Chapter 3
"Will – Will! I want – You know, I'd like a say in our plans, too. It's nice that you're thinking about the future, but I still have another year and a half of college left. Leave Sunnydale? I can't – you know why! As long as the Hellmouth is active, I need to be here. No, I can't just hand it off to someone else. Who would you suggest! I have to go…yes, now. I have a class in five minutes. Bye!" Buffy closed her cell and put her head in her hands on the table.
"That didn't sound like it went well," Willow said gently.
"No, it didn't. I don't get what's up with him lately!"
"Maybe your age difference is starting to show?" Willow suggested gently.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, he's been talking a lot about future plans recently, right? And he's nine years older than you, and we've all heard him say how he wants what his parents have, so I think the guy is ready to settle down."
"And I'd love to have that some day, but shouldn't I finish college first? And even if I did get married in the next year, I still have to be here. Not to mention, we couldn't even think of starting a family while the Hellmouth is still open. A pregnant Slayer would be a dead Slayer, right?" Buffy said.
"You don't have to convince me. I mean, you know we'd all help out if you were going to have a baby, but I'm sure it would still be hard. And your child would probably be a demon target," Willow pondered.
"Exactly!" Buffy put her head back down and groaned. "This is Riley all over again, isn't it? In the end, a human guy is going to want a normal girl to have the house and 2.5 kids with. I'm doomed."
Willow placed a comforting hand on her friend's head. "Don't say that, Buff. Maybe you can explain to Will how you feel, and he'll calm down a bit. Anyway, I'm sure there is a right guy out there for you. You have a lot of love inside, Buffy, and it would be a waste not to keep looking for 'the one'."
"I guess. How do I find someone that likes both sides of me? Angel was focused on me as the Slayer, and Riley and Will are all about the Buffy side. You've been lucky, Wills. Oz and Tara both have accepted the full you. Maybe that's my problem. I need to date a girl, instead," Buffy joked.
"No offense, Buffy, but you are so not lesbian material. You still squirm a little when Tara and I kiss," Willow teased.
"I so do not! Okay, a little, but not for that reason. It feels like I'm spying on a really intimate moment with you two sometimes. I expect to see you both glow with love, or something."
"Awww, thank you. I'm sure Tara will be glad to hear that, too. I think I would love Tara's person no matter what body it came in, you know? It really wouldn't matter, as long as her inner self was there. I think that's how you know you've found your soulmate."
"Go you with your deep thoughts! Thanks, Willow. I think I'm feeling a bit better," Buffy said.
"That's why I'm the best friend! Lattes?"
"Lattes!"
They linked arms and walked to the college café.
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Buffy had just finished a particularly tiring fight when her favorite shadow appeared. It had been two weeks since she'd first seen Sebastian. One week since they'd had coffee. She hadn't seen him since, but felt pretty sure that he was still watching her.
"You're dropping your left shoulder again," he said as he came in to view.
"Well, I'm tired. Still got the job done." She was tired, and therefore, in no mood for criticism.
"I didn't mean to offend. How have you been?"
"Busy with the usual. Thought maybe you skipped off," she replied nonchalantly.
"I just didn't want to be in your way. Have you decided whether I'm good or evil, yet?" he asked, teasingly.
"Yeah, my Watcher looked you up. Well, we didn't find mention of you by name, but the Knights are in the book. Are you here to warn me about a big apocalypse? 'Cause usually your kind don't come to town just for a holiday."
He chuckled. "No, nothing so dire. I'm actually on vacation time, if you'll believe it."
"You chose here for your vacation? Anywhere in the world, and you come to the Hellmouth? Maybe you've been hit in the head one too many times," she quipped.
"I was curious to meet a Slayer."
"You've had 160 years to meet a Slayer."
"Alright, I was curious to meet you, like I said before. 'The beautiful blonde Slayer that's lived longer than any other'. Congratulations on reaching 21."
"Well, some of the credit goes to my friends. I wouldn't be here now if Xander hadn't given me CPR when I was 16. Every apocalypse I've stopped has been with their aid," she said humbly.
"They sound like a remarkable group."
"Yeah, they are," she said with a fond smile. "You should come by The Magic Box some time. My Watcher owns it, and that's where we gather for meetings and research."
He nodded. "Where are you headed now?"
"Home, for food and studying."
"May I escort you again?"
Buffy stopped and looked at him a second, then smiled. "Please," she replied.
Sebastian engaged her in conversation about her courses as they walked. By the time they reached the Summers' house, she was agreeing to having him tutor her for her Ancient Religions final. She opened the front door and walked inside, not extending him an invitation, just in case. He crossed the threshold and closed the door after himself.
