. But I have to, everyone needs to know this, especially my Mom and Dad who are uber upset right now.
Everything works out in the end.
All of us go through that dark phase where we feel like where alone in this world and that life has thrown us such a curve ball that it has sent us beyond the darkness, beyond the point of no return, but it really hasn’t. One day something will happen in each of our lives and we all realize that we’ve just walked back into the light. That’s what happened to Mom and Dad, and one day they’ll realize that that is what’s happening to me right now.
Well, anyway, back to the back-story.
Mom and Dad did finally manage to tie the knot. Dad moved Mom into the Crawford Street Mansion with him, Faith and Spike. Faith was a housemate at my Dad’s insistence. He wanted to make sure that if for some reason he wasn’t around, someone would be that could take care of Mom. Uncle Spike just sort of tagged along for lack of anything better to do, plus he got the added bonus of being able to antagonize my Dad at a whim. According to Aunt Faith there were some pretty mean knock down drag outs between them, but they never seriously hurt each other.
Mom was never very happy about the living arrangements. Not because she didn’t like Aunt Faith, well, maybe that was partly true at first. Nor was it because she didn’t trust Uncle Spike, okay, so maybe that was partly true also. But mainly Mom was just having control issues with Dad. Two Type A personalities have a tendency to crash heads at some point, and I think Dad making a huge deal out of Mom being pregnant with me started to drive her a little crazy. Or a lot crazy.
Maybe it was just the hormones, but I guess one night Mom went ballistic when Dad told her that it might be a good idea for her to go lay down and get some rest because it was late. From the way Uncle Spike tells the story Mom took that as an order and not as a suggestion and decked Dad so hard he ended up on his ‘arse’. I would have just said ass, but I like it when Uncle Spike says ‘arse,’ so I’m sayin’ it like I hear it.
Anyway, in all her rage, Mom packed her bags, stormed out the front door and started walking towards Aunt Willow’s. Dad was up and off the floor and following Mom down the street, but she refused to talk to him. Uncle Spike said it was the funniest thing he’d ever seen. Watching the Scrooge of Europe beggin’ like a little pansy. Uncle Spike’s words, not mine. I guess Dad finally relented and went back home when he was assured by Aunt Willow and Uncle Doyle that Mom would be safe with them for the night.
That was month of pregnancy number eight and a half, and my presence upon the world happened only a couple of weeks later. Early to bed, early to rise I say. No use spending any more time baking in the oven when you’re all ready cookies. So out I came, two weeks early. That was the day that my parents got their memories back. The day that my Mom remembered killing her younger sister to try and save the world. The day that my Dad remembered my Mom lying dead in his arms on a rain soaked beach while he pleaded with the Powers to change things.
No one was certain why my arrival upon the world triggered their memories to come back, but in the end I don’t think either of them cared much. They understood better what they had went through to get to where they were on that day, and how they had obviously been rewarded for all their hard work by finally being able to be a family. Their love for each other persevered, and they showed the world that love was worth fighting for.
So, now we’re back to the present. I just got Called. And I wish it were as simple as a telephone call. But no, not in my family. No, being Called means you’re destiny is mapped out for you, and there ain’t much you can do about it. Or at least that’s the way it used to be. Not so much now. I’ve got Mom and Dad, and Aunt Faith and Uncle Spike. All of who still have their super strength, and every one of them have been teaching me to defend myself since the day I took my first step.
Then there is Aunt Willow, who is this kick-ass Wicca. She can spell anyone’s ass into another dimension and Uncle Doyle is a half-demon after all. Grandpa Giles is now the Head Master of the Watcher’s Council and Wesley Wyndom-Price is now back within the Council, and second in command at the request of Grandpa. Grandma Joyce, Aunt Dawn, Uncle Xander and Aunt Cordy prefer to stay on the human side of the fight, but they are always willing to lend a hand whenever it’s been needed.
Mom and Dad weren’t very happy about my Calling. In fact Dad called up Grandpa Giles and yelled at him for over an hour about it. From what I could understand from the one-sided conversation I was eavesdropping on, Grandpa said that it was out of his control. Dad said he’d see about that, and now he and Mom have locked themselves in their bedroom. Normally that in its self would totally wig me out because there was only one reason why they would ever do that, but this time it’s different. They are being all quiet and secretive and that’s worrying me.
