18 Aug 2022 - Prophesied Child
Title: Prophesied Child
Author: Beriaearwen
Crossover: Buffy the Vampire Slayer / Highlander
Rating: Suitable for people over 13
Word Count: 1201
Disclaimer: The characters of Buffy the Vampire Slayer belong to Mutant Enemy, etc. The character of the Highlander belongs to Davis-Panzer Productions, etc. All are used here without permission. No copyright infringement is intended.
Summary: "But many years ago, there was a prophecy spoken to me, one I laughed at when I heard it, not because I didn't believe in the prophecy, but because what it said was so absurd. "
Prophesied Child
By Beriaearwen
Buffy looked at the house, limping slightly from her latest confrontation, tears falling down her face. She knew she couldn't make a noise, but she couldn't hold in her grief. Merrick was dead and it was her fault.
She had been hoping her parents would be up and fighting, to cover the sounds of her re-entering the house and of her crying, but apparently luck wasn't on her side tonight.
Still, being as careful and quiet as she could, she made her way into her room via the window she'd left open.
She had just gotten both feet on the floor and stood upright when she froze and turned toward her desk in the opposite corner of the room. She could make out the form of her father, even before he turned on the desk lamp. "D-dad," she stuttered. Her eyes widened when she spotted her open journal and two of her stakes laid out on the desk in front of him.
"I think we need to talk," he said.
Buffy's eyes darted around her room, looking for an escape, looking for her mother.
"Your mother left earlier tonight to go to a friend's house. She isn't happy with me at the moment," Hank explained. "Since she doesn't have all the information I do, I can understand that, but all that aside, we need to talk."
Slowly, Buffy made her way to her bed and sat on the edge closest to her father. There was something dark in his eyes that worried her, something she'd seen in Lothos' eyes, but she could hear his heartbeat and see him breathing.
Hank took a breath and released it before leaning forward and taking Buffy's hands in his own. "There is a lot we need to discuss," he began before reaching up and wiping the tears from her face with his thumb. "But I need you to know that I love you. You have heard me call you my miracle child and you really, really are. I have been waiting all my life for the cost to be counted, but I thought I would be the one paying it. I am so very sorry it is you."
"I... Dad, what?"
Hank let out a long sigh. "You know about vampires now. There are also other supernatural creatures - demons, witches, werewolves, etc. Somewhere between the Supernatural world and the one we live in is another group - immortals."
Buffy stiffened instantly, preparing to pull away and run. She couldn't handle any more tonight and the thought that her father was a threat...
"We aren't demons you have to kill, Buffy. The only Slayers who have tried to take on immortals are ones where the immortal was working with the monsters to harm humans. And even if that wasn't the case, I am still your father and I love you very much."
"What? Why? Ugh. What do you know? Why are you telling me this?"
"What I know may take longer, so I'll start with why am I telling you this now. It's been obvious something has been going on with you, even with my distraction I've noticed. My first thought was that someone had discovered my secret and was bothering you as a way to get to me, but then the doorknob, the alarm clocks, the odd dust on your shoes and jacket... It's been a lot of years since I've seen it, but I do recognize the signs."
Hank let out a sigh before continuing. "Immortals can't have children. It's a kindness and a curse for us. And it is a kindness because watching your children age and die - even if they are adopted - is painful and every way horrible. But many years ago, there was a prophecy spoken to me, one I laughed at when I heard it, not because I didn't believe in the prophecy, but because what it said was so absurd. Then, a few millennia later I met your mother, fell in love and, when she became pregnant, there was no way you could have been anyone else's but mine. You are my miracle, Buffy, because you shouldn't be possible."
Buffy took several shaky breaths trying to calm herself and process what her father had just told her. "What was the prophecy?" she asked, her voice rough with unshed tears.
Hank shook his head. "I don't recall all of it, but I have it written. I just need to remember where it's stored."
"Remember where it's stored?"
