"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 XXXVI...
"Well…" Willow glanced around the apartment, grateful that either its seediness or Spike's lack of concern about security prevented there being an alarm…Buffy having forced the lock before she could magics it.
Buffy looking round as well…
"What a dump…" Harmony expressing the thought…
"What?" Buffy regarded her, running hand over a worn leather chair.
His chair, her dreamy look clearly stating, Willow noted.
"This is just the sort of flat a great writer and reformer would take…Close to the people, no pretention…"
"Sure, sure…" Harmony, rolling eyes… "But what's wrong with some decent chairs, a little wainscoating, maybe French doors to the patio?"
"He'll have that at our house." Buffy, smugly. "This is his hideaway…"
Though hopefully we can find one just as suitable in London…She did not say…
"Look, Willow…" she gasped, pointing at a framed photo.
"Whoa…" Willow blinked at the photo of Buffy and Dawn… A few years old, no doubt snatched from the Summers' home.
"He knew, somewhere in his heart…He knew…" Buffy beamed.
Yeah, I'm sure when he was doin' me he was only thinkin' of you…Harmony thought. Self-preservation winning out even over the demonic desire to inflict pain…
"Come, come…Lets hurry." Buffy urged. "I want to see if there's any useful information to be had…Dawn says you people generally leave all relevant documents attached to your cold food lockers,,,Fridges?"
"That's an idea…" Willow nodded.
"Can I go now?" Harmony asked. "I've got a dinner engagement…"
"You can tell the Partners and their agent that I'm here, tomorrow, after you're all back in Hell." Buffy shrugged.
"Hey…"
"Willow, check the…Fridge…Whatever…I'll check his…" slight gurgle of joy… "Bedroom…"
My God…Willow looked after her happily departing form.
"What a doormat… Does going Brit do this to ya?" Harmony asked, shaking head. "I mean, hooray for romance and all that but, Willow…"
"Cross, Harmony…" Willow showed cross in hand as Harmony leaned in, fangs starting.
"Sorry. Just my nature…" sigh.
"Yeah. I'm sorry too. Don't force me to burn you Undead."
"Right."
"Willow! Trollop!" happy call from down the hall.
"You don't think she's doing something perverse in there? I hear the British are really weird and kinky in the bedroom." Harmony, worried look.
"Just come on before she stakes you…" Willow urged, turning.
"What do you think?" Buffy had emerged from what Willow took to be William's bedroom with black leather jacket on over her suit.
"It clashes…" Harmony shook head.
"His…" Buffy, radiant…Ignoring Harmony to show off the jacket.
"Looks great, Buf." Willow nodded.
"I've never seen anything so lovely…" Buffy went on, feeling the jacket on her.
"It's ok if you go for poor guy's James Dean…" Harmony shrugged.
"Exactly…" Buffy nodded eagerly. "Will's returned to his reformer roots, a man of and for the people. You're more perceptive than I gave you credit for, vampiress. Oh, this feels so…" wicked grin to Willow. "Sexy. That's the word?"
"Oh, yeah…" nod. Willow and Harmony eyeing the blissful Buffy…
Is she…? Harmony eyed Willow.
Eehew…
Come on, as Cicely she hasn't had any in a century…Willow glanced at Harmony, flicking eyes back.
"Well…" Buffy had taken hold. "Lets put that on hold a bit, shall we? Sorry, ladies. Swept away by the moment."
Really? I saw nothing…Willow's, Harmony's expressions…
"Anything?" she asked Willow who shook head.
"You?" stare at Harmony… "Surely you can sense the trail…"
"Look…" Harmony glared… "I may be a vampire and able to track a scent, particularly that of an ex-…" she eyed Buffy's hard stare… "…coworker, but I'm not a bloodhound…I'm doin' my best…"
"I think she means it, Buf…"
"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, lets see if we can't find something…Willow, you check the parlor here…" she indicated the small living room. "Harmony and I will look through the bedroom in more detail, perhaps he left a letter or note."
For me…She did not dare to say. Harmony reluctantly following her as Willow began searching the living room, such as it was…
….
"Thorough but quick, miss…" Buffy urged, opening a battered and chipped white dresser's top drawer.
Forgive this intrusion, darling…She mentally noted, moving underwear about…
"Miss…Harmony…" she frowned at the hesitant Harmony who stood by the paint-flaked nightstand.
