Title: Grave Flower
Author: Bianca Masiello
Disclaimer: Buffy the Vampire Slayer belongs to Joss Whedon, FX, UPN, Mutant Enemy, blah blah. we know the drill.
Walking slow along the path She dare not turn or look back The child like moon's eerie glow The light a place she dare not go May all the dark things hide and cower As she walks the path with her grave flower -Bianca Masiello
Synopsis: Set at the end of Sleeper, what if Spike had gone through with the First's plans? Touch of AU: Tara's alive, and Xand and Anya got hitched. Spuffy but tasteful in a dark way.
------
Skin and Bone
In the noon sky, where the sun normally rested by a thread, was darkness. The clouds swathed any blue pigment of the horizon and had buried the sun a day ago. Xander and Anya moved up to the office door. The school was busy; each class room they passed was alive with voices and laughter.
Anya pulled the door open, slipping inside before Xander. He held the door for her and allowed it to close on its own accord behind them. The principle's door was already open.
"If I hear of his again, I'm sure you know the drill by now, Cooper."
Anya glanced at Xander before heading over to Buffy's desk. He turned back to the office and stepped up to the door way. A young man, hooligan looking, exited cockily, head held high.
"Next." The principle said flippantly, as if to amuse himself. Xander stepped inside.
The principle looked up, "Oh, hello. Is there something I can help you with?" The young black man asked pleasantly. Xander pressed his hands together.
"You're councilor, Buffy Summers, has she been in today?" He asked. Principle Wood leaned back in his chair.
"Fraid not. She would have been a big help today, though she never called in. Why, is something wrong?" He asked, as if Xander's appearance suddenly brought some kind of bad omen.
"No, no. It's um. . ." He fumbled.
"It's her birthday," Anya said appearing in the door way behind him. "We wanted to surprise her, take her to, mm, lunch." Anya smiled. Principle Wood visibly relaxed.
"Well, when you see the Birthday-Girl, be sure to tell her that I'll need to speak with her tomorrow, asap." Wood grinned. They both nodded their heads enthusiastically.
"Can do. Leaving now. Bye." Anya said talking Xander's arm and pulling him out of the office with her.
Once outside the school they started through the freshly pounding rain for Xander's car. "Well that was a bust. Thanks for the save, by the by." Xand smiled. Anya just waved her hand in never mind, pulling her coat tighter around her. Her shoulder length blond hair sticking to her face in sodden strands.
"There was nothing at her desk. Though I have to say she is the single most unorganized per. . ."
"Aun, focus? So the graveyard was empty, and she hasn't been by the school today. That leaves us."
"Where we started if I'm correct." Anya said deadpan. Xander unlocked their machine with a beep and they got in quickly. "Maybe Willow and Tara did better." They sat in a brief silence, the rain beating uneven rhythms on the exterior of the car. It was muffled but beautiful, like a lullaby.
"Maybe," Xander frowned, starting the car. Xander slipped it in gear as his heart sank knowing that worse just plummeted into dreadful. They'd never had to deal with this before. Buffy had always been able to handle herself, they could always count on her quips and courage in battle. Her strength and bravery infected everyone around her. Made them believe that they could win too. And so far, they hadn't lost yet.
So far.
------
Eleven hours later, the Scoobies sat in the same places around the table at the Magic Box. Clothes and hair all damp, but drying. Anya was forced to close shop for the day, as no one had been there much at all. The three other coffee cups and one hot chocolate still sat in the same place on the table, now room temperature.
"Well, what about the house," Xander quizzed, watching Willow frown and stroke the back of Tara's hand.
She shook her head softly, "We stopped by a couple times, and no one had been there." Will explained.
"And the Bronze?"
"One vamp, Spike's childe." Dawn said. "I think we made her cry."
"Another one?" Anya asked very upset. "That makes like, three guys, nine girls, right? That's too many."
Xander shook his head. "We're in too deep here. We need,"
"Buffy," Anya said, her voice cracked with panic. "How dare she go off and get hurt and not," she couldn't finish.
"I was going to say Giles." Xander said more quietly. She glanced at him, her mouth formed a tiny o.
"And, I can't help think that this Beneath Us thing, maybe it has something to do with, this." Willow tried to say. "Big bad, Spike diving off the deep end, Buffy missing."
"It's possible," Tara added in agreement. "But how is it connected, and how do we fight it?" She asked. Willow just shook her head, not having any answers like that.
"I think bringing our newest Evil into it is just putting too much on our plates," Xander pointed out. "Focus on Buffy first, then we go after Spike."
"And we all know that's the order it's going to happen in." Anya said sarcastically. Xander shot a weary glance at his wife.
"Aun," he said with caring warning.
"No, she's right. Things don't always work out as planned." Willow agreed.
