Chapter 4: Irate
(Note: This chapter takes place immediately after chapter 3: Strolling, but the story will continue as if episode 7x13 "The Killer in Me" took place with Buffy choosing to have Spike's chip removed. That is all, enjoy.)
Buffy threw the door open, stomping full force into the kitchen. Lucky for her Andrew was at the counter with Dawn. Not even breaking her stride, she moved to him, grabbed him by the throat, and pinned him to the wall. "What did you do to me!" she roared at him. Her green eyes glazed over with fury.
He sputtered at her, the peanut butter and jelly sandwich he had been eating catching in his throat.
"BUFFY!" her little sister shrieked from behind her trying unsuccessfully to pry the Slayers hand from Andrew's throat.
"Stay out of this Dawn.' Buffy hissed through clenched teeth, "This is between me and young Geekwalker here." She cocked her head at Andrew waiting for a reply.
Andrew's face was starting to turn a slight shade of purple while everyone else filtered into the room, Spike leaning in the open doorway, watching his girl with a bit of concern, but mostly with satisfaction. Not interfering, seeing as how he wanted to see where this would go.
"Well, Andrew," she drawled out his name, squeezing his throat a little to let him know she was serious, "Explain yourself."
"Umm, Buffy," It was Xander's voice who answered. "Somehow I think he might be less inclined to respond if you pop his neck up like a Pez." He shrugged towards her, a little pleadingly.
Realizing the logic of this statement and combining it with the sickly look on Andrew's face; she loosened her grip on his neck, letting him slide back down the wall till his feet could once again touch the floor. Her hand was still pressing on his Adam's apple, however, just enough to let him know he wasn't getting away.
"Talk," she ordered impatiently.
"W-What, I don't know what your talking about. I didn't do anythi-," He whined at her, the last part of his words turned into a whimper as she tightened her grip again.
"Wrong answer."
"Buffy," This time it was Dawn's voice that broke the silence. "What do you think he did exactly?"
Buffy cocked her head towards Dawn briefly, before turning back towards Andrew. "So, Andrew. You been enjoying your time here, plenty of warm bodies swarming around you, keeping you nice and distracted from your pathetic role in the First's little plan, huh? Long cry from that dank lair you and your now very cold friends murdered people in, making plans to take over our lovely little burg here, isn't it?" She nodded her head a bit for emphasis.
"Not people," His voice was downcast, still managing to contain that ever present whine, "And that was all Warren, we, we didn't want to do that. It just."Andrew was having a hard time meeting her eyes, the pressure on his throat not helping him greatly in that matter. He pleadingly glanced towards Xander, hoping for another reprieve, but got none.
Buffy forced Andrew to look up. "No it wasn't all Warren, Warren was long dead before Jonathon went cold." She paused a moment, her rage no longer boiling at the surface, but instead simmering just below. "The aspirin you gave me, Andrew. What. Did. You. Do. To. It?" She emphasized each word, so that there would be no mistaking what answer she was looking for. "Awfully convenient how you had it at the ready, just waiting to hand to me when I finally came looking." She squinted her eyes at him, voice hushed a little bit. "How did you know I'd been having headaches, hmm, Andrew? You been planning this, all along? Waiting for the right moment?" Her eyes darkened, and her voice returned to a snarl. "Answer me."
"I, I didn't, Dawn. . ." He said her name pleadingly, looking for help. Buffy's gaze shifted momentarily towards her sister in time to see her shake her head in response.
"Buffy, he didn't do anything to the aspirin. I gave them to him. I heard you shouting and slamming the cabinet doors. No way to miss it, slayer strength and all, you sounded like a Mack truck when you came barreling up the stairs. He was headed downstairs anyway, so I gave him the aspirin, which was in my room by the way, and asked him to give it to you." She explained all this quite matter of factly, sounding like a parent talking down to an irate child, which was appropriate, seeing as how Buffy was acting like one.
"Oh. . ." Buffy's voice trailed, and she almost released her grip on Andrew's throat. "What was he doing in your room?" Then not waiting for an answer, "What were you doing in her room!" She threw him on the floor a moment later. "You stay away from my sister, or so help me. . ." She glanced back at Spike, then back towards Andrew, "Or Spike gets to have a nummy treat." She gave him an, oh so sweet smile and stomped off into the living room, not seeing Dawn drop to the floor to help Andrew up, and check his throat.
"Wow, she went all Emperor on me," Looking up at Dawn, "In Jedi, just before Vader kil-"
"Andrew, remember what we talked about?" She nodded her head at him.
"Yeah, no referencing movies or comic books of any kind where anyone can hear me." He droned out like a trained dog, sighing, he took her offered hand as she helped him up.
