"Find Your Way Home"
A Sequel to "Even Standing"
Part 6b/? - "Open Your Eyes"

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... continuity flies right off the handle.
Author's Notes/Summary - The plan was anything but successful. The dig site was disrupted, but the Scepter had already been transported out. Now begins the 'race' to research how and where the Old Ones can use it to accomplish their mission. Possible character growth, not willing to say who. And, amidst it all, Buffy and Xander finally address what's going on between them.
Note #2 - This is my awkward attempt at imitating the style of "The Longest Day" from Dawson's Creek. It also pays homage to "The Zeppo" in that the character growth will go unnoticed, for the most part. 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. I accept blood as well, but that goes to the pale guy living in my attic. I prefer plant matter, myself. :)

Perspective #2 - Buffy

*FADE TO: Giles apartment. It's just getting dark outside. Giles, Buffy, Riley, and Xander are at various spots around the room, bandaged and bruised.*

Buffy shifted uncomfortably on the desk chair. She tried not to aggravate her ribs. They were just a little bit sore, as she kept telling everyone who asked. The truth was that that was the understatement of the year. It felt like she'd been in some horrible romance film, where the antagonist lays the heroine across the horse. She felt like she was taken for an extended ride *away* from the sunset. Instead, it was just her own feet tripping over loose rocks that had caused her fall. Not that the fall helped her laser-burned arm any. She tried her best not to gag instinctively as Riley milked his injury for all it was worth from Anya. She didn't care to picture what he'd be asking for behind closed doors.
Giles had lucked out, receiving no injuries. He wasn't happy about shelling out money for the SUV they had rented, but then the dealership hadn't had 'demon attack' insurance anyway.
She glanced quickly at Xander. She almost couldn't stand the dance the two sides of her heart did whenever she looked at him. The part that hated him, which was quickly weakening, kept telling her to punch him, or something equally violent. The part that loved him, which was the larger part now, told her to kiss him, or something equally *romantic.* As she looked him over, both to judge his injuries, and simply for the act of looking at him, their eyes met. Xander's quickly darted away, and hers went to the floor.
She wanted to scream. If she didn't know any better, she would have sworn she saw something in his eyes. Her loving heart tackled the hating one to the ground and screamed that it was love she saw. The hating half, or more like quarter, of her heart said it was just her imagination.
Interrupting the contemplative moment, Spike strode through the front door. He didn't look happy. Actually, he resembled Swiss cheese. At least his jacket did, anyway. There were holes all over the place. Buffy momentarily worried at the look, but Xander had spotted an opportunity to lighten the mood. He sprung up off the couch, and began clapping wildly, "All hail, Spike, the Inhuman Shield!"
Riley, despite the bandage covering most of his head, stood up and started clapping, too, "Here, here!"
Buffy had to admit it was slight funny as well. She joined Giles in a small 'golf clap' type gesture.
Spike glared, "Oh, sod off!" He took his ruined jacket off and threw it in front of Xander, "You're all buying me a new coat."
Riley laughed, "Anything, for our protector!" Spike looked ready to explode.
"Funny, real funny." He looked at Xander, "Harris, I want to go home."
"Then go, Spike. Why do you need me?"
Spike assumed a 'don't you remember?' stance, "Forgetting the little fact that my keys went boom-boom in the bland lands of Kansas?"
Xander groaned, "Fine... I should probably get some sleep anyway... big day ahead of me tomorrow." Buffy quickly wondered what was so 'big' about tomorrow.
Giles stood up as well, following him to the door. Giles' voice was whisper quiet, so much so that she couldn't hear what he said. Xander nodded in response to whatever it was, and replied in just as hushed a tone.
He paused before really leaving, looking at her briefly. She was too rapped up in her thoughts to think of a comeback. Why did she have to love him? It would be so much easier if it were someone else.
Spike stood there impatiently, "Can we *go*?"
Xander smirked, "Yes, junior." Spike just glared and took off, "He just gets sooo impatient..." Xander turned and walked off into the courtyard, "Now you get back here, young man... don't make me take away your TV privileges..." Giles shut the door quickly after that, for fear he might actually start laughing.

*CUT TO: Buffy on the phone. Light coming in the window means its daytime, let's say morning for convenience. She's nodding absently, throwing in affirmative words to questions she's not even hearing.*

"...Buffy... are you even listening to me?" Giles growled over the phone.
"Yeah, sure Giles... research, patrol, sleep..."
"Buffy, I was trying to explain to you why it's important for us to stay focused on this... it is apparent you're quite busy in your own little world. Right now, we do NOT need that. Our only hope of stopping this is to keep on our task."
Buffy sighed, "I know, Giles. I'm just... occupied. And that's going to get us killed... the world killed." Her eyes went wide, as something came to her, "Giles, I think I know what I can do to get my head clear."
Giles was quiet for a moment, "Good... well, just remember, we're researching at the store tonight."
"Right. Research, patrol, sleep."
Giles groaned audibly, "Very funny."
"Bye, Giles." She hung up the phone. Seconds later, she picked it right back up and dialed a number, "Hey, Wills, its me... What are you doing today?"

