Where's Mom?
Parts 1-4
Author's Note: This was listed as unfinished at the Slayer Archive. It was finished, but the ending was lost in cyberspace. So please bear with me as I try to remember what I wrote two years ago. And I promise it'll be a more completed version.
Prologue
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"I can't believe this!"Buffy said as her head fell on top of her books. Giles looked at her uncomfortably, then he looked at the ceiling.
"There is no getting around it, Buffy," Giles said uncomfortably.
"I still can't believe this," Buffy repeated, her voice muffled by her books. She lifted her head and looked at her Watcher, her eyes looking at him hopefully. "Giles, couldn't you-"
"Buffy, I promised her," Giles said with finality. "I tried to convince her otherwise, but..."
Giles shrugged and Buffy moaned. "I can't believe this."
Her head promptly fell on to her books again. Giles patted her shoulder sympathetically.
"Can't believe what?" Willow asked as she entered the library. "What's going on? Is there a new demon in town? A new prophecy of doom that's coming true?"
"No, worse,"said Buffy, her voice muffled by her books."Much, much worse than that."
"What?"
Giles looked at Willow."You know that Buffy's mother wanted to go to that gallery convention in San Francisco. And I managed to convince her to go last night..."
Willow nodded."That's great. And?"
Giles cleared his throat."Well, Joyce, ah, Mrs.Summers had a stipulation to the agreement."
"Which was?"Willow asked. She looked at Giles with fascination, his face was getting red very quickly. Giles looked at the ceiling before he could answer, then at Buffy. He cleared his throat.
"It seems that she...Mrs.Summers wants me..."
"Mom wants Giles to baby sit me over the weekend,"Buffy finished for him. She glared at her Watcher."Mom would go to the convention if only Giles would stay with me at home. Me! The Slayer! The Chosen One! Being baby-sat! Life's so unfair!"
"Well, it isn't all fun and games for myself either,"Giles protested."I was planning to do some more research and spend the long weekend at home. I wasn't planning to...to..."
"Baby sit the Slayer?"Willow said with a muffled giggle. Giles and Buffy glared at the red-head."What a danger that is!"
"It's the end of the world!"Buffy moaned. Then she glared at her Watcher. "How could you let her give you that condition?"
Giles rubbed his ear."Well, she talked circles around me. She is, an effective mother, Buffy."
"Which means?"
"It means that your mother first said that she wasn't going because she was afraid of what would happen to you. She seemed to be dealing with the fact that you're being the Slayer very, uh, well."
"Then why is she having you baby sit me?"
"She was afraid of what you would do to the house after she left. If there was one to come back to," Giles coughed, then scratched his ear.
Buffy stared at her Watcher."She didn't want to go because she's afraid of what I would do to the house?"
"And of what you might eat,"Giles added. He saw Buffy's incredulous look and looked up at the ceiling. Willow hid a smile under her hand.
Buffy looked at her Watcher."And you agreed with her?"
Giles looked at Buffy straight in the eye and said in total seriousness, "She showed me your room, Buffy. And you do remember what happened the last time she left you alone."
"That was just a mild case of indigestion!"
"It was a mild case of food poisining,Buffy," Giles said sternly. "In any case, you got part of your wish, your mother is going to San Francisco and I am staying with you for the weekend."
Buffy dropped her head on to the books again. Giles sighed."I don't like this anymore than you, Buffy. But that was the promise I had to agree to."
"How about if I stay with Buffy?"Willow asked."I could sleep over her house for the weekend."
Buffy's head lifted and she looked at Willow hopefully."You think that you can?"
"I'm pretty sure. We can ask my parents first, though,"Willow said thoughtfully. Giles looked at her hopefully.
"Do you need help convincing them? I can help,"Giles said eagerly. Buffy frowned at her Watcher. He saw her frown."I'd like to have the weekend free myself you know."
"I'm pretty sure that I could handle it myself, Giles,"Willow said with a smile."It would be so stay with Buffy over the weekend."
"Who's staying with Buffy over the weekend?"Xander asked as he entered the library. “And am I invited to this all girls sleep over thing?”
"I am. I get to baby sit Buffy,"Willow said with pride. Buffy hit her friend playfully."I mean that I'm going to try and sleep over Buffy's house this weekend while her mom's in San Francisco. And no, this is a girls only thing."
"You mean baby sit,"Xander corrected. Buffy stood up with her hands at her hips.
"I do not need baby sitting. I can perfectly take care of myself, thank you very much,"Buffy said loudly."I am the Slayer! I am the Chosen One! I can do anything that I put my mind to!"