"Buffy you're home early – oh, hello," Joyce said, as she walked out from the kitchen.
"Mom, this is Sebastian. He's new in town."
"Hi, it's nice to meet you." Joyce extended her hand to shake his.
Sebastian took her hand and kissed it. "Pleased to meet you, Mrs. Summers. Your daughter has been most kind." Joyce blushed over the gallant treatment, and Buffy blushed since she hadn't really done anything.
"Please, call me Joyce. Everyone does. I was going to heat up the leftover pasta from earlier for Buffy. Would you like some, too?"
"If it isn't too much trouble…"
"Not at all. Have a seat, I'll be done in five minutes."
Dawn came noisily down the stairs.
"Buffy, can I borrow your blue peasant blouse for tomorrow? Hey, you're the guy from the other night!"
Buffy rolled her eyes. "Sebastian, this is my little sister, Dawn. No, you can't borrow my top. You spilled something on the last one, and it was hell to get out."
"I said I was sorry for that. So, how do you know my sister?" she directed at Sebastian.
"We're in a similar line of work, you could say."
"Ah, gotcha. You'd think Sunnydale would run out of demons, but they just keep coming. Buffy has help from the others to keep the numbers down, though. How long are you in town?"
"I'm not sure, exactly. Maybe until I find another assignment. Dawn - that's a lovely name. You remind me of my sister at your age. She was a beautiful girl, as well. Should we assist your mother with the meal?" His question was for Buffy.
She shrugged, and walked into the kitchen. Sebastian started to follow, then turned to Dawn.
"Were you going in this direction, dear?" He crooked his elbow, in a gesture for her to take his arm. Dawn giggled, and placed her hand on his bicep. They went into the kitchen to join the others.
Joyce placed a plate of warmed bread on the island, then started dishing up plates for Buffy and Sebastian.
"Just have a seat anywhere. Here is yours, Sebastian. Would you like a drink? I have a bottle of red wine I opened earlier tonight."
"That will be fine, Joyce. Thank you." He took a seat on one of the bar stools and waited for the women to take theirs.
Buffy had a seat after she poured herself a glass of milk. Joyce handed over a glass of wine to Sebastian and poured what little was left into a glass for herself. She stayed standing, leaning on the counter, since there were only three stools for the island. Dawn hopped next to the knight and snagged a piece of bread. She loved warm sourdough.
Sebastian stood up when he noticed Joyce didn't have a seat. "Forgive me, madame. Would you like my chair?"
Joyce waved him off. "No, I'm fine. Sit and eat. I spent most of the day hunched over invoices, so it feels good to stretch my legs."
"You're sure?"
"Please, I insist."
He nodded in acquiescence, and took his seat once more. Buffy and Dawn were already eating, but Sebastian bowed his head for a moment in blessing first. The girls shrugged at each other. Joyce was pleased to see a young man with old-fashioned values still. His manners were impeccable, and he was so handsome! She briefly pondered what it would have been like to meet this kind of man, instead of her ex-husband.
Joyce had served cheese tortellini in tomato sauce. It was pre-made stuff, but filling, and her daughters both loved the tortellini. She'd picked up the bread on the way home. Joyce watched her daughters interact with Sebastian. Dawn was bluntly curious, as always. Buffy, on the other hand, wasn't saying much, concentrating on her food, except for the little glances she kept sneaking his way. The young gentleman hadn't noticed, his attention on Dawn since she was the one asking the questions. He also engaged Dawn in queries of his own, curious about schooling for young people these days. He talked with her like an equal, which impressed Joyce further.
"Well, kids, I've had a long day, so I'm going to get to bed. Buffy, make sure everything's cleaned up?" Her daughter nodded. "Good. Goodnight, Sebastian. It was a pleasure meeting you."
"Likewise, Joyce. Thank you for your hospitality. The food was quite good."
"You're very welcome. I hope we'll see you again. Dawn, don't stay up late." With a final smile to the trio, Joyce left the kitchen and went upstairs.
Buffy finished her plate and got up to put the dishes in the dishwasher. Dawn got up to start rinsing out the pans in the sink, giving her an excuse to stay longer. Sebastian was talking with her sister, and she could watch him in profile. Why did he look so familiar to her? She just couldn't put her finger on who he reminded her of. As soon as she turned the water off after washing the pans, Buffy's attention turned to her.
"Dawn, it's late. I don't want you to get in trouble with Mom for being up past curfew."
