Divine Interference
Part Nine
Posted: Original Post date: April 27th- Post Date: April 30th
*** when I got here this morning to update stories, to my surprise! I forgot to upload this!!! No wonder I haven't gotten any reviews, cuz there's nothing to review on!!! SORRY!***
***There will probably also be another chapter up here, since I was planning on updating today anyway.***
Author's Notes: Ok, I'm not going to be doing EVERY single episode. We all know what happened, and ok, so it would be different because Dawn is a bit younger...but everything else is pretty much the same. And there are some things I just don't want to cover. So don't expect to read things form EVERY episode, ok?
Ok! And this is a huge chapter! I really want to post it all, but it's fifteen pages, unformatted it, so I will probably save SOME for next time...sorry! Maybe if you're lucky, I'll post two chapters! I'm feeling generous!
Reader Responses:
Malfeus: Well, I'm glad that even though you dislike the pairing, you're still waiting for the next chapter! Makes me feel all warm inside! Lol. I love it when readers review! Especially when they have nice things to say!
As for my french...uh... pas si pire que ça...not if something what something? Huh...? I'm only in French two here!!!!
But here's your update!!!
BAShipper: thanks for reminding me of Spike! He's actually in this chapter...and well...we might end up seeing some fighting between our favorite vampires!!! Lol. Those two just crack me up...
Melluvben: I think Angel's been in every chapter, lol. But I'm sorry you're going through story withdrawal. I was going through the same thing awhile ago, except it was B/A withdrawal! The show is great, but I've seen all of the Buffy reruns at least four times, I know, a bit of an underachiever, and there's no Buffy/Angel-ness on Angel, except for I Will Remember You, and I have to wait forever for that episode to come on! But I hope this gives you a bit of a high, if that's the right word...there might be more later!
Bluie: lol. I might have to write a comic story like that....hmm.....I COPYWRITE THE IDEA!!! Lol. That will be my only trying-to-be-funny story! And it's more than ok, everyone makes mistakes! And if it wasn't for all the red squiggly lines under words, then I'd have tons of spelling mistakes too! But I'm glad you think I'm a good writer!
And I think that's it, kiddies! That reminds me, I should add Lorne in here, somewhere....hm...that would be fun! But how..." Must think on that! But here's your regularly scheduled update!
Oh, and whoever liked that Riley slowly slipped away, I'm sorry! I just don't like him and Buffy together, and the less chance they have together, whether it be in his mind or hers, the better! He's now totally gone, after this chapter!!!
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~
There was a knock on the door while Willow was out with Tara, and Buffy was patrolling. Though it was a Thursday night, Angel answered the door. He had been sticking closer to Dawn the past few weeks. And that meant being closer to Buffy, which he didn't seem to mind.
A blond man stood in the doorway, and Angel recognized him immediately.
"Is Buffy here?"
"She's patrolling."
"Any idea when she'll be back?"
"No."
"Ok, thanks." He turned to leave, and Angel sighed. Though he didn't like the sod, Buffy would want him to be nice to him.
"Riley, come on in and wait for her." He nodded, and stepped inside.
"H-How is she? I haven't see- well, talked to her in awhile."
"She's managing." The two men stood there awkwardly,
"How's the baby?"
"Dawn's good." Silence reigned for a few minutes.
"Look, I don't like you, and I don't know what she sees in you, but I came here to see if we still had a shot. I really didn't expect you to be here. But you are, and I can't change that. And with you here, I'm starting to think that we don't. If you promise to make her happy, I'll leave, and we can both pretend this never happened." Riley said.
"I can't."
"Then I'll stay." He sat on the couch. Angel went through the usual routine, preparing a bottle for Dawn, and then walking around the apartment, trying to get her to sleep. As he was walking in the living room, Riley spoke again.
"Has she figured out the father yet?"
"Yes."
"Who?"
"Me."
"How?!"
"Thanksgiving, due to a spell. I had the day redone, to save her, but this happened anyway." He went into Buffy's room and put the sleeping child down.
"You lie." Riley said harshly when he returned. "It's impossible. The Initiative did extensive research. Vampires can't reproduce-"
"I was human."
"That's impossible! There is no spell out there, no castor capable of such high powered magick!"
"Are you calling me a liar?"
