Title: A New Slayer 4/9
Author: Jadedragon177
Disclaimer: Not mine, Buffy and company belong to Joss, Mutant
Enemy and the WB and UPN. Can I keep Giles, please?
Joyce was wondering if taking Nikki shopping had been such a good idea after all. She was only interested in clothes similar to what she was wearing and when Joyce suggested a simple cotton sundress, Nikki got upset and ran from the shop. Fearing that the young Slayer was having another flashback, Joyce left as quickly as she could, asking the sales person to hold the items that she had picked out for Nikki as she rushed out the door. Joyce was well known at the shop and the saleswoman put the items aside, knowing that she would be back later to pick them up.
Joyce looked up and down the street trying to locate Nikki when she saw a flash of her running behind a tree in the park at the end of the block. Joyce ran toward the park, hoping that she could find her quickly as it would soon be getting dark. She searched, calling the young Slayer's name and was almost in a panic before she finally spotted the young girl curled in a tight ball.
Slowly she approached the distressed Slayer, not quite knowing what to do. As she knelt beside her, Joyce put her arms around her and she started sobbing as if her heart were breaking. As she held her, stroking her hair, murmuring words of comfort, Joyce looked around her and saw that the sun was setting. Joyce got her cell phone and called Buffy to get someone to come and get them. Once she was assured that Xander and Wesley were on their way, she turned her total attention back to the girl sobbing in her arms.
Nikki was still sobbing when Xander and Wesley arrived to help Joyce carry her to the car. They helped Joyce take the young girl to her home where Buffy and Giles were waiting for them. Giles took the young girl from Joyce's arms and took her to Buffy's old room, which had been prepared for Nikki. Buffy and her mother changed Nikki's clothes, putting one of Buffy's old gowns on the young girl and putting her to bed. Giles wanted to talk to Joyce so Buffy offered to stay with Nikki while Giles and her mom went downstairs to discuss what had happened.
"Joyce, what happened to set her off?" he asked as they set down on the couch once they had reached the living room.
"We were shopping at Wendy's Closet. She was only getting jeans and tops so I suggested a simple little cotton dress. She shook her head, said no and ran from the shop. I followed her and found her curled in a ball. I sat beside her and when I put my arms around her, she started sobbing her heart out. Rupert, has she been like this the whole time you've been with her?" Joyce asked.
"No, this is the first time that I've known her to continue to cry when someone else was near her. I've heard her crying many times, but whenever I would try and comfort her, she would stop crying immediately whenever I entered the room and ask me to leave. You seem to be getting through to her. Whatever you can do to help her, I will greatly appreciate," Giles assured her.
"Were there any women at the facility she was at in Liverpool?" Joyce asked, wanting to know as much about Nikki's background as she could.
"The cleaning staff were women, but she had little or no contact with them. All her Watcher's have been men, it was decided that she needed a firmer touch than a woman could give her."
"I think a woman's touch is exactly what she has needed," Joyce told him in no uncertain terms.
"I agree. Joyce, it appears that she's drawn to you and I believe that she feels somewhat safe in your presence," he stated.
"I'll do what ever I can to help her. Rupert, do you have a set training schedule for her?"
"I don't have any real schedule planned for the moment. I just wanted to see if she could relate to any of you and try to have a normal life, or as normal a life as a Slayer can have."
"I'd like to try something," Joyce told him, an idea forming in her mind.
"What?" the Watcher asked.
"I'd like Nikki to spend time with me, Buffy, Willow and Tara; Cordelia too if she stays in town for a few days. I think being around women will help her. I'd like for us to spend time just getting to know one another, talking, watching movies, girl stuff."
"I think you may have something there. She has been deprived of the company of girls and women ever since she was taken in by the Watchers Council. That may be the key to reaching her," he agreed.
"Tonight, I just want her to sleep, but tomorrow I'll have Buffy, Willow and Tara spend the day here with us, talking, watching movies, doing nails and hair, strictly girl stuff."
"She may not want to participate," Giles warned her, not sure of how Nikki would react.
"She probably won't, at first. But once she sees Buffy enjoying herself with her friends, I think she just might join us. Even if she doesn't, we can show her what a normal life can be like. Buffy and I haven't had a `Girls Day' in a long while, too long."
"You think since Buffy was a Slayer, she will follow her lead?"
"Yes, I do. I may be wrong, but she seems to look up to Buffy," Joyce said in a soft voice.
"Why do you say that?" he asked, several things dawning on him.
"When we were at Wendy's Closet she asked if Buffy liked the shop and what kind of clothes Buffy would have bought. That's when I pulled out the blue cotton sundress for her and she ran from the store."
"Humm, you may be right. She has been brought up to respect Slayers and their Watchers and she was always asking me questions about Buffy."
"What did you tell her?"
"Not a lot, I'm afraid. It was too hard to talk about her," he answered honestly. "Joyce, I missed Buffy terribly and it was painful to talk about her; especially when I didn't know if I would ever see her again," he admitted to his future mother-in-law.
