Family Matters
Not so much fun....
Buffy and Willow sat by themselves waiting for Riley and Xander to bring them their drinks.
"Can you believe Giles? He was all ‘must you embarrass me so, Buffy? Do you have any idea who she is? Why can't you stay quiet for one bloody second? Now you will never know the whole story.' Ugh...what's the big? She's a freaking watcher for God's sake! Plus she was so annoying. I don't know what it was but I felt like I wanted to stake her...grrrr!!!" Buffy said, adding in a growl at the end that could have matched any vampire.
"Maybe it was the smoking...or the smirking...or maybe it was that she knew so much." Willow said with a small shrug of her shoulders
"Who are you lovely ladies talking about?" Xander asked as he placed the drinks he had in his hand on the table.
"Cara Morgan," Buffy muttered through gritted teeth
"Xander mentioned something about her... who is she exactly?" Riley asked as he moved his chair to sit closer to Buffy, putting his arm across her shoulders; he then placed her drink in front of her.
"Some watcher with a prophecy that has something to do with the end of the world," Buffy revealed with an eye roll.
"So why don't you like her?" Riley asked, confused at the obvious distaste in his girlfriend's tone in regard to the watcher.
"You should have seen her, Riley, with the smirking and the smoking...she was so totally annoying."
"You know, I figured out who she might remind you of," Willow said, sipping her soda.
"Yeah...who?" Buffy was curious as to who the blonde watcher could remind her of.
"Spike!" Willow nodded her head up and down at the simplicity of the matter. She had no trouble now, looking back on the way Cara had lit her cigarette, her black nail polish, the way she spoke and addressed people and finally the confident sexuality she showed in her every movement and gesture.
Riley stiffened at the mention of the vampire. He didn't understand it; the group were way to easy going when in came to that vampire. As far as he was concerned, they should have staked the pain in the ass vampire a long time ago.
"So Xander, where's Anya?" Riley asked. He didn't care much for the outspoken little shopkeeper/former demon, but he preferred to talk about her than Spike.
'She should be put in her place... she isn't good enough to be around humans. I don't know why they keep them around.'
"Oh! She's helping Giles with the books and whatnot... plus he wanted someone to help turn the Magic Box into research center for the new watcher. I think the G-man has a crush," Xander finished in a sing-song voice. Buffy shuddered in an over the top way.
"Please, Xan, never ever mention Giles and crush in the same sentence again or I'll...I'll think of something equally of the bad to say to you."
The brunette smiled at the slayer and nodded his head.
"So now that we know where Xander's significant other is...where's Tara, Wills?" the blond asked her friend, for the first time feeling a little smug that she wasn't the one sitting without a date as was the norm.
"She has a paper she needs to hand in tomorrow; she said she'd be here as soon as she finishes with the final editing."
After that, the conversation turned to matters of college and courses, Xander feeling left out, and not having Anya around as a diversion to head towards the dance floor, Xander began to look at the other people at the Bronze.
He recognized a familiar bleach blond head, and noticed that his head was tilted downwards almost as if he was speaking to someone. When Spike moved he saw who it was and he let out the most unmanly of shrieks.
"Will... pinch me... this has got to be a dream that has taken a horrible turn for the worst."
A few second later..."OW! Why did you do that?"
"You asked me to?" the redhead answered as if it was the most natural of things.
Xander blinked and rubbed his eyes. "I can't believe it... I just can't believe it."
Riley looked at Xander and tried to repress the urge to roll his eyes.
‘Why do they put up with him? He's worse than Dawn...all he does is get injured...he does more harm than good.'
"Okay, please tell me I'm not the only one who is seeing ...that!" Xander begged as he pointed at the direction of the pool tables; all three heads turned.
Riley saw Spike playing a game of pool but what caught is attention was the beautiful petite blond standing next to him. He watched as the two interacted; he saw the woman smile at Spike and pat him on the back, and then she said something that had Spike throwing his head back and laughing.
He watched as Spike turned to the woman and pulled her to him, his arm firmly around her waist. Riley began to sneer in disgust as it was obvious the turn the conversation was taking, but despite how sickening it all was, he continued to stare as Spike dipped his head down and placed a soft kiss on the woman's lips. Riley was flabbergasted as she eagerly kissed him back. He watched as they pulled away and she smiled a warm smile at the vampire.
