AN: Thanks for the feedback! Keep it coming! Please -) Angel and Spike will meet up eventually.
Chapter 8
Giles smiled as he pulled his cherry-red BMW convertible into his spot in front of the Magic Box. After he locked the door, his arm shielded his eyes from the intense rays of the sun. 'Such a contrast to England', he chuckled to himself. He was growing rather fond of the brightness of Southern California. 'It's good to be back, even if it is a Hellmouth.' he thought. As he walked into the shop, a jingling of the bell over the door alerted the establishment to his presence.
"Welcome to the Magic B..." Anya started. "Oh, it's only you Giles." She said with disappointment in her voice.
"A joy to see you as well, Anya." Giles countered with a strained smile on his face.
"H-Hi Giles!" Willow exclaimed as she ran up to the Ex-Watcher and hugged him.
"Willow, how are you?"
"Peachy!" She answered with a big grin.
"Good. Good." Giles said as he placed his briefcase on the counter and perused the shop.
"I've made a large amount of cash in your absence." Anya said proudly as she counted receipts while sitting at the table.
Giles smiled as he started to tend to the log behind the counter. He looked up suddenly when the door opened and Buffy and Xander walked through in the midst of a heated debate.
"I appreciate your help, Xander, but Bleach Boy is stronger than you. I can't risk you getting hurt. Now if he'd only come back then...Giles!" Buffy blurted out as she ran over to her mentor and hugged him tightly.
"H-Hello, Buffy." Giles strained as his circulation was blocked by the strength of the Slayer. "Air, Buffy." His eyes implored her.
"Sorry!" She let him go quickly. "We're happy you're back."
"G-man!" Xander shouted and waved as he saw the older man.
"Hello, Xander."
The group naturally gravitated towards the table and sat down.
"H-How was England?" Willow asked.
"Quite wet, really."
"Well, you're back in the warm bosom of SunnyD, G-man!"
"Xander, please refrain from calling me that horrid name." Giles said as he cleaned his glasses. His attention turned to his Slayer. "Since I did not receive any calls in my absence, no apocalyptic occurrences while I was away?"
"Nothing, big, really." The petite blond answered. "You know, the usual vamps and some pathetic demons. A lot of them, though."
"What were you and Xander discussing when you arrived?" Giles inquired.
"Oh, that." She smiled as she looked at her brunette friend. "Like I said, there were lots of vamps. Usually the Bleached Wonder helps out. I just had my hands full and Xander tried to help." She looked sympathetically at Xander before he opened his mouth in protest.
"I helped!" The Zeppo whined.
"I know, Xander, but you almost got hurt a bunch of times." She said while patting his hand. "I do appreciate it, though."
"Well, I am happy none of you were injured." Giles said as he placed his glasses back upon his face. "Now, what is this about Spike? Is he away?"
"Yeah." Buffy huffed. "He should be grateful that we don't stake him. He's supposed to be here and help."
"Where is he?" Giles asked the group.
"Who cares?" Xander answered as he leaned over to kiss Anya's cheek. "We haven't seen him in a while." He chuckled. "I, for one, appreciate the silence."
Giles' stomach twisted. "When was the last time you have seen him?"
The Slayer thought for a moment as she looked up. "Um...about the time you left."
"W-What?" Giles slightly shouted which made the group tense. "Buffy, I have been gone nearly one month."
"And?" She countered as she rolled her eyes. "I looked at it like a vacation from the pain in my ass."
"Do you mean the 'ass' that aides you over and over again?" Giles snapped back at Buffy. She stopped and looked at him with wide eyes.
"You're defending Spike now?" She stood with her hands on her hips. "Is this like the Twilight Area or something?"
"Zone, Buffy." Xander quietly added.
"What?" She whipped head over to him.
"Twilight Zone." He said as he, Anya, and Willow exchanged looks.
"Shut up, Xander!" She turned back towards Giles.
"Why do you care?" She glared at him.
