TITLE: Sunnyhell Soaps
AUTHOR: SykoShippo
RATED: PG
SPOILERS: Anything after Season 4, "Who Are You?"
WARNINGS: Nothing really…..
DISCLAIMER: Must I really admit I own nothing? I don't even have any money if you were to sue me!
A/N: I've been working on this one for awhile, even if it's only because I didn't get much time to work on it.
Something was different, Giles could feel it. He could hear people talking downstairs in his apartment, but he had just woken up, and he could've sworn he locked the door before going to bed. It's not like that proved anything, though.
He rose and dressed quickly, eager to find out why he had woken up with the wiggins. When he went downstairs he could see Buffy, Willow, Tara, Xander, and Anya sitting around his living room, talking. As he continued down, he saw another person-or to be more specific-another Anya standing near the door. Suddenly he could hear soft music, very dramatic, a lot like something you would hear on one of those daytime TV shows. He just figured that someone had put the stereo on though. He stopped, stared at the two Anyas for a moment, cleaned his glasses, but they were still there.
At that moment Willow glanced up and saw him. "Giles! Something weird happened, there's another Anya! We don't know where she came from, cause she just kinda appeared, well, not poof appeared, just came to town appeared, and she keeps saying that she's Anya's sister, I mean, she could be, cause they're twins, but we never knew her, and Anya never mentioned her, but she's not even saying not if they really are sisters!"
He waved his hands gently in a 'quiet down' motion and said, "It's all right, Willow. I'm sure there's a logical explanation for this…I just don't know what it is." He settled himself against the wall by the stools in front of the divider to his kitchen, and cleaned his glasses on the end of his shirt before replacing them and asking the Anya sitting next to Xander, "Now, Anya, do you think you might be able to explain this…situation? Because it seems we've all become rather confused."
Before Anya could answer the other Anya cut in. "Look, it's very simple. I'm Anya's twin sister, Abigail. She never mentioned me before because she's mad that King Ludwig liked me and not her!"
Anya stood and yelled back, "Well he liked me too! You messed with his mind and turned him against me!"
"I did not! You just can't admit that someone could like me better than you! Besides, you've already got a boyfriend!" Abigail pointed at the confused looking Xander.
"And you're gonna try to take him too, aren't you?!"
"Ladies!" Giles yelled before one of the twins really got mad. He assumed that this Abigail was another demon, otherwise she couldn't be alive if he was right in guessing that the king Abigail mentioned was 'Mad' King Ludwig II of Germany, he died in 1886. "Now, I can tell that you have some bad history, but that is no reason to start shouting, especially before I've had breakfast." he said grumpily before going into the kitchen to put on a pot of coffee. "Would anyone like a cup of coffee?" he called from around the corner. He heard several 'no's, so just fixed enough for himself, and came back around to the living room to see a glaring competition between Anya and Abigail. He sighed and turned to Abigail. "So why don't you tell us something about yourself? Like what kind of demon you are."
She gave Giles an odd look, but answered, "Vengeance demon, just like she is." And nodded at Anya.
"Was. My power source was destroyed a couple years ago. I'm just a human now." Anya scowled at the reminder of her lack of power.
Abigail blinked in surprise before shrugging and saying, "Sucks to be you!"
Anya was about to start screaming at her sister again, when Xander put his hand on her shoulder and tried to calm her down, "Come on now Ahn, I'm sure she didn't mean it like that." Anya shrugged his hand off and glared at the wall in front of her.
Giles had to fell sorry for the poor wall Anya was directing her anger at. He straightened up, finished off the last gulp of his coffee and said to Buffy, Willow, and Tara, "Don't you have a class soon?" and glanced at his watch.
Buffy stood and grabbed her bag and grinned while saying, "Alright Mr. Obvious, I know when I'm not wanted."
Giles shook his head and said, "Oh no, it's nothing like that. I just have a lot of research to do, I was hoping to find some way to destroy Adam."
Willow stood as well and walked with Tara towards the door, "We can come by after class to help, if you want. It's no fun looking through old tombs without someone to talk to."
Giles smiled and showed them all to the door, "That would be appreciated."
Xander followed with Anya and Abigail close behind, "Well, I should be going too. I'm still trying to get that blood smell out of my mic."
Giles smiled and said, "Use baking soda. A couple washes and it should come out." Xander nodded his thanks, then left with the last two girls trailing after. Giles could hear Anya proclaiming loudly how he was avoiding the fact that Abigail would use the time to try and seduce him and them the other twin yelling that she wouldn't even bother with someone like him. He shook his head and closed the door as the voices faded away.
He walked over to his couch and slumped down onto it and placed his head in his hands.