"Yes." Riley made the first move, throwing a punch towards Angel's face. Angel caught the move with ease, and flipped Riley over the couch. Riley was up and onto the vampire within seconds, but the vampire was always one step ahead of the man. He knew that if Buffy came and found them fighting, he would take the blame. That was how their relationship worked. He wasn't going to let this twit ruin whatever he might still have with her.
Riley actually managed to throw him against the wall; he was weaker than when they had last fought, and Angel knew he could win with no problem. He could have won if he had been drunk. But Riley wasn't a pushover, and he had never been. Angel finally retaliated with a kick to Riley's mid section, slamming him against the door. Angel grabbed a hold of him, opening the door for him.
"Get out of my house!" he roared. "And stay out!" he threw the boy out, who landed in a heap on the floor outside, and Angel slammed the door in his face.
Dawn started screaming from the other room, while Angel looked at the mess they had made. Broken coffee table, cracked TV screen, dents in the plaster...Buffy was going to kill him.
He sighed, and went to take care of his girl.
~ * ~
Giles, Buffy and Angel sat in the living room. The TV was out for repairs, and a new coffee table was in the middle of the room. Buffy hadn't been pissed when she found the fight scene, because she had thought it was Glory. Angel had soon set her straight, and then she had been pissed.
Dawn was lying on a blanket on the floor. Buffy was so proud of her, she had just learned that she had toes, and would spend hours playing with them.
"Well, they don't know it ... yet. I mean, they have no record of, of Glory or anyone like her, but, uh, based on the information that I've given them, they're gonna look into it. Um, they might have something soon." Giles said, as he stirred the tea Angel had handed him a moment earlier.
"What about the key? Were they all over it?" Angel asked intently.
"Yes." Giles sighed, looking down at the baby on the floor. Buffy was currently sitting beside the blanket, only half paying attention to the conversation. "They're interested, certainly, and, uh, full of theories. Most of them ... nonsensical."
"They don't know that it's Dawn." Angel said, "you didn't tell them.
"No." Buffy would have thought Giles would be put out by Angel's suggestion, but he knew that Angel just had a father's interest in his daughter's welfare, much like Giles had in Buffy's.
"I still can't begin to grasp this. I mean, she's my little girl, I..." Buffy said from the floor. "I get why, and I get that she is, but at the same time, I don't. And I'm not making any sense, am I?"
"It is disorienting." Giles offered.
"Giles, what happens if they figure it out? What would they do?" Angel asked, worried.
"I don't know." Giles said, looking into his tea cup.
"Oh, I can't even think about this. It's too ..." Dawn started fussing. "I'll go make a bottle." She said, passing the child to Angel, leaving the room.
~ * ~
"Um, aren't we supposed to have a meeting?" Xander asked, after Buffy and Angel had entered the shop, Buffy carrying Dawn.
"Uh, yes, yes, we, we're here for a reason." Giles said, as Buffy sits. "I've had some rather, uh ... well, I've had some news. It seems that the Council of Watchers has ... found some information that may help us out."
"About Glory?" Buffy asks, pulling off Dawn's little hat.
"Presumably. We'll find that out when they ... arrive. Could be very important."
"Arrive? They're coming here? Now? W-why do they have to come here?" Buffy started freaking out.
"Yeah, don't they have phones?" Xander asked, then started speaking in a fake British accent, "'Allo, Buffy, here's some stuff we know, pip pip.'"
"Yeah! Phones. See, I'd like them on phones." Buffy said, looking up to Giles, as Angel sat beside her.
"Well, what's so bad about them coming here? Aren't they good guys? I mean, Watchers, that's just like other Gileses, right?" Tara asked, not understanding.
"Yeah, they're scary and horrible!" Buffy pouted. Angel took their daughter from her.
"Um, they, well, they can appear a bit ... well, uh, hard-nosed, but, uh, well, essentially, their agenda is the same as ours, they want to save the world and kill demons."
"Kill the current demons, right? *Current* demons." Anya said, nervous.
"Giles, I don't want them to come here. I don't trust them. Make them not come here." Buffy pleaded with her watcher.
"They're probably already on their way. Our old friend Quinton Travers is ... heading up the delegation."
"They put me through that test, and it almost killed me. And then, when I was Faith, they almost killed me again. Honestly, I really can't handle almost being killed right now." She said, playing with Dawn's foot.
"I don't like the sound of this. They don't sound very ex-demon- compatible." Anya said, always looking out for number one.
"Are you sure they're English? I-I thought English people were, um, gentler, then, uh, normal..." Tara said, trailing off, feeling once again unwelcome in the group.
