As always, I own nothing. Joss owns everything. To answer a few questions.
For my story I'm taking the liberty of assuming that Buffy and the gang
packed up a few things and had them on the bus that was waiting for them.
Hey, they thought ahead enough to have the bus there, why not pack a few
things while they were at it. Also, Andrew went east with Faith and Wood to
help with research and stuff. He'll play a bigger part later on. I always
thought that he was underused. Now, on to the story.
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Plans
He had simply showered and gotten out; showering alone seemed to have lost its zing after having been in there with her. Buffy was still trying to decide what to wear when Spike emerged from the bathroom. Completely dressed and ready to go. His trademark black jeans and black t-shirt. She was going to have to introduce some color to his wardrobe. Maybe she could get him something like that blue one he wore or the red one with the black stripes.
"That was fast. I'll be ready in a minute." Finally settling on a pink sweater and jeans. "Have you seen my tennis shoes?"
Looking behind the couch he pulled one shoe then the other.
"Here they are. I need to tell you something. Not sure what it means but seeing as how you're all on the hunt for the new slayers it might be important. It's not anything bad, at least I don't think it is.
"You sound pretty serious. Did you find out something while you were gone? Oh God, maybe they just let you come back long enough to tell me and they'll take you away." Panic setting in.
"No pet, I'm not going back to the hereafter, not before the lifetime they promised me anyway." He had scared her, last thing he wanted to do. "Just something they seemed to have given me." Taking her hands in his he led her to the edge of the bed kneeling down in front of her. "I know where a slayer is. I have a feeling I'll know where they all are after we get started."
"How could you know? Did they give you a list?"
"I wish it were that simple. I saw her."
"When? How did you know she was a slayer?"
"It was this morning. I saw her in kind of a dream but I was awake. Don't know how I know she's a slayer or how I know where she is for that matter, but I do."
"So you think they let you come back, to help us find all of them." Relief set in. she had been afraid it would be much worse. "Giles is gonna want to know all about this too you know."
"Yeah, I figure the watcher'll have me answering questions for a while. Is he coming back to the colonies any time soon?" Getting up and sitting on the bed beside her, wrapping an arm around her as she laid her head on his shoulder. He kissed the top of her head and rested his chin there.
"We can ask Willow, they've been emailing each other since he left."
"Rupe's gone new age? Didn't think he'd ever come into modern times." Lifting his head he looked down at her with a grin. She smiled back.
"Willow taught him. It got scary there for a while. I thought Giles was gonna throw it through the wall a few times." Laughing inwardly at the memory of Willow's frustrations with Giles and 'that flat thing.'
Spike chuckled at the thought. Better not laugh too much, he was going to have to join this new age himself.
"Want to call him? We could fill him in and decide on our next move."
"We need to locate the girl you saw this morning. Maybe when we do you'll see another. He's gonna tell us to do that anyway."
"Alright Pet, let's go have dinner and we'll fill the others in on my new developments."
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Most of dinner was spent discussing Spike's new found ability. They all seem to agree that they needed to find the girl and see if she was indeed a slayer. Xander tried not to look at Buffy or Spike too much. Dawn had teasingly put images in his head he'd rather not know about.
"Guess our road trip is kind of on the back burners right now huh." Xander ask hopeful, he was in no hurry to start the dredge across the country with the three of them again, especially not throwing Spike into the mix.
"Yep, looks like we're gonna be here a little while anyway. Might as well see if we can find a rental again. It'll be cheaper than hotels." Buffy was tired of hotel rooms.
"Since you know where this girl is Spike, where do we need to set up shop for now?" Xander had found the last 2 places they had lived. He liked house hunting. It was the one thing he could have some sort of control of with the three women.
"Place called Modesto. Don't know much about it, sounds familiar, like I should know all about it but I just can't place it."
"No time like the present to start. Wil, can I borrow your laptop? I'll see if there are any listings. If not I'll hit the papers."
"Yeah, it's in our room. Want me to come with? I can help you look."
"Nah, I can handle it. It's late and I figure you gals have gossiping to do."
"Care for some company mate?" There was no way Xander was going to leave him to this bunch of giggling females
"Yeah, why not."
With that the two of them left the table and headed up to Willow, Xander and Dawn's room.
"I'll try Giles tonight. He gave a phone number in his last email. I think he'd rather talk than type anyhow."
"Thanks Wil."
Silence. The three of them looked at each other then down at the table. Then looking at Willow Dawn spoke up. "Okay, if you're not gonna ask I will." she needed details. "Spill."
"Yeah Buffy, being the only one with any sort of love life it's your duty to let us live vicariously through you." Willow had a feeling Buffy needed to tell somebody, she looked as though she were going to bust.
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Up in the room
Xander had found Willow's laptop and had begun his search.
"Thanks " Spike wasn't sure why Xander hadn't objected to his joining him but he thought Buffy might need some girly time and he didn't fancy sitting through that.
"For what?"
"Me coming with you."
"No problem, thought it might be nice to have another guy to talk with, even if it is you." The last part came out a little harsher than he intended. "Sorry, that didn't come out right."
