"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 X...
McCloskey Street, east Sunnydale=85
=93Hey, fellas=85You guys out for a good time?...=94 the tall brunette in
low-cut top and slacks cooed from under a streetlight=85
Hmmn=85Attractive yet not quite late-night hooker get-up=85Andrew eyed
the=
=85
Ah=85Right...As Dracula politely motioned for him to wait=85
=93Begone and do not trouble us again=85=94 a hard stare at the vampiress
who frowned then blinking in realization, backed off=85
=93Pardon, Lord=85=94 she begged, quaking in fear=85 =93Just seeking my
fee=
ding=85
Mercy, Great One...=94
=93Stop...Look at me=85=94 he told her=85She unable to break away from his
stare=85Praetorius watching with not a little pleasure to see his guest
displaying his talents=85Now that=92s the Dracula I=92ve read...
=93When?...=94 he asked=85
=93A month ago=85=94 she whispered=85
=93Your family?...They know of your death?...=94
=93I killed them=85=94
=93No=85=94 a kindly note=85 =93Your demon killed them=85Were any of them
raised?...=94
=93No=85=94 she shook her head=85 =93I was too young=85=94
=93Very well=85Go then and seek the Slayer=85Beg her to release you to
peac=
e=85
And to let your soul seek those who I assure you will still love you
now they know all=85=94
=93Yes, Lord=85=94 she nodded, immediately running off=85
=93Poor child=85=94 Dracula sighed to Andrew=85 =93But with her family
gone=
,
there is no point in trying to recover her soul here=85Only needless
pain for her...=94
=93That was very kind of you, Count=85=94
=93I must do what little I can, Doctor=85Of course, I am not as young and
appealing as I once was=85=94 wry smile=85 =93Her demon=92s survival
instin=
ct
may overcome my command=85Though I would guess her soul will fight to
release her body=85=94
=93I=92m sure Ms. Faith will attend to her=85 Shall we proceed?...=94
=93Yes=85Do you think it=92s quite late enough, Doctor?...=94
=93There will be security about, but few other personnel at this hour=85
And in a small hospital like this one, in Sunnydale=85The staff will be
rather used to the occasional disappearance of a corpse or organ or
two=85=94
Dracula eyed him...
=93Quite a traffic in such things these days, I=92m afraid=85=94 Andrew
explained...
=93Horrible=85Though I applaud the medical advances=85=94 Dracula shook
his
head=85 =93One wonders if even the extension of life is worth such a
horror=85It was bad enough in earlier times but at least that was
confined to the occasional doctor desperately needing the chance for
study=85Or the demonic fiend wi****ng to make sacrifice...Now=85To see the
poor and nameless abused in such ways=85Even killed in some cases=85Traded
for money=85=94
=93But of course=85=94 he sighed to Andrew=92s stare=85 =93We are, after
al=
l,
about the same purpose=85To restore a life at the cost of lives=85And if
we are not seeking gain=85=94 he looked back at the three hulking figures
following behind them in large overcoats and pulled-down hats=85 =93Our
friends here certainly are=85=94 a harsh scowl at one daring to raise his=
=85
Its=85Ghoulish face to his=85
=93Conceal yourself=85=94
The ghoul resumed downward stare, hat pulled back down=85
=93I know there is no other choice=85=94 Dracula nodded to Andrew=85
=93But
forgive me if I must regret the means=85I can only hope poor Elisabete
can forgive me for sake of the ends=85=94
=93All of these people wanted to help others after death, Count=85Now, not
only will they help the living, but they will help to save two
immortal souls from destruction=85=94 Andrew noted=85 =93There, the
entranc=
e=85=94
he pointed=85
=93Halt=85=94 Dracula waved the trio of hired ghouls to a stop=85 =93Stay
c=
lose
by us=85And remember, if any living human is harmed, your lives are
forfeited=85=94
Guarded sulking looks but compliance...
Hey, we=92re givin=92 up =93Ugly Betty=94 for this?...One thought,
annoyed.=
...
=93Evening, doc...=94 the guard lounging by the physicians=92 entrance
nodded to Andrew... =93Called in?...=94
=93Pipps...Yes...My colleague, Dr. Alucard...Just observing with me...=94
=93Doctor...=94 the guard, pleasantly returning =93Dr. Alucard=94=92s
frien=
dly
nod...
=93...And some of my students...Likewise observing tonight...=94 Nods from
the hulking figures, one rather a bit less so...
After all, ****traying a med student...Mom would be so proud...
