"Who?"
Disclaimer: Not mine but thine...O, Joss!
Archived at the Cicelyverse page of the Buffy Rebecca verse, . or direct to story at ...
General audience level...
Summary: Events after the great Sunnydale battle have left Buffy seeking her past and present...With help from an Immortal source.
Part XXXV...
"So the Black Thorn Circle is aware of Angel's attack…?" Buffy eyed Harmony who had relaxed a hair, sipping blood-laced water on her sofa as Buffy stood near and Willow sat in the exceedingly luxuriant leather chair across from them…
Ummn…
"Miss Kendall…"
"Well, they are very clever…" Harmony dodged. "I suppose they…"
"No doubt, thanks in small part to your efforts to keep them informed, eh Miss?" Buffy, dryly.
Harmony staring…Whoa…Buffy Summers, vampire's whore, reincarnated as a slightly prettier version of that James Bond M lady? And all British, to boot…?
Right, M was a Brit. Well, even better…
Scary, really…"Buffy, the Brit nerd wife of Spike, er William"?…Much more so than "Buffy the Vampire Slayer".
Say…?
"Small" part?
"Marcus said my…Ummn…"
"Marcus?" Willow asked. Liaison to the Partners for Wolfram-Hart, according to Giles…Buffy explained.
"What did 'Marcus' say?" Buffy looked at Harmony. "And where can we find him?"
"Uh…Just that I'm the best gol'darned executive secretary in the W-H franchise and there's always a position open for me in his establishment should I ever…"
"Miss Kendall…" Buffy leaned over her, dark tone. Harmony instinctively shrinking back…
God, she's like my ole homeroom teacher… Right down to the glasses hanging from her neck…
"I assume there's not much time. So I want you to understand your Unlife depends on your answers…Your quick and detailed answers…To my questions. What did your master say? Where is he? How much do the Partners know of Angel's plans? And what do you know of where William or Angelus might have gone?"
"Angel…" Willow corrected…Firmly.
As in, we don't kill Angel…
"Right…Angel…" Buffy, curtly.
"Marcus isn't…" A cool stare curbed Harmony's protest. "Well…You hafta understand my job was on the line…And I am evil and all…"
"If I blamed you, you would be dead. I understand you can't help your nature…"
"Right…Well…I tole him…Under job threat…What I'd heard. Which really wasn't all that much, come to think of it. And he just laughed and said they'd never believed Angel was serious about accepting their offer. But after tonight he'd see the hopelessness of fighting Demonity. And 'to save his miserable band of idiots…'"
"That's what he said…" Harmony eyeing the stares from Buffy and Willow.
"…'He'd learn to toe their line'…" she finished. "Really he didn't seem to care much about Angel's plan, whatever it is. He didn't think they had a chance, I'm sure."
"And you didn't have any other information for him?"
"Uh…No, actually…That's all…Angel really didn't seem to want to go into details when I was listening."
"Wiser than I would have thought, our Mr…" Buffy smiled at Willow's look. "…Angel…He kept his plans close to his vest. Good…"
"And now…Harmony…" she returned to Harmony. "Marcus?"
"Don't know…" Harmony shrugged. "He has a place he uses near here. The royal suite, a whole floor, really…In the building across the way…But I doubt he's there…Probably consulting with the Partners or the Black Thorn."
"And as to where William and Angel may be?" Buffy, pleasantly.
"Don't know, I tole you. But I think Wesley is at Wolfram-Hart getting ready. And Illyria…"
"The demon queen?..." Buffy asked. "She's actually working with Angel?"
"Far as I know…I think she likes Wesley…Or William. They really seem…"
Choking sound as Buffy lifted her off the sofa with one hand…
" 'Or William'?"...Buffy, still pleasant tone. Though a grim look…
"Buffy…" Willow protested. Harmony, eyes rolling, a pleading glance to her old classmate, her best nerd friend of yore.
If she'd ever allowed a nerd to be a friend…
Willow…Not to mention that other common bond…
"Just trying to resolve an issue quickly…So William and Illyria are…Close?"
"They fight a lot…That usually means Sp…William likes a girl. He really loved Wini…" gasp…
"He loved…Dr. Burkle? Platonically or kill you right now, love?"
"Buffy?...You know she doesn't know what that means…" Willow, rising. "And she'll just lie if the other were true. Which you know it isn't. He just was grateful to her for stuff, right Harmony?..."
"Yeah…Grateful…She tried to help…Him…" Harmony, feet dangling, gasped out.
"What a sweet girl…I'm sorry we couldn't help her…" Buffy, friendly smile, lowering the vampiress…
"Yeah…Real shame…And I don't think he and Lyri have had sex. She's kinda into Wes." Harmony quickly bolstered her position.
"She must have picked up memory frags from Winnie…" Willow noted.
