Title: A New Slayer 9/9
Author: Jadedragon
Disclaimer: Not mine, Buffy and company belong to Joss, Mutant
Enemy and the WB and UPN. Can I keep Giles, please?
Buffy awoke feeling Giles' strong arms holding her close. They had both been so tired last night that she barely remembered going to bed. But this morning there was no rush to be anywhere, her Mom had been found, the demon defeated and Nikki seemed to be fitting in. As she lay in the arms of the man she loved, she felt their daughter kick her. She had been so preoccupied over the last several days that she hadn't given her much thought, other than telling Giles that they were having a daughter. A daughter, a little girl who she knew could be a Slayer. She knew that if that happened, she, Giles and the rest of the group would train her and stand beside her in her battles, but she hoped that wouldn't happen. She wanted her daughter to have a normal mundane life, with both of her parents.
Buffy looked at Giles, who was still sleeping peacefully. He looked so much younger when he was resting. All the tension she had seen on his face the last four days was gone and she reached up to kiss him gently, surprised when he responded.
"How long have you been awake?" she asked him.
"Something kicked me and I felt you in my arms," he told her.
"That was your daughter kicking."
"Really?" he asked as he placed his hand on her abdomen. His face had a look of awe and surprise when he felt his child kick right into his hand for the first time. "She will be a strong child. Buffy, do you realize the chances are good that she will have the potential to be a Slayer?"
"I know, I hope not, but if she does I want us to train her not the Council!"
"I agree luv, but there are those on the Council that will not agree and may fight us."
"So we fight them. That's something I'm used to," she said as she changed the subject, reaching up to kiss him again.
As he responded, taking her into his arms, holding her tightly, knowing from the way she was kissing him, that she wanted him as much as he wanted her. As the kiss deepened, they found themselves slowly undressing each other as they continued kissing. Soon they were nude in each other's arms showing the love they felt so deeply. As Giles held her in his arms, he cherished the feel of her, knowing that this time it was truly happening and that she loved him as much as he loved her. Together they reaffirmed their love for each other, slowly making love for the first time since their daughter was conceived.
**********
Ethan was up slowly wandering the Mansion. He had found the books that had been used for the research on the Malock demon and was reading them, the first time he had been able to see well enough to read in quite some time. He had no idea what he would do. Any and all the contacts he'd had were now useless to him because of his ancient appearance. He was old, and he had nowhere to go.
Ethan knew that everyone would be meeting at the Mansion about 10 am to tie up the loose ends and discover what Spike and Angel had found at the Hellmouth. Not that it would mean anything to him. He had to decide how he would proceed; he didn't want to be a burden to anyone and didn't want charity. Charity meant pity to Ethan and he wanted no-ones pity.
He turned as he heard someone enter the room and saw Wesley there. He didn't know much about the former Watcher, but he knew he had been instrumental in helping to defeat the demon.
"I want to thank you for your part in defeating the demon. Thanks in part to you I'm free of it," he told Wesley.
"Giles and Wen also helped with the research, I didn't do it alone," Wesley assured him.
"If I hadn't been so stupid, it wouldn't have happened in the first place!"
"Mr. Rayne, you're not the first to be taken in by a demon and you won't be the last. Besides the information you gave us also helped us to defeat him."
Ethan looked at the man who had been a Watcher and wondered how many other stories he would make up to try and make Ethan feel useful. Ethan pushed past him and walked toward the courtyard. The courtyard seemed to be as forgotten as he was and he sat on a bench beside the fountain, which contained brackish water. He felt as unwanted as the courtyard was unkempt. He had no idea what he would do or how he would go about accomplishing whatever he decided. For once in his life, Ethan Rayne felt totally useless.
**********
Joyce sat in her backyard, savoring the cup of coffee in her hands. She had slept fitfully and gotten up with the sunrise. She was very thankful to everyone and grateful to have only spent a single night as a hostage of the Malock Demon. Joyce looked around herself at the tranquil spot where she was enjoying her morning cup of coffee. "I am blessed!" she thought to herself. She was home with no major injuries, only nightmares to bother her sleep instead of being dead. As she thought more of the situation, she saw Nikki appear on the steps and walk toward her.
"Mrs. Summers, are you feeling alright this morning?" Nikki asked.
"I'm fine. I just couldn't sleep," she told the young girl before her.
"You had nightmares, huh?" she asked, having heard Joyce tossing and turning all night.
"How did you know?"
"I heard you. You called out in your sleep several times. I still do that sometimes," the young Slayer admitted to her. "The dreams are so hard. I see my family still alive, but when I wake up, they are gone again and I am alone."
Joyce looked at the small girl standing before her and opened her arms. Nikki came her and Joyce held the young girl who began crying in her arms. It was the first time anyone had seen Nikki cry since she had arrived in Sunnydale. Joyce comforted her, soothing her hair and talking to her quietly. After a few minutes she looked up at Joyce.
"Can I stay here?" she asked in a small hesitant voice.
"Of course, Nikki. I want you to stay with me," Joyce assured the girl in her arms. "Why don't we fix ourselves some breakfast before we have to leave for the meeting?"
She and Joyce went back inside and prepared breakfast together.
**********
Spike and Angel made their way back to the Mansion through the sewer, both surprised at what had been found in the demon's former lair. They didn't know quite what to do with what had been found so they took what they could back to discuss their discoveries. They arrived just after everyone else. Giles immediately saw them and asked for their report.
"Well, mate, we found the sphere, but it was a blackened shell, no use to anyone," Spike told the Watcher as he laid the remains of the artifact on the table.
