Title: Of Demons and Souls, Chapter Five: The truth will set you free
Author: AriellaGiselle
Rating: R, for violence, bloodletting, m/m overtones, adult content, language, and major angst.
Pairings: Darien/Bobby, Darien/Spike, Spike/Willow
Distribution: My site, Fanfiction.net, IMFanfic, Bite me... Please?, QSArchive, and NeonSilence. Anyone else, just ask.
Spoilers: I don't think there are any.
Time-line: Post-In the Woods, Pre-Crush; Post-Den of Theives. They don't line up, but we don't see me caring, do we? ;-)
Summary: Darien and Bobby visit Sunnydale with dire consequences for them both.
Author's Notes: This is an AU storie. It's a crossover between Buffy the Vampire Slayer and The Invisible Man. In my universe, Spike never had the chip, and Tara isn't Willow's girlfriend. Even if you don't follow Buffy, you should be able to follow this. Spike is a vampire, Willow is a witch, Buffy is the Slayer (duh!).
Disclaimer: I own nothing, except the plot. Buffy the Vampire Slayer belongs to the mighty Joss and Kuzui/Sandollar. The Invisible Man belongs to Scifi and Stu Segall.
{*}{*}{*}{*}{*}{*}{*}{*}{*}{*}{*}{*}{*}{*}{*}{*}{*}{*}{*}{*}{*}{*}{*}
Claire woke with a start. She bolted upright, only to be floored by a pounding deep in her brain. Falling back to the pillow on the hotel bed, she felt a stinging in her eyes. She grabbed the box of cheap Kleenex on the bedside table and wiped at the tears.
"It's true," she whispered, sobbing, "he's gone."
She stood slowly and walked to the bathroom to wash her face. Sunlight pouring in through the open window caught her attention, and she walked out onto the terrace. The warmth felt wonderful on her cool skin.
"I'm human," she said aloud. Laughter bubbled up in her soul, and she cackled insanely at the sun. Joy followed by tears for her lost friends. She flung herself onto the bed and sobbed. She regretted not spending more time with Darien. She regretted spurning Bobby's advances. "Why didn't I just have dinner with him once?!" she cried, "What would it have bloody hurt?!"
Once again pulling herself together, she finally made it to the bathroom. She turned on the hot water and splashed her face repeatedly, trying to wash away the evidence of her sorrow.
*****
"They're dead, sir," she repeated for the fourth time.
"How, Claire?" The Official asked.
"They were attacked outside of a local club," she reported.
"Well," he began, "bring their remains in for a proper burial."
"I can't, sir."
"Why not?"
"The remains have disappeared."
"What do you mean disappeared?"
"Well, sir, if you'd stayed in Sunnydale for longer than two minutes, you would know why," she snapped.
"Claire," his voice was a warning.
"I'm sorry, sir, but I've promised to keep it a secret. All I can tell you is to forget about the gland. You won't be getting it back," she said, her voice breaking. "Consider my resignation already on your desk."
Silence on the other end told her that he wouldn't accept this. 'Too bad,' she thought, 'he'll just have to deal with it.'
"I'm staying here in Sunnydale," she continued, "I want nothing to do with The Agency anymore. It killed them, and I hate it."
"You'll have to be debriefed," he finally replied.
"No, I will never divulge anything I know about the QS9300 project or its demise. Leave it at that, sir."
"Goodbye, Claire. I wish you well if this is truly what you want."
"It is, sir. And thank you." She closed the cell phone and tossed it on the bed. It would be dark in two hours, and she had work to do.
*****
Claire scrubbed her eyes wearily and glanced at the clock. 'Rupert is a difficult man to trace,' she thought.
She had been sitting at her computer for an hour and a half when she finally found an address for Rupert Giles in the strangest database she'd ever seen. The Watchers' Council seemed to be the most secure mainframe she'd ever hacked into. Granted, that didn't mean much since she was just an ameteur hacker.
While perusing the files, she'd found the current address for the disavowed Watcher. He'd quit approximately two years ago under extinuating circumstances and had been estranged from the Council ever since, so the file said.
Closing the laptop, she stood and stretched. "If I can get to Rupert and tell him my situation, maybe he can help."
She grabbed the keys to her rental car and locked the door behind her.
*****
"Rupert Giles?" Claire asked the handsome man who came to the door timidly.
"Yes? May I help you, miss?"
"Peyton. Claire Peyton," she offered her hand. He shook and motioned for her to come inside.
