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The Rocky Vampire Show by Ariane Budberg, April, 2001
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This piece of FAN FICTION is written by Ariane Budberg and does not express the views or opinions of TimeWarp fan club. No copyright infringement is intended.

Part I of VI

No copyright infringements for "Buffy - The Vampire Slayer" or "The Rocky Horror Show" and related names, titles, and places intended. I like being poor, really!

For your opinion about this little piece of mine, which I'd really love to hear, please write to a.budberg@tu-bs.de.

This story is dedicated to all the Rocky Horror fans out there, especially to you Gem – thank you so much again for being a friend and for your help – and to all the Buffy fans in the world. I got the idea for this story during a video night when we first watched Becoming and later on The Rocky Horror Picture Show. I thought, cruelly I know, that it would be fun to combine the Slayer and the characters from Rocky in order to torture Buffy a bit. Though I changed the names – Patricia (a hint to my favourite actress Patricia Quinn – thanks for your wonderful portrayal of Magenta!) is of course Magenta while Richard is Riff Raff (Richard O'Brien – God! Thanks for writing Rocky Horror; it indeed changed my life – for the better!). But you have to find all the other hints and quotes yourself, and before you'll get bored with the dedication – LET THERE BE LIPS!

It was night in Sunnydale. The air was warm and dry, as it was usual for a summer night like this. A full moon was rising. The roads were empty, only now and then a car passed the blonde girl who was walking towards the graveyard for the every-night check. She was wearing dark trousers, a sleeveless, blue shirt and a golden cross at a necklace. She was carrying a heavy bag over her shoulder and a wooden stake in her hand. It was time for vampires, demons and other riffraff to realise that Buffy Summers had come back. The vampire slayer was home again. It had taken her quite some time to overcome Angel's death and she was not sure whether or not she had really managed to do it but she felt much better now. She was just sorry for Willow who had taken the risk of giving Angel his soul back only to help her friend Buffy. Buffy had told herself that she had not had any choice, she had had to kill Angel, no matter how much it hurt. It had been the only way to save Earth instead of letting the world be pulled into the demon dimension. Three weeks had passed since the fatal events in the old mansion where she had co-operated with Spike to keep Angel from destroying Earth. Three long weeks during which she had thought a lot, lying in the sand of the beaches near Los Angeles. The soft sounds of the waves had calmed her upset soul down and finally got her to toss these self-reproaches off. It had felt strange to be back there again. Every night she had looked up to the stars and asked herself if Angel was somewhere up there and if there was a God who would punish her for killing Angel. But the stars had not answered her silent questions and prayers - she had never prayed before, but in that situation it had just felt right - and so Buffy had finally realised that her life had to go on. She had a job to do - or the other vampires and demons would think that the Slayer had given up because of heartaches. And then Sunnydale would not be especially safe. Let alone the rest of this planet.

Buffy brought herself back to reality when she finally saw the sign of the graveyard where she would spend some time. It was crazy but she was absolutely willing to keep any vampire from making trouble tonight. Perhaps she would visit Willow, Xander and Giles tomorrow to find out about the events during the last weeks. Maybe there had been significant changes in the vampires' behaviour that she of course had not noticed. The gate of the graveyard was still as imposing as three weeks ago, and it still made the same shrieking sound when she opened it. She could not see anybody in the darkness of the shadows of the trees and bushes at the other side of the entrance lawn. She stepped through the gate and slowly made her way to the morgue. She would leave her bag there until the break of dawn when she wanted to go home to her mother. Joyce Summers would be so happy to see her only daughter alive that she would forget about having told Buffy not to come back again. Buffy put her bag beside the door of the morgue and walked back to the long rows of graves where she usually hunted vampires. But tonight it was quiet. Too quiet for a night on the Sunnydale graveyards.

She waited for an hour behind a bush where she had sat down to watch the scene but nothing happened. Absolutely nothing. Not one vampire tried to escape from his or her grave, no demon showed up who wanted to take over control over the planet, no werewolf tried to get her for breakfast. Oz seemed to be locked away in the library cage, too, where he was safe from werewolf hunters and other crazy people. Three hours had passed and yet nothing seemed to come up. Well, maybe the vampires had decided to welcome her back with a quiet beginning. Buffy leant back. Some years ago, she would never have dreamt of spending her nights with hunting vampires. If anyone would have told her, she would have laughed him off and stated that he was crazy. But now, after two years of doing exactly that, namely killing vampires, she was quite used to it. A life without it would not be as interesting as before. Maybe that was one of the reasons why she had returned to Sunnydale. She had not known what she should have done in L.A. for very much longer. She had visited old friends and her aunt where she had lived during these weeks but at a point she had felt a certain emptiness. She was missing Willow, Xander, Giles, and even Cordelia. Yes, they were alright and had recovered from their last encounter with Angel, Spike and Drusilla but Buffy had reached a point where she was not content only hearing from them. She wanted to see them again. Buffy's eyes started to ache. After three weeks she was not used any longer to staring into the darkness for hours. For a moment, she closed them - but mere moments later, they flew open again. There had been a noise, something like steps on the lawn. But she could not see anyone. She stood up, turned around completely and saw - nothing unusual. Grave stones, paths, and trees.

