Author: Channel5
Email for feedback: [email protected]
Summary: After Buffy's death a new Slayer comes to town, Cassandra. She is hiding a secret that has been haunting her. It threatens career as a Slayer & her relationship with her boyfriend, Spike.
Rating: PG-13 for swearing and adult themes (talk of rape).
Disclaimer: The usual, Joss is God and I'm just borrowing his characters. Harrison Davis and Cassandra Marks are my creation so that I can carry out my twisted fantasies.
Notes from the Author:
1. Without the help of my friend, who shall remain anonymous, this story would have sucked, I would just like to give a shout out to her. Thanks for the help, gurlie!!!
2. This was NOT a post 'The Gift' fic in the beginning, I got this idea back before Dawn came along, that's why there's no mention of her, just thought you all should know.
3. Main Characters: Cassandra Marks (The Vampire Slayer), Spike (William O'Conner), Harrison Davis, Willow Rosen, Angel, Rupert Giles, Xander Harris, Anya Harris.
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Prologue:
The Watcher Diaries: Cassandra The Vampire Slayer
Entry 1: April 17, 2001
Thus it begin again, I, Rupert Giles, former Watcher to Buffy Ann Summers, Slayer between 1995 - 2001 am now Current Watcher to Cassandra Melody Marks, Slayer between 2001 - ?
It wasn't long after Buffy's death that I met Cassandra, she approached me at the Sunnydale University Library, where I am employed, and asked "Are you Rupert Giles?"
I must say that I was really quite surprised that the green eyed girl in front of me turned out to be the newest Vampire Slayer and that I was to be her Watcher.
Cassandra was extremely distinct in appearance, light brown, possibly sandy blond hair that is all most always in a braid that reaches her lower back. Her eyes, are the most striking shade of green, almost like emeralds in the sun.
When I began to interview her for the diary, she told me that she didn't have the happiest childhood, Cassie informed me that her parents were very neglectful and spent most of their time drunk. When she was the age of ten she became deeply fascinated with vampire and demon mythology. She would never go out at night with out a stake, cross or a squirt gun of holy water, and took self-defence classes.
These habits later saved her life. At the age of thirteen she and her parents were attacked by a group of four vampires, while she managed to escape with only a broken arm, her parents weren't so lucky they both died that night having been drained of all their blood. Cassandra was then placed in a foster home. She was adopted by two wiccans that helped, and encouraged her fascination in magic. At the age of sixteen her true powers were revealed, as an Elemental Witch. Blessed with the power to control the elements of water, fire, electricity, earth, wind and spirit, Elemental Witches are very powerful. Normally an Elemental Witch (E.W) can only control one or two of the elements where Cassandra can control all six of them.
An E.W. that can use the element of Spirit is normally immortal, but because of her Slayer heritage I do not know if that comes into play in her life, nor do I have the desire to find out anytime soon.
Sincerely yours,
Rupert Giles
Chapter One: Caught
Cassandra was in her dorm doing what she called 'Pulling an Angel', or in regular terms brooding past the point of normalcy. Of course, her life hadn't exactly been normal. Two months ago she had gotten "The Call", telling her that she was the new Slayer. She was immediately sent to Sunnydale, which was only a short drive away from her hometown, so at the beginning of her calling she was happy. She could see her family, her boyfriend and her friends, but once she really got to know what she called her "support system" a.k.a the scoobies, things changed between her and her now ex-boyfriend, Harrison Davis. He had been calling Cassandra since they broke-up around two months ago.
The Scoobies knew about the break up. They also knew that the Slayer and Harrison had parted on extremely bad terms. But they didn't know what those bad terms were.
*Not that it matters*, Cassandra thought bitterly, *They'll find out in about a month
anyway.*, "Damn you, Harrison Davis!!!" She yelled to no one in particular, not noticing her new boyfriend standing in her door way.
"What's with the sudden mood swings, luv?" Spike said laughing, "Not pregnant, are
you?"
Cassandra froze. *No, No, No! He's NOT supposed to find out like this! Not now!*
Sensing her fear and unease, Spike asked tentatively, "Cassie, pet?"
When she didn't answer, he tried again, "Cassandra, luv, tell me what's wrong?" Spike didn't like it when Cassandra was upset, it scared him slightly because her powers could flare out and burn something, namely, him.
Cassandra knew it was time. "Spike, I... I'm..." She started. *I can't!!*
"You're what, pet?" Spike asked, "It's ok I know what happened."
"What are you talking about?" The slight edge of panic in her voice.
"I know that you were raped by that bastard Harrison, that's why you broke up. And you've just found out you're pregnant?" He answered and asked solemnly.
"How... When... What... You're not mad? " Cassie asked, surprised, and slightly confused, since she had kept her mind blocked.
"Not at you, luv. But I'm bloody well pissed off at that wanker, Harrison." Spike said,
"And as to how I figured it out, I can hear heartbeats, you had two, which is just slightly unusual for humans, unless you happen to be pregnant. So I put it together, the mood swings, the bloody strange cravings, the two heartbeats. Those three clues all pointed toward the obvious answer."
"How did you know that it's Harrison's child? For all you know it could've been some one night stand." Cassandra said to Spike, feeling defiant at how well he knew her. "Simple, pet, I was eves-dropping in on the conversation you had with your Mum." Spike answered.
