Chapter Fourteen He's Back
Disclaimer: See previous chapters about me not owning any of it.
"Good morning Giles!" Buffy beamed as she waltzed into the Magic Box.
"I don't see what's so good about it. I still haven't found a way to get rid of Glory and Anya has been driving me up the wall about using the merchandising space to do my research. Does she not understand that this is MY SHOP?" He commented aiming the last part particularly in Anya's direction.
Anya's head perked up from behind the counter. "What? It looks like you are just an average buyer reading the material in the store instead of buying it. We can't have the customers seeing that or they will want to do that. Giles! That can't happen! They won't purchase things if they can just read them in the store."
"Yes I see your point Anya, but some of the customers do know me and they do realize that I am the shop owner, they are still going to buy items from the store."
Buffy stood patiently for as long as she could before interrupting the duelling duo.
"So nothing new huh?" She said taking a seat next to Giles. "Do you need help? You look like you haven't been getting very much sleep Giles. You should take a rest." Giles leered in Buffy's direction. "I mean there haven't been any Glory sightings in ages and maybe she's given up on finding the key and anything else that might send her home. You should really just take it down a notch." Buffy patted his shoulder.
"Take it down a notch? You are joking right? Buffy, you know as well as I that when things are quiet that is when we should be focusing our energy in trying to find a solution. I don't see how you can be so flippant about it when your vampire lover and your own sister are the keys in the opening of the portal!" Giles stood challenging his own Slayer.
"Lets scream it out so everyone around can hear you Giles! I don't think guy at the front of the store heard what you had to say!"
"Actually I heard it loud and clear." Came a familiar voice from the shop's front door.
"Riley? What the hell are you doing back here?" Buffy shot at him. "I thought I told you to get out of here and never come back."
"Well actually no, you didn't. If you want to be technical it was your mother who said it would be best if I left. No one said a thing about not coming back." He took a slight pause. "How is your mom anyway Buff?"
"She's...gone." Buffy whispered gaping at the man who tore her heart out nearly six months ago.
"I'm sorry. I didn't know." Riley ducked his head trying not to show his shame and sorrow.
"What are you doing here?" Buffy managed to get out.
"I came to see how you were doing." Riley straightened up. "And now I hear that you are still with the vampire so I guess you're doing the same. How is Spike?" Riley voiced with venom.
Buffy glared at Riley, burning holes into his head with her eyes. "Spike is just fine. Thank you for asking. In fact, he's great!" Buffy said a little too enthusiastically.
"She's right." Anya piped up. "Spike is just fine. Very toned and soulful and..."
"Anya!" Buffy shushed her.
"What? Oh...sorry." Anya turned to get back to her customers.
"Is that all you came for Riley?" The voice came from Giles. He had been quiet up until now, studying the man who left his Slayer broken hearted.
"I'm here on business."
"Business? Business that just happened to put you in Sunnydale and here in the Magic Box." Buffy spat.
"No. Yes. The business is in Sunnydale but honestly I came here just to see how you were doing. I miss you Buffy." His voice took on a sentimental tone to it.
"Missed me? You're kidding right? Uh, I don't know if you remember or not but you were the one who left me Riley! You're not allowed to miss me!"
"Buffy..."
"No. Get out Riley. And this time I am saying it. Get out and never come back. I don't want to see your face again." Buffy stalked off to the training room slamming the door behind her.
Riley stood on the landing of the Magic Box and stared at the door. She doesn't want to see my face again? She's been brainwashed by that no good, lousy vampire! Once I get rid of him then I know she'll come back to me. Riley turned and walked out of the Magic Box closing the door behind him. He stood on the other side and contemplated everything that happened in the store and a smirk appeared on his face. Glory? Vampire lover? Sister? Portal? It was all coming together for him. He was looking for a way to get rid of Spike and he may have just found it.
AN: Sorry this is so short...I am having bad writer's block and plus super over loaded at work. I'll try to have more up soon. Sorry again! AJ
Disclaimer: See previous chapters about me not owning any of it.