I don’t get why my Calling is such a big deal to them. It isn’t like Mom and Aunt Faith didn’t make it through the whole Calling thing okay. Not to say that there weren’t some bumps, bruises, jail time and deaths along the way, but heck it’s the supernatural we’re talking about here, not Student Body President.
Well, I’m to hyper to sit around here all day waiting for Mom and Dad to get over themselves, so I’m going to go and visit Aunt Faith and Uncle Spike. They’ve got a training room in the basement of their house, and they are always willing to go a round or two with me. Besides, they don’t treat me like I’m still five-years old. They treat me like an equal, which is way cooler than the “Ragan Mackenzie Summers, you’re only sixteen years old!” line I routinely get from the parental units.
So anyway, I hope my little story gave you some needed insight into my wacky life and all those people who I love dearly that are a part of it. And if you see my Mom and Dad around, tell them to take a pill. Everything’s going to work out just fine.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
“Angel, we have to do something. Ragan can’t be Called as a Slayer,” Buffy pleaded in a hushed tone.
“I’m going to go get Doyle, and we’ll go talk to the Oracles. I’m not sure how they thought this was going to go over, but it isn’t funny. Don’t worry baby, I’ll take care of it,” Angel promised as he grabbed his black leather duster off the end of the bed, kissing his wife’s forehead before heading out the door and down the stairs.
“I’m going too,” Buffy called, trailing Angel down the steps.
“No, you stay here with Ragan. I’ll be fine,” Angel answered.
“But…” Buffy began to protest.
“No buts. You take care of Ragan, and I’ll take care of this mess,” Angel replied sternly, taking Buffy’s hands in his he silently assured her that everything would be okay before he turned and disappeared out the front door.
Buffy had little time to consider the possible consequences of Angel trying to take care of their daughter’s Calling on his own as the phone began to ring.
“Hello.”
“Hey B, it’s me,” Faith said, her tone even.
“Hey.”
“Listen, just wanted you to know that Mac’s over here at our place. She was a little vague on whether or not you and Angel knew where she was, so I figured I better call before you two freaked out.”
“I’m going to kill that child. She know she’s not suppose to leave the house without letting one of us know where she’s going,” Buffy replied angrily.
“Aww come on B. She’s just a kid. Gotta give her a little freedom,” Faith answered honestly.
“Gods Faith, I don’t know what I’m going to do. Ragan was Called today. She was Called…” Buffy cried into the phone.
“Fuck me. I guess two of us ain’t enough for those bastards?” Faith commented, knowing her sister slayer wasn’t going to answer.
“Listen B, don’t worry. We’ll figure something out,” Faith assured.
“Angel just left. He and Doyle are going to go to the Oracles,” Buffy finally managed to choke out.
“Well then, no worries. He’ll fix it,” Faith replied.
“I hope. I just don’t know what I’m going to do if she’s a Slayer too. I don’t want that for her. It’s to much of a burden,” Buffy said sadly.
“No worries B. It’ll all work out.”
“I guess,” Buffy sighed.
“Well, gotta go. Sounds like your kid’s kickin’ blondie’s ass down stairs. Better go save the poor bastard before there ain’t nothin’ left of him,” Faith joked.
“You and I both know he likes to let her win,” Buffy answered.
“Yeah, well if she got the Slayer strength today, she might well be kickin’ his ass this time,” Faith said flatly.
“Oh gods…”
“Chill B. I’ll take care of her. Later.”
Click.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
“Lower being. You should not be here,” the male Oracle stated evenly.
“I need some answers,” Angel responded angrily.
“You and your beloved were given a second chance together. You have done well. There is nothing to discuss,” the female Oracle answered.
“Our daughter was Called today. That isn’t acceptable. You must change her destiny,” Angel replied sternly.
“The Lower Being risks damnation with his tone,” the male Oracle spat.
“Brother be still. It is paternal instincts that possess this creature now. He cannot be condemned for that. Yet, he must understand that the Chosen One’s destiny was created by his own words years ago,” the female Oracle explained.
“I don’t understand,” Angel stated his confusion.
“Did you not agree to any terms that the Powers would set if they brought your beloved back to you? You acknowledged the possibility of consequences, but accepted the proposal regardless did you not?” the female Oracle questioned.
“But the consequences were mine, not Ragan’s. She’s an innocent in this,” Angel pleaded.
“Consequences are consequences Lower Being. There are no innocents in this,” the male Oracle answered tartly.
“You cannot damn her like this!” Angel demanded.
