*****
Chapter 10: Research Mode
*****
"Isn't that who write o-our book?" Tara looked very confused.
"Yeah. I can't believe it. I never would have guessed." Xander arched an eyebrow and absently caressed Anya's knee.
"Is she any good?" Spike bit back a comment, instead suggestively clearing his throat. Buffy looked briefly at him, but said nothing.
"Oh, yes. She's very good." Tell me about it, Red. The bell on the door sounded and his gaze flew to Andrea as she stepped into the shop, a grim smile set on her face.
"Hey, there, Webster," Xander said cheerfully. She half-smiled as she pulled out a chair at the table and seated herself.
"That's been done, Xander," she said.
"You lied to us," Dawn stated, her expression somewhere between disappointment and approval.
"No, I didn't. I just conveniently forgot to tell you stuff. That was of slight importance."
"You lied by omission, pet." It was the first time Spike had spoken to her since he'd gone back to his crypt after they'd gone to Giles'. Since the Mellora. She closed her eyes, head down.
"I know," she admitted. "I'm sorry. I just didn't realize. . .How the hell was I supposed to know that I'm the key to the next apocalypse?" She pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration. Dammit, even when he was accusing her of lying, she wanted him. What was wrong with her? Buffy laid a hand on her shoulder.
"Hey, relax. It doesn't matter. It's done. Right now, we need to concentrate on how to stop the end of the world."
"Buffy's right," agreed Willow. "But later, will you sign my copy of 'Serenity Gone'?" The red-head looked hopefully at the new slayer, who smiled, despite the seriousness of the situation.
"Sure, Will."
Xander was staring at Spike, ignoring the conversation. What was with him? One minute he's defending Andrea, the next he's scolding her. He knew it was stupid, but Spike couldn't help but feel hurt that Andrea hadn't trusted him enough to tell him her secret. No bloody wonder Monkey Boy looks so sodding confused. But really, he'd known her for less that a week. They barely even knew each other. But there was so much he wanted to know. Like where she was ticklish. Like what colour panties she wore. He quickly shoved away that fantasy before it got started. That was all he needed, a hard-on when he was within spitting distance of Niblet, Monkey Boy, the slayers and two witches.
* * *
"Look, we've been here since four. It's nine. I think we should eat something," Dawn complained.
They'd been researching this ritual four hours and hadn't found much. Only that it involves the death of a slayer child prodigy. And that wasn't exactly news.
Giles had joined them around five. Apparently, he also had a social life. Soon after Willow's autograph request, everyone had realized that Andrea still had not been introduced to Tara and made the inductions. Xander's stomach growled.
"I think Dawny's right on this one. At this rate, we'll all die of starvation before the ritual anyway."
"I am feeling a bit peckish myself," Spike agreed, patting his ripped stomach.
"All right, if we don't find anything in ten minutes, someone can go get something to eat," Giles said tiredly. He turned the page in the thick volume that lay on the table in front of him.
"Who's supposed to be doing this ritual anyway?" Andrea asked, running her fingers through her hair in frustration.
"Well, I'm not entirely sure. It could be anyone."
"That narrows it down," she said sarcastically. There was silence until -
"Hey, I found something," Buffy said. Andrea looked at her expectantly. "This ritual can only be performed once every 28 500 years. There's only five minutes in which it can be done."
"So all we have to so is postpone the ritual until the opening is gone," Xander summarized.
"Easier said than done, I'm sure."
"Now, now, Andrea, let's not get pessimistic," Buffy advised.
"No, Buffy," Giles interrupted. "She's right." He suddenly looked even more grim than he had before, as he gazed down at the book Buffy had been reading. "This ritual will rip a hole in the Milky Way." Andrea slowly turned her gaze to the watcher.
"Jesus." Dawn gasped and Willow paled. Buffy took the book, glanced down and winced.
"Ouch."
"What?" She probably didn't want to know.
"A picture showing part of the ritual," Giles said vaguely, rubbing his eyes. Andrea frowned, reaching for the book, but Spike had hopped off the counter and snatched the book out of Buffy's hands. He only looked at the book for a second before he snapped it shut.
"Bloody hell. I need a smoke." He swept out of the shop and Andrea took the book and flipped through the pages until she located the drawing. It depicted a girl tied to a chair in a dress that looked ritualistic. She was bleeding heavily from various parts of her body. And what looked like entrails were dangling from her stomach. Closing the book, she forced a smile as everyone looked expectantly at her.
"So, who's up for dinner?" she said darkly. "I'll go get some fast food." She stood and exited the store.
