Chapter 3: The First Predications
Buffy was glad when Dawn didn't pester for details as they went home. Even after cleaning herself up and laying in bed to capture whatever sleep she could at this late hour, she couldn't get rid of the feeling of horror in her chest.
She was Dawn's age.
There was a certain disconnect required for her job as a Slayer. Vampires were once humans, but they were now demons, not humans, and it was monsters she slayed, not humans, not people. If she must think of them as people at all, then she had to view her job as putting people at rest, not killing them a second time.
She had no clue in what light she was supposed to view Drusilla.
She had been a vampire, but was now human. She had done horrible things, but she had had no soul. She now had a soul. She had wanted David to kill her. She had threatened to kill Buffy. She wanted to be a vampire again.
Buffy tried to push the thoughts out of her head. She wasn't sure if she felt sympathy for Drusilla, or just really wanted to get rid of her and take her chances with the Green Knight alone. They certainly couldn't trust the crazy woman. But in this circumstance, she supposed they were responsible for her. After all, they did let Wendy and David talk them into that spell to bring the Oracle back. And even with her disconnected feelings about vampires and their past human selves, Buffy could see the cruelty of Drusilla's situation.
She rolled over on her side, forcing herself to close her eyes. She wasn't prone to moral and philosophical thoughts, but she did wonder what her place was in regards to Drusilla. Should she view her still as the vampire she was wishing to be again? The murderous vampire, killer of Kendra and countless others? Or should she choose to see her soul, believe that she was capable of helping them, that she was now similar to Angel?
How does Angel view her?
Buffy hadn't the answer to any of her questions. She spent the last few hours of darkness trying not to think about them anymore.
…
''You should go home,'' Giles said again to his wife. Jenny placed the books she was carrying on the shelf before turning to look at him.
''Why would I do that when all the excitement is here?'' She picked up the box of supplies and kissed him. ''I wouldn't want to miss anything more.''
''Yes, like dealing with a psychotic seer who's help is imperative to defeating a new monster.''
''See? You understand.'' Giles frowned at her sarcasm before taking the box from her and following her down into the basement.
Jenny gasped in horror upon rounding the corner. ''Drusilla! No!''
Giles barely had time to register what happened. Drusilla was standing up, the shackles giving her just enough room to do so, and apparently gave her the reach to grab a bottle of alcohol that had been on the shelf. Her shirt was raised, exposing her wounded side. She had ripped off the makeshift bandage, and just as Jenny cried out she poured the alcohol straight into the wound.
''Oh my god.'' Giles wrenched the bottle from her hand. It took a moment for Drusilla to even register the amount of pain she had caused herself. She sat down on the cot, trembling, her hand instinctively pressed to her side, which no doubt did nothing to help the burning sensation. ''How exactly was that supposed to help?''
''It's- it's got to be c-clean.'' Drusilla moved her hand, and seemed mesmerized at the sigh of the blood on her hand. ''How else is one to-to clean it?''
''With something less excruciating?'' Giles muttered. Jenny handed him the supplies from the box they brought down. ''You're not a vampire anymore. You have to heal the slow and painful way.''
''It only hurts once,'' Drusilla laughed, her body jerking with her trembling. A fever flush had risen to her cheeks.
''Actually it only hurts until the Motrin kicks in,'' Jenny commented. She opened the bottle and shook out two pills. ''Here.''
Drusilla slapped her hand away. The pills went flying across the room. ''I don't trust medicines.''
''Keep still,'' Giles growled, taping a bandage over her wound. ''And don't speak to us that way.''
She gave a gaps of pain before speaking again. ''P- people used to give o-opium as- as a medicine. That wasn't a- a good idea.''
''Modern medicine has come a bit of a way,'' Jenny explained.
Drusilla laughed again. '' 'Modern medicine'. That's what they called the- the opium.''
Giles cut the remaining bandages away. ''Suit yourself,'' he said shortly, getting to his feet. He put the remaining supplies back in the box, and walked back to the stairs. ''Jenny?''
