"Daughter of Rosenberg..."
Summary: One year after the events of "Groom of Rosenberg" Buffy
the Rosenberg Monster and her honey have returned to ask a special
favor of their creators Rosenberg and Praetorius...While Tara faces
the
more or less Big Bad...
Disclaimer: Would Joss want his name associated with this? I think
not...But anyway all BTVS characters remain the property of Joss
Whedon, Mutant Enemy, and all other owner/creators of the Buffy the
Vampire Slayer series...Though his brother Mort gets nothing...
Archived at the Cicelyverse page of the Buffy Rebecca verse,
www.geocities.com/buffyrebecca/Cicelypg.html
Part VI...
Not without considerable grumbling on Bud=E2=80=99s part, the two security
guards/assistant curators had managed to help Oz out of his crate and
to an ornate couch destined to bear the wax figure of a dying
Cleopatra=EF=82=BCFortunately protected by a plastic liner given the
amount=
of
blood still trickling from Oz=E2=80=99s wounds=EF=82=BC
Nor had Bud been much reassured by Oz=E2=80=99s feebly voiced insistence
th=
at
he was innocent of ill intent=EF=82=BCSounded like a story he=E2=80=99d
rea=
d about a
master international art thief...Able to assume disguises of all
kinds...
Though he had to concede the wounds did look real enough...As did the
oozing blood as well...
=E2=80=9CYou don=E2=80=99t look much like a master thief...=E2=80=9D Lou
no=
ted...
=E2=80=9CIf you=E2=80=99re innocent, what were you doin=E2=80=99 hiding in
=
that crate?=E2=80=9D Bud
growled... =E2=80=9CNot to mention how ya managed to get shot...=E2=80=9D
=E2=80=9CI wasn=E2=80=99t hiding...=E2=80=9D Oz sighed... =E2=80=9CLook, I
=
can explain...But I=E2=80=99m hurt
and I got stop this bleeding...Please, ya gotta help me...=E2=80=9D
=E2=80=9CI=E2=80=99ve called an ambulance...They=E2=80=99re on the way...=
=E2=80=9D Lou said=EF=82=BCOz trying
to rise=EF=82=BCNo=EF=82=BC
=E2=80=9CCareful=EF=82=BC=E2=80=9D Bud displayed an iron poker, seized
from=
another display=EF=82=BC
=E2=80=9CTake it easy, kid=EF=82=BCThey=E2=80=99ll be here
soon=EF=82=BCBud=
, he=E2=80=99s in no shape to hurt
anyone=EF=82=BC=E2=80=9D Lou waved his partner back=EF=82=BC
=E2=80=9CNo...No, please...I don=E2=80=99t need an ambulance...And it
could=
be
dangerous...I mean, expensive...=E2=80=9D
Hmmn?...Bud dropped his frown at his soft hearted and =E2=80=93headed
colleague to eye Oz who=E2=80=99d sunk back to the couch=EF=82=BC
=E2=80=9CI don=E2=80=99t have insurance=EF=82=BCI wouldn=E2=80=99t want
you=
guys or the place
here=EF=82=BCSay?...=E2=80=9D he made a vague wave=EF=82=BC
=E2=80=9C=EF=82=
=BCWhat is this place, anyway?...=E2=80=9D
=E2=80=9CMcNabb Museum=EF=82=BC=E2=80=9D Bud, curtly=EF=82=BC
=E2=80=9CWhic=
h you know darned well=EF=82=BC=E2=80=9D
=E2=80=9CThe hospital=E2=80=99s gotta take ya, kid=EF=82=BC=E2=80=9D Lou
no=
ted=EF=82=BC
=E2=80=9CIf you know the Rosenbergs for real=EF=82=BC=E2=80=9D Bud cut in,
=
sternly=EF=82=BC =E2=80=9CYou won=E2=80=99t
have any problems payin=E2=80=99 a hospital bill=EF=82=BC=E2=80=9D
=E2=80=9CRosenbergs=EF=82=BCSure=EF=82=BC=E2=80=9D Oz nodded=EF=82=BC =E2=
=80=9CBut look=EF=82=BCIf you could just call Willow
Rosenberg=EF=82=BCShe=E2=80=99d take care of everything=EF=82=BCPlease=EF=
=82=BC=E2=80=9D
=E2=80=9CAbsolutely=EF=82=BC=E2=80=9D Willow=E2=80=99s voice, behind them=
=EF=82=BCA startled Bud and Lou
whirling to see a water sodden, bedraggled Willow, Tara beside her,
both dripping steadily on the newly-lain carpet=EF=82=BC
Hey...Tara made a feebly pleasant wave...
