The Ornithologists Assistant

[ILLYRIAN]

If any copyright's have been broken, I'm sorry. This is a
not for profit fan-fic, for the entertainment of others.

Willow had taken to writing books, it seemed to fit Buffy's
lifestyle. Doing book signings around the country.
They were now in their mid twenties, what happened in
Sunnydale seemed a memory, almost


Buffy sat still, looking to the fire in her fireplace, watching
the flames as they sucked the energy from the rapidly
dying parts of a tree. Quietly contemplating how she had
come to be sitting there.

The only friend she had left was Willow, she had tried
marriage but it didn't last long; the problem with some
slayers, they think they are invincible. Kennedy found out
the hard way. So now there was just the two of them.

Buffy got up, going into the kitchen to make herself a hot
drink. As she poured the water into the kettle. She
thought of Giles, what he did for her before he died. She
looked around at the apartment, sighed, then went back
to making the hot drink.

She had been watching the flames for to long, the drink
in the half empty cup was now cold. Hearing a key
turning in the lock she looked to the door.

"I hope you don't mind, she needs some help."
"Who is she Will?" asked Buffy.
"No idea, a couple of guys roughed her up a bit then took
her bag. She's got a couple of cuts on her face, that she
doesn't know if she is coming or going."

Buffy looked to her, led her into the bathroom. With a
damp cloth she wiped her face, about to fold the cloth
Buffy stepped back from her. "Willow! Get in here, now."

Buffy stared at her, hearing Willow behind her she showed
her the cloth. "Tell me Will, how come her blood has dried
already, it is like a black powder. Another thing." Buffy
turned to her friend.
"Why isn't there any cuts on this girls face?"
Willow looked at the girls face then to Buffy. "A vampire?"

Buffy took her necklace off, held the silver cross against
the girls skin. She held it there for over a minute.
"Guess not, I'm not sure why she is like she is though."
"Are we safe?" asked Willow. Watching as Buffy helped
the girl, walking past her then towards the fire.
"Guess so," Willow said to herself, still standing in the
bathroom.

The hours seemed top drag on by, Buffy had put a glass
of water in front of the girl. Her eyes were open but there
didn't seem to be anyone in. Unsure of their guest Buffy
stayed awake all night, Willow had fallen asleep three
times in her chair before admitting she was tired,
eventually going to bed.

In the morning she was back to her bright, breezy self.
Making a healthy breakfast for the three of them. But all
was not right, the girl didn't have any breakfast, she
hadn't touched the water from the previous night.

Willow had gone to the local shop to get the newspaper,
brought it back and was halfway through reading it.
Buffy had tried to have a conversation with the girl while
Willow was at the shop.

But it was so hard, she didn't know anything. A couple of
times she asked Buffy why she could see the ground
outside. That had taken Buffy by surprise, Buffy
suggested it was a memory of last night but the girl
disagreed. She said she could see what was happening
as they spoke.

Going to get a drink from the fridge Willow handed the
newspaper to the girl. "Something in it might help you to
know what is happening around you."

Picking it up, she stared at the front page. Willow noticed
her, asking her what was wrong.
"Is this really the date?" she asked.
Willow looked to Buffy, she put her drink on the breakfast
table, going to sit next to Buffy; looking at the girl.

"What do you mean?"
"I'm eighteen years old! How?" Buffy looked to Willow.
"What do you mean? You seem surprised." Buffy took a
look at the headlines of the newspaper. "The Icelandic
volcano erupts again? What has that got to do with the
date?"

The girl shrugged, "Nothing, it is the picture on your
friends top."
Willow looked at her top. "Paddington Bear?"
"I used to love playing.. Buffy stood up suddenly.

"What is it Buffy?" asked Willow.
"I don't know," replied Buffy, "But my spider sense is
tingling. What do you mean, used to."

"Before I died," the girl looked to each of them, carefully
stood, then moved to the window, she opened it.
"Why did you do that?" Willow looks to the window.
"I could see us sitting here." Buffy looked out of the
window as a black bird flew on to the window ledge.

Willow said she would shoo it away.
"Don't!" "Why not?" asked Willow looking at the bird.
"I was murdered twelve years ago, so was my mother.
The bird showed me how to come back."

"Back! back? back from where?" asked Willow.
The girl stood up, she smiled to them.
"Thanks. You helped me remember who I am."
She went into the kitchen, poured some water into a bowl.
"Oh, you don't mind do you?" "Mind what?" asked Buffy.