Buffy blinked her eyes - was that a shadow over there? A shadow from a person standing under a tree in the moonlight? No, actually, there were two shadows - but she could not see anyone causing it! Usually there were no shadows without persons belonging to them, right? "Hello? Is anyone there?" Buffy asked right away, not sure whether she saw humans or vampires. Suddenly she could see a young couple standing there, being obviously disturbed in something. Both turned around to Buffy for a moment - but not long enough. She could not see their faces. Then they walked away, slowly, proudly, in a quite aristocratic manner so that Buffy could at least see their backs. The girl - or was it a woman? - was wearing a black see-through dress with white stripes at the arm lapels, a black bra, and long, black stockings that were held by black suspenders. Her feet were inside laced up high-heel boots that ended about five inches over her ankles. But the most significant feature was her red hair that shone even in the moonlight. The man was also dressed in black, although not as extravagant as his company. He was wearing a suit and a silk scarf. He had broad shoulders and black hair. Unfortunately, Buffy could not see more before the couple disappeared between the trees at the other side of the lawn. Then she shook her head. Were these images real? He had held her hand so tenderly and yet so determinedly as if he was willing to hold her forever. And she had moved in such a strange way that Buffy could not believe what she had seen. These images had been filled with such beauty, such grace, such elegance, and such unreality that she had not dared disturbing them. Nevertheless, she decided to follow them, for you could never know who was going to become a vampire... But she could not find them anywhere.

They had gone into the direction of the exit but they had to have been faster than Buffy. There was no trace of them, neither at the exit where the gate stood exactly as Buffy had closed it nor in any other direction. They had simply disappeared, leaving an astonished and surprised Buffy back. She knew what she had seen! They could not simply disintegrate and vanish! Well, however, as she looked up again, searching the sky for something, what, she did not really know, she saw the first rays of sunlight, announcing the break of dawn. Vampire time was over now. Buffy sighed and went back to the morgue where she put the stake back into her bag. She did not want to frighten her mother again. Forcing the graveyard gate open, she stepped out on the street again. How many times had she left this place with Angel? But never ever had she imagined that she would do so alone because she had killed him. There had been such pain in his eyes, such love, such longing for her, and so many questions. 'Buffy Summers', she told herself, 'this isn't leading anywhere! Stop it or you'll go crazy before you'll reach your home.'

The roads were still as empty as some hours before, and still she did not see any living soul who was crazy enough to leave the house at five a.m. Perhaps it was better this way when nobody saw her before her mother did so. This way, Buffy had a chance of explaining everything to her before there were rumours. But the closer she came to her mother's house, the slower she walked. How many times had she walked down this road, and yet, she felt like a stranger in this town. Somehow, there had been some kind of a break-up when Joyce had told her not to come back again. But maybe it was not deep enough to be closed again. Buffy stopped in her walk. There it was. Her mother's house. Taking a deep breath, she stepped up the stairs and opened the door. Of course, Joyce had again forgotten to lock it. Or had she left it open for her daughter? However, Buffy stepped inside the house carefully. She did not want to wake Joyce up.

She put her bag down on the kitchen floor and tossed off her shoes. Everything looked exactly as it had three weeks ago, even her notebook was still lying beside the phone. Only the flowers had been exchanged. Now there were roses in the vase on the table. Red roses. Buffy swallowed. They looked exactly like the ones Angel had given her. Where had Joyce gotten them? Closing her eyes for a moment, Buffy sighed and walked towards the couch. Her mother was still asleep, and she herself could also use some rest. Opening her eyes once again for a moment, she laid down on the couch. She glanced another look at the red roses - but they were gone! She could see nothing were there had been flowers a few moments ago. The vase also was not there anymore. It was now standing on the board near the phone. Something was going on here. Definitely. Persons and flowers did not disappear during seconds. Not in Sunnydale, not anywhere. But Buffy was tired to think about it any longer. She would tell Giles in the morning, and he would surely be able to help her find out what was happening here. She let herself sink down into the pillows and it took her only a few minutes to drift over to sleep.

