Betaed by Maria and Flight Of Fancy.


Buffy was in high spirits as she led her Watcher through town. “Come on, Merrick. I know exactly who we need to see now,” she said, as she pointed at an apartment complex down the road. As they got closer, Merrick noticed that they were passing lots of demons on the street, breeds known to be friendly and non-violent for the most part. Merrick shot a questioning glance at Buffy, but she simply responded with a smile and continued walking.

Once in the building, Buffy didn’t bother to check the list of tenants, instead taking the stairs directly to the basement. On that landing, there were three apartments, each with a different, brightly coloured door. Without any hesitation, Buffy approached the red door on the left and knocked.

The pair outside could hear shuffling footsteps approach the other side of the door, and then a voice asked who was knocking. Buffy explained that she owned a building, and that she was looking for someone to do renovations for her. To Merrick’s amazement, she offered the job, sight unseen, to the person on the other side of the door.

Rather than continue the conversation the way it had started, the person Buffy was talking with decided to open the door and peek at the people on his landing. Hmmm...humans, he thought, even though the little one is making me feel kind of funny. Not feeling any danger from the couple, he decided to open the door and invite them in.

The wrinkled demon asked, “Where have you heard of me?”

“I asked around town, and was told that if I wanted a good job done for a fair price, that this was the place to go.” Buffy spoke through her hood, which she had left up. It would be difficult to explain if she was seen in her older body, and then appeared again in the body of the Buffy from this time.

At that, the demon straightened up and reached his hand out to shake with Buffy and Merrick. “It’s a pleasure meeting you, and a pleasure to know you’ve heard good things. My name is Clem.”

“I’m Buffy, and this is Merrick.” Buffy continued to hold her head down while she talked, so that her face remained hidden from Clem. She was really looking forward to getting out of the voluminous hoodie though, and becoming friends with Clem again. “I’ve just purchased a large warehouse, and I’d like it converted into living space as soon as possible. When do you think you’d be able to take a look at it?”

Nodding, Clem swallowed and suggested, “I’m free at noon tomorrow. How about then?”

Buffy looked at Merrick, who nodded, and then back at Clem. His face was one big smile, and his floppy cheeks were jiggling as he waited for her response. “Okay, sounds like a plan. Here’s the address.” She showed him the purchase documents, and Clem quickly wrote down the information he needed on a napkin that was handy.

Buffy and Merrick had lots left to accomplish that day, and so they said a quick goodbye to Clem and went on their way. Neither said it out loud, but they both recognized that they couldn’t trust Giles not to do something stupid and put Buffy’s happiness at risk again.

----------------------------------

With Revello Drive as their next destination, the pair stopped to pick up take-out sandwiches on the way to see Buffy’s mother. They both agreed that, if Giles in his childish tantrum wasn’t going to talk with Joyce, then Merrick and Buffy would have to try to explain things to her themselves. It was going to be a shock for her when her daughter rose from her hospital bed, no longer in a coma, and in possession of a mind and soul far older than she’d had just a few days before. Joyce would also need to understand why her daughter would be insisting on living in her own home.

Once at the door, Buffy’s nerves got the better of her. “I can’t, Merrick. You knock. I’m so nervous that I’m shaking.” Buffy looked pale and was visibly trembling. When he took her hand, Merrick noted that her skin felt cold and clammy.

“I’m afraid this might be more than just nerves.” Merrick grimaced. “There’s a limit to how long you can stay here in this body. We’re going to have to do the soul transfer soon, probably today, if you want to stay in this time.”

“What? Why didn’t you tell me I had so little time? I’m not ready, Merrick.”

“I’m sorry. I thought we’d have more time to get things sorted out before we had to do the spell. I wasn’t trying to keep secrets from you, Buffy. It just never occurred to me that things would take so long that we’d run out of time.”

Buffy placed her hand on Merrick’s shoulder and gave him a pat. “It’s okay, Merrick. I know you weren’t trying to trick me.” She sent a reassuring smile his way. “Now, let’s get this over with, so we can move on and do the spell.”

Merrick nodded and turned back to the door, knocking sharply.

