A/N: I don't own Twilight or BtVS; they are the property of Stephanie Meyers and Joss Whedon respectively. I just like to ponder what would happen if the two worlds collided.

Chapter 35: Toast & Tensions

As Giles stormed out of the room, his frustration palpable in every heavy footstep, Jasper's stomach let out a loud rumble, breaking the tense silence that hung in the air. His eyes widened in embarrassment as he turned to Willow. "Um, pardon me," he muttered sheepishly. "I couldn't help but wonder... about the toast?"

Willow, offered Jasper a sympathetic smile. "Don't worry about it, Jasper," she reassured him, her voice gentle. "I think Giles just needs a moment to cool off. He'll be back soon."

Xander, chimed in with a playful grin. "Yeah, don't sweat it, Marbles," he quipped. "Giles just needs to learn to appreciate the finer things in life, like toast!"

Jasper managed a weak smile at Xander's attempt at humour, his mind still reeling from the unexpected turn of events. Despite the tension in the room, his stomach continued to grumble, a silent plea for the comforting warmth of toasted bread.

Just as Willow attempted to defuse the situation with a suggestion of making toast for everyone, Giles's voice could be heard from the hallway, his tone filled with frustration. "Toast! In the midst of a bloody crisis, all anyone can think about is toast!" he exclaimed, his tirade echoing through the house.

Jasper's ears perked up at the mention of toast, his stomach rumbling louder in anticipation. "Did I hear you talk about toast?" he interjected, his voice hopeful.

Willow moved closer to Jasper, her presence a soothing balm to his frayed nerves. She gently took his hand, her fingers intertwining with his. The touch was comforting, grounding him as his mind fixated on the simple desire for toast. He found himself playing with her fingers, enjoying the feel of them against his skin, even as his stomach continued to protest.

"It's okay, Jasper," Willow said softly, her thumb tracing calming circles on the back of his hand. "We'll get you some toast. Don't worry."

However, before anyone could respond, Giles' frustrated voice continued from the hallway, his rant seemingly endless. "Blasted toast! How many times must we discuss toast amidst impending doom?" he bellowed, his anger mounting with each repetition of the word.

With a resigned sigh, Willow exchanged a knowing glance with Xander, silently acknowledging that it might be a while before Giles returned. Despite the lingering tension and Giles' unexpected outburst, Jasper couldn't help but elicit a small purr at the thought of toast. Willow continued to idly trace her fingers along the back of the vampire's hand, feeling the vibrations of his purr resonate through her skin. She was both intrigued and aroused by the unexpected reaction.

"Well, well, what's all this then? Toast causing a ruckus, is it?" Spike smirked, his tone dripping with amusement as he entered the room. "Never thought I'd see the day when toast was the talk of the town. Must be a slow day for apocalypses."

Jasper's ears perked up at Spike's voice, his stomach rumbling louder in anticipation. "Did I hear you talk about toast?" he interjected, his voice hopeful.

As Spike sauntered in, his usual smirk in place, Giles couldn't contain his frustration any longer. With a swift motion, he smacked Spike in the back of the head, not hard enough to hurt but with enough force to convey his irritation.

"Enough with the antics, Spike," Giles snapped, his patience worn thin. "We've had quite enough talk about toast for one day. Now, if you don't mind, we have more pressing matters to attend to."

Spike rubbed the back of his head, shooting Giles a wounded look. "Oi, Watcher, no need to get your knickers in a twist," he retorted, his tone laced with mock indignation. "Just thought I'd inject a bit of levity into the situation. You lot seem rather tense."

With Giles back in the room, Willow reluctantly let go of Jasper's hand, giving him an apologetic smile. Jasper missed the warmth of her touch immediately, but he understood. Giles sighed, his frustration easing slightly at Spike's attempt to lighten the mood, albeit in his own peculiar way.

"Yes, well, levity is all well and good, but we have serious matters to discuss," Giles replied, his tone more measured. "If you're not here to contribute constructively, then I suggest you leave."

Spike rolled his eyes theatrically but complied, sauntering out of the room with a smirk still playing on his lips. With Spike gone, Giles turned back to the group, his expression determined. It was time to refocus their attention on the conversation with Carlisle and the pressing issues at hand.

