"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 VIII...
The McNabb Museum of Horrors...
=93I=92m telling you=85It was her=85=94 the tall young police officer
facing=
a
group consisting of his partner, equally nervous in such company...,
the Chief himself=85On a routine break-in call?, the Mayor=85What the
hell, isn=92t this just some dinky=85If rather creepy=85Museum? (Quick
glance to the obviously well-connected, fuming owner)=85, some guy in
gl***** who looked like a librarian=85, and that pretty brunette girl
he=92d been told not to pursue the other night when he=92d re****ted her
running through the Crestwood cemetery at one am=85
=93=85Just like I saw her last year, when we brought her into the station
and she broke out=85All nine=85=94
=93=85Seven=85=94 Giles corrected=85 =93Are you sure about this?...=94
=93=85Fine, seven=85It was her=85I saw her face as clear as you=85uh,
sir=85=
=94 the
young officer gulped at the troubled-looking, frowning Chief=85
=93The Monster=85=94
The group collectively eyeing him=85Then sighing a bit=85
Great=85
Anya giving Xander a smug glance as they stood to one side,
listening...
What=92d I tell ya...
=93=85She did look a little better than the last time I saw her=85Those
scars weren=92t so bad=85=94 the officer noted=85
***
Tara-Willow Cottage, Rosenberg estate...
=93I don=92t think we can keep him here=85If one of those guards at the
museum=85Probably the tall, skinny one with all the sharp
remarks=85Talks=85=
The police=92ll be over here=85=94 Tara noted=85
=93Yes=85=94 Andrew hastily cut in=85 =93It would be a mistake to keep Mr.
Osborne here=85An
absolute mistake=85=94 he nodded wisely=85Eyeing Tara=85
Hey lady=85We both have a stake in this one=85
=93Well, we can=92t just drop him at a motel=85=94 Willow frowned, looking
over at the now peacefully sleeping Oz=85 =93He=92ll need expert care for
days=85And someone who knows about his =91special condition=92 to see he
doesn=92t hurt himself or anyone else=85=94
=93Yeah=85=94 Tara nodded=85Both eyeing Andrew=85Who blinked=85
Whoops=85Made my point a little too well=85
=93Andrew=85?=94 Willow, hard stare=85
=93I, uh=85?=94
=93Praetorius, you know you owe us big time=85=94 Tara, harder stare=85
=93It would just be for a few days, Andrew=85And after all, you=92re his
doctor=85=94 Willow, winning smile at the end=85
Uh=85Well=85
Don=92t think I should mention I already have a houseguest=85
***
The McNabb Museum...
=93So you=92re saying...=94 Chief Brody desperately grabbing at the
possibility of no new crisis... =93...that was Ms. Willow Rosenberg who
was running from my men out there...?=94
=93She was here...=94 Security guard...er Assistant Curator Lou sighed...
=93She and her friend...They took the guy who was hurt in the crate...=94
Cousin Bud having resolutely remained at his post by the laundry...
No way I=92m getting mixed up in this mess...
=93What...Crate...?=94 the listening McNabb...
=93That one...=94 Lou pointed at the crate Oz had emerged from...
=93My werewolf?...=94 McNabb, staring...
Giles and the team exchanging wary glances...
=93Lets get back to the man in the crate...=94 Chief Brody insisted...
=93You say he was wounded?...=94
=93Shot...=94
=93Shot?...=94 McNabb echoed... =93What the hell do you mean, shot?!!=94
=93Shot, Art...And he was just a kid...Barely twenty if that...=94
=93And Ms. Rosenberg took him with her?...=94 Brody tried to move on...
=93Shot?...From my werewolf crate?!...=94 McNabb fumed... =93Are you drunk
or crazy?!!...=94
=93Mr. McNabb, please...=94 Brody put a hand... =93Go on...Did he go with
Ms. Rosenberg?...=94
=93They took him...=94 Lou sighed... =93But how they got away so quick
from
your guys...=94 he shrugged...
=93I do not believe this...=94 McNabb, raging... =93You let some girl and
her friends steal my werewolf exhibit?!...What kind of idiots are you
two?!!...=94
=93McNabb...=94 the Mayor hissed... =93I=92m sure Ms. Rosenberg...Daughter
o=
f
our third largest employer...Will have a reasonable explanation...=94
Hmmn?...McNabb eyed the Mayor...
