2.4

SIT

Baby Blues

By Stephen Craig

It had been two weeks since the exodus from Sunnydale. But even then things weren’t exactly normal. Marc had left, With Paul, Tim, Kayce, Jules and Oz. Then, just last week Dark Marc had shown up... again. Along with some demons thing, that seemed intent on munching down on Dark Marc. The intervening week however, had been quiet.

“I hate it when it’s this quiet” said Rose, walking through the LA graveyard with Jenna and Simone. Elsewhere in the Graveyard Kelly and Kara were patrolling their own little section.

“Same here, always think something’s gonna happen. Mind you Xander‘s a lot like that too.” said Simone. Then she looked at Jenna, and snickered.

“See she did it! I told you she did it!” she said excitedly.

“did what?” asked Rose.

“That dreamy look... you know the anywhere but here look you get when someone mentions Xander.. HA! you did it again Rose!”

“I so did not... and don’t be stupid! he’s a friend, I don’t have a crush on him!” Rose said. Jenna laughed and went up to Rose.

“Xander” she said. Rose made a dreamy look on her face.

“Wow girl you have it bad” Jenna commented.

“I do NOT!” Rose insisted.

“Oh come on Rose, its not a bad thing, I mean he’s cute, and the whole eye patch thing...” Simone looked at Jenna.

“Yeah the eye patch, adds an air of mystery to him now” Jenna agreed.

“I do not like Xand-him in that way! and.. Vampire!” Rose said, dodging out of the way as a newly risen Vampire lunged for the group.

“Ok Mr. Vampire, we can do this one of two ways.. Fight and we dust you.. or stand there and we dust you.. shame both ways end with the dust thing” Said Jenna. The Vampire growled at her, and made an attempt to grab at her. Jenna easily dodged the lunge, and brought her foot up hard into its knee, the Vampire staggered and fell forwards.

“I guess he took option one” said Rose, spin kicking the creature into Simone who held her stake up for him to fall on. The Vampire’s eyes went wide for a moment then he burst into a cloud of dust.

“You know, there is no way in hell breathing Vampire dust is good for you” Said Simone with a slight cough.

“Yeah well at least the dusting is good for the cleaning, I mean you kill a big scaly Demon and you have to bury it somewhere, at least with a Vampire all you need is a vacuum cleaner and its done” said Rose.

“Guys do you feel that?” asked Jenna suddenly. Both of the girls turned to look at her. “Feel what?” asked Rose. Jenna shook her head, and shrugged.

“I dunno, I just got the feeling I was being watched.. its gone now, maybe its nothing” she said.

“Well if something was watching us, its gone now. Let’s go find the others and blow this joint” said Rose, leading the other girls away.

Sathron watched as the three Slayers walked away. He had nearly been caught. And that wouldn’t be good. Once they were out of sight, the Demon brought himself out of hiding, and looked around.

“Oh I’ll be making an appearance soon enough little ones” he sniggered. Then he turned and began to walk away. Then he stopped. and pulled out a map. Looking at it he sighed, and waved his hand over it. A little arrow that said ’you are here’ appeared on it, along with another arrow that was flashing ‘home‘. Satisfied he wasn’t completely lost Sathron began to walk back towards his lair.

“How was patrol?” asked Stephen looking up as Rose, Simone, Jenna, Kelly and Kara walked in.

“Oh you know, dead as usual” Kelly replied. Stephen looked at her, blinked a couple of times then smiled.

“Ahh yes, Vampires.. dead.. I get it” he said. Kelly and Simone rolled their eyes.

“Ok Rose wants to know something” said Jenna, looking at Rose.

“Oh what?” asked Giles, looking up from the book he was reading with Hope, on the couch.

“Well, its been real quiet around here lately, With the thing last week with Dark Marc and that demon thing. So where are they now?” she asked.

“I’m not really sure actually” said Stephen thoughtfully.

“Maybe I could ask Angel if he knows anything” suggested Hope.

“Maybe Xander would help search before he leaves for Africa” added Giles.

“HA!! she did it again!” Jenna said, looking at Rose.

“Did what?” asked Xander, walking in from the kitchen with Buffy. Rose looked at him, went a brilliant red and ran up the stairs shouting

“Nothing!”.