"Good morning Giles!" Buffy beamed as she waltzed into the Magic Box.
"I don't see what's so good about it. I still haven't found a way to get rid of Glory and Anya has been driving me up the wall about using the merchandising space to do my research. Does she not understand that this is MY SHOP?" He commented aiming the last part particularly in Anya's direction.
Anya's head perked up from behind the counter. "What? It looks like you are just an average buyer reading the material in the store instead of buying it. We can't have the customers seeing that or they will want to do that. Giles! That can't happen! They won't purchase things if they can just read them in the store."
"Yes I see your point Anya, but some of the customers do know me and they do realize that I am the shop owner, they are still going to buy items from the store."
Buffy stood patiently for as long as she could before interrupting the duelling duo.
"So nothing new huh?" She said taking a seat next to Giles. "Do you need help? You look like you haven't been getting very much sleep Giles. You should take a rest." Giles leered in Buffy's direction. "I mean there haven't been any Glory sightings in ages and maybe she's given up on finding the key and anything else that might send her home. You should really just take it down a notch." Buffy patted his shoulder.
"Take it down a notch? You are joking right? Buffy, you know as well as I that when things are quiet that is when we should be focusing our energy in trying to find a solution. I don't see how you can be so flippant about it when your vampire lover and your own sister are the keys in the opening of the portal!" Giles stood challenging his own Slayer.
"Lets scream it out so everyone around can hear you Giles! I don't think guy at the front of the store heard what you had to say!"
"Actually I heard it loud and clear." Came a familiar voice from the shop's front door.
"Riley? What the hell are you doing back here?" Buffy shot at him. "I thought I told you to get out of here and never come back."
"Well actually no, you didn't. If you want to be technical it was your mother who said it would be best if I left. No one said a thing about not coming back." He took a slight pause. "How is your mom anyway Buff?"
"She's...gone." Buffy whispered gaping at the man who tore her heart out nearly six months ago.
"I'm sorry. I didn't know." Riley ducked his head trying not to show his shame and sorrow.
"What are you doing here?" Buffy managed to get out.
"I came to see how you were doing." Riley straightened up. "And now I hear that you are still with the vampire so I guess you're doing the same. How is Spike?" Riley voiced with venom.
Buffy glared at Riley, burning holes into his head with her eyes. "Spike is just fine. Thank you for asking. In fact, he's great!" Buffy said a little too enthusiastically.
"She's right." Anya piped up. "Spike is just fine. Very toned and soulful and..."
"Anya!" Buffy shushed her.
"What? Oh...sorry." Anya turned to get back to her customers.
"Is that all you came for Riley?" The voice came from Giles. He had been quiet up until now, studying the man who left his Slayer broken hearted.
"I'm here on business."
"Business? Business that just happened to put you in Sunnydale and here in the Magic Box." Buffy spat.
"No. Yes. The business is in Sunnydale but honestly I came here just to see how you were doing. I miss you Buffy." His voice took on a sentimental tone to it.
"Missed me? You're kidding right? Uh, I don't know if you remember or not but you were the one who left me Riley! You're not allowed to miss me!"
"Buffy..."
"No. Get out Riley. And this time I am saying it. Get out and never come back. I don't want to see your face again." Buffy stalked off to the training room slamming the door behind her.
Riley stood on the landing of the Magic Box and stared at the door. She doesn't want to see my face again? She's been brainwashed by that no good, lousy vampire! Once I get rid of him then I know she'll come back to me. Riley turned and walked out of the Magic Box closing the door behind him. He stood on the other side and contemplated everything that happened in the store and a smirk appeared on his face. Glory? Vampire lover? Sister? Portal? It was all coming together for him. He was looking for a way to get rid of Spike and he may have just found it.
AN: Sorry this is so short...I am having bad writer's block and plus super over loaded at work. I'll try to have more up soon. Sorry again! AJ