Mending old wounds
by Lee
Chapter 7
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Layla strolled down the street at a casual pace. She hated deceving her old friend.She had no intention of leaving town, What she actually had planned was a long talk with her Mother. She smiled as she stood in front of her childhood home.Memories rushed back,surprisingly clear and undistorted. She walked into the backyard and sat on the bench looking up into the sky. When she was a small child she used to lay back and watch the clouds thinking about how much she would like to sail away on them. Fly so high she would never have to come down. Then there was the accident that changed everything . "She'll pay." had become Layla's mantra.
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Angie sprinted back down the hall until she reached her office. She hated lying to them,but it had to be done in order to keep her young friend safe. "She's gone, I got to the break room and she wasn't there." Buffy was not amused , not at all. She moved away from Willow who was still on the floor sobing. Xander had crouched down and was now gentlely rocking and soothing his best friend.Buffy using her slayer speed and strength took Angie by the hand and led her away into the ajoining examination room. "I swear it's the truth , I went in there to talk to her and she was...ouch!" Buffy applied a little more pressure to Angie's arms as she was twisting it around. "Spill, where is she?" Buffy wasn't in the mood to do this,She didn't have time for lies.She was steadily growing angrier by the second having to constantly remind herself that Angie was human.The urge to kill the good doctor was almost overwhelming.
"I haven't a clue,like I said I got there and...ouch!" Buffy twisted once more this time she felt the her shoulder wanting to tear from it's socket , fresh tears filled her eyes and ran down her flushed cheeks. "I don't want to hurt you more then necessary Angie, where is my daughter?" Angie took a deep breath, she knew if she didn't say something Buffy would do more than just dislocate her shoulder. "I told her to run, I don't know where she went. I swear it's the truth, please just let me go!" Buffy released her arm and Angie cradled it, wincing in pain as she forced it back in place. "I gave her some money, and told her to leave." Buffy turned on her heels and walked back into the office.She knelt down in front of Willow and lifted her chin. "It seems that Angie here has set our little girl free, We have to find her." Willow looked at Angie, her eyes filled with Anger. "Do you even know what that girl is capable of? Did you even look at her file? When is the last time you looked at Layla's file?" Angie lowered her head, she hadn't read it since she was Layla's nurse . "For some reason the Powers that be, decided we hadn't been through enough .They gave us Layla as a test. We were given a child who was born so perfect and pure, but how long did that last?" Willow had tears in her eyes now, the anger she felt wanted release. Buffy sensed this and wrapped a comforting and calming arm around her . "Did you know? Did you know that our baby was diagnosed with Schizophrenia!"
"Will." Buffy pulled her wife into a hug, holding her tight,gentlely wiping tears from her eyes. "Shhh, we'll find her baby, we'll find her."
"I'm sorry, I....I didn't know." Angie lowered her head, how could she of been so blind ? "I'll help any..."
"You've helped enough for one day." Willow snapped, her and Buffy were gone Xander and his family followed Quickly leaving, Lane stood there looking at the Doctor, she smiled sweetly and walked to her. "I understand you did what you thought you had to in order to protect her but Angie, Layla is very dangerous. We have to find her before she hurts again." Lane smiled and ran to catch up with her family.
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Buffy searched all night, every motel,anywhere she thought Layla might of been.She went to the bus station posing as a cop and asked who purchased a one way Ticket in the last hour.Nothing ,there were no leads , It was just as is her daughter disappeared into thin air.They were becoming more and more frustrated,The emotion and fatigue were taking it's toll on Willow.Seeing that her wife was about to collapse she decided to send Willow home knowing she would be safe there. Buffy continued her search setting out towards the graveyards as a last ditch effort. Xander went along with Buffy for company and to keep the Slayer's mind off things that would lead to badness.Xander sent Anya home with Willow knowing that Buffy didn't want Willow to be alone ,and Lane had to go back to the campus dorms. "Think she's in here?" Xander asked Pointing to the last crypt of the night. "One way to find out, lets look." Buffy smiled, cracking open the door to the crypt allowing her and xander entrance. They did a quick search and found nothing. "All clear, I'm gonna go one more round Xan, you can head on home if you want." Xander smiled wraping Buffy into a hug kissing her cheek. "We'll find her, and nope one more round it is. Lets do this."
"What would I do without you?" Buffy teased.