"S'alright, I know i'm not your favorite person. Was just grateful to have an alternative to sitting through a giggle fest and playing 20 questions with the girlies."
"Amen to that. They give details of things that no man should ever have to know. I'm kinda glad to have a reason to stay on this side of the country for a while. Driving long distances with females is so not fun."
"That it is mate, and it doesn't get any easier. Trust me."
"You think an apartment would work or do we need a house?" Xander had found the real estate listings.
"I think the girls are gonna want a house. 'Sides, the slayer's gonna need a basement or something to work out in."
"Okay, here are the ones they have listed online. Think maybe we can find one that the ladies will approve of?"
"Don't see why not. Let's give it a go."
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Over hot fudge sundaes and diet cokes (hey they had to balance the calories out somehow didn't they?) Buffy had filled the other two in on her and Spike's first day together as a real couple. Of course they got the PG version seeing as how there were just some things her sister didn't need to know. Then the conversation turned towards the future. Plans had to be made.
"Buffy are we going to start looking for that girl tomorrow?" Willow was trying to work out in her head all the details that would need to be taken care of.
"Guess that depends on whether Xander and Spike find a place for us to use. It might be easier to find the girls if we had an actual home base to work from."
"But we were supposed to be in Cleveland by now. Aren't we going?"
"Yes Dawn, we'll get there eventually. I just thought we could see if Spike's right about this girl and see if he sees anymore after we find her. Then we'll decide what to do from there."
Dawn wanted to get to Cleveland. She hadn't dared tell anyone about Andrew. She knew that it would only bring ridicule to her and death threats for him. She could hardly believe it herself. He had been so annoying for such a long time but they had become buddies and when she got to know him he wasn't half bad. They had decided it was a good idea for the time being to keep 'them' a secret. Wanting to be sure themselves before they had to deal with everyone else.
They had spoken a few times on the phone since he had left with Faith. He had gone on to Cleveland to be their resident 'nerd'. It had been explained to him that each group would need one and since Willow was going to stay he was needed where they were going.
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Dinner was paid for and the three made their way upstairs.
They found Xander and Spike sitting at the table discussing the houses they had found. They had found 3 that would work and had thought it best to let the ladies pick which one they would go for.
"Hey guys, no blood splatter on the walls? Now that's what I call progress." Buffy was actually very relieved to see the two getting along.
Spike got up from the table and kissed her lightly.
"Have a good hen session?" he grinned at her.
"Yes, we did thank you."
"It's late. Everybody up for picking a house tomorrow instead of tonight?" Xander was ready for some sleep.
With everyone agreeing to meet back there in the morning they all said their goodnights. Tomorrow they would start the trip to Modesto.
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Plans
He had simply showered and gotten out; showering alone seemed to have lost its zing after having been in there with her. Buffy was still trying to decide what to wear when Spike emerged from the bathroom. Completely dressed and ready to go. His trademark black jeans and black t-shirt. She was going to have to introduce some color to his wardrobe. Maybe she could get him something like that blue one he wore or the red one with the black stripes.
"That was fast. I'll be ready in a minute." Finally settling on a pink sweater and jeans. "Have you seen my tennis shoes?"
Looking behind the couch he pulled one shoe then the other.
"Here they are. I need to tell you something. Not sure what it means but seeing as how you're all on the hunt for the new slayers it might be important. It's not anything bad, at least I don't think it is.
"You sound pretty serious. Did you find out something while you were gone? Oh God, maybe they just let you come back long enough to tell me and they'll take you away." Panic setting in.
"No pet, I'm not going back to the hereafter, not before the lifetime they promised me anyway." He had scared her, last thing he wanted to do. "Just something they seemed to have given me." Taking her hands in his he led her to the edge of the bed kneeling down in front of her. "I know where a slayer is. I have a feeling I'll know where they all are after we get started."
"How could you know? Did they give you a list?"
"I wish it were that simple. I saw her."
"When? How did you know she was a slayer?"
"It was this morning. I saw her in kind of a dream but I was awake. Don't know how I know she's a slayer or how I know where she is for that matter, but I do."
"So you think they let you come back, to help us find all of them." Relief set in. she had been afraid it would be much worse. "Giles is gonna want to know all about this too you know."
"Yeah, I figure the watcher'll have me answering questions for a while. Is he coming back to the colonies any time soon?" Getting up and sitting on the bed beside her, wrapping an arm around her as she laid her head on his shoulder. He kissed the top of her head and rested his chin there.
"We can ask Willow, they've been emailing each other since he left."
"Rupe's gone new age? Didn't think he'd ever come into modern times." Lifting his head he looked down at her with a grin. She smiled back.
"Willow taught him. It got scary there for a while. I thought Giles was gonna throw it through the wall a few times." Laughing inwardly at the memory of Willow's frustrations with Giles and 'that flat thing.'
Spike chuckled at the thought. Better not laugh too much, he was going to have to join this new age himself.
"Want to call him? We could fill him in and decide on our next move."
