Reminding the Fallen
by zenithar
Chapter 10
[reviews]
Disclaimer: Joss owns it all. grrrr
Everything up to the episode Empty Places has happened, just a few changes from the last season. One: Wood and Caleb did not show up. Two: So obviously much changeings to endings of series. Also the weapon that Buffy got is changed to an actual scythe.
Other places this is found:
http://www.wiffy-dreamverse.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=486
Author's Note: Big thanks to Rebelrsr for betaing and letting me bounce ideas off them. ' ' indicates Buffy's demon. ( ) indicates human thoughts.
Back in the Summer's household the living room - or what was the living room -had numerous books lying around and Dawn sprawled across the couch with a book open on her face. Spike was in an armchair rubbing his temples, and Anya skimmed through a large book that probably wasn't in English. "This is just like history class, I don't know what's the important stuff is and what's not," Dawn's muffled complaint was heard through the book on her face.
Xander came in from the kitchen right then holding a box of pizza and a carton of ice-cream, "Hey, I brought items of renewal, dig in," he said, setting the food down on an open space on the coffee table. "Don't worry, Dawn; Buffy wasn't any good at history either. So even if you don't find anything, I doubt she'll hold it against you."
"That's easy for you to say, you're not the one doing the work," Dawn said as she sat up and grabbed a slice.
"Hey! I am doing work, its called gathering the provisions," Xander retorted.
"Would you bloody well shut up! This is aggravating enough without you two jabbering," Spike suddenly exploded.
Both Xander and Dawn looked at Spike while Anya continued as though nothing were happening. "Whoa, easy there, Spike. What's got you all pissed?"
Raking a hand through his hair Spike responded, "Eh, its nothing. Sorry, Bit."
"And no apology for me?"
"No, because you're not doing anything," Spike pointed out.
Simply shaking his head, "I am so unappreciated here. Honey, the least you could do is try and defend me."
"Oh, yeah, Xander is very useful," Anya said distractedly. "He's a very good orgasm buddy."
Running a hand down his face, Xander mumbled "Points for trying I guess." Turning back to face Spike, he continued, "But really Spike what's got you all riled?" Dawn also turned her attention back to Spike.
"It's nothing- it's-" The bleached blond took a breath even though he didn't need it. "You know how vampires do as a master tells them?" Seeing Xander and Dawn nod their heads he continued, "It's because they fear their strength but more than that it's their presence. It's like a... a,"
Seeing Spike grasping for the right word Dawn said "Aura?" Smiling at her,
"Yea, Bit, an aura. This aura can force a vampire to do as the master says, now the thing that's got me buggered is... well Buffy."
Looking confused Xander asked "What's Buffy got to with a master's aura?"
"She has one," Spike said plainly. "She shouldn't but she does, and it's stronger than even Angel's and he's over two-hundred and forty years old! Why the hell do you think I changed my mind so quickly when she glared at me?"
Suddenly Anya called out, "Hey, hey! I think I have something: Lachesis later known as Serenity was born around seven-fifty BC in Greece. This was during the Spartan expan-"
Cutting her off Spike said, "Yes, yes that's good ducks but we don't need to know it right now. You can tell us everything when Buffy gets back."
"Fine with me, but does this mean I get a reward for finding this first?" Anya asked.
"No, honey, we've been over this before. When we're researching there is no reward for doing it."
Hearing foot falls down the stairs everyone turned their heads toward them. Willow came around the railing with sleep still in her eyes, "Where's Buffy?"
"Hey Will," Xander greeted, "she's out patrolling with Faith. Um... could I talk with you-privately?"
Waking up fully Willow nodded to her friend and followed him into the kitchen. "What's wrong?"
Looking around to make sure no one was around, "It's Buffy, we don't know what she eats."
Willow's brows scrunched in confusion, "What do you mean? She drinks blood."
"I know but the thing is she can't take animal blood or human food. That sort of leaves about one thing: human blood," he whispers the last words.
"What? No, no that can't be right. She was a protector of people; she can't start snacking on them!" Willow's voice was beginning to rise by the end of her sentence.
Sensing a rant coming Xander tried to stop it before it got anywhere, "Shh! Quiet Will. We don't want the others to know. For now I think it might be best if I went and got some blood from the blood bank."
Calming down some Willow tried to look at things more rationally, "You're right, Xander, we have to get something for Buffy and when she gets back we'll have to talk with her."
Nodding, Xander left the house through the back door and Willow headed into the living room. Noticing Xander wasn't with her Dawn asked, "Where'd Xand go?"
"To get food," Willow said as she moved Dawn's feet so she could sit down.
"But he just brought some a second ago."
"She means he's getting blood for Buffy," Spike clairified.
Dawn silently made an 'oh' and looked at the table when the uncomfortable silence settled in. After a short moment the door opened to reveal Faith talking to Buffy who was behind her.
**********
A few minutes away from Buffy's home Faith asked, "Alright B, spill. What'd you eat?"
With a certain amount of mirth in her eyes Buffy answered, "Well, it was about yea high," holding her hand out to about Faith's height, "kinda angry and had pointy teeth."
"You ate a vamp!?" Faith asked incredulously. Not completely sure how to respond Faith just shook her head and chuckled a little, "Nice goin, B. Shoulda guessed you'd figure another use for 'em."
