by Femvamp
Author: Femvamp
Email: Femvamp001@aol.com
Disclaimer: I own everything. It's all mine. You can't have it. No
wait I, sorry I own nuthing. Not Buffy, not Angel (I may include it
later) not ER. Hey if I did well lets just say everyone would be
naked and singing showtoons all the time. "Hey wait, that's not a
scalpel."
Spoilers: So far just Rampage on ER and just figure it takes place before Wrecked in BTVS.
Pairing: Ultimately Kerry/Kim, Giles/Joyce, Willow/Tara, and just for sport Buffy/Spike and Xander/Anya
Feedback: Please yes, I would really like to know if you like this
piece of junk. I wouldn't want to continue to write it if everyone
hates it.
Part 1
Dr. Kerry Weaver was in a state of shock. She had just outed herself to the biggest homophobe County Hospital. She had never meant to do it but Romano had pushed her, and this time she had pushed back. When the elevator opened on the first floor she got out, with the full intention of packing her things to leave.
"Hello Red."
Kerry turns around quickly to catch the soon to be dead guy who had called her Red. She was already on a role. She was fully prepared to Weaver this guy too.
"My God, Ripper."
"It's good to see you again, my dear." Rupert Giles smiles and then hugs Kerry.
After a few moments Kerry realized that she was being watched. Suddenly all thoughts about what had just happened left her head. All that remained was bits and pieces of a past she had tried hard to forget.
"Why don't we go into my office and talk."
"Yes, yes that would be nice."
"You mean you went back?" Kerry said a little more loudly then she intended.
Kerry and Rupert Giles were talking in Kerry's office. The conversation at first had been small talk. Then they started to talk about their mutual past.
"Not at first, but later, yes."
Kerry sighed, "I'm sorry. "
"Don't be. My life has been....interesting."
Kerry smiled, "I bet." Kerry paused "You know what, why don't we take this conversation somewhere a little more appropriate."
"What about your work?" Giles asked.
That's when it hit her. She no longer had a job at the hospital. Kerry just smiled.
"A few minutes before you showed up, I quit."
"What?" Giles asked.
"It's a long story, I explain later. Let's get the hell out of here."
Giles just smiled and followed her out of the hospital, past a group of very confused doctors.
Kerry crutched out of the kitchen and handed Giles a cup of tea. He took it and thanked her and then they continued the conversation they started earlier.
"So tell me, how long have you been in America?"
Giles looks up startled, "Five years now."
"Five?" Kerry paused, "That long."
"I've been living in California. For awhile I was a high school librarian then I opened up my own shop in town."
Kerry laughed, "I never would have seen you as a school librarian. What did your Father say?"
"It was his idea."
Kerry paused in shock, and then it dawned on her, "My God, they gave you a slayer."
Part 2
Giles and Kerry continued to talk through the night. Giles told her about Buffy and Kerry told him about Kim. Soon they realized it was nearly midnight.
"Why don't you stay the night, I mean that is, if you don't have somewhere to go."
"No, no." Giles laughed knowing this was Kerry's subtle way of asking if someone was waiting for him, "And that would be nice."
"I'll go get you some blankets."
Kerry smiled and then went into her bedroom to get the spare sheets. Suddenly there was a knock on the door, "Ripper, would you mind getting that."
"Yes of course." Giles got up and opened the door only to see a blonde woman standing there, "May I help you."
Giles noticed immediately that the woman looked shocked. He had no idea who this woman was but he guessed that she wasn't expecting to see him there and it through her.
"Uh, no. I just wanted...I just came...."
"My god, Kim."
Before Giles could react Kim bolted in the other direction soon to be followed by Kerry who crutched after Kim a lot faster then she should have been able to.
"Kim, wait."
Kim paused and turned around trying hard not to cry, "I'm sorry, this is all my fault, I shouldn't have come."
"Kim, its not what it looks like." Kerry said frantically.
"I'm sorry, I told...you." Kim tried to turn around to go.
"Kim, wait."
Just then a man came from behind them and grabbed Kerry. Kerry immediately knew something was wrong, it felt wrong. Then she looked at the man's face and it was.....
"Kim run!"
"What?" Kim said noticing for the first time the man's face.
"Kim, get Ripper."
Suddenly the man attacked throwing Kerry against a metal fence, crushing it. Kim tried to jump the man but she was easily thrown. As Kerry was trying to get up she noticed three more men....no vampires, they were definitely vampires, running towards them. Kerry braced for the fight she knew was coming.
Suddenly Giles came running in there direction and took out one of the vampires. Both Kerry and Kim looked on as the vampire turned to dust. Kerry took this as her cue and pressed the secret button on her crutch and out came a small wooden knife. She quickly went after the smaller of the two remaining vampires.
When the fight ended, Kim got up from the sitting position and stared at her ex-girlfriend and the man she seemed to know.
"Ok, is someone going to tell me what the Hell is going on here?"
Part 3
"That's what I would like to know." Kerry leaned heavily against her crutch and got to her feet.
Giles ignored Kerry and walked to Kim and put out his hand, "You must be Kim, my name is Rupert Giles, Kerry's ex-husband."
Kim paused momentarily and then took Giles' hand, "Pleasure, I think."
"Damn it Ripper." Kerry tried to crutch her way to Giles but only managed to take a few steps before dizziness overtook her, "What the hell is going on." She paused to catch her breath, "I mean, I've been living here a lot of years and I've seen maybe five vampires, now you come back into my life and suddenly we're attacked by three." She paused again and looked angrily at Giles, "And don't give me any of your crap. I'm in no mood."
Giles paused, "You're hurt."
"My God." Kim ran over to Kerry and tried to hold her steady.
"And you." Kerry pulled away and momentarily lost her balance, "What the hell are you doing here? I thought you said to go back to my life."
"I...." Kim paused, "I just wanted to thank you....."
"For what, ruining you life?" Kerry said angrily.
"No, for what you did today."
"Uhh...normally right now I'd clean my glasses and pretend I didn't see or hear anything but I think we should go inside."