***
=E2=80=9CHere come the cops...=E2=80=9D Xander nodded slightly at the car
w=
ind****eld
in the direction of the just-halted Sunnydale PD car, light quietly
fla****ng... =E2=80=9CShould I...?=E2=80=9D
=E2=80=9CJust keep going...=E2=80=9D Giles, quickly...
=E2=80=9CWe=E2=80=99=
ll have to trust that
Willow and Tara can take care of Oz until we can reach them...It will
do no good for us all to be arrested...=E2=80=9D
Amen to that, Anya thought...Blinking a moment as she caught the faint
view of a shadow from the corner of her eye, fading back to the
rear...
A rather tall shadow...A chill crossing her heart...
=E2=80=9CFellas...=E2=80=9D she hissed, looking away before spying a
second=
, slighter
shadow...Turning back again and pointing, even as the car moved past
the museum and entered a stream of traffic, now somewhat slowed by the
curious pausing to view the parked police car and its disgorged
officers busily checking the scene before moving up to the
museum=E2=80=99s
front door...
=E2=80=9CWhat?...=E2=80=9D Xander, keeping eyes on the road...Giles and
Fai=
th turning
to look...
=E2=80=9CSomething...Near the back of the museum...=E2=80=9D Anya, unable
t=
o resist a
slight tremble...
Why am I getting this feeling?...Just like back at Willow=E2=80=99s...
=E2=80=9CI don=E2=80=99t...Is it the others?...=E2=80=9D Giles asked,
stari=
ng...
=E2=80=9CNo, it was headed for the back, not coming out...And it sure
wasn=
=E2=80=99t
Willow or Oz...=E2=80=9D
=E2=80=9CI=E2=80=99m on it...=E2=80=9D Faith sat up...Stake in hand...
=E2=80=9CNo...Wait, Faith...=E2=80=9D Giles insisted...=E2=80=9CLets not
ma=
ke a bad situation
worse by ru****ng in the back way...=E2=80=9D
=E2=80=9CBut...=E2=80=9D Faith, readying her new
mantra...=E2=80=9DIt=E2=80=
=99s what Buffy...=E2=80=9D
=E2=80=9C...Lets go in the front door asking what all the
excitement=E2=80=
=99s
about...Like any overly curious, somewhat voyeuristic
bystander...=E2=80=9D=
he
concluded...
=E2=80=9CSounds good to me=E2=80=A6=E2=80=9D Xander nodded=E2=80=A6
=E2=80=
=9CJust call me Charles Voyer=E2=80=A6=E2=80=9D
The others, excepting Anya, looked at him=E2=80=A6
=E2=80=9CWhat?...We watch Boyer movies=E2=80=A6After all, I was the one
who=
cursed
him=E2=80=A6=E2=80=9D Anya noted=E2=80=A6 =E2=80=9CIf you can call it
that=
=E2=80=A6=E2=80=9D
=E2=80=9CCursed?...=E2=80=9D Giles stared=E2=80=A6
=E2=80=9CHe was six foot one when I met him and headed for an easy ride in
=
the
movies=E2=80=A6But after I was done with him, he got determined to make it
=
as
a great movie lover, whether or not he was shorter than his female
leads=E2=80=A6One of the few times I actually inspired a
guy=E2=80=A6=E2=80=
=9D she smiled at
the thought=E2=80=A6
=E2=80=9CWith a curse I mean=E2=80=A6=E2=80=9D she patted Xander=E2=80=99s
=
shoulder=E2=80=A6
=E2=80=9CDamnit, girl...=E2=80=9D Will hissed at the tall figure next to
him...Motionless now as they stood just inside the back entrance of
the McNabb House of Horrors... =E2=80=9CThis is insane, coming right in
like
this...=E2=80=9D
=E2=80=9CSh=E2=80=93shh...Gotta know what=E2=80=99s up...=E2=80=9D Buffy
hi=
ssed back, waving for
quiet, straining to hear what was being said through the closed door
to the museum lobby before them...
