Title: Time and Again
Author: Mark Wilson
EMail: aelfh31m@hotmail.com
Rating: PG 13 for violence
Disclaimer: All the BtVS characters do not of course belong to me, but to
Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy etc. I'm just having fun with a bit of a "what
if?" scenario.
Summary: After the events of "Some Assembly Required", things take
a bit of a strange turn for Buffy and the gang, but especially for Cordelia
...
Authors Notes: This is my first attempt at writing a fanfiction and I'm not
the fastest writer in the world, so subsequent chapters may be a little slow
in appearing. Please bear with me and have patience. Still setting the scene,
but future chapters will include femslash romance, so if this is illegal for
you to read, or just not to your taste, you have been warned.
Chapter 1 – The Beginning Again
Restfield Cemetery - September 1997
The two girls stared at each other for a long moment in silence. Buffy was amazed at the change in her – was friend the right word? – Well, classmate anyway. Cordelia had always been poised and confident, but now there was something about the look in her eyes and her stance that said she was also very, very dangerous as well. Then of course, there was the very sharp sword held casually by her side and the long dagger in a silver trimmed black leather sheath strapped to the outside of her left thigh. Those did not exactly project an air of vulnerability.
'Still as stylish as ever, but this is way out of her normal look and since when did her taste in accessories include lethal weapons. Definitely not Vogue here, she looks like she just stepped off the cover of some magazine for Dungeons and Dragons geeks.' Buffy thought to herself. Her eyes flicking up and down Cordelia's toned body as she catalogued the different parts of her ensemble. 'Those tight leather pants are very daring, with the lacings all the way up the outsides of her legs showing generous stretches of perfectly tanned skin. And I really like the belt. Silver links inlaid with some sort of polished black material. Jet? Ebony perhaps? Hmm, pretty whatever it is.' Buffy's eyes lingered for a long moment at Cordelia's waist. 'I haven't seen her expose this much perfectly toned stomach since the cheerleader tryouts. I wonder where she got that top its beautiful, short, silky black material showing just a hint of cleavage outlined in a sort of complicated swirling design of silver embroidery. The silver tipped laces tying the neck closed just naturally draw the eyes down to where the cross belt from her sword sheath presses the material back between firm, shapely breasts…'
'Bad Buffy! I've got to get my mind out of the gutter. I am so not ogling another girl here,' Buffy frowned as she realised where her thoughts were going. 'I like men! Big, strong, muscly men like Angel! Not trim, curvy, soft skinned girls with shiny dark hair that I just want to run my fingers… Arghh, this can not be happening to me.'
For her part, Cordelia was basking in the feeling of being back in Sunnydale once more. Staring at Buffy she finally allowed herself to believe that she had made it home again. She was a little surprised at the intensity of her feelings towards the blonde. If you had asked her the day before, Cordelia would honestly have sworn that Buffy and her friends were just barely tolerated acquaintances. Fellow classmates whom she sometimes helped out of a feeling of obligation for the number of times they had saved her life. But after what she had recently gone through, she had come to realise that they were the closest things to real friends she had in Sunnydale.
The girls were not given the chance to fully process their thoughts before being rudely interrupted by a series of low growls. The remaining vampires had finally shaken off the surprise of seeing their leader cut down so abruptly and begun moving to avenge him.
Cordelia pivoted gracefully to face them, bringing her sword up into a high guard position. 'Damn,' Buffy thought angrily. 'I can't believe I forgot about the rest of the fang gang. I am just so off my game tonight.' She took a step forward and pulled her last stake from the hidden pocket sewn into the back of her jacket. Shoulder to shoulder, they faced the cautiously approaching vampires, sizing up their remaining opponents.
If Cordelia was in any way intimidated by the thought of taking on four virile looking vampires then no sign showed on her face as she flashed a confident grin in Buffy's direction. "Now, this is how I remember Sunnydale. All the boys eager to dance with me."
'I hope Queen C really knows what she's doing. If she's bluffing things could get very messy here,'
"We're still outnumbered here," Buffy said with a hint of exasperation. "And I don't think they're planning to ask us to the prom somehow."