Joyce Summers was woken up by the bright rays of sunlight that fell on her face. She opened her eyes and sat up slowly. Her clock showed the time - it was nearly eight a.m.! She would have to hurry when she wanted to be at work on time. Today was the day of the big art exhibition with Christabel Kerns. The famous artist would arrive at the L.A. airport in two hours' time to open the exhibition herself. Joyce swung her legs out of the bed and stretched her muscles. She would take a hot shower and wash her hair before she took her breakfast. Tapping towards the bathroom, she glanced a look down in the hall. Shoes were lying there. Shoes which did not belong to herself and which she knew quite well. Buffy's shoes. Thank God, she had come back! Joyce forgot her shower and rushed down the stairs to run into the living room. And there her daughter was. "Buffy!"

The girl moved slightly, shifting her weight to lie more comfortably. After a moment, she opened her eyes and blinked. "Mom?"

Joyce hurried to the couch to embrace Buffy. She pressed her daughter against herself before Buffy knew what was happening, trying to hold back the tears. "Buffy!"

Buffy also laid her arms around her mother. "Yes, it's me. It's alright. I'm back. If you still want me here."

Joyce broke from her, staring at her in astonishment. "Of course I want you here! Listen, Buffy, I didn't mean it when I said you needn't come back after leaving the house that night, really! I was just damned furious, can you understand that? I'm so sorry!"

Buffy nodded. "I can. I should have explained it to you much earlier. I was stupid to believe you could accept my being the Slayer without an explanation. But I can't quit hunting vampires, it's my fate. Do you understand that?"

Joyce shook her head slightly. "I'm not quite sure, but I'll try, okay?" She hesitated. There was something more in Buffy's eyes. Something she could not figure out. Was it connected to her former boyfriend Angel whom she had wanted to stop? Buffy seemed as if she was missing something, as if she had suffered a terrible loss. Joyce decided to ask her - because, they were still mother and daughter, even after all that had happened. "Buffy, what is it? I know there's still something else. Do you wanna talk about it?"

Buffy shook her head. When she spoke, her voice sounded depressed. "No, I don't think so. It has nothing to do with you, I'm just not ready to talk about it, okay? Give me some time."

"Okay." Joyce glanced a look at the clock. Dammit! She had to get ready! "Do you want some breakfast?"

"One moment, Mom. What about the police? Are they still chasing me?"

"No, Buffy. They came here the day after you had left and told me that this man died in a way no human being could have possibly done. They shut down the warrant against you. I'd have told you but I couldn't find you." She smiled weakly. "It's alright, Buffy." Then she turned around and walked into the kitchen to make some breakfast.

"No, Mom, it isn't," Buffy whispered so that Joyce could not hear her. "Nothing is alright."

About an hour later, Buffy walked into her school. She had taken a shower, washed her hair, and put on new clothes. Somehow, she felt like a human being again now. Her fellow students whispered behind her back but she did not care. They were just children who did not even realise what was going on when you told them. Buffy ignored them and made her way to the library where she would surely find at least Giles. He would understand her pain and her will to slay any vampire who stepped in her way. Both of them had suffered an awful loss - Giles had lost Jenny, she had lost Angel. Now the Watcher and the Slayer would work hand in hand again, fighting the dark powers in Sunnydale. Buffy walked around the last corner before she came into the corridor to the library. After inhaling deeply, she forced the double doors open and entered Giles' territory. He sat with his back to her. When he heard her footsteps, he turned around and his expression brightened. "Buffy!"

Buffy did not know whether she should laugh or cry. She swallowed. "Yes." And before she could even think of taking any other action, he had stood up and embraced her - which was an unexpectedly strong expression of his relief about her still being alive. A moment later he broke from her and became the typical Englishman as whom she had always known him. "I'm glad that you're here again. Buffy, I'm sorry about all that has happened."

She nodded. "I know, Giles. I'm sorry that I couldn't keep Angel from torturing you."

"Well, I'm still alive. That's all I could possibly ask for."

Of course, he understood. He had always. "Okay then. Where are Willow and Xander?"

Giles scratched his chin. "Oh, they should be right here in a few minutes' time. They wanted to keep Cordelia from killing a boy who had cancelled their date."

Buffy chuckled. "I see. At least she didn't change. I always knew there are constants in this universe." Desperately trying to keep the conversation running, she asked, "And what has happened her during the last three weeks? You see, I didn't get news from here when I was away."

Giles sat down on a chair on the other side of the table and put his arms on the table, resting his weight on his elbows. "Buffy, what has happened? What did you do to run away for three weeks?"