He was confused at his wife's hesitancy in coming over to him. ''What's wrong?''
''Ummm…'' she looked warily over at Drusilla, who was resting her head back against the wall, looking like she was in a great deal of pain. ''We're…we're not really leaving her down here, right?'' She asked in a low voice.
''Don't you want to go home?'' Giles asked in an equally low voice.
''We can't both go home. At least one of us has to stay here.''
''I'm not leaving you alone.''
''Giles, I'm not the mentally unstable woman with the broken bones recovering from a knife wound.'' Jenny gestured to Drusilla. ''She could go into shock!''
''And?''
Jenny was not happy. ''She's a human now,'' she reminded him. ''And Buffy needs her help in this whole Green Knight affair. Her alive help.''
Giles rested the box on the stairs. He glanced down the steps at Drusilla, who had gone very still, her eyes closed. ''I'm not exactly overcome with sympathy. What she did…''
''I know.'' She put a hand on his. ''But honey, we deal with Spike and Angel everyday. You've helped them in the past.''
''Not because I wanted to.''
Jenny gave him a look. ''You know we can't leave her alone.''
Giles sighed. ''Oh, alright. I'll stay.''
''I didn't say you have to stay alone.''
''No, you go home. Get some sleep and figure out how to raise a child who will be more empathetic than me.''
Jenny stood on her toes and kissed him hard. ''Our child will be just like you,'' she promised.
''Well that's sad. I don't know how to ride a bike.''
Jenny laughed.
…
Buffy trudged silently back up the hill towards Willow. She was fully aware she was dragging her sword behind her like a petulant child might drag a stuffed animal, and she didn't care, because that is how she currently felt. Willow noticed. ''You okay?'' She asked carefully.
Buffy sat down in a huff beside her, leaning wearily against the tree. ''If this Knight character's grand plan is to just send monsters ahead of him to tire me out, I have to confess, it's working.''
''Where's Spike?''
''Somewhere back down there. I think he's decided to die again.'' Buffy let out a heavy breath. It had been a week since they found out Drusilla was the Oracle, and the beasties that herald the Green Knight's arrival seemed to take offense to the fact that Buffy had the Oracle, and were now trying to make her life a living Hell. They were succeeding. ''Have you found out anything new?''
''Umm…'' Willow searched her through her stuff. As she had no more magic, she was now fully on research duty, and so was rarely seen without countless books and papers full of notes. She occasionally came along on Buffy's patrols, especially now that her patrols were very action packed these days. Buffy admired her focus to be able to read whilst listening to her and Spike curse at the damned little beasts they were constantly killing.
''I was trying to identify some of the monsters you've been seeing,'' Willow explained. ''They don't seem to have any popular mythological roots, but almost are a combination of some of the lesser known demons and monsters.''
''What about the thing we just fought? Any name for that?''
Willow flipped through her notebook. ''Yes, judging by it's wings and green fire breath-''
''My favorite part.''
''-I would say it was a combination of the Hardock Demon and a Blacktailed Dragon.''
''We should give it a proper name. Like, Hartailed, or Blackdock.''
''How about just Hardock Blacktailed Dragon?''
''Too long. The name shout be short and sweet, unlike the process of killing it.''
''Cordelia sent me some files on other popular combination monsters. I'm making my way through them now. There are a couple more books she's sending back with Angel, too.''
''Good. More books.'' Buffy winced as she moved her sore arms. Due to their standstill, Angel had headed back to LA on a supposed lead for information on the Green Knight. Buffy couldn't help but think there had been another reason for his leaving. ''You ready to call it a night?''
''Isn't that up to the beasties?'' Willow asked.
''Better not be, if they know what's good for them.'' Both girls got to their feet. ''You go ahead. I better see if Spike ever found the will to live.''