Everyone watched her run and then looked at each other.

“I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again.. She’s got it bad” Jenna commented.

“Got what bad?” asked Kara.

“Oh you know the whole, crush thing”

“Oh that, yeah I know, still its kinda cute” said Kara.

“Rose has a crush on someone?” asked Stephen and Xander at the same time. The Girls looked at each other then at Stephen and Xander.

“Men” Kara muttered, jokingly. Hope pointed at Kara.

“Woman” she said with a nod. Kara laughed and looked at Stephen.

“Yes, now we can go onto the Animal Vegetable or mineral part” she said. Stephen smiled back at her.

“Well Rose’s embracement aside, I take it patrol was standard?” said Stephen.

“Four Vampires.. all newbies” said Jenna.

“I hate newbies” said Simone. “They’re way to easy to get rid of” she added.

“Most holy Mother of the Dark I beseech thee do my bidding, fulfil my task. Grant me this Boon I beg of you!” Sathron chanted. He was sitting in a circle of candles all burning around him. A chill wind whipped through the cavern, and the candles flickered, but thankfully didn’t die out.

“Welcome great mother” Sathron said bowing his head. The wind picked up and died down again.

“Yes.. yes.. the task... Remove the threat to my planes... I want them eliminated. You know who..” the wind picked up again.

“No the watchers duh!” he said sarcastically. Suddenly the wind picked up and dissipated.

“NO NO!! I WAS BEING SARCASTIC!” Sathron shouted. This time there was no answer. Sathron kicked three of the candles away in disgust.

“Bugger!”

Kelly yawned as she turned over in bed, blinking slightly she squinted at the sun shining through the break in the curtains. In the bed opposite her, Simone yawned as well, and sat up.

“Morning Kelly” she said tiredly.

“Its a dream its still hours until morning” Kelly replied, but still she sat up. Kelly could smell the brewing coffee, and smiled despite herself. She wasn’t a morning person, but hell, Coffee was the great equaliser. Leaving Simone to wake up Kelly went downstairs. she could see Rose, Willow, Xander and Hope talking quietly to each other. A moment later, Jenna appeared with Coffee and put the tray on the table.

“you lot are up early” said Kelly joining them.

“We’ve got a problem” said Hope looking at her.

“Don’t tell me there’s no Sugar...OW!!” Kelly turned to see a little boy looking at her sheepishly.

“Sworry Kerry” he said rocking back and forwards on his feet, face looking down to the ground.

“Ok... when did we open a nursery?” asked Kelly.

“Kelly, look at him” said Jenna.

“What.. brown hair, glasses that are way too big. Its a mini Stephen.....” suddenly her voice trailed off. “No way” she finally said.

“yes way... Kelly that IS Stephen” said Jenna.

“But how?”

“We don’t know, but its not just Stephen... its all of the Watchers” said Xander. “Morning, who’s the brat?” asked Simone coming down the stairs.

“Its Stephen” said Rose.

“Ermm are you sure? cus last time I remember seeing Stephen he was kinda older and.. taller”

“Simone, it is him.. believe me.”

“Stephen!!! I WANT MY AEROPLANE!!!” Said another boys voice.

“Oh my god is that Giles?” asked Kelly.

“Yep”

“Its mine.. I was playing with it first!” shouted Stephen. Giles looked at Rose.

“TELL Stephen!! he nickered my toy!!“ Rose looked at Stephen and then Giles.

“Ok.. did anyone take the course on parental help?” asked Rose. the other’s stared at her blankly.

“ok do we have any idea as to what’s happened?” asked Simone.

“well from what we can tell, all the Watchers have been turned into three year olds. “Stephen there you are!! You’re meant to be helping me to make little Gingerbread families!!” said Kara walking in. Stephen screamed when he saw Kara and hid behind Xander’s leg. Giles meanwhile had forgotten the toy plane and had found much fun in pulling Hope’s ears. He soon bored of this and wondered off.

“I don’t wanna make Gingy Bread families!!” shouted Stephen. Across the room, Giles had picked up a book and had his head buried in it.

“Ermm what ya reading Giles?” said Kelly. Giles looked up at Kelly and ran over to her smiling.