Yet, as Spike turned to leave the room, Jasper couldn't resist the temptation to stage whisper to him, a hopeful glint in his eyes. "Hey Spike, if you're heading out, could you snag me some toast?" his stomach still rumbling with anticipation.

Before anyone could react, Giles's patience snapped like a taut string. "Bloody hell, Jasper!" he exclaimed, his frustration boiling over. "We've had enough talk about toast to last a lifetime! Can we please focus on the matter at hand without any further distractions?"

Jasper recoiled slightly at Giles's outburst, his fingers nervously playing with each other, missing the feel of Willow's. "Sorry, Giles," he mumbled sheepishly, his cheeks flushing with embarrassment. "I just... really fancy some toast."

Giles took a deep breath, visibly struggling to regain his composure. "Yes, well, perhaps you can indulge in toast later," he muttered under his breath, his tone exasperated. "But for now, let's try to stay on track, shall we?"

Jasper nodded, still fidgeting with his hands. Willow shot him a sympathetic look, silently conveying her support. Giles sighed, glancing around the room, trying to refocus his thoughts and the group's attention.

"Alright," Giles began more calmly, "we need to concentrate on our current predicament. Jasper, I understand your situation is unusual, but we must address it with the seriousness it requires." He paused, giving Jasper a reassuring nod. "We'll figure this out together."

Jasper managed a small, appreciative smile, though his fingers continued to fidget, yearning for the comfort of Willow's touch.

Giles fixed Jasper with a stern gaze, his frustration still evident in his tone. "Jasper, I understand your cravings, but we must prioritize," he admonished, his voice firm. "What Carlisle had to say is far more important than toast."

Jasper nodded, his earlier eagerness dampened by Giles's reprimand. "You're right, Giles," he conceded. "I apologize for the distraction. I'll focus on what Carlisle said."

Giles gave Jasper a nod of approval, grateful for his understanding. "Thank you, Jasper," he replied, his tone softening slightly. "Now, let's gather our thoughts and continue our discussion."

With Jasper nodding in agreement with Giles, Xander, interjected with a gesture of support. "Hey, Jazz, how about I bring you a mug of pigs' blood to tide you over?" he offered, a reassuring smile on his face. "I'm sure that'll keep the hunger at bay while we sort out this whole mess."

Jasper offered Xander a grateful smile, appreciative of his friend's thoughtfulness. "Thanks, Xander," he replied, his tone genuine. "That would be great."

Meanwhile, Giles, still simmering with frustration, couldn't help but grumble under his breath about his own needs. "And where's my Scotch in all of this?" he muttered, a hint of annoyance in his voice. "Seems everyone's getting their fix except me."

Willow shot Giles a sympathetic look, understanding his desire for a moment of respite amidst the chaos. "Don't worry, Giles," she reassured him, her voice gentle. "We'll make sure you get your Scotch once we've sorted everything out."

Xander, with a playful grin, couldn't help himself as he leaned over to Giles, his tone teasing. "Hey, Giles, maybe if you weren't so busy ranting about toast, you would have noticed the Scotch right in front of you," he remarked, his eyes twinkling with mischief.

Xander's quip hit Giles with unexpected force, and he couldn't help but feel a surge of frustration at his own oversight. He sighed heavily, his irritation palpable as he glanced at the open bottle and drained tumbler before him. "Yes, well, thank you for pointing out the obvious, Xander," he muttered, his tone tinged with self-deprecation. "Seems I've been too preoccupied with toast to notice what's right under my nose." He wasted no time in pouring a large drink and then downing it in a single gulp, the burn of alcohol momentarily distracting him from his frustrations. With a shudder, he shook himself, as if physically shaking off the tension that had built up within him.

Turning to Willow, who sat nearby with a patient expression, Giles gestured for her to proceed. "Willow, perhaps you could explain to Jasper the details of our phone call with Carlisle," he suggested, his tone now calmer, albeit tinged with a hint of weariness.

Willow nodded, understanding Giles's request. "Of course, Giles," she replied, her voice gentle as she turned her attention to Jasper." It seems our communication with Carlisle was successful, your catatonic state served as a conduit for the connection."