"Except keep your room clean and cook food that you can eat,"Giles said . Buffy glared at him. Xander hid a laugh behind his hand. Willow giggled.
"I can cook,"Buffy protested. She looked at her friends."Can't I?"
"Only if it comes from a fast food place and needs to be nuked," Willow said gently."Face it, Buffy, you're not a Julia Child in the kitchen. I've seen the stuff that you made in home EC."
"Yeah,Buff. That dish of linguine and tomato sauce scared me more that ten Masters and an army of vampires combined,"Xander said. Buffy glared at him.
"It was chicken noodle soup with red peppers."
"It still scared me. I don't think that even the Hellmouth would be able to eat it,"Xander joked. Willow hit him on the arm.
"Well, to get back to the point, Willow, when can you ask your parents about staying over Buffy's?"Giles asked.
"Let's go ask now,"Willow said as she stuck out her hand to Buffy. Buffy grinned widely as she took it.
"This'll be so much fun. No parents for the weekend. Great!"
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"Now, Buffy, you know where I'll be,"Joyce Summer said as she put her hands on her daughter's shoulders."If you need anything, I can be reached at the hotel desk."
"I'll be all right,Mom,"Buffy sighed."I'm a big girl, you can go with a clear mind."
Joyce Summers looked at her daughter with little conviction. It was easier to leave her daughter when she wasn't fully aware of the dangers she faced. But now that she knew that her little girl was a Vampire Slayer, Joyce felt uncomfortable about leaving. Every time that Buffy left the house, she was worried that it was going to be the last time she would see her baby alive. And now she was going away for the weekend. To a gallery convention. For three days.
"Maybe I could send Wilson to-"Joyce began. Buffy grabbed her mother by the arms, shaking her a little. She read the worry in her mother's soft brown eyes. And saw the lines around her face that were never there before.
"Mom, I'm going to be all right. There's nothing big going on in the Hellmouth these days,"Buffy said trying to make her mother feel reassured. She looked at Giles for help."Tell her,Giles."
Giles stepped up."Ah, there's nothing going on in Sunnydale right now, Mrs.Summers. Buffy will be fine with Willow."
Joyce looked at Giles then Buffy, and returned her intense gaze at Giles again. "Are you sure?"
"Quite sure, quite,"Giles said in his best authoritative voice. He took Buffy's mother to the side. He lowered his voice as he spoke to her. "Mrs. Summers, ah, Joyce, I know that you feel that something will happen to Buffy while you are away, but nothing will."
"But how can you guarantee that? How can you guarantee that nothing will happen to her?"Joyce whispered back as she grabbed his arm. For a moment she let the fear she felt show in her eyes and Rupert Giles felt a pang of understanding. [She's afraid that she won't be there for Buffy.]
Giles looked at Joyce Summers and a glimmer of respect was growing in him. This woman, Buffy's mother, was the Slayer's Mother. And she had not become it through any decision of her own. Not by choice or conviction, merely by chance. Fate made her the mother of the Slayer, and she was dealing with that fact as best she could.
"I cannot guarantee that nothing will happen to her,"Giles said slowly,"But I can promise you that I and the other children will do our best to take care of her, Joyce. That is all that I can promise."
Joyce looked at him for a long moment and nodded. She walked back to Buffy and gave her a false cheery smile."Well, honey, Giles has promised me that he would take care of you."
"Not baby sitting me again,"Buffy said in alarm."Mom!"
Joyce Summers laughed."No, not baby sitting. I'll leave that job to Willow, honey."
She gathered her daughter for a hug."Be good. Eat healthy. I cooked and froze the foods, Willow knows where it is. And pay attention to Mr. Giles. Okay?"
"Sure,Mom."said Buffy as she hugged her back."Call me when you get there."
"Will do,"said Joyce Summers as she picked up her bags."See you on Sunday night. Love you."
"Love you too,"Buffy waved.
Part One
Joyce Summers unpacked her bags in her small hotel room as her mind wandered. It was odd to feel that she was actually in San Francisco, away from the real madness that was in Sunnydale. But it felt, good. Actually it felt great to be away from the two things that worried her the most. Namely the vampires and her daughter. Not that she didn't love her only child, but there were times when she felt like strangling Buffy in sheer frustration.
[Was I ever an eighteen-year girl old like that? If it's not the hair, it's the shoes, if not that, then its clothes, if not that then it's the lack of the study thing. With vampires thrown into the mix!] Joyce sighed. [I have got to get her to pay attention to what it would be like to go to college!]
