New Horizons: Chapter Fifty-Five
The Continuance
By Annie
2002-07-15
There was nothing in the world that could have prepared her. Not even she could have prepared her and now she was paying for it. How she HATED this powertrip the teachers seemed to be on. This pop-quiz really was the cherry on top of a week in the school from hell... Which, under the circumstances of it actually being situated close to a frigging Hellmouth was a pretty okay comparison.
She was sighing deeply as she stopped in front of her locker, grateful that the day was drawing closer and closer to an end for every new breath she took.
"Having a rough day?" a voice asked to her left and she looked up, rather surprised - but happily so - at seeing Devon again; she hadn't seen him at all since the whole writing incident the day before.
"Need you ask?" she wondered with a smile and he smiled back, shaking his head a little. "Mr. Grant gave us this absolutely un-called for quiz on things that we studied like a month ago and so, well, I think you could say I majorly failed, as in pretty much NO correct answers, as in I'm screwed and my grades are gonna go down which means... Sorry," she interrupted herself, wanting to find something to bash herself over the head with, "too much information can be hazardous to your health, trust me, I know. I'll just stop talking now."
He just smiled wider at her and then he shook his head a little again.
"I like hearing you talk," he stated and she felt her cheeks grow a few degrees warmer at that. "I was wondering...would you...? I mean I was thinking that perhaps if you're not busy later we could... I don't know, eh, meet up after school and go somewhere and maybe BOTH talk, I mean, we could talk...with each other."
Dawn looked at him, coming as close to a true state of shock as she ever had, and the cause of this being a boy her age who more than a little nervously was asking her to do something with him after school.
She would have thought it would be from some ugly, hairy, huge, drewling, creepy creature and not from a...
"Dawn?"
She snapped out of it and smiled an excuse.
"Sorry," she said and he nodded. "And, yes," she added, his eyes immediately lightening up and he looked relieved which made her smile widely back, at least they had a feeling in common because she had never been more nervous in her life and she guessed that the relief was just around the corner for her as well.
"I'll see you later then?" he asked and she nodded.
"Where?" she asked and he stopped as he was turning around, moving his head back he smiled again.
"The fountain?"
She nodded once more, returning his smile, and watching him walk away her spirit was leaping. This was just too good to be true.
"Oh God," she murmured, closing her locker. "This is just too good to be true."
***
Willow stared with unseeing eyes on the paper in front of her. She was sitting at the table in the Magic Box and she needed to write something, anything, but her mind was a little abscent.
It kept directing its thoughts towards Buffy, Spike and their baby. Willow couldn't believe it - a baby! She was excited beyond words, and she wanted to go out and buy baby things such as clothes and bottles and tiny little shoes and a hat, the baby would surely need a hat!
"How's it going?" Tara asked as she came up to sit down beside Willow and the latter looked up distractedly before smiling a little.
"Slow," she answered. "Giles is gonna be appalled at the fact that I'm slacking off," she added with a wider grin and Tara laughed, shaking her head.
"Of course," she then agreed and now Willow laughed. "So, why's it moving along so slowly?"
Willow put her pen down and sighed a little, shaking her head.
"I'm just not very focused on letter writing these days," she grumbled.
"You're more into the whole baby thing?" Tara asked with a small and understanding smile and Willow looked up at her again, then nodded.
"Yeah, the whole baby thing," she confirmed silently. "Can you even believe it?"
Tara looked thoughtful for a second and then she answered:
"Yes. I mean look at them, they're so great together...which I suppose could be a little weird to some people, but to me they are just so...incredible. And I think that if there was ever any two people who deserved to have a child it's them 'cause I know they'll love her," she finished and Willow looked at her for a moment.
"I agree completely," she then said and Tara smiled. "I'm just so...surprised by it."
"Me too," Tara said.