Joyce opened the door almost immediately. “Oh.” She tilted her head as if trying to place her guests. “Mr. Merrick, the Watcher friend of Giles, right? Come in, please, you and your companion. Is Mr. Giles coming too?” She looked hopefully at them.

Buffy remained silent, though it was a struggle for her to not reach out and hug her mother.

Merrick responded, “Haven’t you spoken with him today, Mrs. Summers?”

“No, I haven’t heard from him in a few days now. I was starting to worry about him.”

“We saw him just a few hours ago, and he was fine then,” Merrick informed her.

Joyce sighed. Great. Yet another man that’s lost interest in me, she thought sadly. “Well, thank you for letting me know. What can I help you with? Are you tired of sleeping on Giles’ couch? You know you’re more than welcome to stay here, if you’d like.”

“Yes, well, we’d like to accept your very gracious offer, Mrs. Summers. As long as it won’t inconvenience you, of course. We’d also like to speak with you, if you have time?” Merrick smiled warmly at Buffy’s mother. She seemed to be a kind, warm, and loving woman, with a strong will, and a fierce need to protect her child. The kind of woman the Watcher had spent his life looking for, but never found.

“Please, I’d love to have houseguests, and you wouldn’t be an inconvenience at all. It’s my day off, and normally I’d spend it with the gang, doing research. Since there doesn’t seem to be a Scooby meeting today, I guess my day is yours.” Joyce smiled and showed Merrick and Buffy into the living room. “Can I get you anything? Coffee? Tea? How about a mug of hot cocoa?”

“Cocoa would be lovely, Mrs. Summers.” Merrick smiled.

Still feeling weak and shaky, with a voice that was hoarse and barely above a whisper, Buffy said, “I’ll take care of it.”

Joyce started to protest, but Merrick stopped her. “It’s probably for the best. I need to speak with you, and time is short. Please, Mrs. Summers?” When she nodded her assent, Merrick gestured to an armchair near the couch and asked that she sit.

Knowing she wasn’t needed for this part of the conversation, and looking forward to a mug of the Summers secret-recipe hot chocolate, Buffy headed to the kitchen.

Focused on the Watcher’s companion as she left the room, the Slayer’s mother reluctantly returned her attention to Merrick. “Please, I’d like you to call me Joyce. Formality isn’t necessary between friends.”

“Certainly, Joyce.” Merrick could see that he didn’t have Joyce’s full attention. He lightly touched her arm, drawing her focus back from the kitchen, and thoughts of someone she didn’t know, busy making drinks for them. “She’ll be okay.”

“Your companion is a woman? I couldn’t tell. Why does she wear that big sweater? She must be rather warm,” Joyce rambled.

In the kitchen, Buffy stopped listening to the conversation in the living room, and let her memories surround her. She still remembered where everything was, even after all these years, and had no trouble making the cocoa. There were many times in the past, when she could recall sitting in the kitchen as her mother made her cure-all drink and soothed Buffy’s girlhood sorrows.

It was when she turned from the stove to get some mugs that the basement door caught her eye, and suddenly she was filled with a different set of memories. Flashes from the time when Spike was in the basement, so close but so untouchable. And then later, when they’d finally managed to reconnect, and Buffy had hoped they would be together, only to be devastated by the loss of her vampire in the end. This time, she promised herself, Spike wouldn’t have to go through the pain of getting his soul. This time she knew better, realizing the value of his love and accepting him without reservation, both man and vampire.

Pulling herself away from thoughts of Spike, she returned to the tray she was filling. The pain of losing Spike was sharp, and she could barely see because of the tears in her eyes. Of course, she had missed her mother as well, but when Spike died, she was denied an eternity with her soul mate. There weren’t words to describe how deeply that knowledge cut.

Looking at the kitchen clock, Buffy realized that she had been lost in her memories for almost half an hour. That should be long enough for Merrick to explain the situation to her mom. With that thought in mind, Buffy carried the tray of hot chocolate into the living room and placed it on the table. “Help yourself,” Buffy said, as she took a mug and a handful of little marshmallows.

“But...” Joyce seemed bewildered when she looked at Buffy. “It’s not her voice.” She looked back at Merrick.

“Time changes everything, Mom,” Buffy said, as she slowly pulled the thick, black hood from her head.