"Maybe it won't be so bad this time. I mean, Buffy, they did think you were Faith last time. Now that they know you're just you, maybe they won't care enough to kill you." Willow looked on the bright side, taking Tara's hand comfortingly.
"It's not just that. They're gonna screw everything up. I-it's a delicate time right now. I-I have to take care of Dawn, and-"
"But that's not new, you've always taken care of her. Well, not always, but the last couple months." Xander corrected himself.
"Right. Right, I, I know that, it's just, you know, there's, there's Glory, and...and I don't need the Council looking over my shoulder when I don't even know what we're dealing with."
"Well, that's precisely why we need to talk to them." Giles said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "If the Council knows something about Glory, her agenda or her origins, then..." he sighed, "then maybe it will help us get a, a, a grip on what we're dealing with. Right now I think we're, we're a bit lost." He sighed again, and Buffy whimpered slightly, playing with her child, as if after Quentin showed up, she might not ever see her again.
~ * ~
That night, while Angel was home with Dawn, Buffy was out patrolling a cemetery, grousing about her classes that day, when she was knocked down. She was about to get back up and into the fight, when Spike comes flying over a headstone and grabbed the vamp from behind, knocking him to the ground. As he got up, Spike kicked him, then staked him. Spike grinned at Buffy, who stalked forward.
"Spike ... why did you do that?" She asked, annoyed. She was really hoping the staking would wind her down enough so she could go home and be with her child. She was tense, and that staking just might have done it. But no luck now.
"Not for money, if that's what you're thinking. Your heartfelt gratitude's plenty." He stopped grinning, "I expect I'll be getting that any moment."
"Gratitude. For getting in my way?" she asked snottily, so not in the mood to listen to his twisted ideologies.
"Ge-getting in your way? I saved you." Ha, the little snot didn't sound so confident now, did he? If only he knew...
"I was regrouping." She defended herself.
"You were about to be regrouped into separate piles. You needed help." He said, pushing this.
"I didn't need you. I never need you, Spike." She turned and starts to walk off.
"Oh, I get it." He started to follow. "You just don't like who did the rescuin', that's all. Wishin' I was your boyfriend what's-his-face. Oh wait, he's run off."
"Wait, what? Riley didn't run off, I dumped him. And you know what? I don't need a boyfriend, to rescue me or for any other reason."
"Don't need or can't keep?" He taunted, and she stopped walking to glare at him. "You keep making notches in the headboard but eventually they get up out of the bed and run off, don't they?"
"You're disgusting."
"Oh, rough talk." They resume walking. "Maybe that's your problem, maybe you push 'em away. Or is it the other? Maybe you cling too much. Or maybe ... your beauty's fading." They stop again. "The stress of slaying, aging you prematurely. Things not as high, not as firm." Spike grins and makes a gesture with his hand as if trying to hold up sagging breasts.
"You know what, Spike? The more I get to know you, the more I wish I didn't."
"Or maybe you just don't hold their interest." He put in one more jab.
"Oh, then I guess you haven't heard that your grand-sire is in town again, have you? I bet he'd be real pleased if he knew how you were treating the mother of his child, wouldn't he?" She walked off towards home, leaving Spike stunned at her revelations.
A/n: ok, so I can still add my own spin on an old script! lol. And I decided to switch things around, it will make much more sense, I hope...
~ * ~
"Well, if you're serious about these matters, all right, but ... you need to be very careful. Measure precisely, and, and, please don't step ahead." Giles told a customer while Dawn swung in her swing. Angel had to take care of some things in LA that day, but he had promised Buffy he'd be back by sunset.
Giles heard the bell toll, and looked up, "I'll be with you in just a min-" He saw Quinton Travers standing there with six other Watchers standing behind him: four men, two women. Quinton took a book from Giles and looked at it.
"Quite alright. You wouldn't want to do anything dangerous. Turn the wrong person into a badger." He said to the customer.
"Quinton. I didn't realize you were here." He gave the book back to the customer, and she walked off.
"Well, evidently." Quentin said imperiously.
"Been a while. I see you've, uh, brought some of our ... colleagues with you. Would you care to introduce us?" Giles asked, wanting to know who he was dealing with.
"Well, first I thought we might catch up." Quentin said, looking about the store. The other Watchers begin to spread out through the store.
