Usual disclaimers...
Buffy and company is Joss Whedon's. Gary Hobson and friends is TriStar's. Chicago and environs are real, just not our reality. Not making a dime off of this, please don't sue.
Rated PG-13 for violence and mild swearing
Part 3
The group from California showed up at McGinty's at 7:00. Fortunately, the Paper hadn't demanded much more from Gary that day, and he actually had some time to get ready for guests. Not knowing what else to do (what was the proper thing to serve to visiting vampire slayers?), Gary had ordered salads from the restaurant connected to his bar and some pizzas from a place down the street. Hey, everyone liked Chicago-style pizza, right?
They devoured the food with great enthusiasm. The tall brunette, whose name was Cordelia limited herself to the salad, which did not surprise Gary. What did surprise him was the way Buffy went for the pizza. She saw him looking at her, smiled, and said, "Slayer metabolism. About the only good thing about this gig." That was the only mention of why they were there during dinner; there seemed to be some unspoken agreement to keep the conversation light while they ate. (except for Cordelia, who seemed very interested in the fact that he owned not only McGinty's but the entire building. She asked more questions about the business than his accountant). They were informal with each other, heck, the kids didn't call Mr. Giles Mr. Giles - they addressed him as Giles, and he didn't seem to mind.
The teens were polishing off the last of the pizza when a soft knock came at the door. Gary felt relieved; it must be Marissa. She knew about the Paper, and he could count on her help him with the latest strangeness that had been thrown his way.
"Door's open," he called out. The door swung open, revealing an elegant black woman, holding a guide dog's harness.
"Hi Marissa, hi Spike," said Gary. He was going to start the introductions, when his guests' reactions froze his words. Cordelia had given a small scream and she had hidden herself behind a pillar. The boy, Oz, had moved quickly to Willow's side. Giles and Buffy had both jumped up, Buffy's chair falling back with a clatter. Buffy had pulled a wooden stick out of her ponytail, and was holding it like a knife.
Marissa paused at the door, uncertain. "Gary?" she called.
"Ah, it's ok Marissa. I have some guests I need you to meet." He turned to the others. "This is Marissa Clark, my friend and business partner. And that's Spike, her guide dog." At this, his guests relaxed, and Buffy looked abashed. She picked up her chair.
"Sorry. It's just that we know this vamp named Spike. He's really bad news."
"The worst," agreed Willow.
"Gary?" said Marissa again. "Is everything alright?"
Giles had walked up to Gary, and said softly, "Do you really wish to involve her?"
"It's ok," replied Gary. "She knows about the Paper." He raised his voice. "Come on in and sit down, Marissa. The Paper has thrown me something really bizarre this time."
She walked into the apartment with assurance, obviously knowing the layout of the furniture. Giles pulled out a chair for her with a murmured, "Allow me." She smiled and settled into the seat nearest Gary. Her dog lay down at her feet. Everyone gathered around the table and looked at Gary expectantly. Well, it was his party, so he guessed he was in charge of starting the festivities.
"Ah, well Marissa, the others here are Willow Rosenberg, Cordelia Chase, Buffy Summers, Rupert Giles and , er, Oz."
"Oz?" she repeated
"They're from California," explained Gary. "And, to make a long story really short, they found out about the Paper."
"How?" exclaimed Marissa. Gary gave her the description of his day, starting out with his splashy death notice and ending with Cat's endorsement of his guests.
"Well, I suppose if it's ok with Cat," started Marissa, her voice still doubtful. She paused a moment, and stated, "There's something you're not telling me."
"Yeah, well this is the strange part. Judging from the newspaper story, our guests believe that the killers are, well, vampires."
"Vampires," she said weakly.
"And Buffy here is a Slayer..."
"The Slayer," corrected Giles.
"Yeah, that's me, the Chosen One," chimed in Buffy.
"Except now there's two Chosen Ones," added Oz.
"On account that Buffy was dead, and another Slayer was called," added Willow helpfully.
"Only Xander found Buffy in time and gave her CPR," said Cordelia.
"And I got better," continued Buffy, "And here I am, to take care of the few vampires who haven't moved to Sunnydale."