“Buffy.” Joyce pressed both hands over her mouth, tears rushing to her eyes. She held her arms out and Buffy immediately left her chair and went to kneel in front of her mother.

Looking like she expected Buffy to disappear if she blinked, Joyce slowly reached a hand out towards Buffy’s face, touching her cheek gently. “Oh, Buffy, it’s you. You’re here. But...you’ve changed. What’s happened to you?”

Buffy smiled softly at her mother. “It’s me, Mom. I’m here to stay. Don’t worry about the changes though. Soon, I’ll be just like I was, and I’ll have the voice you know, too.”

Joyce pulled Buffy into her arms, squeezing her so tight that Buffy was reminded of all the times when she would hug her friends and they would say she was going to break their ribs.

“Mom,...air...I need air.” Buffy croaked out.

“Sorry, Honey.” Joyce’s cheeks flushed as she loosened her embrace a bit, but she didn’t let her daughter go. Buffy stayed in her arms for what felt like an eternity, but was really only ten minutes.

“Sorry, Mom, but you’re going to have to let me go. I don’t feel very well.” Buffy stumbled when she tried to stand, causing Joyce and Merrick to reach out and support her.

“What’s the matter? Are you sick?” Joyce asked, worried. She moved over to the couch, and sat beside Buffy, holding her hand and occasionally patting it.

“No, I’m not sick. My body just wants to return to its own time.” Buffy leaned back, resting her head on the back of the couch. “Have you told her everything?” She turned her head to lock eyes with Merrick.

The Watcher pressed his lips together in a thin line, and nodded.

Buffy turned in her seat, so she was looking at her mother. “Do you understand what Merrick has told you? You can ask us anything. It’s important that you’re okay with this, Mom.”

Joyce hesitated. “I think I understand, Honey.”

“Well, if you think of anything else later, you can always ask then. I’ll be here.” Buffy tried to sound positive. What she really wanted, though, was to finish up with her mom so that she and Merrick could get to the hospital. She was starting to feel nauseous. “Merrick did explain to you that I’ll be living at my own place, right?”

“He mentioned something about that, but I don’t understand why you can’t live here. It’s your home, Buffy.”

“Would you like to move in with your mom? Now, today?” Buffy waited patiently for her mother to answer.

Joyce was staring at her daughter, with her mouth slightly open. “It’s not the same, Buffy. I’ve had my own home for years.”

Buffy couldn’t help but smile. She looked down for a moment, before meeting her mother’s concerned gaze. “I’m a lot older than you, Mom,” Buffy said softly. “I’ve had my own place for decades.”

Joyce stared at her daughter, a blank look on her face, but it wasn’t long before she shook herself out of her mood. “Now I understand. I don’t like that you’ll be living by yourself, but I can see I’ll have to learn to accept it. However, you have to promise me that we’ll see each other often.” She looked pleadingly at Buffy, while she held her daughter’s hands tightly.

“I promise, Mom.” Buffy leaned forward and hugged Joyce. “Now, we have to go. I’ll be back soon though.”

“Can’t you stay for dinner?” Joyce looked over at the Watcher. “You too, Merrick?”

Looking closely at Buffy, Merrick realized that she was even paler than before, and was sweating and shaking. They needed to do the soul transfer now. “Joyce, do you have a car?”

“Yes, why?” Her brow wrinkled in confusion at the sudden change of subject.

“Could you do us a favour?” Merrick asked Joyce.

She nodded. “Of course. What do you need?”

“I think we need to get Buffy to the hospital. Now, please.” Merrick pulled Buffy to her feet and was standing beside her, holding her steady.

“It’s ok, we can...,” Buffy got out, before her knees buckled. Merrick caught her and lifted her up into his arms.

“Joyce! Car...now!” Merrick demanded, heading for the front door.

Joyce did as she was told. Now that she had Buffy back, she wasn’t going to do anything to risk losing her again. She grabbed her keys and her coat with one hand, opening the door for Merrick and Buffy with the other.

When they reached the car, Merrick put Buffy in the back seat while Joyce went to climb in behind the wheel. Merrick was about to crawl in the back with his Slayer, when he noticed Joyce’s pale complexion and shaking hands. “I can drive. You get in with Buffy,” he told her.