'That's it, I'm going to dust him and her. He has no right to get looks like that...if Buffy can't look at me like that, he sure as hell can't get that look.'
"So Spike has a vampire girlfriend. We should stake her before she does anything to hurt Buffy or Dawn."
"That's not a vampire," Xander and Willow both said as if it was the most natural thing in the world.
"Fine, she's not a vampire, so that means shes a demon ...still... means let's end her before things get out of hand."
"What they mean is, she's human...that over there...is Cara Morgan," Buffy said with a sneer and a violent point in the direction of the two British blonds.
"Xander, you didn't get me a drink. You knew I was going to come, why didn't you bring me a drink?" Anya said as she unceremoniously sat down on Xander's lap. Tara, who wasn't as outspoken as Anya when she arrived, pulled out a seat and sat down next to Willow.
"Why do you all look like some imitation of a fish?" Anya asked, perplexed that her boyfriend hadn't kissed her or situated her into a different position, or that Willow hadn't taken the hand of the shy witch.
Xander mutely pointed in the direction of the pool tables and both Tara and Anya looked in the direction he was pointing at. They saw Cara leaning over the pool table trying to line a shot with Spike draped over her in lieu of showing her how to take the shot.
They both saw as Cara said something, smirking in Spike's direction. They watched as he curled his tongue behind his teeth, they saw as both laughed, with Spike removing himself from the young woman and slapping her on the bottom.
Both Anya and Tara looked at each other, neither one of them getting what the big deal was.
"Cara is a beautiful woman, she's probably looking for an orgasm partner and seeing as how you made such big deal about Giles...Spike would be the next logical choice; both of them are British," Anya said as she took a sip of Xander's drink. Riley scowled at Anya, who just flipped her hair at him.
‘Why does Buffy keep him around? He doesn't give her the sexual release she needs or she wouldn't always be so bitchy.'
"I doubt that a watcher would even date a vampire, let alone Spike. Do you think he may have used thrall on her?" Riley asked, clearly ignoring everyone else at the table. Anya rolled her eyes at the stupidity of the man, and once again shared a look with Tara. Both of them saw many faults with the former soldier but thought it best not to say anything, considering there tentative position with the Slayer and her friends.
"Maybe...I mean, he is a vampire and pretty pathetic when it comes to relationships," Buffy said, her lips pursed together in a thin line of annoyance. No one at the table noticed how Anya and Tara's eyes bulged at the comment, all were too busy discussing the best way to remove Cara from the thrall Spike had put her under. Anya wanted to shout at them for their stupidity.
‘Honestly, if he had thrall don't they think they would all have been dead way before I got here? Hell, they would have been dead before Angel was footloose and soul free.'
"Okay, let's go and figure out what we're going to do when we get there," Buffy said as she led the way to the pool tables.
~~~~~~~~~~~~`~`~~`
"Just like that." Spike said as he turned to catch the eye of the watcher, and noticed she had an amused twinkle in her eye, Spike felt a swell of pride at the fact that he had this beautiful woman's undivided attention, it had been sometime since he had the attention of a beautiful young woman and it felt good.
"I've heard tale that you've offed more than two slayers," Cara said with an excited smile.
"Nah...pet, you know how it is...demons like to talk big and all that."
"Yeah, I know, but I ‘eard the story from someone else. Nineteen Twenty-Two, Madrid, you killed her."
"Fought her, yeah...had my one good day...no."
Any further conversation between the two was cut off by a loud cough from the slayer, who had her arms crossed over her chest and was tapping her foot in annoyance.
"Ohhh...it's the slayer, feeling a mite sickly...you might want that cough looked at, Slayer, or it will be Woodstock on the Hellmouth...and frankly been there done that...don't need to see the less-than-pleasant rerun," Spike said, smirking and knocking back the rest of his drink.
"Oh...you were at Woodstock?" Anya asked excitedly. "So was I... there was a lot of vengeance to be had. Why didn't I see you?"
"Don't know. Could have been the drugs...or the sex...now that was a good year."
Anya nodded her head wistfully at the comment.
"Refill," Cara asked pointing to Spike's empty drink.
