Aug 19 - Buffy's AU Beginnings - Decency (FR-13)
Aug 19 - Decency (FR-13)
Author: mmooch
Chapter Summary: **Part of the 2018 LiveJournal’s Twisted Shorts FaD** challenge. Hollis makes Buffy feel again.
Crossover: NCIS with small mention of Criminal Minds
Rating: FR-13
Word count: 949
Challenge: for the livejournal 2018 August Fic-a-Day Challenge.
Timeline: right after previous chapter for the story and season 4 for NCIS
Disclaimer: BtVS/AtS characters belong to Joss Whedon/Mutant Enemy. NCIS characters belong to Donald Bellisario, Don McGill and CBS Paramount Television. Criminal Minds characters belong to Jeff Davis, The Mark Gordon Company and CBS. I claim no rights to any copyrighted material. Please do not copy or take this story without my permission.
BAU office
After giving Hollis the backstory they had for Buffy, Aaron warned her, “You need to know that even without her most recent kidnapping and brainwashing, Buffy’s life up to now hasn’t been easy. Losing her parents, then two adoptive parents before the age of ten can cause severe psychological damage.”
“I understand,” Hollis replied. “I’ve seen it before in my job. Obviously, not the exact same circumstances, but other cases where the children develop attachment disorders and such. I know there are no guarantees that we’ll have a happy ending, but she’s family and I want to try. To be completely honest, I let my career be the focus of my life for so long that this might be my only chance to have a child,” she admitted.
David interjected, “What about your career? You’re still active duty, aren’t you?”
“I am, but I have enough time in that I can start the paperwork for retirement now and be out within a year. At least I wouldn’t be deployed during that time,” Hollis told them rather unnecessarily, since she guessed they knew about such things as well as she did. “With Buffy in the picture, that could speed up some bureaucratic issues.”
“Okay, when Buffy gets here, we’ll introduce you and go from there,” Aaron pronounced. “Try to get her some good psychiatric help.”
“I know a few people we can try,” Hollis promised.
------------------------
6 months later…
Buffy was waiting in the kitchen for Hollis one morning with a serious look on her face and breakfast waiting on the table.
“Good morning, Buffy,” she greeted the girl with a friendly smile. “Thanks for making breakfast again.” It was important to Hollis that she show her appreciation for the good things Buffy did so that when she had to scold her for anything - which didn’t happen often - the young girl didn’t automatically assume she’d be sent to foster care.
Finding out that Hollis was related to her Daddy Ben, but not her Daddy Greg, came as a shock to Buffy. She hadn’t met Hollis during her time in New York because she had been overseas on deployment. Well, that and they weren’t close relatives and didn’t keep in touch that much.
But knowing she was family in a not creepy mob or gypsy way unlocked a part of Buffy’s heart that she had been protecting for the last few years since her first kidnapping. While she never said anything to Hollis, she subconsciously was giving Hollis a chance to really be a part of her life.
When she realized what she was doing - which happened while she was smiling as she made breakfast this morning - it freaked her out a lot. She couldn’t afford to get close to anyone again. She’d have to explain it to Hollis right away.
“What’s the matter, Buffy?” Hollis asked gently when she realized that Buffy was off in her thoughts again instead of eating.
Shaken from her reverie, Buffy said, “You seem like a decent person, Hollis, and I don’t want you to die, so I think you should put me in an orphanage or something.”
Hollis let out a deep sigh at this announcement. Part of her cheered that Buffy was starting to care about her at least a little bit; she herself was falling in love…in a motherly way, of course. The more practical part of her brain had been expecting something like this sooner or later. After losing so many parental figures, especially most of them to death, it was a given that she would feel cursed in some way.
“I’m thrilled that you care about me enough to be concerned about my well-being, and I would give just about anything to be able to promise you that I won’t die, but I can’t guarantee something like that,” Hollis started honestly. It was a deal between them that they wouldn’t lie to each other. If it meant they didn’t answer a question, then they wouldn’t answer.
She reached out for Buffy’s hand and was happy and surprised when Buffy took it. Deciding to take a risk, she pulled Buffy into her lap and stroked her hair while she continued, “I will promise that having you in my life has made it complete in a way I hadn’t realized I was missing before. Whether it’s tomorrow or a few decades from now, I will not die with any regrets about having you in my life,” she vowed.
It sounded so much like something her fathers - that she loved - would say that Buffy broke down sobbing. Hollis just held her until the tears subsided and shared the pain as best she could.
“I think maybe it would be a good idea if you saw the Doc today, don’t you think?” Hollis suggested. This kind of breakthrough was a big deal and they needed professional help to make sure it stuck.
Nodding, Buffy answered, “But first can we stop by the FBI place? I have something I need tell them about the gypsies.”
“Something new you remembered?” Hollis asked.
“No,” Buffy shook her head and clarified, “something I didn’t say before because I wanted my own revenge. My plan was to go after them myself when I was older and knew more. But I just realized that it’s selfish of me not to help those girls now when I have you.”
“I’m glad you didn’t wait, Buffy,” Hollis said, shaken at how close it had come to Buffy becoming a killer. She didn’t fool herself to think that Buffy had intended to try and arrest the gypsies when she found them. If that had been her plan, she would have told the BAU everything right away.
A/N: A little cliched and schmoopy, I know, but I wanted to rush Buffy’s recovery, so she and Hollis could become a family. Plus, it’s only a couple years until Buffy’s the Slayer and they deserve some happiness until then.
