Leaving Her
by Salix
The Help
[reviews]
"Oh my God, she's gone, she's gone. Where would she go? I've already checked all around town and no one has seen her. Where would she go? Why would she take off like this? We need to do something. Willow, we need to find her," Buffy ranted as she paced back and forth in the living room. When Buffy got home from work that evening she found Willow standing outside of Emily's bedroom door, knocking on it and telling her to open the door. Buffy asked her what was going on, and Willow said that they had been talking and then Emily got upset and locked herself in her room, that was three hours ago. She's been gone for at least five hours that they know of, maybe even longer.
Willow walked up to Buffy, who had tears in her eyes, and on the verge of panic. She'd never seen her wife like this, not even when things got bad in Sunnydale. But when things got bad in Sunnydale it was because their friends were in danger, or they had to save the world, it never directly involved their daughter, at least not like this. She wrapped her arms around Buffy, pulling her into a tight embrace. She gently rocked back and forth and let the blonde rest her head on her shoulder.
"We'll find her, sweetie. We just need to stay calm. Do you have a map? I can do a locator spell or something. We'll use every resource we can, no holding anything back until we find her ok?" she asked and Buffy took a step back. There was worry and concern in her eyes. And also something Willow hasn't seen in a long time; fear. The redhead knows that whenever the blonde is afraid there's a really good reason, and it usually causes Willow to panic, but she was surprisingly calm.
"Willow, you haven't used magic, and I haven't slayed in so long. What if we're rusty, or we screw up? What if something goes wrong and we end up hurting her?" she asked and Willow stepped forward and started to rub Buffy's upper arms, and making a soothing shushing sound. Then Buffy revealed her real fear. "What if I'm not good enough anymore? What if I can't save her?" Willow hugged her, stronger then before, and ignored the pain when Buffy hugged her very hard back. She pulled back and then placed a soft, reassuring kiss on the blonde's lips.
"We'll get her back. You're still good, you're the best there ever was and ever will be. And I've been practicing magic, a little. After you two left, and once I started to get better, after I got that new job, I got kinda bored just sitting at home all day, so I started practicing again. And you're still a great slayer, most of it is just instinct anyway, right?" she asked and Buffy nodded her head. "As hard as it is, don't think like a mom right now, think like a slayer, how you used to think whenever some big bad came along. Can you do that?" Buffy nodded her head again, and Willow watched with amazement as Buffy changed right before her eyes. Her jaw was set firmly, there was this hard look in her eyes, and her vibe was that of a very determined person.
"I'll go get a map, if the spell doesn't work or if she's far away, farther then she could get just by walking, then call Giles ask him if they're any slayers around here, if she was taken by a demon or something then we'll need help. Ok?" she asked and Willow nodded her head. Buffy ran off towards the T.V. and opened up the bottom cupboard of the entertainment center. Willow had run off towards the bedroom to get her magical supplies. Buffy opened up the map of Connecticut and laid it down flat on the table. She watched as Willow made up the herb mix and then handed her some, Willow took a couple of deep calming breaths and when she said 'scatter' they tossed the powder on the map at the same time.
It only took a few minutes for all of the evil to show up. There wasn't much, Stars Hollow had none, but some of the larger cities had a couple of dots here and there. But there was no Emily, her little dot is usually pink, Buffy's is green and Willow's is red. There were four different colors on the map now, white which is the evil, and red and green, and a light blue dot that they had no idea what it was. Maybe it was another slayer? They had no way of finding out, at least not when they needed to be concentrating on other things.
Buffy was able to stay calm, she was starting to think like a slayer again, she was starting to remember how it felt to be in a scooby space. She just realized how much she misses this. Taking out the big bads, fighting evil, feeling like you have a higher purpose. Yep, she's missed this. Maybe it's time to think about coming out of retirement. She pushed all of those thoughts out of her mind as she tried to come up with an idea. Willow was already digging through the entertainment center, looking for a map of the US. Once she found it she removed the Connecticut map from the coffee table and they repeated the procedure. They did not like what they saw. Didn't like it at all. They found the little pink dot pretty easy, but it was were it was located that had them worried.