"You buying?" Spike drawled.
Cara smiled and signaled to a waitress.
It was then that the Scoobies got a good look at Cara. She was wearing low rise blue jeans, matched with a royal blue top, cut low just below her collar bone, and ending seductively short to just above the waist of her jeans, with cap sleeves. The color of the top highlighted her creamy white skin and light blue eyes that were more pronounced due to the black kohl liner. Her honey blond hair was tied back in a low pony tale, but what had the Scoobies' mouths hitting the floor was the fact that Cara's entire back was exposed.
"Nice top...a mix between a nun and a tramp...where did you get it?" Anya asked, clearly liking the young woman's sense of style.
"Yorkshire." Cara said with an apologetic shrug of her shoulders.
Anya pouted at the fact.
"Do you look good in pink?" Cara asked giving Anya the once over.
"Who me?" Anya's face screwed up in confusion.
"Yes you...Anya right."
"Well it used to be Anyanka, but yes."
"Well do you?"
"I would say yes...I have this really pretty bra and thong set in pale pink and when I wear it, Xander can't wait to get it off of me."
Both Cara and Spike raised their eyebrows at this revealing piece of information while Xander turned a very interesting shade of pink himself.
"Ahn...what have I said about inappropriate topics?"
"But she asked if I looked good in pink," the ex-demon pouted.
"I have another one of these in pink, that's why I asked...do you want it?"
"Yes...I do."
"Ahn!"
"What?" Anya asked, irritated by the interruption. Here was someone giving her something, and by the sounds of it giving it to her for free, and Xander was giving her his disapproving voice. Any further discussion was halted by the arrival of a buxom brunette, holding a tray. The Scoobies watched as Cara gave the woman the once over; her gaze traveled up the length of the woman, stilled for a while on her generous cleavage and finally stopped to look at her face. Cara gave the waitress a smile that could only be defined as seductive. Both Riley and Xander cursed the fact that they could never achieve the same smile if their lives depended on it.
"Hello." Cara drew out the word just as seductively as she had smiled.
The entire group were stunned by the girlish giggle that came from the waitress.
"I'll have a gin and tonic...Billy here will have a Jack...the prudish blond a diet coke...the redhead an orange juice...the shy one a Lime margarita...the two hall monitors what ever you've got on tap...and the cute blond a screaming orgasm." Cara said giving Anya a wink, Buffy clenched her jaw at being called prudish, the last thing she wanted to do was pout.
"Oh...and one of those flowering onion things...if your going to be staying in Sunnyhell, pet, might as well enjoy the only good thing they've got." The waitress smiled and left.
"So now that I've ordered drinks for everyone, what brings you lot here? Billy and I were enjoying a friendly game of pool -- with the occasional tale of bloodshed and mayhem."
"Don't know why I let you get away with those Billy cracks. For the last time, the blighter stole the look from me." Spike said throwing Cara an annoyed glare.
"Oh...I believe you, mate...if people knew how often the demonic world played a part in fashion they'd be walking around in grass skirts." Cara replied her apology would have been more believable if she had managed to keep the impish smile of her face.
"It's nice to finally meet a watcher that knows what she's talking about. I mean, really. Like Prada could be anything besides the devil's workshop," Anya said, nodding her head up and down, glad to finally be a part of a conversation that was wasn't so anti-demon.
‘I mean honestly, a person's feelings can't be anything but hurt the way they talk about demons...I used to be a demon-still am on the inside.'
Cara leaned over the pool table, once again easily hitting her mark.
"As for the Billy cracks, mate...I get away with it because..." Cara said as she slowly walked towards Spike and stopped dead in front of him, trailing the tip of her finger across his collar down his chest, till she reached his belt and just above it ran her finger slowly across his stomach. "I'm paying for your drinks."
Both Cara and Spike laughed at her comment. Anya smiled at them glad to finally meet someone who wasn't such a prude about sex or sensuality, without the fear that she was going to tear out her throat. Tara was also feeling the same way but for a different reason. She watched the way Cara talked and acted with Spike and it gave her hope that when her secret was revealed, there would be someone who wouldn't be so quick to place the death sentence, maybe even someone who could help her better understand her demonic roots, without prejudice.
