"Warren." Willow clutched her robe about her and stared wide eyed at the sofa, trying to ignore the fetid odour. "Wh-what are you doing here?"
Skinless lips curved into a smile, qeezing Willow's stomach, and muscles over a round ball of an eye rippled. "Hello roomie."
"Ro roommie?" Willow's face whitened then went a beet red as she lost her grip on her robe, which she hastily recoverd. "Wha what do you man roomie?"
"Roomie as in bunkmate as in I'm gonna be hanging here for a while." Twin eyeballs rolled skywards. "They got plans for us. Plans which mean you and me will be spending lots of time together, maybe even living together. Won't that be nice?"
"Not really," Willow muttered, sagging against the wall. Payback can be a real bitch she thought, trying to settle her stomach yet again. Usually his visits were short, giving her a chance to recover, but if he was going to be there permanently. Goddess, how was she going to cope.
Willow was still trying to gather her thoughts, when there was a pounding at her door. Gratefull for the distraction, she turned and had time for two steps before the door burst open and Buffy entered, flinging herself on the sofa.
"Wait until I tell you about last night." Buffy was all ready to launch into a tale of her mom, Dawn and her self, when a look of confusion crossed her face. She sniffed. "What is that smell?"
Willow flinched as she watched a bloody finger approach the Slayer's neck. "Uh, that would be Wareen."
"Warren?" Buffy sat up sraight and looked around wildly. "Warren's here? Where, I can't see him."
Lidless eyes twinkled.
"Um you're uh..."
"I'm what?"
"Practically sitting on him," Willow said in a rush.
Buffy's eyes widened and she rocketed out of the sofa, spinning to stare t it just befoe she hit the wall. "He's where? Why can't I see him? What's he doing here? Is he all..."
Willow nodded.
"Eewww!"
Waren stuck his tongue out at Buffy, who couldn't see it, but Willow could, and she was exceedingly glad she hadn't eaten yet.
"Look, we gotta go see Giles," Buffy said desparately trying to change the subject. Willow cast a furtive glance at the sofa, and looked like she was listening to someone. Which she was if Warren was actually there. Which he was because illow didn't lie, or couldn't lie well enough not to be caught and that smell had to come from somewhere. Buffy took a deep breath and nearly gagged. How could Willow stand it?
"Buffy?"
"Er yes, Willow?"
"Could you make some tea while I get dressed?"
"Sure," Buffy turned to the kitchen glad to have something to take her mind off things. Like Warren. Unfortunately that feeling didn't last long.
"Warren likes two sugars and cream with his. Just bring it out here. We can talk in the kitchen."
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"Wesley get out." Angel stalked accross the Magic Box towards the table where Wesley was seated, along with Faith, Justine, and a stack of thick ancient texts and papers. "Take them with you. No one wants you here."
"No Wesley, do stay." Angel whirled to see Joyce's ghost enter the room and walk towards him. "You, however, may leave anytime you feel like it. In fact, I suggest you do, unless you fell you can work with the rest of us."
"Angel's not going anywhere." Buffy stalked over from the table where she was sitting between Willow and Giles. "We need him. We don't need them. We can't trust them."
"I trust them." Joyce studied her daughter, wondering how she was going to approach this, and then decided to apply one of her child's tactics. Plunge in and hang the consequences. "They appear to be focused on the task. Rather more than you."
"You trust them?" Buffy looked stunned. "After what they did? They betrayed us. How can you trust them?"
"I am aware of what they did. I may not agree with what they did but I can understand why. Was what Faith did any justification for attacking her with the intention of feeding her to a vampire?"
All eyes stared at Buffy.
"I what," she shriked. "I never..."
"It was during your graduation I believe. Angel was sick and when the Council refused to help the only other cure was a Slayer's blood. You went looking for Faith with the intention of using her blood to cure Angel."
"Mom." Buffy couldn't believe she was having to defend herself. "Faith poisoned him. It was only right that her blood cure him."
"Perhaps, if it was willingly given. Did you ask her?"
Buffy thought about lying but the glint in Joyce's eye told her she already knew the truth."
"Faith was evil. She wouldn't have agreed."
"Faith was confused. Looking for acceptance, which she wasn't finding with you, or your friends."
"What? We accepted her. We tried to help her."
"You tried to help her become more like you. You did not accept her for who she was. Do you wonder why she turned to one who did?"
"So its all my fault," Buffy said bitterly.
"Faith is responsible for her actions and her decisions, even those made in error. But we are not blameless in setting up the environment in which those decisions were made. If she can set all that aside to work with us, why can't you?"
