Chapter 3
Explanations and Exclamations
Willow sat at the table, listening to the heavy breathing from her childhood friend. Xander and Anya hadn't taken the news about Buffy well. Actually, Anya just hadn't said a word. But Xander was attempting to stop tears from falling, and was barely succeeding.
"I waned you." Anya said with a scowl. She was looking at Willow. "I've been alive longer then any of you. And none of you listen to me!" she said. "I knew something was going to go wrong! This happen more then once since I became a vengeance demon! A thousand freakin' years!"
"I get it, alright?" Willow asked in a low voice. "We did bad. Bad Willow."
"No, Willow, that's not just it." Xander sighed. "I'm upset about what we did too. But, try to see it from their view. And I can not believe I am saying this." he added. Willow smiled despite herself. "We didn't tell Dawn or Giles. Hell, we didn't even tell Spike! We didn't check."
"We didn't know."
"We didn't want to know." Anya said.
"We were so selfish. I was so selfish."
"Maybe we were. I just feel weird feeling bad that my friend's not dead. It's ... too mind-boggling. So I've decided to simplify the whole thing. Me like Buffy. Buffy's alive, so, me glad." Anya snorted.
"Real mature Xander." she said. "That was sarcasm by the way." They two rolled their eyes.
"We should go over there." Xander said. Willow shook her head.
"Buffy wouldn't look at me. When she did, she got sick."
"Wow, that's depressing." Anya said. "Frankly, I don't think she'll do that if we go over there. But first, I want to finish my work day. Money to be made, costumers to sell things to." she said, going to the door and turning the closed sign to open.
Later that night, the Scoobies sat around the Summer's dinning room table, a request of Buffy. There was as tense silence, only broken by someone asking for something. Giles, Buffy, Tara and Dawn were glancing at each other and the others. The trio had told Dawn about the plans for Buffy and Giles. Dawn had been surprisingly understanding. She'd agreed to behave while Buffy was gone, and help Tara around the house. Finally, not able to take the tension, she broke the silence.
"I got an A on my math test." Dawn said, looking around the table. They smiled.
"T-that's really good Dawn." Tara said.
"Yeah. It wasn't all that fun, but I did it."
"How about History?" Giles asked. Dawn stanched up her nose.
"Can I just say better then Buffy ever did and leave it at that?" she asked teasingly. Buffy mock glared and waved her fork.
"Hey! I never had time for classes and studying! To busy saving the world! You on the other hand have no excuse." Dawn stuck out her tongue.
"Is a C- good enough?" She ducked as Buffy threw a rolled napkin at her head. The four locked eyes and each nodded just a bit.
"Xander, Anya, Willow." They looked at Buffy, who was smothering her anger. "You and Spike and Tara are going to be taking care of things here for a little while." Xander dropped his fork and knife right into his chicken, Willow gaped, and Anya snorted.
"Why should we? You're back, you're the slayer. It's your job-" Xander slapped a hand over his fiancee's mouth, but it was to late. Buffy's anger sprang forth, radiating from her. And it was just as quickly smothered, replaced with cold numbness. Giles interlaced their hands under the table.
"I'm going back to England." he announced. The trio's heads snapped towards him. "Indefinitely." he added, just to see them squirm. Tara pretended to wipe her mouth while Dawn drank some pop. Buffy squeezed his hand.
"You just got back!" Willow said. He stared at her, Ripper slowly coming to the surface.
"At that I did. And when I leave, Buffy is going with me." Silence met the statement.
"What's going on?" Anya finally asked.
"Just what Giles' said." Dawn answered. "He'd going to England, Buffy's going with him, they have no idea how long they'll be gone. Anymore questions?" she added, looking around the table.
"Bu-but why?" Willow finally managed.
"Because, if I don't, I'll probably end up doing something I'll regret." Buffy said coldly. "But it wouldn't matter. You'd just find a spell to fix, not matter how much it should e left alone." Willow lowered her head, but it snapped back up, defiance written all her her face.
