Chapter 10

It had been a scramble, but by the time Reginald had to fly out Monday, Buffy was ready to tell him she would be following soon. She and Sebastian had a flight for Tuesday. Buffy had hoped to get one of the witches along, too, but Willow absolutely couldn't leave, and Tara had to talk with her internship advisor first. She wouldn't be able to follow for a few days.

The hardest thing for Buffy to do had been to arrange for a substitute for her defense classes, provided she was gone that long. She'd had to swallow her pride and ask Spike to fill in, since there was no one else she knew available with the expertise to conduct the lessons. Giles was too old for the hands-on instruction style she employed.

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Monday…

Giles, Joyce, and Buffy took Reggie to the airport for his flight. To Buffy's surprise, Giles picked up a ticket, too, at the counter.

"You're leaving?"

"Your mother and I talked about it, and agreed that it would be best for you to deal with a familiar face at the Council. There's still the issue of a possible traitor on staff, and you don't know anyone, Buffy. Reggie asked for my help, and I agreed to temporarily help out."

"I'm glad you'll be there, Giles. I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Absolutely. I'll pick the two of you up from the airport."

"Okay." Buffy stepped aside so her mother could say goodbye with a little privacy.

"You watch your back over there, Rupert Giles. I want you back here in the same shape I'm sending you," Joyce lovingly warned him.

"I will, dove. I'll call you as soon as I reach the hotel."

"If only it was a year later, I could go with you."

"We'll take our trip soon, love, and I promise there will be no supernatural interruptions. I love you, Joyce."

"Love you, too. Be safe." They kissed, just as the boarding call came over the loudspeaker.

Joyce and Buffy waved as the two men passed through the gate and out of sight, then walked over to the window to watch the plane move towards the runway.

"I'll take care of him, Mom, and Giles is the smartest guy I know. He won't be in any danger reading some old books."

"Thank you, honey. Let's get going back home. It'll be dinner-time soon."

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"She actually asked you to take her classes?"

"Yep."

"Why not me? I'm a good teacher," Kara pouted.

"Probably because she knows you have your hands full with our babies, luv. Whether she liked it or not, I was the only one available." Spike continued shucking peas and saving the pods. He popped another in his mouth.

"Hey! Those are for dinner, mister!"

"You're the only woman I know who grows peas for the pods."

"The peas are gross. Pods go great in stir-fry. It's two days to New Year's Eve, you know."

"And?"

"Do you have anything in mind? My sister already said she'd baby-sit."

He smiled knowingly at the 'hint'. "Would you like me to take you somewhere, luv?"

"If you like…since last year was a bit of a bust…"

"I'll see what I can come up with, though it'd be hard to top our first turn of the year celebration."

Kara got images of several of the places they'd been, and shagged, on their whirlwind tour sent through the claim. Paris brought a special smile to her lips.

Spike tugged her over to land on his lap. "And what brought out that look, kitten?"

"Just thinking of Paris…," she replied, toying with the button on his shirt.

"Naughty girl…that was one of my favorites, too. Though, Hong Kong really set the mood for the evening…"

"Only 'cause you wouldn't just let me watch the fireworks over the bay."

"And you enjoyed every minute of it," he purred into her ear. His voice never failed to make her shiver. "Just like now. Have you had a dirty mind all day, hmm? I had the most delicious dreams of you…"

"And that's different from any other time you dream?" Kara tilted her neck to give him better access.

"Mamaaaaaaaaa!"

Spike growled in frustration. "How does she always know!"

She stroked his head sympathetically as she slid off his lap. "Coming, Ana!"

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"Are you sure about taking more time off from your internship, baby? You're almost done."

"I know, but it's probably only a few days, and we won't have any regular patients coming in until after the coming weekend. Besides, maybe Buffy and Sebastian will get there and see that there's no use for me, anyway. I just felt it was the right thing to do to offer my skills, just in case. If all I end up doing is keeping Buffy company while Sebastian is taking care of the problem, then it will be enough. She's going to be in a strange city, worrying about her boyfriend, and somebody should be there." Tara sat next to Willow, taking a break in packing for the move.