Joyce looked through the hotel window that faced the San Francisco Bay and the Golden Gate Bridge. She shivered when she noted that it was starting to turn dark. She used to like the night, and many times she would watch the stars appear. Until she found out that her daughter could die in the night. On any night. She could be on the next plane to L.A. and then get to Sunnydale in less than four hours.
[Stop it, Joycie. Just stop it. Right now.] she thought as she rubbed her temples. [Rupert was right. I will go mad if I worry about Buffy too much. She survived four years of being the Slayer, and she will continue to survive. I have got to stop worrying about her. It's not like she doesn't have any friends. Or a social life.]
Joyce looked again out into the night, and smiled absently. The twinkling stars remembered the last time she was away from Buffy, though it was unwillingly. It was for one night four months ago in Los Angeles, and she was not happy being stuck there. She would have gotten herself killed if it had not been for Spike. Joyce's mouth twisted wryly.
[The Slayer's Mother is a friend to a vampire. What a *really* odd notion! Hope that he's found Drucilla and nowhere in the country. Else Buffy would kill him.] She sobered at the thought. He wouldn't be such a bad guy, if not, to quote her daughter, 'for the whole vampire thing'.
Joyce glanced at the phone and debated if she could call Buffy to see if she was all right. But she remembered her promise to the Watcher and Buffy. To the Watcher, she was to enjoy herself in the art gallery managers' convention and not to worry about Buffy. To Buffy, she could not call more than twice, and only once after she had initially checked in. And she had already done that. Joyce sighed in resignation again. Then Joyce's stomach started to grumble. Joyce grabbed her jacket and went to look for some food.
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"O.K., so what do you want to eat Buffy?"Willow asked as she looked inside the refrigerator. Buffy peered over her friend's shoulder and looked at the goodies that her mother stacked. Everything was labeled with the generic terms: Meat, Chicken, Vegetable and Pasta.
"I dunno, what do you feel like? Meat, chicken or other?"
Willow shrugged."I guess it would be chicken. What does this look like to you?"
Buffy opened the container."Oh, goody! Mom remembered to make a fave of mine: buffalo wings and fried rice!"
"Buffalo wings and fried rice? That sounds good,"Xander said as he entered the kitchen."What else did your mom cook? Oh, what's in this container that says 'Meat'?"
Xander opened it and grinned in delight."Cool. Your mom made beef stew with roasted potatoes! Let's have this too!"
"Cool! I can't believe that Mom made all this stuff!"Buffy said happily as she watched Willow pop the containers into the oven."I like this! It's going to be a great weekend:Mom's in San Fran for three days, no world ending prophecies and best of all, dead on the undead hijinks!"
"And best of all, we get to gorge on the cornucopia of food that your mom made,"Xander crowed."What?"
"O.K., friend, who are you and what have you done with our pal Xander?" Buffy said as she pointed a finger at him. Xander looked confused for a moment.
"Cornucopia? Where did you learn that word, Xander?"Willow teased."I guess that *someone* has been studying his SAT vocab."
"Can't be Xander Harris, I mean that boy would *never* study unless he had to. And that would be with a shotgun over his head,"Buffy said with mock severity. Xander looked up at the ceiling and then at his favorite gal pals sheepishly.
"It sort of was. Except that it was with Giles over my head,"Xander said sheepishly. He saw the girls' confused looks."My mom and dad asked Giles to tutor me on my English vocab, and the great friend that he is, he agreed."
Buffy winced."Mom tried that with me too, until I convinced her that if I had him as a tutor, I would willingly walk into a vampire trap just to get away from him!"
Willow grinned."And Giles said that he wasn't really too keen on that idea as well. To quote him:'Buffy slaughtering vampires is one thing, but listening to her slaughter the English language is quite another.' End quote."
"I thought he was willing to teach me speak English good,"Buffy frowned. Willow grinned even more widely.
"He did it under duress. Your Mom plied and bribed him with a week's worth of scones, crumpets, Shepard's pie and two hours of freedom. I think that it was scones and crumpets that made him cave in,"Willow said as she took the container out from the oven."You mom makes a pretty good scone."
Buffy narrowed her eyes."She made *Giles* scones! How come I never heard of this? How do you know?"
"Because I came in while he was eating them in the library,"Willow laughed and then shook her head in mock severity."And he was not in a sharing mode. I had to tease him to let me have a crumb, and I do mean crumb of it. I dunno, Buffy, your mom could have Giles wrapped around her finger if she would keep him in supply."
Buffy blanched at the thought."Mom? and Giles? I shudder at the thought! I'd be slaying and studying day and night! Let's eat before I lose my appetite!"