"But, you were all the way up on the second floor, in my old room, at the end of the house." Cassie said exasperated.
"Vampire hearing, luv is ten times better than a humans." Spike tapping his ear, stating a fact that he had proven to her on many occasions.
"Ok," Cassie said, appeased at the moment.
"So, luv," Spike asked, "What are we gonna do with you and the baby?"
"What do you mean?" Cassandra asked, defensively, her mood changing in an instant. "I mean we can't very well have you out slaying at night, you could get hurt." Spike answered, ignoring the icy glare that Cassandra was sending him.
"It's part of my job! I can't sit here on my duff every night as long as I'm on the Hellmouth." Cassie yelled, "Unless, of course, you fancy this entire city being over run with demons?!"
"Not really, pet. But, me and the Scoobies could take care of it at least till the baby's born." Spike said, while thinking to himself, **As long as you're on the Hellmouth?**
"Ya, right!"
Cassandra glared at him again and then sat down on her bed, she felt as is one weight had been lifted off her shoulders only to be replaced by another. She felt the bed sink slightly as Spike sat down next to her and his strong arms surround her in a hug. She rested her head against his chest as he pulled her closer. *Maybe things wont be too bad* Cassandra thought, exhaling deeply.
Later that night Cassie and Spike were out on patrol, it was a quiet night, almost to quiet.
"I don't like this, it's too quiet. In my experience on the Hellmouth, something bad is about to happen when it gets like this." Spike was saying.
"You worry to much." Cassandra told him airily.
All the sudden, some one jumped out from the trees on their left and started to attack Spike. Spike's attacker through some kind of shimmering dust on him, it froze Spike. "This just isn't your lucky night is it, Spike?" Harrison said. He picked up the stake Spike had dropped and turned to Cassie and said, "Say good bye to your precious boyfriend, Cassandra." Then he plunged the stake into Spike's heart, just before he turned to dust, Spike screamed, "Cassandra!!"
"Spike!! NO!!" Cassie screeched.
"Cassandra, pet........." Spike was still talking, but he's dead? How can he still be talking? What was he saying? His voice was so faint.
Then there was a bright flash of light, and time seemed to stop and two people appeared.
"We are the Oracles, Cassandra." The female of the to told her, "We were sent here by the Powers That be, to send you a message. If you keep acting as you are now, inattentive and such things, these events will take place and you will lose William. B-"
"But if you clean up your act," the male Oracle continued, "And train harder and such, you can change the events for the better."
Then in unison the said, "Heed our warning, Cassandra....." Then they disappeared in another flash of light.
"Spike? Spike!" Cassandra sat up in her bed, seeing Spike sitting next to her she collapsed in to his arms and cried.
"Shush, luv. It was just a dream." Spike whispered to her over and over, until her tears subsided.
"Oh God, I thought I'd lost you." Cassie finally managed to say.
"Not by a long shot, pet. I'll never leave you," Spike said to her.
After what seemed like an eternity, Cassie finally managed to fall back into slumber, only this time, Spike stayed with her until the sun rose and forced him to go down into the window less basement. He wondered all the while about her dream and what could have shook her up bad enough to cry. **Maybe I don't wanna know.**
Chapter Two: The Secret is Revealed
It was two weeks later when Cassandra finally got up enough courage to tell the rest of the Scooby Gang about her impending predicament.
"Are you ready, luv?" Spike asked just before they walked into the library.
"To be perfectly honest," Cassie looked at him, eyes full of concern, "I don't think I'll ever be ready to tell them, especially Giles. He is gonna freak out. But it's now or never."
They walked into the library to see all the scoobies waiting patently for them.
Angel had gotten his Shanshu the hour after Buffy had died, but he still had his vampiric strength, healing powers, and senses. Cassandra had avoided him like the plague after Spike told her about hearing the heartbeats. When she entered his head snapped up and he said, none to softly, "Oh dear God! You're pregnant!"
"Thanks, Angel!" Cassie said sarcastically, while thinking *At least I don't have to tell them now.*
Then Spike entered her thoughts, **Yeah, well they probably would've liked it better coming from you, though.**
*Go away, Spike.*
**I don't think so, missy.**
*Whatever*
"Will you two please stop having one of your little mental talks," Giles furious tone startled them out of the argument, "And Cassandra, you better have a bloody good explanation for this."
"Well"
"How irresponsible! I can't believe that you all of people have gotten yourself in this situtation." His voice on the edge of yelling.
Cassie paused taking a deep breath, her hands slightly clenched, she flexed her jaw, gritting her teeth as fragments of memories popped in to her mind. They were still as fresh as if it had happened yesterday, instead of nearly three months ago. She hated the fact that someone she loved, some one she thought had loved her could do this to her. She could feel Spike trying to invade her mind, it was like a persistent knocking at a closed door.
Her head snapped up and she looked at Spike then glanced at the faces of her friends all waiting for her to give them an answer. Waiting for her to admit the most horrible thing that was ever done her. They waited and so she gave them the only answer she could, "Harrison raped me. Is that a good enough answer for ya?"
Before anyone could answer Cassie turned on her heel and ran out of the library.
"Now see what you've gone and done, Watcher!" Spike yelled before he ran after Cassandra.
"Oh dear," Giles said as he took off his glasses to clean them.
TBC..... next update 01/16/02