"Better safe than sorry." Dawn fiddled with the stake they'd given her.
Xander sighed, "Alright, Dawny, sorry but your holding the fort. We sweep the sewers while it's still light out. That's the best I've got." He said.
"Giles," Anya reminded him quietly.
"I'll call him." Dawn said, "I'll be here for a while anyway." She said reluctantly. Willow and Tara gave her sympathetic face, but Dawn understood that they couldn't risk her, especially with her sister, the Slayer, temporarily out of the game. But she never could help thinking that maybe they really might need her. She could fight.
Her mind wandered back to the catwalk at the Bronze. Spike's childe had proven her wrong. She would have been vamp food if Will and Tara hadn't been there.
"Be back at sundown," Tara assured her. "And I want to hear everything Giles said," she smiled. Tara always knew how to make her feel good, useful, even when Dawn was taking care of the easiest and simplest task, knowing they were just getting her out of the way.
"Vampire Express, coming right up."
------
The constant drip around them was drowned out by the soft sloshing of water under their shoes.
"This place gives me the willies," Willow commented quietly.
"Me too," Tara frowned holding her flash light close to her, almost as close as her stake.
"Buffy!" Xander called again. He'd been trying and trying, but to no avail. They'd been down countless tunnels and caves, and still, they hadn't seen any sign of life; natural or unnatural.
"Buffy! It's not funny anymore!" Anya's voice echoed.
"It was funny? Where was I?" Xander joked, his nervous giggle turned into an 'ow' as Anya elbowed him.
"Buffy!" Tara called down a tunnel to their left. She held up the map again and turned it.
"Do you see where we are?" Willow asked, peeking at the map.
"Here," Tara motioned to a particularly long tunnel running south under the more residential side of town. "We're coming up on a sharp turn, that'll be the end of this line." She spoke.
"Xander, it's getting late, we should head back." Anya said. "Things will be waking up soon. Things stronger than us, with more teeth," she said pointedly.
"Buffy's out here somewhere. I just know." He said determined and called out again. "Buffy!"
"We haven't checked the burned warehouse outside town, yet. O-or the old high school, also burned. . ." Willow said.
"Those are good places to look," Tara said matter of factly.
"Yes, and they're all above ground. And apparently charred," Anya froze, then whipped her light off to the right.
They slowed down further, "What is it?" Xander asked. Anya shook her head.
"I thought I saw," she pointed her light down the dark tunnel, searching, but finding nothing. "Nevermind." She muttered. "Can we please go now?" She turned around to face them, glancing down the way they came. She gasped.
They turned to see what she was looking at. A pack of vampires stood growling and glaring at them with sick golden eyes glowing in the dark.
"I think you should stay," one of the women said, "We'd love to play, want to join us?"
"Eeesh, no." Xander said quickly. "Now ladies, I'm sure you don't want us, skin and bones, really." He said. Willow and Tara stood, frightened, but ready just a step behind Xander. Anya had taken her place fearlessly beside her husband.
"Doesn't take much, still smells like blood to me," they whispered stalking closer.
Xander's heart raced, his mind wrapped in prayer. "Where are you Buffy,"
------
She sat on top of the table sipping one of the coffees she'd heated up. One perk of them leaving was they left three full coffee cups sitting just in reach. It was tasty, had a nice zip to it that made Dawn smile inside.
The phone rang and rang. She thought that maybe it was too late, or too early in England for Giles to answer. Either way, they needed him, and he should get the hell up and answer his phone.
"Hello?" He sounded groggy.
"Giles! God, finally." She sighed exasperated. "It's like what, 12 pm over there," "I slept in as I was working late, I am still a watcher you know." He said starting to sound more awake.
"More like a stoner." She commented quickly.
"Dawn, why did you call?" he asked. Dawn sipped her coffee, the reality she'd been dealing with drifted back to her.
"So much had happened. There was this Benath You thing, I saw mom. Spike came back, with a soul. Now Spike's chips gone into critical failure and he's feeding again and Buffy's missing. We've looked every where and the only things that keep popping up are vamps that say Spike sired them." Dawn explained. "Giles, they're doing the best they can but,"
"Dear lord," he said trying to keep up with her. "I understand," Giles frowned. "Buffy is strong, have faith that she's alright. Tell the others that I should be arriving no later than Thursday." He explained. Dawn was thankful for his words.
"Giles, I'm scared." She admitted. "I want to help,"
"The best thing you can do is support your friends, do as they say, and pray."
------
He knew that Giles would be on his way, now that Dawn had filled him in. And they would be coming for him. He'd left the Magic Box in a hurry though the sewers. He could feel the sun was just about to set and he wanted to be there when she woke up.
Just up ahead, "Aun, no!"
