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Here are the next chapter. I really hope you like it.

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Enjoy !

Chapter Twenty Four

Revelations

Willow sat on the sofa in her hotel room, staring at some distant and vacant point in front of her. She had been that way since arriving. Xander finally had enough.

"Are you going to move at some point?"

She looked up at him, "There were no pictures of us in her apartment. Nothing of her life in Sunnydale. Nothing of us."

The young man sat beside his friend. The redhead snuggled against his side and he draped an arm around her shoulders.

"What have we done Xander?"

The carpenter was wondering the same thing. For the first time, he wondered if he had done the right thing.

"Do you really need to ask that?"

They both looked up at Giles who was glaring them. He exhaled loudly. They were waiting for him to start polishing his glasses but he didn't. However, the look in his eyes made them feel fifteen all over again. Except he had never looked at them with such anger.

"The last few years have been hard, on all of us. We lost loved ones, made mistakes and hurt each other. And we keep doing it. We kicked Buffy out in the middle of the war when the First was trying to kill her and Turok-Han were roaming the city. We blamed her for the decisions we refused to make. And we keep doing it. She made mistakes but maybe she wouldn't have if we had actually helped her when she asked us. Our biggest mistake was to not forgive. We held on to the past and on to what we have lost and we never saw what we were losing, even though it was right in front of our eyes. Buffy left us and she had every reason to. We were acting like children. Right now, we are here to help her and her team stop whatever is going on. Don't fool yourself, we're not going to work with Buffy the Slayer but with Buffy the woman and we don't know a thing about her."

He left them without a backwards glance and they stayed quiet for a while. Giles' words replayed in their minds and the possibility that maybe they were wrong, maybe it was their fault too, was starting to sink in. Giles was right, they didn't know Buffy. When was the last time they had spoken? When was the last time that they had a real conversation, between friends, which didn't involved slaying, taking care of the girls or saving the world from whatever evilness? When was the last time they had thought about Buffy for something other than her Calling?

How could they have let it get to that point? When they thought about the blonde, they automatically thought of the Slayer. When they thought about their relationship in the past, they thought about all the decisions she had made, all the pain they had had to endure, all the loved ones they had seen die. Their memories were full of blood and death and it had completely tainted their friendship. A friendship they had slowly let die through the years.

Buffy had finally had enough of them and left, starting a new life where they were not welcome any more. Could they blame her? They were part of the reason she walked away.

"How could we have let that happen?" Willow asked in a whisper.

"I don't know, Will."

Dawn waited for her sister in the living room. She was in the couch, a warm blanket thrown around her and a cup of cocoa on the table — long cold — and an abandoned book next to her. She tried to read but she couldn't focus. She had seen the look on her sister's face when she had realised that Willow hadn't come alone. She had hugged Giles but that was all. With her two former best friends, she had been cold and distant. She knew it wouldn't be easy but when had they reached the point where her sister refused to talk amicably with them? They had been best friends! They had fought side by side for so long and survived so many things. How could they have gotten to the point where strangers would be friendlier to each other than them? If their friendship didn't work, whose could?

She glanced at the clock. She wasn't all that worried. Her sister knew how to take care of herself. Nevertheless, her mood when she left hadn't been the best for slaying. As for her, it was so late that she was dozing.

"You shouldn't have waited for me."

Dawn jumped and looked around erratically. Buffy was taking off her jacket carefully. The side of her jaw was bruised and she looked dishevelled. But whatever injuries she had now would be gone by morning.

"Go to bed Dawn."

The young woman stood up and stretched.

"I wanted to make sure you were okay."

"I know how to take care of myself Dawn."

"I know! It's just... Never mind."

It didn't matter. She was starting to wonder if she could ever be as close to her sister as she used to be. She started walking towards her bedroom.

"Dawnie?"

She turned back and locked eyes with her older sister.

"Yeah?"

"Thank you for waiting."

"My pleasure."

She smiled while going to her room. Maybe there was still hope after all...

Buffy and Dawn were waiting on the Plass for the former members of the Scooby Gang. They tried to make small talk but it hadn't lasted long. They had finally decided to stay silent. It was better than the uneasiness of a superficial conversation. The Key was watching her sister worriedly.

"Finally!" Buffy exclaimed when Giles, Willow and Xander joined them.

She greeted them quickly and told them to follow her. When she entered the fake tourist office, Ianto looked up from the file he was reading and straightened.

"Buffy, Dawn, Mister Giles."

He looked coldly at the other two and the Slayer was surprise by the flick of defiance she saw in his eyes.

"Ianto, this is Willow Rosenberg and Xander Harris. Guys, this is Ianto Jones."

Both Scoobies waved at him, very aware of the look they were receiving. They wondered for a second what the reactions from the others would be. They weren't so sure any more that they wanted to meet the people in Buffy's new life. They watched as the man turned his complete attention to the blonde.

"The others aren't here yet. Jack is in his office. There's fresh coffee in the kitchen."

"Thanks Ianto. I'll show them the quarters and be down in the cells. Could you tell Owen?"

"Of course."

