Time Explains Us by Erykah Miszti
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Chapter Two: The Family Way

The nebulous mass of energy's associates decided that it's plan sounded kinda cool…

Xxxxxx

Buffy was awake and staring at the ceiling when the soft knock came at the door.

"Er… Come in." She called out as she sat up and a petite maid in a black dress with a white apron opened the door. Buffy marveled at the strangeness of the whole situation.

The maid curtseyed slightly.

"Begging your pardon miss, but the mistress of the house is inquiring whether you're well enough to come down to dinner."

"Yeah. Sure." Buffy answered. "But I kinda don't have anything to wear."

The maid frowned as if she was having trouble understanding her but she had the answer.

"Oh course miss. Some clothes have been arranged for you. I can help you into them if you need me."

"Thanks." Buffy smiled.

Xxxxxx

Buffy walked down the main staircase awkwardly, uncomfortable in her newly acquired clothing. The corset was a bitch to breathe in and the form-fitting, pale grey, satin dress reminded her a little too much of the last time she'd put on an outfit like it. Halloween night two years before... or was that 119 years from now? Buffy had checked out the date as inconspicuously as she could. She'd asked the increasingly more puzzled maid. 1880. Too weird.

The house was just surreal. A Victorian fantasy in plush colours and dark wood. Servants pointed her in the direction of the 'salon' and held the door open for her. Buffy entered cautiously; aware that there was probably some etiquette thing she should do here and wondering if she should have done more thinking about her cover story.

The room was beautiful. Brocade covered furniture, more dark wood and paneling on the walls, shelves of leather-bound books and soft lighting coming from discreet gaslights, as well as the large fire dancing beneath one heck of a mantelpiece. A tall, distinguished looking man in a dark coloured coat stood silhouetted against the fire and he turned as Buffy entered. Two other figures also stood up at that moment and Buffy resisted the urge to back out of the room nervously. An elegant fair-haired woman in an ivory coloured dress was smiling at her and extending her hands in welcome. The other figure was Spike… looking unlike she'd ever seen him before. He looked dashing in a dark green velvet suit but his hair still looked stupid.

"My dear.." The woman said genuinely in a cultured English accent. "I am so glad that you are recovered. My William here has been telling us all about how you saved his life from a murderous thief."

"It was nothing really." Buffy muttered, darting a look at him. He was staring at her, his jaw hanging slightly open in shock.

"I must admit.." The man by the fire began in a deep, resounding voice. "That I never expected my son's rescuer to be such a delicate looking thing." For the first time Buffy noticed the handlebar moustache he had. It seemed that the silly hair thing was a family tradition.

Buffy smiled slyly. "Appearances can be deceiving."

"Might I ask…" William began shyly and Buffy looked at him curiously. Shy? He smiled nervously. "Might I inquire… your name?"

"Bu.." She began and then remembered herself. "Elizabeth." She smiled at him. "Elizabeth Summers."

"It's.. er.. it's beautiful.. er.. very fitting.." He looked away, embarrassed, and Buffy resisted the urge to grin.

Spike.. her Spike.. was a total drip! "What can I tell you, baby? I've always been bad." Heh heh heh. Yeah, so much for the Big Bad! She was gonna tease him SO MUCH when she got home. She didn't even entertain the idea that she might never be going home.

William's mother directed her to a seat and made further enquiry's about her health, her fainting had worried them.

"I'm fine. Must have just been the shock." She turned to William. "Are you alright?" She asked.

His hand unconsciously went to the bandage at his throat.

"I am now." He met her eyes directly for the first time since she'd helped him the day before. "Thanks to you."

Buffy drowned for a moment. Those eyes were so soft, so gentle.. so not like the man - the monster - she knew. There was purity there. Innocence, even. No ice chips. No sneer. The man before the horrors he'd committed had changed him into the creature she knew. Was the demon the difference? There was an enquiry in his eyes. There was also a stirring of desire, which was kinda freaky because that did remind her of Spike. The longer she looked the clearer the hunger became and the more Spike-like those eyes seemed. Yeah, for all the purity.. there was passion too.

