Title: Of Demons and Souls, Chapter Seven: All the fun of the fair
Author: AriellaGiselle
Spoilers: a tiny reference to "Family" (Buffy: Season 5)
*****************
Claire's breath caught in her throat as she stared at her former colleagues. They were laughing and talking and joking, just like she remembered. "Bobby..." she rasped, fighting back tears.
"Claire." He looked at her, unsure of the woman's presence. "What are you doing here?"
"I'm looking for you," was the whispered reply. She ran to him, throwing her arms around his neck, holding him to her tightly.
Darien turned his head away, still feeling such a strong connection to his Keeper. Her blood called to him; he had to fight, ignore it.
A low growl emanating from Bobby's chest broke the tenuous silence. Darien glanced back to see Bobby pushing the blonde strands away from Claire's neck, revealing the healing wounds from Darien's bite. "Who?" Bobby hissed. Claire's blue eyes locked with Darien's soft brown ones, and Bobby gaped at them both. "Why, Fawkes?"
"Hey, Bobby, I made him. I forced him," interjected Claire, drawing his attention to her. He just stared at her in curiosity.
"Why?"
"I'm a scientist, remember?"
"This is Bobby?" Buffy asked, interrupting the reunion.
Claire composed herself and faced the Slayerettes. "Yes, this is Bobby. Bobby, I'm sure you know everyone."
"Got an idea," he groused, glaring daggers at Buffy.
"Down boy," Willow said in an authoritative tone, almost unnatural coming from the girl. "She's not going to introduce you to Mr. Pointy."
"Bobby, I've talked with Buffy about you. She's already agreed with Willow not to harm you or Darien," Claire reassured him. She looked at him, noticing his change in demeanor, as well as his not quite subtle gazes at his partner. She marked his behavior as a check in her mental list of "Not Bobby."
Finally, he broke eye contact with Buffy to flash a disarming, deceptive smile at Claire. Nodding, he moved closer to Darien, not losing his charming facial expression for a second.
The humans and vampires stood in an uncomfortable silence for what could have been hours, assessing each other, making notes on available weapons and weaknesses, should the need arise. The silence was shattered as the sound of car doors slamming floated into the shop.
The bell above the door rang, and The Official made his entrance.
*****
Bobby's gameface slid over his human face, Darien's quickly following suit.
"What are you doing here?" Bobby used his supernatural strength and speed to pin the fat man to the nearest wall. "You got us killed, you bastard."
Spike's hand came to rest on his partner's shoulder, gently easing him off of the shocked man. "Easy there, mate. Take it easy." Bobby pivoted his head to glare at Spike. Deep brown eyes met ice blue ones in an unspoken conversation. A moment passed before Bobby released his capture.
The Official was immediately attended to by Eberts, who had joined the scene seconds after Bobby's attack. "Are you all right, sir?"
"Fine," The Official mumbled. "What the hell is your problem, Hobbes? Claire, I thought you said they were dead."
"They are, sir. No pulse, no breath, they don't live, sir."
"They're standing here. Talking, walking, attacking. They seem to be alive to me," Eberts said.
"Whoa, sarcasm. Did you hurt yourself there, little buddy?" Darien joked, at the same time snarling at The Official.
"Wha... I must be seeing things, Claire," The Official commented, gesturing to Darien and Bobby's faces. "What is going on here?" he demanded.
"That's none of your business anymore," Bobby spat. He whirled around, walking to stand beside Spike. "I'm not taking orders from you anymore, fat man. That goes for Fawkes, too."
The Offical turned his icy glare on Darien, raising his eyebrows. The ex-theif smiled, and almost as if prompted by some outside force, both sets of vampire features melted into human as Darien and Bobby smiled the same simple, sinful smile. Fawkes took a place at Claire's side and a stance of rebellion.
"You should leave," Buffy stated, flanking Claire's right side, "before this mess gets worse."
"Who are you to tell me what to do?" The Official snapped.
"I'm the one who keeps this place in order, and I won't have you tearing that down." She held the older man's eyes, letting him know that she meant what she said.
"This is my establishment, sir. I have to ask you to leave, before I phone the police," Giles said, joining the front line in the war of words.
"We'll be back soon." With that, The Official and Eberts were gone. But not before Claire caught Eberts eye and the regretful gleam hiding there.
"T-talk about y-your deja vu..." Tara muttered, not looking up from her book.