Rosenberg, eh?...The Rosenbergs?...
Perhaps not so bad as all that...Sunnydale=92s version of Paris Hilton
wants to play a little prank, eh?...An expensive little prank once I
have a sitdown with Daddy...
=93What did she do with my exhibit?...Was it damaged?...=94
My priceless genuine werewolf...Im****ted from England at cut-rate...Er
incredible expense...
=93There wasn=92t an exhibit in the crate...Just that guy...=94
=93What?!!...=94
=93Sir, please...=94 Giles tried... =93I=92m sure there=92s a
logical...=94
=93Who the hell are you?!...=94 McNabb raged... =93I=92ve been robbed of a
priceless exhibit and some guy wandering in off the street is telling
me not to be upset?!!!...=94
=93Say...?=94 he suddenly paused, remembering the officer=92s statement...
=93What=92s all that crap about a Monster?...=94
The Mayor rubbing his face...Oh, Lord...
To think I mortgaged my home to win election as mayor of this place...
***
=93Sorry...=94 Buffy tried, hesitantly...
William remaining silent as they hurried along, she back on her own
feet...
=93Will?...=94 she tried... =93I didn=92t mean make trouble...=94
=93Right...=94 he said, curtly... =93You=92re sure not hurt?...=94
=93Fine...William...?=94
=93All I ask is for you not to bring attention to us...=94 he said,
precisely...Urging her along... =93To let us have a little peace in our
reanimated existences...=94
=93But no...=94
=93William...=94 plaintively... =93Wasn=92t fault...=94
=93Hold up...=94 he halted, pulling her to a spot where some trees and
lack of streetlighting allowed some protection by night=92s blackness...
=93I don=92t see any cars, yet...I think we out-ran the ones on foot...=94
he put a hand on her shoulder...
=93I don=92t mean to get angry with you, love...=94 he said, gently...
=93It=
=92s
just...=94
=93Me so dumb...=94 she sighed...
=93Buffy...=94
=93You right...Me too dumb for Mommie...Babe probably dumb
too...Sorry...=94 she sighed, a tad too pathetically...
=93Knock it off...=94 he frowned, then grinned... =93At least your acting
skills keep improving...A little...Trying playing the =91pathetic seven-
foot disability case=92 with a bit less bathos and you might get me next
time...=94
=93Sorry...=94 she grinned back, a bit impishly... =93Remember next
time...Less...Pathe..tic...Pathetic...Hey?...=94 she beamed...
=93Better every day...=94 he smiled...
She turned serious...Again sincerely downcast...
=93You think they know?...Lots of other...Seven foot freaks...=94 she gave
a little smile to his mock frown... =93In town...=94
=93I think one of them at least got a damned good look...Maybe they=92ll
assume it=92s some other seven foot freak...But if Giles or the others
hear...=94
Hmmn...Right...She sighed...
=93We=92ll have to keep out of town for a few days...=94 he noted...
=93You mean I will...=94 she replied... =93No one run from my cute six-
eleven guy...Girls run after...=94 she eyed him, narrow look...
=93One girl in the coat store chatted me up...And thanks for reminding
me of how you nearly broke our cover last time...After I went to all
that trouble to bring you in to try things on...You nearly frightened
her to death when you got out of the wheelchair and the veil came
off...=94
=93Sorry...She believe =91bad case, scurvy=92 story, though...=94
=93Right...And one more tale of =91the Monster woman=92 to circulate in
town...Well...=94 he looked down the street carefully... =93Nobody seems
to be coming...I think we can get on home...=94
=93What about things...?=94 she began... He looking round...Who?...
=93At museum, mean...=94
=93This time we=92ll need to leave it to Faith and the gang, I=92d
say...At
least for now...It didn=92t seem too serious...=94
=93Willow involved...Giles and Slayer there...Serious...=94 Buffy shook
her head...
=93They=92ll manage for one night...Lets shove for home...Tomorrow we can
try and find out if anyone=92s looking for us...=94
=93For =91the Monster=92...=94 Buffy put on a grim look...