“KELLY KELLY!!! guess what!!” he said happily.

“What Giles?” said Kelly, forcing a smile on her face.

“I DID poopies!!!!!!!!” he yelled, dropping the book. The smile immediately fell from Kelly’s face.

“Kara, please, be good... no don’t touch that Kara.. it’ll break” Xander was saying. Hope stood up and went towards the kitchen, when suddenly there was a scream and something hit her hard, knocking her into Xander and sending them both tumbling to the floor.

“DIE DEMON SCUM!” shouted Stephen, his tiny hands around Hope’s throat. Hope shook her head sadly, closed her eyes and let her head fall back. Ste[hen giggled. “AGAIN AGAIN!” he yelled.

“Oh this is pitiful” muttered Kelly.

“Guys we have to find out what’s happened to them” said Rose, watching Kara and Giles bouncing up and down on Xander’s stomach, giggling, why Xander lay there a look of terror on his face.

“KARA!!!!!!!!! GILES!!!!!!!!!!! get off Xander!!” yelled Rose.

“I know what we can do!” said Kelly suddenly, rushing upstairs. A few moments later she came back down with a Video, putting it on, she pressed play and the Teletubbies theme came on. Almost at the same time all the kids ran to sit in front of the television. “Ok.. We have a Teletubbies video here?” asked Jenna, confused.

“It’s Giles’s, he’s convinced that they are speaking in some ancient language and is trying to decipher it” said Kelly.

“ok why they’re watching that, we need to do two things” said Rose.

“and they are?” asked Hope

“Well we need to research this, and someone needs to Change Giles”

“I’ve got a book!” said Xander, grabbing a book from the research shelf, along with Rose, Simone, Hope, Willow, Xander and Jenna. Kelly looked at them then the empty bookshelf.

“Oh this is SO not fair! I’m a slayer not a nanny!” shouted Kelly, Grabbing Giles and pulling him into the Kitchen.

“ok.. so de-aging” said Hope, opening the book. There was a giggle then a smash from the kitchen. And then Kelly’s Voice.

“EWWWWWWWW you really did do poopies!”

“I told ya!” Giles shouted back.

Sathron watched the scene unfolding in the Hotel and smiled. Perhaps this wouldn’t be so bad after all. The Slayers weren’t as well versed in the arts of research as their watchers. It would take them days, maybe weeks to figure out what had happened to their watchers, by which time he’d have already opened the portal to his home world and left. It was just a pity that the portal would never close, thus leading to the overrunning of LA and then the surrounding area, before finally the entire world. Turning he laughed, then fell back as he walked into a low branch.

“bugger” he muttered, walking away and rubbing his head. After about fifteen minutes he stopped and looked around. He hadn’t consulted his map and thus ha had become hopelessly lost. Sighing he pulled the map out and ran his hand over it. The little arrow appeared, with a ‘go here nimrod’ posted above it.

“oh ha ha... great a sarcastic map... your not too tough ya know.. I could set fire to you” The map blew him a raspberry, then chuckled.

“Well.. Excuse me Rudeness!!” Sathron stuttered, but he followed the directions anyway.

After a few minutes he realised he was being followed. turning he frowned.

“you look lost” said Dark Marc with a grin. Next to him, Amy Maddison nodded.

“Anything?” asked Rose, looking up from her book at the others in the group. Kelly had rejoined them after having undertaken the task of changing Giles.

“Nothing” said Jenna, looking over at the watchers.

“Hope, you’ve been around for a couple of centuries you ever seen anything like this before?” asked Jenna. Hope shook her head.

“New one on me, babyfied Watchers” she said

“We should go out, hit the town, see of there’s a new bad guy in town” suggested Xander.

“Good idea Xander” said Rose, forcing herself not to make that little wistful face. “Someone has to stay and look after them though” Kelly added. Everyone looked at each other, then at Kelly. She blinked twice then shook her head.

“No.. no way.. not doing it..”

“Well you did suggest it Kelly” said Simone.

“Right suggested.. operative word... suggested not volunteered” Kelly insisted. “You’re going out?” asked Stephen looking up at Rose, his little eyes filled with concern.

