Francesca Jones – Thanks. Your stuff rocks too. It's cool that this site can do that; people can follow each other's writings. Hope to hear from you again soon here or over in the GG section.
"Would it kill you to help?" Buffy grumbled as she eyed the librarian who had been staring at her for the past twenty minutes.
"I'm assuring myself that you aren't going to make off with any of my property."
"If these books are yours, why don't you just keep them at your house? Why keep them in the library?"
"If I told you, it'd defeat the purpose."
"Whatever." Buffy resumed wiping the leather volumes with a cloth, wrinkling her nose at how dirty they were. "God, how old are these?"
"Older than you."
"Fine. Be cryptic. I just want this detention to end."
"Maybe you should not have struck Miss Chase."
"Have you ever met the girl?"
"Many times, however I realize that violence isn't the answer."
"Says the man who keeps a copy of Demonic Vengeance throughout the Ages on hand," Buffy pointed out, holding up the book.
"Some of us have interests outside of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, Miss Summers."
"Regardless, you are still one creepy guy."
"…Who can prolong your detention period if you insist on treating me with anything less than respect. I won't punish you for the 'creepy guy' comment, because I've heard it before, but I recommend your realize who you're speaking to in the future." Buffy muttered under her breath.
She came to the next book, a large, black volume with a pentagram on the front of it.
"Do you just have these because you're interested, or do you practice Wicca?" Giles looked down, a shadow of a smile on his face.
"What do you think?"
"Why does it matter what I think if you do or don't?"
"Truth is more what others perceive than actual fact." Buffy started at him blankly.
"Uh, no. It's not." Giles chuckled as she corrected him.
"Maybe if you shared my experiences, you would have a broader view of the world." Buffy went back to cleaning the cover, thinking about what he'd just said. It didn't make any sense, but his accent made him sound smarter than her regular teachers.
Accent…
Spike. She remembered Spike's rough British accent, and looked around sharply. She didn't have a clue as to what he looked like, but she didn't see anyone else in the library.
"Do you let students look at these books?" Buffy asked a few minutes later, once the panic had subsided.
"The idea behind the back room is for students only to have access with a teacher's permission. Nothing a student would have any interest in is kept back there, so I haven't had any requests in all my years of working here. The teachers just accept that it's my private storage area, while some of the rowdier students have tried to break in for the fun of it. It's well secured, however." A glint came into his eye, as Buffy wondered what might be used to protect Magic books. Would it be something Spike could get around?
"Because I have a friend who's interested in studying Wicca. She's been going to a study group for it, and I've seen the books she has on it, but they're nothing compared to your stash here." Giles looked incredulous at the thought of anyone who associated themselves with the blonde cheerleader being interested in his hobby. "Willow Rosenberg, you probably know who she is." Giles did know who she was- in fact, she'd been eyeing his storage room anxiously since her freshman year.
"I'll keep an eye out for her. While my books are nothing a beginner should be bothering with, perhaps I can offer a spot of guidance." Buffy smiled at the librarian's offer to help her friend. It weirded her out a little that the strange old bachelor was willingly engaging in conversation, but it beat dusting the books in silence.
"So, what's in the du Lac Manuscript?" she casually asked later. He wasn't lecturing, so she dared to question why Spike would want the tattered old hardback.
Giles's demeanor changed instantly.
"Why do you ask that?" he spat cautiously, narrowing his eyes. She shrugged, deciding to tell him. He was nicer than she'd imagined, and it would be her fault if he got Italian-Jobbed.
"I heard some guys talking about it, and I remembered seeing it here on Friday."
"Who mentioned it?" He got out of his chair and approached her slowly, making her shrink back in her chair.
"I didn't see their faces. Two men named Spike and Peaches. I think they were code names now."
"Spike?" Giles suddenly looked fearful. He paced back and forth, muttering to himself. "I thought she left him…why would he want the book, if not for her? Has something happened to him? Or is Angelus back?"
"Oh yea, there was something about 'Angelus' mentioned too." He spun towards her.
"Where did you hear this?"
"In an alley near The Bronze," she answered, regretting telling him. He looked a wee bit upset at the news.
"And they want it?"
"Spike's going to steal it this week." Giles groaned.
"Why didn't you come forward with this earlier?" Suddenly, his eyes widened. "Do they know you overheard?"
"Peaches might have. Do you know who they are?"
"I don't know who Peaches is. I am very aware of Spike's identity, however."
"Are they in the mafia?" Giles looked taken aback, then started to laugh.
"No, Buffy. They are not in the mafia." It was the first time he'd ever used her first name. He continued with his muttering, this time so frenzied she couldn't distinguish what he was saying. He finished talking to himself, visibly decided something, and turned towards her again.
"Buffy, I'm going to tell you a piece of information that I'd like you not to repeat. Not to Miss Rosenberg, not to your mother, not to anyone." Puzzled, Buffy agreed to keep quiet.
"The men you heard talking are in a way practitioners of dark Magic. The one named Spike is a particularly dangerous man who has threatened Sunnydale for a long time. I'm obviously not going to tell you everything that's going on, but if Spike finds out you were spying on him, nothing good can come of it."
"I take self-defense, Mr. Giles," Buffy soothed, as if speaking to a younger child. The librarian removed his glasses and stared directly at her.
"If you see him, run screaming. Do not try to engage him in combat or conversation. He's a murderer." Her jaw dropped, but she was unable to form words. It had been fine to speculate about Spike's being a murderer and a thief with Willow, but she was now hearing from an informed source that Spike was indeed a criminal and a killer. "He looks a bit like the rock star Billy Idol- bleached hair, lots of black. Once again, if you see him, get out of there. Preferably into the sunshine." She looked at him quizzically, but Giles took the book she's been absentmindedly wiping off. "Go home, Buffy. And be careful."