Willow headed home, and Buffy descended the hill back toward the graveyard. She skidded around the rather large pile of dust that had been her opponent this evening, vaguely wondering what explanation the groundkeeper for the graveyard would come up with for the large patches of burnt grass in this area.
After the fight, as Buffy had trudged back toward Willow, Spike had thrown himself on the ground in the same weary manner Buffy felt in herself. He was still there, reclined on the grass, his flask now in hand. ''If you could just pile about 6ft of dirt over me, that would be appreciated.''
''No way. Do your own shoveling.'' Despite desperately wanting to get home to her soft bed, Buffy sat down next to him, fully aware with how tired she was, she just might not get up again. ''You know, this Knight guy didn't exactly 'challenge' me. Like, I didn't get an invitation, I didn't RSVP. I didn't sign up for this.''
Spike scoffed. ''You didn't sign up for this? How exactly do you think I feel?''
''You love killing things,'' she replied off handedly, accepting the flask he offered and taking a sip. She made a face. ''Yuck.''
''Yes I do,'' Spike agreed, ''As an occasional past time. Not every bloody couple hours. I've missed a whole week of One Life To Live.''
''That is sad. In so many ways.''
''No progress on speeding up this Green Knight's coming then?''
''Nope. Clearly he picked a horrible mode of transportation.'' She handed his flask back and reclined on her elbows as he took a long swig. She could feel the pause in the air, and suspected he was waiting to ask something. He finally found the words.
''And Dru? What about her?''
Buffy shrugged. ''No complaints,'' she said. It was true, though mostly due to the fact the ex vampire spent her days sleeping and her nights in too much pain to even speak or look at anyone. In addition to her knife wound, Drusilla also had several broken ribs, fingers, and a fractured wrist. She wasn't exactly speeding her recovery along with her refusal to eat, drink, and not move. Her days of vampire healing were behind her, and this was a lesson she refused to learn. So far, having the Oracle around hadn't been very helpful, but as she had refrained from trying to escape or kill anyone, Buffy was counting it a win.
She got the sense Spike wanted to say more, but he didn't, and after a couple more moments of silence they both found the strength to get to their feet and make their way back to their respective homes. No doubt they would be reconvening for another fight sooner rather than later.
…
''What do you mean we don't have The Little Known Myths Of The Little Known Places?'' Willow said incredulously. ''How could you not have that book?''
''I'm afraid the authors name is little known as well,'' Giles replied testily.
''No it isn't. His name is John Smith.''
''Will,'' Xander said gently, ''have you noticed when you're stressed you tend to get very literal?''
''No,'' Willow snapped. She stood up and marched to the bookshelves lining the Magic Box's walls. ''What about Places And Times You've Forgotten, by Gina May? Characters I've Never Mentioned, by Serena Is? Lost, by Tim Tim?''
''Willow, if it sounds like the book was a rejected song in a musical film, then chances are we don't have it,'' Giles explained.
''Can't you get it from somewhere? Like…I have no idea where someone orders books like that.'' Xander turned in his chair. ''Anya, where can-'' he frowned. ''What are you doing?''
Everyone in the shop watched as Anya crawled out from behind the counter top. ''Alright, where is it?'' She demanded, standing up. ''My notebook and clipboard are missing. Where are they?''
''Why would we take your notebook and clipboard?'' Xander asked.
''Anyone could've taken it,'' Anya insisted. ''Oh my god, we've been robbed by our competition! The Mad Hatter chain opened across town. I bet those scumbags are looking over out inventory right now, planning on what to order right out from under us!''
''Is it any of my books?'' Willow asked.
''Anya, the Mad Hatter is a tea dispensary,'' Giles reminded her.
''I need my notebook!'' Anya resumed glancing around the floor. ''I will not stop until I find it!''
''Books!'' Willow shouted.
''I can't order new ones without my inventory list!''
''Then get looking!'' Willow screamed. She hit Xander in the arm, and all three of them were now included in what Xander felt certain was a ridiculous search party.
