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August, 2012
It hadn’t changed in fourteen years. Buffy felt like a teenager again as she stepped inside; she expected her friends to come in any moment—Willow cheerful, Oz, well, Oz, and Xander and Cordy bickering. In just a second Giles would come out and announce a new crisis and they would all groan but it would be okay because she was the Slayer and she always fixed everything.
Now all she fixed was parents’ problems and the results of her children’s fights.
"It hasn’t changed at all," she said aloud, and then she heard it—the little gasp. She waited and Giles stepped out of the stacks to look at her.
"Buffy," he managed.
"Giles. Long time no see . . . or speak . . . or anything."
"I-indeed."
"How have you been?" Buffy asked nervously.
"I’m fine. And you?"
"Great. I’m great. Kailyn and Tristan are in high school now . . . or they’re going to be. Freshmen next month."
"I know," Giles said simply. Buffy fidgeted.
"Oh."
"Buffy, why are you here?" Giles asked, taking off his glasses to eye her.
"I can’t just want to see you?" she asked, sounding like a little kid. He didn’t answer. "I’ll take that as a no." She sighed heavily. "Okay, you’re right. It’s about Kailyn. Mostly about Kailyn anyway. She’s a—she’s a Slayer. Or she will be. She has the birthmark." Buffy looked down at the floor, unable to meet his eyes.
"I’m sorry Buffy. I’m so sorry." Slowly she forced her eyes up to him and took a deep breath.
"I need your help Giles. I want Kailyn to be ready. I don’t want her to go through what I had to go through. I want you to train her. She’s already strong . . . they both are. They have their parents’ strength and someday Kailyn will have more. They’ve been in martial arts for years, but they need more. Especially Kailyn. I want you to train her," Buffy repeated. It was the truth, but it wasn’t all the truth. If Kailyn had the training of a Slayer, maybe that would sway her away from the Dark. Anything Buffy could do to sway Kailyn from the Dark was worth any sacrifice. Giles regarded the former Slayer calmly.
"Why should I? I’ve been retired for years. Why should I start again?" he asked, a real question in his voice. He wanted a reason. She just had to give him one.
"Because I’m going to Slayer again," Buffy said. "I know there are still vampires in Sunnydale. I know the Watcher’s Council doesn’t want to send the current Slayer here. So I’ll come back and be a Slayer again. If you’ll be my Watcher and train my children."
"That’s your condition?" Giles asked. Buffy nodded.
"You’ll be my Watcher and you’ll train Kailyn as a Slayer, and if you want to, Tristan just as . . . just to help. A Slayerette or something. And I’ll be a good obedient Slayer."
"Somehow I find that hard to believe," Giles said dryly, but there was a smile in his eyes. "It’s a deal." Buffy gave him a little smile, suddenly feeling like crying.
"Thank you Giles. Thank you."
"It’s good to have you back," he said.
"It’s good to be back," Buffy replied, and then she was crying onto his tweed-clad shoulder. "I’m sorry Giles. I’m sorry for everything." And she was home, and she was the Slayer, and for the first time in fourteen years she had a path again.
"I can’t believe you’re really coming back!" Willow exclaimed for the eight hundredth time. Buffy smiled and glanced down at her drink before meeting her friend’s eyes.
"Neither can I. I’ve been working out, but I’m sure I’m in horrible shape, and . . . it’s so strange to be here again. Nothing about this place has changed and I’m a completely different person. I feel like I’ve reverted to being a teen again. Especially with the kids in L.A." Willow nodded knowingly. Her sons were four and six, and completely adorable.
"It’s so good to see you and to know you’re coming back! I can see you every day!" Willow exclaimed happily. Buffy smiled fondly and laughed a little from pure joy. It was amazing to be back, and to know she was to stay. The bad memories were still here, but she’d moved on to the good ones, and she was going to Slay again. She’d never thought she would miss it; she’d never thought that she did, until she was going to do it again and suddenly she’d never been so eager to get started.
"I know. I’ve missed you so much Willow! But I’m back for good now—well, for a long time anyway," Buffy assured her friend.
"You better stay for a long time? You’re going to be with your mother, aren’t you?" Willow asked.
"At first, but I’m looking for a house of our own. I don’t think I’d be able to live with my mom for long and still keep my adult identity—not to mention my sanity!" Buffy laughed. What she didn’t tell her friend was that she didn’t know how to hide the blood from her mother for a long time—it was pretty obvious what it was, and it needed to be refrigerated unless it was very, very fresh. Buffy didn’t get blood that fresh. There was only way to get blood that fresh, and a long time ago Buffy had told her children that they were never to do that; never.
"I hope you can get a house near ours!" Willow exclaimed. "Then we can run over all the time just to chat or whatever. I’m so excited about you coming home!" Buffy laughed again; it felt good to laugh and be excited. Neither of the twins were especially excited about moving, though Buffy had vaguely mentioned more in depth martial arts lessons which they both liked. She was hoping getting them to Sunnydale would help. It wasn’t a bad place, and Kailyn at least would love the whole idea of Slaying. She was definitely a thrill-seeker. Tristan might not be as thrilled, but he’d always loved Joyce’s gallery and he would like the school library.
"Come on, let’s dance," Buffy said suddenly. Willow looked a little suprised, then laughed suddenly.
"Why not?" she asked. Together they went out on to the dance floor, responsibilities forgotten in the music . . .