They fell silent for a little while, Willow picking up her pen again and trying to focus she wrote on the first line:
"Dear Mr. Summers,"
"Why didn't Buffy want to write the letter herself?" Tara now asked and Willow sighed a little again.
"I don't know," she answered. "She didn't tell me and I didn't ask... I think she's not sure what she wants, and so she kind of just wanted to get it out of her own hands, you know?"
Tara nodded that she did.
"Would you like me to help you a little?" she then asked and Willow met her eyes thankfully. "All right, let's see... 'Dear Mr. Summers, I am writing to you on behalf of your daughter - Buffy Summers - to give you news that might come as a... slight shock... but which in the end I hope you will consider just as happy as all of us here do... and that you will consider the request your daughter is presenting you with.'"
***
Buffy heard the door downstairs open and close and she walked out of her room and down the stairs to see who it was, she found Dawn in the livingroom sitting on the couch and rummaging through her backpack. As the Slayer entered the room the younger drew out a pack of books and placed them next to her.
"Homework?" Buffy asked and Dawn looked up slightly startled, then she nodded which was followed by a bright smile.
Buffy smiled back.
"I think..." Dawn began before trailing off and Buffy raised her eyebrows a little questioningly before walking over and sitting down in the armchair.
Dawn wasn't sure whether or not to tell her sister about Devon... What if Buffy didn't like the idea of Dawn seeing some strange guy. But then, she couldn't very well just hold the information to herself and she was just too excited about it anyway.
"I think I might have met someone..." she therefore said and Buffy observed her for a moment before asking:
"A he or a she?"
"A he..." Dawn answered hesitantly before adding: "His name is Devon Harlin and he's sixteen and he goes to my school and we met up after class today, we just went for an ice-cream so don't give me that look and besides, some of what Spike had time to teach me last night actually stuck, before the whole baby thing came up, that is," she added and then she smiled again and Buffy smiled as well before eyeing her sister in silence once more.
"Well," she then said, " I can't cut you off from the world, now can I?" she asked and Dawn shook her head a little. "And you MET him and you think he seems nice and everything?"
Dawn nodded, amazed at the fact that her sister actually sounded like she might give her the benefit of the doubt on the matter.
"All right, then," Buffy said, Dawn's eyes widening a little as the older sister got off the chair and walked over to the younger to give her a kiss on the forehead. "I trust you, but if you need anything you come to me right away, understood?" she added and Dawn giggled.
"Yes, ma'am!" she consented and Buffy smiled at that. "Where's Spike?" Dawn now asked.
"He's sleeping," Buffy answered. "Long night."
Dawn nodded, understanding, before opening the first of her books up on her lap.
"So..." Buffy then asked silently and Dawn looked up again. "What do YOU think of...the whole thing?"
Dawn smiled and put the book at her side again before quickly jumping to her feet and throwing her arms around her sister.
"It's wonderful," she said, holding Buffy in a tight embrace and Buffy smiled, hugging her back.
"Thank you," she said.
Just then the door opened and Torah walked in.
"Hug fest?" she asked as the two sisters let go of each other.
"Something like that, yes," Buffy answered and Torah smiled a little.
"I heard about the...coming attractions," she stated and made a small gesture with one hand to Buffy's stomach. "Congratulations."
Buffy placed a hand gently on the part mentioned and then she smiled a little.
"Thank you," she said again and Torah nodded before excusing herself and going upstairs.
Buffy turned to Dawn who sat down on the couch again.
"Would you like a snack?" Buffy asked and Dawn looked up once more and then nodded.
"Please!" she then said and Buffy laughed before turning and walking into the kitchen.
"I don't know what we have, but I'm sure I can whip something up!" she stated and Dawn shook her head to herself.
"Buffy, if it's not out of a can or take-the-top-off-warm-in-microwave don't even bother, okay? I don't want you to burn the kitchen down just simply 'cause of me!"
***
Torah carefully opened the door to Buffy's room. She took a step inside and closed the door behind her as her eyes fell on the sleeping vampire on the bed.