"But my detention's not supposed to be over yet."
"Miss Summers," he warned, and she took the hint.
"Bye Mr. Giles. Good luck with Spike and Peaches."
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO
"How was detention, sweetie?" Joyce asked as Buffy came in the house.
"Musty. Those books haven't been dusted in ages. What's for dinner?"
"Leftovers." Buffy grunted at the tepid food already on the table. As she sat down to eat with her mother, Giles's words came back to her. The entire thing was undoubtedly strange- get out into the sunlight? How would that help against someone who was trying to kill her? But he'd sounded so sure of himself, and genuinely scared for her safety.
Maybe Giles wasn't such a wacko after all. I mean, she had proof that Spike existed. And he wanted the du Lac Manuscript. Details from the alley and Giles's warning were lining up in her head. Maybe she should avoid dark side streets for a while at least…
"Buffy? Are you listening?" She looked up into her mom's face.
"Sorry, I kinda spaced out there."
"I asked you how much longer you were going to be in detention."
"Until Thursday."
"And you'll be helping Mr. Giles the entire time?"
"Yea."
"I've never heard you talk about him before the whole Cordelia-thing. What's he like?"
"He's a lone wolf. None of the other teachers talk to him."
"Divorced? Widowed?"
"I don't think he ever found a woman who could put up with him."
"And how old is he?"
"Your age or something. He's really creepy, but he's smart. And he has a pretty nice accent. English."
"Really." Buffy noticed the interested look on her mother's face.
"Don't even go there, Mom."
"I'm a sucker for accents, Buffy."
"Yea, that explains Dad."
"Your father may have been as American as apple pie, but before I met him, I dated this guy named Pablo."
"No way," Buffy joked, enjoying the girl-talk they were apparently having. It was nice when her mother slipped out of maternal-mode, and just talked to Buffy. It didn't happen often, but it was nice.
"The most beautiful eyes, the sexiest voice. Then I met Hank, and it was more of a this-is-long-term thing. I never thought I'd be with Pablo forever. But it's nice to remember my first love." Buffy sighed, thinking of Riley.
"You're thinking of your own first love, aren't you?"
"Riley and I might be long-term. Never know."
"Please. If there's one thing this divorce has taught me, it's that us Summers women need a little excitement. Hank wasn't my Mr. Right. I know you love Riley, but I can't picture him as my son-in-law." Buffy felt slighted, and returned to eating. "Oh, honey. I didn't mean anything negative, I just meant that you shouldn't get your hopes up and start planning the reception."
"Okay Mom." And with that, they were back to being mother and daughter.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO
True to her word, she didn't tell Willow about what Giles had said. She wouldn't have told her mother anyway, but Willow knew about Spike and Peaches already. It felt like she was betraying her friend to report how boring and uneventful detention had been, but Giles was lurking around these hallways. She wasn't going to anger anyone who might or might not be a practicing warlock. So she attended all her classes, did her work, and constantly looked over her shoulder for Billy Idol.
The day passed quickly enough, and before she knew it, Buffy was back in the library. Taking the dust rag Giles handed to her, she tried to get more information out of him.
"Please, just tell me why Peaches wants the du Lac Manuscript. Is it some kind of medical book?"
"Would you keep your voice down, stupid girl?"
"Why? You think something might be lurking in the reverence section?" Giles was not amused.
"It's none of your concern, Miss Summers. Others will take care of it."
"Others including you?"
"Yes. Now less talking, more cleaning." Buffy cleaned, but she still grumbled at Giles, trying to get information out of him.
"They said something about Drew. Does that help?"
"Who's Drew?"
"Spike's ex."
"Ah, the mad one. I suspected as much."
"What did you suspect? I'm the one who risked my life getting this information for you, the least you can do is explain to me what it means."
"You did not get information for me, you were simply in the wrong place at the right time."
"But I can help! I can identify voices."
"Not going to help, Buffy."
"Please just tell me something. I hate knowing someone knows something I don't."
"Then why don't you pay attention in class?"
"That's different. School stuff is 3 AM infomercials. This is a prime time drama." Giles didn't budge. "I'm gonna keep bugging you, so you might as well tell me." He sighed.
"What do you want to know?" he finally asked.
"Who's Drew?"
"I believe you're referring to Drusilla the Mad. She's a beautiful but insane woman who's been growing weaker and weaker for years by now."
"And how will the du Lac Manuscript help?"
"The du Lac Manuscript is a collection of, among other things, potions and remedies."
"So Peaches is going to cure Drusilla with the du Lac Manuscript."
"I've never heard of Peaches, but I have a few ideas as to who he may be."
"And how do you know all this?"
"Excuse me?"
"How do you know so much about Spike and Drusilla and the people they hang with?"
"It's my job, Buffy."
"What are you? What are they?"
"I've said too much already."
"No, don't cut me off!"
"Buffy, please please please just finish cleaning and go home. If you get involved in this, you can never back out."
"But I'm confused. Nothing about that conversation I overheard was normal, and then you're all supernatural and you know stuff, and I don't like being in the dark."
"Then stay in the sunlight, as I told you to."
Buffy opened her mouth to protest, but Giles grabbed her at that moment, throwing a hand over her mouth.
"Quiet." Buffy listened, but couldn't hear anything. "Breaking glass. Not in the library, down the hall."
