Sorry it's been a while since I've updated, I've been a bit stuck and real life keeps rearing it's head, and won't let me write more. I hope you enjoy. Thanks for the reviews everyone.
Chapter 9: Lost and Found
Dawn jumped up like a scalded cat, looking at the door she saw Buffy standing there opened mouthed. Following just behind her was Willow and Xander, Anya and Tara who were all smiling at them. More people began to enter the hotel.
Joyce and Giles entered next, Joyce took one look and knew.
"What are you two doing?" Buffy repeated
Champion stood, unsure of what he should say or do
Dawn stepped forward, "I was making out with Champion on the couch, what did it look like to you?" she demanded angrily.
"Good for you Nibblet." Spike called out
"Spike!" Buffy turned on him, "So help me…"
"Buffy." Joyce began reasonably, "Leave your sister alone."
Buffy was shocked at her mothers reaction to finding out her youngest daughter was making out with a man on the couch.
The others in the room beat a hasty retreat to their rooms, not in the least wanting to get in the middle of this one. Only the Halliwell sisters remained behind to listen.
"Mom?" Buffy was amazed, "How can you be so relaxed about this?" she demanded
"What?" Joyce was getting mad, "In case you haven't noticed, your sister is grown up now. I can't tell her she can't go out with or kiss a man. How would you like it if I did that to you?"
"But mom, he's…he's…" Buffy sputtered in shock at her mothers reaction.
"He's what?" Phoebe asked angrily, Leo put his hand on her shoulder trying to calm her down, "Champion isn't good enough?"
"He's old!" Buffy told them
"Well technically he's not old." Fred announced, Gunn had been trying to sneak them both around the fight, but Fred just couldn't stay out of it. Gunn groaned at having been caught.
Buffy stared at the weird girl, Fred, "What do you mean he's not old, he's like 1,500 years old right? He doesn't age right?" she looked to Giles, who shrugged
"So Angel was over 200 when you dated him." Dawn threw back at Buffy
Fred laughed, "Oh Angel is way older than Champion."
"How so?" Giles asked curiously
"Well…" Fred began, "Champion was in a frozen dimension. The moment he entered there he stopped aging, because…"
"Ah yes I see." Giles admitted, "Because in a frozen dimension, everything stays the same. It's just a long never ending day."
"Right." Fred smiled, finally glad that someone else understood what she was talking about, "Then the moment that Champion stepped out of that dimension. He began to age again normally like we all do."
Joyce stared at her husband and the strange girl who seemed to understand what was going on. "So what does this all mean?" she asked
"It means, that 1,500 years have passed for us, but for Champion, it's just been one long day." Giles told his wife. "Champion ages like anyone else."
"So how old are you?" Piper asked her Champion.
Champion shrugged, "I don't remember." he admitted
"Well think!" Buffy told him
Paige stared hard at Buffy, "Hey! He is the Halliwell Champion. Only we give him orders."
Leo held up his hands, "Quiet all of you, I don't think it matters how old Champion is, or isn't. It is none of anybody's business what Champion and Dawn do. If Joyce or Rupert don't have a problem with it then that's the end of it period. From there, it's Dawn and Champion's business. Let's all calm down and go to bed."
Paige's face lit up, "Champion, I remember something. You said that your father was told of the prophecy in 514."
"Yes!" Champion nodded eagerly, "I was two at the time. I remember my mother and father telling me." Champion's face lit up, "I am twenty years old, I'll be twenty one on Christmas day!"
"Twenty?" Joyce asked surprised, he's so young! He's practically a baby!
Dawn smiled wickedly at her sister, "So you see Buffy, you are older than Champion." she announced
"Wait…" Buffy began confused, "That can't be right, the man was born…well whenever he was born there were only three digits in years, now there are four."
"Yeah, like it's his fault he was in a frozen dimension." Dawn said angrily, then she grabbed Champion's hand, "Besides, Leo is right, it is none of your damn business what we do. Champion, let's go to bed." With that Dawn dragged a surprised Champion upstairs.
"Well that's our cue." Piper grabbed Leo's hand and rushed out of the room. Phoebe and Paige followed quietly.
