Thanks for tuning in! This chapter is supposed to give an insight into what happens before the events of the prologue. ('Prophecy Girl').
I don't own Doctor Who or Buffy the Vampire Slayer. All I own is this story.
Doctor Who © Sydney Newman, C.E. Webber and Donald Wilson. Buffy the Vampire Slayer © Joss Whedon.
Please review constructively and responsibly. If this story isn't your particular brand of vodka, don't read. Allow others to read and form their own opinions. Cheers xx
IF I SHOULD DIE BEFORE I WAKE…
"I want what's yours and I want what's mine.
I want you, but I'm not giving in this time."
~Michelle Branch: 'Goodbye to You' (Broken Bracelet [2000])
The cemetery is a jumble of stones, as if the burial places were chosen by throwing the shovel in the air and digging where it landed. They sit at jaunty angles to one another, no two of them the same shape or size. The only thing that ties them together is their age, all of them over a century. The night air was suddenly pierced with the sounds of the TARDIS materialising. The door opened and out popped the Doctor, who looked about curiously and cautiously, since his last visit to Sunnydale turned out to be a very dangerous one indeed. He was wearing a very false smile on his face that both Martha and Buffy had found strange for the normally cheerful and wacky Doctor; and he kept giving Buffy side looks whenever he thought she wasn't looking.
"Home, sweet home." The Doctor announced, stepping out and across the dewy lawn.
"What time is it, Doctor?" Buffy called out from inside the TARDIS.
The Doctor frowned and contemplated a hidden watch around his wrist before answering.
"About 1am I suspect." Buffy and Martha stepped out and glanced about.
"Great. I've got just enough time for another quick sweep before I've gotta go to bed. I've got school in the morning, and I've got to report in to Giles." Buffy said, distractedly. Martha looked around, slightly uncomfortable.
"I've never really liked cemeteries. They give me the creeps." Buffy withdrew her stake from within her jacket and handed Martha a wooden cross. She offered the Doctor another stake, but he just fixed her with a look. Oh, yeah. Weapons… Buffy rolled her eyes and popped it back in her jacket.
"I used to think the same way, Martha. Then when I started spending all my time in them, I just got used to it." Buffy admitted. "Ready?" She asked them both.
"No, not really." Martha said. Then her eyes widened when she glimpsed something advancing towards them from the shadows. "But I'm guessing we're going to have to be." She pointed towards the shadow, and Buffy turned and made a face.
"Welcome to the Hellmouth." She muttered, as the shadow stepped into the moonlight and revealed itself as a vampire on the prowl. His golden eyes glinted wickedly. "Martha, stay with the Doctor." Buffy warned her.
"And what are you going to do?" Buffy smirked.
"What I do best."
The vampire roared.
"Slayer!" And pounced. Buffy responded with a jump kick, which stunned the vampire and send him sprawling backwards. She moved into a defensive position.
"Buffy?" The Doctor's voice called out with concern. Then Buffy is suddenly grabbed from behind, her arms pinned to her sides and a familiar growl sounded in her ear. It was another vampire, presumably tag teaming with the one now on his feet and grinning triumphantly.
Buffy rolled her eyes.
"You guys need to come up with new strategies." She bucked, trying to get away.
"Doctor, do something!" Martha yelled. Buffy jammed the heel of her boot into the vampire's instep and he yelled out in pain, loosening his arms long enough for Buffy to slam the back of her head against his nose, then quickly flip him over her shoulder and throw out a roundhouse kick to his jaw when he recovered.
"Stay back, both of you!" But Buffy's warning had caused her precious seconds and she was rugby-tackled from the side, which caused her to stumble and crash into a nearby tombstone which crumbled underneath her weight.
"NO!" The Doctor screamed, but Martha held him back.
"Doctor, she said to stay back!"
"I don't care!" He retorted and stepped forward, waving his arms at the vampires advancing upon Buffy who is down for the count. "Hey! Over here! A happy meal on legs!" The Doctor declared himself. "Surely, you'd want an appetiser before the main course?" Both vampires eyed up both Martha and the Doctor, and grinned.
The Doctor grabbed Martha's hand.
"What are you doing?" Martha demanded, nervously.
"Get ready to run."
"What?!"
"RUN!" The Doctor yelled, urgently. Martha yelled out in fear, as she and the Doctor took off running through the cemetery, pursued closely by the two vamps. It only took a few seconds before Buffy recovered, albeit bleeding from a split lip and feeling slightly dazed. She is alerted to Martha's terrified scream in the distance.
"Stop! Leave her alone!" Came the Doctor's panicked voice.
"Shit!" Buffy cursed and took off in the direction.