“You are assuming the Little Ruler’s Calling is a curse. Things are not always as they seem Warrior. This is not unknown to you,” the female Oracle replied.
“Little Ruler?” Angel questioned, puzzled at the Oracles’ reference to his daughter.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
“I wasn’t sure we’d ever see this day.”
“Well, she’s just like you, what did you expect?” Buffy teased Angel playfully.
“Excuse me?” Angel questioned with a crooked grin. He knew his wife was right. Ragan had inherited his not so adoring qualities of self loathing and brooding. Thankfully though, she maintained her mother’s perseverance and managed to make it through the tough times with a level head on her shoulders.
“Hey! I heard that! You could at least wait until I was out of earshot before you started talking about me,” Ragan chastised.
“Just being honest sweetie. You had me worried there for awhile,” Buffy answered sweetly.
“Feelin’ the love right now Mom,” Ragan stated with a wiry grin.
“Don’t listen to your mother. I always knew you’d make it,” Angel responded with a proud smile.
“Uh huh, sure you did,” Ragan teased.
“What? I did! Have I ever once said anything about that time during law school when you decided that taking on an entire nest of vampires, alone, was a good decision?” Angel questioned.
“Yes. Every other day for three years after that happened you brought it up, and I thought you were going to say something about it when the preacher asked who was giving me away at the wedding. And just last Christmas you started to tell Liam about it until Mom made you change the subject,” Ragan answered.
“Well, sometimes you need to be reminded that making rash decisions isn’t a good thing.”
“I think I’ve got that part under control now Dad, but thanks.”
“Momma! Momma!”
“What’s up big man?” Ragan asked her son as she hoisted him off the ground and into her arms.
“Uncle Spike says that you’re not gonna fight the bad guys anymore. Your gonna be a pencil pusher like Grandpa ‘stead,” Liam answered.
“SPIKE!” Angel yelled across the decorated back yard of his daughter’s home.
“Oh Dad, let him be. You know he only told Liam that to get a rise out of you,” Ragan said. She smiled at the thought, that after all these years, her father and uncle still liked to antagonize one another every chance they got.
“Don’t worry sweetie. Mommy is still fighting the bad guys, I’m just doing it from behind the bench now. Remember you met Kira, the new Slayer. She’s the one fighting the demons instead of me,” Ragan assured her young son.
“Come on Liam, why don’t you help Grandpa get some drinks for the guests,” Angel suggested.
“Okay.”
Angel happily took his grandson out of his daughter’s arms and headed towards the house. At the same time Buffy moved to stand next to her one and only child.
“Your Dad and I are so proud of you Ragan. You’ve accomplished so much in your life already,” Buffy said sincerely.
“Thanks. I know how you guys feel, but it’s always nice to hear it out loud,” Ragan answered honestly.
“I’m sorry if we’ve not said that enough to you over the years, but it’s the truth. Your Dad and I were never happier than the day you came into our lives, and regardless of how upset we both were when you were Called, you took that thankless responsibility and wore it like a badge of honor. And I know you will do the same as Judge. Honestly, I think I’d rather remain a slayer than have to do what you do every day.”
“Oh Mom, it isn’t *that* bad, besides, I really like the law,” Ragan replied.
“I’m sorry to interrupt, but I think it’s time for you to say a few words to the guests.”
“Thanks love, I’ll be right there,” Ragan said to her husband of five years and soulmate for life, Kade McBride. A fellow Champion for good whom she met one night in a dark alley after knocking him on his ass. He said something about just being a friend, and she told him she didn’t think she needed any. Buffy fell in love with him immediately, Angel wasn’t so sure.
“Thanks for everything Mom. I love you.”
“I love you too,” Buffy returned in tears as she hugged her daughter tightly.
“What’s wrong?” Angel asked with concern when he noticed on his approach that both his wife and daughter were in tears.
“Nothing Daddy, just being girls,” Ragan answered as she moved to hug her father also, “I love you,” she continued.
“I love you too baby,” Angel returned with honesty.
“Okay, I need to go say something now. Eat, drink, and be merry,” Ragan ordered before disappearing through the crow of people in her back yard.
“What was that all about?” Angel asked as he wiped away the tears from the corner of his wife’s eyes with his thumbs.
“Just our baby growing up and becoming a woman,” Buffy answered with a proud smile.
“I think we did good,” Angel offered.
From beyond the darkness they went into the light.
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