"Well, it's not like any of these losers are good enough for us anyway. Still, it's not quite the welcome home party I've been dreaming of," Cordelia complained.
The vampires were forced to split into pairs to pass either side of the portal which still slowly growing, hung in front of the girls like a gaping wound in the night.
Circling to the far right of the group Nigel had fewer obstacles in his path and so was just a little ahead of his partner in getting into fighting range. Knowing that he would not be facing the Slayer, he expected an easy victory. He dashed forward with claws extended, hoping to close on the brunette before she could bring her sword to bear on him. But a quick flick of its tip towards his face forcing him to stop in his tracks and jump backwards.
Thinking he saw an opportunity while the brunette was occupied with Nigel, the other vampire lunged forward, only to scream in agony as her razor sharp blade sliced across his middle. Clutching at his stomach with both hands trying to prevent his insides from falling out, he staggered backwards away from the fight. Facing her sword alone now, Nigel suddenly found himself feeling a lot less confident and looked nervously across to where his colleagues were fighting the Slayer in the hope of maybe getting some help from them.
His hope was in vain. Buffy had not waited for the two vampires to reach her before launching a barrage of hard fast punches and kicks against first one and then the other. The lighter haired of the two tripped backwards over a tombstone landing gracelessly on his backside, while his companion staggered back wiping blood away from a broken nose and glaring balefully at the approaching blonde Slayer.
"Now this is much more like it," Buffy enthused. "I've been dying for a good slay for ages." Pirouetting gracefully her foot smashed into the jaw of the still standing vampire in a spinning kick that sent him tumbling away from her just as the first vampire regained his feet and charged. Barely pausing, Buffy slammed her foot back at full extension into his stomach, doubling him over in a perfect set up for her to follow through with a powerful uppercut to his chin. Quickly rolling his dazed body over, Buffy plunged her stake down into his unprotected heart.
The other vampire had lurched to his feet and staggered towards her in an attempt to take her from behind while he believed her attention was still engaged in finishing off his colleague. But he was mistaken, and even before the dust had settled, Buffy swivelled on her heel and struck up towards him. His jaw dropped open in surprise and the last thing he saw as he stared down in disbelief was the stake plunged into his chest. Then there was nothing but dust drifting on the light breeze.
'Yeah! That's more like it. Nothing like a successful bit of violence to blow away my frustrations. Maybe now my thoughts will stay with Angel where they belong.'
Nigel was beginning to feel a little worried. The short dagger he carried about with him was useful during the rare run-ins he had with other demon species, but it was just not long enough to reach the brunette beyond the metre plus of shining steel she was wielding with such lethal precision. He was bleeding from dozens of minor cuts where she had managed to slip past his guard and only his superior vampire speed and quick reactions had allowed him to avoid any major injuries so far, but she had come frighteningly close on several occasions. Seeing that the Slayer had finished off her side of the fight, things were looking really bleak for him, especially as he could not expect any help from Johnny. The final vampire was still slumped up against a crypt some distance away moaning pitifully while trying to keep his guts from spilling out through the slice in his belly. His shirt was already soaked by his cold dark blood and it was starting to form a pool on the short cut grass below him.
Watching the calm, almost effortless way Cordelia was herding Nigel around, Buffy decided that she there was no need for her to get involved and she take a breather.
Cordelia's calm was deceptive however, this vampire was just a little too careful to let her get in a decapitating blow and finish him off. Okay she was wearing him down, but she was also aware that it would take just one little slip in her concentration to give him an opening to attack her. Then, out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the portal hanging there, forgotten by all the fights participants and in a flash of inspiration, she realised how it could be used to her advantage.
Slowly turning around Nigel, she manoeuvred until he was directly between the portal and her. Then she suddenly launched a lightening fast barrage of slices and lunges. Finally panicked, the vampire leapt back away from this sword wielding nightmare. Striking the portal edge on, he barely had time for a single scream before the powerful forces holding open the rift in space and time tore him into a billion brightly glowing pieces that swirled once around the perimeter of the portal before disappearing forever.
Letting out a relieved sigh, Cordelia produced a rag from out of her pocket and carefully wiped the sword clean before returning it to the sheath on her back.