She came across Martha backed up against a mausoleum thrusting the cross in one of the vamps' face, while the Doctor was wrestling violently with the other, but scarcely paying it attention; more focused on Martha and her safety. Buffy belatedly remembered when she had first met the Doctor and kicked herself for forgetting that the Doctor's alien blood was toxic to vampires. Short of being bitten by a brainless vampire, the Doctor would live minus a mouthful of blood. But Martha was the one who was the most vulnerable. Buffy spun the stake in her hands, before launching it with deadly accuracy at the vampire cornering Martha and impaling it in the back. He grunted, eying Martha in surprise before promptly falling to his knees and exploding into dust.
Martha glanced up at Buffy and gasped at the raw intensity on the Slayer's face. This was the true face of the legendary Slayer: her face was set, her green eyes were hard and steely and got the message across: 'I'm the Slayer, and you're dead meat!' Buffy's eyes swivelled over to the next vampire, who immediately dropped the Doctor like a sack of potatoes and ran for it. Without uttering a word, Buffy calmly pulled free her spare stake that the Doctor had rejected before and quicker than firing an arrow from a bow, delivered to him the same execution as his partner got. The next second his ashes were blowing in the wind. Buffy walked over to her Doctor and brandished her hand at him; but he didn't need any help getting up and immediately crushed Buffy to his chest.
"Don't ever scare me like that again!" The Doctor spoke harshly into her ear. Buffy looked bewildered by his reaction, but smiled and wrapped her arms around him.
"Wouldn't dream of it."
Martha stepped back from the mausoleum and approached Buffy, looking horrified.
"That's what you do, every single night?" She sounded appalled.
Buffy looked sheepish.
"Pretty much. Those two were just the welcoming party. I've dealt with worse." Martha gave her a flat look.
"Worse? How many vampires do you deal with in one patrol?"
"On average? In one night I could dust up to about 5 maybe more. But it depends if some vampire is trying to rise to power or has one hell of an ego that he can't help but stroke; then it could be more." Buffy replied, tiredly. "Sometimes, if my calling is really trying to stick it to me, it could even throw in a demon or two."
"That's insane!"
"That's the Hellmouth." The Doctor stated, bluntly.
"Yeah, don't remind me. I'm not sure how I'm going to be able to describe this to Giles when I see him today at school." Buffy grumbled. The Doctor came over and kissed Buffy's temple comfortingly.
"You'll find a way, you usually do." He reassured her. "Come on, let's help you finish your patrol for the night." He said. Taking off in a random direction. Buffy didn't follow.
"Uh, Doctor? This way." She pointed in the opposite direction. And the Doctor changed course, with a stunned Martha following. Buffy shook her head and ran to catch them.
The Doctor wished that he could say that he was relieved that that hadn't been the time that Buffy was to die, but he wasn't. He knew something much, much worse was coming; and he had a feeling it had something to do with an eerie, gothic style cave, candles and Buffy wearing a simple, but beautiful white dress. Buffy lead the Doctor and Martha back to her house on Revello Drive. She had finished with her patrol for the night, and still needed to do some last minute pieces of her homework she wasn't able to complete before going on patrol.
"And this is home." Buffy said, stopping before the yellow house. Her mom's car wasn't in the driveway, which meant to Buffy that she had to work late that night at the Gallery. Thank you, God… Buffy thought as she strode up the pathway and got out her keys. "Come on in!" Martha and the Doctor stepped inside the house and inspected the interior.
"Your mum's got lovely taste." Martha observed politely.
Buffy nodded, and led them both into the lounge room.
"Take a seat anywhere." She darts into the kitchen. "Does anyone want something to drink?" She peered into the fridge. "I've got soda, bottled water, milk, juice?" Buffy offered.
"Do you have any tea?" Martha asked. The Doctor brightened up at that.
"Ooh, I wouldn't mind that myself." Buffy made a face. What is it with Brits and tea? She thought, shaking her head.
"I think Mom might have some in the cupboard. I'll check." She darted over to the cupboard and peered inside. As she did so, Buffy glanced out into the backyard and spotted the perfect spot for the TARDIS to hide while they were here. "Doctor?" He came into the kitchen and stood behind her. "If you wanna get the TARDIS, you can park it out there. If you want?" The Doctor contemplated this.
"It's not a bad idea." He replies. "Good idea, Buffy." He goes back out into the living room. "Will you be alright here, Martha? I'm just gonna duck out for a sec." The Doctor explained.
"Where are you going?"
"Get the TARDIS. Can't be too careful." He replied with a grin. "Back in a bit!" He darts out of the front door and disappears down the street. Buffy comes out with a mug of hot tea for Martha, who looked a bit worried.
"What's up?" Buffy questioned, passing it to her.
"Won't the Doctor be in danger out there?" Martha asked. Buffy shook her head.
"I doubt it. The Doctor has an ace up his sleeve when it comes to vampires." Buffy stated with a smile.
"What's that?"
