|
|
|
 |
PART 12 From the moment they passed through the gates of Sunnyrest, they could sense Faith. Running as quickly as they could toward her, Buffy stopped short when she saw Faith surrounded by twelve vamps all working as a unit… playing with her but not killing her. She knew this. The crypt with the angel on top, the large cracked cross with the corner broken off… she…. This was where she'd been taken. "Engel…," she gasped. He looked down at her horrified face with pain in his eyes and he knew that she knew. "We haf to save her, Engel," she whispered. "Plan?" Angel looked it over. There was no plan, just get in there and get killing. Grabbing her arms, he forced her to meet his gaze. "I *love* you. Be careful." At her answering nod, they ran and joined the foray. It was brutal. Buffy managed to take out three quickly but two more immediately surprised her from behind, picking her up by the legs and swinging her like an axe into the cross. She lay unmoving for a moment beside the cross, desperate to get her breath back. From the corner of her eye, she saw Faith losing. The two vamps that had attacked Buffy stood watching Faith get pummeled. They obviously believed Buffy to be out cold and for whatever reason didn't kill her which allowed her to flip *painfully* back to standing and dispatch one of them quickly. It was no use. Two more grabbed her from behind, one quickly moving a knife to her throat and holding it just above her jugular. They spun her to face the more open area. "Move and she dies, instantly." A man walked forward, addressing Angel, leering at Buffy as he walked toward her. "Move *at all* and she dies instantly." Out of the corner of her eye, she could see a frantic and unmoving Angel being held back by three vamps, and flanked by two heavily-armed others. Faith's arms were pinned behind her by an enormous, hulking vamp who was nuzzling her neck, while another held a knife to the opposite side of her throat. The large vamp licked Faith's throat. Faith looked just shy of passing out. The man smirked at Angel as he walked up to Buffy, reached up a hand and gently fondled her breast. Buffy gasped. "Don't! Leave her alone!" Angel yelled. Tears spilled down Buffy's face as her captors tightened their grip… as, helplessly, she felt her nipple tighten as the man pulled at it, the fabric of her long-sleeved T-shirt doing little to protect her from his touch. She remembered this too. This man, this man was *Quentin*, the one who'd taken her to Bethara. "You know, when you slayed the first group I sent to St. Michael's...," Quentin started, pinching her roughly now. She hissed in pain. "Well, all I can say is thank you for bringing Buffy here yourself, Angel. You've made my life so much easier." She glanced desperately over at Angel. He was growling, furious. "Look at me, Bryn," Quentin whispered. "Watch me." Horrified, she met his gaze, whimpering when he slowly dragged his hand up her leg, up the inside of her thigh, raising her skirt… as he slowly slipped past her underwear and began to massage her clit. A sob broke free of her and he moaned in ecstasy. "Your pain is stunning, Bryn. Stunning. What a prize you are. I can't wait to deliver you… to return the *jewel* of the Pava, along with the fallen Tar…. "They've missed you, Bryn. I'm told that Bethara just isn't the same without you and that the heads of the Houses there…. *Lots* of pent up anger," he menaced, stabbing his fingers inside her, "rage," he stabbed deeper, Buffy moaning as his fingers stung her dry center. "Oh, how much you are going to *hurt*, my dear girl," he hissed, now digging his fingernails into her clit. "I'm told you are quite exquisite when you are being tortured. I may just stay and watch as they kill you again. And again. And again. "So delicious. "And you," he said, abruptly abandoning the now-sobbing Buffy and moving over to Faith. "Killing people, Faith? I must say I had higher hopes for you but when the Mayor rang me…." He shook his head in disgust. "What is this world coming to? I will say, though, that circumstance has created some mercy for you. You, my dear, won't be making this trip. Of course, you'll be dead, but really, six of one, half dozen of the other. I am sure that Buffy would trade places with you in a heartbeat but the Slayer line runs through you now, so…. "Bryn, you'd trade. Wouldn't you, my dear?" Quentin smirked at her. Calmly, he pulled a small notebook out of his pocket. "You'd think I'd have memorized this by now," he said, shaking his head and chuckling. "Age does catch up with one. You'll never know about that, Bryn…. You won't live that long," he said laughing