Family of Eternity

Chapter 2

Buffy plunked down on the park bench, Tara standing over her with her arms crossed. She suddenly felt like she was five years old and about to be lectured by her mom, “You’re a big girl Buffy, so I’m not going to force you to go back upstairs and be completely honest with Willow. And I’m sure if you really want to you’re going to find a way to get to him without talking to Giles either...”

Buffy’s eyes widened just a bit at that. Mentally she shook her head. First find Spike and convince him to come home. Then hash it out with her friends. That was her plan and she was sticking to it. Now for the really fun part. She’d need a ride to get all the way out there and back. And there was only one person in town whom she could ask. Ugh, so not fair. She so didn’t want deep confessions with Giles right now. Wait, mom!

Tara had an expression on her face that let Buffy know that the witch knew exactly what she was thinking, “As I said, it’s not my place. But I think you really need to sit down and prioritize your life.” Buffy glanced up a little, frowning, “You’re the slayer, a sister, a daughter, and a girl...family and world saving are on top of your list... being the best friend you can be...where does Spike fit into all that?” Buffy felt her stomach sink and bit her lip in contemplation, “You need to be fair about this, Buffy. As much as I believe you deserve happiness and a life of love, Spike deserves those things too. If you’re not capable, you need to let him go.”

Jumping to her feet, “I can be all of those things-...”

“Really? Because your flippant attitude about what’s best for him certainly has me doubtful.” Buffy opened her mouth, “You don’t seem to give a damn that your actions are hurting him.” The slayer jerked back in surprise. Tara never swore, “Why are you with him?”

Buffy’s mind started to spin at the subject change, “I...he, he’s funny...and he’s strong...” Smiling just a little, “He understands me better than I understand myself and deep inside he’s a sensitive, incurable romantic.” Blinking, eyes lighting up, “And he’s my equal in fighting, my partner-...”

“Shouldn’t you tell him that?” Buffy looked up and locked eyes with Tara, “Shouldn’t you be proud of that? Shouldn’t you have found him and brought him home two weeks ago?” And with that the quiet Wiccan walked away.

***

Buffy nibbled on her fingernail, staring out the car window and deep in thought. Currently the two Summers were strapped in their seat belts and taking the winding roads up to the retreat. And all the while Buffy was silently praying that she wasn’t going to get struck down where she sat for chickening out from yet another confrontation yet again. She was just too good at this sneaking around thing.

“He sometimes reminds me...”

Buffy looked at her mother as she trailed off, lost in thought, “Mom?”

Joyce sent a quick smile to her daughter, “Well...I was young once. And before I met your father I had a date or two.” Buffy frowned, never remembering her mother mentioning her youth. Not really, “He sometimes reminds me of a young man I’d let slip through my fingers.”

Blinking, “Wait..you fell in love before you met daddy?”

Joyce eyed the road, not steering her eyes from it, “Edward, that was his name. He was so smart, he amazed me with his gifts. And his laugh was positively infectious. He could have me in stitches without even trying and I did love him.”

“What happened?”

Her voice tightening, “I lived in a time when good little white girls do not date and marry young black boys. So I made the biggest mistake of my life and married for obligation instead of love.”

She felt her throat close up. Black boys. Vampire boys. Was it any different? Was she making the same mistakes that her mother obviously regretted? Closing her eyes, “Why did you?”

Joyce sighed before pulling over and shifting the car to park. She cupped her daughter’s cheek and looked deep into her eyes, “I was afraid. My mother had in her head a vision of what my future would be and I was afraid of disappointing her. So I made the good grades and married without going to college. I played the happy homemaker with my children and my husband the breadwinner. And now, I only have my girls. I made the wrong choice. I don’t regret for an instant in having you. But I sometimes wish I’d been as brave as you are. You’re seeking out a love that will be hard and challenging...and rewarding. And I’m proud of you.”

Now, she felt like shit.

***

With both the Slayer and her consort out of Sunnydale, it didn’t take long for the demons of the Hellmouth to figure out they were unsupervised. And like any child waiting for their parents to go out of town, they threw a party. Only it was the kind of party that those not in the club would not enjoy. As soon as sun set a flock of vampiric minions started vandalizing the Main Street stores, a pod of P’reakas attacked the residents unlucky enough to be out after dark, and an Ogre rampaged through the Bronze. And Halfrek watched it all.

Halfrek, once the renowned Cecily Barring of her time but now a vengeance demon by choice and scorn. Her parents abandoned her when her foolish ways led her astray, to an unfit suitor who took her virtue and fled to leave her pregnant and floundering. She’d died giving birth, she and the child. And now she was here two fold. She had come to search out William the Bloody. And to see about her child.

She let the words flow over her. From her mentor, D’Hoffryn, she’d heard about Anya. The former vengeance demon had been a special friend of her’s, who’d welcomed her into the fold as only Anyanka could. Halfrek was now here to see that Anya was settled into her new mortality and to make sure vengeance wasn’t needed here. She avoided the demon hot spots and sought out Anya, finding her and a few Scoobies huddled in a magic shop. Folding her arms with a snort, “So this is what happens when the mighty slayer leaves town.”

Anya jumped up, delighted, “Hallie!”

Smiling, enveloping her old friend, “Anyanka, you look lovely, if mortal.”

Still jumping, “Everyone, this is Halfrek. She’s a vengeance demon from my circle.” Willow and Tara gave a weak wave from under the table, Giles cleaning his glasses from behind the counter. He promptly went back to searching for the counter curse keeping all of them trapped in the shop. Xander peeked his head out, “Oh, and this is Xander! He is my boyfriend and gives me wonderful orgasms every night.”

Dawn sighed from on top of the table, kicking a chair and annoyed, “Dawn. Bored teen sister of the slayer.”

Halfrek eyed the young girl for a second before sitting down next to her on the table, “You seem upset, my dear.”

Anya’s grin at seeing her fellow Vengeance demon faded. She knew that look. Hell, when she’d been a vengeance demon that was her look, “Hallie...”

Growling to herself, “I’m just so annoyed with my dumb ass sister. Everyone in the room knows she’s totally in love with Spike, he’s like my best friend. But the two male jerks in the room try constantly to set her up with the ‘right guy’.”

“Hey!”

“Dawn, really-...”

Rolling her eyes, “As if anyone’s better than anyone else. Well, except for Brad Pitt, he is still a dish.”

Anya saw the glint in her friend’s eye. It was the same look she was sure she’d had back in her day
when she’d found a juicy morsel. And as fond of vengeance as she was, she didn’t want any of these people she’d come to see as family hurt, “Halfrek don’t you dare.”

“Well what would you wish, my dear, if you could change anything?”

“Wait a sec-...”

“I...I wish my sister could find the courage to take what she wanted...and keep it.”

“No!”

Halfrek turned to Dawn, her face shifting to her vengeance form. The vengeance demon, champion to all
children, was here, “Wish granted.”