''I have…things to do…'' Giles excused himself from the search and rescue operation. Xander was pretty sure he heard him mulling about alternate career options to himself.
After searching the front half of the shop, Anya sent her troops in different directions, Willow to take the left side, her the right, and Xander upstairs. Xander was halfway searching through the top shelves (Anya was too short to reach these. Why did she think it could possibly be here?), when Willow called up from the basement: ''Um, Anya? I think I found it…''
''Then why so glum, Will?'' Xander called back, hurrying down. Anya was practically falling down the stairs ahead of him in her hurry. ''Just grab it.''
He soon saw why Willow could not. Anya's precious notebook and clipboard were together, sitting open in the lap of Drusilla.
''Give it back right now!'' Anya stomped her foot. ''You have a soul now. Stealing is wrong!''
Drusilla looked mildly amused at Anya's statement. She picked up her pencil again.
''No! Don't hurt it!''
Drusilla went back to scribbling. Willow, Xander, and Anya watched her silently. ''We can take her,'' Anya whispered menacingly.
''Can't you just get a new notebook?'' Willow suggested.
''What are you guys doing?'' Buffy called down the stairs.
''The insane woman has stolen my notebook and I am prepared to use force,'' Anya explained.
Drusilla laughed. ''You think I'm joking?''
Buffy descended the stairs, looking at Anya with raised eyebrows. ''Are we really trying to reason with the insane woman?''
''It's mine!''
''Again, really with the reason?''
Anya pouted. ''We'll get it back later,'' Xander promised, hands on her shoulders and steering her towards the stairs.
''No you won't,'' Drusilla hummed in a low sing-song. Anya bristled and turned on her heel, but Xander kept pushing her up the stairs.
''Big help you are,'' Willow muttered to Drusilla. The woman did not look up from her drawing, but continued to drag her pencil across the page with frantic speed. Buffy hoped for her sake it was a clean page, not sure what Anya would do otherwise.
''C'mon, Will.'' Both girls started to the stairs.
''Mind the trip, or you just might tiff,'' Drusilla said.
''Whatever.''
''And don't get them wet.'' She frowned. ''It would be bad.''
''What does that even mean?'' Willow frowned.
''I don't know,'' Buffy shrugged. ''Any plans to go swimming?''
They could still hear Drusilla laughing as they reached the door. ''Doesn't want to hear the rest. They never want to hear the rest…''
…
It was a beautiful night. The sky was clear, the air crisp. As Buffy walked toward the Magic Box to pick up Dawn, she entertained the thought of just watching a movie with her little sister and enjoying the fact that on this night there had been no monsters on her patrol. Maybe she was finally given a break.
A growl above her destroyed her good mood in an instant. Thought too soon.
She scaled the building wall quickly. There was a short, brown blob of a monster, with red slits for eyes and a club in each hand. Honestly, these things just kept getting uglier and uglier. ''You better be alone.''
He was not.
By the time Buffy had slain two and tossed three off the roof, four more joined the fray. Just as she was debating giving up her position on the roof, thinking a flat plain might be to her advantage, a voice from below shouted;
''Toss another one!''
''I'll give you two!'' Buffy shouted back to Angel. She fulfilled her promise, kicking two more monsters down below. She then tossed herself off the roof, taking the last two with her.
Fighting on the back street proved to be better as she had expected. Now that they were fighting back to back, she and Angel made quick work of three of the monsters. One started running away. ''Don't you want to join your friends?''
The thing was quicker than she expect it to be. She and Angel chased down another alley, finally killing it before it could leap over the ledge onto the sandy beach below. A slight breeze scattered the dust. ''All done?''
''You asking me?'' Angel asked.
''Whoever answers.'' Buffy leaned against the boardwalk railing. She took in Angel's appearance. He looked just as he had when he had left; same outfit, same leather jacket. She wondered if he had any other options in his wardrobe. ''So…how was your trip?''