^_^~ *************************~ ^_^
By the time that Willow and Tara returned Giles still hadn't figured out anything new about Adam or how to kill him.
Willow had had time to teach Tara several ways to make her spells stronger, as well as a few very powerful protection spells, summoning spells, and even a destruction spell.
Giles fixed a new pot of tea for them and settled down for more research until Buffy stormed into the apartment. She stalked over to the couch and sat down huffily, and promptly burst into tears. Giles heard the same dramatic music playing as when he had woken up. He glanced up, looking for the source of the music, but he couldn't write it off as someone messing with his stereo this time.
Willow wrapped an arm around the Slayer's shoulders and asked, "Oh Buffy, what happened?!"
When Buffy managed to speak they could barely understand her through her choking sobs, but Giles managed to get, "I talked ::sob:: to Riley ::sob sob::. He said ::sob:: that he knew ::sob:: that I wasn't me ::sob:: when he slept ::sob:: with Faith! ::sob sob:: I said that ::sob:: I couldn't be with ::sob:: him after what he did, ::sob:: and we broke up! ::sob sob::" After that she just broke down and began crying harder on Willow's shoulder. Willow rubbed small circles on her back and whispered soothing words about how it would be all right.
Giles coughed a bit, cleaned his glasses and looked over at Tara as if asking what he should do. Tara just shrugged slightly and went to sit on the other side of Buffy and placed a hand on her shoulder.
^_^~ *************************~ ^_^
After quite a while, and two and a half cups of hot cocoa later, Buffy had calmed down and was just sitting, staring into space while occasionally sniffing and wiping her eyes on a tissue.
They had gotten relatively nothing else done what with the crying Slayer and all. Giles thought it was odd Buffy had let one boy upset her this much. But then again, this might be another part of his lingering feeling of wrongness.
By then Xander and the twins had gotten back, and had done their best to console Buffy as well, but nothing seemed to really bring her out of the melancholy she was in. Suddenly she stood, wiped the remaining tears from her eyes, and announced, "I'm going to the Bronze." There was a long pause in which everyone glanced around at each other and wonder what brought on this abrupt change in her mood. She scanned the room and asked, "Well isn't anyone going to go with me?"
There was a great commotion as everyone jumped to their feet, gathered their belongings and gave various affirmatives; even Giles agreed to go with the younger Scoobies, despite his dislike of the loud music.
^_^~ *************************~ ^_^
At the Bronze Giles, Willow, Tara, Xander, Anya and Abigail were sitting on a couple of the couches as Buffy danced around the floor in front of the stage. The group of Scoobies was strongly reminded of Faith with the way that Buffy was practically throwing herself at any boy that would look at her.
Willow asked, "Is it just me, or does she remind you of…"
"Faith." Everyone finished for the redhead.
Willow shook her head and glanced up at the stage and gasped. "Oh my Goddess! It's…Oz!" Everyone looked up where Willow was staring and true to her word, the guitarist was Oz. "The Dingoes must be on tour!"
Tara glanced between Willow and Oz and asked slowly, "Are-are you going to t-talk to him?"
Willow finally looked down from the stage to Tara, "I don't know, I haven't seen him since he left…"
The song ended and Oz placed his guitar in it's stand and jumped down and walked over to the group sitting. "Looks like you don't have to decide, he's coming over here." Xander cut in.
Everyone stood as Oz reached them, and Buffy walked over with some blonde guy she just met. There was an awkward silence until Willow said, "Hi,"
Oz nodded, "Hey…" he paused for a moment, then hugged her. He went around the gang and gave the girls hugs and shook the guys' hands. When he reached Tara he whispered, "Have you told them?" a little too loudly in her ear.
Tara whispered back, "No, but now's as good a time as any," She turned to the rest of the Scoobies and said, "Guys, I'm pregnant." She placed one hand on her stomach, which once you looked closely, did look slightly larger than before.
There was a shocked silence until Willow shakily asked, "But-who's the father…?"
Oz raised one hand, "That would be me."
A slightly different, yet still daytime TV song began, and Giles scowled. That music was getting on his nerves, and it was even worse that no one else seemed to hear it.
Willow spoke again, "But Tara, you said you loved me, and then you sleep with my ex-boyfriend, who you know hurt me! How could you use me like that?!" By the time she was done she was practically screaming at the pair before her, which drew curious looks from other dancers there.
Tara smirked, "Well, truth be told, it was rather easy with such a naïve little girl, even if you are extremely powerful."
Willow gaped at her as the realization of what Tara had said sunk in, "You were just using me, and for magick!"