"Thus ruining any chance of having one horror-free weekend," complained Cordelia.
By this point, Marissa looked as confused as Gary felt. He needed to take control of this conversation.
"Saying this is all true, which I'm not," said Gary, "what do I do?"
"You stay out of the alley, I dust 'em, we party." stated Buffy. "Just another night's work."
"What about the tourists?" asked Oz. We gotta keep them out of the alley."
"Very good point, Oz," said Giles. There was a long pause.
"Coupons." said Marissa.
They all stared at her. "Coupons?" asked Willow.
"We had coupons printed up for McGinty's - a special promotion. Maybe some of you could stand in front of the alley and hand out the coupons. That would distract people from, well, whatever it is you do? Is killing vampires noisy work?" Marissa said these last few words like she could hardly believe they were coming out of her mouth.
"It can be," stated Buffy. She looked at the clock on the wall. "Aren't we getting close to party time?" Did everyone get the supplies?"
The others went to bags they had left by the door. They came back and started dumping the supplies on his table.
"Holy water, courtesy of the chapel at DePaul," said Willow, pulling several small bottles out of her bag.
"And crosses from the religious bookstore." Oz added the items to the pile.
"What about stakes?" asked Buffy.
"There is a certain dearth of lumber stores in the Chicago Loop." said Giles. "We'll just have to improvise."
"Could you break up some packing crates?" asked Marissa. "Our good wine comes in wood cases, not cardboard boxes."
"That would do splendidly," responded Giles.
"So who gets to hand out coupons?" asked Willow.
Oz raised his hand. "I think Cordy and I should. We're both 18, so Gary won't get in trouble for employing the underaged."
"So I'll be with Buffy?" asked Willow. The others looked at her askance. "I've killed vampires before. Ok, it was just the one, and Giles had to hold it still for me, but still, that should count."
"I think it would be best if you stay with Ms. Clark, Willow. If the vampires should try to escape through the restaurant, she'll need someone with her." Giles made this pronouncement in tones of utmost reasonableness.
Willow looked mutinous, but she stopped arguing.
Giles looked at them all. "Mr. Hobson, if you would show us where those packing crates are, we can get into position."
They followed Gary out of his apartment, each of them grabbing a cross and bottle of holy water on their way out the door. Could things get any stranger, he wondered.
It took his guests only a few minutes to take their places. To Gary, it spoke of long experience at whatever it was these people did. Oz and Cordelia were in front of the alleyway, loudly handing out the coupons. Willow and Marissa stationed themselves at the restaurant's backdoor. Spike sat alertly by Marissa. Buffy was out on the street, planning to 'wander' into the alley at the proper time. Gary and Giles joined Willow and Marissa at the backdoor.
"Now, according to the newspaper," said Giles. "There are only two attackers. Buffy should be able to handle them easily, but we'll stand by just in case."
"I don't like this," fretted Gary. "She's just a kid. She shouldn't be out there while I'm in here."
"I assure you Buffy is quite good at her job. She has faced, and defeated creatures much more frightening than this."
Gary did not feel assured. "How much experience can she have. She's what, sixteen?"
"Seventeen, and she's been doing this for nearly three years now."
Gary was outraged, but any further comments he had to make cut off by a sharp motion from Giles. Spike had started to whine and fidget. "Time," said Giles.
----------------
Buffy passed by Cordelia and Oz's position. Cordelia was complaining about the cold. Buffy looked down the street and spotted two women coming down the street.
"Isn't that them, the women in the paper?" whispered Buffy.
Oz took a quick glance. "I think so."
Buffy reached into her jacket and grabbed the end of the stake hidden in the inner pocket. "Whatever you do, keep them out of the alley."
Oz nodded and turned his attention to the street. Buffy returned his nod and marched into the dark alley.
Buffy had almost reached the backdoor of McGinty's when the two vampires came of hiding. One leaned on the door, the other circled around her to cut off the way to the street. They didn't have their game faces on, not yet. They just looked like two street toughs, looking for trouble.
"Wrong way, little girl. Maybe we could help you." sneered the one leaning on the door.
