****Author's Notes: I decided to wait a few days before the next
installment. Thanks, Casper, for noticing that I used a little Changeling,
though I've kind of made a few alterations to it, but don't worry, Spike
may be a little out of it right now, but he's still a BTVS vamp. And
thanks to the rest of the reviewers who've been so supportive.***
Act 5: Full Moon
Dawn's mouth opened wide as she yawned.
"I'm guessing its' time for you to go home?" Giles inquired, nose deep in a book.
"What about Mandy? Is she coming home with me?" Dawn asked.
"I suppose it should be all right with Buffy. After all, you two seem to be getting along well." he said, cleaning his glasses.
"Isn't it bad for her to around Willow?, though?" asked Anya "I mean, if she's from the same dimension..."
"Uh, Mandy is it?" Giles turned to the discheveled teen. "I'm assuming that because you haven't been Called that you are not yet infused with Glamour as fully as your sire has been?"
The girl clapped in response, as if he'd just done a splendid performance.
"Well, then." he said, "I suppose it is all right. However, you must refrain from using any of your existing Magicks while staying in the Summers' home, or feeding.
The squire looked sad, but nodded.
"Hey, we could always get you something on the way home, couldn't we?" Dawn joked.
Monkey/Mandy looked thoughtfully for a second, and then nodded, surprising Dawn.
As the two girls headed out the front door, Dawn whispered "Can I watch, or is this some weird forbidden thing?"
Her new friend nodded, but then pointed a finger at her in warning.
"Yeah, I know. I'll be careful. I won't say or do anything to get in the way. I promise."
***
"So, how are you and Anya doing?" Willow went on. "Or should I ask?"
"I think we're in the 'not ask' category, Will." Xander said, slumping in his seat.
"Okay, then. Have any ladies banging down your door yet?" she asked, elbowing the man.
"Who are you, my Uncle Ron? Next you're gonna ask me if I'm beating them off with a stick, aren't ya?" he laughed.
"I don't know. Just asking." Willow shrugged. "You're not all mopey are you?"
"No. No moping here. Its just that..." he said, repositioning himself, "sometimes while I'm helping out at the shop, I mean when she's not yelling at me, I look at her and its' like I wanna forget what happened, you know? Start over. But that's not gonna happen, is it? I screwed up too hard, and she...there are two walls in between us now."
"I'm sorry." the redhead's eyebrows knit together.
"Not your fault."
"I know, but I still feel bad."
The pair were suddenly interrupted by girlish laughter as Dawn and the squire walked in the door.
"Hey, guys! You still up?" the brunette asked, looking cautiously at her new friend 'Mandy' as she began to look around curiously.
"Yep. Just waiting for you to get home." said Willow. "I...is that the Faery Squire?" she asked, leaning over to look.
"Oh, don't worry. She's not all overloaded with magick or anything, Giles said it was okay if she spent the night. You don't mind, do you?"
"Uh, no. Its okay. He's right. She isn't resonating much at all, but its' more like what T..." Suddenly she stopped herself. 'More like what Tara was like when she wasn't using any magic.' was what she almost said. Her vision began to blur. "Would you excuse me please?" she said, stumbling as she got up quickly and left the room. "I have to visit the ladies'."
"Was it something I said?" Dawn asked nervously.
"I don't think so." Xander answered. "I think she just needs a moment, you know? Its' been a long night."
"Yeah, it has. I still hope she's okay though. I'm off to fix the cot up for Mandy, and then sleep. Nite, Xander." She grabbed the girl, who had been staring at a houseplant a little too intently, and ran upstairs.
"Mandy? Isn't..." Xander asked after a moment, but Dawn was already out of range.
Meanwhile, Willow felt the nausea subside as she sat down on her heels. The chilly bathroom tiles cooled her ankles. Her face was reddened and streaked with tears. The redhead leaned over until she could wrap her arms around her knees and laid her forehead on the floor. "I miss you." she whispered, feeling a horrible pressure deep within her chest.
***
"Well, I'm glad the rain stopped." Buffy remarked as she and the knight began heading back out of the warehouse district. "There isn't much worse than slippery surfaces when you're trying to fight vamps."
"Strange. We found nothing. They have eluded us, it seems." said Dierdre. "It is almost sunup. The fortunate thing for us is that they will not hunt during the day."
