A Sequel to "Even Standing"
Part 2/? - "Goodbye Love... Not"
Disclaimer: I own none of the characters here, save for the Scepter of Zeus and the Archon of Zerod... please don't sue me, I don't intend to earn money from this unless I'm offered a contract by the Buffy people... then I can toss this disclaimer out the window anyway.
Rating (Series): PG-13 (a little language and violence... its like ES, not too heavy on either, but enough to warrant a rating)
Spoilers: Same as ES.
Author's Notes/Summary - Buffy and Xander both deal with the fact that they love each other in their own way. Of course neither knows how the other feels yet... so they both try to put their feelings behind them.
Note #2 - ES lives on in the sequel. Hopefully this is turning out enjoyable for you all. Feedback is the lifeblood of fic writers, and suggestions are our meat and potatoes. So, by all means, fill my plate up. :)
*FADE TO: Buffy, training in the back of The Magic Box. She's fighting with determination.*
Buffy didn't really know why she was imagining Xander's face on the punching bag. Scratch that, she knew exactly why. It was a combination of things; She was still angry at him for 'letting himself be used' by Quinn, and it was also a vain attempt to make her feelings for him go away.
'Perhaps,' she thought, 'I can beat *him* up so badly, that I stop thinking about him so much' So far, it wasn't working. In fact, the punching bag was about to fall apart, because she was pounding it so hard.
"Might I inquire what the bag said to anger you?" Giles stated calmly from behind her. He was sipping a cup, which one could assume be tea, and looked on at her actions disapprovingly.
Buffy tried not to betray her thoughts, "It said my butt looked big."
Giles set the cup down, "Yes, I can see how that would bring about a good thrashing."
Buffy ignored him, and returned to attacking the bag, if with less force than before, "I thought you *wanted* me to train, Giles. It comes with being my watcher again. I train, you make with the nodding and the frowning and the 'Try that once more, Buffy'... do you not want that anymore?"
"Not at the expense of replacing the bag as often as this assault would result in."
Buffy stopped herself immediately, "Fine," She was slightly snippy, "I'm done for the day then."
"Buffy..." He started, "I wanted you to come help me with research... I want to look into the scepter Quinn mentioned."
"Giles... Quinn is dead. Whatever he had planned isn't going to move forward anymore. I'm just glad he didn't get all 'You think you know. What's to come. What you are...' on me... that would have been third times *not* a charm."
"Buffy, that is an improper attitude to take... towards such matters." He warned.
"Giles, I'm taking a break, okay? I promise not to beat up the mean, insulting bag any more than it deserves from now on, and I'm not coming back to research with you... I just want to let this rest. Is that clear?" He nodded reluctantly, "Fine, then I'm going to go visit my mom."
Buffy grabbed her things, but before she could leave, Giles added, "Tell her hello, for me."
"Please don't get back into that, Giles..." Buffy warned. She'd picked up on a little too much fondness in his request. She went through the front of the store and headed for home.
*CUT TO: Xander speaking with a 'landlady'. She's got graying hair, and is in a business-type suit. Spike is in the background checking the apartment out. Aside from the small area Spike is occupying, the details of the apartment aren't visible.*
"I'm a little surprised this one is on the market..." Xander commented, looking around.
"Yes, well..." She decided not to continue, "It's a little strange you asked for a visit here at night... but your credit has already cleared. You can sign the lease if you're interested."
Xander thought it over, "What happened to the last landlady?"
The woman tensed visibly. She hesitated briefly, "Well, um... she met with some unfortunate circumstances."
Xander simply nodded. He looked to Spike, who gave an overly-excited thumbs up. Xander smiled faintly, and turned back to the woman, "I believe we'll take it. Where's the lease?"
The lady smiled, "It's so refreshing to see people like you around here."
"People like us?" Spike looked slightly worried.
The woman nodded, "Yes, well... you're the first same-sex couple to move into the building."
Both Spike and Xander looked unhappily shocked. Xander quickly recovered, "No, no... we're not, y'know, a same-sex couple. Just uncomfortably close friends. He's too disturbing to date."
"I heard that, Harris. I am not disturbing." Spike declared.
