CHAPTER FORTY-NINE: DEIDRE

(Just a warning, I didn't like Olivia…she's going to be evil.  In the series she had nothing to do with Eyghon, but…well, creative license and all that.  She does now.)

Sunday: 4pm

11th July 1999

California: Sunnydale

Buffy returned from the movie, a smile on her face and a spring in her step.  Tara had seemed to grow slightly more relaxed over the several hours that the group had hung out, and it looked as though the Scoobies had just gained a new members.  Buffy had yet to explain everything to her, but the Slayer also knew that even when she finally did explain it, Tara would still be there to stay.

She closed the door behind her and made her way into the kitchen.  As she went to the fridge, she could hear voices from the people coming down the stairs.

"Why would I?" Giles seemed to be angry at something and Buffy found herself compelled to eavesdrop on her Watcher and the woman that had begun making her life hell.

"You've got no real reason to stay," Olivia argued.

"No reason?" Giles repeated.  "My Slayer is reason enough Liv."

"Is that the only reason you stay in this little town Ripp?" Olivia taunted.  "Or is there something else?"

Buffy strained to hear as Giles lowered his voice threateningly. 

"If you're suggesting what I think you're suggesting, then I'm going to ask you to leave and not come back."

Olivia scoffed and shook her head.

"You've changed Ripp.  You weren't ever one for responsibility.  Now you're loyal to a bloody eighteen year old," Olivia said.

"She may be eighteen, but she is far more important to me than you'll ever be," Giles replied.  Buffy could definitely hear the repressed anger in his voice, the desire to let loose.  "That girl is my sole reason for living, and I will not listen to you talking about her in that manner."

Olivia laughed coldly.  "You know, for someone who didn't even want to know anything about being a Watcher, you've definitely changed your tune.  Twenty years ago, you wouldn't have given that girl the time of day."

"Yes, twenty years ago, I probably wouldn't have.  But a lot can change in twenty years," Giles said.  "I'm not Ripper any longer."

"Aren't you?" she challenged.  "I can feel him in you.  I can hear him in you."

"Well, what can I say?  You bring out the worst in me," he taunted.

"You can't scare me away.  I know who you are.  I bet she doesn't know what you're capable of, the magicks you could unleash if you wanted to.  Aren't you even a little tempted to get that feeling again?  The power?  The invincibility?"

"We weren't invincible," Giles hissed.  "We proved that when we got Randall killed.  Now if you've got nothing productive to add, then I suggest you go back home to London."

Olivia paused for a moment and Buffy wished she could see what was happening without letting them know that she was there.  She heard someone take several footsteps towards the door, and the door swung open loudly.

"You'll regret not co-operating Ripper," Olivia said softly.  "You'll wish that you'd come home."

"I won't ever regret turning you away.  I'm still not sure why I even agreed to let you come," Giles said.

The door slammed shut and the apartment became silent.  Giles sighed and slowly headed back upstairs, thankful that Buffy hadn't been at home to witness that particular argument.  Buffy leant against the wall of the kitchen and could only hope that Olivia was out of their lives for good.

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Sunday: 12midnight

11th July 1999

California: Sunnydale

Olivia sat on the outside of a sacred circle, candles flickering softly around her.  She looked towards her Second and nodded, the two of them beginning a chant that hadn't been used in over twenty years. 

Deidre Page grinned as they finished reciting.  "Time to sleep," she whispered softly.

Almost immediately, Olivia fell into a deep slumber.  Seconds later, her body sat up with a jerk, her eyes flashing bright yellow.

"Eyghon," Deidre whispered reverently.

Eyghon smiled viciously and took hold of the woman's neck, snapping it with incredible force.  Deidre dropped to the ground, and Eyghon jumped from Olivia to the now deceased Deidre Page.  With a feral grin, Eyghon took off, jumping through the window of the rented hotel room.  Olivia hadn't been planning on it to jump. 

The rituals mustn't have worked as she'd planned it to.  Something had gone wrong.  Which now meant that Eyghon would begin to track down the members of the original circle and kill them off one-by-one, according to what order people had joined the circle.  Ethan and Ripper had started it, followed by Thomas, Randall, Olivia and Phillip.

Olivia swallowed hard.  Eyghon would go after Phillip and Thomas first before returning to Sunnydale to finish off Ethan and Ripper.  Olivia needed a plan desperately, and she needed one fast.  After Phillip, she would be next.  Unless of course, she found someone to initiate before Eyghon even went after Phillip. 

Olivia quickly grabbed a small potion and small black bag from her cupboard and ran out the door, a new plan already formulating in her mind.  She would have Ripper and kill his Slayer in the process.

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Sunday: 12midnight

11th July 1999

California: Sunnydale

Giles awoke with a start.  He'd only just managed to drift off to sleep, but he'd been awoken by a nightmare that wasn't one of the his usual ones.  Usually, his dreams were plagued with visions of Buffy being killed by a vampire or some other demon.  This dream whoever, had had nothing to do with his Slayer.

He'd seen visions of his younger self, sitting in a circle with six others, invoking the spirit of a demon to come and possess them.  His own voice, cold and evil had woken him.  'Time to sleep.'

He hadn't dreamt of his Eyghon days in years.  When the phone rang, he knew that this hadn't just been random.  He picked up the phone, knowing who would be on the other end.

"Ethan?"

"You had the dream as well," Ethan's voice said.  He sounded a little shaky.  Giles was just glad that he wasn't the only one who was ruffled by the nightmare.

"Yes."

"You don't think…" Ethan trailed off.

"Think what?"

"Well…you and Olivia didn't part on the best of terms," Ethan said.  "She wouldn't have…awoken Eyghon, would she?"

Giles considered the question very seriously.  He had no other explanation for the sudden occurrence of the dream.

"She couldn't have done it alone," Giles said.  "She'd have needed at least one other person from the original circle."

"Well…we know it wasn't one of us," Ethan said.  "That narrows it down to four.  Randall's dead, so that's three.  Phillip's got a wife and two kids, so he wouldn't be stupid enough to raise the demon again.  Which leaves Thomas and Deidre."

"Thomas hated Olivia," Giles said.  "He wouldn't have agreed to it on the principal of it being Liv that suggested it."

"Which leaves dear old Deidre.  Those two always were thick as thieves," Ethan said.

"Why would Olivia call Eyghon though?" Giles asked.  "She was just as panicked as the rest of us when it took Randall.  She knows the dangers."

Ethan went silent for a moment.  A horrible though struck him and he hesitated before sharing it with Giles.

"Perhaps it was the only solution she could think of," Ethan said quietly.

"Solution?"

"What better way to kill a Slayer then to call summon a demon?"

(*Insert dramatic music here*  Olivia is evil…I don't like her…)

Also, Stars Wars Episode One…I had assumed it had come out.  I remember seeing it when I was in Year Ten, which was in 1999…I can't for the life of me remember when I saw it, except that it was early in the year, maybe around March (and this is based on the memories of me seeing it with a boy I had a massive crush on and it was before we were dating…sad how I can associate time with my boyfriends…)  I'll look into when it was released… ;)  THANKS to everyone for your reviews, emails and always wonderful feedback!

Toodles.

K.