Part 2 North by Northwest
Giles looked on as Anya crouched down and was cooing to the big cat as if it were one of his Aunt Gem's old tabbies. "What is it baby do want us to follow you?"
He was just about to protest that this was powerful being from another plain and not Lassie when the leopard nodded and headed deeper into the woods. It became obvious that Anya was right and the cat was leading them somewhere, more than once the cat stopped whenever Giles's sore ankle made him lag behind.
"Do you think that where ever we're being led will help us defeat the First Giles?"
"That was the purpose of the summoning but the ritual's outcome was far different than expected. For all I know your 'Baby' just wants to go for a moonlit stroll."
"Maybe she only wants to get her bone back from that dog. I caught a glimpse of him though the trees before. We're almost on the edge of country club now aren't we? "
"You could be right about the bone. It's possible that she can't leave this plain without her offering. You're wrong about the country club it's is the opposite direction and even if it weren't there's no way we've gotten that far from camp."
"Hey! Where'd she go? She was right in front of us before. Here kitty, kitty here baby." Giles was just about to say something about the term "kitty" when it began to pour down rain. Anya took grabbed his empty hand and shouted at him to hurry. He had no choice but to follow as Anya led him out of the wood and onto the green of golf course. Several yards to their left was a large building the leopard could be seem silhouetted against one of the white columns of the long porch. "Quick let's head for Tara over there not the person who's dead. I mean the Greek revival building facing this lovely golf course."
"You're never going to let me hear the end of this are you?"
"No is there any reason I should? Less talking more running we're getting soaked."
"Are you telling me that I talk too much?" Suddenly Giles slipped on the wet grass and pulled Anya down with him.
"Everyone knows you have a tendency to lec..." Somehow Anya ended up sprawled on top of Giles. His body was so warm in contrast to the cold rain and his jaw was so set she couldn't help herself. They had the same thought at the same time the kiss they shared was wild and tender all at the same time. Time and place did that strange expand and contract thing that happens when you focus very intently on just one subject. Then lightening hit very near by.
"God this is wonderful, insane. We need to head for some shelter." Anya echoed Giles practically word for word and punctuated the sentences with a last quick kiss as they scrabbled to their feet and headed for the columned porch.
"Well at least we don't need to worry about our appearance." Anya said when they reached the door. It was hanging wide open and the house was obviously abandoned. She squeezed some of the water out of her hair and tried to brush the damp grass off Giles back anyway. Then she flipped light switch not really expecting them to come on and was surprised when they did.
"Yes or whether they take pets or not." He said because lying in front of the cold hearth was the sheepdog chewing away at the bone. The house looked just as much like the set of Gone with the Wind on the inside except for the dust coating everything. The house was close enough to the Hellmouth that this bothered Giles.
"Something's wrong here Giles. Why haven't vampires moved in or demons looted this place yet? You could make a lot of money selling that chandler to a decorator or a gourmet zafp demon."
"I was thinking much the same thing. Be on guard but we have been led here after all and we haven't seen any evidence that the guide means us any harm."
Anya looked scandalized she was scratching behind the big cat's silky ear and said to it "He's just got to be extra stuffy now that there aren't many Watchers left. He didn't mean to be insulting of course Giles loves Baby too. Don't you Giles?"
What I love is the way your hands feel on me Giles thought. What I have to do is focus on the mission and not on how much I want to kiss you again. "Extra stuffy I can't believe you'd call me that after we were rolling around on the lawn in the rain. You're the one who was taking inventory of damn house!"
"You said you agreed with m me. I'm not greed-y?" Her words started off angry and became a soft question at the end.
"I did not call you greedy. You called me stuffy." Looking at Anya whose lip was quivering Giles voice became tender "Anya?"
"Don't look at me l-like that I'm not going to cry, I'm just cold." She half lied.
"I'm sorry d..." He cut off the endearment and rubbed his temple either to fend off a headache or to clear away the emotion on his face. "It doesn't look like the leopard wants to go anywhere right now I'll just build a fire so we can get warm. That's if I can't get the dust mop to move." The dog in question stopped gnawing on the bone and rolled over to invite a tummy rub. "You can't possibly be greedy if you were you, you would have already pointed out that mop here has the worlds most expensive chew toy." Giles said petting the dog.
"It wasn't cheep but I did get a pretty good deal on ebay. Giles look. Is that who I think it is?"
Above the mantle so prominent that Giles couldn't believe he missed it was a portrait of someone very familiar. "I can't believe I missed seeing that. Richard Wilkins, this must explain why the place has remained untouched so long."
"That guy has always scared me. Do you still think we should be here Giles?"
"Don't you?" He asked
Anya felt a wave of reassurance when she rubbed Baby's ear. "Yes I do. For now I think we should stay right where we are but I wouldn't have a problem with us getting closer together once the fire gotten going. What'd say?"
"I say that it won't take me very long at all to get the fire started and get you warm again."