"Don't worry. After some sleep, I'm sure we'll find out more from the others, then we'll get your friends back."
The knight looked solemnly at her feet as she continued to walk. An awkward silence passed between them.
"So, kinda weird how we keep passing all these people and half of them haven't even looked twice at you, except those kids in the back of that car when we got out of the shop. It was kind of cute, actually." Buffy smiled to herself. She'd never seen a four year old's eyes get that big before. "Although I think I got some triple takes since I'm carrying around a big-ass sword, but I've gotten used to it."
"I've been meaning to ask you a question, Buffy." the Fae stopped and turned to the Slayer.
"What's that?"
"Why do you allow that child in conversation? Why is she bidden to speak in important matters such as this?"
Buffy's face grew dark. "Dawn isn't exactly a child." 'I can't believe I'm saying this', she thought. "My sister is old enough to understand what's going on. She wants to help, and I'm not going to stop her."
"How...lenient of you." Dierdre said, confused.
"It isn't like she just walked up to me one day and said, 'Hey Buffy, I want to risk my life killing vampires!' and I said 'Okay! Sure, Dawn. Here's a stake!'." she said, defending her actions, "It took years for me to decide that she was finally ready. And it isn't like I'm not having her trained to be able to handle herself..."
"Our ways are different, that is clear. There is no more need to discuss this." Dierdre dismissed her and began walking again.
"Yes," Buffy said, following her into an alley. "They certainly are. By the way, do all Fae squires get treated like crap, or is this just an added bonus for you?"
Dierdre stopped in her tracks, but didn't turn around. "You do not know of what you speak, mortal. I neither enjoy or relish in the fact that I must...."
Suddenly, Buffy whipped around. The Fae's hand went immediately to her sword, but she quickly saw that the Slayer was not the threat. The blonde reached behind a dumpster, grabbed someone by the shirt, and slammed them into the bin.
"Ow?' said the demon softly, cringing.
The knight began to draw her sword, but Buffy stopped her. "He's harmless." she groaned, letting go of the shaggy-eared demon, who still looked pretty stunned.
"Clem," the Slayer began "why the hell are you stalking us? Its not like you're good at it."
"I'm not?" Clem looked shocked, then it seemed to sink in.
"No. I could hear you shuffling around behind us for the last few blocks at least." Buffy crossed her arms over her chest. "Now, answer my question."
The demon looked more nervous than usual. "Um, I need to tell you something, and its important, and I know you're such a good lady and everything, and I'm hoping that whatever experiences you've had..."
"Just get to the point, Clem." Buffy sighed.
"Its' about Spike..."
Buffy's stern look didn't change a bit. "Go home, Clem. Anything to do with Spike has nothing to do with me now unless it involves a really pointy stake. Let's go, Dierdre." she said, and the duo began to go on their way.
"You don't understand!" Clem yelled in an uncommonly loud manner, following them. "I wouldn't come to you if I didn't think it mattered. He's...he's still my friend, and if he kills himself I don't want to be the one who could have told but didn't."
Buffy stopped, turning around, but didn't look impressed. "Oh, that's his plan now? To get me to come to him? I can't believe he suckered you into this, Clem."
"He didn't ask me. Actually, he told me to go 'bugger off' when I tried to help and a few other choice words that I would rather not say in front of you ladies." the demon sighed. "You don't understand. He came back a month ago, and he looked bad....really bad." He looked right into Buffy's eyes when he said that last bit. "I've never seen him look like that. When he came inside, he didn't even look at me. He just sat down in a corner and stayed there for weeks, not saying a word."
Buffy turned away, and tried to keep her face solid, but she began to feel disturbed by Clem's words and where they might lead. He went on:
"Every day, I brought him blood from the butcher's. He barely drinks it. Some days, he didn't drink any at all. One time he even threw his favorite mug against the wall. It was bad." his ears drooped sadly. "And then, this morning, he just gets up and says 'You should go, Clem. You're no longer needed.' I know what he's up to. He didn't have to say anything, and he didn't deny it either when I asked."
"So, what am I supposed to do?" the Slayer asked, not sure if she cared. "I kill vamps, Clem. If he does the job first, then it's one less done by me." she began to walk away, followed by a very annoyed-looking Dierdre.
"Yes, you do." the demon sighed, "I know you kill vampires. The soulless kind, that is."
