Summary: Willow finds out a painful truth
Rating: PG-13 (and strongly so)
If you have comments or suggestions, email me at jaderozegirl@yahoo.com
Spoilers: None for the show, but you have to read the other parts of the series to get this one
Feedback: It keeps me going
Distribution: My site, Strange Brew, permission for any others
Disclaimers: Do I look like the Monkey Crack Man (aka Joss) to you?
(Considering that you don't know what I look like, it is kind of
humorous)
Notes: Fourth installment in the "Unexpected" series. Follows "A Veiled Image"
More Notes: Don't let the title fool you, folks. This story is by no means cutesy. It involves major character death and gore, so you have been warned.
Willow Rosenberg-Giles was not having a good day. She was hot, tired, she hurt, and felt just plain blah. Willow was seven months along, and it showed. She already felt as big as a house and her swollen feet felt like they would pop at any moment. To make matters worse, she was alone in the apartment she shared with her husband, Rupert. The Scooby Gang had spent the previous evening researching some new demon and the others had either left to go home or went out for breakfast. Buffy, Riley, and Rupert had gone for donuts and were expected back soon. After that, more research. Willow hoped she was going to make it. The group still depended on her computer skills, and she was glad to make use of them. Of course, that helped little when one was feeling the effect of being very pregnant. Very little indeed.
Willow had actually settled down for a catnap when the donut crew showed up half an hour later. Giles was the first through the door, smile on his face, ready to greet his wife. They had only been married four months, and it had been quite the adjustment for the newlyweds. On top of all the adjusting to just being married, the couple had also had to make room for their impending arrival and their new roles in the Scooby Gang. Willow had gradually began to help patrol less and less, and now she was running errands and doing whatever research or computer services the others needed. Buffy and the others had adjusted to her new status very wearily. Xander was still making with the pregnancy jokes and Buffy had a hard time realizing that her best friend was now Mrs. Giles. Rupert, however, had shown a side of himself that none of them had expected. As he and his wife prepared for their child, he had acted like a large child. Who could have ever expected that Giles was the last person you would want to release by himself in a toy store? The first time Willow had taken him into a store to buy some things, she practically had to drag him out of the place.
"Hello, love," Rupert greeted his wife. She smiled at her husband as she tried to clear the fog that was in her brain.
"Hey, guys." Riley and Buffy smiled at the hacker as they began to rummage through the box of donuts they had brought with them.
"You aren't conking out on us now, are you Willow," the former soldier asked her as he began to munch on a glazed.
"Funny Riley. After a full night of research, I'm surprised you were even able to wake me up." Giles gave his wife a concerned look as he handed her a cup of orange juice they had brought her.
"Perhaps you should go on to bed, Willow. We can continue on without you if you need some rest."
"I'll be okay, Rupert," Willow assured him as she accepted the juice. "Besides, I don't trust Riley with my computer. The last time I let him use it, he deleted half my files."
"It wasn't my fault," Riley exclaimed. Willow cut him off.
"All the same, I think I can handle this.
Resolve Face," she declared before either Giles or Buffy could protest.
"Now lets get moving. Who's got the glazed?" The others smiled
as they continued on with their work, with Willow. Giles didn't like
the idea of letting his wife keep going the way she was, but he had learned
long ago that he could never deny the redhead anything. If Willow
was in any serious trouble, she would quite, he was sure of it, so they
went on with the work, even with the apprehension he held for her in his
heart.
************************************************************
The research was not good. The more the group found out about the demon they had been tracking, the worse that the scenario got. It was a nasty type that was strong and vicious. It's main mode of defense and attack was the four-inch claws it sported on all its fingers. Xander had taken to calling it a Kreugar, but the proper name for it was a Bilvera. The Bilvera had been terrorizing people around Weatherly Park for the past three weeks, and the group was determined to find so way to slay the thing, but so far no on had come up with anything. That was why they had done the nonstop research.
"I can't believe this," Riley groaned as he placed yet another useless book on the table before him, where a number of Rupert's volumes were strewn about. "We haven't found one thing! Don't tell me this thing is indestructible!"
"Riley, I do believe that it is too early to say that. We haven't exhausted all our resources yet," Giles pointed out. Buffy nodded.
"Right. More researching. Got it," the Slayer confirmed. Willow was still diligently typing away at her laptop and nodded her agreement as she continued on with her work. The four Scoobies remained in silence for some time before Willow let out a loud yawn that got everyone's attention.