She looked around the wonderfully furnished apartment and turned to face Rupert.
"Mr. Giles," she began, "I've got a situation that I need a bit of your help with. I don't understand it, but I need to in order to make it right again."
"My help, Miss Peyton? I don't possibly..."
"Dr. Peyton, please. And yes, your help. My Kept and his partner were recently killed and turned. I want to know what you know about vampires."
"Vampires, Doctor, are myths. No more real than the Greek Gods and Goddesses. I don't see how I can help you," Giles lied.
"Don't lie to me, Mr. Giles. I know that you once were a member in good standing of the Watchers' Council of England, and I know that you still work closely with the Slayer. Now, you can help me, or I can go find the Slayer and ask her," Claire challenged.
Giles took off his glasses, pinched the bridge of his nose, and replaced the glasses. He shook his head. "I can't help you, Doctor. Even if I am no longer with the Council, I still took the oath."
"I'm not asking you for privleged information. I'm asking about vampires in general," Claire paused, "Please, Mr. Giles. I need to make this right. To keep a promise from long ago."
Giles sighed and repeated the bridge pinching ritual that was so common for him. "Fine. Tell me the deal."
*****
Claire sipped her tea and stared at Rupert. "So, what do you think?"
"He didn't want to drink?" Giles asked.
"No. I forced him to. He could've killed me, I know. But as a scientist, I needed proof," she responded.
"You're damn lucky he didn't kill you, Dr. Peyton."
"Claire."
"What?"
"My name is Claire."
"Ok, Claire."
"Ok, Rupert."
"So, why do you need my help again?"
"I want to make sure your Slayer doesn't harm Darien or Bobby. I still care deeply for them, even if they are evil now."
"I can't make Buffy follow orders. I never have been able to. But if Darien's retained some part of his humanity, he could be spared. I can't promise you anything, Claire."
"I know, Rupert. Can you call her?"
"Who? Buffy?"
"Yes, I want to meet her."
"All right. I shall call Willow and Spike, too. They'll get Xander and Anya here. We can talk to everyone at once," Giles said, standing up and walking to the desk where the phone sat.
"Good. Maybe I can still help them now," Claire whispered, trying not to cry again.
*****
end part five
Author: AriellaGiselle
Rating: R, for violence, bloodletting, m/m overtones, adult content, language, and major angst.
Pairings: Darien/Bobby, Darien/Spike, Spike/Willow
Distribution: My site, Fanfiction.net, IMFanfic, Bite me... Please?, QSArchive, and NeonSilence. Anyone else, just ask.
Spoilers: I don't think there are any.
Time-line: Post-In the Woods, Pre-Crush; Post-Den of Theives. They don't line up, but we don't see me caring, do we? ;-)
Summary: Darien and Bobby visit Sunnydale with dire consequences for them both.
Author's Notes: This is an AU storie. It's a crossover between Buffy the Vampire Slayer and The Invisible Man. In my universe, Spike never had the chip, and Tara isn't Willow's girlfriend. Even if you don't follow Buffy, you should be able to follow this. Spike is a vampire, Willow is a witch, Buffy is the Slayer (duh!).
Disclaimer: I own nothing, except the plot. Buffy the Vampire Slayer belongs to the mighty Joss and Kuzui/Sandollar. The Invisible Man belongs to Scifi and Stu Segall.
{*}{*}{*}{*}{*}{*}{*}{*}{*}{*}{*}{*}{*}{*}{*}{*}{*}{*}{*}{*}{*}{*}{*}
Claire woke with a start. She bolted upright, only to be floored by a pounding deep in her brain. Falling back to the pillow on the hotel bed, she felt a stinging in her eyes. She grabbed the box of cheap Kleenex on the bedside table and wiped at the tears.
"It's true," she whispered, sobbing, "he's gone."
She stood slowly and walked to the bathroom to wash her face. Sunlight pouring in through the open window caught her attention, and she walked out onto the terrace. The warmth felt wonderful on her cool skin.
"I'm human," she said aloud. Laughter bubbled up in her soul, and she cackled insanely at the sun. Joy followed by tears for her lost friends. She flung herself onto the bed and sobbed. She regretted not spending more time with Darien. She regretted spurning Bobby's advances. "Why didn't I just have dinner with him once?!" she cried, "What would it have bloody hurt?!"