'That was amazing.' Buffy thought as she strolled over to join her friend. 'It was almost like she was dancing. Like a professionally choreographed cheerleading routine. Although more dangerous and with blades instead of pompoms…'
Her internal babbling stopped abruptly when Cordelia turned towards her and wrapped the surprised blonde in a tight hug. "God, Buffy. You can't imagine how glad I am to see you again," she said close to tears.
"Jeez, Cordelia. Exaggerate much. You've only been gone a couple of days," the Slayer said, wrapping her arms tightly around her taller friend and trying hard not to let her mind dwell on the feel of the brunette's body pressing up against her. Despite her best intentions she was unable to resist letting her hands rub up and down Cordelia's back. 'Hmm, her skin is just as soft and smooth as I imagined it and what's this,' she paused surprised as her hand encountered a hard object right between Cordelia's shoulder blades. 'Another knife?'
Cordelia pulled back a bit to stare Buffy right in the eyes. "For you maybe, but it's been a lot longer on my side of things."
"Longer?"
"Yes, longer. Come on Buffy, you didn't think I learned to use a sword like that overnight did you? I'm not a slayer you know."
"I hadn't really thought about it," Buffy admitted. "The whole sight of you with a sword was surprising enough that I just didn't consider the implications. So how long have you been gone? And where?"
"Now that is a looong story," Cordelia replied, looking around as if missing something. "And much better told in comfort and to everyone together. It's going to be hard enough to tell once. I really don't want to have to repeat it."
When she caught sight of the Slayer pouting sulkily at her because of the lack of a straight answer, she had to smile. "And don't make those puppy dog eyes at me. Unlike Giles, I am immune."
She laughed as Buffy's pout melted into a scowl of frustration and impulsively hugged her again. Feeling Buffy's initially stiff response melt after a few moments. "Don't worry Buffy," she murmured in the blondes ear. "You won't have long to wait." A momentary confusion clouding her deep hazel eyes, Cordelia asked in a quiet voice, "Eh, what day is today?"
Buffy gave her a strange look. "You really don't know do you?"
"Nope, not the slightest idea."
"Well it's Monday. You disappeared last week."
"Oh!" Cordelia looked nonplussed for a moment. "I really thought it would be longer that that. Never mind, I'll tell everyone about it tomorrow at the library. But just now there's much more important things to think about."
Pulling back in sudden concern, Buffy looked her in the eyes. "What do you mean? What's wrong?"
"Do you know how long it's been since I had a real shower?" Cordelia asked her eyes twinkling merrily as she pasted her most innocent look on her face.
"You, you, you …" Buffy swatted at her arm in mock anger.
"Oww! Be careful Buffy. You forget your own strength sometimes."
"Sorry," Buffy muttered pouting again, "but you had me worried there. That was not funny."
Turning her back on the unrepentantly grinning swordswoman, Buffy stomped over to where the final vampire, Johnny, was still staring down at his blood covered hands and moaning quietly. He glanced up at her approach and snarled defiantly. But Buffy merely stared down unimpressed. "You're really a pretty pathetic excuse for a vampire, you know. One little cut and you curl up crying for your mommy. It's not going to kill you after all. You should be fighting on regardless or at least have tried to escape while we were finishing off your friends. It wouldn't have done you much good of course," she smiled, "but it takes the fun out of slaying when you make it too easy for me." When the vampire just glared at her, she sighed and plunged her stake into the demon's heart put an end to its agony.
'Well that's over now,' she shrugged, feeling oddly let down. 'Trust one lame-ass vamp to really ruin the mood.'
Watching the way the Slayers shoulders hunched in on themselves, Cordelia felt a sudden need to comfort her. Reaching out quietly, she began to gently massage some of the tension out of her friends back and neck.
'Hmmm nice,' Buffy thought as Cordelia's strong talented fingers went to work on the knotted muscles. But the contact did nothing to help her escape the swirling confusion of her thoughts and jumbled emotions. She just did not know why Cordelia was suddenly affecting her this way. It was not like she had never noticed that the other girl was attractive before. She would have had to be blind to miss it. But she had never considered it important. Especially when compared to how annoying the cheerleader could be. 'I'm just missing Angel, that's all. Once I see him again, things will get back to normal. Yes a hard, manly chest against my cheek, that's what I want. Not soft womanly curves melding up against my body while slim fingers…'
Groaning in frustration as her thoughts once again ran away from her, Buffy pulled away from Cordelia's gently kneading fingers.