"Sunnydale? Why would she be in Sunnydale? How did she even get there? This doesn't make any sense at all, who would take her to Sunnydale? Why would someone do that?" Willow asked, starting to feel the panic. Now it was Buffy's turn to be the calm and collected one, the one that helps the others stay calm. It was her turn to be the leader again, to take charge in a stressful situation, to be the slayer. After she calmed Willow down they came up with a plan and while Willow ran off to do her part, Buffy got on the phone and made a call.
"Hi Giles," she said a little uncertain. She hasn't talked to Giles since she left Sunnydale. She hasn't really talked to any of them, she had been too afraid to find out how Willow was doing. "It's Buffy......I'm doing fine, how are you?......That's good. Listen Giles, I need a favor. Emily was taken, we think. We did a locator spell and she's in Sunnydale, Willow's e-mailing you a picture of her. We need you to assemble the most experienced slayers and send out a search and rescue......No, I don't want any newbies on this, they might screw it up......Ok, well call her, tell her to get here as fast as possible. We're going to fly out there as soon as possible. I want to know who did this, and I want to know why......Ok, thanks Giles, I'll see you in a few hours......bye, I miss you too," and with that she hung up the phone and ran into her bedroom.
"Ok, I got the picture e-mailed, and I also got us tickets to go to L.A., there's a lay over in Chicago, but hopefully it won't take that long. The flight leaves in two hours, so we should pack a couple of bags. How did your phone call go?" she asked as she logged off the internet and rushed over to the closet and pulled out three suitcases. Then she went over to the dresser and started to pack up some clothes for the both of them.
"It went pretty good. He didn't sound angry or disappointed or anything, just concerned. Um, I need you to buy another ticket. He said that there's a slayer that lives about forty-five minutes from us, apparently she's one of the best and he wants her to go with us. He said that the slayers there in Sunnydale are still training, the more experienced ones went to a hellmouth over in Cleveland or something, but one experienced girl stayed behind and she's going to look around," she said and then started to help Willow pack. There was something bothering her about the way Giles had described the slayer who was going to come help them. Almost like there was something important about her that he should have told her, but he didn't.
"Did he say who she was? The one that's coming here, I mean," Willow asked and ran into the bathroom to get some of their bathroom stuff, like toothbrushes and some toothpaste. When she ran back into the bedroom Buffy had the second suitcase already filled and closed. They filled up the third one more to just give them something to do to keep their minds busy rather then pack anything else that they needed.
"No he didn't give a name, just that she's one of the best and most experienced slayers out there and since she lives so close we could all just fly over together. And she'll be here in..." she checked her watch and did the simple math inside of her head, and almost groaned in frustration. "About half an hour. Are you sure we couldn't get an earlier flight?" Willow shook her head no and then started to clean up a little bit around the bedroom. She thought back to earlier that day, when she had found the shirt behind the headboard, she wanted to ask Buffy about it but now was the not the time. Things were stressed enough as it is. When the suit case was full Willow got back online and ordered the third plane ticket.
"And we have everything that we'll need? Shirts, pants, shorts, bras, underwear, socks, extra shoes, our toothbrushes?" she asked and Willow nodded her head to every one. She was nervous and she was worried. She couldn't believe that all of this was happening. Right when they were happy again, right when they were a family again, their daughter is taken from them, and dragged back to Sunnydale. She was afraid to tell Buffy about the things that had happened there since she left. When Giles had sent the more experienced girls off to Cleveland it was like a vampire free for all. The knew slayers arrived very late, two weeks late, and by the time anyone else could get there so many people had been murdered and turned. That's the only major thing that's happened though. There was some other stuff, but nothing too big that they couldn't handle.