"These things always have the worst timing! I'd be right on the best friend bandwagon if I wasn't starting this new job."

"Willow, she knows that, and we're all happy for your new success. There's nothing to feel guilty about. No worries until there's something to worry about, okay?"

"You're right…thanks. You always help slow me down when my brain's on runaway thought processes. I'm going to be happy that my best friend gets to see London – how's that?"

"I think you're on the right track."

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Tuesday…

"Have you ever flown before, Buffy?" Sebastian asked. They were seated in first class, and she was gripping the armrests as the plane taxied down the runway.

"Uh, yeah, to visit my Aunt Darlene, once."

He took one of her hands and entwined his fingers with hers. "Sweetheart, relax. There's nothing to it. Flying on a plane is statistically safer than driving on the expressway."

"I know, it's just," she leaned in to whisper the last part. "I don't like heights."

"Then don't look out the window," he teased. "It's a very long flight, so just sleep through most of it. You have a nice, big, comfy seat to relax in."

"I guess…"

Several hours later, they stepped off the plane into Heathrow Airport. It was Wednesday morning in London, already, though the sun had only been up an hour. Giles was waiting for them at baggage claim.

"Good morning! How was your flight?" he asked cheerfully.

"Why are you in such a good mood?" Buffy asked warily.

"No reason, really. Probably just the influence of being home, after so long. Where are you staying?"

"My house here in London. I'll direct you," Sebastian replied.

"Alright. I hope you brought umbrellas. It's been raining since last night."

"Yay – the land with no sun. Can I go home?" Buffy whined.

The two Brits chuckled, and led her to where Giles could park the car. Once they were on the road, Buffy started asking questions.

"So, how are things at the Council?"

"Better than I had imagined, actually. Everyone has pulled together remarkably well, considering the circumstances. There's a bit of unspoken relief that new blood can carry on the Council into the 21st century. Not to speak ill of the dead, of course."

"Right."

"Anyway, I've been helping find the scroll that is missing. I used to work that department, when I first graduated the Academy. Little has changed in 20 years."

"Any luck?"

"We've narrowed it down to one record book. It's only a matter of time."

"Any clues on the thieves? Rumors?"

"Sadly, no. They tried doing a locator spell for the Amulet, but it was bounced back without revealing a location."

"What if – what if we put out a rumor about the shaft piece? Whoever wanted the amulet is bound to surface to try to grab the other half of the staff, right? That should at least give us a hint who has the master plan," Buffy suggested.

"That might be our only option, though I'm hesitant to try to lay a trap. It could easily backfire on us," Sebastian said.

"Agreed. It has to be a well-thought-out plan. For now, we can set the demon rumor mill running with a few whispers." Giles made the turn indicated by the knight. "Let's keep this idea between us, and be careful what you mention inside Council Headquarters. We don't know who might be listening."

"Understood, Giles."

They eventually pulled up in front of an old, but well-kept building with three floors.

"This is your 'small city house'?" Buffy said in surprise. It was huge, by her standards.

"Mmm-hmm. The estate is much larger than this. We only used this house during society season, for the most part."

A butler was at the car door before Buffy could open it herself, holding a large umbrella over her head. "Miss Summers, I presume?"

"Uh-huh…" She was still gawking at the impressive house.

"Good morning, Sir Pierce. I hope your journey was without incident?"

"Yes. We had good luck with the weather. Charles, this is Mr. Giles. We'll be seeing a lot of him during our stay."

"Very good, sir. A fire is already burning in the drawing room, and Cook has prepared breakfast, in case you and your lady have not eaten."

"Thank you. Rupert, are you staying a while?"

"I don't have to be back right away. We can put off your introduction, Buffy, until the afternoon."

