LILIZABETH

by - PandaLee

TITLE	LILIZABETH
AUTHOR	PandaLee
RATING	Very light PG for LIGHT cursing
DISCLAIMER	I own nothing! Joss owns everything!
SUMMARY	Sweet little story about how Buffy got her nick-name
SPOILERS	None
FEEDBACK	PLEASE! It inspires me to write more.
DISTRIBUTION	My site, the archives, and anywhere else, just let me know where it's going!

"Well I don't see why we need to get into this right now! God damn it Joyce! Every time we go out it's the same thing over and over!"

Mommy and Daddy were yelling again. She hated it when they yelled. It hurther ears and made her tummy feel bad. She wanted to go back to the pretty slide again. She wanted to climb high and try to touch the clouds before swooshing down to the sand below.

"Mommy?" She ignored the four-year-old tugging at her skirt. "Daddy?" He reacted the same way as the child pulled on his sweater. "Mommy? Daddy?"

That time, she spoke loud, and at the same time both of her parents turned to her and yelled, "Not now Elizabeth!" Her little hands shook from the brutality and shock of their answer and her eyes registered fear and sadness.

She started to sniffle and stood watching her parents berate each other. Mommy was sniffling just like she was, and Elizabeth didn't want to be there anymore.

They had come to the park that afternoon to allow their daughter to play on the slide. Everything was going fine until the subject of Joyce working was raised. "Hank, we need extra money and Mom is more than happy to look after Elizabeth while we work! There's a gallery about 20 minutes from the house that's interested in me"

"NO!" came the incensed reply. "I told you that you are NOT allowed to work! Our daughter is your job. Our house is your job. I'm your job, and that enough!"

Elizabeth turned and moved slowly and quietly away from her Mommy and Daddy, wanting to stop hearing the yelling, and stop feeling the bad stuff in her tummy. She made her way to the perimeter of the park and crawled through a small hole out onto the street. There was a big building across the street that she could go hide in. Mommy and Daddy told her never to cross the street without one of them. Elizabeth didn't care. She had told Mommy and Daddy that she didn't like the yelling, and they ignored her. The little girl walked into the empty street and made her way to the building. There was a bunch of boards covering the door, but there was also an opening just big enough for her to fit in.

She entered the building and began walking around. Elizabeth wasn't afraid. Mommy and Daddy told her that there was no such thing as monsters, and she believed them. There was debris everywhere, and the child had to take her time moving to the door on the left side of the room. She used all her strength to push the door open and pass through. She found herself on a landing of a stair well. It led up and down, and she let her tiredness decided which way to go. Down it would be. There was a little light coming from some windows, but they had been in the park all day and the sun was getting ready to go to bed.

Elizabeth walked down as far as she could go, which was only two stories. It took her quite some time, her little legs not used to such a trek. The door at the bottom of the well was much harder to open. She was a determined child though, and after several tries it finally moved enough for her to squeeze through.

There were three long halls, one in front of her, one to the left and one to the right. She decided to go straight because she thought she saw a pretty red ball down a few feet. As she started to move, the door behind her closed loudly, making her jump and turn around fast. All the light from before was complete shut out and she was in utter darkness.

She remembered that if she just waited for her eyes to adjust, she could see a little in the dark. After a few minutes, Elizabeth was able to make out shapes around her. She continued on towards the red ball, but when she got to where it should have been, there was nothing there. * Maybe it was further down. *

She walked on and on, turning left then right, going through this door and passing by that door. The building that she was in used to be an old warehouse for pharmaceuticals and the rooms were endless. There were boxes scattered everywhere and every once in a while, a tiny pair of red eyes would flash in the room with her. The rats were accompanying the child on her explorations.

Elizabeth had to pee. She had been walking for a very long time and was cold and tired and hungry too. She hoped her parents were done fighting and decided to return to them. As the child made her way back to the stairs, it soon became evident even to her young mind that she was lost. But she was not going to give up. She continued walking, trying hallways and doors everywhere she went.

An hour passed and still she couldn't find the door to the stairs. She did find a bathroom at one point and went to use the toilet. It was smelly and dirty, and instead opted to pee in the corner. She was embarrassed and hoped no one would ever find out.

After the second hour of searching for the stairs, the child lost her strength. She began crying and sat in a corner rocking herself back and forth. Her cries echoed through the hallway and moved into all the places she had been, and all the places she had passed by.

Suddenly, she stiffened as she realized there was another noise under the sound of her sobs. Footsteps! Someone was coming towards her. Half of her wanted to scream out for the person to come find her, and the other half froze in fear.