again. "I doubt you'll make it for even 1,000 years. That's the Penance I negotiated for you with the Meior. But don't worry. I'm sure that after four or five hundred years, *someone* will grow bored with you. But then, you never know." He raised his arms slightly and, reading from his notebook, began to intone: "Prkta nah ta'ehk funul prktoi ya a'she orq na tak dri k'nak tel maran qa!" He stared for a moment as the portal shimmered to life about twenty feet away. Nodding in satisfaction, he placed his notebook back in his pocket, exchanging it for a hypodermic needle and a vial of liquid. He silently filled the needle with the liquid, tapping the side as he squeezed it, making sure there was no air in it. "Can't have you die before all the fun," he said to Faith, smirking. Roughly grabbing her arm, he stabbed her with the needle. Faith fought him feebly as he slowly squeezed. The big vamp held her tighter. "Wait until we've gone and then enjoy her for as long as you like… teach her about pain," Quentin said to Faith's captors. "But when you are finished, make *sure* she's dead. Drain her if you want but the bottom line is I want nothing left of her, are we clear? Burn her – burn her alive if you'd like, but burn her." The vamp holding Faith snickered and swept the knife gently across her throat, drawing a thin line of blood from her which he promptly licked up. Faith wept as urine streamed down her leg. Quentin stood back in front of Buffy now, stared at her as she visibly trembled, tears flowing down her face. His eyes held hers as he slowly refilled the needle again. He sighed and holding the needle clearly in view, gently stroked his opposite hand down her neck, across her collarbone and then down the upper part of her arm. Buffy whimpered, panicked. "Stunning." The vamps tightened their grip on her … the blade was cold against her throat. Images of Bethara flashed through her mind… her Celebration, the Pava… the Meior locking her in the bnrian coffin, snakes stinging her breasts as his sons' laughter filled the air… as they branded her… as they killed her… as they beat her… as they raped her again and again. Quentin grabbed her upper arm tightly and brought the needle up. No no NO! She wasn't going back. With an animalistic scream, she used her heel and kicked the knife-wielding vamp hard in the groin, while twisting herself backwards as much as possible. She ended up deeply scratched but avoided a killing blow and the needle. Seeing Buffy out of immediate harm's way, Angel began to fight the five vamps surrounding him, determined to get them all out of there. More vamps ran out from behind neighboring crypts. How many were there? The portal was open – a gaping, shimmering hole - and Buffy knew it wasn't going to stop, it was never going to stop. Quentin smirked as he walked rapidly toward a newly arrived Willow and Xander who were standing on the outskirts of the fight, nervously firing crossbows but unsuccessfully taking out any vamps. Seeing Angel was near enough to save Faith, Buffy abandoned the fight and sprinted to where Quentin was backing her friends toward the portal. Without stopping her approach, she spun quickly into a flying kick and knocked Quentin away from them, and once he was on the ground, began to pummel him, hitting him over and over, her knuckles becoming bloody with both his blood and her own. When she sensed he was losing consciousness, she stopped and grabbed his head with both hands, made him focus on her. He hoarsely laughed and grinned up at her, his gaze bleary. "Look at me, Mistah Quentin. I wan' you to see deat'. Dis is what deat' looks like." His eyes widened as she squeezed his skull. He twisted to get away. Buffy jerked his head to the right, unceremoniously breaking his neck. As breath left his body, the portal closed with a loud snap. Standing quickly, Buffy brushed her hands on her skirt and turned to Willow and Xander. "You okay?" Willow stared at her, her mouth open. "You killed him? Did you just kill him?" "Yes," Buffy answered matter-of-factly. "He not going to do dat again. No more," she said coldly. "You okay?" she asked more pointedly. Subject closed. "We go?" Xander nodded dumbly and took Willow's hand and followed Buffy over to where Angel stood, his arms around a sobbing Faith. They were alone. Angel studied Buffy. She nodded in answer to his silent "are you okay?" and swiped her eyes quickly, wiping up her tears. "You two, okay?" Angel asked Xander and Willow. Again Xander nodded on behalf of them both. "Buffy took care of it," Xander responded quietly. "I did what I hed to do, Engel," she defended, sadly. "I did what I