As Willow began to explain the details of their conversation with Carlisle, Giles nodded along, his attention divided between Willow's words and the dwindling contents of his bottle of Scotch. With each sip, he felt a measure of tension ease from his shoulders, though the frustration still lingered in the back of his mind.

"Carlisle mentioned some of Alice's cryptic visions," Willow continued, her voice steady as she wove together the threads of their discussion. "He also inquired about how you've been feeling and adjusting to life here in Sunnydale."

Meanwhile, Xander bustled about in the kitchen, retrieving leftovers, and setting out plates for everyone. He moved with purpose, his movements a contrast to the subdued atmosphere in the room as he sought to provide a distraction from the weight of their conversation. Before long, he joined the group, setting down plates of food with a cheerful smile. "Leftovers, anyone?" he announced, his tone light as he glanced around the room. "Figured we could all use a little comfort food while we hash this out."

Giles acknowledged Xander's efforts with a grateful nod. With the scent of food filling the air, he felt a small sense of relief wash over him, momentarily setting aside his frustrations as they focused on the task at hand.

As Willow continued to relay the details of their conversation with Carlisle, Jasper, who had remained silent throughout, sipped at his warm mug of pig's blood with a weariness that had begun to settle in. His eyelids drooped slightly, betraying signs of fatigue, and he couldn't suppress a soft yawn that escaped his lips.

Feeling the weight of the day's events pressing down on him, Jasper stretched his arms out in front of him, muscles protesting from the strain of tension and uncertainty. The warmth of the pig's blood provided a momentary comfort, but it did little to alleviate the exhaustion that permeated his being. An unusual sensation to say the least.

Giles, noticing Jasper's tired demeanour, offered a gruff grunt, a mixture of acknowledgment and irritation. "Seems our little chat has taken its toll on you, Jasper," he remarked, his tone tinged with surliness as he addressed the weary vampire. "Perhaps a moment's rest wouldn't go amiss."

Jasper, catching the hint of snideness in Giles' tone, raised an eyebrow in response, his southern drawl dripping with dry sarcasm. "Well, ain't that just the sweetest thing you've said all day," he muttered under his breath. Despite the acerbic remark, he nodded gratefully, appreciating Giles' acknowledgment despite the less-than-friendly delivery. He set his mug aside and leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes for a brief moment of respite. Despite the fatigue that weighed heavily upon him, he remained determined to see their efforts through to the end, trusting in the support of his newfound allies to guide him through the challenges that lay ahead.

Just as Giles, in his slightly intoxicated state, was about to launch into another tirade, the door swung open, revealing Buffy standing in the doorway, her expression a mix of confusion and concern.

"Buffy!" Giles exclaimed, a bit too loudly, as he fumbled with a sharpened pencil in his hand, nearly sending it flying in Jasper's direction.

Buffy's brow furrowed in perplexity as she took in the scene before her. "What's going on? Why does it smell like a distillery in here?" she asked, her tone a mix of curiosity and disbelief.

As Giles continued his drunken ramble, his words meandered into a discourse on the complexities of the Hellmouth's conduit radio frequencies, a topic that only added to Buffy's confusion. "You see, Buffy," he slurred, his gestures becoming more exaggerated with each passing moment, "the Hellmouth, it's like... like a radio station, broadcasting signals across dimensions, and when Jasper's in his... catatonic state, it's like he's tuning into those frequencies, amplifying the signal, amplifying the... the toast!"

Jasper, caught off guard by Giles's unexpected mention of toast, couldn't help but reflexively purr at the sound of the word. His eyes widened in surprise at his own reaction, a small grin spreading across his face as he glanced around the room, hoping no one had noticed his slip.

Buffy, meanwhile, stood in the doorway, utterly baffled by the scene unfolding before her. "Giles, are you... drunk?" she asked incredulously, her eyes darting between the disheveled Watcher and the amused expressions of her friends.

Giles waved off Buffy's question with a dismissive gesture, though his movements were unsteady. "Nonsense, Buffy! I'm merely... conducting important research!" he declared, his words punctuated by a hiccup as he attempted to regain his composure.