He took off running.
------
Author: Bianca Masiello
Disclaimer: Buffy the Vampire Slayer belongs to Joss Whedon, FX, UPN, Mutant Enemy, blah blah. we know the drill.
Walking slow along the path She dare not turn or look back The child like moon's eerie glow The light a place she dare not go May all the dark things hide and cower As she walks the path with her grave flower -Bianca Masiello
Synopsis: Set at the end of Sleeper, what if Spike had gone through with the First's plans? Touch of AU: Tara's alive, and Xand and Anya got hitched. Spuffy but tasteful in a dark way.
------
Skin and Bone
In the noon sky, where the sun normally rested by a thread, was darkness. The clouds swathed any blue pigment of the horizon and had buried the sun a day ago. Xander and Anya moved up to the office door. The school was busy; each class room they passed was alive with voices and laughter.
Anya pulled the door open, slipping inside before Xander. He held the door for her and allowed it to close on its own accord behind them. The principle's door was already open.
"If I hear of his again, I'm sure you know the drill by now, Cooper."
Anya glanced at Xander before heading over to Buffy's desk. He turned back to the office and stepped up to the door way. A young man, hooligan looking, exited cockily, head held high.
"Next." The principle said flippantly, as if to amuse himself. Xander stepped inside.
The principle looked up, "Oh, hello. Is there something I can help you with?" The young black man asked pleasantly. Xander pressed his hands together.
"You're councilor, Buffy Summers, has she been in today?" He asked. Principle Wood leaned back in his chair.
"Fraid not. She would have been a big help today, though she never called in. Why, is something wrong?" He asked, as if Xander's appearance suddenly brought some kind of bad omen.
"No, no. It's um. . ." He fumbled.
"It's her birthday," Anya said appearing in the door way behind him. "We wanted to surprise her, take her to, mm, lunch." Anya smiled. Principle Wood visibly relaxed.
"Well, when you see the Birthday-Girl, be sure to tell her that I'll need to speak with her tomorrow, asap." Wood grinned. They both nodded their heads enthusiastically.
"Can do. Leaving now. Bye." Anya said talking Xander's arm and pulling him out of the office with her.
Once outside the school they started through the freshly pounding rain for Xander's car. "Well that was a bust. Thanks for the save, by the by." Xand smiled. Anya just waved her hand in never mind, pulling her coat tighter around her. Her shoulder length blond hair sticking to her face in sodden strands.
"There was nothing at her desk. Though I have to say she is the single most unorganized per. . ."
"Aun, focus? So the graveyard was empty, and she hasn't been by the school today. That leaves us."
"Where we started if I'm correct." Anya said deadpan. Xander unlocked their machine with a beep and they got in quickly. "Maybe Willow and Tara did better." They sat in a brief silence, the rain beating uneven rhythms on the exterior of the car. It was muffled but beautiful, like a lullaby.
"Maybe," Xander frowned, starting the car. Xander slipped it in gear as his heart sank knowing that worse just plummeted into dreadful. They'd never had to deal with this before. Buffy had always been able to handle herself, they could always count on her quips and courage in battle. Her strength and bravery infected everyone around her. Made them believe that they could win too. And so far, they hadn't lost yet.
So far.
------
Eleven hours later, the Scoobies sat in the same places around the table at the Magic Box. Clothes and hair all damp, but drying. Anya was forced to close shop for the day, as no one had been there much at all. The three other coffee cups and one hot chocolate still sat in the same place on the table, now room temperature.
"Well, what about the house," Xander quizzed, watching Willow frown and stroke the back of Tara's hand.
She shook her head softly, "We stopped by a couple times, and no one had been there." Will explained.
"And the Bronze?"
"One vamp, Spike's childe." Dawn said. "I think we made her cry."
"Another one?" Anya asked very upset. "That makes like, three guys, nine girls, right? That's too many."
Xander shook his head. "We're in too deep here. We need,"
"Buffy," Anya said, her voice cracked with panic. "How dare she go off and get hurt and not," she couldn't finish.
"I was going to say Giles." Xander said more quietly. She glanced at him, her mouth formed a tiny o.
"And, I can't help think that this Beneath Us thing, maybe it has something to do with, this." Willow tried to say. "Big bad, Spike diving off the deep end, Buffy missing."
"It's possible," Tara added in agreement. "But how is it connected, and how do we fight it?" She asked. Willow just shook her head, not having any answers like that.
"I think bringing our newest Evil into it is just putting too much on our plates," Xander pointed out. "Focus on Buffy first, then we go after Spike."
"And we all know that's the order it's going to happen in." Anya said sarcastically. Xander shot a weary glance at his wife.
"Aun," he said with caring warning.
"No, she's right. Things don't always work out as planned." Willow agreed.