"His blood is toxic to vampires." Martha blinked at her.
"Well, he kept that part to himself." She sounded a little annoyed. Buffy turned for the stairs, indicating for Martha to follow her.
"He didn't know." Buffy stated. "He was just as surprised as the vamp that bit him. Of course, that vamp didn't last very long to spread the word, so…" Martha nodded, understanding before she yawned. "You look beat. Feel free to crash on my bed, I've gotta something to do before I sleep anyway." Buffy suggested.
Martha hesitated.
"I could always take the couch downstairs."
"Yeah, but then I'd have to explain to my mom why there's a stranger sleeping on the couch. It'll get complicated and I don't want to do deal with that sort of drama." Buffy babbled.
Martha nodded. "If you don't mind?"
"Mi casa es tu casa." Buffy responded as she reached her room and walked in. Martha hesitated before walking in and shutting the door behind her.
About ten minutes later, Buffy was finishing off her homework which was due first thing at school, and Martha was passed out on Buffy's bed. Suddenly, the entire house starts to shake, waking up Martha.
"What? What's happening!?" She sits bolt upright looking scared. Buffy immediately grabs Martha's wrist and drags her to the door.
"Earthquake!" Buffy shouts as she opens the door, stands in the doorway and covers Martha protectively.
"Buffy! Martha!" The Doctor shouts from the landing.
"Upstairs!" Buffy shouts above the rattling house. The Doctor comes round the corner and spots both girls huddling in the doorframe. Quickly, the Doctor rushes over and cocoons around Buffy and Martha. After a few more minutes, the Earthquake passes and the Doctor straightens up.
"Are you both okay?" He questions them. Buffy nodded, used to it, but also looking a little disturbed.
Martha looks fed up.
"Blimey, that was big. Do you get these a lot?" She asks Buffy, who snorts.
"This is California. We live on God's etch-a-sketch." The Doctor doesn't look very amused.
"I think it's best, Martha, if you sleep in the TARDIS. It's probably the safest place for you at the moment." The Doctor suggested.
Martha looked taken aback.
"But what about Buffy?"
"She's used to it, she knows what to do. You don't." The Doctor explained, using a 'don't argue' tone.
Martha gives a huff, too tired to give a damn and stomps down the staircase, easily locating the TARDIS standing out in the Summers' backyard.
"What about you?" Buffy asked him. "Aren't you tired?" The Doctor shook his head.
"I don't need a lot of sleep. It's a Time Lord thing." He said dismissively. Buffy shrugged.
"Colour me stunned." He smiles. "I better get to sleep, got school in the morning." Buffy reminded him.
"Of course, I'll see you in the morning." The Doctor wraps Buffy up into an affectionate hug and she kisses his cheek. "Sweet dreams." He whispers, kissing her nose before breaking the embrace and disappearing back downstairs.
Buffy stares after him.
"Oh, boy…"
The next morning, Buffy woke up; she showered, dressed in black leather pants, shoestring plum coloured top, her black high-heeled boots and pinned back her long blonde hair and went downstairs expecting to see her mother, Joyce, sitting in the Kitchen as usual; sipping her coffee and reading the morning paper. Not so much. Instead, she was greeted with a note on the fridge from Joyce, and both the Doctor and Martha sitting at the island bench chatting … like it was completely normal.
"Uh, hi?" Buffy called out, confused. Both the Doctor and Martha looked over at her and smiled.
"Buffy! Good morning!" The Doctor greeted her. "Just met your mother. Lovely, lovely woman."
Buffy was surprised.
"You did? And she didn't question you over and over again about who you are, and what you were doing here and how you knew me?" Martha looked a little uncomfortable.
"Well, we didn't exactly meet her face to face. What the Doctor meant was, we saw her from a distance and she seemed lovely." She explained.
"Oh." Buffy looked relieved. "So I won't be expecting an awkward, hard-to-explain conversation with her tonight. Good." Then she looked at the clock and cursed. "Oh! I'm gonna be so late. We better run." Buffy stated.
"We?" Martha frowned. "Don't you think we look a little bit old to be still going to high school?"
Buffy gave her a look.
"Giles works in the Library at school. One of the perks of being the Slayer is that I need to report in to him every day about my patrol, and unfortunately you qualify as evidence." Buffy explained.
"Brilliant, take me to your leader." The Doctor said, brightly. Buffy and Martha giggled.
"You've always wanted to say that, didn't you?" Buffy asked him, raising an eyebrow.
"Oh, yes!" The Doctor grinned.
Buffy led the Doctor and Martha towards the Sunnydale High School Library, walking in just as Giles came out of his office and was walking over to the book cage.
"Morning!" Buffy greeted brightly, then falters slightly when she takes in the damage the late night Earthquake had caused. Giles turned and stared at Buffy as though he had seen a ghost. "Wow. The damage looks fairly structural." Buffy commented, frowning a little.