"Hardly matters…" Harmony shrugged, opening drawer… "We'll likely all be dead by the sunset when the Black Thorn crush Angel and the others…Though…" she gave a shrewd look… "…I could be persuaded to put in a good word for you with Marcus…"
"Difficult to do when dust, girl…Go on…" Buffy prodded her carefully, pushing out the tip of the concealed "Dickens" in her sleeve…
"Wait…Wait!...Hey…" Harmony frowned… "Stop it!...I think…" she eyed the glass window to her left…A medicine cabinet glass, she realized, seeing on it...
Hmmn…To flush and risk staking or win suck up points with Brit Buf?
"Nothing in the…" Willow, entering, began… "Oh my God…Oh my dear God…" she blinked…At the small flyer on the glass…Harmony breaking off from her reverie to peer at the flyer as well…
"Yeah. Buffy?!" decision made for her. "I found something!" Harmony, pulling off flyer.
"What?..." Buffy stared…Willow staring at Harmony…
What? I did see it first…
"What the dickens is a poetry slam?" Buffy asked.
…
Downtown LA…Five blocks from the Wolfram-Hart Tower complex…
"All right…Contact me as soon as you've assembled the group. But if you locate Ms. Summers…I mean the Mrs. Walthrop Ms. Summers…Let me know at once." Giles told his phonre. Closing phone…
"She's left them…?" Roger asked. Olive by his side, arm securely held in his grip smiling benignly, with amused curiosity…
"Yes…She insisted…But Willow is with her…" Giles frowned.
"Miss Rosenberg? Then I'm sure Cicely will be quite all right, Rupert…" Olive smiled. "My Slayer has a healthy appreciation for magical ability. She'll make proper use of Miss Rosenberg's talent."
"Should we proceed to the Wolfram-Hart Tower?" Roger asked.
"Not yet…" Giles shook his head. "We're too well-known to the Partners, even human guards would id us and we might be seized. Besides, Buffy and Willow were heading away from there…With Angel's secretary, Ms. Kendall…"
"Fully vampiral…And no doubt a Black Thorn spy…" Roger noted.
"Yes…But someone who could possibly locate William for her. Dr. Farris? I could of course either knock or drug you unconscious and leave you in some alley in this rather benighted city or bring you along. Since I suspect you have a role to play here I intend to bring you with us. But understand that regardless of your form I will take whatever action is necessary if you attempt to interfere with us or Ms. Summers."
"You've really little to fear, Rupert. My abilities are quite limited in this body." Olive sighed. "An unfair arrangement by my lights but the only one offered me…"
"And you couldn't resist the chance to torment Cicely a last time…" Roger noted.
"She's back with a chance to save her lover, isn't she? I hardly call that 'torment', Dr. Wyndham-Price. Given my role in helping her achieve that, I should say I…"
"You?" Giles stared. "You brought Cicely back?"
"No, Rupert…" warm smile. "As I said my abilities are unfortunately limited to submerging my presence in poor Ms. Knowles and minor tricks like those I used in the hospital. But I did help, shall we say? To rouse her from her sleep in your charge…"
"What do you hope to achieve now, Farris? Some arrangement with the Partners to destroy William? Another attempt to drive Cicely to madness or evil…?" Roger asked, coldly.
"Dr. Wyndham-Price…" Olive wagged a forefinger, mock frown. "Telling would spoil it…"
….
Smoke wafting…
Harmony looking nervously about…
This is really not my kinda place…
"Is that hemp?" Buffy asked.
"I'd say so…" Willow nodded.
"Always hated the smell but very relaxing…I was once nearly killed by demons using it in their ceremonies…" Buffy noted.
Nice to know demons can occasionally chill out…Willow thought.
"William Soames Walthrop… 'To Cicley' and 'The Wanton Folly of Me Mum'…Thanks, William…" the small club announcer spoke into the mike. Vigorous clapping about the room…As Buffy, Willow, and Harmony stared.