"Yeah…" Harmony nodded. "Angel said something like that once about her. Memory whatever…"
"So Illyria is with Angel and the others? On their side, I mean…" Buffy resumed her interrogation…
"Looks like it…" Harmony nodded. "Marcus was a little disappointed in her. He thought a former demon warrior queen goddess should have a little more self respect than to go mooning after some Brit nerd…"
"I see…Well, I commend her choice…So long as she doesn't 'moon' after my Brit nerd." Buffy noted… "And as for William and Angel?"
"I tole you…" Harmony sighed.
"They must be planning to meet. Where are they meeting? Wen…Here or…?"
"Angel didn't say…" Arrggh…Harmony found herself in mid-air again, held by the throat…
"Tell me something, you stupid, blonde…Yank…" Buffy grimly muttered…Waving stake… "You…Miserable…Talk!"
"Buffy…I really don't think…" Willow tried…Buffy waving her off.
"If I knew, I'd…" Harmony gasped.
"You…Adulteress…You…Miserable…" Buffy was trembling now. "Steal my husband, will you?...Bitch…Stupid skeletal little whore…Buffy…"
Willow stared. Oh…Geesh…
"Buffy…Stop it! She's not…"
"What's…Wronggg…With…" Harmony gasped out…Buffy shaking her like a rag doll.
"Cicely!" Willow cried. "Let her go!"
"Beat him…Rape him…Abandon him. You whore, you worthless…!" Buffy muttered grimly. "You used him and left him to die, you…Buffy…" she spit the word out.
"Cicely…This is not Buffy! Put her down or I'll make you put her down!" Willow said, firmly.
Buffy looked over at her, still holding the choking Harmony…
Not that I couldn't do this all day, Harmony thought, but it is kinda terrifying. She writhed in Buffy's grip…
"I know you hate yourself for what happened to Will, then and now. But killing Harmony like this won't help…" Willow noted, cautiously. "You know you are Buffy, Cicely…Denying it won't change anything. And won't make William forgive you. Cicely, you gave me a promise back in London…I said I'd hold you to it and I will…"
Buffy eyed her coldly. Still holding Harmony, twisting in her grip…
"If you really want to save Will, we have to get moving. Besides…" wan grin.
"You know you don't want William to know you know about his lil' indiscretion…" Willow glanced at the feebly struggling Harmony. "He didn't know the marriage was still on, after all…"
"Of course he didn't…" Buffy set Harmony down, with a slight thud on landing…
"Thanks…" Harmony gasped.
"It was really quite cruel of us to leave you like this. You being an old friend…" Buffy noted. "I apologize for my counterpart's thoughtless behavior. But if you could assist us…"
Ummn…Harmony blinked at the sudden resumption of polite pleasantness…Glancing at Willow…
"I'd try hard, Harmony…" Willow nodded. "Very hard…"
"I do get to Unlive if I do?" Harmony looked from one to the other. "I mean, this isn't a build-up to the moment when you 'reward' me with peace or some crap like that in the form of a quick dusting?..."
"I'll leave you be…" Buffy nodded, sidelong glance to Willow… "If you try 'very hard'…"
"Well…I don't know where they are. But I do know where William lives now…" Harmony offered.
"That's a good start…" Buffy nodded. "And I'd like to see…Lets be off…"
"Lets…" Harmony nodded.
"What about Wes?" Willow suggested. "We could just go in and try to speak to him…"
"The building's closed and kinda tough to get into…" Harmony noted/ "Including magics shielding…If you're thinking of teleporting…"
No great desire to be diverted into a supporting beam, thanks…In addition to my desire to help out a troubled old friend…Clearly Buffy is having some of those split personality issues, like poor ole Youri and his female sleeper agent self, the one who was going to run for governor in Alaska. Terrible thing the KGB did to a nice demon like that…God, I thought the Initiative was bad over here.
"Lets leave Mr. Wyndham-Price for later. If he hasn't left on our return, a good sign they're coming to meet here…" Buffy insisted… "Come…Harmony?" Harmony nodding... "Yes, Harmony, lets go see my Will's Los Angeles digs…"
"Yeah…You know, in all this time he never did invite me over..." she pouted a little.
"Another point in your favor…Your chances of surviving are rising all the time…" Buffy smiled warmly. "Shall we?..." she waved to indicate the door.
"Just let me check my daylight protection. It's only good for short periods…" Harmony asked. Pulling out a compact from her purse at Buffy's nod.
"Let Miss Rosenberg see it, please…" Buffy politely requested. "Check it out, Willow, please?" Harmony reluctantly handing compact over…
Thank B'aal I didn't have my other purse with the mind numbing gas compact. She sighed inwardly…That probably would have set her off again…
"It's a minor spell, not offensive…It seems to be just what she says." Willow examined the compact. Handing it back to Harmony at Buffy's slight nod…
"Thanks…" Harmony opened the compact and powered her nose.
"Last time I forgot and my nose caught on fire…" she grinned. Willow smiling back, catching herself…
Oh…Gee…She blinked…Staring at Harmony as she closed the compact. Sensing Buffy's gaze on her…
So now you see…At last…That gaze said. Now you know, a little…What I feel…What is driving me, killing me. Pushing me to the very limits of sanity…
God, oh my God. What have we done?...Willow sadly thought.
