Chapter 5: The Gift
"Oh, my God, Buffy. You're mean!" Willow scolded. "You made him cry."
"It didn't seem so mean when I did it. And that was, like, two years ago."
"I didn't sodding cry. That's wrong. Some poof screwed it up."
"I told you it would be embarrassing," Andie said softly.
"Yeah, you weren't kidding about the popcorn throwing," Dawn said, referring to the many bits of popcorn strewn on the floor.
"Aw, poor wittle Spike got rejected," Xander teased.
"Shut up, you nancy."
"Or what? You'll cry on me?" Spike started toward Xander, ready to be particularly violent, but Andie laid a hand on his leather-covered arm.
"I had no idea you were so sensitive, Spike," Anya said. Andie helped April gather up the DVDs.
"Satisfied, now, Giles?"
"Quite. It seems you're telling the truth."
"Hey, Andie. I know what we could show them that would make them all cry," April said softly. Andie met her friend's blue gaze and read her mind.
" 'The Gift.'" A grin spread slowly across her face.
"I get a present?" Buffy asked.
"No. It's an episode title. You guys up for another episode?" They nodded and Andie put the correct DVD in the player.
The opening credits rolled and everyone's eyes widened at seeing themselves with new names. Andie had purposely fast-forwarded through the credits in the other episode.
"Hey, cool, my name is Amber," said Tara.
"Emma Caulfield? That woman stole my f ace."
"Michelle. Okay." "James Marsters? My name is James? What kind of a poofter name is James?"
"Relax, you guys. Holy crap," April said. "And James happens to be a very sexy name." Spike considered that for a moment, before returning to his previous reaction.
"What about you, Buffy? Do you like your name?"
"Sarah Michelle Gellar. I can deal."
"I like it," said Dawn. "You get three names. Like Giles."
"What are our actors like in your world?" asked Willow curiously.
"Uh.I guess we know the most about James," Andie admitted timidly.
"How come?" Dawn asked.
"Because he's gorgeous," April and Andie chorused. What little colour Spike had rushed to his face.
"Okay, James was born in Greenville and raised in Medesto."
"California?" asked Buffy.
"I'm a bloody Yank?"
"Yes, Spike. You went to Julliard. You know, the acting school. You got expelled after two years. You're divorced and you like football, writing songs and playing the guitar. You live in LA and get really upset because you can't go outside. You'll get a tan. And you have to work out a whole lot to get your cheeks to do that sunken thing. You have a brother and a sister. You're left handed. You dated Liz Stauber from the movie 'Teaching Mrs. Tingle.'"
"Right. She bugs me."
"Yeah, me too," agreed Andie. "Uh.Sarah Michelle Gellar is married to Freddie Prince Jr."
"Oh, my God, Buffy! You married Freddie?" Dawn looked horrified. "I told you he was mine."
"Alyson Hannigan was in both American Pie movies. And Tony Head hates to wear pants."
"How do you know that?" Giles asked.
"Joss said so."
"Joss?"
"The writer and creator of the show. Joss Whedon." They quieted down and concentrated on the episode.
"Wow, Dawn, I had no idea you were so.obnoxious to Glory. Good job," praised Buffy.
Mostly through the episode they were fairly quiet, mainly remembering what had happened on the night Buffy defeated Glory. The Buffybot fighting Glory.Willow and Tara happy because Tara's okay. Buffy bringing out that weird glowy orb thing that was like Glory's kryptonight. Xander with the wrecking ball.Giles killing Ben.Spike on the tower.Dawn's blood dripping down her legs and opening the portal.Buffy's goodbye speech.
Andie looked around the room. The faces of the Scoobies were very grave. Hearing Buffy's speech to Dawn was a very emotional experience to everyone. Buffy was staring at her hands. Dawn, Willow and Tara were crying silently. Giles's eyes were moist, but he blinked back tears, as did Xander. Anya looked vaguely distracted. Spike was keeping to the shadows in the corner of the room, away from the others. He probably didn't want anyone to see him cry.
The scene switched to show Buffy's body sprawled lifelessly on some crates. Willow and Tara were holding each other. Xander was with Anya. Dawn and Giles were kind of off to the side. Spike was all alone, collapsed on the ground. Andie felt tears slip down her cheeks and looked over at April. She had the same problem.
"Told you so," April said with a grim smile.
"Why are you two crying?" asked Buffy. "You guys didn't even know me when this happened."
"We're not crying because you died," Andie explained. "Although it was sad. We're crying because we feel bad for Spike. Look at him." She pointed at the screen. "He looks so sad."
"Thanks," Buffy said sarcastically. "It's nice to know you care."
"Well, give me a break. We knew you wouldn't stay dead."
"How?"
"It's your show! You can't kill off the main character. That's like TV show suicide."