"Are we safe in here?" Martha whispers to the Doctor, who nods, but is more focused upon Giles and his reaction upon seeing Buffy.
He frowns.
"Buffy!" Giles exclaims, and Buffy reacts.
"What? Do I have something on my face?" She touches it with alarm, but Giles recovers from his shock and addresses his Slayer a little more calmly.
"No! Uh, and, and yes, we're, we're safe." He indicated vaguely to the stacks, which are lying about like toppled over dominoes. "Uh, but probably best not to go up there." He adds before eying both the Doctor and Martha curiously. "Who are you both?"
The Doctor recovers easily, and gives a friendly smile to Giles.
"Sorry, hello! I'm the Doctor and this is the lovely Martha Jones." Martha smiles politely and waves as The Doctor walks forward and greets Giles with a friendly handshake. Giles frowns curiously.
"Uh, Doctor who?"
"Just the Doctor." The Time Lord replied, brightly. "And it looks like you've got a bit of a situation." He indicated to the fallen bookcases. "Do you need some assistance straightening up?" He asked politely. Giles looks astonished, but relieved.
"Well, uh, yes that would be most welcomed. But if you don't mind me asking, what is your purpose here? How do you know Buffy?" He asked, looking slightly confused.
"That's one of the few things I need to discuss with you, Giles." Buffy explained.
"Oh?"
"Yeah, but how're you doin' there? Get much sleep last night?" Buffy asked indicating his dishevelled appearance. Giles was distracted.
"Um … I-I-I've been working."
"Me, too." Buffy took a seat at the study table, and Martha joined while the Doctor glanced about the room with interest, being careful about the toppled over book shelves on the upper landing. But he was also, observing Giles curiously. The poor man looked very distressed about something, and he was intrigued to find out what it was. "I went hunting last night, and it is awfully sweet of you to ask." Buffy explained sarcastically. "I met the Doctor on patrol last night. And you won't believe what he is." She reported.
Giles immediately stopped pacing and turned to look at Buffy.
"Buffy, please tell me you haven't gone and told other civilians that you are the Slayer." Giles asked, looking pained.
Buffy frowned.
"I didn't have to. The Doctor had already guessed when we first met last night." She stated. Giles sighed.
"Very well, go on. Please enlighten me." Giles eyed the Doctor, who came up to Buffy and stood casually behind her chair.
"He's an alien." That was a first for Giles, but at the same time he wasn't amused.
"Buffy, I have a lot of work to do, and I don't have time for you to be pulling practical jokes. Could you please just get to the point?" Giles said, rather shortly.
Buffy sighed.
"I'm not kidding, Giles. He's the real deal."
"Really? Because he looks vaguely human to me." Giles retorted, eyeing the Doctor up and down.
"That's what I said too." Martha commented, looking amused. Giles looked at her sceptically.
"And I suppose Buffy is going to tell me that you're an alien as well?"
"No, I'm 100% human." Martha replied.
"And for the record, we came first." The Doctor pointed out. Giles was getting annoyed.
"Then spit it out man, what exactly are you?"
"I'm a Time Lord." The Doctor replied, seriously. Giles blinked, and removed his glasses; polishing them.
"I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to see the proof of this." He asked. Buffy groaned.
"This is the fourth time." The Doctor frowned at her.
"Steady on, sweetheart. One step at a time. Besides this is the best way to prove it." He scolded her lightly, as he once again withdrew his stethoscope and handed it over to Giles. The watcher took them, staring in confusion.
Buffy clarified.
"He's got two hearts, Giles." Giles replaced his glasses and approached the Doctor. Without another word, he like all the others placed the drum onto the Doctor's chest and made his discovery.
"Good lord. You really are what you say you are." Giles looked up at the Doctor, curiously. "And if you don't mind me asking, what were you doing the graveyard when Buffy was patrolling last night."
"Just passing through. However, Buffy did initially thought I was some sort of vampire … that is until we made a rather unusual, but effective way of eliminating them." The Doctor explained.
"His blood is toxic to vampires." Buffy revealed. Giles was shocked.
"Hard to believe, isn't it?" Martha stated.
"A little." Giles agreed. Buffy decided to move on with her surprisingly long report.
"It's getting hairy out there, Giles. I killed three vampires last night, and one of them was practically on school grounds. I chased after him to the cemetery where I first met the Doctor." Giles looked grave.
"Their numbers are increasing."
"Yeah, and they're getting cockier." Buffy added. "Look, I'm not loving it. Last night was a pretty close call." The Doctor winced, and placed a hand on Buffy's shoulder; squeezing it. She reached up and grabbed a hold of it, trying to comfort him.
Giles noticed.
"You seem concerned about that, Doctor." Giles stated. Buffy hesitated.
