Disclaimers: All the characters in this story belong to Joss Whedon.
Chapter 15: Snooping
The room seemed so quiet. He warmed his big hands up on the mug of hot choclate that Buffy had made him. Speaking of Buffy she had gone to call Giles to let him know to come and get Spike. He seemed a bit distracted when she was first explaining but when she said that he had been stabbed he went into panic mode. The slayer had also said that they couldn't discuss what had happen because her mom was home and that she couldn't risk her finding out about her. The watcher agreed and said that he would be over in a short while and would wait outside in his car when he arrived. She walked back in the room, mug in hand and sat on the chair opposite him.
"He'll be here soon,"
He blew the hot chocolate to cool it down and watched the marshmeollows go round before he took a sip of it and he smiled.
"That is one hell of a hot chocolate you make Summers,"
"Thanks, my mom taught me how to make it...so...erm where's your mom?" Buffy said and watched his head raise to meet her gase. She shifted uncomfortably under his gase. Spike sagged his shoulders slightly.
"Last I heard she was living in New York (shrugs) don't hear much from her but she does send me birthday and christmas cards every year, normally with some cash in...other than that she doesn't bother to call or write, just goes to show how much I mean to her," a sarcastic chuckle escaped his lips.
She didn't know what to say to him. He visably looked upset so she pursed her lips and hesitated for a moment or two before she stood up and sat next to him on the sofa. Only a few inches in between them. She tilted her head a little.
"At least she still sends you cards, so in fact it's not too bad, it's not like she has completely forgot about you..." her voice trailed off and she sounded sad as she spoke.
Her dropped to the floor and Spike looked at her baffled. A frown had formed across his features as he looked at her and tried to figure out what she meant. He had never seen her dad around so maybe that was it. He placed his hand on her back and rubbed hesitantly as if to comfort her. Buffy lifted her gase to meet his and tears fell onto her cheeks. His thumb wiped them away and he spoke softly.
"Your dad is an idiot for abbandoning you and the bit,"
She smiled and corrected him.
"And Adrian (hears a car pulling up) that's your dad,"
Spike was staring at her as she said this and gave a half smile, then an eye roll. Spike finished his hot chocolate, got up and grabbed his coat. They walked to the door together and he walked out to go to the car and turned back.
"Thanks for patching me up,"
"Well thank you for stepping in before I was chopped up into lilttle pieces," she stated as if it was an eye for an eye. You saved me so I patch you up sort of thing.
"Right,"
"You better go," she pointed to Giles in the car, looking rather aggitated.
"Right, see you around then, pet,"
Spike turned away, got into his dad's car and Buffy stood watching them as they drove off.
The next morning the gang were all in the library, sat round the table, except the slayer. Xander had pointed out that he didn't see the point of Spike being there until Spike showed him the bandage on his shoulder. Willow gasped and Xander looked on curiously.
"The sods stabbed me, ruined the leather and that's why my (clears his throat) shiny, white bum is here,"
"I know he is an annoying idiot (Spike glares at her) and he is pigheaded and arrogant but if it wasn't for him then I would be in little bitty pieces," Buffy pointed out. Xander rolled his eyes at Buffy.
"Buffy, c'mon, wake up and smell the seduction. It's the oldest trick in the book,"
She looked at him in disbelief. "What? Saving my life? Getting stabbed in the shoulder?...yeah really seducing me Xand," she said angrily.
"Duh! I mean, guys'll do anything to impress a girl. I-I once drank an entire gallon of Gatorade without taking a breath," Xander stated, grinning. Now the bleach blonde was rolling his eyes.
"Just because you think thats "seducing" a girl doesn't mean the rest of us do, whelp,"
"It was pretty impressive. Although later there was an ick factor," the red head told the group.
Giles came over to the table, book in hand. "Can we steer this riveting conversation back to the events that happened earlier in the evening? (Buffy sits down) You left the Bronze and were set upon by three unusually virile vampires. (puts a book in front of her) Did they look like this?" She looked the picture over and over and nodded her head.
"Yeah. What's with the uniforms?" she enquired
"It seems you encountered the Three. Warrior vampires, very proud and very strong," the watcher explained. Willow frowned a little and turned to Giles.
"How is it you always know this stuff? You always know what's going on. I never know what's going on," she was obviously disappointed at the fact that he knew more than her.
"Well, you weren't up from midnight until six researching it,"
"No, I was sleeping,"
Spike took a peek at the book in front of Buffy. Those were definitely the guys that had stabbed him. The Three? Seemed really like an assasionation group or something.
"So, who are they?" Giles' son enquired.
Giles removed his glasses, cleaned them and put them back on. That was never a good sign. He had learnt over the years that when something bad happened or he didn't want to see something he would always do the glasses routine.