“Don’t worry Stephen, Kelly’s gonna be here to look after you lot” Rose told him. “Under duress I might add” Kelly said, glaring at Rose.

“Dress? what dress?” asked Stephen looking at her.

“Duress... not dress” Kelly said with a sigh. Stephen made a cute little ‘O’ with his mouth then ran over to the other kids.

“Hey Kelly’s staying and she says we’re gonna be under a dress as well”

“dress up.. I like that game!” shouted Kara. Kelly shook her head and closed her eyes. She watched as the other Slayers, Xander, Hope, and Willow left the Condo, then she looked back at the kids.

“Ok.. here’s the deal.. you lot shut up, sit down and don’t move and I won’t have to get angry.. got it?” said Kelly.

“But I wanna play dress up!” said Kara. “You promised!”

“Oh for Peat’s sake”

“Who Pete?” asked Giles.

“Can I pretend he’s a monster and kill him?” asked Stephen.

“Is he cute?” asked Kara.

“I hate this” Kelly muttered.

Sathron looked into his cauldron and chuckled.

“I have to say I do like your style, making the watchers into mewling infants, forcing the Slayers to venture fourth with no back up” said Dark Marc. Sathron nodded.

“It was genius wasn’t it?” he agreed.

“Now for the next part.. Amy, if you would” said Dark Marc. Amy nodded and stepped forwards, her eyes were black. She closed them as she lowered her hands into the cauldron. A moment later a black snake like creature burst from the bubbling depths of the Cauldron it hit the floor with a wet smack, then slithered off into the night.

“what was that?” asked Sathron.

“A present.. for my old friends” said Dark Marc, smiling grimly.

The group had split up. Jenna, Simone and Hope had decided on scouring the streets and back alleys of Sunnydale. Rose, Xander and Willow had decided to try the various demon bars. In one demon bar, the bartender looked up from wiping the bar as Rose entered with Xander. and Willow. The Bartender froze he knew Xander and Willow, Rose he didn’t

“Hey, no kids allowed!” he called out to them. Several demons turned in their chairs to face the group. Rose ignored them and walked up to Willy the snitch.

“two things.. one.. I’m not a kid.. second...” she grabbed Willy by the scruff of his shirt, and pulled him effortlessly towards her, over the bar. “...I’m your new nightmare. You thought Buffy was bad.. you don’t know me yet”

“Buffy? the slayer? wait a second.. you’re a Slayer?” Willy said stammering.

“Give the man a point... yes I am.. now we can do this easily or... well roughly, your choice.” Willy looked at her, then at Xander.

“Nice eye patch” he said. Xander just looked at him, and remained silent.

“Willy... do you really like pain?” asked Rose.

“well now you mention it.. the doctors do say I have an allergy to pain” Willy tried. Rose rolled her eyes, and let him go.

“Ok what’s the snitch?” she asked. Willy took a moment to readjust his shirt, then shrugged.

“I‘ve got nothing, Sunnydale goes down, I figure, hey count my losses, start up a new business, but NO here we get another slayer. Bad for business... ” he said.

“I’m going to have to punch him aren’t I?” asked Rose looking at Willow.

“Probably, Buffy used to hit him all the time” admitted Willow. Rose clenched a fist and looked back at Willy.

“See now that’s too bad, I really didn’t want to hurt you but-”

“She’s no Slayer” Rose turned back to see four of the demons, larger ones standing up and looking at her.

“I take it not everyone’s got the memo” Rose said.

“For a Slayer to be called, one has to die.. last I heard there were two.. and they’re both still breathing” said the leader of the four demons.

“Then I guess you heard wrong.. there’s not two slayers nimrod.. there’s hundred’s of us now, including Buffy and Faith”

“Oh so the Powers just happened to activate every other Slayer?” laughed the demon leader.

“as a matter of fact I did” Willow told him.

“I don’t believe you” said the demon.

“Ok.. I take it you didn’t come with the little tick box that said intelligence included right?” Xander muttered.

“Very well wannabe... we shall see if you are indeed a Slayer” the demon hissed, ignoring Xander.