"Rupert…" Joyce began, "I'll be up soon." she promised
"Yes, okay." Giles turned and went up. To find another argument going on. Completely embarrassed, he hung back out of the way, but he listened anyway.
"No Dawn." Champion shook his head, "Not like this, I will not have you like this."
"Like what?" Dawn asked angrily "Didn't you say that you love me? Don't you want to have sex with me?"
"You are angry." Champion pointed out reasonably, then he cupped Dawn's face, "And I do love thee. I want thee Dawn, I want thee so badly it hurts me physically. But I want our first night together to be out of love, not to spite thy sister."
Dawn sighed heavily, "You're right, GOD, I'm going to kill that slayer sister of mine!" she said angry that her beautiful night had been ruined.
"There is time yet for us my love." Champion lifted her chin, "We have the rest of our lives to be together. Just not tonight, not like this." he said softly, kissing her gently Champion opened Dawn's door to her room.
"Sleep well my love."
"You too."
"Perhaps we will meet in our dreams again tonight."
"I hope so." Dawn smiled sadly as she went into her room and closed the door.
Champion turned to go to his own room and bumped into Giles.
"You did the right thing." Giles told the young man "It would have been something you both regretted in the future."
"I know." Shaking his head, "Sometimes I hate it that I am so damn chivalrous." he muttered going into his own room.
"Sit down." Joyce told her daughter
When they were both seated, Joyce shook her head,
"What the hell has gotten into you! Since we've been back here, you have been behaving like a shrew!" Buffy squirmed under her mother's stern gaze, "You totally embarrassed us when we first got here. You insulted both Cordelia and Angel, who may I point out, have been nothing but nice to us and giving us a place to stay free of charge. Then you start jumping down on your own sister for having a life! Tell me what is going on!"
Buffy ignored the question, "I can't believe that you let Dawn go up with that guy!" she retorted.
Joyce was getting really angry now, "First of all, you have no say in how I raise my daughter, second, Dawn is eighteen years old! She is legally an adult, and one, may I add, that has her head on right! I just can't go and tell her what to do anymore. All I can do is suggest, and hope to God that she makes the right decisions from all that I have been able to teach her, same as I do with you. Third, Dawn would probably not have done what she did, if it weren't for the fact that you were treating her like she was a stupid little girl with no mind of her own! Now stop avoiding the question and tell me what is wrong!" Joyce demanded angrily.
"I don't know!" Buffy cried, "I don't know what is wrong with me!" Wiping her eyes she looked at her mother, "I honestly don't know why I just did that to Dawn, and you are right, it is all my fault. I guess I'm just jealous." Buffy admitted finally aloud, finally saying what it was that she'd been holding back for so long. The real reason that she had avoided all of her friends for so long.
"Xander has Anya, and they have a baby on the way. Willow has Tara, Faith and Wes are trading goo-goo eyes with each other. God dammit, even Cordelia has Angel and Connor. Now here comes my BABY sister, and she hooks up with Champion! What about me? Don't I deserve some love too? A man who loves me! I'm the slayer, after all I've done, don't I deserve something?" she asked her mother.
Joyce shook her head amazed, "You are behaving like a selfish child." she said simply, Buffy looked up shocked, moms were supposed to make you feel better, not worse!
"Now Buffy, I'm going to tell you some hard truths. Listen to me, pay attention, and maybe you will get what it is you searching for." Taking a deep breath, she began, "Do you want to know the real reason you have always hated Cordelia? Because you were just like her!"
"I was never…" Buffy began in shock
"You were!" Joyce told her, "When we lived in Beverly Hills, all you cared about was your hair, having the latest trends in clothes, hanging out with all those stupid girls who hung on every word you uttered and your cheerleading. That changed the day that you were called to be a slayer. You were just like Cordelia, and yet so different from her. At least she had a reason for being the way she was, you didn't. Have you ever met her parents?"
