Disclaimers: If this were mine, I wouldn't need disclaimers.
Spoilers: Through season 6.
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There was a rumbling deep in the earth; and every animal and demon was fleeing . . . at least those lucky enough to know what was going to happen. Those that remained clueless felt it, the power pulsating in sharp waves, cold and hard. Every day it grew stronger, gaining energy and getting ready, ready for its return . . . to the Hellmouth.
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"Buffy!"
She jerked her head up in surprise, peering into the eyes of an exasperated Dawn. "Huh? What is it?"
"I've been talking to you for the past five minutes, that's what! Yeesh, Buffy, if I didn't know any better, I'd say that you were stoned."
Buffy's eyes were far away, glazed over. She wasn't listening to Dawn, of course. She was too busy thinking about Spike. Dawn looked at her sister again, frowning.
"You -aren't- stoned, are you?"
"What? No, of course not." Buffy sighed, dropping the fork that had been prodding at her salad for the last half-hour. "I'm sorry, it's just . . . things are complicated."
Dawn mock pouted. "Well, this day out was your idea. You know; I'm starting to feel neglected here. Don't make me tell the school counselor! Who knows, we might get locked in the mall this time." She paused, thinking about it. "But, then again, that doesn't sound like such a bad idea. I've been waiting for that shirt in the Gap to go on sale, and if we're stuck in here long enough . . ."
Buffy gave a half-hearted smile. "Dawn, I should apologize. I didn't mean for our day out to turn out so crappy. And I'm sure that it's not much fun having a one-sided conversation, me sitting here all comatose."
Dawn shrugged, smiling. "It's not so bad. I mean, you did buy me some really cool shoes . . ."
"Yeah, but still, I'm not much fun today. Shoes aside, I've been pretty lousy company."
"Buffy, it's okay. I'm having fun, really. So . . . you mentioned that things were 'complicated'. Would it help if you told me about it?"
"Dawn, that's really sweet of you to offer, but . . . I don't think it'd help. But thanks for the offer." 'What I really need to do is talk to Giles . . . see if there's any spell I can do to get the information out of Spike. I've gotta figure out what's going on with him.'
"Um, Dawn?"
"What is it, Buffy?"
"I just remembered that I forgot to call Giles about, um, something. Do you mind if we head home?"
"No, that's okay. I have some homework to do, anyway." Dawn wondered if what Buffy had to call Giles about was that 'complicated' something she didn't want to tell her about. She figured that, whether Buffy wanted her to know or not, she would find out. It wouldn't be that hard, she knew. After all, she'd eavesdropped on Buffy's calls many times before.
To be continued . . .
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Short, yeah, but next chapter, Buffy calls Giles. Won't that be fun? Stay tuned to find out!
Spoilers: Through season 6.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
There was a rumbling deep in the earth; and every animal and demon was fleeing . . . at least those lucky enough to know what was going to happen. Those that remained clueless felt it, the power pulsating in sharp waves, cold and hard. Every day it grew stronger, gaining energy and getting ready, ready for its return . . . to the Hellmouth.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
"Buffy!"
She jerked her head up in surprise, peering into the eyes of an exasperated Dawn. "Huh? What is it?"
"I've been talking to you for the past five minutes, that's what! Yeesh, Buffy, if I didn't know any better, I'd say that you were stoned."
Buffy's eyes were far away, glazed over. She wasn't listening to Dawn, of course. She was too busy thinking about Spike. Dawn looked at her sister again, frowning.
"You -aren't- stoned, are you?"
"What? No, of course not." Buffy sighed, dropping the fork that had been prodding at her salad for the last half-hour. "I'm sorry, it's just . . . things are complicated."
Dawn mock pouted. "Well, this day out was your idea. You know; I'm starting to feel neglected here. Don't make me tell the school counselor! Who knows, we might get locked in the mall this time." She paused, thinking about it. "But, then again, that doesn't sound like such a bad idea. I've been waiting for that shirt in the Gap to go on sale, and if we're stuck in here long enough . . ."
Buffy gave a half-hearted smile. "Dawn, I should apologize. I didn't mean for our day out to turn out so crappy. And I'm sure that it's not much fun having a one-sided conversation, me sitting here all comatose."
Dawn shrugged, smiling. "It's not so bad. I mean, you did buy me some really cool shoes . . ."
"Yeah, but still, I'm not much fun today. Shoes aside, I've been pretty lousy company."
"Buffy, it's okay. I'm having fun, really. So . . . you mentioned that things were 'complicated'. Would it help if you told me about it?"
"Dawn, that's really sweet of you to offer, but . . . I don't think it'd help. But thanks for the offer." 'What I really need to do is talk to Giles . . . see if there's any spell I can do to get the information out of Spike. I've gotta figure out what's going on with him.'
"Um, Dawn?"
"What is it, Buffy?"
"I just remembered that I forgot to call Giles about, um, something. Do you mind if we head home?"
"No, that's okay. I have some homework to do, anyway." Dawn wondered if what Buffy had to call Giles about was that 'complicated' something she didn't want to tell her about. She figured that, whether Buffy wanted her to know or not, she would find out. It wouldn't be that hard, she knew. After all, she'd eavesdropped on Buffy's calls many times before.
To be continued . . .
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Short, yeah, but next chapter, Buffy calls Giles. Won't that be fun? Stay tuned to find out!