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Becca (cowritten by Allison)
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Date Posted: 18:10:52 01/13/02 Sun
In reply to:
HeyBecca
's message, "The Chosen Ones" on 17:46:26 12/26/01 Wed
The Chosen Ones
Episode 1: Everything Changes
Chapter 1
Liz Webber slid into her dorm room and collapsed on her bed. She lay silent for a few moments when she heard a knocking on her door. Impulsively she jumped to her feet and peered through the peephole.
"Who's there?" she asked with a laugh, knowing full well who was there.
"It is I, Armando, your Latin Love God," the voice bellowed from the other side of the door.
"Come in and ravage me then," Liz said through a fit of laughter as she flung the door open to reveal Lucky Spencer holding cartons of Chinese take out.
"Eh, maybe later," Lucky smirked and walked into the room. "So is the wench out, or is she going to bust in and flirt with me for an hour?"
"No, Nina is out for the night . . ." Liz explained, referring to her roommate, with whom she did not get along. She snatched one of the cartons from Lucky's hand and curled up on her bed. "So what are you doing tonight? Other than bringing me Chinese food after my oh so long and boring Art History Class."
"Did anyone ever tell you that you exaggerate?" Lucky teased. "As for my plans for the evening, I don't know. I was thinking we can go catch the new movie at the theater downtown."
"We, do you mean Nikolas, Emily, and I, or do you mean Mr. Fifth Wheel?"
"No, Tom won't be joining us," Lucky said rolling his eyes. His roommate, Tom Gibson, was a first class leech, he followed Lucky everywhere. "In fact . . .what is today?"
"Friday, Lucky."
"That makes it three days since last I've seen Tom, he had a class Wednesday night and hasn't been home since," Lucky shrugged his shoulders and popped a piece of chicken into his mouth.
"So when are Nikolas and Emily going to get here?"
"What, you don't want some private time just for us," Lucky snickered. Lucky and Liz were close, best friends in fact, but never made the jump to romance. Not that they weren't attracted to each other, they were just wary of ruining what they had. Luke was convinced they were soul mates, as was just about everyone else they knew, but still they were stubborn and refused to cross that line.
"You want private time . . ." Liz slid off the bed and walked over to where Lucky was leaning against the wall. She leaned in close to him, a hint of mischief in her eyes. "I'll show you what I do in private with a boy."
"Oh yeah," Lucky moaned, licking his lips, and trying to stifle a laugh.
"I don't know if you can handle it though," Liz noted, her voice low and seductive, as she placed her hands on the wall, preventing Lucky from moving.
"Oh baby, if you can dish it out, I can take it," Lucky said with a wiggle of his eyebrows.
"Well then," Liz reached over to the counter where the television remote sat and snatched it. "Time to watch my soaps that I taped. I heard 'All My Children' was great today."
"I know what happened with your darling Ryan," Lucky taunted as Liz sauntered over to the bed and resumed her supper.
"Don't you dare, I've been waiting all week for his," she laughed as Lucky plopped down beside her.
"You know how we, how um we were messing around over there just now," Lucky said nervously, thankful he was sitting by her side so he wouldn't have to look her in the eye.
"Yeah, what about it?" she asked, staring attentively at the television.
"Do you ever think what it would be like if we, well if we weren't just goofing, if it was real?" Lucky asked nervously, unsure where this was coming from.
Liz turned to him, a perplexed expression on her face. "You mean if we were a couple, like your father believes?" Liz thought for a moment and was about to answer when her phone began to ring. "I better get that."
"Yes you better," Lucky said enthusiastically, relieved that he somehow got out of that sticky situation for the time being.
"It's for you," she sighed, handing him the cordless. "Your darling half brother."
"Hey Nikolas, what's up?" he asked.
Liz sat on the bed and watched Lucky pace around the room. He was really cute, but they could never go there. It was friendship and nothing more. Lucky was the first true, real friend she ever had. She quickly got over her crush on him when she realized that getting to know who Lucky really was as a person was more important that idolizing some boy who she thought she could never get. That was two years ago, now they were in college and as close as a man and a woman could be without being a couple. Both were perfectly happy.