"Is something the matter Buffy?" Cordelia asked in concern.
"No, nope, nothing wrong. What could be wrong?" Buffy babbled, trying desperately to come up with some way to explain her frown that would be less embarrassing than admitting what she had just been thinking. "Everything's peachy. In the green. A-OK. Top of the world."
"Okay, okay, enough. I get the picture already," Cordelia laughed. "Since when did you start channelling Willow?"
With a flash of inspiration, Buffy saw a safe path to lead the conversation down. It was a bit of a stretch she admitted to herself, but with any luck Cordelia would not question it. "It's been very quiet lately, and now I'm set upon by five, stronger than usual vamps. Well, that last one was a bit of a wimp, but still, doesn't that strike you as a little odd?"
"I don't know Buff. I'm no vamp expert. But why worry. They're dust. We're alive," Cordelia flashed a broad thousand watt smile at the Slayer. "I say we party."
"Cordy, Cordy, Cordy," a new voice sighed with a resigned tone. "When are you going to learn that worrying about the details is what keeps you alive longer?"
Buffy whirled to face the stranger who was stepping through the, now three metre wide, portal, and dropped into a fighting stance. His accent sounded foreign, and although Buffy couldn't quite decide from where, it did seem vaguely familiar.
Cordelia just sighed. "But that's what I've got you for." She paused before turning to look at him with her hands planted firmly on her hips. "What took you so long?" she asked, a hint of annoyance creeping into her voice. "We've been fighting for our lives here."
"I think you must have destabilised the gateway jumping through it while it was so small," he replied shrugging nonchalantly. "It wouldn't let me pass until just now. You really should think before diving into the unknown."
Smiling slightly at the withering stare Cordelia sent in his direction, he dropped the two bundles he was carrying at her feet and stuck out his hand towards the still uncertain blonde. "Hi Buffy. Nice to meet you."
"H-how do you know my name?" the Slayer stuttered in surprise.
"Oh, you get used to that," Cordelia said with a dismissive wave. "He's no one."
"Huh?" Buffy looked back and forward between the two feeling none the wiser.
"Cordelia," he said wearily, giving Buffy an apologetic smile. "She means my name is Nevyn. Which means 'no one' in one of the early Celtic languages." Buffy still looked confused, but shook the offered hand. "Don't worry Buffy. There's a perfectly simple explanation for all of this."
"Hah!" Cordelia scoffed. "Nothing about this whole situation is simple. Now can we save it for the morning please? I'm suddenly feeling very tired and I think I'll skip the party and just go home and take a nice long, hot, shower."
"And how do you plan to get into the house?" Nevyn asked her over his shoulder.
"What do you mean, how do I plan to get in. It's my house."
"Well there's the little matter of your parents being away on vacation and the keys that were taken from you before we first met," he said patiently.
"You know I hate it when you do that!" Cordelia snapped waspishly.
"Do what?" Nevyn asked innocently.
"Remind me of the little things I've overlooked and leave me feeling foolish."
"Like I've told you many times before Cordy. When you pay attention of the little things in life, the big problems tend to sort themselves out."
"Oh please! Spare me the homilies. Since your so smart, how do you suggest I get in?"
"Well that's easy," Nevyn replied grinning mischievously. "You just need to ask Giles to pick the lock for you."
"What?" both girls exclaimed in complete surprise.
"Did you say Giles?" Buffy asked in a tone that suggested she would have been less surprised if he'd told her the Pope was secretly a woman. "We are talking about the same person here? English librarian, a bit stuffy, wears a lot of Tweed suits."
"There's a lot about Giles you don't know," Nevyn continued unruffled. "He wasn't born wearing Tweed you know."
"Well no I guess not," admitted Buffy. "But lock picking?"
Nevyn just smiled.
"Fine!" Cordelia said after a moment. "I know better than to argue with you when you get like this, but have I told you how aggravating it can be?"
