Nocturnal Bravura Book Two: The Healing

Chapter 20

Secret Memories

Lizzie turned around to meet William’s astonished eyes.

“You knew?”

Lizzie bit her lip and sank to her knees beside Jenny’s grave.

“Why? I mean, how?” William asked, walking over and kneeling down in front of her.

Lizzie watched as he took her hands in his. “Tell me.” He said.

“I’m scared Will. If I start talking about it, if I start remembering…I‘m afraid I will lose my mind again.” she whispered.

“It’s all right. You’re not alone Lizzie not this time. I’m here with you. Just start from the beginning.” William urged.

She shut her eyes tightly. William felt her hands tremble in his. He gripped her hands tightly, trying to lend her the strength to go on. Finally Lizzie looked up at him.

“All right then.” Lizzie said.

FLASHBACK
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Lizzie Summers walked across the street to the Giles house and opened the door.

Both families had long ago stopped knocking. It was as if each house was the extension of the other. They were a family and had been since the day the Summer’s women moved to Sunnydale.

“Jenny?” Lizzie called out.

“In here, Buffy.”

She followed Jenny’s voice to the living room, where she was staring at her latest piece.

It was a collage. Different pictures of the two families throughout the years. In the center was a picture of Dawn, Lizzie, Spike and William. Buffy remembered that picture. It had been taken after Thanksgiving dinner a year ago. They had piled onto the Giles’ front porch swing after their rather large grub fest and before long all four were asleep. Spike and William were on each end of the swing, their elbows on the arm rest to prop up their heads. Dawnie was in the middle, tucked under Spike’s arm and drooling on his chest. Lizzie was sprawled across all three of them, her head in William’s lap and her feet draped over Spike’s. The proud parents had thought the scene too precious for words.

Lizzie examined to collage. One side was bright and sunny while the other had a hint of sadness to it. In a gray background there was a picture of Spike and William leaning against Spike’s De Soto, both looking in opposite directions. One of Dawn and Lizzie reading books on opposite ends of the couch, absorbed in their own worlds. A snapshot of Lizzie and Spike holding each other, with William in the background, looking at them from a distance.

Lizzie continued look, fascinated with Jenny’s work.

Jenny just stared at it, a far-away expression on her face.

“You are their world, you know that? You and Dawnie. The two of you mean everything to my boys.” Jenny said quietly.

Lizzie smiled sitting next to her. “And they’re mine. We’re family, Jenny.”

Jenny Giles smiled and took Lizzie in her arms. “My Lizzie, so sweet.” She smiled.

“You’re their salvation.”

“Until some girl comes and sweeps William off his feet. Hopefully she will be worth it. Or else I’ll have to tear out her eyeballs.” Lizzie teased.

“You know as well as I do that’s never going to happen.” Jenny said seriously.

“I..I don’t know what you mean.” Lizzie stated, looking away from the intensity in Jenny’s brown eyes.

Jenny tipped Lizzie’s chin up. “Yes you do.”

Lizzie pulled away and hugged herself. “I love Spike.” She said.

Jenny smiled at her. “Of course you do. With all your heart. You make him so happy and he makes you happy as well.” Jenny said. “Lizzie there are things about this family that no one knows. My boys are special and so are you.”

“They’re everything to me.” Lizzie whispered.

Jenny rubbed Lizzie’s back. “I know that Lizzie. They count on you; both of them in different ways. And you have always been there for them. I need you to promise me that no matter what happens, you will be there to keep them safe. Make sure they don’t make rash decisions. Especially Spike.”

“Jenny, you’re scaring me a little.” Lizzie confessed.

“Things are about to change. You’ll need to be strong. I need you to be strong.” Jenny said quietly.

Jenny stood up, looking at an old tattered book in front of her. She opened the first page, looked down at Lizzie, then announced she would be getting them some tea.

Lizzie watched her leave, looked at the book, and began to read.

“It had been foretold...Into each generation a Slayer is born. One girl in all the world, a Chosen One. One born with the strength and skill to fight the vampires, to stop the spread of their evil and the swell of their numbers.”

*

An hour later, Jenny was watching Lizzie’s reactions carefully.

“So Spike is The Slayer?”

Jenny nodded.

“And William?” She asked.

“A Watcher like his father. However, he maybe called too.” Jenny said, biting her lip.

“Wait, if he is called, that means that Spike...” Lizzie stopped herself. She began to tremble.

Jenny wrapped her arms around and held her tight.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you. It’s just that I had a dream and I was afraid. Rupert would only torture himself if he knew about it. I think it was about the future.” Jenny said, her eyes becoming distant.

Lizzie held Jenny’s hand, still unsure of what Jenny was talking about. A part of her brain questioned if Jenny was not a bit off. But everything else in her told her otherwise.

All the late nights Spike was out. Why Rupert and Jenny decided William would be home schooled instead of letting him finish the year out with the rest of them. They had cited that the curriculum at school was holding William back, which was not far from the truth. However, now Lizzie knew it was to train him for his role as a Watcher.

“Jenny, I don’t want anything to happen to either one of them.” Lizzie cried.

“Neither do I. That’s why I told you this tonight. I don’t know how, Lizzie, but you are the center of all this. I know they didn’t want you to know. They would both die protecting you. But in the end, I think you are the one that needs to protect them.”

“From what?” Lizzie asked.

Jenny sighed.

“Everything. Demons, vampires, themselves. Each other...” Jenny said her voice trailing off.

Lizzie looked at the book. She wished now that she had run away rather than read it.

“You’re afraid for them. I know. I fear for them every day, but I have faith. Faith that everything will turn out as it should. Somehow, Lizzie, you love both of them. I know. I see it when I look at you. You’re the one thing in this world that makes Spike feel safe. For William, you’re the one thing that truly makes him feel strong. It’s a heavy burden you carry on those shoulders of yours.” Jenny teased, gently.

Lizzie wiped away her tears and lay down with her head on Jenny’s lap.

Jenny stroked her hair.

“Like I said before. There are dark times ahead, Lizzie.” She said, her voice faltering. She stared once more at the collage.

“Dark times. I don’t think I’ll be here to help them through it, so I am counting on you.”

Lizzie looked up into Jenny’s face. It had the same expression that her mother had worn when the doctors told her they had done everything they could for her.
It was a look of resignation. A look accepting of an imminent departure.

Lizzie wanted to pry it out of Jenny, but a part of her was afraid. So much had changed for her in the last hour; she was not sure if she could deal with much more.

“How can I help?”

“Just have faith. Faith this will all turn out the way it should....somehow.” Jenny said, looking at the collage.

END OF FLASHBACK
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Lizzie covered her face, blocking out William’s shocked face.

“Sh...she knew Will. She knew she was going to die. The way she talked to me that day. She knew.” Lizzie cried.

William stared at his mother’s grave. He knew about prophetic dreams. He had them himself. But, his mother? She had dreamed?

“It’s my fault.” Lizzie whispered.

William shook his head. “No it’s not. I wish you had told me. God Lizzie, you’ve been carrying that around for so long.”

Lizzie turned away. “Don’t, please. Don’t look at me that way.” She begged.
“What way?” William asked.

“With so much kindness and love. I can’t take it. There‘s more Will. More that I have to tell you.”

He took a deep breath. “Tell me.”

“It’s my fault Will. I’m the reason your mother died....”