Chapter Two
Below the Surface
The sun rose and alarms went off. Giles awoke when Buffy's alarm went off and shut it off. Buffy blinked and looked around. She frowned in confusion when she saw Giles.
"Morning. What are you doing here?" He chuckled and sat down next to her.
"I was waiting for you to wake up." She sighed in frustration.
"That's not what I meant and you know it."
"I do." he said, shifting. She frowned waiting. He finally gave in and explained. He could tell as she averted her gaze that the nightmare was more than just crawling from her coffin-although, that was bad enough. He placed a hand on her cheek. She didn't look at him, not even when he turned her head. "Buffy, are you alright?" he asked quietly. Her gazed snapped to them. He wasn't prepared for the raw anger he saw.
"Alright? Yeah, fine Giles." she said bitterly. "I'm perfectly fine. Happy to be back, happy to be alive. I'm just not in the mood to jump up and down, screaming it from the rooftop." She jerked away from him and rolled off the bed.
"That was a stupid question, I understand that, but I...I don't know what to do Buffy." he said gently. "I don't know how I can help you get through this."
"Help?" she asked quietly. He looked at her.
"Yes Buffy, help." Her lost looking gaze turned hard then blank.
"I'm tired of everyone trying to 'help'. All Willow, Tara, Xander and Anya wanted to do was help-themselves that is." she added in a whisper. Shaking her head, she left the room and headed down the stairs. Dawn, Willow and Tara were all eating. There was eggs and pancakes, which meant Tara had made breakfast and Dawn had come down during the last few minutes of cooking.
"Morning Buffy." Willow said with bright smile. The never discussed it, but after the first nightmare, Dawn had asked Buffy what they were about. Her response wasn't nice and made the three silently agree not to talk to Buffy about the nightmares.
"Morning." she replied absently while picking at her food. She looked at Giles, who was watching her as he ate. "Can we do some training today?" He wiped his mouth and smiled.
"If you want to." Buffy nodded and went back to picking at her food. No one commented, but they all watched. After ten minutes, everyone stood and cleaned up. The three hurriedly left as Buffy drew the water for the dishes. She and Giles washed in silence. Once everything was dried and put away, she went to the living room to straiten up.
He made tea and thought, knowing something was wrong-or going to be anyway. His thoughts turned to Willow, and his fists clenched. Willow Rosenberg was in so much trouble, he couldn't even measure it. He was worried about her though. There was a feeling that surrounded the four, but it was mainly focused on Willow. She had major debts to pay, and they weren't to anyone of, or on, this world.
"Giles, your water's whistling." Buffy called from the living room. He snapped from his thoughts and turned off the stove. After making two cups, he carried them into the living room, where Buffy was attempting to get to something behind the couch by sticking her head down with her hand.
"Why don't you just move the couch?" he asked, setting down one of the cups. She glared at him and went back to her retrieval. Less then a minute later, she pulled her head from behind the couch, followed by her hand. In it was clutched a sword. "God lord, I was looking for that! How on earth did it get back there?" he question, rubbing his glasses. Giles caught her grin and shot his hand out to catch the sword.
"Go Giles." she said approvingly. He raised an eyebrow. "What?"
"I trained you, I think it's safe to say I would know how to catch a bloody sword." She pouted and grabbed her tea. He sighed. "Buffy..."
"Yeah?"
"Could you possible tell me what is troubling you?"
"Wada ya mean?" she asked, head tilted. Usually, Buffy was a terrible liar. But it wasn't hard to lie when you showed no emotions. He took off his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose.
"I-I mean what is bothering you. You didn't eat and won't talk to Willow, Tara or Dawn." She stood and went over to the bookshelf. After pulling down a few books, she pulled out a bag of dried flowers. Then, she went to another shelf and repeated the process, except for the fact that she pulled down two hidden books and a notepad. Buffy tossed them on his lap and sat on the couch again, knees to her chest, arms around her legs, chin on her knees.
"I"ll talk to Dawn. I do talk to Dawn." He was looking at the bag and the books, not really paying attention to her muttering.
"Lethe's Bramble, the flower commonly used in memory charms and mind control spells." he said. Buffy looked at him, waiting. He flipped through the spell book for a moment and snapped it shut. Ripper stared at the book, anger rising fast. He opened the notebook. After a few minutes, it went flying across the room. Buffy caught it before it hit the lamp. She tried to read it, but didn't understand much on the first to pages and gave up.
"Giles?" He was pacing and muttering, spell book in hand. "Giles, what is it?" she asked worriedly. He kept pacing. She got up and stopped him, grabbing his shoulders in a firm grip. He looked down at her. Ripper calmed slightly. "What's wrong with the books?"