Joyce readily turned her keys over to Merrick, and climbed in the backseat with her daughter. “Will she be okay?” she asked, once they were on the road to the hospital. The worried mother held one of her daughter’s hands, and brushed Buffy’s hair off her ashen face.

Merrick dared a look in the rear view mirror. “We can’t wait any longer. The soul transfer must be done today, the faster the better. Once the process is complete, Buffy should improve dramatically.” He drove the car into the parking lot near the front of the hospital, before turning in his seat to speak to the Slayer. “We’ll do our best to support you, Buffy, but you have to walk to the room yourself, or hospital staff might start asking questions we don’t have time for.”

Buffy nodded weakly and allowed Merrick to help her out of the car. She leaned heavily on both her companions as they made their way into the building, and almost collapsed several times before they made it to the hospital room. Once inside, Merrick lifted her up into his arms, and carried her to the bed, where he gently placed her beside the body of her younger self.

“Is there something I can do to help?” Joyce stood near the door, twisting her hands together and wanting to help, but not knowing how. “Can I stay, or do you need me to leave?”

“Please, stay. I’ll need your help to lock the door, and make sure we’re not disturbed,” Merrick told her, without looking in her direction. He was busy spreading a fragrant paste over the hearts, eyes, and hands of the two bodies on the bed. Never had he been more grateful that he’d thought to keep the ingredients for the soul transfer spell in his pocket. Clearly, the Powers were looking out for the Slayer tonight. Once he was done with the paste, he took a phial of white powder and used it to make a circle on the floor, encompassing the bed. As he was preparing to sit in the circle and begin his casting, he noticed Joyce enroute to the bed. “Joyce, don’t touch the bed, or the circle on the floor. Go stand by the door, please.” He sent her a smile to soften the effect of his commanding tone.

Joyce appeared startled by this new side of the Watcher. Merrick had always been so calm and soft spoken. Suddenly, she understood. He’s as worried as I am. Recognizing that her feelings weren’t a priority at this time, Joyce immediately forgave Merrick’s harsh tone and retreated to the door.

She watched as he lit two candles, placing them in front of his body, one near each knee and within reach in the circle, and then began chanting in a strange language that Joyce didn’t understand. Joyce was almost ready to give up, believing that the spell had failed, when suddenly a brilliant white, pulsing light hid the bed from sight. Merrick continued his laboured chanting for another minute or two, before gradually slowing and finally stopping altogether as the light hiding the bed became a steady glow. The room was silent, as both adults waited; Joyce at the door, and Merrick seated on the floor.

Slowly, the light enveloping the bed dissipated, until they could finally make out the single occupant under the blanket. The couple staring at the bed held their breath for what seemed like an eternity, until Buffy’s eyelashes began to flutter.

It was only another minute, before her eyes were open and she was looking around. The first person Buffy saw was her mother, who had gradually crept closer to the bed. “Hi, Mom.” Then she turned to Merrick and asked, “Why are you on the floor?”

“Where else could I make a magical circle?” he asked, humorously. Happy that his work was done, Merrick blew out the two candles at his knees, and then stood up. Hearing a commotion down the hall, he told Joyce to unlock the door, and did his best to remove all evidence of the circle on the floor, sweeping the white powder under the bed. In seconds, the room was filled with nurses, and a doctor was paged. Joyce and Merrick were firmly escorted from the room, and given directions to the waiting room.

Knowing they had no other option, the couple retired to the drab and uncomfortable room. Joyce sighed and found herself a seat near the door, while Merrick began pacing.

Five minutes later, Joyce had reached her limit. “Will you please stop doing laps around the room? You’re making me dizzy.” Joyce patted the seat beside her. “Is it too soon to call the Scoobies and let them know that Buffy is awake?”

“Definitely too soon.” Merrick turned to Joyce, taking one of her hands in his own. “Joyce, it’s the Eternal Light that’s awakened. You need to understand that it’s still Buffy, but she’s not the Slayer anymore. She can slay if she wants to, but it’s no longer her duty or sacred calling.”