"Cool. I was hoping for time to unpack first."

They followed Sebastian up the steps and into the foyer, where Buffy was left gaping again. A crystal chandelier hung over her head, in front of a split staircase that left a wide walkway further into the house down the center. The foyer was tiled with black and white marble, silver mineral threads coursing through both colors. The staircases were wooden, with burgundy runners flowing over the steps. They only led up to the second level, so there must have been another staircase hidden from view.

"Wow…," she whispered. Sebastian smiled at her expression, and guided her onward with an arm around her waist.

They followed Charles the butler to the drawing room. The walls were decorated with brocade paper, and family portraits graced several places in between the windows. The room was mostly several shades of blue, and a harpsichord sat in the corner. The furniture was all obviously antique, and Buffy felt afraid to touch anything. A large tray of breakfast goodies sat on a table, with clean plates, utensils, and napkins to the side.

"Anything you require, Sir?"

"No, I think we'll be alright for now, Charles." The butler nodded, and left, closing the door.

"Please, help yourselves. Cook usually makes more than enough," Sebastian said.

Buffy placed a couple scones on her plate, and some fruit, and stayed standing as she started to nibble. Sebastian and Giles took their plates over to the sofas facing each other in the center of the room.

"You can have a seat, Buffy," Sebastian suggested. She shook her head vehemently.

"Unh-uh. I'm going to spill something on your expensive furniture. I'm fine here, thanks."

"Don't be silly! I'll just have it cleaned, if you spill anything. Sit! Would you like some tea?"

"No, thanks. Is there coffee?" He pointed to the other carafe, and she hastened to pour a cup. Buffy added a ton of sugar and cream, then carefully carried her breakfast over to the sofa. Giles and Sebastian were barely containing their laughter.

"Yeah, yeah – laugh it up. I wasn't raised from birth around this kind of stuff, okay?"

"No need to get defensive, love. It's just cute."

"Goodness, I've missed real food," Giles exclaimed, after biting into his scone.

"California has real food!"

"Please! They take everything good out of a meal and call it good for you. And don't even get me started on the travesties they call pastries. You know what I'm talking about, old man."

"Indeed. They insist on beer being cold!" Sebastian shuddered at the thought.

"Too right." Giles lifted his cup of tea in salute. "Here's to the comforts of home."

Sebastian gave them the grand tour once they had eaten. The ground floor contained all the public rooms, the kitchen, and some of the servant's quarters. The rest lived on the second level, which also contained the empty guest rooms. The third level was either accessed by an elevator from the ground floor, or the servant's staircase in the back of the house. The elevator had been added once electricity became common, and the original staircase hidden away by wall panels. It was a small security measure for Sebastian to control who had access to his quarters.

"And this is our room, Buffy. You'll find your luggage inside, if you want to change before meeting with the Council."

"Freshening up would be nice."

"Then, I'll let you be, and head downstairs. I need to catch up with my staff."

"Okay." Once Giles and Sebastian were gone, she started looking around the master suite. God, this was huge! The whole floor was a series of open rooms all encompassing the family living area.

On closer inspection, she discovered that the doors were the sliding kind, hidden away in the walls. There was a huge bedroom, office, workout room, a sitting room with a grand piano, and a huge bathroom that was the height of luxury. Further down the hall, she found more empty rooms, which had probably been for the children, once upon a time. Satisfied, for now, Buffy walked back to the bathroom, grabbing her essentials along the way, and started the water in the tub for a bubble bath.

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It was still raining when they left for Council Headquarters. Buffy grimaced at the dark sky and pulled her coat tighter around her small frame. At least she'd been warned what the temperature would be like. She looked up at the great, looming office building and sighed. There is no spoon…

She was greeted by name as soon as she entered the building. It shouldn't have been surprising that all of them would know what she looked like, but it was a bit overwhelming. She felt at a disadvantage. Sebastian squeezed her hand supportively, noticing the slight tension in her shoulders, and she relaxed. They could face anything together.