"Oh, my God…Oh, God…" Buffy murmured. "There…There he is…" she pointed. Hand, arm trembling… "William!...Willow, for God's sakes, hurry! Move yer arse, girl!" she shoved a patron aside and clambered on the table before her…Willow trying to get on a chair. Can't see…
Harmony nervously avoiding looking about…
Awful place… Look at these guys. We could get hurt here…
I mean if I'm not allowed to kill them all…
Oh, Jesus…There he is…And there he goes…Buffy hopped off the chair…A rather blasted patron startled almost to sobriety to see the radiant expression on the lovely blonde chick's face…
Though it did not prevent him from attempting a drunken grope which luckily for him came nowhere near contact. She racing past him, Will's spare jacket flapping on her…
Oh, God of my fathers, thank you, Willow thought. Thank you for saving my poor, poor lost friend…
Though if you screw with us now…
Harmony shrewdly eyeing them…Hmmn…
Don't think they'd really mind if I…After all, I'm just in the way, now. She turned and slipped into the crowd, rushing for the door…
"William!..." Buffy screamed "William!"
Echoed by a few semi-drunk patrons, some, mostly female, rather eagerly… "William!" Some clapping…
"Eh, can it...He sucked." one over-weight fellow, balding in biker jacket, skull-and-crossbones, as well as gut, prominently displayed…His suit underneath well concealed…
A middle-aged LA dentist must cut loose now and then, after all…
He blinked at Buffy's murderous glare. But she had other concerns, fortunately for him…
She hopped to the next table, knocking glasses and plates about. Yelps and threats shouted, she ignoring, pressed on. Willow hurrying behind…
God…We lost Harmony, she realized. Ah, well…Hopefully she's much too terrified of Cicely to bother anyone right now…
And thank God I didn't promise to spare her… Cause, I promise, Harm…Ole classmate…Ole well, semi-friend, and neighbor…I will not let you be a joke. Or suffer like this as long as I have breath…She continued after Buffy who'd staggered along to the stage, shoving back annoyed, stunned, angry patrons…
I swear it, Harmony…On my soul…And I sincerely beg your forgiveness.
"William! William!" Buffy cried. Jumping onto the stage, glaring off the huge bouncer who made a show of confronting the hysteric…Fan, ex-…Whatever the crazy bitch was…
Willow reached her. Dodging a few more drunken, less wisely cautious patrons…At the stage door exit…Buffy pounding the locked door. Turning…
"You saw…You saw…" she gasped. "Oh, God…" she whaled on the door. Smashing clear through to Willow's shock with a single punch… "Clear away!" she warned behind her, ripping at the door, a quick glance to Willow who pulled back as the door came loose…
Jesus Christ…The bouncer stared.
"What the hell was that poem that dude read…?" he turned to a battered-looked stage hand trying to dig out a cell phone to summon LA's finest to deal with the brunette tornado.
"William!" Buffy was screaming as Willow reached her on the street. Various passers-by on the street staring…
"Oh, God…Damn you!" she raged. Breathing heavily…
Willow catching the sound of a siren… "Buffy…" she hissed.
Fierce glare…
Fine…Willow frowned back. "Cicely…We have to get outta here or you're going to be arrested or fighting half of the LAPD soon…"
Buffy caught breath. Staring…
"You know he's alive now. Lets go get him…" Willow urged.
"Right…Right…" Buffy nodded. Breathing normally…
"Come along then, Willow…" she urged, calmly now. "I suggest we not run unless the police pursue us…"
"Yeah…" Willow sighed.
Thank God no one will ever suspect the crazy girl's friend was me once I'm outta the blonde wig and this tanned bimbo glam is off…
"He looked well, didn't he…?" Buffy said, eagerly as they walked. She pausing…Clearly trying to catch the scent…
"What I saw…Yeah…" Willow nodded.
"He always was so dashing and tall…" she bubbled on.
Tall…?...Willow blinked. Maybe yeah on the dashing, if a homicidal maniac threatening you in your dorm can be such…
"…And you know, that black and red actually suits him. Though really I still say once you've seen him in a good suit, Willow." Buffy waved a hand. "Of course, I realize you can't fully appreciate…"
She's only talking to me like this 'cause she'd be deathly jealous of any straight "best friend" who'd known him for the past few while she was in that home crypt or wherever, Willow told herself…It's not meant to be rude.
"Just one mo…" Buffy paused. Looking up… "God, almighty. Forgive me…I was rude…But you have lain out some rather unnecessary obstacles, you know." Buffy said, quietly. "I apologize. But please don't make me suffer more…"
"Seconded, God…" Willow called up.
"Thanks…" Buffy smiled. "Lets go…You know…We should do something about your old friend, that vampires. I mean when things are settled. Sorry I let her slip off like that. Preoccupied."
