"How exactly does the spell work?" Buffy asked, perched on the library table, watching as Giles poured herbs in a circle around himself.
"I will be performing a summoning spell. It should reveal to me the location of the Tri," Giles explained.
Spike placed white crystals down inside the circle Giles had formed. "Once we find the location of the book how do you suggest we get it? Malcah's already here and I don't think that we really have enough time to take a trip to wherever the book is located."
"Spike has a point," Willow said, sprinkling rose water atop the circle of herbs Giles had made. "What are we going to do if the book is in like…Australia or something."
"Isn't there a summoning spell we could do that would make the book appear in front of us?" Xander asked.
"I'm afraid that a spell of that caliber is well above my skill level," Giles admitted. "However, being that not only is this the hellmouth, but a place that Malcah spent much time in near her capture it is possible that she hid the book here."
"Finally!" Xander exclaimed. Everyone looked in his direction. "Evil gives us a break," He finished sheepishly.
Buffy smiled. "I agree Xand. Three cheers for Malcah…or…you know what I mean."
"Seldom if ever," Spike said.
"Was I talking to you?" Buffy asked in mock anger.
"Maybe," Spike answered with a smirk.
Buffy motioned for Spike to come closer to her, "You have something to say to me mister?"
"And if I do?" Spike asked.
Buffy smiled and was about to respond. However, Giles cut her off. "If we can pause watching Spike and Buffy flirt and return our attention to the matter at hand I think that I am ready to begin the summoning spell."
Buffy blushed and Spike merely surveyed the scoobies with a smug look on his face. It was Willow who broke the silence. "Do you want me to dim the lights, Giles?" She asked.
"Now really Willow. This isn't a storybook. The spell will work just as well if the lights are on or off," Giles scolded.
"Come on G-man," Xander urged. "You're saying that you think a little mood lighting wouldn't help at all?"
"Xander, I have asked you repeatedly to not call me G-man. And, in response to your inquiry, yes. I am telling you that a little mood lighting would not do a single thing."
"Oh Giles, come on. What can it hurt to dim the lights. It'll make it much more exciting. I mean, you get to do a spell, the rest of us are just onlookers. I think that we could all benefit from a little mood lighting," Buffy said.
"All right!" Giles screamed, losing his temper. "Turn down the blasted lights and be quiet. This is a serious matter and we do not have time for a debate on such trivial matters as lighting."
The scoobies looked around sheepishly at one another. Xander turned down the lights and Giles began the spell. "Master of the lost. Keep me in your graces. Grant me my desire. Give me what I crave."
After Giles finished the spell no one spoke. He rose from his kneeling position and walked into his office.
"What is he doing?" Buffy asked in a whisper. Spike responded with a shrug.
"Maybe the spell didn't work and he went into his office to cry," Willow offered as a suggestion. The rest of the scoobies gave Willow a strange look and the redhead blushed.
"Well, maybe the spell did work and he realized it was hopeless so he-" Buffy began, only to be cut off by Giles.
"Or maybe he realized he'd had the book the entire time," The librarian said. Everyone turned their attention to Giles who held up a thin paperback book. It was obviously old and the cover was faded. However the word Tri could still be made out.
"Giles, how did you have a book this famous in your office and not realize it?" Buffy asked.
"A few weeks ago a friend of mine shipped some books he had come across during a dig in England. He hadn't looked through the stack yet, but he knew that I had studied the caves he was exploring in detail and thought I might be interested in what he found. He had no idea that the Tri was among the books he found," Giles explained.
"Can I see it?" Buffy asked. Giles nodded and handed the book to the slayer. Buffy flipped through the pages, stopping every once in a while to examine something more closely.
"What does the book say?" Spike asked Buffy gently.
The Slayer smiled at him. "Stuff," she answered.
"Wow Buff, ambiguous much?" Xander said sarcastically.
"I don't know. This is all pretty overwhelming. Malcah being back, finding the Tri. I'm so…" Buffy trailed off.
"I know exactly what you mean," Willow said. "Sometimes, when I read a really good book or finally find what I'm looking for after years of research I get so excited and overwhelmed."
The room went silent as all the scoobies turned to look at Willow in wonder.
"Yeah, reading. That always makes me excited too," Xander said dryly.
Willow blushed. "Be quiet Xander. Stop making fun of me."
"Sorry Willow. But you know how hard it is to resist making fun of you."
Buffy smiled at Spike, "See bleach boy, when I tease you it's because I just can't resist."
Spike growled playfully, his eyes flashing yellow for a moment.
Giles watched the vampire and Slayer interact with wonder. It was like this every time they were together. The air crackled with energy and the tension between the two…the love between the two, could be felt by everyone in the room. Giles took of his glasses and cleaned them thoroughly as Spike pulled Buffy to him for a deep kiss.
"Um…why don't the two of you…maybe go home. We can reconvene at the library later tomorrow," Giles suggested, his words punctuated by several clearings of his throat. Buffy through Giles a winning smile before grabbing Spike's hand and pulling him towards the door, shouting good bye to Willow and Xander as she left the library. The library doors swung to a halt and the scoobies could hear shrieks and laughs echoing down the hall.