Willow laughed again, and then lost her smile when she turned around to the kitchen table. Buffy turned at the same time and stared, her eyes wide open.
"Umm...this is good!"Xander said as he dug into the half empty containers. "Your mom's a *great* cook, Buff. You fems ought to try some of this!"
"Xander!"Buffy and Willow cried in unison, their faces with identical looks of outrage. Xander looked at them owlishly.
"What?"
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A nurse was walking along the store-lined wharf looking at the merchandise through the windows. She smiled as she looked at the nice clothing that was displayed through the windows. Then she heard a faint cry. When she turned, she saw a small child in ragged clothing sitting at the edge of the railing. She rushed over to him. "What's a matter, little one? Are you hurt?"
The small child kept his face hidden in the shadows."I'm away from home and I have no one to play with. And I'm hungry!"
The nurse made a small noise of sympathy."Oh, you poor thing! You poor little thing! I can play with you after you eat."
She stroked his head, then lifted her hand in puzzlement. Her hand was wet and she felt as if she had touched seaweed. She looked at her hand, then at the child, and screamed.
A small twisted face with sharp features with bulging blue eyes grinned evilly at her. Seaweed came streaming from the sides of its head, and on the crown was a small dip in the shape of a saucer. With claws for hands, the creature grabbed the woman's waist and hands, cackling madly."Oh! Let's play! Let's eat!"
With a thrust of his legs it fell backwards into the bay, taking the screaming woman with it.
Part Two
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Joyce put on her sunglasses as soon as she walked outside the hotel. She took a deep breath and then slowly exhaled, and then strode purposefully to the nearest tour bus stop. It was going to be a great morning, she had made her morning call to Rupert, then to Buffy. Her daughter was alive and she was going to enjoy this gallery convention even if it killed her.
When she got to the stop, she was pleasantly greeted by a very familiar face. "Franklin! Hey! It's great to see you!"
The stylish man that was reading the local newspaper looked and broke into a happy smile and walked over to her. "Joyce! How good to see you! I didn't think that you were going to come!"
Joyce shrugged as she stood next to him."I decided that I couldn't miss this for the world, and so here I am. So how are you, Franklin. You, uh, look great!"
Franklin smiled widely at her."The hell I do, Joyce. I'm dressed in a pair of faded jeans, a faded polo shirt and my hair is all over in this wind. In short, I know that I look like a slob. And it's heaven."
"Well, I guess that it is a bit weary to be wearing suits all the time, but that's the price that you have to pay in order to be Head of Justine Galleries,"Joyce laughed."So where are you headed?"
"I was about to head to the showing on the waterfront, to see the display of Asian art. Though I'm not so sure about going there now,"Franklin said as he showed Joyce the headlines:"NURSE'S BODY FOUND DROWNED IN THE AMARU PIER: Locals afraid."
"I don't get it,"said Joyce, her voice puzzled."What's going on at the Amaru Pier?"
Franklin sighed as he folded up the paper."This is the sixth incident so far at the Amaru Pier. The nurse's body was found, last night, drowned, but it also indicated that she was exsanguinated. Seems that this killer likes to drown his victims first and then take their blood away. Like a vampire took her blood. Sick, huh?"
Joyce shuddered."Yeah, sick. So where's the location of the Asian art part of the convention? Amaru Pier?"
Franklin shook his head."Nope, near the local clinic just a pier away."
Joyce forced a grin on her face."So then we should be safe enough. It's broad daylight and a pier away. No hope in drowning. And definitely no such thing as a vampire."
"I guess so. Hell, why not?"Franklin agreed. He let out his arm for Joyce to take."Shall we go madam?"
"We shall,"Joyce curtsied and then took his arm. [Please let it not be a vampire!]
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"What the hell is going on here?"groused a voice in the dark."Who's this that's been killing these people?"
"Got me, but it ain't good,"answered another voice. A vampire stepped out to look at his companion's newspaper better. Another flanked the other shoulder. The three vampires were standing against the sewer wall, ignoring the dribbling of the water. Rancid sea air mixed with the garbage scents of the world above, but they didn't notice it.
"Sounds like one of us, if not for the drowning bit. Don't know anyone that wants salt water in his diet,"said the other."Maybe it's another demon that's around."
The vampire with the newspaper hit his companion in the head."Oh, please. That's just what we need, Another demon that's trying to horn in on our food supply. So what else is in the news?"
"Heard that Spike's somewhere in town, looking for his girl,"offered the hit vampire."But no one's really sure yet."
