Disclaimer, etc: Check the first chapter.
After dropping Dawn off at home, Elizabeth drove around aimlessly, with no destination in mind. She debated going to the Magic Box to see if anyone was still there; however, since Buffy met Dawn at the door she decided that they had either gone home or would be completing some last minute work.
Liz recalled the look upon Buffy's face as Dawn had walked through the doorway. Clearly, whatever she had steered herself to see before putting herself under the effects of the spell was not enough, because the look on her face said it all; she actually seemed pained to see Dawn's true aura. Liz didn't know whether Dawn saw the look or not, but she had a feeling that she might get a call from the younger Summers later to stay over until they were finished with what they were doing.
She went back to trying to figure out what to do, tapping her fingers on the
The Bronze was ruled out, as was the new club, Haze; while she felt like dancing, she knew that with all the walking around she had done today she only had an hour or two left on her watch, and she wanted to avoid a repeat of last time. She could go and see Spike; however, that would involve lengthy explanations for things she wanted to forget about her life; and going home would result in another episode with Kyle and Adam, both of whom were more than displeased with her for not only not informing them that she had been fighting, but knowing that Spike had been there when she had. The three men had argued all morning, and Elizabeth was sure many times that Spike would slip.
But he never did.
However, out of all the choices before her, she would rather face Kyle and Adam than anyone else, so she turned the car around and headed for home. Pulling into the driveway, she saw the familiar glow of the television, its dull light penetrating the windows but failing to make a lasting impression on the world around it.
So they're home, she thought to herself, and she walked cautiously towards the door. Ever since Michael's death, they had been even more protective then usual. She understood; they were afraid of losing her, or each other, and so she put up with it; but it was wearing on her nerves. It gave them a false sense of power, she knew, and she was troubled that it might go to their head.
She walked into the foyer and towards the living room. Adam was sitting there, Kyle having gone to bed long ago in a drunken stupor. Hearing the door, he turned and winced at the sight of her. She recognized that look as one she had seen not a few minutes earlier.
"So I guess you two lost the fight, hmm?" she said carefully, putting her keys down on the counter. Adam, shutting his eyes, nodded.
"You took the spell off."
"Well Adam, what do you want me to do? That thing was zapping my energy all day."
He looked at her with a strained effort. "Could you please put it back on? It's just. . .way too bright."
She sighed, and running one hand through her hair, looked in the mirror and recited a series of words. Feeling weak, she looked at her watch. It now read that she only had a half hour. Sighing again, she sat down on the couch next to Adam. He turned to her.
"I'm sorry about this morning" he said. She nodded mutely, picking up the remote and changing the channel.
"We only want what's best for you" he continued, still looking at her. She stared straight ahead, not moving her eyes away from the screen.
He put a hand on her shoulder gently.
"Are you sure you don't want to pack up and go? We could be ready in a few hours. It isn't worth this; you know that."
She continued to stare past him. He sighed angrily.
"You know" he said, his voice low and hard, cutting the still air between them, "if you had really wanted to tell them you wouldn't be trying to hide. You wouldn't bother doing this; you'd just tell them. You already know what their reaction will be. So either stop putting it off or let's get the hell out of this dump!" He got up and stomped up the stairs.
Elizabeth stared at the screen for a few moments longer. It was only when she heard the bedroom door click shut that she curled up on the couch and cried herself to sleep.
Meanwhile, nine creatures positioned themselves strategically around Sunnydale; two at the Magic Box, two at the Summers' home, one in the cemetery by Spike's crypt, and four around Elizabeth's house.
They waited for their orders.
(A/N: I am trying to update as much as possible and am hoping to have at least 4 or 5 chapters done by the end of the weekend. Please, PLEASE review! I need reviews. Thanks to all who already have; and I hope to continue this fanfic to the fullest extent that I can.)
After dropping Dawn off at home, Elizabeth drove around aimlessly, with no destination in mind. She debated going to the Magic Box to see if anyone was still there; however, since Buffy met Dawn at the door she decided that they had either gone home or would be completing some last minute work.
Liz recalled the look upon Buffy's face as Dawn had walked through the doorway. Clearly, whatever she had steered herself to see before putting herself under the effects of the spell was not enough, because the look on her face said it all; she actually seemed pained to see Dawn's true aura. Liz didn't know whether Dawn saw the look or not, but she had a feeling that she might get a call from the younger Summers later to stay over until they were finished with what they were doing.
She went back to trying to figure out what to do, tapping her fingers on the
The Bronze was ruled out, as was the new club, Haze; while she felt like dancing, she knew that with all the walking around she had done today she only had an hour or two left on her watch, and she wanted to avoid a repeat of last time. She could go and see Spike; however, that would involve lengthy explanations for things she wanted to forget about her life; and going home would result in another episode with Kyle and Adam, both of whom were more than displeased with her for not only not informing them that she had been fighting, but knowing that Spike had been there when she had. The three men had argued all morning, and Elizabeth was sure many times that Spike would slip.
But he never did.
However, out of all the choices before her, she would rather face Kyle and Adam than anyone else, so she turned the car around and headed for home. Pulling into the driveway, she saw the familiar glow of the television, its dull light penetrating the windows but failing to make a lasting impression on the world around it.
So they're home, she thought to herself, and she walked cautiously towards the door. Ever since Michael's death, they had been even more protective then usual. She understood; they were afraid of losing her, or each other, and so she put up with it; but it was wearing on her nerves. It gave them a false sense of power, she knew, and she was troubled that it might go to their head.
She walked into the foyer and towards the living room. Adam was sitting there, Kyle having gone to bed long ago in a drunken stupor. Hearing the door, he turned and winced at the sight of her. She recognized that look as one she had seen not a few minutes earlier.
"So I guess you two lost the fight, hmm?" she said carefully, putting her keys down on the counter. Adam, shutting his eyes, nodded.
"You took the spell off."
"Well Adam, what do you want me to do? That thing was zapping my energy all day."
He looked at her with a strained effort. "Could you please put it back on? It's just. . .way too bright."
She sighed, and running one hand through her hair, looked in the mirror and recited a series of words. Feeling weak, she looked at her watch. It now read that she only had a half hour. Sighing again, she sat down on the couch next to Adam. He turned to her.
"I'm sorry about this morning" he said. She nodded mutely, picking up the remote and changing the channel.
"We only want what's best for you" he continued, still looking at her. She stared straight ahead, not moving her eyes away from the screen.
He put a hand on her shoulder gently.
"Are you sure you don't want to pack up and go? We could be ready in a few hours. It isn't worth this; you know that."
She continued to stare past him. He sighed angrily.
"You know" he said, his voice low and hard, cutting the still air between them, "if you had really wanted to tell them you wouldn't be trying to hide. You wouldn't bother doing this; you'd just tell them. You already know what their reaction will be. So either stop putting it off or let's get the hell out of this dump!" He got up and stomped up the stairs.
Elizabeth stared at the screen for a few moments longer. It was only when she heard the bedroom door click shut that she curled up on the couch and cried herself to sleep.
Meanwhile, nine creatures positioned themselves strategically around Sunnydale; two at the Magic Box, two at the Summers' home, one in the cemetery by Spike's crypt, and four around Elizabeth's house.
They waited for their orders.
(A/N: I am trying to update as much as possible and am hoping to have at least 4 or 5 chapters done by the end of the weekend. Please, PLEASE review! I need reviews. Thanks to all who already have; and I hope to continue this fanfic to the fullest extent that I can.)