The two women just nodded and followed Giles back to Kerry's place. When they got inside Kim noticed that Kerry was bleeding.
"My God, Kerry you're bleeding."
Kerry looked on her arm and saw a big gash. She wondered why she hadn't felt it. After a moment she just turned back to Kim and tried to smile.
"Don't worry, I've had worse."
Kerry crutched her way into the bathroom to fix up her wound leaving Giles and Kim alone. After a few moments of extreme awkwardness Kim, spoke.
"So you are Kerry's mysterious ex-husband."
"Yes, that would be me."
"And you said you're name was Rupert Giles?"
"Yes."
"Then why did Kerry call you Ripper?"
Kim saw Giles' face flinch with what appeared to be pain but she didn't see any marks on him from the fight so she figured it was a mental pain. Sometimes it paid to be a phyciatrist. From just that moment she learned something about this seemingly normal man. He had something in his past that....hurt. Kim wondered if Kerry had anything to do with it.
"It just an old nickname. Haven't been called that in a long time. At least not by anyone who I'd consider a friend."
"Then what do you're friends call you?" Kim asked.
Giles laughed to himself for a moment, "Well mostly they call me Giles." Giles paused for a moment, "May I ask you a question?"
Kim nodded, "OK."
"You and Kerry are....close, am I correct?" Giles asked awkwardly removing his glasses to clean them.
Kim smiled at the man's awkwardness, "Yes we WERE close."
Giles nodded, "She is sorry you know."
Kim was about to respond when Kerry crutched back into the room and began speak, "OK now that I am all fixed up, Ripper, tell me why you came back into my life after twenty years. Why now?"
Giles paused for a long moment, "It's about our daughter."
Part 4
Kim sat there in awe and watched the scene around her. One moment Kerry had come crutching in full of anger and the next her face became completely unreadable. Kim had never seen Kerry like this.
"My God its happening isn't it?" Kerry sat in one of the chairs with a look of plain fear in her eyes.
Kim had never seen Kerry like this. She had never seen such fear in the woman's face, not even the day......
"The prophesy, its happening." Kerry continued.
"Ok what prophesy?"
Kim had enough there was just so much about this entire situation that was just way over her head. She needed some answers.
"Damn you two. What the Hell is going one. Those were vampires weren't they? There are no such things as vampires. Now you're talking about prophesies. What next leprechauns?"
"There's no such thing as leprechauns." Kerry stated.
"What about vampires?" Kim began, "I mean, hell, I was brought down just the other do for a consult on some guy claiming he was a vampire."
"He wasn't." Kerry turned to see Giles smiling, "I checked."
"How can you be so damn sure?"
"He had a reflexion, that and he came in, in the daytime." Kerry saw the blank look on Kim's face, "Vampires don't sunbathe, bad for the complexion."
Well duh? Kim thought to herself. She had read enough vampire books to know that much. But this was all so surreal. If she didn't know better she would have thought she was in one of her therapy sessions.
Giles cleared his throat, "I am sorry to interrupt but...."
"You're daughter." Kim turned to Kerry, "I didn't know you had a daughter."
"No one did." Kerry turned to Giles, "No one was supposed to."
"I'm sorry, Kerry." Giles said.
"Its happening isn't it?" Kerry asked again, "After all we did its still happening."
Giles nodded.
"How long have you known?" Kerry asked, "How long have you know where she was?"
"I've known for awhile, I just didn't know it was her."
"But all the signs are there aren't they. You wouldn't be here if they weren't."
"Yes they are there."
"And the Council, do they know?"
"I don't think so."
"At least there's that." Kerry paused for a moment, "Ripper, what is her name?"
Giles paused for a moment before he responded, "Willow Rosenburg."
Part 5
Willow. Rosenburg. Kerry had a daughter named Willow Rosenburg. That was the thought that ran like light speed through Kim's head. Nice name. Pretty name. Jewish Name? Kim knew Kerry wasn't Jewish, and she figured this Giles guy wasn't either. He acted and sounded rather English, actual born in England English.
Kim watched the expressions on both Kerry and Giles' faces. She could sense deep sadness in both of them. That's when it hit her that she really knew very little about the woman. She had thought she had known everything, had read the book on Kerry Weaver from cover to cover but she now realized that the early chapters had been completely ripped out long ago. She knew very little about the woman she still loved.
"And all the signs, they're there?" Kerry asked with her head resting in her hands.
"Yes." Giles said simply.
"A gift for the magic of the past and the future?" Kerry stood up and rested heavily upon her crutch and then walked to the window behind her and stared out.
"She is a computer hacker." Giles paused and then looked at Kim, "And a witch."
"Ok, what's going on here?" Kim finally spoke, "If I didn't know better....."
Kerry started to laugh and then turned to Kim, "You have us admitted by now, wouldn't you? I wouldn't blame you, though." Kerry looked at Kim sadly, "I guess I have some explaining to do, don't I?" Kerry paused for a moment, "Things were different back then, weren't they Ripper? We were so angry. We were angry at the world. The expression `looking for trouble' fit us to a tee, and we found it didn't we?"
Kim watched on as Kerry continued her story, take brief looks at Giles and the expressions that were running through his face.
"It wasn't your fault Kerry." Giles said simply, "I was the one who through the first punch."
"Yes, but I didn't help matters any." Kerry turned to face Kim, "Starting a bar fight with a bunch of demons isn't exactly a smart thing to do. We never had a chance, did we? We never had a chance." Kerry sat back down and looked directly into Kim's eyes, "When I woke up I was in a hospital and the doctors told me I would never walk right again."
Kim continued to sit in silence as she heard the story of Kerry's life. She had always wondered how Kerry had come to hurt her hip. It was a hot source of gossip in the hospital, it always had been. Now Kim knew, she knew a lot more then she ever wanted to.
"You took it better then I did." Kerry smiled at Giles, "All this did was make me angrier. I pushed you away when you tried to help." Kerry then looked at Kim and Kim saw great sadness in her eyes, "I pushed the only good thing in my life away, out of fear." Kerry laughed under her breath, "I guess some things never change."