Buffy lead them to the back door, Dawn on her heels. The young woman had quickly made herself at ease. Ever since her sister had asked her for help with the training sessions, she had been more welcomed by Torchwood. Though she wasn't fooling herself — she wasn't part of the team. She heard the other three talking behind her and remembered the first time she had set foot in Torchwood. She had been so amazed by it all.

"Andrew would love this place," Xander whispered to Willow when they finally reached the Hub.

Buffy yelled, "Jack, our guests are here!"

A man appeared, wearing some old-fashioned clothing. So, this was the infamous Jack Harkness. They had heard his name and knew that he was Buffy's new boss. The simple idea of the Slayer having to respond to orders was hard for them to get. They watched as he bent over the small blonde, whispering in her ear and concern all over his face. She replied, putting a hand on his arm and they were surprised when they saw her face. There was a soft expression, making her look so much younger and innocent than she was and there was something in her eyes, a weakness, that they hadn't seen before.

The scene created an ache inside their chests as both Xander and Willow realized that they didn't know the woman in front of her. Since when had they seen her with such an expression? She seemed so... human. When did they stop caring about the girl and just saw her as the warrior? They stared at the couple in front of them, the man's protectiveness toward the woman was so evident. And the look in Buffy's eyes; she was trusted him completely. It wasn't only in the way she looked at him but in the way she put her hand on his arm and leant towards him, sharing her personal space with him. When was the last time they did that with her? When was the last time they had touched or hugged like that?

It was while watching them that they realised that Buffy wasn't their friend anymore. Their friendship was in the past. It wasn't their fault and neither was it hers. They just drifted away. Even if they had lived together — fought together — events and unsaid feelings had separated them and they had done nothing to stop the process.

When Buffy announced that she was leaving them in the capable hands of her boss, they didn't protest and watched her walk away. The man stared down at them with cold blue eyes and started telling them the rules. They weren't allowed to wander alone and they were asked to mind their own business. Torchwood was a secret agency and as such their collaboration was strictly bounded to their mutual case. For the alien part of it, they were going to be on a need-to-know basis only. They didn't complain because they knew it would be useless. He led them to a meeting room. Files and computers were waiting for them on the table, with fresh coffee.

"I'll be in my office if you need anything."

Dawn gave them a file and began to share with them everything she knew about the case. Her companions didn't made any comments but listened intently. They were there to help after all.

Tosh arrived next and was informed by Ianto that they had visitors. She didn't greet them, just studied them from her desk. Their presence was disturbing. She stared at them and tried to imagine them fighting monsters. They were so young. Right now, they were bent over files and Dawn was doing most of the talking. From time to time, one of them would say something and they would argue for a while. Their faces were empty of emotion; there was nothing, just seriousness. They were probably looking at pictures, reading details about that horrifying ritual and it looked like they felt absolutely nothing. And that freaked her out the most.

Gwen and Owen reached the Hub at the same time. They exchanged polite greetings and made their way in silence. They both stopped at the scene in the meeting room.

"Who are they?" the former cop asked.

"From what Ianto told me, the redhead is the witch, Willow, and the man is Xander."

The doctor looked around the Hub, searching for a familiar blonde head. Tosh frowned when he asked, "Where's Buffy?"

She shrugged, "No idea. Apparently, she disappeared as soon as they arrived here."

The Asian girl watched him as he put his things in order in the medical bay and disappeared into the Hub. She turned towards her friend, "Am I going crazy or is he acting like he actually cares for Buffy?"

Gwen put an arm on her friend's shoulders. She knew how the Asian girl felt about their doctor, even if she couldn't understand why. The man was a total jerk and didn't seem to realize Tosh's feelings, actually dismissing them like they were nothing. Sadly, she had also watched Buffy and Owen's relationship change. They weren't arguing anymore. Owen often took Buffy's side in things and looked for her as soon as he arrived. They were getting close and, knowing the man, she was almost certain that they had already slept together. Actually, she had overheard Jack and Ianto and that was what convinced her that she was right. She hoped her friend would never find out because she wasn't sure she could take one more.

Owen didn't find her in the gymnasium so he kept looking, going directly where he knew he would find her. He didn't like the way his mind kept going back to her, the way he wanted to be sure that she was okay. It was strange and disturbing because deep down, he knew that he didn't love her. What was pushing him towards her wasn't love. He had loved Kate with all his being, he had even begun to fall for Diane. It wasn't the same with Buffy. He liked her, he desired her, he cared for her. But he didn't love her. He didn't want to spend his life with her, he couldn't even imagine it if he tried. Right now, he just wanted what she could give him: companionship. She was filling the void inside of him, her desperation echoed his own. And that was fine with him.

He found her exactly where he thought she would be. Or maybe not exactly. She was down the cells, that was right. Just a small detail was different. She was actually in Janet's cell. The Weevil's eyes shot towards him and it growled at him, baring its teeth. The Blonde moved a little, shifting her position and Janet stopped. Her position went submissive and it kept quiet.

"One day, you'll be able to pet it," he said with awe and disgust mixed.

She shot him a lopsided smile, "You're just jealous."