So vulnarable, she thought. I could kill him now and he wouldn't even have time to scream.
Then she shrugged a little. After all, what would be the fun in that?
She then proceeded to walk up to Buffy's desk and she quickly found a blank peice of paper and a pen. She opened a drawer finding nothing of interest and then she hit jackpot as she found a stack of old notes in the second drawer. Oh, yes! She read quickly, scanning the handwriting, before putting the notes back where she had found them. She then picked up the pen and began writing.
When she had filled almost the entire first page she stopped, putting the pen away and then reaching into one of her own pockets and bringing out a small stack of letters. She gently folded the paper up and put it far back in the second drawer and then she searched the desk for a hiding place for the letters. Finally finding one that wasn't too obvious she worked fast.
Straightening her back she smiled a little to herself. Glancing at the still sleeping vamp she almost felt like laughing out loud, but pressed it back as she walked up to the door.
Tonight, my dark prince, just you wait and see, she thought and a smile spread on her lips as she opened the door and unnoticed slipped outside again.
***
Anya grabbed Xander's hand in a tight hold and squeezed it a little as they walked up the stone path to Buffy's front door. The sun was high in the sky and the air was a heavy and humid blanket swept over their shoulders.
"I'm all right," Xander said and Anya smiled a little comfortingly as they stepped up on the front porch.
"Of course you are," she agreed, nodding firmly before extending an arm to ring the door bell.
"It's just a little weird, that's all," he now said and Anya met his eyes with an empathizing expression in her own and he shrugged a little, squeezing her hand back. "I mean, Buffy's pregnant, Buffy's gonna have a baby... it's just so..."
"...huge?" Anya filled in and Xander nodded.
"It is exactly that," he said and then added: "Multiplied by a thousand."
The door was opened by Dawn and she smiled at them as she bid them to come in.
"Isn't this heat just terrible?" Anya asked as Dawn closed the door behind them, Xander proceeded into the kitchen where Buffy had called out wanting to know who had stopped by, and Dawn nodded her answer to Anya's question.
"Wait," she then said. "What 'heat'?"
Anya stared at her as though she was a crazy person before making a gesture towards the windows of the livingroom.
"The heat, outside...? The heat that has got everybody inside like caged animals and that makes you feel like you can't breathe and like you would like to be anywhere, ANYwhere but in Sunnydale, THAT heat," she then elaborated and Dawn stared at her for a moment.
Then she turned and went into the kitchen where Buffy was making sandwiches.
"What?" Anya called after her before following the younger one.
"Buffy..." Dawn said and Buffy, who had been laughing at one of Xander's more poor excuses for a joke, turned to her with a smile still on her lips and a questioning gaze, eyebrows raised and a buttering knife in hand. "Something weird is going on," Dawn continued and now Buffy raised her eyebrows one notch higher. "Anya...well, she said it's warm outside..."
"Warm?!" Xander interrupted, shaking his head and drying his forhead with one hand for emphasis. "It's like a damn oven out there! The newspaper's say: Don't go outside, risk of baking in the sun!"
Buffy frowned a little, still looking at Dawn who smiled crookedly at Xander's comment and then quickly grew serious again, turning to her sister.
"There wasn't any sign of this 'heat' when I went to school this morning, OR when I went home either. I mean, this must have come over Sunnydale in the last hour or so because it sure wasn't there when I got home from school," she now stated and Buffy's face grew thoughtful for a moment before she put the knife down on the counter and walked up to the kitchen door.
She opened it and stepped outside.
"You guys..." her voice was heard and soon the others followed her.
Anya stopped dead in her tracks after only a few steps outside the door and then she turned to Xander who's eyes were widening a little.
"How can this be?" Anya asked. "It's hardly even warm anymore..."
"Buffy, I swear it WAS hot like hell out here just a minute ago!" Xander said and Buffy turned to him, a deep frown furrowing her brow and she crossed her arms over her chest.