"Well, there's more. The Doctor can travel through time and space, Giles. I needed proof that the Doctor was who he said was. So he decided to take me on a trip through time." Giles scoffed.
"Time travel is scientifically impossible, Buffy." Giles stated.
"Hey, I take offence at that. I'm not called a Time Lord just because it sounds cool." The Doctor stated.
Giles looked taken aback.
"So, time travel is really possible then?"
"I met William Shakespeare. What do you think?" Buffy retorted. Giles' eyes widened in surprise. "And went to New York in the 1930's and was stuck in the world's longest traffic jam in the future, was nearly roasted alive on a spaceship, witnessed some seriously gross human evolution stuff, and travelled back to 1913." Buffy rattled off her busy travel interary.
"The bard? You met the bard." Giles sounded almost jealous.
"While battling some seriously nasty witches, thank you very much." Martha added, shuddering.
"Carrionites." The Doctor corrected.
"Whatever."
"Witches? Again?" Giles looked overwhelmed by the information he was receiving. Buffy decided to deliver the final blow, and hoped that Giles could accept it. However, it seemed the Doctor knew what she was about to do and placed a hand on her shoulder. She looked up and he shook his head.
"Later." He whispered and Buffy looked pained. Giles still looked very distracted, despite the colourful report Buffy had just given him. This greatly concerned the Doctor, who barely knew the man. Something was just not quite right, and in intended on finding out what that was.
"Hmm? Well, I'm very glad that you're alright. Uh, I-I need to verify, um… I just can't really talk right now." Giles muttered, deepening the Doctor's frown. Even Martha was growing concerned. Buffy however, hadn't noticed anything odd.
"Fine. That's okay. I can't put it off any longer. I have to meet my terrible fate." Giles spun around and looked at her with horror.
"What?!" Yes, definitely getting to the bottom of this… The Doctor confirmed, as Buffy got to her feet and gathered up her things.
"Biology." She stated. The bell rings as Buffy leaves the Library to go to class. Giles watches her go. The Doctor jogs to catch up with her.
"Buffy, I'm gonna stick around in the Library for a bit." Buffy looked amused.
"Of course, you are. It's book paradise in there." She teased and The Doctor nodded.
"There's that. But I'm going to discuss something with Mr. Giles as well." Buffy shrugged.
"Okay?" She leaned in and kissed him before turning and disappearing down the hall towards Biology. The Doctor watched her go before turning back into the Library. He and Martha needed to have a little chat with Buffy's watcher, who seemed to be hiding something bad from his Slayer.
The Doctor retreated back inside the Library and approached Giles, who was sitting in his office pursuing several large tomes and looking worried and scared. Martha got up from the table and joined him.
"Excuse me, Mr. Giles. We couldn't help but notice that you're looking a little bit stressed, despite what you told Buffy." Martha observed.
Giles turned on them.
"With all due respect, I don't see what any business this is of yours." Giles replied, rather sharply.
"Now see that's why we're concerned." The Doctor pointed out.
"Even if I told you, I don't see how you could help." Giles insisted. The Doctor tried a different method of getting across to him.
"Does it involve Buffy?" The Doctor asked, intuitively.
"What makes you suggest that?" Giles demanded, looking at him suspiciously. The Doctor raised an eyebrow.
"Your reaction when she first arrived, the fact that you've got a very troubled expression on your face, and the fact that you've been distracted since we've been here." Giles was momentarily silenced.
"Thank you for your concern, but anything concerning Buffy is my responsibility as her watcher." Giles insisted.
"Well, that makes two of us then. Because Buffy is under my protection as well." The Doctor responded firmly. Giles looked at him curiously.
"What are you to Buffy, exactly?" He asked, protectively. The Doctor didn't blink, but Martha saw red flags and tried to signal to the Doctor to quit while he was ahead. But she was ignored.
"Her world apparently, or so she told me." The Doctor replied, honestly. Giles was shocked.
"That's impossible. You look half her age."
"Not even close actually. I'm closer to 900-years-old." The Doctor responded matter-of-factly. Giles looked a cross between stunned and appalled as he looked the Doctor up and down in disbelief.
"I hope you are aware that Buffy is sixteen-years-old, and a minor." He pointed out. The Doctor scratched his head, but otherwise didn't look fazed.
"The thought has crossed my mind once or twice, but if you're thinking what I think you're thinking of; then you can relax. I'm not an idiot." The Doctor stated, sounding a bit irritated that he was being treated like a potential perv. "I'd also like to point out that if you have any intention of trying to break Buffy and I apart, rest assured I am not the type of man to be trifled with. I have waited for far too long to find her, and I'll be damned if I lose her." He warned with a hard voice.