"We're not discussing it at the table." Tara commanded. Silence fell one more. Once the meal was finished, they cleaned in silence then went into the living room. Buffy, Giles and Dawn on the couch, Tara in an armchair, Willow standing, Xander in an armchair with Anya in his lap.
"What are we supposed to do? While your gone I mean." Xander hastily added. "We don't have the Buffy-bot, and Giles is leaving. How are we supposed to cope with the Hellmouth?"
"Spike." Dawn said. "And if we need to, we can, you know, always call-" she broke off, looking at the couple. It had been agreed upon by Buffy, Giles and Tara to only be used as a last resort. "We can always call Angel and Wesley." They stared, at a complete loss for words. "Help me out?" she pleaded, looking at the three adult whom had sprung the news on her in the first place.
"No matter how much I dislike the idea, it is not without purpose." Giles said, looking down as Buffy, who was staring out the window.
"Alright." Xander said after ten minutes of tense silence. Everyone looked at him. "I know I wouldn't be able to stop you guys from going-and I can kinda see why you're going-so, I'll even call in Dead Boy if we need too."
"I'm sorry Buffy." Willow said, barely above a whisper. Xander said the same.
"Don't tell me that unless you mean it." Buffy said in a hollow voice. Willow and Xander winced.
"I do mean it." he protested. "Honestly Buffy, I am sorry, but I'm glad you're back. I'm sorry I, no WE, caused you-" He took a deep breath. "I'm sorry we hurt you. But you're back now, and even thought you won't talk to us, you're alive. I'm happy for that." he finished. Willow didn't say anything. The Slayer stared at him for a few moments before standing and going onto the porch. Giles glared and followed. He gently shut the door behind him.
"Buffy." She was looking at the dark yard and street.
"I should have just left a note, you know? Made it easier."
"You would have felt bad Buffy." he said, placing a hand on her shoulder. She leaned into him.
"I know but... It's just so hard. I want them to understand. I think Xander does, to a point. Willow's either angry or depressed every five second, and who in the world know's what's going through Anya's head."
"Buffy, they will never completely be able to conceive whet they did. The lines they crossed and laws they broke... They violated you, Dawn and myself in almost unimaginable ways. There is nothing that I would like more for you to be where you wish, how you wish, once more." he admitted. He was amazed his voice sounded normal, even as his chest tightened and his eyes stung with rapidly forming tears. "But it's not right to try and change what had been done. They will eventually pay for what did."
"Can we leave tomorrow? Before dinner?" she asked, leaning against his chest. He rested his head on her chin.
"We can. I'll make the arrangements tonight." he said, not moving.
"Tara's going to tell Spike tomorrow night. Mabey-no, I think I'll go to bed." He nodded and released her. When the door shut, he let out a ragged breath. He was glad she didn't decide to go out for a late patrol. He was to worried about her emotional state and mental function at the moment. But he pushed the thoughts aside and went to the door. His hand hovered above the doorknob.
"I trust you'll help them all while we're away Spike. She needs the time to heal." A cigarette butt landed at the back of his feet.
"I know the Slayer's not right. Granted, I don't like havin' to do all the bleedin' work why'll you're off with the bird in the homeland, but I'll do it. I'll take care of Niblet, don't worry." the vampire said from the shadows.
"Thank you." Giles said before going inside. Spike sighed, cursed her friends long and hard, then left.
Inside, Buffy was sitting on the couch. Actually, she was perched on the edge, waiting. She saw Giles and relaxed. He took his seat behind her, not wanting to lose another moment of contact.
"We can call you right?" Dawn asked, more for the others' benefit than her own. Giles smiled slightly, looking at everyone.
"Yes, Dawn, you shall be able to call. I believe it would be beneficial to wait a few days before you call. Why don't you wait until we call, and we can set up a schedule." Dawn nodded, looking at Buffy, who was staring off into space. Actually, she was imagining what it would be like to be in Bath England with Giles. She craned her neck upwards and loked at him, her eyes suddenly filled with mischievous.