"You're an American?" His father interrupted the moment as he handed her a glass of sherry.

The look was broken and they both jumped as if stung.

"Er.. yeah." Buffy answered his father. The accent, of course. There was no way she could fake an English one, so she hadn't bothered trying. "California." She had regained her composure now.

"Is it as hot there as they say?" The mother was asking now, making polite conversation. That English thing about talking about the weather. Buffy smiled at her.

"And then some." She replied and watched them all frown. "I mean, yes it can be very hot."

"Is it terribly exciting on the frontier?" William asked her with a strangely childish enthusiasm.

"It is in my town." She smiled at him indulgently.

"I must visit there someday." He smiled back, gaining confidence.

"You will." She told him and turned his smile into a frown, at which she laughed. "My father made his fortune in the first gold rush." She continued, praying that her knowledge of history was enough to bluff that if asked. "I was born there."

"And, may I ask, why you are in England, my dear..?" William's mother asked with a smile. "Naturally I am very happy that you are, no matter the reason."

"Visiting relatives." Buffy replied. "Down.. er… down south.. er.. Cornwall." She looked at William conspiratorially. "That is south of here, right?"

"Yes, yes it is." He was watching her in amusement, as if he was fascinated by her.

"And you are travelling alone?" The father asked, his disapproval was obvious.

"Er.. no." Buffy hadn't thought up a cover for this bit yet. "Um.. those thieves!" She improvised. "The one that attacked… er.. your son! They killed my travelling companions. I escaped from them, just barely, and then they started on your son and I knew I just had to stop them before they.. er.. killed him too."

It was a hurried speech and perhaps it didn't make a lot of sense but the Castlemaine's seemed content enough to believe it.

"Do you have anywhere to stay in London?" William's mother asked her, concern apparent.

"My companion's had instructions but I lost the papers in the struggle." Buffy bluffed. "So.. no, not really."

"Then you must stay here.." William's father almost smiled as he said it. It was the closest she'd seen him come to a smile since she'd been here. His moustache wiggled and Buffy resisted the urge to laugh.

"Yes.." William cut in. "And perhaps we could arrange transportation for Miss Summers down to her relatives safe care in Somerset." He smiled. "I.. er.. could accompany you.. if you'd like."

Buffy opened her mouth to talk but his father cut in first.

"Are you trying to scare the girl, William? Any trouble on the road and exactly what kind of help would you be! The chit'd probably wind up having to save you again!" He laughed.

Buffy watched William hang his head in embarrassment and she actually felt sorry for him.

"Warren!" William's mother hissed and Buffy's turned sharply in her direction to find her looking at her husband scornfully.

Thankfully for everyone the butler walked in at that moment. The tension broke.

"Dinner is served." He told them politely and bowed.

Buffy relaxed and then a pain seized her guts again. A very familiar pain. Her spider sense had just gone into overdrive. William jumped to her side as he saw the pain cross her face.

A dark figure stepped up behind the butler.

"Much obliged ta hear it." The words were spoken in a flaky Irish brogue.

"Angelus." Buffy murmured as she watched the Butler's neck get snapped to the side and the long haired monster sink it's fangs into his neck.

She looked up at William to find that he was staring at her not the bloody scene in front of them.

"Run!" She told him. "They've come for you." She kissed him on the check, surprising him and herself, then she gestured at his family. "Take them out of here.. NOW."

From the corner of her eye she saw the trio of vampires stride into the room.

"Go now. I'll try and stall them while you escape."

He met her eyes for a moment that seemed to stretch for a very long time.

"Who are you?" He demanded in awe.

"Go!" She hissed.

William finally got the message and ran in the direction of his parents. He bundled them, protesting, through a previously concealed door in the wall.

Buffy turned to face Angelus for the first time in no where near long enough.