"I'm only one of many people that a crow has brought back," Rhys began when they had settled in the living room of Buffy's house. "Unquiet spirits who die violently and are in a great deal of pain due to the circumstances... In other words, when a spirit can't rest, the crow can return them to the land of the living long enough for them to get even with the ones who killed them."
Buffy sat up, entranced by this story. "So why just you?" she asked. "Why not the rest of your family?"
Rhys gave a faint smile. "Not all of us can be obliged," he said. "Or even attended to right away. If we were, I'd have been brought back years ago." He paused a moment, looking at Stefanie to see how she was taking this, but her attention was elsewhere.
He glanced back at Buffy, taking a sip of the coffee she had brewed for him, then made a face, apparently not liking the flavor. "Unfortunately, all of the ones before me have been murdered by mere mortals. Gang members, cultists, rapists, that sort. So vampires are new territory for my kind... If I'm to go up against Darla and Thierry, I'd like to know how to handle it."
Buffy and Angel exchanged nervous looks, unsure how to break the news. Finally, he leaned forward, clearing his throat. "It's just Thierry," he said softly. "Darla's been dead for four years..."
Buffy cut in. "Two years, actually," she argued. To Rhys, she added, "Angel did her in the first time around, and I got to be next in line."
Rhys shook his head. "You lost me," he admitted.
"Sorry," she said, rolling her eyes. "I'm getting way ahead of myself... Basically, when you kill a vampire, they turn to dust. Well, we found out the hard way that when their remains are mixed with a vial of blood, you get instant resurrection, which is exactly what happened in Darla's case... Man, was she a pain in the neck! No pun intended, of course."
Rhys was surprised by this, recalling how fond Angel and Darla had been of each other once upon a time. It was truly proof that his old enemy had changed between then and now. "It's quite ironic that two out of three are out of my hands," he said. "Unless Darla could be revived a second time."
Buffy paused. "Don't even joke about that," she said in a deadpan voice.
"In the meantime, how is it you killed her?" Rhys asked. "You hardly seem the type of person who can fight something that strong."
Buffy looked at Stefanie for a brief second, then back at Rhys. "Appearances can be deciving. Both Steffi and I are a rare breed. We hunt vampires for a living." Noticing that Rhys was staring at her in disbelief, she added, "Well, when we're not on maternity leave."
Buffy saw him looking from her to Angel and back again, and answered his question before he voiced it. "I know what you're thinking. How can a slayer and a vampire be a healthy couple? Well, let's just say it takes a heck of a lot of trust between the two."
Again, Rhys' gaze drifted to the silent girl in the corner. He directed his next query to her, saying, "And you're a combination of the two, am I right?"
It took a while for Stefanie to realize she was being addressed, leaving Rhys to repeat himself. She nodded absently, speaking for the first time since their arrival here. "There are times I wish I weren't though. You could say I was forced into both roles."
Rhys gave this a moment of thought. "So, slayers are basically chosen by random? They can't be just anyone?"
"You got that right," Buffy answered, looking at Stefanie. It didn't take a genius to guess that Rhys was her friend's mystery guy, and Buffy wondered just how the other girl was handling it. But she merely made a mental note to ask Stefanie in private later.
"Well, on the matter of this vengeance gig, what's our plan?" Buffy added. "Besides find Thierry and annihilate him... Do you know where he'd be, Angel?"
Angel sat up straight, thinking a moment. "I can't be sure because he moves around a lot, but the last I heard, he was down in Las Vegas. That was two weeks ago."
Buffy perked up. "Cool, we're going to Nevada!" she exclaimed. "When do we leave?"
Angel threw her an amused glance. "Don't you have a college class on Monday?" he reminded.
She shrugged. "I've made a career out of skipping classes... Besides, I've never been to Vegas. Could be fun. What do you say, Stef?"
Stefanie remained silent a moment, throwing a longing glance at Rhys which he failed to catch. It hurt to know that she couldn't have the kind of romance she wanted with him, but she would take every moment she could get. "Sure," she said.
"And then, I could also invite my friends, Willow and Xander, along," Buffy noted. "And maybe Cordelia..."
Angel stopped her before she flew completely off the handle. "Buffy, this is a battle we're going into, not a vacation," he said with a laugh. "If it means that much to you, I'd love to have you along, but leave your friends out of it... Promise?"
She crossed her fingers behind her back, gazing up at Angel with an innocent smile. "I promise," she said, lying through her teeth...
It wasn't long after this that Buffy retreated to the cellar to sleep, insisting that Angel join her (she had a cot and an air mattress set up down there). Stefanie and Rhys were left facing each other on the sofa, both not sure what to say.
"So what happens when you finish what you came back for?" Stefanie asked finally, partly guessing what the answer was. "You die again, right?"
Rhys gave her a sad smile. "I'm already dead," he said gently, reaching out to touch her face. "Stefanie, I..."
She bit her lip to keep from crying. "Don't," she said abruptly. "Don't say anything." She paused, eyes cast downward a moment. "Why did you approach me in the Bronze anyway? Why didn't you just keep your distance?"
He took a deep breath. "Because you were so sad. I can sense that emotion stronger than all others, being what I am... It's coming off of you in waves now," he said.
Stefanie glanced up at him again. "Then I guess I'm doing a poor job of hiding it," she said with a slight sob. Then, changing the subject, she said, "What else can you do? What are some of your other powers?"
"Similar to yours. I can absorb a person's memories with a single touch, but only when I desire it, and I have rapid healing abilities," Rhys answered. "That's about it."
She nodded, then became aware of a flutter of wings at the open window. Glancing over, she was surprised to see the crow perched there, looking at them. "Does he follow you everywhere?" she couldn't help but ask.
Rhys smiled faintly. "Comes in pretty handy as a spirit guide," he joked.
Stefanie's eyes wandered the room a moment before focusing back on him. I think I could use one myself right about now, she thought. To tell me how to survive a bittersweet fling...