“Good, I was getting fed up of having to hear you talk” said Rose. The Demon jumped towards her, Rose dogged easily and brought her foot up into its stomach. The demon doubled over, and Rose grabbed its horned head and pulled it into the bar, cracking the wood. The demon slumped down to the floor, dazed. The other three looked at one another then charged Rose. Xander grabbed the one nearest him and brought his knee up into its neck, it to fell to the floor gagging for breath. The other two circled Rose, looking for an opening, even as they did so, the leader got to its feet and roared.

“You’ll pay for that!” he yelled.

“Are you lot naturally stupid or does it take practice?” asked Rose, round housing the demon nearest her.. there was a sharp crack and it fell to the floor dead. The other one charged at her, and she grabbed it, and sent it flying through the air where it crashed through the window, several large cuts across its skin, one of which was pumping blood profusely. It fell struggled to stand before falling dead.

“oops.. I did it again” Rose said rounding on the leader. the leader looked at his fallen comrades, then back at Rose.

“Believe me yet?” asked Rose. The demon roared again and jumped at her. He was caught by a bar stool in the head that snapped his head back with a resounding crack, he hit the floor hard, and lay unmoving. the last demon, the one Xander had been tackling had finally got to its own feet. It looked at Rose, then Xander, then fled from the bar. Rose looked at the mess then turned back to Willy.

“Now.. you were saying?” she asked politely.

“you could have waited for them to pay their tab before killing em” muttered Willy. Rose rolled her eyes and leant forwards.

“Ok.. ok, its not much, but there’s word that something big is about to happen in town, its been here, Angel‘s being made head of Wolfram & Heart is only the tip of the iceberg. My sources say its gonna be bigger than anything that‘s come before.” Willy said quickly, shrinking away from Rose’s gaze.

“And?” asked Xander.

“And that’s all I got, honest” said Willy.

“that’s it?” said Rose.

“Sorry babe, but it’s all I’ve got” Willy said. The he grabbed his nose as Rose punched him hard.

“Hey!” he cried out.

“I’m NOT you’re babe” Rose said.

“ok ok.. sorry” he muttered. Rose turned and walked out with the others. From across the bar a Amy Maddison watched them intently. Taking a final sip of her dink she stood, tossed Willy a five dollar bill and walked out.

”Ok what exactly are we looking for in a graveyard?” asked Jenna, standing in the middle of the path way, twirling her stake like a cowboy from an old western.

“Clues” Hope answered.

“Well duh... what kinda clues? dirty nappies? Dummy’s? a buggy?” asked Simone, leaning up against a tree, bored to hell.

“Stuff that’s not natural” Hope replied with a sigh. Jenna and Simone rolled their eyes and began looking around. After fifteen minutes of searching, Jenna threw up her hands in disgust.

“we’re wasting our time, there’s nothing here”

“Sorry to disappoint!” said a voice behind them. The three girls turned to see a woman flanked by four Vampires standing on the path.

“Ruby” muttered Simone

“So good to see you again Simone, pity I can’t stop and chat. Places to go, People to kill, you know the drill”

“How’d they get this close without our noticing?” asked Jenna, backing towards Simone and Hope.

“Magic probably” replied Simone, taking a fighting stance. Ruby laughed, and waved her hand, Simone feel to the ground hard, wincing.

“yes, powerful magic.. this is a warning Slayers. Go home, go to bed and snuggle up to your teddy bears. Keep out of my way” Ruby warned them.

“Who the hell are you?” demanded Hope. Ruby looked at her and smiled.

“You’ll find out before long. That is if you live. Get them” she gestured to the vampires around her, who charged towards the three girls. Simone snap kicked one vampire in its solar plexus, shattering its collarbone before rounding with her stake to turn it into a cloud of dust. Whilst Jenna, standing by a tree jumped up, grabbed a low branch and kicked her attacker in the head, it fell back, to the ground, dazed, Jenna let go of the branch, ran over and brought her stake into its chest, dusting it. The remaining two vampires had decided to both take on Hope, who was standing between them.

“Now now boys, no need to fight” Hope quipped. The vampires lunged at her. Hope jumped back, watching as the two vampires slammed into each other.

“all this fighting over little me? how cute” she said, kicking the legs out from under one of the vamps. It fell, where Simone appeared and staked it.