Giles, Wesley and Wen immediately began examining the remains before them. In hushed tones they discussed how it could have been triggered without opening the Hellmouth. Ten minutes passed before any of them turned to the rest of the people assembled in the room with them.
"It appears that somehow the magic contained within the sphere was damaged and seeped out. But how that happened without a major magickal explosion, we can't discern," Wesley told the others as Wen and Giles continued to examine the ruined artifact.
Wen broke the covering and examined what had been contained within. He had a look of astonishment on his face, as it appeared that something was moving in the debris of the sphere.
Ethan was standing at the doorway to the courtyard, ready to make a quiet exit when something pulled him toward the table where the artifact was being examined. Once he got there a small creature rushed toward him, hiding in his long hair, a tail curling around his neck.
"What is it?" he asked a bit taken aback by something holding on to his neck, feeling claws grasping his shoulder.
"I believe that it is a creature from the universe where you had been held for so long," Wen explained to the sorcerer. "The Malock used your magick throughout the years, did he not?"
"Yes," Ethan answered. "But what does that have to do with this 'thing' holding on to me for dear life?"
"I believe that the creature is a flydragon, which has sensed your magic and believes that you are.its mother." Wen explained
"A dragon? I can't raise a bloody dragon. They can't live in this dimension!" Ethan replied.
"It would appear that they can," Wesley stated in amazement.
"Giles, what is a flydragon?" Nikki asked in a small voice. "Do I have to kill it?"
"You will do no such thing!" Ethan told the young Slayer in no uncertain terms, feeling a close kinship with the tiny creature.
"No, Nikki. You won't have to kill it. Flydragons usually are very small and live in other dimensions. I've never heard of one here, but they are rare and quite intelligent. Ethan, do you realize just what a responsibility you have been given?"
"Yes I do Rupert. I don't know how I'll raise it properly, but I'll give it my best," Ethan said as he stroked the small head which had appeared on his shoulder. "I can't imagine why he would come to me."
"It's said that flydragons can sense who needs them," Wen told him.
"But I can't take care of myself much less him," Ethan said in a tired voice.
"Well, I guess we now know who this should go to," Spike said as he set a rather large knapsack on the table and opened it. From the bag poured gold coins and gems. "I guess Ethan will need this more than the rest of us.
"The flydragon flew from Ethan and set on the pile of gold and gems, looking at Ethan and raising his voice in a soothing croon."
"It must be from its mother's lair." Wesley said.
"But how did the demon get it in the first place?" Ethan asked.
"We'll never know. Ethan, are you prepared to shoulder the responsibility of caring for this creature and using its abilities?"
"What abilities are you talking about?" he asked.
"Flydragons are known for their ability to cross dimensional portals in search of knowledge and to bring that knowledge back to those who would use it to better themselves and those around them. They are known to serve truth and hurt those who would use them for ill gain. Flydragons are related to the Kirin, who were known for their love of justice," Wen explained.
"So I can travel to other dimensions with this creature who will keep me honest?" Ethan asked with a strange look on his face.
"Yes. But before you commit to this journey, you must know that if at some point in the future, you do anything that is contrary to his goals, he can leave you wherever you are, whatever dimension you are in and choose another being to help him in his quest for knowledge," Wesley warned him.
"So you're saying that if I revert to my old ways, he would leave me and I could be stuck wherever he left me."
"Precisely," Wen and Wesley said at the same time.
"And the pile of gold is to be used for traveling purposes?" Ethan asked as he walked toward the table.
"Yes."
"Fine. Now I have something to do and the means to do it, besides, I like the little booger anyway," Ethan replied as he again stroked the small dragon sitting on the table before him. Everyone watched as Ethan and the tiny being became better acquainted.
Nikki took this time to go over to Buffy.
"Buffy, can I take a class at your dojo?"
"Of course. I can't teach you at the moment, but Wang will be glad to have you in one of his advanced classes," she assured the younger Slayer.
"No, I mean a class with some kids my own age," Nikki corrected her.
"That will be great. I think I know just the class and some of them will be in the same grade when you start school in September."
"School, I'll go to school with kids my age?"
"Of course Nikki. Here in the States it is required that children attend classes," Giles told her.
"I haven't gone to school with kids since I became the Slayer," she said in a small scared voice.
"Hey, you'll do fine. You'll meet a lot of really neat people. I met Willow and Xander on my first day at Sunnydale High!" Buffy tried to reassure the young girl.
"Aren't you forgetting someone?" Giles asked his love.
"Yeah, I met Cordelia, too," she said as she looked at Giles. "And of course, I met you. That was the most surprising moment in my life."
"Really, why?"
"Because I thought I had left vampires and slaying back in LA and here was this stuffy English librarian plopping a huge old musty book titled 'Vampyre' right down in front of me."
"Well it did get your attention, luv."
"That it did," she replied as she reached up to kiss him.
**********
Over the next week, Ethan left with Ames, which he had named the dragon, to explore the various dimensions. He promised to check in with them periodically and bring them any volumes that he discovered. Nikki started taking classes at the dojo with some kids her age and made some friends. She seemed to be settling in to the routine quite nicely. Joyce again got with Willow and Tara to plan a bridal shower, but unknown to them, Buffy and Giles left quietly to marry in Las Vegas, wanting only to start their life together. Joyce's bridal shower became a wedding reception on their return and even Ethan had managed to be present at the party for his old mate.
Then early in September, Amanda Anne Giles was born and again there was a celebration for the Scooby group. This celebration was much happier for Buffy than her last birthday. All her dreams had come to pass, she had the child she wanted and also had the man she loved by her side.
The end