Grrr...she growled, chucking at his worried face... =93I ok...Tole you,
over it...=94
=93Now I got my honey back...=94 she beamed, hugging him...Unnh...He
groaned at the mighty squeeze... =93Sorry...=94
=93Course...=94 she noted hesitantly... =93Would help with adjustment if
could fulfill natural mat...Mommie desires...=94
=93Buffy...=94
=93Just rememberin=92 from psych class..See?...Memory gettin=92 better
every=
day...=94
=93Girl...Knock it off...And lets go...=94
***
The elegant townhouse of the famed =91wizard of cloning=92...And you can
bet U Cal-Sunnydale is now begging for me to return to my old post as
Chairman of Biology...Booted for knowing too much, indeed...Hah!...Dr.
Andrew Praetorius...
=93Ok...=94 Willow, looking round, a mite peaked from her bout of
tele****tation...She and Tara having agreed it was best not to try and
trans****t Oz by car...
=93This should do fine...=94
Yes...It being my own well-appointed bedroom, Andrew glared at the
sleeping Oz in his bed...
=93And you=92ve already got bars on the windows...=94 Tara waved toward a
window...
=93Yes...Magically enhanced...This being Sunnydale after all...=94 Andrew
noted...
=93And there plenty of folks who must want a piece of you...=94 Tara
smiled sweetly...
=93Tara...=94 Willow hissed... =93Andy, we are grateful for the
help...It=92=
ll
just be a few days till Oz can get up and about...Can you square
things with your staff?...I mean regards the night-time howling and
rabid screaming...=94
Not to mention claw marks in the walls, Tara added, again sweetly,
regarding the fine wall hangings and carved woodwork...
Hmmn?...
=93Honey...=94 Willow waved a hand... =93I=92m sure Oz will be too weak to
b=
e
much bother...=94
=93Yes...Well...My staff is used to the occasional unusual
visitor...Though perhaps not to patients residing at my home...=94
=93I=92ll...=94 =93We=92ll...=94 Tara cut in... =93...Be in every day to
cha=
nge his
dressings and check on him...They won=92t have to bother about a
thing...=94 Willow insisted...
Every day, eh...? Even with Oberfuhrer Maclauy on guard, not a bad
deal...Wait...
Dracula...
=93All right then, all set...I=92ll...=94 =93We=92ll...!=94 Tara
corrected..=
..
=93...see you tomorrow...=94 Willow raised hands...
=93Ummn...I should mention I do have a guest...=94 Andrew,
hurriedly...=93A
colleague of mine from Romania...Dr. Alucard...We=92re hoping to form a
collaboration to set up a facility in Eastern Europe...Cheaper labor,
you know...=94
=93Alucard...?=94 Tara grinned... =93Are you trying to be funny,
Andrew?...=
=94
=93What?...=94 Willow stared... Alucard?...I...
Oh...=93Very funny Andrew...=94 she frowned...
=93So the name is popular over there...Sue me...=94 Praetorius shrugged...
Oh, ****...The worse words that can issue from a modern
physician=92s...Especially an immensely wealthy (formerly) eccentric
modern physician-with-a-bent-for-cutting-edge-research=92s lips...But as
long as we=92ve mentioned it...
=93Uh...Before you go...!=94 he called...
Willow pausing...Huh?...
He hurried to his bedside cabinet and opening a drawer pulled out a
sheet...Writing hastily...
=93If you two wouldn=92t mind signing here?...You may print Mr.
Osborne=92s
name and sign for him...There...=94
=93=91The patient understands that owing to emergency conditions of the
surgery all rights of litigation are hereby waved=92...=94 Tara read...
Wish I=92d had Dawn sign something like this...Willow thought...
=93Just a formality...=94 Andrew noted...Offering pen...
=93Fine..=94.Willow shrugged, signing...
=93Alucard?...Really?...=94 Tara asked... =93You don=92t suppose he=92s a
relative...?=94
=93Possibly...They were a large and prominent family in their day...But
I hadn=92t wished to give offense by asking...=94 Andrew, solemnly...
=93Just keep Oz locked in and we=92ll take care of him...=94 Willow handed
the paper back...