hed to do." *** They'd stood in silence for several minutes… Faith clutching onto Angel for dear life, Willow holding Xander's right hand with both of her own, Xander staring at the ground. "Everyone... we go?" Buffy asked, impatiently. Without responding, Xander began to lead Willow toward the cemetery entrance and Angel and Faith followed behind, Angel reaching out to take Buffy's hand in his. They were almost to the front gate when Buffy stopped suddenly. "Engel," she whispered. "We not alone here." Buffy looked around for a moment before spying the young girl sitting against a tombstone, weeping uncontrollably. Buffy frowned for a moment but then walked toward her. "Be careful, Buffy. She's not human," Angel called out. Buffy didn't slow herself; rather, she walked purposely up to the girl and knelt beside her and stroked her arm. "I know you," she said in Betharan. The girl nodded. "You… you were… you are the Key, is that right?" Buffy asked, frowning, trying to remember. The girl, again, nodded. "Did he hurt you?" Buffy asked. The girl hesitated and then slightly dipped her head. "I'm sorry. He hurt me too. He's gone now. He can't hurt you – or me – anyone – anymore. Okay? It'll be okay. Don't cry, he's gone." The girl began to cry harder now and Buffy was perplexed until she realized that Quentin was probably the only link the girl had to Earth. She probably had nowhere to go. Buffy could sense Angel behind her, could sense his concern. It was time to go. Standing she held her hand out to the girl and said gently, "It's okay. You can come home with me if you'd like. Would you like that?" The girl looked up and wiping her tears away with the back of her hands, smiled sadly and nodded, and accepted Buffy's extended hand. Turning to Angel, she said, "Angel, this is… what's your name? Do you have a name?" The girl nodded and whispered, "He called me Dawn." Buffy frowned again. "Can I call you Dawn or do you want to pick a new name? You can if you want now, you know. You can do anything you want now." The girl thought for a moment and then smiled up at Buffy. "Dawn." Buffy smiled brilliantly. "Dawn, it is, then." *** "Oh, dear God. You are all alright." Giles said, ushering them into his apartment. "Faith, you are alright?" Faith nodded slightly in response to his question. "Well, then," Giles continued. "I had a feeling when our search turned up nothing that *you* had managed to locate Travers. And Angel, I'm sorry. Willow and Xander insisted on looking for you both." Giles looked them over. "But you're all safe? What happened?" Faith pulled away from Angel and began to pace, rubbing her forearms. "I was – I was fighting these vamps in St. Michael's," she began, her voice shaky. "Big ones and… and they were… and they were winning. And then they just ran off. They ran off! I was so cocky. I thought I scared them. And so… I should have known… but I didn't and… I chased them to Sunnyrest and then… then I was surrounded. Giles, it was a trap. It was… Oh God. I almost got everyone killed. I should have known it was a trap. I should have–" Faith sank to the floor, tears streaming down her face. Giles moved towards her only to be practically knocked out of the way by Dawn who ran to Faith and knelt beside her, stroking her arm like Buffy had done when Dawn had been crying at the cemetery. Dawn looked up at Buffy with a questioning smile and Buffy nodded that yes, Dawn was doing the right thing. Faith gasped and calmed immediately, visibly stunned by Dawn's actions. Dawn smiled at Faith brilliantly, clearly proud she'd been able to make her feel better. "I don't - Buffy, who is this?" "Giles, dis Dawn. Dawn, Giles." Dawn smiled up at him. "Buffy knew Dawn from Bethara," Angel said quietly. "Apparently, they met there and Dawn has been living here with Quentin… I think." "She has," a voice behind Giles chimed in. Buffy was shocked to see an elegant, young looking black woman approaching Giles from behind. "Olivia Parker, Watcher's Council," she continued, her hand extended. "*But* you have nothing to fear from me. I came here to warn Rupert of what I thought Quentin was doing. I'm sorry I wasn't in time to prevent his attack on you all." "Olivia is an old friend, Buffy. An old and, indeed, trusted friend," Giles said, smiling warmly at Olivia. "I'm truly sorry, Miss Summers. For all that's happened. I'd… It's likely too little too late, but anything I can do to help…. Any steps I can take…. Quentin – I believe he must be stopped and I'm here to support you–" "He's stopped. I stopped him," Buffy said coldly. "He not hurt me or Fait' or Dawn or Slayers anymore." Silence filled the room