Joyce looked at the man who loved her daughter. When she saw the pain in his face she realized that she didn't have to worry about Buffy. She knew that Rupert would take care of her and their child.
**********
It was just after sunset when Angel and Spike approached the caves where Adam had made his headquarters years earlier. The caves were quiet. Too quiet and the odor of burning tires was mixed with another scent that was all too familiar to the vampires.
They followed the scent and discovered the entire clan of Comek demons had been slaughtered. The scene was gruesome, even for the vampires. Knowing the smell of blood would draw unwelcome predictors; they doused the bodies with kerosene that the Comeks had used for burning tires and set the bodies aflame before leaving the caves. There was no sign of the Malock demon, just the bodies, which had been torn limb from limb to show that he had been there.
As they watched the fire engulfing the bodies in the cave, Spike and Angel decided to scout the surrounding area to try and find any evidence of which direction the Malock demon had gone. As they searched they made sure that the fire stayed in the caves until it burned itself out. They had scouted the entire area finding nothing before they were forced to leave with the coming of dawn. The two vampires headed back to the Mansion to report what they had found.
*********
Nikki's sleep was very restless.
Again she dreamed about the accident and not being able to rescue her family. Again she was wearing the blue dress her mother had made for her that she had insisted on wearing for the day. Nikki had known it was too fancy for a picnic in the Scottish Highlands, but she had loved it the moment she saw it and didn't want to wait to wear it. Again, her youngest brother died in her arms. Again she woke up crying, but this time a woman was there to soothe her. At first she thought it was her mom, but then she realized it was Mrs. Summers. Nikki started to push her away, but Joyce wouldn't let her. Finally she relaxed and let the woman soothe her fears. She felt safe for the first time since her family had been killed. Her family was dead and it was her fault! She pushed away from Joyce and ran from the room.
Joyce followed the young girl as she ran downstairs.
Nikki looked around her and didn't know where she was. Nothing was familiar except the woman who followed her downstairs.
"Where am I?" the young Slayer demanded.
"You're in my home. I brought you here after you collapsed in the park," Joyce explained to the distraught girl.
"Where's Giles?"
"He's at his condo with Buffy. Nikki come sit down," Joyce tried to guide her guest to the couch.
"But I'm supposed to stay with my Watcher!"
"Don't you remember us talking about you staying with me?" When Nikki didn't answer, Joyce continued. "Besides his condo only has one bedroom."
Nikki looked at Joyce, slowly remembering the conversation they'd had the afternoon before. "Okay, I'll go back to bed. Sorry to wake you up." She stated in an unemotional voice.
"Nikki, what did you dream? What scared you so much?"
"It doesn't matter. It's in the past."
"If it still bothers you, then it is important. Nikki I want to help you, but you have to tell me what's causing your nightmares," she pleaded with the young girl.
Nikki turned and went back upstairs. When she got to the top of the stairs she turned and looked back at Joyce. "I thought you were my mom," she said before she ran back to the bedroom where she had awakened and shut the door.
When Joyce heard what Nikki said at the top of the stairs, she paused. She let Nikki go back to bed and she sat and thought of everything that had been said between herself and the young Slayer. There were two traumas in the young girl's life that Joyce knew about and since Nikki mentioned her mother, Joyce suspected that she had been dreaming of the accident that had taken her mother's life. It seemed that Nikki had been very close to her mother and the absence of women in her life had deepened that trauma.
Joyce finally went back to bed an hour later, hoping that what they planned for the next day would help Nikki.
**********
When Spike and Angel arrived back at the Mansion, the sun was just rising and they found Wesley and Doyle still researching.
"Angel, did you find anything?" Wesley asked.
"We found the Comeks. They were just where we thought they would be, but the Malock demon had slaughtered the entire group."
"Yea, all there was to do was to clean up." Spike added.
"All of them?" Doyle asked.
"Doyle, there wasn't a single Comek left alive," Angel assured his friend.
"Was there any indication of where the Malock was headed?" Wesley asked wanting all the information on the rogue demon.
"We searched the area, but didn't find anything. No trail, nothing. It was as if he teleported there, slaughtered them and teleported back out," Angel reported.
"I think I may have found the spell that the Malock will be using to attempt to open the Hellmouth," Wesley told them as he motioned them to the table where he and Doyle had continued researching. Once everyone had sat down, he continued. "The spell is in an ancient Chinese manuscript that Wang's Grandfather sent. It tells of a young man who was so distraught over his rejection by the family of the girl he wanted to marry that he made a deal with a Malock Demon. The young man was a sorcerer and developed the spell to open a dimensional portal to release the demon's brethren. The spell was cast on the day that the young girl was to marry his rival and as the marriage was completed the portal opened and the entire family and all the guests at the wedding were massacred. When the young sorcerer saw his beloved murdered, he tried to close the portal, but was pushed away and injured. He was found later, quite insane telling the story of demons killing everyone at the wedding, but no one believed him. Everyone thought that he had hired the gang that had murdered the wedding party for revenge. The sorcerer lived as an outcast until his death twenty years later."