"Gee, subtle much?" Dawn muttered. "It was nice meeting you, Sebastian. Drop by some time."
"And you, also, Dawn. Sweet dreams," he replied. He kissed her hand, just to make her giggle, then the teen left the room. "She's a lovely girl. Well, when should I help you with your test for your class?" he asked Buffy.
"Um, well, you don't have to. I can always get help from Willow, or…"
"It's no trouble, Buffy. I have a lot of free time at the moment. It would be my pleasure to tutor you. Making the Slayer's life a little easier is a worthwhile goal," he said, smiling.
"Well, in that case…tomorrow afternoon at the University library? I have a break between classes from 1 – 2:30…" she said nervously.
"That will be fine. Goodnight, Miss Summers." He kissed her hand, then walked out the front door. Buffy closed it, then leaned against the door, exhaling loudly.
"What am I getting myself in to?" she muttered.
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Sebastian was waiting for her at the entrance to the library the next day when Buffy walked in at ten after one. This was the first time Buffy was seeing him in daylight. Hello, salty goodness! No, bad Buffy. Don't think about how bright blue his eyes are in sunlight, or how that t-shirt is clinging to all the right places, or how you haven't had sex in almost a month – God, I'm doomed! Another lonely night in the shower for Buffy. He smiled when he spotted her, giving a little wave. Buffy gulped, and tried to turn her mind towards her studies. Ancient Religions wasn't going to pass itself.
Her hair was what caught his attention first, shining like spun gold in the midday sun. The girl he saw now was in contrast to the all-business Slayer he had met at night so far. She wore a deep pink camisole with a cream-colored skirt, and little sandals. Her skin was slightly golden, evidence of not yet having time for sunbathing. He found her perfectly feminine, and yet, he could still see what she hid from the world in her confident stride and graceful weaving through the crowd. Sebastian could truly say, that at this moment at least, he was enthralled.
"Vous etes tres belle," he murmured upon her arrival.
"What did you say?" she asked, puzzled.
"Just thinking out loud. Are you ready to study?"
She groaned. "Well, I'll try, but this crap hasn't been sticking in my brain."
They found a table in a quiet section of the library, and Buffy brought out her books and notes.
"Okay, what is your problem area?" he asked.
"I can never remember the Eastern Religions right. They have a lot of similarities, and I keep mixing them up."
"Alright. Has your professor given you a hint of what is on the test?"
"Only that anything from the semester could be on it. How am I supposed to remember these when they all started in the same country? You can ask Willow how much I hate memorizing dates and places from history," she complained.
"Buffy, breathe. If you get worked up now, nothing will penetrate your memory. Your notes look alright, so I'll quiz you after we make sure you have the right beliefs with the right name. I'm sure we can come up with some hints to help you remember on test day," he assured her. That was one thing she really liked – his voice was calming.
"Okay. Teach me, o Ancient One."
"Oh, you'll pay for that one later, my dear," he replied, laughing.
Sebastian worked with her over the next hour, telling her little stories that would help her associate, even pointing out pictures in the textbook to go with the descriptions. He had quickly discovered that Buffy was a visual learner; so staring at a bunch of facts bored her. She was fascinated by colorful stories. As they worked, she shared what school had been like for her once she had added slaying to her life. How amazed everyone had been when she had scored high on the SATs. How Willow's ease at school still made her feel dumb.
"Buffy, you're obviously intelligent. A little short on attention span, maybe, but certainly not dumb. You're about to finish your third year at university. That's quite an achievement."
"You think so?" she asked hopefully.
"Of course. Aren't the media always saying that most students don't make it past the first year? You did it, and fought for humanity, too. You have nothing to be insecure about," he answered sincerely.
"Thank you. Sometimes – sometimes it feels like they all expect me to be wonderful at everything and still have time for tea and cookies. Like being the Slayer means I have all the answers. Well, not everyone does that, but – I don't even know why I'm telling you this." She shook her head to clear those thoughts.
Sebastian gently cupped her cheek, turning her face so she would look at him. "It's because I'm here, and I'm listening. I would hope we are becoming friends?"
He was looking at her so warmly, those impossibly blue eyes that had been kind all day, even when she had wanted to throw her notebook across the library. Buffy just nodded, afraid that her voice would squeak if she tried to answer him right now. She had a boyfriend, he shouldn't be looking at her like that, and oh god, he was so close and smelling really good. She took a deep breath to calm herself, closing her eyes briefly, and suddenly felt warm, soft lips on hers, ever so lightly. It was over in a second, but she felt as if a bolt of lighting had hit her, electricity zinging through her spine. She opened her eyes to see Sebastian farther away.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that. You're involved with another gentleman, and I had no right." His words came out in a rush, and was he blushing?