She watched with her dark-adjusted eyes as a figure turned the corner. She couldn't make out much as it was wearing a long coat that swayed out behind him. The frozen part of her refused to let her move.

"Hello there cutie. What's a little Nibblet like you doing down in a dark nasty place like this?" When she didn't answer, he moved closer to her and brought a candle out of one of his pockets. After lighting it, he looked her over. She was basically okay, just exhausted and frightened.

"Are you lost little one?"

"No! Not lost! I know where I am!" She put on her most defiant face and glared at him.

The man smiled wide. This kid had spunk! He had to get her out of here thought. Soon, his Black Princess would wake and want to feed. Not on this one though. She was to precious and adorable to become dinner tonight.

"Well, I'm glad you're not lost, because I am! Do you think you could show me how to get out of here? I would like to go home now." He reached out to her and she cautiously took his hand.

"There now. That's not so bad, is it?" He lifted her up and placed her tiny frame on his shoulders. "So, which way should we go?"

Elizabeth looked all around her. "That way," she answered and pointed left.

"Onwards then!" laughed the man as he began walking in the direction she chose. "So tell me Nibblet, what's you name?"

The child stayed silent and watched as they made their progress down her chosen path.

"Not going to tell me, eh? Let me guess. We're strangers, and you're not supposed to tell a stranger your name. Well my name is William, and it's a pleasure to meet you."

"Lilizabeth. Nice to meet you too." He reached up and shook her tiny little hand in greeting.

He laughed at the mispronunciation of her name. "Lilizabeth? What kind of a name is that?" The little one snorted. "Let's see. What shall I call you? How about Buffy? It fits you, pet."

"Buffy? That's a silly name!"

"No it's not! You have to be a very strong person to carry a name like that, and you are a strong little lady, aren't you?"

"Yes. 'K. I like Buffy."

He turned a corner going in the opposite direction of the exit, knowing that the child would challenge him.

"Not this way, that way William!" He turned and apologized for not asking her first. She accepted his apology and they continued on.

"So where are you Mum and Dad Buffy?"

"Fighting in the park. Don't like it when they fight. Makes my tumm hurt!"

He felt sympathy for her. He also knew that she had been down there a very long time. In all probability, her parents had long ago called the police and gone home.

"Can you tell me where you live? I'll take you home once we get out of here."

Buffy had been made to memorize her address not long after she learned to speak. She repeated the LA address as they made it to the stairs.

"You've done it Buffy! Here are the stairs that lead up and out!" He pulled open the doors, made his way to the first floor and exited through a side door. "Let's get you home."

Her address was about three miles from where they were, and he walked at an unhurried pace. She was darling! This one was going to be a heartbreaker someday.

William walked up to the front porch of their home and set her down on the steps next to him. "Now listen Buffy. You need to be more careful, okay? I didn't try to hurt you tonight, but you don't know me and I could have tried. That would have been very bad! I know your Mum and Dad are fighting, but they love you and are worried sick about you. Trust me, I know! Promise me you won't go off running away from your problems again kitten?"

She thought hard and decided to agree. It would be a very hard promise to keep, but she would try for William, her new friend.

He rose and put the child on the mat in front of the door. "Goodnight Buffy! It was wonderful meeting you!"

Just as he was about to ring the bell, she turned, tugged on his leather duster and cried, "Wait! I want to thank you!"

She pulled hard and he moved down to be eye level with her. Her little hands settled on his face, and she kissed his cheek. He kissed her back.

***************************************************************

The doorbell rang, and Hank and Joyce ran to pull it open. They were afraid that it would be horrible news, and at the same time were praying that she would be there waiting to come inside. The later of their thoughts was the true one.

"Elizabeth! Oh God!! Thank you God!!!" Joyce pulled her up into her arms and kissed her nonstop. Hank came running with tears in his eyes and covered her with kisses as well.

"Where were you???" they both yelled in fright and relief.

"I don't like you fighting, so I walked away. William took me home!"

There was no one standing outside when Hank went to meet his daughter's savior.

"Now Elizabeth, don't lie. Where were you?"

"Not Lilizabeth, Buffy! My name is Buffy!"

Her parents looked at each other with shocked expressions on their face. "Are you sure, honey? Buffy?" Joyce thought it was cute and fitting for her little one.

"Buffy!" answered her child. Hank closed the door and they went inside to call off the police search.

******************************************************

He stood behind the big tree on the property, watching the reunion. After the door closed and they walked deeper into the house, he lit his cigarette and made his way back to his lair.

The Beginning