for a moment as the reality of her words set in. "Well, then. Right," Olivia said in a guarded tone. Turning quickly to face Giles, Buffy said: "I tired, Giles. I want take Dawn home to Joyce…. Dawn needs to sleep and I too. Can Angel walk me home now?" Giles nodded his answer, still too stunned by Buffy's prior announcement to find any words. Buffy waited for Xander and Willow to leave and then taking Dawn's and Angel's hands led them out the door. *** It was just shy of 2:00 a.m. when Buffy got home. Joyce could hear Buffy's and Angel's muffled voices on the front stoop. She had to admit she was happy that Buffy felt comfortable enough in the house to forego climbing into her window and to actually use the front door. She hoped this meant she was finally settling in. As the door shut, she heard Buffy continue speaking quietly in Betharan to someone. Looking up, curious, from her place reclined on the couch, Joyce was shocked to see Buffy heading up the stairs with a young girl in tow. "Buffy? Honey? Is that you? What's going on?" Joyce asked, as she stood and approached the girls. "Joyce! You up still? Joyce, dis Dawn. Dawn, dis Joyce. I know Dawn from Bet'ara. Dawn need – Dawn haf no home so I told Dawn she stay here, okay?" Joyce looked fully at Dawn now. The girl was tall and about 13 years old. She was, however, dressed like an eight-year old: An empire waist sundress that ended at her knees, white knee socks, black Mary Janes and twin pigtails. Her makeup was equally severe but the other way. With deep red lipstick and blusher, she looked like a twenty-year old. "Buffy… what? Honey, we need to talk about things like this. This is – Well, it's nice to meet you Dawn, but Buffy, honey, can I talk to you in the living room for a moment?" Joyce said, with what she hoped was an unforced smile. Dawn clutched onto Buffy's hand tightly and Joyce felt terrible when Dawn's eyes teared up. "Pary tra, Dawn," Buffy said to the girl softly, with a soothing smile. "Ehrtra tra, neit tra'a knet dri fradt un tu. Eith r dra'at righ keprt, tra?" Dawn nodded sadly and released Buffy's hand. Buffy quickly followed her mother into the living room. "Joyce, I sorry – I know you not happy but she haf no place to go. She… She hurt too. Dey, de Watchers, dey hurt Dawn… And de man who hurt her, he try… dey try to kidnap me and take me back tonight. It is okay. I fought him and, well, I take care of him. He not bother us anymore. But he all Dawn had. She is special, Joyce. She needs me." Joyce sank back onto the couch. They tried to kidnap her *again*? And they hurt this girl, Dawn? Buffy had been cagey about Bethara but suddenly she felt completely in the dark about what *exactly* had happened there. She had this sinking feeling that her suspicion of rape was a complete understatement. Her stomach churned and she fought not to throw up. The girl, the girl on the stairs while tall, was practically pre-pubescent. And she'd been… raped… too. Dear God, what were these people doing to these girls? "Honey, I… I wish you could tell me what happened there. Maybe I could help you both," Joyce said hopefully. Buffy frowned and looked over at Dawn. "*But* if you can't tell me, that's okay. This is your home and, of course, Dawn is welcome to stay here as your guest, okay? Does she…. Are her parents.… Does she have parents we can get in touch with, though? They must be worried." Buffy shook her head. "She haf no parents. She… de Pava create her. Dawn is not human, Joyce. She not a demon either but she is magic energy in human form. Dat is why she is special… dat is why she is how she is. She is good, though. She not deserve what dey did to her. *No* one deserve what dey did to *us*," Buffy bit out angrily. "No one." After a moment of silence, Joyce realized Buffy had shared all she was going to share. "Well, it's late. Let's get to bed, okay?" Joyce said. "I'll make up the guest room for Dawn – it'll only take a second. Why don't you find her something to sleep in, okay?" "No, Joyce. Dawn stay wit' me. Okay?" "Uh, yes. That's fine, Buffy. Whatever would make you both comfortable," Joyce said helplessly. Buffy nodded and purposefully turned back toward the stairs and began to lead Dawn up to her room. There were no 'good nights', no kind words. She realized in that moment that her hope that Buffy was settling in was far, far from reality. Exhausted, she climbed the stairs and fell into bed. *** Joyce woke at about 4:30 a.m. and, out of habit, pulled on her bathrobe and headed down the hall to check on Buffy. At the top of the stairs, she realized she could hear movement downstairs. She crept down the stairs