Solstice by SLynn

Chapter 3: Old Friends

Giles had wanted to call first, but couldn't find the opportunity.

"I'm back," he said as he came in through his own front door and flipping on the lights.

He knew he'd find Buffy there with Xander. Knew that whatever problems had been occurring between them was likely all worked out. He wished, for the moment at least, it wasn't so. He'd rather not be a part of this encounter if he could help it. But there was no helping it.

Just as he'd expected, they were there on the couch, apparently watching a movie.

"Find anything?" Xander called as he leaned forward to turn off the television.

"Angel," Buffy said startled, as she turned around to greet Giles.

Xander turned as well but said nothing.

"Buffy," Angel said in greeting, "Xander."

"What are you doing here?" Buffy asked standing up but not coming closer.

"There's a vampire named Eamon that plans to open the hellmouth," Angel said flatly.

"Sounds like the type of thing you could have called about," Xander said, not doing a very good job of hiding his dislike.

"Well, there's more to it then that," Angel said without actually reaching the same level of disgust, but coming close.

Giles knew he needed to interject. Quickly.

"This vampire has the blade of Osiris. It's used in human sacrifices, specifically to open worlds between the living and dead. Angel says that the incantation used somehow involves Buffy."

"Okay, so no getting myself sacrificed," Buffy said trying to lighten the mood. She wasn't so much worried about the whole end of the world thing. It was a near weekly occurrence that someone tried to open the hellmouth. That wasn't the problem. The problem was right here in this room. Now.

"It's not that simple," Giles continued, "We know only that it involves you Buffy, it doesn't necessarily mean that you have to be the one sacrificed."

"So, where can we find this spell? Find out exactly what it does say and stop it." Xander asked. This was serious and he knew it. It wasn't the time to be holding grudges, if he could help it.

"That's the problem," Angel answered, sensing the changing attitude. "There aren't any known copies. Eamon likely has the only one."

"Old friend?" Xander asked. He couldn't help himself.

"We've met before," was all Angel was willing to return.

"Is that all we know then?" Buffy asked.

"No. In order for it to work, it has to be done during the winter solstice."

"How long until that happens?" Buffy asked again.

"Six days," Xander answered before anyone else. "December 21st."

"What do we do then?" she asked Giles.

"Tomorrow we start looking for Eamon."

Buffy left shortly there after, Xander walking with her part ways.

"I know I shouldn't ask this, and I probably don't want to know, but what's going on between them?" Angel asked Giles as soon as they'd left the apartment.

"Maybe it's best if they told you themselves."

Angel didn't really need more of an answer then that.

"All things considering," Giles added, "It's not too much of a surprise, is it?"

Angel knew what he meant, but it still wasn't much of an answer. He'd heard all about Constance. Giles kept in pretty regular contact with him and had even, without the rest of their knowledge, asked him what Angel might know about Constance. It hadn't been much. He'd heard of her, most demons had, but as nothing more then a fable. Constance was on to demons what the boogey-man was to children.

Angel had even offered to help. This, he knew, Buffy was aware of, because the refusal had come directly from her mouth. She'd said 'thanks, but no thanks' and he'd said no more.

He hadn't realized.

"Do you have a place to stay?" Giles asked.

"Yes," Angel answered, still deep in thought, "I'll meet back with you tomorrow evening at the Magic Box."

Just then Xander made his reappearance. Giles hadn't thought it possible, but this moment might be worse then one previous.

"Buffy get home safe?" Angel asked.

"Only person in town I know who can," Xander replied.

"Still..."

"I drove her," Xander finished before Angel could get the rest of it out, "She's fine."

"Well then," Giles put in before this scene became worse, "We'll have a busy day tomorrow."

Neither took the hint.

"Lots to do," he continued.

"Gotcha," Xander said, still staring at Angel, "Just wondering where Angel planned to sleep is all."

"I still have a place in town."

"Convenient."

"Very."

"Alright then," Giles broke in again. This wasn't looking good at all.

"I'll be back tomorrow night," Angel said as a way of goodbye. He left without another word.

Giles and Xander lingered a few minutes more in the entry way.

"Goodnight Xander," Giles said as he began to head upstairs.

"Yeah," he answered half-heartedly, "Goodnight."