Buffy stared at her mother, saying nothing, and what happened. What happened to change her from what she knew when her mother was alive. Strong yes, but easier to deal with."
Joyce sighed, and turned to face the group, at least the majority of them.
"I have some iinformation on Ysandrillo, the world the Valaasco Sisters will be coming to. "
"Mrs. Summers," interrupted Wesley. "May I ask how you came accross this information?"
"I was there," Joyce stated simply.
"You were there," shrieked Buffy. "What were you doing there? Why were you there?"
"I was there to see what the place looked like. As for why, Xander was going to go, but gang warfare in New York is keeping him rather busy."
"Not as busy as he's gonna be when I get a hold of him," muttered Buffy. Intellectually she knew her mother was beyond the reach of most dangers, but she was still her mother and Buffy wanted to protect her. Keep her safe at all costs.
"Joyce," ventured Giles. "Perhaps if we retired to my office, we could discuss this information you have."
"Fine. I suggest we meet there with Fred and Wesley."
"Actually, I was thinking more of the two of us, and Buffy of course."
"No," Joyce stated. "Buffy's desire that I have nothing to do with Warren did not go unheeded. I was asked to become more directly involved, as well as take on another task as Dawn's Spirit Guide. Buffy may have told you that I can only be here for a limited period of time, and I don't choose to explain my self three times, or answer three sets of similar questions. Nor do I intend to foster a situation where one group feels that they are not being told everything.. Either they all have equal representation or we wait until the three groups agree to work together or the world ends. Whichever comes first."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Warren moved around Willow's apartment just checking hings out. It wasn't a very big apartment, two bedrooms, one of which was used as a storeroom. He decided to make that the basis of his operations. Being a ghost meant that he couldn't touch anything ith out extreme concentration, but he could do somethings. Using telekinesis, he cleared off a chair, and shoved boxes against a wall.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Ysandrilloo is about half the size of earth. Rotation and orbital speed is similar, so gravity is about half what it is here. I saw no mountains, just graasy plains nd remains of dead cities." Joyce continued her description of Ysandrillo, while Giles, Wesley and Fred took notes.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Buffy," Angel approached the angry Slayer, who glanced at him and then turned away. "Is it true, what Joyce said. Did you try to get Faith's blood to save me?"
"Angel, you were dieing. I couldn't let that happen." Buffy refused to look at him. "What was I supposed to have done."
"You should have let me die." Angel clamped down on the anger he felt.
"That's what I've been thinking for a long time." Xander entered through the back entrance and grinned at everybody. "Joyce get you all working together, or are yoiu still at each other's necks."
Buffy launched herself at him. She was not surprised to pass through his body and continue on into the wall behind him. She had expected it, but needed a release for the frustrations building insider her. She glared at the annoying grin he was sporting. "Getting kind of old Buff."
"What was the idea of sending my mother to Ysandrillo," she hissed.
"She volunteered, and unless there's some actual danger, she safe enough." Xander shrugged. "You know I'd never send her into a situation where she can be harmed."
"Why is she doing this?."
"Simple, you desired that she have nothing more to do with Warren. Granted, so she will be the go between between you and the Celestial Library resources, as well as being Dawn's Spririt Guide. It also means that Warren is free for other assignments, with Willow's help of course."
Willow's head jerked up.
"Other assignments," sneered Buffy. "She's kind of busy right now. You know, end of the world stuff."
"She'll be busier. A bunch of skeletons have been found in a gully south of town. "The boys upstairs want her to look into that, with Warren's help of course."
"When," asked Willow nervoulsy.
"Now, or as soon as possible. Warrens getting set up now."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Willow stared at the boxes strewn through out her living room. "Warren," she shrieked.
"Spare bedroom," came the answering yell.
Everything had been shoved aside, to make room for a desk, chair, modern computer system, complete, according to the manual, which lay open on the desk, with voice activation system.
"Bu but how?"
Warren grinned at her. "I'm a ghost, not helpless."
"How did you pay for this?" Willow glanced around Fortunately all her stuff was still there. At least Warren hadn't disposed of anything. "What are you doing?"
"I didn't pay for this, I charged it to your account, and I'm setting up a base of operations."
"I paid for it," stammered Willow. "Operations for what?"
"Well I couldn't pay for it," Warren told her smugly. "Dead men can't get credit, and since you were the one who made me dead, and in a rather horrible way at that, it seemed only fair." Warren spread his arms expansively. "Welcome to the Willow and Warren Detective Agency. We're gonna be gumshoes and we got our first case."