As she sat there and watched him pace around the room, a weird wave came over her. She suddenly felt, it was odd, but more powerful, stronger. Her senses felt heightened and her body felt tuned in with a different power. She shook it off as a combination of finally getting over a cold and her conflicting emotions over Lucky. Little did she know it was something even greater.
~*~
Rupert Giles had been having an uncharacteristically calm week, and came home from his jog one morning with the strange feeling that something was about to change all of that. Being a Watcher for most of his life had heightened his sense for danger, and even though he was no longer part of the Council, his instincts were still there. He opened the door and was greeted by the shrill sound of a ringing phone. Figuring it was Buffy with some new crisis, he rushed over and picked it up.
"Hello?"
"Hello, is this Rupert Giles?" a female voice answered, throwing him off-guard.
"Oh, yes, this is he." He sat down on his couch, trying to catch his breath, wondering what this woman wanted.
"My name is Alexis Davis, I'm sorry to bother you so early....it is early in California, right?"
He smiled. "Yes, but I run in the mornings, so you didn't wake me. I'm sorry, but I don't recognize your name. Should I?"
"No, I'm calling from Port Charles, New York. I'm a Watcher."
He sat up and rubbed his forehead. Getting a call from another Watcher was pretty rare, and could only mean trouble. "What's happened?"
Alexis chuckled. "Either you're paranoid, or extremely astute. Either way, you're right. Something has happened. Actually, two things. One you may already know about. When is the last time you heard news about Faith's condition?"
"It's been a while. The last I heard, she was still in a coma. Why, are you her new Watcher?" He was beginning to get a headache, wishing she would just get right to the point.
"No, Faith died a few days ago. I've just been put in charge of the new slayer, Elizabeth Webber. She happens to live right here in Port Charles, which brings me to the other reason I'm calling. Were you aware that the Hellmouth has left Sunnydale?"
"No wonder it's been so quiet," he mumbled, scratching his chin as he stood up to pace the room. First, Faith was dead, and now the Hellmouth had moved. No wonder he had such a feeling of dread earlier!
"What?" she asked, not hearing him clearly.
"Oh, nothing. I wasn't aware of that. Do you know what happened to it?"
"As a matter of fact, it's here now, in Port Charles. The council alerted me to the 'change', honestly, though, I can't quite figure out how they knew. I know that you were Buffy Summers' Watcher, and that you're still in contact with her, so I thought you would like to know. You'll tell her, won't you?"
"Of course, as the Slayer, she needs to know about this. She should be wherever the Hellmouth is, but why did it move?"
"I have no idea," Alexis said. "The Council just called this morning and told me about it. I haven't even told Liz that she's been called yet. I don't suppose you have any tips on breaking the news?"
"With Buffy, I just came right out with it. It's easier that way. She's probably already started to feel some changes, a surge of power that she hasn't felt before. Just give her the usual speech, and explain that it's her destiny. She may resist at first, but she will come around. They always do."
"Thanks, I'll do that. So, do you think Buffy will come? I know it's a long way, but we really could use an experienced Slayer here."
Giles could hear the desperation in her voice, and knew that she was nervous about training Liz. "I'll call her right away. I'm sure she'll go. In fact, I have a feeling her friends will want to follow her. They've become a pretty good team over the years, and they're very loyal to Buffy. I'll talk to them as soon as I can."
"Great. I look forward to meeting her. And you. I assume you will also join her?" Alexis asked, hoping he would. She could use a mentor, someone who had done this whole Watcher thing before. It may have been Alexis's destiny to be a watcher, but she was as new to all of this as her new charge was.
"Most likely, yes, I will. There could be one problem, though. Some of them have just started college here, they may be reluctant to leave. Is there a good school there that they could transfer to?"
"Of course. Port Charles University. If you'd like, I can pull some strings and get the paperwork through quickly. I'm also a lawyer, so that helps."