“thing is.. I choose... neither of you” Hope finished, punching the other vampire several times, before kneeing it in the groin. The vampire didn’t have time for pain as the stake went trough its chest. and heart. When the dust had settled the girls turned, but Ruby was gone.

“Well isn't that just crap” Simone growled.

Ruby was not a happy person. She had stayed at the Graveyard long enough to see that the Vampires were both outmatched and outclassed. But there shouldn’t have been any problems. According to Sathron, and to a greater extent, Dark Marc, the spell had worked and the Slayers wouldn’t be a problem. Leaning back she turned to her companion, a blue tinged girl, with razor sharp hair.

“Petal, be a dear and fetch Sathron for me, bring Marc and that idiot witch as well” she ordered.

“Yes mistress” Petal replied, walking out. Ruby leant back in her chair and looked out at the brightening sky. Suddenly the room door opened. Ruby stood up, and looked over at the new arrivals.

“Mistress Ruby” said Sathron kneeling before her.

“Get up you snivelling frog” she ordered. Sathron rose and stood silent. “I despise failure. All I have had since those girls returned to our world are failures. No more. I am going to Red Hill, to take charge there...” her voice trailed off, and suddenly Sathron and Amy were engulfed in black flames. They fell to the ground, charred corpses.

“Wasn’t that just a little overkill?” asked Dark Marc.

“there will be no place for failures in the new world” Ruby said. Then she looked at Dark Marc.

“Find the Darkling. Cage it.. and then take it here” she said, writing an address down.

“A Nunnery?” asked Dark Marc.

“Take it there and the first stage will be complete” she said, then Petal in Tow she walked from the room.

“Find the Darkling... Cage the Darkling” Dark Marc said, in a parody of Ruby’s voice.

“NOW!” Yelled Ruby standing in the doorway.

“KELLY LET’S PLAY HORSY!” Shouted Giles.

“I WANNA DO DRESS UP” said Kara.

“I WANT TO KILL SOME DEMON!” Added Stephen, sitting on the back of the couch.

“ok.. ok... 1...2...3....4...5.... SHUT UP!” Kelly screamed. The 3 children fell silent, then looked at her, before bursting into tears.

“Oh I am SO not having a kid” Kelly muttered. She picked up Giles.

“Sorry I shouted” she said.

“You told us off.. you mean” he said. Kelly was about to reply when the whole room flashed and Kelly collapsed under Giles’s full weight.

“Good lord, what happened?” asked Giles.

“YOUR BACK!” yelled Kelly from under him. “now get off me” she added.

“Oh.. I’m so sorry.. are you hurt?” he asked. Kelly was saved form answering by a crash from the couch. A moment later Stephen’s head and shoulders popped into view.

“Ow... that hurt” he said.

“Well thank god that’s over” Kelly said.

“Thank god what’s over?” asked Kara.

“What was I doing sitting on the couch?” asked Stephen.

“Yes.. and why were you trying to carry me?” added Giles. Before Kelly could answer the door opened and the rest of the gang walked in.

“Your back!” shouted Rose.

“Evidently” agreed Giles. “Although I would like to be told where we’ve been” he added.

“You don’t remember?” asked Hope.

“the whole.. hey look I’m a baby!” added Xander.

“Baby?” asked Kara.

“Well 3 years old actually”

“And I hope never to have to change you again Giles” Kelly said. Giles eyes went wide and he sat down quietly.

“Change Giles?” asked Stephen and Kara at the same time.

“We do have some more serious problems however” said Rose. Everyone went quiet and looked at her.

“Guess who we met in the cemetery” Jenna asked.

“Who?” asked Giles.

“Our old vampire friend. Ruby” said Simone.

“Ruby?” asked Stephen.

“What the hell would she want here?” added Kara.

“Dunno.. but she was very insistent we stay out of it” Hope said.

“If Ruby’s back, that can mean only one thing.. Trouble” said Stephen grimly.

The Darkling hissed and spat at its captor, who was safe from its attack. Dark Marc had not had much trouble finding it. He knew the creature was after him, so he had made himself an open target. The Darkling had fell for the trap hook, line and sinker.

“Your so feisty aren’t you... trying to kill me... well guess what.. we have big plans for you..... Very big plans” he said to it, before laughing. The Darkling hissed again.