"Only about a million times Cordy."
Scowling Cordelia scooped up one of the bundles Nevyn had brought through the portal before turned the full intensity of her glare on him. "Well! What are we waiting for? Let's go to Giles'. I need my beauty sleep."
"Sure Cordy," Nevyn said soothingly, picking up the other bundle. "Lead the way." At her surprised look he said gently, "I've never been to Sunnydale before. Remember?"
"Whatever," she said and began to head for the street.
"Er, guys!" Buffy called after them. "What are we going to do about this portal thingy?"
"Umm," Nevyn stopped a slightly puzzled frown creasing his forehead. "You know I haven't the least idea. In the past, portals have opened, I've stepped through and then they've closed again. It's always been a little annoying that I don't know why or how they open, but I've never really thought too much about it." His frown deepened as he stared at the deep purple boundary that marked the portal. "That's odd in itself. You'd think I would be more concerned about who or what was controlling them. But it's rarely crossed my mind."
"Not quite the answer I was looking for," Buffy said. "I guess we'll just have to guard it until…" She trailed off abruptly as the portal suddenly flared brightly before contracting once more to a glowing slit and disappearing. "Well, that takes care of that I guess," she continued after they shared a moment of stunned silence.
"Good," Cordelia said. "Can we get going now? This bag isn't getting any lighter you know."
Giles' Apartment – a little later
Giles was sitting in his favourite armchair, quietly reading and sipping a fresh cup of tea, when the doorbell rang. A glance at the clock showed it was getting on for midnight. Giles frowned, callers at this hour of the night were never a good sign. Of course it might just be Buffy with some news on the search for Cordelia, although he had a hard time imagining what she would think so urgent that it could not wait until morning.
The doorbell rang again startling Giles as he realised he had just been sitting there woolgathering. Carefully marking his place, Giles set the book down on the coffee table and went to open the door.
As he had suspected it was Buffy, and he was relieved to see that although a little tired, she looked unhurt. He dreaded the times she came to him injured wanting some first-aid for her wounds. Almost as much as he dreaded the thought that one day she might not return at all. Shaking his head at the morbid turn his thoughts seemed determined to take tonight, he turned his attention to the two people with her. Despite the lateness of the hour, Giles had slipped into full Watcher mode as soon as he saw his Slayer in the doorway, and he observed his guests closely from behind his usual mask of mild befuddlement.
The man was a complete stranger, Giles was certain he would know if he had seen him before. Since the man was only his mid to late twenties and of medium height and build, some people might have dismissed him, but one look into the piercing blue, grey eyes showed Giles this was a man to be reckoned with. He was strangely dressed (and heavily armed) to be walking the streets of Sunnydale. Linen trews in a deep navy blue, the seams picked out in bands of white and gold embroidery forming complex knotwork patterns. A matching tight button less silk shirt was tucked into a royal blue sash wrapped around his waist. Add to that the sword strapped to his back, the daggers strapped to his thighs, the red gold hair tied back in a tight ponytail and Giles could not help thinking that he seemed to exude an overall air of competence and the potential for sudden danger.
At first he almost failed to recognise the woman beside him as Cordelia because of the similarly unusual clothing and the hilt of a sword peeking over her right shoulder, but when he did, he smiled broadly. "I see you found her then."
"More like she found me Giles. Now are we going to talk in the doorway all night or can we come in?" Buffy asked a little tetchily. "It's been a long day and I'd really like to get to my bed for at least a few hours sleep before I have to go to school tomorrow."
"Oh, sorry," Giles muttered stepping back out of the way. "Would you like some tea? It's freshly brewed." Years of Watchers training had drilled into him the need to be careful never to explicitly invite anyone into his house even if he knew them, and over time, it had become second nature to him.
Buffy he noticed was limping slightly, probably from some bruising or cuts she had received while out on patrol. As she eased herself down onto the couch, his keen eye also noted that she seemed to be favouring her ribs. Since they did not seem to be bothering her too much, he decided it was probably nothing to worry about. Looking up to where he stood holding the teapot, she shook her head gently declining his offer, while giving him one of the sweet private smiles he had grown to treasure.