''Eventful,'' He answered, slightly uncertainly. ''The lead I found was an old arms dealer in the Creature World. He's heard whispers about the Green Knight in his years of travel. Told me what he knew.''
''Willingly?''
''After some persuasive conversation, yeah. It might be stuff Willow's already gleaned from her books, but we'll see.''
''Books. Tell me you brought the books she's been waiting for.''
''They're with my stuff. I was just heading to the Magic Box when I heard your puns.''
''To think some people prefer war cries.'' Buffy glanced at the ocean behind them. ''I guess we should patrol around here? To make sure nothing else is lurking?''
Angel smiled. ''Sounds nice…I mean, productive.''
…
For a few minutes, Buffy allowed herself to let it be only nice, not productive. To walk alongside Angel, hear the ocean beside them and the crushing of sand under their feet, not worrying about anymore creepy looking monsters was a pleasure she allowed herself. But she couldn't allow it for long.
''We haven't found out much more,'' she filled him in. ''Willow's been looking through so many books. The monsters have like, tippled in amount. Spike and I have been patrolling for hours every night, just trying to keep them back. There have only been a few that come out in the day. They prefer the night, which I guess makes it a little easier.''
''The small things,'' Angel commented.
''Exactly.'' Buffy spotted a pebble ahead of them, floating in the water. She watched it brush up against the shore with the tide and flow back in. ''Are you heading back to LA soon?''
''I'll stay as long as you need help here. This is where the Green Knight is heading. Cordelia said there have been significantly less monsters their way, but the team is prepared to deal with them if they show up. So I'll stay as long as you need.''
''Will you?'' Buffy looked up at him. ''Cause I get the sense you don't really want to be here.''
Angel stared at her. ''That's not true.''
''You ran away.'' Buffy faced him, unwilling to back down. The times they kept secrets from each other in the past were not good. She wasn't going to let another one fester. ''You got scared and ran away. I get that Spike-''
''It has nothing to do with Spike.''
''What he said about you, in the Magic Box-''
''It has nothing to do with Spike,'' he repeated, sounding angry now.
''Then Drusilla freaked you out, her being human. Is that it?''
''Buffy-''
''Don't do this,'' She demanded. ''Don't shut me out. If something is wrong, then tell me and let me help you, cause otherwise how can you expect me to be able to rely on you if you won't let me in?''
Angel wouldn't look at her. ''It's…it's not something you can do anything about,'' he said. ''Drusilla being human…you were right, I should help her. I want to. But the truth of the matter, Buffy…I don't think I can.''
''Why not?''
''Because I can't.''
''That's not an explanation.''
''I can't give you an explanation.''
''Then how can I expect you to help with all this?''
''Not the same thing.''
''It is from where I'm standing.''
''Well, then- move.''
''No.''
''Buffy, move!'' They ran to the side, just as something went flying past them, landing in the water. It sizzled out with a hiss of smoke.
They both stared at the water. ''Was that…fire?'' Buffy asked.
''Maybe?'' Angel replied.
''You didn't see it?''
''It was…green.''
''Oh, fun.'' Buffy glanced down the beach. She could see a collection of rocks down the stretch. ''What do you want to bet there's a creepy little cave down there?''
''Nothing really, since there probably is.''
''And away we go.'' They hurried forward.
…
Buffy was terribly disappointed she was correct. A dark and creepy little cave was indeed hidden amongst the rocks and boulders down the beach. She and Angel carefully approached, entering the mouth of the cave slowly. The damp air hit Buffy's lungs hard.
It was dark, but before she could get used to the change in light, another light behind her flicked on. ''You bring a flashlight with you?'' Buffy scoffed. ''I barely remember to bring my stake most nights.''
''Are you bragging about your lack of preparation or just mocking me?''
''It is not a lack of preparation, it is a skill in improvisation.''
''Ah. Noted.''