She carried the bowl, putting it down on the table. The
bird flew to the table, taking some of the water. Sitting
down again, "I was held in an attic with my mother, we
were handcuffed to a pole each, and left. That was in
nineteen ninety eight."

"But you are h how?"
"My guide showed me the way back, from the land of the
dead. My mother is here, somewhere."
"So, who are you?" asked Buffy.
"My name is Rebecca, my mum was, is Hannah Foster."

TO BE CONTINUED

 

[ILLYRIAN]

Willow casually glanced at the other people on the steps
as she tried to come to terms with why she was at the
Natural History Museum. In the foyer she looked at the
signs on the wall, trying to ascertain which way to go..

"Can I help you miss?"
Willow looked about, "Is someone speaking to me?"
"Over this way miss."

Willow saw where the voice was coming from, she noticed
the sign. 'Information Desk'. "I should have known." Willow
thought to herself, wandering towards the smartly dressed
elderly man.

"Can I help you miss?" he asked her again.
"I hope so," replied Willow, "I'm doing some research for a
book, I need to know about some legends or beliefs about
birds. This seemed as good as any place to start looking."

The man on the information desk looked to her. "We do
have someone that might be able to help you, she started
here as an intern a year or two back. She has this flair,
I've met her a few times, she wants knowledge in the
same field as you. She might be able to help you. I'll page
her, if you'd care to take a seat."
He pointed to a few chairs.
"I'm sure it won't take her to long to come here."

Willow sat down, trying not to appear to nervous. She
took the notebook from her bag, refreshing herself with
the questions she wanted answering. "They seemed
sensible questions this morning. I suppose being with Buffy
and Rebecca."

Looking to the marbled columns in the foyer, the highly
polished floors, the smart attendant.
She decided to say the question aloud, just to see how it
sounded.
"I'm trying to find out about the native American's belief
that an animal, a bird, could be a spirit guide when a
person is returned from the land of the dead. If I asked
Buffy that, it would be a normal question." Noticing a
young woman walking towards her. "I might get thrown
out of here if I ask her that question."

"They reckon I might be able to help you."
Willow stood up, "I, er." Looking to the man at the
information desk. He indicated she was who he called.

"Oh right, I'm researching for a book. I've sort of backed
myself into a corner so I'm trying to find a way out. That's
why I am here, I was hoping that I could use one of the
native Americans beliefs about spirit guides," said Willow.

"I could show you some of our exhibits, we've a nice line
of Eagles here."
Willow looked to the woman's name tag, "Sarah, the story
has these people holding a woman prisoner, in a city
apartment. An eagle would be to big to be in a city. I
was thinking like something smaller, a Raven maybe?"

"Sounds like what I used to look for, best go to my office
first." As they walked to her office, the woman gave her a
few details. "Years ago, I mean before the white person
came to these shores the Pakoma Nation had a belief that
when a person died, a raven could bring that person back.
From the dead," said Sarah.

"Oh, thank you." Willow relaxed. "Why?" asked Sarah.
"Me asking that? the extent of my wardrobe next year
could have been a straightjacket. Maybe a picture of a
cartoon animal on it, but it'd still be a straightjacket."

"If you don't mind saying, what are you writing?" asked
Sarah. "I have been given a commission, if you want to be
a consultant? I wouldn't mind giving you some of that
commission," stated Willow.

For the rest of the morning Sarah and Willow talked. They
arranged to meet at eight that evening.
At the apartment, after Willow got back she told Rebecca
and Buffy about the girl and what they had discussed and
how the girl would be arriving there at eight that evening.

Buffy looked to Rebecca. "Hey don't look at me! I'm not
the one bringing strange girls to this apartment."
"It could be worse I suppose," Buffy pointed to Willow with
her eyes, "She could bring back stray dogs."
"Hey! Guys! Still standing here!"

Hearing the door bell Willow went to the door, opening it.
"I hope you don't mind, about me coming early. It is just
that, after our talk this morning I couldn't concentrate on
anything, so I came here instead of home," said Sarah.

Willow looked apologetically to Buffy and Rebecca.
"Buffy, what were you saying about stray dogs?" asked
Rebecca. Buffy tried hard not to smile, and to hide her
expression.
"What was that about?" asked Sarah.

Willow, feeling a little disgruntled, looked to Buffy.
"Rebecca is here, to try and teach my friend what a sense
of humour means." Buffy started laughing, Sarah offered
her hand to Buffy. "Hi, sorry. I'm Buffy. This is Rebecca."

As Sarah shook hands with Rebecca she saw flashes of
memories, in her minds eye. She stared at Rebecca, then
to Willow.
"You are not writing a book about that stuff are you?"