"We need to go and see Giles," she said, walking past the others into the house again. "You're right, Dawn," she added, stopping briefly at her sister's side to give her arm a pat, "something weird is definitely going on."
Just as they all were headed for the front door it opened roughly and Giles stepped inside.
"Speak of the devil!" Xander exclaimed with a smile. "We were just coming to talk to you about something that..."
"I think I know," Giles interrupted. "The heat just moments ago that then just vanished into thin air, am I right? Yes, well, that is why I am here as well... Buffy, I'm afraid I have bad news."
Buffy drew a small breath at that before sighing.
"What a surprise," she said sarcastically and then she met his gaze. "Well, then. Out with it."
"It's time to get ready to fight," Giles said and now her eyes grew slightly. "The seven minions still left after the incantation of the Birth, they're here," he elaborated and Buffy closed her eyes, shaking her head a little.
"Perfect," she murmured, remembering the sudden pain in her side and then the nothingness as her blood just kept pouring out of her as though it had been waiting all along for a chance to escape her body. "Then I can kill the rest of them myself," she added, opening her eyes and turning around to walk up to the stairs. "I'll wake Spike, we need to get ready for this. All of us. Xander, Anya, could you go to the Magic Box and bring Willow and Tara back here for me?"
They nodded and moved to the front door, opening it and quickly making their way out. Buffy watched them go before turning to Giles.
"You're sure?" she asked and Giles nodded. "All right, then we'll be more than ready. Dawn...could you go tell Torah that this might not be a safe place for her and that I'll be in to talk with her in a little while...Answer any questions she might have, okay?"
Dawn nodded with a small smile of being of use and then hurried ahead up the stairs.
"Do you know anything about them?" Buffy now asked her Watcher and he looked at her for a moment before shaking his head.
"But ask Spike about them, he killed the one that killed you, remember?" he then stated and Buffy smiled a weak smile at that before she followed in Dawn's footsteps up the stairs.
The Continuance
By Annie
2002-07-15
There was nothing in the world that could have prepared her. Not even she could have prepared her and now she was paying for it. How she HATED this powertrip the teachers seemed to be on. This pop-quiz really was the cherry on top of a week in the school from hell... Which, under the circumstances of it actually being situated close to a frigging Hellmouth was a pretty okay comparison.
She was sighing deeply as she stopped in front of her locker, grateful that the day was drawing closer and closer to an end for every new breath she took.
"Having a rough day?" a voice asked to her left and she looked up, rather surprised - but happily so - at seeing Devon again; she hadn't seen him at all since the whole writing incident the day before.
"Need you ask?" she wondered with a smile and he smiled back, shaking his head a little. "Mr. Grant gave us this absolutely un-called for quiz on things that we studied like a month ago and so, well, I think you could say I majorly failed, as in pretty much NO correct answers, as in I'm screwed and my grades are gonna go down which means... Sorry," she interrupted herself, wanting to find something to bash herself over the head with, "too much information can be hazardous to your health, trust me, I know. I'll just stop talking now."
He just smiled wider at her and then he shook his head a little again.
"I like hearing you talk," he stated and she felt her cheeks grow a few degrees warmer at that. "I was wondering...would you...? I mean I was thinking that perhaps if you're not busy later we could... I don't know, eh, meet up after school and go somewhere and maybe BOTH talk, I mean, we could talk...with each other."
Dawn looked at him, coming as close to a true state of shock as she ever had, and the cause of this being a boy her age who more than a little nervously was asking her to do something with him after school.
She would have thought it would be from some ugly, hairy, huge, drewling, creepy creature and not from a...
"Dawn?"
She snapped out of it and smiled an excuse.
"Sorry," she said and he nodded. "And, yes," she added, his eyes immediately lightening up and he looked relieved which made her smile widely back, at least they had a feeling in common because she had never been more nervous in her life and she guessed that the relief was just around the corner for her as well.