"When I left I fell in with an even worse crowd then I had been in before." Giles began to speak, "I had so much...I don't know what it was, maybe sadness, in me that I needed an outlet. We did things that....changed me." Giles smiled at Kim, "The next time I saw Kerry she was pregnant. Six months so in fact."
"I had found out I was pregnant about three weeks after I left the hospital." Kerry grinned at Giles, "Well actually I escaped." And then smiled at Kim, "I hated hospitals."
Kim grinned but then realized that the story wasn't even half over, and they were probably getting to the sad part. The part that Kim wasn't sure she wanted to hear.
"We got married a few weeks after we ran into each other again." Giles smiled, "We both wanted to prove ourselves to each other....and to the world. We were determined to be such good parents." Giles paused, "And we were."
Neither Giles nor Kerry spoke for what seemed like a long time. Kim just sat there silently and let them have their moment of silence for the things they had lost, and Kim knew at that moment that the two people sitting in front of her had lost a great deal. More then anyone should ever have to lose.
"Then what happened?" Kim finally said trying not to sound too much like a phyciatrist.
"Ripper always had a gift for languages." Kerry smiled, "One day I found an old book that was written, well I'm not exactly sure what language it was but I knew that `my man' could read it to me, so I brought it home." Kerry paused, "He translated it for days. He was obsessed. Then one day...."
"I found a passage that made my blood run cold. I had read prophecy's before, but until that moment it had always been about other people. This one was about us."
"A child born to one gifted with the magics for the past and another the magics of the future will grow to master them both. She will be the ally of a great hero only to betray said hero in her darkest hour." Kerry paused, "And that's why you came back isn't it Ripper? Our daughter is going to betray the Slayer."
Giles frowned, "And end the world."
Part 6
Kim just sat there in awe. She only understood half of what was going on, at best. Just a few short hours before her life had been simple, dramatic, maybe even Dawson Creekish, but simple. Now she was listening to a conversation about Witches, Vampires, and Slayers by people who were NOT wacko. Maybe she needed to see a shrink.
The one part she did understand was that Kerry's daughter was about to do something.....really really bad. Kim wasn't exactly sure if she should take Giles' remark about her ending the world literally or not. Somewhere deep inside she knew he meant it exactly how he said it. It scared her to death.
"I guess this means we're off to Sunnydale." Kerry said sadly.
"I'm coming with you." Kim stated.
"Oh no you're not." Kerry said angrily and then looked at Giles for support.
Giles just took of his glasses and cleaned them and then found an interesting spot on the carpet to look at. Kim loved him at that moment. He didn't have to say anything. She knew exactly what he was thinking.
"Oh yes I am." Kim said maintain some semblance of calm, "I'm going with you, even if I have to follow you to Hell and back."
Kerry paused, "That might not me out of the question."
Kim just nodded not really sure what else to do.
"I'm pretty sure that the council wouldn't send a Slayer to a town like Mayberry. Sunnydale is over a Hellmouth isn't it?" Kerry paused and looked into Kim's eyes, "And it is exactly what it sounds like. There are certain places that are literally on top of the mouth of Hell, most of them are dormant but they still are a.....magnet for evil. So if you come with us, you may just be following us into Hell."
"Then I'll pack something cool." Kim said and then stood up, "I'm going home to pack some things." She paused, "You will be here when I come back?"
"We'll be here." Giles spoke for the first time.
"Good." Kim said and then without further word walked out the door.
Kim was in such a hurry to get back to her place that she didn't notice a man standing in the shadows. The man watched her go before he took out a cell phone and pressed a few buttons.
"It's time." The man spoke into the phone and then turned away and walked back into the darkness.
Part 7
We'll be arriving at Sunnydale Airport in a few moments.
Kim sat in her seat and wondered what exactly she had gotten herself into. From what she had heard, this town....Sunnydale was the stuff of childhood nightmares. The place where all the monsters that hid under her bed when she was a child went to live when she no longer believed in them. This was a place where any sane person would run away from and never look back for the fear of turning into salt, and here she was running to it.
As the plane landed Kim felt Kerry's hand around her own. Kim couldn't help but smile. Her friends were right; she had it bad for this woman. Even after all they had been though she was still willing to follow Kerry into Hell. She just hoped that she could find a little Heaven as well.
"Alright Kim, it time for the ground rules." Kerry said as they entered the airport lounge. "You do what I say, when I say it."
"You're the Chief." Kim said trying to make a joke.
"I'm serious Kim." Kerry paused, "Just think of this place as the Twilight Zone, normal conventional rules don't apply here. The rules are different."
Kim nodded and listened as Kerry told her the new rules. She was not to go out by herself after dark, that was a big one. The others were minor, including the one about carrying a wooden thingy in her purse. Kerry had called it a stake but Kim just referred to it as a thingy. Kim had agreed to all the rules.
"Alright then, now that we have that settled," Giles said awkwardly.
"Yes, where to...Ri....Rupert."
Kim laughed. Somewhere along the night Kim had told Kerry that Giles didn't like to be called Ripper. Kerry had understood almost immediately and had apologized for continually calling him that. Sometimes however she slipped and called him Ripper.
Giles looked at his watch, "Well we could stop off at my flat and drop off your bags or we could go directly to the Magic Shoppe."
Normally Kim would have raised an eyebrow at a reference to a magic Shoppe but she was slowly getting used to the situation she had found herself in. She simply waited and let Kerry decide.
"Come again...and buy more stuff." Anya smiled at the latest customer.
Xander just laughed. He loved is fiance and all her little quirks. Sometimes he thought she said and did the things she did simply for the shock value. In recent months she had gotten really good at being human, although some of the little details were completely lost on the ex-vengenounce demon. Xander however loved her for it.
Xander was about to go over and kiss her when the door opened again and in walked Giles flanked by two very gorgeous women. One had blonde hair and legs to die for; the other was a redhead who walked with a crutch but seemed to have strength to her that could be seen from a mile away.