"This is getting us no where," Willow complained as she looked at the screen in front of her. The news was not good. "This doesn't give me anything! Not one darn thing!"
"Maybe you should rest, dear," Giles suggested again. "It's getting rather late already, and this can't be good for you." Buffy and Riley had to agree.
"Giles is right, Will. We all need some downtime," Buffy offered. Riley nodded.
"I think it's time we all called it a day. We can come back tonight and get back to work, and Xander, Anya, and Spike can join us," Riley pointed out.
"Yes," Giles agreed. "I think that's best, for now. We'll see you later." Buffy and Riley said their good-byes and Buffy gave Willow a hug before they both left to get some rest. Willow sighed.
"You know all they're going to do is go to his place and have sex," she informed her husband. Giles shrugged.
"That's beyond the point, love. As long as they're not looking at some ancient book, its considered rest."
"I wish I got that much rest," Willow grumbled. Giles sat down next to his wife and pulled her into her arms.
"Some would argue that was how you came to be in your current condition, dear," Giles said wistfully.
"Don't bring my father into this, Rupert. He's give me a hard enough time about the baby as it is."
"I'm sorry, love. I know he's been difficult. It's all been difficult." Willow nodded, but she then smiled as she had something else in mind.
"Not all of it," Willow said as she gave Giles a kiss. As they broke apart, he smiled.
"Is it all right if I take my wife to bed," he asked casually. Willow grinned.
"Just don't expect to get too frisky, Rupert. I might have to really hurt you," Willow said mischievously.
"Now would ever dream of taking advantage of you, Willow," he asked innocently.
"Just help me up, Rupert," Willow replied as
he obliged her.
******************************************************************
By eight o'clock, the whole Scooby Gang was present and accounted for. The Giles' living room was filled with people and books. Everyone had taken their places around the living room, with Willow at her computer and Giles sitting a short distance away. Everyone in the room was becoming quite agitated by their lack of progress as the night wore one.
"Okay, so we've ruled out fire, silver, any type of stake, water, and electricity. Does anyone miss the trusty shoulder mounted missile launcher?" No one raised his or her hand. "I thought so," Xander said.
"This isn't working," Anya whined. "We've been at this forever! I'm tired and I want to go home," the ex-demon finished.
"Ahn," Xander said, "I thought we had a deal here. We don't leave until the nasty demon type is slain. That's the rule." Anya groaned.
"We're going to be here forever! We'll die here!"
"Hey," Spike spoke up from behind his book, "I don't want to hear it. We're all stuck here the same as you, so deal with it." Willow nodded.
"We're all tired, but this can't wait. That thing is going to be back tonight and kill someone else," Willow pointed out.
"So," Anya asked nonchalantly. Xander sighed at the woman sitting next to him.
"Anya, do we need to have that little pep talk on compassion again, because I'm not feeling it here," Xander quipped.
"Xander's right, Anya," Buffy said. "This demon is going to hurt someone else tonight and we can't let that happen."
"It's part of the Scooby Creed," Xander explained to Anya. "Right up there with Giles supplies all the donuts and Willow has to bring the shovels when we dig up graves."
"There's a Creed," Riley said mock-seriously, before Anya could answer Xander. The former soldier looked over to face Buffy. "No one told me there was a Creed. I didn't know you had to join."
"We figured all the serve and protect stuff had already been covered by your army oath. But you can be on the Patrol-With-Buffy Brigade," Buffy offered.
"I thought I already was on that team," Riley pointed out.
"Yeah, well Giles likes to make everything official. It helps with all the paperwork," the Slayer answered.
"Buffy, can we please get back to the work at hand," Giles finally insisted. "I don't fancy having all of you over all night. Again," he added.
"Rupert, they're just trying to make it easier. I'm sure they have better things to do, too," Willow chided her husband. "You don't have to be Mr. Cranky Bear about it."
"Yes, dear," Giles mumbled. Spike had to laugh at the remark.
"Red's got you well trained, Rupert, I'll give her that," the blonde vamp chuckled.
"Shut up or I will stake you where you stand," Giles growled. Spike only laughed harder at the former Watcher.
"Someone's not getting theirs," Spike taunted in a sing-song voice. Giles began to rise from his seat and approach the mischievous vamp until Willow put a hand on his arm.
"Rupert, let it go," Willow instructed calmly. "He's not worth it." Giles gave Willow a nod and began to look into his book once again and Willow turned her attention back to her computer screen. Everyone followed suit and was once again back to work when Anya finally spoke up.
