A/N lol: you guys crack me up. Giles new acceptance of technology was just a throw away bit to show the fact that the gang may not be winning the war, yet you all commented on it. I'm glad that you guys like the little things. And yes Dawn is indeed the slayer after Faith. I wanted to post this halfway through to give you all a tingly little cliffhanger. However I am in a generous mood because you guys rock with all the support for this story. So here is a little reward - a longer chapter.
PS - Blame the extreme detail about season two on the fact that I was just bought the DVD. I have more detail than I know what to do with. Just pray I don't have Buffy ice-skating. Haha. Wait I am a nerd, no one probably knows what I am talking about. Oh well. On with the story.
***
Oz had taken Dawn upstairs to where her room was. Giles and Buffy sat alone in the living room of his house. The sun's rays slanted over the books. It almost felt like the library.
"Giles what happened to my mother?" Buffy asked quietly.
Giles took off his glasses, "Buffy I don't know how to say this, but your mother died awhile ago. There was a tumor…"
Buffy held up her hand, "I know all of this. I was just hoping."
Giles looked down at her tearing eyes, "I'm sorry."
"It's okay I lost her a long time ago. I just wish she didn't have to die alone," Buffy muttered.
Giles smiled faintly, "She didn't die alone. After Acathala when Jenny died your mother was very supportive. We became very close. We were very good friends."
Buffy looked at him through narrowed eyes, "You two weren't anything more than friends were you. There wasn't anything with candy and a cop car."
Giles looked down at her with wide eyes, "That was just the candy. We were just friends. Let us never speak of this again."
"Ewww Giles," Buffy groaned and then muttered to herself, "Of course that would be the same. Eww."
There was an uncomfortable silence and then the door opened, "Giles you better have a good reason for getting us up at the crack of noon."
Willow poked Xander, "One of us was sleeping the other was listening to snoring."
The two entered the room and Buffy slowly turned around.
They looked exactly the same. Xander's hair was a bit shorter and Willow's was a little less red, but they stood there looking the same.
The pair looked at Giles. Giles gave a nod. Willow looked at Xander and smiled.
"Well look what we have here."
Xander looked at Buffy and squinted, "I don't know the Buffy I remember had bigger bo…."
Xander's speech was cut off by a sharp jab to his rib cage.
He immediately put his arms around her.
"So Buffster," Xander said with his chin resting on Willow's head, "You're back from the dead. How ya feeling?"
Buffy flashed him a huge smile, "I feel good. I think I'm going to clean up this town, kill a little Annoying One, fix Dawn."
Willow nodded, "Oh that is good. Need help?"
Buffy giggled and jumped up and hugged her friends. This Willow was whole. She had seen the dark side of life, but not of herself. This Xander looked so comfortable and happy to be in a relationship. She loved them no matter what, but she was happy that they were so alive.
There were many hugs to be had. Willow talked continuously. Xander added to what she was saying. It was a big mess and Buffy loved it. Giles began to explain what she was doing alive again, and what had happened with her death.
"Wait," Buffy said in the middle of his speech, "We need to do something now, before nightfall."
"Oh goodie," Willow said.
Xander nodded his head in approval then suddenly looked alarmed, "Please tell me this won't involve books. I've had enough books."
Buffy shook her head, "No, there is a crypt where some guy was excommunicated and sent to Sunnydale. Let me think…his name is duLac. I need the two of you to go and get a gold cross that was entombed with him."
Xander made a face, "Breaking into crypts, hmmm, only slightly better than books."
Willow looked up at him, "But we get to do vandalism. Giles never lets us do vandalism."
Buffy gave them instructions on where to go and what to find.
"A-ok," Xander said on his way out of the door, "I'll call Giles if there is a problem."
When they left Buffy turned to Giles, "Step one in process, we can begin step two. Giles I need to tell you some things."
Buffy told Giles about Spike and Drusilla. She informed him on her theory that they were there to make Drusilla better. She explained the ritual.
"You believe this is why they are here this time?" Giles asked.
Buffy nodded, "I don't know how to explain it. It is like I understand the rules that I came back with. Some of what I went through was…what is that thingy that stands for something else?"
"A metaphor or symbolism."