"Giles what are you doing here." Anya said worried, "You said this was my shop now. You're not coming back are you?"
Xander stood up and walked to where Anya was, "What my dear fiance is trying to say is, it's good to see you again G-man."
"Well thank you...Xander. It's good to be back." Giles said meaning every word, "And no Anya I don't want the shop back. It's yours."
"Good." Anya paused, "And I am glad to see you. As long as the shop is mine."
Kim couldn't help but giggle at the scene in front of her. She turned to see that Kerry was also smiling. This Anya person was definitely a character. Kim liked her immediately.
"And who are these two lovely ladies?" Xander turned to Kerry and Kim.
"Oh yes. Umm....this is Kerry Weaver and old friend of mine and her....friend Kim Legaspi."
"They're orgasm friends, right?" Anya said not noticing that everyone in the room had their mouths wide open in shock, "Or they had been. Yeah I don't think they are anymore....but they should be. They love each other like I love you Xander."
"Uhh Anya. Rule number twenty-one. No personal insight into people's lives that aren't friends."
"But they are friends. They are Giles' friends which makes them our friends too, right?"
Kim just stood there partly watching Kerry's face turn an interesting shade of red and partly laughing at what Anya said. It was so on the mark that she wondered if this young woman had missed her calling. She could have been a phyciatrist, or maybe she was just certifiable. Either way, Kim really liked her.
Just then two women came rushing into the shop. One gave the impression she was a hurricane. The kind of person that reminded her a lot of Kerry. The second seemed to hold back a little.
"Giles!" One of the women smiled and then rushed over to Giles and gave him a big hug lifting him slightly off the ground.
"B.B.Buffy." Giles stated a little agitated, "You can put me down now."
Buffy smiled and put Giles. Kim laughed to herself. Even though he looked a little embarred she could see the humor in his eyes.
"Who are they?" Buffy asked and then took a few steps toward Kerry.
"I'm Kerry Weaver, I'm a friend of Rip...Mr. Giles's." Kerry put out her hand but Buffy did not take it.
"Old friends?" Buffy turned to Giles.
"Uhh Yes." Giles removed his glasses to clean them.
"Why are you back, Mr. Giles?" The other young woman asked, "N....not that I m...mind, I m..m..mean."
Giles smiled, "I have some last minute business in town." Giles paused, "Its good to see you again Tara."
"Business?" Buffy asked worried, "Is it something I should be concerned about?"
Giles was about to respond when another person entered the shop. Kim noticed her right away. The moment she entered the room time seemed to stop. Everyone looked at her and Kim noticed worry in there eyes. Something was off about the citation.
"Hey Giles." The woman smiled, "What ya doing back in town?"
"Oh...um, hi Willow." Giles paused, "I'd like you to meet some friends of mine."
Kim stood there and watched as Kerry was introduced to her daughter.
Part 8
Things Kim knew:
Kim couldn't sleep so she kept adding to the things she knew. She sometimes did that with her patients on nights when she couldn't sleep. It sometimes helped her help them. Now however it was the only thing she could do to stop herself from walking to the bed next to hers and ravishing the woman she still loved.
11. Willow and Tara had been lovers.
12. They broke up because of Willow's use of black magic.
13. The group called themselves the Scooby Gang.
14. Buffy's mother was sick.
Kim remembered her meeting with Joyce Summers. Joyce was a wonderful woman who jokingly referred to herself as the Queen of Denial. However in recent months her title was being threatened. She could no longer deny the truth about their lives. But Kim knew that there was one thing she still denied.
15. Joyce was in love with Rupert.
16. Rupert was in love with Joyce.
Kim had no doubt about their mutual attraction to each other. She had laughed when the kids had told her about what they referred to as "the band candy incident." Joyce and Giles had reverted back to their teenage selves. They had embarrassed the two adults with their knowledge of their activities that night. Having sex on the top of a police car was definitely something they were never going to live down.
17. Dawn was a key to opening the portals of Hell.
Kim still didn't quite understand the circumstances that brought about Dawn's existence. What she had been told was confusing. Dawn wasn't really Buffy's sister but to the entire group it didn't really matter. She was family.
18. Buffy had died twice.
19. There were two slayers.
There was only supposed to be one slayer but somewhere along the line a second appeared only to die a short time later. And then a third appeared. The third was named Faith and had quickly turned against the group, but was now trying to redeem herself.
20. The group fought demons.
21. Spike was a vampire.
Meeting Spike was definitely an event. He was cocky, arrogant, and down right rude. Kim liked him right away. There was just something about the vampire.
22. Spike was in love with Buffy.
Although no one said anything, Kim knew by the subtle looks, that Spike was madly in love with Buffy. She laughed at the thought; here a powerful but neutered vampire was in love with his arch enemy. Hell he might as well have been Lex Luthor in love with Clarke Kent.
23. The entire group needed a really good shrink. 24. The entire group was really worried about Willow. 25. Willow needed help.
Willow had disappeared shortly after meeting the woman she still didn't know was her mother. None of the others knew either. It was better that way, at least that is what Kerry had said. However Kim knew that all Kerry wanted to do was take Willow in her arms and apologize for all the years she wasn't there. When Kim had heard about Willow's emotionally and physically unavailable parents it broke her heart as much for Willow as it did for Kerry.
26. Willow had an addiction to magic
Kim continued to lie in bed and listened to the woman asleep in the bed next to hers. All she wanted to do was take her in her arms and tell her everything was going to be ok. But they both knew it was a lie. Something big was going down and there was little time to stop it. Kim knew they need to talk about so much, but it would have to wait until the morning.
27. Kim was still in love with Kerry.
Part 9
Kerry followed Willow through the dark streets of Sunnydale. She knew it was a stupid thing to do but some maternal part of her wanted to make sure the girl the safe. Willow was her daughter. There were so many things about this town that was wrong. From what she heard the parents of this town had very little connection with their own children. The town was blind to the danger and yet the bonds between the people were either incredibly strong or non-existent.