"Point proven." Xander said, giving a sly smile to the landlady. He quickly signed the lease, before motioning for Spike to come over. He co-signed it, and the lady looked extremely happy.
"Still... welcome to the building. I hope you enjoy it here." She left, and Xander looked around.
"I will... brings back some memories."
*CUT TO: Buffy, helping her mom around the house. Joyce is off-screen, but can be heard.*
Buffy opened a closet door, and was surrounded by a cloud of dust. After a momentary coughing fit, she declared, "Mom! When was the last time you cleaned this out?"
"Sweetheart, I'm so busy at work that I don't have time to clean up here anymore." She was quiet, before hinting not-so subtly, "Maybe you could move back... being at home might do some good, if not just for the cleanliness of the house, for me."
"Mom... I don't want to live here anymore. I love you, and I don't want you to ever think otherwise... but I'm an independent woman. Living on my own is a right given to me... in the college law book, or something."
Joyce entered the room, looking at her daughter with understanding, "I know, honey... I just miss you is all." They exchanged a hug. Joyce suddenly got a look in her eye, "So, does this independent woman have an independent man in her life yet?"
Buffy looked horrified, "Mom!" After getting over her initial reaction, she looked somber, "Since Riley? No."
Joyce looked her daughter over. There was something she recognized, "You're not telling the truth, dear. I can see you like *somebody.* Am I not allowed to know about him?" She frowned, "He's not another vampire, is he?"
"No, Mom. He's..." She trailed off.
"Alive?"
"*Yes* alive." She sighed, "He's just somebody I know. But there's too many complications right now for anything to happen. Maybe ever."
Joyce gave her daughter another hug, "Oh, don't give up hope, dear. I'm sure things will work out. The important things usually do."
Buffy tried to smile, as she thought, 'Not with me, they don't.' She looked at her mother appreciatively, despite her own thoughts, "Thanks, Mom." She was left alone as her mother left, so she went back to cleaning.
*CUT TO: Giles' apartment. He's preparing dinner while reading out of a dusty book.*
He finished cooking the soup, and poured himself a bowl, all without removing his gaze from the book. He was half-way across his living room, heading towards his reading chair, when a loud knocking came at his door. It was enough to startle him, causing him to drop both the book and the soup. The soup splashed off the floor, dousing the pages of the book with a healthy amount of noodles and broth.
"Bloody hell!" Giles yelled, before turning to the door, "I'll be there in just a moment." He tried his best to brush the book off, but the pages were noodled beyond repair, "Dammit..."
He walked over to the door, and swung it open, ready to berate whoever had bothered to knock with such force. Unfortunately, all he met was a view of the dark courtyard. He leaned out, looking to either side, but found no one.
He started to swing the door closed, when he caught a fluttering in his peripheral vision. He looked down quickly, seeing a folded sheet of paper being held-down by a small rock. He looked around outside once again, before bending down to pick up both the rock and the paper.
Quickly discarding the rock into bushes, he pushed the door closed behind him, and unfolded the paper. What was written, left him even more puzzled. A simple message, reading '1700 Eastridge Drive, Apartment 6. Don't tell Buffy.'
Giles was scared out of his shoes again as the phone rang right beside him. He took a moment to recover, before picking it up, "Yes, hello?"
"Giles?"
"Willow, yes... is, is there something you need?"
"Yes... well, no... I just got a really weird message."
Giles looked confused, "Stuck under a rock?"
Willow herself sounded confused, "No... it was slid under the door. Somebody knocked, then slid it under. It was a..."
"An address."
"Yeah... h-how did you know?"
Giles pinched the bridge of his nose, "I received a similar message."
"What do you suppose it is? And what does it mean, 'don't tell Buffy'?"
Giles thought for a few moments, until it suddenly came to him, "Xander."
"Xander? What about Xander?"
"It's the address to his new apartment... he gave it to us, and doesn't want us to let Buffy know."
"Why not?"
Giles wasn't really sure, but had an idea, "I believe he doesn't want Buffy dropping by on his doorstep. I imagine the heart-to-heart they might have would not be a Hallmark moment."
"Yeah, I guess..."
"Willow, I think we should feel privileged that he's trusted us with this information... and the fact he chose to remain at all..." He imagined Willow would be nodding silently in response, "While I have you on the phone, do you think you could stop by the store tomorrow after classes? I want to research the scepter Quinn mentioned, but Buffy wasn't very cooperative on the matter."
