Moonie Moon
09-06-2003, 02:09 PM
Okay, I've never posted a story here before, so I hope I'm doing this right. If not, please let me know?
This is the beginning of a story I started working on a while ago but didn't get much done yet. Trying to see if I should continue or not. Please let me know, alright? ::angel::
GEMMA... - CH. 1, 'AWAKENINGS'
JUNE 2001 - SUNNYDALE
The funeral had ended. People, guests, were starting to leave. Eventually it was just them... Xander and Anya stood arm in arm, so did Willow and Tara next to them. Giles remained a couple of steps behind Dawn and, from a shaded area, Spike was looking after her as well. Each of them were now or had been crying. They'd lost her... Buffy.
And no matter how much they wanted to believe she might be in a better place, they couldn't sit back and do nothing. So the idea began to form. They would bring her back, no matter how difficult it might be. It was almost a month and a half later when they went to try... It was just that, a try. It didn't work. The defeated group of four returned to the Magic Box, forced to deal with the fact that their friend was really gone.
AUGUST 1 2001, WATCHERS' COUNCIL, ENGLAND
Emma Lundberg walked out of the conference room with a sense of pride. She was being assigned to a potential Slayer. She'd started to think it would never happen. Ever since she'd begun her training as a Watcher, she'd wondered about it. She'd made it down the hall and a flight of stairs before she realized she'd left her notes in the room. It was a habit of hers, wanting to do her job right she wrote down whatever she thought she might need. She returned to the conference room and found it on her chair. She must have put it down there when she took her jacket.
That was when she saw it... a folder at the head of the table, where Quentin Travers had sat a few minutes ago. She picked it up, started for the door. But in her hurry to catch up with him, knowing he was scheduled to leave for Spain within the hour, she tripped and dropped it. The contents spilled over, the words she saw first caught her off-guard.
'THOMPSON... PRISON... ELIMINATE... FAITH...'
Thompson, she knew who he was. She knew that when he was involved someone always ended up dead. He was a dark, silent, and almost chilling man. He looked at you and you saw death in his eyes.
And Faith... the 'rogue' Slayer. She'd kept contact with a guard at the prison where she was. She was making remarkable improvements, the dangerous girl she'd been no longer dominant of her thoughts and functions. Now they were going to send Thompson after her, something wasn't right. Emma gathered the file, the papers, placed them in her bag and left the building.
Settling in an isolated corner of a small cafe, she pulled out the sheets again. There was mention of Buffy Summers. She'd wanted to attend the funeral, but had been on an expedition at the time, couldn't get away. She'd been aware of her, not only because she was the Slayer, but because her Watcher was Rupert Giles. He was an old friend of hers and she kept in contact with him over the years. The way he talked about this girl you would have thought she was his daughter. When the Council had caught on to that and fired him, she'd briefly considered resigning her position. But Ruper was the one who convinced her to keep going. He was reinstated not long ago, something that made everything so pleasant again.
As she went on reading though, a feeling of dread formed in her stomach. It all made sense now, though she really wished it didn't, not this way. She knew in the end it needed to happen, but not this way.
So the next day, after clearing some time away, she flew to California. After booking a room in a hotel, she got herself a rental car and went to the prison. Luckily, she was able to work out a meeting with the now-lone Slayer, Faith. She sat at the small table, steadying herself on the chair as she waited for the girl to arrive.
When she did, Emma saw much of what she expected. Faith had turned herself in. She'd made that first step all on her own. So she was willing to give herself another shot. That was all she needed to start on her way back. And it would surely make things a bit easier for the Watcher.
"Hello Faith," she stood and held out her hand. "I'm Emma Lundberg." She shook her hand, though Emma could tell she was confused. They sat across from each other.
"I don't mean to be rude but... Who are you?" she asked, scratching at a scar on her arm.
"I'm... a Watcher." The Slayer's posture shifted. "I'm aware you may not be tempted to speak with me..."
"Where are you from?" Faith cut in.
"Sweden," Emma answered with a smile.
"Land of ABBA," Faith nodded with a tiny smile of her own. Emma laughed.
Over the next week, Emma came to visit a few more times, each time getting to have nice long chats with the dark-haired girl. On her fourth visit she decided it was time to get down to business. She knew Faith guessed that when she saw her.
"There isn't much time, so you have to pay attention." She nodded. "The Council is sending a man today, he'll come for you."
"Come for me?" she asked just as understanding came. "Oh... I can handle it."