"Why don't they mention the ears," she said inquisitively. "They all say that the Bilvera have powerful hearing, yet they never mention the ears." Giles had to think about that for a few moments.
"That is odd," he agreed. He quickly took a selected book off the shelf and began to thumb through the index. "It does seem that I've read about it somewhere, thought," he said absent-mindedly. The others put their respective books down as Giles continued to search through his. When he finally looked up the correct page, he gave a sigh. He looked up to the others and announced, "The Bilvera's hearing is supersensitive. It can't stand noise. That's why it runs when they hear the police sirens. It can't stand them."
"So, we distract it with some big noise and I can slay it," Buffy continued. "It certainly works on the 'home by dawn' level. All we need is instant boom and we're in." The others agreed.
"What do we use," Xander asked.
"I've got a portable tape deck," Willow offered. "We can put one of your Wagner tapes, Rupert. I'm sure the Bilvera won't like that at full blast." Giles gave his wife a pointed look.
"If I didn't know better, I'd say you were teasing me, Willow, but I think it might actually work." The others nodded.
"Wagner it is," Anya said. "So Buffy and Riley slay, what about the rest of us?" Giles turned to face the ex-demon.
"I'll have to run the tape deck. You, Xander, and Spike will be needed for backup in case the Bilvera tries to run," he finished. The others nodded their agreement.
"So it's weapons all around," Xander observed.
"I'm ready," Riley added.
"I'm in, as long as you don't play "Flight of the Valkeries," Rupert. I can't stand that one," Spike said. Giles gave the vamp a pointed look.
"I'll remember that, Spike," Giles mumbled as he headed for the weapons chest. As he began to gather the group's arsenal, Willow herself got up and retrieved the tape deck from the hall closet and the cassette they needed. She finally found Rupert handing Buffy the axe when Willow handed him the deck and the tape.
"Here, Rupert," she said softly as he took the items she had handed him. The group had set to fitting all the weapons they could in a large bag Giles had pulled out of somewhere.
"Thank you, love," he answered quietly.
"Do you think this is going to work," she asked. Giles looked into his wife's apprehensive eyes.
"I think it will, Willow. We're going to be okay," he tried to reassure her. She wanted to believe him, but she still had a horrible feeling about what they were going to do.
"I'm just sorry I can't be there to help," she admitted. Giles gave Willow a tight hug.
"We'll be fine," he said firmly. "I'll see you later tonight, love." The others had come over to say their own good-byes to the hacker.
"I'll call you in the morning, Will," Buffy told her. "Riley and I will be over to help paint the nursery." Riley smiled at Willow and nodded.
"Yep. I even went to the hardware store and got the paint rollers myself," Riley confirmed.
"And I have to be here to chaperone the lust bunnies," Xander added. Buffy gave him a dirty look. "Hey! Someone has to make sure you actually do some work. We can't let the baby sleep in a room that's painted blood red." Spike rolled his eyes.
"Can we get going already. I don't fancy being stuck out in the bleeding park when the sun comes up," the vamp said. The others nodded and began to leave.
"See you, Red," Spike said as he headed out the door. Rupert was the last to leave, but not before he gave Willow a hasty kiss.
"I'll be home soon, love," he promised her.
Then he was out the door.
****************************************************************
Willow had fallen asleep on the couch shortly
after the group left. She awoke several hours later to find the apartment
empty. She looked at the clock to see how long she had been asleep.
When she seen how many hours had passed, she began to get worried.
The others had been gone far too long in her opinion. Giles should
have returned by then. Willow knew Giles would have left her a message
if he hadn't plan to come directly home and the fact that she hadn't heard
from him was the real danger sign. She tried not to panic as she
picked up the phone on the table beside her and began dialing numbers.
Willow couldn't find anyone at Buffy's dorm, Riley's place, Xander's house,
or at Anya's. She finally decided to take the matter in her own hands
and grabbed a crossbow and some bolts from the trunk and a flashlight from
the kitchen before she left the apartment and headed towards the park to
find the others.
******************************************************************
It didn't take her ten minutes before she was on park grounds and began to search for the others. It took her almost half an hour before she finally found the clearing the group had chosen to make its stand. The first thing that struck her was how eerily quiet it was as she walked into the clearing. The sun was just beginning to peak over the horizon, but it was still dark enough that she needed the flashlight to make out the details. Willow first aimed the beam of light towards a near-by tree and nearly froze with the sight that greeted her. Thrown against the tree was Riley, or what was left of him. His body was missing an arm and his torso was nearly completely red with the deep gashes he had sustained from the Bilvera. Willow had to fight the urge to throw up when her reflexes kicked in and she shifted the light. Twenty feet to Riley's left were Xander and Anya.