"Isn't that who write o-our book?" Tara looked very confused.
"Yeah. I can't believe it. I never would have guessed." Xander arched an eyebrow and absently caressed Anya's knee.
"Is she any good?" Spike bit back a comment, instead suggestively clearing his throat. Buffy looked briefly at him, but said nothing.
"Oh, yes. She's very good." Tell me about it, Red. The bell on the door sounded and his gaze flew to Andrea as she stepped into the shop, a grim smile set on her face.
"Hey, there, Webster," Xander said cheerfully. She half-smiled as she pulled out a chair at the table and seated herself.
"That's been done, Xander," she said.
"You lied to us," Dawn stated, her expression somewhere between disappointment and approval.
"No, I didn't. I just conveniently forgot to tell you stuff. That was of slight importance."
"You lied by omission, pet." It was the first time Spike had spoken to her since he'd gone back to his crypt after they'd gone to Giles'. Since the Mellora. She closed her eyes, head down.
"I know," she admitted. "I'm sorry. I just didn't realize. . .How the hell was I supposed to know that I'm the key to the next apocalypse?" She pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration. Dammit, even when he was accusing her of lying, she wanted him. What was wrong with her? Buffy laid a hand on her shoulder.
"Hey, relax. It doesn't matter. It's done. Right now, we need to concentrate on how to stop the end of the world."
"Buffy's right," agreed Willow. "But later, will you sign my copy of 'Serenity Gone'?" The red-head looked hopefully at the new slayer, who smiled, despite the seriousness of the situation.
"Sure, Will."
Xander was staring at Spike, ignoring the conversation. What was with him? One minute he's defending Andrea, the next he's scolding her. He knew it was stupid, but Spike couldn't help but feel hurt that Andrea hadn't trusted him enough to tell him her secret. No bloody wonder Monkey Boy looks so sodding confused. But really, he'd known her for less that a week. They barely even knew each other. But there was so much he wanted to know. Like where she was ticklish. Like what colour panties she wore. He quickly shoved away that fantasy before it got started. That was all he needed, a hard-on when he was within spitting distance of Niblet, Monkey Boy, the slayers and two witches.
* * *
"Look, we've been here since four. It's nine. I think we should eat something," Dawn complained.
They'd been researching this ritual four hours and hadn't found much. Only that it involves the death of a slayer child prodigy. And that wasn't exactly news.
Giles had joined them around five. Apparently, he also had a social life. Soon after Willow's autograph request, everyone had realized that Andrea still had not been introduced to Tara and made the inductions. Xander's stomach growled.
"I think Dawny's right on this one. At this rate, we'll all die of starvation before the ritual anyway."
"I am feeling a bit peckish myself," Spike agreed, patting his ripped stomach.
"All right, if we don't find anything in ten minutes, someone can go get something to eat," Giles said tiredly. He turned the page in the thick volume that lay on the table in front of him.
"Who's supposed to be doing this ritual anyway?" Andrea asked, running her fingers through her hair in frustration.
"Well, I'm not entirely sure. It could be anyone."
"That narrows it down," she said sarcastically. There was silence until -
"Hey, I found something," Buffy said. Andrea looked at her expectantly. "This ritual can only be performed once every 28 500 years. There's only five minutes in which it can be done."
"So all we have to so is postpone the ritual until the opening is gone," Xander summarized.
"Easier said than done, I'm sure."
"Now, now, Andrea, let's not get pessimistic," Buffy advised.
"No, Buffy," Giles interrupted. "She's right." He suddenly looked even more grim than he had before, as he gazed down at the book Buffy had been reading. "This ritual will rip a hole in the Milky Way." Andrea slowly turned her gaze to the watcher.
"Jesus." Dawn gasped and Willow paled. Buffy took the book, glanced down and winced.
"Ouch."
"What?" She probably didn't want to know.
"A picture showing part of the ritual," Giles said vaguely, rubbing his eyes. Andrea frowned, reaching for the book, but Spike had hopped off the counter and snatched the book out of Buffy's hands. He only looked at the book for a second before he snapped it shut.
"Bloody hell. I need a smoke." He swept out of the shop and Andrea took the book and flipped through the pages until she located the drawing. It depicted a girl tied to a chair in a dress that looked ritualistic. She was bleeding heavily from various parts of her body. And what looked like entrails were dangling from her stomach. Closing the book, she forced a smile as everyone looked expectantly at her.
"So, who's up for dinner?" she said darkly. "I'll go get some fast food." She stood and exited the store.