Soul Survivors | By : pattysky4 Category: > Buffy/Spike(William) > Buffy/Spike(William) Views: 2301 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0 |
Disclaimer: I do not own Buffy the Vampire Slayer (BtVS), nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story. |
“The next entry is highlighted as well. It’s dated February 22, 1460 and says: This will be my last entry as a watcher.” Willow stopped, but kept her eyes on the page. She faltered, then continued.
“It is done. Jorges has had his revenge. He hounded us for days, threatening to cause me the same pain that he was suffering. We huddled together in our cottage, not going out, even in daylight. Jehanne had enough of it and she went after him. I begged her not to go, but she stared at me, with those piercing grey eyes, and asked me if I really wanted her to forget her duty. She stood tall and talked of honor. She was right of course and I feel ashamed of my cowishness, even now, knowing the outcome. She left at dawn telling me to stay behind and prepare the weapons. She was to track him and then come back to collect me and the arsenal for a surprise daylight attack. She never came back to me that day. I searched for her until the last possible moment, barely arriving back home as the last rays of the sun went behind the building. I lost all hope. I knew she was gone. One night later, she knocked on the door and my mind could not grasp at what I saw. My Jehanne was dirty, but the light was still there, in her eyes. She cried as she explained what happened. He was waiting for her in the catacombs. He drained her and turned her.”
She stopped reading and glanced at Buffy with a pained expression, but she waved her on.
So she read, “When she rose out of the earth later, he was nowhere to be found. She came to me as soon as she could. She said she could feel her soul; it was still there. I was amazed and I could see it was no vampire trick, but I could not invite her in, despite her entreatments. When she begged me to stake her, I wanted to kill myself instead. If that makes me weak, then so be it. How could I? I know I took an oath, and she begged me to do it; she did not want to exist in her undead state. I wished I had had enough strength to kill myself instead. I staked her. There at the front door of our home.”
Willow looked up again with tears in her eyes, unable to read further. Xander pulled the book over, cleared his throat and read.
“When I took that oath years ago, before coming to find Jehanne, I had no idea what I was pledging to do. Is keeping a soul something that would happen to all turned Slayers? I should like to think that my beautiful Jehanne was special and stronger than the chosen ones before, but I doubt that is the case.
I will send this diary to headquarters right off, but my bags are packed and I go another way. I must find Jorges. He must die for what he has done, or I will die trying. If I do make it and finish the task that I have set before me, then I will go back and I will expect answers from the others. I will also advise the elders to never send a younger watcher out to the field like that again. No matter how gifted the man may be, or how eager. Judgment cannot be clouded by emotions. That is all I have now.”
Faith broke the silence by slapping her hands on the table. “Well, I guess they didn’t take his advice. Wesley was really too young.”
Giles nodded his agreement while he ran his finger on the other diary.
Buffy gripped Spike’s hand and he could feel her distress without even looking at her. She let go and he flexed his hand.
“You were going to stake me?” she asked Giles, her eyes wide and troubled.
“No…I took an oath.” Giles gazed at her with tears in his own eyes. “When I first realized what happened to you, I despaired, but Spike said you had a soul. I wasn’t expecting that.” He shook his head. “The Council knew how much I cared for you. That is why they sent the wet crew out, knowing that I would not be able to do my duty. Travers said as much to me, when he was in town.”
Giles reached out and patted Buffy’s hand on the table.
“And he’s been hounding you ever since I chased him away, yeah?” Spike asked.
“Yes. He calls me every day. I have been holding them off the best I can, but they expect me to fulfill my oath. I am certain they will not let this go. My life is now in danger, as much as Buffy’s.”
“What about me?” Faith asked.
“I believe I have convinced them that you are doing the work you were chosen to do. Travers has assured me that as long as you keep patrolling and stand at the ready to battle the next big thing, they will leave you to it.”
Faith got up again. “I’m not their fucking puppet!”
“Good for you,” Spike said.
“Of course not. I think they know that.” Giles stated.
“So, these diaries?” Xander said. “I thought the current watcher has an all access pass to past diaries?”
“Yes, but there have always been missing years and diaries. I’m surprised to find only two with this book. I can only surmise that they didn’t want the knowledge about slayers turning with souls to get out. There is no way any watcher could agree to stake a slayer, who wished to stay alive, knowing that she still had a soul.”
“Can I see the other diary?” Buffy asked with her hand out.
Giles gently handed it to her and they all watched as she flipped through the pages, before going back to the front.
Buffy glanced up, took a deep breath and looked back down to read, “April 12th, 1618. Isle of Skye, Scotland. Locating Andra Mackinnon has proven more of a challenge than I thought. I want nothing more than to find this girl and bring her back to London. Why must they be called from all over the earth? It would be far more convenient if they would all be English. It has been a month, and yet I get no help from the people I come across. They do not appear hostile towards me, but many refuse to speak English and my Gaelic is sparse at best.
