Title: Hitted Him
Author:
koohii_cafeRating: FR13
Crossover: BtVS/Evil Dead
Disclaimer: Since I am a poor chickadee with no wealth to speak of, I think it's safe to say that neither BtVS nor Evil Dead are mine. ^^;
Written for:
TtH August Fic A Day ChallengeSummary: When their daughter is banned from her ice skating class, Buffy and Ash demand to know why.
Author's notes: Comics? What comics? >.> This is set post season 7 for BtVS, and after the end of AoD for Evil Dead.
~*~*~*~*~
“We’re sorry, Mrs. Williams, we’re going to have to ask you to not bring Cheryl to this class or this academy again.”
“You wanna tell me why you’re banning my daughter from your class?” Hazel green eyes glared defiantly up at the ice skating instructor, small fists planted on an equally small waist, the blonde’s petite form practically radiating with fury. Behind her, for once, her husband played the calming party, large hands resting on Buffy’s slim shoulders, as if ready to hold her back if need be.
“Calm down, baby.” And yet, as soothing as he was trying to be, his dark brown eyes were glaring just as steadily at the man before them, who fought back a gulp as he seemed to realize exactly what he was facing. “I’m sure Mr. Tate has a real good reason he’s gonna share, right?”
“U- Um, yes, Mr. Williams. You see, I-”
“A damn good reason why our little girl is over there in tears, and you’re gonna ban her from her favorite class.” Ash’s eyes flashed dangerously, and this time, the instructor couldn’t help but shrink back a little, visceral fear gripping him for a reason he probably wouldn’t be able to fully explain. Ash smirked as he watched the reaction, completely unabashed. If anything, all he had to do was look over to where his six year old daughter Cheryl sat curled up in her Aunt Dawn’s arms, puffy green eyes laced red from crying, her head laid against Dawn’s chest and arms tightly clinging to her aunt’s top, and he was happy to get such a reaction from the man. No one hurt his girls and got away with it- no one- and right now, they were both upset.
“Let me answer that,” Dawn said coldly, stroking Cheryl’s thick, dark hair gently as she came closer and entered the fray. Cheryl sniffed and let go of Dawn’s shirt long enough to rub at red, red little eyes, and Ash let his hands slip from Buffy’s shoulders so she could reach out for their daughter.
“Mommy!” she cried, and just like that she detached from her aunt and all but crashed into her mother’s arms, burying her face in Buffy’s shoulder and crying fresh crocodile sized tears into her blouse. Buffy caught her easily with a strength and grace that belied her small form, but not the fiery look in her eyes as she pet one hand comfortingly down Cheryl’s back and braced the child with her other.
“Go ahead, Dawn. Tell us what happened.” Her tone was deadly calm, the calm before the terrible wrath of the storm, and the man tried hurriedly to interrupt.
“M- M- Mrs. Williams, I-”
“The kids were teasing Cheryl.” Dawn’s voice was as flat as her sister’s, her arms crossing over her chest as she glared haughtily at the skating instructor. “They kept calling her all sort of things when Mr. Tate here wasn’t paying attention; weirdo, crazy, stupid, chicken.”
“They what?” Buffy’s tone went flatter, if it was even possible, her eyes deadlier, and Tate paled.
“She was fine!” he protested, watery grey eyes wide as he backed up another step instinctively. “I heard some of it, but Cheryl just shrugged them off! She wasn’t upset at all! She just- she just kept skating with her friends!”
“So- what? You just let these children insult my daughter? You’re the adult here, Mr. Tate, it’s your job to set a good example, to lead these children, and to stop things when they get out of hand.”
“I- I- I-”
“It gets better, Buffy,” Dawn stopped him before he sputtered even more. “Ask him why he’s banning Cheryl from the class.”
“Let’s hear it,” Ash spoke up this time, jaw set and hands fisting at his sides. It was a miracle he hadn’t punched the idiot in the face after what he’d already heard, and it was only his daughter’s still shaking form in Buffy’s arms that kept him calm enough to handle it all without hurting someone- namely, Tate.
“Fine.” The man actually drew himself up, seeming to find come kind of comfort in being on ground he believed he was on firm standing with. “We here at the Detroit Skating Academy do not condone any sort of violence. As Cheryl hit one of her classmates today, she will not be allowed to return to this class, or this academy.”
The words pulled a fresh sob from their daughter, and Buffy began to rock her gently. It was the only thing keeping Ash from smirking outright, because so long as Cheryl was upset, he couldn’t really be happy about it, even if his daughter had hit someone for making fun of her. He’d just make sure to tell her good job later, when she felt better.
“Let me get this straight.” Buffy’s eyes narrowed as she continued to rock Cheryl in her arms, holding the six year old as if she were weightless. “You stood by and did nothing while the other kids called my daughter names and made fun of her. You refused to do your job, because Cheryl looked like she wasn’t upset, and just let them keep at it. And when she finally did react, and hit one of the kids making fun of her, you want to ban her from your class because you wouldn’t act like an adult. Did I miss anything?”
“We cannot condone violence no matter the reason.” Tate said, real nerve finally showing after his earlier cowardice. Dawn, however, was smirking a little.
“Oh, that’s not why Cheryl hit the kid, Buff.” And was that a little pride in Dawn’s eyes as well? Buffy arched an eyebrow at her sister, who shook her head, before turning all her attention to her daughter.
“Cheryl?” The tears were beginning to slow, Cheryl’s breathing slowing, but she continued to cling tight to Buffy’s blouse without looking up. She stopped rubbing Cheryl’s back and brought her hand around to slip one finger carefully beneath her daughter’s chin, pulling lightly up to try and get Cheryl to look at her. “Cher, hon, come on. Look at mommy. Tell me what happened, okay?”
“M- Matty,” Cheryl mumbled quietly, after a very, very long moment. Her eyes were downcast, though, not looking up to meet her mom’s. “He was bein’ mean an- an’ he- he called Daddy-” She hiccupped a little, and Buffy threw a quick confused look up at Ash. How was he involved in this? Ash shrugged, looking just as confused, and then they both looked back down at their daughter once more, just in time to see her raise her head fully. “Called Daddy a freak.” And although her eyes were still bloodshot and puffy, there was also a kind of determination in them, and in her watery voice. “An’ I hitted him in the face, just like I saw you an’ Daddy do to the monsters.”
Dawn grinned, Buffy choked, and Ash- Ash stared at his daughter in complete shock. And when Buffy passed Cheryl into his arms to deal with Tate and the skating academy, he took her automatically, still in shock as she settled onto his hip and curled up against his chest.
Well, he decided eventually, taking a seat to wait as Cheryl began to drift off, and petting her head soothingly as she did- no one could ever say she wasn’t he and Buffy’s daughter. Williams and Summers blood, through and through.