"From what I can remember, The three work for a vampire called The Master...now The Master has been around for a very long time...last I heard he-he was buried in the hell mouth because of an earthquake, the fact that The Three are now around can only mean one thing..." Giles sounded glum.
"and that is?" Xander willed him to carry on.
"The Master is planning on rising,"
The Master's lair. "We failed in our duty, and now our lives belong to you," one of the three said.
He handed the Master a spear. The Master passed it to Lucas. He started to walk around behind the Three as the Master went over to Collin.
"Pay attention, child. You are the Anointed, and there is much you must learn. (crouches beside him) With power comes responsibility. True, they did fail, but also true, we who walk at night share a common bond. The taking of a life -- I'm not talking about humans, of course -- is a serious matter," One of the Three raised his head in hope.
"So you would spare them?" the boy said
"Hmm. (gets up) I am weary, and their deaths will bring me little joy," The Master began to walk away, and Collin followed. Lucas watched them go and smiled. He lifted the spear and dispatched the first of the Three. The Master stopped and turned to Collin.
"Of course, sometimes a little is enough," he grinned
He looked over at Lucas as he killed the next one, then continued away.
Giles had set out a sign that read 'Library CLOSED for filing. Please come back tomorrow.' Buffy was checking out the weapons cabinet
. "Cool! Crossbow! (lifts it out, sees the bolts) Huh. Check out these babies. (takes out a bolt) Hmm. Goodbye stakes, hello flying fatality. What can I shoot?" she said excitement in her voice.
"Um, nothing. The crossbow comes later,"
He took the crossbow from her and went to put it back. Buffy was disappointed and pouting.
"You must first become proficient with the basic tools of combat. (Buffy looks bored) And let's begin... (comes back with two poles) ...with the quarterstaff. Which, incidentally, will, uh, require countless hours of vigorous training. (hands her one) I speak from experience,"
She looked quizzically at the stick and raised a brow at it.
"Giles, 20th Century? I'm not gonna be fighting Friar Tuck,"
"You never know with whom or what you'll be fighting. (puts on his head pads) And these traditions have been handed down through the ages. (grabs his staff) Now, you show me good, steady progress with the quarterstaff, and in due course we'll discuss the crossbow. Put on your pads," the watcher told his slayer.
Buffy started to laugh.
"I'm not gonna need pads to fight you," she kindly pointed out.
" Well, we'll see about that. En garde!"
He made several thrusts and she parried them all. She took the offensive, pushed his staff to the floor and punched him in the face. She came around with the staff into his back, and again to knock his legs out from under him. He fell onto his back. She stood over him. Giles looked stunned as he spoke.
"Good. Let's move on to the crossbow,"
A little brunette was sneaking in their way to Buffy's room. Dawn. She knew something was going on with her sister. First sneaking out and thinking no one would notice. Most nights rolling in at 10pm or sometimes a little bit earlier and giving some lame excuse about 'Studying' after school. She knew where all the answers would be. In her diary. So Dawn entered her big sister's room and grimaced at the stuffed pig on the bed. Mr Gordo. She began to look on all the table tops with no luck. She then started on the drawers. Riffling through the underwear, tops, socks etc and the little jewellery drawer by the side of the bed. She had checked everywhere and there was one place left. The other drawer on the other side of her bed. Dawn hurried over to it and tried to pull it open but it was locked. She huffed as she remembered she had seen a key somewhere. As she was riffuling around Buffy's desk, She entered. The littlest Summers quickly found a pen and picked it up.
"Dawn, what are you doing in my room?" she questioned, brows raised, arms folded and foot tapping on the floor.
Dawn's eyes widened and she held the pink, fluffy pen up.
"I-I was just taking my pen back," she explained as she walked away.
Buffy sighed and followed her out and down the stairs.
"You better not of been snooping Dawnie,"
"What? Me? Snooping? (laughs nervously) you are so blonde!" she exclaimed.
The girls entered the living room to see Joyce looking out of the window.
"Hey, what's going on?" Buffy asked
Dawn peeked out the window. She saw two removal vans and a silver car by the house next door.
"Looks like someone has bought Mr and Mrs Finlay's house," their mother expained. At number 1632 a slim looking, middle aged woman stood at the front door, holding it open for the removal men to get the stuff in. A young, blonde girl came up to the woman. She was about 5"3, had blue eyes and looked about 18 or 19. The woman smiled and put her arm around the girl.
"I think we'll settle in well here, don't you?" she spoke with a British accent.
The girl nodded a bit and smiled.
"Y-yeah I think w-we will...but what about d-dad?" the teen stuttered and spoke with a Birttish/American accent.
The woman frowned at her daughter and then sighed.
"Well... Rupert will be surprised to see us...come on Tara we've got packing to finish,"
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