"Well, certainly, certainly. Uh, well, um, this is the shop, obviously." He walked towards the counter, and Quentin followed. "Uh, i-it's been a very interesting transition into the world of retail. But I think it's gone rather well. I'll give you the grand tour if you like."
"No, that's all right, I think I can see what you've been up to." He says, looking around some more. They have yet to notice the cooing baby by some miracle in the swing. Anya comes up to them behind the counter.
"Yes, well, I, I, uh, do limit my time here, obviously."
A watcher came up behind Anya, looking at the racks of magic stuff behind the counter. Anya looks at him suspiciously.
"Buffy and I have been training a great deal these days. Uh, there's a, a back room..." He didn't mention Angel.
"Oh yes. I thought perhaps you were keeping that space for the really dangerous items that should be kept out of the public's hands. Or maybe you don't worry about that." He sits at the table.
"I'm very careful." Giles defended himself. If the watchers had noticed Dawn yet, they weren't saying anything.
"Most of this stuff couldn't harm anyone. Incense, dime store trinkets ... but there are some things." The watcher who had been near Anya came over, holding some vials.
"I'm sorry, who are you?" Giles asked. A female watcher was looking at the stuff on another shelf.
"There are some very potent elements here ... focusing crystals, runic artifacts, an amulet of Cauldis... Also this statue." She picks up a statue about 2 feet tall. "Its removal from Burma is a criminal offense..." Giles looks surprised. She carries the statue over to Travers, "...and when triggered, it has the power to melt human eyeballs." She gives the statue to Travers and walks off.
"In that case, I severely underpriced it." Giles attempts at making a joke, that falls flat.
"Uh, Giles, sorry, but this is just for the duration of our stay. I think you can see why." Travers nods to the male watcher, known as Nigel. He takes the book from Giles.
"What, what, wha-what is just for the duration?" Giles stumbles, confused. Nigel stands in the middle of store and speaks loudly.
"Magic Box shoppers! We're going to have to ask you to leave. The store is, uh, closing early today."
Another watcher, Philip, takes an item away from a customer. "Terribly sorry for the inconvenience."
Customers begin to leave. Anya looks alarmed. "Hey! Giles, what are they doing? Customers! Please bring your money back." Watchers escort customers out. Giles glares at Travers.
"You knew you were gonna do this before you even saw the place." Giles accused.
"I'm sorry. It's just for the duration of the Council's review."
"Council? You're the Council?" Anya said nervously, then smiles. "Welcome to our store. We're closed now. I'll be in the back." She begins walking toward the back.
"What review, Quinton? Let's just stop a moment and talk about this." Giles asks, in a rational manner.
"Miss, excuse me, you, uh, you work here?" Quentin addressed Anya.
Anya stops walking, turns back looking apprehensive. "Yes I do. Ever since I moved here from southeastern Indiana, where I was raised by both a mother and a father."
"Anya, just go. You don't have to talk to him." Giles told her, hoping she'd take Dawn. Anya looked relieved, and left, walking towards the back of the store, miraculously taking the baby with her. "She works for me. Now tell me about this review. No one said anything to me about this."
"Let's sit down and talk about." Quentin offered. All the Watchers move toward the round table at the far end of the store. The second female watcher pours some tea. The others stand around.
"You all stand around and look somber." Giles tells them. They do. Giles rolls his eyes, "Good job."
"You used to respect us, Giles. You used to be one of us." Quentin said, as if he couldn't understand where Giles's attitude was coming from.
"You used to pay me. If you recall, firing me was not my idea." He said roughly.
"Touche." He sits at table again. "But you were on the inside once. You know what sort of resources we command." Another Watcher puts a suitcase on the table, opens it, takes out some papers and puts them in front of Travers. The female watcher pouring tea gives Travers a cup.
"We've discovered information about this creature, your Glory. Some of it is clearly vital, the rest merely extremely disturbing. And it won't be handed over until we're convinced that you and your Slayer are prepared for it. Thus the review."
Giles leans over to put hands on table, speaks softly, "I'm not having you put her through another one of your insane tests."
"It's not a test. It's a check of her methods. We need to know that this information is safe."
"You can trust her." He straightens up. "Buffy's come very far recently. Farther that you could possibly imagine." He said, looking towards the back room, where Buffy's teacher was probably playing with her toes.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~
There, that's about it for now, I might get another chapter up later, and it is a bit longer than usual...8 pages...I'll try to get another update up soon. Tell me what you think, please!