"Immortal, remember. I've been around a while and things accumulate. Immortals don't age, so we can only use a given persona for so long before we need to move on. If it weren't for you, Hank Summers would have disappeared a few years ago. Now. I've shared my secrets and, as you can guess, I poked into some of yours, but why don't you bring me up to date on what's really going on."
Buffy began slowly revealing all that had happened since the day she woke up with the full Slayer package. It took longer than she thought because there were more than a few tears on her side and panicked hugging on the part of her father. Eventually, though, her story finished.
Hank kissed her temple from where he was sitting beside her on the bed, his arms wrapped around his little girl. "We both need to get some sleep. I'm going to call you out of school tomorrow and we're going to spend a day getting organized and figuring out our next steps."
"What about Mom?" Buffy asked, voice small.
"She packed enough clothes for about a week," he admitted, sorrow and strain in his voice.
Buffy nodded, watching as her father got up and headed toward the door. "What was your first name?" she asked suddenly.
Hank stopped and turned back toward her. "It doesn't matter and it's a very dangerous name for you to know," he warned.
"You said millenia, that's thousands of years," she pointed out.
"Was hoping you'd forgotten that," Hank muttered under his breath. "They didn't have family names when I was young. Well, younger. I can't recall my first name."
"What's the oldest one you remember and how would people have known I was your daughter," she asked, not letting it go.
Hank studied her for several moments, glanced at her window to ensure it was closed and then offered, "You would have been known as Buffy, daughter of Methos."
Despite the seriousness of his tone, Buffy couldn't help when her nose wrinkled. "And people give me a hard time over Buffy," she replied, shaking her head. "Hank Summers is a much more sensible name."
"It is, indeed," he replied, a smile appearing on his face and a twinkle in his eyes. "Sleep well daughter."
"You too, father," she completed their little teasing ritual.
As her father closed the door behind him, she watched it for several seconds. Her heart still hurt for Merrick's death, but she felt better knowing she wasn't alone and at least one of her parents would believe her. Maybe things would be OK in the end, she thought, all reference to a prophesy slipping from her mind.
End
Author: Beriaearwen
Crossover: Buffy the Vampire Slayer / Highlander
Rating: Suitable for people over 13
Word Count: 1201
Disclaimer: The characters of Buffy the Vampire Slayer belong to Mutant Enemy, etc. The character of the Highlander belongs to Davis-Panzer Productions, etc. All are used here without permission. No copyright infringement is intended.
Summary: "But many years ago, there was a prophecy spoken to me, one I laughed at when I heard it, not because I didn't believe in the prophecy, but because what it said was so absurd. "
Prophesied Child
By Beriaearwen
Buffy looked at the house, limping slightly from her latest confrontation, tears falling down her face. She knew she couldn't make a noise, but she couldn't hold in her grief. Merrick was dead and it was her fault.
She had been hoping her parents would be up and fighting, to cover the sounds of her re-entering the house and of her crying, but apparently luck wasn't on her side tonight.
Still, being as careful and quiet as she could, she made her way into her room via the window she'd left open.
She had just gotten both feet on the floor and stood upright when she froze and turned toward her desk in the opposite corner of the room. She could make out the form of her father, even before he turned on the desk lamp. "D-dad," she stuttered. Her eyes widened when she spotted her open journal and two of her stakes laid out on the desk in front of him.
"I think we need to talk," he said.
Buffy's eyes darted around her room, looking for an escape, looking for her mother.
"Your mother left earlier tonight to go to a friend's house. She isn't happy with me at the moment," Hank explained. "Since she doesn't have all the information I do, I can understand that, but all that aside, we need to talk."
Slowly, Buffy made her way to her bed and sat on the edge closest to her father. There was something dark in his eyes that worried her, something she'd seen in Lothos' eyes, but she could hear his heartbeat and see him breathing.
Hank took a breath and released it before leaning forward and taking Buffy's hands in his own. "There is a lot we need to discuss," he began before reaching up and wiping the tears from her face with his thumb. "But I need you to know that I love you. You have heard me call you my miracle child and you really, really are. I have been waiting all my life for the cost to be counted, but I thought I would be the one paying it. I am so very sorry it is you."