=93Busy one, doc...=94 Pipps shook his head... =93Bad accident on I-87...=
=94
=93So I=92d heard...Sad...Very sad...Well, fortunately our business is
with the living tonight...=94 Andrew smiled, waving his =93students=94 in
through the entrance after Dracula...
In a manner of speaking...he thought...
***
=93An...=94 Xander sighed...Anya grimly paying no heed to his placative
efforts as she continued to nail a board stretched across the inside
of the living room windows of their cottage on the Rosenberg estate
grounds...Boards hallway up the window length now...
=93The next one...=94 she pointed to a pile she=92d insisted on fetching
with his reluctant help...
=93An...=94 he glumly held the board up in place... =93If Buffy were
coming=
,
all this wouldn=92t even slow her down...=94
=93Enough to give me time to blast her green head off...=94 Anya hammered
steadily...
=93Anya, I am not having a loaded gun in my house...=94 Xander said
firmly...
=93I am gonna defend my child even if her father
won=92t...Besides...It=92s
a laser...=94 she noted... =93A gun wouldn=92t stop her...Jonathan had a
couple from Warren=92s old place...=94
=93I=92m not gonna have a laser in my house either...And Buffy would
never...=94
=93Too late...And the Monster nearly killed you...And killed Warren
Mears...=94
=93A bunch of crazy people nearly killed me running away from
Buffy...And Jonathan told us Warren pulled a gun on her...=94
=93Fine...You don=92t care about me or our child...You wanna sacrifice us
to the Monster as a love gift?...=94
He eyed her...Reddening... =93An, that was really low...=94
=93Sorry...Hey!...=94 she nearly fell back as he briefly let go of his
side of the unsecured board...He grabbed and caught it...
=93Sorry...=94
=93You don=92t care...I know you don=92t care...=94 she shook her
head...Dropping hammer and running for the bathroom...
=93An...OW!...=94 he fell back from the slammed, then locked bathroom
door...
=93Anya!...You know I can take this door off in thirty seconds...=94
=93You want Buffy back!!...No matter how evil she is!...=94 a cry from
within... =93You still love her!...So go redeem her!...Get her her soul
back or whatever!...The way she is now, you=92ll probably look good to
her...=94
=93No way...I already have a reformed evil girl...=94 he called back...
=93An, you=92re being ridiculous and hormonal...=94
=93Am not!!...=94
=93Am!...And you know it...Look, I=92ll put up anything you want...Boards,
bars...Whatever makes you feel safer...But you know it wouldn=92t hold
Buffy back...And I don=92t wanna live my life worrying something is
gonna come for us...Especially in Sunnydale where it=92s quite likely
something is gonna come for us...But this crap about Buffy and me is
just that...I love you...=94
=93You sure don=92t show it!...=94
=93I=92m doing that right now...=94 he paused, waiting...
=93Xander...=94 a slight yielding he knew well...
=93Yeah?...=94
=93Xander...=94 a familiar note of real panic he knew well...As well as
the choking whisper...
=93Anya!...=94
=93Xander!!!...=94 rattling at the door...Sounds of...Something...Besides
his wife...Squealing
The door flew open...Anya looking petrified...
=93An!...=94 he hurried in...To see a terrified-looking...Oh,
yeah...Rat...Hanging onto the inside edge of the toilet...Two others,
looking equally terrified, huddling over at a corner near the
bathtub...
=93My God...=94
=93There were...More...=94 she said, staring... =93Lots more...They came
up, looked at me and all went right back in...Like this was the wrong
exit or something...=94
As if to confirm, the hanging rat now let go and disappeared...
Hmmn...Xander eyed the remaining two and did the only thing there was
to do...Flu****ng firmly as three pairs of eyes watched...
Sorry...He noted to the two fear-crazed survivors...One of whom
suddenly collapsed...
Rather like a man who=92d had a heart attack from sheer fear, he
thought...
=93An...Lots more?...How many?...=94
She spread her hands to indicate an area to cover the floor...
Whoa...
=93I think we better call town pest control...And Giles...=94 he noted...
=93And lock this door...=94
Yeah...she nodded, taking his proffered hand...
=93And then we head to the hospital to have you and lil=92 An checked
out...=94 he said firmly, closing and locking the bathroom door as she
stepped out carefully, holding his hand... =93And book a motel room till
we know what=92s up...=94
Oh, yeah...she nodded...
=93But no lasers...=94
Yeah...she nodded...Smiling wanly at him...
***
=93Sing once again with me...Our strange duet...=94
Michael Crawford=92s voice issuing from a CD player...Backed by a rather
harsh, somewhat struggling one...