As Kerry followed Willow she saw more then once a demon approach the girl only to back away in fear. Kerry hoped it was a simple case of Willow's reputation preceding her but she knew it was something else. Even from a distance she could see that Willow radiated power. A power she had only seen once before, in Ripper.
Eventually Kerry followed Willow to a dead end but Willow didn't turn around instead paused for a moment and then walked through the wall. Kerry was standing far enough away that Willow never once saw her. At least Kerry hoped she didn't.
Kerry waited outside for what seemed like hours. As she waited she remembered.....
"Damn it Ripper, there has to be another way."
"There isn't." Ripper said sadly, "I wish there was."
"We could run." Kerry said frantically, "We could run. Go somewhere, anywhere. They'll never find us."
Ripper didn't say anything he just walked to a nearby wall and punched it with all his might, nearly breaking his knuckles in the process. Kerry watched him with a sense of dread. He was right. The council would find them, eventually.
"Damn the bastard." Ripper said angrily, "Why can't he just let me go."
Kerry knew how much Ripper hated his father. She knew the feeling was mutual. For some reason Ripper's father blamed Ripper for everything that ever went wrong in the world. Now he was after their child. Their daughter.
"He'll never let us go, will he?" Kerry said sadly, "They'll never let us go not with the prophesy. Not when they know our daughter can end the world."
Ripper just shook his head.
Kerry was shaken out of her thoughts by the sound of Willow approaching. Kerry quickly crutched into the shadows so that she was not seen. After a few moments Kerry continued to follow her daughter through the streets of Sunnydale, hoping against hope that the prophesy was wrong.
That is wasn't too late to save her daughter.
Chapter 10
"So he fired you after he found out you were gay?"
Kim sat in the Summers' den along with Tara, Xander, Anya, and Dawn. They had ended up there after Anya had finally closed the Magic Shoppe for the night. Kim had wanted to go back to the motel but after calling there and finding no home, the group thought it was safer to take Kim back to the Summers's home. Kim didn't mind though, she was actually having fun.
"Oh, of course he made up a completely different seemingly legit reason to do it, but yes."
"And how did Dr. Weaver handle it?" Tara asked.
"She didn't."
"So I was right, you were orgasm friends." Anya said happily.
"Anya!"
Kim laughed, "It's alright, Xander, and yes Anya we were..." Kim paused, "orgasm friends."
"I didn't hear that." Giles walked into the den followed by Joyce.
"So uh.. what kind of doctors are you?" Dawn asked trying to change the subject.
"I'm a psychologist, and Kerry head of the ER."
"Wow." Xander smiled, "That's big."
"We've seen a lot of emergency rooms." Anya clarified.
"Now I didn't hear that." Joyce handed Kim a cup of hot chocolate and then went back into the kitchen.
"But things are b...better between the t..two of you?" Tara asked.
"Yes." Kim paused, "The day Mr. Giles showed up, Kerry had....uh..." Kim paused and then smiled, "tore Romano a new one."
The entire group laughed.
"That's why I was at Kerry's door that night." Kim smiled at Giles, "I wanted to thank her."
Giles removed his glasses and began to clean them off, "I think I'll go see if Mrs. Summers needs any help."
Kim smiled at the man. He had it bad, but then who was she to talk. She had it bad too.
"By the way where is Buffy tonight?" Kim asked.
"Uh, probably patrolling." Giles said absentmindly.
Kim wasn't quite sure what patrolling meant figured it had something to do with being the slayer. One girl with the power to battle the forces of evil, sounded a bit like Superman to her. Then again it probably was a bit like being superman, pretending to be normal when you were anything but.
"I think I'm going to give Kerry another call." Kim got up and took out her cell phone.
Buffy was patrolling through one of the many Sunnydale graveyards when she saw Kerry in the distance. Kerry was crutching along at a slow speed through the graveyard seemingly going nowhere in particular. Not a smart thing to do when you lived in Sunnydale.
"Can I help you, Dr. Weaver?" Buffy approached the older woman.
"Oh..uh."
Kerry had been following Willow when suddenly the girl had vanished. Since Kerry had never been to Sunnydale before she wasn't sure where to look for a young computer hacker witch who liked girls, so she simply wandered around hoping that she would get lucky.
"I was on my way back to the motel when I got lost."
Buffy didn't believe her for a second. Her warning bells were going off big time. She might as well have been Big Ben they were so loud. Something about the entire situation just didn't fit.
"The motel's the other way." Buffy smiled, "Why don't I walk you home."
"That won't be necessary." Kerry smiled back.
"Humor me." Buffy paused, "Giles would never forgive me if I let something happen to his....friend."
Kerry just nodded and the two continued to walk through the graveyard. Kerry knew that Buffy didn't believe her story but she wasn't sure what to tell the girl. A part of her wanted to tell the slayer everything and another wanted to knock the slayer upside the head, grab Willow and take her somewhere, anywhere that didn't believe in magic.
"You wanted to ask me something?"
"You and Giles go way back, don't you? Buffy paused, "Far back enough to know Ripper?"
"Yes." Kerry said simply knowing that wasn't the question.
"He doesn't talk about those days much, well at all." Buffy took a quick look around the area to make sure there were no vampires and then turned to face Kerry, "I know part of the reason has to do with Ethan Rayne but I know that's not all of it."
"You know Ethan Rayne?"
"We've met." Buffy paused, "Several times."
Kerry snickered at the look on Buffy's face, "We were never formally introduced." Kerry paused, "I knew Ripper before and after Ethan Rayne, not during."
"Before and after?"
"Yes we had a....falling out."
"And then you fell back in?"
"You can say that."
"And then you fell out again?"
Kerry just nodded.
"That's what I wanted to know." Buffy paused knowing that subtlety wasn't her best area, "Why then, if you haven't seen him since his Ripper years, did you follow him all the way to Sunnydale, and don't give me that crap about having business here. People don't have business here unless its killing me or taking over the world, or both." Buffy paused, "You're not trying to take over the world are you?"