Once again pulling herself together, she finally made it to the bathroom. She turned on the hot water and splashed her face repeatedly, trying to wash away the evidence of her sorrow.
*****
"They're dead, sir," she repeated for the fourth time.
"How, Claire?" The Official asked.
"They were attacked outside of a local club," she reported.
"Well," he began, "bring their remains in for a proper burial."
"I can't, sir."
"Why not?"
"The remains have disappeared."
"What do you mean disappeared?"
"Well, sir, if you'd stayed in Sunnydale for longer than two minutes, you would know why," she snapped.
"Claire," his voice was a warning.
"I'm sorry, sir, but I've promised to keep it a secret. All I can tell you is to forget about the gland. You won't be getting it back," she said, her voice breaking. "Consider my resignation already on your desk."
Silence on the other end told her that he wouldn't accept this. 'Too bad,' she thought, 'he'll just have to deal with it.'
"I'm staying here in Sunnydale," she continued, "I want nothing to do with The Agency anymore. It killed them, and I hate it."
"You'll have to be debriefed," he finally replied.
"No, I will never divulge anything I know about the QS9300 project or its demise. Leave it at that, sir."
"Goodbye, Claire. I wish you well if this is truly what you want."
"It is, sir. And thank you." She closed the cell phone and tossed it on the bed. It would be dark in two hours, and she had work to do.
*****
Claire scrubbed her eyes wearily and glanced at the clock. 'Rupert is a difficult man to trace,' she thought.
She had been sitting at her computer for an hour and a half when she finally found an address for Rupert Giles in the strangest database she'd ever seen. The Watchers' Council seemed to be the most secure mainframe she'd ever hacked into. Granted, that didn't mean much since she was just an ameteur hacker.
While perusing the files, she'd found the current address for the disavowed Watcher. He'd quit approximately two years ago under extinuating circumstances and had been estranged from the Council ever since, so the file said.
Closing the laptop, she stood and stretched. "If I can get to Rupert and tell him my situation, maybe he can help."
She grabbed the keys to her rental car and locked the door behind her.
*****
"Rupert Giles?" Claire asked the handsome man who came to the door timidly.
"Yes? May I help you, miss?"
"Peyton. Claire Peyton," she offered her hand. He shook and motioned for her to come inside.
She looked around the wonderfully furnished apartment and turned to face Rupert.
"Mr. Giles," she began, "I've got a situation that I need a bit of your help with. I don't understand it, but I need to in order to make it right again."
"My help, Miss Peyton? I don't possibly..."
"Dr. Peyton, please. And yes, your help. My Kept and his partner were recently killed and turned. I want to know what you know about vampires."
"Vampires, Doctor, are myths. No more real than the Greek Gods and Goddesses. I don't see how I can help you," Giles lied.
"Don't lie to me, Mr. Giles. I know that you once were a member in good standing of the Watchers' Council of England, and I know that you still work closely with the Slayer. Now, you can help me, or I can go find the Slayer and ask her," Claire challenged.
Giles took off his glasses, pinched the bridge of his nose, and replaced the glasses. He shook his head. "I can't help you, Doctor. Even if I am no longer with the Council, I still took the oath."
"I'm not asking you for privleged information. I'm asking about vampires in general," Claire paused, "Please, Mr. Giles. I need to make this right. To keep a promise from long ago."
Giles sighed and repeated the bridge pinching ritual that was so common for him. "Fine. Tell me the deal."
*****
Claire sipped her tea and stared at Rupert. "So, what do you think?"
"He didn't want to drink?" Giles asked.
"No. I forced him to. He could've killed me, I know. But as a scientist, I needed proof," she responded.
"You're damn lucky he didn't kill you, Dr. Peyton."
"Claire."
"What?"
"My name is Claire."
"Ok, Claire."
"Ok, Rupert."
"So, why do you need my help again?"
"I want to make sure your Slayer doesn't harm Darien or Bobby. I still care deeply for them, even if they are evil now."
"I can't make Buffy follow orders. I never have been able to. But if Darien's retained some part of his humanity, he could be spared. I can't promise you anything, Claire."
"I know, Rupert. Can you call her?"
"Who? Buffy?"
"Yes, I want to meet her."
"All right. I shall call Willow and Spike, too. They'll get Xander and Anya here. We can talk to everyone at once," Giles said, standing up and walking to the desk where the phone sat.
"Good. Maybe I can still help them now," Claire whispered, trying not to cry again.
*****
end part five