Author: mmooch
Chapter Summary: **Part of the 2018 LiveJournal’s Twisted Shorts FaD** challenge. Hollis makes Buffy feel again.
Crossover: NCIS with small mention of Criminal Minds
Rating: FR-13
Word count: 949
Challenge: for the livejournal 2018 August Fic-a-Day Challenge.
Timeline: right after previous chapter for the story and season 4 for NCIS
Disclaimer: BtVS/AtS characters belong to Joss Whedon/Mutant Enemy. NCIS characters belong to Donald Bellisario, Don McGill and CBS Paramount Television. Criminal Minds characters belong to Jeff Davis, The Mark Gordon Company and CBS. I claim no rights to any copyrighted material. Please do not copy or take this story without my permission.
BAU office
After giving Hollis the backstory they had for Buffy, Aaron warned her, “You need to know that even without her most recent kidnapping and brainwashing, Buffy’s life up to now hasn’t been easy. Losing her parents, then two adoptive parents before the age of ten can cause severe psychological damage.”
“I understand,” Hollis replied. “I’ve seen it before in my job. Obviously, not the exact same circumstances, but other cases where the children develop attachment disorders and such. I know there are no guarantees that we’ll have a happy ending, but she’s family and I want to try. To be completely honest, I let my career be the focus of my life for so long that this might be my only chance to have a child,” she admitted.
David interjected, “What about your career? You’re still active duty, aren’t you?”
“I am, but I have enough time in that I can start the paperwork for retirement now and be out within a year. At least I wouldn’t be deployed during that time,” Hollis told them rather unnecessarily, since she guessed they knew about such things as well as she did. “With Buffy in the picture, that could speed up some bureaucratic issues.”
“Okay, when Buffy gets here, we’ll introduce you and go from there,” Aaron pronounced. “Try to get her some good psychiatric help.”
“I know a few people we can try,” Hollis promised.
------------------------
6 months later…
Buffy was waiting in the kitchen for Hollis one morning with a serious look on her face and breakfast waiting on the table.
“Good morning, Buffy,” she greeted the girl with a friendly smile. “Thanks for making breakfast again.” It was important to Hollis that she show her appreciation for the good things Buffy did so that when she had to scold her for anything - which didn’t happen often - the young girl didn’t automatically assume she’d be sent to foster care.
Finding out that Hollis was related to her Daddy Ben, but not her Daddy Greg, came as a shock to Buffy. She hadn’t met Hollis during her time in New York because she had been overseas on deployment. Well, that and they weren’t close relatives and didn’t keep in touch that much.
But knowing she was family in a not creepy mob or gypsy way unlocked a part of Buffy’s heart that she had been protecting for the last few years since her first kidnapping. While she never said anything to Hollis, she subconsciously was giving Hollis a chance to really be a part of her life.
When she realized what she was doing - which happened while she was smiling as she made breakfast this morning - it freaked her out a lot. She couldn’t afford to get close to anyone again. She’d have to explain it to Hollis right away.
“What’s the matter, Buffy?” Hollis asked gently when she realized that Buffy was off in her thoughts again instead of eating.
Shaken from her reverie, Buffy said, “You seem like a decent person, Hollis, and I don’t want you to die, so I think you should put me in an orphanage or something.”
Hollis let out a deep sigh at this announcement. Part of her cheered that Buffy was starting to care about her at least a little bit; she herself was falling in love…in a motherly way, of course. The more practical part of her brain had been expecting something like this sooner or later. After losing so many parental figures, especially most of them to death, it was a given that she would feel cursed in some way.
“I’m thrilled that you care about me enough to be concerned about my well-being, and I would give just about anything to be able to promise you that I won’t die, but I can’t guarantee something like that,” Hollis started honestly. It was a deal between them that they wouldn’t lie to each other. If it meant they didn’t answer a question, then they wouldn’t answer.
She reached out for Buffy’s hand and was happy and surprised when Buffy took it. Deciding to take a risk, she pulled Buffy into her lap and stroked her hair while she continued, “I will promise that having you in my life has made it complete in a way I hadn’t realized I was missing before. Whether it’s tomorrow or a few decades from now, I will not die with any regrets about having you in my life,” she vowed.
It sounded so much like something her fathers - that she loved - would say that Buffy broke down sobbing. Hollis just held her until the tears subsided and shared the pain as best she could.
“I think maybe it would be a good idea if you saw the Doc today, don’t you think?” Hollis suggested. This kind of breakthrough was a big deal and they needed professional help to make sure it stuck.
Nodding, Buffy answered, “But first can we stop by the FBI place? I have something I need tell them about the gypsies.”
“Something new you remembered?” Hollis asked.
“No,” Buffy shook her head and clarified, “something I didn’t say before because I wanted my own revenge. My plan was to go after them myself when I was older and knew more. But I just realized that it’s selfish of me not to help those girls now when I have you.”
“I’m glad you didn’t wait, Buffy,” Hollis said, shaken at how close it had come to Buffy becoming a killer. She didn’t fool herself to think that Buffy had intended to try and arrest the gypsies when she found them. If that had been her plan, she would have told the BAU everything right away.
A/N: A little cliched and schmoopy, I know, but I wanted to rush Buffy’s recovery, so she and Hollis could become a family. Plus, it’s only a couple years until Buffy’s the Slayer and they deserve some happiness until then.