Part Nine
Posted: Original Post date: April 27th- Post Date: April 30th
*** when I got here this morning to update stories, to my surprise! I forgot to upload this!!! No wonder I haven't gotten any reviews, cuz there's nothing to review on!!! SORRY!***
***There will probably also be another chapter up here, since I was planning on updating today anyway.***
Author's Notes: Ok, I'm not going to be doing EVERY single episode. We all know what happened, and ok, so it would be different because Dawn is a bit younger...but everything else is pretty much the same. And there are some things I just don't want to cover. So don't expect to read things form EVERY episode, ok?
Ok! And this is a huge chapter! I really want to post it all, but it's fifteen pages, unformatted it, so I will probably save SOME for next time...sorry! Maybe if you're lucky, I'll post two chapters! I'm feeling generous!
Reader Responses:
Malfeus: Well, I'm glad that even though you dislike the pairing, you're still waiting for the next chapter! Makes me feel all warm inside! Lol. I love it when readers review! Especially when they have nice things to say!
As for my french...uh... pas si pire que ça...not if something what something? Huh...? I'm only in French two here!!!!
But here's your update!!!
BAShipper: thanks for reminding me of Spike! He's actually in this chapter...and well...we might end up seeing some fighting between our favorite vampires!!! Lol. Those two just crack me up...
Melluvben: I think Angel's been in every chapter, lol. But I'm sorry you're going through story withdrawal. I was going through the same thing awhile ago, except it was B/A withdrawal! The show is great, but I've seen all of the Buffy reruns at least four times, I know, a bit of an underachiever, and there's no Buffy/Angel-ness on Angel, except for I Will Remember You, and I have to wait forever for that episode to come on! But I hope this gives you a bit of a high, if that's the right word...there might be more later!
Bluie: lol. I might have to write a comic story like that....hmm.....I COPYWRITE THE IDEA!!! Lol. That will be my only trying-to-be-funny story! And it's more than ok, everyone makes mistakes! And if it wasn't for all the red squiggly lines under words, then I'd have tons of spelling mistakes too! But I'm glad you think I'm a good writer!
And I think that's it, kiddies! That reminds me, I should add Lorne in here, somewhere....hm...that would be fun! But how..." Must think on that! But here's your regularly scheduled update!
Oh, and whoever liked that Riley slowly slipped away, I'm sorry! I just don't like him and Buffy together, and the less chance they have together, whether it be in his mind or hers, the better! He's now totally gone, after this chapter!!!
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~
There was a knock on the door while Willow was out with Tara, and Buffy was patrolling. Though it was a Thursday night, Angel answered the door. He had been sticking closer to Dawn the past few weeks. And that meant being closer to Buffy, which he didn't seem to mind.
A blond man stood in the doorway, and Angel recognized him immediately.
"Is Buffy here?"
"She's patrolling."
"Any idea when she'll be back?"
"No."
"Ok, thanks." He turned to leave, and Angel sighed. Though he didn't like the sod, Buffy would want him to be nice to him.
"Riley, come on in and wait for her." He nodded, and stepped inside.
"H-How is she? I haven't see- well, talked to her in awhile."
"She's managing." The two men stood there awkwardly,
"How's the baby?"
"Dawn's good." Silence reigned for a few minutes.
"Look, I don't like you, and I don't know what she sees in you, but I came here to see if we still had a shot. I really didn't expect you to be here. But you are, and I can't change that. And with you here, I'm starting to think that we don't. If you promise to make her happy, I'll leave, and we can both pretend this never happened." Riley said.
"I can't."
"Then I'll stay." He sat on the couch. Angel went through the usual routine, preparing a bottle for Dawn, and then walking around the apartment, trying to get her to sleep. As he was walking in the living room, Riley spoke again.
"Has she figured out the father yet?"
"Yes."
"Who?"
"Me."
"How?!"
"Thanksgiving, due to a spell. I had the day redone, to save her, but this happened anyway." He went into Buffy's room and put the sleeping child down.
"You lie." Riley said harshly when he returned. "It's impossible. The Initiative did extensive research. Vampires can't reproduce-"
"I was human."
"That's impossible! There is no spell out there, no castor capable of such high powered magick!"
"Are you calling me a liar?"