"That Demon Slayer? Here? Nah, he'd have made himself known by now," the vampire with the newspaper snorted."He ain't exactly the shy type."
"Nope, but I hear that he's changed. Rumor says that he helped the Slayer in the Hellmouth stop Angelus and caused his Drucilla to run out on him. Think it's true?"
A vampire snorted."If so, then he's a wuss. He's killed two Slayers, and that's two more than all of us has killed."
"Yeah. Met him once. Nastiest vampire you ever saw and smart as a whip. Mean as ten alley cats and six Masters all together, but around that girl. Sweet as candy and then some. Hard to believe that he would help a Slayer."
"Heard he saved the Slayer's mother in L.A. few months back."
"The Slayer has a mother? That's weird, you been drinking tainted blood from winos again?"
"No,"said the vampire impatiently."Heard it from another vamp called Rickster. Said that Spike threatened him if he tried to feed on the Slayer's mother."
"Why?"
"Something about braising off the Slayer if the Rickster tried to feed."
"Makes sense. Piss the Slayer off by eating her mom. Not good move at all. Spike was right to threaten Rickster. But that story about helping the Slayer save the world? Pure crapola if you ask me."
"Yeah, your ears must've gotten it all wrong. Let's grab some sleep."
As the three vampires walked off deeper into the tunnels, they failed to notice a figure watching them.
[Well, I guess that my reputation as a vicious vampire is still in tact.] Spike thought wryly as he lit a cigarette. He blew smoke out of his lungs and then glanced at the newspaper the three vampires had left. He picked it up and skimmed through it. [Art gallery convention? In San Fran? Wonder if Joyce is here? Nah. She wouldn't leave that daughter of hers for three days, much less than three minutes. Oh well, better get something to eat.]
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"I know, Rupert, but it seems so strange. Yes, I know that I said that I would enjoy myself, but..."Joyce turned to look at the amber and blue skyline in frustration."Rupert, this all sounds very suspicious. Six drowned people that have their blood drained? Hello? Sounds like vampires to me."
"Yes, you look into it. Please. And how is my daughter, anyway? Is she eating right? She's not making a mess of the house, right?"
Joyce listened to Rupert's reassuring voice."Xander *ate* most of what I left in the fridge already? You're going to bring them pizza and hamburgers? Oh, Rupert, I cooked at least twelve different dishes for her and everyone to eat, but..."
Joyce nodded her head tiredly and then laughed."All right. I promised that I wouldn't worry. And I won't call you again today. Wait, there's someone at the door."
Joyce put the phone down to answer it. She smiled at the dashing sight that Franklin made. With flourish he presented her with a rose.
"For you, my dear Joyce,"he said with a huge smile. Joyce took the rose and smiled as she smelled it.
"Thank you Franklin. How sweet of you,"Joyce said. She indicated for him to sit as she picked up the phone.
"Rupert? I'm going out to dinner now, so I've got to get off. What?"
Joyce looked at the phone then continued her conversation slowly."I am going out to dinner with my friend, Franklin Morse of the Justine Galleries, Rupert. We're going to have a nice dinner near the convention by the Bay, near Samson Street...Good-bye Rupert."
Joyce hung up the phone in strange wonder. Franklin stood up.
"Angry significant other?"
"No, inquisitive friend who's taking care of Buffy. Shall we eat?"
Franklin shrugged."As long as he doesn't come after me with an axe, it's ok by me."
"Nah, I'd go after people with an axe more than him He'd use a cross and stake."laughed Joyce as they left her room.
Part Three
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Buffy cautiously walked over the debris and rubble that littered the sewer tunnel. She looked around her, every sense alert. The ground was littered with small pools of black murky water. There was seaweed all over the debris, and in the air...In the air she smelled sewage, sea water, dead fish and blood. The ground rumbled, and Buffy slightly lost her balance. She leaned against the sewer wall. searching for something to grab, but it stopped as soon as it began.
As Buffy continued walking down the tunnel cautiously, she grabbed the stake inside her back pocket. Then her foot hit something, and she looked down. From the dim light, she could tell that it was the body of a man. Kneeling, she turned him over and grimaced. His neck was not a pretty sight. It looked...gnawed on. Then the ground started to rumble again, and Buffy felt this time some debris from the ceiling fall on her, but again the trembling stopped. She looked at the walls warily when a sound caught her attention. Hearing her heart beat faster, she took a deep calming breath, and then promptly started to gag. Shaking her head ruefully, she slowly stood.
