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

Chapter 15: Boar-ing Developments

Giles heaved a sigh of relief as the shrill ringing of the phone cut through the tension-filled atmosphere of his home. He exchanged a weary glance with Willow, who was mid-sentence in their heated debate. With an exasperated "Hello," he brought the receiver to his ear, expecting to hear the voice of another concerned friend or perhaps a telemarketer.

Instead, what greeted him was a piercing shriek of "JASPER!" The unexpected outburst caused Giles to jerk the phone away from his ear, his brow furrowing in confusion. "Pardon?" he replied tentatively, unsure of what was happening on the other end of the line.

The next voice that reached his ears was a welcome one, tinged with relief. "Giles, it's Carlisle," came the calm voice of the Cullen patriarch.

Relief flooded through Giles as he recognized Carlisle's voice. "Carlisle, thank goodness," he responded, his tone reflecting his gratitude.

"Giles, apologies. Alice insisted on calling, I had no idea she would scream. But, it seems she's been having fragmented visions, and we're trying to piece together what they mean. She's quite worried and unlike herself these past few weeks."

Giles nodded, though Carlisle couldn't see it. "Understandable. We've been trying to make sense of things here as well."

Willow, sensing the importance of the conversation, gestured towards the phone and mouthed, "Speaker?" Giles gave a quick nod and pressed the button, placing the phone on the desk between them.

"Alright, Carlisle. We have you on speaker now. What can you tell us about Jasper's condition? We're at a loss here."

Carlisle's voice filled the room, steady and authoritative. "Thank you, Giles. I wish I had more answers for you. Jasper's symptoms are quite unusual. His reaction to sunlight, the burns, his inability to heal properly... it's all very concerning. How is Jasper? I'd like to speak with him."

Before Giles could respond, Xander interjected with a quip wandering over to them at the desk. "Would love to, but Mr. Marble over here refuses to move," he joked, gesturing towards Jasper's still form on the couch.

Giles shot Xander a reproachful look before turning his attention back to the phone. "Um, well, what Xander is trying to say is that Jasper seems to be in what appears to be a catatonic state at the moment. He's done this thrice already today."

Carlisle's voice remained calm but serious. "I see. Well, it's not entirely uncommon for vampires to enter into what appears to be a state of stillness. It's one of our unique traits."

Giles rubbed his temples, the weight of the situation pressing down on him. "Ah, I see. Thank you for clarifying, Carlisle. We've been quite perplexed by his behaviour."

Xander leaned forward, smirking. "So, being a statue is a good trait, huh? Beats getting up early for work."

Willow rolled her eyes at Xander before addressing Carlisle. "Actually, ahh, Carlisle, hi, Willow here. We thought it was Jasper's wound. It's been hot to the touch and showing signs of infection."

Carlisle sounded surprised. "Hmm, that's concerning. A vampire's skin shouldn't appear warm to the touch for humans, only to other vampires."

Giles, intrigued, leaned closer to the phone. "Fascinating. Carlisle, could you provide more information on this?"

"Certainly, Giles. A vampire's body temperature is typically lower than that of humans. It's part of our physiology. If Jasper's skin is warm to the touch for humans, it suggests that something unusual is happening. It could be related to his condition or perhaps something else entirely."

Giles pondered this, his mind racing. "Could it be because of Jasper's thirst being replaced with hunger?"

Carlisle sounded startled. "Thirst replaced with hunger? What do you mean, Giles?"

Giles glanced at Willow, then back at the phone. "Well, I'm not sure even I understand, Jasper mentioned hunting but…"

"That's an important question." Carlisle abruptly interrupted, his voice growing more concerned, "Vampires typically feel a thirst in their throat, not hunger. When did Jasper last hunt?"

Giles exchanged a worried look with Willow. "We're not entirely sure. We think maybe two days ago he was brought to us in a state of near delirium. It's possible he had hunted previous to running into Buffy and Spike on their patrol."

Carlisle's tone was a mix of disbelief and concern. "Two days ago? Are you sure? When we last spoke to Jasper, he mentioned a boar attack. When he described his wounds, I insisted that he seek assistance from humans, medical assistance that is. Human medicine can be quite effective, even for us."

Willow interjected with a touch of humour. "And here I thought the only thing effective against vampires was garlic and a well-placed stake."

Giles chuckled, though the situation remained serious. "Yes, well, it seems there's more to it than that, Willow."

On the other end, Carlisle continued to murmur to himself, lost in thought. "I can't believe he would have waited that long to seek help though. Jasper isn't one to ignore such serious advice, especially given the severity of his injuries. It's almost as if... but why would he... two weeks without proper care? That doesn't make any sense. Perhaps he thought he could manage on his own, but Jasper knows the risks. It's so unlike him... What could have possibly..."

His musings were interrupted when he caught the word 'rumbling' from the conversation. "I'm sorry, can you repeat that?"

Willow quickly added, "We tended to his wound and the burns on his hands. Oh, and we've been offering Jasper warm cups of pig's blood whenever his stomach rumbled."