"No." Buffy admitted
"Well I have. They are two of the greediest, stupidest people it was ever my misfortune to meet. They would come into the gallery, acting as if they owned the whole fucking world. They liked to own things, they bought things they didn't need just to own them. I sometimes think that is the only reason they had a child to begin with. At least you had a father and mother who loved you and would do anything for you. To the Chase's, Cordelia was just another pretty possession that they could show off to their friends. 'See my beautiful daughter'." Joyce shook her head with disgust, "Do you remember when Cordelia was hurt by that re-bar?"
"Yes" Buffy admitted, never seeing her mother so angry.
"Well, I remember all of you, Xander, Willow and you avoiding going to see her in the hospital. So I went." Joyce admitted, "I'll never forget it, there she was laying in bed after major surgery, alone, her parents were in the Bahamas or some place. They didn't even care that their only daughter was in the hospital after major surgery! Do you imagine that I or your father would ever leave you alone like that?" Joyce demanded, then continued.
"You want to know what else I remember? Cordelia was with you almost since the beginning."
"She was more of a pain in the ass than help." Buffy protested.
"What do you expect!" Joyce demanded to know, "She is not a slayer, she had no special powers, she wasn't strong or trained like you were by Rupert. She wasn't a witch like Willow, but she tried to help! Cordelia didn't have to do that, she could have left it all to you, but she chose to help you! Now look at her, a responsible grown woman with a husband and child. Who is out still fighting demons and vampires. Do you ever see her running around, 'oh poor little me?' like you're doing now?"
"That's enough!" Buffy started to get up
"Oh I'm not even started yet!" Joyce told her, "Next comes Angel! Look at what he has had to deal with! Loosing his soul, going to hell to be tortured for hundreds of years! Coming back and regaining his soul, fighting to be a champion of light. Fighting to save innocent people. I don't see him running around whining, why me?"
Ruthlessly Joyce continued.
"Next comes Faith. Poor screwed up Faith. I won't deny that she did a lot of stupid things, a lot of them. But when she needed help, some one to help her break the circle of violence that she had gotten herself stuck into, what did you do. You tore out of Sunnydale searching for revenge against her! Faith came here looking for help, because she knew that no one would help her in Sunnydale. Faith has paid for the things she has done. Still she is looking to do more. I don't see her running around whining either."
"Last but not least, Spike." Joyce shook her head, "You whine about not being loved, about what others have. You had it too, in your hands, you had love and you threw it in the poor man's face! I'm not denying what Spike was, but when push came to shove. When he made a promise to you to keep Dawn and me safe. He did it, came over every night to make sure that we were okay, that we didn't need anything, helping Dawn with her schoolwork. Sometimes cooked dinner for us, helped me with Dawn and protected the both of us. Then you came back, and believe me Buffy, I thank God everyday for that miracle that bought you home to Dawn and me. You had all those problems adjusting back to life. Spike was the one who helped you through it all. The man even fought to get his soul back for YOU! Because he believed that maybe if he had his soul back you could love him as much as he loved you. Then you turned around and treated him like shit! I was never ashamed of you, until you did that. All of you, Xander, Willow, Anya, everyone, treating him like shit. What did he do? Kept trying to show you how much he loved you. In the end he sacrificed his life for you."
"Spike was evil!" Buffy shouted
"Oh please." Joyce scoffed, "If we are going to judge by those standards then Angel was much more evil than Spike. 'Scourge of Europe' does that phrase ring a bell with you, wasn't that what Angel was called. Yet you loved him. No, I think the reason you told yourself you hated Spike was because you actually loved him so much that it frightened you. That a man could love you that much, a man who knew the real you. Spike knew you inside and out, and he still loved you. Now Spike is back, fighting evil this time, and I don't see him running around whining either."
Buffy had tears running down her face, "Why are you doing this to me mom?"
Joyce cupped Buffy's face, "Believe it or not, I'm saying these things because I love you and I do want to see you happy, in love giving me grandchildren. Yes you are the slayer, and God knows you have been through times that I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. But darling, so have the people around you, they have all suffered the same as you. But honey, unlike you, they got up, dusted themselves off, and went in search of love, that is why they found it. You really want to know why you are alone? It's because you are afraid of love, you are afraid of giving your heart and soul to someone else. Dawn isn't afraid, she loves Champion and so she followed through with that and is reaping the rewards of love." Joyce looked deep in her daughters tear stained eyes, "Now tell me the truth, no holding back, no hiding. Do you still love Spike?" she asked "Don't think Buffy, don't think about what I will say, or what Rupert or Willow will say or Xander or anyone else. This is about you, what you want, what do you feel. Do you love him?"