"I can see how it might," he said thoughtfully. "All right then, I'll see what they say, then let you know. Where can I reach you?" He took down her number and they said their good-byes. After he hung up, he waited a minute to gather his thoughts, then dialed Buffy's dorm room.
~*~
"Can you stop that sweetie," Jax asked as he walked into the living room of the Penthouse to find Alexis rapidly drumming her pencil on the table. Somehow, through the marriage fiasco, Alexis and Jax fell in love and decided to stay married. Not that it broke Ned's heart too much, Lois returned and the couple reunited to raise their daughter properly. Chloe, on the other hand, went back to Milan after having regained her company.
"Oh sorry, I'm just a little distracted," Alexis explained as she leafed through the phone book.
"I can tell," Jax smiled. "Want to talk about it?"
"Oh, nothing . . . how come I can never get in touch with Nikolas when I need him?"
"Why do you need him?"
"I need Elizabeth Webber's phone number," Alexis said, hoping Jax would let it pass.
"Not that I'm not curious as to why you need her phone number-she's not your long lost daughter or anything is she?-anyway, why don't you call Audrey Hardy, I'm sure she has the number. If not try the Quartermaines, I'm positive Emily would have the number," Jax suggested with a wicked smile.
"Thanks, what would I do without you?" Alexis returned his smile and motioned for him to come closer. "And she's not my daughter."
"That's good . . .but if that did somehow happen, I'd support you," Jax said honestly before leaning down to place a gentle kiss on his wife's lips.
"I'd love to see how much further this can go, but I better call Elizabeth," Alexis sighed regretfully.
"I understand," Jax got up and headed toward the bedroom. He stopped and stared at his wife as she talked on the phone and smiled. He never thought he'd be happy after losing Brenda, he was now happier than he ever thought imaginable.
Alexis quickly jotted down the number Audrey gave her. Taking a deep breath she dialed the number. This was her first case, the first time she ever had to do this. No amount of training with the Council could ever prepare one for this moment.
"Hello?" a male voice answered on the other end.
"Is this Elizabeth Webber's room?"
"Why yes it is. May I ask who's calling?"
"It's Alexis Davis, can I please speak with her."
"Alexis, Nikolas isn't here."
"Lucky?" Alexis said questioningly then shook her head. "I don't need to speak with Nikolas, I need Elizabeth."
"Ok, whatever," she heard him sigh and hand the phone to Liz.
"Hello?"
"Elizabeth, this is Alexis Davis, I need to meet with you right away. It is very important," Alexis said quickly, nervously.
"What about? Does it have to do with Lucky or Nikolas?" Liz asked anxiously.
"No, it has to do with you . . .may I come over there now? This is really important. I have to speak with you in person," she explained.
"Well I was going to go out with Lucky, Nikolas, and Emily, but if it is important . . . I'm in room 312 in Jackson Hall, just come on up," Liz advised.
"Thank you Elizabeth, I'll be there in a few minutes," Alexis said quickly and hung up the phone. "Jax, I've got to go out and run a few errands, I'll call you later."
"Bye," she heard him yell from the bedroom. Alexis snatched her keys and ran out of the room.
~*~
"Hey, Buffy, wait up!" Willow shouted, hurrying down the sidewalk to join her friend. Buffy stopped and turned around, smiling.
"Hey, Will. Going back to the room?"
"Yeah, you?" Buffy nodded, and they resumed their trek to the dorm. "So, how was patrolling last night? I heard you come in earlier than usual."
"I know. I got bored. Not many things going 'bump' in the night these days. Slayage has been pretty slow all week," Buffy answered.
"Really? Then it must have worked!" Willow said happily.
Buffy turned to her curiously. "What worked? Have you been conjuring again?"
"Guilty as charged. Actually, I did a spell that was supposed to banish the Hellmouth, but I didn't think it would work, which is why I never said anything, but now that you said it's been quiet lately, maybe it really did work after all!" She gasped, needing to take a breath after such a long statement. For the past year or so, she had been dabbling in witchcraft, and this had been her first big spell. She was excited by the prospect that it may have actually been successful.