The couple followed Giles up to the conference room, where they would be meeting the new department heads in charge. The double doors had been left open.

"Welcome, Miss Summers! I hope you had a pleasant trip over the Pond?" Reggie said, shaking her hand.

"Uh, yeah, it was alright. I know you guys probably have protocols for everything, but I'd really like to get the facts and get out there on the hunt. We're already several days behind."

"Uh, certainly. We've prepared a dossier for you to study on all we know of the Amulet, as well as the details of the attack. Unfortunately, we have no true description of the attackers because they were wearing head-to-toe battle gear. Hi-tech, expensive stuff. A description from one of the secretaries is included in the file. I'm sorry there isn't more to go on, Miss Summers. It's frustrating for all of us."

"Yeah…well, I'll think of something. It's what I do. Anything else?"

"Oh, this is Lydia…she'll be your liaison to the Library, in charge of identifying the scroll. You are to be alerted as soon as they know which one is missing." The blonde in glasses and a prim suit handed Buffy a business card with the direct line on it.

"Okay, cool. Is that it?"

"Uh, yes, for now," Reggie stuttered.

"Good. Later!" Buffy hurried out, pulling Sebastian along with her.

Giles shrugged. "She's always been a take charge kind of girl."

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The elevator stopped a couple floors below, and a familiar face stepped onboard.

"Wesley? What are you doing here?" Wow, he looked different. Kara had mentioned what he was like now, but Buffy hadn't internalized it.

"Buffy – I never expected to see you here, of all places. I've, uh, been handling my father's affairs," he said quietly. The glasses were gone, and he was scruffy from a couple days without shaving.

"Oh…was he here when…the…?"

"The attack took place? Yes…he was on the Board, as our family have been Watchers almost as long as the Giles family has. You look well."

"Thanks. You look…different, and good, too, considering…oh! This is my boyfriend, Sebastian Pierce. This is Wesley, my Watcher after the Council fired Giles," she stated.

"Pleased to meet you. That, uh, wasn't exactly my finest hour, back then. Kara has spoken of you very highly, Mr. Pierce. It seems these are times to know who your true friends are."

"Are you staying here long, Wes?"

"I don't know. My mother is alone, now, with just the servants. I plan to stay until I know for sure she's alright."

"Of course. Well, take care. I wish this was under better circumstances."

"As do I, Buffy. Good luck in your investigation." He shook hands with them, then got off on the first floor. Buffy and Sebastian continued to the ground level and out to the street. A car was waiting for them to take them back to the knight's home.

"When did you call for a car?" Buffy asked, confused.

"I didn't. I told my driver to be out front waiting for us to leave the building."

"You really are a big cheese over here, huh?"

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Later in the evening…

"Wow, you look fantastic. Did I forget we have plans already?" Sebastian wondered.

"Nope. I just decided that we should go clubbing." Buffy was wearing high-heel boots, leather pants, a black halter, and a necklace with a tiny vial pendant. Her hair was pulled back in a sleek ponytail, and her eyes were rimmed with smoky shadow.

"You want to go dancing on our first night?" he asked, confused.

"Not exactly, though it's a good cover."

"Buffy, I'm missing some key information, here. Maybe you could bring me up to speed?"

She smiled indulgently and walked over to stand in front of him. "Kara gave me a reference for a high-class demon bar. I figured we could go spread our rumor there, or get some info."

"I don't think they'll want to talk to you, sweetheart. They're going to sense you're a Slayer from the moment you walk through the door."

"Not with this," she replied, holding up the pendant. "Willow made it up, gave it to me before we left. It masks my Slayer signature. If we have to get rowdy, they'll think I'm just some kind of demon chick. Hence the outfit. Do you think it's too slutty?"

"For a demon bar? No, definitely not."

"Cool! Go get changed. You look like a college professor."

"Hey!"

"A cute one!" she called, heading out of the bedroom to get a snack before they left.