The other witch laughed outright at that, "Of course! What other use could I have for any of you? But that's all done now. I'm going to be the most powerful witch ever, and my baby will be the most powerful being ever-the strength of a werewolf, and my magickal abilities. Those spells you taught me earlier will certainly help as well."
Buffy cut in for Willow, seeing as how she looked as if she was going to cry, "But Oz left so he could control the wolf, not give it's power to some sick love child!"
Oz sneered at Buffy and gave her a look that was too wolf to be comfortable, "I met Tara here along the way, and she made me realize that my power if nothing to hold back or control. I have to let it out, become the wolf in a sense."
The blonde guy that Buffy had met was looking around in confusion and broke in, "What are you guys talking about?"
The Scoobies glanced at each other for a moment before the guy raised his hands in submission and said, "Forget it. Five minutes with you guys and I'm all ready weirded out." With that he turned and walked back to the bar.
Buffy watched his back in shock, then began crying again. "Why ::sob:: do I ::sob:: push ::sob sob:: all guys ::sob:: away?! ::sob sob::" Anya patted her on the back awkwardly and turned back to Willow, Tara and Oz.
Tara glanced at her watch and back to the others. "Sorry to leave so soon, but I still have to get the paint for the nursery." She gave them a mocking smile, took Oz's hand and vanished in a cloud of dark blue smoke.
Everyone stood there in shock until Willow said, "I can't believe it! I thought she loved me…We did magick, there was glitter…"
Giles took off his glasses and wiped them on the hem of his shirt, "Well, I think it would be best for everyone to go back to my flat, and we'll sort…all this, out there."
^_^~ *************************~ ^_^
By the time they finally reached Giles's Buffy had met and been dumped by five different guys, and a vampire that tried to bite her. Needless to say, she was a wreck.
Just as they were settling down to discuss the new Tara/Oz threat Spike burst into the apartment and headed to the mini-kitchen. He tossed a pack of blood into the microwave and leaned against the counter. "Heard the other Tinker Bell up and left with wolf-boy." The chipped vamp sneered.
Willow began sniffling again, and Xander placed a hand on her shoulder comfortingly and said, "Hello to you too Fangless, and yes, Tara left. Thanks for your sympathy."
Spike shrugged and fetched a mug to put his warmed blood in. "No bloody loss if you ask me. Never cared for the mojo, and she reeked of it."
Giles looked up from the books strewn across his coffee table and said, "Even so I think you could show some amount of kindness." He sighed, removed his glasses and cleaned them on the hem of his shirt. "I'm can't find anything here. Buffy, I think it would be best if you patrolled the streets. Maybe you can find some trace of where Tara and Oz are."
Buffy looked up from her own book with red eyes. "I don't think I'm up for any Slaying related activities by myself. With my luck I'd end up meeting with an unkind fate." She smirked in a self-depreciating way.
Giles replaced his now sparkling glasses, "We do need to find some signs of them though. Perhaps if we all take a break and join you. I doubt we'll find anything in the books."
Suddenly the door burst open with a crash. Everyone looked up toward the doorway and saw a figure standing in the dark just outside the apartment. The Scoobies rose to their feet to face the intruder. The person took a step forward into the light and said, "Chill, we're all five by five." If the phrase didn't catch their memory, the face did.
Giles became agitated as the daytime TV music began anew. "Where is that bloody music coming from?!" Everyone stared at him for a moment, then looked back at the door as if he hadn't even said anything.
Faith strolled into the apartment, running her hand along a row of bookshelves. "I felt bad about what I did before, so I came back to make it up to you guys. I've already gone patrolling—found a nest of vamps in one of the crypts up in the North graveyard. Luckily most of them were fledglings. Took 'em out without much trouble." She looked away from the book she was studying and took in their shocked faces with a smile. "Come on now, you didn't think those pansies in the Council could keep me for long. 'Sides, I'm helping here."
Giles cleared his throat and moved around the couch closer to where Faith was standing. "Still, you killed a man, and then helped the Mayor ascend to full demon form. Even if you're willing to help I believe it would be best if you went with the Council to a—"
"—jail." Faith cut in. "I'm okay with doing my time, just not now! I can help you—I heard one of those vamps talking about a witch and a wolf. They acted like those two were some big bad, so I stuck around long enough to hear that they're staying up at that mansion—the big one that Angel lived in."
Buffy frowned at the mention of Angel. She walked over to the pair and said, "Look Faith, it's great you're trying to help, but we've got this. Go back to the Council. You said you were ready to serve your time, now prove it." Her speech would have been much more affective had her nose not been running.