"We need to locate the girl you saw this morning. Maybe when we do you'll see another. He's gonna tell us to do that anyway."
"Alright Pet, let's go have dinner and we'll fill the others in on my new developments."
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Most of dinner was spent discussing Spike's new found ability. They all seem to agree that they needed to find the girl and see if she was indeed a slayer. Xander tried not to look at Buffy or Spike too much. Dawn had teasingly put images in his head he'd rather not know about.
"Guess our road trip is kind of on the back burners right now huh." Xander ask hopeful, he was in no hurry to start the dredge across the country with the three of them again, especially not throwing Spike into the mix.
"Yep, looks like we're gonna be here a little while anyway. Might as well see if we can find a rental again. It'll be cheaper than hotels." Buffy was tired of hotel rooms.
"Since you know where this girl is Spike, where do we need to set up shop for now?" Xander had found the last 2 places they had lived. He liked house hunting. It was the one thing he could have some sort of control of with the three women.
"Place called Modesto. Don't know much about it, sounds familiar, like I should know all about it but I just can't place it."
"No time like the present to start. Wil, can I borrow your laptop? I'll see if there are any listings. If not I'll hit the papers."
"Yeah, it's in our room. Want me to come with? I can help you look."
"Nah, I can handle it. It's late and I figure you gals have gossiping to do."
"Care for some company mate?" There was no way Xander was going to leave him to this bunch of giggling females
"Yeah, why not."
With that the two of them left the table and headed up to Willow, Xander and Dawn's room.
"I'll try Giles tonight. He gave a phone number in his last email. I think he'd rather talk than type anyhow."
"Thanks Wil."
Silence. The three of them looked at each other then down at the table. Then looking at Willow Dawn spoke up. "Okay, if you're not gonna ask I will." she needed details. "Spill."
"Yeah Buffy, being the only one with any sort of love life it's your duty to let us live vicariously through you." Willow had a feeling Buffy needed to tell somebody, she looked as though she were going to bust.
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Up in the room
Xander had found Willow's laptop and had begun his search.
"Thanks " Spike wasn't sure why Xander hadn't objected to his joining him but he thought Buffy might need some girly time and he didn't fancy sitting through that.
"For what?"
"Me coming with you."
"No problem, thought it might be nice to have another guy to talk with, even if it is you." The last part came out a little harsher than he intended. "Sorry, that didn't come out right."
"S'alright, I know i'm not your favorite person. Was just grateful to have an alternative to sitting through a giggle fest and playing 20 questions with the girlies."
"Amen to that. They give details of things that no man should ever have to know. I'm kinda glad to have a reason to stay on this side of the country for a while. Driving long distances with females is so not fun."
"That it is mate, and it doesn't get any easier. Trust me."
"You think an apartment would work or do we need a house?" Xander had found the real estate listings.
"I think the girls are gonna want a house. 'Sides, the slayer's gonna need a basement or something to work out in."
"Okay, here are the ones they have listed online. Think maybe we can find one that the ladies will approve of?"
"Don't see why not. Let's give it a go."
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Over hot fudge sundaes and diet cokes (hey they had to balance the calories out somehow didn't they?) Buffy had filled the other two in on her and Spike's first day together as a real couple. Of course they got the PG version seeing as how there were just some things her sister didn't need to know. Then the conversation turned towards the future. Plans had to be made.
"Buffy are we going to start looking for that girl tomorrow?" Willow was trying to work out in her head all the details that would need to be taken care of.
"Guess that depends on whether Xander and Spike find a place for us to use. It might be easier to find the girls if we had an actual home base to work from."
"But we were supposed to be in Cleveland by now. Aren't we going?"
"Yes Dawn, we'll get there eventually. I just thought we could see if Spike's right about this girl and see if he sees anymore after we find her. Then we'll decide what to do from there."
Dawn wanted to get to Cleveland. She hadn't dared tell anyone about Andrew. She knew that it would only bring ridicule to her and death threats for him. She could hardly believe it herself. He had been so annoying for such a long time but they had become buddies and when she got to know him he wasn't half bad. They had decided it was a good idea for the time being to keep 'them' a secret. Wanting to be sure themselves before they had to deal with everyone else.
They had spoken a few times on the phone since he had left with Faith. He had gone on to Cleveland to be their resident 'nerd'. It had been explained to him that each group would need one and since Willow was going to stay he was needed where they were going.
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Dinner was paid for and the three made their way upstairs.
They found Xander and Spike sitting at the table discussing the houses they had found. They had found 3 that would work and had thought it best to let the ladies pick which one they would go for.
"Hey guys, no blood splatter on the walls? Now that's what I call progress." Buffy was actually very relieved to see the two getting along.
Spike got up from the table and kissed her lightly.
"Have a good hen session?" he grinned at her.
"Yes, we did thank you."
"It's late. Everybody up for picking a house tomorrow instead of tonight?" Xander was ready for some sleep.
With everyone agreeing to meet back there in the morning they all said their goodnights. Tomorrow they would start the trip to Modesto.