"I'll see you later then?" he asked and she nodded.
"Where?" she asked and he stopped as he was turning around, moving his head back he smiled again.
"The fountain?"
She nodded once more, returning his smile, and watching him walk away her spirit was leaping. This was just too good to be true.
"Oh God," she murmured, closing her locker. "This is just too good to be true."
***
Willow stared with unseeing eyes on the paper in front of her. She was sitting at the table in the Magic Box and she needed to write something, anything, but her mind was a little abscent.
It kept directing its thoughts towards Buffy, Spike and their baby. Willow couldn't believe it - a baby! She was excited beyond words, and she wanted to go out and buy baby things such as clothes and bottles and tiny little shoes and a hat, the baby would surely need a hat!
"How's it going?" Tara asked as she came up to sit down beside Willow and the latter looked up distractedly before smiling a little.
"Slow," she answered. "Giles is gonna be appalled at the fact that I'm slacking off," she added with a wider grin and Tara laughed, shaking her head.
"Of course," she then agreed and now Willow laughed. "So, why's it moving along so slowly?"
Willow put her pen down and sighed a little, shaking her head.
"I'm just not very focused on letter writing these days," she grumbled.
"You're more into the whole baby thing?" Tara asked with a small and understanding smile and Willow looked up at her again, then nodded.
"Yeah, the whole baby thing," she confirmed silently. "Can you even believe it?"
Tara looked thoughtful for a second and then she answered:
"Yes. I mean look at them, they're so great together...which I suppose could be a little weird to some people, but to me they are just so...incredible. And I think that if there was ever any two people who deserved to have a child it's them 'cause I know they'll love her," she finished and Willow looked at her for a moment.
"I agree completely," she then said and Tara smiled. "I'm just so...surprised by it."
"Me too," Tara said.
They fell silent for a little while, Willow picking up her pen again and trying to focus she wrote on the first line:
"Dear Mr. Summers,"
"Why didn't Buffy want to write the letter herself?" Tara now asked and Willow sighed a little again.
"I don't know," she answered. "She didn't tell me and I didn't ask... I think she's not sure what she wants, and so she kind of just wanted to get it out of her own hands, you know?"
Tara nodded that she did.
"Would you like me to help you a little?" she then asked and Willow met her eyes thankfully. "All right, let's see... 'Dear Mr. Summers, I am writing to you on behalf of your daughter - Buffy Summers - to give you news that might come as a... slight shock... but which in the end I hope you will consider just as happy as all of us here do... and that you will consider the request your daughter is presenting you with.'"
***
Buffy heard the door downstairs open and close and she walked out of her room and down the stairs to see who it was, she found Dawn in the livingroom sitting on the couch and rummaging through her backpack. As the Slayer entered the room the younger drew out a pack of books and placed them next to her.
"Homework?" Buffy asked and Dawn looked up slightly startled, then she nodded which was followed by a bright smile.
Buffy smiled back.
"I think..." Dawn began before trailing off and Buffy raised her eyebrows a little questioningly before walking over and sitting down in the armchair.
Dawn wasn't sure whether or not to tell her sister about Devon... What if Buffy didn't like the idea of Dawn seeing some strange guy. But then, she couldn't very well just hold the information to herself and she was just too excited about it anyway.
"I think I might have met someone..." she therefore said and Buffy observed her for a moment before asking:
"A he or a she?"
"A he..." Dawn answered hesitantly before adding: "His name is Devon Harlin and he's sixteen and he goes to my school and we met up after class today, we just went for an ice-cream so don't give me that look and besides, some of what Spike had time to teach me last night actually stuck, before the whole baby thing came up, that is," she added and then she smiled again and Buffy smiled as well before eyeing her sister in silence once more.
"Well," she then said, " I can't cut you off from the world, now can I?" she asked and Dawn shook her head a little. "And you MET him and you think he seems nice and everything?"