They went deeper in the cave. Just as Buffy was beginning to wonder if they were wrong in entering, a light flickered ahead of them. It was green, and it sizzled out in the same way the one on the beach had. ''Getting closer, I presume…''
They inched their way along. The tunnel seemed to be getting narrower, and then it got wider, widening out to a circular room. And in that room was the source of the fire, and the ones attending it.
''What the hell…'' Buffy muttered, trying to process what she was seeing.
''Oh no,'' Angel groaned. ''Goblins.''
''Goblins?'' Buffy racked her brain. ''Like, Lord Of The Rings?''
''Yes. I mean, no. Goblins are as various as a species as anything else. These are Cave Goblins. They…are not nice.''
''Yeah, I really didn't read Lord Of The Rings, so I have no idea what types of goblins were in that book.''
''Doesn't matter. Point is, they are working for the Green Knight.''
''Working for? How do you know?''
''Because that's what Cave Goblins are known for; lending out their services.''
''Are you kidding me?'' Buffy was enraged. ''The Green Knight hired creatures to torment me?''
''Looks like it.'' Angel studied the large bonfire. ''There are a lot of spells that require mystical fire to strength creatures. I bet thats why so many monsters have been popping up.''
''So, we put the fire out?''
''In theory, yes.''
''Why in theory?''
''Because things never go that simple for you, do they?''
''Well, now you've jinxed us.'' Buffy drew her sword. ''Any special stabbing required for these goblins?''
''Nope.''
''Great.''
She went left, he went right. Buffy first stabbed a goblin who's back was to her, and he disintegrated into a mound of monstery ash. This not very subtle act brought her and Angel's presence to the attention of the rest of the Goblins, and they acted accordingly to make it harder to guard the mystical fire.
The closer Buffy got to the fire, the harder it was for her to breath. She could see more flecks of green light spin up from the flames, disappearing through the cave's ceiling, no doubt appearing on the beach like the one she and Angel first saw. Were they really attracting more monsters? Making the Hellmouth stronger?
A horrible thought occurred to Buffy. How many monsters have been heralds to the Green Knight and how many have been just monsters being drawn to this fire?
She pushed the thought away for now. Just put it out.
Buffy slashed at another goblin as she passed it. Okay, how did one put out mystical fire? Plain water probably wasn't going to cut it.
''Don't get them wet. That would be bad.''
Maybe not on the fire…but on the fire attendants?
Buffy sprung to the far wall of the room. She started stabbing at the rocks. ''Angel! Out of the way!''
Angel flipped out of the middle of his battle with some goblins, just in time to avoid the large stream of water that spouted from Buffy's attack on the rock. The flow of the water was strong enough that it began breaking the rocks on its own. ''Over here!''
Buffy ran up to Angel on his high perch. The goblins below were freaking out. Many had fled back out through the tunnel. The water was pooling around the mystical fire, but as Buffy had expected, it wasn't enough to put it out. ''You brought a flashlight. Got a fire extinguisher?''
''What do you think?''
''Now who's unprepared?''
''C'mon Miss Improvisation,'' he taunted. ''What should we do?''
''We could beat it out,'' she suggested. ''Take your coat and just-''
''Whoa, my coat?''
''Yeah. You do have multiples, right? You know what, don't answer that. If the answer's no I don't think I can legally talk to you again.'' Buffy frowned at the green flames. ''Why did the one on the beach go out?''
''…Sand,'' Angel guessed. ''Sand puts it out?''
''How do we get a lot of sand in here?''
''Uh, bucket and spade?''
''Again, did you bring-''
''Okay this is not helping.'' He turned from her and scaled down to the original hole Buffy made. He reached in the water and brought out a handful of sand. He tossed it on the fire.
A sizzling sound was heard. ''We just stand here and throw sand at the fire?'' Buffy whined. ''For how long?''
''As long as it takes?''
Buffy sighed. She reached in the water beside him for her own handful. ''This job sucks.''
''Next time we bring a bucket and spade.''
Buffy glared at him. She then threw sand at him.