Giles appeared to be quite surprised how passionate the Doctor was about the subject of Buffy and his relationship. If this strange man was this devoted, Buffy was indeed a very lucky young woman. It also made Giles question what hardship the Doctor had to endure to reach this point in his life.
"He's right, sir. You'd need a crowbar to pry them apart." Martha told Giles.
The Doctor smirked at Martha's description. Giles still had reservations about Buffy falling in love with, and quite frankly being involved with a centuries-year-old alien. But he needed to reveal what he had discovered to someone. It was not something that anyone should know about and be able to sleep at night. And if the Doctor was who he said he was, then perhaps he could find a solution.
Martha got to her feet.
"I got to visit the loo. Back in a sec." She explained, and hurried out of the Library.
"How familiar are you with prophecies, Doctor?" Giles questioned. The Doctor immediately frowned.
"Reasonably familiar. But I must warn you that if you've unearthed one; know that prophecies are known to be nasty, tricky pieces of foreknowledge that doesn't always mean what they reveal." The Doctor explained.
Giles allowed himself to relax a little.
"Well, that's some relief, I suppose." He darted back into his office and retrieved the document he had been slaving over. The Doctor slipped on his glasses and took it from Giles, frowning as he read. "I've already translated the Latin, but I do not like what I read. I'm waiting for a…" He hesitated. "…friend of mine to bring a crucial text with him that should shed some light on the subject." The Doctor's face grew more and more hard the more of the document he read.
"I think you're doing the right thing waiting for that text your friend is bringing." The Doctor stated, then looked at Giles curiously. "What is the name of the text your friend is bringing?"
"Uh, I believe it's called The Codex?" Giles babbled distractedly. The Doctor looked at him with wide eyes.
"That book has been lost for centuries, it's older than even me." He stated, disbelievingly. "Where on Earth did he find it?" Giles looked a little uncomfortable.
"He, uh, has connections." The Doctor looked sceptical.
"I can't wait to meet him."
Class finished, and Martha had gotten lost trying to find her way back to the Library. But she was in no rush because she had a feeling the Doctor was going to 'talk turkey' with Mr. Giles, and she knew that it would be boring for her. So she dawdled, and decided to take a tour around the school, thinking she'd eventually find her way back. Along the way, Martha spies Buffy coming out of some nearby doors with a pretty redhead and a gangly looking boy who was staring at Buffy with moon-eyes – that Martha recognised all too well, because she had once given them to an oblivious Doctor, before he and Buffy had even become a couple – and watched them head towards a balcony and down some stairs.
Martha follows at a discreet distance.
"Wow. That was boring." Buffy exhales. Xander agreed.
"I don't feel that boring covers it."
"No, boring falls short." Buffy laughs.
"Even I was bored. And I'm a science nerd." Willow stated, as Buffy gave Willow a disapproving look.
"Don't say that."
Willow grins.
"I'm not ashamed. It's the computer age. Nerds are in." Then she looked slightly worried. "They are still in, right?" Martha giggles. Willow sounded like the type of person Martha probably would have been friends with when she was in school, and they probably would be once Buffy introduced her and her other friend to her and the Doctor. Although, judging by the blinkered look he was giving Buffy; the Doctor had competition for Buffy's affections. Good luck, mate. You're gonna need it… Martha decided to continue on her way to the Library. She could always ask for directions. But it looked like Xander was trying to get Buffy alone to ask her something, and Martha knew that it wouldn't end well … for him.
She knew where Buffy's heart lay, and that the Doctor could be very fierce when challenged.
Martha returned to the Library after asking one of the students for directions, and found the Doctor standing in the restored stacks and Giles in the office. Giles was on the phone, attempting to connect to somebody while the Doctor was reading from a very thick looking book. The expression on his face, matched the one Giles had had on his before Martha left the Library. Immediately, she was concerned. What happened between when she had left the Library and when she had returned?
Martha approached him.
"Doctor, what's wrong?" The Doctor looked up, and Martha stifled a gasp. He had fear in his eyes.
"Mr. Giles found a prophecy potentially involving Buffy, and it's not good news." The Doctor told her.
"Are you sure it's Buffy?" Martha asked.
"Yes, of course I'm sure!" He growled, earning an unimpressed look from Martha, and he immediately apologised.
"Hello. Uh, this is Giles. Uh… uh, Rupert Giles." They both heard, and turned their heads in the direction of the office; in time to notice an attractive older woman walk into the Library and approach the office. "I-I need to see you. No, I-I realise that. Uh… come after sundown. Good. I'll see you then." Giles hangs up, and both the Doctor and Martha glanced at each other, questioning who Giles had just contacted.
"You know, that outfit looks just like the one you wore yesterday. Only wrinklier. Were you here all night?" The Doctor crept closer to the door, gesturing for Martha to follow.
"Sorry, uh… I'm not really up to, uh, socialising just now." Giles responded. She frowned.