And again Buffy swallowed hard. "I don't wanna talk about it, Giles. Not yet. Let's just say that Angel won't give us trouble again." She felt tears dwelling up in her eyes. "I'm sorry, Giles, I'll be right back." She turned around and headed for the exit when Willow and Xander rushed into the library. She stopped, staring at them. "Willow! Xander!" Although she was nearly crying, she embraced them warmly. They had so much history together, she just could not put that all aside and hurry out. "How are you?"

Xander saw the tears in her eyes. "I'm fine - but how about you? You don't seem to be very happy."

Willow looked up to the ceiling for a moment. "Xander, you're not helping. Buffy..." Willow took her in her arms again and patted her back slightly. "It's alright, Buffy, I know how you feel. Everything's gonna be alright, okay?"

Buffy breathed deeply and looked up again, her expression full of defiance and yet hidden pain. "I'm not sure. But no vampire's gonna get into my heart again."

"But you got into his - literally, I suppose?" Xander looked in anticipation as if his joke had been the best he had ever made. It was not.

Willow shook her head in frustration. "Thank you, Xander. That's exactly how I'd have encouraged Buffy. Can't you just be nice instead of stepping on her nerves? And on mine?"

Xander looked quite sad now. "I'm sorry, Buffy, I only wanted to see you smile."

"It's okay, Xander. Just don't make jokes about... about Angel again. I don't wanna talk about it." She paused for a moment. "Well, seems as if I could get back to work." She turned to face Giles again and went to the big table where she sat down on a chair, crossing her legs. "Giles, I saw two strange people on the graveyard last night and I'm not sure that they were human. Maybe they were vampires, I had the strange feeling that something was definitely wrong with them."

Giles put down his glasses and took out his handkerchief to clean them. "Can you describe them? Perhaps we can find something out from their looks." 

Buffy scratched her nose. "Well, I saw a man and a woman - but they may have been younger, I couldn't see that much in the moonlight. The woman was dressed in something like a see-through dress and her underclothes were black. Exactly. Black slip, bra, and stockings. And black boots. They were about this height." She showed it at her leg. "And she had red hair."

Giles blinked his eyes. "You could see that in the moonlight?"

"Yes! It was an extraordinary colour, and I'm sure I'd recognise it when I'd see her again. The man was dressed in a black suit, and he had black hair and broad shoulders. I wasn't able to see more. Are these information helpful in some way?"

Xander, who had sat down on the opposite side of the table, shifted his weight on his elbows, which were lying on the table. "You weren't sleeping, were you? This sounds really weird."

Buffy sighed. "I know. I couldn't believe it myself but I know what I've seen."

"Red hair, you said?" Giles stood up and walked to one of his book boards. "I once heard something about a clichι that all Irish women have red hair. Maybe they're Irish immigrants?"

"Irish vampire immigrants at last. No, now that I really think about it I'm sure they weren't human. Except humanity has been transformed into vampires while I was away."

"Okay." Giles walked around another board. "I'll try to find out something about this... appearance. You could try to prevent some vampires from making trouble in the meantime."

Buffy took her bag. "That's fine with me. Good luck!" Without any other word, she stood up and left the library without looking back. Outside the door, she leant against the wall for a moment and steadied herself. This was going to be very difficult for her.

Inside the library, Willow stared after her friend. Then she turned around and faced Xander and Giles. "What... where has she been for three weeks? Could anyone finally tell me what has happened in that old house?"

Both Giles and Xander shook their heads. Giles took the word. "We don't know, Willow. She didn't tell anyone. I suppose she had to kill Angel. And I can imagine that wasn't anything like a walk in the park, neither physically nor emotionally."

"But I tried to... to give his soul back to him. I felt something go through me. Did I make any mistake or why didn't it work?"

Giles sighed. "I don't like the thought of it but I fear he really got his soul back and Buffy had to kill him nevertheless because Acathla was waking up already. And because Angel opened it, it could only be sealed with his blood."

Willow swallowed hard. "I hadn't thought about that possibility."

"I didn't want to think about it, either, until Buffy told me that Angel wouldn't make any trouble again. She seemed really upset. I don't know, but whatever has happened, it was hard for her." Giles sat down at his table again, shoving the book aside that he had been reading until Buffy had entered. "We have to do something. And if we can't help Buffy concerning Angel, we have to try and find something out about these people she saw last night."

Meanwhile, in a cave deep down under the streets of Sunnydale, the couple Giles had been talking about were sitting side by side, thinking about how to get their power back. The Master had taken it from them, and since he was dead they had been trying to find a way to their old positions as the Regents of the night. But as the Slayer had come back now, they had one more difficulty to deal with. The girl looked up from the ground and glanced a look at the young man beside her. "Do you think she will be much of a problem for us?"

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