Kerry laughed, "No I'm not trying to take over the world."
"Then what are you here to do?"
Kerry paused for a long time before she spoke, "I'm here to save it."
Part 11
Kerry stood and watched as the emotions went through Buffy's face. At first it seemed that Buffy didn't believe her but Kerry had expected that. No one would believe and ageing cripple like her could be anything more then what she seemed to be. However she had been underestimated all her life so she was used to it.
"Ok spill." Buffy said finally.
Kerry was tempted to say `spill what' but then thought better of it. This was not the time for her rarely seen levity.
"I don't know how much I can tell you." Kerry turned so her back was to the slayer, "I'm not sure how much you should know."
"If there's an appocolyps coming then I should know how to stop it."
Kerry was about to respond when a group of vampires attacked. The next thing Kerry knew she was on the ground. Buffy had pushed her out of the way. By the time Kerry got back up Buffy had taken out two of the vampires but the other three were giving her a hard time. Kerry pressed the put on her crutch and pulled the knife from the gears that was holding it and attacked the vampire that was trying to bite Buffy. Buffy jumped up quickly attacked the vampire behind Kerry. Kerry went after the last vampire, it took her only a moment to turn him into dust.
When the dust settled Buffy stared at Kerry for a moment before she spoke, "Who the hell are you?"
Kerry grabbed her crutch from the ground and leaned on it heavily, "I told you, I am a friend of Ri..Ruperts."
"Somehow I don't think, your're just a friend." Buffy paused, "Are you from the Watcher's Council?"
"No." Kerry said a little agrier then she intended.
"Ahh you don't like them either."
"Nobody actually likes them." Kerry paused, "When I found out Rupert went back to them I wanted to ring his kneck but then I...."
"Then you what?" Buffy asked.
"Damn it Buffy." Kerry paused, "It wasn't supposed to happen like this."
"What wasn't?" Buffy asked angrily, "And what does this all have to do with Giles?"
"It has everything to do with Giles." Kerry said on the verge of tears, "And nothing to do with Giles. It has everything to do...." Kerry paused and looked directly into Buffy's eyes, "with our daughter."
"Daughter?" Buffy said after what seemed like an eternity, "You...you have a daughter" then another light went off in Buffy's head, "Our daughter....Giles...you...you and Giles have a daughter?"
Kerry nodded.
"Who, where, when, how....I mean I know how...and ew...scary visual place there, but.....Giles has a daughter." Buffy paused, "Does Giles know he has a daughter?"
Kerry smiled, "Yes he knows, he's always known." Kerry paused, "He was a good father too."
Buffy smiled and remembered when that evil English Prick Travis had fired Giles from the Council because he showed "a father's love for the slayer." She had always thought of Giles as a father but now.....
"Who? I mean does he know who? What happened to his...your daughter?"
Kerry paused, "We had to give her up?"
"Why?"
Kerry paused for a long time before she spoke, "The Council wanted Ripper back. He knew that if they found out about our daughter they would never let her be."
"Because of who her father was." Buffy said simply.
Kerry again paused but this time knowing exactly what she was going to say. It was time for all the secrets to come out. It was time....it was simply time.
"And because of the prophesy."
"What prophesy?"
"The one that said our daughter would end the world."
Part 12
Kerry crutched back into her hotel room mildly conserned that Kim wasn't there. Then she realized that the Scoobies, as they liked to call themselves, had probably insisted that she stay with them. Kerry picked up the phone and called the Summers' home. When Mrs. Summers picked up the phone Kerry smiled. She had noticed almost immediately the looks that Rupert and Joyce gave each other. They were in love. They just didn't realize it yet.
Kerry quickly informed Joyce that she was back in the hotel room and that it was safe to bring Kim there. Joyce had been noticibly relieved which made Kerry smile. Joyce was just one of those people who simply cared for anyone she met. It didn't matter who you were or what you did, once you entered her home, you were family. It had been a long time since Kerry had a family.
"So should I be worried that you were out past midnight, Kerry?" Kim asked almost immediately after she walked through the door.
"I had some things I need to do." Kerry said simply.
"Willow?"
"Yes." Kerry paused, "I told Buffy everything."
Kim just nodded. Kerry wasn't sure it was a good nod or a bad nod so she just remained silent and waited for Kim to speak.
"We need to talk, Kerry."
"About what?"
"Us." Kim paused for a moment, "I want there to be an us, again."
"So do I." Kerry said after a moment, "I'm so sorry about what happened."
"I know." Kim said sadly, "Maybe I could have handled it better. I was just so scared and so angry. I....I loved you so much."
Kerry was about to respond when she heard a knock at the door. She was tempted to ignore it but there was always a chance that it was Willow. She couldn't let a chance to really talk to her daughter get away.
"Tara what are you doing here?" Kerry asked the young woman.
"I...I needed t..t.o ask you a question." Tara walked into the hotel room and noticed Kim standing a few feet away on the verge of tears, "I..I'm sorry, I didn't interrupt...."
"No, no it's alright." Kim smiled and guided Tara to a chair, "We were just talking."
"What do you want to know?" Kerry asked.
"I..I just....I'm not sure how to ask this?"
"Just say it then?" Kim put on her best phyciatrist smile. "I just wanted....I think I know why you are here." Tara paused, "It makes perfect sense. I mean Giles left for good but came back a few days later with two people he hasn't s..seen in years, well one person..." Tara paused again, "What I mean is, you aren't here for b.b.buisness are you?" Tara paused "You're here for something else. I've suspected for awhile that G..Giles w..was more then j..just her mentor, her f...father figure. He's her father isn't he?" Tara paused and looked directly into Kerry's eyes, "And you're her mother."
Part 13
"...So they blew up the school."
Kerry couldn't help but laugh at the story she just heard. This little wisp of a thing was telling them the story of Willow Roseburg's extraordinary life. A life filled with monsters, magic, and troll like principals.
"Jeeze, I heard of Senior gifts but isn't arson a little much?" Kim said between laughs.