"Oh, my God, Buffy. You're mean!" Willow scolded. "You made him cry."
"It didn't seem so mean when I did it. And that was, like, two years ago."
"I didn't sodding cry. That's wrong. Some poof screwed it up."
"I told you it would be embarrassing," Andie said softly.
"Yeah, you weren't kidding about the popcorn throwing," Dawn said, referring to the many bits of popcorn strewn on the floor.
"Aw, poor wittle Spike got rejected," Xander teased.
"Shut up, you nancy."
"Or what? You'll cry on me?" Spike started toward Xander, ready to be particularly violent, but Andie laid a hand on his leather-covered arm.
"I had no idea you were so sensitive, Spike," Anya said. Andie helped April gather up the DVDs.
"Satisfied, now, Giles?"
"Quite. It seems you're telling the truth."
"Hey, Andie. I know what we could show them that would make them all cry," April said softly. Andie met her friend's blue gaze and read her mind.
" 'The Gift.'" A grin spread slowly across her face.
"I get a present?" Buffy asked.
"No. It's an episode title. You guys up for another episode?" They nodded and Andie put the correct DVD in the player.
The opening credits rolled and everyone's eyes widened at seeing themselves with new names. Andie had purposely fast-forwarded through the credits in the other episode.
"Hey, cool, my name is Amber," said Tara.
"Emma Caulfield? That woman stole my f ace."
"Michelle. Okay." "James Marsters? My name is James? What kind of a poofter name is James?"
"Relax, you guys. Holy crap," April said. "And James happens to be a very sexy name." Spike considered that for a moment, before returning to his previous reaction.
"What about you, Buffy? Do you like your name?"
"Sarah Michelle Gellar. I can deal."
"I like it," said Dawn. "You get three names. Like Giles."
"What are our actors like in your world?" asked Willow curiously.
"Uh.I guess we know the most about James," Andie admitted timidly.
"How come?" Dawn asked.
"Because he's gorgeous," April and Andie chorused. What little colour Spike had rushed to his face.
"Okay, James was born in Greenville and raised in Medesto."
"California?" asked Buffy.
"I'm a bloody Yank?"
"Yes, Spike. You went to Julliard. You know, the acting school. You got expelled after two years. You're divorced and you like football, writing songs and playing the guitar. You live in LA and get really upset because you can't go outside. You'll get a tan. And you have to work out a whole lot to get your cheeks to do that sunken thing. You have a brother and a sister. You're left handed. You dated Liz Stauber from the movie 'Teaching Mrs. Tingle.'"
"Right. She bugs me."
"Yeah, me too," agreed Andie. "Uh.Sarah Michelle Gellar is married to Freddie Prince Jr."
"Oh, my God, Buffy! You married Freddie?" Dawn looked horrified. "I told you he was mine."
"Alyson Hannigan was in both American Pie movies. And Tony Head hates to wear pants."
"How do you know that?" Giles asked.
"Joss said so."
"Joss?"
"The writer and creator of the show. Joss Whedon." They quieted down and concentrated on the episode.
"Wow, Dawn, I had no idea you were so.obnoxious to Glory. Good job," praised Buffy.
Mostly through the episode they were fairly quiet, mainly remembering what had happened on the night Buffy defeated Glory. The Buffybot fighting Glory.Willow and Tara happy because Tara's okay. Buffy bringing out that weird glowy orb thing that was like Glory's kryptonight. Xander with the wrecking ball.Giles killing Ben.Spike on the tower.Dawn's blood dripping down her legs and opening the portal.Buffy's goodbye speech.
Andie looked around the room. The faces of the Scoobies were very grave. Hearing Buffy's speech to Dawn was a very emotional experience to everyone. Buffy was staring at her hands. Dawn, Willow and Tara were crying silently. Giles's eyes were moist, but he blinked back tears, as did Xander. Anya looked vaguely distracted. Spike was keeping to the shadows in the corner of the room, away from the others. He probably didn't want anyone to see him cry.
The scene switched to show Buffy's body sprawled lifelessly on some crates. Willow and Tara were holding each other. Xander was with Anya. Dawn and Giles were kind of off to the side. Spike was all alone, collapsed on the ground. Andie felt tears slip down her cheeks and looked over at April. She had the same problem.
"Told you so," April said with a grim smile.
"Why are you two crying?" asked Buffy. "You guys didn't even know me when this happened."
"We're not crying because you died," Andie explained. "Although it was sad. We're crying because we feel bad for Spike. Look at him." She pointed at the screen. "He looks so sad."
"Thanks," Buffy said sarcastically. "It's nice to know you care."
"Well, give me a break. We knew you wouldn't stay dead."
"How?"
"It's your show! You can't kill off the main character. That's like TV show suicide."