"Tea would be nice, thanks," the stranger said and Cordelia nodded in agreement. The soft Welsh accent awakened a momentary pang of homesickness in Giles which he quickly shook off. The smooth, flowing way the man walked across the room reinforced Giles' first impression that this would be a very dangerous person to have as an enemy.
However, it was the graceful, almost catlike way that Cordelia followed him that surprised Giles the most. She had always had a degree of poise and elegance about her and her time on the cheerleading squad had accentuated those qualities. This however was a whole new level and suddenly Giles decided the sword strapped to her back did not seem the least bit out of place. There was definitely something very strange going on here.
"This is my friend and mentor Nevyn," Cordelia said by way of introduction as she settled smoothly onto the couch beside Buffy.
"A pleasure to meet you Mr Giles," Nevyn said, giving Giles' hand a firm, friendly shake before settling into the last remaining space on the couch.
Giles poured out the tea, taking his time over the simple task to let him marshal his thoughts and impressions.
"So," he said finally, setting the teapot aside, "what brings you here tonight."
"I'd say my feet," Buffy quipped, "but it's a little too late for weak puns."
Giles sat down with a sigh while Cordelia rolled her eyes and muttered, "Lame," under her breath.
"Anyways," Buffy said, the pointed look she sent Cordelia suggesting that she would pay her back for that comment later. "I was patrolling in Restfield when I was set upon by this unusually large vampire. Nothing I did had any effect on him, and he eventually got me by the throat and was about to sink his fangs into me when Cordelia suddenly appeared out of a hole in the sky and chopped his head off. We then had a bit of a rumble with four of his friends during which Cordy slices one vamps guts open and uses the portal thingy to blow another one into tiny pieces."
The rapid fire sentences tumbled out of the blonde's mouth with barely a pause for breath.
"Nevyn here came out of the portal just after we'd finished them all off. We had a quick chat during which Cordelia promised to explain where she's been and how she got that sword in the library tomorrow, but that she just wanted to go home and sleep in her own bed tonight."
"And get a real shower," Cordelia pointed out quietly.
"Yes, and get a shower," Buffy repeated, a little annoyed at the interruption. "But Nevyn pointed out to her that she'd lost her keys and her parents were away so it might be a little difficult to get in. She asked him if he had any bright ideas then and he said we should come ask you to pick the lock, so here we are," she finished, smiling brightly at the slightly glazed expression on Giles' face.
"Yes, well, um, interesting," Giles said as he struggled to make sense of the barrage of rapid fire sentences Buffy had just fired his way. "So Cordelia, where have you been that you arrive home via a portal?"
"That's rather a long story Giles. Can we just save it till tomorrow please?"
"Yes, well that would be okay I suppose, but can you not at least give us a quick summary now?"
"Allow me," Nevyn said as Cordelia looked ready to snap at Giles. "After narrowly avoiding being turned into Frankenstein's bride, Cordelia was ambushed on her way home and pushed through a space/time portal. I rescued her a short time later from a nasty bit of trouble she had gotten into."
"That was so not my fault," Cordelia said sullenly.
Ignoring her, Nevyn continued, "We gradually became friends and travelled together for a while after that, while I taught her how to fight and some other useful survival skills. Then tonight we encountered another portal that brought us here to Sunnydale and the rest Buffy has already told you."
As he finished, Nevyn looked up from his cup to see Giles and Buffy staring at him in stunned silence.
After a moment Cordelia set her cup down firmly on the coffee table. "So, Giles are you going to help me break into my house or not?"
Giles took his glasses off and began nervously polishing them. "This is all very unusual," he said finally. "What makes you think I know how to pick locks?"
"Oh, no," Cordelia interjected quickly, as she saw Nevyn open his mouth to answer Giles. "That is not something we are going to discuss tonight. I want to go home, take a shower and go to sleep in my own bed. We are not going to spend several hours talking about the nature of magic, science and the universe in general. Can we not just take it as read, that Nevyn knows some things and leave the explaining till tomorrow?"
"Umm, it is late I suppose," Giles answered hesitantly.
"Giles, does that mean you can pick locks?" Buffy asked.
"Well it's not something I'm very proud of you understand. Misspent youth and all that," he replied with an embarrassed smile.