Buffy smiled, happy with the news. "Well, I hope you're right. It'll be nice to have some peace and quiet around here for once. Good work, my friend."
A few minutes later, they walked into their room. Willow went over to check the answering machine while Buffy got some books together for her next class.
"Buffy, Willow, it's Giles. Listen, there's something I need to discuss with you, it's rather important. Please meet me here as soon as possible. You might want to bring the rest of the gang as well."
Buffy smiled wryly. "How cute, he called us 'the gang'. We must be wearing him down."
"What do you think it's about? He sounded pretty serious."
Buffy shrugged and went over to the phone. "Giles always sounds serious. Still, I did get a weird vibe from it. I'll call Xander, you call Oz. Why don't we meet him in an hour?"
"We'll be there," Willow said, heading out of the room to find her boyfriend.
**an hour later**
"Okay, Giles, we're all here. What's with the drama?" Buffy asked as he opened the door. The group filed into his living room, waiting for him to explain the sudden meeting.
"Thank you for coming so quickly. I have some news that you may not like. I received a call from another Watcher this morning, a woman named Alexis Davis. She's in New York, and she will be training the new Slayer..."
"Whoa, back it up a minute," Buffy said, interrupting him. "New Slayer? Does that mean...?"
Giles nodded solemnly. "Yes, Faith died a few days ago. I didn't even know myself until Miss Davis phoned. The new Slayer also lives in New York, Port Charles to be exact."
"So, why the urgent meeting? I mean, don't the new slayers usually come here? Sunnydale's where all the big evil is, after all," Buffy said. She had a sinking feeling that there was more to this than Giles had let on so far.
"True, but that was when the Hellmouth was here. According to Miss Davis, it's moved. To Port Charles."
"Moved?" Xander asked. "How does a Hellmouth move? Did it just pack up its bags and go cross-country?"
Willow cleared her throat. "Actually, I think I can answer that. I sort of...well, I tried...." She sighed, gathering her thoughts. "I did a spell to banish it, but I guess all I did was move it. I'm sorry."
Giles shook his head as he paced the room. "That explains things, at least. Anyway, whatever the reason, it's moved, and that means the Slayer should move with it."
Buffy looked up at him in shock. "What? You mean leave Sunnydale? I can't...I mean, why? You just said there's a Slayer there, so why do I have to go too?"
"The new Slayer still needs to be trained. In the meantime, they need someone with experience to patrol. I know you won't like this, but it's part of your calling. You have to be wherever the Hellmouth is, because that's where the highest concentration of vampires and demons will be."
Buffy sighed, knowing he was right. "Yeah, yeah, I know, 'find them where they gather, stop the spread of their evil and the swell of their numbers' yadda yadda..."
"We'll go with you, of course," Xander said suddenly. Buffy looked at him and smiled, touched by the gesture.
"Yeah, of course we will," Willow added. "We wouldn't let you go alone."
"Guys, that's sweet, but I can't ask you to leave your home. What about school?"
"Actually..." Giles said, ready to explain about the university, but Xander interrupted him.
"School-scmool! We're a team now, wherever you go, we go. After all, would the Scooby gang ever let Fred leave them behind?"
"Scooby gang? Fred? Xander, what are you talking about?" Buffy asked with a small laugh.
"Us, your Scooby gang! You're like our Fred," he explained, grinning.
"I don't want to be Fred. I don't look like a Fred, do I?" Buffy pouted.
"Well, you have to be. He's the leader. That would make Willow Velma, Cordy would be Daphne, and I guess I would be Shaggy."
"What about Scooby?" Willow asked.
"Oz, of course. He's the closest thing to a dog we have."
"Thanks, man," Oz said sarcastically. Xander never passed up the chance to point out his lycanthropic tendencies. He had yet to find anything positive about being a werewolf.