Buffy looked towards the end of the tunnel, and slowly inched her way there. She looked down into the pool of black water and saw to figures fighting. She peered into the darkness, and could make out from the distance, a body. Of an unconscious blonde haired woman. Going closer, Buffy saw the larger blonde haired creature go down into the black water. When the smaller creature lifted its head, Buffy had to stifle a sound of disgust.
The creature was hideous. Face twisted with bulging eyes and a saucer shaped head with seaweed stringing from it. The creature paid no notice of Buffy when it gathered up the woman, then looked straight at her. But Buffy paid no attention to it because she go a good look at the woman's face.
*"NO!! MOM!!!"*
"MOM!" screamed Buffy awake as she shot up in her bed. It took a moment to know where she was. In her bed. In Sunnydale. Her feet hit the floor, barely missing Willow who was yawning awake.
"Hey? What's wrong Buffy?"Willow asked. When she looked up, all she saw was the shirttails of Buffy's pajamas.
Buffy ran into her mother's room, and found it empty. Frantically she ran down to the kitchen and grabbed the phone. With trembling fingers she punched in the numbers to her mother's hotel in San Francisco. Willow entered the kitchen cautiously, Buffy looked frantic.
"Buffy? What's wrong? Who you calling at this time of night?"
Buffy looked at Willow."I had a dream. My mom...Hello?"
"This line is disconnected. Please call again."
Buffy punched the redial button. Again she heard the message."No, oh, please, no."Buffy punched in the numbers."Something's wrong. I can't get through. The line's been disconnected. No."
Willow cautiously took the phone from Buffy. "So then we call the operator. Hello? I'm trying to reach the Madison Hotel in San Francisco? I...what? Oh, my god...When? Oh, god...Yes! All right, yes, thank you. Thank you."
Buffy grabbed Willow's arms tightly."What? What's going on?"
"Buffy, you're hurting me,"Willow gasped. Buffy loosened her hold."It, I...Buffy, there's been an earthquake in San Francisco. The telephone lines have been knocked down. It happened earlier tonight. Just before we went to bed."
"Earthquake? San Francisco? Mom? No!"gasped Buffy. She ran to the t.v. and turned it on.
"-And for the late breaking news...There has been an earthquake in San Francisco. It has registered, by some expert counts, near 6.7 on the Richter scale. From the damage that was seen, it was the waterfront that was heavily hit. Most of the stores that were closest to the Bay has been sunk into it. It is advised that everyone to keep away from the waterfront. Rescue crews are on the way and the telephone communication has yet to be restored. We will keep you up to date in this event. In other news..."
Buffy and Willow stared at each other. Then they both ran to the phone. Buffy reached it first, and hit the Giles button.
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As Giles paced in the Summers living room, Xander used the phone to talk to Cordelia. Giles stopped before Buffy and knelt before her."I'm sure that she's all right, Buffy. She probably is trying to contact you as frantically you are trying to contact her."
Buffy smiled weakly at the Watcher's attempt to make her smile."I guess. I mean, I don't think that this would freak me out so much if I hadn't had a dream about Mom..."Buffy said hesitantly. She looked at Giles worriedly.
"A dream? Buffy...Tell me about this dream."
When Buffy finished, she looked at Giles, and the quickly grabbed his arm. Buffy recognized the look that he had on his face, and it scared her. It was his I-Have-Something-To-Tell-You-But-I'm-Not-Sure-If-I- Have-Enough-Information-Or-If-You'll-Like-What-I-Have-To-Say face. "Out with it, Giles. What do you know?"
Giles cleared his throat."Ah, your mother called me earlier this evening, Buffy."
"Why?"
"Because she wanted to make sure that you are all right. She was about to go out to dinner with a friend of hers, but she wanted to know if there were any vampires that liked to drown their victims before they fed."
"Oh, god..."
Giles rushed."I told her I had no knowledge, but that I would look in on it..."
Buffy sighed."Mom went out to dinner...okay. She may be back yet with her friend. She say where?"
"To a restaurant on the waterfront."
"What?"Buffy shouted as she stood up suddenly, knocking Giles on the floor. "Where?"
"Hey! Cordy said that the plane will be ready to take off as soon as we get there, and that a car will be waiting for us at the airport. It's about half-an-hour away from San Fran, but then all the major airports have been jammed anyway. Why are you on the floor, Giles?"
"Let's go!" Buffy said as she bounded to the front door.
"Buffy!"shouted Giles. Buffy turned to her Watcher."You might want to get out of your pajamas first."
Buffy looked down at her Bugs Bunny set, turned red and ran up the stairs. Giles looked at Willow.
Willow looked down, saw her jock nightshirt with matching shorts and followed Buffy. Xander tsked."What is coming over the women of today, prancing in their night clothes."