"And as to why we're here, it should be obvious the way you're acting. I know very little about watchers but I imagine it's not common practice for them to play nice with vampires." Riley said, as he sneered at the young woman, thoroughly disgusted by the way she was acting.
Cara just raised an eyebrow at the young man. In the few seconds she had seen him, and now hearing him speak, she filed him under *disposable*. Cara knew no matter what the giant lummox of a man thought he was, he wasn't going to be a part of the slayer's merry band of cohorts for long. Cara walked over to the table nearest to the pool table and picked up her purse. She pulled out a pack of cigarettes and lighter. Putting a cigarette to her lips, she offered one to Spike and the rest of the Scoobies. Anya happily took one. Casually she lit her cigarette and that of the blond vampire and the former demon. Cara let out a puff of smoke directed at Riley.
"I'm not your typical watcher," she said with a shrug of her shoulders. "And I don't know anyone who would be willin' to pass up good company."
When the waitress returned with the drinks and food ordered by Spike, Cara tipped the woman and went about handing everyone their drinks.
Buffy had had enough. Here she was trying to save the annoying watcher, and she wasn't even trying to be rescued. Taking matters into her own hands, Buffy went up to Spike and punched him the nose.
"What the bloody hell was that for, you bloody bint?" Spike bellowed as he tried to stop the bleeding from his nose.
"You've put her under thrall, now take her out of it."
Spike looked at Buffy as if she had grown a second head. Cara let out a very unlady-like snort.
"You mean you lot came over and interrupted a very nice game of pool--because you think he used *thrall* on *me*? What form of twit are you, slayer? Firstly, I'm not some airhead little chit that could be thralled...and secondly, if he had thrall and could use it, you lot would all be dead...and thirdly, he doesn't bloody well need it...I was here because I wanted to be here....and seeing as you were arse over tit for Angelus, the most evil of evil vampires out there, you can't bloody well tell me who I should and should not be associating with. If Travis and his lot of wankers can't get me to do what they want, no blond who doesn't even begin to comprehend her powers is going to stop me. Final point, if you so much as look at Spike wrong again, I will show you the reason Travis lets me be...savvy?"
Cara's tone the whole time had not changed from a calm, somewhat sweet voice, but there was no mistaking the threat that was behind it. But one thing stood out clearer than anything else in the speech to Buffy.
"What do you mean by ‘doesn't comprehend her powers?'" Buffy asked, frowning. "I do fine! Find demon, slay demon."
At this, Cara smiled a small smile and said, "Where do you think that power comes from?"
"The Powers that Be," Buffy said, certain of her answer.
"But why?"
"To save people from demons."
"Why?"
"Because demons need to be stopped."
"Why?"
"They are evil, that's why."
Cara tried her best suppress her urge to roll her eyes the first few seconds of this conversation and all she could think was.
'I feel like a bloody tot if I have to say why one more time!'
"Why are they evil? Are they all evil? If you are meant to slay evil, why haven't you killed human?"
"Because demons are evil and humans are good."
Cara let out an exasperated sigh and scowled at Buffy. "Why's that?"
"Humans have a soul and demons don't."
"And that makes a difference?"
"Yes! I mean, its simple. Look at Angel-with a soul, good... without a soul, Angelus, who is evil... ergo...soul equal good, no soul evil."
"Angel is more guilt ridden then good...you forget I know Wes poppet....what about rape?" Cara asked taking a sip of her drink in an attempt to curb her desire to throttle the petite blond in front of her.
"What does that have to do anything?" Buffy said, outraged that the young watcher had changed the subject. Especially since she was making perfect logic with her answers.
"Everything...bear with me. Anya, you said you used to be called Anyanka, as in the avenger of wronged women?"
"Yes, that was me," the ex-demon confirmed proudly.
"Did you ever have a woman who was raped ask for vengeance?" Cara had a twinkle of superiority flash in her eyes, already looking smug while she waited for Anya to answer her.
"All the time." Anya nodded eagerly.
"The attacker human or demon?"
"Mostly human, sometimes a vampire, but very rarely. Most vampires make their victims their dinner or whatever meal they were on. Other types of demons don't find the human form sexually appealing. Tasty, yes...for sex, no. Only vampires that's because they were human. So naturally their ideal sexual partner would be human you know the same parts." Anya said with a happy nod of her head.
