Till the End of Time:Chapter Five
Chapter Five
Vicki spent most of the day exploring Sunnydale and trying to track down the Slayer - no easy feat. So it was no surprise really when she felt sleepiness creep upon her after dinner in her hotel room. And she figured since Henry would be up in a few hours and they’d most likely be up for most of the night, she better get her rest now. Stretching out on what she was sure was the best bed in the world; Vicki took off her glasses and fell promptly asleep.
“Vicki…”
A soft voice was beckoning her to the land of wakefulness and Vicki fought against it. Rolling away, she hoped the voice would go away.
“Vicki…”
Stubborn voice.
Treading toward the land of the living, Vicki moaned into her pillow.
“I’m sorry to have to wake you…” Henry told her softly, gliding a hand down her bare arm.
The chill of his touch made her shiver, but she did not move from his touch. “No, you’re not,” she muttered.
He chuckled and she found, somehow, that he was quite close. She could feel that chuckle rumble through her. Leaning back slightly, she felt him right behind her. And how in the hell was it that she had all this bed and somehow ended up at the edge anyway?
“Henry?” she asked, tensing.
“Yes?” he murmured.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m waking you.”
“I’m awake.”
“You’re not moving.”
“Unless I fall off the bed, there’s no where for me to go. You’re kind of right behind me.”
“So turn around.”
Deciding that was definitely not what she wanted to do, Vicki slid to the edge of the bed and sat up.
“Vicki…”
“We have work to do. I have been out in Sunnydale for most of the day. I have no idea where to start to look for a Slayer.”
“Cemetery,” Henry said simply and sat up against her headboard, looking unruffled as he gazed at her.
She stared at him, thinking he didn’t look out of place on her bed. Her mind drifted to her bed at home and in her mind’s eye she placed him there. Nope, he wasn’t out of place there either. Although, Henry wouldn’t look out of place on any bed, would he? It wasn’t as though he were alien to many and it wasn’t as if she hadn’t figured that out. She just employed the ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ policy because…
“Vicki? Where are you?”
She looked at him, snapping out of her thoughts. “Sorry. I can be ready in a minute,” she mumbled and headed to the bathroom.
*********
“How was your day?” Henry asked as he and Vicki strolled towards Restfield Cemetery.
“Fine,” Vicki replied absently.
“What’s going on with you? You’re somewhere else. Did something happen?”
“Henry, how do you know she’s going to be here?”
Placing a hand on her arm, Henry stopped her and turned her to him. “Vicki, what’s going on? You’ve been non-communicative since we left. You’re shutting me out.”
“Don’t I always shut you out?”
He winced as if that statement pained him. Maybe it had. “I don’t think so,” he said softly, releasing her arm. “I think you can be pretty open with me. And right now something is bothering you and I’m wondering if I did something wrong.”
“Henry, just let it go. Kay? Woke up on the wrong side of the bed.”
“I don’t know,” he grinned, “Seemed like the right side to me. I happen to prefer the left side.”
“Where is she?”
“I don’t--” he broke off and lifted his head, surveying the cemetery.
‘You hear something?” Vicki whispered.
“And feel,” he said softly just before Vicki heard the sound of pounding footsteps on the ground.
Turning, she saw a woman running with incredible speed, her blond hair flying behind her. Behind her a few feet away was what her client had described as the race of vampire she had seen: lumpy forehead, yellow eyes and snarling.
Without thinking and just following instinct, Vicki took a step toward the woman to help her, but Henry stopped her, grabbing her arm and pulling her back.
“Henry, that girl--”
“The Slayer.”
“What? But she’s running from it!”
“Watch.”
Turning back, she saw the girl jump up on a grave stone, kick the vampire with a flying leap in the air and while the vampire lay on the ground sputtering and stunned, the blond drove a stake in its heart. Immediately the vampire erupted into dust and vanished.
Vicki stared, stunned.
The blond, the Slayer, stood and turned, seeming to have finally noticed they were there. She stared at them, and they stared right back.
Vicki noticed her gaze flicker to Henry, a wary, speculative gaze, and then it drifted to Vicki. “What are you doing in a cemetery at night?” she finally asked.
Vicki swallowed, unable at the moment to find her voice. That was a first. She was, for the first time in her life, speechless.
“Looking for you,” Henry said simply.
The Slayer, the cute, petite Slayer that did not look capable of what Vicki had just seen, smirked and crossed her arms about her chest. “Oh?”
“We need your help,” Vicki blurted out, finally finding her voice.
“With?”
“That thing you just killed.”
“How did you find me?”
“I was led to you,” Vicki said, “We,” she amended when Henry lightly elbowed her, “were led to you.”
“How so? The word getting out now? Should I make up business cards?”
Vicki stepped forward, Henry close by. “You see, I’m a PI in Toronto. A woman came to me a few days ago asking me to help find her daughter that had been kidnapped right in front of her by that vampire you just staked. She mentioned California.”
“Interesting, but you’re not telling me how I came up in all this.”
“That’s where I came in,” Henry jumped in. “I know of you, Slayer.”
“Do you now?” The Slayer challenged.
“I’m a vampire myself; I find it important to know about The Slayer.”
The Slayer perked, “I knew it! What kind of vampire are you that you cavort with--” she pointed to Vicki, “You a human?”
“Yes.”
“Ahhh…” The Slayer nodded, “Vampire with a soul then?”
“I do have one, but I am not of that breed,” Henry said, gesturing to the pile of dust left by the staked vampire.
“Not of that breed? There are breeds now?”
“Apparently.”
“So you found me, came to Sunnydale so that I could…?”
“Help me find the girl that was taken,” Vicki said, “She mentioned hearing something about a slave ring of humans for vampires.”
“Great,” The Slayer muttered, “Another one.”
“You know of them?” Vicki asked.
“Yeah, I know of them. Took one down, but they weren’t all vamps. Mostly just demons.”
“Will you help then?” Vicki asked.
“How do I know you’re legit? How do I know that you’re not just luring me into some kind of trap? It’s been known to happen and it’s made me a little wary of trusting others. Especially ones that know what I am.”
“I have a file on this girl; I have a lot of my equipment back at the hotel we’re staying at,” Vicki said, nearing desperation. “I am legit here. I know it seems strange, but, well, strange seems to be my way of life lately and I’m dedicated to my job - as you seem to be to yours. I wouldn’t have bothered you if I didn’t think you could help me. I just want to help this mother find her daughter, and hopefully other kids that have been taken can be sent home too.”
The Slayer stood there, staring at them for a long time and Vicki could see the wheels turning in her head. After a long while she nodded and stepped forward. “I’m Buffy, and you are?”
Vicki held out her hand, “Vicki Nelson and this is Henry Fitzroy - your name is Buffy?”
“So,” a deep voice drawled in a British accent just behind Henry and Vicki, “Is this a private party or can anyone join?”