"Yes I do." Buffy choked out finally, feeling a weight being lifted from her chest.
"And I love you too Slayer." Spike said from the entranceway of the hotel. "I told you the other night, I've never stopped thinking of you."
Buffy looked to her mother and smiled, "Thank you mom."
Joyce smiled and kissed her daughters cheek, "Get up, dust yourself off and don't be afraid. Now go." Standing up, Joyce went back upstairs and left to find her own husband. "One is in love with a vampire with a soul, the other with a 1,500 year old champion." She shook her head, "When and where did my life become an episode of the twilight zone?"
Buffy stood up, and faced Spike, her mother was right! She had been whining like a little girl! Trying to convince herself that she didn't love Spike, "But dammit I do love him!" she suddenly realized. Running to him, Buffy threw herself into Spike's arms.
"I do love you." She cried into his chest, "And I don't care what anyone says about it."
"I know." Spike said simply, "I've always known, I've just been waiting for you to admit it to yourself."
Spike smiled realizing that just maybe, Buffy had finally grown up.
Champion was dressed and in the lobby the next morning at 7am. Looking around he saw that everyone was still asleep. Getting some breakfast, he then sat down and waited for the others. Time passed and still no one came down ready to attend church services. Finally, Champion searched the room for quill and an ink bottle so that he could leave a note. Not finding any, Champion shrugged and headed towards the front doors.
"Times have truly changed." He shook his head, "And not for the better." He thought as he walked out of the hotel. Knowing that his charges were safe under the protection of so many slayers, besides the sun was up and shining, they should be safe while he attended church."
Going to the corner, Champion saw the yellow taxis going by. Raising his hand, as he'd seen Cordelia do, he waited patiently. Five minutes later, a cab pulled up beside him. Getting in he looked to the driver.
"Where to buddy?" the driver asked sipping his coffee, still a bit bleary eyed and tired.
"Is there a church in the area?" he asked
The man nodded, "Yeah, sure, Catholic, protestant, Lutheran, Scientology. Which you want?"
"Catholic please." Champion stared at the man, wondering what all these religions were.
"Sure thing pal." The cab sped off into the very light, early morning traffic
The cab pulled away from the curb and into traffic. As always, when Champion was in a moving vehicle such as this one. Champion stared out the windows and at this new world. What he saw, saddened him immensely. While some people were out dressed very well. Others on the streets were dressed barely in rags. Some shuffled down the streets pushing carts, others rummaging through garbage cans, some were still sleeping on the filthy floors of the city. The look of defeat in these peoples faces was almost palpable, their poverty practically screamed out for the world to see. What shocked Champion the most, was that not one person turned to help those in such desperate need.
Now Champion was no fool, and he knew that some of these people could not or did not want to be helped. However, this cannot be the case of everyone, and there are so many! Champion settled himself back into his seat.
"Times have truly changed." He said sadly, "The code of Chivalry is dead. How glad I am that you did not live to see this day father." Champion knew that this sight would have bought tears into his fathers eyes.
It was noon when Dawn walked out of her room, and immediately bumped into the one person she did not want to see right at that moment.
"Excuse me." Dawn said acidly trying to move around her sister.
Buffy looked to her little sister, but didn't move. "Can we talk a minute?" she asked
Dawn made to push past Buffy, "I really have nothing to say to you right now."
Buffy stood her ground, "Good, cause, I am the one who has to say something to you. I wanna say… I'm sorry for being such a bitch to you."
"Really?" Dawn asked a bit suspiciously, wondering if this was a trick by Buffy to get her alone and tell how she was so stupid about going out with Champion.
"Really, is there somewhere we can talk?" Buffy asked motioning to the door, "I don't want to wake…"
Dawn sighed and relented, "He didn't spend the night with me Buffy." Turning Dawn opened her door and went in, Buffy followed very surprised.