"It's the bloody resurrection spell." he growled. "The Urn of Osiris!" He returned to his pacing, oblivious of Buffy, who was shaking like a leaf and gasping softly. She stumbled form the room, memories crashing into her. A crash sent him running to her. "Buffy!" he cried. She was in the hallway between the study and the living room, on the floor. There was a broken vase beside her.
"Buffy, you must hold still before you hurt yourself." he said in a gentle tone. She looked at him, still shaking. Breathing was becoming a real issue, and her vision was get fuzzy around the edges. She stared at him.
"She-she-...blood...deer..." she gasped out before rolling on her side and heaving. Nothing came up after a few heaves, since she hadn't eaten. Ripper lifted her to his chest, standing. Breathing became easier as she felt and heard his heartbeat under her ear. "I watched...kill...not 'live..." she mumbled.
"Shh. You can tell me later." he said, rubbing her back as he leading into the couch. They sat there for over half an hour and he didn't ask her anything, just said comforting words until he was sure she was fine. The shaking was gone and her vision was clear. She was curled in his lap, face buried in his shoulder. "Buffy?"
"Hmm?"
"Would you like to tell me what you were saying earlier?" She tensed up. "It's alright, you don't have to." She opened her mouth as the phone rang. He moved to get it but was stopped by her whimpers. The machine picked up.
"Hey guys, it's Willow. Tara and I don't have out afternoon class, so we'll probably be back after lunch. Unless, this is just me wasting tape, because you guys are already gone. Ok, bye now." The machine beeped. Buffy was shaking her head vigorously.
"Nonononononononononononono..." she kept saying no over and over and over again until he gently stopped her shaking head.
"Buffy, 'no' what?"
"Willow." she said, sounding like a hurt child. "She...she..."
"She what?" he asked, fear in his voice. Buffy closed her eyes and gave herself over to the memory so Giles can hear.
"Adonai, Helomi, Pine. The gods do command thee from thy majesty. Oh Mappa Laman, Adonai, Helomi. Come forward, blessed one. Know your calling." she said, sounding just like Willow had. She opened her eyes and they were blood red. He pulled back. She blinked and the cleared before tears filled them and spilt. "She killed the baby deer." she whined. He held her hand and snatched the books up. After flipping through the pages, Ripper found what he wanted. With hiss, he flung them to the farthest chair and held her to his chest.
"My Buffy. After all this time..." His rage made her cringe. His Slayer, one of the longest lived Slayers ever, was crying her eyes out to him. Nothing seemed to scare her before. Not demons or the looming end of the world. Now, she was afraid of her best friend. The one he'd come to realize, didn't save her from hell, but condemned her to it. "My angel." he said into her hair. She sobbed harder. A smart man, Rupert Giles logically knew where she'd been. But it was somewhat easier for him to think she had been in hell. After a long bout of crying, she fell into an exhausted sleep. He sat on the couch for over an hour and a half. And then the front door opened.
Willow was happy to go home early. Even for her, the lectures were boring to tears that morning. She and Tara had hoped they two had been training, and not in the house either. They'd talked all the way from campus, and it sure wasn't about their classes.
"-and trial the ice all the way down." Willow said. Tara blushed.
"Willow!"
"What?" she asked, smiling as she shut the door.
"Wil, Buffy's home. I saw her car." she chided, going into the living room. The smile fell from her as she froze. "Hi Giles. W-what's wrong w-w-with B-Buffy?" she stuttered, scared of the look on his face. Willow bounced into the room and stopped, also frozen.
"Giles, what's wrong?" she asked, looking at the two with alarm. Giles made a sharp gesture to the books then swung his arm towards Willow. They zoomed from the chair at a fast speed and she put her arms up to block them. But the books stopped, inches from her face, pages open to the resurrection ritual.
"What were you THINKING?!" he roared, standing with Buffy cradled to his chest. Buffy shifted and frowned, but didn't awaken. He set her on the couch then took threatening steps towards Willow. "How could you do something so bloody stupid?! Blood Willow! Dark magics! Did you not consider the consequences?!"
"G-G-Giles, I-I-I don't t-t-think that t-t-there's-" Tara broke off.
"Don't try to defend her Tara." He turned back to Willow. "You did more than you think Willow."
"Like what?" she spat. "Bringing Buffy back? Crossing line, messing with forces I shouldn't? We've been THROUGH this Giles!" she yelled, eyes darkening.
"Tenere." he hissed, eyes narrowed. "Do not threaten me Willow Rosenberg." Ripper growled. In a blink of an eyes, he was behind her, arm locking hers at the elbows, his other arm around her neck. The holding spell only lasted a moment, but it was all he needed. She was engulfed in Ripper's magic-and it FAR surpassed her own.