Joyce began to smile in delight. “She doesn’t have to go out at night anymore, risking her life? She can finally have a normal life? Maybe even get married and have children?” It was easy to see the hopeful look in Joyce’s eyes.

Merrick sighed, and damned Giles and his stubbornness. He should be the one explaining all this to Joyce. “Joyce, the Eternal Light is immortal.” Merrick looked at her with pity, hating to crush her dreams.

Joyce’s mouth opened, but nothing came out for a minute or two. “Immortal? Does that mean I’ll never have grandchildren?”

“I don’t know, Joyce. All I know is that she has no future with a normal human being.” Joyce’s grip on his hand tightened painfully. “Joyce, could you please loosen your grip a bit?”

“Sorry. I’m so sorry, Merrick.” She let go of his hand. “I don’t understand though. Why can’t she be with a normal man?”

“Think, Joyce. She’s strong, as in, very strong. The Eternal Light is even stronger than a Slayer.” Merrick tried to explain. “She would always have to be careful not to break a normal human being. Plus, if she were to marry a human, he would age and eventually die, leaving her alone. That’s not what you want for her, is it?”

“No. I’d never wish that for my little girl,” Joyce whispered, suddenly overcome with the bleak future that awaited her daughter if Buffy was unable to find her soul mate and become complete.

The silence in the waiting room was broken when Buffy’s doctor arrived. “Mrs. Summers, I don’t know what’s happening, but it seems that your daughter is awake. We’ll have to do some more tests, and we’ll want to keep an eye on her for a few days, but I think she might just be fine.”

“Can I see her now?” Joyce asked.

“In a few minutes. We’re just doing a few tests right now. Your daughter is a very stubborn girl. She wants to go home immediately.” The doctor laughed. “She’s been in a coma for some time. She’ll be too weak to even walk without physiotherapy.” He shook his head.

“Buffy has never liked hospitals,” Joyce laughed. “Oh, I’d like to introduce Mr. Merrick. He’s a close family friend.” The men shook hands.

“It’s nice to meet you,” the doctor responded, before looking at his watch. “They should be finishing up with her now. Let’s go back and have a talk with your daughter.”

As they approached the Light’s room, they could hear a commotion inside. The doctor hurried into the room ahead of Joyce and Merrick. “What’s going on here?” he demanded.

The nurses in the room parted like the Red Sea, leaving Buffy standing alone at the side of her bed.

“Somebody explain why this young lady is on her feet. Now,” the doctor said.

An older nurse stepped forward. “She’s refusing to stay in bed, Doctor. She insists that she’s ready to go home.”

The doctor turned to Buffy. “Miss Summers, if you would be so kind as to return to your bed, so the nurses can finish up their tests, and then you and I can sit with your mother and discuss a return home plan for you.”

“There’s nothing to discuss. I’ve been here long enough.” She pouted. “I want to go home.”

“And I’ve said that we’ll talk about it, after you’ve returned to your bed,” the doctor insisted.

“That’s blackmail,” Buffy said, as she reluctantly returned to the hospital bed.

Once Buffy was settled under the blankets, the doctor stepped up to one side of the bed, and Merrick and Joyce approached the other.

“It’s clear that you’ve decided you’ve had enough of our company, but you haven’t been released yet. Now tell me, Miss Summers, how do you feel?” the doctor asked, as he was taking her pulse.

“I’m fine, really. I feel good.” Buffy nodded fiercely. “I’m ready to go home.”

“It’s amazing that you’re already standing, young lady. If your test results are okay, I don’t see any reason why you can’t go home tomorrow.” The doctor gave the young blonde a no-nonsense look. “I expect you to use a wheelchair for a while though,” he added.

“A wheelchair? You’ve got to be kidding!” Buffy gaped at him.

Recognizing the light of battle in Buffy’s eyes, Merrick stepped in to diffuse the situation. “It sounds like you have a choice to make Buffy. If you want out tomorrow, you leave in a wheelchair. Otherwise, you’ll be in the hospital for a few more days.”

Buffy pouted, crossing her arms over her chest. “When did you get into the blackmailing market? Was there a discount? Learn to blackmail, two for the price of one?” Still, wheelchair or no, the Light couldn’t help but smile, because she knew tomorrow she would be free.