After a moment, the Slayer halted her footsteps abruptly, and turned about to face the floppy-eared demon, her face demanding answers. She saw him nod knowingly, then almost lost her bearings as the blood rushed to her head.
Act 5: Full Moon
Dawn's mouth opened wide as she yawned.
"I'm guessing its' time for you to go home?" Giles inquired, nose deep in a book.
"What about Mandy? Is she coming home with me?" Dawn asked.
"I suppose it should be all right with Buffy. After all, you two seem to be getting along well." he said, cleaning his glasses.
"Isn't it bad for her to around Willow?, though?" asked Anya "I mean, if she's from the same dimension..."
"Uh, Mandy is it?" Giles turned to the discheveled teen. "I'm assuming that because you haven't been Called that you are not yet infused with Glamour as fully as your sire has been?"
The girl clapped in response, as if he'd just done a splendid performance.
"Well, then." he said, "I suppose it is all right. However, you must refrain from using any of your existing Magicks while staying in the Summers' home, or feeding.
The squire looked sad, but nodded.
"Hey, we could always get you something on the way home, couldn't we?" Dawn joked.
Monkey/Mandy looked thoughtfully for a second, and then nodded, surprising Dawn.
As the two girls headed out the front door, Dawn whispered "Can I watch, or is this some weird forbidden thing?"
Her new friend nodded, but then pointed a finger at her in warning.
"Yeah, I know. I'll be careful. I won't say or do anything to get in the way. I promise."
***
"So, how are you and Anya doing?" Willow went on. "Or should I ask?"
"I think we're in the 'not ask' category, Will." Xander said, slumping in his seat.
"Okay, then. Have any ladies banging down your door yet?" she asked, elbowing the man.
"Who are you, my Uncle Ron? Next you're gonna ask me if I'm beating them off with a stick, aren't ya?" he laughed.
"I don't know. Just asking." Willow shrugged. "You're not all mopey are you?"
"No. No moping here. Its just that..." he said, repositioning himself, "sometimes while I'm helping out at the shop, I mean when she's not yelling at me, I look at her and its' like I wanna forget what happened, you know? Start over. But that's not gonna happen, is it? I screwed up too hard, and she...there are two walls in between us now."
"I'm sorry." the redhead's eyebrows knit together.
"Not your fault."
"I know, but I still feel bad."
The pair were suddenly interrupted by girlish laughter as Dawn and the squire walked in the door.
"Hey, guys! You still up?" the brunette asked, looking cautiously at her new friend 'Mandy' as she began to look around curiously.
"Yep. Just waiting for you to get home." said Willow. "I...is that the Faery Squire?" she asked, leaning over to look.
"Oh, don't worry. She's not all overloaded with magick or anything, Giles said it was okay if she spent the night. You don't mind, do you?"
"Uh, no. Its okay. He's right. She isn't resonating much at all, but its' more like what T..." Suddenly she stopped herself. 'More like what Tara was like when she wasn't using any magic.' was what she almost said. Her vision began to blur. "Would you excuse me please?" she said, stumbling as she got up quickly and left the room. "I have to visit the ladies'."
"Was it something I said?" Dawn asked nervously.
"I don't think so." Xander answered. "I think she just needs a moment, you know? Its' been a long night."
"Yeah, it has. I still hope she's okay though. I'm off to fix the cot up for Mandy, and then sleep. Nite, Xander." She grabbed the girl, who had been staring at a houseplant a little too intently, and ran upstairs.
"Mandy? Isn't..." Xander asked after a moment, but Dawn was already out of range.
Meanwhile, Willow felt the nausea subside as she sat down on her heels. The chilly bathroom tiles cooled her ankles. Her face was reddened and streaked with tears. The redhead leaned over until she could wrap her arms around her knees and laid her forehead on the floor. "I miss you." she whispered, feeling a horrible pressure deep within her chest.
***
"Well, I'm glad the rain stopped." Buffy remarked as she and the knight began heading back out of the warehouse district. "There isn't much worse than slippery surfaces when you're trying to fight vamps."
"Strange. We found nothing. They have eluded us, it seems." said Dierdre. "It is almost sunup. The fortunate thing for us is that they will not hunt during the day."
"Don't worry. After some sleep, I'm sure we'll find out more from the others, then we'll get your friends back."
The knight looked solemnly at her feet as she continued to walk. An awkward silence passed between them.