*CUT TO: Buffy and Willow, talking over coffee in W&T's apartment. Buffy seems to be pouring out her heart.*

"...And then it just kinda hit me." She sighed, "Boom... I love Xander."
"So it all started with his 'You're my hero' speech?"
"Yeah... I mean, the thing with Riley... I don't know about it... I guess I'd rather not dig back into it... but all the while, Xander was there. It just didn't decide to rear its head until he was gone."
Willow sipped her coffee, "Buffy, I have just two questions. And please don't use your Slayer strength on me if you get mad." Buffy nodded, "Why are you telling *me* this? Why aren't you sitting over coffee, telling Xander the same things you're telling me?"
Buffy saddened, "Because he hates me, Will."
Willow sighed, "Never, Buffy. He could never. He might be confused. He might even be angry. But hate is something he can never do when it comes to you."
"How are you so sure?"
Willow smirked, "You're talking to his best friend since, like, forever." They both exchanged a short laugh.
"What am I gonna do, Will?" Buffy took in a ragged breath, near crying.
Willow grabbed her friends hand, "Do exactly what your heart says too, Buffy."

*CUT TO: The hallway leading to Xander's apartment. Still relatively early in the morning. Buffy is about to round the corner, she narrowly avoids colliding with a redhead. The young woman looked determined to get out of the building quickly.*

Buffy made her way up to the apartment door, and took a deep breath. Before she could lose her nerve, she banged on the door loudly.
Seconds later, the door flew open, and a strangely upset Spike looked out at her, "Whatcha want, Slayer?"
Buffy was shocked into speechlessness. She hadn't prepared for the idea of running into anyone but Xander, "Umm... I'm... here to see Xander."
"Mr. Bloody Morning Determination? He's out at the moment. Job interview he said. Don't know when he'll be back."
"Job interview?" Buffy was confused. Then it hit her, '...big day ahead of me tomorrow...'
"Yeah... didn't say where, though." Spike walked back into the apartment, almost aimlessly, leaving the door wide open. Buffy, for what reason she wasn't sure, followed him in. Spike had sensed her presence, and asked out of the blue, "Would you kill me, Slayer?"
Buffy looked shocked at first, but picked right up again, "You mean now, or if you got on my bad side again?"
Spike ignored her attempted joke, and returned to his subject, "If I were to go bad again... y'know, 'big bad' bad... would you kill me?"
Buffy actually had to stop and think about it, which made Spike blink a few times rapidly. Finally, Buffy answered, "If you threatened my life or the life of my friends, yes."
He nodded, "Alright... what about now? While I'm not a big bad. Am I kill fodder?"
"Spike, what is this about?"
Spike shook his head, "Nevermind, Slayer. If you want to talk to Xander, you'll have to do it at the Watcher's shop tonight."
She nodded sadly, then did a double take, "Spike, did you just call Xander by his first name?"
He glared at her, "Not one word to anybody."
Buffy tried not to laugh as she walked out. In the corner of her eye, she caught him looking at something in his hand. She ignored it and continued her exit.
As she reached the door of the building, a small dog came running up to her. She tried to ignore it, but it snagged the leg of her pants and started tugging. She kicked gently, away from the dog, forcing the little thing to let its grip go. She pushed open the door and exited, but the small animal followed her out. It once again latched onto her pant leg as she walked down the sidewalk.
This time, she kicked at it with a little more force, sending it a few feet away. It yelped, but got right back up and growled at her. She growled right back, and headed back down the sidewalk. She didn't see the dog continue growling for a moment, before tearing off in the other direction, not looking the slightest bit happy...

*CUT TO: The Magic Box. Evening. Research party, G-Man style.*

"Giles... I don't think I could get any more bored if you *physically* drained all the fun out of this room. There isn't much left as it is." Xander whined.
Giles glared, "Oh, and I suppose you'd like me to call a few 'ladies of the night' so we could have a stripping party."
Xander smirked, "Well, if by 'ladies of the night' you mean vamps... I'll take a rain check. But if you mean 'ladies of the night' as in strippers, I'm all for it."
"Xander, this is serious."
"No... *you're* serious. This..." He motioned to the surrounding area, "...this is downright torturous."
Buffy stifled a laugh, before getting semi-serious, "Could please stop Xander?" Her voice was softer than usual. Xander quieted down immediately, much to her surprise.
She couldn't help but steal glances at him now and then. She was just bursting at the seams with a desire to tell him. To run over, kiss him like a madwoman, and declare her love and forgiveness. She had long since forgiven him for the things she *thought* he had done wrong. During one of her glances, their eyes met, and she swore she saw the love in his. She didn't want to get her hopes up. After a short while, filled with glances on her part, Xander finally seemed to snap, "What is it, Buffy? Am I growing a second head? Cause I'd like to be aware of that."
It was her opportunity. She saw it right in front of her, and opened her mouth to speak her mind, finally. But Willow interrupted, "Oooh... I found something." Giles started taking large steps in her direction. All attention went to Willow, including Xander's. The opportunity was gone, "Wait, no... my bad." Giles nearly fell flat on his face coming to a halt. He looked a little mad, but when back to digging through relics.
Buffy sighed, and continued looking through books. The were all surprised when Xander shot up out of his seat declaring, "I, uh, have to get going. There's somewhere I need to be."
Buffy's curiosity got the better of her. She stood up to and asked, "Where would that be?"
Xander looked embarrassed, but admitted anyway, "Umm... a job. I got a job."
Willow perked up, "Ooo, a job! You got a job!" She set her book down, "Where did you get your job?"
He sighed, "I'd love to go into this, Will... but I'm late as it is... I'll talk to you later, alright?" She nodded, and Xander looked to the rest of them, "Anyone else have a problem with that?" Buffy, despite the turmoil inside her, could come up with no good reason. He took their silence as a negative, grabbed his coat, and headed out the door.

