Turning the Tables
Part 2
Disclaimer: Not mine.
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After lunch, Willow entered the library carrying a big pile of school books, and inhaled deeply. She loved the smell of the library. Everyone thought Giles was crazy with his "smell of knowledge" thing, but she knew just what he was saying. Not that she would ever tell Xander or Buffy. They would make fun of her till kingdom come.
"Giles?" She called. The library was still for another moment, but then Giles emerged from his office. He looked terrible. His hair was mess, and there were bags under his eyes.
"How are you?" She asked gently.
"I'm holding up," he told her with a weak smile. It was a lie, and Willow could tell. He wasn't holding up, he was just about to fall apart. But she didn't say anything. It was too soon. Ms. Calendar…
"Has Buffy come in today?" She asked, piling the books onto the counter.
"You haven't seen her?" He sounded concerned. Willow guessed that was a good thing. He still had the ability to care about the world around him.
"No, but she's probably just been missing us. Or sick, or something." She tried not to worry him, but it was too late.
"What if something has happened to her? What if Angel-" He broke off with a shudder.
"I'm sure she's fine. We can go to her house and see if she's there, okay?" Giles nodded, but he still seemed uneasy. Willow wished she could soothe his nerves, but she would by lying if she said she didn't feel a bit of them herself.
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LATER
After school that day, Willow, Xander and Giles all made their way to the Summers home on Revello Drive. They reached the cheery little house and rang the doorbell. They all felt uneasy standing huddled on the front porch. Buffy hadn't shown up all day, and Giles had checked in the office. No one had called her in sick. The door swung open, and Mrs. Summers looked quizzically at them.
"Hello?"
"Good morning Mrs. Summers, we just stopped by to see Buffy."
"Buffy? She's not here." Joyce looked at them strangely. "Why?"
"I'm afraid we may have to talk Joyce." They all knew something was up when Giles switched to first names, "You see, Buffy never showed up at school today." Joyce looked distinctly worried, and ushered them in. They followed her into the kitchen where they all sat around the table.
"Where could she be? Not at school? Skipping classes?" She wrung her hands worriedly.
"Joyce, when did you last see Buffy? This morning?"
"No…when
I went to check on her she wasn't there.
I assumed she'd already gone off to school. No, I last saw her around, six yesterday. The last person to see her was probably that
nice young man." Willow and Xander
exchanged worried looks. Mrs. Summers
knew that Angel was bad news…who else would have come to see Buffy?
"Nice young man? Can you describe him for me?" Giles
asked, heart pounding. Joyce looked to
the ceiling thoughtfully.
"He was about 5' 10"…very pale, slicked back hair, white blonde…blue eyes…and he wore a long black coat. Name was William." Giles felt his whole body lose it's energy. Spike. Spike had been alone with Buffy. And now she was gone. It was just too horrible a coincidence to be unconnected. She was dead. His Slayer, his Buffy…she was dead. Joyce noticed the despair on Giles' face and looked alarmed.
"What's wrong? Was there something about William?"
"William," Giles struggled to speak. How could he do this? How could he tell this poor, innocent woman her daughter was dead? She didn't know anything…she didn't expect Buffy to have a short life…"He's, he's, he's a very…disturbed…man…" Willow bit her lip to hold back tears. She had worked it out too. Her best friend…her very best girl friend…gone…forever…
"Disturbed? Like what? What do you mean? WHERE IS MY DAUGHTER?!" Joyce descended quickly into anger. This was getting ridiculous! Whispers, stutters, this wasn't making any sense! Disturbed? Where was Buffy?!
"She's…dead." Giles whispered. Joyce fell back as if she had been hit with a wrecking ball.
"Dead? No, no, you're not serious, she can't be dead!" Xander was biting his fist in an attempt to keep himself composed. Buffy…poor poor Buffy…dead…Spike killed her…he actually killed her…
"I would never joke about such a thing. Buffy was so important to all of us…" He trailed off, overcome.
"I don't believe this! Buffy is not dead! I refuse to-"
"Open your eyes!" Giles bellowed, terrifying everyone in the room. He took a deep breath and composed himself, "I'm sorry. Buffy may or may not have told you Joyce, but I lost a woman who was very very dear to me just yesterday. I would like nothing more than to believe Buffy is alive and well. But I can't. She's gone."
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LATER
Willow and Xander had wordlessly accepted Giles' offer of rides home. They had ridden in silence, each privately dealing with the loss of their best friend. They stopped in front of Xander's house, and Giles turned to both of them.
"Much as I hate to think like this, it is my duty as Watcher and adult. Buffy's body is missing. Spike must have taken it with him, and there is no end to the sick tricks he could play on us now. I want you both to be warned. We do not know where…or how…the body might turn up." Willow shuddered and looked away. Xander placed a hand gently on her shoulder.
"Do you have to call her that?" She asked Giles, clearly restraining tears, "'The body'? Like she was never Buffy?"
"Referring to something that is no longer Buffy as Buffy," Giles met her eyes when she turned back, and Willow saw the deep pain there. First Ms. Calendar, now Buffy. Giles had lost what meant the most to him, "Will only make it harder."
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THAT NIGHT
Joyce sat in the brightly-lit living room. The Cosby Show was playing cheerily, and Joyce could barely stand to watch it. Such happiness and light-heartedness. How dare that sitcom family laugh while she grieved? It was stupid, it was immature, she didn't care. She was offended that someone in this world would be happy when she was feeling such crushing pain. All day she had hoped and hoped that Buffy might appear miraculously on her doorstep, apologizing for worrying her. But Buffy did not come. And she had to resign herself to the fact Buffy was not coming back. Buffy would never come back.
The doorbell rang out merrily and Joyce hefted herself off the couch and staggered to the door. She opened it and her hand flew to her mouth. Tears ran freely now. Oh god…was her only thought. A little paler, eyes a little deader, but still the same beautiful girl.
"Hey mom. Can I come in?"
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Bum-bum-bum!