quietly and, retrieving an umbrella from the umbrella stand next to the door to use as a weapon, continued slowly making her way into the kitchen. "… okay, Buffy. I promise you, it'll be okay," Angel was saying, quietly. He sounded like if he weren't crying, he would be in short order. Joyce couldn't decide whether to burst in and announce her presence or wait it out. Hating herself for doing it, but hoping that perhaps Buffy would share information with Angel that she was holding back from her mother, she decided to wait a moment before going in. "But I," Buffy said tearfully, "dri taran toll, Engel. Kran'a teer uncha kel tra'at nar-" "English, honey," Angel said, clearly crying now. "Try and practice –" "What the point?!" Buffy snapped. "I… Dis world… ever'thing is darkness. Ever'thing black. "And I miss you," Buffy said more softly, sniffling. "I sorry, Engel. I know we agree to not talk of it but… I miss being wit' you. It like... I don't fit here. I never fit here. How I fit here when ever'thing is wrong? How I fit here when you not here?" "But it'll get better, love. It *will* get better. I'm not with you in your house but I will never leave you. I'm here as long as you want me to be. It *will* get better." "But, how, Engel? I not remember things I should. My mother, she want me to remember things and I can't. I try but it gone. I try to read – she want me to go to school – but I not remember things I supposed to know. I don't remember dese people, or English mat' and numbers, or…." "Come here," Angel said. They both moved into her field of vision and she saw him wrap his arms around her and hold her tightly, rubbing her back as Buffy dissolved into tears. "Shhh, shhh. It'll be okay. I promise." "How it okay… how it okay when I not wit' you?" Buffy sobbed. "How it okay when ever'thing wrong? Ever'thing wrong *here*, Engel. Ever'thing wrong, here." Joyce's heart broke. Seeing Buffy, standing there in her Betharan clothes, holding on to Angel for dear life, she hated the Watchers with a renewed force. But more than that she hated herself. What kind of pressure was she putting on them all? Damn it! Those fucking Watchers… she wanted to kill them herself, for taking away her daughter's life. First, when they made her the Slayer and now…. Now, here she was, most likely a victim of some sort of unspeakable abuses, stuck on a planet away from the man she loved, who obviously loved her… bringing home strange girls who she didn't know but seemed closer to than any of the people who loved her. Defeated, she left the young lovers clinging to each other in desperation, and climbed the stairs and fell back into bed. *** Joyce felt like shit. She stumbled down the stairs, doubting that there was enough coffee in the universe to wake her up… or, for that matter, improve her mood. Turning into the living room, she found Buffy curled in an arm chair – dressed in her American clothes again – staring absently at the TV. "Good morning," Joyce said, brightly (she hoped) as she entered the room. "Where's Dawn?" "She sleeping still. I… I not tired so…." Buffy trailed off, continuing to stare at the TV. "How about some nice French Toast? Would you like that?" Joyce asked her. "You used to love that." Buffy frowned but then nodded. Seeing Buffy's mind was elsewhere, Joyce abandoned all pretense of breakfast and instead took a seat on the ottoman beside her daughter. "Buffy, honey, can I talk to you for a moment?" Joyce asked gently as she picked up the remote and turned the TV off. Buffy turned in her seat to face her. "You are mad about Dawn. I sorry Joyce but –" "Honey, I'm not mad. I'm… I was surprised, but last night when I thought about it…. Well, she had nowhere else to go and she's your friend so of course she's welcome here. Particularly after they... well, after… she…." Joyce took a deep breath. "She's welcome here as long as you like. I would like to talk to Mr. Giles about her though… see if there's anything we can do for her. Is that okay?" Buffy frowned and nodded, her eyes teary now with gratitude. "Thank you, Joyce. It… I… I…." Joyce watched Buffy struggle to collect herself before continuing. "Joyce, I – please don' be mad – but Engel visit last night and he say it good if I tell you some things. Dere are things he think you should know, especially because of Dawn." Joyce nodded cautiously. Buffy sighed and looked sad. "Dawn not my friend. I… I do not actually remember Dawn, not really. Dawn was dere when I got dere. To Bet'ara. She…." Buffy trailed off and then took a deep breath and continued. "Last night, Engel and I watching Fait', making sure she okay slaying alone…." Joyce