"Yes." Riley made the first move, throwing a punch towards Angel's face. Angel caught the move with ease, and flipped Riley over the couch. Riley was up and onto the vampire within seconds, but the vampire was always one step ahead of the man. He knew that if Buffy came and found them fighting, he would take the blame. That was how their relationship worked. He wasn't going to let this twit ruin whatever he might still have with her.
Riley actually managed to throw him against the wall; he was weaker than when they had last fought, and Angel knew he could win with no problem. He could have won if he had been drunk. But Riley wasn't a pushover, and he had never been. Angel finally retaliated with a kick to Riley's mid section, slamming him against the door. Angel grabbed a hold of him, opening the door for him.
"Get out of my house!" he roared. "And stay out!" he threw the boy out, who landed in a heap on the floor outside, and Angel slammed the door in his face.
Dawn started screaming from the other room, while Angel looked at the mess they had made. Broken coffee table, cracked TV screen, dents in the plaster...Buffy was going to kill him.
He sighed, and went to take care of his girl.
~ * ~
Giles, Buffy and Angel sat in the living room. The TV was out for repairs, and a new coffee table was in the middle of the room. Buffy hadn't been pissed when she found the fight scene, because she had thought it was Glory. Angel had soon set her straight, and then she had been pissed.
Dawn was lying on a blanket on the floor. Buffy was so proud of her, she had just learned that she had toes, and would spend hours playing with them.
"Well, they don't know it ... yet. I mean, they have no record of, of Glory or anyone like her, but, uh, based on the information that I've given them, they're gonna look into it. Um, they might have something soon." Giles said, as he stirred the tea Angel had handed him a moment earlier.
"What about the key? Were they all over it?" Angel asked intently.
"Yes." Giles sighed, looking down at the baby on the floor. Buffy was currently sitting beside the blanket, only half paying attention to the conversation. "They're interested, certainly, and, uh, full of theories. Most of them ... nonsensical."
"They don't know that it's Dawn." Angel said, "you didn't tell them.
"No." Buffy would have thought Giles would be put out by Angel's suggestion, but he knew that Angel just had a father's interest in his daughter's welfare, much like Giles had in Buffy's.
"I still can't begin to grasp this. I mean, she's my little girl, I..." Buffy said from the floor. "I get why, and I get that she is, but at the same time, I don't. And I'm not making any sense, am I?"
"It is disorienting." Giles offered.
"Giles, what happens if they figure it out? What would they do?" Angel asked, worried.
"I don't know." Giles said, looking into his tea cup.
"Oh, I can't even think about this. It's too ..." Dawn started fussing. "I'll go make a bottle." She said, passing the child to Angel, leaving the room.
~ * ~
"Um, aren't we supposed to have a meeting?" Xander asked, after Buffy and Angel had entered the shop, Buffy carrying Dawn.
"Uh, yes, yes, we, we're here for a reason." Giles said, as Buffy sits. "I've had some rather, uh ... well, I've had some news. It seems that the Council of Watchers has ... found some information that may help us out."
"About Glory?" Buffy asks, pulling off Dawn's little hat.
"Presumably. We'll find that out when they ... arrive. Could be very important."
"Arrive? They're coming here? Now? W-why do they have to come here?" Buffy started freaking out.
"Yeah, don't they have phones?" Xander asked, then started speaking in a fake British accent, "'Allo, Buffy, here's some stuff we know, pip pip.'"
"Yeah! Phones. See, I'd like them on phones." Buffy said, looking up to Giles, as Angel sat beside her.
"Well, what's so bad about them coming here? Aren't they good guys? I mean, Watchers, that's just like other Gileses, right?" Tara asked, not understanding.
"Yeah, they're scary and horrible!" Buffy pouted. Angel took their daughter from her.
"Um, they, well, they can appear a bit ... well, uh, hard-nosed, but, uh, well, essentially, their agenda is the same as ours, they want to save the world and kill demons."
"Kill the current demons, right? *Current* demons." Anya said, nervous.
"Giles, I don't want them to come here. I don't trust them. Make them not come here." Buffy pleaded with her watcher.
"They're probably already on their way. Our old friend Quinton Travers is ... heading up the delegation."
"They put me through that test, and it almost killed me. And then, when I was Faith, they almost killed me again. Honestly, I really can't handle almost being killed right now." She said, playing with Dawn's foot.
"I don't like the sound of this. They don't sound very ex-demon- compatible." Anya said, always looking out for number one.
"Are you sure they're English? I-I thought English people were, um, gentler, then, uh, normal..." Tara said, trailing off, feeling once again unwelcome in the group.