"We can still go terrorize the Watchers right?" she asked. He laughed.
"Of course. We'll discuss everything tomorrow. Now, I believe it is late, and we should all be going to bed." Everyone nodded and stood. Anya and Xander left with good nights, Willow headed up to her room, Tara went to the computer to help Giles with booking a plane, and Dawn went with Buffy into the kitchen. They quickly washed the cups that had been used and headed up to bed. After a hug, they parted. Giles locked up and headed up to Buffy.
They'd been talking earlier and she'd admitted she slept better with him there. Despite the spells, she was aware of what went on in the outside world. She hadn't had another nightmare, as what usually happened. Just peaceful sleep. He climbed into the bed and she shifted closer, curling up and leaning against his chest. Smiling, she placed his glasses on the night stand and fell asleep.
It was ten in the morning, and the house was bustling with activity. Dawn had a teachers-in-service day at school, so the students were out. Tara was helping Buffy attempt to find her old tote bag, which had a lot of hidden pockets, and was down in the basement. Dawn was doing research for a school project, and trying not to cry, Willow was at college, and Giles was searching the house for the last of the magical items. Tara had given him a list of where everything magical, that she knew of, was hidden or at around the house. He'd been up since seven finding thing. He'd defiantly found more than what was on the list.
"Found it!" Buffy called triumphantly from behind the basement stairs. Tara sighed in relief, closed up the box, and put it back. Buffy made her way from behind the sitars, coughing at all the dust. "Hey, there's some weapons still in here." Tara laughed, knowing why Buffy was smiling in amusement at finding the weapons.
"What's there?" Buffy rummaged thought the basically empty bag.
"A stake, small bottle of Holy water, a cross and..." She snatched something and looked. "A pack of gum. Huh, who'd a thunk?" She'd usually always had gum or a sucker in her mouth in high school. Usually courtesy of Giles or Willow, since Willow was always dropping suckers. They went upstairs to find a angry and muttering Giles.
"I think he gave up about the time he found the crystals that were in the fireplace." Dawn said, heading up the sitars. Tara looked worried and went into the living room to talk to him while Buffy went upstairs. She was going through her weapons chest when Dawn called her.
"Yeah?" she called back.
"Are these yours?" Dawn asked from the doorway, holding up a pair of jeans. Buffy looked up, squinted, and held out a hand.
"I was look for those."
"They got mixed up in the wash." Dawn said in explanation, handing over the pants. Buffy put them on her bed and went back to her weapons. "What are those for?" she asked, looking the piles of weapons.
"I'm going to add some of them to the chest downstairs." Buffy explained, running a thumb over a blade and shaking her head. "I haven't used this chest much, so I figured to go through everything."
"And you're going to smuggle some on the plane." Dawn added.
"What did else you expect?" Giles asked form the doorway where he was leaning. Buffy tossed an axe his way.
"Should I give them to Xander to sharped then use, or just leave them?" the Slayer asked, attempting to find her stone she used to sharpen the small swords. "How in the hell?" she exclaimed, looking at the broke stone before turning to Giles with a shocked expression. He shook his head, bemused.
"Only give him the ones your really don't need with instructions. I know you prize some of those tools..." he trailed off as she nodded, smiling fondly. She looked at the organized piles and picked out a crossbow, two swords and a hand axe.
"Dawn, take these downstairs, would you?" she asked, handing them to here sister, who did was she was told. Buffy looked at Giles who entered the room and squatted next to her.
"What brought this on?" he asked, gesturing to the weapons. "Besides putting some in the weapons chest downstairs." he added as she opened her mouth. She smiled.
"I don't know. It started out with that, the I guess I remembered everything I've done here, with these weapons." she said, somewhat sadly. He placed a hand on her nape and rubbed the area soothingly.