Faith nodded slightly. "I will, B. But only after I'm done." She moved past the other Slayer and Watcher to the couches and plopped into Buffy's old seat. "So what you got so far?"
Giles removed his glasses, rubbed the bridge of his nose, and sat back down in submission. "Tara has become evil, and is carrying Oz's child. All we know of their plans is that they wish to raise the child to be the most powerful being ever."
Buffy stared at him, mouth agape. "Giles! She's not helping! I'm the Slayer, I can handle this!" she pulled a tissue from the nearby box and blew her nose loudly.
Faith rose and held her hands up defensively, "Chill, B. I'll just head up to the place and check it out. If it's all good I'll leave."
Buffy glared at her then grabbed an axe. "Don't bother. I'll do it myself." With that she wiped her eyes and left.
Faith got a double-edged sword and followed after her. "Come on! We can't let her face them alone!"
The other Scoobies and Abigail picked up more weapons and followed the two Slayers—to what fate? They didn't know.
^_^ ~*************************~ ^_^
Faith burst into the old mansion to see Buffy surrounded by a pack of werewolves led by Oz, and a coven of Wiccans were standing to the side with Tara, chanting.
Buffy was barely fighting off the werewolves when Oz lunged at her and knocked the axe from her hands. "Buffy!" Faith yelled and ran over to help Buffy. She hacked at the wolves, dodged an attack from another, and made it through the throng to where Buffy was standing.
"Faith?" Buffy asked quietly as Faith turned to her. Faith flashed her a smile and pulled a dagger from inside her denim jacket and gave to Buffy. Together the two Slayers faced the horde of werewolves.
They all held their own well enough; Buffy and Faith beat back the group of wolves surrounding them and the other Scoobies plus Abigail and Spike took care of a good deal of the rest. None of them had time to figure out what Tara and the other witches were doing, but they were unsettled by the amount of power they had gathered.
There were only four werewolves facing the group of mostly humans, with Oz at the head of the badly beaten pack. The panting wolves were all bleeding from numerous cuts and one in the back was limping. The Scoobies facing them were barely better off. The wolves snarled, and the Scoobies raised their weapons. The werewolves ran at them, but suddenly Oz let out a piercing howl, and the pack split. Behind the werewolves the coven stood previously unnoticed.
Tara gave them an unTara-like smile then began yelling in a strange language. The witches behind her took up a soft chant that sent chills down the Scoobies' spines. A large, sickly green fireball formed before the witches, and began growing. Giles softly said, "Don't let the fireball hit you, then Buffy and Faith will attack Tara. The rest of us will keep the rest of the coven busy."
They stood tensely as the fireball kept growing. A cold blue color that seemed to suck the heat out of the room shined out from the center of the ball. Just as Tara's voice reached a higher pitch, and she prepared to send the fireball at them the witches behind her all scattered in different directions. Some looked like they were tossed and the others ran.
Without the coven's chanting stopped the fireball dissipated into nothingness. Tara turned to see what had caused them to stop, but she was grabbed before she finished turning. The person behind her lifted her by the neck, growled, "No one hurts her," softly, then a sickening crunch echoed in the silent room, as her neck was broken. Tara's limp body slumped to the floor revealing a vamped out Angel. The remaining werewolves whined softly and crept out of the room. Oz didn't even stay to get Tara's body.
He looked up at the gaping Scoobies, and his gold eyes focused on Buffy, then his features shifted back into his human guise. He almost looked like his normal broody self, though slightly happier to see Buffy in one piece.
They stood there for a few moments in awkward silence before Angel spoke, "Cordy had a vision-said you guys needed help."
Buffy nodded silently and lowered her retrieved axe. "You were all bumpy," She said, referring to his previously vamped out state.
Angel glanced down, "I guess I couldn't stand the thought of anyone hurting you."
Buffy dropped the axe from her limp fingers and strode over to Angel and pulled him into a kiss. Giles didn't even care when that damned music started again, or that he still had that feeling that something was off. It was more noticeable though…
Buffy and Angel were still standing there when Spike grabbed Buffy's abandoned axe, muttering, "Bloody wanker." He charged at the oblivious couple and swung the axe right at Angel's neck.
^_^ ~*************************~ ^_^
Giles sat up abruptly. He glanced around him and noticed he wasn't in the mansion anymore. He was sitting in his own flat, on his own couch, with his own telly on. Giles turned the TV off with a sigh. He pulled his glasses from his face and rubbed his eyes wearily. "I really have to stop watching 'Passions' with Spike…"
A/N: Whatcha think? Reviews will be rewarded with the sense of satisfaction for helping me and making me really happy. You can have life-sized 'Buffy' posters too if you want ^_^