"Get...off!" she said, struggling. He tightened his hold. Tara was shaking, but didn't move to intervene. Instead, she sat on the couch, pulling Buffy's head into her lap. She twitched from the magic.
"Learn your place! You are NOTHING compared to those before you!" He pushed her away. She stumbled then regained her footing.
"No Willow!" Tara commanded. Giles fisted his hands. "If you go after Giles, then I'm out. I'll go back to my dorm." Willow's dark eyes instantly turned on her lover in disbelief. They slowly lightened to their normal color. She slumped and sat in an armchair. Giles was about to take his seat on the couch that Tara had given back, when Buffy's eyes snapped open. Gasping for air, she shakily reached for Giles' hand. He grasped it. She looked at Willow before promptly rolling onto her stomach and puking over the side of the couch. He held her hair back and rubbed her back.
"Buffy?" Tara asked gently. The Slayer looked at the blond witch for a second before averting her gaze. "Are you alright?"
"Fine." she said, wiping her mouth on her sleeve. Willow left to get something to clean the mess up with. She lent against Giles' chest and took a deep breath. Willow returned and cleaned the area, trying to catch Buffy's gaze. She did and recoiled. The cold hatred in the blond's eyes was frightening, almost as much as the pain.
"B-B-Buffy?" Willow asked, standing. Buffy slowly got off the couch and faced the redhead.
"Don't talk to me Willow. You have nothing that I want to hear...except mabey an apology."
"For what?" Buffy smiled cruelly.
"'For what?'" she mimicked. "For yanking me into literal hell. I've never been to one, but I know I'm there now. Granted, I didn't see angel with wings, floating on clouds, but close enough." She took another step towards the witch, who took a tiny one back, denial in her eyes. "I was happy, and a peace, and I was finished. It was time for my rest. But you wouldn't let me have it, would you?"
"Buffy." Tara whispered, horrified. Buffy ignored her.
"I remember watching you Willow. You shot down every objection they made. You manipulated them so they'd do the fucking spell, with no consideration to me!"
"I-I-I thought y-you were in hell." she said, frightened. Buffy was inches from her face.
"I wasn't, but I am now." and with that, she turned on her heel and headed towards the basement. Giles looked at Tara with sympathy and followed. Tara glared at Willow and went after them. Willow pulled herself up off the floor and left for the Magic Box, where Xander would be in forty-five minutes for lunch.
Buffy was punching the bag. Actually, she was trying to make a hole. Giles stood less then ten feet away, watching. He laid a hand on her shoulder as Tara quietly crept down the steps. Buffy closed her eyes and uncurled then re-curled her fists. He squeezed on her shoulder and she slumped.
"What can I do to help?" Tara asked in a soft voice.
"I need to get away. From here, everybody." She laughed bitterly. "And the Hellmouth will see that I don't." Giles was looking at the ceiling, trying to figure something out.
"We can take care of the things here." Buffy turned and smiled great fully and regretfully.
"Tara, it was summer. Demon activity is usually lower in summer." Tara's face set in a determined expression.
"How long do you need?"
"There's no telling and it doesn't matter, I can't go."
"Yes you can." Giles said. "They dealt over the summer. Willow, Xander and I dealt four years ago." Buffy ducked her head and interjected her statement before he could continue.
"I feel bad enough about that year thank you very much."
"I am not trying to make you feel bad Buffy. I'm only trying to point out that they can deal with the Hellmouth for a while." She snorted.
"Giles, last summer, it was all of you, minus Dawn, and a fucking robot. And have I ever said how creepy it is to see your head detached from your body?"
"Buffy, you des-should go." Tara amended. She looked at Giles.
"Buffy, how would you like to go to England?" Buffy gaped for a full minute. Then her eyes filled with tears.
"You're going to leave?"
"Oh, no, no. I-would you like to go to England for a few months? I'm not leaving."
"Can't go. Hellmouth. Dawn." Tara smiled grimly.
"We can, and will, deal. Even Dawn would probably like for you to have time to yourself. To heal." Buffy thought it over while exercising for half an hour. The other two sat down.
"If I go, can we stop by the Watchers Council?" He gave her a "why-on-earth-would-you-want-to-do-something-as-stupid-and-boring-as-that-while-on-vacation?" look. She grinned. "Because, it's fun to make all the Watchers turn red and sputtery. And, I wanna have a go at our favoritest Watcher." He raised an eyebrow. "Travers. He's due for a good reminder of who's boss." Giles laughed and Tara smiled slightly. "It'll be fun, right?" she asked, eyes shining.