Cara then looked at Buffy and said, "Anya, pet, can you remember any woman that stood out for you?"
"Yes! There was this woman who was raped repeatedly by this one man and his friends; it was during the 1800's. When was it...think brain ...think...oh yes, now I remember, it was 1880. She was pretty... Well anyway, the men where quite horrible...I enjoy the kinkier side of sex but what these men did...it was sickening. I didn't have sex a whole week after I came to her and she told me what they did...she was sixteen...a ward at some fancy house or something. I think she had a crush on the son of the woman she was meant to be a companion for...his name was William something, I can't remember...well any way, when Robert Ashbery-Thomas the third found out, he was livid. It seems he thought he was better then him or something...so he convinced his mother she needed a companion and that she should ask for her...after living in the new home for a few days, he took her out of her bed and into his study-his friends were there waiting..."
Anya stopped and it was the first time the Scoobies had ever seen her show any discomfort in talking about her demonic past. Xander put a gentle hand on her shoulder.
"Ahn...you don't need to say more if you don't want to?"
"I have to, Xander...Cara is trying to make a point I couldn't by myself."
If anyone had cared to look they would have seen that Spike wasn't faring much better than the ex-demon. He had a far away look that indicated he was lost in some memory. After taking a deep breath, Anya took a big gulp of the drink and continued her story.
"Grabbing her he closed the door and locked it. He must have been planning it for days because he had everything set up to tie her down and gag her. He ripped open her nightgown and put her on display for all his friend there... she was spread eagle for all to see...she said she wanted to die then and there...sh...she had been a virgin...her dream had been that William would have fallen in love with her and marry her...and that....but Robert destroyed any hope of that dream ever coming true...he raped her then in front of his friends and they sneered and jeered, groping her...she couldn't scream...couldn't move...they proceeded to ejaculate on her... It got worse. The first days it had been your normal gang bang...if there is anything normal about that. He told his mother that she most have run away. That's why no one looked for her... You know what, I can't. If you want to know what happened, read any Watcher's dairy about Angelus then multiple that by ten... and that's what happened to her...then one day he let her go, gave her a few pennies and sent her on her way. She later found out she was pregnant. She was going to go to William. She said that even though he wouldn't marry her, he would take care of her... It turned out he had died. I think she believed it was Robert because they were seen fighting and then no more William... That's when she called me. I was going to seek vengeance for her. I had decided that a simple wish was too good for him...I personally was going to hurt him... When I finally found him, he was dead. He got away with it...no vengeance...no justice...nothing." By this point Anya's voice had taken on a depressed tone unlike her usual peppy tone.
"There was vengeance--I did it--he was the first I took a railroad spike to. Angelus was with me, telling me what to do to make it more painful and drawn out. The girl...her name was Lucy. She was...she...I failed her. I was meant to protect her and I failed."
By now Anya was on the verge of tears, Willow and Tara not far behind. Spike gave a hesitant nod of his head, stopping her from getting up from her seat, in a moment their eyes meet and it told him that the one secret he had tried to protect was out and in the open, but he knew she wouldn't tell anyone.
"You weren't the only one. I failed her too. After her...Lucy...I never waited to be called. I felt their pain and I went...thank-you for giving her justice." Anya said giving him a watery smile
Spike gave her a quick nod, downed his drink in one gulp and left the Bronze.
Cara then spoke up.
"So Buffy, do you still believe that the soul is what makes you good?"
TBC
[Reviews - 12]
-
Table of Contents [Report This]
Chapter or Story |
Chapter or Story | 
Chapter or Story
Has been viewed 1996 times
- Text Size +
-
Table of Contents [Report This]
Chapter or Story |
Chapter or Story | Chapter or Story - Text Size +
Author's Chapter Notes:
I'd like to thank DreamsofSpike and vampygirl for the great job they did beta'ing this chapter.
I would also like to state that this chpater has reference to rape its kinda of vague but I know some people get uncomfortable this is your warning. However, it does help in moving the plot along.
I would also like to state that this chpater has reference to rape its kinda of vague but I know some people get uncomfortable this is your warning. However, it does help in moving the plot along.