"No," admitted Willow, "I might do though. I just write
horror stories about what I know, what made you say that
though?"
"The reason I first started trying to learn about them.
Never in a million years did I think I'd meet one again."

She stared at Rebecca. "Where is it?"

"Willow? What is she on about?" asked Buffy.
"Beats me. Sarah?"
"Where is it Rebecca?" asked Sarah.
"What are you on about?" asked Buffy.

"It seems like it was in another lifetime. This ring," she
held up her hand a bit, looking at the ring herself, "A
friend gave it to me the day he told me he was going
back, his girlfriend gave it to him." She looks at Rebecca.
So you are Hannah's daughter."

Astounded. "You knew my mum?" asked Rebecca.
"I saw her, once or twice, but not to speak to," said Sarah.
"But, you're what early twenties, you'd only have been
seven or eight. How can you remember seeing my mum
only once or twice?"

Sarah moved towards Rebecca, sitting down opposite her.
"I met your mother a few days after she had been
returned from the land of the dead. I would have been
thirteen when your mum died. So, now that you are back,
what do you want to do, where is it?" asked Sarah.

"Where is what?" asked Willow.
"You know, considering those questions you were asking,
where is Rebecca's crow?" asked Sarah
"How do you know all that?" asked Rebecca.

"Did you know even while we were talking this morning?"
asked Willow. Sarah smiles to her.
"Didn't even think about it, it wasn't until, oh," looking to
Rebecca, "It was when we shook hands, it could have
been you touching this ring that did........"

Stopping mid sentence, "Wait a minute, what you said.
You only write horror stories, about what you know of,
you"˜ve met things that go bump in the night? Really!"

"And you met a dead guy? Really?" questioned Buffy.
"Yeah, I suppose when you put it like that. How did you
meet a snake?" asked Sarah.
"A snake? is that a euphemism for something else? cos I've
only met vampires, and other demons," stated Willow.

"Yeah! And I thought I was weird," said Sarah.
"Hey, I'm a powerful witch, I nearly destroyed the world
once, I'm the weird one."
"Excuse me! Vampire Slayer here, I'm the weird one,"
stated Buffy.
"Whoop-dee doo! I'm dead, I came here from the land of
the dead! So I win, I'm the weird one," said Rebecca.

"How does that song by Suzi Quattro go? Did she sing I'm
the wild one, or was it I'm the weird one." She grins to
Willow and Buffy then indicates to Rebecca. "So what are
you here to do?" asked Sarah.
"I donâ know, I'd like to meet my mum, hadn't thought
about anything else," said Rebecca.

Buffy stood up, "Just a minute, he'll be at the door soon."
Hearing the doorbell Sarah and Rebecca look to each
other, Buffy came back to them with a young looking man.
As Buffy was about to sit down she looked up at him.

"That's a thought, maybe you can help us. So, Spike,
what do you know about crows?"
Puzzled, Spike looks at each of them, "A crow? Not much,
it's a blackbird on steroids, why?"

TO BE CONTINUED

 

[ILLYRIAN]

Spike looked to their facial expressions. "That isn't what
you meant? what did you mean?"
"I was asking a serious question," said Buffy.
"Oh, then I know nothing," added Spike, "why did you ask?"

"Because Rebecca here has been returned from the land of
the dead, she isn't a vampire. Just a person who was
returned, her guide is a crow," stated Buffy. "That sort of
a crow," Spike sat on the arm of a chair, "that is different."

"Why?" asked Willow.
"Because the crow is like Rebecca, dead. First the crow is
given life so that it can be given to the person to be his
or her guide."
"How d'you know so much?" asked Sarah.

"Sorry for this Buffy. A, er, oriental person I killed, a long
time ago now." "Spike, do you mean the slayer during the
Boxer rebellion?" asked Buffy.
"That's the one, well Dru said something about her a few
months later. That got me thinking, I'd like to say it was
"˜cos of Buffy I'm here, but it was because of Dru."

"What did she say?" asked Willow.
"It was about the dead going to get her, Dru said they
were guided by crows. It was when I got myself a soul, I
started looking on the internet. I mean, I knew there was
something else, stands to reason. I was there, the slayers
were against us. Hmm, so what does Rebecca want?"

"What makes you say that?" asked Sarah.
"Rebecca is allowed to do something for herself, then she
starts to put things right. It's the old story; I do something
for you, you do something for me. So what is it?" said Spike.