"Something's going on, Rupert, and I'm guessing you already know what it is."
Giles immediately turns and gets to his feet.
"What do you know?" He demands.
"Just what I would like to know as well." The Doctor appears, startling the woman.
"Who are you?" She asks, cautiously. Giles glances absently at the Doctor before remembering his manners.
"I'm terribly sorry, this is the Doctor and Martha Jones. They are some new friends of Buffy's." Giles introduces. "This is Ms. Jenny Calendar." Martha smiles politely.
"It's nice to meet you." She greets Ms. Calendar.
"Yes, it's a pleasure. Now, please what do you know?" The Doctor insists, impatiently. Martha elbows him in the ribs. "Ow! What was that for?" Martha rolls her eyes.
"Sorry. He's just really concerned." Martha explains. Ms. Calendar nods uncertainly before she explains.
"Well, I've been surfing the 'Net, looking for unexplained incidents. Here's the latest." She goes through a list of bizarre incidents that make even the Doctor raise an eyebrow. He couldn't help but wonder if strange, abnormal things like this happened all the time in Sunnydale. "Throw in last night's earthquake, and I'd say we've got a problem. I would say the end is pretty seriously nigh." Ms. Calendar stated.
"Understatement of the year." Martha mutters, shocked by what she had just heard. Giles looked wary.
"I don't know if I can trust you." Ms. Calendar looked peeved, but also slightly worried.
"I helped you cast that demon out of the Internet. I think that merits some trust." Giles still didn't look convinced. "Look, I'm scared, okay? And I've got this crazy monk emailing me from Cortona about some Anointed One?" Giles looked up in shock.
"The Anointed One? He's dead!"
"Clearly, not." The Doctor disagreed.
"Who's the monk?" Martha asked, curiously.
"Uh, a brother Luca something? Keeps sending out global mailings about a prophecy." Both Giles and the Doctor exchanged grim expressions. Giles turned back to his mountains of books.
"I need you to talk to him, find out everything he knows." He asked. Ms. Calendar frowned.
"Look, Rupert, you haven't told me jack, so what's with the order?" Giles was losing his patience.
"Just do it! I'll explain later." Ms. Calendar looked taken aback, before frowning again.
"You'd better."
As the sun set, another person arrived. A person that the Doctor instantly recognised; and he was not impressed to see him. He had seriously never thought he'd see Angelus again, but he was pleased that his curse was still intact. It was one of his more creative suggestions to the Gypsies in terms of punishments.
"Giles! I've got the Codex." Angel said, walking through via the entrance in the stacks, and walked right up to the watcher, who immediately took it and started flipping through the pages.
"I see you've been keeping out of trouble, Angelus." The Doctor remarked casually, straightening up after checking on Martha who had fallen asleep at the study table. Angel jumped at the name, immediately turning and facing the Doctor.
He frowned in confusion.
"Who are you?" The Doctor chuckled humourlessly.
"I'm not surprised you don't recognise me. I've regenerated half a dozen times since you've last seen me." The Doctor explained. Angel's face twisted in shock.
"Doctor?!" Angel turned towards Giles, accusingly. "Why didn't you tell me he was here?" Giles looked completely disinterested in the question.
"I didn't know you knew him. And besides, I couldn't really care less at present. I'm more concerned about the prophecy."
Buffy chose that moment to walk in, having experienced a bad day of her own.
"Giles, you are not gonna believe this." She muttered to herself, and noticed Martha passed out at the study table. She starts over to her, aiming to tell her friend about her crappy day, but stops when she hears Giles talking and peeks into his office. Buffy sees Giles pouring over several thick volumes, and a tiny ancient looking book in his hands; while the Doctor stood in the doorway looking extremely grave, and eying an unseen Angel with mistrust.
"It's clear. It's what's gonna happen. Uh, it's happening now!" Giles was saying. Buffy's eyes widened when Angel suddenly moves into the light to read the Codex.
"Angel?" She whispered, in confusion; and oddly surprised that she no longer felt any butterflies when she saw him. Buffy heads towards the office.
"It can't be. You've gotta be wrong."
The Doctor senses Buffy's presence and glances behind to see Buffy, and immediately looks anguished as he turns completely towards her. Buffy mouths 'what?' at him, but before he could reply; Giles unknowingly does it for him.
"I've checked it against all my other volumes. So has the Doctor! It's very real."
"Real, yes. But you've obviously chosen not to listen when I said that prophesies aren't always clear." The Doctor reminded him, using a low reasonable tone. Angel shakes his head in despair.
"Well, there's gotta be some way around it." He insisted. Giles turns on him.
"The Doctor is quite correct. Thank you for reminding me, by the way." He tells him. "And Buffy has thwarted these prophecies time and time again. But unfortunately, this is the Codex; there is nothing in it that does not come to pass." Giles insisted.