"Yeah, well some of what I went through was symbolism. However I know certain things. There are certain things that I am sure are the same. The big things like Acathala, and the Accession happened in both places. I think that this is the same. In fact I'm sure."
Giles smiled, "We have our own oracle. This can be very good."
"Don't give me too much credit yet. We still have one other thing to do."
"And that is?"
"We need to find a book by the guy duLac."
Giles went to his basement and Buffy followed. The downstairs housed more books than the library. Buffy was amazed that he had such a collection. She had never really considered where the books from the library had gone.
"Do you know what this book was about? It does not sound familiar," Giles said examining his bookcase, "I've heard about the duLac cross, but not this manuscript."
"It contains something about curing a sick vampire."
Giles thought for a moment. Then he went to a bookshelf.
"That is odd."
"Odd good or odd bad?"
"Bad," Giles said from behind one of his bookcases, "I think that the book is gone."
"Giles it can't be. A vampire wants the book. Only a vampire can't come in. Invite only for all vamps."
Giles had removed his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose, "Bugger. I think I may have hired a vampire to clean the carpets."
"Great Giles, are we slipping in our old age."
Giles gave her a withering glance, "I thought she may have been when she left, but she didn't bite and did a good job on the carpets."
Buffy gave him a fixed stare, "I think that you have mislaid your priorities. He's got the book."
"But he can't read it without the cross," Giles pointed out.
"It'll have to do," Buffy said thinking. There was one more thing.
"What happened to Angel?" she asked suddenly as they walked up the stairs.
Giles was momentarily taken aback, "Angel? Well he stuck around here for awhile. He and Xander were the ones who killed the Master, well actually more Xander. Then he stopped Acathala. Later he helped with the Accession. He seemed a little lost after you died. He developed a friendship with Cordelia. After graduation they went to Los Angeles. They all left actually, Xander and Willow included. Xander was a Marine and Willow went to Princeton. I called them all back when I realized Dawn was ill. They've been good help. I've lost track of Cordelia and Angel. We all kind of wanted to have our own space after Graduation and the school burning down."
Buffy bit her lip, "Well maybe…Giles can I use your phone."
Buffy picked up the phone and dialed the number.
"Hello Angel Investigations," a perky voice said.
Buffy wanted to laugh. The Powers had given her the strangest knowledge.
"Hi Cordelia, it's Buffy can I speak to Angel."
****
Buffy felt elated again. Her plan was in place. In a few days she would have everything that she needed. She had told Giles that she would patrol alone. Dawn was still too weak, and the rest had other things to do. Besides Buffy could take care of the problems in Sunnydale.
She walked into the cemetery and began to make her rounds.
****
If she would have looked up she would have seen someone watching her.
Spike had heard her fighting and he wanted to see what was going on. He had a great vantage point. He crouched on top of a mausoleum. His hands rested on leather clad legs, one held a cigarette, his duster was flapping in the wind. Blue eyes watched her every movement. She moved like water.
She gave a round house kick and then did a back flip onto her hands.
Spike raised an eyebrow in approval, "Chit's good."
He tilted his head. Her motions were somewhat familiar.
He watched her dust five vamps in ten minutes.
"Time to join the party," he said tossing away his cigarette.
He jumped down and crossed the cemetery.
"Hello luv," he said, "You missed me?"
She turned around. He seemed taller to her.
She smiled, "More than you know."
It was so simple like this. It was easy when it was clear cut. He wanted to kill everybody including her.
"Who are you?" he asked circling her, "You are human, you have strength. Didn't anybody tell you that we already have a slayer in this town?"
Buffy smiled, "I am the next Big Bad."
Spike looked up and down her little frame. His eyes seemed to linger in places Buffy remembered what that look meant a couple of days ago. Instead of revulsion she felt turned on.
"You're bloody kidding."
She definitely remembered what that voice meant.
"I've had enough chit chat. Do you want to fight?" he asked.
"Always."
He came at her and Buffy dodged his punches.
"Spike stop leaving your left side open like that," Buffy chastised after a bit of fighting.
Spike looked startled. It was not everyday that an opponent who promised to kill you gave advice on fighting. Buffy pulled back and looked at him expectantly.
"Well I don't want you to make this too easy, besides you know I kind of said that I wouldn't kill you until Saturday."
Spike looked at her as if he was trying to figure out if she was for real or not.