"Better safe than sorry." Dawn fiddled with the stake they'd given her.
Xander sighed, "Alright, Dawny, sorry but your holding the fort. We sweep the sewers while it's still light out. That's the best I've got." He said.
"Giles," Anya reminded him quietly.
"I'll call him." Dawn said, "I'll be here for a while anyway." She said reluctantly. Willow and Tara gave her sympathetic face, but Dawn understood that they couldn't risk her, especially with her sister, the Slayer, temporarily out of the game. But she never could help thinking that maybe they really might need her. She could fight.
Her mind wandered back to the catwalk at the Bronze. Spike's childe had proven her wrong. She would have been vamp food if Will and Tara hadn't been there.
"Be back at sundown," Tara assured her. "And I want to hear everything Giles said," she smiled. Tara always knew how to make her feel good, useful, even when Dawn was taking care of the easiest and simplest task, knowing they were just getting her out of the way.
"Vampire Express, coming right up."
------
The constant drip around them was drowned out by the soft sloshing of water under their shoes.
"This place gives me the willies," Willow commented quietly.
"Me too," Tara frowned holding her flash light close to her, almost as close as her stake.
"Buffy!" Xander called again. He'd been trying and trying, but to no avail. They'd been down countless tunnels and caves, and still, they hadn't seen any sign of life; natural or unnatural.
"Buffy! It's not funny anymore!" Anya's voice echoed.
"It was funny? Where was I?" Xander joked, his nervous giggle turned into an 'ow' as Anya elbowed him.
"Buffy!" Tara called down a tunnel to their left. She held up the map again and turned it.
"Do you see where we are?" Willow asked, peeking at the map.
"Here," Tara motioned to a particularly long tunnel running south under the more residential side of town. "We're coming up on a sharp turn, that'll be the end of this line." She spoke.
"Xander, it's getting late, we should head back." Anya said. "Things will be waking up soon. Things stronger than us, with more teeth," she said pointedly.
"Buffy's out here somewhere. I just know." He said determined and called out again. "Buffy!"
"We haven't checked the burned warehouse outside town, yet. O-or the old high school, also burned. . ." Willow said.
"Those are good places to look," Tara said matter of factly.
"Yes, and they're all above ground. And apparently charred," Anya froze, then whipped her light off to the right.
They slowed down further, "What is it?" Xander asked. Anya shook her head.
"I thought I saw," she pointed her light down the dark tunnel, searching, but finding nothing. "Nevermind." She muttered. "Can we please go now?" She turned around to face them, glancing down the way they came. She gasped.
They turned to see what she was looking at. A pack of vampires stood growling and glaring at them with sick golden eyes glowing in the dark.
"I think you should stay," one of the women said, "We'd love to play, want to join us?"
"Eeesh, no." Xander said quickly. "Now ladies, I'm sure you don't want us, skin and bones, really." He said. Willow and Tara stood, frightened, but ready just a step behind Xander. Anya had taken her place fearlessly beside her husband.
"Doesn't take much, still smells like blood to me," they whispered stalking closer.
Xander's heart raced, his mind wrapped in prayer. "Where are you Buffy,"
------
She sat on top of the table sipping one of the coffees she'd heated up. One perk of them leaving was they left three full coffee cups sitting just in reach. It was tasty, had a nice zip to it that made Dawn smile inside.
The phone rang and rang. She thought that maybe it was too late, or too early in England for Giles to answer. Either way, they needed him, and he should get the hell up and answer his phone.
"Hello?" He sounded groggy.
"Giles! God, finally." She sighed exasperated. "It's like what, 12 pm over there," "I slept in as I was working late, I am still a watcher you know." He said starting to sound more awake.
"More like a stoner." She commented quickly.
"Dawn, why did you call?" he asked. Dawn sipped her coffee, the reality she'd been dealing with drifted back to her.
"So much had happened. There was this Benath You thing, I saw mom. Spike came back, with a soul. Now Spike's chips gone into critical failure and he's feeding again and Buffy's missing. We've looked every where and the only things that keep popping up are vamps that say Spike sired them." Dawn explained. "Giles, they're doing the best they can but,"
"Dear lord," he said trying to keep up with her. "I understand," Giles frowned. "Buffy is strong, have faith that she's alright. Tell the others that I should be arriving no later than Thursday." He explained. Dawn was thankful for his words.
"Giles, I'm scared." She admitted. "I want to help,"
"The best thing you can do is support your friends, do as they say, and pray."
------
He knew that Giles would be on his way, now that Dawn had filled him in. And they would be coming for him. He'd left the Magic Box in a hurry though the sewers. He could feel the sun was just about to set and he wanted to be there when she woke up.
Just up ahead, "Aun, no!"
He took off running.
------
