The Key

Layla woke up around 3 in the afternoon. She showered and headed for the kitchen. Giles was sitting at the table drinking coffee and surfing the internet. "Good afternoon. Did you sleep well?" he asked Layla. "I did. That fight last night wore me out," Layla said as she got her a bowl of cereal. "Believe me it never gets an easier," he said. "Giles may I ask you a question?" she said as she sat down at the table. "Sure," he said looking at her. "At the graveyard last night I saw the most beautiful angel statue crying over a grave. What can you tell me of a Mary Parker?" she asked. "I don't know much about her except she was the first person in Sunnydale to be killed by a vampire," he said. "Oh okay. Thanks," she said as she went into the living room. Giles watched her leave. 'Why would she want to know of Mary?' he thought. He went back to researching the internet.

Layla sat down in the living room with her cereal. Dawn came and sat down beside her. She turned on the tv and Layla saw something that looked like surveillance tapes. "Don't you guys do anything normal around here?" she asked. "To us this is normal," Dawn said never taking her attention away from the tapes. Layla tried to watch the tapes with Dawn but it was of demons beheading cows in town. "Excuse me," Layla said getting up and leaving. She walked through the house. Everyone else must have been asleep. She decided to take a walk. She went to the front door. Andrew was sprinkling something on the walls. She decided not to ask him what he was doing. She walked past him. "I'm going for a walk. Be back later," she said. "I don't think that is such a good idea. What if something is out there?" he said. "Then it better watch out for me," she said as she went out the door, shutting it behind her.

Outside a cool, brisk wind was blowing. She took a deep breath. She has always loved the outdoors but here in Sunnydale being outside could be dangerous. She left the porch and headed into town. She didn't want to tell anyone where she was really going. They might have tried to stop her if they knew her destination is the graveyard they visited last night. She has to see the statue again. Maybe what happened last night was all in her head. She stepped over cracks in the sidewalk that she didn't notice last night. But then again it was dark so maybe she just missed the cracks. She walked downtown and noticed there were but two stores open. She walked past the window of the first one but something in the window of the second one caught her eye. She read the name of the store, "Oddities R Us." She went inside and was met by a tiny gray haired woman. "Can I help you find something dear?" the lady asked. "Yes ma'am. That necklace in the window. What is it?" Layla asked. The lady pulled the necklace out of the window. "This is a chalcedony stone. It is said to hold some spiritual gifts. The wearer becomes one with the ultra verse," the lady said. "Ultra verse?" Layla asked. "Yes. That is the universe of magic," she said. "But I can tell you already have the gift. It's in your eyes," she said studying Layla. "I don't know what you are talking about," Layla said trying to deny anything. "Okay be that way but I have seen many people come and go and none of them were real. You, my dear, are real," she said. Layla smiled. The woman continued. "You have been brought back here for a reason. One that you will discover later," she said. "How do you know?" Layla asked. The lady leaned in, "Because everyone goes somewhere for a reason." The lady handed the necklace to Layla."Here take it. I want you to have it," the old lady said. "No I can't just take it," Layla said. "Yes you can. You are here to help us. This is my gift to you," the lady said smiling. Layla reached out and took the necklace as soon as she did images rushed in her head again.

*A lady was running down an alley way. Layla recognized her as Mary Parker. Something was chasing her. Her breathing was rapid and her heart beat faster.
Leave me alone - she yelled at the darkness behind her. Layla saw a little girl at her first birthday party. She saw the woman bring the child home from the hospital. She felt the grief from the mother when she knew she wouldn't see her little girl grow up. Mary gripped the chalcedony stone on the necklace as she reached the dead end in the ally.
I love you my child - she said as a hand reached out of the shadows dragging Mary into it. The necklace fell to the ground.*

Layla blinked her eyes rapidly trying to fight the tears. She let go of a ragged breath. The necklace she held once belonged to Mary. The elderly lady was looking at Layla. "You saw something didn't you," she said. Layla shook her head yes. "Why? Why do I see these images?" she asked. "Usually when something is touched by a person with certain gifts that person can see what happened to the wearer of the object. The object gives you an account of what happened. But I have never actually met anyone with that kind of gift. Until now," she said all excited. Layla was so confused. She had to get out of here and clear her head. "Thank you for the necklace. I need to be going," she said heading out the door. The lady said something behind her but Layla didn't hear her. She just kept walking and holding onto the necklace.

Layla walked into the graveyard. She stepped up to Mary Parker's grave. The angel statue looked eery in the daytime. Layla put her hand on it expecting to see something but nothing happened. She pulled her hand away. "What are you trying to tell me, Mary? What is it?" she asked. She sat down next to the grave and put the necklace on. She had an overwhelming urge to close her eyes. When she did she fell deep into sleep.

