Short little filler here you guys… I was originally going to have a full 'Bronze' chapter with everything that happened, but it was pissing me off so I tossed it and intertwined this chapter with the last chapter… wow the last chapter… weird? I think so. Anyways double posting today so get ready for awesomeo Lunar Phases awesomeness.
DISCLAIMER: I disclaim everything that I don't own. So there:p
Thanks to my one reviewer! Thanks also, to my good friend Riley who kicked my butt into gear and listened to all my complaining. I owe you big time! Much lub!
Chapter 16: Party at the Bronze.
Willow stood motionless in the shower, allowing for the heat of the water and steam to hit her bare back in a constant torrent. She hadn't showered since waking up the first time, and from that time on, it had been far too long.
Night air blew over her head from the window in the small, much shared bathroom. It's spicy breeze surrounded her head and cooled her super hot skin, taking a deep sigh she allowed her mind to wander, tracing the scents of the night to where they originated from, her super hearing heard soft footsteps coming up the stairs along with the slight hum of the TV, other than that there was silence, just the sound of the hot water hitting her skin.
She was in almost complete darkness, two lit candles were placed on either side of the small counter and they provided the only light source in the room. But she could see fine. Such a new sensation didn't go un-noticed, or unappreciated for that matter.
Something about that made her feel safer, in a way it made her feel whole. Sighing slightly she glanced down at the shampoo choices, numerous people in the house only meant more selection for her. She reached down for her usual strawberry scented bottle, half drained by the Summer's sisters, apparently when the witch was away the sisters use all of her expensive shampoo…
Turning from her greatly miss treated shampoo, she reached up through the curtain and grabbed her secret stash, concentrated lavender shampoo, it was mail order from Mexico, and it was 100 natural.
Sighing she took a hand full and began to wash her hair, the smell made the muscles in her shoulders unclench and soon she was completely relaxed. She finished with her hair, but let the sweet smelling bubbles remain on her head as she stood in the heat. A long sigh penetrated her body and she completely relaxed.
After a few minutes she rinsed it out, quickly used conditioner and left the stall, choosing the fluffy towel she dried off, deciding to let her hair air dry as it always curled when she didn't use a hair dryer and got changed.
She finished off with a bit of mascara and peach lip-gloss before walking out of the stall.
Mean while Jay had just come back with Jake after a quick flash to the cabin to pick up the rest of their stuff and had now found his way into Giles's room and was sitting on his dresser, pretending to be an annoying fly on the wall as he watched Giles read.
"You're coming with us right?" He asked cocking an eyebrow, tired of the silence. "It is a party, a victory party. If I'm right, there should be cake." Jay continued. Giles looked up and frowned. "I'll go, I've been to the Bronze before." Giles stated, annoyed.
Jay cocked an eyebrow. "You gonna get changed then?" He asked. Giles sighed and glanced down quickly at his attire, the usual tan suit with a white top. "No, this should be fine." Giles commented.
Jay made a snorting noise. "You're going to a club, not a door to door encyclopedia sellers convention." He stated cocking an eyebrow. "And you're not sixty, forty one is not old enough to bring out the grandpa pants. Do you have jeans?" Jay added hopping off the desk and heading with conviction to Giles's closet.
Giles stood back and watched with a look of horror, as a steady stream of his pants came flying out of the closet and landed on the bed, it took a few seconds before he heard a triumphant "Ah ha!" and watched as a mahogany mop came out of his closet holding a pair of his blue jeans and wearing a large grin.
"Why do you insist on dressing me?" Giles asked walking through the chaos of his once organized room, shaking his head at all his pairs of pants lying on the floor in wrinkly heaps. "Well don't put it that way, it just annoys me to see a cool guy like you dressing like my grandpa." Jay commented going for his shirts now.
Giles died inside, attempting to keep some order, he started picking up the remnants of his once organized closet and began to sort them into piles, needs to be ironed and not. One pair made the not pile the rest were beyond saving.
Sighing Giles stood in the middle of the room as a rambling Jay held up tops over Giles's clothes to 'compare'.
Willow rushed around her room searching feverishly for one small item she had squirreled away a long time ago. Xander sat on the bed, a small smile playing across his lips as he watched his best friend rush around.
On her fifth time looking in the same spot across from his she mumbled, "It's not funny Xander…" Before going to check her jewelry box one more time. This time she found it buried under a tangle of necklaces and she attempted to unknot everything before giving up and tugging it out, creating more knots as she did, but those would have to wait.
Turning she took the ring in her palm and walked over to her bed, where Xander was still situated, still grinning. "All that for this little thing?" He asked holding out his hand for Willow, who let out a sigh and passed him the little wooden ring. It was made of woven willow tree branches and it had a special spell cast on it. It had been Tara's, an heirloom of sorts, but Willow had inherited it after she had died. Which basically meant she never had used it.
"What's it do?" Xander asked. "You'll see later." Willow commented a small smile forming on her face. Xander followed her, handing her the ring, and they both descended the stairs.
Xander was still stalking Willow by the time she had entered the kitchen ready to go celebrate with their friends. Everyone was there, except for Jay and Giles, who were mysteriously M.I.A. Willow walked over to Jake, who was sitting alone on one of the chairs fiddling with the battery for Buffy's laptop, parts were strewn across the table and he had a screwdriver in one hand, proceeding to dig into the mass of brightly coloured wires. He had his big coat on again and his wings were all but covered, making his back look humped.
He looked up at her as she walked towards him, his blond hair falling out of his eyes as he did. Glancing at him nervously, she held out the ring. "I think Tara would have wanted you to have this. Thank you; for stopping me before I ran into the shield, you saved my life." Willow stated timidly. Jake stopped what he was doing and looked up at her with his hazel eyes. He didn't expect thanks for that, feeling the heat in his cheeks and hoping it didn't reach his face.