"Maybe it won't be so bad this time. I mean, Buffy, they did think you were Faith last time. Now that they know you're just you, maybe they won't care enough to kill you." Willow looked on the bright side, taking Tara's hand comfortingly.
"It's not just that. They're gonna screw everything up. I-it's a delicate time right now. I-I have to take care of Dawn, and-"
"But that's not new, you've always taken care of her. Well, not always, but the last couple months." Xander corrected himself.
"Right. Right, I, I know that, it's just, you know, there's, there's Glory, and...and I don't need the Council looking over my shoulder when I don't even know what we're dealing with."
"Well, that's precisely why we need to talk to them." Giles said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "If the Council knows something about Glory, her agenda or her origins, then..." he sighed, "then maybe it will help us get a, a, a grip on what we're dealing with. Right now I think we're, we're a bit lost." He sighed again, and Buffy whimpered slightly, playing with her child, as if after Quentin showed up, she might not ever see her again.
~ * ~
That night, while Angel was home with Dawn, Buffy was out patrolling a cemetery, grousing about her classes that day, when she was knocked down. She was about to get back up and into the fight, when Spike comes flying over a headstone and grabbed the vamp from behind, knocking him to the ground. As he got up, Spike kicked him, then staked him. Spike grinned at Buffy, who stalked forward.
"Spike ... why did you do that?" She asked, annoyed. She was really hoping the staking would wind her down enough so she could go home and be with her child. She was tense, and that staking just might have done it. But no luck now.
"Not for money, if that's what you're thinking. Your heartfelt gratitude's plenty." He stopped grinning, "I expect I'll be getting that any moment."
"Gratitude. For getting in my way?" she asked snottily, so not in the mood to listen to his twisted ideologies.
"Ge-getting in your way? I saved you." Ha, the little snot didn't sound so confident now, did he? If only he knew...
"I was regrouping." She defended herself.
"You were about to be regrouped into separate piles. You needed help." He said, pushing this.
"I didn't need you. I never need you, Spike." She turned and starts to walk off.
"Oh, I get it." He started to follow. "You just don't like who did the rescuin', that's all. Wishin' I was your boyfriend what's-his-face. Oh wait, he's run off."
"Wait, what? Riley didn't run off, I dumped him. And you know what? I don't need a boyfriend, to rescue me or for any other reason."
"Don't need or can't keep?" He taunted, and she stopped walking to glare at him. "You keep making notches in the headboard but eventually they get up out of the bed and run off, don't they?"
"You're disgusting."
"Oh, rough talk." They resume walking. "Maybe that's your problem, maybe you push 'em away. Or is it the other? Maybe you cling too much. Or maybe ... your beauty's fading." They stop again. "The stress of slaying, aging you prematurely. Things not as high, not as firm." Spike grins and makes a gesture with his hand as if trying to hold up sagging breasts.
"You know what, Spike? The more I get to know you, the more I wish I didn't."
"Or maybe you just don't hold their interest." He put in one more jab.
"Oh, then I guess you haven't heard that your grand-sire is in town again, have you? I bet he'd be real pleased if he knew how you were treating the mother of his child, wouldn't he?" She walked off towards home, leaving Spike stunned at her revelations.
A/n: ok, so I can still add my own spin on an old script! lol. And I decided to switch things around, it will make much more sense, I hope...
~ * ~
"Well, if you're serious about these matters, all right, but ... you need to be very careful. Measure precisely, and, and, please don't step ahead." Giles told a customer while Dawn swung in her swing. Angel had to take care of some things in LA that day, but he had promised Buffy he'd be back by sunset.
Giles heard the bell toll, and looked up, "I'll be with you in just a min-" He saw Quinton Travers standing there with six other Watchers standing behind him: four men, two women. Quinton took a book from Giles and looked at it.
"Quite alright. You wouldn't want to do anything dangerous. Turn the wrong person into a badger." He said to the customer.
"Quinton. I didn't realize you were here." He gave the book back to the customer, and she walked off.
"Well, evidently." Quentin said imperiously.
"Been a while. I see you've, uh, brought some of our ... colleagues with you. Would you care to introduce us?" Giles asked, wanting to know who he was dealing with.
"Well, first I thought we might catch up." Quentin said, looking about the store. The other Watchers begin to spread out through the store.