(Note: This chapter takes place immediately after chapter 3: Strolling, but the story will continue as if episode 7x13 "The Killer in Me" took place with Buffy choosing to have Spike's chip removed. That is all, enjoy.)
Buffy threw the door open, stomping full force into the kitchen. Lucky for her Andrew was at the counter with Dawn. Not even breaking her stride, she moved to him, grabbed him by the throat, and pinned him to the wall. "What did you do to me!" she roared at him. Her green eyes glazed over with fury.
He sputtered at her, the peanut butter and jelly sandwich he had been eating catching in his throat.
"BUFFY!" her little sister shrieked from behind her trying unsuccessfully to pry the Slayers hand from Andrew's throat.
"Stay out of this Dawn.' Buffy hissed through clenched teeth, "This is between me and young Geekwalker here." She cocked her head at Andrew waiting for a reply.
Andrew's face was starting to turn a slight shade of purple while everyone else filtered into the room, Spike leaning in the open doorway, watching his girl with a bit of concern, but mostly with satisfaction. Not interfering, seeing as how he wanted to see where this would go.
"Well, Andrew," she drawled out his name, squeezing his throat a little to let him know she was serious, "Explain yourself."
"Umm, Buffy," It was Xander's voice who answered. "Somehow I think he might be less inclined to respond if you pop his neck up like a Pez." He shrugged towards her, a little pleadingly.
Realizing the logic of this statement and combining it with the sickly look on Andrew's face; she loosened her grip on his neck, letting him slide back down the wall till his feet could once again touch the floor. Her hand was still pressing on his Adam's apple, however, just enough to let him know he wasn't getting away.
"Talk," she ordered impatiently.
"W-What, I don't know what your talking about. I didn't do anythi-," He whined at her, the last part of his words turned into a whimper as she tightened her grip again.
"Wrong answer."
"Buffy," This time it was Dawn's voice that broke the silence. "What do you think he did exactly?"
Buffy cocked her head towards Dawn briefly, before turning back towards Andrew. "So, Andrew. You been enjoying your time here, plenty of warm bodies swarming around you, keeping you nice and distracted from your pathetic role in the First's little plan, huh? Long cry from that dank lair you and your now very cold friends murdered people in, making plans to take over our lovely little burg here, isn't it?" She nodded her head a bit for emphasis.
"Not people," His voice was downcast, still managing to contain that ever present whine, "And that was all Warren, we, we didn't want to do that. It just."Andrew was having a hard time meeting her eyes, the pressure on his throat not helping him greatly in that matter. He pleadingly glanced towards Xander, hoping for another reprieve, but got none.
Buffy forced Andrew to look up. "No it wasn't all Warren, Warren was long dead before Jonathon went cold." She paused a moment, her rage no longer boiling at the surface, but instead simmering just below. "The aspirin you gave me, Andrew. What. Did. You. Do. To. It?" She emphasized each word, so that there would be no mistaking what answer she was looking for. "Awfully convenient how you had it at the ready, just waiting to hand to me when I finally came looking." She squinted her eyes at him, voice hushed a little bit. "How did you know I'd been having headaches, hmm, Andrew? You been planning this, all along? Waiting for the right moment?" Her eyes darkened, and her voice returned to a snarl. "Answer me."
"I, I didn't, Dawn. . ." He said her name pleadingly, looking for help. Buffy's gaze shifted momentarily towards her sister in time to see her shake her head in response.
"Buffy, he didn't do anything to the aspirin. I gave them to him. I heard you shouting and slamming the cabinet doors. No way to miss it, slayer strength and all, you sounded like a Mack truck when you came barreling up the stairs. He was headed downstairs anyway, so I gave him the aspirin, which was in my room by the way, and asked him to give it to you." She explained all this quite matter of factly, sounding like a parent talking down to an irate child, which was appropriate, seeing as how Buffy was acting like one.
"Oh. . ." Buffy's voice trailed, and she almost released her grip on Andrew's throat. "What was he doing in your room?" Then not waiting for an answer, "What were you doing in her room!" She threw him on the floor a moment later. "You stay away from my sister, or so help me. . ." She glanced back at Spike, then back towards Andrew, "Or Spike gets to have a nummy treat." She gave him an, oh so sweet smile and stomped off into the living room, not seeing Dawn drop to the floor to help Andrew up, and check his throat.
"Wow, she went all Emperor on me," Looking up at Dawn, "In Jedi, just before Vader kil-"
"Andrew, remember what we talked about?" She nodded her head at him.
"Yeah, no referencing movies or comic books of any kind where anyone can hear me." He droned out like a trained dog, sighing, he took her offered hand as she helped him up.