Part Four
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It was still dark as she watched the devastation of the earthquake go by, Buffy started praying. [I promise to never make her crazy again. I will never balk at her hugging me or telling me to clean my room. Just please God, let her be o.k. Please don't take her away from me. She's my mom. I still need my mom.]
"I think that this is as far as we can go-"the driver said as he stopped. He turned around to speak to his passengers, but Buffy shot out of the car first, and ran straight towards the police line. She was about to vault over the barriers when her arm was caught by Giles. She glared up at him.
"What?"Buffy said defiantly."My mom might be in there. Alive. In that-that mess."
Giles grabbed his Slayer's arms, holding her still. "We don't know that. Nor do we know if she IS in that mess. And getting ourselves killed while trying to look for her there will do us no good either. We must know what has happened so far, then we must act accordingly in order to find her. I know that you are worried about her, but we must be cautious, Buffy."
"I agree with Giles, Buffy. We can't help your mom if we get hurt or killed," Willow said consolingly.
"But she may be hurt. In there. Or she maybe,"Buffy's voice grew hoarse and she choked on the lump in her throat."She maybe dead..."
"No!"Giles said so firmly that he caused Buffy to look at him."Don't think that! Don't ever think that! She is not dead. She is alive."
"But how do you know? How do we know if she is? How do I know if she's still alive,"Buffy persisted. Buffy's lip trembled violently as she looked over Giles's shoulder into the rubble. It all looked so hopeless in the dark. Giles shook his head.
"She is not dead, Buffy, because I know. And so do you,"Giles declared feverently. [Think fast Rupert old boy. Buffy's running on desperation, and she needs hope.]
He looked at the faces of his young friends around him. [We all do.]
"She is not dead because of your dreams, Buffy. You dreamed that there were two monsters fighting over her. So she still has to be alive, and is waiting for you to save her. Believe me Buffy, when I say that this dream of yours may have been a portent of what will happen to your mother soon," Giles reasoned. Xander stared at Giles's reasoning and then looked at Buffy. She seemed unsure of his line of thought.
"Yeah,Buff,"Xander said quickly."She may be ready to become the boogey man's next meal later, but she's not now. She won't be a meal until you get there."
"And by then, you'll be able to save her,"Willow added as she put her arm around Buffy's shoulders."Come on, let's ask the police man what's going on. Giles and Xander? try to secure us some lodgings for the interim. Cordy and I will start questioning the police men about the damage that the quake has done, and the rescue facilities."
“When did Willow become the Decisive One,”Xander muttered to Cordelia as the small group broke up.
Cordelia shrugged.”Probably when you weren’t looking, Blind One.”
------------------------------------------------------------------------
As she leaned against the tunnel wall, Joyce shook her head to clear out the fog that was in it, but that was a mistake. It increased the little man with a sledgehammer in her head. His using it on her head was causing her heart to pound harder, and for some reason, she kept on hearing screaming everywhere. Absently she cradled her lower right arm, every time she moved, her whole whole arm felt as if it were on fire. Taking a deep breath, she tried to steady herself and stop the nasty little man in her head from knocking around a few more brain cells.
Joyce opened her eyes, and started to walk in the opposite direction of the screaming. She was careful to step over the debris covered with seaweed. She waded through some of the black murky water, and then stepped into the drier parts of the tunnel. And then there was blessed silence.
Walking for five? ten? twenty? minutes, Joyce noticed that she counted at least ten bodies, and alot of sediment all over her. It wasn't easy to try and see if these people were awake, and then finding that their throats had been, well, gnawed on. [Damn, those vampires. Figures that they'd be in a natural disaster like this one. Ohh...don't think Joycie. It hurts.]
"Ohhh...."moaned a voice beneath a pile of rubble. Joyce quickly turned to see who moaned it. She saw nothing but a huge pile of debris around her. Perhaps she was imagining it. She leaned against the wall, careful of her right arm. She wanted to rest some before she started to walk again.
"Whoa..."Joyce heard again. Joyce peered through the darkness of the tunnel to the huge pile of debris she had just passed."Bloody Christ, am I still alive?"
She knew that voice. She walked closer to the debris."Spike? Is that you down there?"
She heard nothing for a minute."Spike?"
"Joyce? Joyce, is that you?"Spike asked as he looked up into the darkness."Is that really you? What are you doing here?"
"I'm here visiting the wonderful gallery convention, until this equally wonderful earthquake hit decided to give me a personal tour of the sewer system. And you?"Joyce said as she peered down to where Spike was. Feeling woozy, she sat on top of a pile of rocks. Spike looked up at her from where he was.