"I want to find my mother," said Rebecca.
"I can understand that, I loved my mother, until I made her
like me. Still, if I can help I will, what can you tell me about
her?" asked Spike.
"I'll tell you," said Sarah, "Rebecca's mother, Hannah Foster
died a dozen years ago."

"That's easier, finding her will be easier. Look up there."
"No, she is down here, mother and daughter are more alike
than most," said Sarah smiling to Spike.
"You're joking! she has a guide as well? Why?" asked Spike.
"We both died in the same place, but mum came back
twelve years ago," said Rebecca.

"Okay, your mum came back, so she righted the wrongs
that were done to the both of you, so it may be you are
here to right the wrong she has done, or has is being done
to her. I hate to say this, he wasn't my biggest fan but
Giles would be good," admitted Spike.

"Problem there, he is dead," said Buffy sadly.
"Er Buffy, great! that makes getting him a lot easier,"
stated Spike. "How?" asked Sarah.
"Someone wanted Rebecca here, who that is? dunno but
the fact is someone wanted her here. Do you think we
need help?" asked Spike.

"Sounds right," said Sarah.
"Sarah, Rebecca, this Giles, he guided Buffy, he was always
there to help, even when most human wouldn't. When he
died, what he had done was to make sure Buffy was ok."
Spike looked to each of them.

Each of them agreed someone to help them would be good.
"Why were you so specific about that?" asked Willow.
"I wanted to hear you admit you wanted help, someone to
be a central leader. Right, Buffy how would you have gone
about finding a person, when you were in Sunnydale?"

"I would have asked Giles."
"And what would he have done?" asked Spike.
"Looked in his books."
"And?"

Buffy looked puzzled. "He'd do some research."
"And then?" asked Spike.
"Oh right, he'd have wanted Willow to get on the computer,
thanks Spike," said Buffy.

Willow started to browse through the pages on the internet,
carefully reading, gaining all the knowledge she could.
During the next ten minutes Buffy, then Sarah and then
Rebecca started watching the screen. They were so intent
with what was on the screen none of them noticed Spike
leave the room.

"This had better be good, I was in the library."
Buffy almost fell over turning to see him.
"Giles? how?" They looked to each other.
"It must have been that other guy, that Spike," said
Rebecca, "it explains why he was so adamant that we all
ask for Giles to be here."

"What was it like up there?" asked Willow.
"Fantastic, the best ever."
"Really? so what country did it look like?" added Willow.
"Oh I wouldn't know about that, I was in the library. But
not like this."

He looked down at his body.
"I was there, and the library! well there was no books. But
if I wanted to know something I asked and I knew."
He looked to Willow.

"Just the same as that box, you have to ask the right
question to get the right answer.
"Then you know what we want?" asked Buffy
"Yes, to do what Rebecca wants."

"Do you know why you are here?" asked Willow.
"Because of Spike, he got you all to ask for me," said Giles.
"So how do we go about finding my mum?"
Rebecca looked to him.

"Willow, keep browsing. Sarah what can you remember
about Hannah leaving?" asked Giles.
The all fell silent, looking to each other but staying silent.
Spike walked into the room.

"You people! Willow, that computer is a resource of all the
information you could ever need. But it won't tell you
unless to say what you want to know, the same as Giles."
The room stayed silent.

"Ok, Giles, they want to help Rebecca. Sarah, Giles wants
to know where to look. What was Rebecca's mum's first
case about?" asked Spike.
"Finding a baby and taking it back to the mother."

"Right, was it finding those who killed her, or her daughter?"
"Her daughter?"
"Right, well done Willow, so look for more other info about
babies being found. Just think what Giles said, you need to
ask the right question to get the right answer," said Spike.

"Hey, here's one, oh. A baby was found by a witch, how
do we get there?" asked Willow.
"Can't I just be there?" asked Rebecca.
"No, that isn't how it works," said Sarah, "the crow goes
there, you see what the crow sees then you can be there."

"Then what?"
"If its a good lead we all go there," said Giles.
"Nnnooo!" stated Spike thoughtfully, "I don't know! Giles,
you and Rebecca go there first, if it is a lead they tell
Willow. Willow contacts her agent, gets a book signing in
the town, then the can go there," said Spike.

"I wouldn't be able to get the time off work," said Sarah.
"Which is probably a good idea," said Giles, "having a place
to go back to is a good idea."
"Just two questions now," said Spike.

"There is? what?" asked Giles.
"That place Willow, where is it?" asked Spike.
Buffy looked to him. "And the other question?"
"Where is here?"
"Good point, I'd like to know that as well," said Giles.

TO BE CONTINUED