…
It was late when Buffy came home from patrol. They had all suspected she had encounter a monster and that was why she was late, but it took some explaining to understand why she was all wet, smelled of smoke, and why Angel had sand in his eyes.
Anya was downstairs, the hum of conversation above her. She was trying to tally the inventory, a job made harder by her lack of proper tools. She groaned as her pencil tip snapped on her paper. ''Ugh! This wouldn't happen if I had my notebook and clipboard,'' she said pointedly, turning to the thief who had stolen it earlier. Drusilla made no response to the accusation. She had her back to Anya, and was asleep on the cot.
The precious inventory notebook was on the floor by the cot, still clipped to her favorite clipboard. Anya glanced around the room. She tiptoed quietly over, and reclaimed her possessions with glee. ''Ha!''
Drusilla shifted in her sleep. Fearful that maybe the mad woman retained her vampire hearing, Anya fled to the stairs. She studied her notebook as she walked up. ''Did she ruin you, my neat little columns of sums?''
With a sinking heart she noticed the scribbles in the margins, the zeros that had been given faces, and the x's over words like order and shipment. She furiously flipped to the back pages, hoping they were still empty so she could rewrite her neat figures.
They weren't empty, but before Anya could be mad about this, she read the contents.
Oh my god.
She looked back at the sleeping woman with fear. Then she hurried upstairs.
Everyone was still talking about their adventure. Buffy was in the midst of explaining something. ''-We couldn't put it out, but then-''
''The water came,'' Anya cut her off, ''with the tide.''
Buffy frowned. ''How did you…?''
''I read it.'' Anya held up the notebook. ''Because our Oracle wrote about it.''
''What?'' Willow took the notebook from her. '' 'The water will come with the tide. Don't get wet that would be bad'. This is the same gibberish from this morning.''
''And it happened?'' Tara asked.
''Giles?'' Buffy pressed.
Giles looked unnerved. ''I suppose since the Goblins were working for the Green Knight…''
Anya shook her head. ''That's not the only thing that's in here.''
''What do you mean?'' Jenny asked.
''Oh my.'' Anya had missed a portion earlier. ''You said that to Angel's face?''
''Huh?'' Buffy peered over her shoulder. ''She predicted our fight?''
''You fought with Angel?'' Dawn asked.
''What about?'' Willow wanted to know.
Buffy was still reading the notebook. ''She's- she's predicting everything,'' she said in amazement. She turned away, shaking her head. ''Everything from this morning to our fight in the cave. Giles, how…?''
''That's crazy,'' Xander interjected. ''I mean, there's no way. Isn't the-.''
'' '-Oracle supposed to spout green smoke before making a prophecy?','' Anya said at the same time, reciting from the notebook. ''She finished this with 'Beady-Eyes is stupid'.''
''It does not say that.'' Xander walked over to look at the book. ''…Okay, fine. But so what if she predicted your… movements in battle,'' he said pathetically, gesturing to Buffy. ''And the fight between you and Angel? And- Oh my god, Dawn, you are not staying over at any boy's house!''
''What?'' Buffy and Tara exclaimed.
Dawn went red. ''I was gonna tell you.''
Xander kept reading the list of things Drusilla had written across the page: '' 'Hartailed demons' ,'Tea Dispensary', 'One Life To Live', 'It's a girl', 'Lesser known-'''
''Wait wait, what did you just say?'' Giles demanded.
''Go back,'' Jenny ordered.
Xander looked horrified. ''Nothing!'' Willow squeaked, holding the book to her chest.
''Remember, this was written by a nut job!'' Xander reminded them.
Jenny came over. ''Give me that.'' She pried it from Willow and opened it back up. She laid the book on the table by her and Giles, and everyone could now see the slanted handwriting and half sketched images with no faces. Snippets of their conversations from the day were written across the page, some that Drusilla could have overheard, some she most definitely could not have. And by the top of the page was the sentence Xander had accidentally read aloud: 'It's a girl'.