Tara laughed, "That's not even the strangest story either." Tara paused, "Let me see, most of this is before my time mind you but, between vampire doubles in leather, virgin eating mantis teachers, and mayors with demon god complexes, Willow had an interesting high school experience."
"Yes I can see that."
"But she was happy?" Kerry asked.
Tara paused for a moment, "Giles was always a like a f.father to her. He was like a father to all of us. The father we always wished we had. Caring, loving, understanding...." Tara again paused and looked directly at Kerry, "none of us had that."
Kim watched as Kerry's faced turned white but said nothing.
"W..Willow's parents were....emotionally unavailable. They never made an pretense of the fact. I never met them myself but according to what I heard they still call Buffy Bunny and Xander, a friend she had since childhood `That Harris Boy'. That is when they are around at all." Tara paused when she saw the look on Kerry's face, "I don't t..think Willow knows she's adopted. I'm not sure if it would make her feel better or worse. The Doctors Roseburg never had much time for her, but she did have family elsewhere. Her friends are her family." Tara paused and smiled reashuringly at Kerry, "She has Buffy, Xander, Dawn, even Anya. She has Giles, Mrs Summers....and she has me."
Kerry smiled, "I'm glad she has you in her life."
Kim noticed Tara's face turn sad, "What's wrong Tara?"
"We broke up awhile ago."
"Why?" Kim asked in full phycological mode.
"Her use of m..magick." Tara paused, "It was getting out of control. We all knew it but she refuses to accept that fact. She cast a spell on me and that's something I can't forgive." Tara paused again, "My mind of destroyed by an evil Goddess and Willow knew that. I just got my life back and she cast a spell on me to make me forget a stupid fight we had. Her magick is out of control. But that's why you're here isn't it? That's why Giles brought you here? To stop her....to save her?"
Kerry nodded, "And to stop her from making a terrible mistake."
Kim sat there in silence. Something told her that whatever was going to happen was going to happen soon. Something told her it was going to be big. Something told her it was going to be bad.
And most of all something told her it was going to be forever.
Part 14
"So these uh....nerds are causing trouble for you guys?"
Kerry, Kim, and Tara had talked a long time before they realized how late it was. Kerry didn't want Tara to walk home alone so she insisted on accompining her back to the dorm room where had been living since her break up with Willow. Kim had also insisited on going along not wanting Kerry to walk through the dangerous streets of Sunnydale.
"I haven't been around much, but according to Dawn, the `Trio' as they call themselves is causing a lot of trouble."
"Why don't you just call the cops or something?" Kim asked.
Tara laughed before speaking, "The cops in Sunnydale are....how do I put this....dumb as dirt. They have enough trouble dealing with the human element. They would never in a m..million years be able to handle the darker side of Sunnydale. They still think its all been gangs and PCP."
Kim smiled, "But aren't...uh...the Trio humans?"
"Barely." Tara paused, "They went to highschool with Buffy and Co, and they know she's the slayer, plus they know she can't or won't kill them. They have the advantage."
"Why?"
This time Kerry spoke, "Because they can kill her."
"Sucks to be the good guys." Kim said under her breath.
Kerry was about to respond when she noticed something approaching them. At first they looked human but then she noticed their faces were distorted. It took her only a moment to react.
"Run!"
Kerry was furious. The Doctors at Sunnydale Hospital made Malucci look like Albert Sweitzer.
All Hell had broken loose. One moment she had been laughing and joking with Kim and Tara then they had been attacked by vampires. They had tried to run but pretty soon they were surrounded. It hadn't taken them long to realize they had been set up.
"Well if it isn't the phych dyke and Kerry Weaver?"
Kerry turned around immediately only to see the face of Robert Romano staring back at her. Then she looked at Kim who had a look of complete confusion on her face, but soon that look turned to blind hatred.
"What the Hell are you doing her Romano?" Kerry asked angrily.
"Finishing up some old business."
"We have no business, I quit remember?" Kerry immediately felt Kim's hand on her shoulder and smiled.
"Y..You know him?" Tara asked.
"You could say that." Kim smiled at the girl and then at Romano but this time the smile was more evil, "This is the legendary Robert "The Rocket" Romano, bane of the County Hospital."
"Aww you say the sweetest things." He turned to Kerry and smiled sweetly, "We knew you would lead us to her in time Kerry."
That's when it dawned on her, "You're a watcher?"
When Romano smiled just got deeper Kerry understood what he was doing in Sunnydale. He had come for her daughter. He had come for Willow.
Ok that had confused the Hell out of Kerry. She had noticed that it had also confused both Tara and Kim. It wasn't that she didn't agree with him, but to here someone say it outloud.... Someone she hated as much as she hated the council itself was......disconcerting.
"Then w...w.who are you?" Tara asked.
"Ahhh, you must be the girlfriend." Romano smiled at Kerry, "Guess it is in the genes after all."
"Fuck off." Kerry said simply.
"Now that isn't a nice thing to say to you're superiour."
"There's nothing superior about you, Robert." Kerry said angrily, "There never was."
"As to who I work for, well lets just say that the Council is outdated and stuck in the past, and we are looking toward the future." Romano paused and smiled at Kerry, "And you're lovely daughter is going to help us get their."
"Over my dead body!"
"That was the idea." Romano paused and pulled out a gun.
Part 15
Kerry continued to pace back and forth. She had seen other people do it all the time at County. It had often annoyed the Hell out of her. Now she understood the compulsion.
Everything had happened so quickly after that. There had been no time to think, only to act and react. Kerry still wasn't exactly sure what happened. All she knew was that when the dust settled Kim had been shot.
"Son of a bitch."
"What is it Kim? Are you alright." Kerry quickly crutched to Kim.
"I've been shot."
"My God." Kerry began to check Kim out, "How bad."
"I'll be alright." Kim said unsure, "Nothing fatal."
That's when Kim stood up, against Kerry's adamant protests and unsteadily walked toward Romano who was being to come to. Kerry wasn't exactly sure how he had gotten himself uncouncous but she seemed to recall her crutch and his head becoming personally aquaited.