Sebastian grumbled and muttered to himself as he crossed the room to his closet. He chose black jeans, a tight black sweater, and a studded belt to go with his usual combat boots. It was always a safe bet to be prepared for a fight, if he was out with Buffy.

"Well, do I pass inspection?" he asked, finding her in the kitchen.

Buffy played with his hair a bit. "There, all done. Let's get our coats and head out. Do you have cash on you?"

"Always, why?" he asked warily.

"'Cause Kara mentioned that this place might be expensive."

"Buffy…," he complained.

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Sebastian liked this idea even less, once he saw the place they were heading to.

"Q's? You want to go in there?"

"That's what she said it was called. The address is correct, too. What's the big deal?"

He sighed. "Did you bring any weapons with you?"

"Do cats like milk? Come on, you big baby. It can't be any worse than Willy's."

Buffy pulled him towards the bouncer, who she gave her best flirtatious smile. He put his hand on her shoulder, stopping her from walking in.

"We're full tonight."

"Aw, really? But I had my heart set on dancing! It doesn't look to be that full," she said sweetly, putting on a pout.

"Now you done it, mate. She's pulled out the lip. Down right evil, that is. What say we give her a reason to put it away, just for tonight, hmm?" Sebastian said, slipping two large bills into the bouncer's hand.

The bouncer turned and looked inside, then back to the couple. "Seems we're not as full as I thought. Have fun."

Buffy smiled, and winked, as she passed through. "Thanks."

She was nearly overwhelmed by her demon radar going off, now she was inside the club. Buffy had never been around this many demons in a relatively small space before, and some of them felt quite powerful. She walked to the bar, Sebastian right behind her, and ordered something sweet.

"Anything for you, sir?" the bartender (a vampire) asked.

"Vodka martini."

"I didn't know you liked martinis," she whispered to her boyfriend.

"On certain occasions. It's part of the image. You're judged on what you drink."

Once the bartender handed Sebastian his glass, Buffy pulled a piece of paper out of her pocket. It was a Xeroxed photo of the Amulet.

"Ever seen anybody wearing one of these?" she asked the vampire.

"Nope. I'd remember something gaudy like that. You might want to ask Silas, in the back. He deals in fancy trinkets." The bartender pointed her towards a guarded door.

"Thanks." Sebastian discreetly passed him a tip.

"Hi. Pretty boy over there told us we could find Silas in here. I'd like to talk a little business," Buffy said to the bouncer.

"Buy-in is five-hundred."

"Pardon me?" she asked.

"For the poker game, sweetness. Sorry, you know how blondes are," Sebastian added, rolling his eyes. The guard chuckled, and stepped aside. "Thank you. We won't be but a moment."

Five demons sat around the table, a couple of them with female companions standing behind them.

"Which one of you is Silas?" Sebastian asked.

"Who wants to know?" He appeared human, and was dressed in a cheap suit, with rings on every finger.

Sebastian handed over the picture. "Just wanting to do a little business. Find that for me, and there'll be a hefty commission in it for you. Call the number on the back when you know something."

"Don' I get a name?"

"Not necessary. Good evening, gentlemen." He nodded to the room and guided Buffy out the way they came.

The couple found a table and finished their drinks. Buffy didn't feel comfortable going out on the crowded dance floor, so they left, and hailed a cab.

"Do you think this'll work?"

"It's our best shot, for now. Maybe we'll have better clues once the scroll is identified."

"You were pretty cool in there, honey," she said.

"Just years of practice, love."

"Well, it's nice to watch you work."

"Thank you."

Buffy called home once they were back at the house, to update her mother, then left a message for Giles about what they had done for the evening. She and Sebastian had a late supper, then broke in his king-size bed.

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Buffy called Lydia the next two mornings, wanting progress on the scroll hunt. They still didn't have an answer for her. Later that day, a call came in on the untraceable mobile number Sebastian had handed to the demon.