Through cells of madness, haunts of horror and fear,
That I come to be grateful at last for a little thing.
'My Life Has Crept So Long' written by Lord Alfred Tennyson
Buffy stared at Angelus. Angel. It was as if her eyes were glued into place. She wasn't even sure if she was blinking. He was standing there. Right there. By the door. Looking at her. He was dead. But he was there. Dead, really dead, not undead. When she finally managed to break her gaze away she slid it towards Spike, who was also staring at Angel with a shocked expression. He didn't seem angry, or jealous, just surprised. Obviously not part of his doing. Next her eyes slid to Giles, and she swore they almost fell out of their sockets when she saw tears running in tracks down the man's cheeks. Actual tears. Over Angel? That is if he was souled. Maybe he was Angelus. Maybe he was evil. He hadn't tried to hug her, say he was sorry. He must be evil. Here to kill them all. She needed to do something about it. Do what she'd been too scared to do before. Sluggishly Buffy returned her gaze to Angelus and she reached behind her back, pulling a stake out of nowhere, or so it seemed. She only managed to take a few steps forward however before Spike put his arm out and stopped her. She looked up at him with confusion and found his eyes still on his Grand-Sire, a look of awe on his face.
She was back. After so long, she was back, for him. He thought he'd given her up. Thought he'd moved on. But now she was here. And there was no Angel to come between them. Buffy. His eyes darted to her for a second, finding her watching her Watcher as if waiting for a signal. Drusilla was back. They'd all hate that. For a moment Spike entertained the idea of running away with her now. Away from the Slayer, further, away from Sunnydale. In a small-sad way he knew that Buffy wouldn't follow, wouldn't try to kill him. No sooner had he thought of the Slayer's generosity than he felt torn. Which one of these two women did he want. He loved Drusilla, always would. But Buffy... He saw her moving forward out of the corner of his eye, stake raised. She obviously wanted to make the decision for him. And in an instant he held her back. Told her to stop with his eyes. When he saw that she agreed, he forgot about her and walked forward. As he got closer to Dru his human mask dissolved, revealing the demon. She smiled at him, and he felt the tug low in his stomach.
In an instant he found himself being pushed away by someone who ran towards Drusilla. It was Giles, he glared at Spike until the Vampire backed down, then turned towards the woman he had just 'protected'.
Giles felt his eyes welling up with tears and the saltwater overflowing and trickling down before he could stop it. He tried to blink it away with disgust, it was making his vision blurry and he had to be sure of what he was seeing. Perhaps he'd fallen asleep and this was a dream. A strange dream with Xander and Spike in it. As hard as that was to believe, it couldn't be reality. Jenny was dead. She wasn't standing before him, soft smile on her face. Vaguely he was aware of movement, and in the next instant he saw Spike walking towards her, demon face bared.
No. No. Not again. She wouldn't be killed again. Not turned again. No. Giles ran forward and beat the Vampire away. He seemed surprised but compliant. When Giles was sure, truly sure, that Spike wouldn't rush forward, he turned to Jenny, who was watching him. Silently. He stepped forward, and forgot about everyone else around him. Slowly he reached out and touched her sleeve. She was real. She was here. With a soft moan he fell forward and pulled her into a hug, then when that wasn't enough he brought his head up and kissed her full on the lips.
"Giles!" Buffy said, eyes wide with horror. There was really nothing else she could say. Nothing that would ever, ever wipe the image from her mind that she was now seeing. Giles kissing Angelus. Hugging and kissing as if they were in love. Everyone else maintained their shocked silences, Cordelia and Xander held onto each others arms with confusion written over their features. Finally the boy spoke,
"Okay.... Does anyone else see Giles kissing Cordelia?" His tone was somewhere between amused and frightened. Giles pulled away from the kiss with shock.
"No. I saw Giles kissing..." Cordelia turned her head and narrowed her eyes at Xander, "...You."
"What?" Xander seemed to pail visibly, "T-That's not... one of your fantasies is it?"
"Eww! No." she slapped his arm, "Its just what I saw... Who did you think you were kissing Giles? Pleeease tell me you're not going all Judy Garland-fan on us."
"Its..." Giles refused to let Jenny go, but he turned his head to stare at the people behind him, "Its Jenny..." he said softly. Seeing the sorrow-wed-confusion on the others faces he turned back to her and asked pleadingly, "Isn't it?"