***
=E2=80=9CYou see guys, my cousin Danny didn=E2=80=99t mean any harm...You
k=
now how
those idiot frat boys at UCal-Sunnydale are...He was totally not to
blame for this, he didn=E2=80=99t know what they were up to...=E2=80=9D
Wil=
low hastily
continued as she knelt by Oz on his couch, eyeing the front door for
the approach of the Sunnydale men in blue... =E2=80=9CAnd it would look
terrible for him if he got mixed up in this kind of trouble...Please,
guys...Tara and I did our best to get here and stop them, soon as we
heard...=E2=80=9D =E2=80=98Cousin Danny=E2=80=99 groaning...Perhaps as
muc=
h at his new
title...As Tara on his other side gently as possible helped him to his
feet...
=E2=80=9CI don=E2=80=99t think he oughta be moving around...=E2=80=9D Lou
s=
hook his head...
=E2=80=9CYour ambulance still isn=E2=80=99t here...=E2=80=9D Willow
pointed=
out... =E2=80=9CWe=E2=80=99ll get
him to the hospital a lot faster than the cops could...=E2=80=9D
Tara offering her warmest, most convincing smile as she sup****ted
Oz ...Arranging the blanket Lou had provided for him around his
trembling form...
=E2=80=9CPrank, huh?...Since when is shooting a guy a prank?...=E2=80=9D
Bud
frowned...
Ummn...Willow blinked...Well...
=E2=80=9COh, my God!!...=E2=80=9D Tara clapped hand to mouth...
=E2=80=9CYo=
u mean they
actually shot him?!!...I thought he=E2=80=99d fallen or something...Oh,
no!!...=E2=80=9D
=E2=80=9CThat =E2=80=98element=E2=80=99 creeping in...=E2=80=9D Willow
sigh=
ed, nodding solemnly...
=E2=80=9CYou guys know what I mean...I will have my dad speak to the Dean
tomorrow...That animals=E2=80=99 house has gotta be closed
down...=E2=80=9D
A bang at the locked front door...
Oh-oh...
=E2=80=9CFellas, please...Just let us take Danny out the back way...I
promi=
se
you, I will call Mr. McNabb in the morning myself and arrange to cover
any damages...=E2=80=9D
=E2=80=9CA little hard to explain blood all over the place...=E2=80=9D Bud
=
frowned...
=E2=80=9CHmmn?...=E2=80=9D Willow, brightly... =E2=80=9COh, that...=E2=80=
=9D she indicated the now
clean couch and carpet around it...
Huh?...Bud and Lou...And Oz, a bit feebly...Staring where the blood
had been...Now clean as new...
=E2=80=9CWe got that covered...=E2=80=9D she smiled...
=E2=80=9CTara=E2=80=
=99s such a whiz at
cleaning...A little salt and a rag and bingo...=E2=80=9D
=E2=80=9CWhen did she...?=E2=80=9D Bud began...
Another bang...
=E2=80=9CGuys...Please?...=E2=80=9D Willow tried... =E2=80=9CYou know
where=
I live...And Mr.