"I'm afraid you can't. But if I have my way you won't have to." That made Faith come to attention. "I might not be able to come again for some time. I want you to know these talks have been wonderful," she stood. Faith stood as well and Emma came to hug her. This would have been the point where she'd push back or something, but then she felt an object being dropped into her pocket. Emma pulled back and gave her a nod. She returned it as Emma walked out.
Walking toward the prison shortly after was the towering Nicholas Thompson, the Council operative. He was dangerous, yes, but maybe a little too goal-oriented. When he saw Miss Lundberg walking toward him, he stopped.
"I need to speak with you... about Faith." He nodded and followed her. It was in moments like these that Emma was glad for all the physical training she had done. Their battle was heated yet relatively quick. Soon the man was in her car's trunk. She'd send him on his way back to the Council... once Faith had done her part.
Back in her cell, Faith checked to see that she was alone before pulling out the object. It was a piece of paper, rolled around something. Once she untied it, a small bottle fell in her lap. She looked at it for a few seconds, turned it around in her hand. She held up the sheet and began reading.
"Faith, what I'm about to ask you will possibly sound strange, but just keep an open mind. The Council is sending someone to eliminate you because they need a new Slayer. As you are here, cut from the outside, you may not know what has happened in Sunnydale. Buffy Summers died about two months ago. The world is without a Slayer with you out of reach. Unlike the Council, I do not believe you need to die. Not permanently. The bottle you will find inclosed is the key. Drink it, it will stop your heart, thereby allowing the next Slayer to be called and receive her powers. As long as you are able to be revived though some method, like CPR, you will reawaken. I believe in you Faith. I've seen how you've changed. The Council may not be able to see this, but I can. I will see to it you are released when you are ready to regain the outside world. Be safe, dear girl. Your friend, Emma."
Faith sat back, absorbing all of the things she'd read. Buffy was dead... she knew now she really had felt it. And Emma... she had such hope in her, she'd called her a friend... and truth was Faith saw her that way as well. The first person she felt this way with since... the Mayor.
She tucked the letter away on herself and stood, walking to the edge of the open door, looking out. Other inmates, guards, were sitting or standing around. She popped the bottle open and downed the liquid before dropping into the room with a whisper.
"Good luck kid..."
TBC...
That's all for now, hope you like it :)
This is the beginning of a story I started working on a while ago but didn't get much done yet. Trying to see if I should continue or not. Please let me know, alright? ::angel::
GEMMA... - CH. 1, 'AWAKENINGS'
JUNE 2001 - SUNNYDALE
The funeral had ended. People, guests, were starting to leave. Eventually it was just them... Xander and Anya stood arm in arm, so did Willow and Tara next to them. Giles remained a couple of steps behind Dawn and, from a shaded area, Spike was looking after her as well. Each of them were now or had been crying. They'd lost her... Buffy.
And no matter how much they wanted to believe she might be in a better place, they couldn't sit back and do nothing. So the idea began to form. They would bring her back, no matter how difficult it might be. It was almost a month and a half later when they went to try... It was just that, a try. It didn't work. The defeated group of four returned to the Magic Box, forced to deal with the fact that their friend was really gone.
AUGUST 1 2001, WATCHERS' COUNCIL, ENGLAND
Emma Lundberg walked out of the conference room with a sense of pride. She was being assigned to a potential Slayer. She'd started to think it would never happen. Ever since she'd begun her training as a Watcher, she'd wondered about it. She'd made it down the hall and a flight of stairs before she realized she'd left her notes in the room. It was a habit of hers, wanting to do her job right she wrote down whatever she thought she might need. She returned to the conference room and found it on her chair. She must have put it down there when she took her jacket.
That was when she saw it... a folder at the head of the table, where Quentin Travers had sat a few minutes ago. She picked it up, started for the door. But in her hurry to catch up with him, knowing he was scheduled to leave for Spain within the hour, she tripped and dropped it. The contents spilled over, the words she saw first caught her off-guard.
'THOMPSON... PRISON... ELIMINATE... FAITH...'
Thompson, she knew who he was. She knew that when he was involved someone always ended up dead. He was a dark, silent, and almost chilling man. He looked at you and you saw death in his eyes.
And Faith... the 'rogue' Slayer. She'd kept contact with a guard at the prison where she was. She was making remarkable improvements, the dangerous girl she'd been no longer dominant of her thoughts and functions. Now they were going to send Thompson after her, something wasn't right. Emma gathered the file, the papers, placed them in her bag and left the building.