"Wither and die, but I'll just bring you back. Its what I do."
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Willow assended the steps to her home, Anya coming from behind trying to console her friend. Willow smiled and knew Anya ment well, but honestly she just needed for her to shut up. "Anya, in the words of Giles. "Do be Quiet. I have a headache." Anya just nodded and helped with the door. "Sorry, you know me I just don't think before I talk." Willow just smiled hugging her friend to let her know she wasn't mad. "Come on let's watch some T.V . I'm sure something good has to be on," "No thanks Anya, I'm just going to sit out here for a while. I'll be right in." Anya nodded leaving the door open a crack so she could hear if willow tried to run away.
Willow was lost in deep thoughts.The last time she saw Layla was a year ago, after a while she could hardly bring herself to go anymore. To see her daughter in such dispair, so helpless. She watched her daughter go through so many Tests, so much. It hurt her so, Buffy had trouble accepting everything at first. Willow knew Layla was everything to Buffy. Buffy loved her so much, but she knew it was her job to take the Bad guy down. Willow was so upset when she found out Layla killed her first person, she knew what Buffy had to do. Then something broke Willow out of her memories and she headed inside. "Anya you ok?" There was no answer.
Willow's heart was in her chest as she headed towards the kitchen where she thought she had heard a thump.When she got there she looked around, taking a deep breath to steady her pounding heart .Seeing nothing strange she began calling for her friend "Anya where are you?" She heard another thump this time from the basement, she hated this. She just hoped Anya was alright, that nothing bad happened. This was Sunnydale afterall, the hellmouth and she just knew that something or someone had Anya in the basement. She heard more shuffling and muffled voices from the basement .She needed a weapon, she grabbed Buffy's knife from the Mantel and headed down into basement.
Again her heart was pounding so hard, she could feel the blood rushing though her ears. Thump thump thump, goddess how she hated this, where was Buffy? "Please dear sweet goddess, let her come home soon." Willow whispered, as she reached a point at the stairs she could see Anya laying on the floor. Her breathing was steady and there was a trickle of blood running down her head. On impulse Willow ran to her, forgetting to look around her. She just needed to get to her friend. "Anya, oh goddess...An?"
"W-w-willow." Anya opened her eyes and smiled a little, but it faded in pure horror. Anya curled back into her little ball, and Willow turned her head to see Layla staring at her with a blank expression. "Hello Mama."
Buffy and Xander had given up, there was nothing more they could do. They checked everywhere,but to no avail.Layla was gone. Xander kicked a stone and Buffy smiled mimicking his action, they had grown so much in these last years, but Xander always kept his same boyish charm. It was one of the things she loved about him so much.He wrapped his arm around the slayer and they walked back to Revello drive together. "Time to pick up the old lady then get some shut eye." Buffy laughed. "Don't let Anya hear you call her old lady, she'll kick you ass." As they reached Buffy's home they noticed the door slightly ajar and fear struck. "Oh my god, how could we be so stupid?"
"We sent them to be safe alright, home right into the hands of Layla." Xander ran into the house, if anything happened to them he would take Layla down himself. "Willow, Anya!" Once he opened the door, he came face to face with the horror of Willow covered in blood. "Willow!" she lay on the floor, curled up into a little ball shaking and crying as she held on to something, Xander tried to get it from her but she wouldn't let go. "Oh god, Baby!" Buffy ran to her and scooped her up into her arms. "Shh its ok I got you, what happen? Did Layla do this?" All Willow could do was nod, and cry. she released the paper, it was a note. "Xander she has Anya." Buffy read the note out loud now.
"By the time you read this Mother, Mama will be on the floor crying, and Auntie Anya will be in my possesion. I never wanted this to happen you know. To hurt you and the family, but Auntie Anya is my safety net.She is what will keep you from taking me away. She'll be returned unharmed Physically, in two days when I am out of town .I will send her back home to you. I never hurt Mama, the blood isn't hers or Anya's, it's pigs blood. Just to scare her and you, I never would hurt her like that. She is the only one who cares for me, I know that now. Take care of mama, not like you ever took care of me." Buffy had tears in her eyes, should she trust Layla now.She had Anya as her hostage. Xander was on the phone quickly, calling his kids no doubt letting them know of there mother's capture.
"Jess, Get your brother's and meet me at your Aunt Buffys'." He hung up the phone and returned to Willow's side.