"Don't think so, moron," was Buffy's reply.
"Insulting people when they have you outnumbered is real stupid," snarled the one behind her.
Buffy looked bored. "You're in my way, and why do you undead jerks have to talk all the time?"
The two looked taken aback, momentarily. Then their faces morphed into demon visages. "You talk real tough, blondie. Who do you think you are, the Slayer?" The two laughed at this.
Buffy suddenly lashed out with a kick, sending the vampire in back of her flying into some garbage cans. "Well, yes. Fangface wins a lovely parting gift." She smiled, and pulled the stake out of her jacket.
---------------
"Time," said Giles.
Even over the noise of McGinty's busy kitchen, Gary could hear the crashing of the garbage cans. Before Giles could stop him, Gary opened the door and rushed out into the alley.
"Oh, bugger," muttered Giles. "Stay with Miss Clark!" he yelled to Willow as he followed Gary outside.
Marissa looked very anxious. "Don't worry," said Willow. "It's only two of them. Buffy could dust them in her sleep, practically." She popped the cork out of a bottle of holy water.
Marissa didn't look comforted by this. "I hope you're right."
Gary's ran out into the alley just in time for one of the vampires to come flying into his arms. They both went down in a tangled heap. The vampire's face was inches from Gary face. Gary froze; he hadn't really believed his guests' story - until now. One cold, incredibly strong hand clutched his throat and squeezed. Gary, unable to breathe, started to panic. His left hand brushed against something; he grabbed it and swung it awkardly at his attacker. The vampire screamed and rolled away from Gary, clutching its face.
Gary rolled to a sitting position. Gary was confused, he knew he didn't hit it that hard. Then the vampire's hands dropped away from it's face. To Gary's amazement, there was a cross-shaped burn marring one cheek. Gary looked down to his left hand; the thing he had grabbed was one of the crosses the kids had brought this afternoon. Now he was very confused; he had not taken one from the pile on his dining room table. Maybe Cat was looking out for him. The vampire snarled and tensed, looking like it was going to leap at him. Remembering all those nights he and his friends in junior high had stayed up late watching Creature Features, Gary raised the cross in front of him. The vampire hissed, torn between its desire to tear out Gary's throat and its fear of the cross. It didn't notice Giles coming up behind it. Giles slamed a stake into its back. It screamed and twisted wildly, clutching at its back.
"Damn," said Giles. "Missed the heart."
Another shape came flying through the air and slammed against the side of the building. Buffy ran it and jabbed her stake into the creature. It gave one last yell and then, to Gary's amazement, collapsed into a pile of dust. Buffy gave a satisfied smile. "One down, one to go."
The injured vampire, seeing it was outnumbered, stumbled to its feet and ran towards the restaurant door. Gary croaked out, "Marissa! No!" The creature got the door open, and then it screamed and turned away from the door, it's face a smoking ruin. Gary could now see Willow in the doorway, holding a cross in one hand and an empty holy water bottle in the other. It backed up - right into Buffy. She smiled sweetly at it, and ran her stake through it. It, like the first one, exploded, leaving a pile on dust on the ground.
"Er, yes, well done, Buffy, Willow," said Giles.
Marissa stuck her head out the door. "Is it over?" she asked.
Gary walked over to her and put an arm around her shoulders. "Yeah, the horror movie is over. Cat gives really good character recommendations."
Oz and Cordelia wandered into the alley. They took in the piles of dust in the alley. Cordelia crossed her arms over her chest. "Can we go now?" she demanded. " I have serious shopping to do tomorrow."
End Part 3.
I've redone the fight scene three times now, and I'm still not satisfied. Constructive feedback, anyone? Many thanks to the folks who politely and privately pointed out some of my embarrassing typos in Chapter 2 - I think I fixed them all.
For folks who didn't grow up in the Chicago area in the early 1970's, Creature Features was a late-night horror movie show broadcast on weekend nights. Dracula, Frankenstein, The Mummy - ah, the classics. And for those of you who haven't seen Early Edition, Cat had a way of making sure Gary had what he needed. Gary's Powers That Be were much better employers than Buffy's!