Dawn nodded, amazed at the fact that her sister actually sounded like she might give her the benefit of the doubt on the matter.
"All right, then," Buffy said, Dawn's eyes widening a little as the older sister got off the chair and walked over to the younger to give her a kiss on the forehead. "I trust you, but if you need anything you come to me right away, understood?" she added and Dawn giggled.
"Yes, ma'am!" she consented and Buffy smiled at that. "Where's Spike?" Dawn now asked.
"He's sleeping," Buffy answered. "Long night."
Dawn nodded, understanding, before opening the first of her books up on her lap.
"So..." Buffy then asked silently and Dawn looked up again. "What do YOU think of...the whole thing?"
Dawn smiled and put the book at her side again before quickly jumping to her feet and throwing her arms around her sister.
"It's wonderful," she said, holding Buffy in a tight embrace and Buffy smiled, hugging her back.
"Thank you," she said.
Just then the door opened and Torah walked in.
"Hug fest?" she asked as the two sisters let go of each other.
"Something like that, yes," Buffy answered and Torah smiled a little.
"I heard about the...coming attractions," she stated and made a small gesture with one hand to Buffy's stomach. "Congratulations."
Buffy placed a hand gently on the part mentioned and then she smiled a little.
"Thank you," she said again and Torah nodded before excusing herself and going upstairs.
Buffy turned to Dawn who sat down on the couch again.
"Would you like a snack?" Buffy asked and Dawn looked up once more and then nodded.
"Please!" she then said and Buffy laughed before turning and walking into the kitchen.
"I don't know what we have, but I'm sure I can whip something up!" she stated and Dawn shook her head to herself.
"Buffy, if it's not out of a can or take-the-top-off-warm-in-microwave don't even bother, okay? I don't want you to burn the kitchen down just simply 'cause of me!"
***
Torah carefully opened the door to Buffy's room. She took a step inside and closed the door behind her as her eyes fell on the sleeping vampire on the bed.
So vulnarable, she thought. I could kill him now and he wouldn't even have time to scream.
Then she shrugged a little. After all, what would be the fun in that?
She then proceeded to walk up to Buffy's desk and she quickly found a blank peice of paper and a pen. She opened a drawer finding nothing of interest and then she hit jackpot as she found a stack of old notes in the second drawer. Oh, yes! She read quickly, scanning the handwriting, before putting the notes back where she had found them. She then picked up the pen and began writing.
When she had filled almost the entire first page she stopped, putting the pen away and then reaching into one of her own pockets and bringing out a small stack of letters. She gently folded the paper up and put it far back in the second drawer and then she searched the desk for a hiding place for the letters. Finally finding one that wasn't too obvious she worked fast.
Straightening her back she smiled a little to herself. Glancing at the still sleeping vamp she almost felt like laughing out loud, but pressed it back as she walked up to the door.
Tonight, my dark prince, just you wait and see, she thought and a smile spread on her lips as she opened the door and unnoticed slipped outside again.
***
Anya grabbed Xander's hand in a tight hold and squeezed it a little as they walked up the stone path to Buffy's front door. The sun was high in the sky and the air was a heavy and humid blanket swept over their shoulders.
"I'm all right," Xander said and Anya smiled a little comfortingly as they stepped up on the front porch.
"Of course you are," she agreed, nodding firmly before extending an arm to ring the door bell.
"It's just a little weird, that's all," he now said and Anya met his eyes with an empathizing expression in her own and he shrugged a little, squeezing her hand back. "I mean, Buffy's pregnant, Buffy's gonna have a baby... it's just so..."
"...huge?" Anya filled in and Xander nodded.
"It is exactly that," he said and then added: "Multiplied by a thousand."
The door was opened by Dawn and she smiled at them as she bid them to come in.
"Isn't this heat just terrible?" Anya asked as Dawn closed the door behind them, Xander proceeded into the kitchen where Buffy had called out wanting to know who had stopped by, and Dawn nodded her answer to Anya's question.