Kerry watched as Kim roughly pulled Romano to his feet and then through him against a wall with more anger then Kerry had ever seen Kim posses.
"You're gonna tell me what the Hell is going on, and you're going to tell me now!"
"And if I don't." Romano asked with more then a little fear in his eyes.
"I'm a head shrinker Romano." Kim smiled evily, "I'll just have to shrink you're head."
Kerry smiled as she saw the look in Romano's eyes. The threat was meant and taken literally. Romano believed every word she had said. Kerry did too.
"Why do you want Willow?" Kim asked.
"She is the key. With her we can start again. Start over. A new Council."
"But B...Buffy won't follow you."
For the first time Kerry noticed Tara. She was on the ground in a pile of leaves. She was beginning to stand up and Kerry went over to her and helped.
Romano laughed, "She won't have to."
That's when Kerry understood, "The prophesy."
"You think we didn't know. Once the witch turns dark we can control her. We can force a confrontation between her and the slayer. With the slayer dead, a new one will arise."
"And you can control the new slayer."
"But how do you know Willow will turn dark?" Kim asked.
"She already has begun to. One little push....." Romano said simply.
"My God." Kerry went white, "Tara. You wanted to kill Tara."
"With her dead, the witch would be ours."
Kerry was about to respond again when everything went black. Part 16
In retrospect, Kerry thought she should have seen it coming. Romano had planned it too well to let anything happen by chance. One minute Kim was getting ready to tear Romano a new one and the next, Willow was stumbling towards them, her eyes as black as coal. It seemed as she walked closer to them the area around them grew darker. The magic force Willow radiated was immense.
"Willow!" Kerry quickly crutched her way towards her daughter and grabbed a hold of her moments before she fell to the ground.
"Umph, Since when was the ground so low?" Willow slurred.
"Well the if it isn't our guest of honor." Romano sneered.
Kim was still holding him to the wall, but even from where she stood, Kerry could see a great deal of the fear had left his eyes. Kerry followed his gaze and saw a man standing over her.
"It's about time you got here Rack." Romano said angrily and then turned to Kim, "And let me down you dumb bitch."
Kerry was rather surprised when Kim let go of Romano and then made an effort to dust him off. Kerry was even more surprised when she punched him in the gutt and then walked toward Tara standing in between Romano and the girl.
Rack snickered, "Sorry boss, but the witch was just too yummy. She tastes like strawberrys. I just had to have one last taste."
"Taste?" Kerry stood up and gave Rack her best, `Your about to be Weavered' look, "You better not have hurt her."
"What are you, her mother?" Rack asked not a bit intimidated.
"As a matter of fact." Kerry continued to stare down the man.
"What?" Willow said starteled.
"Ooops." Romano snickered, "Is the secret out? You're not very good at keeping secrets are you Kerry?"
"That's it." Kim said angrily and once again attacked Romano.
Kerry had barely managed to turn around before she felt something hit her hard against the head. The only thing she noticed on the way down, was someone screaming.
Part 17
Kerry was really pissed. It had been nearly two hours since she had arrived at the Sunnydale ER and still there was no word. She was about to walk to the admit desk and put the fear of God into the desk clerk when she saw Rupert and Joyce walking towards her.
"Are they alright?" Kerry asked.
"Yes all three of them are fine." Joyce smiled at the woman.
"Thank God."
"Well I'm going to call Buffy and tell her. She was worried sick." Joyce smiled at Rupert and then walked to a payphone.
"The others wanted to come, but we thought it was best they...oh Hell Buffy's probably hunting for Romano as we speak."
"I'm not sure if I want her to find him or not." Kerry said truthfully.
Giles just nodded, "So she knows?"
"Yes."
Giles took off his glasses and wipped them off, "Well I guess it was bound to happen eventually."
"It'll be alright Ripper." Kerry smiled, "From what I heard she has always loved you like a father anyway."
"Yes, but..."
"But nothing. You have always been there for her." Kerry paused, "I'm the one who has been absent from her life."
Giles was about to respond when a nurse came towards them, "She's ready to see you now."
In retrospect, Kerry wasn't sure if the last year of her life had been some cosmic joke or the TPTB's attempt to put things right. So much had gone wrong in Kerry's life she always expected the worse case sinario. Damage control had become a way of life with her. When things got bad, blame it on the other guy, or at least make sure it wasn't blamed on you.
Take no prisoners, and make no allies. It was simpiler that way.
Now, Kerry, for the first time in her life, was seeing the glass half full.
For the first time in a long time.....she had a family.
Kerry smiled and thought about her daughter. Willow had quit using magic a few days after the incident. Tara had nearly been killed. Kim was the one who had actually saved her. Kim had stepped in front of the firebolt that had been meant for Tara. The only thing that had saved her was that both Willow and Tara had seen it coming. However if she hadn't been standing there it would have hit Tara and killed her instantly. There wouldn't have been enough time to stop it.
"We had always thought that the prophesy had meant Buffy's darkest hour." Giles paused sitting in a chair next to Willow's bed.
"But it was mine?" Willow said sadly.
"What could be a darker moment then watching the one you love die?"
After that the conversation had been easy. Willow took the news quite well actually. Kerry wasn't quite sure why. Probably something to do with living over a Hellmouth.
Kerry smiled as she heard Kim stir next to her. "So babe." Kerry turned her head and saw Kim smiling at her, "Does this make us orgasm friends again?"
Kerry laughed, "I have got to stop letting you hang out with Anya."
"She's a bad influence on me." Kim nodded in agreement and then kissed Kerry passionately before speaking again, "So when is the gang coming to visit?"
"Well I'm not sure when they will come here, but I just got an invitation to Xander and Anya's wedding."
"Ooh a hetro wedding." Kim sat up and clapped her hands, "I wonder if I could crash Xander's bachelor party."
Kerry laughed, "If there is one. Anya has the boy on a short leash."
"Kinky." Kim smiled seductively, "So you want to have sex?"
Kerry just sighed, "I've created a monster."