When she woke up she was sitting near a young couple at an outdoor cafe. 'How did I get here ?' she thought. She went to get up when the man spoke up. "This is a miracle Mary. You are pregnant with our child," he said. "Yes, Seth, I know it is a miracle. I just don't know how it happened. After the car accident the doctor said I would never have a baby. He was so sure of it," she said. Layla didn't understand what was happening. How could she be hearing a conversation from a dead woman and where is this child the woman cared so much for? "Every since we moved here to Sunnydale great things have been happening. Maybe moving here has done all of this for us. The nice house, the lovely neighbors, our child," he said. Layla looked over her shoulder at the couple. They were holding hands. He was all smiles but Mary looked worried. "Things will work out. You will see," he said.

Spike had waited all day for the sun to go down. As soon as it was safe he rushed over to Buffy's place to see Layla. He wanted to be the one that got to spend all night patrolling with her. He went in by the front door. Anya was in the living room. "Don't you ever knock?" she asked. "Don't you have some other place to live?" he said back. She turned her back on him. He went into the kitchen. Buffy, Xander, and Willow were sitting at the table. Buffy jumped up when she saw Spike enter. "Where is she? Tell me Layla is with you," Buffy asked frantically. Spike saw the worried look on their faces. "What? No. She is not with me. Where is she?" he asked. "I don't know. Andrew said he saw her leaving earlier when everyone was still asleep. But Spike that was over 5 hours ago. We all looked downtown but she wasn't there. I had hoped she hadn't listened to me and went to see you," Buffy said. "No she didn't come anywhere near me," he said. He looked at Buffy. "You told her to stay away from me?" he asked sounding hurt. Willow got up. "That is beside the point. All that matters now is that she is missing and it has been dark for hours," she said. Spike headed for the door. "I am coming with you," Buffy said grabbing her slayer bag and running out behind him. "Are you sure you want to be anywhere near me?" he said sarcastically. "Just shut up and help me find her," Buffy said. Spike went running down the street. 'Where did she go?' he asked himself. Then it hit him. When they left the graveyard she looked at one of the graves as if she wanted to go back to it. He changed his course and began running towards the graveyard. "Where are we going?" Buffy asked from behind him. "I'm following a gut instinct," was all he said as he picked up some speed.

Layla woke up and this time she was still in the graveyard. She sat up. Her side was hurting where she had been laying on the ground. She looked around. "Oh no. It's dark out," she said. She stood up and brushed off her clothes. Something came running out of the bushes towards her. She saw what looked like a dog until it got closer. The beast stopped in front of her and snarled. Its yellow eyes were watching her cautiously. "Nice doggy thing," she told it. Then the beast started transforming right in front of her. 'It's a werewolf. Just great,' she thought. When it stood upright the beast had turned into a male. Layla couldn't help notice he was wearing no clothes. "Um. Hi," she said. He looked her up and down making her feel extremely uncomfortable. "You know those doggy cracks really get on my nerves," he said walking forward. Layla stepped back. "Yes, well how can you blame me. You come running up to me like a dog. Anyone ever tell you that it's rude to just run up to someone like that," she said. "Yes but then I just ate them," he said stepping closer. "I am not your type," she said. She was trying to buy her some time. She was trying to get her powers to work for her. It wasn't cooperating properly. He grinned. "Oh I think you are," he said grabbing for her. She dodged him and ran. He was right on her heels. Then she let out a laugh. She got a mental picture of what she must look like. Running through a graveyard with a naked man chasing her. She stopped and turned around. "Wait a minute. Can't we work something out?" she said. He didn't stop there. He tackled her to the ground. On top of her he said, "I can think of something." She wiggled underneath him. "I didn't mean this. Could you get off of me?" she asked calmly although she was ready to scream. "Uh no," he said. He ripped her shirt to shreds. She hit him with her fists. He held her hands down. Layla felt heat on her stomach. She looked down. The stone in her necklace was churning. The man leaned down and licked her ear. "I smell your fear," he said in her ear breathing her in. "I can feel your body shaking," he said. "Oh yeah," she said. "Then feel this." Layla opened the palms of her hands sending bolts of electricity at the guys eyes. He gave a screeching howl as he backed up off of her. Layla jumped to her feet and shed what was left of her shirt. She felt the necklace. It now felt cold. She punched the wolfman in the head. He couldn't see her but he swung anyway. Layla backed up too fast. She tripped over her own feet and went down. She saw movement out of the corner of her eye and saw Spike running for her.