"My world is crumbling," Buffy moaned dramatically.
"Can we get on with it?" Cordelia asked pointedly. "The nights not getting any younger you know."
Cordelia's House – 15 minutes later
"Well?" Cordelia asked her feet crunching on the gravel as she paced back and forward at the head of the driveway.
Giles was crouched down by the front door, prodding at the lock with a couple of bent pieces of wire. He had come to the conclusion that Cordelia's family's wealth was a bit of a mixed blessing at the moment. On the one hand, the tall walls and hedges, long driveway and numerous trees scattered about the garden, were doing a good job of screening their not quite legal activity from any nosy neighbours or casual passers-by. But on the other hand, they could afford good locks and it had been a long time since he practiced this particular little skill.
"Come on Giles, what's taking so long?"
Of course it might be easier if he could actually concentrate for more than a minute at a time without yet another interruption.
"Cordelia," he said, suppressed anger colouring his tone. "It's been a while since I did this."
"Oh, give me a break. It never takes this long on TV."
"Never takes this long on TV?" an incredulous Giles asked. His struggle to control his temper not being helped by the suppressed laughter coming from Nevyn. Who was watching from a short distance away, leaning nonchalantly against the side of Giles' aging Citroen.
"Yeah, you know, the PI pulls a bobby pin out of his assistant's hair, twiddles it in the lock for a moment and then opens the door. Piece of cake."
"Fine," Giles threw down his picks and stood up. "If it's so easy, you do it."
"What?" Cordelia asked offended. "Do I look like a criminal to you?"
"Enough already!" Buffy said, a pained expression on her face as she watched the two of them squabbling. "We're not getting anywhere, everyone's tired and tempers are fraying. Why not call it quits and I'll kick the door down. We'll be inside in no time."
"Yes, well, as much as I hate to admit defeat," Giles conceded. "This lock is just a little too good and my lock picking skills are just a little too rusty. Brute force is probably our only realistic option." He looked up at the hovering brunette, "Unless you're willing to wait until morning and call out a proper locksmith."
"Fine, whatever! Break the damn thing down. I just want to go to bed."
"Um Cordelia? You do remember the code to turn off the alarm system don't you?" Nevyn asked a little nervously as he suddenly realised they had overlooked a potential problem. "I'd prefer not to spend my first night in Sunnydale in a police cell."
"A little late thinking of that aren't you Nevyn?" Cordelia asked. Her words dripping with false honey. "Isn't that one of those little details you're always telling me I need to keep a better track of?"
"Okay, maybe I left myself open for that one, but I never claimed to be perfect. That's why it's so important that you pay attention to the details as well."
"Well, I guess it's lucky that I do remember the code then, or this whole little jaunt would be for nothing. Go ahead Buffy. Try not to do too much damage."
Waiting just long enough for Giles to step out of the way, Buffy delivered a crashing kick just below the handle. The door flew open and smashed back hard against the adjacent wall, knocking the handset of a wall mounted phone off its rest and crashing to the floor.
Cordelia strode through the door and confidently tapped a string of numbers into the control box on the wall, stilling the alarm before the entry countdown had barely begun.
Picking the phone up, Cordelia examined the door and frame. "It coulda been worse I suppose. But I'm going to need to get it fixed before my parents return. Well thank you Buffy, Giles I'll see you tomorrow then."
Cordelia's casual dismissal did not come as much of a surprise to Giles, but he noticed that Buffy looked a little hurt by it. Gently placing a hand on his charge's shoulder he asked her if she wanted a lift home. He thought for a moment that she had not heard him, but then she seemed to give herself a little shake and turned to look up at him with a tired smile.
"No, thanks Giles. One trip in your car a night is enough for me. Besides, I can probably get home quicker from here if I cut across the park."
"I'll have you know my car is perfectly serviceable," Giles huffed.
"Yeah, yeah. It's the rust that helps hold it together. Night Giles." Without waiting to see if he would reply, Buffy trotted off down the driveway.
Looking around Giles saw that Nevyn and Cordelia had already disappeared inside the Chase house. Time for him to go as well. Tomorrow looked like it was going to be an interesting day.
TBC