"Look, are we seriously talking about this?" Cordelia asked, breaking her silence. "We're really going to move across the country to New York?"
"Well, you don't have to, but I'm pretty sure the rest of us are, right gang?" Xander asked, looking around. Everyone nodded in agreement. "See? So, are you with us or what?"
She sighed and looked down at her nails, feigning boredom. "I guess I could live in New York. Maybe it'll be my big break into modeling."
Buffy smiled. "That's our Cordelia, always looking out for Number One. Okay, so we're all on board. Now what?"
Giles explained about the transfers to PCU and that it would be best if they left as soon as possible. They all agreed, and planned on leaving the following day. Once they had left, he dialed the cell phone number that Alexis had given him and filled in on everything.
~*~
"Why is Nikolas's aunt coming here?" Lucky asked for what seemed to Liz to be the fifteenth time since she hung up the phone.
"Lucky I have no idea. All she said was that it was important. She should be here in a minute, maybe you should . . ." Liz's voice trailed off as Lucky shook his head.
"I'm not going anywhere, you are not being alone in a room with one of those bloodsuckers," Lucky snorted, referring to the Cassadines.
"Come on, you don't have a problem with Nikolas and she's not even a Cassadine anymore, not since she married Jax."
"I'll be right up stairs, right above you, just bang on the ceiling if you are in trouble," Lucky said with a wink of the eye.
"Why would I be in trouble? And how am I supposed to bang on the ceiling?" she asked with a laugh, touched by Lucky's concern for her welfare.
"Just say ok and I'll go," Lucky ordered with his patented smile.
"Ok Lucky, now get out of here," she pushed him out the door and laughed. A moment later someone began to knock on the door, which Liz quickly opened. "That was quick."
"This is important," Alexis said seriously as she walked into the tiny dorm room. "These sure haven't grown since I went to school!"
"You went here?"
"No," Alexis shook her head and faced Liz. "I'm going to be blunt with you, no sugar coating, shooting straight . . ."
"Uh Miss Davis, can we skip the beginning of the speech and get to why you are here?" Liz asked.
"Here it goes . . .for every generation there is one, one slayer called to fight the forces of evil, mainly vampires, but also demons and witches. . . " Alexis paused, she memorized the speech so long ago that she had forgotten it and was mainly making it up.
"Wait a second-vampires!?" Liz asked rather loudly.
"Yes, vampires and werewolves and demons who want to devour all of mankind-they all exist Elizabeth. And you are the Slayer, well not the Slayer, but a slayer."
"I thought you said there was only one in every generation," Liz said questioningly. "What am I the backup?"
"Sort of, yes . . . you see the second slayer called, no Faith was the third, Kendra was the second . . . you're the fourth because Faith and Kendra have both died," Alexis explained.
"One minute, what happened to number one?"
"That's Buffy Summers, she's still alive."
"Now I'm confused," Liz sighed, sitting down on the bed.
"Ok, when a slayer dies, a new one is automatically called, don't ask me how, it is in the laws of the universe. Anyway, Buffy technically died, but she came back from the dead--well, not in the sense that people in Port Charles come back from the dead. More like she was revived only minutes after 'dying'. Anyway, that is how we are stuck with the quandary of two slayers. You are Faith's replacement."
"Oh, and what are you a retired slayer?" Liz asked skeptically, having trouble grasping what Alexis was telling her.
"No, I'm a Watcher. There's a council, they teach us everything, anyway my job is to watch over you . . ."
"Really? A Watcher watches people, I never would have guessed," Liz said sarcastically, getting Alexis to smile.
"I'll help you train, and give you guidance and support, we'll fight evil together," Alexis noted, groaning at how corny the last part sounded.
"I'm still having trouble grasping that Halloween monsters really do exist," Liz explained, rising to her feet and walking to the window. The sun was setting and Liz smiled. "So, once the sun sets the vampires and other bad dudes are going to walk the streets?"