Settling in an isolated corner of a small cafe, she pulled out the sheets again. There was mention of Buffy Summers. She'd wanted to attend the funeral, but had been on an expedition at the time, couldn't get away. She'd been aware of her, not only because she was the Slayer, but because her Watcher was Rupert Giles. He was an old friend of hers and she kept in contact with him over the years. The way he talked about this girl you would have thought she was his daughter. When the Council had caught on to that and fired him, she'd briefly considered resigning her position. But Ruper was the one who convinced her to keep going. He was reinstated not long ago, something that made everything so pleasant again.
As she went on reading though, a feeling of dread formed in her stomach. It all made sense now, though she really wished it didn't, not this way. She knew in the end it needed to happen, but not this way.
So the next day, after clearing some time away, she flew to California. After booking a room in a hotel, she got herself a rental car and went to the prison. Luckily, she was able to work out a meeting with the now-lone Slayer, Faith. She sat at the small table, steadying herself on the chair as she waited for the girl to arrive.
When she did, Emma saw much of what she expected. Faith had turned herself in. She'd made that first step all on her own. So she was willing to give herself another shot. That was all she needed to start on her way back. And it would surely make things a bit easier for the Watcher.
"Hello Faith," she stood and held out her hand. "I'm Emma Lundberg." She shook her hand, though Emma could tell she was confused. They sat across from each other.
"I don't mean to be rude but... Who are you?" she asked, scratching at a scar on her arm.
"I'm... a Watcher." The Slayer's posture shifted. "I'm aware you may not be tempted to speak with me..."
"Where are you from?" Faith cut in.
"Sweden," Emma answered with a smile.
"Land of ABBA," Faith nodded with a tiny smile of her own. Emma laughed.
Over the next week, Emma came to visit a few more times, each time getting to have nice long chats with the dark-haired girl. On her fourth visit she decided it was time to get down to business. She knew Faith guessed that when she saw her.
"There isn't much time, so you have to pay attention." She nodded. "The Council is sending a man today, he'll come for you."
"Come for me?" she asked just as understanding came. "Oh... I can handle it."
"I'm afraid you can't. But if I have my way you won't have to." That made Faith come to attention. "I might not be able to come again for some time. I want you to know these talks have been wonderful," she stood. Faith stood as well and Emma came to hug her. This would have been the point where she'd push back or something, but then she felt an object being dropped into her pocket. Emma pulled back and gave her a nod. She returned it as Emma walked out.
Walking toward the prison shortly after was the towering Nicholas Thompson, the Council operative. He was dangerous, yes, but maybe a little too goal-oriented. When he saw Miss Lundberg walking toward him, he stopped.
"I need to speak with you... about Faith." He nodded and followed her. It was in moments like these that Emma was glad for all the physical training she had done. Their battle was heated yet relatively quick. Soon the man was in her car's trunk. She'd send him on his way back to the Council... once Faith had done her part.
Back in her cell, Faith checked to see that she was alone before pulling out the object. It was a piece of paper, rolled around something. Once she untied it, a small bottle fell in her lap. She looked at it for a few seconds, turned it around in her hand. She held up the sheet and began reading.
"Faith, what I'm about to ask you will possibly sound strange, but just keep an open mind. The Council is sending someone to eliminate you because they need a new Slayer. As you are here, cut from the outside, you may not know what has happened in Sunnydale. Buffy Summers died about two months ago. The world is without a Slayer with you out of reach. Unlike the Council, I do not believe you need to die. Not permanently. The bottle you will find inclosed is the key. Drink it, it will stop your heart, thereby allowing the next Slayer to be called and receive her powers. As long as you are able to be revived though some method, like CPR, you will reawaken. I believe in you Faith. I've seen how you've changed. The Council may not be able to see this, but I can. I will see to it you are released when you are ready to regain the outside world. Be safe, dear girl. Your friend, Emma."
Faith sat back, absorbing all of the things she'd read. Buffy was dead... she knew now she really had felt it. And Emma... she had such hope in her, she'd called her a friend... and truth was Faith saw her that way as well. The first person she felt this way with since... the Mayor.
She tucked the letter away on herself and stood, walking to the edge of the open door, looking out. Other inmates, guards, were sitting or standing around. She popped the bottle open and downed the liquid before dropping into the room with a whisper.
"Good luck kid..."
TBC...
That's all for now, hope you like it :)