"Yeah…" Willow sighed. "I'm kinda feelin' that myself…"
"One can't save everyone immediately, Willow." Buffy patted her. "Look at my own case…One hundred years and more to resolve my own husband's murder. We'll do what we can for her as soon as we can. This way…" she pointed. Beaming now… "I saw him, Willow. It wasn't a lie, these feelings…He was alive." she was moving faster now. "I can still…"
"Hold up a little, Buffy…" Willow called. "I can't match you for speed…"
Buffy continued on, unheeding. Face glowing…Politely dodging those in her way…
Not a lie…It was true…He is here…Our child is here…We can still put it all right. All…
Willow, puffing along now…Great…The one time I look vaguely hot and I'm churning myself into sweaty butter. She paused to catch heaving breath…
Still…She caught sight of herself and a couple of young men eyeing her from across the street in the glass of a shopwindow. A slender, Californian-tanned blonde, chest heaving…Rather attractive outfit rather attractively askew…
Not too bad at that…And look at those…
"Willow!..." Buffy had swung back. "Please!? Not wishing to rush you, dear heart, but can we get on with it…?" urgent look.
Librarian chic Buffy, suit sweat-stained, hair matted, granny-glasses dangling…Incongruous jacket lending bizarre air. Chest likewise heaving…
And she still looks hotter than me…Willow sighed. Catching the looks Buffyward…
Oh, well…At least I can wear this stuff for Ken-girl later on. Not that she'd prefer it to true Willow, (I damn well hope) but a little variety every now and then…
Though as to the glam boobs…
"Willow!..." Buffy's urgent cry.
Right, right…Century-old romance to settle…Can see what Ken-ken thinks about the boobs later…
Hmmn… "To Cicely…"? Nice…Wonder if anyone'll ever do a "To Willow"?
….
LA…Wolfram-Hart Plaza, outside the Wolfram-Hart Tower, currently evacuated owing to "gas leak"…
"So?..." Dawn looked at the returned Xander. Just back from making inquiry as to the evacuation…
"They claim there's a possible gas leak. Everyone's supposedly out…"
"Well?...Do we try and reach Giles' people? Or just try to get inside some other way? Or…?"
"Lets take it slow, Dawnie. There's always the good chance the Big Bads are inside and they probably know you very well, nameless what-his-name? as I might be to them."
"I didn't come here to sit around waiting…" she noted. "And we've done that since we got here…"
"We wanted to steer clear of Giles and co. And Buffy and Willow aren't…Hang on a mo…" he pulled out a buzzing cell phone.
"Yeah…Ok…There's a Starbucks about one block from the Wolfram-Hart Plaza. We'll meet there. Drum St…Ok…Ten minutes…"
"He's here…Giles and Dr. Wyndham-Price…" Xander eyed Dawn, pocketing phone.
"Great…" she sighed. "Maybe now we can get somewhere…"
"What?" she looked at him. "You don't wanna? I don't trust them either, Xander, but we're not makin' a heck of a lot of progress on our own here. Not like we'd be giving up essential info…"
"I'm just…" he eyed her.
"What?"
"Dawn…You are their daughter. Even if Sp…William…Doesn't know, Cicely knows."
"Bait?" she eyed him.
"I wouldn't put it pass them…"
"Yeah, but, it's still not a bad idea…" she grinned. "I sure intended to make use of it…"
He stared…
"Xander, it's the one card we got. Me…And you knew as well as me, we'd have to play it. Though I sure, for one, wasn't planning to just go waltzing in…Myself…To Giles and co." wider grin. "Just make sure you get everything they know. And make mine a double latte, with sugar…" she smiled, a bit more nervously, hesitated.
And to his astonishment, kissed him. Gently…But with a steady intensity that left no doubt that it was not lil' Dawny girl sayin' bye to her dear friend…
"Be careful…Even if it is Giles and not the Partners playing with us…"
"Uh…Sure…" he blinked at her.
Nothing all the time coming over…Or the time here…And then this…
"Anya won't be mad. But look we'll talk when this is all over…" she nodded, warm smile. "For now, just remember to take a strong stand with my dad if you meet him first. Make a good impression, you know? Mom's on your side, so that's ok. And don't let him throw ya, he's had his clumsy days, remember…?"
He blinked…
"That's two sugars, ok?"