Fury by SLynn

Notes: Thank you all for your reviews! It really does keep me writing. More to come.

Chapter 15: Home Again

No one had left the Summer's home despite the ever increasing hour.

Willow and Tara sat talking quietly on the couch trying to make sense of the last few hours, no, the last few days of their lives.

Giles, Joyce and Zothos were in the kitchen having tea. They talked of options that they didn't really have and what they could or could not do next.

Buffy was in her room, where she had been for quite some time. She still hadn't managed to compose herself, but she felt stronger somehow for knowing what was said.

Perhaps that's why it was Dawn, and only Dawn, alone on the steps who had heard the noise in the basement.

Inquisitive might as well have been her middle name, because there wasn't a strange noise, new rumor, hidden object she didn't endeavor to find out.

Making her way down the steps, she could hardly expect to find what she did. She'd been expecting a cat. At the most, maybe a raccoon. One had gotten in before, it wasn't unheard of.

Dawn snapped on the lights and scanned the room.

The window above the washer was open and the screen was bent. Raccoons didn't do that and Dawn was beginning to think this was a very bad idea.

Quick as she could she made her way to the washer, climbed up on it to shut the window then jumped back down. As she turned the scream died in her throat as she found herself nearly face to face with Xander.

"Don't scream Dawnie," he said quietly, holding up his hands as if to grab hold of her arms then suddenly stopping, "I'm not going to hurt you."

Dawn complied, but just barely. He looked horrible, she'd barely recognized him.

"Is Buffy here?" he asked taking a few steps back and looking up the staircase nervously.

"Yes," she just managed. He'd never made her uneasy before, but the last time they'd been alone together he wasn't exactly himself. Literally. She wasn't so sure he was now.

"Get her. Get her down here. Please. Now."

He was speaking haltingly, as if it hurt. To Dawn he looked as if he was in serious pain.

"I could get you Giles or Willow too," Dawn offered. She just wanted to help, "They're all upstairs."

"No," he said sharply, "Just Buffy. Don't tell anyone else. Don't come back with her either. Just Buffy."

Dawn nodded and made stepped gingerly around him towards the steps. She took one look back at him before leaving the basement and as quickly as she could without running, and went to Buffy's room.

She knocked twice before throwing open the door.

"What is it?" Buffy asked startled by her entrance and a little by the look on Dawn's face.

"…downstairs…."

"What? Dawn," Buffy said getting irritated, "what?"

"…Xander…"

Buffy's heart stopped.

"He's here?"

Dawn just nodded. Buffy started to get past her when she took hold of her arm.

"Buffy wait," she said, "he's in the basement. No one else knows."

"Why?"

"I don't know. He wants to talk with you, just you. I don't know if you should."

Buffy was about to contradict her, brush her off, but she saw how serious her sister was.

"He won't hurt me, I'll be fine."

Dawn nodded and let go but reluctantly.

Buffy made her way down the stairs, trying not to draw attention to herself. She stole a quick glance into the living room and kitchen before going into the basement. Dawn had come down and sat on the stairs again, Buffy knew she'd be listening for any signs of a struggle.

Buffy hardly knew what to think as she made her way into the basement. Part of her expected it to be a trick. To find Constance instead of Xander, but another part knew he was there. She could just tell.

"Xander?" she whispered into the room.

"Over here," he said quietly from behind the staircase. He was sitting down on a few boxes and had his head between his hands. He hadn't even looked up at her.

She didn't know what to say. Didn't move. Couldn't. So she stared at him, waiting for him to look up, but he didn't seem to want too.

"I can't stay long," he said without moving. She'd barely heard him over her own heartbeat. "She probably already knows… I wasn't planning this."

Still she didn't answer. Xander was now rocking a bit on his feet, back and forth, rubbing his head.

"I was just going to see if I could, and then I had too."

"Had to what?"

"I had too…" he stopped abruptly. They both heard it. A noise upstairs, loud but soon passing. Probably just Buffy's mom getting something from the pantry.

"Buffy?"

She was a bit surprised to find him almost face to face her. He'd moved quietly out of the corner without her realizing it. Buffy, like Dawn, wasn't able to hide her surprise. Xander looked awful. She'd seen him just the other night, but not without really seeing him.

"Do I really look that bad?" he asked almost lightly and she couldn't help laughing. And then, without warning, she was crying.

"I don't care how you look," she said pulling him to her, "I'm just so glad to see you."

"Buffy," Xander said softly into her ear, "I can't stay."

"Yes you can."

"No," he said with more animation now. More then she'd seen from him in quite some time. "She's going to know where I am. She's going to come here and…"

"Then let her," she fired back, just barely remembering to keep her voice down. "Let her. We'll fight her. We'll do something. You can't just…"

"What? Buffy, you don't understand. I…"

Xander stopped suddenly and nearly collapsed.

"What's wrong? Xander, talk to me. What's happening?"

"I'm fine," he said through gritted teeth, pulling himself out of her reach. "I just don't have a lot of time left."

"I don't…."

"Neither do I," he finished. "She's stronger now. And she has these things. Find out what they are. They feed off of bad feelings, strong emotions. They're small, black and gooey. I don't know how to describe them. She said she brought them with her."

"What do they do?" she asked, still concerned for his present state.

"Bad things Buffy," was all he would say. Constance's lecture about them still echoing in his head, "Very bad."

"I'll find out then," she said without asking more.

"She's using them on people Buffy. Regular people," he said making his way back towards the window. "I don't know what'll happen, but she's planning something big."

"Wait," she said grapping hold of his arm, "I should fill you in on what we've found…"

"No," he cut in sharply, "Don't. If I know it, she may too. Don't tell me anything."

"You can't go back," she said, refusing to let go of his arm. Her eyes filled with tears.

"I'll be fine," he said just touching her hand with his. They locked eyes for a moment, each wanting to say more. "I'll see you again. I promise."

Buffy nodded and he was gone.

Xander was less then surprised to find Constance waiting for him. He knew she would be.

"So," she said getting up from his cot as he came into the cell, "how's your girlfriend?"

Xander stood his ground and refused to answer. Didn't even move.

"Your head must be feeling better now that your home. You shouldn't be out when I tell you to stay in. That's not being very obedient."

Still nothing from him.

"Silent treatment?" she asked with a smile, "I like that game. Quiet determination. Very heroic, but it won't last."

She took a few steps towards him and he still didn't react. Constance was beginning to loose her patience.

"Did you tell her what you saw? Did you ask her for help? Did she kiss you goodnight?"

Finally, she'd hit a nerve and she knew it.

"Poor Xander," her voice full of mock sympathy, "Everything you've done for her and she still doesn't even register that you're a man. That's got to hurt a bit. Someone should teach her a lesson."

He didn't like the sound of this. It sounded too much like the other night, just before she'd sent him out.

"No," she said as she walked around him to the door, "Not yet. Soon."

Xander breathed a sigh of relief, but not out loud. Not where she could see.

"However," she said shutting the two of them in, "I think you and I need to go back over the basics tonight. Seems to me that you need a refresher course in respect."