Giles ignored her tirade for a time. "Does anyone know where he is?" He noticed blank looks on the children's faces.
"I-I did go by his crypt." Willow added quietly as she felt Buffy's stare. She looked back defiantly. "W-What? I like him. He's harmless." She shrugged her shoulders.
"Will!" Buffy shouted. "He tried to kill you!" She huffed. "He tried to kill all of us!"
"So did Angel, Buffy." She countered and watched how quickly Buffy deflated.
"Willow, did you find anything?" Giles asked trying to steer the conversation back to the original point.
She shook her head. "The crypt was locked with a pretty strong looking padlock. Tara and I figured he went out of town or something."
"When was this?"
"A few weeks ago." She thought for a moment. "D-Do you think something is wrong with him?"
"Hello?" Xander interjected. "This is Spike we're talking about. He's a demon! The Big Bad. Why should we care? Demon's can't change!" He said as he threw his hands in the air.
"Really, sweetie?" Anya added as she gazed at her boyfriend.
"W-Well, of course, some can. Right, An?" He nervously giggled and then hugged her closely.
"Very well, then." Giles nodded to the group and walked over to grab his briefcase.
"Giles, you're going to look for him?" Buffy asked with puppy dog eyes. "Since when do you like Spike?" She said with a sarcastic tone.
Giles did not feel the need to explain his motives to her but did respond. "Buffy, you all people should know that certain circumstances can cause someone to change his or her path." With that he proceeded towards the door.
"W-Wait!" Willow shouted. "Can I go with you, Giles?" The Ex-Watcher smiled as he held the door open for the young witch. They walked silently to his car and sped away towards Resurrection Cemetery.
As the two got out of the car, Giles walked around towards his trunk. He opened it and produced a brown leather bag. He slung it across his shoulder and motioned towards Wilow. The two walked silently towards Spike's crypt. Willow chuckled. "I guess we don't have to worry about any vamp attacks."
"Indeed." Giles agreed. "Traversing a cemetery in daylight is quite the new experience."
They arrived at their destination and Giles dropped the bag to the ground; he rummaged through it and produced a lock cutter.
"Handy contraption to have." Willow quietly said.
After a grunt or two, Giles broke the lock and opened the crypt door. He placed his tool back in the bag and retrieved a flashlight.
"Spike?" Willow said skittishly as the two walked down a few steps into the cold, dank area. They stopped abruptly when they saw the condition of the crypt. They slowly perused the space with their eyes. Spike's TV lay shattered on the floor. Two chairs appeared overturned. There were candles strewn across the room.
"Giles?" Willow asked with uncertainty.
"There appears to have been a struggle." Giles said as he walked around. The only sound heard was that of broken glass grinding into the floor with Giles' footsteps. "Clearly something occurred...but what?" He asked himself. He looked around for a few more minutes and then turned to Willow. "Willow, let us go." The red headed Witch nodded in agreement and the two left.
When the two returned to the Magic Box, they were relieved to find Buffy and Xander were gone. Anya sat at the counter. She looked up. "Did you find Spike?"
Willow shook her head as a look of sadness enveloped her face.
"Willow, is it possible for you to do a locater spell?" Giles asked the witch.
"S-Sure, Giles. If you think it would help." She smiled nervously.
Anya walked over to the bookshelf and retrieved a spellbook and handed it to Willow. "I'm surprised you're helping us, Anya."
"Well, Spike's kind of like me: a neutered demon. He makes sarcastic remarks and sometimes helps me lift heavy things around the shop. I like him." She shrugged her shoulders and went back to the counter.
"U-Um..." Willow said as she thumbed through the book. "O-Okay." She looked at Giles. "Ready?" She sat on a mat and slowly began an incantation in Latin as her eyes closed. Suddenly her head raised quickly. She gasped and then her head fell. She looked at Giles. "I know where he is." Giles looked at her and raised his eyebrow, eagerly awaiting an answer. "LA."
TBC...