He didn't even know who Tara was; glancing up into the young woman's light green/blue eyes he saw a hidden emotion behind the discomfort. He nodded at her, not really knowing what to think yet, shifting nervously as he caught the glances of the rest of the people in the room.
She then held out her hand to him, and he glanced down and noticed a wooden ring. Now he could feel the blood as it rushed to his face. "Okay…" He managed to stammer as he looked down on it. Marriage flashed briefly across his brain, he heard wedding bells and he shook his head to clear the images away and looked back down on reality. Completely freaked out.
Willow rolled her eyes, "Just put it on. I hope it works for you." She added forgetting her shyness and handing him the ring. "This isn't the one ring is it? He's not going to put it on and become a giant red eye on a tower and eat midgets for breakfast right?" Connor asked from the corner, Willow glared and Dawn smacked him. Buffy and Xander chuckled in the corner, Anya was shaking her head at the midget reference and Spike remained quiet, Faith had walked out.
Jake held the ring in his hands like it was made sand. Oz walked over and grabbed it from his hand, he the slipped it on Jake's ring finger, a small smile quipped his lips as he mumbled "Marry me." And stepped back, half the room laughed louder, even Spike chuckled, but that died down quite quickly as they looked at him.
Jake looked down at himself, "What? I don't see anything different." Jake commented frowning. Faith walked back into her room and raised her eyebrows, "Better lean back." She commented. Jake frowned and did what he was told, almost falling off the chair as he did. Willow was grinning like mad now.
"What the hell?" He asked looking back to see nothing but the back of the chair, he stood up and stumbled back a little bit, looking up at Willow, panic filling his eyes. "Where'd they go?" He ran his hand down his back and felt nothing. Willow shrugged, "No where, take it off." She stated. Jake pulled off the ring and his wings came back perfectly fine.
A grin spread across his face as he slipped it back on. "This is amazing!" He exclaimed, taking Willow up in a hug. Willow grinned, caught off guard, but hugged back. As soon as the hug had started it was over. "Thank you!" He exclaimed. Glancing around at the grinning faces he then stepped towards the entrance of the kitchen and hollered "JAY! I need to borrow some clothes."
Willow heard a sigh, "Their too small Jake, you'll rip em if you don't cut holes in them." Came the reply. "Not anymore!" Jake exclaimed. Jay appeared at the entrance of the kitchen. Glancing at the grinning faces and then at Jake, an eyebrow quirked, "I missed something." He stated calmly. Giles fell in behind Jay and stared.
Xander snorted, "Yeah, Oz and Jake are officially engaged, and Willow is in there too, it's a happy threesome." He commented. Jay mock wiped a tear from his eye, "Without me?!" He wailed, leaning up against the doorway for support. He glanced at Oz, "I thought we had something!" He exclaimed, unable to act serious anymore and cracking a smile.
Oz just shook his head. Jay grabbed Buffy's hand, "Well at least I still have you baby." He laughed and took a bow. Spike glared. Jay walked over to Spike, "You know she loves me Spikey" Jay commented slapping him on the back. "Never call me that again…" Spike commented leaving the room.
"Aww C'mon! You vampires are always so strung up." Jay yelled back at him. Spike stopped, but not because of Jay's outburst, but because of Giles. The group turned their attention off of Jay who was finished anyways and onto Giles who was dressed in blue jeans, a white t-shirt and a black pleather jacket. Giles frowned, "What?" He asked.
Anya turned to Jay, "You killed Giles." She stated. "No, I just took the tweed out of the Englishman, a daring feat if I do say so myself." He stated. "H-how?" Buffy asked, having trouble absorbing what her eyes were giving her.
"I picked out his clothes." Jay stated easily. "And he went with it?" Xander asked. "I'm standing right here Xander…" Giles commented making the exasperated noise again. Willow, Xander and Buffy laughed and Giles stared.
The rest of the room shifted uncomfortable and Jake flashed out. "When are we going?" Faith asked, Jake flashed back wearing one of Jay's t-shirts. "Now I guess." Connor stated opening the door.
"Oz plays really kick-ass guitar." Jay said, taking another swig of his beer
Buffy nodded, "We know."
All eyes were either on Oz or the brightly flashing colored spotlight beams. He looked up, his eyebrows shooting upwards as he finished hooking up the amps. "What?" he asked looking up at everyone.
They all dropped their eyes. Faith, however didn't, "How did you end up hanging with him?" She asked jabbing a thumb in Jay's direction, Jay tried to look horrified; Oz just shook his head. Jay decided to explain,
"Well I was having a down period in my life, I had hit rock bottom and I was working as a lap dancer at a seedy tavern next to the materia shop in the big city...
one night in walks Oz, waves money at me and falls over drunk. So I take him home, patch him up, and when he asks who I am I just say that we had been friends all his life and he shouldn't drink so much to forget that." Jay finished waving a finger in Oz's direction.
Everyone watched as Oz looked up and a small smile spread across his face. "The good old days… " He commented, now going for the small pile of various guitars and taking that oh so familiar dark blue Gibson out of the case and hooking it up.
Jay grinned, "That would be my cue," he commented getting up and walking towards the stage, cheesily pulling a pair of drumsticks from his back pocket, flipping his hair back and hopping onto the small stage.
Dawn raised her eyebrows at Connor, "Lap dancer huh?"
Told you it was short… but meh, the next one is longer and hey it's the last chapter, epilogue not withstanding so enjoy.