"Then you're reading it wrong!" Angel was stubborn and the Doctor got into his face.
"Oh, don't be so thick!" He snarled, before walking out of the office and straight towards Buffy, knowing that she was not going to like what was about to be said next.
"Doctor, what is going on?" Buffy whispered, urgently. The Doctor pulled her into a hug.
"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." He muttered, as he voice broke. Giles seemed to agree with him.
"I second that. I wish to God I was reading it wrong! But it's very plain! Tomorrow night, Buffy will face the Master, and she will die."
Buffy froze in the Doctor's arms.
"Oh, my God!" Martha whispered. She had just woken up and had heard what Giles had said. She glanced at Buffy with horror. Buffy took a step back from the Doctor; stunned.
"Well, have you verified the text?" Angel demands, then reacts when Buffy starts laughing darkly. The Doctor's face fell in despair, as Angel and Giles finally take notice. Both of them slowly start to walk away from the office door, as Buffy walks over to the table.
"Buffy? Are you okay?" Martha asks.
Buffy ignores her.
"So that's it, huh? I remember the drill. One Slayer dies, next one's called!" Buffy trails off, looking angry and thoughtful. "Wonder who she is." She turns to Giles. "Will you train her? Or will they send someone else?" Giles panicked.
"Buffy, I…"
"They say how he's gonna kill me? Do you think it'll hurt?" Buffy wondered, fearful. Tears are flowing freely from her eyes. Angel attempts to come over to hug her, but she glares at him and steps away. "If you even think of touching me, I'll jab a stake in you!" Angel is taken aback, and the Doctor glares at him too. "Were you even gonna tell me?" She demands Giles, then at everybody else. "Any of you!?"
"We were hoping that we wouldn't have to. That there was … some way around it. I…" Giles sounded helpless. So Buffy decided to make it easier for him.
"I've got a way around it. I quit!" The Doctor walks over to her.
"It's not that simple, sweetheart." He tells her gently, and Buffy refuses to look at him feeling betrayed, while Angel looks at him suspiciously.
"I'm making it that simple! I quit! I resign, I-I'm fired, you can find someone else to stop the Master from taking over!" Buffy insisted.
"I'm not sure that anyone else can. All the … the signs indicate …" Buffy looked at him angrily.
"The signs?" Her voice was low and dangerous, as she turns to the table and picks up a book and throws it at him with force. It misses him by inches. "READ ME THE SIGNS!" She picks up another heavier book and hurls it at him. "TELL ME MY FORTUNE! YOU'RE SO USEFUL SITTING HERE WITH ALL YOUR BOOKS! YOU'RE REALLY A LOTTA HELP!" She screamed at him.
Martha came over and grabbed her arms.
"Buffy, stop!" Buffy sagged in Martha's arms allowing the older woman to hug her as she attempted to comfort her.
"No, I don't suppose I am." Giles admits.
"I know this is hard." Angel states, and both Martha and the Doctor glare at him for stating the obvious.
"Thanks for clearing that up, it really didn't occur to us the first time." The Doctor retorts sarcastically and Angel ignores him, focusing on Buffy who agreed with her boyfriend.
"No, he's right. What would you know about this? You're never going to die!" Martha's eyes widened when she realised she had been standing beside a vampire the entire time, but bravely stood her ground.
Angel was mystified with Buffy.
"You think I want anything to happen to you? Do you think I could stand it?" Buffy avoids eye contact with him, and instead focuses on the Doctor who was looking hurt and angry. She hated when she was the cause of his stress. "We just got to figure out a way…"
"I already did. I quit, remember? Pay attention!" Buffy barks at him. Giles looks at her, pleadingly.
"Buffy, if the Master rises…" Buffy yanks the cross Angel had given her from her neck.
"I don't care!" She shouts. It takes her several moments but she eventually calms down under the worried gazes of everybody in the room. "I don't care." She meets Giles' eyes and let's more tears fall down her cheeks. "Giles, I'm sixteen-years-old. I don't wanna die." Giles and Angel are at a loss for words, and all the Doctor wants to do is grab both Buffy and Martha and just run as fast and as far as they can. He gazes at his girlfriend with frustration as Buffy throws down her cross and walks out of the Library without looking back. Martha follows, throwing a disgusted look at both Giles and Angel as she went.
As she passes the Doctor, she pauses and whispers to him.
"I'll go with her, make sure she doesn't do anything stupid." The Doctor nods, smiling slightly. "Give me an hour or two, and I'll bring her back to the TARDIS. Away from nosy eyes." Martha promises him.
"Thank you, Martha." The Doctor replies, as Martha runs after the retreating Slayer.
A/N: What's Buffy to do? Find out next chapter! ;) Please review with your thoughts.
Cheers, guys!