"I imagine you'll find it fascinating until it sinks in that there's no mall within walking distance." He dodged the glove she threw at him. "I believe it may be exactly what is needed."
"No magic right?" she asked, frowning. His eyes hardened.
"Not much." He hurried on at the cautious and fallen look. "Just enough to put up some wards, to make sure we'll be cloaked." Buffy and Tara both nodded. Buffy split into a 1000-watt smile and hugged him, despite him still sitting.
"Thank you Watcher-mine!" Giles hugged her back. She pulled away, kissed him on the cheek, and sat down next to him. He was blushing beet red as she rested her head on his shoulder. Tara was fighting a losing battle with the smile on her face.
"I-we'll need your help Tara." Giles said. She nodded. "It's going to be hard getting out of the country without a fuss. You'll need to keep a watch on Willow." Her face tightened.
"I know. I should have been watching her since Glory." she said guiltily. "Over the summer, I-I tried not to think about it." Tara hung her head. "All those spells..."
"It's not your fault Tara." Giles said.
"It's not." Buffy said, reaching around the Watcher to grab her hand. "I watched Tara. It's not your fault, or anyone else's. It's Willow's." Tara wiped away the rapidly forming tears at the reminder of what she'd done to Buffy.
"I could have stopped her." Buffy shook her head.
"No, you couldn't have, and you know it." she chided gently.
"When do you want to leave?" Tara asked Giles, returning to the first topic. He thought about it while looking at Buffy.
"Soon. Within a week if it is possible." he said, running a hair down Buffy's hair like a loving caress. "The sooner, the better." Tara nodded.
"When I go back upstairs, I'll start looking for plain tickets. You're going to need a day flight." she added, mind working fast. "Where are you going to be staying?" Giles pulled off his glasses.
"I'm not sure exactly. I'm inclined to somewhere in the country but-"
"Don't I get a vote?" Buffy asked. The other two flushed.
"Of course, my apologies." Giles said. Buffy said nothing else. "Well?"
"I just wanted to be sure." she said with a grin. Tara giggled and Giles rolled his eyes towards the ceiling, lips moving.
"Would the country be good?" he asked, replacing his glasses. She beamed.
"Perfectly fine." she said perkily.
"I was thinking about Bath o-or somewhere near it."
"It's eight hours ahead in Bath." Buffy said with a frown. Giles stared at her. She shrugged. "You told me that once. Besides, I've got to know how many hours my internal slaying clock'll be behind." He chuckled and rested a hand on her shoulder.
"I dare say, you'll have a better time adjusting to the time zones than I shall."
"Still a stuffy Brit." Buffy complained with sighed and playful twinkle in her eyes.
"Seeing as we shall be spending time in Britain, I suppose that is a good thing." he said. Tara stood and headed towards the stairs, knowing that then needed time without her. He shifted, turning towards the inside corner of the couch, and pulled her to his chest. He'd forgone usual distance he'd always kept between them in the past two days.
"Gi-" Her eyebrows furrowed. She hesitated with the name then plowed on. "R-Rupert, tell me about Bath?" she asked, craning her neck to look at him. He was startled by hearing his given name, but smiled.
"It's amazing my dear heart. The area has warm springs and mineral waters. Some people believe the springs and waters have health-giving qualities, which may be entirely possible in light of everything I've seen over the years." he added. She snickered slightly.
"Sounds pretty." she said with a sigh. He squeezed her.
"I only went there once, with my grandmother as a small child. I don't recall much ov the visit, but I know I had fun." They talked for an hour. Once the couple went upstairs, Tara had printed off five choices for tickets for Giles to compare and had pulled up some information about Bath for Buffy to look at. Buffy began reading and Giles began comparing while Tara stood to make tea. less then ten minutes later, she returned with a pot of tea. Both reached for a cup. Buffy had grown used to tea after being around Giles for so long, but she'd never admit it. Tara smiled and sipped her own cup.
"Green tea Tara?" Giles asked, looking up from his notes he'd made.
"It seemed fitting." she said with a shrug and a small blush.
"I believe this would be the best one." Giles said, holding up a paper. Buffy looked up from the articles briefly, smiled, and went back to reading.
"I'll book it... how many days do you want to wait?" Tara asked as she made her way back to the computer. Giles looked at Buffy.
"I think that two days would be enough. I'd prefer to leave sooner but..." he trailed off. Both blonds nodded in understanding. "What time is it?" he asked suddenly. Buffy looked at the clock.
"Um...after two. Dawn'll be home soon." she added. He nodded. "Bath seems really cool Giles." He chuckled.
"It's actually quiet warm." She stuck out her tongue and he chuckled. Tara smiled and the trio began planning.
A N: ten pages. Any comments? Ideas? Please review.