April 28th, 1618. I have found Miss Mackinnon. She is a slip of girl with a great deal of belligerence and fire to match her red hair. Even though she is very young--only fourteen--I have high hopes for the future. She is strong and hearty. I found her wandering the hills just as the woman in the village said I would. The things these people believe. The women described her as the Devil’s child with red hair, black eyelashes and vivid blue eyes. She was all of that, but I do not see how that makes her the Devil’s child. The first thing we will have to do is find the girl a pair of shoes. Andra was wary of me and she made curious threats to my person if I came too close to her. The village people gave us a wide birth as we entered it this evening. I will be greatly relieved to be leaving here. Andra will be too, I wager.”
Buffy stopped and flipped a few pages. She continued to turn pages as she said, “There aren’t any more highlighted entries--wait, here’s one:
February 20th, 1619, London England. Andra has been displaying strange behavior again. She leaves to patrol early and does not return home until well after sun up. Marcus has been sojourning with us again. He will make a fine watcher someday soon. I have asked him to follow her tonight and see what it is that she is doing.
March 04, 1619. Marcus is young and eager, but I cannot fathom the things he says. Truly, would a slayer fall in love with an evil vampire?”
Buffy stopped to glance up, but Xander waved at her to continue.
“This night, I will discover the truth, myself. The vampire, Torch, has come up often in conversation and Andra does indeed appear to change the subject. I have not caught sight of him in weeks, but we know he is still out there. Marcus says that he saw them conversing together last night by the river. I am sure he is mistaken. He was not close enough to tell, I am certain. There are many red haired men walking about this city. It was not Torch.”
Spike sat up straight. “Let me see that. I know of a vampire called Torch.” He pulled the book over in front of him and read,”
“April 02, 1619. Andra is like a daughter to me. I found her an orphan and have become too attached to her. I do not know what to do. She has been with me a year now, and she is the best slayer we have seen in years. I loath the thought of giving up my duties to even Marcus. I will have to go before the Council with my findings, however. I cannot keep this to myself. Marcus knows, of course, but he will say nothing and permit me to work this out. I am going to have to confront her. I did not want to believe it, I still do not, but why would a vampire save the life of a Watcher? Torch had the opportunity to kill me, yet I saw him with my own eyes dust his sire’s minions, before he shoved me out of the moving carriage. His words still send shivers down my spine. “For Andra’s sake, you live.” I cannot be objective, as I need to be. She is too close to my heart.”
Spike stopped. “I had no idea that he had a thing for a slayer, once upon a time.”
Giles perked up. “You’ve talked with this, Torch?”
“Yeah. Last time I saw him, we were in London in the early 1900’s. I was in a demon bar bragging about killing the Slayer during the boxer rebellion. He asked me if I turned her and I told him no. He’s a quiet one, but everyone respects him because he’s so old.” Spike gestured to his head. “His hair was more orange than red, like fire. Hence the name, Torch. Saw him a couple of times, while we were there, but like I said, he’s really quiet.”
Buffy took the diary back and continued.
“April 18, 1619. Andra has been willful yet sad. She says she loves that creature. How could she? He is a soulless demon. She cannot think for a minute that he loves her in return. She points out that he saved my life, and I cannot come up with a good reason why. After we had words, she ran off two nights ago, probably into the arms of that creature. If she is not back by morning, I will have to see the Council. I do not know what they will do, but I fear for her life.
April 25th, 1619. Last Entry. It has taken me days to write this and the pain is still fresh. Andra returned home, begging me to invite her in. I was so distressed and even knowing that it was probably a trap, I let her in. She hugged me and cried saying that it was not Torch’s fault. She had wanted it. Wanted to be like him so they could be together for all eternity. I do not know what Torch did wrong, but she was not turned properly. She still had her soul. Because of it, she could not live with what she had done and she had fled from her sire. Andra told me that she loved me like a Father and that she did not blame me for what had happened. She put her cold hand over my own and told me that I was a good man. We stayed together, conversing in the salon all night and I was glad that Marcus was not there. The thought of what I had to do was always in the forefront of my mind. It was torture. Nearing sunrise, I managed the courage to tell her of the oath that I taken. How could I kill her? She possessed a soul. Would I be condemning her to hell? When the sun was high over the city, she stood and said she was ready and instructed me to get a stake. When I got up, she ran and embraced me once more. I turned my back to get the stake and she ran for the door. I recall her saying something about being glad it was not a typical cloudy day and then I watched her run out into the courtyard. By the time I got to the door, there was nothing left of her but a bit of dust.
It ends there,” Buffy said sadly.
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