"Wait," she then said. "What 'heat'?"
Anya stared at her as though she was a crazy person before making a gesture towards the windows of the livingroom.
"The heat, outside...? The heat that has got everybody inside like caged animals and that makes you feel like you can't breathe and like you would like to be anywhere, ANYwhere but in Sunnydale, THAT heat," she then elaborated and Dawn stared at her for a moment.
Then she turned and went into the kitchen where Buffy was making sandwiches.
"What?" Anya called after her before following the younger one.
"Buffy..." Dawn said and Buffy, who had been laughing at one of Xander's more poor excuses for a joke, turned to her with a smile still on her lips and a questioning gaze, eyebrows raised and a buttering knife in hand. "Something weird is going on," Dawn continued and now Buffy raised her eyebrows one notch higher. "Anya...well, she said it's warm outside..."
"Warm?!" Xander interrupted, shaking his head and drying his forhead with one hand for emphasis. "It's like a damn oven out there! The newspaper's say: Don't go outside, risk of baking in the sun!"
Buffy frowned a little, still looking at Dawn who smiled crookedly at Xander's comment and then quickly grew serious again, turning to her sister.
"There wasn't any sign of this 'heat' when I went to school this morning, OR when I went home either. I mean, this must have come over Sunnydale in the last hour or so because it sure wasn't there when I got home from school," she now stated and Buffy's face grew thoughtful for a moment before she put the knife down on the counter and walked up to the kitchen door.
She opened it and stepped outside.
"You guys..." her voice was heard and soon the others followed her.
Anya stopped dead in her tracks after only a few steps outside the door and then she turned to Xander who's eyes were widening a little.
"How can this be?" Anya asked. "It's hardly even warm anymore..."
"Buffy, I swear it WAS hot like hell out here just a minute ago!" Xander said and Buffy turned to him, a deep frown furrowing her brow and she crossed her arms over her chest.
"We need to go and see Giles," she said, walking past the others into the house again. "You're right, Dawn," she added, stopping briefly at her sister's side to give her arm a pat, "something weird is definitely going on."
Just as they all were headed for the front door it opened roughly and Giles stepped inside.
"Speak of the devil!" Xander exclaimed with a smile. "We were just coming to talk to you about something that..."
"I think I know," Giles interrupted. "The heat just moments ago that then just vanished into thin air, am I right? Yes, well, that is why I am here as well... Buffy, I'm afraid I have bad news."
Buffy drew a small breath at that before sighing.
"What a surprise," she said sarcastically and then she met his gaze. "Well, then. Out with it."
"It's time to get ready to fight," Giles said and now her eyes grew slightly. "The seven minions still left after the incantation of the Birth, they're here," he elaborated and Buffy closed her eyes, shaking her head a little.
"Perfect," she murmured, remembering the sudden pain in her side and then the nothingness as her blood just kept pouring out of her as though it had been waiting all along for a chance to escape her body. "Then I can kill the rest of them myself," she added, opening her eyes and turning around to walk up to the stairs. "I'll wake Spike, we need to get ready for this. All of us. Xander, Anya, could you go to the Magic Box and bring Willow and Tara back here for me?"
They nodded and moved to the front door, opening it and quickly making their way out. Buffy watched them go before turning to Giles.
"You're sure?" she asked and Giles nodded. "All right, then we'll be more than ready. Dawn...could you go tell Torah that this might not be a safe place for her and that I'll be in to talk with her in a little while...Answer any questions she might have, okay?"
Dawn nodded with a small smile of being of use and then hurried ahead up the stairs.
"Do you know anything about them?" Buffy now asked her Watcher and he looked at her for a moment before shaking his head.
"But ask Spike about them, he killed the one that killed you, remember?" he then stated and Buffy smiled a weak smile at that before she followed in Dawn's footsteps up the stairs.