Buffy swallowed back tears and anger, neither would work just yet. Giles spoke his question so softly that she doubted the non-super members of the group had heard. But she had. He'd sounded like a child who'd suddenly lost its innocence. Had its illusions shattered. Knowing what he was told was true, but understanding that once he accepted it things would be grievously different, slowly she said,
"Giles... That's not Miss Calendar."
"How would you know!" Giles shouted, his voice betraying unshed tears, "Your boyfriend was a murderer and you didn't even know! Didn't listen. Not until he took her." Giles drew a shaky breath into the silence, when he let it out his fingers unclasped from the garment's of the person before him, "Sorry Buffy I--" he sighed "What is it?" stared at her "What are you?"
"Oh crap." the woman --thing-- exclaimed before snapping her fingers, and in an impressive piece of no-strings magic changed appearance. And this time everyone saw the same thing. A woman dressed in a long-white flowing dress that was crimped about the hem and looked almost sickeningly fluffy -- covered in layers of lace. Her hair was a nondescript red-brown, grown to a length that the natural curls had started to straighten out from the weight. Her skin was pail, almost faintly yellow, and showed choice blue veins on her arms when the material moved aside. She had a tall forehead spotted with freckles that ran down along her podgy nose, that fits her curvy figure. She finally seemed to notice everyone staring and drew full lips defensively thin, "It seemed like a good idea at the time."
"What," asked Buffy, breaking the silence, "seemed like a good idea?"
"The, the--" the woman waved her hand, "--illusion. Didn't figure there'd be many of you here."
"It was all a trick..." Giles breathed, surprised by his own relief at the truth.
"Uh, illusion, not trick--"
"A glamour." Giles amended, keen to disappear back into his reserved facade. To become a Librarian and Watcher again, and to push back that part of his life that was neither school or world-saving related. He felt the steady trembling in his limbs lessen as he walked away from the woman, and he'd like to believe that was another spell. He'd like to. It was as if he was reliving that experience in a mansion again. Jenny coming back, but having to let her go again, because he wasn't strong enough to keep her. Every time he thought he was over-- every time he thought he'd made peace -- she came back. He hated her for haunting him. Then he hated himself for blaming her. He was the one who'd let her die. What could you have done? Something. He could have done something. What? He didn't know. It didn't matter anyhow. It'd just been a trick.
"I'm not putting on a stupid little witchy show here to impress. It was an illusion. Its over now. Deal with it." then to herself the woman snorted loudly, "Mortals. Sheesh."
"But we all saw different things. How did--"
"God!" the woman stamped a foot on the floor then sighed and spoke condescendingly, "It was an illusion to make anyone who saw me think they were seeing the person they loved -- or as close to loved. Which--" a grin formed, "--has actually produced some interesting results with people who've only experienced hate as their strongest emotion. Ha!" she chuckled to herself, while everyone stared. Not at one point did she become self-conscious, the laughter trickled out naturally leaving a stern face to answer confused ones, "Wasn't wanting to engage in osculation with all of you or anything. Is the concept so hard to understand?"
"Oscu--What?" Xander questioned. Giles, with a slight blush piped up,
"You don't need to know."
"It sounds like something you'd know about.." Cordelia whispered to her boyfriend. He started,
"I just--What?"
"Freaky alternative universe mind-control with male-on-male action? Its like something right out of your stupid comic books." she persisted.
"I never made you read those!" Xander protested, half angry, half happy. Then, "Male-on-male action?"
"Guys!" Buffy chastised. They both fell quiet and returned their attention to the strange woman. Buffy simply asked, "Why?"
"I thought--" she shrugged and began stepping further into the room as she spoke, "--that you'd be more inclined to listen that way. Guess not." she raised her hands then let them fall, "My bad."
"Listen to what?" asked Buffy guilt and anger fighting inside her and making her voice surprisingly neutral. So she didn't love Spike then. And he didn't love her. She'd seen Angel, and he'd seen... someone who plainly wasn't her. Drusilla? Surely, she'd seen his past. Knew how he treated her. She'd ask him later. After the whole break-up speech. If that ever happened. Her resolve wasn't as strong as it used to be. At moments she could mean exactly what she was saying, then give in only hours later. It wasn't that he was irresistible... just... complicated.
"I came here," sighed the woman, "because I need a champion."