As Jasper's purr reverberated through the room, Xander couldn't resist interjecting with a playful quip. "Hey, Giles, I just finished cleaning up dinner," he remarked with a smirk, "so let's not mention toast, okay? We all know Mr. Marble goes all alley cat at the mere mention of it."

Giles, still caught up in his drunken haze, blinked owlishly at Xander's comment, his brow furrowing in confusion as he tried to process the implication. "Alley cat?" he muttered, his words trailing off into a mumble as he attempted to make sense of the reference.

Buffy, standing in the doorway, watched the scene unfold with a mixture of amusement and bewilderment. "I leave you guys alone for one evening, and suddenly it's like I've stumbled into a surrealist painting," she remarked dryly, shaking her head in disbelief at the absurdity of the situation.

As Giles hiccupped once more, he stumbled clumsily toward the couch, his movements unsteady as he collapsed onto the cushions. The empty Scotch bottle slipped from his grasp, rolling across the floor with a hollow clatter before coming to a stop.

Willow, her irritation evident as she exchanged exasperated glances with Xander and Jasper, turned to Buffy with a patient sigh. "Well, Buffy, despite the odds, we were actually successful in reaching Carlisle through the Hellmouth conduit," she explained, her frustration momentarily set aside in the face of the bizarre turn of events. "But then Giles asked Xander and me to leave so he could speak to Carlisle privately."

She shrugged helplessly, her hands gesturing in a vague gesture of uncertainty. "I'm not exactly sure what happened next," Willow admitted with a puzzled frown, "but when Jasper woke up from his catatonic state, things took a... rather unexpected turn."

Buffy nodded as if Willow's explanation made total sense, though the events sounded far from ordinary. "Got it, just another day on the Hellmouth," she remarked with a wry grin, accustomed to the unpredictable nature of their supernatural endeavours.

"Yep, just your average day in Sunnydale," Xander quipped, rolling his eyes as he helped Willow straighten up the room.

Meanwhile, Jasper had ceased his purring and had fallen asleep in the armchair, his elbow propped on the armrest and his chin resting on his fist. His body slouched sideways, creating an awkward angle that seemed both uncomfortable and oddly charming. His head leaned heavily on his hand, tousled hair cascading over his forehead and partially covering his closed eyes. The other arm draped limply over the side of the chair, fingers just grazing the floor. Nearly healed burns marked his hand, the skin still slightly raw and pink, contrasting sharply with the rest of his marble-like complexion. The events of the evening had evidently taken their toll on the weary vampire, leaving him in a peaceful slumber amidst the chaos of the Scooby Gang's antics.

Buffy glanced around the room, taking in the scene of chaos with a sigh. "I'm heading out for patrol," she announced. "Anyone want to join?"

Xander raised his hand with a grin. "I'll walk you home after. Will?" he offered, already heading towards the door.

But Willow hesitated, glancing at Giles slumped on the couch and Jasper dozing in the chair. "I don't think they look too comfortable resting where they are," she remarked, concern creasing her brow.

Buffy glanced at the sleeping figures and then back at Willow. "Yeah, I'm not touching that with a shiny stake," she quipped, a playful glint in her eye.

Xander chuckled, nodding in agreement. "Yeah, I'm with Buff. Let's leave them to sleep it off," he suggested.

As Xander and Buffy headed towards the door, Willow moved quietly around the room. She gently turned off the lights and drew the curtains, casting the room in a protective darkness that would shield Jasper from the sunlight come morning. With a final glance at her slumbering friends, she followed Xander out into the night, leaving Giles and Jasper to their scotch-infused slumber.

A/N

1. When I conceptualized this chapter, I envisioned Jasper as he's awakening from his catatonia to be in a somewhat woozy, spacey, high state of mind and laser focused on getting his toast. He's sitting almost ethereal like in his armchair, eyes shiny in anticipating, the purrs rumbling in his chest, elbows resting on his knees, fingers steeple, watching Giles rant and rave, Willow and Xander unsure and he just wants the damn toast!

2. I also revised the fanfic summary as the quest seems to have evolved into a philosophical exploration of identity, change and unexpected love. Funny how our characters begin to take off in certain directions :)