"So what are you going to do? Our flight doesn't leave until one thirty, that's not soon enough, Buffy. What if something bad is happening to her? What if she's being-" she was cut off by Buffy pressing her lips against her own. The last thing they needed to be doing was playing the 'what if game', that would only cause them to panic. And panicking is the last thing that they needed to be doing at the moment. When she pulled back Buffy rested her head against Willow's and tears started to stream out of those pretty green eyes, and Buffy kisses a couple of them away.
"Don't think like that. Giles has that experienced slayer out there looking for her. We'll find her, I promise. Nothing bad is going to happen to her. I swear, I'll find whoever did this and I'll make them pay," she said, needing to hear it as much as Willow did. They hugged and rested their heads on each other's shoulders, Buffy rubbed Willow's back to try and work out some of the tension that she felt building in the muscles. They didn't know how long they were like that, but they were both a little surprised when they heard a car pull up outside and then footsteps on the stairs and then a couple of loud knocks on their front door. "She's here early." She was, by fifteen minutes.
They walked to the door together, Buffy held onto Willow's hand, not wanting to give up the comfort she got from the physical contact. They person knocked again a couple of times and Buffy tried not to roll her eyes. Whoever was sent to help them seemed impatient. The blonde just hoped that she would take orders without much of a fight or any fight at all. This was a mission to save her daughter, she was going to be in charge, the only one she'll be willing to listen to is Willow, and if this new person thinks otherwise then Buffy will just send her on her way because they don't have to time to put up with any arguments. Buffy opened the door, and her jaw almost dropped when she saw who was on the other side.
"Hey B. Uh, nice to see you too," Faith said and flipped her hair back. She took a long drag from her cigarette and then threw it over the railing of the balcony before she exhaled the smoke. She looked back to the two who were still just standing there, lost for any type of words. "You gonna let me in?" That seemed to snap them out of their daze and they stepped back, opening the door wider to let her in. They backed up into the middle of the living room and the dark haired woman walked into the apartment, dropped her duffle bag on the floor next to their suit cases and shut the door.
"So I hear your kid got snatched. You know of anything that would want to do that?" she asked and they just looked at like she should know better. "Right. So when we leavin? Way Giles talked it up sounded like I was goin back to Sunnyhell with you." They were still a little surprised and in shock. On top of everything that was happening this was certainly not something they saw coming, but they should have. It seems like whenever there's a big, huge emergency Faith will be involved someway. At least this time she's on their side.
"Flight takes off at one thirty. We'll leave at about one, maybe a little before. How long have you been living in Connecticut?" Buffy asked and she and Willow sat down on the couch, Faith sat down in the chair. Some things will never change. Faith is nearing her thirties and she's still decked out in leather pants and a very tight top, same boots too, only these look a little newer. Her hair was also longer then what Buffy remembers, but her eyes were still the same; the same dark color, the same intensity when you look into them, that same fire and drive with a little hint of danger.
"Four years. G-man sent me out here said something about a mystical town being magically protected by some prophecy that had already been played out or some shit like that. Turns out to be this town, that's why there's no evil here. Did you know that or did you just luck out in picking a new town to live in? Anyway, Giles made me stay because the surrounding towns have the pesky vamps all over 'em. Thought I was the only slayer here, guess I was wrong," she said and winked at Buffy.
Willow's blood started to boil. Another very sore spot about their past is Faith. One night many years ago Willow walked into the Bronze to meet Buffy and she saw the two kissing. Turns out Faith didn't know about the relationship and thought Buffy was single, so she decided to make a move on the blonde. Willow's hated her ever since. Whenever she stops to think about it she feels a little silly being jealous of so many people when she knows that Buffy would never cheat on her, but she very rarely stops to think about it.
"So, what's rugrat look like? And what did you two do, some sorta spell? 'Cause the last I heard a girl doesn't get knocked up from sleepin with another girl," Faith said and tried to avoid saying anything about the death glare Willow was sending her way. The tension was already high enough, she could feel it, and she didn't want to get into a fight when they were already stressed out enough as it is. She watched as Buffy picked up a picture frame from the little side table next to the couch and leaned over to hand it to Faith. She took it from the blonde and studied the picture for a few seconds before commenting.