*****
end part 7
Author: AriellaGiselle
Spoilers: a tiny reference to "Family" (Buffy: Season 5)
*****************
Claire's breath caught in her throat as she stared at her former colleagues. They were laughing and talking and joking, just like she remembered. "Bobby..." she rasped, fighting back tears.
"Claire." He looked at her, unsure of the woman's presence. "What are you doing here?"
"I'm looking for you," was the whispered reply. She ran to him, throwing her arms around his neck, holding him to her tightly.
Darien turned his head away, still feeling such a strong connection to his Keeper. Her blood called to him; he had to fight, ignore it.
A low growl emanating from Bobby's chest broke the tenuous silence. Darien glanced back to see Bobby pushing the blonde strands away from Claire's neck, revealing the healing wounds from Darien's bite. "Who?" Bobby hissed. Claire's blue eyes locked with Darien's soft brown ones, and Bobby gaped at them both. "Why, Fawkes?"
"Hey, Bobby, I made him. I forced him," interjected Claire, drawing his attention to her. He just stared at her in curiosity.
"Why?"
"I'm a scientist, remember?"
"This is Bobby?" Buffy asked, interrupting the reunion.
Claire composed herself and faced the Slayerettes. "Yes, this is Bobby. Bobby, I'm sure you know everyone."
"Got an idea," he groused, glaring daggers at Buffy.
"Down boy," Willow said in an authoritative tone, almost unnatural coming from the girl. "She's not going to introduce you to Mr. Pointy."
"Bobby, I've talked with Buffy about you. She's already agreed with Willow not to harm you or Darien," Claire reassured him. She looked at him, noticing his change in demeanor, as well as his not quite subtle gazes at his partner. She marked his behavior as a check in her mental list of "Not Bobby."
Finally, he broke eye contact with Buffy to flash a disarming, deceptive smile at Claire. Nodding, he moved closer to Darien, not losing his charming facial expression for a second.
The humans and vampires stood in an uncomfortable silence for what could have been hours, assessing each other, making notes on available weapons and weaknesses, should the need arise. The silence was shattered as the sound of car doors slamming floated into the shop.
The bell above the door rang, and The Official made his entrance.
*****
Bobby's gameface slid over his human face, Darien's quickly following suit.
"What are you doing here?" Bobby used his supernatural strength and speed to pin the fat man to the nearest wall. "You got us killed, you bastard."
Spike's hand came to rest on his partner's shoulder, gently easing him off of the shocked man. "Easy there, mate. Take it easy." Bobby pivoted his head to glare at Spike. Deep brown eyes met ice blue ones in an unspoken conversation. A moment passed before Bobby released his capture.
The Official was immediately attended to by Eberts, who had joined the scene seconds after Bobby's attack. "Are you all right, sir?"
"Fine," The Official mumbled. "What the hell is your problem, Hobbes? Claire, I thought you said they were dead."
"They are, sir. No pulse, no breath, they don't live, sir."
"They're standing here. Talking, walking, attacking. They seem to be alive to me," Eberts said.
"Whoa, sarcasm. Did you hurt yourself there, little buddy?" Darien joked, at the same time snarling at The Official.
"Wha... I must be seeing things, Claire," The Official commented, gesturing to Darien and Bobby's faces. "What is going on here?" he demanded.
"That's none of your business anymore," Bobby spat. He whirled around, walking to stand beside Spike. "I'm not taking orders from you anymore, fat man. That goes for Fawkes, too."
The Offical turned his icy glare on Darien, raising his eyebrows. The ex-theif smiled, and almost as if prompted by some outside force, both sets of vampire features melted into human as Darien and Bobby smiled the same simple, sinful smile. Fawkes took a place at Claire's side and a stance of rebellion.
"You should leave," Buffy stated, flanking Claire's right side, "before this mess gets worse."
"Who are you to tell me what to do?" The Official snapped.
"I'm the one who keeps this place in order, and I won't have you tearing that down." She held the older man's eyes, letting him know that she meant what she said.
"This is my establishment, sir. I have to ask you to leave, before I phone the police," Giles said, joining the front line in the war of words.
"We'll be back soon." With that, The Official and Eberts were gone. But not before Claire caught Eberts eye and the regretful gleam hiding there.
"T-talk about y-your deja vu..." Tara muttered, not looking up from her book.
*****
end part 7
