A Scooby Meeting
They gathered in the living room, and it was almost like old times. Almost. Except there was no sardonic wit from the "cellar dweller" as he used to call himself. There were no unexpected revelations about Xander's performance the night before. There was no gentle, quiet presence next to Willow. And no Mom in the kitchen trying to ignore the topic of the meeting in the living room while she made hot chocolate.
She and Giles had agreed it was time to let the gang in on the dreams. They all knew about them and how she was the day after. It just remained to share the details. When Buffy finished, everyone in the room just sat in stunned silence. Together, Xander and Willow spoke, "What --"
They looked at each other and in unison said "Go ahead."
And again in stereo "No, you. No, you."
Dawn watched the exchange, shook her head and sighed in exasperation. *How did they ever solve anything?* She caught Giles' eye and quietly, but clearly, asked "What does it mean?"
Willow and Xander subsided and waited anxiously for the answer. "I wish I knew. Oftentimes, dreams don't necessarily mean anything -- just a means of expressing the stresses of day to day life. On the other hand, being the Slayer, Buffy has been known to have dreams that are more like visions, or prophesies, if you will."
"So, how do we find out which they are?" Buffy's voice seemed strained, like the answer was the most important thing she could hear. And perhaps it was.
Giles heaved a heavy sigh, reached up for his glasses and began polishing them with his handkerchief. "It's time for a road trip, I fear." They all exchanged long looks.
Finally, Dawn broke the uncomfortable silence. "To where?"
Buffy closed her eyes in resignation. "Sunnydale. We have to go back." Willow and Xander's hands found each other and held on tight.
The next couple of weeks went by in a blur. It was agreed that if any of them were going, all of them should. This meant that Giles would need to go back to England to wrap up a few things so that he could be away for a longer period of time. When he returned, he would be bringing Faith and Robin with him. He didn't know what was ahead in California, but he intended to have the entire home team, as it were, assembled. The trio would fly directly from England to Los Angeles and Buffy's household would meet them there. Then, after spending the night, they would rent a passenger van and drive to the crater that once was Sunnydale.
As the departure date drew closer, Buffy's dreams became more frequent and more vivid. There was never anything more to them, though, much to her frustration. *What are you trying to tell me, Spike? What are we facing?*
They gathered in the living room, and it was almost like old times. Almost. Except there was no sardonic wit from the "cellar dweller" as he used to call himself. There were no unexpected revelations about Xander's performance the night before. There was no gentle, quiet presence next to Willow. And no Mom in the kitchen trying to ignore the topic of the meeting in the living room while she made hot chocolate.
She and Giles had agreed it was time to let the gang in on the dreams. They all knew about them and how she was the day after. It just remained to share the details. When Buffy finished, everyone in the room just sat in stunned silence. Together, Xander and Willow spoke, "What --"
They looked at each other and in unison said "Go ahead."
And again in stereo "No, you. No, you."
Dawn watched the exchange, shook her head and sighed in exasperation. *How did they ever solve anything?* She caught Giles' eye and quietly, but clearly, asked "What does it mean?"
Willow and Xander subsided and waited anxiously for the answer. "I wish I knew. Oftentimes, dreams don't necessarily mean anything -- just a means of expressing the stresses of day to day life. On the other hand, being the Slayer, Buffy has been known to have dreams that are more like visions, or prophesies, if you will."
"So, how do we find out which they are?" Buffy's voice seemed strained, like the answer was the most important thing she could hear. And perhaps it was.
Giles heaved a heavy sigh, reached up for his glasses and began polishing them with his handkerchief. "It's time for a road trip, I fear." They all exchanged long looks.
Finally, Dawn broke the uncomfortable silence. "To where?"
Buffy closed her eyes in resignation. "Sunnydale. We have to go back." Willow and Xander's hands found each other and held on tight.
The next couple of weeks went by in a blur. It was agreed that if any of them were going, all of them should. This meant that Giles would need to go back to England to wrap up a few things so that he could be away for a longer period of time. When he returned, he would be bringing Faith and Robin with him. He didn't know what was ahead in California, but he intended to have the entire home team, as it were, assembled. The trio would fly directly from England to Los Angeles and Buffy's household would meet them there. Then, after spending the night, they would rent a passenger van and drive to the crater that once was Sunnydale.
As the departure date drew closer, Buffy's dreams became more frequent and more vivid. There was never anything more to them, though, much to her frustration. *What are you trying to tell me, Spike? What are we facing?*