Looking around the room, Buffy sat on the edge of the bed, "Sorry, I thought that after last night…"
"I wanted to." Dawn told her sister angrily, "I was so mad at you that I wanted to get back at you. Champion was the one who said no. He didn't want our first night together to be because I was pissed off with you."
Buffy smiled, "He said pissed off?" she asked
Despite the fact she was still angry, Dawn smiled and shrugged, "Okay, so he said to spite thy sister…" Dawn laughed "I really have to get to work on updating his language skills."
"Yeah." Buffy laid back on the bed, "I'm so sorry Dawnie, you were right, I was acting like a jealous bitch." She admitted
Dawn laid down next to Buffy, "You really hurt me last night Buffy, treated me like I was a stupid child. You embarrassed Champion and basically ruined the most perfect night I have ever had."
"I am so sorry." Buffy hugged her sister, "I never should have done that to you. Please believe me Dawn, I do not think for a moment that you are a stupid little girl. I didn't know about the dreams." Buffy stared at her sister amazed, "Spike told me last night, he got it from Cordelia. I didn't know."
Dawn stared down at the mattress, "I was afraid you'd think I was either crazy, or it would confirm in your eyes that I was stupid." Dawn admitted
"HELLO!" Buffy waved her hand in front of Dawn's face, "Slayer here, I've been dealing with the weird, crazy, and unbelievable for years now." Buffy's face softened, "I would have believed you."
Dawn smiled, "Really?"
Buffy hugged her sister close, "Really."
Dawn hugged Buffy back, then frowned pushing Buffy back, "Spike told you? Are you finally speaking to him again?" she asked hopefully, she really did love Spike like a brother and she loved her sister, and wanted them both to be happy together.
Buffy nodded, biting her lip she added, "I love him." she said simply
Dawn smiled and really hugged her sister close, "It's about god damn time that you admitted it! I was afraid you never would!"
Surprised Buffy laughed, "You don't mind? I mean he is a vampire."
"Yeah, so?" Dawn chuckled, "Spike is one of the good guys now Buffy, you changed that in him. You made him want to be a better man, a good man."
"Thanks." Buffy blushed, "I wonder what mom makes of all of this?" she asked her sister, "I'm in love with a hundred and plus vampire, you with a 1,500 year old man. We must really be making her life hard."
Both sisters were hysterical laughing at the absurdity of the situation, when there was a knock on the door.
"Come in…" Dawn wiped the tears of laughter from her eyes
Cordelia opened the door and curiously stared at the sisters who seemed very chummy. After the fighting that she'd heard last night, this was unexpected. However given the present circumstances, and seeing as how Champion was no where to be found in Dawn's room. Cordelia got down to business.
Smiling at the two women, "Have you guys by any chance seen Champion?" she asked hopefully.
"No." Dawn sighed, was she doomed to have this conversation again
"Cause he's not in his room." Cordelia told them, "And as far as we can tell, he's not in the hotel." She said starting to get a bit worried
"What?" Dawn jumped up from her bed and ran out of her room and into Champions room, Buffy right behind her. The room was empty, nothing was out of place. The bed was made the door to the bathroom closed. Opening that door, Dawn saw that it too was empty. Buffy looked around, spotting the towel she felt it.
"He was here." She told Dawn, "His towel is still damp."
"Come on." Cordelia turned to leave, "Let's see if anyone's found him yet. I have everyone looking around the entire hotel."
The three women came down the stairs of the hotel and found Angel and the Halliwell sisters there waiting.
"He wasn't with Dawn." Cordelia told them, "Any word yet?"
"No" Angel admitted, starting to get a bit worried, "Nothing yet."
"He didn't stay with you?" Piper asked Dawn nervously, knowing that even for the short time that she'd known Champion. This seemed very much out of character.
"No, he left me at my door and went into his own room." Dawn explained what had happened the night before
More people began to arrive down the stairs, and Spike and Gunn from the basement.
"Nothing in the basement." Spike announced
Gunn went to Fred, and put his arm around her.
