Chapter 10

"We're home," Dawn called out as she and Richie entered the old office space above the club. Joe had converted it into a small suite complete with a kitchenette, a pullout couch and a cot where he could crash on those nights he didn't feel like going home.

Vi and Andrew took the safety kit from them so they could take off the backpacks and their coats. Duncan and Methos were there as well each with a glass of beer. Almost every available space was covered with books.

"So these are spellbooks, huh?" Richie said opening one that had been singed. "What does Librurm Incede-"

"No!" Andrew yelped startling the other man when he quickly slapped the volume shut. "It's best not to speak Latin in front of the books."

Richie turned to his girlfriend who smiled sheepishly. "Yeah, things sometimes happen."

"Our intrepid band of heroes will research meticulously employing both the old," Andrew said zooming in on the book that Vi held then panning to Dawn's laptop, "and the new to find information on our elusive quarry."

He faded to black then turned off the camera. "I need a title for the movie. What do you think of The Scrappy Gang?"

"No," Dawn replied distractedly as she typed into the computer.

"Scooby Gang: The Next Generation?"

"No," Dawn said staring into the monitor.

"Andrew and Vi's Seacouver Adventure?"

"No," the slayer said not looking up from the book she was reading.

"Andrew, how's your spaghetti sauce coming?" Dawn asked causing him to dash to the hot plate in the kitchen.

Methos smiled as he watched the interaction. The three friends were obviously falling into familiar patterns. He glanced over to Duncan and Richie whose eyes were wide as they flipped through the books and knew they were trying to suspend their disbelief.

"So, Dawn, what do you think the Mirami ad Celare is like?" Andrew asked coming back to the main room after setting the pot to boil. "I mean, do you think it's like the Guardian of Forever in Star Trek: The Original Series or like the stable wormhole in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine or like the micro-wormhole in Star Trek: Voyager episode 7, Eye of the Needle?"

"If those are the only choices, I'd say, it'd be closest to the Guardian of Forever," she replied. "The only difference is that if you know what you're doing, you can control the destination."

"Hey, I think I found something," Vi said bringing her book to Dawn who quickly skimmed the page.

"This just might work," she said.

"What is it?" Duncan asked.

"A spell to seal dimensional tears," Dawn explained. "We might be able to use it on the mirror. I'm not sure I have all the ingredients."

"Make a list, and I'll do a supply run tomorrow," Andrew said as he went to put the pasta into the boiling water.

"I think I found our bad guy," Methos said bringing his book to Dawn. The rest followed him.

"I think you're right," Dawn said as she read the description. "Skultos is a seven foot demon with an exoskeleton and no noticeable weaknesses."

"So this thing is real?" Duncan asked.

"Looks like," Dawn said. "Vi, you get all the fun ones."

"Lucky me," the slayer grimaced.

Dawn looked up at the stars and took a deep breath of night air. Wanting a little privacy, she had grabbed a lawn chair and went out on the roof for a few moments before supper.

"Mind some company?" Richie asked.

"C'mon up," she said as he set up another lawn chair.

"So we're doing pretty good?" he asked. "I mean you think we'll stop this Skultos guy?"

"We have a lot of information. We know the who, the when, the what and possibly the how of stopping it. Andrew and I will try a demon locator spell tomorrow to find out the where, so, yeah, things aren't bad," she replied rolling her shoulders.

Richie noticed and got to his feet. Brushing her cardigan down slightly, he began to massage her shoulders.

"Mmm, that feels good," she moaned softly.

"I did this to Vi earlier."

"Should I be concerned?"

"No, that was strictly platonic," Richie explained as he pressed on a small knot. "Simply a person trying to help a slayer heal so she can save the world. Kinda like a trainer. This is a guy trying to help his girlfriend relax. Is it working?"

"Uh-huh," she replied her eyes slowly drifting closed.

"But it's going to cost you," he said crouching down beside her.

"What's the price?"

"A kiss."

"Oh, I think I can manage that," she smiled tilting her head up as Richie bent his.

"Supper!" Andrew announced loudly before the couple could go any further.

"Coming," she sighed with a little laugh.