=93...My power over you...Grows stronger yet...=94
As a small rowboat bearing CD player, singer, and rowing companion
made its way down the stream in Feeder Tunnel #3 of the Sunnydale
Water Reclamation System, leading to a dropoff into Lake Sunnydale...
Nothing like having a scenic route home...Buffy thought happily...
=93...And though...Though...Though...=94 Hey!...Buffy banged on the CD
player slightly...
=93...you turn from me...=94
=93[...Which my Will didn=92t do...] ...to glance behind...The Ph...antom
of the Op..era is here...=94
Buffy, croaking a bit as she sang...
=93Turn it down just a hair, eh love?...=94 William asked... =93You never
know if kids might be hanging around in here, looking for a thrill or
a good make-out place...=94
She adjusted the volume control...
=93...Inside your mind...=94
=93He[She=92s...Buffy sang]=92s here...The Phantom of the
Opera...=92...Whoa...Oh, oh...Woo...Oh...Oooo...=94
=93Buf...=94
=93Sor=92...Oh, oh, ooooo...Oh...=94 she sang in softer voice, close to a
whisper... =93Oh...Ooooo...Oooo!!=94 she screamed suddenly at a passing
rat strolling leisurely by on the lip of the tunnel wall...Who
likewise seemed a bit shocked at the encounter...Staring in paralyzed
fright a moment before skedaddling off...
=93Sorry...Rat ...Grrr...=94 she noted apologetically, grimacing a bit...
=93Me know...=94 grin... =93More scared of me...=94
=93Buffy...=94 Will gave her a mock frown...=94And I thought you used to
fish for compliments when you were Cicely...=94
=93T=92was me due as Queenie of London so...ciety, sir...=94 she answered
regally, some real pride on getting =91society=92... =93And you bein=92
las=
t
knight-err...guy...=94
=93Tis ever my duty...To speak praise of your beauty...=94
=93Hey!...=94 delightedly... =93Poem...Good...=94
=93On a scale of one to ten...?=94
=93Zillion...Who fi****n=92 now?...=94
=93Touche`...=94 a gallant head bow...
The boat rattled against the cement wall of the tunnel on the right
side...
=93Watch it there...=94 William cautioned... =93We=92re nearly at the lake
outlet...Help me spin =91er round a bit...=94
She grabbed a extra oar in the boat and began shoving off from the
tunnel wall to move the boat to the outlet opening now just a few feet
from them...The sound of water spilling over into the lake from the
opening...
=93Oooo...=94 she sang again with the tape... =93Hang on there...Here we
go...=94 Will called...
Their rowboat slipping down a reasonably gentle slope from the outlet
to the lake in the gathering darkness...
Wee...Buffy, carefully muting to a stifled giggle...
Not exactly white water, but a neat trip home...
=93Well...=94 she grinned at Will=92s smile... =93Singing...Bad...But good
=
for
talk...ing...Talking...=94 she emphasized the -ing... =93...better...Heck,
not much worse than when I little human...=94
=93It was lovely, girl...=94
She gave a narrow grin... =93Soul, maybe...But you not so bad liar...=94
=93This from the girl who pretends to like my poetry...=94 he grinned
back...Rowing smoothly as they glided away from shore...
=93Awh...!=94 she gave a mock-shocked look...=93You sayin=92 me not
ef...efful...=94
=93You can say it...=94 he eyed her sternly...
=93Efful...gent...Effulgent...Hey?!=94 ...Radiantly triumphant...
=93Ever effulgent, Cics...Ever...=94 he beamed, patting her arm...
=93Careful...=94 she eyed him, putting on grim look... =93You get seven
foo=
t
monster Slayer *****...No tellin=92 what may...stuff she do...=94
=93After we eat and watch me role model on video...It Thursday...=94 she
beamed...
=93Indeed it is...Say, is that lad Henry ever going to wise up and
propose to Betty?...Living a lie without your true love is no way to
raise a kid whatever Charley does...=94
=93Me got faith in him...He do right thing...Gotta...He look like
you...=94 she leaned forward to kiss him...
And Betty make great mommie...Even if no supermodel...she noted
innocently...
He gave her a sour look, rowing firmly...But...
=93Well, now...If you=92re coming round to my idea about adoption...=94
sly
grin...
=93Rats...=94 she said...
=93Well don=92t be like that about it...=94 he began... =93An adopted
kid..=
..=94
=93No!...Look!!...=94 she pointed back to the mouth of the outlet tunnel
which her position in the rowboat allowed her still a view of...
And from which now, hundreds, thousands of squealing rats were
emerging in panic...
Whoa...Will stared...
=93We got trouble...=94 Buffy noted...
No need for Giles=92 interpretation on this one...
***
|