Warren flashed out and back again. This time he was wearing a trench coat, had a deerstalker cap on his head, and a meerschaum pipe was gripped between his teeth."
Skinless lips curved into a smile, qeezing Willow's stomach, and muscles over a round ball of an eye rippled. "Hello roomie."
"Ro roommie?" Willow's face whitened then went a beet red as she lost her grip on her robe, which she hastily recoverd. "Wha what do you man roomie?"
"Roomie as in bunkmate as in I'm gonna be hanging here for a while." Twin eyeballs rolled skywards. "They got plans for us. Plans which mean you and me will be spending lots of time together, maybe even living together. Won't that be nice?"
"Not really," Willow muttered, sagging against the wall. Payback can be a real bitch she thought, trying to settle her stomach yet again. Usually his visits were short, giving her a chance to recover, but if he was going to be there permanently. Goddess, how was she going to cope.
Willow was still trying to gather her thoughts, when there was a pounding at her door. Gratefull for the distraction, she turned and had time for two steps before the door burst open and Buffy entered, flinging herself on the sofa.
"Wait until I tell you about last night." Buffy was all ready to launch into a tale of her mom, Dawn and her self, when a look of confusion crossed her face. She sniffed. "What is that smell?"
Willow flinched as she watched a bloody finger approach the Slayer's neck. "Uh, that would be Wareen."
"Warren?" Buffy sat up sraight and looked around wildly. "Warren's here? Where, I can't see him."
Lidless eyes twinkled.
"Um you're uh..."
"I'm what?"
"Practically sitting on him," Willow said in a rush.
Buffy's eyes widened and she rocketed out of the sofa, spinning to stare t it just befoe she hit the wall. "He's where? Why can't I see him? What's he doing here? Is he all..."
Willow nodded.
"Eewww!"
Waren stuck his tongue out at Buffy, who couldn't see it, but Willow could, and she was exceedingly glad she hadn't eaten yet.
"Look, we gotta go see Giles," Buffy said desparately trying to change the subject. Willow cast a furtive glance at the sofa, and looked like she was listening to someone. Which she was if Warren was actually there. Which he was because illow didn't lie, or couldn't lie well enough not to be caught and that smell had to come from somewhere. Buffy took a deep breath and nearly gagged. How could Willow stand it?
"Buffy?"
"Er yes, Willow?"
"Could you make some tea while I get dressed?"
"Sure," Buffy turned to the kitchen glad to have something to take her mind off things. Like Warren. Unfortunately that feeling didn't last long.
"Warren likes two sugars and cream with his. Just bring it out here. We can talk in the kitchen."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Wesley get out." Angel stalked accross the Magic Box towards the table where Wesley was seated, along with Faith, Justine, and a stack of thick ancient texts and papers. "Take them with you. No one wants you here."
"No Wesley, do stay." Angel whirled to see Joyce's ghost enter the room and walk towards him. "You, however, may leave anytime you feel like it. In fact, I suggest you do, unless you fell you can work with the rest of us."
"Angel's not going anywhere." Buffy stalked over from the table where she was sitting between Willow and Giles. "We need him. We don't need them. We can't trust them."
"I trust them." Joyce studied her daughter, wondering how she was going to approach this, and then decided to apply one of her child's tactics. Plunge in and hang the consequences. "They appear to be focused on the task. Rather more than you."
"You trust them?" Buffy looked stunned. "After what they did? They betrayed us. How can you trust them?"
"I am aware of what they did. I may not agree with what they did but I can understand why. Was what Faith did any justification for attacking her with the intention of feeding her to a vampire?"
All eyes stared at Buffy.
"I what," she shriked. "I never..."
"It was during your graduation I believe. Angel was sick and when the Council refused to help the only other cure was a Slayer's blood. You went looking for Faith with the intention of using her blood to cure Angel."
"Mom." Buffy couldn't believe she was having to defend herself. "Faith poisoned him. It was only right that her blood cure him."
"Perhaps, if it was willingly given. Did you ask her?"
Buffy thought about lying but the glint in Joyce's eye told her she already knew the truth."
"Faith was evil. She wouldn't have agreed."
"Faith was confused. Looking for acceptance, which she wasn't finding with you, or your friends."
"What? We accepted her. We tried to help her."
"You tried to help her become more like you. You did not accept her for who she was. Do you wonder why she turned to one who did?"
"So its all my fault," Buffy said bitterly.
"Faith is responsible for her actions and her decisions, even those made in error. But we are not blameless in setting up the environment in which those decisions were made. If she can set all that aside to work with us, why can't you?"
Buffy stared at her mother, saying nothing, and what happened. What happened to change her from what she knew when her mother was alive. Strong yes, but easier to deal with."