Willow's childhood friend was covered with the same telltale gashes as Riley, the most prominent one being along his neck, one so large it had nearly torn his head from his body. His pants and shirt were torn and bloody and there was very little left of them. Anya was a few feet to Xander's right, and Willow thought it looked like he had been trying to protect her as they fought. The ex-demon hadn't sustained the violence of the others, but it was clear that her neck had been broken. Her head lay at a grotesque angle from her body that was obviously not natural. Willow was now beginning to sob as the horror of what must have happened began to hit her. It took all the strength she could muster to continue her search, but she did. She had to.
Ten feet behind where she had originally spotted Riley, Willow found Buffy. The formally powerful Slayer was left unceremoniously sprawled among a tall patch of blood- stained grass. Buffy had been caught off guard in the middle of the fight and her own axe, which the Bilvera had apparently used against her, had slashed her. The bloodstained weapon lay at her feet. Her blood caked hair and the green top she had been wearing were about the only identifying marks Willow could make out. The Slayer's face was so badly damaged that Willow could barely make out her best friend's features. Willow nearly lost it as she frantically began to search for her husband. As she made her way back towards the center of the clearing, Willow noticed a large clump of dust. She didn't need to make too many guesses as to where the dust had come from, or more appropriately from whom.
As Willow approached the opposite side of the clearing from where she had found Riley, she finally spotted Giles. He lay all alone between two trees. His stomach was horribly torn away, leaving a bright red mess that nauseated Willow even further. Within his arm's reach lay the destroyed remains of the tape deck that was intended to save them. She began to cry loudly now, not caring if anyone heard her screams as she began to take Rupert's broken body in her arms, heedless of any pain it would cause her. By that time, she had noticed a few curious onlookers who had passed by the scene on their early morning jog. A few had stopped to take in the carnage and ran the other way. Willow just held Giles for some time, crying over him, not wanting to believe what had happened. She was surprised when she heard a gurgle come from deep in his throat.
"Willow," he coughed. She stifled her tears in order to answer him.
"I'm here, Rupert," she told him, stroking his face.
"It came from no where," he managed to breathe out. "We couldn't even start to fight before it came at us." Willow's tears began to mix with the blood that was now staining how own blouse and pants and covering her hands.
"Shush," she told him in a quivering voice. "Don't talk. It's okay, dear. It's going to be okay." Just then the air was filled with the sound of sirens as an ambulance and police car approached. Giles gave his wife a final, wane smile as he looked intently into her face.
"I love you, Willow," he whispered. He
gave one final gurgle, and then he was gone. That was when Willow
lost it. She was nearly incoherent when the police reached the scene
and began to assess what had happened. She herself was placed in
an ambulance and taken to the hospital to be checked. The rest of
the ordeal was a blur of faces and reports and official responses.
The scene was ruled to be wild dog attack and the park was closed for two
weeks as authorities searched for the animal. Willow was left to
a psychologist who specialized in grief.
******************************************************************
The next thing Willow knew, she was screaming. She was back in her apartment, and she could see Giles rushing towards her.
"Willow," he exclaimed. "What happened?" It took the witch a few moments to orient herself. She was back on her couch, and she quickly placed her hand along her stomach, which was decidedly smaller than it had been. "What happened, dear," Giles repeated as he watched her confusion.
"I don't know, Rupert. It was…" she began to cry again as she took her husband in her arms and hugged him tightly. "God, it was horrible," she whispered in his ear.
"It's okay, love. I'm here now." Willow closed her eyes tightly and hugged him harder.
"Don't you ever leave me, Rupert. Don't you ever dare leave me like that." Giles was perplexed by her outburst, but he knew better than to question it.
"Do you want to talk about it," he asked. She shook her head.
"Just promise me that you won't do anything dangerous, oh, say ever." Giles gave his wife a serious look.
"You know I can't promise you that, Willow," he said sadly. Willow sighed.
"I know, but I want to hear it. Please, Rupert," she begged him.
"I promise you that I won't do anything that could be considered dangerous." As soon as he finished his sentence, the phone rang, forcing them from their thoughts. Giles groaned as he reached over and picked up the receiver from the cradle.
"Yes," he answered. He spent the next few
moments listening to who was on the other line before quickly hanging up.
He looked over to face Willow. "There's been a disturbance over at
Weatherly Park. Buffy's already on her way."
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