Spike ran through the trees at the entrance of the graveyard. He could feel Layla's presence. When he saw her he grew angry. She was barely clothed laying on the ground in front of a naked man. She looked scared and pale. Spike growled at the man. The guy looked at Spike and started transforming. Spike now saw it was a werewolf that had attacked Layla. Spike jumped for the wolf. The wolf bit Spike's arm but Spike didn't yell. He kept on hitting the wolf until the wolf ran off. Buffy finally made it into the graveyard out of breath. Layla stood up as Buffy and Spike ran over to her. "Are you okay? Did that thing bite you?" Buffy asked. Spike took off his jacket and put it around Layla's shoulders. "I am fine. It didn't bite me. Just frightened me. That's all," she said. "What were you doing out here all by yourself? That wasn't a smart thing to do," Spike said scolding her. She looked at him and opened her mouth but closed it really quick. If she told him about her visions then he would know she was different. "I lost track of time," she said walking off. Buffy and Spike looked at each other and then followed Layla.

Back home Dawn bandaged Spike's arm while Layla went to her room. She looked into her mirror. In her visions she could always feel what Mary was feeling. She could hear what Mary thought. Now as she stood in the mirror she could see Mary in her own face. A tear ran down her cheek. Just before she had woke up in the graveyard the Mary in the vision had looked right at Layla and said to her, "You look better than I ever could have imagined." "Excuse me?" Layla had said to her. "My daughter." That was the last thing Mary had said before she woke up. "I am the one she wanted to protect," Layla said. "Who wants to protect you and from what?" Spike asked from her doorway. She turned and looked at him. He saw she was crying so he went in the room and shut the door. He walked up to her. "What's wrong?" he asked. "I can't tell you," she said the tears coming easily now. "Yes you can. You can tell me anything," he said as he gathered her into a hug. She held onto him. She needed strength. Hers was failing. He sat them down on the bed. She looked down at her hands. "Spike I am not what I seem to be and up until tonight I am not who I say I am," she told him. He looked at her not saying anything. She needed someone to confide in and he was glad she was finally opening up to him. "I am not normal. I can do things and see things," she said. She looked him in the eyes. "I have special abilities," she said. She was waiting for him to laugh but he never did so she continued. "I can move things with my mind. I can create electrical sparks and I see images when I touch certain things," she said. "Would you show me?" he asked intrigued. She raised her hand and lifted the chair from the floor and before she knew it a bolt of electricity went from her hand and struck the chair, creating a big whole in it. "That one I can't control very well," she said. He looked amazed. "You really are a special person," he said. "What?" she asked. "When I first saw you I knew there was something different about you. And now I know what I felt," he said. "What is this about you not being who you are?" he asked. "Those visions I have been seeing are connected with a woman named Mary Parker. And tonight I saw her in another vision. After I was given this necklace I went to the graveyard where I fell asleep and had the vision," Layla said. She held up the necklace. Spike looked at it. He felt as if he has seen the necklace somewhere before. "I had awakened at a table by Mary. She was speaking of a child. Her little girl. Just before I came to in the graveyard she looked at me and called me her daughter," she told him. "When I touched the necklace for the first time I saw Mary being chased and all she could think of was her little girl. Me," Layla said her eyes filled with fresh tears. Spike put his arm around Layla's shoulders and for some reason Layla felt comforted. Layla thought about it for a minute. "This all makes sense. Why my parents never told me about my childhood. Why they took me away from here when my powers first started developing. Why they never would let me return. But what I don't get is where is my real father?" she asked looking at Spike. "Do you know his name?" he asked. "Yes. It's Seth Parker. At least that is what Mary called him. If he is still alive he might have changed his name," she said. "We can find out if he is still in town. We could just have Willow look him up on the internet," Spike said. He could see the strength returning to Layla and he smiled. She looked at him. "Let's do it," she said getting up. He was right behind her and ran into her when she stopped. "Spike I didn't thank you. You saved me again. It looks like it is going to become a habit with us," she said. "I hope so," he said. She blushed. "I need to change," she said. And then without warning she pulled off Spike's jacket. "This is yours," she said flirtingly. As she held onto the jacket visions came to her. She saw Spike as he watched her. She saw how much he loved her. She felt he was keeping a big secret from her. She felt his emotions being torn in two. He looked at her bare midrift. "I'll uh wait downstairs," he said running out of the room afraid he couldn't control himself around her. As Layla pulled on another shirt she couldn't believe what she had just done. She has never acted like that in front of a guy. But then again Spike was no ordinary guy. Her visions showed her that he loved her. Now she just has to make him admit it.