"Anything wrong?" Harmony, questioning look…
…
"Is she ok?" Harmony addressed Willow as they stood in the hallway outside William's rather grubby basement apartment…
"Just give her a mo…" Willow said, not unkindly.
"Willow?" Harmony, earnestly. "You won't let her kill me? For ole time's sakes?...Please…"
"Keep your end up…That's all I can advise, Harmony…" Willow shrugged. "But if it were up to me, I'd stake you. For ole times' sake… Harmony…I really am sorry we didn't do something for you. It was cruel and thoughtless of us."
"Thanks…Loads…" Harmony sighed, pouting. "Now you're sorry…Where were you before I became such a world-class killing machine? Retired, of course…" she hastily noted.
"You abandoned me and thought I was a joke…" she continued, staring at Willow. "Left my poor soul in agony…You, the compassionate one…My own classmate…"
Oh…Willow stared.
"Enough…" Buffy had emerged. "You're risking immediate termination, demon…"
"Fine…" Harmony frowned. "Excuse me for learning to tell the truth like your William…" she noted. Willow sighing.
She's not bad, really. A little more practice and she might've had me…
"Just pray he skips over the 'truth' in your case…" Buffy noted. Willow now seeing that she carried a small box filled with items.
"For tracing?" she asked, pointing to the box.
"More or less…And I wanted some of his things…" Buffy patted the box. "He won't mind, I assure you. Look, Willow…Isn't he handsome in a good suit?" she pulled out a fairly recent shot of a reluctant-looking Spike in business suit by Angel. "Though the blonde…A bit much…But I'll get him back to normal in a few weeks…"
"Oh, right…I remember that one…" Harmony nodded. "He had to have a company id and record to get on the payroll so Angel dragged him out to buy him a suit. He swore he'd never wear one again…"
Oh…Buffy looked a bit downcast…
"I'm sure it has nothing to do with you…" Willow hastily noted. "Spike just has never liked formal…But he does look good. And I do know that time he was gonna marry you…He…"
Buffy blinked…Harmony blinked…
Oops…
And I'd managed to keep that little episode buried all these months…
"A spell of mine that got screwy. It was presoul, so doesn't count…And it wasn't real…Just bad spelling on my part…" Willow explained.
"Did I…?"
"Oh, yeah. It was a very strong spell…You were all over…"
"It was a very strong spell, sorry…" she concluded hastily at Buffy's glare.
"Wow…When was that?" Harmony asked. "Was it before Spike fell madly for Buffy? Cause I always wondered if that really was on the up and up or maybe something your Council or even you did…"
"Lets change the subject…" Willow suggested, brightly.
"Lets…" Buffy, grimly. "Come, we'll see if anyone about saw him leave and had any idea of where he was heading. That means you too, Miss…"
"She really has issues with her other self doesn't she?" Harmony noted to Willow quietly as they headed down the hall to the stairs to the outside…
…..
"I think left…Yeah, I think this is it." Harmony eyed the building
"Be sure, miss…" Buffy frowned. "I do not have time for games…"
"I'm picking up demonic auras to the left, I think she's telling the truth more or less…It's a demon-occupied building, at least in part." Willow noted.
Does look the sort…Buffy eyed the rather battered old hotel. A staggering figure in worn clothes stumbling by them and entering the apparently lock-broken front door.
"This? Angelus…Angel…" Buffy, grimly… "Put up my husband in this…"
"I'd guess Spike chose it, Buffy." Willow hastily. "You know, poetic…Romantic…A bit self-flagellating for the guilt…Spike's past, I mean."
"Well, actually…" Harmony began as they climbed the stairs…Cutting off as Willow eyed her carefully.
"Very romantic…I think he was trying to outpace Angel's brood…" she hastily noted.
"Which way…?" Buffy, sternly.
"Welll…"
"Very good…" Buffy smiled faintly. "You're either smarter than you look or you've never been here, inside. I'll choose to believe you've never been invited in."
I should resent that, right? But…Harmony hissed to Willow…
"But…" Willow agreed.
"You really don't remember me?" Harmony sighed at Buffy's cool stare as they walked down the hallway. "We were like that…" fingers together. "In high school…"
"Harmony…" Willow frowned…
"What?" she stared at Willow. "I know I'm all evil and vicious and all and sure, I'm ready to exploit any weak sentimentality on your part, but we were all such good buddies then…" slight catch in her voice.
My god, I don't think she's lying…Willow blinked.
"Then I'm sure you want to help me…And it's so very much in your own self-interest that must also appeal…" Buffy noted. "Now, come along and perhaps you'll unlive to see the sunset…"
More time than you've got…Harmony repressed a giggle. Unsuccessfully…
"Miss? Booby-trap, ambush, or is something happening at or around sunset?" Buffy eyed her.
"What?" Harmony, innocently.