"Hey! What's that suppose to mean?"
"Just-you've slayed 'em, boned 'em, and now you drink 'em," Faith said with a smirk.
Playfully punching her in the arm Buffy mock scolded her, "That's not nice, Faith, a girl has to improvise with what she has, is all." Turning a little more serious, "But really, Faith, I'd rather not have the whole gang knowing about my new diet."
"Alright, B, don't sweat it," Faith shrugged. "Just going to let them ease into things?"
"Yeah, something like that," Buffy said as they reached the front door to her home. "Ya know, it just occurred to me that I've never been invited into my house."
"Heh, guess it's another one of those slayer perks," Faith said over her shoulder as she went into the house.
Dawn was the first to spot them and had to keep herself from running over and hugging Faith. "Hey, Faith, glad to see you're not hurt."
"You really think anything could have happened with B here?" Faith said as she hiked her thumb at the slayer vampire.
Willow chose this time to speak up, "It's a good thing you're both back, Anya just found out the specifics on Serenity."
Buffy kept her eyes downcast when she looked in Willow's direction, "Really? Could- could I see them?"
Noticing Buffy's strange behavior Dawn moved before questions could be asked. She had a feeling she knew what was bothering the vampire so she opened the tome Anya found the information in and handed it to Buffy, "We haven't really read it yet so you can read it out loud to us."
"O-ok," Buffy stumbled out as she cast Dawn a thankful glance. Moving to sit down in an empty armchair she began, "It says that Lachesis currently known as Serenity was born in Greece around seven-fifty BC. This was during the Spartan expansion towards what was then Macedonia. Apparently during the chaos the Spartans caused, many vampires took advantage and turned or killed many innocents. Serenity was one of these unfortunate victims. It is unknown who her sire was but what is known is she became a very calm and calculating demon. In all of her two-thousand-and-seven-hundred some years she has only sired five vampires. Her first was only three-hundred years after her own turning in three-eighty BC during Alexander the Great's conquest. She now goes by the name Tranquility. The second, Affinity, was in four-seventy AD at the fall of the Roman Empire. Serenity's third was her first male childer, Silentium, turned during the Crusades in ten-ninety-five. In sixteen-thirty-two Serenity sired her fourth child, Ataraxia. Finally Serenity's most recent childer was sired in nineteen-forty-three, during World War II, which now goes by the name Guntram. It appears Serenity is very selective of her childer. She searches for the strongest warriors, those who have lost all will to live and only continue fighting until they meet the one who can defeat them," Finishing the passage on her sire Buffy looked up and asked, "Is there something to drink? Reading this thing really makes your throat dry."
'Hey look, we have a family!' Buffy's demon thought perkily. 'See we can drop these humes and go be with our true family.'
Growling at the demon mentally, (This is our true family. These), indicating the vampires, (are things that will try and kill us.)
"What do you want? Willow asked bringing Buffy out of her mental argument.
Once again avoiding eye contact with Willow Buffy softly responded, "Blood, please."
"Oh, Xander should be back with some soon."
As if summoned Xander came in through the kitchen saying, "Hey, what'd I miss?"
"Nothing much, just the info on my sire and all my new 'brothers' and 'sisters'," Buffy answered quietly. To change the topic Buffy stood up and went over to Xander, "Did you get me a drink?"
"Ya, but it's different from the last stuff," Xander said uncomfortably.
Seeing Buffy was going to ask 'Different how?' Willow pulled them both into the kitchen. "Um, Buffy, Xander told me how the animal blood didn't do anything for you so I had him go out and get human blood," Willow told Buffy.
'Human blood!? You have to take it!' Buffy's demon ordered.
"Wa? Will, why human?" Buffy was caught completely off guard by the offer.
"Well, we couldn't think of any other... blood... sources... you could drink from," Will said awkwardly. To avoid eye contact she looked down at her hands that were fidgeting nervously, "We're sorry if this offends you." Xander also was looking anywhere but Buffy.
'Oh, look. You've hurt your friends' feelings, now you have to make it up to them,' the slayers demon egged her on, 'drink the blood.'
"No, no, that's alright, you were only doing what you thought was best," spotting a cooler on the counter Buffy guessed that the blood packets were in it. Moving over to it she opened it and took one out. Looking at it the vampire said, "And hey, I'm going to need a non-violent source of food, right?"
Before they could ask Buffy what she meant, the slayer let her fangs come out and rip into the packet. The demon was thoroughly enjoying the human blood that was flowing through her host's mouth while Buffy surprising found herself enjoying the taste. (This...this shouldn't be happening. I should not be liking this,) Buffy chastised herself.
'You're a vampire. This is the stuff we're suppose to be living on. Even if this isn't strait from the source it almost tastes better than the last time,' the demon reminded Buffy of their only human victim.
Pausing in mid swallow Buffy pulled the blood bag away from her mouth. "Xander, could you leave Willow and me alone for a bit?"
Knowing something big was going to be said, Xander nodded his head and moved out into the living room. Neither was meeting the other's eyes so both just stood in silence for a moment. Finally working up the nerve Buffy spoke, "Will, I just realized I never said how sorry I am about Kennedy, or how thankful I am," she added quietly.
Author's Note: The wiffyness will be coming, just be patient ^.^