Joyce sighed, and turned to face the group, at least the majority of them.
"I have some iinformation on Ysandrillo, the world the Valaasco Sisters will be coming to. "
"Mrs. Summers," interrupted Wesley. "May I ask how you came accross this information?"
"I was there," Joyce stated simply.
"You were there," shrieked Buffy. "What were you doing there? Why were you there?"
"I was there to see what the place looked like. As for why, Xander was going to go, but gang warfare in New York is keeping him rather busy."
"Not as busy as he's gonna be when I get a hold of him," muttered Buffy. Intellectually she knew her mother was beyond the reach of most dangers, but she was still her mother and Buffy wanted to protect her. Keep her safe at all costs.
"Joyce," ventured Giles. "Perhaps if we retired to my office, we could discuss this information you have."
"Fine. I suggest we meet there with Fred and Wesley."
"Actually, I was thinking more of the two of us, and Buffy of course."
"No," Joyce stated. "Buffy's desire that I have nothing to do with Warren did not go unheeded. I was asked to become more directly involved, as well as take on another task as Dawn's Spirit Guide. Buffy may have told you that I can only be here for a limited period of time, and I don't choose to explain my self three times, or answer three sets of similar questions. Nor do I intend to foster a situation where one group feels that they are not being told everything.. Either they all have equal representation or we wait until the three groups agree to work together or the world ends. Whichever comes first."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Warren moved around Willow's apartment just checking hings out. It wasn't a very big apartment, two bedrooms, one of which was used as a storeroom. He decided to make that the basis of his operations. Being a ghost meant that he couldn't touch anything ith out extreme concentration, but he could do somethings. Using telekinesis, he cleared off a chair, and shoved boxes against a wall.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Ysandrilloo is about half the size of earth. Rotation and orbital speed is similar, so gravity is about half what it is here. I saw no mountains, just graasy plains nd remains of dead cities." Joyce continued her description of Ysandrillo, while Giles, Wesley and Fred took notes.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Buffy," Angel approached the angry Slayer, who glanced at him and then turned away. "Is it true, what Joyce said. Did you try to get Faith's blood to save me?"
"Angel, you were dieing. I couldn't let that happen." Buffy refused to look at him. "What was I supposed to have done."
"You should have let me die." Angel clamped down on the anger he felt.
"That's what I've been thinking for a long time." Xander entered through the back entrance and grinned at everybody. "Joyce get you all working together, or are yoiu still at each other's necks."
Buffy launched herself at him. She was not surprised to pass through his body and continue on into the wall behind him. She had expected it, but needed a release for the frustrations building insider her. She glared at the annoying grin he was sporting. "Getting kind of old Buff."
"What was the idea of sending my mother to Ysandrillo," she hissed.
"She volunteered, and unless there's some actual danger, she safe enough." Xander shrugged. "You know I'd never send her into a situation where she can be harmed."
"Why is she doing this?."
"Simple, you desired that she have nothing more to do with Warren. Granted, so she will be the go between between you and the Celestial Library resources, as well as being Dawn's Spririt Guide. It also means that Warren is free for other assignments, with Willow's help of course."
Willow's head jerked up.
"Other assignments," sneered Buffy. "She's kind of busy right now. You know, end of the world stuff."
"She'll be busier. A bunch of skeletons have been found in a gully south of town. "The boys upstairs want her to look into that, with Warren's help of course."
"When," asked Willow nervoulsy.
"Now, or as soon as possible. Warrens getting set up now."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Willow stared at the boxes strewn through out her living room. "Warren," she shrieked.
"Spare bedroom," came the answering yell.
Everything had been shoved aside, to make room for a desk, chair, modern computer system, complete, according to the manual, which lay open on the desk, with voice activation system.
"Bu but how?"
Warren grinned at her. "I'm a ghost, not helpless."
"How did you pay for this?" Willow glanced around Fortunately all her stuff was still there. At least Warren hadn't disposed of anything. "What are you doing?"
"I didn't pay for this, I charged it to your account, and I'm setting up a base of operations."
"I paid for it," stammered Willow. "Operations for what?"
"Well I couldn't pay for it," Warren told her smugly. "Dead men can't get credit, and since you were the one who made me dead, and in a rather horrible way at that, it seemed only fair." Warren spread his arms expansively. "Welcome to the Willow and Warren Detective Agency. We're gonna be gumshoes and we got our first case."
Warren flashed out and back again. This time he was wearing a trench coat, had a deerstalker cap on his head, and a meerschaum pipe was gripped between his teeth."