McNabb doesn=E2=80=99t want any scandal before his place opens...Just tell
=
=E2=80=98em
the new alarm system went screwy and you thought
there might be a burglar till the sprinklers came on...=E2=80=9D
=E2=80=9CBud, the kid has gotta get to a doctor...We can sort this out
later...=E2=80=9D Lou insisted to Bud=E2=80=99s glare...
=E2=80=9CYeah?...But what about the Dracula exhibit...?=E2=80=9D Bud
frowne=
d=2E.. =E2=80=9CDid
those punks take it?...=E2=80=9D
=E2=80=9CDracula?...=E2=80=9D Willow looked at Tara...Who staggered a bit
=
as Oz now
passed out in her grip...
=E2=80=9COz!...=E2=80=9D Willow grabbed at him as the third and loudest
ser=
ies of
bangs was heard at the front...
=E2=80=9CAh...Take him...But tell those punks if the exhibit=E2=80=99s not
=
back in an
hour...!=E2=80=9D Bud waved them off... =E2=80=9CAnd you better square
thi=
ngs with
our cousin Art or you=E2=80=99ll be getting a visit from me...And the
cops!...=E2=80=9D
=E2=80=9CYeah...Sure...Thanks...=E2=80=9D Willow hastily nodded, carefully
=
dragging Oz
back, Tara helping on the other side...Lou turning to Bud...
=E2=80=9CYou better let those cops in before they break the door down...I=
=E2=80=99ll
see they get out back...=E2=80=9D
=E2=80=9CAll right, all right...But I mean what I say...=E2=80=9D Bud
strod=
e off,
grumbling...
=E2=80=9CLets go, ladies...=E2=80=9D Lou urged the two on...
=E2=80=9CReally, thanks...=E2=80=9D Willow whispering huskily as they
pulle=
d Oz to the
rear exit, Lou moving to clear the way and at last hold the door...
=E2=80=9CJust get him to a doc...And tell the Slayer about
Dracula...She=E2=
=80=99s
your pal, right?...=E2=80=9D he eyed Willow who stared back...The two
ladies
carefully sup****ting the unconscious Oz between them, his blanket
beginning to stain with blood...
Hmmn...That blood removal spell sure has a limited time range...Willow
thought...
=E2=80=9CYou know...?=E2=80=9D Tara asked...
=E2=80=9CI=E2=80=99ve lived in Sunnydale since I was a kid...Tell her I
saw
it...Him...Moving around after we pulled his crucifix out of his
mouth...=E2=80=9D
=E2=80=9CBut Dracula...=E2=80=9D she began...
=E2=80=9CWe=E2=80=99ll tell her...Thanks...=E2=80=9D Willow cut in...
=E2=80=9CRight...See ya tomorrow...And I mean that...=E2=80=9D Lou gave a
h=
ard look...
=E2=80=9COk...=E2=80=9D Willow sighed, nodding=E2=80=A6
Oughta be a ball explaining yet another huge insurance bill to
Dad=E2=80=A6I
better use the =E2=80=98sorry, an experiment went wrong=E2=80=99
excuse=E2=
=80=A6He=E2=80=99ll have me
in rehab if I try the =E2=80=98little accident with the car=E2=80=99
again=
=E2=80=A6
They dragged Oz off, Lou closing the rear door after them...
=E2=80=9CPhew...=E2=80=9D Willow gasped... =E2=80=9CHang on Oz,
I=E2=80=99l=
l tele****t you in...=E2=80=9D
=E2=80=9CDracula?...=E2=80=9D Tara looked at her... =E2=80=9CHe couldn=E2=
=80=99t be back=E2=80=A6?=E2=80=9D
She shrugged, trying to concentrate for the spell...How should I
know?...Some poseur like those phony Lestats Buffy always used to run
into=E2=80=A6?
=E2=80=9CProbably the other guy=E2=80=99s right and it was just a wax
statu=
e=2E..Some
guys here get an over-active imagination...=E2=80=9D
***
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