"Nothing on any of the floors upstairs." Faith told them as well as she sat on the edge of the couch
Dawn was beginning to get nervous, this was not like Val, "He has to be here somewhere though right? I mean he wouldn't just leave, no…" Dawn said a bit more forcefully, "No, he would not leave me, or his charges." Dawn looked to the Halliwell's
"No." Leo put in as well, "He would not just leave on his own."
Wes came from the back of the hotel, "Nothing in the gardens or the pool area."
Cordelia bit her lip, "Did anyone find a note?"
Dawn felt an arm coming around her, supporting her, looking over she saw that Buffy was holding her.
"We will find him Dawn." She promised
"That's right Nibblet." Spike held on to her from the other side.
Cordelia looked around and began counting people, "Everyone is here?" Nodding as she reached the right number, she clapped her hands loudly together, "Okay, people think! If you were a 1,500 year old knight of the round table, where would you go?"
"Diner?" Xander asked, "I mean he's not much of a cook, he doesn't know how to work most of the gadgets in a kitchen, If I got hungry and couldn't make something, I'd go to a diner."
"Get the paper?" One of the Slayers asked
"No." Giles rubbed his chin, "He wouldn't know about them, there were no printing presses in his time. Everything was handwritten, news was delivered by town crier."
"Maybe he heard someone?" Phoebe suggested, "Like that old lady in the alley back home? Maybe he heard someone in trouble and went to help."
Faith looked up suddenly, "Church!" she called out, shocking everyone, "People back then were really religious, spent hours and hours in church on Sunday's didn't they?"
"YES!" Wes beamed at Faith, who he noted was beautiful when she blushed.
Shaking his head, there was time to think about that later. Right now…
"Faith is right! Today is Sunday, the only thing that could possibly make Champion leave your side." He told the Halliwell's "Is church! A catholic church at that."
"Okay, we got some really good possibilities. Xander, there is a diner three blocks from here, go check it out." Cordelia ordered
"Xander, bring back pancakes!" Anya rubbed her stomach
Ignoring her, Cordelia continued, "Slayers!" She looked at the girls, "Go around the neighborhood, see if he's around here helping someone." As the girls headed out, Cordelia turned to the rest of the group, "Dawn, you Faith, Wes, Gunn, Fred, go and check out the local churches."
"I'll come too." Buffy told them and followed the group out
Angel wrapped his arm around his nervous wife, looking at the others, he shrugged helplessly, "Nothing to do, but wait now."
Xander ran into the diner, quickly scanning the nearly empty diner, he shook his head. Heading to the counter he waited until the waitress came over.
"Yes, what can I get you hon?" she asked
"Have you seen a guy, about this tall." Xander held up a hand, "Dark hair and eyes, handsome and speaks with a British accent?"
The waitress eye's sparkled, "Not lately hon, not lately."
"Damn." Xander muttered.
"Can I get you anything?" she asked again.
Sighing Xander nodded, "Yeah, two orders of pancakes, scrambled eggs, bacon and sausage, toast, one large regular coffee, and a large orange juice, to go please." He sat at the counter
Dawn entered the next church, they had already been to two of them with no luck. The others entering at her side, they began to scan the crowd that were sitting for the service.
"There!" Fred whispered and pointed, "Up front, by the candles, is that him?."
"Sure is baby." Gunn smiled proudly of his girl
The group moved forward, as the service ended. People began to file out as Champion continued to kneel in front of the candles. His head bent in prayer.
Wes pulled out his cell phone and dialed the hotel, "Found him, he's at church." he said quickly and hung up as people began to give him dirty looks for bringing a phone to church.
"Sorry." he muttered to them as he put his phone away.
The group sat down and waited while Champion finished his prayers.
Some ten minutes later, Champion crossed himself and stood. He found himself facing a very relieved but still angry Dawn.
"Good morning Dawn." Champion smiled, "Hast thou come to attend church services?" he asked
"I was looking for you actually." Dawn informed him a bit angrily, "When we got up and couldn't find you. We all got scared thinking something bad happened to you."
Champion bowed his head, "I am sorry Dawn, I could not find a quill and ink to leave thee a note."
Dawn sighed as she linked her arm through his and headed for the entrance of the church.
"I see that I am going to have to show you what a pen is."
The group walked out into the day light.