Kailyn ducked a punch and directed a kick at her assailant’s head. He barely got out of the way in time and she circled him warily, waiting for his next move. He directed a kick, hitting her arm, and she fell and rolled. When she came up he was waiting, but she ducked his first punch, then managed to flip him onto his back and onto the floor. Her dark eyes sparkled as she held him down.
"Surrender?" she demanded.
"Yeah, yeah, surrender. Let me up Kai!" Tristan exclaimed, pushing up. She laughed and sat back, releasing him. He rubbed at his arms as he sat up. No matter how much he practiced, and how well he did in class, she was always just that little bit better than him.
"Your mom called earlier," their grandfather Hank said, coming into the room. "She got the job."
"So we’re moving for sure?" Kailyn asked, her good mood gone abruptly.
"That’s what it sounded like. I’m sorry sweetie," Hank said. He was sorry; he didn’t want his grandchildren to move away.
"Sunnydale’s small," Tristan said. They’d only gone once, to visit their grandmother a few years before.
"Why does she want to move back there?" Kailyn asked plaintively. "I don’t want to leave L.A!"
"At lest there’ll be more lessons," Tristan said, eyeing his twin. Truly, they didn’t look at all alike; Kailyn was the spitting image of their mother, except for her dark eyes, and Tristan had inherited only her green eyes—the rest of his features were from someone—presumably their father.
"Yeah, and they’ll only help me beat you more!" Kailyn exclaimed, her eyes gleaming. She was back on her feet in seconds, ready for the attack. He laughed and mock-struggled to his feet.
"At least it’ll be the beginning of the year, in the beginning of high school," Tristan pointed out.
"Right," Kailyn said. "That’s gonna make it so much better!"
"Sure it will. And we’ll have each other sister dearest," Tristan said, blocking a punch she directed at him.
"Of course brother dearest," Kailyn said, trailing off as the battle-light caught on in her eyes and she concentrated only on the fight.
"This doesn’t look like a martial arts studio," Kailyn remarked. "In fact, it vaguely reminds me of a high school."
"Gee, why could that be?" Tristan murmured.
"Shush you two. You’ll see!" Buffy exclaimed. They were finished moving to Sunnydale; school started in a few days. It was time to introduce them to Giles; time to begin training.
"This is our new school?" Kailyn whispered to her brother. He shrugged.
"It looks okay," he whispered back.
"It’s not that big," she murmured.
"But it’s nice. A courtyard and light halls. And it won’t be as crowded."
"How do you know, there’s no one here but us," Kailyn pointed out.
"Why are we here anyway? We’re supposed to go meet our new Master," Tristan said quietly.
"I heard that! All will be revealed momentarily," Buffy promised. The twins exchanged looks, but followed her through the empty halls. She stopped at a pair of double doors and opened them into a large, slightly dark room full of books.
"The library," Tristan said, smiling.
"The library," Kailyn echoed in disgust. Buffy gave her a reproving look.
"Giles!" she called. The librarian/Watcher appeared a moment later. He stopped when he saw the twins, and stared.
"Buffy. Hello. These must be your children," he said, as if it was a question. Buffy nodded anyway. "They . . . the resemblance is . . . is astounding." Buffy nodded again.
"This is Kailyn, and this is Tristan," she introduced them. "Kids, this is Rupert Giles, the school librarian and your new . . . trainer."
"He’s going to train us?" Kailyn asked, not bothering to hide her disgust and disbelief. Buffy tried not to smile.
"Well I’ll probably help, but yes," she said.
"Why?" Tristan asked, turning to his mother.
"Because he’s my Watcher," she said softly.
"Your what?" Kailyn asked.
"My Watcher. He trained me, and guarded me and helped me along the way. And he’s going to do the same for you, for both of you," Buffy said.
"What do you mean?" Tristan asked. Buffy glanced at Giles.
"Do they know . . . about vampires?" he asked softly. Buffy nodded. He looked slightly suprised, but nodded. She would rather they didn’t, but she had to explain to them why they drank blood and she didn’t, and why no one else did either. There were other side effects too—when they were angry or extremely emotional, they often reverted to a game face, and the sun made their skin tingle and their eyes hurt. She hadn’t told them about being the Slayer.
"Once in every generation there is one girl born with the strength and the skill to stop the darkness and kill vampires," Giles intoned. Buffy watched her children carefully for any reactions. "She is called the Slayer. Your mother wa—is the Slayer. Because she died once and was revived, there is also another Slayer, one who lives in Asia right now. Slayer’s are found by a birthmark they all have. Buffy had hers removed before she was Called." Buffy blushed slightly and looked down, then looked back up to Kailyn.
"You have the birthmark, Kai," she said softly. "The one on your shoulder. You’re going to be a Slayer someday." The adolescent’s eyes widened and she looked shocked. Nothing else, just shocked.
"But I—" she began, then stopped abruptly. Buffy wondered if she had been about to bring up the fact she was half-vampire herself. Buffy had certainly wondered about it in the past.
"Kai, it’s nothing we can change. You have to accept what you are. That’s why I moved us to Sunnydale—here you can train with Giles and learn all the lore that I never knew. Tristan can learn too if he wants to. I had helpers; my Slayerettes. You’ll need them too."
"So I have this destiny, to fight vampires?" Kailyn asked.
"I’m afraid so," Buffy said. "If I could have changed it—I’m sorry Kai. I wanted so much to change it, to keep you safe and happy and let you have a normal life, but—"
"But you can’t change destiny," Kailyn said softly. "I understand.
Besides," she added in a different voice, with a dangerous sparkle in
her eyes, "I want to kick some vampire ass!"