Title: Jack Lives Here
Author: Mike McD
Summary: A very quick Halloween fic. Imagine that certain clothes from the future end up in Ethan's shop. Follow on from 'Extra Flamey', 'Around the Curves', and 'In the Land of the Blind'.
Distribution: Anywhere, just let me know.
Disclaimer: I do not own Buffy the Vampire Slayer nor do I own any other characters. This is a work of fiction written for fun and enjoyment.
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If one was to look in the basement of Xander's place just after Halloween, you would have found an unsurprising sight.
Sitting in the semi darkness, Buffy, Willow, and Xander were blind stinking drunk. The three of them had killed a six pack of beer between them an hour earlier and were nearly half way through a bottle of Jack Daniels 'borrowed' from Xander's parents.
Willow took a long gulp from the bottle before passing it to Buffy. Buffy looked at the bottle for a moment. She shuddered as Xander's memories came cutting through the alcoholic haze of her mind and she grabbed the bottle. The liquid burned on its way down and the memories retreated as the alcoholic haze advanced.
Buffy handed the bottle to Xander, careful not to make eye contact with him.
Those haunted, brown eyes.
She, and the other two Scoobies, were happy that there were no mirrors in the basement.
It would be a long time before any of them could look themselves in the mirror.
Willow finally broke the silence.
"This ain't helping." She slurred, indicating to the bottle. Buffy grabbed the bottle off Xander and took another hit before handing it to Willow.
"What would?" Buffy asked.
"Dunno. Talking?" ventured Willow in between swallows.
"Ok." Xander started, then took the bottle from Willow for a double hit of alcohol. "Let's talk."
The three of them sat in silence.
After a long, awkward silence only punctuated by the sound of the bottle being passed around, Buffy nodded.
"Yep. This talking. Big help."
Talking would come later. For now they just drank to dull the pain.
"Ugliest bridesmaid dresses on Earth." Xander muttered to nobody in particular.
Buffy and Willow nodded in agreement.
Yet one more memory to try to drown.