"What about the spell?" Angel asked impatiently.
"It's here in the manuscript. I want to go over it with Rupert and Grandfather later today. I want to be sure that I have the translation correct."
"So this can open a portal to their dimension?" Spike asked.
"It appears that it can, but we need to research further to be sure. My Mandarin has improved with Grandfather's tutelage, but this is an ancient dialect and I want him to verify my translation."
They discussed the plans for later in the day, and then they all went to get what rest they could. It would be another long day. If Wesley were correct, the Malock would attempt to open the Hellmouth in three days.
**********
As she woke up, Buffy felt Giles arms around her and she felt more love than she had ever felt. She remembered coming home with him last night and making love. It had been the most amazing experience of her life. As she remembered, she hugged him tighter.
"Hey not so tight, luv," he murmured, not quite fully awake.
"Sorry," she told him in a small voice.
Giles turned to look into the eyes of the woman he loved. "Buffy, you forget your strength sometimes, and I'm not as strong as you."
"I didn't mean to wake you up."
"It's ok, waking up with you in my arms is a blessing I never thought I would experience."
"Me, either," she admitted as she snuggled back into his arms.
"What time do you have to be at your mother's this morning?"
"We didn't plan any certain time, but I thought about 9:00. When I spoke to Willow and Tara last night, that seemed to be a good time for them. What do you have planned for the day?"
"I spoke with Wesley last night, he thinks he might have found the spell that the Malock demon will be using in one of the Chinese Manuscripts that Grandfather sent. We will continue the research today and have Grandfather to help with verifying the translations. It's an ancient Mandarin dialect. Sounds like we both have our days planned."
"Yes it does. I'll be glad when this demon is taken care of. I want to spend time with you without interruptions."
"I totally agree," he said as he reached to take her lips with his. Soon both were caught up in the passion, which flowed so easily between the new lovers.
**********
Joyce woke up, immediately got her shower and dressed for the day. She knew that Buffy, Willow and Tara would be arriving around 9 and she wanted to have waffles ready for everyone. As she got all the ingredients out to start, Nikki came down the stairs, dressed in the clothes she been in yesterday.
"Nikki, good morning," she greeted her guest.
"Morning," she replied in an emotionless tone.
"I've squeezed fresh orange juice if you'd like some?" Joyce offered.
"Ok."
As Joyce poured Nikki a glass, the young Slayer looked around the room. This was the home where Buffy had lived with her mother. Buffy's life had been so different from hers. < Could she have a different life? Did she deserve a different life? >
"Here you go."
"Where is Giles?"
"I guess, still at his condo with Buffy. She'll be here in a little while. Do you want to help me with the waffles? They're one of her favorites and I haven't fixed them for her in a long time," Joyce tried to get the young Slayer involved with the preparation of breakfast.
"I don't know how to cook."
"It's not hard. I'll teach you."
Joyce showed Nikki how to use the juicer and had her finish juicing the rest of the oranges while she mixed the batter for the waffles. Once the juice was finished she showed Nikki how to measure the batter into the waffle iron and watch to be sure that the waffles didn't burn. Joyce watched as her helper intently scrutinized the waffles. She seemed so scared to make any mistakes so Joyce helped her to be sure that she was successful with the waffle iron. Nikki seemed a bit more at ease once the waffles were done. They had just finished the waffles when Joyce heard the front door.
Joyce went to the front door and let Buffy in. She had just finished hugging her daughter when there was a second knock on the door and Willow and Tara entered when she opened the door. They all went to the dining room where Nikki was setting the table.
"Buffy, where is Giles?" Nikki asked.
"He's with the others at the Mansion researching," Buffy told her as she sat down.
"Shouldn't we be there?" the younger Slayer asked.
"No, they can handle it. Research was never my strong point and especially not Mandarin Chinese. Grandfather will be much more help than I could ever be."
"Grandfather, your grandfather is still alive?" she asked in disbelief.
"No Grandfather is what we all call him. He's actually Wang's grandfather. Wang is my partner in the dojo."
"Dojo, you run a business?" she asked again shocked at how different Buffy's life was from the Slayer's lives she had studied.
"Well, yes. Wang and I met four years ago when he came upon me fighting five vamps. He thought I was being attacked by a gang and jumped in to help me. To make a long story short, I introduced him to Giles; he introduced us to his grandfather. Then Giles and Grandfather financed the Dojo when we decided to open it," Buffy explained as she put butter on her waffle.
Joyce watched the interplay between Buffy and Nikki. The younger Slayer seemed to be amazed at the life that Buffy was living. As they all sat down to eat breakfast, Joyce was even more convinced that she had made the right decision. As she watched, Nikki was drawn into the conversation by Buffy, Willow and Tara, who all understood what Joyce was trying to do. Joyce hoped the rest of the day would go as well as the beginning of it had.