"Well not normally in Port Charles, believe it or not we've been fairly non-human evil free. But there is thing called the Hellmouth, which is the center of all evil in the world. Well, it was originally under a town called Sunnydale in California, that is where Buffy is from, but a young witch tried to close it and somehow . . . well it is now in Port Charles. This town has never faced evil the likes of the Hellmouth and what comes with it, that is why Buffy and her friends are coming."
"Then that means I'm not needed," Liz stated proudly.
"Actually no, it means you and Buffy will become partners and I'll work with her former Watcher at figuring out how to stabilize the Hellmouth," Alexis sighed, realizing that what she was telling Liz was a lot to take in. "They'll arrive tomorrow, but until then there is something you have to understand."
"Which would be what? I'm going to need to stock up on Holy Water instead of Evian?" Liz retorted, the news making her really cranky. "Hey, is this why I've been feeling different physically?"
"What do you mean?"
"I feel like I'm stronger and more empowered almost," Liz noted with a grin.
"Yes that would be the effects of being the Slayer. You aren't superman, but you have a greater ability to leap, to fight, and a few other intangible qualities," Alexis noted. "There is one thing that is very important. You mustn't tell anyone about your ability and what you know. It is for their own good."
"Not even Lucky?" Liz asked hopefully.
"Not yet, it can only put him in danger knowing, that is the last thing you need."
"What about you, are you going to tell Jax, your husband?"
"I'm eventually going to tell him, but Elizabeth Jax is my husband, Lucky is only your boyfriend..."
"He's not my boyfriend," Liz protested, cutting her off. "We are only friends."
"Either way, this isn't just like your part-time job at Kelly's-which you'll have to stop," she noted, getting Liz to smile this time. "This is your calling Elizabeth, being a slayer is your destiny, it's your life."
Liz sighed and walked back over to the window. She looked out and felt a chill run over her. Something about what Alexis said felt right. All her life Liz felt like she was waiting for something, waiting for something to give her life a purpose. Maybe being the Slayer was that purpose.
"Well you know," Liz turned and smiled. "I bet it sure beats Art History in excitement."
~*~
"You have to admit, this is kind of exciting," Willow said as they boarded their plane two days later. "I've never been to New York before. I wonder what it's like."
"Cold," Oz answered, taking his seat. "They actually have winter there."
"Hey, Will?" Xander asked, leaning across Buffy, who was sitting next to him. "The next time you decide to banish the Hellmouth, how about moving it somewhere more tropical? Say, Hawaii?"
Willow rolled her eyes. "It's not like I chose this place, Xander. I don't think I can control where it goes. Anyway, I don't think I'll be doing that spell again."
After a long moment of silence, Xander spoke again. "Hey, am I the only one a little worried about this new slayer? I mean, our track record when it comes to slayers hasn't exactly been the best."
"Excuse me?" Buffy asked, hurt.
"Present company excluded, of course. Think about it, first there was Kendra, who, frankly, was no fun. Then we had Faith, and, the whole turning evil thing aside, she was a little too much fun."
"Too much fun for you, maybe," Willow snorted. "But for the rest of us, not quite."
"You're never going to let me live that down, are you?" he asked in annoyance. He hated to be reminded of his moment of weakness, when he let himself be seduced by Faith.
"Not likely," Oz answered in his usual deadpan manner.
"Well, I'm kind of looking forward to this," Buffy said, determined to keep an open mind about the whole thing. "It's like a whole new start. A new town, where no one knows us, a clean slate."
"Right, and a whole new group of demons and other nasties," Cordelia added glumly. "Pardon me if I don't join you in your little party over there."
"Cordelia, no one ever said you had to come with us," Buffy countered, her good mood turning sour already.
"I know, but I couldn't pass up the chance to move to New York," she said, glancing over at Xander. Although she would never admit it, she still had feelings for him, and couldn't stand the thought of him moving away. She sighed and looked out the window, hoping she was doing the right thing. "Fine, you win. Maybe this will be good for us. After Sunnydale, any place has got to be more interesting!"
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