"Pretty girl, 'cept for the blue eyes I'd guess she was Hispanic, you two adopt or somethin?" she asked and then handed the picture back. How could she not know about this? Everyone was always taking about the blonde. She was a frickin legend in slayer history after all, and it was just the biggest scandal when she left Willow. But Faith didn't listen to the gossip, at least not much. She didn't believe that Buffy would take off without a good reason and she never sought out the blonde to talk about it. Way she saw it the two were never really friends so she figured that she had no right to show up on the blonde's doorstep and try to get her to talk about something that wasn't anyone else's business.
"Uh, yeah she is. Her doctor said it was like a fluke or something, not many Hispanic people get them, something about the genes mutating when they're first developing or something. And yeah we adopted, a few months after we got married," Willow said and put a protective arm around Buffy's waist. Ok, so maybe possessive would be the more accurate word to use. That along with the glares Willow was sending her way Faith was starting to feel a little unwelcome, but she ignored it. No use starting drama when there's enough to go around.
"Ok, well, we should get going now. We'll take my car, Faith, help with the bags," Buffy said and Faith couldn't help but smile. Giving out orders like it was nothing, Buffy will never change. The two slayers carried the heavy bags out to the car while Willow ran through the tiny place and turned out all of the lights, shut off her computer, wrote a note asking the neighbor to feed their cats while they were gone and she taped the note along with an extra key to their apartment on the neighbor's door, and then she locked the front door and they were off.
The plane ride was silent, and full of dread. It wasn't like this when they had flown from Hartford to Chicago. That one had been less stressful, and didn't have as much anxiety. A lot of the stress was because of the kidnaping and the fact that only God knows what could be happening to their kid. But some of it was coming from Buffy. She was just so nervous about going back to Sunnydale. She hasn't been there in over a year, she completely shut off all contact with her friends and she doesn't know if she's going to be welcome or not. She doesn't even know if most of them are alive anymore. Xander and Anya and their little baby were doing well when they had brought the rest of Willow's stuff over but that was almost two months ago, anything could have happened between then and now.
And were they mad at Buffy? When they visited her they didn't seem mad, Xander made a couple of jokes about it, but Buffy knew that he was sad and hurt because she hadn't tried to get a hold of him, or give anyone in Sunnydale her new phone number. Except for Willow of course. She wondered if things were different. What was it like in Sunnydale now that over a year has passed? What was it like with these new little slayers in training? Was it more dangerous, or because there were at least five it evened out? Five newbie slayers can take out just as many vampires as an experienced slayer. They may not have the grit it takes to save the world, or rescue Buffy's daughter, but they can slay some vampires.
"Baby, we'll be there soon. Please try to calm down," Willow said into Buffy's ear and gave it a little kiss before she pulled back and rested her head on the slayer's shoulder. She had her arm under Buffy's their fingers laced together and Willow was rubbing the top of Buffy's hand with her thumb. She could feel the blonde's muscles, and they were so tight and tensed up she thought they were going to snap. She knew that part of it was because Buffy hates flying, she prefers to have her feet on the ground, but she also knew that the tension was because of the situation, and because she was nervous about seeing everyone again.
"I can't Will. I won't be able to calm down, not until we get her back," she said and tensed up even further. They still had a couple more hours to go before they would be in Sunnydale. They would be landing at the L.A. airport in about two hours, then they had to get their baggage, who knows how long that's going to take, and then it's an hour and a half drive from L.A. to Sunnydale. As long as the traffic stays light and there aren't any problems at the airport regarding their luggage they should be there very soon. And the sooner they get there the sooner they can find their little girl and get home.
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Just to clear up any confusion, there are two experineced slayers that are going to help, one is already in Sunnydale, the other is Faith.