"Well, certainly, certainly. Uh, well, um, this is the shop, obviously." He walked towards the counter, and Quentin followed. "Uh, i-it's been a very interesting transition into the world of retail. But I think it's gone rather well. I'll give you the grand tour if you like."
"No, that's all right, I think I can see what you've been up to." He says, looking around some more. They have yet to notice the cooing baby by some miracle in the swing. Anya comes up to them behind the counter.
"Yes, well, I, I, uh, do limit my time here, obviously."
A watcher came up behind Anya, looking at the racks of magic stuff behind the counter. Anya looks at him suspiciously.
"Buffy and I have been training a great deal these days. Uh, there's a, a back room..." He didn't mention Angel.
"Oh yes. I thought perhaps you were keeping that space for the really dangerous items that should be kept out of the public's hands. Or maybe you don't worry about that." He sits at the table.
"I'm very careful." Giles defended himself. If the watchers had noticed Dawn yet, they weren't saying anything.
"Most of this stuff couldn't harm anyone. Incense, dime store trinkets ... but there are some things." The watcher who had been near Anya came over, holding some vials.
"I'm sorry, who are you?" Giles asked. A female watcher was looking at the stuff on another shelf.
"There are some very potent elements here ... focusing crystals, runic artifacts, an amulet of Cauldis... Also this statue." She picks up a statue about 2 feet tall. "Its removal from Burma is a criminal offense..." Giles looks surprised. She carries the statue over to Travers, "...and when triggered, it has the power to melt human eyeballs." She gives the statue to Travers and walks off.
"In that case, I severely underpriced it." Giles attempts at making a joke, that falls flat.
"Uh, Giles, sorry, but this is just for the duration of our stay. I think you can see why." Travers nods to the male watcher, known as Nigel. He takes the book from Giles.
"What, what, wha-what is just for the duration?" Giles stumbles, confused. Nigel stands in the middle of store and speaks loudly.
"Magic Box shoppers! We're going to have to ask you to leave. The store is, uh, closing early today."
Another watcher, Philip, takes an item away from a customer. "Terribly sorry for the inconvenience."
Customers begin to leave. Anya looks alarmed. "Hey! Giles, what are they doing? Customers! Please bring your money back." Watchers escort customers out. Giles glares at Travers.
"You knew you were gonna do this before you even saw the place." Giles accused.
"I'm sorry. It's just for the duration of the Council's review."
"Council? You're the Council?" Anya said nervously, then smiles. "Welcome to our store. We're closed now. I'll be in the back." She begins walking toward the back.
"What review, Quinton? Let's just stop a moment and talk about this." Giles asks, in a rational manner.
"Miss, excuse me, you, uh, you work here?" Quentin addressed Anya.
Anya stops walking, turns back looking apprehensive. "Yes I do. Ever since I moved here from southeastern Indiana, where I was raised by both a mother and a father."
"Anya, just go. You don't have to talk to him." Giles told her, hoping she'd take Dawn. Anya looked relieved, and left, walking towards the back of the store, miraculously taking the baby with her. "She works for me. Now tell me about this review. No one said anything to me about this."
"Let's sit down and talk about." Quentin offered. All the Watchers move toward the round table at the far end of the store. The second female watcher pours some tea. The others stand around.
"You all stand around and look somber." Giles tells them. They do. Giles rolls his eyes, "Good job."
"You used to respect us, Giles. You used to be one of us." Quentin said, as if he couldn't understand where Giles's attitude was coming from.
"You used to pay me. If you recall, firing me was not my idea." He said roughly.
"Touche." He sits at table again. "But you were on the inside once. You know what sort of resources we command." Another Watcher puts a suitcase on the table, opens it, takes out some papers and puts them in front of Travers. The female watcher pouring tea gives Travers a cup.
"We've discovered information about this creature, your Glory. Some of it is clearly vital, the rest merely extremely disturbing. And it won't be handed over until we're convinced that you and your Slayer are prepared for it. Thus the review."
Giles leans over to put hands on table, speaks softly, "I'm not having you put her through another one of your insane tests."
"It's not a test. It's a check of her methods. We need to know that this information is safe."
"You can trust her." He straightens up. "Buffy's come very far recently. Farther that you could possibly imagine." He said, looking towards the back room, where Buffy's teacher was probably playing with her toes.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~
There, that's about it for now, I might get another chapter up later, and it is a bit longer than usual...8 pages...I'll try to get another update up soon. Tell me what you think, please!