"You are just bloody…weird."
She smiled, "Well I don't know if that is a step up from you have ugly hair, but you are loosing your insult ability."
With that she left a very confused vampire with only her laughter.
PS - Blame the extreme detail about season two on the fact that I was just bought the DVD. I have more detail than I know what to do with. Just pray I don't have Buffy ice-skating. Haha. Wait I am a nerd, no one probably knows what I am talking about. Oh well. On with the story.
***
Oz had taken Dawn upstairs to where her room was. Giles and Buffy sat alone in the living room of his house. The sun's rays slanted over the books. It almost felt like the library.
"Giles what happened to my mother?" Buffy asked quietly.
Giles took off his glasses, "Buffy I don't know how to say this, but your mother died awhile ago. There was a tumor…"
Buffy held up her hand, "I know all of this. I was just hoping."
Giles looked down at her tearing eyes, "I'm sorry."
"It's okay I lost her a long time ago. I just wish she didn't have to die alone," Buffy muttered.
Giles smiled faintly, "She didn't die alone. After Acathala when Jenny died your mother was very supportive. We became very close. We were very good friends."
Buffy looked at him through narrowed eyes, "You two weren't anything more than friends were you. There wasn't anything with candy and a cop car."
Giles looked down at her with wide eyes, "That was just the candy. We were just friends. Let us never speak of this again."
"Ewww Giles," Buffy groaned and then muttered to herself, "Of course that would be the same. Eww."
There was an uncomfortable silence and then the door opened, "Giles you better have a good reason for getting us up at the crack of noon."
Willow poked Xander, "One of us was sleeping the other was listening to snoring."
The two entered the room and Buffy slowly turned around.
They looked exactly the same. Xander's hair was a bit shorter and Willow's was a little less red, but they stood there looking the same.
The pair looked at Giles. Giles gave a nod. Willow looked at Xander and smiled.
"Well look what we have here."
Xander looked at Buffy and squinted, "I don't know the Buffy I remember had bigger bo…."
Xander's speech was cut off by a sharp jab to his rib cage.
He immediately put his arms around her.
"So Buffster," Xander said with his chin resting on Willow's head, "You're back from the dead. How ya feeling?"
Buffy flashed him a huge smile, "I feel good. I think I'm going to clean up this town, kill a little Annoying One, fix Dawn."
Willow nodded, "Oh that is good. Need help?"
Buffy giggled and jumped up and hugged her friends. This Willow was whole. She had seen the dark side of life, but not of herself. This Xander looked so comfortable and happy to be in a relationship. She loved them no matter what, but she was happy that they were so alive.
There were many hugs to be had. Willow talked continuously. Xander added to what she was saying. It was a big mess and Buffy loved it. Giles began to explain what she was doing alive again, and what had happened with her death.
"Wait," Buffy said in the middle of his speech, "We need to do something now, before nightfall."
"Oh goodie," Willow said.
Xander nodded his head in approval then suddenly looked alarmed, "Please tell me this won't involve books. I've had enough books."
Buffy shook her head, "No, there is a crypt where some guy was excommunicated and sent to Sunnydale. Let me think…his name is duLac. I need the two of you to go and get a gold cross that was entombed with him."
Xander made a face, "Breaking into crypts, hmmm, only slightly better than books."
Willow looked up at him, "But we get to do vandalism. Giles never lets us do vandalism."
Buffy gave them instructions on where to go and what to find.
"A-ok," Xander said on his way out of the door, "I'll call Giles if there is a problem."
When they left Buffy turned to Giles, "Step one in process, we can begin step two. Giles I need to tell you some things."
Buffy told Giles about Spike and Drusilla. She informed him on her theory that they were there to make Drusilla better. She explained the ritual.
"You believe this is why they are here this time?" Giles asked.
Buffy nodded, "I don't know how to explain it. It is like I understand the rules that I came back with. Some of what I went through was…what is that thingy that stands for something else?"
"A metaphor or symbolism."
"Yeah, well some of what I went through was symbolism. However I know certain things. There are certain things that I am sure are the same. The big things like Acathala, and the Accession happened in both places. I think that this is the same. In fact I'm sure."
Giles smiled, "We have our own oracle. This can be very good."