Buffy found his embarrassment too cute to be mad at him. "It's – okay. Just a peck between friends, and you were trying to comfort me. I should get going. Only 15 minutes to my next class, and I was going to grab a snack on the way." Buffy started putting her books back in her bag.
"Buffy? I didn't know you'd be in here today."
"Willow! What are you doing here?"
"Dropping off a couple books that were due. Hi, I'm Willow, Buffy's best friend," she said, holding her hand out to Sebastian.
"Sebastian Pierce. It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Willow."
"Sebastian was helping me study for the AR test. I was just about to get a snack before our next class. Shall we go?" Buffy linked arms with Willow and started to move her towards the doors. "Bye, Sebastian," she called over her shoulder. "See you around."
"So, what's the story with the hot tutor?" Willow asked. They had a few minutes before class started, and Buffy was snacking on a bag of chips.
"Huh? Oh, Sebastian. He's the knight," she replied distractedly.
"The Shadow Knight? You didn't mention he looked like that!"
"Like what?"
"Like a hottie out of a magazine, that's what. I may be gay, but I still can recognize a gorgeous guy, Buffy,"
"He's alright. Really knows his history. Well, he should, having lived through so much of it," she quipped.
"So the fact that he's gorgeous with a sexy accent hasn't crossed your mind."
"Willow! I have a boyfriend, of a year. I don't need to be thinking about some guy who just popped into town! He was nice enough to help after asking what classes I'm taking, so why not take advantage of all that life experience?"
The professor came in at that moment and started the lecture, so their conversation had to end. Willow couldn't help wondering, though.
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The following night, a Wednesday, was one of Buffy's nights off. Spike and Kara walked into The Magic Box to get any updates before they went on patrol.
"Hey, Buffy. Any threats we need to know about this week?" Kara asked.
"Nope, just the usual population."
"She did have an interesting day yesterday, though," Willow teased.
"Oh? Tell me more!" Kara pulled up a chair to hear the latest dish. Spike rolled his eyes, and proceeded to go talk to Anya about ordering more burba weed.
"It's nothing. Willow's just exaggerating," Buffy insisted.
"She had a tutoring session with Sebastian," Willow supplied. "He's gorgeous!"
"Interesting. A guy in your class?"
"No…"
"It's our mysterious Shadow Knight!" Willow whispered.
"Really! Well, we just have to meet him now! Buffy, you've really been holding out on us," Kara teased.
"Will you guys stop! There's nothing to tell, besides that he's been nice so far. A fact that I still don't completely trust is altruistic. I don't even know where he's staying. He just pops up places. Can I get back to studying now, please?"
"Sure, Buff. We're just teasing you because you've been the only one to talk to this guy, and it's been bloody boring lately with the Trio locked away in jail," Kara said with a sigh.
"Stealing my words again, pet?" Spike placed his hands on Kara's shoulders.
"Not that one. I've said 'bloody' since I was 16. Don't even remember how it got there. Well, we're off. Good luck with the studying," she told the girls.
Kara took Spike's hand as they walked out the door. It was a nice evening, though warm enough for her to wear shorts.
"Usual circuit, ending at my crypt?"
"Mmm hmm. I wonder why this Shadow Knight hasn't come by the shop to meet the rest of us? Buffy already told him we meet there."
"Couldn't say, luv. Maybe he's a snob that only talks with other warriors. Maybe he's shy. Or, maybe he's actually evil, and trying to get his bloody hooks into the Slayer. You hear stories about the group being all 'virtuous and true', but there's bound to be at least one bad apple."
"You just don't trust anybody," she teased.
"Sure, I do, pet. I just always expect the worst so I can be pleasantly surprised. Polgara at 3 o'clock."
A fight ensued, made easier by both of them breaking off the skewers from the Polgara's arms to start. Spike got the killing blow, snapping the kneeling demon's neck with a satisfactory crunch.
"Mmm, gotta love a good neck break," Kara said with satisfaction.
"Careful, luv. I wouldn't say that around your little human friends," he teased.
"Eh, they'd live. Let's find a nest of vampires. I've been itching for a good fight all day."
"Someone's becoming a slave to their job," Spike sang.
Their teasing and laughter faded into the distance as they moved on. Neither noticed the shadow that followed them.
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Vous etes tres belle - You are very beautiful.