wondered at that. Why wouldn't she be? "Fait' hafing some problem and we were following her and … dere were so many vampires, Joyce.... Dey surround me and I remember it like before… de same cemetery, de same sit-iation. *Quentin*. Dey hold me, and Quentin open de portal and it was like before. He touch me and took me…" Buffy broke off, her voice trembling, and took a deep breath. Dear God… "Before – last time – I woke up at de Pava and… dey use me, Joyce. At de Pava, dey use me. I belong to Pava… I not a person anymore, I a thing… I his Bryn, his 'property'… his to do with as he want…. I am currency. I am traded. Dey say I had committed crimes here on Eart' and dat I am paying for dem by being dere toy. I jus'… I jus' could not go dere again. I could *not*. I…." Buffy trailed off, panicked. "It's okay, baby. It's okay," Joyce said desperately, fighting to maintain her composure. Her baby. They'd hurt her baby. "I *kill* him, Joyce," Buffy whispered harshly, her voice shuddering. "I kill Quentin last night. And I do it again. He *hurt* me." OhmyGodohmyGodohmyGodohmyGod…. Buffy's eyes shut as she visibly tried to calm herself, her hands clutching her knees as she breathed deeply. Once, twice, three times. Looking up, composed, she met her mother's now shattered gaze. "I *not* go dere again," she said quietly. "I cannot die again. Not again. I already lose so much. Every time you die, Joyce, and dey bring you back, you lose a little more. More memory, more goodness, more soul. Dey kill you to control you… because dey know how much losing hurts. When Engel come… I already remember so little. *So* little. I think I end up like Dawn if I go back. Just a shell… a shell to be used and beaten and *raped* and… *destroyed* only to be brought back to life again and again until dey tire of me." Joyce couldn't hide her tears. Dear God, what had they done to her baby? "Time different dere," Buffy said, her voice breaking as she fought not to sob in anguish. "Time move slower. I slave to de Pava for twenty-two years but for you only few weeks haf passed. De last Slayer was dere for 350 *years* before dey kill her. I couldn't go back. I jus' couldn't." "Buffy…," Joyce whispered, horrified. "Last night, when we come home, Dawn tell me she not understand why Quentin always hurt her… always share her with other men who hurt her. She want to know why he always beat her when she try to be good. For me, in Bet'ara, at least I know why I am dere, why I am slave. But she not know. She not able. She not understand. She… she is special, Joyce." "Why? Why were you… slave?" Joyce asked hoarsely. "De Pava – my Master – say it because I commit crimes," Buffy said harshly, angrily. "I never remember what crimes I commit! But I to pay for 400 years… dat is de lengt' of my Penance." Dear God, her *master*.… Four hundred *years*? Buffy gave up her battle and began to cry. "Engel come and…. He come and… and he buy time to see me. He come and he not hurt me.… I wait for him to hurt me like de others and he not…. He tell me I commit no crime, dat I did nothing wrong. I was just… I thought he lying, why would dey… why would dey hurt me if I not do something very bad? But Engel said dat was untrue and he save me. He fight and get me out. He… He so good to me and he save me and take care of me. He love me." Buffy took a rasping breath and continued. "Engel and I, we go to de Tar and it so good, Joyce. We haf a big *safe* house and I can go outside in de Tar and de people dere, dey treat me well. I special dere… de mate of de Tar, Engel. De Tar and de Pava… dey are different peoples. In de Tar, de women are not slaves… dere dey are mates and are treated well. Engel help me get better… he teach me to fight again and he teach me about love. He teach me dat I am equal… dat I am *good*… dat no one ever hurt me again. He make me feel so special. He is my mate and we not together here and I… miss him, Joyce. I'm sorry… but I miss him." Joyce reached out and touched Buffy's arm and was shocked when Buffy, sobbing now, clutched her hand. "Here, we not together and Engel, he different here. He can't go out in de sun, he can't kiss me–" "I don't…. He can do those things there?" Joyce asked, stunned. Buffy nodded, sobbing harder. "Dere is no curse dere. I don' know why but dere isn't. Engel is strong like here but he can go in de sun, he can… we can… we can love each other dere…." Buffy broke off, her head sinking into her hands. "But honey, if your lives were good there, why did you come back?" Joyce asked softly, afraid she already knew the answer. Buffy answered through her hands: "He promise to bring me back. So, he did."
|
|