"Sure, do you want me to bring Tara along?"
"I suppose that would be alright, we'll need all the eyes we can to research this."
"Gotcha... ooo, I'll bring cocoa, cause researching makes me thirsty."
Giles smiled lightly, shaking his head, "Yes, I suppose that would be alright as well."
*CUT TO: Spike returning to the apartment. It's the same one Xander was living in back before he left. Xander himself has already returned, and is fixing himself a sandwich.*
"Why the bloody hell did we have to do that?" He said, heading over to the fridge, "I mean, we could have had a quiet little bachelor pad, no Slayer or nothin'..." He pulled out a Styrofoam cup, and poured it's contents into a coffee cup. He placed it in the microwave and set a cooking time.
"Buffy won't find out about it. I made sure of that." Xander said, taking a bite of his sandwich.
Spike scoffed, "Made sure of it? 'Don't tell Buffy' is not what I would call making sure of it. They probably called her the minute they read that."
"I trust them more than that, Spike." The microwave beep interrupted him, as Spike pulled out his 'snack,' "And I have to show them that I trust them."
"But you don't." Spike pointed out before taking a sip.
Xander sighed, "No... not yet... but I hope I can... I hardly even trust myself... but I have to, Spike, I just have to."
"Fine, fine... new subject." Spike walked over and sat on the chair across from him, "The Slayer. You've still got the hots for her."
Xander glared, "Thank you for the observation, Spike."
"That's what I'm here for, mate." Spike sneered, "I thought I told you to extinguish that torch."
Xander grinned slightly, "And since when do I listen to you?"
"Since I know being involved with a Slayer is bad. Deathly bad."
Xander looked surprised, "You went with a Slayer?"
Spike looked angered, "No, git. Being around them. In the same environment. It's bad for your health in the 'you can die' kind of way."
Xander finished his sandwich, "Have I introduced you to my sharpened little friend yet?"
"Hey, hey, now. None of that threatening me crap. I'm your roomie, remember? Roomies are supposed to get on each other's nerves."
"Well you won't *have* any nerves after I poke you."
Spike laughed, "You haven't the gall. I'm defenseless."
Xander glared, "You'll be the death of my cleaning deposit." He stood up, "I'm going to bed. Don't invite anybody in."
Spike leered, "So you're saying I can't have parties."
Xander kept walking to the bedroom, "You can have parties. Only catch is all party-goers must have a pulse."
"Bloody... you're no fun, y'know that?" A slamming door was the only response Spike got.
*CUT TO: Giles, Willow, and Tara, researching quietly around the table in The Magic Box. Anya is running the register.*
Willow flipped a book closed, "Nothing here either... you sure Quinn said 'Scepter of Zeus' and not, y'know, like 'Ham Sandwich on Rye'?"
"Willow... I don't believe that is helping." Giles continued reading his book.
"Yeah... but... I just thought I'd, y'know, lighten the mood."
Giles nodded, "Unfortunately, the mood shouldn't be lightened this time. It is a serious matter."
"That never stopped Xander before." Tara commented.
"Yes..." Giles began, "But he seemed to have a penchant for it."
"I hope we find this soon... I've got homework to do..." Willow said quietly.
"Yes, well, the store is only open for another half-hour... so you should have plenty of time for your work." It was quiet again for several minutes. Anya ran the cash register noisily, although it was quite obvious she was eavesdropping on the conversation.
Giles finished one book, and picked up another. The word 'Archon' was scribbled across the front in a strange, almost handwritten, raised type. Giles got about half-way through, when he nearly dropped the book, "Oh, my god..."
Willow and Tara both perked up, with Willow adding, "That can't be good."
"What is it, Mr. Giles?" Tara inquired.
"The Archon of Zerod... I can't believe I didn't remember..."
"The Archon? Didn't you read that before?" Willow was curious now. She got up, as did Tara, to look over Giles' shoulder.
"Yes... and I even remember reading about a scepter... but at the time it just didn't matter, and it only just registered."
"Well what's it say?" Tara prodded.
Giles frowned, "Nothing good."
End Part 2