"We're coming back Buffy. Mabey not soon, but we will be back."
"I know... It's weird, I've been fighting since I was fifteen, now I'm gong across the world-" she broke off, looking guilty.
"Don't think like that Buffy. We're going to be miles from a high tourist rated area. Bath is bound to contain demons. Mabey not many, but enough so you won't be abandoning your duty as you seem to think." She smiled, not completely convinced. He sighed, pulled her to his chest, and placed a kiss on her forehead. "You DESERVE this Buffy."
"Mabey I'll believe that once we go." She looked down at the bottle of Holy water mixed with garlic. "It just feels like I'm running away. Again." she added, self-loathing in the statement. He tensed slightly, then relaxed, not wanting to make her feel worse.
"You're not. Now, if you finish up, I'll help you go through the weapons and you can pick which ones you want to take." she said. She beamed, gave him a peck on the mouth, and jumped up. He shook his head and left the room, shutting the door. She was only taking a suitcase of clothing, the tote bag, and her usual overnight bag which was going to contain the magical items he and Tara were going through.
Half an hour later, Buffy carried an armful of weapons, which wasn't many compared to what she could carry, down the sitars and into the living room. Giles, Tara and Dawn weren't there. She found Dawn in the kitchen making a sandwich.
"They said they didn't want me to hear." Dawn said, pointing to the basement door. Buffy nodded and went down the stairs quietly.
"-quiet sure this is all of it?" Giles asked Tara. The blond witch shook her head.
"No, I think it's most, not all. Spike brought it by late last night." There was a pause. They still hadn't noticed Buffy, who was in the corner, right at the foot of the stairs. "I couldn't sleep." Tara said hesitantly. "I wanted some tea, and Spike was out back, holding a bag. We talked. He said he did a quick sweep and ended up at-"
"At my grave." Buffy finished, breaking Tara off. She went towards the table, set the weapons on the cot on the way, and looked down. Her mask instantly snapped into place. "The Urn." she said in a hollow voice. She touched it and quickly withdrew her hand. "They were right." she whispered.
"Who?" Giles asked. Buffy shook her head, confused.
"Something, around the time I...came back. I remember hearing something about that thing. It was something like 'shattered on earth, shattered in mystics' or something." She sighed. "I didn't even try to figure it out." She looked at Giles with interest. "Weapons? Distractions from bad, broody thoughts?" she asked. He nodded and replaced his glasses. They talked for ten minutes and finally decided on two swords, a crossbow and a fatally sharp pocket knife, which had traces of silver in the blade.
"Guys, the cab'll be here soon." Dawn called. "In like ten minutes." she added. Buffy grabbed the weapons and headed up the stairs towards her room. Tara helped Giles pack the magical items into the overnight bag while thinking over what she'd said.
Willow returned just a minute before the cab arrived. Buffy and Giles were on the front porch, looking at Revello drive for what could be the last time for months.
"Buffy, Giles."
"Willow."
"I hope you have a good trip." she said nervously.
"Thanks." Buffy said, staring at a butterfly that was fluttering around the trio. The cab arrived and they grabbed their bags. After loading them, Giles checked once more for the tickets and passports (he had a copy of Buffy's thanks to the Council, even though she had the original) and they gave hugs before getting into the car. Dawn cried on Tara's shoulder while Willow watched.
"Come on Dawnie, it'll be alright. Now, I think we should go find some ice-cream and finish your homework." Tara said while rubbing her back. Dawn nodded and went towards the house, linking her arm with Tara. Willow followed.
In the cab, Buffy sighed shakily and rested her head against the seat.
"Are you alright?" Giles asked.
"Strangely relieved. I feel bad about leaving Dawn, but I feel even more glad that I did." She nodded and intertwined their hands. They rode the rest of the way in silence.
AN: Ok, comments? Was it good? Please review. I'll warn you now, I'm American, so I apologize now if I get the English/British words wrong.