"Don't give me too much credit yet. We still have one other thing to do."
"And that is?"
"We need to find a book by the guy duLac."
Giles went to his basement and Buffy followed. The downstairs housed more books than the library. Buffy was amazed that he had such a collection. She had never really considered where the books from the library had gone.
"Do you know what this book was about? It does not sound familiar," Giles said examining his bookcase, "I've heard about the duLac cross, but not this manuscript."
"It contains something about curing a sick vampire."
Giles thought for a moment. Then he went to a bookshelf.
"That is odd."
"Odd good or odd bad?"
"Bad," Giles said from behind one of his bookcases, "I think that the book is gone."
"Giles it can't be. A vampire wants the book. Only a vampire can't come in. Invite only for all vamps."
Giles had removed his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose, "Bugger. I think I may have hired a vampire to clean the carpets."
"Great Giles, are we slipping in our old age."
Giles gave her a withering glance, "I thought she may have been when she left, but she didn't bite and did a good job on the carpets."
Buffy gave him a fixed stare, "I think that you have mislaid your priorities. He's got the book."
"But he can't read it without the cross," Giles pointed out.
"It'll have to do," Buffy said thinking. There was one more thing.
"What happened to Angel?" she asked suddenly as they walked up the stairs.
Giles was momentarily taken aback, "Angel? Well he stuck around here for awhile. He and Xander were the ones who killed the Master, well actually more Xander. Then he stopped Acathala. Later he helped with the Accession. He seemed a little lost after you died. He developed a friendship with Cordelia. After graduation they went to Los Angeles. They all left actually, Xander and Willow included. Xander was a Marine and Willow went to Princeton. I called them all back when I realized Dawn was ill. They've been good help. I've lost track of Cordelia and Angel. We all kind of wanted to have our own space after Graduation and the school burning down."
Buffy bit her lip, "Well maybe…Giles can I use your phone."
Buffy picked up the phone and dialed the number.
"Hello Angel Investigations," a perky voice said.
Buffy wanted to laugh. The Powers had given her the strangest knowledge.
"Hi Cordelia, it's Buffy can I speak to Angel."
****
Buffy felt elated again. Her plan was in place. In a few days she would have everything that she needed. She had told Giles that she would patrol alone. Dawn was still too weak, and the rest had other things to do. Besides Buffy could take care of the problems in Sunnydale.
She walked into the cemetery and began to make her rounds.
****
If she would have looked up she would have seen someone watching her.
Spike had heard her fighting and he wanted to see what was going on. He had a great vantage point. He crouched on top of a mausoleum. His hands rested on leather clad legs, one held a cigarette, his duster was flapping in the wind. Blue eyes watched her every movement. She moved like water.
She gave a round house kick and then did a back flip onto her hands.
Spike raised an eyebrow in approval, "Chit's good."
He tilted his head. Her motions were somewhat familiar.
He watched her dust five vamps in ten minutes.
"Time to join the party," he said tossing away his cigarette.
He jumped down and crossed the cemetery.
"Hello luv," he said, "You missed me?"
She turned around. He seemed taller to her.
She smiled, "More than you know."
It was so simple like this. It was easy when it was clear cut. He wanted to kill everybody including her.
"Who are you?" he asked circling her, "You are human, you have strength. Didn't anybody tell you that we already have a slayer in this town?"
Buffy smiled, "I am the next Big Bad."
Spike looked up and down her little frame. His eyes seemed to linger in places Buffy remembered what that look meant a couple of days ago. Instead of revulsion she felt turned on.
"You're bloody kidding."
She definitely remembered what that voice meant.
"I've had enough chit chat. Do you want to fight?" he asked.
"Always."
He came at her and Buffy dodged his punches.
"Spike stop leaving your left side open like that," Buffy chastised after a bit of fighting.
Spike looked startled. It was not everyday that an opponent who promised to kill you gave advice on fighting. Buffy pulled back and looked at him expectantly.
"Well I don't want you to make this too easy, besides you know I kind of said that I wouldn't kill you until Saturday."
Spike looked at her as if he was trying to figure out if she was for real or not.
"You are just bloody…weird."
She smiled, "Well I don't know if that is a step up from you have ugly hair, but you are loosing your insult ability."
With that she left a very confused vampire with only her laughter.