"Great." Buffy snapped. Deciding that anger was the way to go, "Just great. You trick us because you want help. Well how do we know you're not evil, and whatever you want done isn't... evil. Huh?" she finished lamely.
"My name is Katharos." the woman stared at Buffy and immediately the Slayer got the feeling she wasn't liked, after a moment the eye-contact was broken and she woman continued speaking, "Kat. For short. Do you know what that means?"
"..Pure..." Giles said into the unforgiving silence.
"Right." Kat said, making a shooting motion with her hand towards Giles, "Pure. Sure I could be 'Pure evil' but never much one for the post modifiers." she subtly edged closer to Spike even as she address the whole group, no-one noticed, "The thing I want done will save human lives, that doesn't sound like evil, now does it? You're all looking sceptical still... Okay... Visual demonstration it is..."
Suddenly she was right by Spike's side, and no-one had noticed her get there. She reached out and touched the Vampire's arm. Not in a clinical way like most people did, but in a friendly, almost flirtatious way. She tucked her hand between arm and torso and ran fingers up the leather of his coat. Her eyes fixed on his face, unflinching at the ridges and teeth. Spike looked down at the woman, not attempting to move but a strong look of distaste on his features that had appeared ever since he found that he had been fooled. She leant close as if to whisper, but instead spoke loud enough so that all could here, "Try to pull back your human face."
"Why?" Spike blinked at her, then smirked, "Scare you does it?"
"Just do it." she ordered.
"Oh. I--"
"Spike." Buffy warned, her body tense at his side. She had her arms crossed over her chest and her hands balled into fists as if trying to stop herself from jerking Spike away from the groping woman. She wasn't jealous, it wasn't that. And she wasn't possessive, but for some reason it annoyed her all the same.
"Fine." he said. A moment later a growl emitted from his throat. Cordelia and Xander took a step backwards at the same time, almost tripping over each other. A look of concentration filled Spike's face for a long second before he snarled sulkily, "Can't."
"Exactly!" the woman turned to the rest of the group as if Spike no longer existed. But her hand rested still on his arm adding much to Buffy's chagrin, "He can't hide what he is when he is near me, because his demon senses the good in me." everyone was frowning now, "Oh come on! It makes sense!" Kat exclaimed with exasperation, "Its a reaction of evil to good. Do you want more proof?" She let go of him finally and moved her hand up to his face. He stared at her fingers before his eyes travelled down to her wrist uncontrollably, "When he's around me. When demons are. They can't quite keep control of their instincts." she waved her wrist slowly and his eyes followed it as if in a trance, "Granted he's a strong one, that's why--"
"Okay. Cut the show. We believe you." Buffy snapped. Kat dropped her arm down and stepped away from Spike. The glazed look fell from his eyes and his attention shot to Buffy. She looked pissed. About what? The bloodlust? He was a Vampire, it was part of the package. But then again the night before she... No. That had been about the death. She must be pissed because she thought I was going to take a bite out of this bint, Spike thought, I do have some control. But then again, hell, he was pissed too. Didn't like being taken over -- having his feelings used against him. Had enough of that last year.
"What.." said Giles weakly, trying to take in everything that was going on and ignore the ongoing soap opera that was Buffy and Spike, "...do you want from us?"
"Told you." said Kat, "Help. A champion."
"What do you want me to do?" Buffy asked, tired.
Kat turned and laughed as she looked at Buffy. She didn't point or anything, but she might as well have. She threw her head back and positively crowed as if Buffy had said the funniest thing in the world. When she came back from her revelry she found a bemused look on the Slayer's face, "Sorry honey.." she murmured, an edge of humour still in her voice, "Its just... what made you think I wanted you to help me?" then as an afterthought, "Save the world."
"Uh. Because I'm the Slayer" Buffy said in that 'I'm-ready-to-kick-your-ass-now' tone.
"Well. Isn't that nice for you." Kat's expression was turning sour, "Still doesn't mean I want you as my champion. Saving the world and all."
"Who could do it better?" Buffy asked smugly, ready with a rebuttal about whoever was chosen.
"Huh." this time Kat pointed to get her thoughts across, "Him." Everyone in the room stared, even Spike stared which was strange, because the finger was pointed straight at him.
(Author's Note: Me and Anticlimax, we're old friends. Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter ie. dustyvamp :) Its appreciated. As always, I don't know when I'll update again... But I'll try for soon.)
