Disclaimer: I don’t own these characters and I am making no money off of
them. I am just having fun. Joss owns all the characters that lucky SOB.
Warning: Graphic sex between women (later on) So if you are not over the age of 17 and this type of story doesn’t do it for ya, well get out of here. Shoo.
Feedback: Hell Yes!! Get it? Hell? Oh just slap me.
email me at:
Elitetech2004@comcast.net
Pairings: Buffy/Faith Willow/Tara Dawn/Chloe
Rating: NC-17
Piece of My Heart
By Elitetech2004
Chapter Five
Hank Summers gave the group a wry smile, looking for the world like he wanted to be anywhere else at the moment. He opened his mouth to speak but never got the chance.
“You! You’re doing this? I can’t believe you have the balls to show up here like this! We haven’t heard from you in over a year and this is when you decide to show your face? You make me sick!” Buffy growled at the man she used to call father. Dawn stood at her side with arms crossed, a conflicted look on her face. Chloe reached over and rubbed her girlfriend’s arm. Dawn acknowledged her comforting presence by shifting her body closer, lightly brushing her elbow against Chloe’s side.
Hank Summers held his hands up in a placating manner. Taking a deep calming breath he addressed his angry daughters.
“Whoa! I know this is a bit of a shock for you but hear me out. I’m not the bad guy here. Honestly!” He flinched when Buffy stormed over. “Listen! I know I’ve been gone. It’s a lot to explain. It’s not what you think. I…”
Buffy lost control of her anger and threw a hard right to his chin, knocking him unconscious.
“Buffy!” Tara admonished the raging Slayer softly.
“Uncle Hank!” A voice cried out a second later and another figure, this time female, rushed over and leaned over the limp body.
The figure, a rather attractive redhead around Buffy’s age, spun to face her uncle’s attacker.
“He didn’t get the chance to explain! I understand your anger, I really do. But you should have listened to him.” The young woman sighed in relief when Hank moaned softly.
“Who are you? I don’t remember any cousins my age.” Buffy gave the girl a suspicious look.
“I’m your half-cousin actually. Paige…Paige Matthews. Your father is what we like to call a…” She didn’t get the chance to complete her sentence as Hank’s body disappeared in a shimmery light.
“Where’d…he go?” Dawn gasped.
“Whitelighter.” Tara whispered. “He’s a Whitelighter.”
“A what?” The group, with the exception of Spike and Anya, chorused.
“A Whitelighter. Whitelighters are people who were previously somehow connected to the magical world or who were good before they died. They are given the choice to become Whitelighters instead of moving on to the afterlife. They have the ability to orb.” At the blank looks she received, Anya rolled her eyes and continued to explain. “You know, a kind of magical teleportation. Like he just did.” She gestured toward where Hank had been a few moments before.
Paige grinned and nodded. “He’s with the Elders right now, he’ll be fine.”
“The Elders are like the Watcher Council but helpful.”
The sarcastic remark came from Giles as he wandered up to the group. He had blood splatters on his ripped dress shirt and his jacket was askew.
“Mr. Rayne won’t be bothering you again. He’s seen the error of his ways.” Giles smirked rakishly at the Scooby gang. He was given some rather relieved looks by Tara, Dawn and Willow. He smiled down at Buffy and then turned his attention to the newcomer.
“Back to the whole half-cousin thing, how are you related to us?” Dawn asked Paige curiously.
“My mother was your father’s half-sister, Elizabeth Summers.”
Buffy and Dawn shared a surprised look at the name.
Hank orbed back in and rubbed his jaw gingerly.
“Nice right hook ya got there, Buffy. Won’t say I don’t deserve that and more, but please, I beg you, hear me out. I’m not here to make excuses but rather to give an explanation of my whereabouts.”
Buffy glared and tapped her foot, but grudgingly nodded in his direction.
“Um, Paige may have explained some but I really should elaborate on it. I’m a Whitelighter as she said, but there’s so much more to it than that. I watch over Paige and her two half-sisters, Piper and Phoebe. They live up north in San Francisco.” Hank looked around, worriedly.
“We should go someplace secure. This warehouse isn’t a very safe place to be.”