Carlisle's shock was evident. "Rumbling? Vampires' stomachs don't rumble, As I said, they feel a thirst in their throat."

Willow exchanged a worried glance with Giles, the unusual symptom adding another layer of mystery to Jasper's condition. "Yes, it was definitely rumbling," she confirmed, her voice tinged with concern.

Giles, trying to process this new information, rubbed his temples. The weight of the ongoing mystery pressed down on him. He glanced over at Xander, who seemed ready to make another quip. "Growlies – "

"Xander, this is a serious matter," Giles said firmly, his patience wearing thin. "Please try to comprehend the gravity of the situation."

Giles then turned his attention back to the phone, his tone apologetic. "My apologies, Carlisle. What do you suggest we do for Jasper?"

Silence filled the room as Carlisle contemplated, the tension palpable.

Xander, unable to help himself, muttered, "Oh great, another vampire statue. Can they not control this?"

Giles shot Xander a warning look. "Xander, please show some restraint."

Carlisle, ignoring Xander's comment, suggested thoughtfully, "Perhaps Jasper needs food."

Willow looked uncertain. "Food? What does that mean?"

Giles picked up on Carlisle's implication. "You mean human food?"

"Yes, human food, "Carlisle responded, his conviction growing.

Giles, glad to have a plan, turned to Willow. "Excellent. Willow, could you please..."

Willow hurried towards the kitchen but then stopped, turning back. "Wait, what kind of food?"

Carlisle seemed thrown off by the question but responded quickly. "Well, it's been quite some time since he last ate. Since the Civil War, in fact."

Giles stuttered at Carlisle's words. "I beg your pardon?"

Carlisle, absently, clarified, "You know, the American Civil War. Uh, for the South."

The room fell into a brief silence, the weight of Carlisle's words settling among them. The American Civil War—it was a stark reminder of Jasper's long and tumultuous history, now intersecting with the present in the most unexpected way.

Giles finally broke the silence, his voice filled with a mixture of disbelief and intrigue. "The Civil War... That's quite a gap between meals. But if you believe human food could help, we're willing to try anything. What would you suggest, Carlisle? Given your expertise on Jasper."

Carlisle, taking a moment to consider, replied, "Something simple to start with. Considering it's been over a century, Jasper's digestive system, if it's somehow reactivating, will need to adjust. Soup or toast could be gentle enough. They are often what I'd recommend to my human patients who need to start with bland, easy-to-digest foods after not eating for an extended period."

Willow nodded to herself, already mentally inventorying their kitchen supplies. "Soup or toast. Got it," she murmured, though loud enough for the others to hear. Her steps resumed, this time with a clear direction, as she moved to start the unexpected task of preparing human food for their vampire friend.

Giles, still on the phone, added, " Human patients? Never mind, thank you, Carlisle. That's very helpful. Could you please provide your contact number again, just in case we have more questions or if there's anything else we need to know?"

The line crackled slightly as Carlisle began to repeat his number, the distortion growing with each digit until the voice on the other end faded into static. Giles, pen poised over paper, caught only fragments of the numbers, the static swallowing the sounds whole. Despite his efforts to capture the information, the call ended abruptly, leaving them without the reassurance of a direct line back to Carlisle.

The abrupt end to the call cast a brief shadow of frustration across Giles' features. He looked down at the notepad, where incomplete numbers danced amidst his notes—a glaring reminder of their isolation in facing Jasper's mysterious condition. "Well, that's unfortunate," Giles murmured, more to himself than to the others, the sense of disconnection weighing momentarily upon him.

Willow, catching the tail end of the conversation and Giles' unsuccessful attempt to jot down Carlisle's number, frowned. "Did we get what we need from him, at least?" she asked, her concern for Jasper momentarily overtaken by the practicalities of their situation.

"We got some advice, yes, but unfortunately, Carlisle's number was lost in the static," Giles replied, setting the notepad aside with a resigned sigh. "We'll have to move forward with what we have. And it would seem Carlisle also treats human patients, not quite sure what to make of that."

The mood in the room shifted then, a collective realization that, for now, they were on their own in deciphering and dealing with Jasper's condition. Yet, this setback did little to dampen their resolve. If anything, it galvanized their determination to help Jasper through uncharted territory.

Xander, ever the source of levity, tried to cut through the tension. "Well, on the bright side, we've got soup and toast on our vampire care menu. Who would've thought?" he quipped, aiming to lift the spirits of the group.

Willow, despite the uncertainty, managed a small smile at Xander's comment as she turned back to the kitchen to prepare the food. The lack of direct communication with Carlisle was a blow, but it wasn't the end of their efforts. They had faced the unknown before, and this time would be no different.

Giles watched Willow for a moment, her determined back as she moved about the kitchen, and then glanced over at Jasper, still and silent on the couch. "Let's proceed with what Carlisle suggested," Giles decided, the role of the leader settling upon him once more. "Soup and toast it is, then. And let's keep a close watch on Jasper's reaction. It's all we can do for now."