"Oh, I'm here chasing after Dru. Her trail led me here, and the earthquake interrupted me getting something to eat,"Spike replied with a groan."I see that now that you're here, would you mind doing me a favor?"
Joyce sighed."I think that I'm out of favors. God saved my life in the past few hours and I think this is his last one that He's going to give me for the next ten years. But I'll see what I can do, what? Dig you out of this pile of rocks?"
Spike looked at the Slayer's Mother's dirty face, and smiled derisively at himself."You can do what your daughter's been trying to do for the past year. You can kill me."
"Excuse me? I thought that I just heard you say that you wanted me to kill you,"Joyce said as she slightly shook her head. Big mistake, the little man in her head started using his sledgehammer even harder.
Spike laughed derisively."Yeah, you did."
"Not to sound so stupid, Spike, but may I ask why?"Joyce asked politely. Spike glared at her through the darkness, though it was a lost cause. She couldn't see his lethal glare.
"Why? You're the Slayer's Mother, Christsake! Why are you asking me why? Because I'm a bloody vampire at your mercy!"
Joyce shook her head gently."That's not the reason. You don't hit me as the suicidal sort, Spike. Homicidal, yes, but suicidal, not on your undead life. So I ask again, why?"
Spike remained stubbornly silent. Joyce simply waited for him to speak. He glared at her again."I could kill you, you know, and the Slayer wouldn't know."
"First, you'd have to catch me, and I doubt it when you're under this pile of rocks, and second, Buffy would find out and she'd hunt you to Hell and back to find you,"Joyce replied calmly. What kind of conversation was she having right now? Joyce shook her head to clear it."So out with it."
"I can't feel my legs."
"You can't what?"Joyce was not following. Spike repeated this statement tonelessly to her."I can't feel my legs."
Then he shouted,"I refuse to be a bloody cripple again! I refuse! I'd rather die than stay in a damn wheelchair! Can you bloody well understand that? Can you? So why don't you take something and bloody well kill me now?"
Joyce sighed for a moment, and closed her eyes. She saw the dead bodies that littered the tunnel. The gnawed throats. The over amount of dust. The seaweed and murky water. Then she opened them and looked at Spike through the darkness.
"Well?"demanded Spike."Are you going to kill me now?"
Joyce looked at the pile of debris, then started moving it off of Spike with her left arm.
"What are you doing?"Spike asked, incredulous.
"What does it look like? I'm trying to dig you out of here,"muttered Joyce. She winced when she moved her arm the wrong way.
"Are you insane? I'm a vampire! You're supposed to kill me! Mortal enemies and all that jazz!"
"Yeah, well, figure this out. Either I'm insane or I'm trying to save my own life here,"Joyce said amicably. She continued to speak, ignoring his insults."I'm tired of seeing all the death in this tunnel, so killing you will not make me any happier than it will make you. Or you can believe that I'm really not doing you a favor, but for selfish reasons of my own."
"And what reasons would that be? To save you from a monster in this sewer tunnel?"Spike spoke sarcastically.
"Yes, that's the reason."Joyce moved another rock off of Spike's chest. She then looked at the top of the pile, and started there.
"Come that by me again, there's a what in this tunnel?"
Joyce looked down."I saw at least ten bodies down here, all with their throats gnawed upon. I also saw a lot of vampire dust. So there's something down here hunting both humans and vampires. And since I only have one good arm right now, I figure that I could use some help defending myself from this creature."
"That's a selfish reason,"Spike muttered. He could understand that, so started to move his arm out of the pile of rocks. She had loosened it enough to let it out, so he started to dig.
"No more than wanting to die simply because you can't feel your legs,"Joyce replied tiredly. Spike glared at her.
"There's nothing simple about it. I refuse to be helpless again. Makes me feel like I was a child again. I refuse to feel that way, I'd rather die a bad death than be helpless,"Spike growled as her threw a rock away. Joyce sat, her head was getting woozy. She looked at him.
"Want to tell me about it?" Joyce asked as she pushed a rock away.
Spike paused to look at her. ”About what? My childhood? No.”
“Okay, thought you just might want to tell me about it,”Joyce said with a nod. Big mistake, the man with the sledgehammer in her head was back.
"Why do youw ant to know?"
"Simply because I need a rest. And it would pass the damn time away in this smelly place."
"My life is not used a a bedtime story."
"Fine. I'll just sit here and-ouch!"Joyce slumped over the pile of debris. Spike looked at the still figure. "Joyce? Joyce!"