''We-we must remember we don't know what this particular passage is about,'' Giles stammered. ''I mean, knowing everything isn't exactly-''
''Oh, absolutely,'' Jenny agreed. ''Which is why we should check.''
''Really?'' Dawn squeaked.
Jenny and Giles exchanged a look. ''Well, if you think it's best,'' Giles said, sounding like he hadn't needed much convincing.
Jenny nodded to Dawn, and she and Tara went racing to the Magic Box counter, digging in a drawer until they pulled out the envelop that had haunted them since Jenny shoved it in there weeks and weeks ago. ''All because of a nut-so's scribbles?'' Xander whined.
''Get ready to pay up, Beady-Eyes,'' Anya warned.
Tara handed the envelope to Jenny. ''Hurry!'' Dawn begged, looking about to burst.
Jenny opened the envelop, Giles at her shoulder. Everyone waited with bated breath as the couple read the contents, and then smiled at each other.
''Oh, come on!'' Buffy yelled.
Giles took off his glasses. ''It's a girl,'' he confirmed.
The shop was filled with glee as everyone shouted and clapped and hugged the expectant parents and yelled at Xander to get his betting tally in order.
Though their current situation with the Oracle below them and the Big Bad getting closer could not be forgotten, everyone was far too busy celebrating and making loud suggestions about possible names to worry. It was a beautiful reprieve, one they were all too thankful for to interrupt.
…
Jenny went around the shop one last time, making sure everything was locked and put away. She went to the basement, saw the landing light on, and walked down, clicking off the light and preparing to go back up. But then a noise hit her ears, and she realized it was coming from Drusilla. She was singing.
''Early one morning, just as the sun was rising
I heard a maid sing in the valley below
"Oh don't deceive me, Oh never leave me,
How could you use, a poor maiden so?
''Remember the vows that you made to me truly
Remember how tenderly you nestled close to me
Gay is the garland, fresh are the roses
I've culled from the garden to bind over thee.''
Her voice was quiet and soft, singing absently to herself and unaware anyone was hearing it. Jenny quietly withdrew.
There was something very eerie and sad about Drusilla, which pained Jenny in a way that she couldn't quite name. She remember all too well the instances of her first coming to SunnyDale, but as Spike had become a very prominent figure in their lives, she couldn't exactly hold that against Drusilla without being hypocritical.
Jenny finally left the shop, locking it behind her. She shoved her hands in her pockets and walked down the street slowly, trying to turn her melancholy thoughts away from Drusilla's situation and think of home and Giles and the never ending list of things that they still had to do before their child arrived. Their daughter. Jenny wanted to laugh every time she thought about her.
Just as she rounded the corner, something caught her eye in the alley between the Magic Shop and the next building. She stopped, realizing there was someone in the alley. Given this was typically a quiet street, and as the hour was late, Jenny hesitantly glanced up the alley, staying out of sight, to see who it was. She was surprised. It was Spike.
The scowl he had had on his face the past few days was no longer there. Instead his expression was rather downcast as he leaned against the back wall of the Magic Box, right beside the window that was perched above Drusilla's cot. A cigarette was in his mouth, but he was not smoking it. His eyes were closed, and Jenny realized with his hearing, he was probably listening to Drusilla's song.
''She's called Drusilla, a sometime paramour of Spike's. She was killed by an angry mob in Prague.''
She would've died, had Spike not brought her to the Hell Mouth.
Jenny continued on her way. Maybe vampires weren't that different from humans after all. They couldn't stand to see their loved ones in pain, even if they were broken up. A 200 year relationship didn't just fade overnight.
…
Page count over the past 3 chapters: 45 pages.
Me: This chapter has been sitting unfinished because I wanted to write the next chapter, and couldn't be bothered to write the two scenes in the middle. Now it's done, and the next chapter will be ready soon, sooner maybe if you leave a review : )
Happy Writing!