Chapter 7
"Not the perfect moment, I admit," the man on the floor said with a dramatic sigh, "but it had to be done."
"What exactly-"
"Really, Slayer, you didn't think we'd let him walk out on us without any sort of back-up, do you?" The black-eyed demon wearing Lindsey's face stood in a fluid motion and stretched experimentally. "We need this done, we need you dead, and Lindsey McDonald wasn't the man to do it. Not directly in any case."
Buffy's gaze narrowed. "That's a lot of talking and a lot of trusting that I'm going to fall down dead from... what? Shock?"
"No need for theatrics," the demon answered with a casual shrug. "What's done is done. I confess I enjoy a little gloating about a job well done, and I never gloat until the job's done."
Buffy rolled her eyes and waved. "Hi. So nice to meet you. I'm breathing. And you are?"
"I'm the guy who killed you. Just because you're breathing now doesn't mean it's a permanent condition." The demon tilted his head and regarded Buffy with apparent curiosity. "You must be a pretty big fan of loverboy's or I'm thinking you would've cut my throat already - or, rather, his throat. Just a loaner for me. Of course, it also wouldn't accomplish much. Like I said, just wanted to let you know you've been beaten. Sorry for the slow burn, but I'm afraid my employers - well, our employers - wanted it to be slow. There's really no fun seeing the slayer go down too fast after all this time, all these people trying to take you out."
The slayer tapped her fingernails on the counter, expression still one of boredom instead of fear. "So I'm going to be walking into a propeller or spontaneously combusting or... give a girl a hint! The anticipation is killing me."
"Cute, but, really, there's no fun in that. Tell you what, I'll give you something. I'll give you back loverboy for awhile. Maybe the two of you can figure something out or at least get a screw in before you bite it. Be a shame to waste an ass that fine. I'm not always into the cross-species thing, but you're delicious."
"Ew. And also? No."
The demon chuckled. "Don't worry, you don't have to say yes to me. You just have to decide whether you want to take one last chance to say yes to him. It won't change anything. This fight's done. Up to you what kind of memories you leave him with." The demon chuckled. "I can't say I really care. My part's done. I'm finished with him and you, I just couldn't resist saying so. Have fun, Slayer. Enjoy the end."
Without any warning, Lindsey fell heavily to the floor once again. Buffy winced at the sound of his head hitting the linoleum. It was followed shortly by a soft groan. "I think I missed..." Lindsey pushed himself up off the floor, stopping when he got to his knees to shake his head. Slow realization dawned over his features. "No... no, they wouldn't... they did. Of course they did." He looked up at the Buffy and sighed. "Rider?"
"Is that what you call them?" she asked incredulously. "Oh my god. That's some sick legal humor there."
Lindsey held out a hand and let Buffy help haul him back onto his feet. "I should have realized they wouldn't trust me. What did-" He cut himself off and attempted to look casual as the door opened and Dawn appeared with a massive box of donuts.
Buffy forced a smile as well. "Total the truck?"
"Not much there to total," Dawn muttered, though she still thanked Lindsey as she passed the keys back into his keeping. "Uh, you're bleeding." She reached out and poked a finger against the man's hairline, bringing it back covered with crimson. "I know you were annoyed with the toaster, but violence is never the answer."
Lindsey reached up as if to confirm the words. "Oh. I... slipped. Didn't even realize. Donuts first, then we make sure I don't have a concussion." He met Buffy's gaze briefly and saw the slayer nod curtly as they all gathered around the table. He forced himself to eat despite the fact that the sweets tasted like sawdust. Never before had Lindsey allowed himself to be so careless, and never before had it mattered so much that he be careful. Now Buffy's life hung in the balance, and he knew that Wolfram & Hart could decide just as easily to erase her family too. Judging from the look in Buffy's eyes, they both knew it.
Only when Dawn had gone on her way did Lindsey move in close to the slayer under the pretense of helping her clean up. "What did it say?"
"That I'm dead already," Buffy answered without looking at the man. She braced her hands on the counter and took a deep, slow breath before finally shifting her gaze back to Lindsey. "Is it true?"
"It could be."
"Poison?"
"Or magic." Lindsey paused and allowed, "Most likely both. They don't like to leave loose ends."
The slayer swallowed and nodded. "Okay. Magic and poison. Good. We can do that. You know what they work with, so you're coming with me to see Giles." Oddly focusing in on the reality of the problem seemed to be giving the woman some odd kind of comfort or at least a surge of energy. "If anybody can figure a way out, it's him."
Lindsey squared his shoulders and pulled the keys from his pocket. "Then let's get going."