He rolled his eyes, "Yeah, completely. Getting friendly with a Weevil is my wildest dream."

"I knew it!"

Remembering what Jack said about her and drowning, he asked, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, five by five."

It wasn't the first time she had used that expression. The faraway look she got in her eyes every time she did told him that there was a whole story behind those three little words.

"Saw your friends."

"They're not my friends. Not anymore."

"That's harsh."

"That's the truth."

She looked up at him and extended her hand. He stared at it, frowning until he understood what she wanted him to do.

"No way!"

"Come on! I'm here."

"Being eaten by Janet is not in today's schedule, thank you."

"Coward."

"Yeah, but I prefer to be an alive coward than a dead coward."

She snorted and he knew he should feel insulted but wasn't. She stood up and left the cell, turning her back on Janet like it wasn't a human-eating alien. The Weevil didn't move, didn't try anything. In fact, he could swear that it was actually relieved to see the little blonde woman leave its cell.

"You know, if you want to stay alive, you should avoid me. People around me tend to die."

Owen took a step forward and grabbed her wrist. With a pressure, he brought her against him. She could have fought back but didn't.

"I don't care."

"Yeah, I almost forgot that. You don't care about anything or anyone."

He grinned at her while lowering his head. His lips brushed her ear before trailing kissing along her jaw line.

"I'm going to start thinking that you're only interested in my body Rude-Guy."

"Maybe you wouldn't be completely wrong."

"Asshole."

He quieted her by putting his mouth over hers and his mind wandered into the things he was going to do to her. Until she froze in his arms and pushed him away hard. His back hit the wall behind him.

"What the Bloody... !"

Her face was twisted in an expression full of surprise and guilt. He followed her gaze and his own eyes fell on Tosh. The pain he could read on her features created something in him, something he wasn't ready to name. She glared at them one last time before turning her back and leaving, almost running. It took Buffy five seconds to run after her. He stayed here and slid along the wall into a sitting position on the floor.

"Shit!" he yelled while banging his head on the wall behind him.

It all happened very quickly. Everyone was buried deep inside their work when Tosh appeared out of nowhere, running. Angry tears were flooding down her cheeks and the scene was so unexpected and shocking that no one ran after her. She was out before anyone even really processed what they had seen. Shortly thereafter, Buffy went running by, yelling Tosh's name. She disappeared as quickly as the computer genius.

From the doorstep of his office, Jack shook his head.

"That's it!" he exclaimed angrily. "New rule: no shagging Owen Harper! Ianto, put that down on the contracts. This doctor is going to be the end of Torchwood!"

Ianto looked at his boss, half-surprised half-amused before nodding, "Right away, Sir."

Buffy caught up with Tosh on the Plass. She could have caught up to her sooner but she was desperately trying to organize her thoughts. She knew that her affair with Owen would cause too many problems in the end. Although, the end had come sooner than she had expected. She grabbed the Asian's arm, calling her name for the hundredth time.

"Please, Tosh, let me explain."

"Explain what Buffy? I know exactly what I saw! I'm not stupid."

The Slayer closed her eyes briefly, hurt by the pain, the betrayal and the anger she could see in the other woman's look.

"I'm sorry, Tosh."

The Asian's snorted in derision, "For what? Shagging Owen?"

The words were crude coming from her mouth, they sounded wrong. She was too sweet, too shy to use such vocabulary.

"Tell me one thing," she asked. "Did you know about my feelings?"

Buffy felt her eyes burn and her throat tightened. She looked her friend in the eyes when she answered, "I suspected."

Tosh turned her back on her, exploding, "That's just great! Everyone seems to know but I'm still the one he's not shagging! First Suzie, then Gwen and finally you! Is that some sort of test? Some sort of new rule that was added after my arrival?"

"I know you're angry but..."

"I'm not angry, I'm furious! And humiliated! And I'm feeling so Bloody dumb! He's never going to see me for anything than a co-worker while I have to watch him shag everything that wears a skirt."

"I'm sorry Tosh."

"I hope you are!"

The Slayer looked up and backed away when she saw the anger dancing in the dark eyes of Tosh.

"You knew about my feelings and slept with him nonetheless. And even if I'm pretty sure that you have a lot of reasons for doing it, I don't want to hear them now. I'm going to go back inside and do my job and I'm not going to be able to do it with both of you around. So please, go patrolling around the city or something like that. Just don't be around. Give me a couple of hours to calm down."

Buffy watched the woman walk back to the Hub's entrance and wiped away a tear. She had nothing on her, not even a coat but she decided to walk away and do what Tosh had asked her. It was the least she could do. She didn't even want to fight. She just felt drained. The last couple of days had been too much for her. She hadn't sleep well and her mind was always buzzing with unanswered questions and unsolvable problems.

Maybe that was why she didn't feel anything until it was too late. She had been walking for twenty minutes when it engulfed her, the most paralysing pain she had ever felt. She fell to her knees, her vision completely dark. When the pain began to recede, her cheeks were soaked with tears. She tried to pick herself up but something hard hit her on the back of her head, again and again, until she lost consciousness.

¤ ¤ tbc ¤ ¤