The gang glanced around but saw nothing, still they knew the Hellmouth and it was better to be safe than sorry. Spike hovered behind Dawn and Chloe and Tara wrapped her arms around Willow protectively.
“I’m sure these two are more than ready to be somewhere else.” Faith gestured towards Willow and Dawn as she rubbed Buffy’s back gently. The blonde Slayer nodded and suggested that Giles’ place was closest.
Giles agreed and the group made its way towards his place.
Once settled in Giles’ living room, the gang turned expectantly to Hank. He swallowed hard but continued his story. The Scooby gang listened in awe to the tale.
“…And Chris is now the Halliwells’ Whitelighter.” Hank finished, looking around to see if they believed him.
“Wait, he’s Piper’s youngest son? And her other son, Wyatt, is a Darklighter?” Tara asked her expression unreadable.
“Pretty much.” Paige answered softly, her eyes troubled.
“So why now? Why are you here?” Dawn asked her father, not ready to forgive him just yet.
Xander added, “And why were you helping Ethan Rayne?”
“I wasn’t. Whoever you saw it wasn’t me.” Hank shared a worried look with Paige, who had a surge of fear shoot up and down her spine.
Buffy looked for a sign that her father was lying and was startled to see only fear and concern on his face. And neither was for himself. They had to find that mystery person and soon!
“There is one among you who has gained the powers of a Whitelighter. She is blessed. I’m to watch her and answer any and all of her questions.” He smiled warmly at Tara, who blinked at him in disbelief.
“M…me? Wait, you aren’t serious? I’ve noticed a more pronounced feeling of power but I thought that was from being back…no, you must be mistaken.” She stammered, her eyes swung towards Willow to gauge her reaction.
Willow looked as stunned as Tara felt. Tara noticed mixed reactions from the Scoobies. Dawn and Chloe looked confused, Buffy and Faith looked wary and Xander and Anya nodded as if they saw her “power”. Spike looked pensive. He kept glancing at Paige out of the corner of his eye.
“No mistake, Tara. The Elders have been watching you for a while and they knew you’d come by your powers in time.”
“I’ll prove it to you.” Paige smiled at the blonde witch. “Call for something that is across the room. Just say newspaper or whatever you wish. It’ll reappear in your hands.”
Tara glanced briefly at Willow and shrugged. She reached out her left hand and said, “Coffee mug.” She was startled when a second later she was holding said mug in her left hand. She gestured to Willow and the redhead tried to get the newspaper across the room to come to her. It didn’t work. She turned to Tara in amazement and apprehension. Tara just rubbed her arm reassuringly, though the blonde felt a slight surge of fear herself at what this could mean.
“Cool.” Was the chorus from the Scooby gang, even Buffy was impressed and turned a relatively warmer eye on her father.
“So, you’ve really been helping those girls? I mean, this whole time? What about Mom and Dawnie and me? We’re your family. These Elders have to know we needed you too right? Especially when Mom…when she…” Buffy broke off, her eyes teary.
“I’ve always been watching out for you. I’m just not allowed to interfere. I wanted to be here, Buffy, I did. But I have a sacred duty, too. It’s just as important as my duty to you and Dawn. I wi…would like to be able to change it so I could be here for you too, but life isn’t that simple.” Hank threw a quick glance at Anya and didn’t say “wish”. She smiled knowingly at him. She tugged at Xander’s coat gently and with soft goodbyes, the Harris’s made their way home. Spike gave Paige one last look and followed them out.
Faith gently wiped away Buffy’s tears and murmured softly to her fiancée. Buffy smiled and nodded.
“I understand, somewhat, I do, but I need to just absorb this…all…so Faith and I are going to head on home to see if a good night’s rest will allow it all to sink in.” Buffy smiled a sad smile at her father, who nodded, his heart lighter than it had been when he first saw his daughter.
Dawn and Chloe agreed that it was late and they needed time to think. Tara and Willow, who had the most to think on decided that they would stay awhile longer and talk to Hank and Paige about Tara’s new powers and what her duty to the gang would be.
Watching from outside, a pair of eyes gleamed with triumph and malice.
“Found you at last, Old man.” With an evil laugh, the figure trickled into the shadows.
TBC…
Elitetech2004