"So, kinda weird how we keep passing all these people and half of them haven't even looked twice at you, except those kids in the back of that car when we got out of the shop. It was kind of cute, actually." Buffy smiled to herself. She'd never seen a four year old's eyes get that big before. "Although I think I got some triple takes since I'm carrying around a big-ass sword, but I've gotten used to it."
"I've been meaning to ask you a question, Buffy." the Fae stopped and turned to the Slayer.
"What's that?"
"Why do you allow that child in conversation? Why is she bidden to speak in important matters such as this?"
Buffy's face grew dark. "Dawn isn't exactly a child." 'I can't believe I'm saying this', she thought. "My sister is old enough to understand what's going on. She wants to help, and I'm not going to stop her."
"How...lenient of you." Dierdre said, confused.
"It isn't like she just walked up to me one day and said, 'Hey Buffy, I want to risk my life killing vampires!' and I said 'Okay! Sure, Dawn. Here's a stake!'." she said, defending her actions, "It took years for me to decide that she was finally ready. And it isn't like I'm not having her trained to be able to handle herself..."
"Our ways are different, that is clear. There is no more need to discuss this." Dierdre dismissed her and began walking again.
"Yes," Buffy said, following her into an alley. "They certainly are. By the way, do all Fae squires get treated like crap, or is this just an added bonus for you?"
Dierdre stopped in her tracks, but didn't turn around. "You do not know of what you speak, mortal. I neither enjoy or relish in the fact that I must...."
Suddenly, Buffy whipped around. The Fae's hand went immediately to her sword, but she quickly saw that the Slayer was not the threat. The blonde reached behind a dumpster, grabbed someone by the shirt, and slammed them into the bin.
"Ow?' said the demon softly, cringing.
The knight began to draw her sword, but Buffy stopped her. "He's harmless." she groaned, letting go of the shaggy-eared demon, who still looked pretty stunned.
"Clem," the Slayer began "why the hell are you stalking us? Its not like you're good at it."
"I'm not?" Clem looked shocked, then it seemed to sink in.
"No. I could hear you shuffling around behind us for the last few blocks at least." Buffy crossed her arms over her chest. "Now, answer my question."
The demon looked more nervous than usual. "Um, I need to tell you something, and its important, and I know you're such a good lady and everything, and I'm hoping that whatever experiences you've had..."
"Just get to the point, Clem." Buffy sighed.
"Its' about Spike..."
Buffy's stern look didn't change a bit. "Go home, Clem. Anything to do with Spike has nothing to do with me now unless it involves a really pointy stake. Let's go, Dierdre." she said, and the duo began to go on their way.
"You don't understand!" Clem yelled in an uncommonly loud manner, following them. "I wouldn't come to you if I didn't think it mattered. He's...he's still my friend, and if he kills himself I don't want to be the one who could have told but didn't."
Buffy stopped, turning around, but didn't look impressed. "Oh, that's his plan now? To get me to come to him? I can't believe he suckered you into this, Clem."
"He didn't ask me. Actually, he told me to go 'bugger off' when I tried to help and a few other choice words that I would rather not say in front of you ladies." the demon sighed. "You don't understand. He came back a month ago, and he looked bad....really bad." He looked right into Buffy's eyes when he said that last bit. "I've never seen him look like that. When he came inside, he didn't even look at me. He just sat down in a corner and stayed there for weeks, not saying a word."
Buffy turned away, and tried to keep her face solid, but she began to feel disturbed by Clem's words and where they might lead. He went on:
"Every day, I brought him blood from the butcher's. He barely drinks it. Some days, he didn't drink any at all. One time he even threw his favorite mug against the wall. It was bad." his ears drooped sadly. "And then, this morning, he just gets up and says 'You should go, Clem. You're no longer needed.' I know what he's up to. He didn't have to say anything, and he didn't deny it either when I asked."
"So, what am I supposed to do?" the Slayer asked, not sure if she cared. "I kill vamps, Clem. If he does the job first, then it's one less done by me." she began to walk away, followed by a very annoyed-looking Dierdre.
"Yes, you do." the demon sighed, "I know you kill vampires. The soulless kind, that is."
After a moment, the Slayer halted her footsteps abruptly, and turned about to face the floppy-eared demon, her face demanding answers. She saw him nod knowingly, then almost lost her bearings as the blood rushed to her head.