"I... Dad, what?"
Hank let out a long sigh. "You know about vampires now. There are also other supernatural creatures - demons, witches, werewolves, etc. Somewhere between the Supernatural world and the one we live in is another group - immortals."
Buffy stiffened instantly, preparing to pull away and run. She couldn't handle any more tonight and the thought that her father was a threat...
"We aren't demons you have to kill, Buffy. The only Slayers who have tried to take on immortals are ones where the immortal was working with the monsters to harm humans. And even if that wasn't the case, I am still your father and I love you very much."
"What? Why? Ugh. What do you know? Why are you telling me this?"
"What I know may take longer, so I'll start with why am I telling you this now. It's been obvious something has been going on with you, even with my distraction I've noticed. My first thought was that someone had discovered my secret and was bothering you as a way to get to me, but then the doorknob, the alarm clocks, the odd dust on your shoes and jacket... It's been a lot of years since I've seen it, but I do recognize the signs."
Hank let out a sigh before continuing. "Immortals can't have children. It's a kindness and a curse for us. And it is a kindness because watching your children age and die - even if they are adopted - is painful and every way horrible. But many years ago, there was a prophecy spoken to me, one I laughed at when I heard it, not because I didn't believe in the prophecy, but because what it said was so absurd. Then, a few millennia later I met your mother, fell in love and, when she became pregnant, there was no way you could have been anyone else's but mine. You are my miracle, Buffy, because you shouldn't be possible."
Buffy took several shaky breaths trying to calm herself and process what her father had just told her. "What was the prophecy?" she asked, her voice rough with unshed tears.
Hank shook his head. "I don't recall all of it, but I have it written. I just need to remember where it's stored."
"Remember where it's stored?"
"Immortal, remember. I've been around a while and things accumulate. Immortals don't age, so we can only use a given persona for so long before we need to move on. If it weren't for you, Hank Summers would have disappeared a few years ago. Now. I've shared my secrets and, as you can guess, I poked into some of yours, but why don't you bring me up to date on what's really going on."
Buffy began slowly revealing all that had happened since the day she woke up with the full Slayer package. It took longer than she thought because there were more than a few tears on her side and panicked hugging on the part of her father. Eventually, though, her story finished.
Hank kissed her temple from where he was sitting beside her on the bed, his arms wrapped around his little girl. "We both need to get some sleep. I'm going to call you out of school tomorrow and we're going to spend a day getting organized and figuring out our next steps."
"What about Mom?" Buffy asked, voice small.
"She packed enough clothes for about a week," he admitted, sorrow and strain in his voice.
Buffy nodded, watching as her father got up and headed toward the door. "What was your first name?" she asked suddenly.
Hank stopped and turned back toward her. "It doesn't matter and it's a very dangerous name for you to know," he warned.
"You said millenia, that's thousands of years," she pointed out.
"Was hoping you'd forgotten that," Hank muttered under his breath. "They didn't have family names when I was young. Well, younger. I can't recall my first name."
"What's the oldest one you remember and how would people have known I was your daughter," she asked, not letting it go.
Hank studied her for several moments, glanced at her window to ensure it was closed and then offered, "You would have been known as Buffy, daughter of Methos."
Despite the seriousness of his tone, Buffy couldn't help when her nose wrinkled. "And people give me a hard time over Buffy," she replied, shaking her head. "Hank Summers is a much more sensible name."
"It is, indeed," he replied, a smile appearing on his face and a twinkle in his eyes. "Sleep well daughter."
"You too, father," she completed their little teasing ritual.
As her father closed the door behind him, she watched it for several seconds. Her heart still hurt for Merrick's death, but she felt better knowing she wasn't alone and at least one of her parents would believe her. Maybe things would be OK in the end, she thought, all reference to a prophesy slipping from her mind.
End