"Do you know that ice cream can be traced back to the Roman Empire? It's that old. But I never had any as a child."

"Yeah," Xander answered, "I knew that."

Constance sat across from him in an oddly familiar café. Xander knew it well. He'd been here before, once, with Buffy.

"Don't you want to know?" she asked as the people buzzed by, barely visible.

"I already do," he said becoming fascinated with his dish of ice cream. Watching it melt and reform over and over as the sun rose and set around them.

"Of course you do. You were always quick to pick things up."

Xander looked around him, the ice cream forgotten. The faces were familiar. Sometimes he thought he saw Willow or Buffy among them, but they moved so fast. He wasn't sure.

"That's me alright," Xander said, not without sarcasm.

"No," Constance said leaning in, "Don't do that. It's true. You've always seen more then the others. Known more. That's why I picked you."

"That's not true."

"Isn't it?" she asked, playful again. Smiling.

Xander grew uncomfortable. Part of him knew it was a dream. It had to be. Constance wasn't here. She wasn't. And she wasn't coming back. Not now, not ever.

Constance 'tsked' him with her tongue.

"You don't know do you?" she said.

"What?" he asked growing curious.

"That I'll never leave you."

Xander looked over at her. Her smile. Her assurance.

"No. I knew that too."

A day had never passed slower.

Xander had hardly spoken to anyone. It wasn't that he was angry or upset. He wasn't. At least, he wasn't too angry or upset. Angel was the last person he'd wanted to see, especially now, but he wasn't the problem. He'd been thinking.

The dream he'd had that night had unsettled him.

Most of the dreams he had with Constance were of the garden variety. They were flashbacks of things that had happened, or things he'd feared happening. This one had been different.

It made him think; seriously think for the first time that Constance might actually return. And he could admit that the thought scared him.

He knew there were a thousand explanations for the dream. The shock of seeing Angel alone could have done it. Knowing Buffy was in danger could have done it. But neither of them seemed valid.

Why that dream?

It was the setting, the very setting of the dream he'd shared with Buffy. The one where he tried to convince her that Constance was coming back.

It was probably nothing. But if it wasn't, he should probably tell someone. Someone being Giles of course.

Xander wasn't sure.

He knew the consequences of withholding information. Bad things had happened before because of that very thing. But part of him wanted to because it felt childish. Part of him thought Giles might just blow it off and tell him he was being foolish. And maybe he was.

Still, mentioning it couldn't hurt. Giles would probably be glad that he was telling him something. He hadn't exactly been forthcoming with the information lately. Xander couldn't help it; it was hard to talk about.

Thinking it over once more, Xander decided to wait. He'd see how the meeting went. How much Angel had to tell them and how serious the situation was. If it was bad, no need to add too it with his problems. Because that's what Xander really felt like all of this was.

His problem.

Willow and Tara hadn't been taken by surprise by Angel's being there. They'd been warned in advance. Tara hadn't met him before and was extremely curious to do so. Willow, unlike Xander, had liked Angel. She knew he was good and was just trying to help. She also knew that his presence was likely causing both of her closest friends pain, but if he really could help then she was glad to see him.

They all listened to what he had to say with seemingly open minds.

"I've done some research today," Giles added, "as much as possible. The incantation requires three very specific things that we know of. One we know they have, the blade of Osiris. The second is a sacrifice of the slayer, which they do not. The third is cup of Aeacus..."

"Isn't that what we used before?" Willow asked with a quick glance towards Xander. He didn't notice. Xander was trying hard to swallow a very large lump that had suddenly formed in his throat.

"Yes," Giles confirmed.

"So we know they don't have that either."

"Not exactly," Giles continued, "It went missing. Afterwards. We had it here at the shop but most of it was destroyed. I've looked all day, the places I thought I had it, but it's gone."

"So Eamon could have that as well," Buffy stated.

"Likely."

"What do you know about him?" Buffy asked Angel.

"He's not very old for a vampire, but smarter then most. He's kept a low profile. He kills, but it's not a game for him. Eamon is organized."

Angel hesitated for a moment.

"He's not going to be easy to find or kill, probably because he isn't a typical vampire."

No one spoke.

"He's obsessed with ending the world. Has been for a long time."

"And now he's found a way to do it," Giles added quietly.