*CUT TO: The Magic Box, a short while later. Giles is pacing, while the rest are still reading.*

Giles stopped his pacing, and caught Buffy's attention, "Buffy."
She lifted her head up, "Yes?"
He softened himself at the weariness in her eyes. He walked over and knelt beside her, "I can see the toll this is taking on all of us... I think perhaps you deserve a break of sorts... instead of remaining here with the rest of us... perhaps you could go to Willy's bar and..."
"See what the weasel knows about all this?"
"Yes, I suppose. He may prove to be of worth in this situation."
Buffy put a marker in the book she was looking through and stood up. She grabbed her jacket and made for the door. Riley, as if out of habit, stood up and asked, "Buffy, do you need backup?"
Buffy tried not to look surprised, but she was. It was the first time Riley had volunteered to help her since... since before things got bad. She shook her head, "Against Willy? I think I can handle it myself. Uh, thanks, though."
Riley nodded and sat back down, where he was promptly beaten about the arm by Anya. She looked at him angrily. He tried to block her flailing shots, declaring in his defense, "Hey, I was just trying to be helpful!"

*CUT TO: Buffy, walking towards Willy's bar. She's occupied in her thoughts as she walked.*

'Where did Xander find a job?' She thought absently, 'Does that mean he'll be around us less?' She frowned at the idea. She knew she had to tell him something soon, or else her chances would fly out the window.
She was jarred out of her thoughts as someone slammed into her. She was about to curse at them, when they spoke with slurred speech, "Hey-lo... Shlayer."
It was Spike. A drunken Spike. She didn't quite know how to respond to him, "Uh... Hi, Spike. Tough day? Er, night?"
Spike grinned stupidly, "That's what I like about you, Shlayer... you've got a sense of humor... that, and legs that won't quit." He saw Buffy was within an inch of hitting him, "Hold up, hold up... don't hit the messenger. I'm not the first person to say it, y'know."
"Spike... what is up with you today?"
He shrugged exaggeratedly, "Dunno... just got me a present."
She was getting severely confused, "Well... uh, just get home safely... and stuff. Wouldn't want you to stumble over a white-picket fence or anything."
Spike grinned, again stupidly, throwing his hands over his heart, "Oh Shlayer! How touching! I think you just made my day!"
She looked at him, stifling her urge to laugh, and nodded, "Good to know, Spike."
"Gunnite!" He yelled back as he took off down the street.
"Uh, yeah, good night to you too, Spike."
She stood in front of the door to Willy's, and took a deep breath, before entering. She strutted towards the bar, seeing who she was looking for, and declared, "Willy! Just the person I was looking for. I've got some questions for you."
From behind the bar, Xander shot up abruptly, coming face-to-face with her. Buffy gasped in surprise, as Xander dropped the jar of olives he was holding, smashing it open. Willy yelped, and started screaming obscenities at Xander, as Buffy spoke breathlessly, "Xander? What are you doing here?"
Xander knew he had nowhere to run. He resembled a deer caught in a truck's headlights. He didn't seem to be paying attention to anything Willy said. His stuttering was his only reply.
"This is the job you got? Bartending for Willy?"
Willy jumped in, "Hey, don't say that like it's such a horrible thing."
"Shut up, Willy." Buffy snapped, turning her attention back to Xander, "Why, Xander? How exactly will it benefit you to work here?"
Xander glared, leaning over the bar, "Well, I see we have a new replacement for the vacancy in Tact Girl department. Working here will eliminate the step of us having to *actively* think about going to Willy for answers. Instead, we'll have a direct source. I'll hear what he hears, and I can just bring that to the group."
Buffy was surprised, and rendered speechless. It was actually a very good idea. She just nodded, "Xander... I think we need to talk... could you, um, come to the Bronze? Later?"
He simply nodded. Buffy turned, and walked right out of the building. Xander stared after here for a moment, before turning to Willy, "You heard the will of the Slayer... I'm off to the Bronze... um, later."
"Later? You just friggin' got here!"
"Willy... do I *have* to remind you about the ass-kicking factor?"
Willy went pale, "Fine, whatever Harris. You've cost me enough money already."
Xander smirked, "So I'll see you again tomorrow night?" He hopped over the bar.
Willy jumped up from sweeping behind the bar, "What? No..." Xander was too far-gone for him to be stopped. Willy sighed and went back to cleaning up.

End Part 6b

(Next time... Spike wild ride... sort of. More puzzle pieces...)