=93Yeah...=94 Tara nodded... =93You don=92t even need to come in unless he
starts tearing the place down...=94
=93Lovely...Good evening, ladies...=94 he sighed as Willow raised and
waved hands and with Tara clinging firmly to her right arm, the two
vanished in a spreading blue glow...
Was Maclauy sticking her tongue out at me just as they
dematerialized?...Praetorius glared...
=93Tara...?=94 Willow eyed her mate as they reappeared in their living
room...
=93Yeah?...=94
=93=91Vlad=92?...=94
=93Huh?...=94
***
=93Monsters, ghosts, bah!...All I know is...I=92ve been robbed and I want
action...!=94 McNabb fumed to the Mayor and Chief...Pointedly ignoring
Giles standing beside the Chief...
Lord knows I=92ve paid enough in bribes to the whole damned city
government...
Faith, Xander, Anya, Lou, and a reluctantly-pulled-from-the-
laundry...A see what you got us into? glare to Lou, Bud...Looking on
with those officers still in the museum...Faith doing her best...It
being what Buffy would do, she assumed...To follow Giles=92 lead to keep
quiet and look innocent while keeping as close to the action as
possible...
Anya however unable to resist the occasional I-tole-you look at
Xander...As Xander pondered the possibilities...
On the one hand, would be nice to have Buffy back in any form...Dawn
might even be somewhat pleased when she got the news...
On the other hand...All seven greenish feet of her was ready to kill
us all last time we met...
=93Artemis, my friend...I assure you, we will do everything to resolve
this matter...Right, Brody?...=94 the Mayor addressed the Chief...
=93We=92ll do everything possible...=94
=93Sounds like all you need to do is go and get my exhibit back from
this Rosenberg girl...She and her friends must have it...So why don=92t
we go over and get it?...Tonight...=94
The Mayor eyed the Chief who eyed Giles...Who gave a non-committal
look back...
=93Perhaps...It being so very late...=94 the Mayor began...
=93What?...Give her time to dispose of the goods?...Whose side are you
people on, anyway?!...=94 McNabb raged... =93Either you get my exhibit
back undamaged...Tonight...Or I go to see my friend Governor
Schickelgruber...=94
Hmmn...
=93Perhaps it=92s not that late...=94 the Mayor noted...
=93That=92s more like it!...All right, you two...=94 McNabb turned to Bud
and Lou... =93...Dolts, finish straightening up and get the crates outta
here...=94 he moved toward the crate holding the Dracula coffin...Now on
its end, crate lid facing him...
Uh-oh...Lou tried looking at anything, innocently...Bud likewise...
=93And get Dracula here...=94 he opened the crate lid...Eyed the standing-
up black coffin in the open crate...Holding the crate lid, ready to
close...
Hmmn...Well...Can=92t hurt to just have a look...
Phew...Bud, ready to mop brow...Danger averted...
Nice one, Xander, Faith, Anya, noted to selves with experienced
eye...Real craftsman****p there, where it came from...
=93Out of...=94 McNabb blinked at the now open, empty coffin...
=93Anything wrong, Artemis?...=94 the Mayor asked...
***
=93We=92re here...=94 a deep voice pronounced...As two figures in black
faced the many times repaired =93Welcome to Sunnydale=94...=94Penalty for
defacement of this sign $2,500 fine and two years imprisonment...=94
=93Sunnydale...=94 the figure next to the speaker shook its head...
=93Never=
changes, does it?...=94
=93I wouldn=92t say that...=94 the first speaker replied,
firmly...Pounding
a fist into a hand...A rather oddly stiff hand...
Ow...The first speaker noted... =93Help me, here, willya?...=94 holding a
strangely jack-knifed left arm to his companion who gave a tug
snapping it back out to its original straight, stiff length...
=93When do we make contact...With The Slayer...?=94 the second speaker
asked...
=93In good time...First we scout the place out...And see what we can dig
up ...Get the lay of the land...=94
=93All right...But...=94 the second, hesitant...=94We are here for the
mission, right?...Not...=94
=93If the stories are true and the Monster is dead, it=92s over...But...If
not...=94 resolute pause...
=93I have a debt to pay...And a score to settle...=94
***
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